My Family (1995) - full transcript

Whenever I see the bridges
that connect

Los Angeles with
East Los Angeles,

I remember my family.

I remember my father
and my mother.

My brothers,

Chucho, little Jimmy,
and Memo the lawyer.

My crazy sisters,
Toni and Irene.

Ice cream!

But to write the story
of my family,

I have to begin where millions
of stories have begun,

in a small village in Mexico
a long, long time ago.



Two-timing dog!
I'll kill you!

You won't escape from me alive!

I'll kill you!

You bastard!

You unfaithful dog!

No, Trini, no!
Don't shoot my brother!

Trini, no!
Please!

Oh, God. Roberto...

You miserable dog!

I didn't do anything!
I swear!

Adulterer!

Son of a...!

Actually, nothing like that
ever really happened.

That's just the way my father
used to tell the story.



His brother Roberto really died
of a ruptured appendix.

In those days, just after the
revolution, times were hard

and my dad's in-laws couldn't
afford to feed an extra mouth.

So my father had to leave.

Now the only living relative
my father knew about

lived in a village called Nuestra
Se?ora Reina de Los Angeles.

And he figured he could walk
there in a day or two.

Are you talking about Los Angeles,
Jalisco?

Or do you mean Los Angeles,
Colima?

I mean Los Angeles
in California.

That's really far.
It's not even here in Mexico.

That's another country.

Another country?

What does that mean,
another country?

Another country is...
another country!

It's on the other side
of the world.

The other side of the world.

My father thought about it.

Good God, he thought, it might
take 2 weeks to walk there.

We can take you part
of the way.

Thank you.

Go on, get in back.
Watch yourself.

It took him over a year to reach
the "other side of the world".

He walked most of the way.

And we kids, well, we heard
of that journey many times.

He was attacked by ten bandits
in Sonora...

and had to beat them off
with a cactus branch.

He rode the back of
a snorting mountain lion.

But finally, he reached

El Pueblo Nuestra Se?ora Reina
de Los Angeles.

The one in California.

The border? Well, in those days
it was just a line in the dirt.

Excuse me.

My name is Jose Sanchez.

Hands up, you bastard,
or I'll shoot your balls off!

How dare you come in here
to rob me!

But no, I'm not...

Shut up if you want
to stay alive.

Put your hands on your head.
Slowly!

And get down on the floor!

- But I'm the son of...
- Son of your mother!

Hit the floor and shut up!

I'm the son of Pedro Sanchez who
was the cousin of Joaquin Vargas...

who was the nephew
of Francisco Vargas!

But you're family!
Why didn't you say so before?

Well, I tried, but...

And how is Francisco?

I used to herd cattle with him
in the San Fernando Valley.

- Well, I never met him.
- And Joaquin? Little Joaquin?

Well, I never really knew him,
either. Personally, I mean.

How good it is to have
some family here.

It's almost like
you're my own grandson!

You must be tired and hungry...

They called the old man
" El Californio"

because he didn't come
from anywhere else.

He was born here, in Los Angeles,
when it was still Mexico.

My father had found
a new home.

Even then there
were bridges.

My father soon joined
the people crossing

from their barrio on the east
river to do the work of the city

on the other side.

They mowed the lawns, took care
of the children, cleaned house,

worked in restaurant
kitchens.

But no one from the west river
ever crossed into the barrio.

Make sure that they're
all cleaned up

to go to Grandma's tonight.

Give us a kiss.

Love you.

Love you. Oh, I love you.

Bye!

Tootles!

Kids! Kids!

Children soon followed.

First me, then
my sister Irene.

My earliest memory is of the
face of that gentle old man

looking at me and smiling.

And I remember my father

always working with his milpa.

Corn in the back

and beans in front.
And that's

the way it always was
in my house,

for as long as I can remember.

Jose.

Your coffee's ready.

Look.

The children are wonderful.

There is no greater blessing in
all the world than children.

We're going to have another?

Maria, I knew it!

I knew it, Maria.

It's going to be a boy.

I'm going to have another son.

And this one...

is going to be a special boy.

I remember when it happened.

It was that Sunday afternoon,
remember?

That day that old Gomez crashed
his car into the river?

Yes, that was the day.

Maria, I knew it!

Because that day...
I got out of bed...

and I walked out to the porch.

I was standing there...

I looked up into the sky...

And I saw an angel pass by.

An angel?

Yes.

How beautiful.

Tonight we celebrate.

Then came the day
everything changed...

When my mother didn't come home
from the market.

It was the time of
the Great Depression.

I guess some politicians

decided that the Mexicanos were
responsible for the whole thing.

I mean, they were taking up
a lot of jobs.

There's been a mistake!

Jobs that were needed for what
they called " real" Americans.

I have to get home
to my children!

So La Migra made
some big sweeps

through the barrio, and they
rounded up everyone they could.

- Move along, lady!
- No! I live here!

No! I belong here!

It didn't matter if you were
a citizen. If you looked

Mexicano, you were picked up
and shipped out.

She'd just been out shopping.
She wasn't allowed to come home.

My father was never told.

She was all alone
and she was pregnant.

All these things really happened.

The year was 1933.

Lock up! Back!
Okay, roll her out!

The Southern Pacific Railroad
made the US Government a deal.

For 14 dollars and 75 cents
a head

they took the Mexicanos all the
way back into Central Mexico

hoping they would never
be able to get back.

Maria?
It's not possible.

Is it you?

It's me, Aunt.

Holy Virgin! You've come from
so far. You've travelled so long.

You have to eat and rest.
Come.

What are you going to do, Maria?

I'm going to have my child.

I will work.

And when my child is old enough,

I'll return to my family
in California.

California?

But that's impossible, Maria.
It's very far...

...and with a child?

You'll die before you get there.
And your child will die, too.

You must have faith
in the Virgin.

Some good always comes from bad.

I have faith in the Virgin.

And the Virgin does not want
this for our family.

She wants me to return
to my husband...

and to raise our children
together.

And nothing in the world...

will stop me.

I remember the day
they buried El Californio

in the backyard.

He left a will and left
everything to my father.

But he made it very clear.

He didn't want to have
nothing to do with

the " pinche" church or
the " pinche" government.

He wanted to be buried
right behind the house

under the cornfield.

And El Californio said exactly

what he wanted written
on his grave marker:

Don Alejandro Vazquez,
El Californio.

Died 1934.

When I was born here this
was Mexico. And where I lie,

this is still...

Mexico.

My mother kept her promise.

And when my brother Chucho
was old enough, she set off

on her long journey home. But
the rains came early that year.

She had gone too far
to turn back.

Please, Sir.
I must get across.

The water is very high.

I have to keep going.
I can't turn back. Please.

Wait until later in the year,
when the water is lower.

I'll never be able
to make it here again. Never.

Please.
I have to get across.

Please.

All right.

Come on.

Careful.

Hold on to me, Chucho.

The spirit of the river
is evil and powerful.

An owl...

in the daytime.

Please don't let go of me!

Ma'am!

Chucho!

Will he get well?

He won't die...

Please help me.

The river spirit wants
your baby.

We will try to save him,

but you must pray
to the Virgin.

Two years had passed since
my mother was taken away.

My father lost hope.

But he kept working to
take care of me and Irene.

I promised La Virgen
I would come back to you.

This is your son.

His name is Chucho.

Oh, Maria, it's a miracle!

This is a miracle.

Well, there he is,
all grown up.

My brother Chucho.

And he did grow up into
something special.

But not quite what
my father had imagined.

Chucho was one of the baddest
" pachucos" on the whole east side.

My younger sister Toni,
God bless her.

Pretty as an angel, but
she could get a little bossy.

Hurry up, hermano! You'll miss
your own sister's wedding!

What's with you? It's just a pair
of pants, not the Mona Lisa!

Hey, listen, hermana.
These are Jimmy's pants, see?

And I want to make sure that
they're properly ironed.

There's only one person in this
whole world capable of doing that.

- And who is that?
- That's me.

Ab?rrateyourself! Get your
big cholo butt moving, ese!

Get Jimmy moving, too, or nobody
will make the wedding on time!

Hey, I ought to iron
your mouth shut!

There I am, home on leave from
the navy. Boy, was I young then.

My family scheduled the wedding
so I wouldn't miss it

because no one could miss it.

- Hurry up. She's going crazy.
- She was born crazy!

- I heard that!
- Come on, hurry up.

- The door, open the door.
- Yeah, I got it, I got it.

See you outside!
Come on.

That my younger brother
Guillermo. Quite a handle, no?

So everybody called him
just Memo.

My sister Irene...

Finally getting married.
Biggest day of her life.

- Let me help you with your dress.
- Hurry up!

Irene, what happened since
you were measured for this?

They must have made a mistake
or something.

Okay, bend over.

All right. One...

two...

three!

- Thank you.
- Excuse me.

Put these on.

It's my wedding!

And there's Jimmy, the
youngest of the family.

He was a surprise, but he was
the heart of the family.

- Hey, little bato!
- Chucho!

Look, you'll have the finest
pants in the whole wedding.

Look at that crease.
You like them?

What do you say?

Come here, you little...

The house just grew and grew
with the family.

And the rooms weren't planned
much more than the kids were.

But it was home.

And my parents realized their
oldest daughter was leaving.

Now don't get this wrong.

Of course they were happy Irene
was finally getting married.

There was no question about it.
It was a real blast.

It nearly ruined my dad
financially, but he had to show

the world how much
his daughter

meant to him. It took him years
to recover, but then again,

what's money for?

Just a minute.

Ready?

Okay everybody, smile big.

It was customary for the father
of the bride to say a few words.

My father wasn't
a good speaker, but

he had to do his duty.

I want to make a brindis...

I want to make a brindis.

To Irene...
And my new son, Gerardo.

Well, you finally...

No, I mean...

It's just...

I'm happy!

A good wife's the best thing that
can happen to a man in his life.

I know, because I have Maria.

Yeah. Come on, Maria.

You know, if it wasn't for you,
there wouldn't be anything.

This, this is my wife, Maria.

And... and this is
my other daughter,

Toni. Yeah...

And Paco! Paco...

He's in the Navy! Come on.
Come on over here.

And, and... and Guillermo.

Come on, over here.

And Jimmy.

And my son Chucho!

The greatest riches a man
can have in his life.

It was one of the greatest days
in the history

of my family.

I'm sorry. I stepped
on your foot.

Man, I hate this mariachi shit.

My sister Toni was a wow.

All the guys on the whole east
side fantasized about her.

She had been
Queen of the Fiesta.

And every guy hoped
that he might be

the lucky one.

I'd give my left nut for 10
minutes with her in my Chevy.

Their leader was Butch Mejia

from El Rincon.

Of course, he and my brother had
never done anything to each other.

But they were full
of hate and anger

and nowhere to put it
except into each other.

I hear your fat sister
is getting married, puto.

I feel sorry for that guy. He has
to spend the night with a pig.

And I'll tell you
another thing.

Fuck you, puto!

Listen to me, puto cabr?n.

Today is a very special day
for my family.

And I don't want no trouble.

So I give you permission...
Today, just today...

...to say anything
you want to me.

But I swear to God,
if you bust in there

and make any trouble...

I'll find you, cabr?n.

I'll cut your dick off

and shove it down
your goddamn throat.

They were both so full of macho
bullshit it was incredible.

So go ahead.

Insult me.

I give you permission.

Have it your way, puto.

But this isn't over.

The next time these people
come together,

they're going to be
dressed in black

for your funeral, pinche puto.

Go home, Butch!

- Go home, boy!
- Don't pay him no mind.

Everybody ready?

One...

two...

three!

That's not fair.

Here, do it again!

You're making your sister
feel very bad.

No, I... I didn't mean to.
It's just...

It's just that I'm never going
to get married. I can't.

She has to do it again.

But why?

I'm going to be a nun.

This is wonderful!

Did you say something to her?

This is wonderful!

Because if it is,
I swear I will...

I've prayed and prayed for
something like this to happen.

Throw the bouquet again,

or it will be bad luck for
your sister. Throw it.

Ready?

Somebody explain
what's happening!

Our daughter, Toni, she's going
to marry Our Lord Jesus.

She's...
She's going to be a nun.

A nun?

Needless to say, word of this
spread like wildfire.

A nun?

What a waste!

What a goaddamn waste!

We all thought it strange that
Toni wanted to become a nun.

But then she always was
the bossy type.

And that's the type that
usually becomes a nun.

Hey, little bato!

Guve us a hand.

How are you doing?

Hey, you guys want to learn
something really hot?

This ain't the bullshit they teach
in school, stuff you never need.

This is something
really important.

I'm going to teach you...

to mambo!

Let's go.
Follow me, okay?

Okay, now first...

take your left leg and
put it out, like this.

One, two, with me!

One, two, with me!
Back, two, with me!

There you go,
put your arms into it!

Okay? All right.

Good.

Come on.

Yeah, you guys are good!

That's right!

- Let's do the mambo now!
- That's right. Let's go!

Eddie, what are you doing?

I told you I don't want you
playing with no pachuco!

Mommy,

I want to stay!

I said mambo!

Jimmy...

We take this old corn...

Then you break it up

and then you bury it.

And that feeds the new corn.

We got a big milpa, huh Papa?

In Michoacan we had a milpa
that was 8 miles long.

The corn was so high that
I once got lost in it.

I walked in there all day,
I didn't even know where I was.

I was a little chavalito
just like you.

Memo was always
doing homework.

He did enough homework

for the whole family.

I'll get it.

Here I am always working deep
in the corn, no?

Pulling out the weeds,
pulling weeds,

pulling weeds, and suddenly...

I pull up a snake! You know?
A big old rattlesnake.

At least ten feet long.
Yeah.

There I am.
I dropped him

real fast, no? And I go for this
great big cornstalk and I...

He's still moving. There I go.
There I am. Yeah, yeah...

They say it's important.

I'll be right back.

Close the door.

Hello?

Yes, I'm Jose Sanchez.

What?

The police?

My son Chucho?

No, no, no, he couldn't be
involved in anything like that.

Where you been?

Out.

Out?

What does that mean?

- It means out.
- You're out of school now.

Are you looking for a job?

No, I'm not.

See. I got money, jefe.

Where do you get this money?

I just get it, that's all.

Selling mota? Is that it?
Selling mota?

What difference does it make?

The police called here tonight.

I didn't raise my children
to be sinverg?enzas!

When I think of all the years
I struggled without complaining.

Like when I came here walking
all the way from Michoacan.

And what your mother went through
to bring you back as a baby

so you grow up to be
a man with respect!

Don't you have any pride?

Look at your sister Irene...
And your brother Paco.

In the Navy!

Selling marijuana
like some hoodlum!

Fuck la dignidad!

Fuck it!

And fuck your struggle!

You think anybody cares
about it here?

This. This is all they respect in
this country. Not la dignidad.

And it don't matter how you
get it, as long as you do.

I don't want to be
like no Mexican!

If you think for one minute
I want to spend all fucking day

pulling up weeds and
mowing lawns,

you got another thing coming.

All right? I don't want to be
like Irene or like Paco.

And most of all,
I don't want to be like you!

Get out of here.

Get out of here!

Get out of here!

Get out of here!
Take this with you!

Why did he leave, Mama?
Why?

He will come back.

He will come back.

There was no communication
between my father and Chucho.

They were from
two different worlds.

To my father, there was
dignity in work.

He crossed the bridges every
morning to work to support

his family.

My father felt that
he was right

to throw Chucho out
of the house.

But deep down in his heart,
he didn't feel so right.

It's just like heaven,

being here with you.

You're like an angel,

too good to be true.

But after all, I love you.

I do, Angel baby,

my angel baby,

I love you,

I do.

No one could love you

like I do.

I love you,

I do.

No one could love you

like I do.

Thank you.

The music's

playing,
and the lights are low.

You give me kisses

and pull me close.

Then a little voice inside
my head whispered in my ear,

are you really sincere?

You say you need me

so much tonight,
but will you feel

the same in the morning light?
There's a little voice

inside my head,
whispering in my

ear, are you really

sincere?

Before I give myself

to you,

I want to know...

Cut it, puto.

I said stop fucking with me!

Chucho, you got him!

Chucho, he's got a knife!
Chucho!

Had enough?

Had enough, puto?

Oh my God, Chucho! Come on, baby,
we've got to get out of here.

Come on, Chucho, let's go!
Come on!

Chucho! Come on!

I was stationed in San Diego
when it all came down.

So I was able to come home
to be with the family.

It was the worst for Jimmy.

He was so young, and
he loved Chucho so much.

It was hot that night.

The Santa Ana winds
were blowing.

They called them
"the devil winds".

Hey, little bato.

I brought you this.

No one saw me come in.

All right.

It looks bad, Chucho.
Real bad.

It'll be okay.

Listen, little bato.

You act like nothing's happening,
you know. Just go play

with your friends.
I can

wait out la placa.
They'll never find me here.

Okay, Chucho.

I've been in bad scrapes before.

I'll get out of this okay.

She's been crying a lot.

Dad never says nothing.

Tell him...

Tell him...

No, I want to stay here!

Before they wonder
where you are.

All right.

Now go on out there so you
can help me out tomorrow.

You've got to stop this.
Toni will be here any minute.

Give it to me.

- You know, if you don't hurry...
- I don't know what to do.

Could he have done

- all they say he did?
- No, Jose. Not Chucho.

I wish I could hold him again.

Like when he was a little boy.

And tell him I forgive him.

I feel I'll never see him again,
and if I can't...

No, Jose. La Virgenwould
never, ever let that happen.

We will see him again.

Of course we will.

The suspect, Jesus Sanchez,
also known as Chucho,

is believed to be in the
surrounding four block area.

He's a known pachuco
gang leader.

A known criminal. He's armed and
extremely dangerous. He has killed

and he will kill again. Do not
hesitate to use your weapons.

Your lives may depend on it.

It's getting dark.
Let's get this job done.

Let's go.
Watch your backs.

It's so good to have you home,
hijo.

I can stay here at least
a week.

It's Toni's first visit, and...
I don't want anything to go wrong.

Don't worry, mi Ama.
It's still the same old Toni.

Hey, Jimmy!

You want to play ball with us?

I like your outfit.

Miralrene's hair.

You like it?
I've been experimenting.

Don't you get hot
in this get-up?

I mean, don't you sweat...

I just offer it up, Memo.

Hey, it's time for " Lucy"!

I love that show, Mama!

We always watch it
at the convent.

What's the matter with them?

They don't want to watch
and I don't blame them.

Watch what, honey?

Give me a kiss.

Great catch, Jimmy!

What are you talking about?

I already talked to some
of his friends, jefe.

It was all just an accident.

I'm going to find him, jefe.

I'll get him to turn himself in
before something worse happens.

This'll all clear up.

You what?

Like an idiot,
I went out there to see him.

And I said I was

your agent and you were lined up
for a big musical on Broadway,

and Schary said they didn't want
to stand in your way

so they released you from your
contract and you don't work there.

I really dig Desi.

Throw something.

- You okay, sir?
- Damn spic son of a bitch.

Get the hell after him!
He went down the hill!

You're screwing up our game!

Go get it, Jimmy!

Get the ball!
Go get it, Jimmy!

There he is.

What the hell was that?

We got him.

- We got him, Sarge!
- That was a hell of a shot, kid.

Over there.

They shot him!

No one is allowed here.

He's my son!
Chucho!

- I'm sorry.
- I'm the father. Is he alive?

I don't know.

I have to see him!

No one is allowed!

But I have...

Let's get out of here.
Let's hit the street. Come on.

Back it up!
Let's hit the street!

Into the street!
Get on the street!

Get the gurney in here!

Let's get him out of here.
Hold those people back.

- All of them!
- We're starting to get a crowd.

Everybody said that the police
had killed Chucho,

but my mother
never believed that.

She knew that he was meant
to die at the river.

Chucho's whole life had been
on borrowed time.

But you cannot
cheat fate forever.

The spirit of the river
had come back to reclaim

what was rightfully his.

Okay, Sanchez,

roll it up.

He had been in for armed robbery.
No one got hurt,

and a good lawyer could have
gotten him off light.

But a combination of no money

and a bad attitude caught him
a few years in la pinta.

My brother Jimmy was always
a loner. You never really knew

what was going on inside him.
Except the anger.

That was always there.

Down on the riverbed,

down on the riverbed,

down on the riverbed,

I asked my lover
for her hand.

A red-tailed hawk

circled overhead.

A red-tailed hawk
circled overhead.

A red-tailed hawk

circled overhead.

To a church on a hill,
this is what she said:

A monster's claw,
like a big black hand,

A monster's claw,
like a big black hand,

I thought... I'm going to go
out to the cornfield.

Maybe you want to come with me.

Maybe later, all right?

Oh, yeah.
Yeah, okay right.

Later.

Later, Jimmy.

Jimmy's arrival was painful,
but at least it was expected.

A few days later they had
a surprise visitor.

It's her mother!

Marcos! Don't you touch her!

- Don't you touch her!
- Don't talk to the TV.

- He's touching her. He shouldn't.
- Then you should smack his ass.

Good for you! Good for you!
Don't you let him touch you!

Hello, Mama.

I know it's a surprise,
you know...

But I...

I just wanted
to tell you that...

I left my order.

You've left your order?

- Why?
- What does that mean?

It means I'm not a nun anymore.

So that makes two of us
that are out of the pen.

Would you get me something
to drink, please?

What happened?

It happened when I was working
in Central America, you know,

doing missionary work and...

Thank you.

A lot of things happened, Mama.

That is...

One thing led to another,
and...

I'm married.

I'm married.

But Mama, he's the most wonderful
man I've ever known.

He's good, and...

He's kind, and...

And I'm so happy,
I mean...

We were working together and

he left his order, too.

He left his order?

He was a priest.

Jimmy, Jimmy.
Get a glass of water.

Okay, I know it's hard
for you to understand.

All right?

You don't worry about me.

If it's okay with God...

I guess it's okay with us.

I'm so happy!

- Oh, really. I am happy.
- So am I.

And I know you're going
to love David.

And I know he's going
to love you.

I'll just go get him.

He's outside in the car.
I brought him.

Yeah, well, bring him in here.
We want to talk to him.

No, he's outside in the car.

I'll just go get him.
Just a minute, all right?

Honey!

Oh, my God.

- You okay?
- Yeah, I'm all right.

Mr. Sanchez?

Hello, Mr. Sanchez.

I'm David Ronconi.

Mrs. Sanchez?

It is so wonderful
to finally meet you.

And this is Jimmy.

What's happening?

Toni's told me a lot
about you.

- Well...
- This is him.

And this is us.

Our children, Jose.

Antonia married to a priest.

Are you up?

Antonia and a priest.
How can this be possible?

How could things
have changed so much?

And Jimmy...

When I think of Jimmy...

How beautiful he was, remember?

And now...

I know.

What happened to
our children, Maria?

- What did we do wrong?
- I don't know.

Still unmarried.

Wants to be a writer.

A writer!

Who's going to pay you
to do that?

Memo, he's...

He's still in law school, eh?

He's going to be an abogado.

Come on, come on...

Maybe he will do all right.

Thank God for Memo
going to law school,

or they would have never
gotten a good night's sleep.

So what's wrong with wanting
to be a writer?

Besides, my crazy family always
gave me a lot of great material.

Dad was right.

Who's going to pay me
to do that, right?

So I went to work for Irene and
Gerardo. They had a restaurant.

Over the years, both Irene and
her business expanded together.

A nun and a priest!

Pero, a nun and a priest!

Doing it...

I mean, what happens when they
stop being a nun and a priest?

Nothing. They keep doing the same
stuff they used to do before.

The only difference is now
they get to fuck at night.

I don't know what to do.
I've been frantic with worry.

Isabel is... My boys and I love
her very much, and we...

She wouldn't just disappear.
She just wouldn't.

I didn't know where to go.

- Someone said you might help me.
- Gloria, we're going to help you.

- Tell me where the girl was from.
- El Salvador.

What do you think?
Young girl from El Salvador

picked up two days ago.

The legal aid group might be able
to delay the proceedings, but

if we can't trace her...
I mean, it's been two days.

Was she politically involved
in any way in Salvador?

No, not Isabel. She...

Well, you know.
Her father...

was sort of a union organizer.
I think he was killed.

What are the chances?

Not good.

As soon as she gets there, the
police'll pull her off the plane.

What's her full name?

Isabel Maga?a.

Are you saying she's in some sort
of danger? Is that it?

That's what I'm saying.

Well, but that,
that just can't be.

They wouldn't return her if she
was in danger, would they?

Wait, she wasn't by any chance
married, or engaged to a citizen?

Come on, tag him, tag him,
homes! I mean, shit, ref.

- How's parole treating you?
- Hey, what are you doing here?

- Check this out.
- Where's Mom and Dad?

Well, pues, Mom's in church,
you know. Dad's mowing lawns.

So what are you doing here?

Jefitaasked me to fix
a couple things in the house.

There's no TV over
at my place.

So what's up with you?

How's shit over there
at your office?

Oh, tough.

We had this case come yesterday,
young girl from Salvador.

She got picked up
by Immigration.

We've been able to trace
where she is,

but if we don't come up with
something, she'll be deported.

- Her father was a union organizer.
- Yeah, right.

So if she's lucky she's going
to end up in jail.

But probably she'll
end up dead.

- David and I put our brains...
- That's a whole lot of brains.

I'm sure you'll come up
with something.

Yeah, well.

We were thinking if we could say
she was engaged to someone...

You know, a citizen,
we could get her out.

I know it's a long shot, but...

Nah, that'll never work.
La Migra'snot that dumb.

No, wait. You'd be surprised.
They really are that dumb.

Plus, I think we can make
a good enough case.

We've got to find someone who
would agree to marry her.

- Help me do this.
- We'd, we'd...

have to prove that a wedding
took place to pull it off.

And we'd have to find
someone today.

- Today?
- Yeah.

Forget it.

Like I said,
that's a bad idea.

I mean, come on.

- Even if...
- What?

Well...

Even if la Migrais dumb enough
to buy it, like you say...

Put that up there.

Well, you still need the guy,
right?

Well, I mean, you still need
this famous babosocitizen

who's going to marry
this girl.

There's nobody stupid enough
to do that.

Check this out.

Wait a fucking minute here.
You're not thinking that...

Is that why you came over here?

- You want me to marry this ruca?
- I know it's a lot to ask.

- A lot to ask?
- Somebody's life is at stake.

Yeah, right.
My life is at stake!

What the hell is wrong with you?
You got your brains screwed up?

If you'd stop being emotional
you'd see it's not a big deal.

Not a big deal?

That's your problem. You've always
been bossy, since we were little.

You think you know what's best for
everybody. You're a control freak.

Yeah, well, you've always been
a big pendejo. So what?

AII I'm asking you to do is put
your name on a piece of paper.

You're... you're talking
about marriage.

- I don't even know this girl.
- Who cares?

- All you've got to do is...
- Excuse me. Have some respect.

Look...

- You don't have to live with her.
- Do you mind?

Or have babies or anything like
that. Just go through the motions.

Go through the motions?

Go through the motions?

You're talking about marriage,
camala. That's out!

Jesus Christ, when did you
become so bourgeois?

Hey, fuck you. And don't ever
call me " bushwhacked" again.

Whatever the fuck that means.

Jimmy...

All it is really is signing your
name and saying " I do".

And if it saves...

Listen to me.

If it saves a girl's life,
then why not?

You and I know the system's
for shit. We know that.

So use the system to fuck up
the system. That's what I say.

You're really starting to piss
me off here, camala.

You always got a way of putting
things so that...

Who the hell are you to tell me
what the fucking truth is?

- I don't want to hear this, Toni.
- Just listen to me for a minute.

Would you relax, please?

Okay.

Look.

This could be your way of
getting back at all of them.

Every cop, guard, judge,
the whole system.

Now just think about it.

With this one act you say "fuck
you" to the whole establishment.

If I was a man, I would do it.

James Sanchez for Isabel Maga?a.

James Sanchez for Isabel Maga?a!

- James Sanchez!
- That's me.

- James Sanchez?
- Yeah.

I release into the custody of
James Sanchez. Your I-130?

What?

Do you have your I-130?

Yeah, right. I got it.

Take it out of the envelope,
please.

Okay, sign right here.

You the guy she's going
to marry?

She loves me, man.

Really.

She does. She really misses me,
too. I can feel it.

- Okay.
- Wait.

Your I-2.

Really, she's crazy about me.
We're like this.

Thanks.

By the power invested in me
by the State of California,

I hereby pronounce you
husband and wife.

Could you please sign this?

Go.

Little brother,
you are amazing.

You owe me.

You guys owe me.

Thank you very much.

So, I guess I'll see you all
in divorce court

next week.

Oh, he's kidding.

Constance thank you.

We'll see you next time.
Thanks for everything. Thank you.

All right.
We really appreciate it.

- We did it!
- We did it again.

Only you have no brothers left.

I think I have one more.

It was a family emergency.

Irene and I came over from
the Ole Caf?, and even

Memo was there, all the way
from " pinche" west side.

I don't know what we were all
supposed to do.

Shit!

But in our house, the difference
between a family emergency

and a family party wasn't
that big, you know?

What were you thinking of?

Geez...

This girl says that
you're her husband.

Is that true?

Well, yeah, technically
speaking, but

but hey, it's not like for real
or nothing like that.

Did you marry her,
or did you not marry her?

Yeah, I did. Kind of.

Talk to her, okay?

She can tell you everything.

Ay, Dios. What is this,
the Spanish Inquisition?

Look, all we did was
save a girl's life.

And it wasn't easy. So maybe
somebody should thank us?

That's right. Maybe somebody
should thank us.

- Look, I've got some shit to do.
- No, you've got nothing to do!

Nothing!

Listen to me, both of you.

You always know what's right for
everybody with your pol?tica.

But did anyone ask Isabel
what she wanted?

What do you mean,
what she wanted?

Maybe we should have made some
coffee and invited the neighbors.

Papa, we didn't have time to!

You just messed up this girl's
life without her permission.

Well, they were going to deport
her without her permission.

And when she got off that plane,
they were going to shoot her

without her permission.

So maybe we should have left it
alone, and she would be dead.

All nice and neat.

Tha'ts the problem with life.

It's just so messy.

Does anybody want taquitos?

You young people...

You think no one has ever
lived before you did.

No one knows anything
except you.

Don't you think I know

what it feels like to be picked
up by La Migraand sent away?

Without ever seeing
my family?

Without knowing
what will happen?

Do you want to tell me
something about survival?

Well, let me tell you this.

There are certain things in life
that are sacred. Sagradas!

And we don't spit on them.

Because without them, it doesn't
matter if we live or die.

Marriage is something
we don't spit on.

Isabel believes
that she is married.

She thinks she's married
to you.

Yeah, well, check it out.
I ain't married to nobody, see?

Hey, you said those two words.

Who asked you to butt in?

And I didn't even
bring a cake.

- Quetouchy!
- You signed a legal document.

Yeah, so what?

So the law believes
that you're married, too.

Yeah, well the law's
pendejo, carnal!

That was a political action.
I'm a goddamn revolutionary!

Look, you.

You're the one who has to do all
the explaining here, hermana.

Cause I told you, I'm never
going to see her again.

I've got some shit to do.

It was late when Jimmy got home
from all the shit he had to do.

Isabel was probably

the first person who didn't
let Toni boss her around.

Hey, you got...

- All right, you've got to go.
- No. I'll go.

- Like right now, okay?
- S?, s?. I go, I go.

- But I'll be back Friday.
- No! No!

You're not coming back on Friday.
You're not coming back here.

- I must go.
- That's right.

- I'll make some breakfast for you.
- I don't want breakfast!

- I don't have time to talk now.
- Look, you're a real nice girl.

Bu me and you,
we're not married, okay?

- I'll see you Friday.
- No!

No Friday! You can't...!

Isabel kept coming back
no matter what Jimmy said.

Mainly on weekends and nights
when La Se?ora didn't need her.

Then some things started
appearing in his apartment

that no self-respecting
" bato loco" would ever have.

I'm your puppet...

- What do you think you're doing?
- You always listen to oldies!

" I'm your puppet,
I'm your puppet".

Who wants to be a puppet?

- This is los clasicos, mujer.
- Oldies! It's time to get new.

Come on.

Come on, dance with me.

You dance. You dance.

Come on, just try it once.
Here.

I don't want nobody
seeing me doing this.

Come on.

Come on, just try it, okay?

Out.

Out.

Out.

Out.

Good, I got it.

I did it.

Come on.

See?

Come try it with me.

Come on, please.

Just one more.
Come on, Jimmy. Yes!

- All right, all right.
- Okay.

- Out.
- Out.

Out.

There you go!

What are you looking at,
puto? What's up?

- Come on.
- All right.

Right, all right. Let's do it,
let's do it. Put my hand where?

Here.

- Just feel me.
- Yeah, I feel you. I feel you.

- I stepped on your foot.
- Come on, just try again.

Try it.

Okay, all right.

Here you go.

- See?
- Yeah, I see.

- See? You're doing it.
- Yeah.

Great!

You want to teach me salsa?

I got them in prison.

Some of my carnales
cut them for me.

How is possible?

Well, with anything
that's sharp, you know?

A fork.

Piece of broken glass.

But the pain...
Que dolor, no?

Not pain. I mean, not like that.

What do you mean?

It's just, it's just...

fucking anger.

It just kind of fills me up,
you know?

You know, it just drowns
everything out.

And on the inside
I feel like I'm burning.

You know, like fire.

And outside I'm just...

I'm just like a stone.

So like that day...

When we robbed the store, I put
my fist through the glass there

and I saw all this blood.

But I didn't feel it.

AII I felt was the anger.

I'm here on the outside now, and
I don't give a shit about nothing.

It's like I'm still in prison.

I'm alone.

And like this.

I just keep hearing that
screaming in my head.

I hear that fucking screaming.

I know your feelings.

I know them.

I feel them, too.

I go around this big city...

But I'm alone.

No one knows me.

When I was little,
in Salvador,

los soldadoscame...
at night.

They pull my father out

and they kill him right there.

Right there in front of me.

I was just...
I was a little girl.

But I see everything.

And then we come here,
and I have no time

to be a child.
Always running.

I work, work, only work.

And the family.

The family I stay with,
they're happy. I see them.

But it is their happiness,
not mine.

No one...

No one knows me.

I know you.

I know you, Isabel.

I saw my brother get killed
right in front of me.

Just like your father.

And I was just a boy.

I know you.

Hold my hand.

I know you, Isabel.

Oh, man!

Jimmy...

Now you get in the middle,
and I'll get in.

Look at Isabel.

She's 5 months pregnant
and she looks so great.

Yeah, they're always
getting pregnant.

Get one trained, teach her some
English so she gets the phone,

then boom, she's pregnant.

I can't believe
you just said that.

Gloria, you know it's true.

It's not true!

Isabel's worked for me
for three years.

She's part of the family.

I know that I have to find
someone else, but youknow what?

I'm happy for her.
We're all happy for her.

And so for the first time Jimmy
joined the parade of workers.

There was something about
the idea of being a father.

Tomorrow had never mattered
to him before,

but now it mattered.

Hi, Jimmy.

I came as soon as I could.
I couldn't get off any earlier.

I love you, too, baby.
I love you, too.

What's wrong? Something wrong?
Everything all right?

Then what?
What should I do?

Should I get somebody?

I'll get somebody, all right?

Is there a doctor around here?

Hey nurse, my wife's
got something wrong.

Well, I've got to talk to you!
Get the doctor right now!

Easy, easy...

Great, Isabel.

You have a fine-looking boy.

Come on.
Time for bath.

Doctor.
She's still bleeding a lot.

Jesus!

Mask!

Sponge!

- B.P. is going.
- Suture!

Another sponge!

Get Kelly!

Stat!

"Cihuateteo". That's what
my mother called them.

The souls of women who
had died giving birth.

They became "cihuateteo"...

The spirits that help
the sun to set.

Without them,

the sun...

would not be able to rest.

Now maybe

the greatest medical care in the
world could'nt have saved Isabel.

Maybe they did

everything for her
that could be done.

But you couldn't convince
Jimmy of that.

He knew

that if Isabel had been at a
fancy hospital on the west side,

that she would be alive.

You Dr. McNally?

- What can I do for you?
- You killed my wife.

- What are you talking about?
- I said you killed my wife!

Easy now. My God, you must be
the husband of that young woman.

What was her name?

Yeah. You can't even remember
her fucking name, right?

It's just one spic, more or less.
What difference does it make?

You son of a bitch!

- You fucking killed my wife!
- No! We did everything we could!

We did everything we could.

What the fuck you doing, man?

You're fucking up, Jimmy! You
want to go back to la pinta?

Just grab the fucking shit,
Tamalito!

Come on, let's go!
Mu?vete! Come on!

Get the fuck out of here,
Tamalito! Go now!

I knew you'd come back.

Your kind always comes back.

There was a problem about
the baby, little Carlitos.

Who would take care of him?
Irene already had

a huge family.

Toni and David were always too
busy helping other people.

And Memo and me,
we were just useless

unmarried men.

There's nothing to talk about,
Paco.

I don't want nobody
brnging him to see me.

I don't want him ever
seeing me in here.

Jimmy, he's your son.

Nothing you did matters.

- Soon as he's old enough...
- You tell him his father's dead.

You tell him that.
You understand?

What you're doing
is wrong, man.

You have no right
to hurt people this...

I got the right.
I don't want to see nobody.

I don't want to hear
from nobody.

You know what this
is going to do to...

Look-it, you got a son.

I got nothing, carnal.

I got nothing.

I got this.

I have to think about doing my
time and not letting time do me.

You just think of me
like I'm dead.

It hurt Mom and Dad the most.

Everybody else in the family
was ashamed of Jimmy.

They never talked about him.
He was like the family fuck-up.

But I didn't see him
that way.

To me, Jimmy carried a lot
of shit for the rest of us.

All the hate, all the rage,
and all the injustice.

Somehow,
if it wasn't for him,

we couldn't have gone on to do
all the things we did.

Me, with my writing,
and Toni, with her politics.

And most of all Memo,

the pride and joy
of the family.

Good night, Mr. Sanchez.

Carlitos grew up to be more of
a problem than a " bato loco".

I've known your family

for a long time, and
they are good people.

What am I going to do
with you?

I'm sorry, abuelita.

I didn't mean to do it.
I didn't.

I don't know why I did it!

Come on.

The corn was tall and green
the day that Jimmy came home.

Looks like it's been a good year
for the corn there, jefe.

A good year.

The corn is strong, but

so are the weeds.
Ah, you remember...

Hijo, it's good to see you.

I'm happy.

I came to tell you that
I'm going away.

I need to start over.

Completely.

How's Carlitos?

He gets into
a lot of trouble.

Perohe's got
a lot of spirit.

He's a fine boy.

Just like you.

That's good.

I brought this.

It's the money I made
in la pinta.

I thought it would, you know...
help out with Carlitos and all.

Carlitos doesn't need
any money.

He needs a father.

He needs you.

I can't see him now.

Not the way that I am.

Maybe later.
Maybe some other time.

There's no other.

That time never comes.

He needs you now.

Look, I knew you weren't
going to understand.

Take the money.
I'll send you more.

I need your help.

Now!

Who is he, abuelito?

That's Jimmy.

He's your father.

I don't have a father!

I don't have a father!

When Jimmy saw his son,
something happened inside him.

Something powerful that
he didn't understand.

We have a surprise.

Come on, muchacho.

Hey, little bato.

How you doing today?

Check this out.

That's nice.

Wow! Cool!

I hate this!
This is stupid!

No, Carlitos. It's not stupid.
In the toy store they said...

They don't know nothing
at the toy store!

Don't be that way.

He's your father.

- He's not my father!
- I am your father, Carlitos.

This is a stupid toy! Whoever
thinks it's good is just as

stupid!

Now get out!

Get out!

All right, all right.

Get out!

- Get out!
- Carlitos, stop it already.

Get out! Get out!

We have to give him
a little time, that's all.

We're just going to give him
a little time, he'll come around.

Yeah, he's going
to come out of it.

But he didn't come around.

Jimmy tried and tried.

Everything he did only
made things worse.

Your father wants to take you to
Disneyland. Don't you want to go?

No, please. No, please.

I don't want
to see him anymore.

He just doesn't want
to go without you.

No, it's all right.
I understand.

He ain't got no reson
to want me, jefita.

I always thought he'd be there
for me when I needed him.

I never thought about
what he needed.

I never been there for him.

So why should I expect him
to be there for me now?

Here,

take these and give them
to Irene.

She can take her kids
or something like that.

I've got to go, okay?

Jimmy tried to come back from
the dead, and it wasn't easy.

But he was trying hard to be
part of la familia again.

He had the chance of his life
when Memo brought his fianc?e

and her parents all the way
from Bel Air to meet everybody.

Her name was Karen Gillespie.

She and Memo met at UCLA when
they both were law students.

And even though she had been
born and raised in LA,

she and her family had
never been to East LA.

- Here we are! Yeah.
- This is lovely!

Thank you.

- Yes?
- Are those beans?

That's right.

My father loves
to plant vegetables.

I think that's wonderful, Bill.

Hello, puppy.

Yeah.

Don't mind Bandido here.

He's a little relaxed.

- He's kind of a fixture here.
- Yes. There you go.

We've been wanting to meet
your daughter. We've heard...

I really like your house.

Thank you.

After all the introductions,

we got down to the business of
getting to know each other.

Well...

It's so nice to have you.

Jose and I are very proud to
have you in our home. Welcome.

Thank you.

- Ah, yes. Cheers.
- Yes. Cheers.

Memo always tells us
so much about you.

Who?

They call me Memo.

My family calls me that.
It's diminutive for Guillermo.

That's William in Spanish.

Memo is like Bill, see?

- That's cute.
- Yeah.

That is cute.

Well, Karen certainly has
told us about all you folks.

Oh, yes?

- Yes, she has.
- Thank you.

Bill, don't you have
a younger brother?

Oh, you mean Jimbo.

Hey, Jimbo!

He's around here.

This is my son, Jimmy.

Hello.

Bill told us you were
away at school.

School?

Not exactly school.

Actually he was in prison
for a little while.

- Prison?
- I read a lot of

books, though. That's what
he must have meant.

Mother, it's just one of
those things. That can happen.

- It's not Bill's fault.
- No, no.

So, you folks are from Mexico?

- Yes.
- Yeah, my father walked here.

From Michoacan, in 1926.
He was 18.

- Really?
- Yes.

Yes, it took me a year
to get here.

You know...
Now wait, wait, wait.

I remember when I was
in the Sonora desert.

I was attacked by bandidos.

They jumped on me...

Actually, I've never been

to Mexico. I've always lived in
Los Angeles, just like yourselves.

But he already had family here.
Remember, Papa? Your great uncle?

And he had been born here
when this was Mexico.

- That must have been long ago.
- Long time ago.

Not so long. I remember him.
Paco, you remember. What was...?

El Californio.
He's buried out in the back.

In the backyard?

He said in his will
that he wanted to be

buried in the back.

That's just an old story!

There's nobody buried
in the backyard.

Right, Dad?

Oh, yeah, yeah.
It's an old family story.

Carlitos, take that
into the back!

Hey, excuse me, would you care
for some taquitos?

Yes, I made them.
I made these.

There's some salsa.

Well, they look delicious.

Jimmy!

No! Put me down!

He's your kid, man! Why don't
you teach him some manners!

- I got him, all right?
- Just get him out of here!

Cabr?n,you think you're better
than anybody in this family!

Just get him out of here!

No, come on, come on, come on.

Put the shirt on!

Put it on.

What's the matter with you,
anyway? Come here.

Those people out there are very
important to your uncle Memo.

- They'llbe part of la familia.
- Shut up, you fucking asshole!

Don't you ever talk to me
like that again, okay?

You understand? I'm your father!
Don't talk to me like that!

You're not my father!
My father's a big man!

He's a cowboy in Texas!

He's even been to the moon
in a real spaceship!

When he comes for me,

he'll come in a big car and
we're going back to Texas!

That is who my father is!
He's not you!

Come here. Come here.
Carlitos, I'm your father.

It's like I tried with him.

And I really don't want
to go away anymore.

Well, not alone, anyway.

I just want to be with my son.

You did your best.

Sometimes you don't get
things back, you know?

Sometimes they...

When they go away,
they go away forever.

What are you going to do now?

I was thinking about Texas,
you know?

Why not?

Come back a rich man
with a big car.

But you take care now.

You make sure you say goodbye
to mi jefita.

- Yeah, sure.
- Yeah. Paco, Toni, Irene...

Memo, too. You can say
goodbye to him for me.

What's that?

I bet I'm in big trouble now.

No, no...
You're not in trouble.

Abuelitowill be mad.

No, I don't think so.
I don't think so.

But I chopped up all the corn.

Yeah, but that's nothing.

We'll just plant some new corn.

And then with
the broken pieces,

we just cut it up and
put it in the ground.

And it feeds all
the rest of the corn.

Are you going?

Yeah, I'm going.

Where you going?

I thought I would go
look for your father.

Would you like to come with me?

I mean...

Maybe you can help me
find your father.

You know...

Maybe you could get to know him
a little better.

What do you think about that?

Does my father want me to come?

Yeah, I think so.
I think he wants you to come.

Does my father love me?

Carlitos, your father
loves you very much.

- He does.
- No, he'll just leave me again!

He's not going
to leave you again.

Is that a promise?

That's a promise.

He'll never, ever
leave me again?

Your father's never going
to leave you again.

Oh, God.

I love you, man.

I love you, too.

Carlitos was the last to leave
when he went to live with Jimmy.

After that my mother and father
lived in the house alone.

But my mother,

she believed that everyone
who lived in the house,

we all left something behind.

She believed a piece of
our spirits stayed behind,

and lived...
in all the empty chairs.

We have had a good life.

We've been very lucky.

- It'd have been even better if...
- No, Maria. Don't say it.

Don't even say it.

It is wrong to wish for
too much in this life.

God has been good to us.

We have been very lucky.

And our life...

It has been very...

Very good.

You're right.

We have had a very...
good life.

I remember...