- It was a very special time.
That year, that month, that moment
would change our lives forever.
- Joe Pepperton, strike ins.
Month of June, 1969.
- Six.
- Homers?
- Month of June? - Month of June.
- 1969? - 1969.
- 11. - 11?
Who the hell do you think he is, Ron Swoboda?
- Santo.
- Five.
- The man's the best.
How about... - How about
you go downstairs and get some ice, and stop breakin' balls.
- Nah, the kid's okay.
Leave him alone, Chick.
Here you go.
- Thanks, Santo.
- Now do as your grandfather says, all right?
Look at that.
Gin.
- You should be ashamed of yourself,
takin' advantage of a man my age.
- Well, you know, it's not my fault you suck at cards.
- You do, Philly, you suck at cards.
- I don't suck at cards, you little prick.
I'm just distracted.
- You're distracted?
- Yeah, it's 100 degrees in this joint.
I'm dyin' here.
- Well, here you go, go buy yourself a beer, Dracula.
- Yeah, I got your Dracula right here.
I should bite your nose off.
Just because you get promoted,
don't think I can't give you a smack.
You too,.
Now count the points.
- All right.
All right, it's...
It's one ace.
Two aces, that's two.
That's two kings, that's 10.
- All right, look here, it's 34 points plus 25 for gin.
That's a total of 59 points, yep?
- I know.
- For Christ's sake, Nicky, let Santo do it.
- I got it.
All right, so we add that to the first game.
That's...
- 134 points for the 1st game.
The 2nd game's schide.
That's 112 plus 100, 64 and 1/3.
- Right.
Oh Count, you got troubles.
At a nickel a point, you're into him for...
- It's $21.05. - Exactly.
- Santo, The Hand wants to see you.
- No runs, no hits.
No Red Sox and nobody left on base.
The score again
The Yankees, nothing, and the Red Socks coming to bat.
Well, the big season for summer driving
- What do you mean The Hand wants to see me?
- He wants to see you about your bank.
- About my bank?
- About your bank.
- How does he know I work for a bank?
- What are you talkin' about?
Who don't know you work for a bank?
- Oh, you told him I for a bank.
- What are you sayin'?
This is good for us.
- No, no, no, no, no this is not good for us.
It's not good, Benny.
This is not good.
I don't even want him to know my name.
I don't want him to know anything about me.
I wanna walk down the street, I wanna see him,
I wanna nod, I wanna keep walkin'.
That's it, I don't wanna know him.
- Well, I don't know now, he wants to see you.
- Oh, you are fucking unbelievable.
- I thought I was doin' a good thing.
Anyway, we gotta go.
We gotta go.
- Here you go, Manny.
Here's the ginger from Fat Sal.
The fat fuck came up 250 short.
- Wait for me back there.
Santo, how nice of you to come.
Please, sit.
- Mr. Mistera.
- Manny.
- This is Carmine.
- I'll be outside if you need me.
- So,
Your father-in-law tells me you're a big shot at the bank.
- No, I'm no big shot.
I'm really a nobody.
- Come on.
Vice President, don't be modest.
- You know, Manny, it's a big bank.
There's a lot of vice presidents in such a big bank.
- You underrate yourself, don't underrate yourself.
- You see this piece of shit here?
He's into me for 60 grand.
He gives me cashier's checks.
Where am I goin' with cashier's checks?
Yeah, they can be traced.
Someone can ask about them.
Then...
We're gonna have trouble.
And that wouldn't be good for anybody.
So,
what do you say?
- About what?
- Can you get 'em cashed?
- Manny, I'm sorry, I can't, I can't cash your checks.
- Santo, the checks are good.
- Shut the fuck up.
- Yeah, I could take a few and I could check 'em out.
See if there's a trace, you know.
But you gotta understand somethin', Manny.
You know, they could be good one day,
that doesn't mean that they're gonna be good the next week.
- Don't worry about it.
Here, take 'em all.
- Please, I don't want to take $60,000
of your cashier's checks.
- Hey, I know your father-in-law
over 100 years, and he swears up and down for you.
So don't worry about it.
You know, Benny tells me
you're some kind of a mathematician.
You're like a walking fucking calculator.
- Is that right?
- That's a gift.
It's a real gift.
When were you born?
- When was I born?
- Yeah.
- May 1st, 1938.
- Taurus.
What time? - What time what?
- What time were you born?
- What time was I born?
I don't know.
Yeah, but I can find out.
- You do that.
You come back, you tell me.
- Yeah, sure.
- Good.
How long is this gonna take you?
- A few days.
- Good.
Come back Wednesday at 9:00.
- Yeah, okay.
- Boy, lookin' at you is somethin'.
It's like lookin' at your father.
- My father?
- Yeah.
- Carlo was the best.
May he rest in peace.
- Hey.
Thank you, Santo.
I owe you.
- Hey, yo, where you goin'?
This is good for us.
- Are you outta your mind?
Don't you give a shit about your grandkids, huh?
Or your daughter, my wife?
You know what happens if I fuck this up?
- No, this is good.
- I told you I didn't want him to know anything about me.
Now he wants to know my birthday.
- So what, he , who gives a fuck?
- Who gives a fuck?
Benny, no, I don't need this shit, all right.
I heard the last guy that got in trouble The Hand
has no hands.
Or a fuckin' head for that matter.
- Complete exaggerations.
- Please, Benny, huh?
I get pinched, I'm gonna lose my job.
Then they're gonna wanna know where I got the checks from.
Then what do I say, then what to I say?
Manny The Hand gave them to me to see if they're hot
because Basta Cuputto is the dumbest fuckin' bookie
in Brooklyn.
- You worry too much, this is a good thing.
Hey.
Where you goin'?
- To figure this out.
- Don't tell your uncle.
- Come on, come on, come on, come on.
- I haven't got all your money yet, here we go.
- Come on.
- There's one, there's one.
- Come on, come on, give him another one.
Yeah, I'm on fire.
I told ya, you say a prayer, that's what happens.
That's what it is.
- Your day today.
- When you've filled the hat, I take it away.
What?
Oh, Father, I'm sorry.
Is there a service goin' on or somethin'?
- Oh, in the church?
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Maybe a funeral though, huh?
How are you?
What are you playin', Morra?
Can I play?
Let me play.
- No, no, no, Father,
you don't wanna play. - Let him play.
Let him play.
You got money?
- Yeah, come on, my money's no good?
I got money, look at this.
Come on, me and you, come on, you're lucky.
It's one game.
- One game. - One game.
Go ahead.
- All right, come on.
- Lucky days, come on.
Here goes his lucky day.
- Come on, I got you.
- No way, no way.
- He's got God on his side.
There's your lucky day.
- You can't bet against a priest.
- You son of a bitch.
- Who is it?
- It's me, uncle Matty.
- Santo.
How are ya?
Why are you not home with Ann and the children?
Is everything okay?
- Ann's at home with the kids.
She's fine, the kids are fine, but,
Well, there's a problem, we need to talk.
It's The Hand.
- Santo, I need to speak to you about something.
Your breakfast is gettin' cold.
- Okay.
- Listen, I wanna talk to you
before you go to work.
- Yeah, okay, I'll be out in a minute, all right.
- Are you gonna come out?
Come outta there already.
- All right.
- Jesus.
- Jesus what?
- You feel okay?
- Do I feel okay?
- Was it the pasta fagioli?
- No.
- So, listen.
The baby's comin'.
- And?
- And I need a bigger house.
- Come on, we've talked about this.
Sweetheart, we can't afford it right now.
You know that.
I just got promoted.
The interest rates are terrible.
- Look, I can't have three kids runnin' around this place.
I'm gonna lose my freakin' mind.
It's tough enough with two.
- I understand, but what do you want me to do, huh?
Rob my bank?
- Look, my cousin Angie, she moved up to Babylon, okay.
They have beautiful houses, they have nice yards,
five bedrooms and cheap.
- You know what my commute would be from Suffolk county?
- It's not that far.
- It's the boonies.
Besides, you'd have to leave your mother.
- No, she'd stay with us during the week.
- Oh, okay, great.
Let's invite Benny, we can make it a party.
- Lay off him, Santo, he's good to us and he loves the kids.
- I know.
Look, I gotta go, all right.
I love you.
- You gotta go?
- Yeah, come here, I love you, I gotta go.
- No, no, no, see, the girls are at my mother's.
- Ann, you're pregnant.
- So?
- So, I could hurt the baby.
- Easy, big guy.
- Seriously, I gotta go, give me a kiss.
- Santo, the baby wants a calzone.
- All right, I'll pick some up.
- And a cannoli.
- Okay.
- Good morning, Mr. Bastucci.
- Oh, Mr. Bastucci.
- National Merchants Bank, Mastic.
- Anthony Mangone, please.
- One moment, please.
- Anthony Mangone.
- Zucci.
- Hey, Santo, how are you?
- Eh, you know, can't complain, can't complain.
How's my bank manager?
- He misses Brooklyn.
- Yeah, listen, Zuc, the bank sends you
where they send you, okay.
Bide your time and I'll try to get you back here.
- Yeah, yeah.
I appreciate you gettin' me the job, you know that.
Hey, how's the Giglio Feast?
How's your uncle doing?
- You know, he's good.
- Tell him I said hi, will ya?
- I will do.
Hey, hold on a second, Zuc.
Come in.
- Good morning, Mr. Bastucci.
- Thank you, Clair.
Listen, Zucci, I need a favor.
I have some cashier's checks that I need to run a trace on
to see if they're clean.
You think you could do that for me?
- Sure.
All right, good.
Think you can get it done by this Wednesday?
- Yeah, yeah, what's invoice number
I should put this under?
- No, no, no, this is under the radar, capiche?
- Okay,.
What's the cashier's numbers?
- Okay, you got a pen?
- Hold on.
Okay, go ahead.
- All right, first check.
One, zero, zero, five, four, five, six, nine, zero.
$812.96.
Second check.
One, zero, zero, five, three, four, eight, five, six.
For a total of $500.65.
Third check.
Zero, nine, six, five, five, two...
- Hey.
Nice.
You got the checks?
- Yeah.
- Are they good?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
I spoke to Manny.
He told me you are to say the checks are no good.
- What?
- The checks are no good.
- Why would I say that?
- I guess because Manny wants to make another 60 large.
- But if I say the checks are bad,
Basta's dead, cooked, Jesus Christ, Benny.
- He's not gonna whack him.
He's just gonna scare the shit out of him.
For puttin' me through this.
He'll also make him pay 60 more, plus the big.
Besides, if whacks him, he gets ugats.
- Manny told you this?
- Absolutely, but don't worry.
He says he's gonna take care of us too.
- No, see, you don't understand.
I don't want anything, okay.
This is not me, this is your problem.
It's not my problem, Benny.
- What the hell's goin' on out here?
- Never mind, it's okay.
- Is that grandpa?
- Oh, the beauties of the world.
- I'm trying to put them to bed.
- Hi, daddy.
- Hi, sweetheart, how are you?
- Good.
- Grandpa, sing.
- No, it's gonna make all the neighbors complain.
- Please don't.
- Sing, grandpa.
- Keep it down down there.
- Yo, shut up.
- Okay, thank you, thank you.
- Now sing Dharma.
- Oh no, when I sing Dharma it means nobody is gonna sleep.
- Yes. - And that's not
about you two, 'cause you two gotta go to sleep now.
- Time for bed.
- That baby's comin', huh?
- I know, tell me about it.
- Is it a boy?
- I don't know, we'll see.
- I think it's a boy.
- You do?
- Would you like a nice baby brother.
- No.
- No, it's good, we could call him Bernadeto.
- Let's call him Rex.
- Yeah, if he's a dog, that's what we're gonna do.
- How's mommy doin', she good?
- She got the sciatic, what am I gonna tell ya?
- Tell her I'm comin' over tomorrow, all right?
- Yeah, good.
- You want some coffee before you go?
- I wish I could, I gotta go.
- All right, ladies, let's go to bed.
Come on.
- Go to bed.
- I wanna stay with grandpa.
- now.
- I wanna - It's past
- stay with you. - your bedtime.
Say goodnight. - Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
- I love you, grandpa.
- Adorable. - Love you.
- Here's how it reads.
When we're in that room and Basta's there,
if you don't say what Manny wants you to say,
we got a lotta fuckin' trouble.
Do we capiche?
Okay.
Let's go, I don't wanna be late.
Carlo was the best.
- Ann, I'll be back later.
- Okay.
♪ I've got a crush on you
♪ Sweetie pie
♪ All the day and night time ♪
- Sit.
Well?
- Mr. Mis,
Manny.
Can I talk to you in private for a second, please?
- No, no, no.
- Please. - No.
Tell me in front of this piece of shit.
Are we good?
- Sorry, Basta.
- Manny, they're good, I swear.
Santo, please tell him.
Tell him they're good.
- Shit, get him outta here.
Get up.
- Santo, Santo, help me, please.
- Get the fuck out of here.
♪ I have got a crush ♪
- No, no, no.
In the basement, you morons.
- Get the fuck in the basement.
- You're a good boy.
These checks, they coulda put me in a box.
- Manny, if these checks are hot,
you gotta get them as far away from you as possible.
Because there's no tellin' if the feds knew
that Basta had them.
- Why don't you take 'em out and burn 'em.
Thank you, Benny.
- You never came to bed last night.
What happened?
- Nothin'.
- Santo, what happened?
- I gotta get ready for work.
- Hello?
- Dr. Davis, telephone, please.
Dr. Davis, telephone, please.
- Oh my God, Gina, what happened?
- Billy's been acting very strange since Sunday.
He won't talk or eat.
And then last night he left and he never came back.
I got a call at 4:00 this morning.
They found him in the back of alley off Jackson Avenue
and brought him here.
They beat him like an animal.
- What did the doctor say?
- That he's almost dead.
They broke his jaw, his leg.
He has internal bleeding, and his face,
oh my God, his face.
Who did this, Santo?
Did he owe money or...
- Ann, take Gina downstairs
and get her somthin' to eat, yeah?
- All right, honey.
We're gonna go downstairs, okay?
Come on.
Yes?
- Mr. Bastucci, your father-in-law's here to see you.
- Okay.
- You're tellin' me
this is like a foot and 1/2, two feet thick, huh?
- Yeah, seeya.
Yeah.
- I'm gonna have to get a bigger drill.
- Well, we keep our cash in the basement strong.
We use this for foreign currency and cashier's checks.
- You don't say. - Yeah.
- Benny. - Yeah.
Oh, Santo.
Here, I got pignolis, have one.
- No. - No?
You know this guy over here?
That's my son-in-law, he's a big shot in this bank.
- I know, Mr. Musacchia, he's my boss.
- Benny.
- You know, if I was your boss...
- Thank you, Beth.
Benny.
- Yes.
- Here, have one of these, go on.
- Why don't you come back to my office
where I can speak to you in private.
- Yeah, sure, bye, honey.
Yeah.
Hello.
- What the fuck happened?
- What?
- Where are the checks?
- I burned 'em.
- You burned 'em?
- I mean, not yet.
But don't worry, it's all under control.
- Under control? - Yeah.
- Under control.
You know who you're fuckin' with.
If Manny finds out
- How is Manny gonna find out?
- Oh, Jesus Christ.
If your blood wasn't pumpin' through my kids, Benny.
- Hey, you worry too much.
It's all under control.
This is very good for us.
- Oh, it's good for us?
- Absolutely.
- What about Basta?
- Basta's fine. - Basta's fine?
He's in intensive care.
- It's okay, a couple of bruises, all right.
By the way, what is the exact hour of your birth?
- What?
- When were you born?
- What is it with this shit?
- Manny wants to know.
- Well, I don't know.
Tell him 11:30 at night, who cares?
Jesus Christ, you know, you're losing your mind.
Mr. Bastucci.
- What?
- Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to remind you
- you have a meeting with Mr. -00.
- Yeah, okay, I remember.
Thank you.
- Who's that?
- What?
- That guy, McKelley, McKessler.
- McKenna, our senior vice president.
- Nice.
Does he like action?
- Benny.
- I gotta go away for a couple days, all right?
Anybody asks you, you have not seen me.
- Where are you goin'?
- I'm goin' campin'.
- Campin'? - Campin'.
- What?
- Yeah.
You know what, Manny was right about you.
You are just like your father.
- What is that, what is that?
- What do you mean?
What's that crack, you're just like your father?
Why did he say that?
- You're just like your father.
- Sorry to bother you again, Anna's on two.
- Yeah, I'll be with her in a minute, please.
All right.
I gotta go.
Kiss my grandchildren for me.
Hey, sweetheart, where you, in Astoria?
- Wow,
- Can I get some fries with that shake?
- See, man, so last night.
Two for three.
- Nice.
- Single, double.
One RBI.
- Hey, boss, how are ya?
- Oh yeah,
- What are you lookin' at?
Don't you PRs work?
- Fuck you, fat boy.
Fuck you, too.
- What'd she say?
- Nothin'.
- Need me for anything else, boss?
- Nah, I'll see you tomorrow.
Okay.
Carmine, let's go.
Buona sera.
Buona sera,
- Daddy, grandpa.
- Hey, how's my little girl.
- Why didn't you tell me you wanted to come for dinner?
We would have come to you.
- It was a spur of the moment decision.
- Okay, well, dinner will be on the table soon.
- Get over here, get over here.
Sit right there, sit right there.
Como esta, papa?
- Bene, bene.
- Okay, all right.
Let me see, let me see.
Oh my God, you got potatoes in your ear.
- Daddy, I wanted to talk to you about something.
- Get me some toothpicks,
cotton balls and some warm water.
All right.
Hey, your mother ever check your ears
when you come home from school?
You know, when grandpa came home from work,
the first thing I did
was check your mother's ears for potatoes.
- Daddy, why do you tell her such nonsense.
- Hey, if it wasn't for me,
all the little beggars from alley
would be at our doorstep beggin' for free potatoes.
- Daddy. - Yeah.
How is he?
- Same.
You know, daddy, Carmine had a good idea.
- Yeah, what's that?
- Well, Carmine thought maybe we could
go into some investment deals together.
Maybe buy some real estate.
- Hey, don't I take care of you?
- Of course, but this could be,
you know, for the future.
- You and Manualle, you're always gonna be taken care of.
- I know, daddy.
- Come on, I got more important things to do.
There.
- Okay, so I've gathered my vice presidents.
So let's go talk to them now.
- Santo, what's a 10 year
- Why don't we just go talk to them now, all right?
- Santo.
- Listen up.
- Santo?
- 7 and 1/2.
- Bastucci.
Would you like to run this meeting?
I called all of you here today
to introduce you to a man
who will be working very closely to each of you
over the next few months.
This is Special Agent Thomas Cahil
of the United States Secret Service.
He is to have your full attention.
And to be treated with the same respect
that you would treat me.
Special Agent Cahil is investigating
a growing concern in our industry.
Specifically, wire fraud and money laundering.
Are there any questions?
- I thought the Secret Service only guarded the president?
- Are there any pertinent questions?
- Oh no, that's okay.
We get that question all the time.
It's true, the Secret Service does protect the president,
vice president, former presidents and their families.
And before Vietnam I served briefly
under a United States president.
But as Steven has said,
we also investigate financial crimes.
Counterfeiting.
Wire fraud, money laundering.
Recently we've seen a rash of these crimes
in the banking industry.
Specifically, National Merchants.
So,
I'm here to take a look at the transactions
that have gone on over the last few months
and shed some light on the problem.
I look forward to speaking to each of you personally.
Thanks for your time.
- Gentlemen.
- What the fuck was that all about?
- That McKenna's an incredible prick.
- These frikadelles are the best.
- Yeah, keep eatin', keep eatin'.
We're gonna put you in the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
We're gonna call it the Gumba Float.
- I get 'em from Viro's.
- Yeah, you're makin' Dumbo
look like Twiggy the model.
- Pay for them outta that wallet?
- Fuck you, it was a gift.
- A gift from who?
Your boyfriend?
- Ba fungul, all a ya.
You done with that paper?
- No.
- I thought you said you wasn't done.
- I'm not.
- You got eyes in the back of your ass?
- You want the paper?
- I want the paper.
- Do you want the paper?
- I want the fuckin' paper.
- Come get the paper.
- Oh, you gonna take that shit?
- Oh, hey.
Come on, gimme the paper.
Here.
- You pussy.
- Now take a walk.
I wanna talk to my son-in-law.
Carmine, pull up a chair.
I talked to Maria.
- Yeah, I thought maybe we could make some moves together.
- Don't I take care of you?
Do you want for anything?
- No, but, you know, I just...
- I don't need any partners.
Capiche?
- Yeah.
- Tommy.
Scalzo.
- Our Lady of the Blessed Sorrows.
- Pray for us.
- San Paulino.
- Pray for us.
- I wanna begin today's mass
with a prayer for Billy Cuputto.
You may know him as Basta.
He was viciously beaten.
And he's recuperating in a hospital.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
amen.
Our Father who art in Heaven,
- hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done.
- How you doin', Gus?
- Good.
I'm not sure if I want the sweet or the hot sausage.
- How the fuck does your stomach know the difference
between a sweet and hot sausage?
- Listen, fuck you.
- Why don't you try the combination?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, gimme a half and half.
And don't slight me on the peppers.
- Jesus Christ.
Is that for me?
- Absolutely.
- Nice.
Well, pay the man.
- Gimme another one just like that.
Fuck off, will you?
- Oh, there you go, huh.
Ba fungul, keep it.
- You gonna eat that too, come on.
♪ Come fly with me
♪ Let's fly
♪ Let's fly away
♪ If you can use some exotic boozes
♪ There's a bar in far Bombai ♪
- Hi. - How are you?
- Hi. - Hi, girls.
Santo, how are you?
- I'm good, how are you?
- Nice to see you. - You too.
- Hi. - Hi.
- I'm doing well, thanks.
- You look great.
- Thank you.
- When are you due?
- A few months.
- Oh, that's nice.
- Thanks.
- The kids are beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Pasquale, look how well behaved they are.
- Not like your kids.
- Now their my kids.
- Your kids are great.
- Thank you.
We have a table all set up for you.
- Oh, thanks so much.
- Enjoy your dinner. - We'll see you later, all right?
- Enjoy your dinner, girls. - Thank you.
- Come on. Thanks.
- Good to see you, enjoy dinner.
- Uncle Matty.
- Hey, hey. - Hi.
- Say hello.
- Hello, baby, hello.
- Hi, uncle Matt.
- Hello, darling, good to see you.
- You too.
- Your table is there.
- What?
- Your table is gonna be over there, sir.
- Thanks.
- I'll be there in a minute.
How are you?
- I'm doin' well.
- You're doin' good?
- Yes, I'm great.
Well, enjoy your meal, all right.
- Hungry?
- They're starving. - Yeah, food.
- We're gonna go sit down, okay.
See you later.
- You didn't see that.
- Here we go.
Want some bread?
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Your napkin, your napkin.
♪ They say come fly with me
♪ Let's fly
♪ Let's fly away ♪
- Come on, one dance.
- No, go ahead, you do it.
- All right.
Girls, you wanna dance?
- Come on, come on, beautiful.
Come on, you're dancin' with me.
- All right,.
Let's go.
- Where you goin'?
- I gotta take care of somethin' for Manny.
- All right, don't take too long, I got shit to do.
- This won't take too long.
- He's with the pigeons.
- On the roof?
- On the roof with the pigeons.
- Hey, well, it's better than the basement.
- Yeah, you don't wanna get call if Manny's in the basement.
Go ahead.
Right up there.
- Manny.
- Oh.
Santo.
Como esta?
- I'm fine, thanks.
Carmine said you wanted to see me.
- Yeah.
- So, is that the champ?
- No, no, no, no, no.
This is an old girl.
She lost her bearings.
She cost me 2,000 last week.
- That's too bad.
- Whatever.
What are you gonna do?
Have you seen Benny?
- Benny?
No, I haven't seen him since last Wednesday.
- Any idea where he might be?
- He's camping.
Camping?
- Yeah, he's camping.
- Well, when you see him,
you tell him to call me, all right?
- Yeah. - Okay.
Come here.
You know, I come here at night and I look at the stars.
I always find them interesting.
Me and Carl Sagan.
But people think
I'm batz.
Unbelievable.
You see, every man has a path.
And every so often, that path changes.
And it all depends on where
and when he was born.
If the stars are aligned,
there ain't nothin' he can do about it.
Unless he knows how to read the stars.
You know what I mean?
I love this neighborhood.
These people.
These people have been good to me.
And I protect them like they're my own familia.
This neighborhood's changin'.
Spics are comin' in.
And the people, they look to me to keep order.
- Hey, baby.
- This piece was here before I was born.
Loyalty.
Tradition.
Family.
It's all that matters.
And I need help.
I need help to keep it that way.
- No.
Please, no, no.
Please.
- You know the history between me and your father?
- Tell you the truth, Manny,
I don't know too much about my father.
He died when I was two.
- But what did your uncle tell you about him?
- That he was a butcher.
- He tell you how your father died?
- He went to the dentist, there was an infection.
- No, no.
I'm gonna tell you.
This might not make your uncle happy, but
fuck it.
Your father was my best friend.
We ran this neighborhood together.
I treated him as an equal.
And I should have no equal.
But in my business, your father was priceless.
He had a rare gift for numbers.
Like you, yeah.
Like you.
But the beauty of it was he had it all in his head.
No ledgers.
No evidence.
Boy,
was he smart.
He was partners to a gangster.
And brother to a priest.
Anyway.
Back then was buildin' up a big reputation.
And we were always off to Harlem.
And after awhile there was a little dispute.
Nothin' major.
But Benny, he went up there
and he caught a beatin'.
I mean, well, I couldn't let it go unanswered.
So I went to the best man I know who could handle this.
Your father.
But he knew, he knew this was a tough go.
So he comes to me
and he says,
he says, "Listen, if anything happens to me,
"I want you to do the right thing about my son.
"I want you to let him make it his way.
"The right way, not our way."
And I listened.
And I stayed away.
But what your father failed to understand
is that no matter what,
each of us are made for somethin' in this fucked up world.
And no matter how much we try to deny
or make decisions to avoid it,
at some point it stares you right in the face.
Like your father.
His path
was to go to Harlem
and straighten out that problem.
- So, how did my father die?
- Like you said,
tooth infection.
- The checks were good, Santo.
When I had 'em last week, they were good.
I can't understand what happened.
It's all my fault.
- No, Basta, it's not your fault.
It's not your fault.
- I gotta make him whole.
Santo, how can I make him whole?
I don't have that type of juice on the street.
I need my hands.
He'll take my hands.
- No, Basta, I'm gonna make it right.
- How can I hold my kids with no hands?
how can I hold my kids with no hands, huh?
How can I hold my kids with no hands, Santo?
- You okay?
- Yeah.
It's...
Got a lot on my mind.
I'm here, all right.
- Yeah, I know.
- Santo, get the door.
- Who is it?
- It's your uncle.
- Come on, please, just give it to me.
- Give it to me. - Give it to me.
- Hey, if I have to come in there.
- Stop it.
- Ann, thank you for having me, really.
- Uncle Matt, please, any time.
Uncomfortable?
- Yeah, this one kicks.
- It's a boy.
- We'll see, I don't know.
- Yeah, yeah, did you discuss names?
- I like Bernadeto.
- Like your father. - Exactly.
- I like Rex.
- I'm not so worried about names,
but where we're gonna live.
- You are growin' outta this apartment, Santo.
- See. - But Ann did say,
after the baby comes, she's gonna get a job
so we can afford a house.
- Yeah, I'm gonna rob a bank.
- Yeah, yeah.
She'll do no such thing.
- No, no, we're fine.
Very happy here.
- I'm gonna take these.
- Here, here.
Go lie down, he'll clear the table.
- No, it's fine, I gotta do the dishes and...
- Ann.
Santo will do that too.
You go lie down and rest.
Go ahead.
- Santo's gonna do it?
- I guarantee it.
- Go ahead.
- All right.
Uncle Matt, you come over more often, all right?
- Come here. - Love you.
- God bless you, sweetheart.
I see you're spendin' time with Manny.
I want you to be careful, you know.
He's not to be trusted.
He's a bad guy.
Your father wouldn't approve.
- My father?
Uncle Matty, you wanna tell me how my father died?
- What did Manny tell you?
- That the two of them ran the neighborhood.
Manny the Hand and Carlo the Butcher.
Best friends.
And then he went on to tell me some story about Benny.
Up in Harlem.
You know about that?
- Whatever I know will do you no good.
Manny is a user, Santo.
I've known him a long, long time.
Before your father, before my vows.
I married him.
I christened his daughter.
I married her to that bum, Carmine.
You be careful.
You do what you gotta do.
But do not get wrapped up in his life.
You got a good job, you got a beautiful wife, nice family.
Don't look into the past.
- I gotta look into the past.
I don't know who my father was.
You never told me the truth about my father.
- I wanted you to know your father the way I knew him,
not the way Manny knew him.
- Yeah, well, who's gonna tell you
that your father's a crook.
- There's nothing down that path for you.
- Yeah, well, tell that to Manny.
- Manny should place his faith
in somethin' other than the stars.
- I'm gonna kill Benny.
- Listen to me.
Your father-in-law's not a stupid man.
You believe me.
He hasn't survived in the street this long
because he couldn't navigate the waters.
I mean, come on, use your head, will ya?
You got eyes?
He's carried the burden of Harlem
and your father's death a very long time.
Long time.
- I'm gonna make it right by Basta.
I have an idea.
I need your help.
- Here you go.
- These are up to date?
- As of last night.
- Thank you.
- Agent Cahil is in your office.
- Santo.
- Agent Cahil.
- Am I interrupting?
- Not at all.
- Do you have some time for me?
- Sure.
I was just about to review some things.
But what's up?
- Do you
keep a tab of each of your accounts' balances?
- I try to stay on top of everything.
- You must have thousands of accounts.
How on Earth do you retain all of that?
- Well, I don't remember everything.
- Just some?
- Well, more than just some.
- They tell me you're like an idiot savant
when it comes to numbers.
- Well, if you ask my wife, I'm just an idiot.
- Can I have some fun?
- It was recently updated.
I haven't really had time to review it, so...
- That's okay.
Previous week's balances are right here.
Let's see.
Account number
nine, nine, eight,
seven, two, three, two.
- You know, I really think this is...
- Oh come on, Santo.
Let me see what you got.
- $795.
- And.
- 67 cents.
- That is unbelievable.
We're gonna have you crackin' codes in no time.
Oh God.
This heat.
It's cooler in New England, but not by much.
- Is that where you're from?
- Yeah, just outside Boston.
- There's some good Italian restaurants in Boston.
- Oh sure, north end.
Actually, I did some work up there.
- Is that so?
- Yeah, remember that mob war they had a few years back?
- Yeah, sure, late 60's.
- Yeah, well, when all that was goin' on
we got together with the FBI
and the Boston PD on a task force.
We infiltrated the Italians
by getting one of their minor players to flip.
I'm sorry.
I said Italians instead of mob,
and I did not mean that in a derogatory way.
You see, in Boston, we also have the Irish mob.
It's very powerful, quite ruthless, actually.
So in order not to confuse the two,
I said Italians.
To me it doesn't really matter.
Either group, pieces of shit.
Not people of Italian or Irish descent, mind you.
I mean, I'm Irish on my father's side.
Rather mobsters.
Pieces of shit.
Where was I?
Oh, right, how'd I get this guy to flip.
So, most minor players
don't really know what they're getting themselves into.
Most times, believe it or not, they're either conned into it
or they just, they want taste of that life.
Money.
Power.
And then when they find out
it's not really what they expected,
it's too late.
They're in too deep.
And then we find out what their weakness is
and just squeeze 'em.
- Well, that'll do it.
- Yeah.
Well, sometimes it's the threat of prison.
And sometimes, believe it or not,
it's not so much what they can lose,
but more what we can give them.
- I don't understand.
- Well,
sometimes
it's really better if they just stick around.
And that way
they can keep doin' what they're doin',
and we get a better look at the big boys.
No harm, no foul.
In this specific case,
they were leveraging the odds on horse racing
by laying off bets
and them funneling their winnings through a local bank.
Inside job.
Most times it is.
Anyway.
I wanted to ask if you had some time,
so we could go over a few transactions that we red-flagged.
- What did you find?
- I don't wanna go into it now.
I'll have the entire file
when we have a chance to sit down more formally.
- I'd be interested to see.
- Great, how about early next week?
- I take my vacation next week.
There's a Feast in my neighborhood.
- That's the thing with the float?
- The Giglio.
Giglio, it's religious.
- I'll see you when you get back.
Thank you very much for your time.
- My pleasure.
- And by the way, I wanted to tell you that you really,
you got a beautiful family.
- Benny, I'm gonna fuckin' kill you.
♪ Tell me somethin' good ♪
- Hey, ho, hi, oh.
Hi, sweetie.
Ciao Bella.
Matteo,
- 200 in.
- I'll call him.
200.
And I'll pop in at 50.
- Raise him, stupid.
- He's only got 50 left.
Scalzo.
Give him 500.
- See your 50.
And I'll raise you...
- Put it all in.
- All in.
- So, what are you gonna do?
- I'm out.
- Good move.
- So, what do we got, fellas?
- Good game.
- Come.
What was the amount of that final hand?
- 3100.
- That's what I thought.
You should have folded.
- Why would I fold when we're all in?
- You got your father's head for numbers, kid.
But I never knew you had his balls.
- No, unc, I don't want this.
- It's not for you.
- I don't understand.
- You'll figure it out.
Go ahead, come on, I'm busy.
- Manny wants you to stop by for a cup of coffee.
- Hey, what do you say?
- Manny.
- Sit down, sit.
That's a nice game of cards you played.
You see how I set 'em up for you?
I knew had shit and you got a better hand.
How much was in that pot?
About 3,000?
- Yeah.
Yes.
Thank you, thank you for that.
- What's this?
You didn't have to.
No.
You're a smart boy, Santo.
He's smart, like his father.
Smart.
Have a good evening.
- You're sure makin' a name for yourself around here.
Can you tell me what that's about?
Santo.
- What?
- You haven't been listening to a word I'm sayin'.
Can you tell me what's goin' on with you lately?
Is it Basta, work, what?
- I'm sorry, what did you say?
- I was sayin', for someone who doesn't wanna be noticed,
that stunt you pulled last night with Manny
isn't doin' you any favors.
- What stunt?
- Santo, please, it's all over town.
You made him look like a jackass in front of his whole crew.
- This just happened last night.
- So, why didn't you fold the pot?
- I couldn't.
- What, you're tryin' to play Robin Hood?
Try not to get yourself killed, okay?
Don't worry, Santo Bastucci.
They have to go through me to get to you.
- Billy.
Go get some ice.
- I just got ice.
- Go and get some ice.
- How you doin', kid?
I haven't been in this place for years.
It never changes.
Can I sit?
- Yeah, of course.
- Carmine, get me some coffee.
So, how you doin', kid?
Everything all right?
Your family, work?
- Yeah, everything's okay, thank you.
- Those fuckin' Yanks.
They're takin' a pounding.
I don't think they ever took a beatin' like this ever.
- Actually, they lost by 18 to Cleveland in 1928.
- You don't say?
You see.
I'm tellin' ya, I need a guy like you with your talent.
- Manny, thank you for thinkin' of me.
But, you know, please understand, I'm not like my father.
I got a good job at the bank.
I try to keep my nose clean,
and just make sure that I can take care of my family.
- Well, we all wanna take care of our family.
- No, I didn't mean any disrespect.
It's just...
I don't think there's anything I can do for you.
- Well, let's say I just hire you
in a professional capacity.
A banker.
You give me some advice every once in awhile, huh?
I'll give you 1,000 a week.
I help you the way you helped me with Basta.
We're closed.
- Closed?
Really?
- That's right.
- Maybe just a beer.
- You heard the man.
We're closed.
- Okay.
See you all around.
- Good morning, sir, how are you?
- Hello, welcome to National Merchants Bank.
May I help you?
- Lisa.
Why don't you take a break?
I'll take care of this customer.
- Sure.
This is Anthony Mangone, our branch manager.
- Zucci, how are you?
- Father, good to see you.
You got somethin' for me?
- I do.
Santo said to cash these.
- Okay, good.
Come to the office.
♪ I just want to celebrate
♪ Another day of livin'
♪ I just want to celebrate
♪ Another day of life ♪
- Santo.
Santo.
- Wow, where you think you're goin'?
Move that piece of shit.
- What, are you goin' bowling?
- I'm goin' to the Feast.
- Well, you mind if I walk with you?
- You can't leave that car
in the street like that.
- Sure.
- Jack-off.
- My wife's got a craving,
so I'm gettin' her some zeppolis, you know.
- Oh, she's pregnant, huh?
- Yeah.
- So, boy or a girl?
- No, we wait.
- You like surprises, huh?
- Not really.
This is great, huh?
So much tradition.
- 100 years.
- It's a tight-knit community, isn't it?
Hey, Santo.
Can I confide in you?
- I wish you wouldn't.
- Look.
I don't mean to jam you up.
But I know that you were approached by Manny Mistera.
And I got my orders.
They're pretty explicit.
Mistera's gotta go down, one way or another.
I just don't want you to be collateral damage.
So, what do you say?
- Do a dozen.
- Hey, what do you know.
They look just like beignet.
- What the fuck is a beignet?
- I love it.
What the fuck is a beignet?
- These for me?
- I'm here to see Manny.
- Oh yeah, right.
Open the bag.
♪ Darlin', falling in love ain't a game
♪ Girl, every man's life ain't the same
♪ So don't judge me by guys that you knew ♪
- He's on the roof?
- No, no, he's in the basement.
Knock yourself out.
- Manny?
Manny?
- Are you crazy, that's Perry Como.
Santo.
Oh, I heard you were comin'.
- Benny.
- Come here, come on.
Good to see you, you look good.
Sit.
Everything's all right?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Sit, sit.
- I don't know how to say this, but,
well, this is for you.
- What's this?
- That's to pay Basta's debt.
- Wow, wow, wow, hey, hey.
Where'd you get this?
Benny told me you're loyal.
You're just like your father.
He was the best.
- Carlo, Carlo , the best.
- You know, this life of ours,
it's goin' into the toilet.
The Feds, they're breathin' down my neck.
You saw, you know.
Your father-in-law knows.
It's just a matter of time before somebody flips.
And I had to see for myself
you are who your father-in-law said you are.
And then just like boop, boop, boop, boop, this,
you come up with 60 grand
to save that piece of shit Basta's life.
And you thought Benny scammed me
when he told me the checks were no good.
And you didn't rat on him,
even though you know it might cost you your life.
I need that kind of loyalty.
- What about Basta?
- What about Basta, what about Basta?
- He's in intensive care.
I mean, the money's good, it's good.
And he didn't deserve that.
- Deservin' ain't got nothin' to do with it.
Basta is stupid and sloppy.
And in my business, that gets you clipped.
Basta got off easy.
He's out.
You're in.
The 60 grand is juice.
For you to open your books.
Welcome aboard.
- No, Manny, this life isn't for me.
It's not for me.
I need
your father.
And it's been 30 years since he's dead.
And I haven't met anybody like him.
Not up until now.
You're smart and you're loyal.
Not like those galoombas I got workin' for me upstairs.
Wastin' your time behind a desk.
Now, we both know that.
Your father-in-law,
I love him.
I'll tell right to his face,
"You're not that smart."
He ain't got no brains.
And I tell that to him, right to his face.
The other night on the roof,
I told you about the paths people take.
Well, your path is with me.
I see that.
Everything's in order.
It's a very special time.
The stars, they're all aligned.
This month.
This year.
This moment
will change our lives forever.
- What the fuck?
- Benny?
- Burn these.
They're no good now.
- You got it, boss.
♪ I just want to celebrate
♪ Another day of livin'
♪ I just want to celebrate
♪ Another day of life
♪ I put my faith in the people
♪ But the people let me down
♪ So I turned the other way
♪ And I carry on
♪ Anyhow
♪ That's why I'm telling you
♪ I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
♪ Another day of living, yeah
♪ I just want to celebrate
♪ Another day of life
♪ Had my hand on the dollar bill
♪ And the dollar bill flew away
♪ But the sun is shining down on me
♪ And it's here to stay
♪ That's why I'm telling you
♪ I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
♪ Another day of living, yeah
♪ I just want to celebrate
♪ Another day of livin'
♪ I just want to celebrate another day
♪ Of life
♪ Don't let it all get you down, no, no
♪ Don't let it turn you around
♪ And around and around and around and around
♪ Well, I can't be bothered with sorrow
♪ And I can't be bothered with hate, no, no
♪ I'm using up my time but feeling fine
♪ Every day
♪ That's why I'm telling you I just want to celebrate
♪ Oh, yeah
♪ I just want to celebrate another day
♪ Oh, I just want to celebrate
♪ Another day of livin'
♪ I just want to celebrate another day
♪ Of life
♪ Don't let it all get you down, no, no
♪ Don't let it turn you around and around
♪ And around and around and around and around
♪ Round round round
♪ Round
♪ Around around around
♪ Round
♪ Don't go around ♪