Gross Misconduct: The Life of Brian Spencer (1993) - full transcript
A look into the life of troubled former hockey player Brian Spencer, who got into problems both on the ice and off because of his temper. The film also has a close focus on Spencer's father, and shows how he influenced Brian's life both before and after his death.
[music playing]
FEMALE: Oh my god.
There's two.
-Two?
FEMALE: Two.
IRENE: Two what?
Two heads?
FEMALE: No.
Two boys.
Two perfect baby boys.
-They're so beautiful.
-Which one came out first?
-This one.
-He's Byron.
The other one-- we'll
call the other one Brian.
Well done, Irene.
-With the Leaves this
past week Brian Spencer,
and Brian since
joining the team,
looks like you've come to play.
-Oh, that's what I had to--
had in mind when I came up.
-Brian, when they
came up to you did
they say they wanted you to do
some thumping, hard hitting?
-Uh, not really, but it
always turns out that way.
This is my style of hockey.
-That's your style
of game, right.
-The biggest fear I've ever
had is a fear of failing.
Any kind of failing.
Failing at school.
Failing in human relationships.
Or failing on the ice.
The fear of being judged
incompetent in your team
and as a team.
The fear of someone
thinking that you
were broken down and crippled.
Of not being able to
do it on your own.
Fear of getting lost somewhere
and being afraid of being lost.
The fear of being afraid.
But fear isn't a
bad thing, you know.
If you use it right
it can be a real help
to an ambitious person.
-Hockey is God's game.
He invented it.
So you can bet it's complex.
You've got to be thinking
360 degrees all the time.
The only guy that's got
more angles to worry about
is a fighter pilot.
Gotta have eyes in
the back of your head
so you could feel
the whole rink.
Because when you're
in along the boards
you're going to get hammered.
But if you can feel the hit
coming, you can dust it off.
Follow?
OK.
Byron, I-- I want you here.
Brian, go to the far
end of the boards,
turn around, skate
full tilt, hit
your brother with
everything you got.
OK, let's do it.
-Ow.
-Come on, Byron, none of that.
Again.
-Again.
-What's your problem?
-I can't, sir.
-OK.
Fair enough.
And I think you should
skate figure eights.
-How many sir?
-Until I say.
-He took me imple--
-Implement.
-Daddy.
-You angry?
-Yes, sir.
-Good.
Take a run at me.
Control your fear.
Learn to use it.
It'll become your best friend.
You follow me?
-Yes, sir.
-Go get your brother.
This guy was a drunk.
He was killed in car
accident when he was 33.
This guy told everyone
he was going to do it
and he finally did.
He put a 10 gauge
shotgun in his mouth
and he blew the back
of his head off.
This was a no good
son of a bitch.
Someone finally shot him.
They called it
murder but it should
have been done a long time ago.
This is it.
Life at the fort.
You could live here
and be buried here
or you can play hockey.
-Good morning, Byron.
-Good morning, sir.
-I can't tell dad.
That's the fourth
time this month.
He'd kill us.
-We'll get by.
Let's go.
-They say you'll have
to go to reform school.
Now, when you get
out, they don't
want you at the house, Brian.
You'll have to go
somewheres else to live.
I don't understand any of this.
What was going
through your mind?
And I wouldn't have-- What
are we going to do, boys?
-We're going to
play hockey, dad.
-You promise me?
-Yeah, I promise.
-You can say what you
like about the dad,
but what you have to understand
is he had this condition,
and it was like a poison.
Every once in a while
it made him crazy.
But it's not like he
was crazy normally.
But if this uremia
thing was acting up,
he'd kind of-- he'd lose it.
And it was during the war
he picked up this condition.
He was an engineer.
Been around the death
camps and everything.
Anyway, it was during the war
he developed this uremia thing.
So whenever he went off the
rails, it wasn't him exactly.
It was this uremia thing.
-What is that place up there?
-Regina.
Where you headed?
Regina?
-Well, that's the place.
You got family there?
-No sir, I don't.
I'm going there to play
hockey for the Regina Pats.
-Wow.
Then it's a
privilege to meet ya.
Hope we see ya in
the NHL some day.
-Oh, you can count on that, sir.
Hey, I could give you an
autograph right now and save
you the trouble of
tracking me down later.
Hey, just out of curiosity,
how many people live in Regina?
-Oh, about 110,000, 120,000.
-All in one place.
-He's got grit.
-Yeah, he got that.
Not so sure about
his depth perception.
-Hey, you guys.
We gotta stop here.
We gotta stop and
marvel at the one
and only mister perfect
deltoid Spencer.
No kidding, big Bri, you
got us all trembling.
-Bugger up, [inaudible].
-Bugger.
What a revealing
choice of words.
Which way to the
beach, young swaine.
Yeah.
-Spencer, what is your problem?
-My problem?
-You're all right, Greg.
Spencer, if you've got a brain
inside that skull of yours,
why don't you do us
all a favor and use it.
-Sir, he was accusing me of--
-He called you a couple of
names and you jump the guy?
I swear to god, in all the
years I've been in this game,
I have never run across
a dumber hockey player
than you, Spencer.
-Mr. Monroe.
I've been in the bush
working like a man
since I was 10 years old with
log camps and lumber mills.
You don't talk to me like a--
I'm some little city boy who
forgot to bring your paper home.
-Well, I got news
for you, bushman.
You're off the team,
effective immediately.
Clean out your locker.
-[inaudible].
-Spencer!
-Spencer!
-Hey Spencer!
-What?
-You better go home.
There's been some
kind of an emergency!
-What?
What's going on?
-Brian, sit down.
-Come on.
What is this.
-I said sit down.
I'm going to read you something.
"Dear Brian.
During the recent amateur
draft meetings in Montreal,
we acquired the exclusive rights
to put you on our negotiating
list and we're prepared to
negotiate a contract with you
personally for your
professional services
to the Toronto Maple Leaves
for the 1969, '70 season,
and thereafter."
-You're going to be in
National Hockey League, Brian.
-That's the top of
the mountain, buddy.
You made it to the
top of the mountain.
We made it, son.
Congratulations.
-Woo!
-Hope all your blades are
sharp, your legs are hungry,
you're feeling mean.
There's a lot of you here,
and nobody's job is secure.
-Skip the intros, John.
Let's skate.
-For those of you
that haven't met him,
our team captain, Mr.
Davy Keon, and that
sounds like a good idea.
All right.
Two intersecting
lines, let's go.
-Hockey night in Canada.
-Welcome to hockey
night in Canada.
From Maple Leaf Garden,
the Chicago Black Hawks
versus the Toronto Maple Leaves.
Hello, everyone.
Ward Kernel here.
The Black Hawk
lead season series
is tied at two games a piece,
typical of the closeness
of play between these
two great teams,
and tonight's game should
be another good one.
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER:
[inaudible] brings it out.
going down with Bobbie
Hoe, one man back.
And the puck goes
behind as [inaudible]
got back very quickly.
Brian Spencer coming out
of his own zone to center.
He goes to the
boards [inaudible].
Spencer, coming over here
to [inaudible] and they're
taking the line trying
to get a shot away.
Spencer had him covered.
Took him to the board.
Wrapped it back for Spencer.
He and Magnuson bump together.
-Try that again, I'll kill ya.
-Magnuson's dirty and sick.
Don't be afraid of him.
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER: Dennis Hull
on the left wing and number 20
is Flip Coral.
Up the center ice for Magnuson.
Magnuson may have objected
to being hit by Spencer.
[inaudible]
Spencer [inaudible]
breaks it up.
Magnuson took a run at Spencer.
Spencer now gets up on his feet.
[inaudible]
Now then the two linesmen
decide to move in.
Magnuson still wants
some more action.
REFEREE: Toronto
penalty for number 15,
Spencer, two minutes
for roughing.
The time, 6:28.
-There's a whole lot of ways
of going through this life
casually, but I never did.
I never found those ways.
I never have been much
of a casual person.
I'm a hockey player,
almost genetically violent.
Playing a violent sport,
sitting on a powder
keg all of the time.
When I hate, I hate.
When I love, I love.
That's what life's
all about on the ice.
You protect your goalie,
you protect your scores.
It's like family.
And if anyone crosses that
line, you've been violated.
Then all of a sudden
you're not playing a game.
No one's sitting in the stands.
No one's watching on TV.
You're on the ice with
one thing in your mind.
You're going to find the
guy who crossed that line
and you're going to do
him some serious damage.
-All right, everybody, let's go.
-Brian!
That thing with Magnuson
tonight, that was good work.
-Thank you, sir.
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER:
Around to Daryl Sitler.
Sitler gets the puck out.
He and Spencer
with one man back.
Sitler over the line.
Closes in, takes the shot
and he missed the target.
-Give me some [inaudible].
-Come on, talk to me.
Does it feel bad?
-No, it feels good.
-Like good bad?
-No, like good good.
Like jesus, can that guy hit.
-Got your breath back?
-Yeah, I'm fine.
-You're in for Oman.
Go.
Go in!
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER:
And Spencer trying
to come out in
front still has it.
Fights for it along the board.
Right front to Sitler.
Here's Spencer,
[inaudible] score!
His first NHL goal!
Brian Spencer gets
his first NHL goal
and [inaudible] picks
the puck up for him.
-Roy!
There's plaster dust
falling all over the sofa.
-You tend to get
that when you drill
a hole in the roof, Irene.
You tend to get that.
-Do you have to do it now?
-I want clear reception
for the game tonight.
This thing guarantees
perfect reception.
Now, go on.
Get back in the house, Irene.
You OK?
-For god's sake, Roy.
-Linda, come on.
Stop with the crowbar.
I've got a game.
-A game?
And your wife's
about to give birth!
-I-- I'm on hockey
night in Canada!
-I'm dialated four
centimeters already!
-What do you want out of me?
I called the ambulance.
-I want you to come
to the hospital!
-I'm the intermission guest!
You get it?
The intermission guest!
-You are so sick!
-I'm sick?
You're a lunatic!
-Don't get in that car, Brian!
-What are you gonna do?
What are you gonna do?
-All right.
We're in the second
intermission, then
the commercial run, the logo,
and then you go straight
to Ward for the
interview with-- Who's
the interview with tonight?
-Uh, Brian Spencer.
-OK, then through the
interview and then
into second commercial.
-Oh my god!
Hey Jimmy!
Guess what?
I'm a father, man!
Linda just had a baby girl!
-She what?
-She's got hair?
She's got hair!
Blonde hair!
What?
You're kidding me.
Hey, she came out
with her eyes open.
Listen, uh, hey, Jimmy,
you mind clearing out?
I've gotta say something here.
Listen, ah, Linda, first off,
I'm sorry for not being there.
But I'm such a bull I'd
probably just bust something.
And, ah, second, I
think you're amazing.
I know I don't tell
you that enough.
Probably because I'm
primal or something.
But, uh, I love you, OK?
FILM PERSON: Back
check, camera one.
Just a little out of focus.
-Yeah, mom.
Yeah!
No, no, no, no.
Nine pounds.
Just like a beanbag
chair or something.
Ah, yeah, she's fine.
But listen, listen.
You know I'm on tonight.
Oh yeah?
You all set?
OK.
I'm playing for you tonight.
You tell dad that.
OK.
Yeah.
-Brian!
Brian!
-Woo!
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER: Brian
Spencer trying to center it.
Trying to get it back, he does.
Mike Pellock raps
it back for Spencer.
And Magnuson [inaudible].
And comes back to Pellock.
There's a shot right
in front of the net.
Now we have Spencer
and Magnuson,
fighting with Spencer.
-I understand that some
of the your teammates
have taken to calling
you Spinner Spencer.
Why is that?
-Well, I guess on a--
account of my skating style.
You see, I never seen a sense
of skating around someone
when you can just
go through them.
-Thank you very much, Brian.
And I'm sure your family
is watching tonight
and they're very proud of you.
Hockey night in Canada
continues in just a moment.
-Uh, Mr. Spencer.
-Yes.
-Can we talk to
you for a second?
-Yeah, sure.
What about?
-I'm very sorry,
but it would seem
that your father has
been in an accident.
-Spinner, when did you hear
your father has been shot?
-Come on.
Have a heart.
Back off.
Give him room.
-You gonna give
him some time off?
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER: A
[inaudible], Brian Spencer.
-My father, Roy
Edward Spencer, was
a very kind, generous,
warm-hearted man.
Yup.
Sad.
Because of the fact that the
very country for which he
fought and lost his good
health let him down.
I want to repeat the last
thing I ever got from my dad.
It's a telegram sent
the night he died.
"Give 'em hell, son.
We are mighty proud."
We are mighty proud."
We are mighty proud."
-Hey, Brian.
Are you deaf?
Can't you hear her screaming?
-Yeah, I could hear.
What am I supposed to do?
I don't know what to do.
-We should go.
OK.
OK.
OK.
OK.
Are you ready to go?
[loud music playing]
-Hey, turn down the radio!
-What is with these jerks.
-Brian, please.
-Don't.
don't.
Let's just see what
this guy's gonna do.
-Brian.
-I don't believe this!
Hey moron!
Turn down the radio.
You're scaring my baby!
-Brian!
Brian!
-Hey!
-Brian!
Brian!
Stop it!
Brian, don't do this!
Brian!
Brian!
Brian!
What's wrong with you?
-I wanna go home.
-Did you like it?
-It was delicious.
-Do you want anything else?
-A snooze.
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER:
[inaudible] is back for it.
He shot it right out
of Henderson's stick.
Henderson-- and the
[inaudible] score!
And the shot is
[inaudible] at the top.
He's right in front of the net.
Spencer shoots.
[inaudible] score!
Spencer gets his
second in a row.
[inaudible] Spencer,
Spencer shoots.
That's the hat trick.
NEWS ANNOUNCER:
[inaudible] he was going
for that puck from Rickie
Lee about five seconds
before it came, and that is a
big thrill for Brian Spencer,
I'm sure.
A hat trick in his very
first year in the NHL.
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER: Goal
scored by number 15, Spencer.
-I proclaim you the honorary
mayor of Fort St. James!
-What's the book on Murray?
He never changes.
He's like the same person
he was seven years ago.
-He just gets weirder.
-Is anybody hungry?
-Geez, ma, we just ate.
-Oh, Brian, can we talk?
-Yeah.
-You can go to hockey school
or Timbuktu for all I care.
The fact is you're leaving
me here with your mother--
-So you don't like my mother.
-I love your mother.
That's not the point.
-Well, what is the point?
-The point is you're
going away for three weeks
and you're only giving me $50.
-Oh.
This is all about money.
-What's the problem?
-50 bucks is a lot of money.
What are you planning
on spending it on?
-Bottles, diapers, food.
What do you think?
Well, what am I supposed
to do if I run out?
-I don't know.
Return pop bottles.
-Brian, this is your family.
-You're crowbarring, Linda.
Don't crowbar in on me.
-Stop being so stupid!
-What do you call me?
-Stupid.
You're being stupid.
-Don't call me stupid, Linda.
-What do you want me to call
it when you're being stupid?
Brian.
Brian!
Come back!
[MUSIC - MOTLEY CRUE, "SMOKIN'
IN THE BOYS ROOM]
-Can anybody up there tell me
what the story is with women?
I mean how do they do it?
I've been bankrupted by them.
Had my career shortened.
Been ruined by them,
but I still love them.
They just got this way
of crowbarring in on you,
and I'm not being sarcastic.
I remember this one
time I was playing
in Buffalo-- I forget
who it was against.
But I took this
canon of a slapshot,
and it buckshot
straight up the skirt
of some lady
sitting in a stands.
to this day, I swear
to God it's a freak
of nature she
didn't get pregnant.
-Uh, I'm thinking
I might pack it in.
-Pack in what?
-The booze.
-Me too.
I am Brian Frigging Spencer!
-Well, I am a brother of
Brian Frigging Spencer!
-And I play left wing for
the Toronto Maple Leaves!
-I am the brother
of the man who plays
left wing for the
Toronto Maple Leaves!
-Woo!
-You're too late.
-Too late for what?
Too late for what, Mom?
What are you saying?
-She's left you, Brian.
[MUSIC - TOMMY HUNTER,
"TRAVELLIN MAN]
-Good night, everybody.
Hello, Bill.
-Good night, Tommy.
The Tommy Hunter show.
TV ANNOUNCER: Coming up later
on CDC, hockey night in Canada.
Most of the country will see the
game between the Toronto Maple
Leaves and the
Chicago Black Hawks.
While veiwers in
British Columbia
will see the California Seals
against the Vancouver Canucks.
-They're not going
to show Brian's game.
[MUSIC - THE GUESS WHO,
"AMERICAN WOMAN"]
-Let's get the ground
rules straight, OK?
I'm not into the domestics,
the rituals, the barbeques.
They're not for me.
I'm a dangerous left winger
who's faster than a speeding
bullets, and I leap
away from alimony
payments in a single bound.
So don't even think
of crowbarring on me.
-Who are you?
-I'm a hockey player.
-Oh, that's too bad.
-Why?
-Because I hate hockey players.
-You know, when I stop to think
about it, to really analyze it,
I think I'd be safe to say
that I've always been sort
of out of culture
kind of person.
I don't mean I don't read
or anything-- I've always
got a good book around,
Generals mostly--
Hitler, Patton,
that kind of thing.
What I really mean about this
out of culture kind of thing
is that it always seemed like
I was unprepared or something.
I never saw a television
set until I was 16.
I didn't eat Chinese
food until I was 20.
And the first NHL
game I ever really saw
was the one I played in.
I've always been
from somewhere else.
Out of culture.
-OK, you ready?
-Yeah, sure.
-Now don't be casual
about this, Ricky.
I've been working on this
baby for over a year now.
I sunk 40 grand into it.
You're the first person
I'm showing it to.
-Hey, I'm honored, OK?
So show me.
-Brace yourself.
My mobile command center!
-Oh my god!
-I took a Dodge van, I welded
it on to a three and a half ton,
for a total of 16 tons.
Top speed 61 miles an hour.
-Gee.
-Now look in here!
Look in here!
You see that?
-Wow.
-That's a DC-3 cockpit in there.
200 gauges, all functional.
Check this out!
Fully decked out.
Rich, waterbed, wet
bar, but there's more.
Three TV systems,
a two-way radio.
Can you see that?
-What?
-You see it?
-What?
-Come here.
See that machine gun?
-Machine gun.
-That's a 20 caliber,
demilitarized.
And I converted it into
a video intercom system
for surveillance.
-Oh, man.
-I've got everything in here
a guy could want, Ricky.
-Oh, man.
-You look underneath this baby.
See the drivetrain?
You see power.
You see me.
-Man, oh man.
Has it, uh, got a name?
-The hulk.
RADIO ANNOUNCER: You know, Brian
Spencer's probably on his way
to the rink right now
for the game tonight,
and let's hope he gets in
there to win one for us.
And you know what, I know
one of Brian's favorite songs
by the Bellamy Brothers.
So for Spinner Spencer
heading to the rink,
here's to you, bud.
[MUSIC - BELLAMY BROTHERS, "LET
YOUR LOVE FLOW"]
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER: Into
the corner to [inaudible].
Goal!
Brian Spencer!
Brian Spencer!
Oh boy!
And it's [inaudible] 6.
Spencer throws the [inaudible].
-Oh, god.
-Did you win?
-Yeah.
Terry Harper hit me so hard,
he rearranged all my teeth.
He's a jippy little bastard.
He keeps it up,
one of these days
I'll get two minutes
for man slaughter.
How's the kid?
-He's an angel.
Brian, are you just
gonna leave your clothes
on the floor like that?
-Janet, try to think practical.
You do it this way, you
get up in the morning,
everything's laid
out in front of you,
and you just put them back
on the way you drop 'em.
I know what you're thinking.
-Oh, you do, huh?
-You're thinking of
getting up before I do
and picking
everything up, I know.
-Is that what you
think I'm thinking?
Brian!
You broke the bed!
Brian!
Stop it!
Stop it!
Because you're
gonna wake up Jason!
-He's got to learn
that sooner or later!
Good night, Janet.
-Good night, Brian.
NEWS ANNOUNCER: The Buffalo
Sabers announced a deal today
that would send a local
favorite, Spinner Spencer,
to the Pittsburgh
Penguins in exchange
for some junior prospects.
Brian Spencer will be sorely
missed by Buffalo fans.
He's provided a lot of
hockey entertainment
over the last little while.
-Penguins.
NEWS ANNOUNCER: Elsewhere
in the world of sports--
HOCKEY ANNOUNCER:
Vancouver is shorthanded.
With 45 seconds left, another
big addition to the Canucks.
Clearing into the [inaudible].
Vancouver, everybody
[inaudible].
[inaudible] to the
other side, [inaudible].
[inaudible] Smith down and
the big fella [inaudible]
comes up with it.
-Here comes a [inaudible]!
-Jesus.
-Now we can figure
them out, man.
-Hey, Jason.
Hey!
Hey.
Not tonight, OK?
Settle down.
-You lose again?
-Yeah.
-Need back rub?
-No.
Where's your mom?
-She went out.
-She didn't leave
a note or anything?
-Hey, Spinner.
Come on in.
Sit down.
Have a seat.
I'm, uh, I'm glad you
dropped by actually.
I was-- I was thinking
in the last little while
that we should get together.
You know have a night.
So, how's your lovely wife?
Janet, isn't it?
-How much do these
boxes cost you.
Hundred grand?
-Something like that.
-So that would kind of
make you like Rockefeller
of Pittsburgh, huh?
-Well, not exactly, Brian.
-I know, you know.
I mean I know what's going on.
-What do you mean?
I don't know what you mean.
[recorder playback]
ON RECORDER (MALE): Hi.
It's me.
ON RECORDER (JANET): Oh hi.
Hi.
ON RECORDER (MALE):
How you doing?
ON RECORDER (FEMALE): I'm fine.
Uh, listen, I, uh, I can't
talk with you right now.
Um--
ON RECORDER (MALE): Why not?
ON RECORDER (FEMALE):
Well, Brian's downstairs
and, uh, I don't think that--
ON RECORDER (MALE): Why?
What's he doing?
-It's not what it
sounds like, Brian.
-You're afraid of me, aren't ya?
-What are you going to do?
-I'm not sure.
I just came in here.
I kind of wanted to drill ya.
But now I don't know.
Now that I'm here, I think
maybe it's just enough.
-Don't want your
face [inaudible].
-(ANGRY) You just
don't get it, do you?
I wouldn't have an
affair on you, Brian.
And you want to know why?
Because it would only
make you feel virtuous,
and I am not going
to give you that!
But I'll make you a promise, OK?
If I ever do have
an affair on you,
you'll be the first to find
out because I'll leave you
before it starts!
-Are you walking
out on me, Janet?
-Oh don't be so stupid!
-You calling me stupid?
-You got a different
word for it?
-Don't.
You realize I could
kill you right now.
Don't you realize I could
kill you right now, Janet?
-[inaudible], Brian?
You gonna hit me?
-Don't push me.
-Oh, come on, hit me!
Come on, hit me!
Hit me, Brian!
Hit me!
-[inaudible].
[hockey announcer] The
Chicago Bulls, [inaudible].
-That's great.
That's great.
Now tell me, how does
this team stack up
against the others
you've played on?
-Ah but-- now, I
think that the-- look.
The whole problem with
this club in the name.
A team's name should
have strength,
courage, like colts or tigers.
But what do we got?
-Penguins.
-Penguins!
Penguins!
Incompetent little birds.
They can't even--
can't even fly!
Just waddle!
-[inaudible].
-Hey, Jason.
Cut it out, OK?
Can you take, ah, Jerrod
out into the living room?
Gotta talk with mom.
-Dad.
-Don't argue with me.
-Here you go.
You've been traded.
-Worse.
I've been sent
down to the minors.
Binghamton Dusters.
27 years old and I'm disposable.
-I can't do this anymore.
-What are you saying?
-I'm saying I can't
do this anymore.
-Hey, Spence, where
the hell are you going?
You walking out?
You walk out on this team, you
walk out on hockey for good!
-I read this thing once
written by a professor
at some university.
It's called the retirement of
professional hockey players.
A process of change
in career identity.
Listen to this.
If a player is limited in his
knowledge of the outside world,
and if a strong hockey
identification is carried
to the extreme, a player's
perception of his own success
and failure as a person
may become one in the same
with the course and outcome
of his hockey career.
This has ominous
overtones, particularly
for those who are
not successful.
Wild, huh?
[music - santana, "oye como va"]
-Hey, Brian!
After the morning
shift, we've got
a receptionist needs
her car looked at.
You mind doing this?
-A woman?
-Yeah.
-Say no more.
-So am I gonna need a
new engine or something?
-I doubt it.
It's just your U joint.
-My U joint?
-Yeah.
So your differential's--
-My differential's what?
-Hey, you still got
that beer you promised?
-Uh-huh.
-Well, hand it to my feet.
-Oh.
So, uh, can I get under there?
-Why?
-Well, I don't know
anything much about cars.
I was thinking maybe you
could, uh, you know, show
me what you're
doing or something.
-Well, it's awful
dirty under here.
-Oh yeah?
-Hey, Diane!
Honey!
-I'm under the car, pooch!
-What you doing
under there, baby?
-Well, Brian here
is giving me a crash
course in automotive technology.
-Right on.
So what's the trouble?
-Well, it seems it's
my, uh, U joint.
-So what's it gonna
cost us, Brian?
-Oh, it isn't gonna
cost us anything, honey.
Sometimes these old U
joints just slip right out
of position, and all you gotta
do is tighten them a little.
-I really appreciate
this Brian, buddy.
I really do.
[music - santana, "oye como va"]
-What y'all doin?
-Movies, baby.
-You're gonna film it?
-You're in the hulk now, baby.
-You gave this thing a name?
-Hey.
Don't laugh at the hulk, babe.
It's [inaudible].
It's a way of life.
Let me look at the
drivetrain on this baby.
You are looking at power.
You're looking at me.
-Um-hmm.
-So, why don't you come over
here, and sit on my beak.
-Oh.
Power.
[music - santana, "oye como va"]
-Good to see ya.
-Hey.
Breathe, OK?
What do you smell?
-Diesel.
-No, man.
Breathe.
That's salt.
Salt!
That's the ocean!
No snow!
82 degrees in the shade.
-So what's this woman like?
-Who?
Diane?
-No, Marie Osmond.
-Ah, Diane.
Ah, she's all right.
Hey, do you mind
doing me a favor
and hang out with her
while I'm working.
-Keep her out of trouble?
-Good luck.
-So what's the book on it.
Long term kind of deal?
-I don't know.
She's kind of like
a stray I took in.
Mostly we're together because
it reduces expenses, eh.
But, uh, we come
and go as we please.
-Yeah, right.
Like Janet, Linda, and god
knows else before that.
-Hey, at least I
didn't marry this one.
Woo!
[MUSIC - THE BELLAMY BROTHERS,
"LET YOUR LOVE FLOW"]
-Let your love flow
like a mountain stream.
Let your love go with
the smallest of things,
and let your love show,
and you know what I mean--
-Welp, what do you think?
-Looks like Fort St. James.
-Hey, Dan.
Come see what the
Spin dragged home!
-Byron?
-Yeah.
-Hi there.
I'm Diane Delana.
-Mid City.
[music playing]
-So what is it y'all
do up there in Canada?
-Oh, you know, this and that.
Logging mostly.
-Uh-huh.
Were you a hockey player too?
-No.
I'm the useless one
in the equation.
-You gonna be OK here?
-Sure.
-I shouldn't be too long.
I don't know, maybe
half hour or so.
-No problem.
POLICE: Get over here right now!
[inaudible]
MAN: I'm not doing nothing.
POLICE: Back off.
MAN: Don't touch me.
POLICE: Back off!
MAN: [inaudible].
Let go!
-You wanna mess with me?
-Let go!
-Get down.
-You want some more of that?
Shutup!
You're coming with me.
-Hey, where's Diane?
-I don't know.
-It's her car, isn't it?
Isn't it?
-Yeah.
-Isn't this her car?
-Yeah.
It's her car.
-Well, then where is she?
-I don't know.
She went in there.
-Michael!
Get over here!
-Where the hell did you go?
Who is this jerk?
Where have you been?
-I don't know what
you're talking.
Brian's brother.
-Oh, who's he,
another hockey player.
You've been jerking me around.
-I have not been
jerking you around.
You know there are boundaries
here and my boundaries--
-There are no boundaries
here, sweetheart.
-Don't you--
-Diane!
Diane!
-That was a pretty
short meeting.
-Sometimes they're short.
Sometimes they're long.
-Listen, I'm not kidding, Brian.
I've got it all worked out.
And I'm talking big money,
not penny anty shit.
Check this out.
In seven days I
felled, skidded, bucked
and loaded enough
wood to make 25 grand.
I used Roy Willock's loader.
Paid with a credit of gravel.
It costs four bucks a
unit, 50 bucks a load.
So at 30 loads I
owed Roy 1,500 bucks.
Gravel comes to
two bucks a yard.
So I owed Roy 750
yards of gravel.
He might not need the
gravel for a year or so.
My only real expense
was the trucking.
At five bucks a unit,
75 a load, and 30 loads,
that's what, 2,200, plus a grand
for fuel and miscellaneous.
So for seven days after
expenses I made about $20,000.
With two hands we
could double that easy.
-Hey bud.
-What?
-Can we do this in the morning?
-Yeah, OK.
Whatever.
-Come on, just stop it.
Get off her.
[BRIAN AND DIANE ARGUING IN
BACKGROUND]
NEWS ANNOUNCER: The police
have identified the body found
yesterday on PGA Boulevard
as that of Michael Dalfo,
a 32-year-old Florida
real estate salesman.
Dalfo was found unconscious
yesterday morning
by Albert Brin, a local
trucker, and was pronounced dead
at the Palm Beach Gardens
Community Hospital.
-Just shutup!
I'm sick and tired of this
[inaudible], crowbar, crowbar!
Can't you understand that?
-I love you, Brian.
-I don't care if you
love a rat's ass.
-Well, doesn't it
mean anything to you?
-You're like-- you're
like a straight jacket.
I can't breath!
-Don't you love me?
-[inaudible], Diane.
You're [inaudible].
-Oh, Brian!
[glass breaking]
[punching wall]
He loves me.
He really does love me.
He just don't know it yet.
-You want some free advice?
Time to move on.
-Why don't you just
go back to Canada!
-You're dangerous.
-What's this?
-I bought you a ticket.
Why don't you come home with me?
-How can I come back?
-Easy.
Just go through that
door with me right now.
-What about all my stuff?
-Forget it.
Just step on the bus
and we're on our way.
-How could I do that?
-Just watch me.
I'll show you.
-I can't.
-I'll see you later.
I love you.
[music playing]
-It's weird how things
work out, isn't it?
I mean like I was sitting on
this beach in Florida one time.
I must have been,
oh, I don't know,
37, 38, somewhere in there.
Anyway, this tire
washed up on the beach.
It was kind of bashed up, but
it was a tire, an old radial.
And I was kind of stunned.
I was eating a hot
dot at that time,
and I remember just putting
the hot dot down in the sand
and looking at this tire.
Where did it come from?
It could have come from
Hawaii maybe or Siberia.
And then it hit me
like a ton of bricks.
It could have come from Fort
St. James for all I know.
It could have been a tire
off one of my old cars.
-Taxi.
-Yes, sir.
-Hey, if you got money
for a cab, how about a few
bucks for using my
washroom as a hotel?
-Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's all under control.
-[inaudible].
-Hey buddy, where you going?
I said I'm on Skis Road.
-What's going on, man.
What is this?
-Brian Roy Spencer,
I'm placing you--
-Brian Roy Spencer,
you are under arrest.
You are surrounded.
Give yourself up.
Put your hands over your head.
I repeat.
You are surrounded.
Put your hands over your head!
-All right, let's try it again.
Brian Roy Spencer I place you
under arrest for the kidnapping
and first degree murder
of Michael J. Dalfo.
You have the right
to remain silent.
-Your parole, huh?
-Hell, I wish.
I put in one year in
the miners, baseball,
but I got a rotator cuff thing.
It never went away.
So who'all you play for?
-Leaves, Islanders,
Sabers, Pittsburgh.
-Well, we got an altogether
different kind of penalty
down here in the Sunshine State.
We call it old smokey.
-Mr. Spencer.
-Hi.
-I'm Dick Green.
I'm the assistant
public defender.
-Sir.
-This is Dion Wright.
He's the chief assistant.
-Pleased to meet you, sir.
-Listen, why don't you pull up
one of these beautiful chairs,
courtesy of Palm Beach
County Detention.
So, how you doing?
-Could be worse.
Could be playing for
Pittsburgh still.
-Hang on to your sense
of humor, Mr. Spencer.
You're going to need it
before we're finished here.
Uh, the political
climate is, um-- well,
let's just say it's
not a great time
to be white for murder one.
-What do you mean?
-It means they like to
fry people down here.
For the most part there's
been a string of black cons.
But the pressure's on
the court to cook up
some white people--
even the score.
-Great.
-OK.
Well, let's take this
one step at a time.
You have been charged under
Federal Statute 62.3, one
count murder in
the first degree.
Now, you're alleged to
have committed this murder
five years ago in the early
morning hours of February 4,
1982, 3:00, 4:00 AM,
somewhere in there.
-Now, around 10:00
AM that morning we
got a Albert Brin, or
Brine-- Brin, I guess.
Any case he's a trucker.
He's hauling a load of
sludge west on PGA Boulevard.
He looks off to his left and
50 feet into the clearing
was-- Forensics determined that
the weapon of choice is likely
a handgun, 25 caliber
fired at contact range.
Paramedics take the body to
Palm Beach Gardens Community
where he's pronounced dead
at 3:36 that afternoon
and identified as one Michael
J. Dalfo, real estate agent.
-You ever own a handgun?
-Yes, sir.
-A 25?
-Come on.
That's a purse gun.
I had a 22 when I was a kid,
but I wouldn't own one now.
-Did you know this
Dalfo character?
-No.
-Prosecution says that you did.
-According to who?
-According to the
woman you lived
with at the time, Diane Delana.
She's married now
with a couple of kids.
Did you know that?
-Yeah.
Went to the wedding.
Can you believe that?
-One small point here.
In order for you to
make bail, the court's
going to know that you
got somewhere to live.
Now, is that a problem for you?
-Nope.
My girlfriend's got a
place over in Springfield.
-That would be Monica Jarobe?
-So ice hockey in Florida, huh?
-Sure.
I-- Why not?
It's, uh, it's a
fast fighting sport.
-Well, no.
I-- I'm not cynical or anything.
I just think that people
who've been raised on football
and basketball and
baseball probably
are going to find
a hard time getting
into those sports
that's played on ice.
Um, I know there's a lot of
Canadians that will be thinking
of home and they'll
be happy to see it,
because that's what
your major audience is
probably going to be.
-Not at all--
-I went around the
trailer the other day
and some kids or
something had got it.
It's been torn to pieces.
-What about the hulk?
-Yeah, that too.
It's wrecked.
-(WHISPER) What's
happening to the world?
There's no respect for anything.
That was like-- it's five
years I've been living here.
-Nice.
Nice.
Spin around and
let's see your butt.
Woo!
Yeah, Di, beautiful.
Woo!
Yeah, you'll do.
You'll do just fine.
Come on, [inaudible].
-No, thank you.
-You'll do just fine.
Do y'all want a line?
OK, I see.
Business, business.
Let's get to it!
I think you know what I want.
It's right there
between the cheeks,
and I don't mean the
cheeks on your face!
Ah, yeah, let's
look at the mouth.
Oh, nice lips.
Full-bodied lips.
Keep the lips, but no teeth, OK?
[inaudible], you
know [inaudible].
-When I got there, he was,
uh, doing all that coke.
-Who was doing all that coke?
-Michael Dalfo.
-Now, you attempted to
perform oral sex for him,
but he was unable to
sustain an erection.
Is that correct?
-Yes.
-After this little
part, he wanted
you to take a shower
with him, is that right?
-Yes.
-But you refused.
-Yes.
-Why is that?
-Well, I wasn't dirty.
-Order, please.
Order.
-And now Diane, will you
please tell the court
what happened after
you and Brian picked up
Dalfo and drove
to PGA Boulevard.
-Well, they, uh,
got into a fight
and were yelling at each
other and I got scared.
So I ran.
-Before you ran, do you
recall anything being said?
-Yeah.
Michael Dalfo said
something like if you
hurt me or touch me then
I'll call my lawyer.
Anyway, Brian told
me to take off
and I-- I ran along the
shoulder of the road,
and after a couple of minutes
he drove up alongside me
and I got in the car.
-And did Mr. Spencer say
anything at that time?
-Yes.
He said, he can't
call his lawyer now.
-Your witness.
-Did Brian ever tell you
that he beat Mr. Dalfo?
-No.
-Did he ever tell you
that he shot Mr. Dalfo?
-Well, Brian never told me
any details because he thought
I wasn't strong
enough to understand.
-Yes or no.
Did Brian Spencer ever tell
you that he shot Michael Dalfo?
-No.
-I have no further question.
-Mom?
-Baby.
How much did I miss?
-Not much.
-Has the scuz bucket
been on the stand yet?
-Byron!
Where's the keys?
-You don't have any teeth.
-Don't talk to me
about my teeth.
I'm in this friggin'
airport in Winnipeg
and an old dope conviction
pops up in the computers,
and they say I can't
come down here.
I haven't got that damn
witness subpoena thing on me.
My teeth are in my
bathroom out in Maple Bay.
Everybody's on the
phone to everybody.
So I decide to chuck the
whole thing and fly back.
I'm in the air
going to Vancouver.
The subpoenas in the
air headed to Chicago,
and my teeth are in the
air headed for Palm Beach.
-Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury.
This is not like television.
Things do not get
wrapped up in an hour.
Life is cluttered.
Sometimes you have to go through
a sinner to get to the devil.
The defense would have you
believe that Diane was lying.
What motive?
What possible motive
could she have to lie?
Her testimony is a public
admission to prostitution.
She is the mother
of a proud man.
By testifying, Diane
loses, no matter
which way this case turns out.
No, ladies and gentlemen
of the jury, Diane
has told [inaudible].
-Amazing.
Simply amazing.
Why would Brian Spencer
murder [inaudible].
Not one witness has
stated [inaudible]
connected Brian
Spencer to the scene.
Only Diane.
There was nothing linking
Brian Spencer to this crime,
except Diane.
Ladies and gentlemen, Brian
Spencer's life is on the line
here.
[inaudible] plantiff is that the
state has not proved its case.
Brian Spencer is not guilty.
-Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury.
Have you reached a decision?
-We have, Your Honor.
-Baliff, would you read
the charges, please?
-On the felony
charge of kidnapping,
how do you find the defendant?
-Not guilty.
-On the charge of murder
in the first degree,
how do you find the defendant?
-Not guilty.
-All my life I've had this
feeling that something
was chasing me.
Fear, maybe.
Like I was on a roller coaster,
and it was right behind me,
and it finally
caught up with me.
All that time I had my dad
running through my brain,
you know?
Like he was a train
running straight toward me,
like we were both
on the same track.
But neither of us could stop.
-No, no, no.
No.
You got it all wrong.
You see, Bobby Orr was like
a-- don't get me wrong.
I'm no fag.
But that guy was beautiful.
He had hair and he skated like--
I remember this one time we
were playing the Bruins, and I
really decked him in this game.
And the next morning both
teams are in the same hotel.
And he was walking
through the lobby
and he saw me and he put
up his thumb, like this,
and he says, hey, Spinner.
You hurt.
-No.
-Yeah.
It was like Bobby Orr
talked to me, man.
What can I tell you.
-You got smokes?
-No.
No.
I don't.
No, sorry.
-Shit.
-Trust me, this thing works.
Hands in the air, keeping
moving down the hall.
Get in the room!
Who's in charge here?
I said who's in charge here!
-I am.
-Who are you?
-I'm Don Prentice.
I'm the station
program director.
-I was smoking
Monica's, wasn't I?
-No, you were smoking mine.
Wait.
Wait.
Didn't you have a whole pack?
-No, I don't.
-All right, this is robbery.
-Did he just say
this is a robbery?
-Come on, man.
Give me your money, man.
-He hasn't got any money.
-Cough up some money or
I'll blow your face off.
-Wait.
Wait.
I don't got much, but what
I got you could have, OK?
-Everybody in the room!
Come on!
Move!
Get in the room!
Move it!
-All right, now listen up.
I've got a serious disagreement
with CBC programming,
and there's going
to be a revolution
unless something changes.
-Come on, man.
Don't give me [inaudible].
Just give me some money!
-Three bucks!
-It's all I got.
I swear to god.
-Come on, man.
Give me some money, man.
-How much do you weigh anyway?
-I said give me some money!
-Be afraid of me, buddy.
-It's a guarantee, Mr. Prentice.
-Absolutely.
We'll air your son's game.
-Thank you, sir.
You're a good man.
My apologies to everyone.
It's just sometimes
I get-- I'm sorry.
-Hold it right
there, Mr. Spencer.
The police.
Drop the gun.
-You all right?
-Yeah.
I'm fine.
-If I miss anything,
I miss training camp.
Most of the guys hated it.
But me, I loved it.
It was like spring
cleaning or something.
Everything was clean.
You looked on the
season's schedule
and say there's my life.
You didn't have to
think about anything.
You knew where you
were going, what you'd
be doing, what you'd be wearing.
Everything was taken care of.
All you had to do was skate.
That's all.
Just lace 'em up and skate.