Bucktown (1975) - full transcript
Duke Johnson visits a small Southern town, intent on burying his brother. After the funeral, he learns that he must stay for 60 days, for the estate to be processed. A few locals convince Duke to reopen his late brother's nightclub, and soon the local redneck policemen are intimidating Duke with threats of violence. Duke refuses to pay the bribes they demand, so then he and his lady friend Aretha are threatened and attacked by the crooked cops. Rather than take them on himself, Duke calls on his old pal Roy. Roy brings a few buddies to Bucktown, and they bring justice to the small town. With the redneck cops out of the way, Duke lets his guard down. Then the situation gets out of hand again. Finally, Duke must settle the score himself.
Hey, Clete, Sam.
Here, come over here.
Sam, Sam.
This is Sam.
Nigger hustler done ripped
off the Poker Palace.
Son of a bitch!
Oh, yeah.
You know, boy, crime just
don't pay in Bucktown.
Hey, Clete, you sure do enjoy your work.
Yeah, you got that right.
Gents.
Hey, you know, this is a real bad cat.
He almost killed a
couple of high rollers.
You gonna be in town long?
Why?
Are you the welcoming committee?
Hey, well, you have a good
time while you're here.
Better get his ass to the hospital.
You know where the club Alabam is?
Yes.
Son, do you believe in God?
Yeah, sure, why not?
Then you're in the wrong place.
Why didn't you tell me it was closed?
You didn't ask, did you?
Place's been closed since Ben died.
Where can I find a good hotel?
We ain't got one.
Well, how about one that changes sheets
at least every other night?
Hm, that would be the old Dixie.
It's just a couple of blocks down.
I'll take you.
No, thank you.
I'll walk.
Baby, is that really all you?
Sweetie, what you see is what you get.
But first I want to see
the color of your green.
And I'll show both of you
a time you'll never forget.
I'll help you with this, mister.
No charge.
I'm glad to help.
But if you want to tip me a half a buck,
I'll tell you where to
get your act together
and where to get it on.
Oh, yeah?
Get what on?
You name it, I got it.
Nah.
No, thanks.
Okay, how about cards?
If you go to doc Anderson's,
check the deuces and nines.
They're marked.
Little man, I ain't interested.
Okay, women.
The best in town is
Sonora over at Ruby's.
But don't let her get on top
or she'll buck your brains out.
Where do you get all this
information from, anyway, huh?
You sell penicillin, too?
Thanks, man.
See Arnetta.
She'll get you the
best room in the house
and be sure and tell
her Stevie sent you.
Is that yours?
Yeah, why?
Because you're the only pimp I ever seen
that drives a motorbike.
Hey, I ain't no pimp.
I'm Walt Disney, and this is Disneyland.
Ooh.
Got a room?
How many nights, honey?
Just one.
That'll be $15 in advance.
That's room 204.
You can take the stairs.
It's a little bit quicker.
Thank you.
Say, baby, you know,
if you?re interested,
I could turn you on
to a whole lot of fun.
No, thanks.
Well, you know it ain't my business,
but what's a fine black
thing like you doing in town?
I'm just here to bury
my brother, that's all.
Ooh.
Yeah?
A fella just checked in by the name
of Johnson, Duke Johnson.
Did he say anything?
- No, he didn't talk too much,
but he said he's here for Ben's funeral.
I'm glad you called, Arnetta.
Well, you told me to check with you
and now that's what I'm doing.
Goodnight.
Yeah.
Your dinner is ready, Chief Patterson.
Almighty God in heaven above,
I thank thee for what
you've set before me,
and I give...
Unto you, O Lord, the
soul of this good man,
this humble man, Ben Johnson,
a man of the people, all peoples,
who always held his
hand out to help others,
who gave like you and
asked naught in return.
The lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures.
He restoreth my soul.
So we know, Almighty God,
that you will continue
to love Ben as we have loved him,
to embrace him, to take him
into your kingdom this day.
Amen.
In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Those were good words, reverend.
Thank you.
Excuse me, sir.
I'm Waldo Harley.
Might you be a friend
of our beloved Ben there?
Yeah, I'm Duke Johnson.
Duke?
That's just what I figured.
Aretha.
Aretha, you and Stevie
say hello to the Duke.
That's Ben's brother.
You really Duke?
Ben told us all about you.
Says you're the smartest
one in the family.
You know, how you've been all
over the world and everything.
So you're the one.
When was the last time you saw Ben?
Five years ago?
No, it was more like six.
Some hotshot brother!
Aretha, please.
Where were you when he needed your help?
What kind of help?
There's nothing you can do about it now,
except for to find the
time to come and bury him
and collect his stuff and split.
Aretha, now, let's this
st- - Aren't you gonna stay?
No, he's not gonna stay,
he wouldn't dirty that
shoeshine in this cow pasture.
Would you, Mr. Duke Johnson?
Aretha, please!
Don't mind her, Duke.
Ben was good to her.
His dying kind of put a
pain of grief into her.
Don't mind her.
No, I can't mind a lady
that speaks her mind.
Right, Duke.
Duke, you're absolutely right.
And according to this will,
left everything to you:
an estate consisting mainly
of a lot and frame house,
a hand-tooled leather
wallet containing $39.43,
and a savings account pass book
in the name of Benjamin A. Johnson.
Okay, all of Ben's things
belong to me now, right?
To sell, use, anything I want, right?
In about 60 days.
60 days?
Man, you gotta be kidding.
That's the state law.
Takes that long to close an estate.
What am I supposed to do?
Stick around this rat
trap for two months?
Of course, we could
relax the rules a bit,
allow you the use of
your brother's property.
Huh.
How much?
Uh, let's say you sign
for an empty hand-tooled
leather wallet.
You run a nice business
around here, don't you?
Hi, Duke.
We've been over there waiting for you
and telling Stevie here all about it.
Yeah, about what?
Oh, how you're gonna stay on,
open the club and everything.
Man, I can't wait for them
good times start rolling again.
Place was really like a
home to some of us, you know,
especially Stevie here,
because he lives in the back.
Your brother Ben made a
right smart living from it.
Gonna do the Same thing for you, Duke.
I figure life owes me
more than just a living.
All I want from that bar
is for somebody to buy it.
Look, I'm gonna be stuck
here for two months.
You really want to help me?
Sure, Duke.
Then you find me a
buyer for the club Alabam
so I can get the hell out of here.
Okay?
Sure, Duke.
You take care.
Mr. Duke.
Mr. Duke, sir.
Is it all right if we
walk a piece with you?
We thought you were cool.
A wise dude like you.
Shows how wrong you can be.
Stevie, you speak for yourself.
Something bothering you two?
Oh, no, Duke, everything is expubident,
except that, it's gonna be a little hard
to find a buyer for the club
with that closed sign on the door.
That's the way it is, bro.
But it don't have to be.
Really, Duke, if the joint was open,
people would be having fun
and partying real
good and catching good.
Why, a sucker come in then
and want to buy the joint.
He know he gonna have to get
down with some heavy bread.
You could be playing sweet
music on the cash register.
You guys are dreaming, man.
Hey, Duke, why do you
think those tourist dudes
come over here from across the river?
It's because they know they
can swing till broad daylight.
Sh.
Could get four or five
times what you're asking
if the club was open.
And don't forget all
those army reservers
over at the armory.
One night a week, after
marching and drilling,
they're hot and they're thirsty,
and where do they head for?
The club Alabam, for some relaxation.
Relaxation, huh?
You know something, little man?
You remind me of me when I was your age.
Trying to be somebody,
always jiving and hustling.
I ain't hustling.
I'm just trying to grow
up fast in a fast town.
And me?
I ain't nothing but an
old football player, Duke.
Maybe drink too much every now and then.
But if you open that club,
it sure would make me
feel like I was somebody.
Opening the club can't hurt, can it?
You said yourself you?re stuck here,
so you ain't got
nothing to lose, do you?
Do you?
I ain't some dumb broad, I got rights.
Honey, we told you before,
don't rip off the marks.
It's bad for business.
It ain't fair, you making me spend time
in this goddamn hole.
We've got to think of
Bucktown's reputation, honey.
You keep clipping the tourists,
and pretty soon none
of them will be coming
across the river no more.
But that freaky bastard
wanted to wear my underwear.
This place got a chief?
You got an appointment?
No.
What's the matter, boy?
Somebody pick your pocket?
I'm here about the closed
sign on the club Alabam.
Oh, you must be Ben's brother.
Everybody liked Ben.
He was real people, wasn't he, Merle?
Sure was.
Good citizen Ben.
Well, that's mighty nice
of you fellas to say that.
Now what about that closed sign?
No problem.
All you gotta do is
take out a city license.
That's right.
How much is that?
How much was that,
Merle, for a city sticker?
That was $400, wasn't it?
More like $450, I thought.
Damned if you?re not right.
I'll make sure they get your message.
Do that, Duane, you just do that.
You the main man?
Yeah.
Hey, now just a damn minute.
You're the one I wanna talk to.
Duke Johnson?
Yeah.
Come in.
You're not much for manners, are you?
I give what I get.
This what you want?
However, nothing is for nothing.
I guess those two crackers
out front were serious, huh?
Sam!
Yes, sir.
What's the charge for a city sticker?
450 good old American green.
Not one drop is poured in this town
unless each bottle has a city sticker,
and the sticker comes from this office.
Now, Ben's renewal fee was
due two days after he died,
so now it's overdue.
What happens if it isn't paid?
Place stays padlocked.
And if I decide to sell it?
When I see some dollars on this desk,
you can do whatever you
like with that flea trap.
Good.
I like dealing with a reasonable man.
I'd like to get that
ugly bitch Ruthie alone.
I'd teach her some manners.
Right.
She always been like it?
She always did think she was hot shit!
She's got a bug up your ass.
You got it?
I got it.
Get it out, get it out!
It's gonna be five next week,
you understand that, boy?
- All right.
Shit!
Come on, loverboy, let's go.
Evening, Woodrow.
Woo!
Hi, sweetness.
Cleo, Cleo, here I come!
God...
Goddamn, Cleo, you
always was my favorite.
Hey, hey, hey!
Everybody have a drink and be somebody.
Say, boy, put a quarter in the jukebox.
And make goddamn sure you
pay for those drinks, y'all.
I am pleased to make the announcement
that the man has done his
thing, and it's gonna happen
as soon as he gets...
Poopoodoopoo.
Look out, girl, what you doing?
Harley, what you running
your mouth about now?
I am pleased to make the announcement
that the club Alabam is now open.
No.
Yeah, yes.
So how long is he gonna stay?
That ain't important.
Huh, that's what you think.
He only did it so he could
sell it for a better price.
No, no, he listened when I told him
how good business was
gonna be and everything.
Just bait to hook the
fish that's gonna buy it.
Why you got to be so cold?
Every time I mention Duke's
name, you gotta put him down.
Because he's just another big-city,
jive-ass spook, that's why.
Forget him.
But this is Ben's brother,
he deserves a break.
Harley, listen, I've met
100 guys just like him.
Takers, every goddamn one of them,
and I got the scars to prove it.
Uh, sh.
You don't know him.
This is a different kind of man.
Harley, there ain't no
different kind of man.
Hey, Sam.
Hey, y'all, Clete, Sam.
Hey, I'm telling you,
there ain't no one
like that Cleo of mine.
Man, she has got a mouth soft
and sweet as an overripe plum.
And I'll tell you, that tongue,
sweet Jesus-
- Shit.
If you weren't the Chief's cousin,
she wouldn't give you a smile for free.
Ain't that the truth? -You go to hell!
Hey, the dude's opened the Alabam.
You think it's time Mr.
Johnson joined the club?
Yeah, you go on with Sam.
Me and Merle got some business.
Oh, come on, Clete, let me go with you.
I always miss out on all the fun.
Uh-uh.
Leave this one to the men.
Get in the car, Warren.
Damn!
2021.
Let me have one of them.
That tastes like that been
flushed down the toilet.
What do you think, Clete?
Well, if you, uh...
Smell and look like a pig,
I guess you gotta act
like one, don't you?
All right, fellas, get out.
You want me to tell him, Clete?
No, I'll tell him, Merle.
Fact is, I'm gonna
tell him real friendly.
I'm even gonna call
him by his first name.
Nigger!
You want to do business in Bucktown,
you gotta pay for the privilege.
Well, you see, I've already paid.
Hey, that was just
to take down the sign.
Hey, hey, hey, everybody do their thing.
Every Saturday night you
come up with 100 bucks.
Come Saturday, you don't
give me my Saturday money,
I'm gonna slap a sign on that door.
That sign gonna say,
"Nigger, read and run.
"You can't read, run anyway."
First nigger touch that sign,
first nigger try to
come through that door,
I'm gonna kick his head
till his eyes pooch out
like an eagle's ass in a power dive.
You understand what
I'm talking about, boy?
Oh, yeah, I understand.
It's that cheap, smelly,
funky cigar you're smoking
that's making you talk so funny.
This boy has a mouth.
Alligator mouth and a hummingbird ass.
Just like his old brother Ben.
He sure is stubborn like him.
Yeah, don't kick this
boy in the head, Merle.
You know you can't hurt niggers
when you kick them in the head.
All right, clowns,
you've had your laughs.
Now, either go out
the door or through it.
Your choice.
Step aside, boy.
I'm checking that cash register.
The price you have to pay to do that,
cracker, ain't worth it.
Why you palefaces always together?
You faggots?
Oh, you little shit.
Ah!
Duke, look out!
Watch it, Duke!
Sucker.
You know something?
You two are a couple
of real sweethearts.
What kind of jive are you talking about?
Why wasn't I told about
what's coming down here?
Oh, Duke, I'm sorry about that.
I didn't say nothing because
I didn't want you to leave.
Aretha here she figured
you were gonna go anyway,
so why should she say anything?
That's all that went down, man.
Cops strong-arm the whole goddamn town,
dealing in payoffs, and you
don't tell me nothing about it?!
I'm sorry about that, Duke.
No, you're not sorry, Harley.
What do you expect us to do?
We have to live here!
Okay.
You two can eat the
crap that they dish out,
but not me, baby.
No way.
Oh, now, wait a minute, Duke.
Duke.
- Oh, shoot, Harley!
Damn!
Hey!
Now, you get this, and
you get it straight.
I ain't paying off anybody:
not your flunkies, not you, nobody!
Now, settle down, Mr.
Johnson, settle down.
Now, what do you mean?
Now, you can just can the bull.
$450 was my first and
last payment, chump!
You may not believe this,
but we run a pretty
busy department here.
Public service takes money,
and we don't get it all
from writing parking tickets, you know.
Now, we're not a big town
like where you're from,
but we have plenty of
work to keep us busy.
For example, take your brother's case.
We're not giving up.
What do you mean, you're not giving up?
I thought you knew.
Some unknown assailant beat
him and left him for dead.
I was told he died of
natural causes, pneumonia.
True.
Due to exposure and loss of blood.
Naturally, we did what we could, but...
Mr. Johnson, you look to
me to be an intelligent man.
You've been around, you know the ropes.
And you know a smart man
always avoids trouble,
tries to get along.
Doesn't he, Mr. Johnson?
It's a little warm out tonight, man.
I thought you might want this.
Come on in.
You and I haven't gone out
of our way to be friends.
It's all right.
Forget it.
Here's looking at you, sweetheart.
This ain't an easy town
to live in, you know.
Yeah?
What town is?
Well, what I'm trying to say is...
Is I was wrong.
Everybody pays the man in this town.
Nobody tells me.
Honkies run this town.
Nobody tells me.
My brother Ben is found
dead in the gutter.
Nobody tells me how or why.
Well, I'm not proud of the
fact that I didn't say nothing.
How do you tell somebody that
their brother was beaten up
by some goons at the police department
and left to die in the freezing rain?
I wanted to tell you, but-
But you gotta hustle
just for a living, right?
And you want to play it safe.
Play it safe?
You damn right I play it safe.
I'm tired of leading the charge.
You ever heard of pride?
You want to go through
life being trampled, baby,
that's your business.
Well, what do you know about scuffling
and hustling and breaking
your back for peanuts
and taking it all, but
still going on living
and hoping and dreaming?
What the hell do you know about that?
You think you got a
monopoly on hard times?
I mean, who promised you a free ride?
You think you're really
something, don't you?
The super-successful young brother.
Everyone kowtowing to you.
Ben told us all about you till
we were sick of hearing it!
I must be some kind
of simple-headed fool
for coming in here and
trying to apologize to you,
for misjudging you, thinking
you were just some kind
of big city dude coming
down here to parade
in front of us small town folk.
Now you think different, huh?
Well, I saw different.
I saw you stand up for your rights
and show that you were your own man.
And what do I get for it?
Just dumped on.
What do you want from me?
My blessing, or the keys to the city?
You bastard!
Get your black ass out of town, nigger!
Wahoo!
Go get them, Merle!
Right on.
Hold it, boys.
Hold it!
Hey, Clete. -Yo.
Come on over here.
All right.
We don't want him killed, do we?
Well, we may have to.
You know, he's pretty stubborn,
he's just like his old brother Ben.
Be easy, wouldn't it?
Nothing to it.
Hell, what's one dead
nigger more or less?
That's just the point, boys.
After Ben, people might get too curious,
especially up in the capital,
and we don't want that.
I just wanted him
taught a little lesson.
We'll see how well he's learned it.
Right, Chief.
Get off the car.
You all right, baby?
Yeah, but, Duke, you gotta run.
They're gonna kill you.
I never ran from nobody, and
I don't intend to start now.
But, Duke, you can't do it by yourself!
Please, Duke, you gotta run.
Please.
No chance, baby.
Ease up, ease up.
Excuse me.
Yeah?
Duke.
Duke!
Aw, man, where you been?
Listen, man,
everybody's been saying, "Where's Duke?
"When's he coming home?"
Yeah.
Listen, I got two or three
very sweet propositions waiting
for us when you return.
Like always, huh?
Listen to one of them here.
Roy, man, I didn't call you
up to jive with you, brother.
We got to talk serious business, man.
All right, all right.
What's the matter, man?
Don't you laugh anymore?
Look, focus in on Detroit.
Remember?
You kidding?
We were outnumbered,
what, three, four to one?
Man, you was something else.
Well, the odds here
are a lot longer, man.
It's a jive town with
a bunch of crackers.
I need your help.
You really are serious.
Excuse me.
When?
Yesterday, brother, yesterday.
Well, I owe you one, buddy.
I'm on my way.
Roy,
bring muscle.
I'm looking at a dead man.
Boy,
where would one find the club Alabam?
It's right, it's right
down there in town.
Where there?
It's in town.
Do I take a taxi or a stagecoach?
Cab's broke down.
Figures.
Hey, that's my hat.
Kind of sloppy there, boy.
I've seen better-looking
places in the slams.
Roy, what's this cat
Duke got on you anyhow?
Hey, fresh meat?
What you need?
Gambling?
Girls?
Back off, little kid.
You name it.
Poker?
Pinochle?
Poontang?
Half-pint, didn't I tell
you to haul your ass.
Hey, hey, ease up, T.J.,
the kid's just trying
to make his hustle.
I started like that, too.
Hey, Duke, I think you got some company.
Roy?
Hey, Roy!
Oh, hey, man, how you doing?
Thanks for coming, man.
- Hey, what could I do, huh?
Hey, Harley, the dude I
was telling you about, man,
this is him, Roy.
How you doing, Mr. Roy?
- Harley.
Oh, uh, this is Aretha.
Roy.
Aretha.
Hi, Roy.
Oh, excuse me, um, this
is Josh, Hambone,T.J.
How you doing, fellas?
Man, I have never seen
anything like this at home.
Me and this cat, we
practically grew up together.
Mm, went through some real, real scenes.
From the streets all the
way up to the top, huh.
Yeah, right on, right on.
But good times, right?
Good times, yeah.
Come on, let's have a drink.
- Right.
Man, you're really a sight.
I don't know what trouble you got,
but we're here with the cure.
How you like these little cutie pies?
Man, are you crazy?
Get rid of this jailbait.
Sorry, girls, we're
gonna have to party later.
Come on, we got to take
care of some business.
Get your act together. -Yeah.
Okay.
So four cops and the Chief.
That's five.
What about the guy who hired them?
His honor, the mayor?
No, you won't have to worry about him.
He brought the Chief
in to clean up the town
for the tourists.
Afterwards, he, uh, saw
he had a good thing going
and moved right in.
Mm-hm.
So he'd be the happiest of anybody
to see him run out of town.
Then we don't have any problem, do we?
Remember that little situation
we had a couple of years ago?
You want to work it the same way?
Why not, man?
No sense in dragging it out.
Besides, I want to see if you?ve, uh,
slowed down in your old age.
Huh.
No way.
Hey, there's another one out there now.
Man, this cat's gonna go blind
squinting up at me
with his big blue eyes.
Duke, what about the boss
of these tin soldiers?
Well, as far as I can tell,
man, he's all spit-and-polish.
Still thinks World War II is going on,
but I wouldn't play him too cheap, man.
He didn't get this far being dumb.
Want to chill him first?
No, we'll hook that up
after we get the locations.
You sick animal!
What the hell's wrong with her?
They haven't budged for hours.
Nobody stays in that hotel that long.
Where's Duane?
He's over there.
They're trouble, Brian,
they don't look right.
You worry too much, Sam.
No coon looks good to a decent man.
Just remember, we're the law.
And God is on our side.
Yes, sir.
See you later, Sam.
Gets off work after midnight.
Usually makes a beeline
straight for this place.
That's his old lady dancing up there.
He usually takes her
home about two o'clock.
That'd be a good time to
nail his ass in the sack.
Man, you got a mean
streak in you, brother.
To the bone.
Like, you babies want a little action?
We got each other, mama.
Uh, excuse me, sir.
My name is Roy Williams.
This is Duke Johnson.
I'm sure you know him.
He's a friend of mine.
We were just taking a
stroll down the street here.
We would very much like it
if you would join us, huh?
Oh, ooh, uh...
Light, huh?
No, thanks, I don't smoke.
Think we should ditch him?
No, he's fat enough, let
him get some exercise.
Give him a little nod here.
Sam likes to spend
evenings over at the hotel.
There's always a big
money game going on.
He gets a piece of the take.
Bet five, you want to call?
Then there's Merle.
Lives over at Ruby's whorehouse.
Owns a chunk of it.
- Where's the money?
A bad mother.
That Merle boy, he gets
his kicks leaning heavy
on the ladies.
How many times have I
told you not to be late?
I swear, I wasn't honest.
Don't you never lie to me, you hear?
Never!
Usually this time of night,
there's only one cop manning the fort.
Oh, yeah?
Well, there's no sweat, huh?
He's probably sleeping on the job.
Maybe, uh...
Maybe we ought to try
to make it permanent.
Permanent?
Damn, brother, you have
become one violent dude.
True.
Lover of all mankind, right?
The way I see it, man,
first thing we gotta do
is take their radio out. -True.
Last thing we need is the
state police snooping around.
Somehow, I don't think
they'd understand.
Well, what you think, home?
It's cool.
Like stealing candy from a baby.
Oh, yeah? -Yeah.
Merle!
Clete!
No, no, no, no, I'll
break your ass, man.
Don't hit me again, don't
hit me again, please, I don't,
ugh!
Please, God.
Please, God, I'm just like you.
Like hell.
Honey, where are the cigarettes?
They're on the dresser, baby.
Fire escape.
Listen, you dumb sambo,
I'm gonna explain it just once more.
I don't want my
hamburgers without mustard.
I want them without
ketchup, but with mustard.
Now, get it right this time
or I'm gonna kick your ass.
Not an inch.
Don't move an inch.
You know any prayers, cracker?
Shame on you if you don't.
You should have had the ketchup.
I want to call.
There's another one.
Give me a raise.
Come on.
Keep the money, I want him!
Drop the gun, dammit, or
I'll blow her head off!
Drop it.
Duke.
I mean it.
Now, back up.
Back up and let me out of here.
I'm going out and I'm
taking her with me.
Move back.
Move back or I'll blow her head off.
You stay back, you
stay far back, you hear?
I must be losing my touch.
Got to hit him where it hurts, my man.
That's a good shot.
No use wasting good ammo.
What the...
Rise and shine, Chief.
The war is over.
Company.
Well, well.
Bucktown's own private tin soldier.
In your butt!
What do you think, Duke?
Well, how about 10 in the morning?
Why, that's too early.
Well, uh, how about high noon?
What, and spoil our lunch?
Damn, let's shoot him
at one o'clock, then.
How about right now?
You're not gonna kill me.
News travels fast.
It's bound to get to the state troopers.
If they ask any questions,
you're gonna tell your
black mayor to tell them
that you're holding the chief of police
for breaking the law.
No, you're gonna keep me alive,
because I'm gonna keep your black asses
from burning in hell!
prostitution.
I can't tell you how much we appreciate
what you boys have done
for our little old town.
We were all being, uh...
Well, you know, we were being, uh...
The word is screwed, Mr. Mayor.
Exactly, just the right word.
Excuse me, sister.
gambling.
Before I forget,
the badges from your
used-to-be police department.
We do thank you.
If only there was some way to thank you,
I mean, uh, for our town
to express our appreciation
for what you've done, before you leave.
Think real hard.
You'll come up with something.
Mr. Mayor, last night's receipts come
to a total of $6,319.
Fine.
A parade.
What?
Down the main street.
With the high school marching band
and our pompom girls and baton twirlers
and you and your boys
waving and smiling,
and bringing up the rear,
the Buchanan volunteer fire department.
No parade.
- No parade.
No parade?
No.
No parades.
I think I can suggest a better way
for you to show your
appreciation, Mr. Mayor.
Duke.
Duke, wake up.
Get your buns up.
Duke.
What?
Get up!
Come on, all right, come on.
Any time's the right time, come on.
Duke, I didn't come
here to get in your bed,
I came to get you out of it.
Out of it?
It's too early.
Roy don't leave till twelve.
But, Duke, that's what
I came here to tell you.
The train's leaving, but Roy ain't.
Duke.
Roy?
What are you talking about?
They're all staying here.
Now, what they gonna
do in this hick town?
They're gonna wear
badges in this hick town.
Badges?
Roy conned the mayor.
Now he's wearing the Chief's badge.
Josh,T.J., and Hambone are policemen.
I'll be damned.
All four of them, huh?
Yes.
And all of them with a
rap sheet a yard long.
And, you know, that old Roy
is really up to something.
Well, that's not hard to figure out.
You want my opinion?
No.
Well, you're gonna get it anyway, dummy.
Your buddy saw what a good
thing the Chief had going
for him, and now he
wants it for himself.
No, they're brothers.
The Chief and his boys, they were-
Honkies.
Well, let me tell you something
about people, big shot.
Whether they're white, black,
green, yellow or purple,
when they smell a few
dollars, they all act alike.
Uh?
Mm.
Get up!
I won't tell you anything.
Bucktown's pure gold, Chief,
and you've been squeezing
and milking it dry.
So come on,
for the last time, where's the dough?
Paying off street scum was easy.
Giving in to them, impossible!
A man who won't talk
doesn't need his tongue.
Hambone?
Hey, partner.
Welcome to the Promised Land, huh?
Hey, baby, why don't you go and, um...
Put something on a little sweeter, huh?
For my man.
Sure, honey.
What is it, uh, we're
gonna be partners in, buddy?
I thought you were
gonna leave town, man.
What happened?
Considerable.
Considerable.
Man, listen, when I got the
telephone call back in Philly
that my partner needed some help,
how was I to know that
he was gonna cut me in
on a soft touch that I had
been waiting for all my life.
A touch?
What are you talking about, man?
I just called you to this town
to help me get rid of some
jive crackers, that's all.
All right, all right.
So you know what the good book says:
"The lord helps them
that helps themselves."
And that's what we're doing, man.
We're helping ourselves.
We own this town.
And thanks to his honor,
we even got the badges here to prove it.
Huh?
Here's yours.
No, man.
That's not my way, Roy.
What's the matter, man?
Huh?
You don't like money?
Or are you beginning to fall
for this small town jive?
Here we got a pot of gold
at the end of the rainbow,
and my homeboy's going soft on me.
Oh, come on, Roy, you
know better than that.
How do I know?
You don't even act like
the cat I grew up with.
Man, it's just that...
This is my brother's town, man.
His friends.
I mean, I wouldn't feel right
leaning on his people, man.
Oh, yeah?
Okay, if that's the way you want it,
that's the way it'll be.
Now, I'll tell you what.
I won't lean on them too hard.
Just enough to pay the rent.
Yeah, like Robin Hood!
Rob from the rich, give to the poor.
Me.
But you, you just keep
running that little club
of yours down there, see?
And we'll take your share of the money
and put it in the
safe down at city hall.
And when you decide you want it,
it'll be there waiting for you.
You're serious, ain't you?
I'm serious as a heart attack.
Oh, man, I ain't gonna
be no more trouble
than the tax collector.
Come on, brother.
Shit, we supposed to be friends, man.
I come all this way to help you out.
Come on, hey.
A toast, huh?
To beautiful Bucktown.
You're short.
$300 short.
Last night was lousy.
- You know what Roy said.
How the hell can I come
up with an extra 50%
when the girls didn't even make it?
Just open your piggy bank, baby.
Everybody's gotta come up with
the new dues or you're dead.
Man, this town is something else.
Like every night is
bank night, you know?
The town clipping the tourists
and us clipping the town.
There's just one thing wrong.
Roy's friend.
Uh, you're talking about Duke?
Yeah.
He's got a big hand in the money,
and he doesn't do a damn
thing to help us earn it.
Nothing we can do, because
that's the way Roy wants it.
Well, maybe there is.
I mean, they're good buddies, right?
Mm-hm.
What say they weren't such good buddies?
Then we could step in and do something.
Listen,T.J., no two
dudes ever been closer.
So how could we change anything?
Man, I already got something going.
Josh is working it right now.
I say you and I gotta give him a hand.
Then I'll show you how to
change things, all right?
All right.
All right, I'm gonna try to explain it
to your satisfaction.
Now, the quarterback come
up to the line of scrimmage.
You see, they're all
covering on the right,
so he called a covering
color, which is green.
Signals three, 45,
and number four was the right halfback
coming over the right hole.
And number five was mine,
because I'm the only one
somebody can take out two mens.
Harley here keeps telling
me he threw that key block
in the championship game.
Expects me to believe him.
Big lying nuisance.
Big phony.
Your mama's a nuisance.
She the biggest nuisance you ever met.
I say you lying, big man.
I ain't lying, punk.
And you a punk.
And you, you a sissy.
And you, you son of a gun,
you a punk and a sissy!
Lying lush.
I say you're a lying lush.
Big star football player.
I tell you I was the star
of that game, motherfucker!
Harley.
Are you all right?
Harley.
Stevie.
Harley.
- No.
Stevie.
Harley.
Harley!
Stevie, Stevie, Stevie, let go.
Stevie, no.
Stevie,.
We're gonna go with him.
If business gets any better,
we're gonna need a bigger safe.
Listen, add this up right here.
Now, Roy.
What are you waiting for?
For you to tell me
why you sent your goons
to beat up on Harley.
Why would I do a thing like that?
Listen, Harley is in the hospital, man,
and if he don't make it- -
Oh, come on, man, cool it.
Cool it.
You're making a lot
to do out of nothing.
The way I get it, Harley
was getting drunk in the bar.
Right?
He was causing a disturbance.
There was a complaint.
Look, what are my men
wearing those badges for
except to keep the peace?
Oh, come on, Roy, you know that's b.s.
You calling me a liar?
No, man, I'm not calling you a liar.
I'm just trying to find out the truth.
So am I.
What's wrong, Duke?
I mean, what's happening?
I mean, after all
we've been through, man,
why would I wanna lay our friendship
on the line behind some bullshit?
I'm not coming down on you, Roy.
I just want you to control
your clowns, that's all,
because if they push
my people around again
they gonna have to tangle with me.
That's all I'm saying, man.
Okay.
All right.
What did happen to Harley?!
Hey, man, like I told you,
the big man can't handle his sauce.
We went in to make an arrest,
and he began throwing his weight around.
So it took three of us to get him out.
That's all?
Would I lie to you?
Dr. Edward Coll,
please call your answering
service immediately.
Oh, Harley.
How do you feel?
All right.
What happened?
I know you didn't start that
fight like they said you did.
I don't rightly remember, Aretha.
I do know we...
We was all in the bar there, drinking.
I was telling them how...
I was the star of that game.
And they said I was a liar.
Hey, look.
You know something?
They say it took 45
stitches to sew me up.
That's some kind of record, ain't it?
Yeah, Harley, that's
some kind of record.
I'm sorry, Aretha.
I feel like a stomped down fool.
Oh, Harley.
You my number one.
Looks like your friend
Roy is building up an army.
Poor old Bucktown.
Things were bad enough
under the old Chief,
but now they're 10 times worse.
There's no way that we can fight them.
No way.
No way.
Can I buy you a drink, lady?
Suit yourself.
Two of the same.
Where's your man?
Not here.
He's at the hospital
looking in on Harley.
How is Harley?
He's making it.
No thanks to you.
Thank you.
Maybe you could do yourself
and your man a big
favor, if you, uh, would.
Like how?
Get him to leave town now.
Huh.
Why should he leave town?
Well, there are a lot
of big reasons down
in that vault at city hall.
His cut of the pie.
You could live real high on
his share of the money, huh?
Fine diamonds.
Jewelry.
High living.
Suppose I want to stay.
Well, you got a pretty nice
choice any way you look at it.
If you go, you got Duke
and all that heavy bread.
And if you decide to
stay on here in Bucktown,
I'd be willing to, uh, make
you a very sweet proposition.
I mean, seriously.
What if we both decide to stay?
Me and Duke?
I don't think that'd be too pleasant.
Man, oh, man, I'm gonna enjoy this.
Now, you're going about
it the wrong way,T.J.
Oh, man, Duke'll think
Roy set it all up.
You wait here.
First, I'm gonna break your arms.
Then I'm gonna break your legs.
I'm gonna start on your face.
Duke, baby.
I thought we're your friends.
And we come down here to help you out.
Yeah, Josh, you can help.
You get this idiot out of here
before I blow his brains out.
This is just between me and you.
Hey, wait a minute, man.
Wait a minute, what's wrong?!
- Sit down.
I want your full attention.
All right, man, you've got it.
I called you here to do me a favor,
and you take over the
whole goddamn town!
You had bright ideas
right from the start,
didn't you, old buddy?
And I fell for all
that crap about you, uh,
not leaning hard on the town.
But it's worse now
than it ever was, man,
because now it's brothers doing it!
So what good did it do bringing
you here in the first place?
Well, go on, man, don't stop talking.
I'm listening.
You send your punks to beat Harley up.
Then you send them after Aretha.
I did what?
Now, you listen, because I'm
only gonna say it once, Roy.
I want your punks gone, out of town!
Or I swear, man, I'll plant
them in their own stink.
Let me tell you something.
Ever since we helped
you get rid of that Chief
and them goddamn rednecks,
you've been acting like a goddamn fool.
You won't do this, you won't do that.
You won't even take any of the money
we're trying to give you.
And now you bust in my place
and accuse me of pulling
all kinds of weird shit!
Well, I am tired of it,
and I ain't gonna
stand for no more of it.
Now, just get this, get
this in that head of yours.
I am running this town, I'm running it!
And I got the mayor
and everybody else right
by the balls, including you.
And if anybody's gonna leave,
it ain't gonna be old Roy.
It's gonna be you.
You dig?
Yeah.
That's the way it is, huh?
You called it.
All right, buddy.
All bets are off.
Give me the police department.
T.J., this is Roy.
You wanted me to set an
example for this town.
From now on, everybody
pays, so lean on him.
Hey, hey, hey, everybody
have a drink and be somebody.
Make goddamn sure you pay for it.
Look at it, we got some
white people in the joint.
You guys have a good time, all right?
What's going on?
I'm really fast just to
show is good to be home, boy.
Hey, Aretha.
How you doing?
The doctor said you're
supposed to be resting.
Aw, shit, I'm tired of resting.
I wanna be here with my friends.
Right on, man!
All right, all right, I'm
not gonna argue about it.
Say, where's the Duke?
Uh, he's taking care of business.
We're looking for the big shot.
He ain't here.
We came early.
T.J.?
Yeah?
- Josh?
Yeah.
We got a special message for him.
Go get word to Duke.
Where is he?
Show them what we're talking about, T.J.
It only takes one little match.
You bastards!
You can't, you motherfuckers!
Imagine that, assaulting a lawman.
Take him in.
Harley!
Somebody!
Please, somebody!
Help me!
- Harley!
Harley!
Don't let them take me!
Please!
Please, don't let them take me!
Harley!
Harley.
What the heck are you doing here?
Aretha sent me.
T.J., Hambone, and Josh
are over at the club Alabam.
Come on, she needs you.
How many out front?
One.
All right.
Hey, kid, hold it.
Oh, thank God you're here.
What's happened here?
Roy's three hoods came in here
and they tried to burn the place down.
Harley tried to stop them
and they dragged him out.
Dragged him where?
To jail.
You gotta talk to Roy,
make him let Harley go.
Roy's your friend.
No, he's gone too far now.
It's too late to talk.
No, you can't fight them alone.
There'll be five or
six of them at the jail.
I've got a plan that should
even up the odds a little bit.
But, Duke, what good
is it gonna do Harley
getting yourself killed?
Duke!
Stevie, you know that armory
you was telling me about
across the river?
You know where it is?
Yeah, I can find it.
Come on, let's go.
Roy, I wanna talk to you.
Please, Roy, it's important.
Go ahead, I'm listening.
I'm asking you to let Harley go.
It wasn't his fault.
He just got a little crazy
when your boys came in the bar
and tried to burn it down.
Well, maybe you ought to
blame Duke for that, not me.
Well, don't take it out on Harley
because of your feelings for Duke.
Well, since you're pointing
fingers for what happened,
woman, it wasn't my choice, it was his.
I mean, Duke's got his head
in a weird kind of place.
No, no, he does not
wanna go against you.
He says you're his friend.
But, we've been tight.
But that comes with respect,
and respect comes from knowing
how it is in the streets,
what you have to do
to get by and doing it,
and doing it well, damn well.
That's what it's all about.
But it doesn't make any sense!
It's just your damn ego!
Ego?
No.
It's how you survive.
Well, I want Duke to survive.
I wanna love that man.
I don't wanna bury him.
You just don't give a
damn about anybody, do you?
You listen, Aretha,
you show me anybody who gives
a damn about anybody else,
and I'll show you a fool, a damn fool,
who'll go through life
with their hands out begging
instead of grabbing.
Do you think anybody here in
this town is any different?
They don't give a damn who gets killed,
just so long as the dice keep rolling,
the 'hos keep 'hoing, and
the money keeps flowing.
It all revolves around the
big G, baby, the big green.
Everybody everywhere is
scratching for what they can get.
I'm just scratching a little harder.
You poor, selfish, ignorant man.
Haven't you ever had the
guts to love somebody else?
Maybe.
Maybe I never had a woman
like you to fight for me.
Maybe I even envy Duke for that.
I'll be seeing you.
Isn't it beautiful?
Oh, man, that monster could
open up the gates of hell.
Well, what can I do for you?
Where's T.J.?
T.J., I wanna talk to you.
Well, um, I haven't been too
friendly with you, and I...
I thought I'd come by and apologize.
Is that right?
Yes, that's right.
And I need a favor.
Well, they cost.
Well, you do me this
one little old favor,
and I'll do anything you want, and some.
Like what?
Harley.
He's just an old drunk
that I feel sorry for.
He's no good to anybody.
Let him go.
All right.
Have it your way.
After, uh-
- Uh-huh.
Before.
You let him go now, and it'll
be good between you and me.
All the way.
Okay.
We'll do it your way.
Follow me.
Harley.
Harley.
Aretha.
What you doing here?
This ain't no place for a woman.
I came to keep Duke from getting-
Duke?
Would you please let him go now?
I gotta get him to a doctor.
Dumb broad.
You come here trying to deal.
I don't make no deals.
I take what I want.
And then I'm gonna kill Duke.
Just like this.
Now, what about all that
honey you promised me,
that sugar and milk?
Beg.
Beg!
Come on, beg.
I don't beg for nothing!
Oh, no more!
Tighten up, nigga.
Now beg!
Beg!
- No!
Beg!
Son of a bitch!
Now, you freeze, nigga!
Harley.
You all right, Aretha?
Yes.
Where's the ammo?
In the chariot.
Hambone!
You two stay back.
Did you get them all?
All except one.
I always knew my buddy was a real man.
If anybody had told me, Roy,
that we would be on opposite
sides, fighting each other...
You might not believe this,
but I never lied to you.
I never sent anyone to
hassle Harley or Aretha.
How did it happen, then, Roy?
T.J.
He wanted us to tangle.
Looks like he did a good job, didn't he?
It's down to me and you now, right?
I don't wanna shoot you, Roy.
I just wanna beat the hell out of you.
It's your deal.
Winner take all.
Loser get out of town, never look back.
Deal?
Deal.
Ah!
Roy.
# You're my friend and
I want you to know #
# I do my best for you #
Hey, hey, Stevie.
Come here.
Duke and Aretha want to
be alone for a little bit.
Besides, you and I gotta go
home and and get some sleep
so we can get up and
go to school tomorrow.
School?
That's right.
Don't you wanna grow up to be somebody?
I am.
What?
A man.
Okay, man.
# Woman over there is mighty fine #
# She's always on my mind #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I think I'm gonna hang around #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #
# Middle of nowhere
and I walked right in #
# On the sheriff who
had a hold on the town #
# It might take a tank
to loosen his grip #
# I might have to tear it down #
# I didn't come for a good time #
# Since I'm here I'll get mine #
# Woman over there is mighty fine #
# She's always on my mind #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I think I'm gonna hang around #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #
Here, come over here.
Sam, Sam.
This is Sam.
Nigger hustler done ripped
off the Poker Palace.
Son of a bitch!
Oh, yeah.
You know, boy, crime just
don't pay in Bucktown.
Hey, Clete, you sure do enjoy your work.
Yeah, you got that right.
Gents.
Hey, you know, this is a real bad cat.
He almost killed a
couple of high rollers.
You gonna be in town long?
Why?
Are you the welcoming committee?
Hey, well, you have a good
time while you're here.
Better get his ass to the hospital.
You know where the club Alabam is?
Yes.
Son, do you believe in God?
Yeah, sure, why not?
Then you're in the wrong place.
Why didn't you tell me it was closed?
You didn't ask, did you?
Place's been closed since Ben died.
Where can I find a good hotel?
We ain't got one.
Well, how about one that changes sheets
at least every other night?
Hm, that would be the old Dixie.
It's just a couple of blocks down.
I'll take you.
No, thank you.
I'll walk.
Baby, is that really all you?
Sweetie, what you see is what you get.
But first I want to see
the color of your green.
And I'll show both of you
a time you'll never forget.
I'll help you with this, mister.
No charge.
I'm glad to help.
But if you want to tip me a half a buck,
I'll tell you where to
get your act together
and where to get it on.
Oh, yeah?
Get what on?
You name it, I got it.
Nah.
No, thanks.
Okay, how about cards?
If you go to doc Anderson's,
check the deuces and nines.
They're marked.
Little man, I ain't interested.
Okay, women.
The best in town is
Sonora over at Ruby's.
But don't let her get on top
or she'll buck your brains out.
Where do you get all this
information from, anyway, huh?
You sell penicillin, too?
Thanks, man.
See Arnetta.
She'll get you the
best room in the house
and be sure and tell
her Stevie sent you.
Is that yours?
Yeah, why?
Because you're the only pimp I ever seen
that drives a motorbike.
Hey, I ain't no pimp.
I'm Walt Disney, and this is Disneyland.
Ooh.
Got a room?
How many nights, honey?
Just one.
That'll be $15 in advance.
That's room 204.
You can take the stairs.
It's a little bit quicker.
Thank you.
Say, baby, you know,
if you?re interested,
I could turn you on
to a whole lot of fun.
No, thanks.
Well, you know it ain't my business,
but what's a fine black
thing like you doing in town?
I'm just here to bury
my brother, that's all.
Ooh.
Yeah?
A fella just checked in by the name
of Johnson, Duke Johnson.
Did he say anything?
- No, he didn't talk too much,
but he said he's here for Ben's funeral.
I'm glad you called, Arnetta.
Well, you told me to check with you
and now that's what I'm doing.
Goodnight.
Yeah.
Your dinner is ready, Chief Patterson.
Almighty God in heaven above,
I thank thee for what
you've set before me,
and I give...
Unto you, O Lord, the
soul of this good man,
this humble man, Ben Johnson,
a man of the people, all peoples,
who always held his
hand out to help others,
who gave like you and
asked naught in return.
The lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures.
He restoreth my soul.
So we know, Almighty God,
that you will continue
to love Ben as we have loved him,
to embrace him, to take him
into your kingdom this day.
Amen.
In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Those were good words, reverend.
Thank you.
Excuse me, sir.
I'm Waldo Harley.
Might you be a friend
of our beloved Ben there?
Yeah, I'm Duke Johnson.
Duke?
That's just what I figured.
Aretha.
Aretha, you and Stevie
say hello to the Duke.
That's Ben's brother.
You really Duke?
Ben told us all about you.
Says you're the smartest
one in the family.
You know, how you've been all
over the world and everything.
So you're the one.
When was the last time you saw Ben?
Five years ago?
No, it was more like six.
Some hotshot brother!
Aretha, please.
Where were you when he needed your help?
What kind of help?
There's nothing you can do about it now,
except for to find the
time to come and bury him
and collect his stuff and split.
Aretha, now, let's this
st- - Aren't you gonna stay?
No, he's not gonna stay,
he wouldn't dirty that
shoeshine in this cow pasture.
Would you, Mr. Duke Johnson?
Aretha, please!
Don't mind her, Duke.
Ben was good to her.
His dying kind of put a
pain of grief into her.
Don't mind her.
No, I can't mind a lady
that speaks her mind.
Right, Duke.
Duke, you're absolutely right.
And according to this will,
left everything to you:
an estate consisting mainly
of a lot and frame house,
a hand-tooled leather
wallet containing $39.43,
and a savings account pass book
in the name of Benjamin A. Johnson.
Okay, all of Ben's things
belong to me now, right?
To sell, use, anything I want, right?
In about 60 days.
60 days?
Man, you gotta be kidding.
That's the state law.
Takes that long to close an estate.
What am I supposed to do?
Stick around this rat
trap for two months?
Of course, we could
relax the rules a bit,
allow you the use of
your brother's property.
Huh.
How much?
Uh, let's say you sign
for an empty hand-tooled
leather wallet.
You run a nice business
around here, don't you?
Hi, Duke.
We've been over there waiting for you
and telling Stevie here all about it.
Yeah, about what?
Oh, how you're gonna stay on,
open the club and everything.
Man, I can't wait for them
good times start rolling again.
Place was really like a
home to some of us, you know,
especially Stevie here,
because he lives in the back.
Your brother Ben made a
right smart living from it.
Gonna do the Same thing for you, Duke.
I figure life owes me
more than just a living.
All I want from that bar
is for somebody to buy it.
Look, I'm gonna be stuck
here for two months.
You really want to help me?
Sure, Duke.
Then you find me a
buyer for the club Alabam
so I can get the hell out of here.
Okay?
Sure, Duke.
You take care.
Mr. Duke.
Mr. Duke, sir.
Is it all right if we
walk a piece with you?
We thought you were cool.
A wise dude like you.
Shows how wrong you can be.
Stevie, you speak for yourself.
Something bothering you two?
Oh, no, Duke, everything is expubident,
except that, it's gonna be a little hard
to find a buyer for the club
with that closed sign on the door.
That's the way it is, bro.
But it don't have to be.
Really, Duke, if the joint was open,
people would be having fun
and partying real
good and catching good.
Why, a sucker come in then
and want to buy the joint.
He know he gonna have to get
down with some heavy bread.
You could be playing sweet
music on the cash register.
You guys are dreaming, man.
Hey, Duke, why do you
think those tourist dudes
come over here from across the river?
It's because they know they
can swing till broad daylight.
Sh.
Could get four or five
times what you're asking
if the club was open.
And don't forget all
those army reservers
over at the armory.
One night a week, after
marching and drilling,
they're hot and they're thirsty,
and where do they head for?
The club Alabam, for some relaxation.
Relaxation, huh?
You know something, little man?
You remind me of me when I was your age.
Trying to be somebody,
always jiving and hustling.
I ain't hustling.
I'm just trying to grow
up fast in a fast town.
And me?
I ain't nothing but an
old football player, Duke.
Maybe drink too much every now and then.
But if you open that club,
it sure would make me
feel like I was somebody.
Opening the club can't hurt, can it?
You said yourself you?re stuck here,
so you ain't got
nothing to lose, do you?
Do you?
I ain't some dumb broad, I got rights.
Honey, we told you before,
don't rip off the marks.
It's bad for business.
It ain't fair, you making me spend time
in this goddamn hole.
We've got to think of
Bucktown's reputation, honey.
You keep clipping the tourists,
and pretty soon none
of them will be coming
across the river no more.
But that freaky bastard
wanted to wear my underwear.
This place got a chief?
You got an appointment?
No.
What's the matter, boy?
Somebody pick your pocket?
I'm here about the closed
sign on the club Alabam.
Oh, you must be Ben's brother.
Everybody liked Ben.
He was real people, wasn't he, Merle?
Sure was.
Good citizen Ben.
Well, that's mighty nice
of you fellas to say that.
Now what about that closed sign?
No problem.
All you gotta do is
take out a city license.
That's right.
How much is that?
How much was that,
Merle, for a city sticker?
That was $400, wasn't it?
More like $450, I thought.
Damned if you?re not right.
I'll make sure they get your message.
Do that, Duane, you just do that.
You the main man?
Yeah.
Hey, now just a damn minute.
You're the one I wanna talk to.
Duke Johnson?
Yeah.
Come in.
You're not much for manners, are you?
I give what I get.
This what you want?
However, nothing is for nothing.
I guess those two crackers
out front were serious, huh?
Sam!
Yes, sir.
What's the charge for a city sticker?
450 good old American green.
Not one drop is poured in this town
unless each bottle has a city sticker,
and the sticker comes from this office.
Now, Ben's renewal fee was
due two days after he died,
so now it's overdue.
What happens if it isn't paid?
Place stays padlocked.
And if I decide to sell it?
When I see some dollars on this desk,
you can do whatever you
like with that flea trap.
Good.
I like dealing with a reasonable man.
I'd like to get that
ugly bitch Ruthie alone.
I'd teach her some manners.
Right.
She always been like it?
She always did think she was hot shit!
She's got a bug up your ass.
You got it?
I got it.
Get it out, get it out!
It's gonna be five next week,
you understand that, boy?
- All right.
Shit!
Come on, loverboy, let's go.
Evening, Woodrow.
Woo!
Hi, sweetness.
Cleo, Cleo, here I come!
God...
Goddamn, Cleo, you
always was my favorite.
Hey, hey, hey!
Everybody have a drink and be somebody.
Say, boy, put a quarter in the jukebox.
And make goddamn sure you
pay for those drinks, y'all.
I am pleased to make the announcement
that the man has done his
thing, and it's gonna happen
as soon as he gets...
Poopoodoopoo.
Look out, girl, what you doing?
Harley, what you running
your mouth about now?
I am pleased to make the announcement
that the club Alabam is now open.
No.
Yeah, yes.
So how long is he gonna stay?
That ain't important.
Huh, that's what you think.
He only did it so he could
sell it for a better price.
No, no, he listened when I told him
how good business was
gonna be and everything.
Just bait to hook the
fish that's gonna buy it.
Why you got to be so cold?
Every time I mention Duke's
name, you gotta put him down.
Because he's just another big-city,
jive-ass spook, that's why.
Forget him.
But this is Ben's brother,
he deserves a break.
Harley, listen, I've met
100 guys just like him.
Takers, every goddamn one of them,
and I got the scars to prove it.
Uh, sh.
You don't know him.
This is a different kind of man.
Harley, there ain't no
different kind of man.
Hey, Sam.
Hey, y'all, Clete, Sam.
Hey, I'm telling you,
there ain't no one
like that Cleo of mine.
Man, she has got a mouth soft
and sweet as an overripe plum.
And I'll tell you, that tongue,
sweet Jesus-
- Shit.
If you weren't the Chief's cousin,
she wouldn't give you a smile for free.
Ain't that the truth? -You go to hell!
Hey, the dude's opened the Alabam.
You think it's time Mr.
Johnson joined the club?
Yeah, you go on with Sam.
Me and Merle got some business.
Oh, come on, Clete, let me go with you.
I always miss out on all the fun.
Uh-uh.
Leave this one to the men.
Get in the car, Warren.
Damn!
2021.
Let me have one of them.
That tastes like that been
flushed down the toilet.
What do you think, Clete?
Well, if you, uh...
Smell and look like a pig,
I guess you gotta act
like one, don't you?
All right, fellas, get out.
You want me to tell him, Clete?
No, I'll tell him, Merle.
Fact is, I'm gonna
tell him real friendly.
I'm even gonna call
him by his first name.
Nigger!
You want to do business in Bucktown,
you gotta pay for the privilege.
Well, you see, I've already paid.
Hey, that was just
to take down the sign.
Hey, hey, hey, everybody do their thing.
Every Saturday night you
come up with 100 bucks.
Come Saturday, you don't
give me my Saturday money,
I'm gonna slap a sign on that door.
That sign gonna say,
"Nigger, read and run.
"You can't read, run anyway."
First nigger touch that sign,
first nigger try to
come through that door,
I'm gonna kick his head
till his eyes pooch out
like an eagle's ass in a power dive.
You understand what
I'm talking about, boy?
Oh, yeah, I understand.
It's that cheap, smelly,
funky cigar you're smoking
that's making you talk so funny.
This boy has a mouth.
Alligator mouth and a hummingbird ass.
Just like his old brother Ben.
He sure is stubborn like him.
Yeah, don't kick this
boy in the head, Merle.
You know you can't hurt niggers
when you kick them in the head.
All right, clowns,
you've had your laughs.
Now, either go out
the door or through it.
Your choice.
Step aside, boy.
I'm checking that cash register.
The price you have to pay to do that,
cracker, ain't worth it.
Why you palefaces always together?
You faggots?
Oh, you little shit.
Ah!
Duke, look out!
Watch it, Duke!
Sucker.
You know something?
You two are a couple
of real sweethearts.
What kind of jive are you talking about?
Why wasn't I told about
what's coming down here?
Oh, Duke, I'm sorry about that.
I didn't say nothing because
I didn't want you to leave.
Aretha here she figured
you were gonna go anyway,
so why should she say anything?
That's all that went down, man.
Cops strong-arm the whole goddamn town,
dealing in payoffs, and you
don't tell me nothing about it?!
I'm sorry about that, Duke.
No, you're not sorry, Harley.
What do you expect us to do?
We have to live here!
Okay.
You two can eat the
crap that they dish out,
but not me, baby.
No way.
Oh, now, wait a minute, Duke.
Duke.
- Oh, shoot, Harley!
Damn!
Hey!
Now, you get this, and
you get it straight.
I ain't paying off anybody:
not your flunkies, not you, nobody!
Now, settle down, Mr.
Johnson, settle down.
Now, what do you mean?
Now, you can just can the bull.
$450 was my first and
last payment, chump!
You may not believe this,
but we run a pretty
busy department here.
Public service takes money,
and we don't get it all
from writing parking tickets, you know.
Now, we're not a big town
like where you're from,
but we have plenty of
work to keep us busy.
For example, take your brother's case.
We're not giving up.
What do you mean, you're not giving up?
I thought you knew.
Some unknown assailant beat
him and left him for dead.
I was told he died of
natural causes, pneumonia.
True.
Due to exposure and loss of blood.
Naturally, we did what we could, but...
Mr. Johnson, you look to
me to be an intelligent man.
You've been around, you know the ropes.
And you know a smart man
always avoids trouble,
tries to get along.
Doesn't he, Mr. Johnson?
It's a little warm out tonight, man.
I thought you might want this.
Come on in.
You and I haven't gone out
of our way to be friends.
It's all right.
Forget it.
Here's looking at you, sweetheart.
This ain't an easy town
to live in, you know.
Yeah?
What town is?
Well, what I'm trying to say is...
Is I was wrong.
Everybody pays the man in this town.
Nobody tells me.
Honkies run this town.
Nobody tells me.
My brother Ben is found
dead in the gutter.
Nobody tells me how or why.
Well, I'm not proud of the
fact that I didn't say nothing.
How do you tell somebody that
their brother was beaten up
by some goons at the police department
and left to die in the freezing rain?
I wanted to tell you, but-
But you gotta hustle
just for a living, right?
And you want to play it safe.
Play it safe?
You damn right I play it safe.
I'm tired of leading the charge.
You ever heard of pride?
You want to go through
life being trampled, baby,
that's your business.
Well, what do you know about scuffling
and hustling and breaking
your back for peanuts
and taking it all, but
still going on living
and hoping and dreaming?
What the hell do you know about that?
You think you got a
monopoly on hard times?
I mean, who promised you a free ride?
You think you're really
something, don't you?
The super-successful young brother.
Everyone kowtowing to you.
Ben told us all about you till
we were sick of hearing it!
I must be some kind
of simple-headed fool
for coming in here and
trying to apologize to you,
for misjudging you, thinking
you were just some kind
of big city dude coming
down here to parade
in front of us small town folk.
Now you think different, huh?
Well, I saw different.
I saw you stand up for your rights
and show that you were your own man.
And what do I get for it?
Just dumped on.
What do you want from me?
My blessing, or the keys to the city?
You bastard!
Get your black ass out of town, nigger!
Wahoo!
Go get them, Merle!
Right on.
Hold it, boys.
Hold it!
Hey, Clete. -Yo.
Come on over here.
All right.
We don't want him killed, do we?
Well, we may have to.
You know, he's pretty stubborn,
he's just like his old brother Ben.
Be easy, wouldn't it?
Nothing to it.
Hell, what's one dead
nigger more or less?
That's just the point, boys.
After Ben, people might get too curious,
especially up in the capital,
and we don't want that.
I just wanted him
taught a little lesson.
We'll see how well he's learned it.
Right, Chief.
Get off the car.
You all right, baby?
Yeah, but, Duke, you gotta run.
They're gonna kill you.
I never ran from nobody, and
I don't intend to start now.
But, Duke, you can't do it by yourself!
Please, Duke, you gotta run.
Please.
No chance, baby.
Ease up, ease up.
Excuse me.
Yeah?
Duke.
Duke!
Aw, man, where you been?
Listen, man,
everybody's been saying, "Where's Duke?
"When's he coming home?"
Yeah.
Listen, I got two or three
very sweet propositions waiting
for us when you return.
Like always, huh?
Listen to one of them here.
Roy, man, I didn't call you
up to jive with you, brother.
We got to talk serious business, man.
All right, all right.
What's the matter, man?
Don't you laugh anymore?
Look, focus in on Detroit.
Remember?
You kidding?
We were outnumbered,
what, three, four to one?
Man, you was something else.
Well, the odds here
are a lot longer, man.
It's a jive town with
a bunch of crackers.
I need your help.
You really are serious.
Excuse me.
When?
Yesterday, brother, yesterday.
Well, I owe you one, buddy.
I'm on my way.
Roy,
bring muscle.
I'm looking at a dead man.
Boy,
where would one find the club Alabam?
It's right, it's right
down there in town.
Where there?
It's in town.
Do I take a taxi or a stagecoach?
Cab's broke down.
Figures.
Hey, that's my hat.
Kind of sloppy there, boy.
I've seen better-looking
places in the slams.
Roy, what's this cat
Duke got on you anyhow?
Hey, fresh meat?
What you need?
Gambling?
Girls?
Back off, little kid.
You name it.
Poker?
Pinochle?
Poontang?
Half-pint, didn't I tell
you to haul your ass.
Hey, hey, ease up, T.J.,
the kid's just trying
to make his hustle.
I started like that, too.
Hey, Duke, I think you got some company.
Roy?
Hey, Roy!
Oh, hey, man, how you doing?
Thanks for coming, man.
- Hey, what could I do, huh?
Hey, Harley, the dude I
was telling you about, man,
this is him, Roy.
How you doing, Mr. Roy?
- Harley.
Oh, uh, this is Aretha.
Roy.
Aretha.
Hi, Roy.
Oh, excuse me, um, this
is Josh, Hambone,T.J.
How you doing, fellas?
Man, I have never seen
anything like this at home.
Me and this cat, we
practically grew up together.
Mm, went through some real, real scenes.
From the streets all the
way up to the top, huh.
Yeah, right on, right on.
But good times, right?
Good times, yeah.
Come on, let's have a drink.
- Right.
Man, you're really a sight.
I don't know what trouble you got,
but we're here with the cure.
How you like these little cutie pies?
Man, are you crazy?
Get rid of this jailbait.
Sorry, girls, we're
gonna have to party later.
Come on, we got to take
care of some business.
Get your act together. -Yeah.
Okay.
So four cops and the Chief.
That's five.
What about the guy who hired them?
His honor, the mayor?
No, you won't have to worry about him.
He brought the Chief
in to clean up the town
for the tourists.
Afterwards, he, uh, saw
he had a good thing going
and moved right in.
Mm-hm.
So he'd be the happiest of anybody
to see him run out of town.
Then we don't have any problem, do we?
Remember that little situation
we had a couple of years ago?
You want to work it the same way?
Why not, man?
No sense in dragging it out.
Besides, I want to see if you?ve, uh,
slowed down in your old age.
Huh.
No way.
Hey, there's another one out there now.
Man, this cat's gonna go blind
squinting up at me
with his big blue eyes.
Duke, what about the boss
of these tin soldiers?
Well, as far as I can tell,
man, he's all spit-and-polish.
Still thinks World War II is going on,
but I wouldn't play him too cheap, man.
He didn't get this far being dumb.
Want to chill him first?
No, we'll hook that up
after we get the locations.
You sick animal!
What the hell's wrong with her?
They haven't budged for hours.
Nobody stays in that hotel that long.
Where's Duane?
He's over there.
They're trouble, Brian,
they don't look right.
You worry too much, Sam.
No coon looks good to a decent man.
Just remember, we're the law.
And God is on our side.
Yes, sir.
See you later, Sam.
Gets off work after midnight.
Usually makes a beeline
straight for this place.
That's his old lady dancing up there.
He usually takes her
home about two o'clock.
That'd be a good time to
nail his ass in the sack.
Man, you got a mean
streak in you, brother.
To the bone.
Like, you babies want a little action?
We got each other, mama.
Uh, excuse me, sir.
My name is Roy Williams.
This is Duke Johnson.
I'm sure you know him.
He's a friend of mine.
We were just taking a
stroll down the street here.
We would very much like it
if you would join us, huh?
Oh, ooh, uh...
Light, huh?
No, thanks, I don't smoke.
Think we should ditch him?
No, he's fat enough, let
him get some exercise.
Give him a little nod here.
Sam likes to spend
evenings over at the hotel.
There's always a big
money game going on.
He gets a piece of the take.
Bet five, you want to call?
Then there's Merle.
Lives over at Ruby's whorehouse.
Owns a chunk of it.
- Where's the money?
A bad mother.
That Merle boy, he gets
his kicks leaning heavy
on the ladies.
How many times have I
told you not to be late?
I swear, I wasn't honest.
Don't you never lie to me, you hear?
Never!
Usually this time of night,
there's only one cop manning the fort.
Oh, yeah?
Well, there's no sweat, huh?
He's probably sleeping on the job.
Maybe, uh...
Maybe we ought to try
to make it permanent.
Permanent?
Damn, brother, you have
become one violent dude.
True.
Lover of all mankind, right?
The way I see it, man,
first thing we gotta do
is take their radio out. -True.
Last thing we need is the
state police snooping around.
Somehow, I don't think
they'd understand.
Well, what you think, home?
It's cool.
Like stealing candy from a baby.
Oh, yeah? -Yeah.
Merle!
Clete!
No, no, no, no, I'll
break your ass, man.
Don't hit me again, don't
hit me again, please, I don't,
ugh!
Please, God.
Please, God, I'm just like you.
Like hell.
Honey, where are the cigarettes?
They're on the dresser, baby.
Fire escape.
Listen, you dumb sambo,
I'm gonna explain it just once more.
I don't want my
hamburgers without mustard.
I want them without
ketchup, but with mustard.
Now, get it right this time
or I'm gonna kick your ass.
Not an inch.
Don't move an inch.
You know any prayers, cracker?
Shame on you if you don't.
You should have had the ketchup.
I want to call.
There's another one.
Give me a raise.
Come on.
Keep the money, I want him!
Drop the gun, dammit, or
I'll blow her head off!
Drop it.
Duke.
I mean it.
Now, back up.
Back up and let me out of here.
I'm going out and I'm
taking her with me.
Move back.
Move back or I'll blow her head off.
You stay back, you
stay far back, you hear?
I must be losing my touch.
Got to hit him where it hurts, my man.
That's a good shot.
No use wasting good ammo.
What the...
Rise and shine, Chief.
The war is over.
Company.
Well, well.
Bucktown's own private tin soldier.
In your butt!
What do you think, Duke?
Well, how about 10 in the morning?
Why, that's too early.
Well, uh, how about high noon?
What, and spoil our lunch?
Damn, let's shoot him
at one o'clock, then.
How about right now?
You're not gonna kill me.
News travels fast.
It's bound to get to the state troopers.
If they ask any questions,
you're gonna tell your
black mayor to tell them
that you're holding the chief of police
for breaking the law.
No, you're gonna keep me alive,
because I'm gonna keep your black asses
from burning in hell!
prostitution.
I can't tell you how much we appreciate
what you boys have done
for our little old town.
We were all being, uh...
Well, you know, we were being, uh...
The word is screwed, Mr. Mayor.
Exactly, just the right word.
Excuse me, sister.
gambling.
Before I forget,
the badges from your
used-to-be police department.
We do thank you.
If only there was some way to thank you,
I mean, uh, for our town
to express our appreciation
for what you've done, before you leave.
Think real hard.
You'll come up with something.
Mr. Mayor, last night's receipts come
to a total of $6,319.
Fine.
A parade.
What?
Down the main street.
With the high school marching band
and our pompom girls and baton twirlers
and you and your boys
waving and smiling,
and bringing up the rear,
the Buchanan volunteer fire department.
No parade.
- No parade.
No parade?
No.
No parades.
I think I can suggest a better way
for you to show your
appreciation, Mr. Mayor.
Duke.
Duke, wake up.
Get your buns up.
Duke.
What?
Get up!
Come on, all right, come on.
Any time's the right time, come on.
Duke, I didn't come
here to get in your bed,
I came to get you out of it.
Out of it?
It's too early.
Roy don't leave till twelve.
But, Duke, that's what
I came here to tell you.
The train's leaving, but Roy ain't.
Duke.
Roy?
What are you talking about?
They're all staying here.
Now, what they gonna
do in this hick town?
They're gonna wear
badges in this hick town.
Badges?
Roy conned the mayor.
Now he's wearing the Chief's badge.
Josh,T.J., and Hambone are policemen.
I'll be damned.
All four of them, huh?
Yes.
And all of them with a
rap sheet a yard long.
And, you know, that old Roy
is really up to something.
Well, that's not hard to figure out.
You want my opinion?
No.
Well, you're gonna get it anyway, dummy.
Your buddy saw what a good
thing the Chief had going
for him, and now he
wants it for himself.
No, they're brothers.
The Chief and his boys, they were-
Honkies.
Well, let me tell you something
about people, big shot.
Whether they're white, black,
green, yellow or purple,
when they smell a few
dollars, they all act alike.
Uh?
Mm.
Get up!
I won't tell you anything.
Bucktown's pure gold, Chief,
and you've been squeezing
and milking it dry.
So come on,
for the last time, where's the dough?
Paying off street scum was easy.
Giving in to them, impossible!
A man who won't talk
doesn't need his tongue.
Hambone?
Hey, partner.
Welcome to the Promised Land, huh?
Hey, baby, why don't you go and, um...
Put something on a little sweeter, huh?
For my man.
Sure, honey.
What is it, uh, we're
gonna be partners in, buddy?
I thought you were
gonna leave town, man.
What happened?
Considerable.
Considerable.
Man, listen, when I got the
telephone call back in Philly
that my partner needed some help,
how was I to know that
he was gonna cut me in
on a soft touch that I had
been waiting for all my life.
A touch?
What are you talking about, man?
I just called you to this town
to help me get rid of some
jive crackers, that's all.
All right, all right.
So you know what the good book says:
"The lord helps them
that helps themselves."
And that's what we're doing, man.
We're helping ourselves.
We own this town.
And thanks to his honor,
we even got the badges here to prove it.
Huh?
Here's yours.
No, man.
That's not my way, Roy.
What's the matter, man?
Huh?
You don't like money?
Or are you beginning to fall
for this small town jive?
Here we got a pot of gold
at the end of the rainbow,
and my homeboy's going soft on me.
Oh, come on, Roy, you
know better than that.
How do I know?
You don't even act like
the cat I grew up with.
Man, it's just that...
This is my brother's town, man.
His friends.
I mean, I wouldn't feel right
leaning on his people, man.
Oh, yeah?
Okay, if that's the way you want it,
that's the way it'll be.
Now, I'll tell you what.
I won't lean on them too hard.
Just enough to pay the rent.
Yeah, like Robin Hood!
Rob from the rich, give to the poor.
Me.
But you, you just keep
running that little club
of yours down there, see?
And we'll take your share of the money
and put it in the
safe down at city hall.
And when you decide you want it,
it'll be there waiting for you.
You're serious, ain't you?
I'm serious as a heart attack.
Oh, man, I ain't gonna
be no more trouble
than the tax collector.
Come on, brother.
Shit, we supposed to be friends, man.
I come all this way to help you out.
Come on, hey.
A toast, huh?
To beautiful Bucktown.
You're short.
$300 short.
Last night was lousy.
- You know what Roy said.
How the hell can I come
up with an extra 50%
when the girls didn't even make it?
Just open your piggy bank, baby.
Everybody's gotta come up with
the new dues or you're dead.
Man, this town is something else.
Like every night is
bank night, you know?
The town clipping the tourists
and us clipping the town.
There's just one thing wrong.
Roy's friend.
Uh, you're talking about Duke?
Yeah.
He's got a big hand in the money,
and he doesn't do a damn
thing to help us earn it.
Nothing we can do, because
that's the way Roy wants it.
Well, maybe there is.
I mean, they're good buddies, right?
Mm-hm.
What say they weren't such good buddies?
Then we could step in and do something.
Listen,T.J., no two
dudes ever been closer.
So how could we change anything?
Man, I already got something going.
Josh is working it right now.
I say you and I gotta give him a hand.
Then I'll show you how to
change things, all right?
All right.
All right, I'm gonna try to explain it
to your satisfaction.
Now, the quarterback come
up to the line of scrimmage.
You see, they're all
covering on the right,
so he called a covering
color, which is green.
Signals three, 45,
and number four was the right halfback
coming over the right hole.
And number five was mine,
because I'm the only one
somebody can take out two mens.
Harley here keeps telling
me he threw that key block
in the championship game.
Expects me to believe him.
Big lying nuisance.
Big phony.
Your mama's a nuisance.
She the biggest nuisance you ever met.
I say you lying, big man.
I ain't lying, punk.
And you a punk.
And you, you a sissy.
And you, you son of a gun,
you a punk and a sissy!
Lying lush.
I say you're a lying lush.
Big star football player.
I tell you I was the star
of that game, motherfucker!
Harley.
Are you all right?
Harley.
Stevie.
Harley.
- No.
Stevie.
Harley.
Harley!
Stevie, Stevie, Stevie, let go.
Stevie, no.
Stevie,.
We're gonna go with him.
If business gets any better,
we're gonna need a bigger safe.
Listen, add this up right here.
Now, Roy.
What are you waiting for?
For you to tell me
why you sent your goons
to beat up on Harley.
Why would I do a thing like that?
Listen, Harley is in the hospital, man,
and if he don't make it- -
Oh, come on, man, cool it.
Cool it.
You're making a lot
to do out of nothing.
The way I get it, Harley
was getting drunk in the bar.
Right?
He was causing a disturbance.
There was a complaint.
Look, what are my men
wearing those badges for
except to keep the peace?
Oh, come on, Roy, you know that's b.s.
You calling me a liar?
No, man, I'm not calling you a liar.
I'm just trying to find out the truth.
So am I.
What's wrong, Duke?
I mean, what's happening?
I mean, after all
we've been through, man,
why would I wanna lay our friendship
on the line behind some bullshit?
I'm not coming down on you, Roy.
I just want you to control
your clowns, that's all,
because if they push
my people around again
they gonna have to tangle with me.
That's all I'm saying, man.
Okay.
All right.
What did happen to Harley?!
Hey, man, like I told you,
the big man can't handle his sauce.
We went in to make an arrest,
and he began throwing his weight around.
So it took three of us to get him out.
That's all?
Would I lie to you?
Dr. Edward Coll,
please call your answering
service immediately.
Oh, Harley.
How do you feel?
All right.
What happened?
I know you didn't start that
fight like they said you did.
I don't rightly remember, Aretha.
I do know we...
We was all in the bar there, drinking.
I was telling them how...
I was the star of that game.
And they said I was a liar.
Hey, look.
You know something?
They say it took 45
stitches to sew me up.
That's some kind of record, ain't it?
Yeah, Harley, that's
some kind of record.
I'm sorry, Aretha.
I feel like a stomped down fool.
Oh, Harley.
You my number one.
Looks like your friend
Roy is building up an army.
Poor old Bucktown.
Things were bad enough
under the old Chief,
but now they're 10 times worse.
There's no way that we can fight them.
No way.
No way.
Can I buy you a drink, lady?
Suit yourself.
Two of the same.
Where's your man?
Not here.
He's at the hospital
looking in on Harley.
How is Harley?
He's making it.
No thanks to you.
Thank you.
Maybe you could do yourself
and your man a big
favor, if you, uh, would.
Like how?
Get him to leave town now.
Huh.
Why should he leave town?
Well, there are a lot
of big reasons down
in that vault at city hall.
His cut of the pie.
You could live real high on
his share of the money, huh?
Fine diamonds.
Jewelry.
High living.
Suppose I want to stay.
Well, you got a pretty nice
choice any way you look at it.
If you go, you got Duke
and all that heavy bread.
And if you decide to
stay on here in Bucktown,
I'd be willing to, uh, make
you a very sweet proposition.
I mean, seriously.
What if we both decide to stay?
Me and Duke?
I don't think that'd be too pleasant.
Man, oh, man, I'm gonna enjoy this.
Now, you're going about
it the wrong way,T.J.
Oh, man, Duke'll think
Roy set it all up.
You wait here.
First, I'm gonna break your arms.
Then I'm gonna break your legs.
I'm gonna start on your face.
Duke, baby.
I thought we're your friends.
And we come down here to help you out.
Yeah, Josh, you can help.
You get this idiot out of here
before I blow his brains out.
This is just between me and you.
Hey, wait a minute, man.
Wait a minute, what's wrong?!
- Sit down.
I want your full attention.
All right, man, you've got it.
I called you here to do me a favor,
and you take over the
whole goddamn town!
You had bright ideas
right from the start,
didn't you, old buddy?
And I fell for all
that crap about you, uh,
not leaning hard on the town.
But it's worse now
than it ever was, man,
because now it's brothers doing it!
So what good did it do bringing
you here in the first place?
Well, go on, man, don't stop talking.
I'm listening.
You send your punks to beat Harley up.
Then you send them after Aretha.
I did what?
Now, you listen, because I'm
only gonna say it once, Roy.
I want your punks gone, out of town!
Or I swear, man, I'll plant
them in their own stink.
Let me tell you something.
Ever since we helped
you get rid of that Chief
and them goddamn rednecks,
you've been acting like a goddamn fool.
You won't do this, you won't do that.
You won't even take any of the money
we're trying to give you.
And now you bust in my place
and accuse me of pulling
all kinds of weird shit!
Well, I am tired of it,
and I ain't gonna
stand for no more of it.
Now, just get this, get
this in that head of yours.
I am running this town, I'm running it!
And I got the mayor
and everybody else right
by the balls, including you.
And if anybody's gonna leave,
it ain't gonna be old Roy.
It's gonna be you.
You dig?
Yeah.
That's the way it is, huh?
You called it.
All right, buddy.
All bets are off.
Give me the police department.
T.J., this is Roy.
You wanted me to set an
example for this town.
From now on, everybody
pays, so lean on him.
Hey, hey, hey, everybody
have a drink and be somebody.
Make goddamn sure you pay for it.
Look at it, we got some
white people in the joint.
You guys have a good time, all right?
What's going on?
I'm really fast just to
show is good to be home, boy.
Hey, Aretha.
How you doing?
The doctor said you're
supposed to be resting.
Aw, shit, I'm tired of resting.
I wanna be here with my friends.
Right on, man!
All right, all right, I'm
not gonna argue about it.
Say, where's the Duke?
Uh, he's taking care of business.
We're looking for the big shot.
He ain't here.
We came early.
T.J.?
Yeah?
- Josh?
Yeah.
We got a special message for him.
Go get word to Duke.
Where is he?
Show them what we're talking about, T.J.
It only takes one little match.
You bastards!
You can't, you motherfuckers!
Imagine that, assaulting a lawman.
Take him in.
Harley!
Somebody!
Please, somebody!
Help me!
- Harley!
Harley!
Don't let them take me!
Please!
Please, don't let them take me!
Harley!
Harley.
What the heck are you doing here?
Aretha sent me.
T.J., Hambone, and Josh
are over at the club Alabam.
Come on, she needs you.
How many out front?
One.
All right.
Hey, kid, hold it.
Oh, thank God you're here.
What's happened here?
Roy's three hoods came in here
and they tried to burn the place down.
Harley tried to stop them
and they dragged him out.
Dragged him where?
To jail.
You gotta talk to Roy,
make him let Harley go.
Roy's your friend.
No, he's gone too far now.
It's too late to talk.
No, you can't fight them alone.
There'll be five or
six of them at the jail.
I've got a plan that should
even up the odds a little bit.
But, Duke, what good
is it gonna do Harley
getting yourself killed?
Duke!
Stevie, you know that armory
you was telling me about
across the river?
You know where it is?
Yeah, I can find it.
Come on, let's go.
Roy, I wanna talk to you.
Please, Roy, it's important.
Go ahead, I'm listening.
I'm asking you to let Harley go.
It wasn't his fault.
He just got a little crazy
when your boys came in the bar
and tried to burn it down.
Well, maybe you ought to
blame Duke for that, not me.
Well, don't take it out on Harley
because of your feelings for Duke.
Well, since you're pointing
fingers for what happened,
woman, it wasn't my choice, it was his.
I mean, Duke's got his head
in a weird kind of place.
No, no, he does not
wanna go against you.
He says you're his friend.
But, we've been tight.
But that comes with respect,
and respect comes from knowing
how it is in the streets,
what you have to do
to get by and doing it,
and doing it well, damn well.
That's what it's all about.
But it doesn't make any sense!
It's just your damn ego!
Ego?
No.
It's how you survive.
Well, I want Duke to survive.
I wanna love that man.
I don't wanna bury him.
You just don't give a
damn about anybody, do you?
You listen, Aretha,
you show me anybody who gives
a damn about anybody else,
and I'll show you a fool, a damn fool,
who'll go through life
with their hands out begging
instead of grabbing.
Do you think anybody here in
this town is any different?
They don't give a damn who gets killed,
just so long as the dice keep rolling,
the 'hos keep 'hoing, and
the money keeps flowing.
It all revolves around the
big G, baby, the big green.
Everybody everywhere is
scratching for what they can get.
I'm just scratching a little harder.
You poor, selfish, ignorant man.
Haven't you ever had the
guts to love somebody else?
Maybe.
Maybe I never had a woman
like you to fight for me.
Maybe I even envy Duke for that.
I'll be seeing you.
Isn't it beautiful?
Oh, man, that monster could
open up the gates of hell.
Well, what can I do for you?
Where's T.J.?
T.J., I wanna talk to you.
Well, um, I haven't been too
friendly with you, and I...
I thought I'd come by and apologize.
Is that right?
Yes, that's right.
And I need a favor.
Well, they cost.
Well, you do me this
one little old favor,
and I'll do anything you want, and some.
Like what?
Harley.
He's just an old drunk
that I feel sorry for.
He's no good to anybody.
Let him go.
All right.
Have it your way.
After, uh-
- Uh-huh.
Before.
You let him go now, and it'll
be good between you and me.
All the way.
Okay.
We'll do it your way.
Follow me.
Harley.
Harley.
Aretha.
What you doing here?
This ain't no place for a woman.
I came to keep Duke from getting-
Duke?
Would you please let him go now?
I gotta get him to a doctor.
Dumb broad.
You come here trying to deal.
I don't make no deals.
I take what I want.
And then I'm gonna kill Duke.
Just like this.
Now, what about all that
honey you promised me,
that sugar and milk?
Beg.
Beg!
Come on, beg.
I don't beg for nothing!
Oh, no more!
Tighten up, nigga.
Now beg!
Beg!
- No!
Beg!
Son of a bitch!
Now, you freeze, nigga!
Harley.
You all right, Aretha?
Yes.
Where's the ammo?
In the chariot.
Hambone!
You two stay back.
Did you get them all?
All except one.
I always knew my buddy was a real man.
If anybody had told me, Roy,
that we would be on opposite
sides, fighting each other...
You might not believe this,
but I never lied to you.
I never sent anyone to
hassle Harley or Aretha.
How did it happen, then, Roy?
T.J.
He wanted us to tangle.
Looks like he did a good job, didn't he?
It's down to me and you now, right?
I don't wanna shoot you, Roy.
I just wanna beat the hell out of you.
It's your deal.
Winner take all.
Loser get out of town, never look back.
Deal?
Deal.
Ah!
Roy.
# You're my friend and
I want you to know #
# I do my best for you #
Hey, hey, Stevie.
Come here.
Duke and Aretha want to
be alone for a little bit.
Besides, you and I gotta go
home and and get some sleep
so we can get up and
go to school tomorrow.
School?
That's right.
Don't you wanna grow up to be somebody?
I am.
What?
A man.
Okay, man.
# Woman over there is mighty fine #
# She's always on my mind #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I think I'm gonna hang around #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #
# Middle of nowhere
and I walked right in #
# On the sheriff who
had a hold on the town #
# It might take a tank
to loosen his grip #
# I might have to tear it down #
# I didn't come for a good time #
# Since I'm here I'll get mine #
# Woman over there is mighty fine #
# She's always on my mind #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I think I'm gonna hang around #
# Things are getting
better in Bucktown #
# I see the people
laying their money down #