Commandments (1997) - full transcript
Seth Warner has reached the end of his rope. Ever since his wife died two years earlier, his world has been in turmoil. He is despondent, his career has fallen apart, even his house has been destroyed. There seems to be nothing left for him to live for. Confused and angry after two years of suffering, he finally directs his wrath at God from the rooftop of his apartment building in New York City. In the midst of a wild thunderstorm he demands to know why he has been betrayed by the god he has believed in and honored his whole life. God's answer is to strike down Seth's dog in a bolt of lightning. Pushed beyond his limits, Seth decides to respond to his years of torment by breaking each of the biblical Ten Commandments. While staying with his sister-in-law, Rachel, much to the chagrin of her shifty reporter husband, Harry, he systematically sets out to break each commandment one by one. A natural at breaking commandments, Harry is drawn to Seth's mission in the hopes of using it to further his career, but ultimately they clash as Seth turns the table and uses Harry to fulfill some of his missions. Things get further complicated when Rachel and Seth are romantically drawn to each other as he struggles with his crisis of faith and she struggles with a failing marriage. Inevitably, Seth comes down to the last and most important commandment, Thou shall not kill. In a climactic battle of will and redemption, Seth, Harry and Rachel cross paths with a raging hurricane at the far end of Long Island. Echoing Seth's first confrontation with God, the sky and the sea open up in this fateful encounter at the Montauk Lighthouse. Individually, each confronts forces beyond human control and more importantly, must come to an understanding of their own life choices and decisions. The resolution to the story for all characters is surprising, mystical and ultimately just.
HARRY: Personally speaking,
I don't believe in God.
I never had much use for Him.
Believe too much
in any one thing,
God especially,
and you stop seeing the world
the way it really is.
That's a problem.
My brother-in-law Seth
had that problem.
When his life took
a series of tragic turns,
he knew exactly
who to complain to.
I need some reason!
It just wasn't healthy.
WOMAN: Yes.
I need to speak to Mrs. Luce.
It's an emergency, please.
(SETH SCREAMING)
MAN 1: They just
seem innocent.
MAN 2: But they're not.
They're criminals.
Yes, criminals.
WOMAN: Okay, let me
get this straight.
Mr. and Mrs. Mann
go to their ATM
and withdraw $40
out of a $534
savings account
and find to their surprise
a quarter of a million
dollars on deposit?
A computer glitch.
You're lucky
they didn't have
a coronary.
Gee, it wasn't
their money.
They knew that.
That's why
they withdrew it.
Excuse me.
Yes?
Sorry, there's
a telephone call for you.
An emergency.
Excuse me.
Hello?
WOMAN:
Hello, uh, Mrs. Luce?
Yes.
This is Sylvia Andrew.
I was a friend
of your sister,
God rest her soul,
when she
lived on Broad Street.
Yes. How are you?
It's your sister's husband,
Mr. Warner.
He's on the roof
screaming like a Zulu.
Seth,
Seth Warner?
I think he's going to jump.
(WOMAN MOANING)
(MAN GRUNTING)
(HARRY GRUNTS)
(BOTH GASPING)
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
Hi, it's me.
Hi, honey.
Where are you?
Uh, Brooklyn.
What are you
doing there?
Uh, I'm interviewing
Melissa Murphy.
Who?
Melissa Murphy,
uh, the girl in the, uh,
housing protection scam.
All right,
Harry, listen.
I need you to do
something for me
that's very important.
Uh, Seth is on top of a roof
downtown, and he's...
He's upset.
What, Seth Warner,
so what?
He might jump.
Uh-huh.
I think you should go
down there and
prevent him from jumping.
Oh. Why?
(SETH SCREAMING)
What a putz.
Seth?
Seth!
Hey, Seth!
What the hell
are you doing?
Get away from there!
Well, it can't be that bad.
It's never as bad
as you think, right?
Hey!
Hey, can we
talk about this?
I curse the day
I was born.
I want an answer.
Geez!
(WAILING)
Do you hear me?
You had an accident.
You're in an ambulance.
Can you tell me your name?
What do you remember?
What's the last thing
you remember?
(GULLS CAWING)
(KAREN CHUCKLING)
SETH:
Karen, you're such a tease.
I'm shy.
Yeah.
Hear anything?
No, not yet.
You still gonna think
I'm beautiful when I'm huge?
You betcha.
Whale-esque?
The bigger the better.
If your pupils dilate,
I'll know you're lying.
Am I the only one
you'll every love?
Yes.
Better be.
Hey!
No fair.
Karen!
Karen!
Karen!
HARRY:
It wasn't like
I didn't feel sorry for him.
I really did. I liked Karen.
I liked her a lot.
But after she disappeared,
Seth snapped.
He spent weeks
locked up in his house
praying.
I guess he prayed
for understanding,
for, I don't know,
some, some sort of sign.
(DOG WHINING)
(CLATTERING)
(DOG BARKING)
(CRASHING)
He did not take it well.
Not at all.
I mean, he tried
to snap out of it.
He even tried
going back to work.
But it didn't help.
There you go, Jasmine.
See, that wasn't
so bad, huh?
Want a lollipop?
Yeah?
Okay.
I heard about
your house.
Are you all right?
Physically,
not a scratch.
(SIGHS) Thank God.
You know, at least
you got your health.
Mmm.
And health is important.
It's very important.
I'm... It is
the important thing,
health.
Are you
all right, Dick?
I... I... I have
some news.
What?
You're fired.
(CHUCKLES)
What?
You're fired.
What are you
talking about?
You're fired.
I don't understand.
Why?
I don't know!
Wait a minute!
You tell me why!
I... Me, I'm,
uh, my heart,
it's...
(BELL RINGING)
I don't know,
it's hardened.
Hardened?
Yes, hardened.
I mean, I, I can't
explain it. I'm sorry.
It's a hardened heart.
I gotta go.
HARRY:
It all made him so paranoid,
you would have thought
that he worked
for the postal service.
So his ending up
in the hospital
wasn't exactly a surprise.
But you would have thought
the lightning would have
taught him a lesson.
(GASPS)
Uh-uh, no way,
he was a mad man.
Worse,
a mad man with a plan.
Hey, how you feeling?
You remember
playing Mr. Light Bulb?
Man, you were lucky.
Lucky?
Yeah, as in three feet
from barbecue.
Oh.
Uh, Rachel's gonna
pick up your dad
from the bus station.
They should be here
in a few minutes.
My dad?
What did you
tell my dad?
Nothing.
Uh, look, Seth,
Karen's death
was tragic,
but there's no percentage
in going UFO about it.
I mean, shit happens.
Shit happens?
Well, yeah.
The universe explained
in two words.
That's very impressive,
Harry.
You know, you should
try reading The Tribune
for a week.
Chock-full
of personal tragedies.
Major disasters,
minor disasters, karma,
luck, fate, kismet,
call it what you want.
I don't know how to
get this through to you,
but this is more than that.
Oh, please.
I am not crazy!
I know the difference
between bad luck
and a divine hand.
Harry, if your shoelace
breaks once, fine.
Twice, tough.
Three times,
hell, change the brand.
(AGGRESSIVELY)
But if your shoelace breaks
every day for two years,
(WHISPERING)
it's time to
check your Bible.
This has intent.
I am being tested.
Why? Why?
I don't know.
When I humbly ask,
I get tortured.
And let me
tell you something.
If the great God above is of
such a vindictive nature,
then I will defy him
until the day I die.
I'm just gonna go and check
and see if Rachel
and your dad are here.
And then
what does he do?
He kills my dog.
Ooh, I forgot to tell you.
Sparky survived.
He did?
Yeah.
Well, sorta.
He lost a leg.
He, uh, has a dead leg.
That's exactly... Ah!
Damn it!
That's exactly
what I'm talking about.
What kind of a god
takes a dog's leg?
Just take it easy,
will you?
All right.
You know what?
Okay, that's fine.
As far as I'm concerned,
that's it.
The covenant
is history!
What covenant?
The Commandments.
The Ten Commandments?
Yes, the Ten Commandments!
You're gonna break
the Commandments?
You're damn right.
I am gonna break
every last one of them
until I get an answer.
The guy in 4B
needs Thorazine.
Talk to the doctor.
Hi.
Hi.
How is he?
Oh, fine, fine.
Uh, he's, uh,
right around
the comer. 4B.
Just to the left.
What?
I wouldn't go in there,
if I were you.
I thought you said
he was fine.
Oh, physically.
I'm bringing you back
to New Paltz.
You'll heal.
And on the Sabbath,
we'll go to temple.
You know,
that rabbi still talks
about your voice.
How beautiful.
Dad, I'm not going
to any temple.
All right. Fine. Okay.
Well, then maybe
you could go to
your mother's old church.
That priest, uh,
what's his name?
He's retired.
Now they got
this new young guy.
He's very dynamic...
Dad! No church, no temple,
same thing.
Ya-hoo and I
are not getting along.
Do you think I've done
something terrible
to deserve all this?
Do you?
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Do you think I've done
something terrible
to deserve all this?
No, no, no,
but who knows
the way of the Lord?
I have a theory.
He's a raging psychotic.
HARRY:
Okay, he had some problems.
But what were we gonna do?
He had no place to go.
We had to take him in.
Rachel insisted.
Not that
I was unhappy about it.
No, I had
a warm glow all over.
A nice fuzzy feeling
of goodwill.
Seth, let me show you
where you can sleep.
I'm putting him
in your study.
Oh, okay. Thanks.
Here, Sparky,
come on.
(SPARKY BARKING)
(GUITAR STRINGS PLUCKING)
It's a '56
Gibson L.P. Custom.
Jeff Beck
used to own it.
It's very rare.
Very expensive.
Very, very expensive.
Okay.
Don't touch it again.
Come on. Come on, furry.
Good dog. Yeah.
Easy, easy.
(GROWLING SOFTLY)
Rachel has
this soft heart.
Lost kittens,
starving children,
you know, crap like that.
And I, I think
it's nice.
I mean, people should be
concerned for the world
that they live in.
And we're very happy
that you're
staying with us.
Oh.
Just try not to
over do it.
Good night, Seth.
Morning.
Good morning.
Wow, you shaved.
Ah!
Geez.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I shaved.
Yeah, you look great.
Oh, thank you.
So do you.
Wow. Thank you.
Here you go. Sure.
What are you writing?
Oh, it's just a list.
I'm trying to
reorganize my life,
get some things done.
Sounds good.
Mmm.
So how are you?
Good.
You still doing law?
Oh, yeah.
Still the defender
of the rich and greedy.
HARRY: Jesus! I'm late.
I gotta go. Gotta go.
Gotta go. Bye, honey.
Bye.
I'm gonna be home late.
Nice shave, Seth.
Oh, I used your razor.
I know!
(DOOR SLAMMING)
I think I annoy him.
No, don't take it personally.
Everything annoys him
these days.
No, no, no, I think
I seriously annoy him.
You know, I mean,
Harry and I
have never really...
Oh, that's not true.
(SETH CHUCKLES)
What about those
Thanksgivings on the Cape?
And they were,
they were great.
Yeah, lots of alcohol.
I miss her.
Yeah, I miss her, too.
How are you, Harry?
Hey, how ya doin'?
Good, good.
Never better.
What can I do for you
this morning?
Well, there's somebody
that would like
to speak with you.
Gee, I wonder
who it is.
Hey, thanks for the ride.
Yeah, okay.
Top of the morning
to you, Chief.
The shit they print
in these rags today.
Moral turpitude.
Ah, it's appalling.
Say, listen, uh,
any comment
on your relationship
with Melissa Murphy
and the misuse of the
Witness Protection housing?
No comment.
Oh, that's too bad.
But, uh,
off the record, uh,
what if I said
I made some mistakes,
you know?
Made these mistakes
because of my strong feelings
for Miss Murphy.
It's what's called
being human.
Not good, not bad, human.
You understand me?
Well, you know,
we at The Tribune
are always interested
in human behavior.
Hold anything
sacred, Luce?
You know,
a man's honor,
a man's career,
a man's family.
Not really.
Well, you gotta be
concerned about
parking tickets.
Parking tickets?
Jaywalking.
Spitting, too.
Do you know how often
the normal citizen
runs afoul of the law?
Once a year.
Every 28 minutes.
No shit.
And believe me
when I tell you this,
you better never run
afoul of me.
Yeah, well, I'll take that
under advisement, Chief.
Yeah, do that.
Toodle-oo.
I wanna get something
on that son of a bitch.
Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba.
Melissa Murphy.
Gimme, gimme, gimme.
It's late. It's late.
Don't say that.
Please, don't say that.
Monday.
I'll have it Monday.
You trying to
get us both fired?
Mr. Jones
has a hard-on
for this story.
I'm sorry.
My wife made me go
and help a friend
that had
suicidal tendencies, okay.
A jumper.
You did a good deed?
Hey, I'm capable.
Did he die?
No, he lived.
But he did say he was gonna
break the Commandments.
Is that news?
Depends on
how many he breaks.
The misdemeanors?
Living section,
back pages, at best.
Felonies?
Front page, bottom right.
Really?
Absolutely,
you got the Trinity.
Death, sex and God.
Well, we should be more
supportive of my friend's
religious convictions.
Just get me
the damn Murphy story
by Monday.
Okay.
What's the first one?
Uh, First Commandment?
"Thou shall have
no other gods."
Oh, yeah, that one.
"By the blood of Christ.
By Christ's foot.
"By Christ
all bleeding mighty.
By Jove. By Jehovah.
"By cock."
Shh!
This is a library.
I'm sorry.
I have a job to do here,
"By cocky."
Shh! Don't talk
like that in here.
"By cockis.
"By God. By Gad.
By Gee, Gock."
Eddie. Eddie.
Damn Yahweh.
Hi.
Hey.
What are you doing?
I'm carving an idol
of the goddess Kali.
Who's Kali?
She symbolizes
death, terror,
destruction,
on the outside,
but love, compassion
and rebirth on the inside.
Well, you can't
really tell, but this,
see this necklace.
It's gonna be
a necklace
of human skulls
and in each hand
she's gonna be holding
a severed head.
(CHUCKLES)
Hmm.
Harry, do you know
that Seth is carving
a naked woman
with skulls
and severed heads?
Mm-hmm. It's the
Second Commandment.
No false idols
or graven images.
And you don't think
that's a problem?
No, I think
it's cathartic.
He'll be fine.
He'll be fine. He's gonna see
his father this weekend.
Is that good?
Remember there is good
in all the woes
that come upon us,
because evil cannot
proceed from God.
Seth...
...will you come up
and sing the Shema?
Please. Please, go.
Please, Go, Seth.
Please.
Um, I have a question
to put to the congregation
if you don't mind, Rabbi.
Is God willing
to prevent evil,
but just not able?
Then he can't be
omnipotent, right?
Or is he able,
but not willing?
Then he must be
malevolent.
Or is he neither able
nor willing?
In which case,
why do we call him God?
Why indeed? Why?
In fact, you know what?
To hell with God.
(ALL GASPING)
Shame!
Shame on you!
Seth, what's going on?
I don't understand you!
Why?
What are you doing?
What is going on?
Talk to me! Seth!
Seth!
MAN: Let him go.
Let him go.
(PHONE RINGING)
Harry, could you
get that?
Ow.
(RINGING CONTINUES)
Hello?
MELISSA: Is Harry there?
Yes. Whom shall I say
is calling?
(STRUMMING)
Harry.
It's for you.
Hello?
(CLEARS THROAT)
How'd you get this number?
No matter.
Yep.
No.
Okay, bye.
That was Melissa Murphy.
You know, I'm...
I'm interviewing her
for the Police Chief
housing scam story.
She just wanted to
change an interview time.
You wouldn't be having
an affair with this woman,
would you?
Don't be ridiculous.
You're not looking at me.
(CLEARS THROAT)
I am not fucking
Melissa Murphy.
(SOFTLY) Not anymore.
(HORN HONKING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
Watch where
you're going!
(SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY)
Hey, I'm supposed to
meet a guy here.
Serious, dark, tormented type.
You seen him?
You just missed him.
Ah, shit.
What the hell,
give me a double Irish.
Sure.
(ELECTRICITY CRACKLING)
Sparky?
Hey, Sparky.
Hi.
Hey.
Are you all right?
I think
he's cheating on me.
Oh, no. Really?
I'm sorry.
Oh, don't be sorry.
No, I don't...
This is really
silly of me.
Oh, I feel
like such an idiot.
The bastard!
And he lies about it, too.
Are you sure?
He comes home from work and
he immediately takes a shower.
The phone bill
has phone numbers on it
that I've never seen before.
And he always has
that guilty look on his face.
What did he say
when you confronted him?
He denies everything,
of course.
He gets
all high and mighty.
The righteous scum.
Why do I stay with him?
I don't know.
(SIGHS)
I bet you never
cheated on Karen.
Rachel.
Karen!
Karen!
(GASPS)
Shit!
What the hell
are you doing?
What the hell
are you doing?
Where were you?
You stood me up.
No, no, no, no.
I was there.
You stood me up.
Yeah. Well, how was
slamming daddy?
Was that fun?
No, it wasn't fun.
It was difficult.
Oh, you poor baby.
Huh.
Listen, Harry,
when I got back here,
your wife was in tears.
Now, she's a good woman.
You ought to try
and treat her
a little bit better.
Who the fuck died
and made you
the marriage guru?
Just trying to
give you some advice
to save your marriage.
Oh, advice
from an insane man.
That's terrific.
You could do worse
than listening to me.
Worse than a guy
who fucked up so bad
he's being punished by God?
You're drunk. Go to bed.
Wreck your marriage.
Do whatever
the hell you want, Harry.
Or what?
I'll be punished
for my misdeeds?
You should be.
Really?
Yeah, really.
Well, let me tell you
somethin', pal.
I break five to six
Commandments
every day before lunch.
And you know what?
I got a beautiful wife.
I got a great job,
and a nice apartment.
See this jacket?
Fetal goat skin.
It's the best.
Only the best.
And what do you got?
Nothing.
A stinking dead wife,
a crippled dog,
a God that hates you,
and a fucking plan
out of The Exorcist
that you're too much
of a pussy to stick to.
Here. Go break some
important Commandments,
and then come
and lecture me
about my morals.
Dick head.
RACHEL: So, you knew
when your bank account showed
$250,000 on April 2nd
that the money
was not yours?
Of course.
Yes. You knew
it was the bank's?
Uh, no.
Okay, if it wasn't yours
and it wasn't the bank's,
whose did you think it was?
We didn't
think about it
like that.
We thought
the money was put there
for a purpose.
By who?
God.
Well.
Mr. and Mrs. Mann
are very religious people.
Very.
Yes, well,
so is the Pope.
But even he and the Lord
don't have joint checking.
We were
surprised, too.
We certainly were.
Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Mann,
Mr. Neer,
l think that
I can convince my client,
the bank,
not to press charges
as long as
you return the money.
And I'll even try
to get them to
waive the interest.
All in all, I think
that's a very good deal.
Look, I'm afraid
that's not possible.
They no longer
have the money.
You spent $250,000?
No, of course not.
Though, uh,
I did get
a nifty set of
power tools.
Okay. Where is it?
In the garage.
No, no, no. The money.
I'm talking about the money.
We gave it away.
To charity.
The Cetacean Society.
You know,
save the whales.
MAN: Uh, is, uh,
Rachel Luce in?
WOMAN: I'm sorry,
but she's in a meeting
right now.
Would you like
to wait?
All right,
let's take a break.
You know, every time
I look at them, l...
It makes me want to cry.
Not because
they're old and crazy,
which they are.
But because they're,
they're so strong.
They're so sure
of their place
in the world.
I don't know
how they do it.
I feel so adrift
right now.
Well, with good reason.
I mean, come on,
what with Harry and all that.
You know,
Harry cares more
about his stupid guitars
than he does for me.
You know what
you ought to do?
Is gather his guitars
together and just throw them
out in the street.
Throw 'em out.
Give him a chance to focus
on what he should be
focusing on...
Which is you.
I'd sure like to.
I'd like to smash them
to bits.
I mean,
he's gotta just wake up.
Yeah, but you know,
it's not really...
It's not all Harry's fault.
I haven't really...
Well, I've been...
I've been running
from everything
ever since Karen.
It's really hard.
I know.
Hey...
Do you remember this?
Yes, this is Karen's.
She said that was her window
into an unseen world.
Yeah.
I can see the sea.
It was your blue eyes.
(RINGS DOORBELL)
Hello, you...
Hey.
Watch it.
Let's go inside, huh?
Let's go in.
So, uh, how many times a week
would you see the Chief?
Three, sometimes four.
He was
very thoughtful.
We talked
on the phone a lot.
How often on the phone?
Every day.
Sometimes
twice a day.
Did, uh...
Did he tell you that this,
this, this house was owned
by the government?
We called it
our little safe house,
where all is permitted.
Hmm.
I'm getting
a certain vibe here.
Look, uh,
things are getting
a little complicated.
Can we, uh, just get on
with the interview?
Do we have to?
Yes. Did the, uh,
the Chief give you any,
uh, any gifts?
Sure.
What?
It's engraved,
to Buttercup.
Could you point that
in the other direction?
This little thing?
Yes.
Take off your clothes.
Look, Melissa,
if you think
that this triggers
some kinky
sexual fantasy of mine...
Not your fantasy, sweetie.
Mine.
(CLICKS)
Uh-huh.
Next.
Can I help you?
Yeah.
I can't live with
the guilt any longer.
I'm here
to confess a crime.
Rachel.
Rachel, honey.
Seth.
(WHISTLING)
My guitars.
Hi, Harry.
I'm in here.
We've been burgled.
What?
What'd they take?
They took my guitars.
Oh, my God.
Is that it?
Yeah, that's it.
Broke in through
the bathroom window.
Oh, that's so weird.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
They only took the guitars?
Yes.
They obviously knew
what they were doing.
Expensive,
easy to fence.
You know, I called
the insurance company
and made a claim.
It just makes me sick.
Wow, gosh,
I'm really sorry.
Let me get you a drink.
Thanks, honey.
Okay. All right.
(SOFTLY) Yes!
You know, you'd think
they'd take the goddamn
computer or something.
Rachel,
do you know
where Seth is?
All right,
here's the story.
Harry Luce,
that's my brother-in-law.
Melissa Murphy,
that's his mistress,
and myself conspired
to commit this crime.
What happened was
I took Harry's
guitar collection,
very rare,
very, very expensive,
made it look
like a robbery
and I stashed 'em
in Melissa Murphy's
basement, see?
And the idea
was we were all gonna split
the insurance money
three ways.
Look, I got all that,
but, uh,
why you confessing?
Because stealing is wrong.
Did you ever hear
of the Eighth Commandment,
"Thou shall not steal?"
All right.
Do you mind, uh,
putting that down in writing?
No, not at all.
No problem.
Is he telling the truth?
MALHONEY:
Why would he lie?
Does it check?
So far so good.
We're working on it.
We're gonna need
a warrant.
Well, get the warrant.
Get him on video.
Get him immunity.
Get him any fucking thing
he wants.
And get busy!
Yes, sir.
(SIGHS)
Thank you, Lord.
Thank you.
Melissa Murphy?
Yeah.
There's a warrant
to search the premises.
You can tell that
limp dick, fat, pinky haired
boss of yours
that if this is his way
of expressing
his feelings for me
then he is
fucking pathetic!
Hello, Lucille.
Hey, what? What, did I
forget to give a donation
to the police benefit?
Let's go.
Hey!
Transport,
call it in.
Warren!
Warren!
You are demented, Warren.
Did you know that?
You ever heard
of the First Amendment?
Freedom of the press?
When the Tribune
gets done with you,
you are gonna be
cleaning toilets
in Bed-Stuy!
You're gonna be sweeping
the streets of East New York!
Am I getting through to you,
you demented Mick?
Demented, huh?
Let me show you
something, Luce.
What?
(VOCALIZING)
Are you ready?
For what?
You deserve
a day on the town.
Where did you
get those clothes?
What do you think?
I think you look
unbelievably great.
That too much?
No.
So you're going to
come out with me?
Um, yeah,
I'd love to.
False witness.
You never heard
of false witness?
That wacko is throwing
the damn Commandments at me!
Calm down.
We should have you
out on bail by tonight.
Do you want me to call Rachel?
No, no, no, no.
She'll cast me
and Melissa
as Bonnie and Clyde.
She already thinks
I'm having an affair
with her.
Are you?
What has that
got to do with anything?
You listen to me.
There is a wacko,
fucking, crazy bastard
out there on the loose,
unhindered, coveting!
The fiend.
I'm serious.
Thou shall not kill.
What about that?
You're right.
Oh, I know I'm right.
For the record,
if you were to be murdered,
how would that make you feel?
You get me outta here!
Just a short quote.
Get me outta here!
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Oh, yeah.
It's a mango something.
Oh, yeah.
My, the... The water
looks so strange today,
doesn't it?
Oh, you know
what's that from?
Hmm?
That's from
that hurricane
down South.
Really?
Uh-huh.
See what happens
in a storm like that
is it pushes
the clouds so high
they become ice crystals,
and then they act
like prisms
and they
refract the light
in a strange way.
Think it's gonna hit
New York?
I don't know.
If it wants to.
Does it want to?
It's not really
proper to ask
a hurricane its desires.
Well, we don't
want to be improper.
Do we?
Bullshit.
Where the hell
you been?
Is this gonna
take all night?
Could.
Oh, that's just great.
And I have to tell you
there's this other problem.
(SIGHS) What?
You're fired.
MAN: Court's in recess
for one hour.
What?
Mr. Jones thinks
you lost us the Murphy story,
cause you couldn't keep
your dick in your pants.
I tried to tell him
it was more complicated
than that, but he...
Let's go, pal.
Now, come on.
Don't you...
Hey, get, get...
Watch the coat,
will you?
Shut your mouth.
Let's go.
Tell that bastard
I quit.
Sorry.
(SETH LAUGHS)
It doesn't work
for me.
There's a little logic to it.
There's a little bone there,
and then...
There you got it.
I got it.
You got it.
It's amazing.
How did you do that?
I have no...
But see how far
I can...
No, don't touch me.
Hey,
where you going?
Where's the door?
Oh, my God.
Bravo.
How did you do that?
You have great balance.
What about grace?
What about temptation?
What?
I'm sorry.
What if what I'm feeling
is all because you,
you loved my sister,
you know,
and I'm attracted to you
because some sort of
perverse connection
between you,
me and her?
An ex-girlfriend
is bad enough,
but, uh, a deceased sister.
I mean, how can
I measure up to that?
Come here.
Come here.
So is the real reason
that we're
holding each other like this
just one big mix-up
of transferred feelings?
Absolutely not.
Good.
Okay, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait.
What?
I have another question.
What?
Am I a Commandment
to be broken?
Yes.
Is that all I am?
No.
You are so much more
it scares me.
Who is this
motherfucker?
Hey, babe, it's me.
Uh, listen, um,
I'm stuck up in Woodstock
following a lead.
Uh, it's not my fault.
We're all innocent
up here at Woodstock.
HARRY: Would you
shut up?
Yeah, uh,
I'll be home tomorrow.
And listen, uh,
look out for Seth.
His, uh, Commandments
are getting personal.
Hey, yo, cupcake,
you done with the phone?
You guys think
you're pretty funny, right?
Your turn.
(SCREAMING)
Knock it off!
Put the gun down, man!
(MOANING)
Oh, my sweet Lord.
Where the hell is he?
Who?
That snake,
that double-crossing viper,
that creeping religious freak!
Seth, who else?
He must have gone out.
(SIGHS)
I'm sorry.
Eh, it's not your fault.
It's not?
No, you're just
too innocent that's all.
I am?
Yeah.
I mean, you take a guy in,
you take him in,
you treat him like family,
like a human being,
and what happens?
You get fired,
you get robbed,
you get beaten!
Harry, what's going on?
Look, I'll explain it
to you later.
Just keep the door closed.
I think he's dangerous.
Oh, Seth's not dangerous.
Trust me,
you don't know him
in the Biblical sense.
I don't?
We've had many reports
of low-lying
areas underwater.
Hurricane warnings continue
in effect from Cape May
to Eastport Maine.
The latest radar
is showing torrential rain
through the upper valley
down to Long Island.
(MUSIC BLARING)
Hey, hey,
how good of you
to join us.
Seth.
Yeah? Wait.
Seth.
Frank.
Seth.
Yeah?
You and I
need to talk.
Come on.
Oh, yeah.
Hey, this is my jacket.
Yeah. It's coveted
fetal goatskin.
It's smooth.
It's only the best.
You are upsetting me.
You know that, Seth?
You are really
upsetting me!
You moron!
(GRUNTS)
(LAUGHING)
Harry, I,
I just want to say,
I got a lot
to thank you for.
Oh, yeah.
Things are looking up.
You are nuts.
Let's go.
I'm taking you to the police,
'cause I want my guitars back!
All right. Come on,
Harry, have a drink.
Why don't you
just have a drink?
Oh, give me that.
What? This?
Just give me that.
You want this? You want this?
Who?
Who?
Number seven adultery, who?
Who?
Harry, please.
I'm a gentleman.
I'm warning you. Who?
Hmm?
Get outta here.
Rachel would never sleep
with someone
as inconsequential as you.
Whatever you say, Harry.
You are demented,
you know that?
You are demented!
You are deranged.
Your whole life
has been delusional.
It always has been!
Like you fell from the sky
with the angels.
You want to know
something else?
Karen was no angel.
I fucked her.
Harry, she didn't even
like you.
Well, that's why she did it.
She wanted a dirty fuck.
I guess she just got
tired of her
pussy-whipped husband.
You better shut your face.
I bent her over the couch
and I banged her.
She loved it.
I'd still be banging her now,
if you'd kept your eye on her
at the beach.
Fuck you.
(GROANS)
If I even think
you touched Rachel,
I'll kill you.
Thou shall not kill, Harry.
(CLANGING)
You fucking liar!
You adulteress!
Yeah, only after
you slept with her.
You mean it's true?
Yeah.
Why was I arrested?
How could
you sleep with Seth?
You've got no taste.
You dare talk taste?
Why was I in prison?
You slept with a freak!
He's a mental freak!
What's next?
Midgets?
Dwarves?
At least Seth is clean.
I'm clean.
BOTH: Shut up!
I thought that we agreed
that he was the enemy here.
Hey, hey, hey,
I'm the victim here.
You?
Have you ever seen a toilet
in a woman's
correctional facility?
Let me tell you,
it is a stinking hole!
Where the hell
do you think I was?
The Plaza?
Oh, this makes me so sick.
Come here.
Get out.
Oh.
Look, I know
you're really upset
right now,
but I'll fix everything
with the police.
I swear.
Right now, I gotta be
alone with my wife.
(WHISPERING)
She is a bitch, Harry.
A bitch.
Yeah, come on.
Just in here.
That's good.
I will not be left
twisting in the wind.
I have resources.
Yeah, I know you do.
But...
Bye.
(DOOR LOCKS)
Oh, shit.
Rachel.
Rachel!
(BANGING ON DOOR)
Rachel, open the door.
We need to talk.
No, I don't want to talk.
I just want to be alone.
Look, we can't solve anything
with a door between us.
I love you.
Where do you
want me to go?
Oh, look, you might find it
interesting to know that
Seth is trying to kill me.
I find that admirable.
Oh, really?
Really? Fine, fine.
Then we can both be victims
of this stupid plan of his.
Don't you get it?
Don't you understand?
It's a game to him.
He's crazy.
He doesn't love you.
You're some piece of tail
that he can check off a list!
Open the damn door!
Rachel.
(SOFTLY) No.
(DOG WHINING)
...Hurricane Abe.
We do have
new conditions for you.
It appears likely that Abe
will miss New York City
making landfall to
the northeast near Montauk.
Our striped forecast
shows the highest probability
of landfall in the red.
Winds farther
to the north, of course,
will be picking up
as the hurricane
heads towards New England.
The winds have been
increasing in speed,
rising from
120 miles per hour
to 140 miles per hour.
Taking a look
at a different perspective
from our satellite shot,
we can clearly see
the structure of
this powerful storm system.
In the center
is the eye of the hurricane.
(NEWSCASTER
SPEAKING DISTORTEDLY)
(STATIC)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
Hey.
Hey. Hey.
(SIGHS)
Oh, I missed you.
I missed, missed you, too.
Rachel, I'm just...
What?
I am so confused.
I know.
I threw Harry out.
You did?
Uh-huh.
Wow.
I have to go away.
Why?
It's kinda hard
to explain,
but I had a...
A sort of,
I don't know what.
No, wait.
Where do you have to go?
Montauk.
(CHUCKLES)
Well, that's hardly
the end of the world.
How long you going for?
I'm not sure
I'm coming back.
You're moving
to Montauk?
I can't see you anymore.
What?
Look, look, try to
understand this.
Everything I have ever loved
has been taken from me.
I've fallen in love
with you.
I'm scared to death
what's gonna happen to you.
Oh, wait a minute.
You love me.
Therefore, you have
to go to Montauk?
Well, yeah, sort of,
that's it.
'Cause why?
You think that, that God...
Yes, God.
Will what?
Will kill me?
Yes.
What is it
with you men?
This is
driving me crazy!
Are these my choices?
Seth, this it?
This is what I get?
A philandering asshole
or a sanctimonious lunatic?
Now, what in God's name
is the matter with you?
I don't know,
It's just...
I know it's not entirely
of my own doing.
I don't know.
What?
A higher purpose allows you
to hurt me, is that it?
God pisses on you,
so you piss
on everyone else.
Rachel, you're better off
without me.
Stop it!
I can't stop it.
And I'm so sorry.
Hey, Frank,
give me an Irish.
Make it the good stuff.
I'm dying here.
Sure.
Hey, listen, uh,
you seen Seth?
Yeah, yeah,
he was in.
When?
About an hour ago.
Did he say anything?
Say where he was going?
No, he just, uh,
had a pop, uh,
read the paper, nothing.
(WOMAN MOANING)
(MAN MOANING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(WIND HOWLING)
NEER: We have to finish
this deposition and, uh,
then you have to
counter offer that the bank
cares to present
so we can get
Mr. and Mrs. Mann
back to New Jersey
before the weather
turns bad.
Mrs. Luce?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I don't know
where my mind is today.
In the clouds.
Probably.
I'm sorry.
It's all right, dear.
It's all right.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
I'm gonna blow
your fucking head off.
Go ahead, do it.
At this point,
you're just doing me a favor.
Go ahead.
Go ahead.
Want to know the difference
between you and me, Harry?
I'm at the point
where I could
kill somebody.
You, me,
it wouldn't matter.
Oh, give it up Seth!
You make a piss poor
antichrist.
Ah, fuck!
What the fuck
are you doing?
I didn't shoot you!
Answer me
this one question.
What?
Why does God
the all-powerful allow
pointless suffering?
Is there a time limit?
I don't know!
I don't know!
That's not good enough.
Because the bastard
ain't just, all right.
I mean any pair of eyes
can see that.
Powerful?
I mean if he could
create the whole universe
shit yes.
But it doesn't take
a genius to figure out
with just a dust ball
in the corner of the house
that he doesn't give a shit
about house cleaning.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
What do you believe in?
I don't know.
(GUN CLATTERS)
(SIGHING)
Seth! Seth!
Seth!
(SCREAMING)
Yes?
Who are you?
Who are you?
I live here.
Then why
were you ringing?
Is Rachel in?
She's sick.
What's wrong with her?
A touch nauseous.
Would you tell her
that her husband
is at the door?
She wants to know
what you want.
What the hell
is going on in there?
Pinochle.
Tell her
I want to talk.
I'll pass it on.
Oh, my God.
Hi.
Hi.
You can come in.
Who are they?
Friends.
I had sort of
a little breakdown.
They've been very kind.
Seth's dead.
How?
He murdered himself.
Jumped into the sea
off Montauk Point.
Look, Rachel,
I don't want to be alone.
I want to come home.
No, it's not
going to work.
I can change.
You don't understand.
I'm a changed man.
Why?
I don't want you back.
You gotta
give me a reason.
That's not a reason.
I deserve a reason.
Because I'm pregnant.
What?
It's not yours,
and I'm gonna have it.
But how could
you know?
I know.
I just know.
(PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
Oh, my God!
What is that?
Oh, my God!
(GASPS)
(GASPS)
Okay. All right.
Let's give me your arm.
Why don't,
why don't we get
back down, all right?
I feel okay.
What?
Okay let's head on out.
HARRY:
How do you explain a miracle
in a world that can explain
most everything?
Maybe it's an emotion
so pure, it can freeze time.
Maybe, it's a man
stripped bare of all he was
seeing the world new again.
Yeah, sure
but what about me?
I'm alone.
(SPARKY WHINES)
Oh, yeah, I get the dog,
but basically I'm alone.
Do I hate Seth?
Well, yeah.
But then again,
I'm not sure
it was all his fault.
What if it was fate?
I mean, how do you
fight that?
What do you fight it with?
Heart, faith, soul?
Ah, then how the hell
would I know?
I don't believe
in fairy tales.
But I do know
that what I don't know
might be a whole lot bigger
than I thought.
(SHOUTING) Well?
I don't believe in God.
I never had much use for Him.
Believe too much
in any one thing,
God especially,
and you stop seeing the world
the way it really is.
That's a problem.
My brother-in-law Seth
had that problem.
When his life took
a series of tragic turns,
he knew exactly
who to complain to.
I need some reason!
It just wasn't healthy.
WOMAN: Yes.
I need to speak to Mrs. Luce.
It's an emergency, please.
(SETH SCREAMING)
MAN 1: They just
seem innocent.
MAN 2: But they're not.
They're criminals.
Yes, criminals.
WOMAN: Okay, let me
get this straight.
Mr. and Mrs. Mann
go to their ATM
and withdraw $40
out of a $534
savings account
and find to their surprise
a quarter of a million
dollars on deposit?
A computer glitch.
You're lucky
they didn't have
a coronary.
Gee, it wasn't
their money.
They knew that.
That's why
they withdrew it.
Excuse me.
Yes?
Sorry, there's
a telephone call for you.
An emergency.
Excuse me.
Hello?
WOMAN:
Hello, uh, Mrs. Luce?
Yes.
This is Sylvia Andrew.
I was a friend
of your sister,
God rest her soul,
when she
lived on Broad Street.
Yes. How are you?
It's your sister's husband,
Mr. Warner.
He's on the roof
screaming like a Zulu.
Seth,
Seth Warner?
I think he's going to jump.
(WOMAN MOANING)
(MAN GRUNTING)
(HARRY GRUNTS)
(BOTH GASPING)
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
Hi, it's me.
Hi, honey.
Where are you?
Uh, Brooklyn.
What are you
doing there?
Uh, I'm interviewing
Melissa Murphy.
Who?
Melissa Murphy,
uh, the girl in the, uh,
housing protection scam.
All right,
Harry, listen.
I need you to do
something for me
that's very important.
Uh, Seth is on top of a roof
downtown, and he's...
He's upset.
What, Seth Warner,
so what?
He might jump.
Uh-huh.
I think you should go
down there and
prevent him from jumping.
Oh. Why?
(SETH SCREAMING)
What a putz.
Seth?
Seth!
Hey, Seth!
What the hell
are you doing?
Get away from there!
Well, it can't be that bad.
It's never as bad
as you think, right?
Hey!
Hey, can we
talk about this?
I curse the day
I was born.
I want an answer.
Geez!
(WAILING)
Do you hear me?
You had an accident.
You're in an ambulance.
Can you tell me your name?
What do you remember?
What's the last thing
you remember?
(GULLS CAWING)
(KAREN CHUCKLING)
SETH:
Karen, you're such a tease.
I'm shy.
Yeah.
Hear anything?
No, not yet.
You still gonna think
I'm beautiful when I'm huge?
You betcha.
Whale-esque?
The bigger the better.
If your pupils dilate,
I'll know you're lying.
Am I the only one
you'll every love?
Yes.
Better be.
Hey!
No fair.
Karen!
Karen!
Karen!
HARRY:
It wasn't like
I didn't feel sorry for him.
I really did. I liked Karen.
I liked her a lot.
But after she disappeared,
Seth snapped.
He spent weeks
locked up in his house
praying.
I guess he prayed
for understanding,
for, I don't know,
some, some sort of sign.
(DOG WHINING)
(CLATTERING)
(DOG BARKING)
(CRASHING)
He did not take it well.
Not at all.
I mean, he tried
to snap out of it.
He even tried
going back to work.
But it didn't help.
There you go, Jasmine.
See, that wasn't
so bad, huh?
Want a lollipop?
Yeah?
Okay.
I heard about
your house.
Are you all right?
Physically,
not a scratch.
(SIGHS) Thank God.
You know, at least
you got your health.
Mmm.
And health is important.
It's very important.
I'm... It is
the important thing,
health.
Are you
all right, Dick?
I... I... I have
some news.
What?
You're fired.
(CHUCKLES)
What?
You're fired.
What are you
talking about?
You're fired.
I don't understand.
Why?
I don't know!
Wait a minute!
You tell me why!
I... Me, I'm,
uh, my heart,
it's...
(BELL RINGING)
I don't know,
it's hardened.
Hardened?
Yes, hardened.
I mean, I, I can't
explain it. I'm sorry.
It's a hardened heart.
I gotta go.
HARRY:
It all made him so paranoid,
you would have thought
that he worked
for the postal service.
So his ending up
in the hospital
wasn't exactly a surprise.
But you would have thought
the lightning would have
taught him a lesson.
(GASPS)
Uh-uh, no way,
he was a mad man.
Worse,
a mad man with a plan.
Hey, how you feeling?
You remember
playing Mr. Light Bulb?
Man, you were lucky.
Lucky?
Yeah, as in three feet
from barbecue.
Oh.
Uh, Rachel's gonna
pick up your dad
from the bus station.
They should be here
in a few minutes.
My dad?
What did you
tell my dad?
Nothing.
Uh, look, Seth,
Karen's death
was tragic,
but there's no percentage
in going UFO about it.
I mean, shit happens.
Shit happens?
Well, yeah.
The universe explained
in two words.
That's very impressive,
Harry.
You know, you should
try reading The Tribune
for a week.
Chock-full
of personal tragedies.
Major disasters,
minor disasters, karma,
luck, fate, kismet,
call it what you want.
I don't know how to
get this through to you,
but this is more than that.
Oh, please.
I am not crazy!
I know the difference
between bad luck
and a divine hand.
Harry, if your shoelace
breaks once, fine.
Twice, tough.
Three times,
hell, change the brand.
(AGGRESSIVELY)
But if your shoelace breaks
every day for two years,
(WHISPERING)
it's time to
check your Bible.
This has intent.
I am being tested.
Why? Why?
I don't know.
When I humbly ask,
I get tortured.
And let me
tell you something.
If the great God above is of
such a vindictive nature,
then I will defy him
until the day I die.
I'm just gonna go and check
and see if Rachel
and your dad are here.
And then
what does he do?
He kills my dog.
Ooh, I forgot to tell you.
Sparky survived.
He did?
Yeah.
Well, sorta.
He lost a leg.
He, uh, has a dead leg.
That's exactly... Ah!
Damn it!
That's exactly
what I'm talking about.
What kind of a god
takes a dog's leg?
Just take it easy,
will you?
All right.
You know what?
Okay, that's fine.
As far as I'm concerned,
that's it.
The covenant
is history!
What covenant?
The Commandments.
The Ten Commandments?
Yes, the Ten Commandments!
You're gonna break
the Commandments?
You're damn right.
I am gonna break
every last one of them
until I get an answer.
The guy in 4B
needs Thorazine.
Talk to the doctor.
Hi.
Hi.
How is he?
Oh, fine, fine.
Uh, he's, uh,
right around
the comer. 4B.
Just to the left.
What?
I wouldn't go in there,
if I were you.
I thought you said
he was fine.
Oh, physically.
I'm bringing you back
to New Paltz.
You'll heal.
And on the Sabbath,
we'll go to temple.
You know,
that rabbi still talks
about your voice.
How beautiful.
Dad, I'm not going
to any temple.
All right. Fine. Okay.
Well, then maybe
you could go to
your mother's old church.
That priest, uh,
what's his name?
He's retired.
Now they got
this new young guy.
He's very dynamic...
Dad! No church, no temple,
same thing.
Ya-hoo and I
are not getting along.
Do you think I've done
something terrible
to deserve all this?
Do you?
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Do you think I've done
something terrible
to deserve all this?
No, no, no,
but who knows
the way of the Lord?
I have a theory.
He's a raging psychotic.
HARRY:
Okay, he had some problems.
But what were we gonna do?
He had no place to go.
We had to take him in.
Rachel insisted.
Not that
I was unhappy about it.
No, I had
a warm glow all over.
A nice fuzzy feeling
of goodwill.
Seth, let me show you
where you can sleep.
I'm putting him
in your study.
Oh, okay. Thanks.
Here, Sparky,
come on.
(SPARKY BARKING)
(GUITAR STRINGS PLUCKING)
It's a '56
Gibson L.P. Custom.
Jeff Beck
used to own it.
It's very rare.
Very expensive.
Very, very expensive.
Okay.
Don't touch it again.
Come on. Come on, furry.
Good dog. Yeah.
Easy, easy.
(GROWLING SOFTLY)
Rachel has
this soft heart.
Lost kittens,
starving children,
you know, crap like that.
And I, I think
it's nice.
I mean, people should be
concerned for the world
that they live in.
And we're very happy
that you're
staying with us.
Oh.
Just try not to
over do it.
Good night, Seth.
Morning.
Good morning.
Wow, you shaved.
Ah!
Geez.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I shaved.
Yeah, you look great.
Oh, thank you.
So do you.
Wow. Thank you.
Here you go. Sure.
What are you writing?
Oh, it's just a list.
I'm trying to
reorganize my life,
get some things done.
Sounds good.
Mmm.
So how are you?
Good.
You still doing law?
Oh, yeah.
Still the defender
of the rich and greedy.
HARRY: Jesus! I'm late.
I gotta go. Gotta go.
Gotta go. Bye, honey.
Bye.
I'm gonna be home late.
Nice shave, Seth.
Oh, I used your razor.
I know!
(DOOR SLAMMING)
I think I annoy him.
No, don't take it personally.
Everything annoys him
these days.
No, no, no, I think
I seriously annoy him.
You know, I mean,
Harry and I
have never really...
Oh, that's not true.
(SETH CHUCKLES)
What about those
Thanksgivings on the Cape?
And they were,
they were great.
Yeah, lots of alcohol.
I miss her.
Yeah, I miss her, too.
How are you, Harry?
Hey, how ya doin'?
Good, good.
Never better.
What can I do for you
this morning?
Well, there's somebody
that would like
to speak with you.
Gee, I wonder
who it is.
Hey, thanks for the ride.
Yeah, okay.
Top of the morning
to you, Chief.
The shit they print
in these rags today.
Moral turpitude.
Ah, it's appalling.
Say, listen, uh,
any comment
on your relationship
with Melissa Murphy
and the misuse of the
Witness Protection housing?
No comment.
Oh, that's too bad.
But, uh,
off the record, uh,
what if I said
I made some mistakes,
you know?
Made these mistakes
because of my strong feelings
for Miss Murphy.
It's what's called
being human.
Not good, not bad, human.
You understand me?
Well, you know,
we at The Tribune
are always interested
in human behavior.
Hold anything
sacred, Luce?
You know,
a man's honor,
a man's career,
a man's family.
Not really.
Well, you gotta be
concerned about
parking tickets.
Parking tickets?
Jaywalking.
Spitting, too.
Do you know how often
the normal citizen
runs afoul of the law?
Once a year.
Every 28 minutes.
No shit.
And believe me
when I tell you this,
you better never run
afoul of me.
Yeah, well, I'll take that
under advisement, Chief.
Yeah, do that.
Toodle-oo.
I wanna get something
on that son of a bitch.
Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba.
Melissa Murphy.
Gimme, gimme, gimme.
It's late. It's late.
Don't say that.
Please, don't say that.
Monday.
I'll have it Monday.
You trying to
get us both fired?
Mr. Jones
has a hard-on
for this story.
I'm sorry.
My wife made me go
and help a friend
that had
suicidal tendencies, okay.
A jumper.
You did a good deed?
Hey, I'm capable.
Did he die?
No, he lived.
But he did say he was gonna
break the Commandments.
Is that news?
Depends on
how many he breaks.
The misdemeanors?
Living section,
back pages, at best.
Felonies?
Front page, bottom right.
Really?
Absolutely,
you got the Trinity.
Death, sex and God.
Well, we should be more
supportive of my friend's
religious convictions.
Just get me
the damn Murphy story
by Monday.
Okay.
What's the first one?
Uh, First Commandment?
"Thou shall have
no other gods."
Oh, yeah, that one.
"By the blood of Christ.
By Christ's foot.
"By Christ
all bleeding mighty.
By Jove. By Jehovah.
"By cock."
Shh!
This is a library.
I'm sorry.
I have a job to do here,
"By cocky."
Shh! Don't talk
like that in here.
"By cockis.
"By God. By Gad.
By Gee, Gock."
Eddie. Eddie.
Damn Yahweh.
Hi.
Hey.
What are you doing?
I'm carving an idol
of the goddess Kali.
Who's Kali?
She symbolizes
death, terror,
destruction,
on the outside,
but love, compassion
and rebirth on the inside.
Well, you can't
really tell, but this,
see this necklace.
It's gonna be
a necklace
of human skulls
and in each hand
she's gonna be holding
a severed head.
(CHUCKLES)
Hmm.
Harry, do you know
that Seth is carving
a naked woman
with skulls
and severed heads?
Mm-hmm. It's the
Second Commandment.
No false idols
or graven images.
And you don't think
that's a problem?
No, I think
it's cathartic.
He'll be fine.
He'll be fine. He's gonna see
his father this weekend.
Is that good?
Remember there is good
in all the woes
that come upon us,
because evil cannot
proceed from God.
Seth...
...will you come up
and sing the Shema?
Please. Please, go.
Please, Go, Seth.
Please.
Um, I have a question
to put to the congregation
if you don't mind, Rabbi.
Is God willing
to prevent evil,
but just not able?
Then he can't be
omnipotent, right?
Or is he able,
but not willing?
Then he must be
malevolent.
Or is he neither able
nor willing?
In which case,
why do we call him God?
Why indeed? Why?
In fact, you know what?
To hell with God.
(ALL GASPING)
Shame!
Shame on you!
Seth, what's going on?
I don't understand you!
Why?
What are you doing?
What is going on?
Talk to me! Seth!
Seth!
MAN: Let him go.
Let him go.
(PHONE RINGING)
Harry, could you
get that?
Ow.
(RINGING CONTINUES)
Hello?
MELISSA: Is Harry there?
Yes. Whom shall I say
is calling?
(STRUMMING)
Harry.
It's for you.
Hello?
(CLEARS THROAT)
How'd you get this number?
No matter.
Yep.
No.
Okay, bye.
That was Melissa Murphy.
You know, I'm...
I'm interviewing her
for the Police Chief
housing scam story.
She just wanted to
change an interview time.
You wouldn't be having
an affair with this woman,
would you?
Don't be ridiculous.
You're not looking at me.
(CLEARS THROAT)
I am not fucking
Melissa Murphy.
(SOFTLY) Not anymore.
(HORN HONKING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
Watch where
you're going!
(SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY)
Hey, I'm supposed to
meet a guy here.
Serious, dark, tormented type.
You seen him?
You just missed him.
Ah, shit.
What the hell,
give me a double Irish.
Sure.
(ELECTRICITY CRACKLING)
Sparky?
Hey, Sparky.
Hi.
Hey.
Are you all right?
I think
he's cheating on me.
Oh, no. Really?
I'm sorry.
Oh, don't be sorry.
No, I don't...
This is really
silly of me.
Oh, I feel
like such an idiot.
The bastard!
And he lies about it, too.
Are you sure?
He comes home from work and
he immediately takes a shower.
The phone bill
has phone numbers on it
that I've never seen before.
And he always has
that guilty look on his face.
What did he say
when you confronted him?
He denies everything,
of course.
He gets
all high and mighty.
The righteous scum.
Why do I stay with him?
I don't know.
(SIGHS)
I bet you never
cheated on Karen.
Rachel.
Karen!
Karen!
(GASPS)
Shit!
What the hell
are you doing?
What the hell
are you doing?
Where were you?
You stood me up.
No, no, no, no.
I was there.
You stood me up.
Yeah. Well, how was
slamming daddy?
Was that fun?
No, it wasn't fun.
It was difficult.
Oh, you poor baby.
Huh.
Listen, Harry,
when I got back here,
your wife was in tears.
Now, she's a good woman.
You ought to try
and treat her
a little bit better.
Who the fuck died
and made you
the marriage guru?
Just trying to
give you some advice
to save your marriage.
Oh, advice
from an insane man.
That's terrific.
You could do worse
than listening to me.
Worse than a guy
who fucked up so bad
he's being punished by God?
You're drunk. Go to bed.
Wreck your marriage.
Do whatever
the hell you want, Harry.
Or what?
I'll be punished
for my misdeeds?
You should be.
Really?
Yeah, really.
Well, let me tell you
somethin', pal.
I break five to six
Commandments
every day before lunch.
And you know what?
I got a beautiful wife.
I got a great job,
and a nice apartment.
See this jacket?
Fetal goat skin.
It's the best.
Only the best.
And what do you got?
Nothing.
A stinking dead wife,
a crippled dog,
a God that hates you,
and a fucking plan
out of The Exorcist
that you're too much
of a pussy to stick to.
Here. Go break some
important Commandments,
and then come
and lecture me
about my morals.
Dick head.
RACHEL: So, you knew
when your bank account showed
$250,000 on April 2nd
that the money
was not yours?
Of course.
Yes. You knew
it was the bank's?
Uh, no.
Okay, if it wasn't yours
and it wasn't the bank's,
whose did you think it was?
We didn't
think about it
like that.
We thought
the money was put there
for a purpose.
By who?
God.
Well.
Mr. and Mrs. Mann
are very religious people.
Very.
Yes, well,
so is the Pope.
But even he and the Lord
don't have joint checking.
We were
surprised, too.
We certainly were.
Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Mann,
Mr. Neer,
l think that
I can convince my client,
the bank,
not to press charges
as long as
you return the money.
And I'll even try
to get them to
waive the interest.
All in all, I think
that's a very good deal.
Look, I'm afraid
that's not possible.
They no longer
have the money.
You spent $250,000?
No, of course not.
Though, uh,
I did get
a nifty set of
power tools.
Okay. Where is it?
In the garage.
No, no, no. The money.
I'm talking about the money.
We gave it away.
To charity.
The Cetacean Society.
You know,
save the whales.
MAN: Uh, is, uh,
Rachel Luce in?
WOMAN: I'm sorry,
but she's in a meeting
right now.
Would you like
to wait?
All right,
let's take a break.
You know, every time
I look at them, l...
It makes me want to cry.
Not because
they're old and crazy,
which they are.
But because they're,
they're so strong.
They're so sure
of their place
in the world.
I don't know
how they do it.
I feel so adrift
right now.
Well, with good reason.
I mean, come on,
what with Harry and all that.
You know,
Harry cares more
about his stupid guitars
than he does for me.
You know what
you ought to do?
Is gather his guitars
together and just throw them
out in the street.
Throw 'em out.
Give him a chance to focus
on what he should be
focusing on...
Which is you.
I'd sure like to.
I'd like to smash them
to bits.
I mean,
he's gotta just wake up.
Yeah, but you know,
it's not really...
It's not all Harry's fault.
I haven't really...
Well, I've been...
I've been running
from everything
ever since Karen.
It's really hard.
I know.
Hey...
Do you remember this?
Yes, this is Karen's.
She said that was her window
into an unseen world.
Yeah.
I can see the sea.
It was your blue eyes.
(RINGS DOORBELL)
Hello, you...
Hey.
Watch it.
Let's go inside, huh?
Let's go in.
So, uh, how many times a week
would you see the Chief?
Three, sometimes four.
He was
very thoughtful.
We talked
on the phone a lot.
How often on the phone?
Every day.
Sometimes
twice a day.
Did, uh...
Did he tell you that this,
this, this house was owned
by the government?
We called it
our little safe house,
where all is permitted.
Hmm.
I'm getting
a certain vibe here.
Look, uh,
things are getting
a little complicated.
Can we, uh, just get on
with the interview?
Do we have to?
Yes. Did the, uh,
the Chief give you any,
uh, any gifts?
Sure.
What?
It's engraved,
to Buttercup.
Could you point that
in the other direction?
This little thing?
Yes.
Take off your clothes.
Look, Melissa,
if you think
that this triggers
some kinky
sexual fantasy of mine...
Not your fantasy, sweetie.
Mine.
(CLICKS)
Uh-huh.
Next.
Can I help you?
Yeah.
I can't live with
the guilt any longer.
I'm here
to confess a crime.
Rachel.
Rachel, honey.
Seth.
(WHISTLING)
My guitars.
Hi, Harry.
I'm in here.
We've been burgled.
What?
What'd they take?
They took my guitars.
Oh, my God.
Is that it?
Yeah, that's it.
Broke in through
the bathroom window.
Oh, that's so weird.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
They only took the guitars?
Yes.
They obviously knew
what they were doing.
Expensive,
easy to fence.
You know, I called
the insurance company
and made a claim.
It just makes me sick.
Wow, gosh,
I'm really sorry.
Let me get you a drink.
Thanks, honey.
Okay. All right.
(SOFTLY) Yes!
You know, you'd think
they'd take the goddamn
computer or something.
Rachel,
do you know
where Seth is?
All right,
here's the story.
Harry Luce,
that's my brother-in-law.
Melissa Murphy,
that's his mistress,
and myself conspired
to commit this crime.
What happened was
I took Harry's
guitar collection,
very rare,
very, very expensive,
made it look
like a robbery
and I stashed 'em
in Melissa Murphy's
basement, see?
And the idea
was we were all gonna split
the insurance money
three ways.
Look, I got all that,
but, uh,
why you confessing?
Because stealing is wrong.
Did you ever hear
of the Eighth Commandment,
"Thou shall not steal?"
All right.
Do you mind, uh,
putting that down in writing?
No, not at all.
No problem.
Is he telling the truth?
MALHONEY:
Why would he lie?
Does it check?
So far so good.
We're working on it.
We're gonna need
a warrant.
Well, get the warrant.
Get him on video.
Get him immunity.
Get him any fucking thing
he wants.
And get busy!
Yes, sir.
(SIGHS)
Thank you, Lord.
Thank you.
Melissa Murphy?
Yeah.
There's a warrant
to search the premises.
You can tell that
limp dick, fat, pinky haired
boss of yours
that if this is his way
of expressing
his feelings for me
then he is
fucking pathetic!
Hello, Lucille.
Hey, what? What, did I
forget to give a donation
to the police benefit?
Let's go.
Hey!
Transport,
call it in.
Warren!
Warren!
You are demented, Warren.
Did you know that?
You ever heard
of the First Amendment?
Freedom of the press?
When the Tribune
gets done with you,
you are gonna be
cleaning toilets
in Bed-Stuy!
You're gonna be sweeping
the streets of East New York!
Am I getting through to you,
you demented Mick?
Demented, huh?
Let me show you
something, Luce.
What?
(VOCALIZING)
Are you ready?
For what?
You deserve
a day on the town.
Where did you
get those clothes?
What do you think?
I think you look
unbelievably great.
That too much?
No.
So you're going to
come out with me?
Um, yeah,
I'd love to.
False witness.
You never heard
of false witness?
That wacko is throwing
the damn Commandments at me!
Calm down.
We should have you
out on bail by tonight.
Do you want me to call Rachel?
No, no, no, no.
She'll cast me
and Melissa
as Bonnie and Clyde.
She already thinks
I'm having an affair
with her.
Are you?
What has that
got to do with anything?
You listen to me.
There is a wacko,
fucking, crazy bastard
out there on the loose,
unhindered, coveting!
The fiend.
I'm serious.
Thou shall not kill.
What about that?
You're right.
Oh, I know I'm right.
For the record,
if you were to be murdered,
how would that make you feel?
You get me outta here!
Just a short quote.
Get me outta here!
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Oh, yeah.
It's a mango something.
Oh, yeah.
My, the... The water
looks so strange today,
doesn't it?
Oh, you know
what's that from?
Hmm?
That's from
that hurricane
down South.
Really?
Uh-huh.
See what happens
in a storm like that
is it pushes
the clouds so high
they become ice crystals,
and then they act
like prisms
and they
refract the light
in a strange way.
Think it's gonna hit
New York?
I don't know.
If it wants to.
Does it want to?
It's not really
proper to ask
a hurricane its desires.
Well, we don't
want to be improper.
Do we?
Bullshit.
Where the hell
you been?
Is this gonna
take all night?
Could.
Oh, that's just great.
And I have to tell you
there's this other problem.
(SIGHS) What?
You're fired.
MAN: Court's in recess
for one hour.
What?
Mr. Jones thinks
you lost us the Murphy story,
cause you couldn't keep
your dick in your pants.
I tried to tell him
it was more complicated
than that, but he...
Let's go, pal.
Now, come on.
Don't you...
Hey, get, get...
Watch the coat,
will you?
Shut your mouth.
Let's go.
Tell that bastard
I quit.
Sorry.
(SETH LAUGHS)
It doesn't work
for me.
There's a little logic to it.
There's a little bone there,
and then...
There you got it.
I got it.
You got it.
It's amazing.
How did you do that?
I have no...
But see how far
I can...
No, don't touch me.
Hey,
where you going?
Where's the door?
Oh, my God.
Bravo.
How did you do that?
You have great balance.
What about grace?
What about temptation?
What?
I'm sorry.
What if what I'm feeling
is all because you,
you loved my sister,
you know,
and I'm attracted to you
because some sort of
perverse connection
between you,
me and her?
An ex-girlfriend
is bad enough,
but, uh, a deceased sister.
I mean, how can
I measure up to that?
Come here.
Come here.
So is the real reason
that we're
holding each other like this
just one big mix-up
of transferred feelings?
Absolutely not.
Good.
Okay, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait.
What?
I have another question.
What?
Am I a Commandment
to be broken?
Yes.
Is that all I am?
No.
You are so much more
it scares me.
Who is this
motherfucker?
Hey, babe, it's me.
Uh, listen, um,
I'm stuck up in Woodstock
following a lead.
Uh, it's not my fault.
We're all innocent
up here at Woodstock.
HARRY: Would you
shut up?
Yeah, uh,
I'll be home tomorrow.
And listen, uh,
look out for Seth.
His, uh, Commandments
are getting personal.
Hey, yo, cupcake,
you done with the phone?
You guys think
you're pretty funny, right?
Your turn.
(SCREAMING)
Knock it off!
Put the gun down, man!
(MOANING)
Oh, my sweet Lord.
Where the hell is he?
Who?
That snake,
that double-crossing viper,
that creeping religious freak!
Seth, who else?
He must have gone out.
(SIGHS)
I'm sorry.
Eh, it's not your fault.
It's not?
No, you're just
too innocent that's all.
I am?
Yeah.
I mean, you take a guy in,
you take him in,
you treat him like family,
like a human being,
and what happens?
You get fired,
you get robbed,
you get beaten!
Harry, what's going on?
Look, I'll explain it
to you later.
Just keep the door closed.
I think he's dangerous.
Oh, Seth's not dangerous.
Trust me,
you don't know him
in the Biblical sense.
I don't?
We've had many reports
of low-lying
areas underwater.
Hurricane warnings continue
in effect from Cape May
to Eastport Maine.
The latest radar
is showing torrential rain
through the upper valley
down to Long Island.
(MUSIC BLARING)
Hey, hey,
how good of you
to join us.
Seth.
Yeah? Wait.
Seth.
Frank.
Seth.
Yeah?
You and I
need to talk.
Come on.
Oh, yeah.
Hey, this is my jacket.
Yeah. It's coveted
fetal goatskin.
It's smooth.
It's only the best.
You are upsetting me.
You know that, Seth?
You are really
upsetting me!
You moron!
(GRUNTS)
(LAUGHING)
Harry, I,
I just want to say,
I got a lot
to thank you for.
Oh, yeah.
Things are looking up.
You are nuts.
Let's go.
I'm taking you to the police,
'cause I want my guitars back!
All right. Come on,
Harry, have a drink.
Why don't you
just have a drink?
Oh, give me that.
What? This?
Just give me that.
You want this? You want this?
Who?
Who?
Number seven adultery, who?
Who?
Harry, please.
I'm a gentleman.
I'm warning you. Who?
Hmm?
Get outta here.
Rachel would never sleep
with someone
as inconsequential as you.
Whatever you say, Harry.
You are demented,
you know that?
You are demented!
You are deranged.
Your whole life
has been delusional.
It always has been!
Like you fell from the sky
with the angels.
You want to know
something else?
Karen was no angel.
I fucked her.
Harry, she didn't even
like you.
Well, that's why she did it.
She wanted a dirty fuck.
I guess she just got
tired of her
pussy-whipped husband.
You better shut your face.
I bent her over the couch
and I banged her.
She loved it.
I'd still be banging her now,
if you'd kept your eye on her
at the beach.
Fuck you.
(GROANS)
If I even think
you touched Rachel,
I'll kill you.
Thou shall not kill, Harry.
(CLANGING)
You fucking liar!
You adulteress!
Yeah, only after
you slept with her.
You mean it's true?
Yeah.
Why was I arrested?
How could
you sleep with Seth?
You've got no taste.
You dare talk taste?
Why was I in prison?
You slept with a freak!
He's a mental freak!
What's next?
Midgets?
Dwarves?
At least Seth is clean.
I'm clean.
BOTH: Shut up!
I thought that we agreed
that he was the enemy here.
Hey, hey, hey,
I'm the victim here.
You?
Have you ever seen a toilet
in a woman's
correctional facility?
Let me tell you,
it is a stinking hole!
Where the hell
do you think I was?
The Plaza?
Oh, this makes me so sick.
Come here.
Get out.
Oh.
Look, I know
you're really upset
right now,
but I'll fix everything
with the police.
I swear.
Right now, I gotta be
alone with my wife.
(WHISPERING)
She is a bitch, Harry.
A bitch.
Yeah, come on.
Just in here.
That's good.
I will not be left
twisting in the wind.
I have resources.
Yeah, I know you do.
But...
Bye.
(DOOR LOCKS)
Oh, shit.
Rachel.
Rachel!
(BANGING ON DOOR)
Rachel, open the door.
We need to talk.
No, I don't want to talk.
I just want to be alone.
Look, we can't solve anything
with a door between us.
I love you.
Where do you
want me to go?
Oh, look, you might find it
interesting to know that
Seth is trying to kill me.
I find that admirable.
Oh, really?
Really? Fine, fine.
Then we can both be victims
of this stupid plan of his.
Don't you get it?
Don't you understand?
It's a game to him.
He's crazy.
He doesn't love you.
You're some piece of tail
that he can check off a list!
Open the damn door!
Rachel.
(SOFTLY) No.
(DOG WHINING)
...Hurricane Abe.
We do have
new conditions for you.
It appears likely that Abe
will miss New York City
making landfall to
the northeast near Montauk.
Our striped forecast
shows the highest probability
of landfall in the red.
Winds farther
to the north, of course,
will be picking up
as the hurricane
heads towards New England.
The winds have been
increasing in speed,
rising from
120 miles per hour
to 140 miles per hour.
Taking a look
at a different perspective
from our satellite shot,
we can clearly see
the structure of
this powerful storm system.
In the center
is the eye of the hurricane.
(NEWSCASTER
SPEAKING DISTORTEDLY)
(STATIC)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
Hey.
Hey. Hey.
(SIGHS)
Oh, I missed you.
I missed, missed you, too.
Rachel, I'm just...
What?
I am so confused.
I know.
I threw Harry out.
You did?
Uh-huh.
Wow.
I have to go away.
Why?
It's kinda hard
to explain,
but I had a...
A sort of,
I don't know what.
No, wait.
Where do you have to go?
Montauk.
(CHUCKLES)
Well, that's hardly
the end of the world.
How long you going for?
I'm not sure
I'm coming back.
You're moving
to Montauk?
I can't see you anymore.
What?
Look, look, try to
understand this.
Everything I have ever loved
has been taken from me.
I've fallen in love
with you.
I'm scared to death
what's gonna happen to you.
Oh, wait a minute.
You love me.
Therefore, you have
to go to Montauk?
Well, yeah, sort of,
that's it.
'Cause why?
You think that, that God...
Yes, God.
Will what?
Will kill me?
Yes.
What is it
with you men?
This is
driving me crazy!
Are these my choices?
Seth, this it?
This is what I get?
A philandering asshole
or a sanctimonious lunatic?
Now, what in God's name
is the matter with you?
I don't know,
It's just...
I know it's not entirely
of my own doing.
I don't know.
What?
A higher purpose allows you
to hurt me, is that it?
God pisses on you,
so you piss
on everyone else.
Rachel, you're better off
without me.
Stop it!
I can't stop it.
And I'm so sorry.
Hey, Frank,
give me an Irish.
Make it the good stuff.
I'm dying here.
Sure.
Hey, listen, uh,
you seen Seth?
Yeah, yeah,
he was in.
When?
About an hour ago.
Did he say anything?
Say where he was going?
No, he just, uh,
had a pop, uh,
read the paper, nothing.
(WOMAN MOANING)
(MAN MOANING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(WIND HOWLING)
NEER: We have to finish
this deposition and, uh,
then you have to
counter offer that the bank
cares to present
so we can get
Mr. and Mrs. Mann
back to New Jersey
before the weather
turns bad.
Mrs. Luce?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I don't know
where my mind is today.
In the clouds.
Probably.
I'm sorry.
It's all right, dear.
It's all right.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
I'm gonna blow
your fucking head off.
Go ahead, do it.
At this point,
you're just doing me a favor.
Go ahead.
Go ahead.
Want to know the difference
between you and me, Harry?
I'm at the point
where I could
kill somebody.
You, me,
it wouldn't matter.
Oh, give it up Seth!
You make a piss poor
antichrist.
Ah, fuck!
What the fuck
are you doing?
I didn't shoot you!
Answer me
this one question.
What?
Why does God
the all-powerful allow
pointless suffering?
Is there a time limit?
I don't know!
I don't know!
That's not good enough.
Because the bastard
ain't just, all right.
I mean any pair of eyes
can see that.
Powerful?
I mean if he could
create the whole universe
shit yes.
But it doesn't take
a genius to figure out
with just a dust ball
in the corner of the house
that he doesn't give a shit
about house cleaning.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
What do you believe in?
I don't know.
(GUN CLATTERS)
(SIGHING)
Seth! Seth!
Seth!
(SCREAMING)
Yes?
Who are you?
Who are you?
I live here.
Then why
were you ringing?
Is Rachel in?
She's sick.
What's wrong with her?
A touch nauseous.
Would you tell her
that her husband
is at the door?
She wants to know
what you want.
What the hell
is going on in there?
Pinochle.
Tell her
I want to talk.
I'll pass it on.
Oh, my God.
Hi.
Hi.
You can come in.
Who are they?
Friends.
I had sort of
a little breakdown.
They've been very kind.
Seth's dead.
How?
He murdered himself.
Jumped into the sea
off Montauk Point.
Look, Rachel,
I don't want to be alone.
I want to come home.
No, it's not
going to work.
I can change.
You don't understand.
I'm a changed man.
Why?
I don't want you back.
You gotta
give me a reason.
That's not a reason.
I deserve a reason.
Because I'm pregnant.
What?
It's not yours,
and I'm gonna have it.
But how could
you know?
I know.
I just know.
(PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
Oh, my God!
What is that?
Oh, my God!
(GASPS)
(GASPS)
Okay. All right.
Let's give me your arm.
Why don't,
why don't we get
back down, all right?
I feel okay.
What?
Okay let's head on out.
HARRY:
How do you explain a miracle
in a world that can explain
most everything?
Maybe it's an emotion
so pure, it can freeze time.
Maybe, it's a man
stripped bare of all he was
seeing the world new again.
Yeah, sure
but what about me?
I'm alone.
(SPARKY WHINES)
Oh, yeah, I get the dog,
but basically I'm alone.
Do I hate Seth?
Well, yeah.
But then again,
I'm not sure
it was all his fault.
What if it was fate?
I mean, how do you
fight that?
What do you fight it with?
Heart, faith, soul?
Ah, then how the hell
would I know?
I don't believe
in fairy tales.
But I do know
that what I don't know
might be a whole lot bigger
than I thought.
(SHOUTING) Well?