Wiseguy (1987–2009): Season 2, Episode 6 - 7th Avenue Freeze Out - full transcript
Vinnie goes undercover for the O.C.B. as a garment-center security consultant to keep the new wave of organized crime leadership from destroying a father-and-son business.
- [Announcer]
Tonight on Wiseguy.
- You're thinking of serving
up our business for dinner.
That's insane.
- It's my business
before it's our business.
(pounds)
- Now, this is a chance for
us to get into the rag trade
at a level we've
never been before.
- You want to give
this to Terranova.
(pounds)
- You can't
selectively cooperate.
- And you can't use me as
a trough to feed gumbas
to the Justice Department.
What are you doing
to me, Vinnie?
What do I have left
when you're done?
- David, I will not
let that happen.
Believe me.
(pounds)
("Wiseguy Theme
Music" by Mike Post)
- This business is a jungle.
You hustle or you die.
Trucker, cutter, rack jobber,
the broad on the runway
with a metronome cervix,
and the I'm too stupid
to be anything but bored punim.
Nobody gets a pass,
honey. (cries)
Don't do that.
I'm teaching you something.
It's a jungle, shoulder to
shoulder at the watering hole,
and everybody's lookin' for
their own personal delta.
My father came here
lookin' for the Jordan.
Maybe you're looking
for the Yangtze.
Any event, it's the same thing.
You hang onto this
machine and hope.
You hope the pattern's right,
the cutter followed it,
and your sweat
doesn't drip on it.
And if the stars favor ya,
you'll get a piece of material
that'll feed your family
through another season.
Now, when something goes
wrong, you don't cry about it.
You fix it.
You don't think about it.
You do it.
Like this, like
this, (snaps) you--
- Dad?
Dad?
She doesn't speak English.
- Dammit, where's Bill?
- You sent him home
to make the Sukkot.
- He used to be the best
cutter in the business.
Now, he's taking
advantage of me.
(phone rings)
Let me see.
Turn around.
Oh, here, work it,
sweetheart, work it.
You took care of customs.
- There's a lot of red tape.
- You don't know how
to deal with anything
that isn't neat
and clean, do ya?
- What I certainly
don't know how to do
is finish a sentence around you.
- So finish.
- The Korean order came
in on Japanese documents.
Japan's exceeded quota.
I've already talked
to the international
trade guy at Hiam's office.
It could take month.
- A month?
I'm needing a couple
a million dollars.
How many times have I told you?
Do not take no for an answer.
- 14,000.
- Mr. Jackson's here.
(upbeat instrumental music)
- Did you see Coke Bottles?
- Yeah, he doesn't
have the money.
- Can't you do anything right?
- I made the dean's list.
- I was thinking this decade.
(upbeat instrumental music)
It's a beaut, huh, George?
- It could sell in the window,
so what have we got here?
- Poly, ray, cotton.
Profit's built in.
Take a good look.
- Does it feel good?
- Very good.
- You want to have dinner?
- I have to check my calendar.
- What do you think you
want to take, George?
- You think she'll
go out with me?
- George, you've
got great charisma.
Let's do the order first.
- I don't want your casuals.
But I'll take 300 units
each on the career line.
And you can give me that in
a vibrant blue and green?
- Of course.
- All right, 200.
I need it on the
floor in three weeks.
- Three weeks?
Put a gun to my head.
- Anything else, Eli?
- What about tonight?
- Three weeks, George?
- Tack on the overtime,
and I'll cover it.
- Tonight's just
fine, Mr. Jackson.
(phone rings)
- Half million
dollar short order?
And two million
mildewing in the harbor?
- Coke Bottle's will cover it.
- No problem with the 500K.
- [Eli] Good, what
about the two million?
- You're dreamin'.
- I'm dreamin'?
Who do you think
you're talking to?
- God, I'm talking to God.
He's hiding in the refrigerator.
- Johnny, I gotta
reproduce and deliver
on that order in 10
days or I eat it.
- You want the 500?
No problem.
The two mil, it ain't there.
- Johnny, 25 years, Johnny.
I helped you get started.
- You want two mil, huh?
There's only place
in Seventh Avenue
to get that kind of cash.
- We don't do business there.
- I'll make that decision.
Come on.
Come on.
- You want the 500 or not?
- [Eli] Yeah, I want the five.
You know what you are, Johnny?
- Yeah, I know what
I am, a survivor.
(phone rings)
- [Woman] Mr. Pinzolo's office.
- Mr. P, Johnny Coke
Bottles calling.
- I got over a 125,000
in T bills and stocks
I can borrow against.
You got over 100,000 in
equity on your castle.
- You don't put your personal
property at risk for business.
- Oh, that's smart.
That is really smart.
You put your life at risk, but
you keep your estate intact.
- I've been doin' business
with Pinzolo for 40 years.
- With his father for trucking.
Going to Rick for
money is stupid.
- I won't have you using
that tone of voice with me.
What you know
about this business
you could put in a thimble.
- And what's going to
be left of this business
after Pinzolo is through with
it, you can put in a thimble.
Dad, I went to school with Rick.
He's not his father.
He keeps score by consumption.
You're thinking of serving
up our business for dinner.
That's insane.
- It's my business
before it's our business.
- Look, Dad--
- David, David,
it will work out.
It always does.
Forget about it for now.
Let's have a nice Sukkos.
(light instrumental music)
(yells and laughs)
- Aye, Davie.
How are you, baby?
- You made a beautiful
Sukkot again, Uncle Phil.
- Same old Sukkot.
Hey, what is wrong
with your father?
- [David] Who knows?
- Who knows?
He's usually all
teeth at this things
showing off his
latest shiksa wife.
Business is bothering Eli?
- You've been through it before.
- I was there at the beginning.
- [David] (laughs) Uncle Phil.
- I was the beginning, David.
- Carol?
- David.
- [David] Hi, sweetheart.
- [Carol] Hi.
- You look great.
Lil, Lil, you look wonderful.
Such a warm woman.
- (laughs) Don't
pick on my mother.
You know she hates
these family things.
- What she hates is my
father who is certainly
not Ben-Gurion but hate?
- She wouldn't be happy if
she wasn't hating somebody.
- I gotta talk to
you confidentially.
Ira, do me a favor.
Will you take this?
- Sure.
- What's up?
- Carol, you're pretty
directly involved
in some major takeovers, right?
- Yeah.
- We got a problem with Elrose.
We're in the position
of not making deadline
on an order without a two
million dollar line of credit.
We've got a solid contract
to borrow against.
You know anybody we can
turn to for an assist?
- David, there's
nobody in this family
I care about as much as you.
- It's a no, right?
- I put together 250,000.
You can have it all.
- I need two million.
- I'm about to put together
the biggest deal of my life.
If I go in asking for
this kind of favor,
it's gonna dilute my
position with the company.
- I understand.
- What about the shiksa goddess?
Isn't she old money?
- She's all pretense.
She's just another
Midwest buy who saw Dad
as the best bet for
her new fall line.
- Well, rumor has it that
she tried you on first.
- Carol.
- Well, is it true?
- Carol, how?
Well, (laughs) come on.
You remember how it used to be,
hopping bars on Columbus Avenue.
Three o'clock in the morning.
A little too much champagne.
A little too much smoke.
(laughs)
And, you know,
three years later,
who remembers who
you're bumping into?
You know, you don't
remember names or faces or,
actually I do remember
a little mold.
- David. (laughs)
Where are you gonna
get this money?
- We'll get it.
Hey, come on, gornicht.
I don't want you feeling guilty.
It's out there.
Somebody will sell us the money.
- The money is no problem.
The money's a pleasure.
Dr. Sternberg's
is an opportunity.
Okay, this is the deal.
Money at two points above prime.
Consulting fee of 1% a
month on the full loan
while money is outstanding.
All checks to all
vendors will be drawn
directly from this
office for which there
is a one point
monthly service fee.
And your contract with Amichi
trucking will be updated
to reflect contemporary
charging practices,
four cents a unit.
- That's more than double
what we're paying Amichi now.
- I know, yeah.
- I had an agreement
with your father.
- Going back 40 years, I know.
My father (clears
throat) God bless him.
He had a heart of gold,
but as a business man,
and I mean no disrespect.
He was an idiot.
So maybe you should shop
the deal before you decide.
- Who's got time for shopping?
You got a deal.
David, redo the deal.
- I didn't know
you collected art.
- Oh, yeah, yeah, art.
Art's something you
keep your money in
while you're looking for
a better place to put it.
Would you like some juice?
- Oh, no thank you.
When do you think, Rick?
- I'll have the
paperwork this afternoon.
You can cut the checks
the minute you sign.
- Fine, come on, David.
- Dave?
Stick around for a minute.
I'd like to talk if that's?
- Yeah, talk now.
I'll meet you later.
Yeah?
- What's the matter with you?
You object to this arrangement?
- I'm gagging on it.
- Why?
- Who are you kidding, Rick?
Tell me your intent
isn't taking over
Elrose draining its assets?
You show me once where
you haven't done that.
- This is a business.
- This is my future.
It's not another collectible
you can hang on your wall
while you're looking for a
better place to put your money.
My father's convinced
himself he can deal with you
'cause he's dealt
with your father.
He's so desperate
he's obliviating
that little bit of
telling nostalgia.
Calling your father
an idiot business man?
- I didn't know you harbored
such deep resentment.
- Resentment?
Try fear.
I've seen the gun
in your hand, Ricky.
- Oh, yeah. (laughs)
That was a long time ago.
Come on.
There's no gun here.
- It's still there.
I can see it in your eyes.
I can read you.
I've been able to read
you since college.
- We were kids then.
Those were goods times, huh?
- They were worthless.
The world wasn't
real to me then.
- Well, it is now, David.
Let me tell you something.
Old college buddies will
only cut you so much slack.
Okay, David?
Don't stand in my way.
(juicer hums)
- Mr. Sternberg, rest
assured the government
sympathizes with your situation.
- Sympathy I can
get from my mother.
I came to you because
my business is--
- I thought it was
your father's business.
- It will be my business.
I'm trying to prevent it
from being bled white.
- Who by?
- Look, Mr. Epstein,
I don't know
how much you know
about the rag trade,
but I've got two million dollars
worth of winter coordinates
floating out in the
harbor because some jerk
in customs made a mistake
on a bill of lading.
Three months ago, we had
a fire at our factory
in Wilkes-Barre, a
few weeks before that
at our place in Redding,
two of our cutting machines
went down at the same time.
- Has Elrose been
making enemies lately?
- What I need you to understand
is what kind of
man my father is.
When he was a kid, his
bedroom was a closet,
literally a closet.
There's no difference between
business and personal.
With him, everything
is personal.
Every time he gets an order,
he's back in Flatbush
again fighting to get out.
- Do you have orders to fill?
- 500,000, three
week turnaround.
- Good startup, fires,
machine breakdowns,
it sounds like Elrose is
in need of ready cash.
You go to your factor.
- It's a guy named
Johnny Pakula.
- You go to Coke Bottles.
Maybe he doesn't have it,
or maybe he does
and he won't give.
You have a delivery date.
If you're one day late,
they can refuse to accept,
and you've got bupkis,
so you go elsewhere
because you need the money.
Where does your father go, Dave?
Feinstein?
Palegra?
You came to us.
Am I right?
You know, I was in the
Navy, and after six months
at sea, you're so horny
you could deflect bullets.
You don't care who.
You don't care what.
You need a broad.
You've seen the films.
You know the risk.
This means nothing because
you need it, so you do.
Then, later you realize
you got a souvenir.
Maybe you notice it in
time, you get rid of it.
But maybe you don't.
Before you know it, it
eats away inside you
until your brain looks
like Swiss cheese.
And then boychik you die a
death I wouldn't wish on Hitler.
All because of need.
- Look, Marv, bubbale, you
don't have to boychik me.
I came in here ready
to blow the whistle.
I'm not an idiot.
I read the papers.
The guys who are dirty,
they continue to eat at 21,
and the whistle blowers
get nailed to the cross.
- Where did your father go?
- I want your word my
father won't be prosecuted.
- I can't give you
that, not until
I know who the players are.
- I want your word my
father won't be prosecuted.
- [Marv] Give me the right
name, and you've got it.
- Ricky Pinzolo.
My father borrowed money
from Ricky Pinzolo.
We've used their trucks
for 38 years, but we never,
we never went to them for money.
(light instrumental music)
I told my father to wait it out.
We'll get the money
somewhere else,
but he's a real
stubborn son of a bitch.
He's ruled by his emotions.
His ego tells him he can
get out of Pinzolo's grip.
Nobody else has been able to.
Why him?
- Well, it took a lot of
guts to open up like that.
Thanks to Marv
Epstein, the bureau's
version of sodium pentothal.
All right, now, what we have
here is a partial breakdown
of the garment
industry in New York.
It generates 20 billion
dollars a year annually.
These are some of the guys
that slice up the pie.
Now, the broken lines indicate
suspected connections,
but nothing that'll
stand up in court.
Now, this Elrose Fashions.
That's Eli and David Sternberg.
The subsidiaries are Stylish
Juniors and Missy Renee.
Now, they ship with
Amichi Trucking,
which is one of the six
companies controlled,
if you follow the
yellow brick road
far enough, by Ricky Pinzolo.
- Pinzolo has never been charged
with any criminal activity.
- He inherited
control of trucking.
Union organizing, loan
sharking, political corruption
from his father, Carmine.
Now the point is that David
Sternberg is so worried
about his father, the
businesser himself,
that he's willing to throw
out the welcome mat for us.
- That would mean that
David Sternberg knows
our undercover operative.
- Correct.
- What about Eli Sternberg?
- As far as Eli Sternberg
is concerned or anybody else
at Elrose our operative is a
former bent nose who is now
a corporate
securities specialist.
Now, this is a chance for
us to get into the rag trade
at a level we've
never been before.
We get to fill in some
of these broken lines.
- You want to give
this to Terranova.
- [Frank] Yep.
- What makes you
think he'll take it?
- Pinzolo is the pinnacle
of organized crime
in a multi-billion
dollar industry.
If Vinnie feels like he can
trust Sternberg, he'll take it.
- Thanks, Jason.
I won't be that long.
(doorbell rings)
Vinnie Terranova?
- Yeah.
- I am David Sternberg.
- Yeah, I know.
Send your limo
back to the office.
- What?
- I don't want it parked
in front of my house.
- Jason, go back to the office.
I'll take a cab.
You know what they say.
Less is more.
My grandmother had
a house like this.
- It was my mother's house.
She gave it to me
when she remarried.
I like being in
the neighborhood.
Anything else you want to know?
- No.
- Now, why should I make you
the most important
man in my life?
All I know about you
is what's in your file.
You're a rich man's kid
who likes beautiful people
and the club scene, and
you like to take flanks,
promote concerts, run
restaurants, produce
an off Broadway.
But when things go sour, you
come runnin' home to daddy.
- Look Mr. Terranova,
with all due respect,
you don't know what
you're talking about.
- What I don't know
is why I should walk
into your world and trust
you to keep me alive.
- Because that's your job.
Look, I didn't ask to come here.
Epstein told me to
do it, so I did.
You're not doin' me any favors.
I put my father's my life,
my own, and our business
on the line by letting us
become your conduit to Pinzolo.
I don't need any
favors from you.
- You're right, David.
- Look, I got a friend can
get you a deal on some blinds.
You wanna do verticals?
- Does Eli know I'm
joining the firm?
- Yeah, when we get to
the office, don't worry.
It won't be a problem.
- Fire that son of a bitch.
- Dad, Dad, Dad.
- Without talking to me,
you hire an ex-con that's
a security specialist,
and you tell him
about the business.
- There are problems, Dad.
- There are always problems.
I take care of them myself.
Fire him.
- I can't.
- Well, then get him in here.
I'll do it.
- He's already
cashed his paycheck.
Fire him, you're
out 10,000 bucks.
- Have you ever wanted anything
that I didn't give you?
When you were 16-years-old,
you went to Europe.
You wanted the red Alpha in
college, you got the red Alpha.
- Dad, this isn't about
what I drove 20 years ago.
- Then, what is it about?
- It's about what you started
and what I'm gonna finish.
Every day you remind me.
It's your business.
It's your business.
Well, some day it's
gonna be my mine.
It's my future.
I have the right to
protect it even from you.
- All right, David, where is he?
- Vinnie Terranova, this is
my father, Eli Sternberg.
- How do you do?
Glad to know you.
Welcome aboard.
- Thank you, good to be here.
- [Eli] Security
specialist, huh?
- That's right.
- Would you like to tell me
about your qualifications?
Or better yet, why don't
you just make a muscle?
My son here thinks we have
problems I can't handle.
Now, I'm busy.
I have to go to work.
And since you've already
cashed your check,
I'd like you to see
Johnny Coke Bottles.
He used to be my factor.
Tell him I sent you.
Then beat his head in.
Then I never want
to see you again.
(ominous instrumental music)
- [Johnny] What's this? (yells)
- Two's all I have.
It's all I have.
- It's not enough.
$3,500 a week's
your tab, Fashid.
- Please, it's been a bad month.
- If you had a bad month,
I have to suffer, huh?
I want the money you owe me.
I don't get the money
you owe me, your wife
and kids aren't gonna be
safe hiding at Fort Lee.
You got one more week Fashid.
And then things
start to get rough.
Say goodbye.
Immigrants, you want to help 'em
and you take it up the ying.
What can I do you for?
- I want you to tell me
why you won't cooperate
when it comes to lending
Eli Sternberg money.
- Who the hell are you?
- My name's Vinnie Terranova.
I work for Mr. Sternberg
in an advisory capacity,
and I advise you to tell me why
all of the sudden
you're well ran dry.
- Close the door, Vinnie.
Terranova, Terranova,
where did I?
You're the prick that run
down in Atlantic City.
Didn't ya.
That clown steel grade, it
went up like a Christmas tree.
Same Terranova?
- Yeah, so what?
- Let me illuminate you.
This is the real world.
There is no glamour here,
no showgirls in the casinos,
and you don't come
around asking questions
without prior approval.
And that approval don't
come from Eli Sternberg.
(buzzes)
(ominous instrumental music)
Batter up.
(yells)
I said get out of here.
(ominous instrumental music)
(grunts)
(light instrumental music)
(doorbell rings)
- [Vinnie] Who is it?
- [Rick] Rick Pinzolo.
- Who?
- [Rick] Mr. Pinzolo.
- Come on in.
- Vinnie Terranova?
- Mr. Pinzolo.
- Why are you so
rude to me, Vince?
- Oh, I'm sorry.
I'd get up, but I'm working
on one wheel right now.
You want a beer or something?
- No, no, no, no thanks.
So what are you doin'?
You're working my business, huh?
Had to find this
out second hand.
- And you're 100%
correct, Mr. Pinzolo.
I'm sorry.
It was rude not to call on you.
I didn't think I was
workin' your business.
David Sternberg hired me to
keep an eye on his father.
He's under a lot of pressure.
If the problems the
Sternbergs have are with you,
I'll quit immediately.
- The industry's
problems are my problems.
You see, we're all
singular parts of a unified
holistic community
called Seventh Avenue.
And as much as you work
for them, you work for me.
Now, Eli does not
need to know this.
You see what I'm sayin', Vince?
- Yeah, it's very
clear, Mr. Pinzolo.
- Okay.
Rick.
- Rick.
- Vince,
I want you to wear this, okay?
It's my private little
connection with you,
and I don't want to
hear that, you know,
like the batteries have
gone dead or something.
- That's not a problem.
Is there anything else?
- No, no, that's it.
Just do your job, and
I'll be back in touch.
- Okay.
Hey, Rick?
This come from you?
- What happened?
- I got kissed by a
Louisville Slugger.
- Oh, really? (laughs)
Business should be in
simple black and white, huh.
No, no, no, I have my
dilemmas dealt with bluntly.
Intimidation is not my style.
I had nothing to do with that.
- So then you don't
have a problem
if I collect on this debt, huh?
- No, no, go ahead.
Knock yourself out.
Oh, by the way, didn't your
mother marry Raphael Ayupo?
- Yeah.
- Well, welcome to la familia.
- Well, thank you.
- See ya, Vince.
- [Vinnie] Take
care of yourself.
(beeps)
- Pinnzolo came to your
house and gave you this?
- Yeah.
- It's a bug.
- It's not a bug, Frank.
It's just a normal
everyday pager.
I checked it.
I'm gonna get this guy.
- It cannot be that easy.
- I'm settin' a personal
goal for myself here.
- All right, well, while
you're chummin' with Pinzolo,
anything else swims your
way, you send it to me.
- (mumbles) Johnny Coke
Bottle, you know the lending
he does with the
Sternbergs is legitimate,
but this guy is
definitely a shilock.
I interrupted him bouncing
a guy's head off
his refrigerator.
Then he took a
baseball bat to my leg.
- All right, Vince,
just how bad is this?
- Probably be gimpin' around
for a couple of weeks.
Anyway, the victim's
name is Aaron Fashid.
He's probably an
Iranian refugee.
You play your cards
right, he'll cave.
- All right, Aaron Fashid,
any idea where I can find him?
- Yeah, he's out in Fort Lee.
Coke Bottles threatened
his wife and kid.
- All right, I'll work him.
Now, I've got something for you.
Elrose's embargoed goods,
the shipping documents
and labels were
tampered with somewhere
between Korea and New York.
Customs didn't bother to
look past the dotted line.
And I can realize the
Sternberg whenever you want.
- But who tampered with 'em?
- I don't know, maybe Pinzolo.
- Nah, Pinzolo's too big to be
wasting time bleeding Elrose.
- All right, is there anybody
else in this play that's
capable of forging international
trade documents at sea?
- I don't know.
- Well, you want the
goods released or not?
- Not yet.
I think we can get some
mileage out of this.
- All right, I'll work Fashid.
We'll see if we can bring
down Johnny Coke Bottles.
- After what he did to
me, I'm livin' for it.
I'm gonna drive him
right into your arms,
and he's gonna give us Pinzolo.
- You're awful sure of yourself.
- Frank, Pinzolo tried
to put a collar on me.
I don't like bein' led
around at the end of a leash.
- Gee.
I would have never known that.
- I said 10 days,
not 10 working days.
Don't you people
ever work weekends?
For crying out loud.
Phil, you want me to
roll my sleeves up?
- You're not a cutter, Eli.
- And what is that
supposed to mean?
- Dad, I talked to Morty.
His Sakakah shops will assemble.
We can meet Jackson's deadline.
- Good, you did something right.
- You noticed.
- Yeah, one in a row.
And you, I send
you to see Pakula,
and you come back on
the disability list.
That's perfect.
- Obnoxious, isn't he?
- I bet he was tough
to grow up with.
- It's amazing I don't
have menstrual cramps.
- Listen, I need to talk
to you privately all right?
- Yeah.
- Johnny Coke Bottles Pakula.
- Hold it.
Why?
- This guy is a shilock
that hurts people.
I can testify to that.
- I didn't come to you to
about Johnny Coke Bottles.
- I know why you came to us.
- Then let's stick
to the agenda.
- You can't
selectively cooperate.
- And you can't use me
as trough to feed gumbas
to the Justice Department.
You let that geek zap you.
He's braggin' about
it all over town.
And now, I'm
supposed to help you
with some petty getting even?
This stinks, my friend.
Is this the price I'm supposed
to pay for protection?
Becoming an informant?
What are you doin'
to me, Vinnie?
What do I have left
when you're done?
- Ah, you're right.
Absolutely right.
I'm climbing a
mountain here, David.
If you can't help
me get my footing,
then how am I
supposed to help you?
(sighs)
- I love being an adult.
- Yeah, me, too.
- Want to go to a Nick game?
- Yeah, sure.
- Want to get out
of this business?
- Yeah.
- Yes!
(laughs)
Ah, I'm gonna spend
the next three years
up to my pupik in
depositions, interrogatories,
and federal courts, or
eternity in a cornerstone
of some Statin
Island social club.
- David, I will not
let that happen.
(laughs)
- Why do I believe this guy?
(sighs)
- Johnny Coke Bottles Pakula
is the moral equivalent
of sludge, which makes
him indistinguishable
from most people in
his line of work.
- Yeah, I know that.
But is he directly
connected to Pinzolo?
- Pinzolo's got his hands in
just about everybody's pocket.
So to that degree, he
probably has his own strange
relationship with Coke Bottles.
Maybe you're right
to go after him.
I mean, maybe Johnny
didn't give us the money
because Pinzolo told him not to.
- Well, why would he do that?
- 'Cause we're here.
I mean, to use your
mountain climbing analogy,
he's a conqueror
of rag merchants.
We're here.
He'll conquer us.
That's reason enough.
- Hey, Johnny,
where's your stun gun?
Pinzolo gave me permission.
- Okay, okay, now, we're even.
- No, no, not even yet, Johnny.
There you go, there, there.
Now, we're even.
Batter up.
Get out of here, pretty boy.
- [Woman] Mr. Pinzolo's office.
- [Johnny] Mr. P.
- [Ricky] Yeah, Johnny?
- Fashid talked, Johnny.
I'm sorry.
Johnny's gonna have
to call you back.
Right now he's being arrested.
(light instrumental music)
(dial tone hums)
(ominous instrumental music)
- Dad?
Vinnie just called.
He wants us to meet him
down at the loading dock.
- Morty's factory was hit
with a wildcat strike.
They never talked to him.
They just walked.
We'll never make the
Jackson delivery date.
David, we've lost a
half a million dollars.
Why is this happening?
It's like, it's
like I'm a leper.
Our goods are still
stuck on the ship.
I never missed a delivery date.
In 40 years, I never missed.
- You'll make it work.
You always do.
- Let me ask you
something, David.
I'm your father.
How could you ever
think of me as an enemy?
I mean, when you said
that you had to protect
your future from me, that
hurt me very much, David.
- Dad, we say things
when we're upset.
All of us.
- Not me.
- Not you, no.
- David, we have to try
to be nicer to each other.
(light instrumental music)
- Okay.
Vinnie's waiting for
us down at the dock.
- His week is over tomorrow.
I want him out of here, okay.
Okay.
- [Vinnie] Yo.
- I'm in a production
crisis, Terranova.
What is it?
- I got your Korean merchandise.
- Everything's here?
- Every snap,
button, and zipper.
(laughs)
- How did you do that?
- I made a muscle.
- I love this man.
At last, we got a
guy with some moxie.
Consider yourself employed
on a longterm contract.
- Thank you very much.
- So Dad, what are we gonna
do about Jackson's order?
- Tomorrow morning,
I pay off Pinzolo.
I go to the bank, and I borrow
against this merchandise.
Then, I have the cash
I need to go to cutters
as far away as Carolina.
The hell with
Morty's wildcatters.
I can fill Jackson's
order without them.
But I'm gonna have to
pay Pinzolo 35 grand
for one week's VIG
because you were
sittin' on your
brains in customs.
(laughs)
I made a muscle.
I love that man.
(laughs)
- Take it from me.
Love is fleeting.
- [Eli] Here's your lunch money.
- [Rick] I don't eat lunch.
- Oh, that's right.
You puree it, don't you?
- How did you get
the money so fast?
- Oh, my little problem
with customs was resolved.
Your father, may God
rest his soul, and me,
if we had a problem, we
handled it ourselves.
We got our hands dirty.
- Yeah, that relationship
served you well.
Didn't it?
You skated for years paying
bargain basement trucking rates.
- I agreed to pay
the going rate.
- The going rate is gone.
It'll be eight and two.
- How the hell am I gonna
live at eight and two?
- I guess you'll have
to get your hands dirty.
- Well, I'm not gonna pay it.
I'll get independence.
I'll pick up drivers
on the street.
- You'll pay it, Eli.
Because as far as you're
concerned, Amichi trucks
are the only trucks in town.
Are you gonna get somebody
else to drive for you?
Who?
The union won't allow it,
and you're a little too old
to get behind the
wheel yourself.
- Your father would
never do this.
Punk.
- Where 10 years ago, half
of what walked in here alone
wouldn't wake up that way.
10 years ago, I wouldn't
have walked in here at all.
You married?
- No.
- [David] Ever?
- No.
- You should.
Everybody should.
They should go home and be
with their kids at night rather
than this every other weekend
we better have fun routine.
- How old are your kids?
- Five and seven.
Boys.
- That's nice.
- Yeah.
The other day, the
older one says, Dad,
when I grow up, I'm gonna come
into the business with you.
And I say, honey, you can
be whatever you want to be.
I'll be happy as
long as you're happy.
He thinks it over
for a little while,
and he says, no,
I don't think so.
I said, why?
He said, then because then
we couldn't be friends.
- [Margo] David?
- Margo.
Well, you look great.
- [Margo] Thank you.
Why don't you give
me a call later?
- I will.
- [Margo] Bye.
- So who's that?
- [David] CPF.
- CPF?
- Close personal friend.
- That's the
twelfth CPF tonight.
We've only been here 10 minutes.
- Fringes of the trade.
- Fringes of my trade
are tattoos and cigars.
- I'm talking about girls.
- Yeah, so am I.
- Oh, oh. (laughs)
- I didn't order any champagne.
- I did.
Thanks, Bobby.
I'll pour.
- Woo, look at this here.
Last time I checked, this stuff
was goin' for 100
and a half a bottle.
- You saved Elrose
two million dollars.
I can splurge.
- Just another day
at the office, David.
You know what I mean?
- So, (mumbles) how long
do you think it will take
to find what you're looking for?
- You mean, how long
'til I'm gone, right?
Listen, David, Pinzolo didn't
stay out of the slammer
all these years
because he's stupid.
- No, he's far from stupid.
So there's no time
frame on this?
- I don't know.
- No, what I mean is it
could take months, years?
- Dave, I don't know.
- You don't know, okay.
(sighs)
Thanks for the two million.
'Shlit"a'
- L'chaim.
Did I say that right?
- Fine.
- So how long you been divorced?
- Four years, three
and a half months.
Probably the first
decision I ever made
that my father agreed with.
The day that my father
divorced my mother,
he gave her a diamond necklace,
and he said, this is for all
the years I couldn't afford it.
You talk to your father?
- Nah, he died when I was 18.
- I'm sorry.
- He wasn't much
of a talker anyway.
Even when he screwed
up, he didn't talk.
He hit, but he didn't talk.
- Was your dad proud of you?
- At the time he
died, I don't know.
I guess I wasn't
much to be proud of.
- You were his son.
You know how hard it is to
make money off Broadway?
It's real hard.
I did it, but it
wasn't good enough.
Nothing is ever good enough
regardless of what I do.
Wasn't good enough.
The play didn't go to Broadway.
Not good enough.
Six years ago, he begs me
to come into the business.
The man sat at the front table
at Ratner's crying for me
to come into the business.
- You know, the business
has grown 30% since then.
- Oh, but I'm sure I had
nothing to do with that.
I mean, we both know
I have absolutely
no talent for this business.
You know what I
really don't have?
I don't have his hunger for it.
He looks at me.
He sees the one thing
he can never have again.
His youth.
Looks at me.
He sees the future without him.
It drives him nuts.
I only want one thing from him.
I just want him to
acknowledge that I have value.
- We all want that,
David, you know,
but your father's still alive.
You've still got that chance.
- I just,
I just,
I just want him to be my father.
I love that son of a bitch so.
(juicer hums)
- You know, I just figured that
if Eli gets his merchandise
off the boat, he's happy.
He pays you back, so
you're happy, too.
You know, to be perfectly
honest with you,
I thought you were calling
me up here to thank me.
(laughs)
- I rarely thank people.
The release of
Eli's goods was done
without my knowledge or consent.
- If you want me to do
things or not do things,
it'd be good if you'd
let me in on it.
I don't walk around
with Ouija board.
- Where's Johnny Coke Bottles?
- He's nursing the
beatin' I gave him.
- Oh, you think so?
- Yeah.
- He was arrested
by federal agents.
- What makes you say that?
- Because if the NYPD
had him, I'd know it.
I have led an unblemished life.
This man could hurt me.
(ominous instrumental music)
Good night, Vince.
- Good night.
(ominous instrumental music)
- [Frank] Fashid's testifying.
You're gonna do hard time,
Johnny, unless you testify
against Pinzolo, and
we'll protect you.
- Don't tell me about
protection, McPike.
Tell Jimmy the weasel he sings,
you'll protect him for life.
So he makes like Caruso.
And all of the
sudden, you don't want
to protect him anymore.
- I give you my word.
- Your word.
You don't have the juice
to make your word stick.
- Pinzolo has a contract on you.
- You're lying.
- He wants you dead, John.
- You know how I
know you're lyin'
'cause if the guy
did have a hit out,
you'd never get a smell of it.
That's the beauty of the guy.
- You're out of here.
- [Johnny] What?
- You're out of here.
You're not gonna talk.
I'm not payin' for your
smokes and your beer.
You're out on your
own recognizance.
- You're lettin' me go?
- I'm not lettin' you go.
I'm kickin' you out.
- No, you can't.
You can't send me out there.
You can't send me
out there like this.
- Why not?
Pinzolo's not after you.
That's what you said.
You got nothin' to worry about.
- You'd never know
if he had a hit out.
How could you?
- We got a man inside
his organization.
(light instrumental music)
- I talk to you, I'm a dead man.
- Yeah?
You don't talk to me,
you're out that door.
- Hold this, will ya?
- John, John!
John!
(thuds)
- Go ahead.
I'll see you later.
Good morning, Sticks.
- Good morning, Mr. Pinzolo.
Hey, you hear about
Johnny Coke Bottles?
- Yeah, front page, huh.
- Oh, thank you, thank
you, Mr. Pinzolo.
(ominous instrumental music)
- You're welcome.
(ominous instrumental music)
(somber instrumental music)
("Wiseguy Theme
Music" by Mike Post)
(light instrumental music)
Tonight on Wiseguy.
- You're thinking of serving
up our business for dinner.
That's insane.
- It's my business
before it's our business.
(pounds)
- Now, this is a chance for
us to get into the rag trade
at a level we've
never been before.
- You want to give
this to Terranova.
(pounds)
- You can't
selectively cooperate.
- And you can't use me as
a trough to feed gumbas
to the Justice Department.
What are you doing
to me, Vinnie?
What do I have left
when you're done?
- David, I will not
let that happen.
Believe me.
(pounds)
("Wiseguy Theme
Music" by Mike Post)
- This business is a jungle.
You hustle or you die.
Trucker, cutter, rack jobber,
the broad on the runway
with a metronome cervix,
and the I'm too stupid
to be anything but bored punim.
Nobody gets a pass,
honey. (cries)
Don't do that.
I'm teaching you something.
It's a jungle, shoulder to
shoulder at the watering hole,
and everybody's lookin' for
their own personal delta.
My father came here
lookin' for the Jordan.
Maybe you're looking
for the Yangtze.
Any event, it's the same thing.
You hang onto this
machine and hope.
You hope the pattern's right,
the cutter followed it,
and your sweat
doesn't drip on it.
And if the stars favor ya,
you'll get a piece of material
that'll feed your family
through another season.
Now, when something goes
wrong, you don't cry about it.
You fix it.
You don't think about it.
You do it.
Like this, like
this, (snaps) you--
- Dad?
Dad?
She doesn't speak English.
- Dammit, where's Bill?
- You sent him home
to make the Sukkot.
- He used to be the best
cutter in the business.
Now, he's taking
advantage of me.
(phone rings)
Let me see.
Turn around.
Oh, here, work it,
sweetheart, work it.
You took care of customs.
- There's a lot of red tape.
- You don't know how
to deal with anything
that isn't neat
and clean, do ya?
- What I certainly
don't know how to do
is finish a sentence around you.
- So finish.
- The Korean order came
in on Japanese documents.
Japan's exceeded quota.
I've already talked
to the international
trade guy at Hiam's office.
It could take month.
- A month?
I'm needing a couple
a million dollars.
How many times have I told you?
Do not take no for an answer.
- 14,000.
- Mr. Jackson's here.
(upbeat instrumental music)
- Did you see Coke Bottles?
- Yeah, he doesn't
have the money.
- Can't you do anything right?
- I made the dean's list.
- I was thinking this decade.
(upbeat instrumental music)
It's a beaut, huh, George?
- It could sell in the window,
so what have we got here?
- Poly, ray, cotton.
Profit's built in.
Take a good look.
- Does it feel good?
- Very good.
- You want to have dinner?
- I have to check my calendar.
- What do you think you
want to take, George?
- You think she'll
go out with me?
- George, you've
got great charisma.
Let's do the order first.
- I don't want your casuals.
But I'll take 300 units
each on the career line.
And you can give me that in
a vibrant blue and green?
- Of course.
- All right, 200.
I need it on the
floor in three weeks.
- Three weeks?
Put a gun to my head.
- Anything else, Eli?
- What about tonight?
- Three weeks, George?
- Tack on the overtime,
and I'll cover it.
- Tonight's just
fine, Mr. Jackson.
(phone rings)
- Half million
dollar short order?
And two million
mildewing in the harbor?
- Coke Bottle's will cover it.
- No problem with the 500K.
- [Eli] Good, what
about the two million?
- You're dreamin'.
- I'm dreamin'?
Who do you think
you're talking to?
- God, I'm talking to God.
He's hiding in the refrigerator.
- Johnny, I gotta
reproduce and deliver
on that order in 10
days or I eat it.
- You want the 500?
No problem.
The two mil, it ain't there.
- Johnny, 25 years, Johnny.
I helped you get started.
- You want two mil, huh?
There's only place
in Seventh Avenue
to get that kind of cash.
- We don't do business there.
- I'll make that decision.
Come on.
Come on.
- You want the 500 or not?
- [Eli] Yeah, I want the five.
You know what you are, Johnny?
- Yeah, I know what
I am, a survivor.
(phone rings)
- [Woman] Mr. Pinzolo's office.
- Mr. P, Johnny Coke
Bottles calling.
- I got over a 125,000
in T bills and stocks
I can borrow against.
You got over 100,000 in
equity on your castle.
- You don't put your personal
property at risk for business.
- Oh, that's smart.
That is really smart.
You put your life at risk, but
you keep your estate intact.
- I've been doin' business
with Pinzolo for 40 years.
- With his father for trucking.
Going to Rick for
money is stupid.
- I won't have you using
that tone of voice with me.
What you know
about this business
you could put in a thimble.
- And what's going to
be left of this business
after Pinzolo is through with
it, you can put in a thimble.
Dad, I went to school with Rick.
He's not his father.
He keeps score by consumption.
You're thinking of serving
up our business for dinner.
That's insane.
- It's my business
before it's our business.
- Look, Dad--
- David, David,
it will work out.
It always does.
Forget about it for now.
Let's have a nice Sukkos.
(light instrumental music)
(yells and laughs)
- Aye, Davie.
How are you, baby?
- You made a beautiful
Sukkot again, Uncle Phil.
- Same old Sukkot.
Hey, what is wrong
with your father?
- [David] Who knows?
- Who knows?
He's usually all
teeth at this things
showing off his
latest shiksa wife.
Business is bothering Eli?
- You've been through it before.
- I was there at the beginning.
- [David] (laughs) Uncle Phil.
- I was the beginning, David.
- Carol?
- David.
- [David] Hi, sweetheart.
- [Carol] Hi.
- You look great.
Lil, Lil, you look wonderful.
Such a warm woman.
- (laughs) Don't
pick on my mother.
You know she hates
these family things.
- What she hates is my
father who is certainly
not Ben-Gurion but hate?
- She wouldn't be happy if
she wasn't hating somebody.
- I gotta talk to
you confidentially.
Ira, do me a favor.
Will you take this?
- Sure.
- What's up?
- Carol, you're pretty
directly involved
in some major takeovers, right?
- Yeah.
- We got a problem with Elrose.
We're in the position
of not making deadline
on an order without a two
million dollar line of credit.
We've got a solid contract
to borrow against.
You know anybody we can
turn to for an assist?
- David, there's
nobody in this family
I care about as much as you.
- It's a no, right?
- I put together 250,000.
You can have it all.
- I need two million.
- I'm about to put together
the biggest deal of my life.
If I go in asking for
this kind of favor,
it's gonna dilute my
position with the company.
- I understand.
- What about the shiksa goddess?
Isn't she old money?
- She's all pretense.
She's just another
Midwest buy who saw Dad
as the best bet for
her new fall line.
- Well, rumor has it that
she tried you on first.
- Carol.
- Well, is it true?
- Carol, how?
Well, (laughs) come on.
You remember how it used to be,
hopping bars on Columbus Avenue.
Three o'clock in the morning.
A little too much champagne.
A little too much smoke.
(laughs)
And, you know,
three years later,
who remembers who
you're bumping into?
You know, you don't
remember names or faces or,
actually I do remember
a little mold.
- David. (laughs)
Where are you gonna
get this money?
- We'll get it.
Hey, come on, gornicht.
I don't want you feeling guilty.
It's out there.
Somebody will sell us the money.
- The money is no problem.
The money's a pleasure.
Dr. Sternberg's
is an opportunity.
Okay, this is the deal.
Money at two points above prime.
Consulting fee of 1% a
month on the full loan
while money is outstanding.
All checks to all
vendors will be drawn
directly from this
office for which there
is a one point
monthly service fee.
And your contract with Amichi
trucking will be updated
to reflect contemporary
charging practices,
four cents a unit.
- That's more than double
what we're paying Amichi now.
- I know, yeah.
- I had an agreement
with your father.
- Going back 40 years, I know.
My father (clears
throat) God bless him.
He had a heart of gold,
but as a business man,
and I mean no disrespect.
He was an idiot.
So maybe you should shop
the deal before you decide.
- Who's got time for shopping?
You got a deal.
David, redo the deal.
- I didn't know
you collected art.
- Oh, yeah, yeah, art.
Art's something you
keep your money in
while you're looking for
a better place to put it.
Would you like some juice?
- Oh, no thank you.
When do you think, Rick?
- I'll have the
paperwork this afternoon.
You can cut the checks
the minute you sign.
- Fine, come on, David.
- Dave?
Stick around for a minute.
I'd like to talk if that's?
- Yeah, talk now.
I'll meet you later.
Yeah?
- What's the matter with you?
You object to this arrangement?
- I'm gagging on it.
- Why?
- Who are you kidding, Rick?
Tell me your intent
isn't taking over
Elrose draining its assets?
You show me once where
you haven't done that.
- This is a business.
- This is my future.
It's not another collectible
you can hang on your wall
while you're looking for a
better place to put your money.
My father's convinced
himself he can deal with you
'cause he's dealt
with your father.
He's so desperate
he's obliviating
that little bit of
telling nostalgia.
Calling your father
an idiot business man?
- I didn't know you harbored
such deep resentment.
- Resentment?
Try fear.
I've seen the gun
in your hand, Ricky.
- Oh, yeah. (laughs)
That was a long time ago.
Come on.
There's no gun here.
- It's still there.
I can see it in your eyes.
I can read you.
I've been able to read
you since college.
- We were kids then.
Those were goods times, huh?
- They were worthless.
The world wasn't
real to me then.
- Well, it is now, David.
Let me tell you something.
Old college buddies will
only cut you so much slack.
Okay, David?
Don't stand in my way.
(juicer hums)
- Mr. Sternberg, rest
assured the government
sympathizes with your situation.
- Sympathy I can
get from my mother.
I came to you because
my business is--
- I thought it was
your father's business.
- It will be my business.
I'm trying to prevent it
from being bled white.
- Who by?
- Look, Mr. Epstein,
I don't know
how much you know
about the rag trade,
but I've got two million dollars
worth of winter coordinates
floating out in the
harbor because some jerk
in customs made a mistake
on a bill of lading.
Three months ago, we had
a fire at our factory
in Wilkes-Barre, a
few weeks before that
at our place in Redding,
two of our cutting machines
went down at the same time.
- Has Elrose been
making enemies lately?
- What I need you to understand
is what kind of
man my father is.
When he was a kid, his
bedroom was a closet,
literally a closet.
There's no difference between
business and personal.
With him, everything
is personal.
Every time he gets an order,
he's back in Flatbush
again fighting to get out.
- Do you have orders to fill?
- 500,000, three
week turnaround.
- Good startup, fires,
machine breakdowns,
it sounds like Elrose is
in need of ready cash.
You go to your factor.
- It's a guy named
Johnny Pakula.
- You go to Coke Bottles.
Maybe he doesn't have it,
or maybe he does
and he won't give.
You have a delivery date.
If you're one day late,
they can refuse to accept,
and you've got bupkis,
so you go elsewhere
because you need the money.
Where does your father go, Dave?
Feinstein?
Palegra?
You came to us.
Am I right?
You know, I was in the
Navy, and after six months
at sea, you're so horny
you could deflect bullets.
You don't care who.
You don't care what.
You need a broad.
You've seen the films.
You know the risk.
This means nothing because
you need it, so you do.
Then, later you realize
you got a souvenir.
Maybe you notice it in
time, you get rid of it.
But maybe you don't.
Before you know it, it
eats away inside you
until your brain looks
like Swiss cheese.
And then boychik you die a
death I wouldn't wish on Hitler.
All because of need.
- Look, Marv, bubbale, you
don't have to boychik me.
I came in here ready
to blow the whistle.
I'm not an idiot.
I read the papers.
The guys who are dirty,
they continue to eat at 21,
and the whistle blowers
get nailed to the cross.
- Where did your father go?
- I want your word my
father won't be prosecuted.
- I can't give you
that, not until
I know who the players are.
- I want your word my
father won't be prosecuted.
- [Marv] Give me the right
name, and you've got it.
- Ricky Pinzolo.
My father borrowed money
from Ricky Pinzolo.
We've used their trucks
for 38 years, but we never,
we never went to them for money.
(light instrumental music)
I told my father to wait it out.
We'll get the money
somewhere else,
but he's a real
stubborn son of a bitch.
He's ruled by his emotions.
His ego tells him he can
get out of Pinzolo's grip.
Nobody else has been able to.
Why him?
- Well, it took a lot of
guts to open up like that.
Thanks to Marv
Epstein, the bureau's
version of sodium pentothal.
All right, now, what we have
here is a partial breakdown
of the garment
industry in New York.
It generates 20 billion
dollars a year annually.
These are some of the guys
that slice up the pie.
Now, the broken lines indicate
suspected connections,
but nothing that'll
stand up in court.
Now, this Elrose Fashions.
That's Eli and David Sternberg.
The subsidiaries are Stylish
Juniors and Missy Renee.
Now, they ship with
Amichi Trucking,
which is one of the six
companies controlled,
if you follow the
yellow brick road
far enough, by Ricky Pinzolo.
- Pinzolo has never been charged
with any criminal activity.
- He inherited
control of trucking.
Union organizing, loan
sharking, political corruption
from his father, Carmine.
Now the point is that David
Sternberg is so worried
about his father, the
businesser himself,
that he's willing to throw
out the welcome mat for us.
- That would mean that
David Sternberg knows
our undercover operative.
- Correct.
- What about Eli Sternberg?
- As far as Eli Sternberg
is concerned or anybody else
at Elrose our operative is a
former bent nose who is now
a corporate
securities specialist.
Now, this is a chance for
us to get into the rag trade
at a level we've
never been before.
We get to fill in some
of these broken lines.
- You want to give
this to Terranova.
- [Frank] Yep.
- What makes you
think he'll take it?
- Pinzolo is the pinnacle
of organized crime
in a multi-billion
dollar industry.
If Vinnie feels like he can
trust Sternberg, he'll take it.
- Thanks, Jason.
I won't be that long.
(doorbell rings)
Vinnie Terranova?
- Yeah.
- I am David Sternberg.
- Yeah, I know.
Send your limo
back to the office.
- What?
- I don't want it parked
in front of my house.
- Jason, go back to the office.
I'll take a cab.
You know what they say.
Less is more.
My grandmother had
a house like this.
- It was my mother's house.
She gave it to me
when she remarried.
I like being in
the neighborhood.
Anything else you want to know?
- No.
- Now, why should I make you
the most important
man in my life?
All I know about you
is what's in your file.
You're a rich man's kid
who likes beautiful people
and the club scene, and
you like to take flanks,
promote concerts, run
restaurants, produce
an off Broadway.
But when things go sour, you
come runnin' home to daddy.
- Look Mr. Terranova,
with all due respect,
you don't know what
you're talking about.
- What I don't know
is why I should walk
into your world and trust
you to keep me alive.
- Because that's your job.
Look, I didn't ask to come here.
Epstein told me to
do it, so I did.
You're not doin' me any favors.
I put my father's my life,
my own, and our business
on the line by letting us
become your conduit to Pinzolo.
I don't need any
favors from you.
- You're right, David.
- Look, I got a friend can
get you a deal on some blinds.
You wanna do verticals?
- Does Eli know I'm
joining the firm?
- Yeah, when we get to
the office, don't worry.
It won't be a problem.
- Fire that son of a bitch.
- Dad, Dad, Dad.
- Without talking to me,
you hire an ex-con that's
a security specialist,
and you tell him
about the business.
- There are problems, Dad.
- There are always problems.
I take care of them myself.
Fire him.
- I can't.
- Well, then get him in here.
I'll do it.
- He's already
cashed his paycheck.
Fire him, you're
out 10,000 bucks.
- Have you ever wanted anything
that I didn't give you?
When you were 16-years-old,
you went to Europe.
You wanted the red Alpha in
college, you got the red Alpha.
- Dad, this isn't about
what I drove 20 years ago.
- Then, what is it about?
- It's about what you started
and what I'm gonna finish.
Every day you remind me.
It's your business.
It's your business.
Well, some day it's
gonna be my mine.
It's my future.
I have the right to
protect it even from you.
- All right, David, where is he?
- Vinnie Terranova, this is
my father, Eli Sternberg.
- How do you do?
Glad to know you.
Welcome aboard.
- Thank you, good to be here.
- [Eli] Security
specialist, huh?
- That's right.
- Would you like to tell me
about your qualifications?
Or better yet, why don't
you just make a muscle?
My son here thinks we have
problems I can't handle.
Now, I'm busy.
I have to go to work.
And since you've already
cashed your check,
I'd like you to see
Johnny Coke Bottles.
He used to be my factor.
Tell him I sent you.
Then beat his head in.
Then I never want
to see you again.
(ominous instrumental music)
- [Johnny] What's this? (yells)
- Two's all I have.
It's all I have.
- It's not enough.
$3,500 a week's
your tab, Fashid.
- Please, it's been a bad month.
- If you had a bad month,
I have to suffer, huh?
I want the money you owe me.
I don't get the money
you owe me, your wife
and kids aren't gonna be
safe hiding at Fort Lee.
You got one more week Fashid.
And then things
start to get rough.
Say goodbye.
Immigrants, you want to help 'em
and you take it up the ying.
What can I do you for?
- I want you to tell me
why you won't cooperate
when it comes to lending
Eli Sternberg money.
- Who the hell are you?
- My name's Vinnie Terranova.
I work for Mr. Sternberg
in an advisory capacity,
and I advise you to tell me why
all of the sudden
you're well ran dry.
- Close the door, Vinnie.
Terranova, Terranova,
where did I?
You're the prick that run
down in Atlantic City.
Didn't ya.
That clown steel grade, it
went up like a Christmas tree.
Same Terranova?
- Yeah, so what?
- Let me illuminate you.
This is the real world.
There is no glamour here,
no showgirls in the casinos,
and you don't come
around asking questions
without prior approval.
And that approval don't
come from Eli Sternberg.
(buzzes)
(ominous instrumental music)
Batter up.
(yells)
I said get out of here.
(ominous instrumental music)
(grunts)
(light instrumental music)
(doorbell rings)
- [Vinnie] Who is it?
- [Rick] Rick Pinzolo.
- Who?
- [Rick] Mr. Pinzolo.
- Come on in.
- Vinnie Terranova?
- Mr. Pinzolo.
- Why are you so
rude to me, Vince?
- Oh, I'm sorry.
I'd get up, but I'm working
on one wheel right now.
You want a beer or something?
- No, no, no, no thanks.
So what are you doin'?
You're working my business, huh?
Had to find this
out second hand.
- And you're 100%
correct, Mr. Pinzolo.
I'm sorry.
It was rude not to call on you.
I didn't think I was
workin' your business.
David Sternberg hired me to
keep an eye on his father.
He's under a lot of pressure.
If the problems the
Sternbergs have are with you,
I'll quit immediately.
- The industry's
problems are my problems.
You see, we're all
singular parts of a unified
holistic community
called Seventh Avenue.
And as much as you work
for them, you work for me.
Now, Eli does not
need to know this.
You see what I'm sayin', Vince?
- Yeah, it's very
clear, Mr. Pinzolo.
- Okay.
Rick.
- Rick.
- Vince,
I want you to wear this, okay?
It's my private little
connection with you,
and I don't want to
hear that, you know,
like the batteries have
gone dead or something.
- That's not a problem.
Is there anything else?
- No, no, that's it.
Just do your job, and
I'll be back in touch.
- Okay.
Hey, Rick?
This come from you?
- What happened?
- I got kissed by a
Louisville Slugger.
- Oh, really? (laughs)
Business should be in
simple black and white, huh.
No, no, no, I have my
dilemmas dealt with bluntly.
Intimidation is not my style.
I had nothing to do with that.
- So then you don't
have a problem
if I collect on this debt, huh?
- No, no, go ahead.
Knock yourself out.
Oh, by the way, didn't your
mother marry Raphael Ayupo?
- Yeah.
- Well, welcome to la familia.
- Well, thank you.
- See ya, Vince.
- [Vinnie] Take
care of yourself.
(beeps)
- Pinnzolo came to your
house and gave you this?
- Yeah.
- It's a bug.
- It's not a bug, Frank.
It's just a normal
everyday pager.
I checked it.
I'm gonna get this guy.
- It cannot be that easy.
- I'm settin' a personal
goal for myself here.
- All right, well, while
you're chummin' with Pinzolo,
anything else swims your
way, you send it to me.
- (mumbles) Johnny Coke
Bottle, you know the lending
he does with the
Sternbergs is legitimate,
but this guy is
definitely a shilock.
I interrupted him bouncing
a guy's head off
his refrigerator.
Then he took a
baseball bat to my leg.
- All right, Vince,
just how bad is this?
- Probably be gimpin' around
for a couple of weeks.
Anyway, the victim's
name is Aaron Fashid.
He's probably an
Iranian refugee.
You play your cards
right, he'll cave.
- All right, Aaron Fashid,
any idea where I can find him?
- Yeah, he's out in Fort Lee.
Coke Bottles threatened
his wife and kid.
- All right, I'll work him.
Now, I've got something for you.
Elrose's embargoed goods,
the shipping documents
and labels were
tampered with somewhere
between Korea and New York.
Customs didn't bother to
look past the dotted line.
And I can realize the
Sternberg whenever you want.
- But who tampered with 'em?
- I don't know, maybe Pinzolo.
- Nah, Pinzolo's too big to be
wasting time bleeding Elrose.
- All right, is there anybody
else in this play that's
capable of forging international
trade documents at sea?
- I don't know.
- Well, you want the
goods released or not?
- Not yet.
I think we can get some
mileage out of this.
- All right, I'll work Fashid.
We'll see if we can bring
down Johnny Coke Bottles.
- After what he did to
me, I'm livin' for it.
I'm gonna drive him
right into your arms,
and he's gonna give us Pinzolo.
- You're awful sure of yourself.
- Frank, Pinzolo tried
to put a collar on me.
I don't like bein' led
around at the end of a leash.
- Gee.
I would have never known that.
- I said 10 days,
not 10 working days.
Don't you people
ever work weekends?
For crying out loud.
Phil, you want me to
roll my sleeves up?
- You're not a cutter, Eli.
- And what is that
supposed to mean?
- Dad, I talked to Morty.
His Sakakah shops will assemble.
We can meet Jackson's deadline.
- Good, you did something right.
- You noticed.
- Yeah, one in a row.
And you, I send
you to see Pakula,
and you come back on
the disability list.
That's perfect.
- Obnoxious, isn't he?
- I bet he was tough
to grow up with.
- It's amazing I don't
have menstrual cramps.
- Listen, I need to talk
to you privately all right?
- Yeah.
- Johnny Coke Bottles Pakula.
- Hold it.
Why?
- This guy is a shilock
that hurts people.
I can testify to that.
- I didn't come to you to
about Johnny Coke Bottles.
- I know why you came to us.
- Then let's stick
to the agenda.
- You can't
selectively cooperate.
- And you can't use me
as trough to feed gumbas
to the Justice Department.
You let that geek zap you.
He's braggin' about
it all over town.
And now, I'm
supposed to help you
with some petty getting even?
This stinks, my friend.
Is this the price I'm supposed
to pay for protection?
Becoming an informant?
What are you doin'
to me, Vinnie?
What do I have left
when you're done?
- Ah, you're right.
Absolutely right.
I'm climbing a
mountain here, David.
If you can't help
me get my footing,
then how am I
supposed to help you?
(sighs)
- I love being an adult.
- Yeah, me, too.
- Want to go to a Nick game?
- Yeah, sure.
- Want to get out
of this business?
- Yeah.
- Yes!
(laughs)
Ah, I'm gonna spend
the next three years
up to my pupik in
depositions, interrogatories,
and federal courts, or
eternity in a cornerstone
of some Statin
Island social club.
- David, I will not
let that happen.
(laughs)
- Why do I believe this guy?
(sighs)
- Johnny Coke Bottles Pakula
is the moral equivalent
of sludge, which makes
him indistinguishable
from most people in
his line of work.
- Yeah, I know that.
But is he directly
connected to Pinzolo?
- Pinzolo's got his hands in
just about everybody's pocket.
So to that degree, he
probably has his own strange
relationship with Coke Bottles.
Maybe you're right
to go after him.
I mean, maybe Johnny
didn't give us the money
because Pinzolo told him not to.
- Well, why would he do that?
- 'Cause we're here.
I mean, to use your
mountain climbing analogy,
he's a conqueror
of rag merchants.
We're here.
He'll conquer us.
That's reason enough.
- Hey, Johnny,
where's your stun gun?
Pinzolo gave me permission.
- Okay, okay, now, we're even.
- No, no, not even yet, Johnny.
There you go, there, there.
Now, we're even.
Batter up.
Get out of here, pretty boy.
- [Woman] Mr. Pinzolo's office.
- [Johnny] Mr. P.
- [Ricky] Yeah, Johnny?
- Fashid talked, Johnny.
I'm sorry.
Johnny's gonna have
to call you back.
Right now he's being arrested.
(light instrumental music)
(dial tone hums)
(ominous instrumental music)
- Dad?
Vinnie just called.
He wants us to meet him
down at the loading dock.
- Morty's factory was hit
with a wildcat strike.
They never talked to him.
They just walked.
We'll never make the
Jackson delivery date.
David, we've lost a
half a million dollars.
Why is this happening?
It's like, it's
like I'm a leper.
Our goods are still
stuck on the ship.
I never missed a delivery date.
In 40 years, I never missed.
- You'll make it work.
You always do.
- Let me ask you
something, David.
I'm your father.
How could you ever
think of me as an enemy?
I mean, when you said
that you had to protect
your future from me, that
hurt me very much, David.
- Dad, we say things
when we're upset.
All of us.
- Not me.
- Not you, no.
- David, we have to try
to be nicer to each other.
(light instrumental music)
- Okay.
Vinnie's waiting for
us down at the dock.
- His week is over tomorrow.
I want him out of here, okay.
Okay.
- [Vinnie] Yo.
- I'm in a production
crisis, Terranova.
What is it?
- I got your Korean merchandise.
- Everything's here?
- Every snap,
button, and zipper.
(laughs)
- How did you do that?
- I made a muscle.
- I love this man.
At last, we got a
guy with some moxie.
Consider yourself employed
on a longterm contract.
- Thank you very much.
- So Dad, what are we gonna
do about Jackson's order?
- Tomorrow morning,
I pay off Pinzolo.
I go to the bank, and I borrow
against this merchandise.
Then, I have the cash
I need to go to cutters
as far away as Carolina.
The hell with
Morty's wildcatters.
I can fill Jackson's
order without them.
But I'm gonna have to
pay Pinzolo 35 grand
for one week's VIG
because you were
sittin' on your
brains in customs.
(laughs)
I made a muscle.
I love that man.
(laughs)
- Take it from me.
Love is fleeting.
- [Eli] Here's your lunch money.
- [Rick] I don't eat lunch.
- Oh, that's right.
You puree it, don't you?
- How did you get
the money so fast?
- Oh, my little problem
with customs was resolved.
Your father, may God
rest his soul, and me,
if we had a problem, we
handled it ourselves.
We got our hands dirty.
- Yeah, that relationship
served you well.
Didn't it?
You skated for years paying
bargain basement trucking rates.
- I agreed to pay
the going rate.
- The going rate is gone.
It'll be eight and two.
- How the hell am I gonna
live at eight and two?
- I guess you'll have
to get your hands dirty.
- Well, I'm not gonna pay it.
I'll get independence.
I'll pick up drivers
on the street.
- You'll pay it, Eli.
Because as far as you're
concerned, Amichi trucks
are the only trucks in town.
Are you gonna get somebody
else to drive for you?
Who?
The union won't allow it,
and you're a little too old
to get behind the
wheel yourself.
- Your father would
never do this.
Punk.
- Where 10 years ago, half
of what walked in here alone
wouldn't wake up that way.
10 years ago, I wouldn't
have walked in here at all.
You married?
- No.
- [David] Ever?
- No.
- You should.
Everybody should.
They should go home and be
with their kids at night rather
than this every other weekend
we better have fun routine.
- How old are your kids?
- Five and seven.
Boys.
- That's nice.
- Yeah.
The other day, the
older one says, Dad,
when I grow up, I'm gonna come
into the business with you.
And I say, honey, you can
be whatever you want to be.
I'll be happy as
long as you're happy.
He thinks it over
for a little while,
and he says, no,
I don't think so.
I said, why?
He said, then because then
we couldn't be friends.
- [Margo] David?
- Margo.
Well, you look great.
- [Margo] Thank you.
Why don't you give
me a call later?
- I will.
- [Margo] Bye.
- So who's that?
- [David] CPF.
- CPF?
- Close personal friend.
- That's the
twelfth CPF tonight.
We've only been here 10 minutes.
- Fringes of the trade.
- Fringes of my trade
are tattoos and cigars.
- I'm talking about girls.
- Yeah, so am I.
- Oh, oh. (laughs)
- I didn't order any champagne.
- I did.
Thanks, Bobby.
I'll pour.
- Woo, look at this here.
Last time I checked, this stuff
was goin' for 100
and a half a bottle.
- You saved Elrose
two million dollars.
I can splurge.
- Just another day
at the office, David.
You know what I mean?
- So, (mumbles) how long
do you think it will take
to find what you're looking for?
- You mean, how long
'til I'm gone, right?
Listen, David, Pinzolo didn't
stay out of the slammer
all these years
because he's stupid.
- No, he's far from stupid.
So there's no time
frame on this?
- I don't know.
- No, what I mean is it
could take months, years?
- Dave, I don't know.
- You don't know, okay.
(sighs)
Thanks for the two million.
'Shlit"a'
- L'chaim.
Did I say that right?
- Fine.
- So how long you been divorced?
- Four years, three
and a half months.
Probably the first
decision I ever made
that my father agreed with.
The day that my father
divorced my mother,
he gave her a diamond necklace,
and he said, this is for all
the years I couldn't afford it.
You talk to your father?
- Nah, he died when I was 18.
- I'm sorry.
- He wasn't much
of a talker anyway.
Even when he screwed
up, he didn't talk.
He hit, but he didn't talk.
- Was your dad proud of you?
- At the time he
died, I don't know.
I guess I wasn't
much to be proud of.
- You were his son.
You know how hard it is to
make money off Broadway?
It's real hard.
I did it, but it
wasn't good enough.
Nothing is ever good enough
regardless of what I do.
Wasn't good enough.
The play didn't go to Broadway.
Not good enough.
Six years ago, he begs me
to come into the business.
The man sat at the front table
at Ratner's crying for me
to come into the business.
- You know, the business
has grown 30% since then.
- Oh, but I'm sure I had
nothing to do with that.
I mean, we both know
I have absolutely
no talent for this business.
You know what I
really don't have?
I don't have his hunger for it.
He looks at me.
He sees the one thing
he can never have again.
His youth.
Looks at me.
He sees the future without him.
It drives him nuts.
I only want one thing from him.
I just want him to
acknowledge that I have value.
- We all want that,
David, you know,
but your father's still alive.
You've still got that chance.
- I just,
I just,
I just want him to be my father.
I love that son of a bitch so.
(juicer hums)
- You know, I just figured that
if Eli gets his merchandise
off the boat, he's happy.
He pays you back, so
you're happy, too.
You know, to be perfectly
honest with you,
I thought you were calling
me up here to thank me.
(laughs)
- I rarely thank people.
The release of
Eli's goods was done
without my knowledge or consent.
- If you want me to do
things or not do things,
it'd be good if you'd
let me in on it.
I don't walk around
with Ouija board.
- Where's Johnny Coke Bottles?
- He's nursing the
beatin' I gave him.
- Oh, you think so?
- Yeah.
- He was arrested
by federal agents.
- What makes you say that?
- Because if the NYPD
had him, I'd know it.
I have led an unblemished life.
This man could hurt me.
(ominous instrumental music)
Good night, Vince.
- Good night.
(ominous instrumental music)
- [Frank] Fashid's testifying.
You're gonna do hard time,
Johnny, unless you testify
against Pinzolo, and
we'll protect you.
- Don't tell me about
protection, McPike.
Tell Jimmy the weasel he sings,
you'll protect him for life.
So he makes like Caruso.
And all of the
sudden, you don't want
to protect him anymore.
- I give you my word.
- Your word.
You don't have the juice
to make your word stick.
- Pinzolo has a contract on you.
- You're lying.
- He wants you dead, John.
- You know how I
know you're lyin'
'cause if the guy
did have a hit out,
you'd never get a smell of it.
That's the beauty of the guy.
- You're out of here.
- [Johnny] What?
- You're out of here.
You're not gonna talk.
I'm not payin' for your
smokes and your beer.
You're out on your
own recognizance.
- You're lettin' me go?
- I'm not lettin' you go.
I'm kickin' you out.
- No, you can't.
You can't send me out there.
You can't send me
out there like this.
- Why not?
Pinzolo's not after you.
That's what you said.
You got nothin' to worry about.
- You'd never know
if he had a hit out.
How could you?
- We got a man inside
his organization.
(light instrumental music)
- I talk to you, I'm a dead man.
- Yeah?
You don't talk to me,
you're out that door.
- Hold this, will ya?
- John, John!
John!
(thuds)
- Go ahead.
I'll see you later.
Good morning, Sticks.
- Good morning, Mr. Pinzolo.
Hey, you hear about
Johnny Coke Bottles?
- Yeah, front page, huh.
- Oh, thank you, thank
you, Mr. Pinzolo.
(ominous instrumental music)
- You're welcome.
(ominous instrumental music)
(somber instrumental music)
("Wiseguy Theme
Music" by Mike Post)
(light instrumental music)