Two Bits (1995) - full transcript

[ Man ] I once
asked my grandfather if dust
is what makes people sneeze,

and he said, "Yes, but it's also
what makes us see a sunset."

I don't think a day went by
that my grandfather...

didn't say something I knew
would stick in my head forever.

On this day,
I woke up thinking...

about the day of the La Paloma,
as I later named it.

But I could have given that day
any number of names.

So many things happened...
all in one single day.

[ Man On Speaker ]
Get out of the heat.
Get out of the Depression.

Visit the La Paloma,
South Philly's first
brand-new theater...

since before the Crash.



All newly renovated.
New seats.

New carpets.
New ushers, ha-ha-ha.

All air cooled.

Twenty-five cents
all day 'til 6:00.

Special midnight show
tonight only.

Forget the heat.
Forget the Depression.

I was almost a teenager.
Now I'm almost middle-aged.

Aah !
The day of the La Paloma
was actually...

Saturday,
August 26, 1933.

I got this habit of remembering
exact dates from my grandfather.

There's no milk !

I picked up
a lot of his habits.

"Only the bad ones,"
my mother used to say.

But he didn't have
any bad habits.



Those days, nobody did.

Gennaro's up yet ?
Hell...
there was a depression on.

Tell him
I want to see him.

[ Gennaro ]
There's no milk.

Here.
And Grandpa wants you.

The icebox overflowed.

Didn't I tell you to
empty it last night ?

Drink your milk.
And don't gulp. Chew.

Ma, how come you
never sweep the dust
from under my bed ?

Would you go see what
your grandfather wants
and stop criticizing ?

I'm having change of life.

She's always having
change of life, but I never
see any difference in her.

You wanna see
your quarter ?

I saw it yesterday.

Look. So what ?

I've been seeing it
every day since the Crash.

Well, I think today
you're finally gonna get it.

You've been thinking today
for the last two weeks.

Huh. I come close
Sunday night, huh ?

You forget already ?

How Father Edmund come here
and put me through the
last rites Sunday night ?

I gotta go someplace.
Where are you going ?

How do I know
'til I get there ?

Make no mistake,
today is gonna be the day.

So, you better think today.

Prove it.

Ah ! How am I gonna
prove such a thing ?

Easy. Just give me
the quarter.

Well, if I give you
the quarter now,

what am I gonna leave you
when I really go ?

Huh ? I got nothing
to leave you, my only grandson.

- Look, you said it's mine
the day you die, right ?
- Yeah.

So if today's the day you're
gonna die, leave it to me today.

I ain't sure
what time today.

Ah ! You're not sure at all, or
else you'd give me the quarter.

What's all this talk
about quarters ?

Ma, if Grandpa's gonna die
today, shouldn't he give me--

God forbid !
What a thing to say !

He said it.
[ Mutters ]

Well, if he dies,
send someone to find me.

Pa, why do you
talk about such things
with the kid, huh ?

Who else can I talk
about dying with ?

[ Gennaro ]
When I think about it now,

I realize that only a dumb kid
can make a deal...

to get a guy's quarter when
he dies and get away with it.

As far as I was concerned
back then,

there was no way I was
getting that quarter anyway,

because there was
no way my grandfather
was ever gonna leave us.

We gonna do
anything today ?

I gotta take my mother
to the clinic.

She's gettin' all her teeth
pulled out 'cause she's got
"pioneer" of the gums.

Geez.

[ Laughs ]
My father says she's gonna
look like a potato...

'cause we can't afford
false teeth this year.

You have to take her
right now ?

This afternoon.

So we still got
the whole morning.
Wanna go down to church ?

A wedding ?
A funeral.

We might have our own funeral
in a couple of days.

-My grandfather says it's today.
-He gave you the quarter ?

If I had the quarter,
would I have to go watch
your dumb funerals ?

Wanna go play
down the lots, then ?

It's too hot.
I wish I could go to the movies.

The church is cool.

[ Church Bell Ringing ]

[ Chattering ]

This looks more
like a wedding.

No, my mother said
next-door neighbor's niece
is having a funeral here today.

Thanks.

[ Girl ]
Over here !

** [ "Funeral March" ]
See !

[ Gennaro ]
In a way, just being on
the streets of South Philly...

was like watching a movie.

Right outside the church,
a double feature:

the wedding and the funeral.

But even before it showed up,
I could hear that truck
in my mind.

"Get out of the heat.
Get out of the Depression.
Visit the La Paloma."

But hey, who needed it ?

I had a real live movie
right there before my eyes.

** [ "Funeral March" Continues ]

**

No offense meant, Vottima,
but you got the wrong church.

My next-door neighbor,
Victor Sculucci, is getting
married here today.

[ Woman Screaming, Wailing ]

[ Man ]
Step aside, please.

Kindly allow family
of deceased...

to suffer their loss
in private.

** [ "Funeral March" ]

**

[ Sobbing ]

[ Screaming ]

[ Screaming, Shouting ]

[ Car Horn Honking ]

[ Honking Continues ]

[ Giggling ]

[ Giggling, Chattering ]

Papa, they got a coffin !

[ Gasps, Muttering ]

What the hell
kind of a joke is this ?
Get that thing out of the way.

There must be some mistake.
There must be !

Make them take it away.
It's a bad sign.
It's the evil eye.

Vottima, how could you
do this to my daughter...

on the happiest day
of my life ?

There must be
a confusion of dates.

We booked this church
and Father Rubolina...

for 10:00 sharp today !

So did we.
Only we got stuck
with Father Edmund.

Oh, the evil eye !
I'm gonna be a widow
before I'm a wife !

Victor ?
Where is my Victor ?

Shut up, Lena !
Ain't you got no respect
for the dead ?

Get that damn thing
out of here !

[ Horn Honking ]

[ Quiet Chattering ]

What the hell is this ?

Victor, it's a sign !
You're gonna die !
Oh, why me ?

It's your weddin' too !
Hey, don't you know coffins
is bad luck at weddings ?

It's not my coffin.
All right.

Somebody better start
moving it fast !

[ Crowd Murmuring ]

Come on, we'll take it
down to the alley over there.

[ Grunts ]
[ Crowd Screaming ]

[ Screaming,
Shouting Continue ]

[ Man On Speaker ]
Get out of the heat.
Get out of the Depression.

Visit the La Paloma,
South Philly's first...

brand-new movie theater
since before the Crash.

All newly renovated.

New seats.
New carpets.

New ushers.
All air cooled.

Twenty-five cents
all day 'til 6:00.

Special midnight show
tonight only.

Forget the heat.
Forget the Depression.

Come to the La Paloma.
Grand opening today.

[ Dog Barking ]

- Wey, Gennar !
- Hi, Uncle Joe.

Hey, how's Grandpa ?
Take that thing to the glue
factory where it belongs.

Hey, you want a banana ?

Hey, hey, hey !
Hey, hey !

Get a horse !

Hey, come here.
Have a drink.

[ Whinnying ]
Hey, you stupid
macaroni head.

[ Children Chattering,
Laughing ]

[ Chattering ]

[ Dog Barking ]

What time does it open ?

Twelve o'clock.

Oh. Noon ?

Noon !

[ Gennaro ]
It must have been the cool water
hitting my face,

but I got an idea--
or maybe it was a dream--

but I'd go home and Grandpa
would be up walking around,
watering the plants,

and my mom would have
those two bits for me.

But when I got there, of course,
everything was the same.

[ Dog Barking ]

I wish I'd spent more time
with him. I don't know.

I was always running around,
wasting time.

[ Snoring ]
I wish once in a while...

I'd taken the time to say,
"I love you, Grandpa,"

because... I sure did.

[ Sighs ]

[ Clears Throat ]

No.
No what, Ma ?

No, I don't have any money.

Oh.

Didn't you hear there's
a depression on ?

Well, where else
could I get a quarter ?

I had to trust
the bread and milk
again this morning.

It was so embarrassing.

That welfare lady came by
last week, and I asked her,

"Is there any way we can get
a few more dollars every week,

just so that the check lasts
from one week to the next ?"

And she looked at me in the way
that she does, and she said,

"Mrs. Spirito,
a lot of people are using their
checks to play the numbers,

"and a lot of people are taking
trains to the shore...

or they're going
to the movies."

She said the Board is so upset
that they're actually thinking
of giving us less money.

I said, "Well, that's terrific;
that's just what we need
around here: less money.

That way we can all
starve to death at once,
rather than one at a time."

She laughed.
She wasn't a bad lady.

We got anything
I could sell ?

Stop scooching me, okay ?

Those old newspapers
still down in the cellar ?

I sold 'em.

You think I can get a job ?

How much you think
you're gonna get
for that much wax ?

I thought you were sleeping.

On the edge
of a clothesline.

Grandpa ?
Now what ?

How am I gonna tell you
what I did with the quarter
you left me...

unless you're still alive when
I do what I'm gonna do with it ?

When I'm gone, I don't care
how you throw your money around.

I don't know, Grandpa.
It don't seem right.

What don't ?

That you should die just
so I can go to the movies.

[ Coughs ]
Who said I was dyin' just
so you could to the movies ?

Nobody said it.
Nobody even thought of it.

[ Mutters, Coughs ]

So, even to go
to some big grand opening,

you don't want me
to die, huh ?

What's the matter ?

You afraid that when I'm gone,
you're not gonna have anybody...

to take the knots
out of your shoelaces ?

If I die today,

you go to the movies,
you hear ?

No matter what.
That's an order.

- My father died.
- I heard.

I was two years,
four months, one week,
three days,

six hours, 12 minutes
and seven seconds old
when he died.

I made my mom help me
figure it out once.

Please, when I'm gone,
don't put her to all that
trouble again, will ya ?

- Does it hurt ?
- What ?

Dying. Ma said
some people don't suffer.

I think she meant old people.
Do you think you'll suffer ?

Ohhh. I suffered enough
without dyin',

maybe I'm gonna die
without suffering.

If you don't suffer, can you
still go to heaven anyway ?

If there's a heaven,
I'm gonna go.

I wonder what it's like.

Hey, whatever you picture
it's like is what it's like.

So far, nobody knows...
more than that.

I can't picture it.

Well, tonight
I send you a postcard.

Hey ! Just now I got
a picture of what it's like.

Yeah ? Well,
God bless you.

It's beautiful.

Don't worry, Grandpa.
You're gonna love it up there.

- Can you see my house ?
- Huh ?

The house God
is building for me.
Is it finished yet ?

You can't really
call it a house, Grandpa.
It's more like a palace.

Ahh, really ?
Wh-What's it made of ?

It's made of gold.

Nah, it's made of bricks.

You see,
when you're born...

God starts building
a house for you in heaven.

And every time
you do a good deed,

He puts a brick on your house.

And when you do a bad deed,
He takes a brick off.

So, since I did more good
in my life than bad,

I think maybe my house
is almost finished.

It is.
I see it real good now.

Don't worry, Grandpa.
You're gonna love it up there.

Wait. I ain't worried.
I think you're worried.

What's the matter ? You're
trying to push me in a grave
for a lousy quarter, huh ?

No ! No, that's not
what I meant.

Honest, Grandpa.
Honest to God !

Okay. I know.

Ooh, while you're there,
give it a scratcher.

[ Groans ]
I'm gonna find a way
to make a quarter.

[ Mutters ]

[ Door Closes, Dog Barking ]

[ Gennaro ]
Grandpa knew that once I got
something in my mind,

I wasn't gonna let it go,
and he was right.

But I don't think there was
another kid in town...

who knew less
about making money than me.

**

* You took the heart
I gave you *

* And broke it
right in half *

* Now someone's done
the same to you *

* Ain't that a laugh

* Well, you're
the little devil *

* Who finally got his due

* Brokenhearted heartbreaker

* You had it coming to

* Yeah, yeah, yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah *

* You had it coming to you *

[ Gennaro ]
* You took the heart
I gave you *

* And broke it
right in half *

* Now someone did
the same to you *

* Ain't that a laugh
Ha-ha.

* Well, you little devil
who finally got his due *

* Brokenhearted heart-- *

Hi, Aunt Carmella.
You going to my house ?

What are you doing,
singing with your hand out ?

That's what I'm doing.
God forgive him,
he's begging.

I am not !
I'm entertaining.

Entertaining, begging,
it's all the same. You're
disgracing your mother's name.

I didn't tell no one
my mother's name.

In our whole family
there was never a beggar.

- How much you make ?
- Three cents.

- Give.
- No !
- Give !

I have a whole quarter
to make before 6:00.
Aunt Carmella, gee.

Maybe God'll forgive
you if I go light three
penny candles for you.

The other ?

[ Sighs ]

[ Coins Rattling,
Purse Closes ]

God bless you.
You're getting so big.

How's your mother ?

The same.

Tell your grandfather--
I know he won't eat it--

but I'm bringing him some
homemade macaroni salad
tonight after novena.

[ Sighs ]

[ Gennaro ]
In a depression,
my grandfather used to say,

strong people
just lose their jobs.

The others
lose their minds.

The day of the La Paloma
I found out just how right
he was.

[ Bells Jingling ]

No trust today.

I want a job.

[ Groans ]

I don't want trust.
I want a job.

You know,
there are guys...

trying to get themselves
arrested...

'cause it's better to sleep
in jail than in a tin house
on some empty lot.

There are kids your age--
your age--

being thrown out by
their own mothers and fathers...

and roaming the roads
like Typhoid Mary.

I'll work all day for two bits.
All day 'til quarter to 6:00.

- In my day, all day meant
'til closing time.
- What time do you close ?

Stop talking like
it's already settled.
Get outta here.

Cash it.

Uh, we don't carry
this kind of soap.

It's my welfare check.
[ Laughs ]
The heat's got you.

Cash it !

Want to listen to her ?
She's got a certificate here.

Says, um, "this certificate
and ten cents entitles you...

to a bar of soap and a picture
of a movie star, your favorite."

She thinks I'm gonna cash it
for a welfare check.
It's my welfare check.

I cashed your welfare check
last Saturday.

Cash it, please.

It ain't a welfare check !

My kids are starin' out
the window from not eating
since night before last.

Honest to God,
now she's makin' me
feel like a bastard...

'cause my kids ate
since night before last.

But how am I supposed to cash
a movie star soap certificate...

when I can't even
give trust ?

Maybe, maybe we can
figure something out.

Have your husband
come over and talk to me.

- He went for a walk.
- When he comes back.

He left four days ago.

You want a job ?
Take her home. Make sure
she don't go for a walk.

- How's she gonna pay me ?
- I'll pay you.

- A quarter ?
- A nickel.

- A dime.
- A nickel.

Where do you live ?

They're staring
out the window.

Yeah, but which street's
the window on ?

Hey, hey !
Let her go !

Let her go.

She'll go home now.

[ Sighs ]
And some night
she'll wake up crying...

'cause she stole ten cents
worth of potatoes.

Just this morning this--
this fat lady in a--

in a red dress come by,
stole a bag of rice.

I let her get away with it.

I can't stand to see
the fat ladies go hungry.

[ Sighs ]

Keep it, you dumb bastard.

[ Bells Jingling ]

Could've been a lot worse,
Mr. Zavattoni. A lot worse.

Let me see. Raise your head
a little bit there.

Okay, that's nice.

[ Groans ]
You know,
it's one thing...

you tell your daughter
you fell over from the heat.

But you and I,
we know differently, huh ?
Yeah. Let me get up.

Why ? Huh ?
Why ?

Because I don't like
lying on the ground here...

where God knows
what cats did what.

I should've put you
in the hospital a week ago.

Let me get in my chair.
Come on.

Just stay still.
I'm not finished with you
yet, Mr. Zavattoni.

[ Muttering In Italian ]
I'm not finished !

[ Groans ]
Take a deep breath
and don't talk.

What happened to you ?
You've become such
a pain in the ass.

Take a deep breath.
Another one. That's it.

[ Door Opens, Closes ]

Now he comes
when nobody needs him.

Grandpa.

Gennarino.
I almost made it this time.

Come on, help me--
help me in my chair.

Let him stay there.
We're gonna send a stretcher.
Take him upstairs to bed.

No. No.
Mr. Zavattoni,
you're like a mule.

There ain't nothin'
in bed for me.

Just like a mule, huh ?
You don't wanna listen.

[ Grunting ]
All right. Okay.
There. Sit.

I'm gonna die outside
where God can see me.

Don't talk to me
about hospitals.
What hospital ?

Me, who come over
on the same boat
with your uncle.

Oh, don't start.
You know the kind
of man he was.

You think I'm nuts ?
Go get my hat.

[ Sighs ]

Gennar, Gennar.

Gennarino.

You know what I saw
when I was laying there ?

You know what I saw ?
I saw heaven.

Honest ?
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

I was no more
than half a block away.

And you know
what it looked like ?

It looked...
just like...

the new...
La Paloma.

[ Laughing ]

[ Chuckles ]
Hear him laughing out there ?
A man in his condition.

How could a man like that
obey a man like me ?

Maybe you could make him listen.
I can't make him do anything.

What do you mean by
"a man in his condition" ?

He's gonna be all right,
isn't he ?

Just keep him in bed.

And that's all ?

That's all.

Oh, so we gotta pay
doctors nowadays...

to tell us to put
each other in bed ?

Can't you give him some
medicine just for show ?

[ Sighs ]

You know, Dr. Bruna,
you could give him medicine,

and I would make sure
that he took it.

I would. And then maybe
it would do some good.

But it never does.
No, but maybe
it would do some good.

[ Chuckles ]

The main thing is, make sure
he stays in bed, hmm ?

Oh, but you know,
it has to be pills...

'cause he won't take
the syrup.

[ Door Opens, Closes ]

I just don't know.

He said he saw heaven.

I was kidding when I
said it this morning.

But I think
he really saw it.

Why he isn't in it
is what I don't understand.

Put these where your mother
will find them, okay ?

You want me to try ?
No, I can do it.

There.
You got a lot of other
houses to go after here ?

A lot of people
are dying.

Suppose from now
'til a quarter to 6:00...

I can carry your bag for you
wherever you go ?

Will you give me
20 cents for it ?

[ Chuckles ]
I can carry my own bag.

In this heat ?
I need 20 cents, that's all.

With a face like that,
so full of the world,
you don't need anything.

But I do.
Honest to God !
Please !
Don't !

[ Sighs ]

Shhh.

Luisa, he has
the pillow here.

Ma ! Ma !

Hey, what is that ?
Hey, what, are you crazy ?
There are people sitting here.

My grandson is so rich
that he throw away nickels.

That kid needs a physic.

He's all right.

[ Dog Barking ]

Oh, Gennaro.
I'm so sorry, Gennaro.
For what ?

Well, I can't afford a helper.
None of my patients hit
the numbers lately.

Ahh.

Well, maybe I can
afford a dime, though,

if you're willing to do
a little dirty work to earn it.

I'll do anything.

Oh, don't say that.
Not to anyone. Not for
any amount of money.

Then tell me
what you want me to do.

The heater in my cellar
is full of last winter's ashes.
You know where my house is ?

- The same as your office.
- The door's open.

But climb
through the cellar window
so you don't bother my wife.

You'll see the baskets.
Line the baskets with newspapers
before you put the ashes in.

Then leave them under the window
so I can put them out
for the trash man on Wednesday.

Huh ? You understand ?

[ Laughs, Mutters ]
Oh. You want your dime.

There it is.

[ Gennaro ]
Some of the boys
didn't like Dr. Bruna.

They said he was strange.

Until that day, I didn't know
what they meant by that.

[ Squeaking ]
Mrs. Bruna ?

[ Footsteps ]

Dr. Bruna gave me a dime
to come empty the ashes.

- Who are you ?
- Gennaro.

Gennaro.
That's a strong name.

Is it your first
or your last ?

- First.
My last name's Spirito.
- Spirit !

- Huh ?
- Don't you speak Italian ?

Only with my grandfather
when he's drunk.

[ Laughing ]
You are a spirit.

Yeah, well...
I gotta hurry.

You better go upstairs.
These ashes make dust.

It gets up your nose,
and when you blow, the
handkerchief gets black.

He used to hire them
a little older...

to do these little
things for him.

I'm old enough.
I'm 12.

Is 12 old enough ?

Look, uh...
I really gotta hurry.

So, if it's all right
with you--

Aren't you afraid of getting
blisters on your hands ?

I got strong hands.
Strong, yes,
but not beautiful.

I'm a boy.
What do you expect ?

Have you ever noticed
Dr. Bruna's hands ?

He has the most beautiful
hands in the world.

Yeah. I heard
he's a good doctor.

They've never touched me,
those beautiful hands.

Not once.
Not anywhere.

Maybe you oughta get
pneumonia or something.
Then he'd have to.

[ Laughing ]

I better get started
if I want to make
the money on time.

Six o'clock
the price goes up.

Not touching me, that wasn't
the cruelest part, Spirit.

The cruelest part
was telling me why.

He never should have confessed
a thing like that.

A sickness like that.

And after I empty the ashes,
I still need another dime.

His dime makes 15 cents.

You need a dime ?

I have a dime
upstairs on my bureau.

Would you like me
to give it to you ?

For doing what ?

Get out of here.
Get out of here, please.

I can't. I gotta
empty the ashes.

He already paid me.

No !

Don't go.
Come upstairs with me.
Please.

[ Children Laughing,
Chattering ]

Geez, Tullio,
you burn me up.

Have you ever
played with girls ?

They're too bossy.

No, I mean play.

Oh.
Well, did you ?

Yeah.
More than just
looking ?

No. Just looking.
Why is this on your mind
all of a sudden ?

[ Gennaro ] I was wondering
what you'd do if somebody
said she'd give you a dime.

[ Tullio ]
For what ?
You know.

She said she'd
give you a dime ?

Look, a sin's a sin
whether you get paid
for it or not.

Who's gonna know ?
Yeah. How 'bout when I go
to confession on Saturday ?

So let her make
the confession.

I'm sure the same sin
don't have to be
confessed twice.

Geez, Tullio.
I don't even know what
I'd be supposed to do.

You want me to come
with you, right ?
Will you ?

A lady ?
Yeah.

Like how old ?
A lady, that's how old.

Somebody's mother ?
She ain't got any kids.

Her husband didn't want
to hurt his hands.

What you wanna keep
talking about this for ?

She was just teasing me
to see how bad I wanted
that other dime.

If I did go with you--
Yeah ?

Wouldn't we have to go
yerkies on the dime ?
I need a dime, not a nickel.

I go yerkies on the sin,
I go yerkies on the dime.
What was that for ?

I don't know.
Something left over
from last summer.

I'll go yerkies !
Gennaro, wait !

Come on !

Why can't we just--
Come on !

Come on !

Call her.

We'll empty
the ashes first.
I didn't say I'd--

Only so we'll make some noise,
so she'll hear and come down.

You really want to make sure God
sees it's her sin, don't you ?

I'm starting to feel sorry
I let you come, Tullio.
Let me come ?

Go put the light on
on the wall at the bottom
of the stairs.

Come with me.

Oh, fa !

Ohhhhh !

[ Both Screaming ]

Hush up.
I'll be right with you.

[ Dog Barking ]

[ Man ]
Hey ! Hey !

[ Gennaro ]
I didn't want to tell
my grandfather...

because of his weak heart,
but my mother was out.

He never blinked.

He made me feel safe, like
I was in the confessional box.
Come here.

When I was finished,
he said that what had happened
was not my fault.

He said it over
and over and over.

[ Panting ]

You heard what
I told Grandpa ?

Yeah.

Honest, Mom, I was only
gonna empty the ashes.

No, I wasn't.

You go back to sleep.

I'll go downstairs and tell
Grandpa you're all right.

[ Sighs ]

[ Door Closes ]

Ma, has Grandpa got
my sneakers again ?

What's the matter, Ma ?

All morning he sits
in that sun, every day.

You'd think his face
would get a little sunburn,
a little color.

When you see him in the shade,
you see his face is even whiter
than it was yesterday.

It's like the sun passed by
without even noticing him.

What kind of world is it
when someone you love...

can sit in the sun and not get
a little color in his cheeks ?

Ma ?

God, I cashed his
insurance policy last month.

Yeah ?

No.

What's that supposed
to mean, Ma ?

It means I don't have
a quarter left to give you.

I don't want a quarter.
Yes, you do.

Yeah, yeah.
For once you're wrong.

I'm not wrong.

You want to go to the movies,
and you don't care
how you get there.

And you don't care about
being broke and crazy ladies
scaring a couple of babies.

You just get it in your head
you want something,

and if the world's
having a nervous breakdown,
you don't even know about it.

All you know is,
I want, I want, I want.

It ain't your heartache,
and nobody's got it to give you.

[ Crying ]

Hand me a dish rag.

Can't you get mad
without crying ?

You're the one
who should be crying !

What do you mean,
you don't want a quarter ?

Why ? Because
you can't have it ?

I could cry the rest of my life
over something like that.

I've never heard
my mother talk like this.

Now I believe you're
having change of life.

[ Laughing ]
Get over here.

Do you know what
I'm saying to you ?
No.

I'm saying, I don't have
a quarter, you know ?

So I can't give it to you.
But you, honey, you want it.

Says who ?
Says your mother,
that's who.

Hah ! That's where
you're so smart !

Now get !

[ Laughing ]
And I'm not smart.

Even your father
never said I was smart.

And if I was, he would've
said it, because--

because he never
missed a thing.

[ Sighs ]

Honey, will you get me
a glass of water, please ?

You know,
after we buried him,

for weeks
I used to sit and cry.

Not making any noise.
I would just sit and cry
like a deaf and dumb girl.

No noise.
And they'd say...

"You got a kid to raise;
you snap out of it."

And I'd say,
"I can't help it.
I want my husband."

Whoo, I want him to walk in
that door, and, you know--

And I used to have
this dream.

And in the dream,
he'd walk in the house...

and he'd see me
sitting there all in black,
crying like an idiot.

And he'd say, "Hey, what
are you crying about ?
I'm not dead.

It was all a big joke.
I was down in Atlantic City
visiting my rich paisans."

And we'd laugh, we'd laugh
and... God.

I wanted that dream
to be true.

God, how I wanted.

But little by little,
you know, piano piano,

they got me sensible again
and they showed me...

that it's a waste of time
to want what's impossible.

Maybe that was all
for the best, I don't know.

But when I finally said,
"Right, it's impossible,"

do you know what happened ?

I stopped having
that wonderful dream.

And from that day to this...

no matter how I beg God
before I go to sleep at night,

I can't dream of him.

[ Sighs ]
I can't dream of him.

If once in a while
you'd let me finish something
before you start yelling at me,

you'd figure out it ain't
that I don't want the quarter,
it's that I don't need it.

I only need a dime now.

So you got 15 cents.
You go buy me a can
of tomatoes.

Aw, Ma ! I know you got
a dime hid someplace.

They should make kids
go to school in the summertime
and stay home in the winter,

because in the summertime
they drive their parents nuts !

What am I ? I can't even
get a glass of water ?

Huh ? Somebody to talk to.

Okay, Pa, you been asleep.

Watch out.

This ain't the last
glass of water anybody
ever has to bring me.

Bring him the water
and sit and talk to him.

Aw, Ma, it's already 5:00,
and I got a whole dime to make !

You sit and you talk
with your grandfather,
nice and nice,

and then I'll give you
the dime I got hid.

I promise.
Oh, sure.

Hey, look at me. Did I
ever break a promise ?

Yes.

Yeah, well, all mothers do.
Go on. Go on.

It's coming, Pa !

[ Door Closes ]

Put it there.

Are you gonna talk ?
Only 'til I get
my sneakers on, okay ?

No, no.

Your mother said to talk
for a little while,

not 'til you get
your sneakers on.

Your ears don't miss
nothin', huh ?

All I know is, if I die
five minutes from now,

you won't get
your quarter after all.

Huh ? Why ?

Because you won't do me
one little dime favor.

- Says who ?
- You gonna do it ?

What ? I mean,
sure, but what ?

All day I'm sitting here
and I'm thinking--

especially since
it's my last day--

I'm thinking,
I need a favor.

I can't ask your mother,
because she'd die of shock.

So I gotta ask you,
a 12-year-old boy.

So... ask me.

Don't kid yourself.
It ain't easy.

How do I know
'til you ask me ?

That-- That's
what ain't easy.

[ Panting ]
Okay, come here.

Sit here.

[ Sighs ]

When I was just a young man,

17 years old, I come
to this country with my wife.

I know.
Yeah, okay.

She wasn't my wife at the time.
She was some girl I met
on the boat.

But once you marry a girl,
you call her your wife...

even if you're talking about
before you were married.

So ?

So, in the town
I come from in Abruzzi,

the men had a saying.

It goes...
[ Speaking Italian ]

which means...

"If a man is a virgin
on his wedding night,

he's gonna be a virgin
the rest of his life."

I didn't know
men can be virgins.

Wha-- You gonna stop
interrupting me or what ?

Go ahead.

So... as it gets closer
and closer to my wedding night,

I keep thinking about
this saying, over and over.

Now I know I can't touch
your grandmother because...

I want your grandmother to be
a good girl when she comes
down the aisle to marry me.

But I'm a virgin,
so I gotta do something.

I start looking around,

you know,
for your grandmother's sake.

And... I spy this girl...

Guendolina.

Guendolina is--
is pretty older than me,

but tiny, tiny, tiny,
like a little doll in a window.

Anyway...

I make a long story short.

I don't tell her I'm engaged
to your grandmother.

I make her believe that...

if she's good to me,
you know,

maybe I marry her.

So she gave herself to me.
You understand ?

Then, I turn around
and marry your grandmother.

This is a bad thing.

It's the one sin
I committed in my life
I couldn't forget the next day.

Didn't you confess it
to some priest ?

Priest ?
What am I gonna confess ?

I commit the sin
against Guendolina,
not some priest.

The priest gonna
forgive me no matter what.
That's his job.

But Guendolina--
I get it in my head...

that she never forgave me.

Didn't you ever
ask her to ?

That's what
I want you to do.

For me, before I die.
That's the favor I want.

Me ?

She lives...
643 Norwood Street...

with her two sons.

Maybe she moved by now.

I know she didn't move.

Many times, you know,
I used to think about
going myself,

but I never
got around to it.

Now I can't do it,
I can't. I can't even
make it to the alley.

I need you to do it.

What do you think ?
You don't wanna do it ?
Heck, no !

Gennaro, come on, please.

Don't let me die
with this on my soul.

Gennaro, listen to me.

It's easy.
All you gotta do,

you go in, you tell her,

"I'm Gaetano's grandson...

"and he sent me to tell you...

he's sorry for what he did."

She-- She probably won't
even remember you by now.

No, she'll remember me,
believe me.

After what happened to her
because of me.
What happened ?

Oh, none of your business
at your age. Wait--

Where you going ?
I'm not going
to Guendolina's house.

Oh, come on !
Gennar, Gennar, please !

Then tell me what happened.

My God. All right,
come here, come here.

A couple of years after...
what I told you...

Guendolina...

she got over
her disappointment...

and she got married.

Now, naturally,

the man she married...

you know, he thought
he was marrying a good girl.

So... on their
wedding night...

he found out different.

Who told him ?

What's the matter with you ?
Nobody has to tell a man
a thing like that.

He beat her bad.
He broke all her teeth.

Knocked 'em all out,
the front teeth.

I hear she never
got false ones.

She must look
like a potato.

Yeah. Okay, go ahead.
It's getting late.

Okay, just--
I'm Gaetano's grandson,

and he sent me
to tell you he's sorry.

Yeah, "for what he did."

For what he did.

"Please forgive him."

Wait, wait, wait a minute.

You're right.

You're right.

I should go myself.

I didn't say you
should go yourself.
No, I should.

All the way
to Sixth and Norwood ?
You'll never make it.

Come on. I'll lean
on your shoulders...
up to the door.

I'm not going in
with you, though.

Yeah, just to the door.

You better forget
about this, Grandpa.

At least sit down a minute
and catch your breath.

For a minute, that's it.

[ Panting ]

Maybe God'll put
another brick on my house.

Luisa ?
What, Pa ?

Stop singing that song.

What song, Pa ?
I'm not singing any song.

"La Golondrina."

Pa, I don't even know
"La Golondrina."

Ah, it hurts my heart.

[ Gennaro ]
That was the secret
Grandpa always had on his mind.

It was past 5:00, but the
La Paloma would have to wait.

It didn't seem
like any big deal.

All I had to do
was say that he was sorry.

[ Door Closes ]

Does Guendolina
still live here ?

[ Laughs ]
For one reason only:

to make life miserable
for whoever lives next door.

You ring that bell,
you better have
a damn good reason.

- My grandfather sent me.
- Oh, that's all right, then.

So long as your
grandfather's the Pope.

[ Doorbell Ringing ]

[ Doorbell Ringing ]

I have to see Guendolina.
I got something for her.

What ?
I'll give it to her.

No, I have to give it myself.
It's a message.

My mother doesn't
like to be bothered.

Please, it'll make
my grandfather die happy,

and me and him
always got along good.

Hey !

He ran in.
I didn't let him.

Sit down.
Give Mom to eat.

What do you want ?

Who are you ?

I'm Gaetano's grandson.

He sent me to tell you
he's sorry for what he did--

oh, and please forgive him.

Come over here.

Gaetano's grandson.

Eat.

He's gonna feed me.

Me ?

Gaetano Zavattoni's
grandson.

I gotta go.
I'm late now.
Please ?

You fill it half.

You fill it more than half,
I spit it out.

[ Slurping ]

What did he tell you
to tell me ?

He's sorry for what he did
and please forgive him.

Honest, it's almost 6:00,
and the price changes.

And I still gotta
stop home and get the dime
and tell him you said okay.

He told you
what he did ?

You'll do it too someday.

Boys are born
knowing how to ruin.

Mom, let him go.

Oh, you put too much on !

Now, not enough.

[ Slurping ]

- Boys are born dirty, huh ?
- I don't know.

You're dirty, huh ?

- Mom, for God's sake !
- Louis, don't start anything.

[ Laughing ]

Give Gaetano's grandson
a dish. Give him to eat.

No ! I said
I ain't got time.

Just tell me
if you'll forgive him.

"Yes" or "no"
before it's too late.

He's dying.

I meant for me.

Kiss me.

And I'll forgive him.

[ Door Closes ]

[ Gennaro ]
Ma, come on !
Give me my dime.

[ Luisa ]
No, I want you to
tell me where you went.

I can't.

All right. It's
between you and Grandpa.
Here's your dime.

[ Door Opening ]

She forgave you, Grandpa.

[ Dog Barking ]

Hey ! Hey !

[ Gennaro ]
All I could hear now
was the voice from that truck:

"Get out of the heat.
Get out of the Depression.

South Philly's
brand-new movie theater."

And I was gonna get there
as fast as I could,

and I wouldn't let
nothing stop me !

There it was.

[ Bells Chiming ]

[ Gennaro ]
After everything
that happened that day,

I didn't feel much
like doing anything.

Maybe my mother was right.

If I didn't get what I want,
then to hell with everybody.

But there was
something about that place
that wouldn't let me go.

I snuck back
and just stared at it.

But now it seemed
so far away.

Grandpa.

[ Woman Crying ]

[ Quiet Crying ]

Grandpa ?

Grandma.

[ Aunt Carmella ]
Is that you in there ?

What are you doing when
everybody's heart is breaking ?

I don't know.

That American doctor
wants another pillow
for your grandfather.

Huh ?
Grandpa's all right ?

[ Door Closes ]

That a boy.

Gennarino.

[ Groaning ]

I thought you went
to the La Paloma.

The price went up already.
Fifty cents.
I only got two bits.

Well, if there's
a midnight show...

I'm sure you're
gonna make it.

Grandpa, I looked
at everything on your mantle.

And stole what ?

[ Both Chuckling ]

I love you, Grandpa.

Then take
this damn blanket off.
I'm roasting to death.

Can't you do
what the doctor says ?

I don't listen
to my real doctor.
I'm gonna listen to him ?

Who's only here because
the other one's wife--

Where's your ma ?

In the parlor, crying.

Go ask her if she can
stop crying long enough...

to make me a coffee.

He's one of the kids...

who saw that woman
hanging there.

He found her.

He so scared, he don't even
know how scared he is.

Someday...

he's gonna see a lamb
hanging in a butcher's window.

He's gonna throw up.
Everybody around's gonna say,

"What the hell's
the matter with that guy ?
He's throwin' up."

[ Muttering ]

Hey, Pa ?

Hey, Pa,
you want coffee ?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You sure now, huh ?
Okay.

If he's well enough for coffee,
he's well enough to be in bed.

No bed, no bed !
We can't let you lie
out here all night.

The hell you say.
Please, no.
Suppose it rains ?

That he'd love.
We'd all have to stand
holding umbrellas over him.

Carm !
Joe, you there ?

Yeah, Pa, right here.
Come here.

I want to apologize
for whatever it was I did...

that turned your wife
into such a sour lemon.

That's a funny thing
for a father to say
on his deathbed.

I'm sorry. Come here.
Give me a kiss.
[ Coughing ]

All right.
Sit him up. Where's
the nearest telephone ?

[ Grandpa ]
No ambulance.

[ Doctor ]
Just to carry you
up to your room.

[ Luisa ]
Pa, please. The doctor
knows what's best for you.

Make him go away, please !
Okay, okay.

Show yourself
right out of here !

What my father wants
we give him !

You put a few more
pillows under him,

and we'll take turns
sitting out here...

in case he wants somebody
to talk to in the night.

Put a big pot of coffee on.
Go bring us a chair it won't
break our asses to sit on.

You, go home !

And you, go over to my house
and tell your cousins...

their father and me
are sticking over here tonight,
so don't wait up for us.

** [ Accordion ]

[ Horn Honks ]

**

[ Chattering, Laughter ]

Hey, Gennaro.
Hey.

Want some ?

I guess not.

[ Laughing ]
Hang on.

[ Clattering ]

[ Door Closes ]

Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name.

Thy will be done--
I mean, Thy Kingdom come...

Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.

[ Dog Barking ]

Grandpa ?

[ Groaning ]

They promised they wouldn't
let me close my eyes.

You see ?
You can't trust them
once they grow up.

You gonna stay here,
Gennaro, huh ?

Make sure I don't
close my eyes.
You promise ?

Sure, Grandpa.

If I close them, hit me.

Okay.

Only don't hit me too hard,
because, you know,
I ain't a well man.

- Grandpa ?
- Now what ?

Can only people die ?

Hey, dogs and cats die.

I don't mean
things like that.

Light bulbs die.

I mean other things,
the things inside us.

You mean the feelings
we have inside ?

Yeah, they die too.

No, they don't.
Only people can die !

[ Mutters In Italian ]

You start out
by asking me a question because
you don't know the answer,

and you always wind up
telling me the answer...

like it was me who asked you
the question in the first place.

I'm sorry, Grandpa.
Things inside us, they die too.

How do you know ?

Why, you think
just because I'm dying,

everything I say
has gotta be the truth ?

No, I knew from before.

Please, don't
make me die crying.

Could I sleep
out here tonight...

next to you ?

What's the matter,
you afraid you won't
get your quarter ?

I stopped needing it,
Grandpa.

No. What
are you saying ?

I did. I stopped.

Why ?
Huh ?

Why did you stop
needing it ?

Because I stopped wanting
to go to the movies.

Oh... you
stopped wanting.

Ah, not needing.

What's the difference ?

Hey, it's
all the difference
in the world.

Your belly needs.

Your heart wants.

That's the difference.

What's the matter
with you, Gennaro ?

You under the same cloud
everybody else is ?

You're 12 years old, boy.

You can run faster
than any cloud.

Didn't I ?
I was your age.

Heh.

I wanted to come here
more than anything
in the world.

Everybody said,
"No, you can't.

It's impossible.
No."

But here I am.

What a world.
I mean, today...

all anybody has to do
is hint something
is impossible,

and then nobody
wants it.

As though wanting
something impossible...

was impossible.

Why are you talking
with your eyes closed ?

Huh ?
You made me promise.

Yeah.

You gotta promise me
one last thing.

Will you do that ?

I might as well.

Want.

Huh ?

Want.

Want what, Grandpa ?

Open your eyes, Grandpa.

I'll hit you hard.

Grandpa ?

I'll hit you hard.

Grandpa ?

Oh, my God.
What is it ?

[ Dog Barking ]
Hey, Pa ?

What did he mean, Ma ?
I promised him one last thing,
but I don't know what it was.

Come on, Pa.
Come on ! Pa !

[ Crying ]

[ Speaking Italian ]

[ Crying Continues ]

[ Uncle Joe ]
You don't wanna hang around
here, Gennaro.

You're too young to start
getting these scenes
stuck in your head.

Go stay at my house, huh ?

Thanks, Grandpa.

[ Grandpa's Voice ]
Hey, Gennaro, you know what
it looks like up here ?

It looks just like La Paloma.