Miami Vice (1984–1989): Season 5, Episode 15 - Over the Line - full transcript

RICO: (SIGHS) I wonder
why the people in the dope
business are never on time?

SONNY: Well, just
think about it this way.

If it was easy,
anybody could do it.

(SIGHS)

Hope this ding-dong
shows up pretty soon.
I'm starvin'.

Here we go,
here we go, here we go.

Tommy T.'s looking fat.

Change in employers
must agree with him.

I wish we knew who was
signing the checks.

Time to play our
favorite game, Rico.

(COCKING GUN)



Turn 'em and burn 'em.

You're so sure that
Tommy T.'s gonna roll over
on his source?

We'll find out when
our backup gets here.

You take the back,
I'll take the front.

I hope it's soon.

Whoever it is
is real slick.

You running for the man?

Not today.

Today is
an individual effort.

I just thought you
was bigger-time, mano.

(LAUGHS)

Time is on my side, home.

Maybe we got time
to give them a taste.

Love to. But I got
other business, man,



with my new padrone.
Very heavy.

(SINGING)
Dr. Dinky brings the news

The cops are on the way

Oh, the heat is moving in
So the bad boys better split

Let's go!

Come on.
Come on!

Stop!

Stop it!

Stop, I said!
Miami Vice! Hold it!

Stop the...

(GRUNTS)

You all right?

Yeah.
Except for one thing.

What's that?

(TIRES SCREECHING)

I didn't get to
order an ice cream.

At least you didn't lose
your sense of humor.

MARTIN: These are
hard numbers, Richard.

The department's fat.

Some places, maybe.

Across the board.
I need your support on this.

I want old-fashioned cops
doing an old-fashioned job,
you know?

Tough, honest, but fair.

I mean,
there's no need to spend
millions more each year

if we can just motivate.

You've decided to run.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, maybe. But just
County Supervisor,
not mayor.

This is a tricky time
for South Florida, Marty.

It's a tricky time for us.

So don't start with me about
these cuts being political.

We're just not
lean and mean anymore.

These cuts will do
the department good.

And another thing,

no more desk jobs for anyone.
That includes me.

I want to be known as
the kind of police captain

that makes an occasional
collar himself,
once in a while.

So what do you think?

I think we're in
the middle of a war.

Exactly.

You don't fight wars
with PR, Richard.

Oh, Marty. Check!

Okay, we know that
Dr. Dinky tipped Tommy T.

But who tipped Dr. D.?

Want my guess?
The March Hare.

Or the little old lady
who lives in the shoe.

Sketch artist
came up with these

from the description
Tubbs gave of the driver.

Get it over to Dr. Dinky
and see if he still
works there.

Well, we won't have to.
I got a call from auto theft.

The truck was stolen.

Oh, great.
So Tommy T. Goes
along his merry way?

And we're no closer
to the supplier,
or who flushed us.

We have to push harder
to find out who Tommy T.
Is working for.

The connection
will come together.

In the meantime, look at
the inter-department memo.

Are you...
Are you kiddin' with this?

More budget cuts?

GINA: Unbelievable.

How are we supposed
to do our jobs without
any resources, Lieutenant?

Oh, sure we are.
We're supposed to
make the same buys,

only we only get
$10 front money,
is that right?

'Cause the politicians
like Highsmith down there,

they think we do it
with mirrors anyway.

It won't come to that.

I don't believe this.

We're having
a tough enough time

dealing with the slime
out there in the street
as it is.

I understand your
frustration, Sonny.

Captain Highsmith had
some very definite views
on the matter.

Oh, yeah?

Well, maybe Slick
would like to come out
of his mink-lined office

and live with us
in the gutter out here
for a week.

He can pass those out
as party favors.

With all due respect,
Lieutenant,

but how many times
have we talked about

how much of a difference
it would make

if we just had a couple
more people on the street?

So you're telling us,
besides the hiring freeze,

we've gotta cut
back on expenses.
We can't do that.

We're up against too much
money out there as it is.

We can't do it.

We can still do our jobs.
We have to.

Yeah, sure.

Why don't we just go ahead
and cuff our hands
behind our back?

That ought to fix it.

Ladies, ladies,

what are you doing
to your poor bodies?

Get lost.

You are ruining your skins!

"The ultra-neon rays
are destroying the
epidermal cortex as we speak."

I beg you to cease
before it is too late.

Epidermal what?

The epidermal cortex.

"The layer of skin that
produces the vital bodily oils

"to ensure
youthful appearance.

"Open the suit..."

I beg you, if you are going to
expose yourselves in this way,

use this.

Repti-Gel? Yuck!

Repti-Gel.

The secret lotion developed
by the Aztecs Indians
over 500 years ago.

What's in it?

Let me put it this way.

Have you ever seen
a sunburned snake?

Yeah, I'm lookin' at one.

Ah, my silent partners
from Tampa.

The Conquistador brothers.

Hey, I almost had
a sale going there.

Excuse us, ladies.

What's in
this stuff, lzz?

Certain reptilian
fluids

that patent restrictions
prevent me from
revealing further.

Another scam,
lzzy?

No, a certain zookeeper
got together

with a chemist
of my acquaintance,

and just like Bill Walsh
and Joe Montana

in the Super Bowl
closing seconds,

before you can say,
"Be ready to come off
your primary receiver

"on a 20 Halfback
Curl X-Up."

Touchdown!

In the field
of cosmetics,

Repti-Gel.

Uh-huh.

Speaking of reptiles,
give me the lowdown
on Tommy T.

Oh, the T-Man. Well, I...
Who's he hanging with?

The T-Man? Well, I...

I hear he knows
Dr. Dinky.

(SNICKERS)

Maybe we ought to have the FDA
have a look at this, huh?

That sounds
like a good idea.
They could probably

come up with some
interesting information

about what the ingredients
are in this thing.

An unconfirmed report tells me
that Tommy T. And his pals

have no idea why Dr. Dinky
tried to take a spear
for him yesterday.

Names, lzzy, now.

I hear that Tommy has been
taken in under the wing
of Reginald Hawkins,

who is also in the dark
as to the ice cream man.

Reginald Hawkins,
I know that name.

He's a big-time dealer
from New York.

Oh.

So he's come south
for a little fun
and action, eh?

Let's give him some.

Don't get snakebit.

I suggested a bingo pick,

but Montana told me
to shut up, so, you know...

Mr. Reginald Hawkins,
I presume.

What's shaking, baby?

I know you?

Well, not yet.
My name's Burnett.

This is my partner,
Ricardo Cooper.

I never heard
of either of you.

Goodbye.

Fine, fine,
fine, fine, fine.
We'll leave.

But then we'll
have to pay top dollar

to some other
enterprising smuggler.

You got one minute,
so talk fast.

Like I said,
we'll pay top dollar

for as much as you can
get your hands on.

But it's gotta be here
in the next week.

I don't dig deadlines,
Burnett.

You see, it's been
my experience that
businessmen in a hurry

are usually
businessmen in trouble.

(CHUCKLING)

Reggie, in our business?
Come on.

You know what I think?

I think you don't got nothing.

That's what I think.

That's not to say
we shouldn't be expedient.

(WHISPERING)

You stay here.
Both of you.

(WHISPERING) Tommy T...

Well, now the word is
you guys ripped off
some friends of mine.

So I don't know,
maybe I should kill you,

and do the world
a favor.

Get out.

SONNY: You're kidding me.
RICO: I don't get it.

That guy shows up
in the ice cream truck,
and then with Hawkins.

He's gotta know
we're cops.

So how come he didn't
blow our cover?

Something hinky.
Maybe he's Fed. DEA.

Oh, no, Sonny.

They've blown busts
for us before,
but not like this.

I'll tell you one thing,
partner, we're gonna
have to find out.

MAN: Be cool.
Don't try anything.

Let's go.

Get in.

STEVENS: We've been
watching you for some time,

and we're very impressed
with your performance.

SONNY: Well,
isn't that special?

But before you
pass out the Oscars,
who the hell are you?

We're not your enemies,
Crockett.

We're law enforcement,
just like you.

(SIGHS)

I doubt that.

But we are.

And like you,
we're sick of murderers

being turned back
out on the streets

by enlightened
governments.

And rapists walking into court
with more rights
than their victims.

And 12-year-olds
wasting themselves
on crack

that some two-bit dictator
traded to some right-wing
arms merchant

for the technology that we
needed to stop the flow
in the first place.

But most of all,
we're sick of never getting
to the scum on the top.

Yeah, we're very
tired of that,
and so are you.

Spencer Rivas.
Arrested 19 times,
11 indictments.

Six pleas,
four dismissals,
one conviction.

Still running the largest
child prostitution ring
in South Florida.

Julius "Tookie" Jackson.

Arrested 21 times
for rape and battery,

but his real job
is killing people.

Nine confirmed hits,
and not a minute of hard time
done for any of them.

He's still out
on the streets.

William Lurie.
A true psychopath.

In and out
of the county facilities
four times in the last year.

Probably the biggest
crack dealer between
here and Hallendale.

Just three examples.
But the point is,

the criminal justice system
needs to be supplemented,

like an athlete
supplements his diet
to become stronger.

Sounds like you're
pushing some kind of
vigilante steroids, Jack.

Our best weapon
is information.

We collect it carefully
and use it carefully,

surgically
when necessary,

to make sure that
a certain criminal element

isn't taken out of the game
too early,

before we can nail them.

It's all in the timing.

So far,
ours has been
pretty good.

Then it was your guys
who played the ice cream man.

Yeah, and Dr. Dinky's driver
is pushing popsicles
with Hawkins.

We have certain resources.

You'd be surprised how anxious
people are to help us out
with a vehicle

or a place to meet,
once they understand
our agenda.

You wanna cut
the Fu Manchu routine?

Who the hell
are you people?

You'll hear from us,
Detective.

Oh, really?

What if we decide
to turn you in?

STEVENS:
Turn who in?

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

So how did you like
my private fairway?

It's not bad.

But I'll pay you enough money,
you can buy yourself
a whole golf course.

(CHUCKLES) Money?

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

Everybody got
lots of money.

For me, money is
just another commodity.

And it's not a commodity
that will help make
this deal for you.

Guns.

Guns are much more interesting
to the investors in my country
than money.

You want guns?
That's no problem.

Really, Se?or Hawkins?

How soon?

Well, how's 48 hours sound?

It sounds very good.
And plastique?

Plastique is also
very exciting.

You make me out
a shopping list,

and I'll fill it
in 48 hours.

I will be in touch.

You made the man a promise.
Now you gotta keep it.

And we ain't got gun one,
not to mention plastique.

Now, you see, Johnny,
that's why I am in charge

and you're selling
ice cream bars.

Hey, like,
what are you saying?

I'm sayin' it's as easy
as one-two-three,

because, you see, you
and my eager assistant
over here

are going to
steal it for me.

RICO: Are you sure
the caller was the same guy?

SONNY:
I recognized his voice.

He said to be here at 2:00
for a demonstration.

Looks like the only way
we're gonna nail
these turkeys

is to play along.

MAN: Get in.

They're gonna take
this joint off, yeah?

MAN: Just watch.

RICO: The guard's a dead man.

MAN: Don't interfere.

JOHNNY: Shut up!

Come on, quick!

(GROANS)

Let's go,
let's move it!

On the double.

Come on, come on.

Let's go.

STEVENS: (ON SPEAKER)
Like I told you before,
we're not your enemies.

Okay, so you want to cut
the Mysterioso routine?

Victor Escalante
is sitting on a huge
shipment of cocaine,

but he won't move it for cash
because his people back home
in Panama

can make twice as much
if he flips it for guns.

Old news, pal.
We've been workin'
Escalante for two years.

Exactly.

And you'll still
be working him
this time next year

unless somebody
gets smart.

Do it our way.

We take them down,
they stay down.

Make sense so far?

I'm listening.

Don't underestimate us,
Crockett.

We're not a formal group.

We have no name,
no organizational chart,
no secret passwords.

But we've been around
for a long time,

and there are more of us
than you think.

We want you to join us.

But know this
before you decide.

If you say
you're not with us,

we'll just pull over
and let you out.

But if you say
you're in,

and we show
ourselves to you,

there's never any
getting out.

We're not a bunch
of crazy vigilantes.

We're good cops who do
whatever has to be done.

In or out?

I gotta tell you,

I never thought
I'd find myself
in this spot.

But now that I'm here,

it feels pretty good.

Tubbs?

Yeah, okay. I'm in.

Walter Stevens.

I'm a sergeant in
statistical analysis.

This is my organization.

And my life.

SONNY: Damn, Marty, you always
bring me to the nicest joints.

MARTIN: This is the only
safe place we can talk.

I'm having our offices
swept this afternoon.

TUBBS: The problem is,
Lieutenant, we could
take 'em now, but if we do...

SONNY: Yeah, if we do,
we don't get 'em all.

I'm really afraid
of this one.

Someone could
really get hurt.

SONNY: Yeah, but if we
don't move, we'll be doing
exactly what they're doing.

But then we do that
all the time, don't we?

It's just on a smaller scale,
so we don't think about it.

You're right.
We let people get away
with little things,

as long as it
serves our purpose.

Like with lzzy.

We wink at his little scams
as long as he can

trade 'em in
for something bigger.

Yeah, but it's always
a matter of degree.

So how do we play it,
Lieutenant?

I always felt
that there was a line
that you never stepped over.

Yeah, but I'll tell you,
that line's getting
damn hard to see,

even when you're
lookin' for it.

What do you
wanna do, Marty?

We'd have to try
to get them all.

Try to get inside
as far as you can.

Don't let anyone
get hurt.

Man, I hated that.

I mean, I'm a cop,
and I'm out there
running with guys

when I should be
busting them.

It's not right.

I know how it feels,
Johnny, believe me.

But we can't afford
to be sentimental.

We know that we're doing
the right thing.

You know,
I don't know anymore.

What are we doing?

I mean, maybe it's
not too late to try it
by the book.

Wrong, kid.

We'd lose Escalante.

Let me tell you
somethin' about him.

Two years ago,
when Escalante got on
the dope-for-guns circuit,

he thought this
Contra arms dealer
had crossed him.

So he decided
he'd hit him.

He did,
in a shopping mall.

Eleven innocent people
caught slugs,

including
a three-year-old girl.

He didn't do one minute's
jail time for that.

And God knows
what kind of death squads
and terrorism

he's locked into
in Central America.

So before you pull out,
you might want
to think about that.

I hear you,
but I just can't...

Johnny, we need you.

We've all got to do
whatever has to be done.
That's the bottom line.

Yeah.

Sure.

(SIGHS) Don't you
just love this gig?

I just talked a guy out
of bein' a good cop in there,

so I could get
next to Stevens.

You had to do it, partner.

Yeah, I know.

So why do I feel
like I wanna puke?

You're a good cop, Johnny.

All I ever
wanted to be.

I don't know.

I had this partner.

He was okay.

He got killed six months after
we were out of the academy.

A low-rent PCP dealer
blows him away
from behind a door.

The public defender
gets the creep off.

No warrant.
Just like that.

That's when I met Stevens.

He was great.

He showed me how to
take the guy down.

You know what we did?

We planted two bags
of heroin on him.

Put him away
for 15 years.

Then he got killed
two months ago in prison.

I felt real bad.

So do you still think
I'm a good cop, Rico?

Maybe there are no
bad cops, Johnny.

Just cops who've
seen too much.

I liked what you told Johnny
back there, Crockett.

Good work.

Yeah.

I'll tell you something
that might surprise you.

I started out undercover,
and I was pretty good.

Fit right on in
with the lowlife.

Till one night
I took a.22 right here.

(CHUCKLES)

My sight got very bad
for a while.

I started to have headaches.

Became clinically depressed.

Gradually my eyes got better,
and they put me to work
in records.

I figured I'd work hard
and get back out
on the street.

Put in for transfer
after transfer.

Then one day I called up

my confidential personnel
files on the computer.

Know what it said?

"Displays little
leadership potential."

The department's
conviction rate
is about 10%,

and I've got little
leadership potential.

So I started keeping
my own personnel files

on everybody
in the department.

Then I started to recruit
for my own operations.

We can do it, Sonny.

Create our own justice.

Really enforce
and protect.

Yeah.

I'm beginning to see
what you mean.

You haven't
seen anything yet.

Just wait till you see
who some of our players are.

(RINGS DOORBELL)

Just what you
gentlemen wanted.

C4 plastique.

Very big
in Nicaragua, too.

Good morning, ma'am.
We're gathering signatures

in support of
Richard Highsmith
for County Supervisor.

Who?
Police Captain
Richard Highsmith, ma'am.

We know
as a law-abiding citizen

you appreciate
what he's done
to make Miami safer.

Hey, look, I can't talk now.
My game show's on.

Yes, ma'am.
Now, if you'll just
add your signature

to his legion
of supporters, please.

Ripped this off some
construction site
in Orlando.

I had to change the packaging,
so it's nice and safe for you.

That's very thoughtful.

You're right.
So lay some bread on me.

COP: Thank you
for your time.

You're light two grand.

You're overcharging.
I checked.

Hey, hey, hey,
that's not the way
I do business.

Cops! Let's split!

You set us up!

Other way around, man.

No, it's not a bust!

Hey!

(TIRES SCREECHING)

They need
an ambulance.

The call can't
come from us.

They'll want to know
why we were here,

why we didn't
do something.

But we did do something,
didn't we?

It's all set up.
Hawkins got the plastique,

the deal will
come down tonight.

Yeah, well, fine.

But I'm gonna
phone it in anyway.

As a citizen.

Yeah, and the deal
will come down tonight

and we'll be there.

Yeah, there's been a shooting
of some police officers.

You gotta hurry.

COP: All right,
somebody get over there.

I want every neighbor
talked to, all right?

I wanna know
if anyone saw this.

We'll get 'em tonight,
Lieutenant.

It won't bring
that man's life back.

You can't
blame yourself.

Yes, I can,
and I do.

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Martin, what the hell's
going on here?

A plastiques buy.

Two off-duty officers
stumbled in on it.

One's dead,
the other one's in
critical condition.

Oh, God.

Can we make an arrest?

We have a problem.

Well, that's for damn sure.

It's internal.
Bad cops.

How long have you known?

Too long.

You mean
you let this happen?

I had a choice to make,
and I made it.

Well, it was a damn
lousy choice, Marty.

All right, Marty,
what's your next move?

It comes down tonight.
We take them all.

Oh, you better take 'em.

And I want to know
who's involved and how,
down to the last person.

Straight? Right?

STEVENS:
You didn't shoot them.

So what?
I might as well have.

They're dead because of us.

Don't you understand
we're cops,

and we just let some
punk dealer kill two cops.

So what do we say
to their families, huh?

"Sorry. We were after
bigger game."

I understand your feelings,
your pain,

but three hours from now
it will all have been
worth it.

I'd give my life for what
we're trying to do,
and so would you.

Maybe.

But I won't kill
innocent people.

Maybe I'm just
too weak for that.

I know
how you feel, kid.

It hurts.

JOHNNY: No.

You don't.

And don't try to
change my mind again.

It won't work.
Look where it got me.

I quit. I'm out.
I'm leaving.

Johnny,

you don't know
what you're doing.

Yes, I do. I'm out.

Okay. It's all right.

I understand.

As long as you
never say a word.

You understand?

You know I won't.

I'm sorry, Walter.
I respect you,
but I just can't hack it,

that's all.

It's okay.

I'll leave
as soon as I pack.

RICO: Look, you don't
have to do this, Johnny.

I'm sorry, Rico,
but I have to.

No, man.

Listen.

You can make it.

Stay with us
just for tonight.

I can't do it.

I'm not happy about
what happened to those men.

But damn it,
when you lead,
you've got to make decisions.

You've got to make rules
and enforce them,

or you accomplish nothing.

They're all so damn weak.
They talk about justice,

but when it gets down
to the crunch, few men
have the heart to do the job.

Yes. I see.

My dad tried to
put together a little
Park 'n Shop center.

But the money boys,

the developers
destroyed him.

He didn't have a chance.

Just before he died,
he told me

that I should
become a policeman.

So that one day
I'd set the rules straight,
for him,

and everyone else like him
who ever got a bad deal.

My dear, dumb old dad.

Hey, Johnny,
so long, pal.

(GUN FIRES)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Everything okay?

Yeah,
he's just waiting.

(I'M LIFE PLAYING)

Okay, everybody knows
what to do.

Move in.

Freeze!
Everybody, on the ground.

Get down! Move, move!
Don't twitch.

Drop 'em!

The guns, now.

Put your hands
behind your head.

Move to the house,
quick. Move it!

If they move,
shoot 'em.

RICO: Move it!

TRUDY: Come on,
get in there, move it!

This is not good.

So now what?

Freeze!

I believe we should
call our lawyers.

I said freeze!

(I'M LIFE CONTINUES PLAYING)

(GUN FIRING)

New rules?

What, do you think
I'm stealing this?

Don't you know me
by now, Crockett?

I'm confiscating this
for the organization,
to fund our operations.

Where do you think
we get our money from,
the City Council?

You're under arrest, Stevens.
Put your hands on the car.

Let's make a deal.

Deals are in
Crockett's rules,
aren't they?

You may think you know
everything about
the organization,

but you don't.

There are a lot of people
very high up involved.

Serious people
that you don't...

Put your hands
on the car. Now.

(YELLS)

You all right,
Crockett?

What are you doing?

Saving your life.

But he wasn't
gonna shoot me.

That's not the way
it looked to me.

What the hell
are you talking about?

Come on, man.

I saved your life,
and this is my thanks?

The citizens of Miami know
I am not soft on crime.

As a matter of fact,
earlier this evening,

I personally
conducted an operation

which resulted
in the confiscation

of at least
a half a million dollars
worth of illegal drugs,

and up to an equal amount
in illegal weapons.

But much more importantly,

I've taken off the street,

for good,

those people responsible

for the death of a 15-year
police veteran.

Now, I cannot
give you more details
at this point in time

because of
ongoing operations,
but I can assure

every man, woman and child
in Dade County

that I will continue to do
whatever has to be done

to put an end to this
scourge of drugs.

Thank you.

Whatever it takes.