Barfly (1987) - full transcript
Henry Chinaski never cared for the American dream, the thought of needing to become 'something' and fit into the system disgusts him. He believes that life is free and yours to live like you see fit, and if that in some cases involves copious amounts of whiskey then so be it. Henry spends his days drinking and listening to the radio, and he spends his nights drinking and fighting against Eddy who he thinks personifies shallowness and shameless self promoting. Sometimes in the middle of this he finds the time to jot down a few lines of poetry or a short story. After fighting Eddy and winning for a change Henry is thrown out of his regular bar where Eddy is a bartender. This leads him to seek another watering hole where he happens to find Wanda who is a barfly, in her own words "if another man came along with a fifth of whiskey, I'd go with him". Henry is not fazed by this thou and moves in with her. Of course Wanda immediately goes off and sleeps with Eddy, but after some clothes throwing and two visits from the paramedics Henry and Wanda manage to patch up their relationship. Then Henry gets a visit from a literary agent who has decided to publish one of his stories that he sent in because he "liked the name of the mag". He follows the agent home to her place in order to receive his payment and with the help of a little whiskey sleeps with her. When he leaves to go back to the bar and back to Wanda the agent is heartbroken, she sees something special in Henry and has fallen in love with him. She follows him to his usual bar and gets into a cat fight with Wanda that Wanda wins. In celebration of new found love, happiness and money Henry buys a round for everyone at the bar and toasts them "to my friends!"
What you gotta do is beg for a little mercy.
Begging you would be like
swallowing penis for eternity!
Come on, give it up!
Got it.
Come on, Eddie!
You're gonna need a priest.
And when your mommy's crying at the funeral
I'm gonna goose her with a turkey neck!
Yeah, baby...
Oh, shit!
Oh, hey is that the best you can do?
You better phone for help.
Get him, Eddie!
Come on Eddie, hit him.
Hurt him real bad.
Scumbag, faggot.
Stop it Eddie!
Leave something for the garbage man.
I hate that cheap punk. Where the fuck
he thinks he's coming from?
You ripped him real good this time, Eddie.
Nothing left of him.
That's the third time.
You'd think that son of a bitch would
have learned by now to stop trying me.
Oh, wow. You're a genuine man.
Come on, Eddie. Lemme buy you a drink!
Come on!
Hey, we can't just leave
him laying out there.
He might be dying out there.
He hates help. He'd piss on you if he could.
Fuck him.
That guy's been gone for some time.
He was K.O.-ed last night.
He might be a few steps slow.
He'll be back.
I am starving.
He opens and closes the place.
I say he's ok.
What's ok about him?
He's like a wet rat in the rain.
A rat without any teeth.
Rat hell. He refuses to join the rat race.
He drinks and he waits.
I hope he doesn't wait for that
sandwich to deliver itself.
Now look! 20 bucks for that kind
of head is outrageous.
I did you good, old fart.
I did you good.
I oughta bit your champagne cork off.
I'm giving you 15 bucks.
20 bucks!
Nobody in this neighborhood can
swallow paste like I can.
Oh, shit.
Oh, beautiful.
Look what the cat drug in...
Good to see ya Henry.
Yeah, good to see you walk in here.
Hey, all of a sudden I'm so popular.
Maybe I oughta run for city council.
Aah, keep the change.
All of it?
Yeah, go ahead all of it.
What do you drink?
Almost everything.
Give him a scotch and water.
Who the hell invented the sandwich?
They ought to write a book about him.
Henry, you've got to stop fighting Eddie.
You don't even have a reason, that's
why you lose every fight.
I can whip him without a reason,
because I've got the guts.
Hey, I've got the guts.
But the guts need fuel.
Hey, what the hell?
Hmm, ham.
It's ham with mustard and relish.
He's a goddamn rat-thief.
That wasn't right.
I oughtta cream you good!
All I need is a litte fuel,
that's all I need to whip Eddie.
You're outta line there, Henry!
You just don't swoop down on a
man's food like that.
He's like a goddamned seagull!!
Here's for the drinks.
We can't eat in here, it's disgusting.
Have a nice day guys.
Henry, I want you to go to your room
and lay down for a few hours.
Frankly, I'm sick of looking at your face.
Lemme have a drink Jim.
Come on, on the cuff, one on the house.
I think the last time you ever
paid for a drink was the first time.
Jim.
- See you tonight, over here?
- See you tonight.
I don't see what you see in that guy.
He's as right as any of us.
I've got to have that money tomorrow morning
by 9 o'clock or I'll be thrown out of my room
and you're gonna be in trouble and I'm gonna be in trouble.
And we're both gonna be in trouble.
You understand that?
Fuel.
Some people never go crazy.
What truly horrible lives they must live.
You're listening to the Southern California
Gas Company afternoon concert.
We've just heard the Poem of Ecstasy
by Alexander Scriabin.
We continue now with the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
His Disuldante Jubilante.
Oh, shit.
Ohh, shit.
Come on.
Young man like you, drunk every day at noon.
You oughta get yourself a job!
- I have one.
- Oh, really?
Yeah, killing the cockroaches
in that place of yours.
Son of a bitch. Kiss my tuchas.
Hey.
What's new?
Grandma Mo is in the back working on Jack the window washer.
That's what's new.
I need a draft.
Hey boy! Fetch me a draft.
Some guys really know how to get the women.
You don't know how?
Eh, I can get one for ten minutes.
That's my limit.
Hey.
How come you're so fucked up?
Hey you! You with the filthy apron.
Be back in seconds.
I hear a voice down there,
but I sure as hell don't see much.
Seems like that beatin' I gave you last
night must have rattled your bells, huh?
I remember ordering a draft barkeep.
What, are you outta brew, or is that
lobotomy finally takin' hold?
I'm gonna drive your head through that
fuckin' wall tonight, you faggot.
I pulled my punches on you last night, but no more.
Yeah, it's definitely him, all right.
So what do you wanna do?
Well, I'm not sure that you oughta come down here right now.
What the fuck you on tonight?!
You're lookin' at a new man, my boy.
I've got a full tank of fuel.
You're gonna pay for that goddamned beer.
Eddie, come close, I want to tell you something.
- Come here, I want you to hear it good.
- Hear what?
Your mother's cunt stinks like carpet cleaner.
That's it, fuck! Come on!
Fuck you! Get away from that tap!
I haven't seen any of these fights.
My god, there's nothin' left of it.
She's like a vacuum cleaner.
20 bucks, Jack.
All right, I'm giving 3 to 1 odds.
I'll have this fag lickin'
my balls inside of 5 minutes.
You want? How about you?
How 'bout you?
- How about you?
- Yeah, I'll take 10 bucks of that.
You're on.
Hey Jim, maybe I can't.
Your life is just a bunch of can'ts.
You can't work, you can't fuck and you can't fight.
- I'm still putting up ten and taking 3 to 1.
- You're on.
- You cover for Eddie?
- Absolutely.
I'd like to get ahold of your ten.
- Waste him Eddie.
- I'd hate to be you if I we're me.
You fight like a girl.
What's holding you up, sucker?
You usually fall by now.
- OK, Eddie.
- What's ok, you fucking rummy? What's ok?
Take him out! Take him the fuck out!
- You've got him?
- Got him.
Oh, man. Here.
Ten, twenty, five...
Oh, Eddie. Eddie, what did that bastard do to you?
Fucking head is killing me.
Hey, man. Give me a draft.
No, no.
Look, I'm sorry man. I can't serve you.
Yo, Henry.
Look Henry, take this. Eddie wailed through
his blood, but he paid up.
Come on, take it. You've earned your
cut. All I did was watch.
Hey, I can't take the money, Jim.
Suppose I'd lost.
You buy a lot of drinks with this, slugger.
Since you put it that way, I'll take
a couple of scotch and waters.
Wish you'd take some more.
Hey, what do you think I am? A bum?
- Thanks Jim.
- You better not eat anything for a while.
You might turn into something dangerous.
Hey. Give me a beer.
- Christ, who's that one?
- Who?
That woman. She looks like uh, some kind
of distressed goddess.
- Oh, Wanda
- Wanda?
Hey tell me man. This Wanda she
looks pretty good.
- How come nobody sits next to her?
- She's crazy.
Crazy? Ooooh.
I can't stand people.
- I hate them.
- Oh, yeah?
You hate them?
No, but I seem to feel better
when they're not around.
Hey barkeep. Two scotch and waters.
I'm gonna ask you the same damn thing,
people are always asking me.
Like?
Like what do you do?
I drink.
- That's it.
- That's what?
I'm broke. Can't buy another drink.
You mean, you don't have any money?
No money. No job. No rent.
Hey, I'm back to normal.
Come with me.
..and I'll have a couple of packs
of smokes. Merrits. Long.
- Care for a couple of cigars?
- Yeah.
Couple of good cigars.
And charge it to Wilbur Evans.
Wanda, I'm gonna have to call Wilbur for his ok.
Go ahead.
Wilbur. Yeah, Wanda's here, she's got some stuff.
Yeah total is $23.80. Yeah. Couple bottles of scotch. Six pack of beer.
How did your face get so beat up?
You don't mind, do you?
I think it looks beautiful.
- Hey, you little pricks.
- Oh, sorry man.
Pardon me, Willbur.
Wilbur wants to know if your're coming over.
Yeah, she is.
It's ok Wanda.
Grab the stuff and follow me. We'll try my place.
Goddamn it!
My place is next. I'm up on the third floor.
Don't worry, there's an elevator.
I love corn.
- I'm gonna pick some corn.
- Hey wait. You can't go up there.
That's out in the open. You'll be seen.
I don't care, I love corn.
I'm gonna pick some corn.
Hey. What are you doing?
Hey, you're drunk. Baby, look at those ears,
they're still young. They're green, you
can't eat that stuff.
Who's Wilbur? Is he your pimp?
I'm no hooker. I don't have a pimp.
Who's the guy?
Wilbur? Just an old guy who cares for me.
Oh shit! It's the cops.
Let's go. Which way?
Go. Quick. Head for the basement. There.
Goddamn!
Stop! Police! Stay right where you are.
Here!
- Which way?
- This way.
If the elevator isn't at the bottom,
we're damned.
Stop or we'll fire!
Keep your finger on the three button!
Ah, shit! Get where this fucking thing stopped.
Leave the door open.
Leave the lights out.
- Don't make a sound
- Hey, take your shoes off.
- I really wanna get those fuckers.
- And you see the woman? She really flashed those legs when she ran.
Great legs.
Have they left?
Let's not take a chance.
Let's be quiet for the rest of the night.
They might be camped down there.
I guess you'll have to stay the night.
Don't you hate cops?
No, but I seem to feel better when
they're not around.
I sure want to thank you for
your hospitality.
Just one thing.
I don't ever want to fall in love.
I don't wanna go through that. I can't.
Hey, don't worry. Nobody's ever loved me yet.
Oh shit. I told you that stuff is green.
Look at it.
Nothing ever works.
Nothing in this life ever works right.
Hey stop it. Shhh. Hey, be quiet.
They still might be out there.
Nothing ever works right in this life.
It's alright.
- Hey, what the hell was that?
- Same old thing, only it's a
little better than TV.
There you go lover.
- Lover?
- Don't you remember?
Aah, but what's this?
An extra key.
Two can get the rent better than one.
I don't know if I'm too good at that sort of thing.
Yeah?
What're you good at?
Juicy. (phone rings)
Yeah? Oh.
Wilbur. I.. geez. I couldn't make
it over last night.
I got stinko and passed out. I went to bed.
Tonight?
Well, geez, I don't know. Uhm.
Let me think about it.
Hello. Yeah.
Hey Wilbur, how you doing?
Hey, listen Wilbur, you call here again,
I'm gonna come over and
I'm gonna do a tapdance on your skull.
Listen, Wilbur be very careful. Yeah,
he's a very jealous man, he's a wrestler.
He drinks beer, sits around all day, farts, lifts weights.
He hung up.
We really cut off a good source of
supply there, Mr. Von Builderass
Von Builderass? What's that?
It's the way you walk across the room.
The way you act.
Yeah, you're the damnedest barfly I've ever seen.
You act like some real blue blood, like royalty.
I wasn't aware of that. Thank you.
- Noticed your class too baby.
- All right.
I gotta tell you something.
If a man came by with a fifth of whiskey,
I'm afraid I'd go with him.
I could get a lot of booze out of Wilbur
without giving up too much.
- I don't know about the next.
- Hey, I'm the next.
- I'll suply the booze.
- How?
I'll get a job.
(laughter)
What happened to you along the way?
You're weird.
By the way. The first thing I noticed
about you, were your legs.
Really?
I guess I got lucky with legs.
It's the brain I was shorted on.
Oh, yeah. Hey.
I could look at a woman's legs for hours.
I got nothin' but time.
- Do you think I'm crazy?
- That's crazy.
I dunno.
We're all in some kind of hell.
And the madhouses are the only places
where people know they're in hell.
I don't know, I'm just a crazy beer
drinking wrestler. Let's fart.
You ass. You got anything to
pick up at your place?
Yeah, some rags and a radio.
Hey, we don't need a moving van.
Ah, let's go.
But I wanna make myself look good.
Hey Jim, can you hold this stuff
for me for a while?
Yeah, sure.
Last time I saw you, you've had nothing.
Now you got a woman and a radio.
Hey, Jim. I'm used to radios.
Wanda, this is Jim. Jim, this is Wanda.
- Hi.
- Hi. Get me a beer?
Yeah, likewise.
Hey Jim, can you cash this check for me?
I signed it.
Hey, what's this?
You're not gonna believe this,
but that's an income tax refund.
I found it in the mailbox of the old place.
You mean, you worked last year?
Six months in a toy factory.
You don't know how men suffer for children.
Hey, Henry. You're gonna buy one or be one?
Hey, I'm gonna be one. Give her a beer.
- Yes, sir?
- Shot of bar whiskey, please.
- Here you go old timer. This one's on the house.
- I thank you.
Thanks, Jim.
Hey look, why don't you take this. Should cover the rent,
I'll keep the rest.
You trust me?
Why not? It's easier that way.
Oh, look at this. Shifrin Incorporated
Laborer, no experience.
Hey, that's me.
I'm gonna run down there,
I'm gonna hop on a bus.
Henry, are you losing what's
left of your goddamned mind?
You mean you're gonna leave me here all alone?
All alone? Hey baby, there's Jim,
there's Lilly. Come on.
What are you doing with a woman Henry?
Lilly, sometimes I think you could use one too.
Four whiskeys.
Look Hank, why don't you go tomorrow.
We just met.
When you run off like this I feel
like you're trying to get away from me.
Hey, baby. I'm doing this for us.
We'll be able to drink with class.
We don't have to be barflies
right down to the grave.
- Thank you, bartender.
- Ok, oldtimer.
Hey, he didn't pay.
He already paid.
Oh, god, I'm gonna get a job.
Yeah, hey. To the working class. Right.
- To us.
- To us. With God's help.
No chance. Even the devil wouldn't have you.
Hey, what's your problem?
Hey, you got any of those little
mints for your breath?
Oh yeah. Baby.
Excuse me, who are you?
Hmm, the eternal question.
The eternal answer: I don't know.
- How do you explain all these gaps in your employment record?
- Hey, anybody can get a job.
- Takes a man to make it without working.
- Excuse me?
Hey, I was just joking.
Everything here seems to read 'none'.
Hobbies none, religion none, education none.
Even where they ask sex you put none.
Hardly none. Yeah, you can put down male.
So, how did the job go?
Oh, they gave me a hard on.
They couldn't use a hard on.
This is a world where everybody's
gotta do something.
You know somebody laid down this rule,
that everybody's gotta do something.
They've gotta be something
You know, a dentist, a glider pilot, a narc,
a janitor, a preacher, all that.
Sometimes, I just get tired of thinking
of all the things that I don't wanna do.
All things that I don't wanna be.
All the places that I don't wanna go,
like India, like get my teeth cleaned.
Save the whale, all that. I don't understand that.
You're not supposed to think about it.
I think the whole trick is not to think about it.
Oh, I guess Wanda went home, huh?
- Henry.
- Yeah?
Eddie came in with a fifth of bourbon.
Tonight's his night off. Ben's working his shift.
I won't miss Eddie tonight.
Henry, Wanda left with Eddie.
Huh? What?
- Jim?
- Yeah?
Scotch and water.
Humanity, you never had it from the beginning.
Hello.
I paid the rent.
Did you get the job?
Yeah, I start tomorrow. Maitre d' at Musso and Frank's.
Listen, I told you not to leave me alone.
- Don't hit me!
- Hit you? I'm not your goddamned pimp.
Stop acting like one.
Why'd it have to be Eddie?!?!
- He symbolizes everything that disgusts me!
- What?
Obviousness, unoriginal macho energy.
Ladies man.
You're right. He's not much.
I made an error, an unhappy error.
Look, I drink.
When I drink, I move in
a wrong direction.
You know, everytime I get with a woman,
something happens.
Sometimes it happens sooner,
sometimes it happens later.
- This time it happened pretty fast.
- You know, we just met. You don't own me.
Hey, that's right. Nobody owns anybody.
I just thought that we had something a little special.
I guess it was just green corn.
Hey, what are we? Just people
that pass in the hallways?
I guess I expect too much.
Hey, I can't handle this scene, you know.
I ought to be a fucking monk. Yeah.
(phone rings)
Hello?
I'm Tully Sorensen. I know this sounds like
I'm out of a lunatic asylum but I have
this reason why I wish to talk to you.
- Well, what do you wanna do?
- Well, what can man do with a third rate chippie?
- You keep talking like that and I'm leaving.
- I'll open the door for you.
I'll be a gentleman.
Go ahead.
- OK, I'm going.
- Hope you find a live one.
You rotten son of a bitch.
Oh, baby. Oww! I love you. What you...? What do ya...?
OW, you've got something hard in there! Owww!
Nothing but the dripping sink.
An empty bottle. Euphoria.
Youth fenced in. Stabbed and shaven.
Taut words. Propped up to die.
Are you Henry Chinaski?
No, I'm Leon Spinks!
You look in bad shape.
Should I call a doctor?
No, quite alright.
Where's the body? You?
There's no body.
We've got a call, that somebody was dying up here.
- Hey, everything is fine.
- You know what each of these calls cost the tax payer?
- Jesus, why don't you turn your radio down?
- I can't find anybody.
This is room 309, ain't it?
So you didn't put in the call, did you?
No, I didn't.
All right, sign this buddy. To show that we've been here.
Listen, you don't look so good.
Better go to bed or something.
Are you gonna sign this buddy?
This guy's fucking nuts.
Right there, below the line here.
Get some sleep, you'll feel better.
Come on, let's go Lenny.
Goddamn you. Who asked you anything anyways?
You know Louie, in spite of everything,
I sometimes think I love you.
I always told you you didn't have any goddamn sense.
(slaps and screams)
Still think I love you.
You know, the best thing about you
is that after looing at you, anything else I look at
looks a helluva lot better
Yeah, well try looking in the mirror sometime.
Find out what a lying son of a bitch you are.
(laugh)
(phone rings)
Hello?
Oh yes, I'm alright.
Do I wanna see you?
Well, you know what Tolstoy said? Tolstoy!
Tolstoy said: "Regard the society
of women as a necessary unpleasantness of
life and avoid it as much as possible."
What?
Well, hey yes. Hey.
I know I'm in your apartment,
but I paid this month's rent.
Yes. Sure, I can always use a drink.
Where'd you say you were calling from?
Oh, alright. I'll see you in a minute.
How's your head?
Oh, my head needs a beer.
The booze is on Wilbur Evans.
It's probably the last tab I'll be able to run on him.
I guess it's not fair on Wilbur,
but he's got nothing but money.
Oh, poor Wilbur.
What did you do while I was gone?
Where the hell are my panties?
Where the hell is anything?
Did an earthquake hit this place?
Oh, well, I was looking for a lottery ticket.
You don't play the lottery.
Oh, well, I. Hahaha.
Is your head really alright?
It's just fine.
You're looking at a real man now.
I'm tough, and I work, and I'm hard.
I know a part of you that never gets hard.
Not for you baby. No way, ever.
Who for then? Betty Davis?
Forty years ago?
- What is it?
- Oh, it's hatred. It's the only thing that lasts.
That guy beats up his old lady and
I hear he's killed two guys.
No shit. What the fuck's he doing out?
I don't know.
He killed one man, they put him in,
and he got out, killed another guy
and now he's out again.
Maybe it was self-defense or maybe
it's our penal system.
Anyhow, he's out on parole.
He must jack off his parole officer,
when he comes around.
- I'm getting out.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
Get up you whore!
You can take a punch better than that.
Maybe this guy had a reason for killing.
Hey, most people think they do.
What are we gonna do about us?
Well, us? Us is gonna drink, I hope.
Pour me one then.
Thanks.
I feel kind of sleepy.
I don't know if it's
the booze or what, but ...
- I need a nap.
- Hey, you go ahead. I'll watch things.
By the way, I didn't get that job.
Tomorrow is my turn.
I've been a waitress, a typist.
I can do it again.
Hey, you don't have to do anything ridiculous.
I'll work something out.
This thing upon me, like a flower and a feast.
This thing upon me, crawling like a snake.
It's not death, but dying will solve it's power.
And as my hands drop the last desperate pen
in some cheap room.
They will find me there. I never
know my name, my meaning.
Nor the treasure of my escape.
Henry?
Yes, what is it?
- Are you there?
- Yes, I'm right here.
Henry, I'm going to die.
What?
I'm gonna die.
I just saw this angel.
He came to take me.
He had huge white wings.
He spread all across the room.
He's beautiful and glowing.
He came to take me.
Hey. Hey, you're gonna be all right.
Henry.
You better call an ambulance.
- You better call an ambulance.
- An ambulance?
I can't breathe.
Henry? I'm going...
Hello, operator. I need an ambulance.
(sirens)
Oh, jesus!! What you guys work the day
shift and the night shift too?
- I was gonna ask you the same thing.
- This time he's got the body.
Hey, sign here.
Don't you ever change your underwear?
- Sorry.
- Don't be sorry, just change your underwear.
No more calls here tonight, buddy.
We're not answering anymore calls here tonight.
- What about Wanda?
- Wanda's just drunk and besides that she's too fat.
Come on Harry, let's get out of here.
Did you hear what that son of a bitch said?
- He said you were alright.
- That son of a bitch said I was too fat.
He had no right to say that.
Do you think I'm too fat, Henry?
- Oh, no, no. You're just right, you're perfect.
- I thought so. Thank you.
Look, if you're going after a job in the morning,
you better get some sleep.
All right.
I really saw that angel.
His wings were moving.
Well, I'm glad he had the wrong address.
I would have missed you badly.
You lying S.O.B.
Hey look, you're hungover.
Look, why don't you go another day? Huh?
Say when you're feeling better?
I said I'd look for a job.
What do you want me to do?
Go back to my drunken babble?
Yes.
The angel came.
That was a warning to get straight.
Hey. You don't believe in that crap do you?
Sure. More crap you believe in,
the more better off you are.
Listen, do you have a cigarette?
- Where the hell you're going anyway?
- Got a couple of places in mind.
Don't you have a match?
- Hey buddy?
- Huh?
You've got a light?
Well, indeed. I do have that.
- Thank you very much sir.
- The pleasure is more than mine sir.
And my lady.
See. The angels are everywhere.
It's time those fuckers came out of hiding.
- Do you have busfare?
- Yeah, wish me luck.
Hey, good luck.
- Mr. Chi...?
- Blake, Bill Blake.
You're Henry Chinaski.
- I tried your dorm....
- Hey, what da fuck is goin' on out there?!!
You weren't in so..
I decided to wait a bit.
All right, I am Chinaski, but I don't
own any money, so if you're from the
collection agency, you can forget about it.
No, I'm Tully Sorenson.
We've met each other at your bar.
Come on, please!
Can I come in for a moment?
Well, uuuh.
Look, I'm not gonna consume you.
Well, all right.
Go ahead.
I feel entirely foolish.
Well how come?
Just, just walking in here.
Hmmm, would you care for a beer?
- Thank you.
- Ok.
I'm one of the main producers of the
contemporary review of art and literature.
Oh, producer?
I own the magazine.
So?
So, we have discovered you.
Oh, I had an idea that I'd be
discovered after my death.
You look well on the way. You might be on deadline.
Hey, what's with this deadline crap, huh?
Don't you remember?
You've sent us dozens of stories.
You can't be that out of it.
I don't think so.
- Why did you send your stuff to us?
- Well, I like the title of the mag. It boggled my scrotum.
Why don't you stop drinking?
Anybody can be a drunk.
Anybody can be a nondrunk.
It takes a special talent to be a drunk.
It takes endurance.
Endurance is more important than truth.
Anyhow, you've had some luck.
We've decided to accept your last story.
And we pay upon acceptance.
You change your address quite a bit, don't you?
I had to hire a private detective to find you.
Oooh, the guy in the hat, right?
Hey, hahaha.
Oh, hey, wait.
I can't cash this fucking thing.
Ok, whore, this is it. I can't stand
it another minute. You're like a leech
sucking off my mind.
Beware of me. This is it, so help
me Christ, I'm gonna finish you off now.
Please Louie, oh no.
You wait here, I'll be back.
Louie, Noo, Noo, Nooo! Ahhhhh.
Hey, man, you got a search warrant?
You owe me for a lock and a door.
Hey, I don't like the way you're handling your woman.
Alright buddy. Where you're from anyhow?
Don't ya know, she likes it?
Fucking-A right!
You get your ass out of here, buster!
We don't need no fucking chamber of commerce clearance to
play around here! And move out!
Eh, it's love you see?
Anything else bothering you?
Yeah.
I don't like you.
That's just the nature of the
way things works. I don't like you.
You don't like me.
Wait. Hey, man, watch this one!
Ok, let's go killer.
Nothing but dumb luck, motherfucker.
Yeah, but that counts too.
Hello, hello, I need an ambulance. Royal apartments,
334 Westlake Place, South.
It's apartment 308. And hurry up.
A man is dying.
No I tell ya, it's for real this time.
There a guy on the floor, gutted.
Ok, hurry.
Hey, baby, we've got to get out of here.
I tell you it was an accident,
that sucker tried to kill me.
The Gods intervened.
- What happened?
- Wasn't my fault, he fell on his knife.
Shouldn't we tell the police?
Unless you want your new discovery in jail.
Hey, they've got the wrong kind of bars in those places.
Give me the check.
I'll go in and get it cashed for you.
Hey babe what's up?
Got a light?
Hey, baby.
Hmm, you know, for $75, I'll suck you till
your asshole rumbles like a volcano.
- Oh, I can alway tell a class lady when I see one.
- Faggot!
Five hundred dollars.
Oh, thanks much, really. There've been many
angels around here lately.
Which way, my dear angel?
- Bitch!
Bitch you're fuckin' with a faggot!
What are you gonna do with him when you get home?
What was all that about?
Misdirected animosity.
She doesn't know a damn thing about me.
- But I know something about you.
- Really?
You've been jailed twelve times.
You like Mahler and Mozart. You can't dance.
You hate movies. You like avocados and Schopenhauer.
Sound's like your man did his homework, baby.
When I read your stories, I had to find out.
They made me feel.
And they made me curious, very curious.
You can really write. Why do you live like a bum?
I am a bum. What do you want me to do?
You want me to write about the sufferings
of the upper classes?
This is may be news to you, but they suffer too.
Heey. Hey, baby.
Nobody suffers like the poor.
Little worried about that guy who got knifed.
Think he got it in the side.
If you get it in the stomach, that's bad.
Fuck you!
Maybe, they're in love.
Aah, you call that love? I call it
unoriginal exhibitionism.
Maybe, it's only that you want to be
the one who's kissing her.
Maybe. I don't put it out on parade.
Why can't you be more romantic?
Think of making love as being, say on a rollercoaster.
Look at these vain idiots! I'll give 'em a rollercoaster.
What they really need is a little hint of death!
That's the awakener.
- Are you crazy?
- Yes.
Stop it!
That whole thing was dumb, childish, the impetuous
act of a spoiled asshole.
So you hired a dick to find an asshole.
Take a left at this black gate and go on up.
Hey, open says you.
What do you want to be, when you grow up?
Hey Tully, I'm not pretending to be anything.
That's the point.
I'm glad there's a point.
That's a guesthouse.
- Do you need a drink?
- Yeah, like a spider needs a fly.
I'll get the drinks.
- Here. You're the bartender.
- Ok.
How does it feel to be on the other end?
Hey, either way is great,
as long as the bottle pours.
It seems to be a limited world.
Is there anything else to it?
No, it's a self-sufficient illusion.
One of my editors left those here.
You know. In the guesthouse
you could write in peace.
Hey, Tully baby, nobody who could write
worth a damn could ever write in peace.
Jesus!
I take it you don't care for my world.
Baby, look around it's a cage with golden bars.
You better go now.
I'm sorry for all of this,
I'm not used to drinking.
Hey, Tully. Baby.
- I'd better sleep now.
- Where's the bedroom?
There you go.
I can't sleep with my clothes on.
Hey, wait a moment.
Tully. Tully, baby.
- Hey, Tully baby.
- What is it?
I've gotta go.
What is it?
What went wrong?
Look, baby. I belong on the streets.
I don't feel right here.
- I feel like I can't breathe.
- You just aren't used to easiness.
You can grow into it.
Hey, baby. Growth's for plants.
I hate roots.
You had all this feeling in your stories.
I thought maybe it came from you.
- I'm sorry, I gotta go.
- No, I'm not gonna cry.
You fooled me, that's all, it's been done before.
- Hey, Tully. I didn't mean to do anything ugly.
- Get out.
Hey, Wanda.
Wanda. Hey, Wanda.
- Where the hell have you been?
- Brought you a little drink.
Where've you been?
I smell it. Perfume.
Get away from me, you pig!
Hey, you're crazy.
Look, what I've found.
That's frightening.
- What have you done? Did you kill somebody?
- Yeah.
That's for you, before the angel
comes and takes you away.
You crazy ass.
How about a refill?
Ooh.
Hey, what're you doin'?
Dressing.
I know, but why?
I just can't stand lying under that
cover of money. I feel so dumb.
Hey, money isn't dumb.
They say it talks, you know.
By the way, cops came by.
- Came by where? Here?
- No, not here.
It was next door 308, two ambulance
guys carried him out.
He'd been knifed.
Was he alive?
He must have been, he was smoking a cigarette.
Oh, great.
Henry, I didn't get the job.
That's ok.
We're gonna take that money and
we're gonna go to the bar.
- And we're gonna celebrate. Ok?
- All right.
Hey, Henry!
Yeah?
- Scotch on the rocks.
- I'll have the same and I'm buying for the house.
Look, your credit's no good here.
You've got to have the green.
This can't be true.
Start trottin', my friends are thirsty!
- Missed ya Henry!
- Friday night.
Eddie's gonna jump you tonight.
I want you to go out and get something to eat.
It's too late for that.
Eddie would think I was runnin.
What do you care what he thinks? Huh?
Hey, if Eddie whips me, you going
home with him tonight?
One mistake is enough for me.
It's you and me.
But, I'll tell you something.
If I find that one you went to bed with,
I'll rip all her parts off.
Oh, honey it wasn't me.
To all my friends!
Eddie, you're in too. Pour youself a drink.
Listen, you owe me forty bucks.
Here, keep the change. Pour yourself a drink.
Go buy yourself some bubblegum.
Now give everybody a new round. Yeah.
Listen punk, I'm gonna tell you something.
Last time I fought you I had the flu.
What's it gonna be this time, the AIDS?
Now come on, start trottin' boy.
I'm gonna fucking pour you. I'm making a phone call.
I'm calling Ben. I'm gonna tend the bar while he tends to you.
Hey, let me get you a hamburger. Huh?
Aaah. I want a steak! Soaked in whiskey!
Look Henry. Henry, get some sleep. Fight him
tomorrow after a couple of meals.
Heeey. Hey! I can't back down now.
Look how fast he's pouring those drinks.
He's ready for ya Henry.
Hey. His kind is no problem. One good punch
and he'll start barfing up looking for the exit.
You owe me $42.50.
Here baby, keep the change. Maybe you get a
taxi back to your room tonight.
To all my friends! To all my friends!
Henry. Thank you, Henry. Thank you.
To all my friends!
- What is this, take out service now?
- Yeah.
- Oh, shit.
- What?
I mean, drink up.
Come on in boys.
Hey, what do gotta do to get a drink
in this joint anyway?
Henry, I want to talk to you.
Hey. I told you, I didnt want that
cage with the golden bars.
Who's this?
Wanda, this is Tully. Tully, this is Wanda.
Henry, I'm gonna scurry on over there for a few minutes.
Hey, Eddie. Drink for the lady.
Vodka, Eddie.
Tully is a publisher, she took one of my short stories.
- Yeah?
What else did she take?
Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude,
but haven't I seen you before?
- Are you a friend of Henry's?
- Yeah, I'm a real good friend of Henry's.
How about you?
Well. Henry and I are quite...
I'll say you are.
That's the perfume.
Hey. Look girls, there's really nothing to get upset about.
Let's have a few drinks and listen to some jukebox music.
Who's gonna pay for that drink?
- I'm gonna separate you from your parts you westside bitch!
- You get away from me!
I just want to talk to Henry for a minute.
I asked, who's gonna pay for the goddamned drink?
- Here.
- Thank you.
Now look girls. Be realistic.
None of us hardly know one another.
Basically, strangers to each other.
Heh, we've passed in the night and...
...met again in a bar.
Be realistic, there's no way,
there's no reality to any of this.
Another round of drinks.
Either you get out of here or I'm gonna
peel you away from your perfume.
- I have a drink and I intend to sit here and drink it.
- Really?
Just get out of here now, before I finish you off.
All right. I know you need this.
Good luck. Goodbye.
To all my friends!
To all my friends!
Let's drink up!
You gonna fight him again? Hahaha, that's a laugh!
Corrected and Edited by:
flinched
Begging you would be like
swallowing penis for eternity!
Come on, give it up!
Got it.
Come on, Eddie!
You're gonna need a priest.
And when your mommy's crying at the funeral
I'm gonna goose her with a turkey neck!
Yeah, baby...
Oh, shit!
Oh, hey is that the best you can do?
You better phone for help.
Get him, Eddie!
Come on Eddie, hit him.
Hurt him real bad.
Scumbag, faggot.
Stop it Eddie!
Leave something for the garbage man.
I hate that cheap punk. Where the fuck
he thinks he's coming from?
You ripped him real good this time, Eddie.
Nothing left of him.
That's the third time.
You'd think that son of a bitch would
have learned by now to stop trying me.
Oh, wow. You're a genuine man.
Come on, Eddie. Lemme buy you a drink!
Come on!
Hey, we can't just leave
him laying out there.
He might be dying out there.
He hates help. He'd piss on you if he could.
Fuck him.
That guy's been gone for some time.
He was K.O.-ed last night.
He might be a few steps slow.
He'll be back.
I am starving.
He opens and closes the place.
I say he's ok.
What's ok about him?
He's like a wet rat in the rain.
A rat without any teeth.
Rat hell. He refuses to join the rat race.
He drinks and he waits.
I hope he doesn't wait for that
sandwich to deliver itself.
Now look! 20 bucks for that kind
of head is outrageous.
I did you good, old fart.
I did you good.
I oughta bit your champagne cork off.
I'm giving you 15 bucks.
20 bucks!
Nobody in this neighborhood can
swallow paste like I can.
Oh, shit.
Oh, beautiful.
Look what the cat drug in...
Good to see ya Henry.
Yeah, good to see you walk in here.
Hey, all of a sudden I'm so popular.
Maybe I oughta run for city council.
Aah, keep the change.
All of it?
Yeah, go ahead all of it.
What do you drink?
Almost everything.
Give him a scotch and water.
Who the hell invented the sandwich?
They ought to write a book about him.
Henry, you've got to stop fighting Eddie.
You don't even have a reason, that's
why you lose every fight.
I can whip him without a reason,
because I've got the guts.
Hey, I've got the guts.
But the guts need fuel.
Hey, what the hell?
Hmm, ham.
It's ham with mustard and relish.
He's a goddamn rat-thief.
That wasn't right.
I oughtta cream you good!
All I need is a litte fuel,
that's all I need to whip Eddie.
You're outta line there, Henry!
You just don't swoop down on a
man's food like that.
He's like a goddamned seagull!!
Here's for the drinks.
We can't eat in here, it's disgusting.
Have a nice day guys.
Henry, I want you to go to your room
and lay down for a few hours.
Frankly, I'm sick of looking at your face.
Lemme have a drink Jim.
Come on, on the cuff, one on the house.
I think the last time you ever
paid for a drink was the first time.
Jim.
- See you tonight, over here?
- See you tonight.
I don't see what you see in that guy.
He's as right as any of us.
I've got to have that money tomorrow morning
by 9 o'clock or I'll be thrown out of my room
and you're gonna be in trouble and I'm gonna be in trouble.
And we're both gonna be in trouble.
You understand that?
Fuel.
Some people never go crazy.
What truly horrible lives they must live.
You're listening to the Southern California
Gas Company afternoon concert.
We've just heard the Poem of Ecstasy
by Alexander Scriabin.
We continue now with the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
His Disuldante Jubilante.
Oh, shit.
Ohh, shit.
Come on.
Young man like you, drunk every day at noon.
You oughta get yourself a job!
- I have one.
- Oh, really?
Yeah, killing the cockroaches
in that place of yours.
Son of a bitch. Kiss my tuchas.
Hey.
What's new?
Grandma Mo is in the back working on Jack the window washer.
That's what's new.
I need a draft.
Hey boy! Fetch me a draft.
Some guys really know how to get the women.
You don't know how?
Eh, I can get one for ten minutes.
That's my limit.
Hey.
How come you're so fucked up?
Hey you! You with the filthy apron.
Be back in seconds.
I hear a voice down there,
but I sure as hell don't see much.
Seems like that beatin' I gave you last
night must have rattled your bells, huh?
I remember ordering a draft barkeep.
What, are you outta brew, or is that
lobotomy finally takin' hold?
I'm gonna drive your head through that
fuckin' wall tonight, you faggot.
I pulled my punches on you last night, but no more.
Yeah, it's definitely him, all right.
So what do you wanna do?
Well, I'm not sure that you oughta come down here right now.
What the fuck you on tonight?!
You're lookin' at a new man, my boy.
I've got a full tank of fuel.
You're gonna pay for that goddamned beer.
Eddie, come close, I want to tell you something.
- Come here, I want you to hear it good.
- Hear what?
Your mother's cunt stinks like carpet cleaner.
That's it, fuck! Come on!
Fuck you! Get away from that tap!
I haven't seen any of these fights.
My god, there's nothin' left of it.
She's like a vacuum cleaner.
20 bucks, Jack.
All right, I'm giving 3 to 1 odds.
I'll have this fag lickin'
my balls inside of 5 minutes.
You want? How about you?
How 'bout you?
- How about you?
- Yeah, I'll take 10 bucks of that.
You're on.
Hey Jim, maybe I can't.
Your life is just a bunch of can'ts.
You can't work, you can't fuck and you can't fight.
- I'm still putting up ten and taking 3 to 1.
- You're on.
- You cover for Eddie?
- Absolutely.
I'd like to get ahold of your ten.
- Waste him Eddie.
- I'd hate to be you if I we're me.
You fight like a girl.
What's holding you up, sucker?
You usually fall by now.
- OK, Eddie.
- What's ok, you fucking rummy? What's ok?
Take him out! Take him the fuck out!
- You've got him?
- Got him.
Oh, man. Here.
Ten, twenty, five...
Oh, Eddie. Eddie, what did that bastard do to you?
Fucking head is killing me.
Hey, man. Give me a draft.
No, no.
Look, I'm sorry man. I can't serve you.
Yo, Henry.
Look Henry, take this. Eddie wailed through
his blood, but he paid up.
Come on, take it. You've earned your
cut. All I did was watch.
Hey, I can't take the money, Jim.
Suppose I'd lost.
You buy a lot of drinks with this, slugger.
Since you put it that way, I'll take
a couple of scotch and waters.
Wish you'd take some more.
Hey, what do you think I am? A bum?
- Thanks Jim.
- You better not eat anything for a while.
You might turn into something dangerous.
Hey. Give me a beer.
- Christ, who's that one?
- Who?
That woman. She looks like uh, some kind
of distressed goddess.
- Oh, Wanda
- Wanda?
Hey tell me man. This Wanda she
looks pretty good.
- How come nobody sits next to her?
- She's crazy.
Crazy? Ooooh.
I can't stand people.
- I hate them.
- Oh, yeah?
You hate them?
No, but I seem to feel better
when they're not around.
Hey barkeep. Two scotch and waters.
I'm gonna ask you the same damn thing,
people are always asking me.
Like?
Like what do you do?
I drink.
- That's it.
- That's what?
I'm broke. Can't buy another drink.
You mean, you don't have any money?
No money. No job. No rent.
Hey, I'm back to normal.
Come with me.
..and I'll have a couple of packs
of smokes. Merrits. Long.
- Care for a couple of cigars?
- Yeah.
Couple of good cigars.
And charge it to Wilbur Evans.
Wanda, I'm gonna have to call Wilbur for his ok.
Go ahead.
Wilbur. Yeah, Wanda's here, she's got some stuff.
Yeah total is $23.80. Yeah. Couple bottles of scotch. Six pack of beer.
How did your face get so beat up?
You don't mind, do you?
I think it looks beautiful.
- Hey, you little pricks.
- Oh, sorry man.
Pardon me, Willbur.
Wilbur wants to know if your're coming over.
Yeah, she is.
It's ok Wanda.
Grab the stuff and follow me. We'll try my place.
Goddamn it!
My place is next. I'm up on the third floor.
Don't worry, there's an elevator.
I love corn.
- I'm gonna pick some corn.
- Hey wait. You can't go up there.
That's out in the open. You'll be seen.
I don't care, I love corn.
I'm gonna pick some corn.
Hey. What are you doing?
Hey, you're drunk. Baby, look at those ears,
they're still young. They're green, you
can't eat that stuff.
Who's Wilbur? Is he your pimp?
I'm no hooker. I don't have a pimp.
Who's the guy?
Wilbur? Just an old guy who cares for me.
Oh shit! It's the cops.
Let's go. Which way?
Go. Quick. Head for the basement. There.
Goddamn!
Stop! Police! Stay right where you are.
Here!
- Which way?
- This way.
If the elevator isn't at the bottom,
we're damned.
Stop or we'll fire!
Keep your finger on the three button!
Ah, shit! Get where this fucking thing stopped.
Leave the door open.
Leave the lights out.
- Don't make a sound
- Hey, take your shoes off.
- I really wanna get those fuckers.
- And you see the woman? She really flashed those legs when she ran.
Great legs.
Have they left?
Let's not take a chance.
Let's be quiet for the rest of the night.
They might be camped down there.
I guess you'll have to stay the night.
Don't you hate cops?
No, but I seem to feel better when
they're not around.
I sure want to thank you for
your hospitality.
Just one thing.
I don't ever want to fall in love.
I don't wanna go through that. I can't.
Hey, don't worry. Nobody's ever loved me yet.
Oh shit. I told you that stuff is green.
Look at it.
Nothing ever works.
Nothing in this life ever works right.
Hey stop it. Shhh. Hey, be quiet.
They still might be out there.
Nothing ever works right in this life.
It's alright.
- Hey, what the hell was that?
- Same old thing, only it's a
little better than TV.
There you go lover.
- Lover?
- Don't you remember?
Aah, but what's this?
An extra key.
Two can get the rent better than one.
I don't know if I'm too good at that sort of thing.
Yeah?
What're you good at?
Juicy. (phone rings)
Yeah? Oh.
Wilbur. I.. geez. I couldn't make
it over last night.
I got stinko and passed out. I went to bed.
Tonight?
Well, geez, I don't know. Uhm.
Let me think about it.
Hello. Yeah.
Hey Wilbur, how you doing?
Hey, listen Wilbur, you call here again,
I'm gonna come over and
I'm gonna do a tapdance on your skull.
Listen, Wilbur be very careful. Yeah,
he's a very jealous man, he's a wrestler.
He drinks beer, sits around all day, farts, lifts weights.
He hung up.
We really cut off a good source of
supply there, Mr. Von Builderass
Von Builderass? What's that?
It's the way you walk across the room.
The way you act.
Yeah, you're the damnedest barfly I've ever seen.
You act like some real blue blood, like royalty.
I wasn't aware of that. Thank you.
- Noticed your class too baby.
- All right.
I gotta tell you something.
If a man came by with a fifth of whiskey,
I'm afraid I'd go with him.
I could get a lot of booze out of Wilbur
without giving up too much.
- I don't know about the next.
- Hey, I'm the next.
- I'll suply the booze.
- How?
I'll get a job.
(laughter)
What happened to you along the way?
You're weird.
By the way. The first thing I noticed
about you, were your legs.
Really?
I guess I got lucky with legs.
It's the brain I was shorted on.
Oh, yeah. Hey.
I could look at a woman's legs for hours.
I got nothin' but time.
- Do you think I'm crazy?
- That's crazy.
I dunno.
We're all in some kind of hell.
And the madhouses are the only places
where people know they're in hell.
I don't know, I'm just a crazy beer
drinking wrestler. Let's fart.
You ass. You got anything to
pick up at your place?
Yeah, some rags and a radio.
Hey, we don't need a moving van.
Ah, let's go.
But I wanna make myself look good.
Hey Jim, can you hold this stuff
for me for a while?
Yeah, sure.
Last time I saw you, you've had nothing.
Now you got a woman and a radio.
Hey, Jim. I'm used to radios.
Wanda, this is Jim. Jim, this is Wanda.
- Hi.
- Hi. Get me a beer?
Yeah, likewise.
Hey Jim, can you cash this check for me?
I signed it.
Hey, what's this?
You're not gonna believe this,
but that's an income tax refund.
I found it in the mailbox of the old place.
You mean, you worked last year?
Six months in a toy factory.
You don't know how men suffer for children.
Hey, Henry. You're gonna buy one or be one?
Hey, I'm gonna be one. Give her a beer.
- Yes, sir?
- Shot of bar whiskey, please.
- Here you go old timer. This one's on the house.
- I thank you.
Thanks, Jim.
Hey look, why don't you take this. Should cover the rent,
I'll keep the rest.
You trust me?
Why not? It's easier that way.
Oh, look at this. Shifrin Incorporated
Laborer, no experience.
Hey, that's me.
I'm gonna run down there,
I'm gonna hop on a bus.
Henry, are you losing what's
left of your goddamned mind?
You mean you're gonna leave me here all alone?
All alone? Hey baby, there's Jim,
there's Lilly. Come on.
What are you doing with a woman Henry?
Lilly, sometimes I think you could use one too.
Four whiskeys.
Look Hank, why don't you go tomorrow.
We just met.
When you run off like this I feel
like you're trying to get away from me.
Hey, baby. I'm doing this for us.
We'll be able to drink with class.
We don't have to be barflies
right down to the grave.
- Thank you, bartender.
- Ok, oldtimer.
Hey, he didn't pay.
He already paid.
Oh, god, I'm gonna get a job.
Yeah, hey. To the working class. Right.
- To us.
- To us. With God's help.
No chance. Even the devil wouldn't have you.
Hey, what's your problem?
Hey, you got any of those little
mints for your breath?
Oh yeah. Baby.
Excuse me, who are you?
Hmm, the eternal question.
The eternal answer: I don't know.
- How do you explain all these gaps in your employment record?
- Hey, anybody can get a job.
- Takes a man to make it without working.
- Excuse me?
Hey, I was just joking.
Everything here seems to read 'none'.
Hobbies none, religion none, education none.
Even where they ask sex you put none.
Hardly none. Yeah, you can put down male.
So, how did the job go?
Oh, they gave me a hard on.
They couldn't use a hard on.
This is a world where everybody's
gotta do something.
You know somebody laid down this rule,
that everybody's gotta do something.
They've gotta be something
You know, a dentist, a glider pilot, a narc,
a janitor, a preacher, all that.
Sometimes, I just get tired of thinking
of all the things that I don't wanna do.
All things that I don't wanna be.
All the places that I don't wanna go,
like India, like get my teeth cleaned.
Save the whale, all that. I don't understand that.
You're not supposed to think about it.
I think the whole trick is not to think about it.
Oh, I guess Wanda went home, huh?
- Henry.
- Yeah?
Eddie came in with a fifth of bourbon.
Tonight's his night off. Ben's working his shift.
I won't miss Eddie tonight.
Henry, Wanda left with Eddie.
Huh? What?
- Jim?
- Yeah?
Scotch and water.
Humanity, you never had it from the beginning.
Hello.
I paid the rent.
Did you get the job?
Yeah, I start tomorrow. Maitre d' at Musso and Frank's.
Listen, I told you not to leave me alone.
- Don't hit me!
- Hit you? I'm not your goddamned pimp.
Stop acting like one.
Why'd it have to be Eddie?!?!
- He symbolizes everything that disgusts me!
- What?
Obviousness, unoriginal macho energy.
Ladies man.
You're right. He's not much.
I made an error, an unhappy error.
Look, I drink.
When I drink, I move in
a wrong direction.
You know, everytime I get with a woman,
something happens.
Sometimes it happens sooner,
sometimes it happens later.
- This time it happened pretty fast.
- You know, we just met. You don't own me.
Hey, that's right. Nobody owns anybody.
I just thought that we had something a little special.
I guess it was just green corn.
Hey, what are we? Just people
that pass in the hallways?
I guess I expect too much.
Hey, I can't handle this scene, you know.
I ought to be a fucking monk. Yeah.
(phone rings)
Hello?
I'm Tully Sorensen. I know this sounds like
I'm out of a lunatic asylum but I have
this reason why I wish to talk to you.
- Well, what do you wanna do?
- Well, what can man do with a third rate chippie?
- You keep talking like that and I'm leaving.
- I'll open the door for you.
I'll be a gentleman.
Go ahead.
- OK, I'm going.
- Hope you find a live one.
You rotten son of a bitch.
Oh, baby. Oww! I love you. What you...? What do ya...?
OW, you've got something hard in there! Owww!
Nothing but the dripping sink.
An empty bottle. Euphoria.
Youth fenced in. Stabbed and shaven.
Taut words. Propped up to die.
Are you Henry Chinaski?
No, I'm Leon Spinks!
You look in bad shape.
Should I call a doctor?
No, quite alright.
Where's the body? You?
There's no body.
We've got a call, that somebody was dying up here.
- Hey, everything is fine.
- You know what each of these calls cost the tax payer?
- Jesus, why don't you turn your radio down?
- I can't find anybody.
This is room 309, ain't it?
So you didn't put in the call, did you?
No, I didn't.
All right, sign this buddy. To show that we've been here.
Listen, you don't look so good.
Better go to bed or something.
Are you gonna sign this buddy?
This guy's fucking nuts.
Right there, below the line here.
Get some sleep, you'll feel better.
Come on, let's go Lenny.
Goddamn you. Who asked you anything anyways?
You know Louie, in spite of everything,
I sometimes think I love you.
I always told you you didn't have any goddamn sense.
(slaps and screams)
Still think I love you.
You know, the best thing about you
is that after looing at you, anything else I look at
looks a helluva lot better
Yeah, well try looking in the mirror sometime.
Find out what a lying son of a bitch you are.
(laugh)
(phone rings)
Hello?
Oh yes, I'm alright.
Do I wanna see you?
Well, you know what Tolstoy said? Tolstoy!
Tolstoy said: "Regard the society
of women as a necessary unpleasantness of
life and avoid it as much as possible."
What?
Well, hey yes. Hey.
I know I'm in your apartment,
but I paid this month's rent.
Yes. Sure, I can always use a drink.
Where'd you say you were calling from?
Oh, alright. I'll see you in a minute.
How's your head?
Oh, my head needs a beer.
The booze is on Wilbur Evans.
It's probably the last tab I'll be able to run on him.
I guess it's not fair on Wilbur,
but he's got nothing but money.
Oh, poor Wilbur.
What did you do while I was gone?
Where the hell are my panties?
Where the hell is anything?
Did an earthquake hit this place?
Oh, well, I was looking for a lottery ticket.
You don't play the lottery.
Oh, well, I. Hahaha.
Is your head really alright?
It's just fine.
You're looking at a real man now.
I'm tough, and I work, and I'm hard.
I know a part of you that never gets hard.
Not for you baby. No way, ever.
Who for then? Betty Davis?
Forty years ago?
- What is it?
- Oh, it's hatred. It's the only thing that lasts.
That guy beats up his old lady and
I hear he's killed two guys.
No shit. What the fuck's he doing out?
I don't know.
He killed one man, they put him in,
and he got out, killed another guy
and now he's out again.
Maybe it was self-defense or maybe
it's our penal system.
Anyhow, he's out on parole.
He must jack off his parole officer,
when he comes around.
- I'm getting out.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
Get up you whore!
You can take a punch better than that.
Maybe this guy had a reason for killing.
Hey, most people think they do.
What are we gonna do about us?
Well, us? Us is gonna drink, I hope.
Pour me one then.
Thanks.
I feel kind of sleepy.
I don't know if it's
the booze or what, but ...
- I need a nap.
- Hey, you go ahead. I'll watch things.
By the way, I didn't get that job.
Tomorrow is my turn.
I've been a waitress, a typist.
I can do it again.
Hey, you don't have to do anything ridiculous.
I'll work something out.
This thing upon me, like a flower and a feast.
This thing upon me, crawling like a snake.
It's not death, but dying will solve it's power.
And as my hands drop the last desperate pen
in some cheap room.
They will find me there. I never
know my name, my meaning.
Nor the treasure of my escape.
Henry?
Yes, what is it?
- Are you there?
- Yes, I'm right here.
Henry, I'm going to die.
What?
I'm gonna die.
I just saw this angel.
He came to take me.
He had huge white wings.
He spread all across the room.
He's beautiful and glowing.
He came to take me.
Hey. Hey, you're gonna be all right.
Henry.
You better call an ambulance.
- You better call an ambulance.
- An ambulance?
I can't breathe.
Henry? I'm going...
Hello, operator. I need an ambulance.
(sirens)
Oh, jesus!! What you guys work the day
shift and the night shift too?
- I was gonna ask you the same thing.
- This time he's got the body.
Hey, sign here.
Don't you ever change your underwear?
- Sorry.
- Don't be sorry, just change your underwear.
No more calls here tonight, buddy.
We're not answering anymore calls here tonight.
- What about Wanda?
- Wanda's just drunk and besides that she's too fat.
Come on Harry, let's get out of here.
Did you hear what that son of a bitch said?
- He said you were alright.
- That son of a bitch said I was too fat.
He had no right to say that.
Do you think I'm too fat, Henry?
- Oh, no, no. You're just right, you're perfect.
- I thought so. Thank you.
Look, if you're going after a job in the morning,
you better get some sleep.
All right.
I really saw that angel.
His wings were moving.
Well, I'm glad he had the wrong address.
I would have missed you badly.
You lying S.O.B.
Hey look, you're hungover.
Look, why don't you go another day? Huh?
Say when you're feeling better?
I said I'd look for a job.
What do you want me to do?
Go back to my drunken babble?
Yes.
The angel came.
That was a warning to get straight.
Hey. You don't believe in that crap do you?
Sure. More crap you believe in,
the more better off you are.
Listen, do you have a cigarette?
- Where the hell you're going anyway?
- Got a couple of places in mind.
Don't you have a match?
- Hey buddy?
- Huh?
You've got a light?
Well, indeed. I do have that.
- Thank you very much sir.
- The pleasure is more than mine sir.
And my lady.
See. The angels are everywhere.
It's time those fuckers came out of hiding.
- Do you have busfare?
- Yeah, wish me luck.
Hey, good luck.
- Mr. Chi...?
- Blake, Bill Blake.
You're Henry Chinaski.
- I tried your dorm....
- Hey, what da fuck is goin' on out there?!!
You weren't in so..
I decided to wait a bit.
All right, I am Chinaski, but I don't
own any money, so if you're from the
collection agency, you can forget about it.
No, I'm Tully Sorenson.
We've met each other at your bar.
Come on, please!
Can I come in for a moment?
Well, uuuh.
Look, I'm not gonna consume you.
Well, all right.
Go ahead.
I feel entirely foolish.
Well how come?
Just, just walking in here.
Hmmm, would you care for a beer?
- Thank you.
- Ok.
I'm one of the main producers of the
contemporary review of art and literature.
Oh, producer?
I own the magazine.
So?
So, we have discovered you.
Oh, I had an idea that I'd be
discovered after my death.
You look well on the way. You might be on deadline.
Hey, what's with this deadline crap, huh?
Don't you remember?
You've sent us dozens of stories.
You can't be that out of it.
I don't think so.
- Why did you send your stuff to us?
- Well, I like the title of the mag. It boggled my scrotum.
Why don't you stop drinking?
Anybody can be a drunk.
Anybody can be a nondrunk.
It takes a special talent to be a drunk.
It takes endurance.
Endurance is more important than truth.
Anyhow, you've had some luck.
We've decided to accept your last story.
And we pay upon acceptance.
You change your address quite a bit, don't you?
I had to hire a private detective to find you.
Oooh, the guy in the hat, right?
Hey, hahaha.
Oh, hey, wait.
I can't cash this fucking thing.
Ok, whore, this is it. I can't stand
it another minute. You're like a leech
sucking off my mind.
Beware of me. This is it, so help
me Christ, I'm gonna finish you off now.
Please Louie, oh no.
You wait here, I'll be back.
Louie, Noo, Noo, Nooo! Ahhhhh.
Hey, man, you got a search warrant?
You owe me for a lock and a door.
Hey, I don't like the way you're handling your woman.
Alright buddy. Where you're from anyhow?
Don't ya know, she likes it?
Fucking-A right!
You get your ass out of here, buster!
We don't need no fucking chamber of commerce clearance to
play around here! And move out!
Eh, it's love you see?
Anything else bothering you?
Yeah.
I don't like you.
That's just the nature of the
way things works. I don't like you.
You don't like me.
Wait. Hey, man, watch this one!
Ok, let's go killer.
Nothing but dumb luck, motherfucker.
Yeah, but that counts too.
Hello, hello, I need an ambulance. Royal apartments,
334 Westlake Place, South.
It's apartment 308. And hurry up.
A man is dying.
No I tell ya, it's for real this time.
There a guy on the floor, gutted.
Ok, hurry.
Hey, baby, we've got to get out of here.
I tell you it was an accident,
that sucker tried to kill me.
The Gods intervened.
- What happened?
- Wasn't my fault, he fell on his knife.
Shouldn't we tell the police?
Unless you want your new discovery in jail.
Hey, they've got the wrong kind of bars in those places.
Give me the check.
I'll go in and get it cashed for you.
Hey babe what's up?
Got a light?
Hey, baby.
Hmm, you know, for $75, I'll suck you till
your asshole rumbles like a volcano.
- Oh, I can alway tell a class lady when I see one.
- Faggot!
Five hundred dollars.
Oh, thanks much, really. There've been many
angels around here lately.
Which way, my dear angel?
- Bitch!
Bitch you're fuckin' with a faggot!
What are you gonna do with him when you get home?
What was all that about?
Misdirected animosity.
She doesn't know a damn thing about me.
- But I know something about you.
- Really?
You've been jailed twelve times.
You like Mahler and Mozart. You can't dance.
You hate movies. You like avocados and Schopenhauer.
Sound's like your man did his homework, baby.
When I read your stories, I had to find out.
They made me feel.
And they made me curious, very curious.
You can really write. Why do you live like a bum?
I am a bum. What do you want me to do?
You want me to write about the sufferings
of the upper classes?
This is may be news to you, but they suffer too.
Heey. Hey, baby.
Nobody suffers like the poor.
Little worried about that guy who got knifed.
Think he got it in the side.
If you get it in the stomach, that's bad.
Fuck you!
Maybe, they're in love.
Aah, you call that love? I call it
unoriginal exhibitionism.
Maybe, it's only that you want to be
the one who's kissing her.
Maybe. I don't put it out on parade.
Why can't you be more romantic?
Think of making love as being, say on a rollercoaster.
Look at these vain idiots! I'll give 'em a rollercoaster.
What they really need is a little hint of death!
That's the awakener.
- Are you crazy?
- Yes.
Stop it!
That whole thing was dumb, childish, the impetuous
act of a spoiled asshole.
So you hired a dick to find an asshole.
Take a left at this black gate and go on up.
Hey, open says you.
What do you want to be, when you grow up?
Hey Tully, I'm not pretending to be anything.
That's the point.
I'm glad there's a point.
That's a guesthouse.
- Do you need a drink?
- Yeah, like a spider needs a fly.
I'll get the drinks.
- Here. You're the bartender.
- Ok.
How does it feel to be on the other end?
Hey, either way is great,
as long as the bottle pours.
It seems to be a limited world.
Is there anything else to it?
No, it's a self-sufficient illusion.
One of my editors left those here.
You know. In the guesthouse
you could write in peace.
Hey, Tully baby, nobody who could write
worth a damn could ever write in peace.
Jesus!
I take it you don't care for my world.
Baby, look around it's a cage with golden bars.
You better go now.
I'm sorry for all of this,
I'm not used to drinking.
Hey, Tully. Baby.
- I'd better sleep now.
- Where's the bedroom?
There you go.
I can't sleep with my clothes on.
Hey, wait a moment.
Tully. Tully, baby.
- Hey, Tully baby.
- What is it?
I've gotta go.
What is it?
What went wrong?
Look, baby. I belong on the streets.
I don't feel right here.
- I feel like I can't breathe.
- You just aren't used to easiness.
You can grow into it.
Hey, baby. Growth's for plants.
I hate roots.
You had all this feeling in your stories.
I thought maybe it came from you.
- I'm sorry, I gotta go.
- No, I'm not gonna cry.
You fooled me, that's all, it's been done before.
- Hey, Tully. I didn't mean to do anything ugly.
- Get out.
Hey, Wanda.
Wanda. Hey, Wanda.
- Where the hell have you been?
- Brought you a little drink.
Where've you been?
I smell it. Perfume.
Get away from me, you pig!
Hey, you're crazy.
Look, what I've found.
That's frightening.
- What have you done? Did you kill somebody?
- Yeah.
That's for you, before the angel
comes and takes you away.
You crazy ass.
How about a refill?
Ooh.
Hey, what're you doin'?
Dressing.
I know, but why?
I just can't stand lying under that
cover of money. I feel so dumb.
Hey, money isn't dumb.
They say it talks, you know.
By the way, cops came by.
- Came by where? Here?
- No, not here.
It was next door 308, two ambulance
guys carried him out.
He'd been knifed.
Was he alive?
He must have been, he was smoking a cigarette.
Oh, great.
Henry, I didn't get the job.
That's ok.
We're gonna take that money and
we're gonna go to the bar.
- And we're gonna celebrate. Ok?
- All right.
Hey, Henry!
Yeah?
- Scotch on the rocks.
- I'll have the same and I'm buying for the house.
Look, your credit's no good here.
You've got to have the green.
This can't be true.
Start trottin', my friends are thirsty!
- Missed ya Henry!
- Friday night.
Eddie's gonna jump you tonight.
I want you to go out and get something to eat.
It's too late for that.
Eddie would think I was runnin.
What do you care what he thinks? Huh?
Hey, if Eddie whips me, you going
home with him tonight?
One mistake is enough for me.
It's you and me.
But, I'll tell you something.
If I find that one you went to bed with,
I'll rip all her parts off.
Oh, honey it wasn't me.
To all my friends!
Eddie, you're in too. Pour youself a drink.
Listen, you owe me forty bucks.
Here, keep the change. Pour yourself a drink.
Go buy yourself some bubblegum.
Now give everybody a new round. Yeah.
Listen punk, I'm gonna tell you something.
Last time I fought you I had the flu.
What's it gonna be this time, the AIDS?
Now come on, start trottin' boy.
I'm gonna fucking pour you. I'm making a phone call.
I'm calling Ben. I'm gonna tend the bar while he tends to you.
Hey, let me get you a hamburger. Huh?
Aaah. I want a steak! Soaked in whiskey!
Look Henry. Henry, get some sleep. Fight him
tomorrow after a couple of meals.
Heeey. Hey! I can't back down now.
Look how fast he's pouring those drinks.
He's ready for ya Henry.
Hey. His kind is no problem. One good punch
and he'll start barfing up looking for the exit.
You owe me $42.50.
Here baby, keep the change. Maybe you get a
taxi back to your room tonight.
To all my friends! To all my friends!
Henry. Thank you, Henry. Thank you.
To all my friends!
- What is this, take out service now?
- Yeah.
- Oh, shit.
- What?
I mean, drink up.
Come on in boys.
Hey, what do gotta do to get a drink
in this joint anyway?
Henry, I want to talk to you.
Hey. I told you, I didnt want that
cage with the golden bars.
Who's this?
Wanda, this is Tully. Tully, this is Wanda.
Henry, I'm gonna scurry on over there for a few minutes.
Hey, Eddie. Drink for the lady.
Vodka, Eddie.
Tully is a publisher, she took one of my short stories.
- Yeah?
What else did she take?
Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude,
but haven't I seen you before?
- Are you a friend of Henry's?
- Yeah, I'm a real good friend of Henry's.
How about you?
Well. Henry and I are quite...
I'll say you are.
That's the perfume.
Hey. Look girls, there's really nothing to get upset about.
Let's have a few drinks and listen to some jukebox music.
Who's gonna pay for that drink?
- I'm gonna separate you from your parts you westside bitch!
- You get away from me!
I just want to talk to Henry for a minute.
I asked, who's gonna pay for the goddamned drink?
- Here.
- Thank you.
Now look girls. Be realistic.
None of us hardly know one another.
Basically, strangers to each other.
Heh, we've passed in the night and...
...met again in a bar.
Be realistic, there's no way,
there's no reality to any of this.
Another round of drinks.
Either you get out of here or I'm gonna
peel you away from your perfume.
- I have a drink and I intend to sit here and drink it.
- Really?
Just get out of here now, before I finish you off.
All right. I know you need this.
Good luck. Goodbye.
To all my friends!
To all my friends!
Let's drink up!
You gonna fight him again? Hahaha, that's a laugh!
Corrected and Edited by:
flinched