The Deuce (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Why Me? - full transcript
A police crackdown on prostitution creates an opportunity for Bobby and Vincent.
That movie you had me make
with that John?
I don't think nobody paid us except for that John.
I'ma look into it.
Make sure we ain't get took advantage of.
There's been a change.
Something about community standards.
What about community standards?
Apparently, New York has none.
Hey.
- In the van, sweet pea. - Whoa!
- Hey! - On what charge?
Soliciting.
You know, I've been reading about the testimony
that went over to the Knapp Commission.
Is it true?
The pad?
I wouldn't know.
Put your name on nothin'. Whether we fund for this,
I want no one made, no one who's family.
Don't get left holding that bag.
What the fuck do I know about a massage parlor?
I don't- So, you'll learn!
Hey, Rochelle.
All right.
Fucking smokes.
Hard at work.
How about I speak for both of us, okay?
- Nobody got fucking on the brain. - Uh-uh.
- Shit. - Vincent, what's the word?
Girls look like they're freezing out there.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat
nor gloom of night stays them courtesans.
Yo, Vince, who the cop?
My brother-in-law, Bobby.
For real?
I smell bacon.
Enough with the cop shit.
All right, look, guys, I need some girls.
All right? Three if you can swing it.
Starting tonight. Three more by tomorrow.
What, you some kind of Superman?
Nah, come on. Look, I got the place all set up, ready to go.
I need day and night shifts.
Vincent, what the fuck you talking about?
- The parlor. - The parlor?
I mean, Frankie talked to you, right?
He said something about something.
Thought the joker was joking.
No, it's real.
Hand my girls to you?
You're not a pimp, barman.
- Stick to the stick, you'll live longer. - Preach!
Look at them standing out there.
I'm offering you no more standing out in the cold and snow,
coughing and sneezing.
Yeah, how about you, Lurch? You get cold?
Or you one of them undead motherfuckers that don't feel it?
Say one more thing.
Look, all right, all right, look.
How about no more getting ripped off by scumbags?
Some john steps out of line, he catches a beating.
We handle everything.
Best of all: no more busts.
- We're protected. - So, you think you can mack, Vince?
No, I'm hardly gonna be there.
Yeah? So, who's gonna be looking after the candy store?
I am.
- Shit. - Oh, man.
- For real? - Now I'm curious.
What you gonna give us for our women?
Give you?
No, you're gonna pay me.
All right, let me explain.
Man, get the fuck outta here.
Now.
It's 414 W. 42, just down the street.
Just come check it out.
- That's all. - Motherfucker.
- That's bullshit. - Walk the walk, ladies.
That went well.
Patience, brother, patience.
Sisters
Brothers and the whiteys
Blacks and the crackers
Police and their backers
They're all political actors
But they don't know
There can be no show
And if there's hell below
We're all gonna go, go, go, go, go, go
Everybody praying
And everybody saying
But when come time to do
Everybody's laying
Just talking about don't worry, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry
They say, "Don't worry, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry"
They say, "Don't worry, worry
Worry, worry, worry, worry"
They say, "Don't worry, worry
Worry, worry, worry, worry."
We're shooting in five, all right?
- You look good. - Thanks.
- Feel good? Yeah? - Yeah.
So, what's the plan for this one?
The plan is...
you bang the shit out of each other, and then everybody comes.
- Jeez, Harvey. - Wing it with the dialogue.
Nothing avant-garde, please.
And, you know, just keep talking dirty
about how much you want his dick.
Harvey, hey, let me ask you something.
So, you make your prints,
you'll get paid by, what, number of sales, percentage of profits?
Are you actually telling me we don't get any of that?
Yeah, well, it's complicated.
Try me.
What do you want, Candy?
You want fucking royalties?
You want residuals? What?
Here you go.
All right, I'll tell you what, I'll throw you another $50.
All right? That's a pretty fair bump.
- Anyway, you're welcome. - Thank you.
Yeah, hold on.
At least you're in the movies now.
You're not selling ass out there in the trenches.
You're an entertainer, Miss Merrell.
All right. Adriana, you ready?
All right, don't look so enthused.
- Before we get to the readouts
and the random bullshit that are piled before me,
I have some actual news.
Uh-oh.
As we are approaching the end of the year,
it is time for our semiannual housecleaning,
where we restore the 14th Precinct to a previous glory
the likes of which none of us have ever actually known.
Street sweeps.
This year, however, the bosses in their wisdom
have asked that we pay particular attention
to the high-heeled army
that marches along 8th and 9th Avenues,
as well as their managerial component.
Fuck the fuckin' whores already.
No, no, no, no.
No, Patrolman Flanagan.
The whores of Times Square will be decidedly unfucked
from now until the holidays.
So much so that your commanders
do not want to see a single pross
standing on any street corner
in the precinct.
Everybody goes in the wagon.
Every corner, every tour.
And the pimps - throw any charge you can at them.
You don't have charges,
you can write up their over-chromed wonders and tow them off.
We're gonna spend the next two weeks
making the 14th uninhabitable to the pussy trade.
Two weeks?
Hey, these are the orders from on high.
I'm making a career out of this.
As of today and until New Year's,
actual paid overtime will flow
for court time on all prostitution arrests.
- Hell, yes! Why didn't you say so?
Okay?
Behold, gentlemen, your holiday bonus.
- All right, let's get to the felonies.
Hey, I'm Candy.
- Peter. How you doing, Candy? - Good. You?
All right, what are we waiting for?
Let's turn the lights back on.
I went down on a guy once
after eating a really spicy...
Miss McGillicutty, you taste like pussy.
I do?
Like delicious pussy?
Fuck, I can see I'm gonna be looping dialogue later.
- Yeah, enough. Enough of that.
Um, yeah, just start fucking.
Oh.
No, get the - yeah, yeah.
More thrust. I want to see shaft.
- Frame up. - You got a good frame?
Yeah. Yeah, Harvey.
Okay, Candy, I'm gonna ask you to come now.
Now?
- For Christ's sake, we're framed up. - Okay.
The makeup still looks right, okay? We're gonna get this now.
Oh, I'm coming!
Oh, don't stop! Don't-oh.
God!
Oh.
Great.
Okay, let's get back between her legs.
Fuck.
- Honey. You didn't. - Cut.
- Are you fucking kidding me? - I'm sorry, Harvey, I got carried away.
Don't worry, I'm good for it.
- It's okay. - Oh, honey.
- Josie, poppers. - On it.
They give me migraines.
You want, I can puff that up for you.
No, don't you move.
I'll have to reset if you do.
Hey.
You can't pay me enough.
Give me five minutes.
I'll give you three minutes, all right? Hurry up.
Mankiewicz never had to wait around for a hard-on.
Five minutes.
Jocelyn, can you hand me a towel?
- Yeah, sure. There you go. - Thanks.
Sooze, how you doing, beautiful?
I'm good, Mr. Pipilo. Drink?
Maybe a little later, thanks.
Shuffle me up another run, Mike.
All right, man.
- Just who I needed to see. - Really?
And I came here looking for you.
Oh, well, you go first.
I need a couple of your guys for this evening.
- Gotta run around on something. - My guys?
Faces that won't be recognized.
Our people are all too familiar.
No, man, aces low.
All right, how about Mike and Black Frankie?
Whoa, whoa.
What about White Frankie?
I got this, Mr. P.
Whatever you need, I got.
All right, you're hired.
Big Mike and White Frankie.
Why are you looking for us?
Vince, I gotta get some real gin from the back, okay?
All right.
I like that.
Listen, Rudy, Bobby and me,
we tried to pull up some of the pimps
to get girls for the place, you know?
Let me guess- no sale, right?
All right, we'll help you stock the pond to start.
Try Sal's cousin.
You know, the greasy little fuck out by the airport.
- Yeah. - You should go with him.
Learn something about closing a deal.
Okay, let's have a couple drinks,
and then we're gonna go out and have an adventure.
Explain to me exactly why
there's now film in the camera.
- Change in the weather. - Meaning what?
The obscenity laws.
- They pass new ones? - No.
No, not really.
It's just these judges downtown,
they're tossing everything now.
Every last fucking case is getting tossed.
Why?
It's-I don't know.
You know, it's been, like, a loop here,
a skin mag there, you show a little,
you see if they lock you up, see if they convict.
If they don't, you show a little more.
It's been going on like that for years now,
one pubic hair at a time.
What changed?
I don't know exactly.
These last couple cases,
the judges aren't trying to decide
whether or not something is too dirty,
only whether it has any, you know, what do you call it?
"Socially redeeming value."
And does it?
Not that I can tell.
Okay.
So, what time tomorrow?
You know what? Make it Friday.
Let's say 10:00.
- Tomorrow I gotta go to court. - Okay.
Yeah, you were, uh- you were very good today.
You know, I mean, professional about it, very pro.
"Pro." Yeah, well.
Where's Dino?
Four girls for an eight-hour shift.
Rudy Pipilo will consider it a favor.
Hey, first of all, I don't live
in Rudy Pipilo's ass like some people.
Two girls, $400 per.
Three girls, $300 per, and I pick the girls.
That's not smart, 'cause you don't know which ones have syph.
Some of these girls are soaking in vats of penicillin between tricks.
- You wanna pick them? - Got a point.
Also, they get door-to-door transpo, on you.
What's wrong with the subway?
Come on.
After eight hours of fucking,
you take the A Train back to Queens.
We got a deal?
Half up front.
Pay this guy.
Let's get the fuck outta here.
All right.
Those gorillas? They work for Marty Hodas.
What are they, leg breakers?
No. Sweepers.
They empty the loop machines
and bring the coin back to Marty's office
for the count.
Then Marty sends me my cut
for letting him put his machines in stores
where I got friends.
How many stores?
Eight right now where I got the accounts.
The Horse? He's got many more.
- Matty the Horse? - Yeah.
I got a feeling that by the time my cut gets to me,
the count is a lot lighter than it should be.
Why would Hodas short you?
It's in his nature.
- Like the scorpion. - What?
In the story, "The Scorpion and the Frog"?
- What story? - It's a fable.
I gotcha.
Yeah, well... here's what I need.
You two get a cab and you follow these two mooks around
store to store while they make their pickups.
And then when they start getting near where Hodas has his place,
over on 42nd,
you call me at this number.
Don't be late calling me neither.
All right.
You think you and Wilt the Stilt here
can handle playing spy for a few hours?
Sure, no problem.
Just, uh... why now?
I mean, what I mean is, like,
you must've been suspicious of Hodas for a long time.
Why now?
Because there's gonna be real money in it now.
Right here, made in the U.S.A.,
not some other country shit.
Imagine watching a movie with American girls, speaking American,
getting reamed in every hole
and swallowing cock without any hassle from the law.
Now is when I gotta get straight with Marty Hodas
and whoever else is in on the skim,
because the payoff is gonna start to grow.
So, now... get the fuck out of my car.
Red light! Red light.
Really? Oh, that's nice.
- Hey, taxi. Taxi! - Yeah, come on, man.
- Ladies. - Rooms are back there.
You take number three.
You got two, and you, pretty lady, got four.
Who the fuck rates number one?
Drywall isn't finished in one.
Go ahead, walk around, get the feel of things.
You need anything, ask Frankie here.
He'll set you right, okay?
- It's so fucked up. - Mm, mm, mm.
Running whores with my sister's fucking husband.
Hey, hey.
Break it down right here.
You guys need some help, or...?
No, we're just looking.
Mike.
Come on, let's go get a drink. What the fuck?
Hey! Three-quarter walls like a fucking stable?
- What am I, a horse? - Girl, it's for your own protection.
This way, we can hear you if you get in trouble.
Shit, motherfucker, if I'm in trouble,
you can put up Fort Knox, you'll still hear me loud and clear.
Coño, you got 250-watt bulbs in that lamp.
I'm supposed to fuck someone in there or bake them?
Where the fuck is the Jergens?
All right, ladies, ladies, come on.
Management, we're on your side.
Whatever you need, whatever you have to have to get the job done,
we're gonna provide, okay?
- Same team. - "Same team."
- So, you my teammate? - Absolutely.
How much dick you gonna suck tonight, pretty boy?
Mm-hmm. - Pendejo.
All right, fuck.
I like the Rican bitch.
Reminds me of my second wife before I went to Nam.
Come back to the world,
she was crazier than a shithouse rat.
In 30, I'm gonna turn the lights on out front, see what comes.
I am fucking gone.
Yeah, sure. You want a double?
- Okay. - Thanks. See you, Abby.
- What's that? - Tequila, the good stuff.
Mm.
What the hell happened to Vincent?
You damn near worked the whole shift without him.
Yeah, I don't know. He said he had problems tonight.
- "Problems." - Mm-hmm. It's cool.
He's covered for me when I've blown a shift before, right?
Oh, hey, um, I meant to ask.
What did you get arrested for? I never heard.
Mm.
I never said.
Hey, I didn't mean to-
Shit, I don't care.
Misdemeanor faggotry.
Being homosexual north of 14th Street.
Every day, it's something, you know?
Mm.
But what was the charge?
Soliciting.
Who did you solicit?
No one, really. No one.
But I was coming out of a theater
where the boys go to play, so I guess it evens out
if you're keeping score.
I'm not.
Well, someone is.
Fuck them, right?
The one thing I know,
the one thing I'm certain of...
it's just sex.
If you stand back
and think about what we all look like chasing each other,
you'd have to laugh, right?
Ah. If it wasn't so much fun,
it'd be ridiculous.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Hey. Sorry I didn't make it back in time.
I feel like I have to wash this whole fucking city off of me.
Need help?
- Sure. - I gotcha.
- Anyway. - Asshole!
Papi!
There's another skim, right there.
All right, Mike, why don't you go hail us a cab?
Me? We'll be here all night.
Yeah, all right. I'll get the cab.
You keep your eye on these animals.
Yeah.
Look, if it's broke, it's broke.
Call my guy. He'll come down and fix it tomorrow.
What the hell can I do about it this late?
- Can I help you? - Yeah.
No, thanks, we're good.
Excuse me, you can't go in there.
All right, how many machines supposed to be over there?
Wait, from 46th to 47th, five machines.
How you doing, Marty?
What the fuck?
What the hell you doing here?
I'm with the Horse, remember?
Sure, sure. I see you're on the count.
Is there a problem here, Rudy?
I don't think so.
- Because I'm not- - Here, I tell you what.
Today only, my guys here
are gonna help you with the count.
They're gonna lug these coins outta here,
they're gonna figure them all up,
and they're gonna lug them over to your bank tomorrow.
You two, put these coins in the trunk.
Use the rollers. Save your backs.
We're gonna need a couple of these, too.
All right.
Fuck. We could've counted it right here. What the hell?
My favor to you, Marty. Take the night off.
Just bring a deposit slip tomorrow.
Baby, I need your lovin'...
Penny for your thoughts?
They're not worth it.
That bad, huh?
- I think so, yeah. - Got to have all your lovin'
- Some say it's a sign of weakness...
- For a man to beg... - So, do you like this music?
- Thank God, I'd rather be
It's... I don't know.
What do you listen to?
Me?
You.
Come on, what do you listen to?
Got to have all your loving
Baby, I need...
The fact that you are married
Only proves you're my best friend...
Mm. Lou's tender side.
But it's truly, truly a sin...
Who knew?
I saw the Velvets playing live
at Max's in all their black glory.
Shh.
- I'm listening. - Linger on
Your pale blue eyes.
Hey, look, it's the Horse. This should be fun.
I hear what you're saying to me, Marty,
but you don't have to keep explaining it to me.
You gotta get some sense into these punks one way or another.
They don't wanna listen, then maybe you guys
- gotta lean on them a little bit.
The fuck you doing, Rudy? You got no business doing what you did.
You mean what? The coins?
- Yeah, the coins. - I got an interest.
He's got machines in the stores that are mine.
- Uh-huh. - A piece of that accrues to me.
He's getting his take.
Yeah, a percentage of whatever.
What? You're saying I'm stealing now?
- Are you? - No.
Listen, right now we're looking at the raw take
so all of us know what an honest day brings in.
This way, none of us can say we were misled, right?
Did you run this little move of yours by your guy?
- I mean, does he know? - What do you think?
I think you got a couple stores.
I own a couple of dozen.
I also have the product. I own the labs.
The majority of the film operation, that's Genovese.
And that's me, not you.
You got a problem with what I'm doing, Matty, take it up with my boss.
You tell him that no one has any reason to doubt the count.
I should go fuck myself.
See how that plays at the club.
- So? - Fucking...
Good news today, yeah?
I think so, Rudy.
Always ready for good news.
Precedent no longer guides us.
For good reason, too.
This term "pornography" defies definition.
Even those judges who agree that a particular film
is not legally pornographic
cannot, among themselves, know why.
And the result is a hodgepodge.
And we of the lower courts are constrained to anticipate
final action of the majority of the higher court.
So we flounder in wondering
what the Supreme Court will do in each matter.
- Who's at bat there? - What, them guys?
They're the ones who got busted
when they kicked the door in on Matty's film lab.
The one out in Queens?
They're the ones who got caught
with all that film footage last year, remember?
Mm.
Attuning the law to the times is the primary function of the courts.
May we never forget that.
Now, what I think of these films
as an individual is immaterial.
As a judge, I cannot stultify myself
to satisfy my personal feelings and inclinations.
And the evidence here is indisputable
and bind me to granting the defendant's motion
and dismissing the indictment.
These personal freedoms are protected
by the 1st and the 14th Amendments.
The defendants are discharged
and this case is closed.
- Didn't I tell you? - Yeah. Yeah.
All right, back to work.
Just this case, or...?
It's been like this with damn near every obscenity case on the docket.
In this town, nothing's dirty anymore.
- And the movie thing I was telling you about?
The backers backed out of that one.
It was a long shot, anyway, but...
I'm thinking of it as a bump in the road.
There are gonna be other movies.
I have not given up on it yet.
So, in the meantime, you're gonna end up back on-
Ma. Look at me.
I am not going back to that, ever.
And, Ma, there will be other movies.
This time next year, I will have put aside enough to get a place for us
and hire a babysitter.
Hire a babysitter?
Yeah, you've done enough, Ma.
I'll tell you when I've done enough.
If it hadn't been for Adam, I never would've involved you in any of this.
It wasn't right to make you live with it.
Shit!
He wasn't due back home till tonight.
Yeah, you didn't know?
I didn't. But would it kill you to say hello?
- It's been years since you two-- Enough!
After everything that's happened,
you go on like it was nothing?
You are incredible!
Have you been to visit my brother lately?
I go out to see him once a month.
And what about you?
How long has it been since you've seen Patrick?
Who the hell is yelling? I heard yelling.
It's nothing.
All right, that's about five grand.
So, what's the deal?
$5,000.
At least, that's what made it to Hodas.
On a good week, he's pulling in 40 Gs.
Me and Mike saw the pickup guys do a skim at the van
and at least one of the bookstore clerks, too.
- Figures. - Forget about the skim.
What's Hodas been showing every day?
$3,500.
- Sometimes less. - Damn fucking Jew bastard.
Well, now we know, right?
Let's go see our friend Hodas at the bank.
Girls, welcome back.
Two, three, four.
Rochelle here's already claimed number one
where the wall is fixed.
So, you're number one, huh?
Oh, it's cool. It's non-hierarchical.
Are you sure you're all good, babe?
What do you want for dinner?
Chinese. Place on 9th.
- The dish with the peanuts. - Kung pao.
Chinese it is.
Get an order from the rest of the girls, will you, Frankie?
Gotcha.
Okay, so, I'm opening up now,
and you need to finish that drink.
No pimps in the joint when we're open.
- House rule. - Can somebody turn on the damn heat?
These ain't raindrops in my eye
Just look at me now
I've been crying because I love you
I wonder why can't you see me
Just one kiss would do so much
It would drive away all my fear
These ain't raindrops in my eyes, oh
They are tears
Oh, now, oh
Oh, right now
These ain't raindrops in my eyes, baby
That I wipe away, now
If you tell me you love me
Everything will be okay
If I thought that you'll ever love me
I would wait
I would wait a million years
These ain't raindrops in my eyes
No, they are tears
Oh, oh
Ain't no crying 'cause I've been to heaven
So how can there be rain?
Yeah
The man up there
He knows just how I feel.
Y'all done gone crazy with this shit.
It's not really in the holiday spirit, is it?
Damn sure ain't.
Well, Merry Christmas.
Yeah, you, too.
Travis, where my money at?
Okay, so when can you make it?
Okay.
All right, okay, Karen, I'll let him know.
It's gonna be an hour before she can get here, maybe two.
- Where is she? - I don't know.
She said it was a life emergency.
What the fuck is that?
You want me to call that Angela?
Angela's a blonde.
We need a brunette for contrast.
Give me some cab money. Excuse me.
I'll be right back.
Thank you.
Every shift, even daytime,
they ran the wagon out at least twice.
I saw them tow every car off that pimp stretch along 38th,
and all of those cars were parked legally.
It's end of year. We're housecleaning.
You do this every year?
Sometimes twice.
And then it's back to business as usual.
Do you like jazz?
- I thought we might go and see-- So, what's the point
of doing all this if you're just gonna go back to more of the same?
No point.
Who ordered it?
We could just go uptown, have some dinner.
Sylvia's?
I mean, everybody loves Sylvia's.
You know I can't date a source, right?
I'm a source?
Well, what do you call this?
I don't want to be a source.
Okay, officially, you're not a source.
Are you happy now?
Nope, not yet.
Let me ask you. You ever seen it like this?
With the wagons running day and night?
And the harassment?
I heard some guys from your precinct
drove a bunch of pimps over to Jersey
and dumped them in a cow pasture.
Were you in on it?
That wasn't me.
But, yeah.
This is the most I've seen us do all at once.
And I don't get it either.
I mean, other than the Deuce,
where do they think all the dirt is gonna go?
Every time. Every time.
Don't make songs like that anymore.
I'm telling you, this is fucked up.
That's fucked up music.
Fuck does "wimoweh" even mean?
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh
- Oh, wimoweh... - Where did you learn how to draw?
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh, oh, wim...
You want some pie?
On me.
- Mm. - Pretend we're on the same team.
Banana cream.
Leon?
Honey, can we get two slices of banana cream?
- You can and you're gonna. - Shay, baby.
Hey, you wanna make a quick $100?
Hey, Land O'Lakes girl, you wanna make a quick $100?
Well, hey, no. I'm up before her.
No, no, baby, we need a brunette.
- $100 for what? - A one-day wonder.
A real movie?
Yeah, come on.
Order up!
- Pie. - Yeah.
- Gotcha. - Come on, come on.
Cancel one slice, Leon.
- You got it. - Let's go.
Sweet.
For you, baby girl...
that's on Leon.
You mutts brought me down here for this?
- Absolutely. - The fuck am I looking at?
All right, you know how the raincoat-wearing degenerates
have to cut the pockets out of their pants
before they go into the peep show?
Not no more.
See, the average man
could use some privacy when he's looking at those blues.
Yeah, I came up with the title.
We're gonna call it a "Masturbatorium."
- Trademark that shit. - See, you make partitions,
like they do at the fancy hotels
for the toilets and all.
- See, the average man- - I get it.
- I get it. - Eh?
You know, so they can jerk off in there.
This is really like a dream come true for me, you know?
- That's great. - I'll do her makeup.
All right, we're gonna start on the stethoscope
and then pan over to the bed.
- Measure it out. - It's so easy.
Just don't look at the camera.
Don't look at the guy giving directions.
Pretend like you like it way more than you ever would.
Mm. Yeah, been there.
You on the pill? 'Cause the guys don't use condoms.
- Oh, yeah, every day. - You ready for makeup?
Yes.
- Am I ready? - Yeah.
- All set. - Thanks.
I feel ready.
- Let me see your frame. - Oh.
- The camera's the john. - I can't get ready...
Fuck the camera.
Right.
I can't see her bush from all the way down there.
- May I help you? - C.C.
Whoa, whoa, who the fuck is this?
- I was looking for you. - Yeah, so I heard, high and low.
- So, uh, what? You're the mack now? - Hey, guy.
Put your pants on, motherfucker, before you catch a cold.
Hey, I don't want no trouble, all right?
I'm on the up-and-up with your girl, here.
Oh.
Didn't know.
A hundred?
You can turn a hundred in the room in an hour.
You've been gone damn near two.
I have?
You got another one of them C-notes, Mr. Up-and-Up.
- We had an arrangement. - Sure, but we didn't.
- To keep the peace. - Mm. And $40 from him.
- Me? - What?
Yeah, you fuck my girl, you pay.
$40's good for half-and-half.
C.C., baby, you pay for the fuck or the hour, not both.
Oh, what, you're my fucking business manager now?
Just stay out of my shit.
- Get dressed. - Please, we're ready to shoot here.
Time is money, fat boy, or did you not learn that yet?
- Yeah, and I'm tapped out! - Oh?
- Please. - "Please."
There ain't no please about it.
- Let's go! - Jesus.
No, wait. Jos.
- Seriously? - Yes. You, too.
You're paying me back on this, Harvey.
Paid in full.
Oh, uh... you may now roll the motherfucking camera.
You're in a good fucking mood tonight.
I pulled a date for tomorrow.
Yeah? You better wash your asshole tonight.
Most guys don't like it when you're dirty down there.
Wonderful night.
Just lovely.
So, I suppose by now you're all familiar with the new fee schedule
and parking restrictions out here.
And it's only gonna stay this way.
Not just through the holidays,
but all the way into February.
I mean, I'm just letting you know.
- February? For real? - At least.
Every corner between the Deuce and 4-9 has been indicted.
If I was you, gentlemen,
I would take strong consideration
for any offer that moves your ladies
off the pavement.
That offer is a good offer.
- Goddamn Sweeney. - Pigs!
The fuck was that about?
I don't know.
Thanks for the lift.
That girl you brought in today was too nervous.
Ah, she'll get better.
So, when's the next shoot?
Next? Three weeks, a month.
- What? - What? I mean, these things take time.
We gotta edit, print, send it to distro...
- I can help with that. - ...I gotta wait to get paid.
- Eileen, I-- Harvey, I've been making these fuck films
with you for a while now.
I must be up for some kind of a promotion.
My margins is tight.
I can't afford to put you on a regular payroll.
A month till the next shoot? Really?
- Patience is a virtue. - Fuck virtue.
What am I supposed to do for money till then?
What you did before.
No.
I'm sorry, honey, I- if I could do something
for you, I would.
Eileen?
Motherfuckers have lost all perspective
on this shit.
Police?
Police, lawyers.
I mean, bail money for my women
is now double what it was a month ago.
Cold out there, bro.
Hard for a mack to make his nut.
Mm. I hear you.
So, this pussy palace you got.
- You check it out? - I stopped by.
Had a look in.
Talk to me about the terms.
All right.
You pay me $400 a night rent, flat.
In exchange, the girls get a safe environment
for as many hours as they can handle.
Once in the room,
the girls negotiate the price
and they keep 100% of what they make.
The more girls you give me, the better it is for you.
Shit, you give me three, four girls,
you can make, I don't know,
$1,000, $1,500 a night profit.
We handle it all.
You do nothing but rake it in.
That the deal you worked out with them hoes
out from the airport?
That was a onetime deal to get us on our feet.
I wanna be there,
make sure everything "copastetic."
No pimps.
It's nothing personal.
It's coming from a higher power.
Rudy the wop?
Mm-hmm.
Be that as it may.
I'll give you Melissa and Shay
on a one-week trial period.
See how it go.
Rodney?
Tiffany.
And Ginger.
What about you?
I'm thinking on it.
I feel like shit. Can I come in?
Want some?
Not with my gut, no.
Club soda, if you have.
- Yeah. - Thank you.
This is nice.
Two years here. You're my first visitor.
Honored.
Thank you.
So, why'd you come up here?
- Not that. - So?
- What? - I hate the way you feel now.
I'll get over it. Thanks.
You know, I looked the word prostitute up
in the dictionary one time.
It says "a person who has sex for money."
I am not a fucking fool.
I know I'm not an actress.
I came to you because I wanna learn
to do what you do.
I- I-
I don't have enough work yet.
You know, but the way things are changing,
maybe I will soon, I don't know.
But I like you, Eileen.
Listen to me.
Give me an hour to set this up after I leave.
And I want you to ring this number and ask for Alex.
I don't need a fucking pimp, Harvey.
- That's not what this is. - I don't want a pimp.
Listen to me!
The clients are vetted, they're clean, they're safe.
And you can say no to any call.
What's the catch?
Well, it's sex. And she takes a cut.
- She? - Yeah, she.
It's-
it's all I can think of right now, but, um...
who knows where we go from here, right?
Whoa, Officer.
Uh, ahem, this is a membership club.
- So unless- - Relax.
Sweeney from the 14th.
So, you're up and running.
Not bad.
Not bad at all.
I just stopped by to let you know
we put out word in the precinct
that the best place for the girls is indoors,
so you can expect your pick of the litter any time now.
And somebody will be by every Wednesday for our taste.
Which, from the looks of things,
$500 a week.
Uh, Lieutenant?
I'm just a bartender here,
but it's my understanding from the owners
that arrangements were made downtown.
Well, that's downtown.
This is for the 14th only.
$500.
You'll never, never, never know me
Oh, hey
If you don't know...
You know, there's another one
around the corner on Dyer.
And a third just opened up near that one.
All in the no-go zone.
No-go means go.
- What's that? - What does it look like?
For me?
Free money?
No such thing.
Not in this lifetime.
That there is your back pay.
For what?
You know that loop you got ripped off on?
That should never happen.
I tracked that dude down, shook him for two bills and an apology.
He said that will never happen again.
Again to who?
You.
Looks like he's kicking back up
and he wants you.
I told him I'd ask,
but the decision was yours.
I thought you looked fine on that thing.
- Yeah. - Hmm.
The johns see that.
Some of the others at the stroke joint? Hmm?
Next thing you know, you start to get
the following out there.
You double your price.
Maybe charge for an autograph
'cause you famous now.
I don't know, Larry.
All those people watching you,
the cameraman telling me turn my ass this way, that way.
- I hated it. - Yeah, yeah, it takes some getting used to.
The other thing- movies are forever.
Once they got pictures of you,
50 years on, they're still gonna be there.
- So? - What if I have kids?
What if my kids have little kids?
I hear you. I hear you, girl.
You tapping Loretta for this stuff, too?
Loretta's busy, all right?
She got a regular paying her top dollar.
Just know...
with everything that's going on out there right now,
cops banging us up?
It's about to be the movies
or the ho-house.
I'm not your source.
If you say so.
I say so.
I've got a hell of a story for you.
Eddie!
Shit, he's an asshole.
Hey.
You sure you want to do this?
Your brother and the big moolie?
They did good, Vincent. Real fucking good for me.
You let them know when they come in the bar tomorrow
there's gonna be something there
in the register for them both.
Truth is, I think the big moolie
is the brains of this operation.
- No offense. - No.
Look, Rudy, I gotta ask you a question.
I'm not in a crew.
I'm not connected to anybody.
Where are your people from?
Italy. The boot.
I don't know, I'm from Bay Ridge. What the fuck do I know?
Look, my question is why me?
I mean, why did I get tapped by Rudy Pipilo
to handle all this here?
What did we just learn about the loop money?
What do we know, Vincent?
I'm swimming in a shark tank.
Marty Hodas, his muscle, the bookstore guys,
even Matty the Horse.
He's Genovese, and they're supposed
to have honor, right?
I bet you dollars to donuts
that Matty is skimming with Hodas, too.
These are my allies, supposedly.
And all of them are a bunch of fucking thieves.
Except you.
How do you know?
'Cause you've proven it time and time again.
"Why me?"
And I keep trying to tell you, I trust you.
Compared with everyone else I'm dealing with,
you're a goddamn parish priest.
And that means something to me.
Tell your goofy brother what I said.
- Are we good? - Yes, that's lovely.
- Thank you, darling. - Okay.
Just sit down.
Oh, I see. Okay, you're ready, aren't you?
All right, mm, yes.
Yeah. Ooh.
Oh.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Daddy... Vinny.
Did you hire her to sleep with her?
What?
Why I gotta clock and she don't?
She doin' the movies.
Now you're just droppin' the girls off in one of the parlors and killin' time.
We become extraneous in this situation.
That guy's the new C.O.
Captain McDonagh wants a tour of the precinct.
Why am I givin' you this tour?
You are probably on the outside enough to be trusted.
I want the truth.
I don't think nobody paid us except for that John.
I'ma look into it.
Make sure we ain't get took advantage of.
There's been a change.
Something about community standards.
What about community standards?
Apparently, New York has none.
Hey.
- In the van, sweet pea. - Whoa!
- Hey! - On what charge?
Soliciting.
You know, I've been reading about the testimony
that went over to the Knapp Commission.
Is it true?
The pad?
I wouldn't know.
Put your name on nothin'. Whether we fund for this,
I want no one made, no one who's family.
Don't get left holding that bag.
What the fuck do I know about a massage parlor?
I don't- So, you'll learn!
Hey, Rochelle.
All right.
Fucking smokes.
Hard at work.
How about I speak for both of us, okay?
- Nobody got fucking on the brain. - Uh-uh.
- Shit. - Vincent, what's the word?
Girls look like they're freezing out there.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat
nor gloom of night stays them courtesans.
Yo, Vince, who the cop?
My brother-in-law, Bobby.
For real?
I smell bacon.
Enough with the cop shit.
All right, look, guys, I need some girls.
All right? Three if you can swing it.
Starting tonight. Three more by tomorrow.
What, you some kind of Superman?
Nah, come on. Look, I got the place all set up, ready to go.
I need day and night shifts.
Vincent, what the fuck you talking about?
- The parlor. - The parlor?
I mean, Frankie talked to you, right?
He said something about something.
Thought the joker was joking.
No, it's real.
Hand my girls to you?
You're not a pimp, barman.
- Stick to the stick, you'll live longer. - Preach!
Look at them standing out there.
I'm offering you no more standing out in the cold and snow,
coughing and sneezing.
Yeah, how about you, Lurch? You get cold?
Or you one of them undead motherfuckers that don't feel it?
Say one more thing.
Look, all right, all right, look.
How about no more getting ripped off by scumbags?
Some john steps out of line, he catches a beating.
We handle everything.
Best of all: no more busts.
- We're protected. - So, you think you can mack, Vince?
No, I'm hardly gonna be there.
Yeah? So, who's gonna be looking after the candy store?
I am.
- Shit. - Oh, man.
- For real? - Now I'm curious.
What you gonna give us for our women?
Give you?
No, you're gonna pay me.
All right, let me explain.
Man, get the fuck outta here.
Now.
It's 414 W. 42, just down the street.
Just come check it out.
- That's all. - Motherfucker.
- That's bullshit. - Walk the walk, ladies.
That went well.
Patience, brother, patience.
Sisters
Brothers and the whiteys
Blacks and the crackers
Police and their backers
They're all political actors
But they don't know
There can be no show
And if there's hell below
We're all gonna go, go, go, go, go, go
Everybody praying
And everybody saying
But when come time to do
Everybody's laying
Just talking about don't worry, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry
They say, "Don't worry, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry"
They say, "Don't worry, worry
Worry, worry, worry, worry"
They say, "Don't worry, worry
Worry, worry, worry, worry."
We're shooting in five, all right?
- You look good. - Thanks.
- Feel good? Yeah? - Yeah.
So, what's the plan for this one?
The plan is...
you bang the shit out of each other, and then everybody comes.
- Jeez, Harvey. - Wing it with the dialogue.
Nothing avant-garde, please.
And, you know, just keep talking dirty
about how much you want his dick.
Harvey, hey, let me ask you something.
So, you make your prints,
you'll get paid by, what, number of sales, percentage of profits?
Are you actually telling me we don't get any of that?
Yeah, well, it's complicated.
Try me.
What do you want, Candy?
You want fucking royalties?
You want residuals? What?
Here you go.
All right, I'll tell you what, I'll throw you another $50.
All right? That's a pretty fair bump.
- Anyway, you're welcome. - Thank you.
Yeah, hold on.
At least you're in the movies now.
You're not selling ass out there in the trenches.
You're an entertainer, Miss Merrell.
All right. Adriana, you ready?
All right, don't look so enthused.
- Before we get to the readouts
and the random bullshit that are piled before me,
I have some actual news.
Uh-oh.
As we are approaching the end of the year,
it is time for our semiannual housecleaning,
where we restore the 14th Precinct to a previous glory
the likes of which none of us have ever actually known.
Street sweeps.
This year, however, the bosses in their wisdom
have asked that we pay particular attention
to the high-heeled army
that marches along 8th and 9th Avenues,
as well as their managerial component.
Fuck the fuckin' whores already.
No, no, no, no.
No, Patrolman Flanagan.
The whores of Times Square will be decidedly unfucked
from now until the holidays.
So much so that your commanders
do not want to see a single pross
standing on any street corner
in the precinct.
Everybody goes in the wagon.
Every corner, every tour.
And the pimps - throw any charge you can at them.
You don't have charges,
you can write up their over-chromed wonders and tow them off.
We're gonna spend the next two weeks
making the 14th uninhabitable to the pussy trade.
Two weeks?
Hey, these are the orders from on high.
I'm making a career out of this.
As of today and until New Year's,
actual paid overtime will flow
for court time on all prostitution arrests.
- Hell, yes! Why didn't you say so?
Okay?
Behold, gentlemen, your holiday bonus.
- All right, let's get to the felonies.
Hey, I'm Candy.
- Peter. How you doing, Candy? - Good. You?
All right, what are we waiting for?
Let's turn the lights back on.
I went down on a guy once
after eating a really spicy...
Miss McGillicutty, you taste like pussy.
I do?
Like delicious pussy?
Fuck, I can see I'm gonna be looping dialogue later.
- Yeah, enough. Enough of that.
Um, yeah, just start fucking.
Oh.
No, get the - yeah, yeah.
More thrust. I want to see shaft.
- Frame up. - You got a good frame?
Yeah. Yeah, Harvey.
Okay, Candy, I'm gonna ask you to come now.
Now?
- For Christ's sake, we're framed up. - Okay.
The makeup still looks right, okay? We're gonna get this now.
Oh, I'm coming!
Oh, don't stop! Don't-oh.
God!
Oh.
Great.
Okay, let's get back between her legs.
Fuck.
- Honey. You didn't. - Cut.
- Are you fucking kidding me? - I'm sorry, Harvey, I got carried away.
Don't worry, I'm good for it.
- It's okay. - Oh, honey.
- Josie, poppers. - On it.
They give me migraines.
You want, I can puff that up for you.
No, don't you move.
I'll have to reset if you do.
Hey.
You can't pay me enough.
Give me five minutes.
I'll give you three minutes, all right? Hurry up.
Mankiewicz never had to wait around for a hard-on.
Five minutes.
Jocelyn, can you hand me a towel?
- Yeah, sure. There you go. - Thanks.
Sooze, how you doing, beautiful?
I'm good, Mr. Pipilo. Drink?
Maybe a little later, thanks.
Shuffle me up another run, Mike.
All right, man.
- Just who I needed to see. - Really?
And I came here looking for you.
Oh, well, you go first.
I need a couple of your guys for this evening.
- Gotta run around on something. - My guys?
Faces that won't be recognized.
Our people are all too familiar.
No, man, aces low.
All right, how about Mike and Black Frankie?
Whoa, whoa.
What about White Frankie?
I got this, Mr. P.
Whatever you need, I got.
All right, you're hired.
Big Mike and White Frankie.
Why are you looking for us?
Vince, I gotta get some real gin from the back, okay?
All right.
I like that.
Listen, Rudy, Bobby and me,
we tried to pull up some of the pimps
to get girls for the place, you know?
Let me guess- no sale, right?
All right, we'll help you stock the pond to start.
Try Sal's cousin.
You know, the greasy little fuck out by the airport.
- Yeah. - You should go with him.
Learn something about closing a deal.
Okay, let's have a couple drinks,
and then we're gonna go out and have an adventure.
Explain to me exactly why
there's now film in the camera.
- Change in the weather. - Meaning what?
The obscenity laws.
- They pass new ones? - No.
No, not really.
It's just these judges downtown,
they're tossing everything now.
Every last fucking case is getting tossed.
Why?
It's-I don't know.
You know, it's been, like, a loop here,
a skin mag there, you show a little,
you see if they lock you up, see if they convict.
If they don't, you show a little more.
It's been going on like that for years now,
one pubic hair at a time.
What changed?
I don't know exactly.
These last couple cases,
the judges aren't trying to decide
whether or not something is too dirty,
only whether it has any, you know, what do you call it?
"Socially redeeming value."
And does it?
Not that I can tell.
Okay.
So, what time tomorrow?
You know what? Make it Friday.
Let's say 10:00.
- Tomorrow I gotta go to court. - Okay.
Yeah, you were, uh- you were very good today.
You know, I mean, professional about it, very pro.
"Pro." Yeah, well.
Where's Dino?
Four girls for an eight-hour shift.
Rudy Pipilo will consider it a favor.
Hey, first of all, I don't live
in Rudy Pipilo's ass like some people.
Two girls, $400 per.
Three girls, $300 per, and I pick the girls.
That's not smart, 'cause you don't know which ones have syph.
Some of these girls are soaking in vats of penicillin between tricks.
- You wanna pick them? - Got a point.
Also, they get door-to-door transpo, on you.
What's wrong with the subway?
Come on.
After eight hours of fucking,
you take the A Train back to Queens.
We got a deal?
Half up front.
Pay this guy.
Let's get the fuck outta here.
All right.
Those gorillas? They work for Marty Hodas.
What are they, leg breakers?
No. Sweepers.
They empty the loop machines
and bring the coin back to Marty's office
for the count.
Then Marty sends me my cut
for letting him put his machines in stores
where I got friends.
How many stores?
Eight right now where I got the accounts.
The Horse? He's got many more.
- Matty the Horse? - Yeah.
I got a feeling that by the time my cut gets to me,
the count is a lot lighter than it should be.
Why would Hodas short you?
It's in his nature.
- Like the scorpion. - What?
In the story, "The Scorpion and the Frog"?
- What story? - It's a fable.
I gotcha.
Yeah, well... here's what I need.
You two get a cab and you follow these two mooks around
store to store while they make their pickups.
And then when they start getting near where Hodas has his place,
over on 42nd,
you call me at this number.
Don't be late calling me neither.
All right.
You think you and Wilt the Stilt here
can handle playing spy for a few hours?
Sure, no problem.
Just, uh... why now?
I mean, what I mean is, like,
you must've been suspicious of Hodas for a long time.
Why now?
Because there's gonna be real money in it now.
Right here, made in the U.S.A.,
not some other country shit.
Imagine watching a movie with American girls, speaking American,
getting reamed in every hole
and swallowing cock without any hassle from the law.
Now is when I gotta get straight with Marty Hodas
and whoever else is in on the skim,
because the payoff is gonna start to grow.
So, now... get the fuck out of my car.
Red light! Red light.
Really? Oh, that's nice.
- Hey, taxi. Taxi! - Yeah, come on, man.
- Ladies. - Rooms are back there.
You take number three.
You got two, and you, pretty lady, got four.
Who the fuck rates number one?
Drywall isn't finished in one.
Go ahead, walk around, get the feel of things.
You need anything, ask Frankie here.
He'll set you right, okay?
- It's so fucked up. - Mm, mm, mm.
Running whores with my sister's fucking husband.
Hey, hey.
Break it down right here.
You guys need some help, or...?
No, we're just looking.
Mike.
Come on, let's go get a drink. What the fuck?
Hey! Three-quarter walls like a fucking stable?
- What am I, a horse? - Girl, it's for your own protection.
This way, we can hear you if you get in trouble.
Shit, motherfucker, if I'm in trouble,
you can put up Fort Knox, you'll still hear me loud and clear.
Coño, you got 250-watt bulbs in that lamp.
I'm supposed to fuck someone in there or bake them?
Where the fuck is the Jergens?
All right, ladies, ladies, come on.
Management, we're on your side.
Whatever you need, whatever you have to have to get the job done,
we're gonna provide, okay?
- Same team. - "Same team."
- So, you my teammate? - Absolutely.
How much dick you gonna suck tonight, pretty boy?
Mm-hmm. - Pendejo.
All right, fuck.
I like the Rican bitch.
Reminds me of my second wife before I went to Nam.
Come back to the world,
she was crazier than a shithouse rat.
In 30, I'm gonna turn the lights on out front, see what comes.
I am fucking gone.
Yeah, sure. You want a double?
- Okay. - Thanks. See you, Abby.
- What's that? - Tequila, the good stuff.
Mm.
What the hell happened to Vincent?
You damn near worked the whole shift without him.
Yeah, I don't know. He said he had problems tonight.
- "Problems." - Mm-hmm. It's cool.
He's covered for me when I've blown a shift before, right?
Oh, hey, um, I meant to ask.
What did you get arrested for? I never heard.
Mm.
I never said.
Hey, I didn't mean to-
Shit, I don't care.
Misdemeanor faggotry.
Being homosexual north of 14th Street.
Every day, it's something, you know?
Mm.
But what was the charge?
Soliciting.
Who did you solicit?
No one, really. No one.
But I was coming out of a theater
where the boys go to play, so I guess it evens out
if you're keeping score.
I'm not.
Well, someone is.
Fuck them, right?
The one thing I know,
the one thing I'm certain of...
it's just sex.
If you stand back
and think about what we all look like chasing each other,
you'd have to laugh, right?
Ah. If it wasn't so much fun,
it'd be ridiculous.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Hey. Sorry I didn't make it back in time.
I feel like I have to wash this whole fucking city off of me.
Need help?
- Sure. - I gotcha.
- Anyway. - Asshole!
Papi!
There's another skim, right there.
All right, Mike, why don't you go hail us a cab?
Me? We'll be here all night.
Yeah, all right. I'll get the cab.
You keep your eye on these animals.
Yeah.
Look, if it's broke, it's broke.
Call my guy. He'll come down and fix it tomorrow.
What the hell can I do about it this late?
- Can I help you? - Yeah.
No, thanks, we're good.
Excuse me, you can't go in there.
All right, how many machines supposed to be over there?
Wait, from 46th to 47th, five machines.
How you doing, Marty?
What the fuck?
What the hell you doing here?
I'm with the Horse, remember?
Sure, sure. I see you're on the count.
Is there a problem here, Rudy?
I don't think so.
- Because I'm not- - Here, I tell you what.
Today only, my guys here
are gonna help you with the count.
They're gonna lug these coins outta here,
they're gonna figure them all up,
and they're gonna lug them over to your bank tomorrow.
You two, put these coins in the trunk.
Use the rollers. Save your backs.
We're gonna need a couple of these, too.
All right.
Fuck. We could've counted it right here. What the hell?
My favor to you, Marty. Take the night off.
Just bring a deposit slip tomorrow.
Baby, I need your lovin'...
Penny for your thoughts?
They're not worth it.
That bad, huh?
- I think so, yeah. - Got to have all your lovin'
- Some say it's a sign of weakness...
- For a man to beg... - So, do you like this music?
- Thank God, I'd rather be
It's... I don't know.
What do you listen to?
Me?
You.
Come on, what do you listen to?
Got to have all your loving
Baby, I need...
The fact that you are married
Only proves you're my best friend...
Mm. Lou's tender side.
But it's truly, truly a sin...
Who knew?
I saw the Velvets playing live
at Max's in all their black glory.
Shh.
- I'm listening. - Linger on
Your pale blue eyes.
Hey, look, it's the Horse. This should be fun.
I hear what you're saying to me, Marty,
but you don't have to keep explaining it to me.
You gotta get some sense into these punks one way or another.
They don't wanna listen, then maybe you guys
- gotta lean on them a little bit.
The fuck you doing, Rudy? You got no business doing what you did.
You mean what? The coins?
- Yeah, the coins. - I got an interest.
He's got machines in the stores that are mine.
- Uh-huh. - A piece of that accrues to me.
He's getting his take.
Yeah, a percentage of whatever.
What? You're saying I'm stealing now?
- Are you? - No.
Listen, right now we're looking at the raw take
so all of us know what an honest day brings in.
This way, none of us can say we were misled, right?
Did you run this little move of yours by your guy?
- I mean, does he know? - What do you think?
I think you got a couple stores.
I own a couple of dozen.
I also have the product. I own the labs.
The majority of the film operation, that's Genovese.
And that's me, not you.
You got a problem with what I'm doing, Matty, take it up with my boss.
You tell him that no one has any reason to doubt the count.
I should go fuck myself.
See how that plays at the club.
- So? - Fucking...
Good news today, yeah?
I think so, Rudy.
Always ready for good news.
Precedent no longer guides us.
For good reason, too.
This term "pornography" defies definition.
Even those judges who agree that a particular film
is not legally pornographic
cannot, among themselves, know why.
And the result is a hodgepodge.
And we of the lower courts are constrained to anticipate
final action of the majority of the higher court.
So we flounder in wondering
what the Supreme Court will do in each matter.
- Who's at bat there? - What, them guys?
They're the ones who got busted
when they kicked the door in on Matty's film lab.
The one out in Queens?
They're the ones who got caught
with all that film footage last year, remember?
Mm.
Attuning the law to the times is the primary function of the courts.
May we never forget that.
Now, what I think of these films
as an individual is immaterial.
As a judge, I cannot stultify myself
to satisfy my personal feelings and inclinations.
And the evidence here is indisputable
and bind me to granting the defendant's motion
and dismissing the indictment.
These personal freedoms are protected
by the 1st and the 14th Amendments.
The defendants are discharged
and this case is closed.
- Didn't I tell you? - Yeah. Yeah.
All right, back to work.
Just this case, or...?
It's been like this with damn near every obscenity case on the docket.
In this town, nothing's dirty anymore.
- And the movie thing I was telling you about?
The backers backed out of that one.
It was a long shot, anyway, but...
I'm thinking of it as a bump in the road.
There are gonna be other movies.
I have not given up on it yet.
So, in the meantime, you're gonna end up back on-
Ma. Look at me.
I am not going back to that, ever.
And, Ma, there will be other movies.
This time next year, I will have put aside enough to get a place for us
and hire a babysitter.
Hire a babysitter?
Yeah, you've done enough, Ma.
I'll tell you when I've done enough.
If it hadn't been for Adam, I never would've involved you in any of this.
It wasn't right to make you live with it.
Shit!
He wasn't due back home till tonight.
Yeah, you didn't know?
I didn't. But would it kill you to say hello?
- It's been years since you two-- Enough!
After everything that's happened,
you go on like it was nothing?
You are incredible!
Have you been to visit my brother lately?
I go out to see him once a month.
And what about you?
How long has it been since you've seen Patrick?
Who the hell is yelling? I heard yelling.
It's nothing.
All right, that's about five grand.
So, what's the deal?
$5,000.
At least, that's what made it to Hodas.
On a good week, he's pulling in 40 Gs.
Me and Mike saw the pickup guys do a skim at the van
and at least one of the bookstore clerks, too.
- Figures. - Forget about the skim.
What's Hodas been showing every day?
$3,500.
- Sometimes less. - Damn fucking Jew bastard.
Well, now we know, right?
Let's go see our friend Hodas at the bank.
Girls, welcome back.
Two, three, four.
Rochelle here's already claimed number one
where the wall is fixed.
So, you're number one, huh?
Oh, it's cool. It's non-hierarchical.
Are you sure you're all good, babe?
What do you want for dinner?
Chinese. Place on 9th.
- The dish with the peanuts. - Kung pao.
Chinese it is.
Get an order from the rest of the girls, will you, Frankie?
Gotcha.
Okay, so, I'm opening up now,
and you need to finish that drink.
No pimps in the joint when we're open.
- House rule. - Can somebody turn on the damn heat?
These ain't raindrops in my eye
Just look at me now
I've been crying because I love you
I wonder why can't you see me
Just one kiss would do so much
It would drive away all my fear
These ain't raindrops in my eyes, oh
They are tears
Oh, now, oh
Oh, right now
These ain't raindrops in my eyes, baby
That I wipe away, now
If you tell me you love me
Everything will be okay
If I thought that you'll ever love me
I would wait
I would wait a million years
These ain't raindrops in my eyes
No, they are tears
Oh, oh
Ain't no crying 'cause I've been to heaven
So how can there be rain?
Yeah
The man up there
He knows just how I feel.
Y'all done gone crazy with this shit.
It's not really in the holiday spirit, is it?
Damn sure ain't.
Well, Merry Christmas.
Yeah, you, too.
Travis, where my money at?
Okay, so when can you make it?
Okay.
All right, okay, Karen, I'll let him know.
It's gonna be an hour before she can get here, maybe two.
- Where is she? - I don't know.
She said it was a life emergency.
What the fuck is that?
You want me to call that Angela?
Angela's a blonde.
We need a brunette for contrast.
Give me some cab money. Excuse me.
I'll be right back.
Thank you.
Every shift, even daytime,
they ran the wagon out at least twice.
I saw them tow every car off that pimp stretch along 38th,
and all of those cars were parked legally.
It's end of year. We're housecleaning.
You do this every year?
Sometimes twice.
And then it's back to business as usual.
Do you like jazz?
- I thought we might go and see-- So, what's the point
of doing all this if you're just gonna go back to more of the same?
No point.
Who ordered it?
We could just go uptown, have some dinner.
Sylvia's?
I mean, everybody loves Sylvia's.
You know I can't date a source, right?
I'm a source?
Well, what do you call this?
I don't want to be a source.
Okay, officially, you're not a source.
Are you happy now?
Nope, not yet.
Let me ask you. You ever seen it like this?
With the wagons running day and night?
And the harassment?
I heard some guys from your precinct
drove a bunch of pimps over to Jersey
and dumped them in a cow pasture.
Were you in on it?
That wasn't me.
But, yeah.
This is the most I've seen us do all at once.
And I don't get it either.
I mean, other than the Deuce,
where do they think all the dirt is gonna go?
Every time. Every time.
Don't make songs like that anymore.
I'm telling you, this is fucked up.
That's fucked up music.
Fuck does "wimoweh" even mean?
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh
- Oh, wimoweh... - Where did you learn how to draw?
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh
Oh, wimoweh, oh, wimoweh, oh, wim...
You want some pie?
On me.
- Mm. - Pretend we're on the same team.
Banana cream.
Leon?
Honey, can we get two slices of banana cream?
- You can and you're gonna. - Shay, baby.
Hey, you wanna make a quick $100?
Hey, Land O'Lakes girl, you wanna make a quick $100?
Well, hey, no. I'm up before her.
No, no, baby, we need a brunette.
- $100 for what? - A one-day wonder.
A real movie?
Yeah, come on.
Order up!
- Pie. - Yeah.
- Gotcha. - Come on, come on.
Cancel one slice, Leon.
- You got it. - Let's go.
Sweet.
For you, baby girl...
that's on Leon.
You mutts brought me down here for this?
- Absolutely. - The fuck am I looking at?
All right, you know how the raincoat-wearing degenerates
have to cut the pockets out of their pants
before they go into the peep show?
Not no more.
See, the average man
could use some privacy when he's looking at those blues.
Yeah, I came up with the title.
We're gonna call it a "Masturbatorium."
- Trademark that shit. - See, you make partitions,
like they do at the fancy hotels
for the toilets and all.
- See, the average man- - I get it.
- I get it. - Eh?
You know, so they can jerk off in there.
This is really like a dream come true for me, you know?
- That's great. - I'll do her makeup.
All right, we're gonna start on the stethoscope
and then pan over to the bed.
- Measure it out. - It's so easy.
Just don't look at the camera.
Don't look at the guy giving directions.
Pretend like you like it way more than you ever would.
Mm. Yeah, been there.
You on the pill? 'Cause the guys don't use condoms.
- Oh, yeah, every day. - You ready for makeup?
Yes.
- Am I ready? - Yeah.
- All set. - Thanks.
I feel ready.
- Let me see your frame. - Oh.
- The camera's the john. - I can't get ready...
Fuck the camera.
Right.
I can't see her bush from all the way down there.
- May I help you? - C.C.
Whoa, whoa, who the fuck is this?
- I was looking for you. - Yeah, so I heard, high and low.
- So, uh, what? You're the mack now? - Hey, guy.
Put your pants on, motherfucker, before you catch a cold.
Hey, I don't want no trouble, all right?
I'm on the up-and-up with your girl, here.
Oh.
Didn't know.
A hundred?
You can turn a hundred in the room in an hour.
You've been gone damn near two.
I have?
You got another one of them C-notes, Mr. Up-and-Up.
- We had an arrangement. - Sure, but we didn't.
- To keep the peace. - Mm. And $40 from him.
- Me? - What?
Yeah, you fuck my girl, you pay.
$40's good for half-and-half.
C.C., baby, you pay for the fuck or the hour, not both.
Oh, what, you're my fucking business manager now?
Just stay out of my shit.
- Get dressed. - Please, we're ready to shoot here.
Time is money, fat boy, or did you not learn that yet?
- Yeah, and I'm tapped out! - Oh?
- Please. - "Please."
There ain't no please about it.
- Let's go! - Jesus.
No, wait. Jos.
- Seriously? - Yes. You, too.
You're paying me back on this, Harvey.
Paid in full.
Oh, uh... you may now roll the motherfucking camera.
You're in a good fucking mood tonight.
I pulled a date for tomorrow.
Yeah? You better wash your asshole tonight.
Most guys don't like it when you're dirty down there.
Wonderful night.
Just lovely.
So, I suppose by now you're all familiar with the new fee schedule
and parking restrictions out here.
And it's only gonna stay this way.
Not just through the holidays,
but all the way into February.
I mean, I'm just letting you know.
- February? For real? - At least.
Every corner between the Deuce and 4-9 has been indicted.
If I was you, gentlemen,
I would take strong consideration
for any offer that moves your ladies
off the pavement.
That offer is a good offer.
- Goddamn Sweeney. - Pigs!
The fuck was that about?
I don't know.
Thanks for the lift.
That girl you brought in today was too nervous.
Ah, she'll get better.
So, when's the next shoot?
Next? Three weeks, a month.
- What? - What? I mean, these things take time.
We gotta edit, print, send it to distro...
- I can help with that. - ...I gotta wait to get paid.
- Eileen, I-- Harvey, I've been making these fuck films
with you for a while now.
I must be up for some kind of a promotion.
My margins is tight.
I can't afford to put you on a regular payroll.
A month till the next shoot? Really?
- Patience is a virtue. - Fuck virtue.
What am I supposed to do for money till then?
What you did before.
No.
I'm sorry, honey, I- if I could do something
for you, I would.
Eileen?
Motherfuckers have lost all perspective
on this shit.
Police?
Police, lawyers.
I mean, bail money for my women
is now double what it was a month ago.
Cold out there, bro.
Hard for a mack to make his nut.
Mm. I hear you.
So, this pussy palace you got.
- You check it out? - I stopped by.
Had a look in.
Talk to me about the terms.
All right.
You pay me $400 a night rent, flat.
In exchange, the girls get a safe environment
for as many hours as they can handle.
Once in the room,
the girls negotiate the price
and they keep 100% of what they make.
The more girls you give me, the better it is for you.
Shit, you give me three, four girls,
you can make, I don't know,
$1,000, $1,500 a night profit.
We handle it all.
You do nothing but rake it in.
That the deal you worked out with them hoes
out from the airport?
That was a onetime deal to get us on our feet.
I wanna be there,
make sure everything "copastetic."
No pimps.
It's nothing personal.
It's coming from a higher power.
Rudy the wop?
Mm-hmm.
Be that as it may.
I'll give you Melissa and Shay
on a one-week trial period.
See how it go.
Rodney?
Tiffany.
And Ginger.
What about you?
I'm thinking on it.
I feel like shit. Can I come in?
Want some?
Not with my gut, no.
Club soda, if you have.
- Yeah. - Thank you.
This is nice.
Two years here. You're my first visitor.
Honored.
Thank you.
So, why'd you come up here?
- Not that. - So?
- What? - I hate the way you feel now.
I'll get over it. Thanks.
You know, I looked the word prostitute up
in the dictionary one time.
It says "a person who has sex for money."
I am not a fucking fool.
I know I'm not an actress.
I came to you because I wanna learn
to do what you do.
I- I-
I don't have enough work yet.
You know, but the way things are changing,
maybe I will soon, I don't know.
But I like you, Eileen.
Listen to me.
Give me an hour to set this up after I leave.
And I want you to ring this number and ask for Alex.
I don't need a fucking pimp, Harvey.
- That's not what this is. - I don't want a pimp.
Listen to me!
The clients are vetted, they're clean, they're safe.
And you can say no to any call.
What's the catch?
Well, it's sex. And she takes a cut.
- She? - Yeah, she.
It's-
it's all I can think of right now, but, um...
who knows where we go from here, right?
Whoa, Officer.
Uh, ahem, this is a membership club.
- So unless- - Relax.
Sweeney from the 14th.
So, you're up and running.
Not bad.
Not bad at all.
I just stopped by to let you know
we put out word in the precinct
that the best place for the girls is indoors,
so you can expect your pick of the litter any time now.
And somebody will be by every Wednesday for our taste.
Which, from the looks of things,
$500 a week.
Uh, Lieutenant?
I'm just a bartender here,
but it's my understanding from the owners
that arrangements were made downtown.
Well, that's downtown.
This is for the 14th only.
$500.
You'll never, never, never know me
Oh, hey
If you don't know...
You know, there's another one
around the corner on Dyer.
And a third just opened up near that one.
All in the no-go zone.
No-go means go.
- What's that? - What does it look like?
For me?
Free money?
No such thing.
Not in this lifetime.
That there is your back pay.
For what?
You know that loop you got ripped off on?
That should never happen.
I tracked that dude down, shook him for two bills and an apology.
He said that will never happen again.
Again to who?
You.
Looks like he's kicking back up
and he wants you.
I told him I'd ask,
but the decision was yours.
I thought you looked fine on that thing.
- Yeah. - Hmm.
The johns see that.
Some of the others at the stroke joint? Hmm?
Next thing you know, you start to get
the following out there.
You double your price.
Maybe charge for an autograph
'cause you famous now.
I don't know, Larry.
All those people watching you,
the cameraman telling me turn my ass this way, that way.
- I hated it. - Yeah, yeah, it takes some getting used to.
The other thing- movies are forever.
Once they got pictures of you,
50 years on, they're still gonna be there.
- So? - What if I have kids?
What if my kids have little kids?
I hear you. I hear you, girl.
You tapping Loretta for this stuff, too?
Loretta's busy, all right?
She got a regular paying her top dollar.
Just know...
with everything that's going on out there right now,
cops banging us up?
It's about to be the movies
or the ho-house.
I'm not your source.
If you say so.
I say so.
I've got a hell of a story for you.
Eddie!
Shit, he's an asshole.
Hey.
You sure you want to do this?
Your brother and the big moolie?
They did good, Vincent. Real fucking good for me.
You let them know when they come in the bar tomorrow
there's gonna be something there
in the register for them both.
Truth is, I think the big moolie
is the brains of this operation.
- No offense. - No.
Look, Rudy, I gotta ask you a question.
I'm not in a crew.
I'm not connected to anybody.
Where are your people from?
Italy. The boot.
I don't know, I'm from Bay Ridge. What the fuck do I know?
Look, my question is why me?
I mean, why did I get tapped by Rudy Pipilo
to handle all this here?
What did we just learn about the loop money?
What do we know, Vincent?
I'm swimming in a shark tank.
Marty Hodas, his muscle, the bookstore guys,
even Matty the Horse.
He's Genovese, and they're supposed
to have honor, right?
I bet you dollars to donuts
that Matty is skimming with Hodas, too.
These are my allies, supposedly.
And all of them are a bunch of fucking thieves.
Except you.
How do you know?
'Cause you've proven it time and time again.
"Why me?"
And I keep trying to tell you, I trust you.
Compared with everyone else I'm dealing with,
you're a goddamn parish priest.
And that means something to me.
Tell your goofy brother what I said.
- Are we good? - Yes, that's lovely.
- Thank you, darling. - Okay.
Just sit down.
Oh, I see. Okay, you're ready, aren't you?
All right, mm, yes.
Yeah. Ooh.
Oh.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Daddy... Vinny.
Did you hire her to sleep with her?
What?
Why I gotta clock and she don't?
She doin' the movies.
Now you're just droppin' the girls off in one of the parlors and killin' time.
We become extraneous in this situation.
That guy's the new C.O.
Captain McDonagh wants a tour of the precinct.
Why am I givin' you this tour?
You are probably on the outside enough to be trusted.
I want the truth.