The Plot Against America (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Part 2 - full transcript
Lindbergh's increasingly popular campaign captures some in the Levin family, as well as Bengelsdorf; Alvin must decide between serving a local real estate magnate or not doing so.
My intention
in running for the presidency,
is to preserve
American democracy,
by preventing America
from taking part
in another World War.
♪
Did you read the Roper Poll?
Thirty-nine percent say Jews
are like other people.
Fifty-three percent say
we're different
and should be, quote,
"restricted."
- Wrong turn.
- Herman, please drive.
You tell your thief cousin,
I'll have the police on him.
I'm a lot of things, kiddo,
but a thief I'm not.
He wanted it to go on like that.
I'd be the mistress,
never the wife.
You're beautiful.
You're bright.
You'll meet someone.
We have room for one flag,
the American flag.
Evelyn. A beautiful name
for a beautiful lady.
Call me Lionel.
They think Lindbergh can win.
He can.
Your choice is simple.
It is between Lindbergh...
and war.
Win or lose,
there's a lot of hate out there.
And he knows how to tap into it.
♪
♪ There's a new day in view ♪
♪ There is gold in the blue ♪
♪ There is hope
In the hearts of men ♪
♪ All the world's on the way ♪
♪ To a sunnier day ♪
♪ 'Cause the road
Is open again ♪
♪ There's a note of repair ♪
♪ There's a song in the air ♪
♪ It's the music of busy men ♪
♪ Every plow in the land ♪
♪ Needs a happier hand ♪
♪ 'Cause the road
Is open again ♪
♪ There's an eagle blue
In the White House too ♪
♪ On the shoulder
Of the president there ♪
♪ With a lusty call
Telling one and all ♪
♪ Brother, do your share! ♪
♪ There's a new day in view ♪
♪ There is gold in the blue ♪
♪ There is hope
In the hearts of men ♪
♪ From the plains to the hill ♪
♪ From the farm to the mill ♪
♪ Oh, the road is open again ♪
♪ There's a new day in view ♪
♪ There is gold in the blue ♪
♪ There is hope
In the hearts of men ♪
♪ From the plains to the hill ♪
♪ From the farm to the mill ♪
♪ Oh, the road is open again ♪
♪ ♪
Sandy?
Move. Attack!
Watch out, Yankees.
Hey! You stepped on General Lee!
Sandy!
- Where's he going?
- I don't know.
- Buddy, come on!
- Excuse me.
♪
Sorry, kid. This is as near
as you're gonna get.
You can't get any closer.
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Thank you.
I'm happy to be back
in New Jersey with you.
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
My intention
in running for the presidency
is to preserve
American democracy
by preventing America
from taking part
in another world war.
Your choice is simple.
It is not between
Charles A. Lindbergh
and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
It is between Lindbergh...
- and war.
- Yeah, yeah!
Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
The excitement continues here
at Newark's municipal airfield
as Cha-
- That wasn't so bad.
- He says the same thing
wherever he lands the plane,
from California to Florida
to Maine,
but they keep
putting it on the radio
no matter how many times
he says it.
"Lindbergh or war."
It's a terrible thing to say.
Well, war is no good.
Lindbergh is worse.
Evelyn doesn't think so.
She... She what?
She says everyone
doesn't understand
that Lindbergh
is not against the Jews.
He just wants peace.
- Ma...
- Uh, that's what she said.
- Talk to her.
- I would, but she's late.
How long is her union meeting
supposed to last?
I need to get
to the shopping already.
There isn't
a union meeting today.
There isn't?
Evelyn went to the airport
to see Charles Lindbergh.
The pilot.
He's coming to Newark, you know.
♪
You're wetting the whole mount
and not letting it dry.
See right here?
That's water damage on the edge
of your Horace Mann.
I thought I patted it dry.
Let me show you
the way it's done.
See, I only wet the top portion
of the mount.
See?
I didn't know
you should use tongs.
You don't have to,
but it helps
to protect the stamp.
You have any?
You can have these.
Gee, thanks!
Let's do something different.
Like what?
Follow people.
- Why?
- To see where they live.
- That's it?
- That's a lot.
I go all over,
even leave Newark.
Go anyplace I want.
People live everywhere.
How do you get home
before your mom?
The trick is to go
as far as I can
and get back before she does.
Come on.
Why do you hide your money?
I took it from my mom and dad.
When they're not around,
I go through my mom's purse
or my dad's jacket and pants.
It's easy
'cause nobody counts the coins.
But don't take all of it.
That might tip them off.
Wasn't able
to knock Godoy out...
Tabatchnick's.
Yes, sir.
There's the end of round two,
where Louis rocks Godoy
with jolting lefts and rights
to the head.
What's the paper say?
The Germans
are gonna invade England.
They're bombing London
every night now.
Idiots. Another idiot war.
What's the news in Jersey?
I only looked at the local pages
for a minute or two,
but it's mostly about Lindbergh
flying here today
for a campaign stop.
Another fucking idiot.
Yes, sir, he is.
Roosevelt, too.
All fucking idiots.
Use the siren, I'm hungry.
The siren's for state business,
Mr. Steinheim.
Are we going to Tabatchnick's
as the racing commissioner?
He looks interesting.
Dresses sharp, and he's going
on the 24 West Orange.
A lot of nice houses out there.
You ready?
Not yet. Let him get on first.
Okay, now.
- We could get lost.
- You can't get lost.
You tell the directions
by the house numbers.
Even numbers are south and east,
and odd is north and west.
The bigger the number,
the farther you are from Broad
and Market streets.
It's simple.
♪
♪ ♪
C'mon, move!
Don't get right behind him.
Nice neighborhood, huh?
Told you.
Where are all the kids?
Rich kids don't play
in the street.
They have backyards.
Wanna see one?
No, thanks.
Darn it. That didn't last long.
What are you doing?
I gotta get the house number.
Keep track of where I go.
Then I put pins in a map.
You should do it, too.
Then you can see
all the places you've been.
Got it, let's go.
Abe is here!
How 'bout some service?
Good morning, Mr. Steinheim.
- What can I get for...
- Four pounds of sturgeon,
three of the smoked whitefish,
three of the belly lox,
two of the sable,
two dozen herring fillets,
three dozen bagels,
four bags of pickles.
And hurry it up,
I don't got all day.
All right,
let's move it, fellas.
Let's go, let's go.
Hey, kid. Keep a sharp eye
he don't try to thumb the scale.
He's only joking, folks.
All right, come on.
- Let's move, guys.
- There's always Horowitz's.
All right, that'll be...
37.63, Mr. Steinheim.
Thank you,
let me get your change.
- Please do.
- Get him his bags.
Look at this.
Indian head nickel, huh?
- Next.
- I'm watching you.
So, Saturday night,
you coming over?
- I hope.
- Okay, take me home.
What do you mean "hope"?
I had to park it
a couple of blocks down.
- Down on third?
- Yeah.
- Evening, James.
- Mr. Levin.
Got here just before
they closed, I think.
- Thank you, miss.
- You're welcome.
You worked the weekend again?
End of the month is coming up.
I'm still short on my quota.
- Is that Black Forest?
- It is.
All right.
I'll take that and, uh...
half dozen of your jelly-filled.
I saved those for you. Patty?
The jellies from the back.
You listen to, uh, Lindbergh
at the airport?
You missed nothing.
Who was there to greet him?
The Republican congressman.
Vreeland and the other guy.
A few state assemblymen.
Some ministers and whatnot.
Oh, the rabbi from B'nai Moshe,
what's his name, Bergensdorf...
- Bengelsdorf.
- Yeah.
Pompous son of a bitch.
But no one from Bergen
or Hudson or Essex counties.
Frank Hague told every Democrat
on any ticket north of Brunswick
that if they even drive by
that airport,
they're gonna be looking
for work tomorrow.
Well, Frank Hague can do that,
and he's always been rock solid
for Roosevelt.
And Roosevelt for him.
Still, I wish the president
would answer
that son of a bitch.
He's presidential, Norman.
That's what he's showing us.
You remember what he said
when Lindbergh
won the nomination?
"By the time this is over,
that young man will be sorry
not only that
he entered politics,
but that he ever learned
to fly."
From his mouth to God's ears.
Hey, enjoy the Black Forest.
But in central London,
with searchlights moving closer
to our position,
one expects to hear more bursts
at any moment like before.
There, what's known as that
hard stony sound, closer still.
Doesn't sound like they can
hold on much longer, does it?
- England?
- Every night, they're bombed.
First Poland, then France,
Norway, the Dutch,
now England, all alone.
We're doing what we can.
Roosevelt just transferred
eight submarines;
gave them to the English
up in Canada.
And before that, the destroyers,
to protect their ships.
And when Roosevelt isn't there?
- What are you talking?
- Maybe Monty's right to worry.
- What if Lindbergh does win?
- Everyone sees what he is.
Everyone I talk to
knows that he's just...
Who do you talk to?
We live in Newark, in Jersey,
in the Jewish section of town.
Not just Jews.
Italians, negroes, other people.
You ask them,
they see this schmuck
for what he is.
Listen to your brother.
Lindbergh is a hero.
To most people in this country,
there's never been a bigger hero
in their lifetime.
Lindbergh is a fascist putz.
Roosevelt's gonna mop the floor
with him, you'll see.
Taken off from the HMS Ark Royal
was met upon landing
by Vichy French colonial forces
- present in Dakar.
- Dakar?
- Where the hell is that?
- Lebanon, maybe?
They faced warning shots
from the Allied fleet's
heavy cruiser, The Australia,
and quickly returned to port.
Later in the day,
an attempt was made
to set Free French troops
ashore on a beach
to the southeast of the city,
but at the last minute,
General de Gaulle...
Ah. Africa. Western Africa.
Is it good for the Jews?
Can you find
a decent delicatessen in Dakar?
Attacks from his ships
on coastal defenses continue.
- You missed dinner.
- Yeah, I figured.
The boss man made me drive him
down to the track at Freehold.
- He had a trotter running.
- Did it win?
No. His horses never win.
He just runs them so
he can mingle with the goyim.
Run around Jersey
as racing commissioner
with a siren on the car.
Dad says Mr. Steinheim is smart
and rich
and that you're lucky to have
this job driving for him.
He's a swindler. And a screamer.
A what?
Look, I've been in his office
when his subcontractors come in
to get paid.
You know, Steinheim tells them,
"Hey, look, we're out of money,
you know,
this is the best I could do.
Look, take it, rob me,
it's all I got."
Then he pays them a half,
a third...
If he can get away with it,
a quarter.
These people, Sandy,
they need the money to survive.
And he's a bastard to his wife,
his sons, everybody.
Y... Yeah, but... but Dad says...
Look, your dad sees
what Steinheim made of himself,
not who he is.
Look, your dad
really went to bat for me,
getting Steinheim to take me on.
I know he did.
You know, he...
He walked right up to him
at the high holiday services
and talked up my being an orphan
and all.
Your dad's a good man.
I heard Steinheim's gonna pay
your way to Rutgers.
Mm. He got on the phone
to the university president.
Steinheim, he starts...
Starts shouting at people,
you know,
"You're gonna take this boy,
all right?
And his grades
are not the issue.
The boy is an orphan,
potentially a genius,
and you're gonna give him
a scholarship,
and I'm gonna build you
a college building,
the most beautiful in the world.
But not so much as a shithouse
unless the orphan boy
goes to Rutgers.
- All expenses paid."
- Jeez.
- He must like you.
- Yeah, maybe.
So, any dessert left,
or did you and your brother
eat every god damn bite?
He's one of the
greatest presidents we ever had.
He saved this country
- from a depression, and he's
playing it
From a perspective.
- exactly the way he should.
You're talking about
this community.
He's being
presidential.
He's gonna get
- his ass beat. Outside of
this community...
Roosevelt?
- Lindbergh's gonna beat him.
- Ridiculous. Don't be an idiot.
- Oh, I'm the idiot?
You know,
My farmers are backing him.
- They like the entertainment.
- Herman, believe what you
- want but the man has a chance!
He has more than a
chance. Fascism is winning.
- Has anybody in this house
noticed this?
- Enough! Enough.
Enough politics.
I can't take it anymore.
You? When you go upstairs,
you need a bath,
and you need
to put your sketches away.
They're all spread out
on your bed and floor.
You missed supper,
but I have some leftovers
I can heat up.
And you two, please?
- Turn off the radio.
- And miss Winchell?
Herman...
Now Winchell's a
mensch.
That's a Jew
that takes no guff from anyone.
Damn right,
and he means what he says.
Not like some of them,
not like this rabbi
from B'nai Moshe.
- Bengelsdorf?
- Bengelsdorf.
Out there on the airfield,
shaking the hand of a man
who shook Göring's hand
and got a Nazi medal for it.
Bengelsdorf did that?
Honey? Do you want real food
or are you okay with cake?
- Cake's more than fine.
What if Lindbergh
just wants peace?
Kiddo, this is peace
with a man who is jailing
- and killing our people.
- But not Americans.
- Oh, knock it off with
the Lindbergh puppet.
Enough! Enough! Enough!
Enough, do you hear me?
- You're still wrong.
- We're just talking.
Mom. Do Gracie.
Not right now, honey. I...
I can't. Just go upstairs.
- Go to sleep, it's really late.
- Come on, please?
Just a little bit.
Or you could do Baby Snooks.
I can't do Gracie
unless your father
does his George Burns.
Oh God, I won't remember.
Come on,
you know it well enough.
- Oh, all right, all right.
- Oh boy, oh boy.
Oh, she's got the...
Oh, George?
Yes, Gracie?
I got a letter from my brother.
Your brother, he writes?
Not well, but he writes.
He tells me about my niece.
- She's got three feet.
- Your niece has a third foot?
Oh, that's nothing.
I got an aunt who sees
- with her mouth.
- Sees with her mouth?
Sure,
she sees if the soup is hot.
So, tell me about your niece
who grew another foot.
- Herman, you're killing us!
- Hey!
- What?
- Dad, come on!
- You stepped on my line.
- The whole thing is wrong.
Oh, all right, uh...
Right. Uh, so...
Tell me 'bout your niece
who has three feet.
He tells me, "Oh, you wouldn't
even know little Jean,
she's grown another foot."
- Oh, I... I'll be right back.
- Where you going, Gracie?
I left the stove in the kitchen.
Say good night, Gracie!
Good night!
And good night,
and good night, and good night.
Thank you, thank you.
Sandy, don't forget to pick up
your sketches.
And wash your neck.
When he came out
against the Jews
in the Des Moines speech,
I was... outraged.
But since then,
his message has been anti-war,
which makes me conflicted
because I hate war.
As do I, and I'll do everything
within my power
to stop our country
from being entangled
in yet another
European conflict.
Now, to that end, last month,
I met with Lindbergh.
He met with you? In private?
And despite what you might hear,
he's a gracious man.
Mm. What did he tell you?
Well, it's more
what I was able to tell him.
I explained to him
that our people are committed
irrevocably to America,
where though Ireland
still matters to the Irish
and Poland to the Poles,
Jews retain no allegiance,
sentimental or otherwise,
to those Old-World countries
where we were
never really welcome.
And from that meeting,
going forward,
Lindbergh has not said anything
derogatory about our people.
Not to me, and not in public.
- He listened to you.
- Um... it would seem.
But there are so many, though,
who don't trust him.
- My brother-in-law...
- I understand,
and I'm gonna do my best
to convince them otherwise,
which brings me to the purpose
of this dinner
and my asking you
to accompany me
to the airfield today.
Are you still planning to leave
the classroom next year?
Uh, yes, I already notified
the school board.
And your plan was to take
a position to work
for the teachers union.
I don't mean to, how does it go,
toot my own horn,
but I can make that happen,
if that's what you want,
I certainly have friends
in the teachers union.
But I have another offer
that I'd like for you
to consider.
Come work with me.
With his aircraft now overdue
by almost ten hours
after taking off
from an airfield near Nashville
and beginning
what should have been
little more
than an hour flight west
to a scheduled campaign stop
in Memphis.
Search parties
began again at dawn,
combing every hill and field
of the 220 miles
between the cities,
looking for Lindbergh's famed...
Did he crash his plane?
Don't be silly.
Lindbergh doesn't crash.
It can happen to any pilot.
As I recall,
he had a few crash landings
when he flew
for the postal service.
That was early.
Lindbergh hasn't crashed
since he crossed the ocean.
And he flies everywhere.
Well... I have some news.
I'm gonna see
about getting a job.
A job? Where? Why?
Because your father and I need
to save a little extra money
if we're going to buy a house.
- In Union?
- No, here in Weequahic.
But Mom, you won't be home?
Not in the daytime,
but I will be there
every morning
to see you off for school
and I will be there
every night with dinner.
But what about after school,
or... or on the weekends?
Who's going to fix our snacks
or lunches?
Come on, you're old enough
to spread some jelly
on some bread.
If you ever couldn't reach me,
you could call your father
or Aunt Evelyn or Uncle Monty,
I'll put all the numbers
by the phone.
Our new house
will have a backyard, right?
'Cause only poor kids
play in the street.
Now,
don't get ahead of yourself.
She doesn't even have
the job yet.
And what gave you the idea
we're poor?
We're not poor.
Poor people don't have a car
or food on the table.
I don't know.
This is what
they don't understand.
At a certain point,
to make the big money,
you need money!
You show me a meshugenah,
he socked away two,
three million,
he thinks he's got it made.
He's all done.
Wants to sit back, retire,
enjoy life...
And why not?
Because that's when
you've got the money
that can really work for you.
That's when,
if you know what you're doing,
and you know how to do it,
you can turn it into 30,
40 million.
That's when
you can use that money
to get into rooms
where you couldn't go.
Money makes money.
It gets you to the deals
and the properties
that you couldn't touch before.
And the high hats who wouldn't
let you in their club
or want you buying a house
next to theirs,
they won't like you any better.
But they'll make way,
because they need your money
to get it done,
to make the deal.
Hey, putzik.
You gonna get the door,
or am I paying you for nothing?
You always gotta push.
That's the way the world is.
If you don't push,
they push you.
Take care, Abe.
Yolds.
'Scuse me?
Yolds. Every one a behaima.
What, canst redden Yiddish, kid?
Not so much, no. I mean,
my grandfather used to speak it
to my grandma if they didn't
want to be understood.
- But he's gone now, so...
- A yold is a schmuck.
A rube, a dumb animal
waiting to get taken.
Yeah? What's a behaima?
A fat cow.
Same thing.
I don't know, Ev.
Maybe this is a silly idea
to start with.
Why? The boys are older,
there's no reason
you can't go back to work
and begin saving money.
What have you circled?
Two jobs for seamstresses
and one office cleaning company,
but that's at night.
Why did you go to the airport?
What?
Why did you go to the airport
to see Lindbergh?
Ma told me.
A friend of mine
asked me to go with him.
- A friend? Angelo again?
- No. I told you, that's over.
- I am done with Angelo.
- Good.
Who, then?
Rabbi Bengelsdorf.
Bengelsdorf? Evelyn...
Lindbergh is not an anti-Semite.
- Like hell he's not!
- Bess, do you really think
that a rabbi,
and someone as... as smart
and accomplished as Lionel,
could ever support someone
- who was truly against the Jews?
- Lionel?
Well, that's his name.
He's got to be in his 50s.
Evelyn, for the love
of all that's holy...
He's 60, actually.
But he's widowed.
And oh my goodness,
you can tell our mother,
I think he's Jewish.
I mean, it's not like a rabbi
is any kind of job
for a nice Jewish boy,
but you know, at this point,
I'm just gonna have to take
what I can get.
He's a good man, Bess.
I think
I might have found someone.
Whoa.
Isn't this a little
too much warpaint?
No...
♪
Now that is a shade too bold.
If it's good enough
for Barbara Stanwyck,
it's good enough
for Elizabeth Finkel Levin.
Pucker.
Hm. Barbara Stanwyck, huh?
It's her favorite shade.
So says Louella Parsons.
Oh, one more touch...
Grandma Sara's.
Oh, don't cry!
You're gonna ruin my best work!
♪
Um, Mr. Stern's office, please?
Fourth floor,
elevator on your far right.
Thank you.
Fourth floor, please.
Hi, Phil. Wanna play chess?
No! I have errands to run.
- Can I come with you?
- No, I have a bus to catch.
I can play with you tomorrow.
And now, the second half
of the eighth inning.
Rudy York, first baseman,
will be the first man up
for the Tigers.
He's batting right-handed again
and followed by Greenberg
and then Pinky Higgins.
- Score?
- Seven-one, Tigers.
But Greenberg has an RBI double,
so that's one for the Hebrews,
regardless.
The Reds are subbing out
the pitcher.
Mr. Steinheim doesn't need you
tonight for anything?
Let me see,
he'll be screaming at his wife
and running down his sons
at dinner,
but I can't really help him
with that.
Don't be stupid and mouth off
like this when he can hear you.
I'm stupid?
To hell with Steinheim.
- He's a goniff.
- A goniff? He's a builder.
And one of the most important
in New Jersey.
He chisels his contractors.
He's against the unions.
He screws over
the working people
every chance he gets,
I didn't know
you had so much admiration
for all of that.
You really wanna tell me that
the worst human being ever born
is a man who wants to make you
an educated person
and find a place for you
in his building company?
Hitler is the worst human being
ever born, and frankly,
I'd rather be fighting
that son of a bitch
than waste my time
with a Jew like Steinheim,
who only brings shame
on the rest of us by...
Don't talk to me like a child.
He doesn't bring shame
on anyone.
You think it would be any better
if you were working
- for an Irish builder?
- I do not want to be in debt
to the likes of Abe Steinheim
for the rest of my life.
- In debt to a...
- There's more to him
than just money,
and like him or not,
there's no reason for you
to give up on college.
To hell with Steinheim,
and to hell with you...
- You think that everything
in this life...
- What is this now?
- We were just...
- Nothing, Aunt Bess.
It's baseball.
You look beautiful.
I look hired.
Hahne's department store,
women's apparel.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Well, first, I went to see
Malka the dressmaker.
- Mm-hm.
- She'd already filled
the position with her niece.
- Malka.
- Yeah. But then she said...
I have everyone
of the National Parks issue
except for
the Great Smokey Mountains.
Ten cent one.
I think it's black.
Did you know men stars
in Hollywood kiss each other?
What are you talking about?
You didn't know that, did you?
That's bullshit, who told...
No, let me guess, Earl Axman.
His dad was in a movie
in Hollywood and he told Earl.
-So there.
-Your friend knows too much
for a little kid
and not near enough
to be a grown-up.
He has a great stamp collection.
Big deal. Did he tell you
rich kids play in backyards?
He did, didn't he?
It's more bullshit.
He's got a mom
that'll go out with anyone.
She goes out with guys
that aren't even her own age.
How do you know?
Everyone on Summit Avenue knows.
- I don't.
- That's not all you don't know.
Like what?
What don't I know?
♪ ♪
♪ The years have changed you
Somehow ♪
Leave it on.
♪ I see you now ♪
A little paint
and powder does it?
♪ Smoking, drinking
Never thinking of tomorrow ♪
The pearls, too.
♪ Nonchalant ♪
♪ Diamonds shining, dancing ♪
♪ Dining with some man
In a restaurant ♪
♪ Is that all
You really want? ♪
♪ No, sophisticated lady
I know ♪
♪ You miss the love you lost
Long ago ♪
♪ And when nobody is nigh
You cry ♪
♪ Then with disillusion
Deep in your eyes ♪
♪ You learned that fools
In love soon grow wise ♪
♪ The years have changed... ♪
In the words of perhaps
our greatest prophet, Isaiah,
"They shall beat their swords
into plowshares
and their spears
into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not take up sword
against nation...
Nor shall they train
for war anymore."
Please turn to page 158
as the cantor leads us
in Ashrei.
Philip, your mother is concerned
you may be a little too young
- to watch the newsreels.
- I'm not.
Well, I told her that
it hasn't bothered you yet,
but if you see anything
that bothers you,
put your hands over your eyes
- and we'll talk about it later.
- I won't need to.
Will there be anything
about Lindbergh having to land
- the plane in that field?
- It's too soon.
That happened Thursday.
They didn't find him
until yesterday morning.
They need a couple days
to get the film to the theaters.
I'm sure all we'll get
is the usual 41-word
piece of film
from the Lone Ostrich
standing in front
of his airplane somewhere.
What's the 41-word thing?
That's all Lindbergh says,
a 41-word speech
about Roosevelt and war.
Then he gets back
on his little plane
and flies off.
Is to preserve
American democracy
by preventing America
from taking part
in another world war.
Your choice is simple.
It's not between
Charles A. Lindbergh
and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
It's between Lindbergh and war.
Who do you think
is going to fall for this
stupid barnstorming stunt?
The Luftwaffe,
Hitler's air force,
continuing its raids on Britain,
has decided the city of London
is a military objective.
High explosive incendiary bombs
are dropped throughout
the night
and many Londoners shelter in
the underground train stations.
Why is everything on fire?
The Germans bombed the city.
Why?
It's war.
But war is soldiers
shooting each other.
This is the new kind of war.
German bombers
and British night fighters
in the air until dawn.
And despite the damage,
Londoners manage,
one way or another, to endure.
Lionel, I'm... I'm flattered,
but the truth is,
I never even learned
my Hebrew letters.
We weren't
particularly observant,
especially after we lost
our grandparents.
Shouldn't you be looking
to fill this position
with somebody better versed
in... in all of this?
I mean, I can't tell you
the difference between
- the Talmud and the... Mi...
- Mishnah.
Well, the Mishnah is
the original oral law
of the Jews as collected,
and the Talmud is volumes
and volumes of rabbis
and sages arguing about it.
Well, we do like to argue.
Sadly, that's too true.
And I will confess to you
that there are times
when I look at all these books
and I wonder...
what it amounts to.
It certainly doesn't amount
to a good reason
that you can't serve
as my assistant.
Here, this is education enough.
Aristotle meets the Bible.
Maimonides.
- Excuse me.
- Yes?
Do you have a scarf
to match my eyes?
Royal blue, I would think.
Uh, royal blue number one.
Royal blue number two...
and number three.
- I would think that...
- Let's try number two.
You don't happen to have
any of the Lindbergh scarves,
do you?
They're all the rage now.
I... don't believe we do.
Of course not. For that,
we need to go to Smithson's.
Right.
Forces claim
the ruthless occupation
is being imposed
on every city and town.
German authorities say
they're being infiltrated
by saboteurs and agitators
and are responding
with necessary countermeasures.
This footage smuggled out
allegedly shows German soldiers
on occupied duty, checking
papers, making arrests.
These are supposedly real
images of occupied Poland.
Behind the fighting units
come the SS elite units
and security police.
Then there are
the neighbor helpers.
Communists, gypsies, Jews,
and undesirables.
♪
I'm gonna be back late tonight,
Ma.
Late?
Yeah, I'm going downtown
for dinner.
Evelyn,
why can't I meet this man?
You can, Ma. You will.
Rabbi?
Those who cannot remember
the past...
He'll still fund it,
but he doesn't want it...
are condemned to repeat it.
And while there are many
in the ranks of labor...
who think that war is the only
answer to fascism,
I stand with those who remember
what was said before
the last European conflict...
That war only serves
to set working men
from fellow nations
against each other...
diminishing our ranks
and devaluing our lives
so that
the capitalist profiteers
reap the profits!
- To be drawn into this fight
is to see
our American working class
drawn into another
brutal bloodletting,
so as to enrich our modern day
robber barons.
And for what?
Slogans? Patriotism?
Our country is not under attack!
John L. Lewis,
ladies and gentlemen.
I asked our next speaker
backstage
which language
he would give his talk in.
I had to ask;
the man speaks ten languages.
Lindbergh!
Let's give a warm
and appreciative welcome
to Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf
of the B'nai Moshe Synagogue
- of Newark, New Jersey.
- Yep, they bought him.
They slipped a gold ring
through his big Jew nose
and now
they can lead him anywhere.
Listen to the man,
give him a hearing.
It's only fair.
Thank you.
I'm honored
to be here with y'all tonight.
Lindbergh!
Contrary to the propaganda
disseminated by his critics,
Charles Lindbergh,
our candidate,
did not once visit Germany
as a sympathizer
or supporter of Hitler,
but rather he traveled each
and every time
as a secret adviser
to the US government.
Far from betraying America,
as the misguided
and ill-intentioned
continue to charge,
Colonel Lindbergh has almost
single-handedly served
to strengthen America's
military preparedness
by doing everything
within his power
to advance the cause
of American aviation
and expand America's
air defenses.
- Jesus, everybody knows
what he was doing...
Hey, hey,
- let the great orator speak.
- I cannot believe they're
- trying to get away...
- Well, try.
What is happening
in the world today
is not America's war.
This is Europe's war.
I oppose the Nazi hoodlums'
treatment of the European Jews
with every ounce of my strength,
and so does Colonel Lindbergh.
But how will that situation
be alleviated
by our own country going to war?
Tell me, President Roosevelt,
what sort of America
will the massive slaughter
of innocent American boys
leave in its wake?
Roosevelt for ex-president!
And further,
I'm here to crush all doubt
of the unadulterated loyalty
of the American Jews
to the United States of America.
And so, I offer my support
to the candidacy
of Colonel Lindbergh
because the political
objectives and purposes
of my people
- are identical with his.
- Your people? Who the hell
do you think you are, Moses?
Our religion is independent
of any piece of land
other than this great country,
to which we commit
our total devotion
and allegiance
as the proudest of citizens.
I want Charles Lindbergh
to be my president
not in spite of my being a Jew,
but because I am a Jew.
An American Jew.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Pompous son of a bitch, huh?
Knows everything. It's a shame
he doesn't know anything else.
What's that mean?
It means the good rabbi's
getting a little too smart
for his britches.
Does that idiot think
one single Jew is gonna go out
and vote for this anti-Semite
because of that stupid
lying speech?
I mean,
what does he think he's doing?
Koshering Lindbergh.
Koshering what?
They didn't get him up there
to talk to Jews.
They didn't buy him off
for that.
Don't you understand?
He's up there
talking to the goyim.
He's giving all the good
Christian folks of this country
their personal rabbi's
permission to vote for Lindy
an... and not to think themselves
Nazis or... or anti-Semites.
Can't you see what they just got
the great Lionel Bengelsdorf
to do?
Oh, my God.
Evelyn.
What?
They won't vote
for a man like that.
But they don't want
four more years of Roosevelt.
He's a great man.
He's done a lot
for this country.
But Lindbergh looks the part.
The... The fucking zhlubs
will give him...
- What are you doing?
- In case we get bombed.
Are not so stupid
as to fall for this.
Look, I believe in democracy,
and on election day,
the American people
will make this right.
They will choose the man
fit to be president.
She has to be
a goddamn schlimazel
to send three gray suits
to the cleaners
at the same time.
You gotta have air in your head.
But that's who I married.
Did you call Fleischman's
for my cigars?
- I did not.
- Well, why the hell not?
You gonna open the door?
No, I am not.
Go fuck yourself, Abe.
Levin residence, this is Philip.
- You're Alvin's cousin?
- I'm Billy Steinheim.
Yes, sir,
Mr. Billy Steinheim.
Tell your dad
Alvin quit on my father.
- You remember that?
- Yes, sir, I'll tell my dad.
Okay. Bye bye, kid.
It's still your move.
Seldon, I have to go,
I can't play anymore.
- It's important.
- Can I come with you?
No, I have to go.
When can we play again?
I don't know,
I'll have to ask my mom.
Come on. Bye.
- When did he leave?
- This morning.
Mister Levin,
he asked me to give you this.
Just one, Rose.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome, Herman.
This is the latest.
They bombed
St. Paul's Cathedral.
The most recent victim
of their wave of destruction
is St. Paul's Cathedral,
which has stood proudly
in the city
for nearly 243 years.
Thankfully, only the high alter
of the church was destroyed...
Do you have any good news,
Shepsie?
And the bobby soxers are going
crazy for Frank Sinatra,
lead singer
of the Tommy Dorsey Band.
Taking the stage
for the first time on his own,
the singing sensation
from Hoboken kicked off
a 17-city tour...
♪ ♪
♪ I need your love so badly ♪
- ♪ I love you oh so madly ♪
- FDR! FDR!
This year's election is already
shaping up to be
the largest turnout
in US history,
with three million
newly registered voters
in the last month alone.
Election officials
are anticipating
over five million more citizens
showing up to the polls
- this year than did in 1936...
If England
and France had offered a hand
to the strong republic
of Germany,
there would be no war today.
If the white race is ever
seriously threatened,
it may then be time for us
to take our part
in its protection.
Polling locations prepare
for the record numbers.
Government officials say
there's no reason for concern.
Democracy will continue
its march unabated.
Uncle Sam made sure...
And here in New York,
due to the tremendous turnout,
polls will remain open
until 9:00 p.m.
So, those of you
who have not voted yet
should make your way
to the ballot box.
♪ ...just for a tender kiss
or two ♪
which might also have been
written this afternoon.
I said, "In some places
in the world,
the tides are running
against democracy.
But our faith
has not been unsettled.
We believe in democracy
because of our traditions...
Where are you traveling?
Montreal.
- For business or pleasure?
- Pleasure.
♪ I know I must be dreaming ♪
Rhode Island has already been
called for Roosevelt,
the first decided state
of the night.
The polls having closed
in strategic states...
- Come inside.
- On the East Coast.
Connecticut, Alabama
and Delaware
are tallying up their final
ballots, while Massachusetts
and Maryland have both
been called for Roosevelt.
And Virginia and Kentucky...
have given Lindbergh his
first states of the evening.
Roosevelt has picked up
his home state of New York,
while Connecticut and Georgia
are both going to Lindbergh.
What was predicted by many
to be an easy third election
for the president
is turning into
a suspenseful contest of wills.
And with Monroe County
swinging for Lindy,
Florida is looking
too close to call.
So, we must retract
our earlier statement
saying returns pointed
to Roosevelt taking the state.
With results coming in
from the west,
Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona
all appear to be going
to Lindbergh.
California
and its 22 electoral votes
are still in play.
- ♪ 'Cause I don't stand ♪
- Alvin.
We shall not look
at this as a defeat,
but as a right,
the right reserved to us
by our founding fathers.
- A yank, eh?
- The guarantee that allows for
the will of the people
to be heard...
You here to fight
for King and Country?
To be counted, to be advanced,
and to be forever protected.
I'm here to kill Nazis.
And there you have it, folks.
With President Roosevelt
finally making his concession,
Charles Lindbergh
is the unimpeded winner
of this year's
presidential election.
Greeting a crowd of
supporters and well-wishers
gathered before him
late on election night.
The 33rd President
of the United States,
Charles Augustus Lindbergh.
Thank you for this campaign.
Tonight,
we have taken back America!
♪
The goons came back
to Orange Avenue last night.
They left swastikas on whatever
they couldn't knock over.
♪
The president has now offered me
a new and unique opportunity.
How does it work?
It's designed for city boys
to go spend a summer
with a farm family and integrate
into larger society.
You're not going!
You're scared of anything
you don't know.
Isn't that something?
To see the American president
shaking hands with Hitler?
It hurts like we're
living on the edge of a knife.
My country's gone to hell.
I'm here to settle an old score.
Thinking about leaving
before it's too late.
Maybe it's too early to leave,
but it's not too early
to have a back up plan.
This is my country.
Jew haters want a country?
They got plenty to choose from.
This one they're not getting.
♪
in running for the presidency,
is to preserve
American democracy,
by preventing America
from taking part
in another World War.
♪
Did you read the Roper Poll?
Thirty-nine percent say Jews
are like other people.
Fifty-three percent say
we're different
and should be, quote,
"restricted."
- Wrong turn.
- Herman, please drive.
You tell your thief cousin,
I'll have the police on him.
I'm a lot of things, kiddo,
but a thief I'm not.
He wanted it to go on like that.
I'd be the mistress,
never the wife.
You're beautiful.
You're bright.
You'll meet someone.
We have room for one flag,
the American flag.
Evelyn. A beautiful name
for a beautiful lady.
Call me Lionel.
They think Lindbergh can win.
He can.
Your choice is simple.
It is between Lindbergh...
and war.
Win or lose,
there's a lot of hate out there.
And he knows how to tap into it.
♪
♪ There's a new day in view ♪
♪ There is gold in the blue ♪
♪ There is hope
In the hearts of men ♪
♪ All the world's on the way ♪
♪ To a sunnier day ♪
♪ 'Cause the road
Is open again ♪
♪ There's a note of repair ♪
♪ There's a song in the air ♪
♪ It's the music of busy men ♪
♪ Every plow in the land ♪
♪ Needs a happier hand ♪
♪ 'Cause the road
Is open again ♪
♪ There's an eagle blue
In the White House too ♪
♪ On the shoulder
Of the president there ♪
♪ With a lusty call
Telling one and all ♪
♪ Brother, do your share! ♪
♪ There's a new day in view ♪
♪ There is gold in the blue ♪
♪ There is hope
In the hearts of men ♪
♪ From the plains to the hill ♪
♪ From the farm to the mill ♪
♪ Oh, the road is open again ♪
♪ There's a new day in view ♪
♪ There is gold in the blue ♪
♪ There is hope
In the hearts of men ♪
♪ From the plains to the hill ♪
♪ From the farm to the mill ♪
♪ Oh, the road is open again ♪
♪ ♪
Sandy?
Move. Attack!
Watch out, Yankees.
Hey! You stepped on General Lee!
Sandy!
- Where's he going?
- I don't know.
- Buddy, come on!
- Excuse me.
♪
Sorry, kid. This is as near
as you're gonna get.
You can't get any closer.
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Thank you.
I'm happy to be back
in New Jersey with you.
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
My intention
in running for the presidency
is to preserve
American democracy
by preventing America
from taking part
in another world war.
Your choice is simple.
It is not between
Charles A. Lindbergh
and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
It is between Lindbergh...
- and war.
- Yeah, yeah!
Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
The excitement continues here
at Newark's municipal airfield
as Cha-
- That wasn't so bad.
- He says the same thing
wherever he lands the plane,
from California to Florida
to Maine,
but they keep
putting it on the radio
no matter how many times
he says it.
"Lindbergh or war."
It's a terrible thing to say.
Well, war is no good.
Lindbergh is worse.
Evelyn doesn't think so.
She... She what?
She says everyone
doesn't understand
that Lindbergh
is not against the Jews.
He just wants peace.
- Ma...
- Uh, that's what she said.
- Talk to her.
- I would, but she's late.
How long is her union meeting
supposed to last?
I need to get
to the shopping already.
There isn't
a union meeting today.
There isn't?
Evelyn went to the airport
to see Charles Lindbergh.
The pilot.
He's coming to Newark, you know.
♪
You're wetting the whole mount
and not letting it dry.
See right here?
That's water damage on the edge
of your Horace Mann.
I thought I patted it dry.
Let me show you
the way it's done.
See, I only wet the top portion
of the mount.
See?
I didn't know
you should use tongs.
You don't have to,
but it helps
to protect the stamp.
You have any?
You can have these.
Gee, thanks!
Let's do something different.
Like what?
Follow people.
- Why?
- To see where they live.
- That's it?
- That's a lot.
I go all over,
even leave Newark.
Go anyplace I want.
People live everywhere.
How do you get home
before your mom?
The trick is to go
as far as I can
and get back before she does.
Come on.
Why do you hide your money?
I took it from my mom and dad.
When they're not around,
I go through my mom's purse
or my dad's jacket and pants.
It's easy
'cause nobody counts the coins.
But don't take all of it.
That might tip them off.
Wasn't able
to knock Godoy out...
Tabatchnick's.
Yes, sir.
There's the end of round two,
where Louis rocks Godoy
with jolting lefts and rights
to the head.
What's the paper say?
The Germans
are gonna invade England.
They're bombing London
every night now.
Idiots. Another idiot war.
What's the news in Jersey?
I only looked at the local pages
for a minute or two,
but it's mostly about Lindbergh
flying here today
for a campaign stop.
Another fucking idiot.
Yes, sir, he is.
Roosevelt, too.
All fucking idiots.
Use the siren, I'm hungry.
The siren's for state business,
Mr. Steinheim.
Are we going to Tabatchnick's
as the racing commissioner?
He looks interesting.
Dresses sharp, and he's going
on the 24 West Orange.
A lot of nice houses out there.
You ready?
Not yet. Let him get on first.
Okay, now.
- We could get lost.
- You can't get lost.
You tell the directions
by the house numbers.
Even numbers are south and east,
and odd is north and west.
The bigger the number,
the farther you are from Broad
and Market streets.
It's simple.
♪
♪ ♪
C'mon, move!
Don't get right behind him.
Nice neighborhood, huh?
Told you.
Where are all the kids?
Rich kids don't play
in the street.
They have backyards.
Wanna see one?
No, thanks.
Darn it. That didn't last long.
What are you doing?
I gotta get the house number.
Keep track of where I go.
Then I put pins in a map.
You should do it, too.
Then you can see
all the places you've been.
Got it, let's go.
Abe is here!
How 'bout some service?
Good morning, Mr. Steinheim.
- What can I get for...
- Four pounds of sturgeon,
three of the smoked whitefish,
three of the belly lox,
two of the sable,
two dozen herring fillets,
three dozen bagels,
four bags of pickles.
And hurry it up,
I don't got all day.
All right,
let's move it, fellas.
Let's go, let's go.
Hey, kid. Keep a sharp eye
he don't try to thumb the scale.
He's only joking, folks.
All right, come on.
- Let's move, guys.
- There's always Horowitz's.
All right, that'll be...
37.63, Mr. Steinheim.
Thank you,
let me get your change.
- Please do.
- Get him his bags.
Look at this.
Indian head nickel, huh?
- Next.
- I'm watching you.
So, Saturday night,
you coming over?
- I hope.
- Okay, take me home.
What do you mean "hope"?
I had to park it
a couple of blocks down.
- Down on third?
- Yeah.
- Evening, James.
- Mr. Levin.
Got here just before
they closed, I think.
- Thank you, miss.
- You're welcome.
You worked the weekend again?
End of the month is coming up.
I'm still short on my quota.
- Is that Black Forest?
- It is.
All right.
I'll take that and, uh...
half dozen of your jelly-filled.
I saved those for you. Patty?
The jellies from the back.
You listen to, uh, Lindbergh
at the airport?
You missed nothing.
Who was there to greet him?
The Republican congressman.
Vreeland and the other guy.
A few state assemblymen.
Some ministers and whatnot.
Oh, the rabbi from B'nai Moshe,
what's his name, Bergensdorf...
- Bengelsdorf.
- Yeah.
Pompous son of a bitch.
But no one from Bergen
or Hudson or Essex counties.
Frank Hague told every Democrat
on any ticket north of Brunswick
that if they even drive by
that airport,
they're gonna be looking
for work tomorrow.
Well, Frank Hague can do that,
and he's always been rock solid
for Roosevelt.
And Roosevelt for him.
Still, I wish the president
would answer
that son of a bitch.
He's presidential, Norman.
That's what he's showing us.
You remember what he said
when Lindbergh
won the nomination?
"By the time this is over,
that young man will be sorry
not only that
he entered politics,
but that he ever learned
to fly."
From his mouth to God's ears.
Hey, enjoy the Black Forest.
But in central London,
with searchlights moving closer
to our position,
one expects to hear more bursts
at any moment like before.
There, what's known as that
hard stony sound, closer still.
Doesn't sound like they can
hold on much longer, does it?
- England?
- Every night, they're bombed.
First Poland, then France,
Norway, the Dutch,
now England, all alone.
We're doing what we can.
Roosevelt just transferred
eight submarines;
gave them to the English
up in Canada.
And before that, the destroyers,
to protect their ships.
And when Roosevelt isn't there?
- What are you talking?
- Maybe Monty's right to worry.
- What if Lindbergh does win?
- Everyone sees what he is.
Everyone I talk to
knows that he's just...
Who do you talk to?
We live in Newark, in Jersey,
in the Jewish section of town.
Not just Jews.
Italians, negroes, other people.
You ask them,
they see this schmuck
for what he is.
Listen to your brother.
Lindbergh is a hero.
To most people in this country,
there's never been a bigger hero
in their lifetime.
Lindbergh is a fascist putz.
Roosevelt's gonna mop the floor
with him, you'll see.
Taken off from the HMS Ark Royal
was met upon landing
by Vichy French colonial forces
- present in Dakar.
- Dakar?
- Where the hell is that?
- Lebanon, maybe?
They faced warning shots
from the Allied fleet's
heavy cruiser, The Australia,
and quickly returned to port.
Later in the day,
an attempt was made
to set Free French troops
ashore on a beach
to the southeast of the city,
but at the last minute,
General de Gaulle...
Ah. Africa. Western Africa.
Is it good for the Jews?
Can you find
a decent delicatessen in Dakar?
Attacks from his ships
on coastal defenses continue.
- You missed dinner.
- Yeah, I figured.
The boss man made me drive him
down to the track at Freehold.
- He had a trotter running.
- Did it win?
No. His horses never win.
He just runs them so
he can mingle with the goyim.
Run around Jersey
as racing commissioner
with a siren on the car.
Dad says Mr. Steinheim is smart
and rich
and that you're lucky to have
this job driving for him.
He's a swindler. And a screamer.
A what?
Look, I've been in his office
when his subcontractors come in
to get paid.
You know, Steinheim tells them,
"Hey, look, we're out of money,
you know,
this is the best I could do.
Look, take it, rob me,
it's all I got."
Then he pays them a half,
a third...
If he can get away with it,
a quarter.
These people, Sandy,
they need the money to survive.
And he's a bastard to his wife,
his sons, everybody.
Y... Yeah, but... but Dad says...
Look, your dad sees
what Steinheim made of himself,
not who he is.
Look, your dad
really went to bat for me,
getting Steinheim to take me on.
I know he did.
You know, he...
He walked right up to him
at the high holiday services
and talked up my being an orphan
and all.
Your dad's a good man.
I heard Steinheim's gonna pay
your way to Rutgers.
Mm. He got on the phone
to the university president.
Steinheim, he starts...
Starts shouting at people,
you know,
"You're gonna take this boy,
all right?
And his grades
are not the issue.
The boy is an orphan,
potentially a genius,
and you're gonna give him
a scholarship,
and I'm gonna build you
a college building,
the most beautiful in the world.
But not so much as a shithouse
unless the orphan boy
goes to Rutgers.
- All expenses paid."
- Jeez.
- He must like you.
- Yeah, maybe.
So, any dessert left,
or did you and your brother
eat every god damn bite?
He's one of the
greatest presidents we ever had.
He saved this country
- from a depression, and he's
playing it
From a perspective.
- exactly the way he should.
You're talking about
this community.
He's being
presidential.
He's gonna get
- his ass beat. Outside of
this community...
Roosevelt?
- Lindbergh's gonna beat him.
- Ridiculous. Don't be an idiot.
- Oh, I'm the idiot?
You know,
My farmers are backing him.
- They like the entertainment.
- Herman, believe what you
- want but the man has a chance!
He has more than a
chance. Fascism is winning.
- Has anybody in this house
noticed this?
- Enough! Enough.
Enough politics.
I can't take it anymore.
You? When you go upstairs,
you need a bath,
and you need
to put your sketches away.
They're all spread out
on your bed and floor.
You missed supper,
but I have some leftovers
I can heat up.
And you two, please?
- Turn off the radio.
- And miss Winchell?
Herman...
Now Winchell's a
mensch.
That's a Jew
that takes no guff from anyone.
Damn right,
and he means what he says.
Not like some of them,
not like this rabbi
from B'nai Moshe.
- Bengelsdorf?
- Bengelsdorf.
Out there on the airfield,
shaking the hand of a man
who shook Göring's hand
and got a Nazi medal for it.
Bengelsdorf did that?
Honey? Do you want real food
or are you okay with cake?
- Cake's more than fine.
What if Lindbergh
just wants peace?
Kiddo, this is peace
with a man who is jailing
- and killing our people.
- But not Americans.
- Oh, knock it off with
the Lindbergh puppet.
Enough! Enough! Enough!
Enough, do you hear me?
- You're still wrong.
- We're just talking.
Mom. Do Gracie.
Not right now, honey. I...
I can't. Just go upstairs.
- Go to sleep, it's really late.
- Come on, please?
Just a little bit.
Or you could do Baby Snooks.
I can't do Gracie
unless your father
does his George Burns.
Oh God, I won't remember.
Come on,
you know it well enough.
- Oh, all right, all right.
- Oh boy, oh boy.
Oh, she's got the...
Oh, George?
Yes, Gracie?
I got a letter from my brother.
Your brother, he writes?
Not well, but he writes.
He tells me about my niece.
- She's got three feet.
- Your niece has a third foot?
Oh, that's nothing.
I got an aunt who sees
- with her mouth.
- Sees with her mouth?
Sure,
she sees if the soup is hot.
So, tell me about your niece
who grew another foot.
- Herman, you're killing us!
- Hey!
- What?
- Dad, come on!
- You stepped on my line.
- The whole thing is wrong.
Oh, all right, uh...
Right. Uh, so...
Tell me 'bout your niece
who has three feet.
He tells me, "Oh, you wouldn't
even know little Jean,
she's grown another foot."
- Oh, I... I'll be right back.
- Where you going, Gracie?
I left the stove in the kitchen.
Say good night, Gracie!
Good night!
And good night,
and good night, and good night.
Thank you, thank you.
Sandy, don't forget to pick up
your sketches.
And wash your neck.
When he came out
against the Jews
in the Des Moines speech,
I was... outraged.
But since then,
his message has been anti-war,
which makes me conflicted
because I hate war.
As do I, and I'll do everything
within my power
to stop our country
from being entangled
in yet another
European conflict.
Now, to that end, last month,
I met with Lindbergh.
He met with you? In private?
And despite what you might hear,
he's a gracious man.
Mm. What did he tell you?
Well, it's more
what I was able to tell him.
I explained to him
that our people are committed
irrevocably to America,
where though Ireland
still matters to the Irish
and Poland to the Poles,
Jews retain no allegiance,
sentimental or otherwise,
to those Old-World countries
where we were
never really welcome.
And from that meeting,
going forward,
Lindbergh has not said anything
derogatory about our people.
Not to me, and not in public.
- He listened to you.
- Um... it would seem.
But there are so many, though,
who don't trust him.
- My brother-in-law...
- I understand,
and I'm gonna do my best
to convince them otherwise,
which brings me to the purpose
of this dinner
and my asking you
to accompany me
to the airfield today.
Are you still planning to leave
the classroom next year?
Uh, yes, I already notified
the school board.
And your plan was to take
a position to work
for the teachers union.
I don't mean to, how does it go,
toot my own horn,
but I can make that happen,
if that's what you want,
I certainly have friends
in the teachers union.
But I have another offer
that I'd like for you
to consider.
Come work with me.
With his aircraft now overdue
by almost ten hours
after taking off
from an airfield near Nashville
and beginning
what should have been
little more
than an hour flight west
to a scheduled campaign stop
in Memphis.
Search parties
began again at dawn,
combing every hill and field
of the 220 miles
between the cities,
looking for Lindbergh's famed...
Did he crash his plane?
Don't be silly.
Lindbergh doesn't crash.
It can happen to any pilot.
As I recall,
he had a few crash landings
when he flew
for the postal service.
That was early.
Lindbergh hasn't crashed
since he crossed the ocean.
And he flies everywhere.
Well... I have some news.
I'm gonna see
about getting a job.
A job? Where? Why?
Because your father and I need
to save a little extra money
if we're going to buy a house.
- In Union?
- No, here in Weequahic.
But Mom, you won't be home?
Not in the daytime,
but I will be there
every morning
to see you off for school
and I will be there
every night with dinner.
But what about after school,
or... or on the weekends?
Who's going to fix our snacks
or lunches?
Come on, you're old enough
to spread some jelly
on some bread.
If you ever couldn't reach me,
you could call your father
or Aunt Evelyn or Uncle Monty,
I'll put all the numbers
by the phone.
Our new house
will have a backyard, right?
'Cause only poor kids
play in the street.
Now,
don't get ahead of yourself.
She doesn't even have
the job yet.
And what gave you the idea
we're poor?
We're not poor.
Poor people don't have a car
or food on the table.
I don't know.
This is what
they don't understand.
At a certain point,
to make the big money,
you need money!
You show me a meshugenah,
he socked away two,
three million,
he thinks he's got it made.
He's all done.
Wants to sit back, retire,
enjoy life...
And why not?
Because that's when
you've got the money
that can really work for you.
That's when,
if you know what you're doing,
and you know how to do it,
you can turn it into 30,
40 million.
That's when
you can use that money
to get into rooms
where you couldn't go.
Money makes money.
It gets you to the deals
and the properties
that you couldn't touch before.
And the high hats who wouldn't
let you in their club
or want you buying a house
next to theirs,
they won't like you any better.
But they'll make way,
because they need your money
to get it done,
to make the deal.
Hey, putzik.
You gonna get the door,
or am I paying you for nothing?
You always gotta push.
That's the way the world is.
If you don't push,
they push you.
Take care, Abe.
Yolds.
'Scuse me?
Yolds. Every one a behaima.
What, canst redden Yiddish, kid?
Not so much, no. I mean,
my grandfather used to speak it
to my grandma if they didn't
want to be understood.
- But he's gone now, so...
- A yold is a schmuck.
A rube, a dumb animal
waiting to get taken.
Yeah? What's a behaima?
A fat cow.
Same thing.
I don't know, Ev.
Maybe this is a silly idea
to start with.
Why? The boys are older,
there's no reason
you can't go back to work
and begin saving money.
What have you circled?
Two jobs for seamstresses
and one office cleaning company,
but that's at night.
Why did you go to the airport?
What?
Why did you go to the airport
to see Lindbergh?
Ma told me.
A friend of mine
asked me to go with him.
- A friend? Angelo again?
- No. I told you, that's over.
- I am done with Angelo.
- Good.
Who, then?
Rabbi Bengelsdorf.
Bengelsdorf? Evelyn...
Lindbergh is not an anti-Semite.
- Like hell he's not!
- Bess, do you really think
that a rabbi,
and someone as... as smart
and accomplished as Lionel,
could ever support someone
- who was truly against the Jews?
- Lionel?
Well, that's his name.
He's got to be in his 50s.
Evelyn, for the love
of all that's holy...
He's 60, actually.
But he's widowed.
And oh my goodness,
you can tell our mother,
I think he's Jewish.
I mean, it's not like a rabbi
is any kind of job
for a nice Jewish boy,
but you know, at this point,
I'm just gonna have to take
what I can get.
He's a good man, Bess.
I think
I might have found someone.
Whoa.
Isn't this a little
too much warpaint?
No...
♪
Now that is a shade too bold.
If it's good enough
for Barbara Stanwyck,
it's good enough
for Elizabeth Finkel Levin.
Pucker.
Hm. Barbara Stanwyck, huh?
It's her favorite shade.
So says Louella Parsons.
Oh, one more touch...
Grandma Sara's.
Oh, don't cry!
You're gonna ruin my best work!
♪
Um, Mr. Stern's office, please?
Fourth floor,
elevator on your far right.
Thank you.
Fourth floor, please.
Hi, Phil. Wanna play chess?
No! I have errands to run.
- Can I come with you?
- No, I have a bus to catch.
I can play with you tomorrow.
And now, the second half
of the eighth inning.
Rudy York, first baseman,
will be the first man up
for the Tigers.
He's batting right-handed again
and followed by Greenberg
and then Pinky Higgins.
- Score?
- Seven-one, Tigers.
But Greenberg has an RBI double,
so that's one for the Hebrews,
regardless.
The Reds are subbing out
the pitcher.
Mr. Steinheim doesn't need you
tonight for anything?
Let me see,
he'll be screaming at his wife
and running down his sons
at dinner,
but I can't really help him
with that.
Don't be stupid and mouth off
like this when he can hear you.
I'm stupid?
To hell with Steinheim.
- He's a goniff.
- A goniff? He's a builder.
And one of the most important
in New Jersey.
He chisels his contractors.
He's against the unions.
He screws over
the working people
every chance he gets,
I didn't know
you had so much admiration
for all of that.
You really wanna tell me that
the worst human being ever born
is a man who wants to make you
an educated person
and find a place for you
in his building company?
Hitler is the worst human being
ever born, and frankly,
I'd rather be fighting
that son of a bitch
than waste my time
with a Jew like Steinheim,
who only brings shame
on the rest of us by...
Don't talk to me like a child.
He doesn't bring shame
on anyone.
You think it would be any better
if you were working
- for an Irish builder?
- I do not want to be in debt
to the likes of Abe Steinheim
for the rest of my life.
- In debt to a...
- There's more to him
than just money,
and like him or not,
there's no reason for you
to give up on college.
To hell with Steinheim,
and to hell with you...
- You think that everything
in this life...
- What is this now?
- We were just...
- Nothing, Aunt Bess.
It's baseball.
You look beautiful.
I look hired.
Hahne's department store,
women's apparel.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Well, first, I went to see
Malka the dressmaker.
- Mm-hm.
- She'd already filled
the position with her niece.
- Malka.
- Yeah. But then she said...
I have everyone
of the National Parks issue
except for
the Great Smokey Mountains.
Ten cent one.
I think it's black.
Did you know men stars
in Hollywood kiss each other?
What are you talking about?
You didn't know that, did you?
That's bullshit, who told...
No, let me guess, Earl Axman.
His dad was in a movie
in Hollywood and he told Earl.
-So there.
-Your friend knows too much
for a little kid
and not near enough
to be a grown-up.
He has a great stamp collection.
Big deal. Did he tell you
rich kids play in backyards?
He did, didn't he?
It's more bullshit.
He's got a mom
that'll go out with anyone.
She goes out with guys
that aren't even her own age.
How do you know?
Everyone on Summit Avenue knows.
- I don't.
- That's not all you don't know.
Like what?
What don't I know?
♪ ♪
♪ The years have changed you
Somehow ♪
Leave it on.
♪ I see you now ♪
A little paint
and powder does it?
♪ Smoking, drinking
Never thinking of tomorrow ♪
The pearls, too.
♪ Nonchalant ♪
♪ Diamonds shining, dancing ♪
♪ Dining with some man
In a restaurant ♪
♪ Is that all
You really want? ♪
♪ No, sophisticated lady
I know ♪
♪ You miss the love you lost
Long ago ♪
♪ And when nobody is nigh
You cry ♪
♪ Then with disillusion
Deep in your eyes ♪
♪ You learned that fools
In love soon grow wise ♪
♪ The years have changed... ♪
In the words of perhaps
our greatest prophet, Isaiah,
"They shall beat their swords
into plowshares
and their spears
into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not take up sword
against nation...
Nor shall they train
for war anymore."
Please turn to page 158
as the cantor leads us
in Ashrei.
Philip, your mother is concerned
you may be a little too young
- to watch the newsreels.
- I'm not.
Well, I told her that
it hasn't bothered you yet,
but if you see anything
that bothers you,
put your hands over your eyes
- and we'll talk about it later.
- I won't need to.
Will there be anything
about Lindbergh having to land
- the plane in that field?
- It's too soon.
That happened Thursday.
They didn't find him
until yesterday morning.
They need a couple days
to get the film to the theaters.
I'm sure all we'll get
is the usual 41-word
piece of film
from the Lone Ostrich
standing in front
of his airplane somewhere.
What's the 41-word thing?
That's all Lindbergh says,
a 41-word speech
about Roosevelt and war.
Then he gets back
on his little plane
and flies off.
Is to preserve
American democracy
by preventing America
from taking part
in another world war.
Your choice is simple.
It's not between
Charles A. Lindbergh
and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
It's between Lindbergh and war.
Who do you think
is going to fall for this
stupid barnstorming stunt?
The Luftwaffe,
Hitler's air force,
continuing its raids on Britain,
has decided the city of London
is a military objective.
High explosive incendiary bombs
are dropped throughout
the night
and many Londoners shelter in
the underground train stations.
Why is everything on fire?
The Germans bombed the city.
Why?
It's war.
But war is soldiers
shooting each other.
This is the new kind of war.
German bombers
and British night fighters
in the air until dawn.
And despite the damage,
Londoners manage,
one way or another, to endure.
Lionel, I'm... I'm flattered,
but the truth is,
I never even learned
my Hebrew letters.
We weren't
particularly observant,
especially after we lost
our grandparents.
Shouldn't you be looking
to fill this position
with somebody better versed
in... in all of this?
I mean, I can't tell you
the difference between
- the Talmud and the... Mi...
- Mishnah.
Well, the Mishnah is
the original oral law
of the Jews as collected,
and the Talmud is volumes
and volumes of rabbis
and sages arguing about it.
Well, we do like to argue.
Sadly, that's too true.
And I will confess to you
that there are times
when I look at all these books
and I wonder...
what it amounts to.
It certainly doesn't amount
to a good reason
that you can't serve
as my assistant.
Here, this is education enough.
Aristotle meets the Bible.
Maimonides.
- Excuse me.
- Yes?
Do you have a scarf
to match my eyes?
Royal blue, I would think.
Uh, royal blue number one.
Royal blue number two...
and number three.
- I would think that...
- Let's try number two.
You don't happen to have
any of the Lindbergh scarves,
do you?
They're all the rage now.
I... don't believe we do.
Of course not. For that,
we need to go to Smithson's.
Right.
Forces claim
the ruthless occupation
is being imposed
on every city and town.
German authorities say
they're being infiltrated
by saboteurs and agitators
and are responding
with necessary countermeasures.
This footage smuggled out
allegedly shows German soldiers
on occupied duty, checking
papers, making arrests.
These are supposedly real
images of occupied Poland.
Behind the fighting units
come the SS elite units
and security police.
Then there are
the neighbor helpers.
Communists, gypsies, Jews,
and undesirables.
♪
I'm gonna be back late tonight,
Ma.
Late?
Yeah, I'm going downtown
for dinner.
Evelyn,
why can't I meet this man?
You can, Ma. You will.
Rabbi?
Those who cannot remember
the past...
He'll still fund it,
but he doesn't want it...
are condemned to repeat it.
And while there are many
in the ranks of labor...
who think that war is the only
answer to fascism,
I stand with those who remember
what was said before
the last European conflict...
That war only serves
to set working men
from fellow nations
against each other...
diminishing our ranks
and devaluing our lives
so that
the capitalist profiteers
reap the profits!
- To be drawn into this fight
is to see
our American working class
drawn into another
brutal bloodletting,
so as to enrich our modern day
robber barons.
And for what?
Slogans? Patriotism?
Our country is not under attack!
John L. Lewis,
ladies and gentlemen.
I asked our next speaker
backstage
which language
he would give his talk in.
I had to ask;
the man speaks ten languages.
Lindbergh!
Let's give a warm
and appreciative welcome
to Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf
of the B'nai Moshe Synagogue
- of Newark, New Jersey.
- Yep, they bought him.
They slipped a gold ring
through his big Jew nose
and now
they can lead him anywhere.
Listen to the man,
give him a hearing.
It's only fair.
Thank you.
I'm honored
to be here with y'all tonight.
Lindbergh!
Contrary to the propaganda
disseminated by his critics,
Charles Lindbergh,
our candidate,
did not once visit Germany
as a sympathizer
or supporter of Hitler,
but rather he traveled each
and every time
as a secret adviser
to the US government.
Far from betraying America,
as the misguided
and ill-intentioned
continue to charge,
Colonel Lindbergh has almost
single-handedly served
to strengthen America's
military preparedness
by doing everything
within his power
to advance the cause
of American aviation
and expand America's
air defenses.
- Jesus, everybody knows
what he was doing...
Hey, hey,
- let the great orator speak.
- I cannot believe they're
- trying to get away...
- Well, try.
What is happening
in the world today
is not America's war.
This is Europe's war.
I oppose the Nazi hoodlums'
treatment of the European Jews
with every ounce of my strength,
and so does Colonel Lindbergh.
But how will that situation
be alleviated
by our own country going to war?
Tell me, President Roosevelt,
what sort of America
will the massive slaughter
of innocent American boys
leave in its wake?
Roosevelt for ex-president!
And further,
I'm here to crush all doubt
of the unadulterated loyalty
of the American Jews
to the United States of America.
And so, I offer my support
to the candidacy
of Colonel Lindbergh
because the political
objectives and purposes
of my people
- are identical with his.
- Your people? Who the hell
do you think you are, Moses?
Our religion is independent
of any piece of land
other than this great country,
to which we commit
our total devotion
and allegiance
as the proudest of citizens.
I want Charles Lindbergh
to be my president
not in spite of my being a Jew,
but because I am a Jew.
An American Jew.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Lindbergh!
Lindbergh! Lindbergh!
Pompous son of a bitch, huh?
Knows everything. It's a shame
he doesn't know anything else.
What's that mean?
It means the good rabbi's
getting a little too smart
for his britches.
Does that idiot think
one single Jew is gonna go out
and vote for this anti-Semite
because of that stupid
lying speech?
I mean,
what does he think he's doing?
Koshering Lindbergh.
Koshering what?
They didn't get him up there
to talk to Jews.
They didn't buy him off
for that.
Don't you understand?
He's up there
talking to the goyim.
He's giving all the good
Christian folks of this country
their personal rabbi's
permission to vote for Lindy
an... and not to think themselves
Nazis or... or anti-Semites.
Can't you see what they just got
the great Lionel Bengelsdorf
to do?
Oh, my God.
Evelyn.
What?
They won't vote
for a man like that.
But they don't want
four more years of Roosevelt.
He's a great man.
He's done a lot
for this country.
But Lindbergh looks the part.
The... The fucking zhlubs
will give him...
- What are you doing?
- In case we get bombed.
Are not so stupid
as to fall for this.
Look, I believe in democracy,
and on election day,
the American people
will make this right.
They will choose the man
fit to be president.
She has to be
a goddamn schlimazel
to send three gray suits
to the cleaners
at the same time.
You gotta have air in your head.
But that's who I married.
Did you call Fleischman's
for my cigars?
- I did not.
- Well, why the hell not?
You gonna open the door?
No, I am not.
Go fuck yourself, Abe.
Levin residence, this is Philip.
- You're Alvin's cousin?
- I'm Billy Steinheim.
Yes, sir,
Mr. Billy Steinheim.
Tell your dad
Alvin quit on my father.
- You remember that?
- Yes, sir, I'll tell my dad.
Okay. Bye bye, kid.
It's still your move.
Seldon, I have to go,
I can't play anymore.
- It's important.
- Can I come with you?
No, I have to go.
When can we play again?
I don't know,
I'll have to ask my mom.
Come on. Bye.
- When did he leave?
- This morning.
Mister Levin,
he asked me to give you this.
Just one, Rose.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome, Herman.
This is the latest.
They bombed
St. Paul's Cathedral.
The most recent victim
of their wave of destruction
is St. Paul's Cathedral,
which has stood proudly
in the city
for nearly 243 years.
Thankfully, only the high alter
of the church was destroyed...
Do you have any good news,
Shepsie?
And the bobby soxers are going
crazy for Frank Sinatra,
lead singer
of the Tommy Dorsey Band.
Taking the stage
for the first time on his own,
the singing sensation
from Hoboken kicked off
a 17-city tour...
♪ ♪
♪ I need your love so badly ♪
- ♪ I love you oh so madly ♪
- FDR! FDR!
This year's election is already
shaping up to be
the largest turnout
in US history,
with three million
newly registered voters
in the last month alone.
Election officials
are anticipating
over five million more citizens
showing up to the polls
- this year than did in 1936...
If England
and France had offered a hand
to the strong republic
of Germany,
there would be no war today.
If the white race is ever
seriously threatened,
it may then be time for us
to take our part
in its protection.
Polling locations prepare
for the record numbers.
Government officials say
there's no reason for concern.
Democracy will continue
its march unabated.
Uncle Sam made sure...
And here in New York,
due to the tremendous turnout,
polls will remain open
until 9:00 p.m.
So, those of you
who have not voted yet
should make your way
to the ballot box.
♪ ...just for a tender kiss
or two ♪
which might also have been
written this afternoon.
I said, "In some places
in the world,
the tides are running
against democracy.
But our faith
has not been unsettled.
We believe in democracy
because of our traditions...
Where are you traveling?
Montreal.
- For business or pleasure?
- Pleasure.
♪ I know I must be dreaming ♪
Rhode Island has already been
called for Roosevelt,
the first decided state
of the night.
The polls having closed
in strategic states...
- Come inside.
- On the East Coast.
Connecticut, Alabama
and Delaware
are tallying up their final
ballots, while Massachusetts
and Maryland have both
been called for Roosevelt.
And Virginia and Kentucky...
have given Lindbergh his
first states of the evening.
Roosevelt has picked up
his home state of New York,
while Connecticut and Georgia
are both going to Lindbergh.
What was predicted by many
to be an easy third election
for the president
is turning into
a suspenseful contest of wills.
And with Monroe County
swinging for Lindy,
Florida is looking
too close to call.
So, we must retract
our earlier statement
saying returns pointed
to Roosevelt taking the state.
With results coming in
from the west,
Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona
all appear to be going
to Lindbergh.
California
and its 22 electoral votes
are still in play.
- ♪ 'Cause I don't stand ♪
- Alvin.
We shall not look
at this as a defeat,
but as a right,
the right reserved to us
by our founding fathers.
- A yank, eh?
- The guarantee that allows for
the will of the people
to be heard...
You here to fight
for King and Country?
To be counted, to be advanced,
and to be forever protected.
I'm here to kill Nazis.
And there you have it, folks.
With President Roosevelt
finally making his concession,
Charles Lindbergh
is the unimpeded winner
of this year's
presidential election.
Greeting a crowd of
supporters and well-wishers
gathered before him
late on election night.
The 33rd President
of the United States,
Charles Augustus Lindbergh.
Thank you for this campaign.
Tonight,
we have taken back America!
♪
The goons came back
to Orange Avenue last night.
They left swastikas on whatever
they couldn't knock over.
♪
The president has now offered me
a new and unique opportunity.
How does it work?
It's designed for city boys
to go spend a summer
with a farm family and integrate
into larger society.
You're not going!
You're scared of anything
you don't know.
Isn't that something?
To see the American president
shaking hands with Hitler?
It hurts like we're
living on the edge of a knife.
My country's gone to hell.
I'm here to settle an old score.
Thinking about leaving
before it's too late.
Maybe it's too early to leave,
but it's not too early
to have a back up plan.
This is my country.
Jew haters want a country?
They got plenty to choose from.
This one they're not getting.
♪