Magic City (2012–2013): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Year of the Fin - full transcript

( theme music playing )

( gasps, panting )

( clicks lighter )

victor, there's a goddamn palm frond
floating in the...

Jesus Christ.

Ike.

Ike:
Hey, where the hell's Danny?

Ike, we got it.

We're handling it.
Don't go out there.

( chanting ) Fair wage, fair work!
Fair wage, fair work!

Easy, Ike, Ike.



You!

Tell Mike Strauss I wanna see him.
Hoffman's 10:00 a.m.

Tell him Fluffy says hi.

( clamoring )

- Come on!
- Ike, come on.

Luther, take him in.

Don't kick!

You can't do this!

( chanting )
Unionize! Unionize!

Unionize! Unionize!
Unionize! Unionize!

Get me another white poodle now
before she wakes up.

vic, make sure it's a girl dog.

- Where's Stevie?
- Sleeping. Didn't you check his room?

Find your brother. The union won't cross
the picket line to deliver my booze,



and I got 1,500 thirsty people
coming in to see Sinatra tonight.

- Get Stevie.
- Okay.

Unionize! Unionize!

Unionize! Unionize!
Unionize...

You, new kid, come here.

- What's your name?
- Ray. Ray Mathis.

Ray-Ray, put your hand here.
Right here.

- What do you feel?
- I feel nothing.

Exactly. Perfumed air
is supposed to blow out

of that nozzle
24 hours a day.

Perfumed?
What does it smell like?

lt smells like the ocean
and new money.

- You get Cecil the engineer, okay?
- Absolutely.

Hey, you ever wonder why
we keep it so cold in here?

- No, sir.
- Goddamn meat locker, right?

So the ladies can wear their furs.
That's our job, Ray-Ray.

- We sell the dream.
- Yes, sir.

And, sir, it's just Ray.

Not anymore.

♪ I know a cat named
Way-Out Willie ♪

♪ He got a cool little chick
named Rockin' Millie ♪

♪ He can walk and stroll
and Susie Q ♪

♪ And do that crazy
hand jive, too ♪

♪ Papa told Willie,
"You gonna ruin my home"... ♪

Stevie, slow down.

I will if you will.

♪ Willie said,
"Papa, don't put me down" ♪

( accelerates )

- ♪ Hand jive, hand jive ♪
- ( horn honks )

♪ Hand jive... ♪

( grunts )

My car, Stevie!

What about my car?

It's... it's fine.
It's just holding its breath.

Stevie. Stevie!

( mandolins playing )

There you go.

Sounded good out there, Pop.

Man:
See you, Arthur.

That Inez has got
some rack on her.

- Arturo.
- They're lovely.

Do you know Inez gives me
a shower every morning?

Sits me on the stool, right?
She soaps me up everywhere.

Both:
Even my privates.

Listen, smart-ass,
heard you're having dog problems.

Good news travels fast.

- I still got a few friends.
- I know.

That's why I'm here.

I was wondering and thinking
that maybe you could talk

to Al Strauss for me.

I know he's retired,
but his son Mikey,

he's a union lawyer now.
I think Mike would listen to him.

Mikey's a pisser like the old man.

The both of them are stubborn as hell.
They won't back down.

Can you just talk to Al for me?

I gotta go meet Mike at Hoffman's.

You handle it. You.

Don't even think about
going to your partners.

Don't. Don't start, Pop.

I don't have partners.
The Miramar is mine.

I see. And Benny Diamond is what,
your new bellboy?

And what brought him down
from Chicago all of a sudden?

He likes Sinatra.
How the hell do I know?

You know. You know.

Don't expect any help
from him.

Those gonifs
only help themselves, Isaac.

I'll see you later, Pop.

Isaac.

Happy New Year.

Yeah.

Happy New Year, Pop.

- ( elevator bell dings )
- ( laughing )

It'll be fun.

Dad?

♪ I... ♪

♪ Would do anything ♪

♪ For ♪

♪ Your love ♪

♪ For your kiss... ♪

Who is it?

Stevie. ls my dad here?

At Hoffman's.

He's in a breakfast meeting.

Spare a cigarette?

Sure.

It's our secret.
Ike thinks I quit.

That's your business.

If he calls, let him know
I'm down at the Atlantis.

Stevie?

ls everything all right?

You know, with the strike
and tonight?

Well, what did he say?

- He says yes.
- Then it is.

Housekeeping.

- Hey.
- Hey.

You're in a great mood.

Yeah, well,
I have to work tonight.

On New Year's?

Sinatra's playing downstairs.

One of us owns the place,
and the other one is a maid.

You're a maid
like I'm a cabana boy.

- Your dad...
- Works for your dad.

I'll see you later.

Be my date tonight.

A date?

- Like a date date?
- Yeah.

No, no.

I don't know.
Just come with me.

What's the big deal?
We're friends, right?

Friends go do things.

Right?

Yeah, absolutely.

I can't go anyhow.

I'll get Stevie
to change your shift.

What?

I don't have anything to wear.

I'll see you at 8:00.

Mike Strauss: You're the biggest.
If you go, the whole strip will go.

And I will go.
We had two goddamn hurricanes this fall

that cost me the High Holidays.
I blew Christmas thanks to you.

Now if I don't make good
on Frank's New Year's run, it's over.

You shut me down, Mike,
then what?

Then maybe the next guy runs
an open shop, Ike.

My people are happy,
all right?

I pay them better
than any hotel on the beach.

They don't want it,
and I don't want it.

I killed myself getting
my own place.

And now I'm gonna make you...
make the union my partner?

Let you tell me what I'm supposed
to pay, how to run my hotel?

I'll be out of business
by summer.

So who do you like
in the Orange Bowl?

We are talking

about my goddamn survival,
Mike.

My hotel, my family.

I will do whatever I have to do
to stay alive.

Do you hear me?

You know what? Fine, fine.

I pull my guys off the line
till midnight, okay?

That gives you the day, okay?
That's the best I can do.

Midnight?

It's goddamn
New Year's Eve, Mike.

Sinatra starts his second show
at midnight.

What the fuck am I
supposed to do in a day?

Unionize.

This could get ugly, Mike.

lt will get ugly.

Give Vera a squeeze for me.

victor.

Get Ricki.

Have her do something at the cabanas
or a fashion show bikini contest.

Comp 'em the shit champagne,
screwdrivers.

Let's keep the lobby clear
in case our friends come back.

Wait a minute.
The strike, they're coming back?

No. I don't know.

Stevie?

You look like shit.

As Grandpa always said,

"You only go around once in life,

and sometimes not even then."

You do know that
your grandfather's insane.

You starting
the usual early?

I always hated New Year's,

even as a kid.

lt seemed like the only people
having a good time were the tourists.

Just couldn't compete with that.

I guess I have my nose
to the glass.

They're back on
at midnight.

Can we stall

and tell 'em we'll vote in the New Year?
lt may get us through the night.

Mike's too smart.
He wants to hit us.

Make an example. The whole town's
watching the Miramar tonight.

He wants to shut us down.

How about this?

How about no fucking way?

Not tonight, not in my joint.

You know who's upstairs
in my goddamn hotel?

- Mr. Frank Sinatra.
- Francis Albert Sinatra

in my presidential suite.

Tonight he's walking out
onto my stage in my hotel

and he's ringing in
my goddamn New Year.

That sounds like a lot of fun.

That sounds like a hell
of a lot of fun.

So basically, you got a warehouse
full of booze sitting in Fort Lauderdale

- and no way to get it in there.
- Not until now.

Where are you gonna find guys
crazy enough to fuck with the union?

Not crazy. Hungry.

Champ.

Thunder and lightning.

Grady, tell my boy here
what you told me.

Some of the fellas,
the boxers at the Sir John,

if I ask them,
they'll drive for y'all.

lt could get messy.

You pay cash,

these guys will park
your whiskey in the lobby.

What are you waiting for?

Right. Let's go, champ.

Stevie, the Miramar
doesn't hire dopers or felons.

( laughs )
I'll do my best.

Man:
It's your call.

Smart move.
Yeah, right off the lobby.

We got a $1,000 limit
on that game.

( knocks )
Bel, it's Ike.

Sure, but if you got the juice you say,
there's the cabana game tonight.

Cabana one.
Next to the ice machine.

Yeah, all night.
That game's no limit.

Sure, right. Okay, fine.

You let me know.

If that momzer's got two nickels
to rub together, I'm a Rockette.

Hey, Ike, I'm dying here.

It's like a morgue.
I had to let Iggy go.

Dead, no action. And it's the season,
for Christ's sakes.

I got ponies, dogs, jai alai.

I got bupkes.

What would you
like me to do, Belvin?

You know what you gotta do.

You gotta talk to our friend.

You gotta cut the head
off this thing.

You can't ask Francis Albert
to walk through that circus tonight.

Somebody's gonna get hurt.

I heard they killed Vera's pup.

Come on now.
That's just wrong.

Totally.

All right, where is he?

Now you're thinking.

He just got back
from his honeymoon.

Ben divorced Doris?

Kind of.
She died in childbirth.

Didn't Ben's first wife die
in childbirth, too?

Yeah, what are the odds?

This new kid's a real beauty.

Whew! Legs to here,

like Cyd Charisse.
Benny's smiling.

- Now's the time to get him.
- ( telephone rings )

- Good luck, kid.
- Thanks, Bel.

Sea Breeze Lingerie.
Fat Tony.

It's a goddamn fruit salad.
How can it take 40 minutes?

This meatloaf is ice cold.
Please.

- What's going on?
- I don't know.

What the fresh hell is this?

Honey, all of the help is gone.
Please do something.

( man speaking Spanish on radio )

Oye!
People, what the hell?

Che has taken Santa Clara.
Havana will be next.

Maria's there.
My Maria is there.

Batista will never let Havana fall.
It'll never happen.

We'll get Maria on a plane tomorrow.
I promise.

We'll get her home.

victor, I need your help out here.
Come on.

( speaking Spanish )

Doorman:
Mr. James.

Boy:
Grady James. Hey, champ.

Grady James,
can I get your autograph, please?

Yeah, sure.
Here. Here you go.

Here we go.

- Can you sign this for me?
- No problem.

Right here. Yeah.

( shouting )

Hey, junior,
why don't you look around?

- Give me five minutes with the fellas.
- Sure.

Bellboy:
Just follow me right through here.

Man:
All right.

( piano playing )

Woman:
♪ The evening breeze ♪

♪ Caressed the trees... ♪

( indistinct chatter )

♪ The trembling trees ♪

♪ Embraced the breeze ♪

♪ Tenderly ♪

♪ And I ♪

♪ Came wandering by ♪

♪ And lost ♪

♪ In a sigh ♪

♪ Were we... ♪

♪ The shore was kissed ♪

♪ By sea and mist ♪

♪ Tenderly ♪

♪ I can't forget ♪

♪ How two hearts met ♪

♪ Breathlessly ♪

♪ Your arms ♪

♪ Opened wide ♪

♪ And closed me ♪

♪ Inside ♪

♪ You took my lips ♪

♪ You took my love ♪

♪ So tenderly. ♪

- Does that work for you, doll?
- Not bad, Miss E,

- for a first pass.
- ( laughs )

I'm Stevie.

Stevie Evans.

Lily.

So...

what's a rich white boy doing

in Overtown
on New Year's Eve day?

You waiting for the ball
to drop?

Yeah.

Exactly.

And?

Has it?

Four...

three...

two...

One.

Hey, did you guys see a really really
pretty white girl come through here?

( laughs ) Not since Elizabeth Taylor
was dogging Nat King Cole.

( laughing )

Forget about the girl, junior.
You just tell us where and when.

The cavalry has arrived.

Woman: You can't have the McGuire##
Sisters sitting all together.

All right, fine, then put Phyllis
between Danny Kaye and Jack Carter.

- Daddy, I want Frankie Avalon.
- Who doesn't, kid?

Joanie Siegel had Frankie Avalon
for her Bat Mitzvah.

Lauren, honey, let's leave
Daddy alone. He's working.

Forget it.
Just forget the whole thing.

I hate you. I don't even
want a damn Bat Mitzvah.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What did you just say?

Hey! Hey,
did she just fucking curse?

Get back here
and apologize to your mother.

- She's not my mother.
- Lauren!

Honey, it's okay. It's okay.
She's just anxious.

Oh. She's anxious?

Well, they pick up on our stress.

Our stress.

Lose Jack Kennedy
and the Lawfords.

Why? They'll love sitting
with Kim Novak.

Lose Novak, too.

Woman: What? That's a great table.
lt took us two weeks...

They canceled. All right,
the strike's all over the news.

We're bleeding here.

( groans )

We'll be fine.

- Yeah, you say so.
- I do.

I'm not worried about one night,
about some party.

Six years ago, this was
all just sand and mosquitoes.

Now it's the Miramar Playa.
You did that.

- Marry me.
- We're already married.

Right, okay. Again.

See how tonight goes.

Shit, I gotta go.

- What about lunch?
- I'll grab something.

Hey, who do you want
at your table tonight?

Um... Cary Grant

and Sal Mineo.

- You get Georgie Jessel.
- Jerk.

- Beauty.
- ( dog growls, barks )

Look at her, honey,
she's acting so weird.

( growls )

Won't come out
when I call her.

They pick up
on our stress.

- ♪ I wanna know ♪
- ♪ You oughta know, do you know? ♪

♪ How it feels,
I wonder how all of it feels ♪

- ♪ I wanna know ♪
- ♪ You oughta know, do you know? ♪

♪ How it feels... ♪

( sighs )

- Everything all right?
- Yeah, why?

Why? You, the beach?

ls Bel's cabana game
set for tonight?

Yeah, I'm seeing him at 4:00.

Oh, fucking sand.

A necklace of bubbes.

Stevie: That's what Mom
used to call 'em.

When you met Mom,

saw her for the first time.

I mean,
was it like that thing,

like in the movies
where you just know,

bang, she's the one?

No.

That came after.
And it did happen.

Your mother,

Stevie, she was the love
of my life, but not like that.

Not that way.

What you're talking about,

that only happened with Vera.

Do you know,
the first time I saw v,

I actually forgot how
to breathe.

You know that feeling?

Congratulations,

you poor son of a bitch.

Hey, Stevie?

Vera's everything to me.

- Look, it's been crazy.
- Make it work with her.

After we get through tonight,
everything will be cool.

- Call me after you talk to Cuda.
- Will do.

Man:
Okay, here's the drill.

On stage, no flowers,
no perfume.

Jack and water on the piano.

Shecky does a tight 15 to open,
not a second more.

Stick all the blondes in the front.
Keep the air on high.

- He likes it cold.
- Done.

Send him something light
for dinner.

Spaghetti marinara, no meat,
like around 6:00, okay?

And I'll send somebody up
with our list

- in about an hour.
- Okay.

Are we okay tonight?

Okay? We are magic.
Pure magic.

'Cause if he sees any empties,

one empty seat,
he walks.

Square business, Ike.

Frank is gone
and you are done.

You tell Frank
there are no empties.

- We are standing room only.
- You better be.

Thanks, Jilly.

- ( buzzes )
- Get Mike Strauss for me now.

( intercom buzzes )

- Mike.
- So did you come to your senses?

You have to call off your strike
till after Sinatra's run.

I have to?

I will revisit the union vote
in a week.

One week. I promise.

You guys come back at midnight
tonight and I am finished.

That's the whole point, Ike.
We strike when it hurts the most.

I will lose everything.

You know me, Mike.
I'm not gonna let that happen.

I will not let you do this.

You know that sounds distinctly
like a threat.

It's the truth.

Well, then, my friend,

I guess we both do what
our conscience tells us to do.

Ike:
Thank you.

( laughs )

Sorry.

I soaked your shoes.

Cooled me off.
Ike Evans.

Lily Augustine Diamond.

It's a pleasure, Mrs. Diamond.

Mr. Evans.
Of course, from the Miramar.

- You have a son, right?
- Two, actually. Danny and Stevie.

I hope I'll be seeing you
at our Sinatra show tonight.

Absolutely.
I wouldn't miss it.

Get your eyes
back in your head.

Come here.

- Ben.
- Ike.

Sit down.

Catch a few rays.

Relax.

So, Ben, I was sorry
to hear about Doris.

I'm still in mourning.

Remember the day
that you, me, and Do

went out to the 'Glades,

out to your quarry,

and she looked into that hole, where
you were digging out all that coral?

- Limestone.
- Limestone, right.

Yeah, for your hotel lobby.

She asked you how deep
the water was.

And you said...

- Bottomless.
- Bottomless.

Bottomless.

Parked a lot of cars
down there, kid.

Limestone. Coral.

Marble.

You spent a lot on that palace
of yours, huh?

What's your monthly nut over there?
What do you owe?

You know what I owe, Ben.

Humor me.

$65,000.

A month?
Every month?

( whistles )
And you come up with that?

How about this month?
How about right now?

Have you got 65 Gs
on you right now?

I'm back two days,

and already I hear
you got union problems.

I need your help tonight.

I'd like you to talk
to Mike Strauss.

I'm not in the fucking union,
so what do you want from me?

Right.

What'll it take?
What do you want?

The rest and a half.
I want the rest.

No.

- What did you say?
- I said no.

- The Miramar is...
- Mine!

Mine.

Fine.

You take it.

And you know what the Miramar
is worth without me running it?

It's a pile of sand,
silverware, and towels.

You get half of what you put in,
but you take it...

you fucking choke on it.

Hey.

Come here.

You cut yourself.

Jesus.

You're very, very
highly strung these days.

You oughta relax.
I'm serious.

Why don't you go home?

Kiss that pretty shiksa wife
of yours for me.

Have a drink.

I'll see you later.

Isaac.

Did you ever hear the story
about the frog and scorpion?

No, Ben.

The scorpion begs the frog

to carry it across the river.

And the frog says, "No, no.

If I carry you,
you'll sting me to death."

And the scorpion says,
"Oh, come on, Froggy.

If I sting you,
we'll both drown."

So the frog lets the scorpion
hop on its back.

Halfway across the river,

the scorpion whips his stinger

into the frog's ass.

While the frog is sinking
and they're both gonna drown,

the frog says,
"But why? Why?"

- You know what the scorpion says?
- What?

"It's in my nature."
In the end, Ike,

we are who we are.

And I want more.

That's what I've always wanted.
I've always wanted more.

Think about that

as we swim across the river
of life together.

( knocks on door )

- Hi, Stevie.
- Ladies.

- Welcome to the Miramar.
- Thank you.

Are you ready
to meet the richest,

best-looking, most famous guys
in the world?

- Yes.
- Oh, yeah.

You ready to meet millionaires
and movie stars?

You ladies are beauty.

You're sex.
You're every man's dream.

And you are
the Miramar Playa's gift

to 1959.

- You'll make us proud, girls?
- Yes, sir.

- Woman: All right.
- Oh, make us rich.

Bye, Stevie.

Look what the cash dragged in.

Granny.

Judi, babe.

Oh, Judi, babe.

Behave or you'll work
at a fun fair.

Miss Silver, you kill me.

Prove it, lover.

"Never ride the working stock."

- Ike Evans.
- Oh, yeah.

Cuda, get Miss Silver
a very dry,

a very cold gin martini

- with two pearl onions.
- Cuda: Got it.

He remembers.

Cuda: Stevie.

I'm gonna need you
for the night.

I've been waiting my whole life
to hear you say that.

( sighs )

How is everything?
Are we okay?

Mrs. Evans,

we are beautiful.

Por favor.

Ugh! Cut it out.

Can somebody get Fluffy
off my sweater?

- She's getting it all...
- Fluffy?

I'm not kidding.
She keeps growling at me.

Now she's really
acting weird, honey.

Come, babe.

Hey, Lauren, if you're gonna keep
wearing skirts that short,

you better start
shaving your legs.

Dad.

( Judi laughs )

Man:
Mmm!

( creaking )

Judi:
Do you like that?

( Mike panting )

( moaning )

- ( gun cocks )
- ( screaming )

No! Stop!

No! No!
Get off me!

Somebody help!
No, no!

No!

Get off!
Oh, my God!

Somebody help!
Oh, my God!

- ( jazz music playing )
- ( patrons chattering )

Fact or fiction?

Somebody once told me

that whatever you're doing
at the stroke of midnight

on New Year's Eve

tells you what your whole year
will be like.

It's just 10:00.

Well, it's midnight somewhere.

Who are you?

The wrong woman.

Now you tell me.

Are we good?

Oh, yeah.

Rousted a few local pickpockets

and a couple of working girls
from your causeway.

Our friends from
the Justice Department

are here to count heads.

Speaking of which,

- I'll be around.
- Thank you, vincent.

( Ben laughs )

Good night.

- Don't mention it.
- Where's the missus?

Oh, powdering her nose.

( moaning )

- Dad, you know Mercedes.
- Since birth.

- You look beautiful, honey.
- Thank you.

What are you doing
with this yutz, huh?

- Hey, Dad.
- Hey, kid.

- Where's Stevie?
- He'll show.

Relax. You did it.

Announcer:
And now, ladies and gentlemen,

please welcome
to Ike Evans' world famous

Miramar Playa Hotel...
Mr. Frank Sinatra!

( big band music playing )

♪ I've got the world ♪

♪ On a string ♪

♪ Sitting on a rainbow ♪

♪ Got the string around ♪

♪ My finger ♪

♪ What a world, what a life ♪

♪ I'm in love ♪

♪ I got a song that I sing ♪

♪ I can make the rain go ♪

♪ Anytime I move my finger ♪

♪ Lucky me ♪

♪ Can't you see I'm in love? ♪

♪ Life is a beautiful thing ♪

♪ As long as I hold the string ♪

♪ I'd be a silly so-and-so ♪

♪ If I should ever let it go ♪

♪ I got the world
on a string ♪

♪ Sitting on a rainbow ♪

♪ Got the string
around my finger ♪

♪ What a world, what a life ♪

♪ I'm in love ♪

♪ Life is a beautiful thing ♪

♪ As long
as I hold the string ♪

♪ I'd be a silly so-and-so ♪

( singing, music fading )
♪ If I should ever let it go... ♪

Yeah, it's me Mike.

Call it off.

Call off the strike now.

Yeah, pull all our guys.
It's over.

Yeah.

Crowd:
Five, four,

three, two, one!
( cheering )

( "Auld Lang Syne" playing )

( Tv playing indistinctly )

Newscaster: His departure touched off
wild rejoicing in the capital.

And the temper
of the throne changed

and an ugly mob
razed the street,

its prime targets, the symbols
of the overthrown regime.

Ike:
Couldn't sleep.

Sleep's overrated.

We made it.

Yes, we did.

( glasses clink )

♪ Moon over Miami... ♪

Happy New Year.

♪ So we can stroll up ♪

♪ Beside the roll ♪

♪ Of the rolling sea ♪

♪ Moon over Miami ♪

♪ Shine on as we begin ♪

♪ A dream or two ♪

♪ That may come true ♪

♪ As the tide ♪

♪ lt comes in ♪

♪ Hark to the song ♪

♪ Of a smiling troubadour ♪

♪ Hark to the throbbing guitar ♪

♪ Hear how the waves ♪

♪ Offer thunderous applause ♪

♪ After each song ♪

♪ To the stars ♪

♪ I say, moon over Miami ♪

♪ You know we're waiting for ♪

♪ A little love ♪

♪ A little kiss ♪

♪ On Miami ♪

♪ Shore. ♪

( music continues )