Godfather of Harlem (2019) s01e04 Episode Script
I Am the Greatest
1 Heroin has made Harlem a gold mine, and now they're all itching to get a piece of that pie.
Harlem is mine.
- Times have changed.
- I haven't.
Chin likes to play the dumb bruiser so the guineas from the other families underestimate him.
You don't want to go to war with Bonanno.
I ain't sharing Harlem.
We could see the value in it.
Joey fucking Bananas couldn't.
This girl don't understand you.
She don't love you.
You so caught up in this white girl you can't even see what it is she doing to you.
This is our chance to show Bobby Robinson my stuff.
You can go on ahead now, boy.
If this is what you want from me, then I just can't.
You running around with another man to keep your daddy happy.
I'm just wondering why you're keeping me around.
Because I love you.
You love me, or you just love fucking a nigger? Well, I can't thank you enough for pushing through the Harlem Youth Opportunities Act.
I've got the boxer Doug Jones' support.
He's going to donate his gloves after his fight with Cassius Clay.
That building where Fidler's store is, I want Malcolm X and his people out of there.
I don't want it to get damaged.
Mayme told me about Fidler's.
Got it rebuilt up in '57.
Makes a guy wonder what else might be in there.
A Christian man will always tell you to turn the other cheek.
But my faith tells me that's how a man gets beat.
I want to buy heroin from the guineas.
Key for 27,000.
Chin's gonna keep coming at me no matter what the family said.
Chin has a right to protect his territory.
You and me are gonna be at war until one of us is dead.
Big round of applause for Doug Jones.
Doug Jones, ladies and gentlemen, the Hope of Harlem.
I am a proud supporter of Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited.
"HARYOU", as it's known, recognizes that the youth of Harlem must be provided with the same opportunities as the rich kids downtown.
The young people of Harlem are not expendable.
And with us today we have a woman who has helped realize this vision.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mrs.
Mayme Johnson.
Thank you, Reverend.
HARYOU is more than a government program.
It's a community program.
A Harlem program.
Doug Jones has given his name and his time to helping our young men achieve success not just in the boxing ring, but in life getting them off the streets and giving them a sense of pride and purpose.
He's fighting for more than a title.
He's fighting for all of us.
- Mm-hmm.
- Yes! And that's why we have all got to join together to cheer him on when he whips that loudmouth Louisville Lip! Yes! Doug Jones! Hey, Jones! Hey, ugly! You know what this fight mean to me? A tomato-red Cadillac Eldorado convertible with white leather upholstery, air conditioning, and hifi.
Well, that's what the Louisville Group is giving me for a victory present.
Now, can you picturing me losing to this ugly bum Jones with that kind of car waiting for me? Well, I wouldn't fill that Cadillac with gas just yet.
Ooh, well, my eyes can see you a beautiful lady all the more reasons why Doug Jones should be 'fraidy.
Motivation, my dear, you done given me more instead of five, well, I'm gonna stop Jones in four.
You pretend like you've been a champion since birth.
Well, let's hope your fists can prove your worth.
Who are you to talk with words that are so bold? I would tell you get in the ring.
You just too damn old.
You don't know who I am, so I'll excuse your behavior.
After three rounds with me, you'll be on your knees to your savior.
Doug Jones, I will see you later.
And, beautiful lady, call me when you want something greater.
Let's have a hand for Mayme Johnson, please.
Ms.
Mayme Johnson, thank you.
Thank you, thank you for being here today.
Daddy, you were funny back there.
Oh, he gives the Louisville Lip a run for his money.
Margaret, you know what I could use right now? - Ice cream? - Yes.
You know what? I forgot.
Got some quick business.
You take 'em to Bischoff's.
- Go on.
I'll be there in minute.
- Okay.
Bumpy Johnson.
Get in.
I need you to get out of here for a minute, alright? What are you doing here? What do you think? I came looking for you.
A month or two to settle in, fine.
But it's been 12 weeks since you've been back in the city.
A girl starts to feel like she's being frozen out.
It ain't like that Then what's it like, Bumpy? Hmm? We used to have fun together.
Oh, my God, yeah.
You didn't answer my last letter.
I was, um, excited to hear your thoughts on Harper Lee's new novel.
Thought it was brilliant.
I love how Atticus explains to Scout how you never really know a person till you walk around in his skin.
Yeah.
Amy I-I think I would've went crazy in there if it weren't for your letters.
But I'm trying to walk the line with Mayme this time around, you know? I see.
The thing is, I'm a major backer of the Louisville Sponsoring Group.
You're gonna be seeing more of me as this fight gets closer, whether you want to or not.
And we both know that you aren't cut out for walking the line any more than I am.
You're killing me.
Mm-hmm.
This is about one thing and one thing only Harlem.
What was it you said, Joe, when I agreed to giving you the docks and stevedores union in Brooklyn? You said, "Go ahead, take Harlem.
It's a bunch of niggers anyway.
" Vincent, watch your tone.
Well, what are you, my fucking mother? Hey, three weeks ago you gave Bumpy Johnson the right to use our sources.
Why not Joe Bonanno? I granted him the right to Genovese sources.
My sources.
- Your sources? - Yeah.
I established the entire narcotics trade, you ignorant cocksucker.
Without me, you wouldn't exist.
You established that 20 years ago.
This is now.
Look, you sell to Johnson or anyone else, you're gonna have a serious problem on your hands.
Oh, really? Let's not forget you're just the "acting boss" while Vito's in the can you think he's gonna want to start a war over all this shit? I got his full confidence.
You were his fuckin' driver, for Christ's sakes.
Check the tires, Vincent.
Fill it up with gas, Vincent.
Enough of that.
You know, I wouldn't have thought you'd want to hang around with these coconuts, considering they're the ones that killed your son.
You invoke my son's name in a business dispute? Let's go.
Jesus, Vincent.
I thought I was nice.
Mrs.
Greene, I'm Stella.
I brought you a gift.
I made cookies.
"By the time you read this, Sammy Davis Jr.
and May Britt will be married.
May says, 'We're quite aware we may happen to find hotels where we're not allowed to stay as man and wife.
'" See, they're doing it.
"I am a Negro and I am a Jew, - and now I'm getting married.
- Any newlywed couple expects to face problems.
" Add that glass eye, and this negro got more problems than any man I ever heard of.
C'mon he doesn't give a damn about what other people think.
Neither do we.
And neither does anyone in L.
A.
What are you saying, you wanna pick up and move to California? Yes.
With what money, Baby? You gonna steal another key of dope? All I mean is, I ain't Sammy.
Well, that's all the more reason for us to get the hell out of here.
Maybe if you sell a song to Bobby Robinson he'll give you an advance.
He loved that song you wrote.
I wrote another song.
After the riot at Fidler's.
It's called "Rise".
I think you're really gonna like this one.
- Really? - Yeah.
Oh, my God.
What's it about? What's it like? Brother Minister will be in to see you shortly.
You look different in person.
Well, so do you.
Man, when I saw you speak at that rally in Detroit, it changed my life.
And I thought, how could a black man talk about white people like that and and not get shot.
Well, Allah protects me in the form of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
I'm glad you came, Brother Cassius.
Have a seat.
You know, when I was young, I-I had asked my mother, why is Santa Claus white? Why is Jesus white? And that night you said a slave-master convinced his slaves to worship a pale, blond, blue-eyed God.
Yeah, well, he taught us to hate everything black, including ourselves.
Now, some white folks been good to me.
Like Mr.
Ross Todd of the Louisville Group Yeah, well, he stands to profit from you.
His only motive is money.
So's mine.
There's a '63 Caddy waiting if I win.
Well, can your soul be bought that easily? For a shiny new car? Now, I believe you have a much larger role to play in our movement, Cassius.
That's why I asked you to come today.
It's an honor to be here, Minister.
I've seen you on the television clowning around with Liberace, boasting and bragging, making yourself a sideshow for the white devil.
I'm just being me.
Disguise has always been integral to our survival in the white man's America.
You know, we play the obedient step-and-fetch-it, the minstrel, or in your case, the court jester.
But the real you is attracted to the Nation of Islam.
Now, we don't look upon Martin Luther King as any Moses.
Moses didn't say love your enemy.
King is advocating turning the other cheek.
Moses didn't say turn the other cheek.
Moses taught those slaves how to defend themselves against their enemy.
And had he not taught those Hebrews how to defend themselves, why, those Hebrews would be getting lynched and segregated against and Jim Crowed and second-class citizen just the same as the so-called "Negro" here is in America today.
I'm ready to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
I can't tell you how much it warms my heart to hear that.
But if a reporter today were to learn of your faith, the state would deny you a boxing license, television would refuse your matches, your sponsors would flee, and you'd go back to Kentucky, just another nameless, faceless negro.
But I have to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
It's It's my faith.
Not until you're heavyweight champion.
It's better for you, it's better for me, and it's better for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
You you think's gonna win the fight? Oh, man.
Look, you gentlemen have to decide that yourselves.
- Hmm.
- Jones got strength, Clay got the speed.
If you call back-peddlin' speed Man, I could duck a Jones hook and still have time for breakfast.
Uh, not the way you eat breakfast.
Hey, watch it, Cecil.
You gonna put some green down on that now? Shit, I have you two-to-one on that.
I'll take that bet.
Jones is gonna send that hayseed back to Kentucky on a stretcher.
Congressman Powell.
I have a beef I want to bring to your attention.
What's your name? Alejandro Villabuena.
Everyone calls him "Guapo".
Hello, "Guapo".
It's nice to meet you.
Every day, I got to bail out my runners for some minor infraction or another.
You want to talk about your illegal numbers operation? I am your constituency, ain't I? I mean, look, the guineas, they run the banks, but the Blacks and the Latinos, they get pinched off the street every day.
You gotta talk to these people in Congress about coming up with some law about cops just busting the brown man while the white man gets a pass.
Look, you got the black vote.
Why not get a whole mess of Latinos? Well, Guapo I'm not sure the Dixiecrats will vote to end discrimination in the illegal numbers game, but I have my own pulpit with which to disseminate about this pernicious imbalance.
Why you got to use big words like that? Anyone can utilize gargantuan idioms to fabricate intelligence.
The problem with big words is they mean so little.
You know, I don't know what the fuck either one you is sayin'.
Television would refuse your matches, your sponsors would flee, and you'd go back to Kentucky, just another nameless, faceless negro.
But I have to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
It's It's my faith.
Not until you're heavyweight champion.
It's better for you, it's better for me, and it's better for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Where the fuck did you get this? This guy in the FBI.
We've been friends since we were kids.
They're worried Clay might win the championship.
They don't want a fuckin' Muslim as heavyweight champion.
Turns out the Feds got more bugs in that Mosque than they do in here.
Bonanno's gonna make a play for Harlem.
I can feel it.
His Family's tough.
All those Castellamarese Sicilians.
We're gonna have to prepare for war.
How? I think Cassius Clay is our ticket.
A woman called for you tonight.
Who? They hung up.
Oh.
How you know it's for me, then? They hung up when they heard my voice.
You tell your secret admirer that I have got things covered.
Get off me! But I have to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
It's It's my faith.
Not until you're heavyweight champion.
It's better for you, it's better for me, and it's better for the Honorable Elijah Muh The Feds, they got a bug on your friend, Malcolm X.
You've been a naughty boy, hanging out with the wrong people.
Who are you? Vincent Gigante.
You know I used to be a boxer? No, I did.
I fought four times at the Garden.
You know, technically you're weak.
You keep your hands too low, you pull your head straight back.
You're not supposed to do that.
You know that.
You know better.
But somehow all those bastards keep missing you.
What do you want? Why am I here? When I was a kid, I listened to Billy Graham on the radio.
I heard him say Catholics were worse than commies.
And now we got a President that's Catholic.
What's that got to do with anything, huh? Maybe one day we'll have a Muslim as President.
But I know one thing for sure.
That a fuckin' Muslim will never get a shot at being world champ.
So you're gonna take a dive.
I don't dive.
I never did, and I never w Get your hands off me, you bum.
One loss to Jones, and I guarantee you a shot at Liston.
You ever hear of Frankie Carbo? You hear that name before? He can put that match together.
I told you, man, that ain't me.
Oh, that's you, sweetie.
That is you.
You are taking a dive.
'Cause if you don't we're gonna tell the world you're a Muslim.
And then your career will be destroyed.
What do you want me to do, Malcolm? Well, I want you to get the tape.
Why don't we just ask Chin to give it up? Cassius says the place they took him had a pinball machine and a pool table.
Chin's social club on the Avenue.
It would be easier if they was keeping that tape at Fort Knox.
And you don't even know if that's where he's got it stashed at or not.
If Chin's got that tape Clay's taking a fall.
Do you understand how important Cassius Clay is going to be? Black heroes are expected to be docile and deferential.
Clay is ushering in an age where black kids can voice pride in their own achievements.
Now, we don't have enough doctors, lawyers, or bankers.
But we do have sports heroes and they do have a platform to carry our message.
Didn't you say that prize-fighting is just a racket? Rich white men exploiting poor black men to beat up on other poor black men? Cassius Clay is an engine of racial pride who'd never mark himself with skin lighteners or processed hair, as I once felt the need to degrade myself.
Cassius Clay, he ain't no Malcolm X.
Alright? His name is "Clay".
He can be molded.
Teddy Greene embarrassed me in front of those record executives.
I know.
He's sorry.
He has a new song you gotta hear.
What kinda song? Some cop hit him at the riot at Fidler's last month.
It's a song about fighting back.
Nah, baby, that's not what my label's about.
People are tired of hearing about sock hops and will-you-be-my-baby and "Puff the Magic Dragon" and please-mister-postman.
You tellin' me how to do my job? I'm just saying, why sign someone doing the same thing everyone else is doing? Because it makes money.
Ain't no white person gonna pay no negro to moan about some cop kicking his ass.
I'm a white person, and I'd buy it.
You don't count.
You think all white people are happy with the way negroes are being treated? You think we like watching Bull Connor turn his hoses on those women and kids? What's speakin' out ever got us? Water blastin' from fire hoses and dogs bitin' through our skin.
I make music to help people forget.
You see that sign out there? What's it say? Happy Records.
I make music that makes people happy.
Teddy Greene, he makes me angry.
next heavyweight opponent is going to be, uh, Doug Jones.
You're gonna fight him on March 13th, and poetically you've said where, what? Well, Doug Jones, presently, is ranked number 3 in the top 10 heavyweights of the world.
I'm ranked number 2.
I understand that Jones likes to mix, but he must fall in six.
I don't know why you think he's funny.
You may not like him, Mama, but I like that he talks like that.
Why, little one? He's not afraid to be himself.
- You see this blue scarf? - Uh-huh.
You see it.
Watch it.
- I've got it, I've got it.
- That's good.
You like that kind of thing.
This guy's supposed to be a boxer.
What is he? Where you going? You don't make your rounds for hours.
Saw Malcolm today.
Seems like Chin Gigante's got some kind of FBI tape with him and Clay talking about Islam.
Doesn't surprise me that young fool's attracted to the Nation, all that talk about spaceships and other nonsense.
And Noah's Ark is different? Yes, it is.
Chin wants Clay to take a dive.
And if he doesn't he's gonna tell the whole world that Clay's a Muslim.
What's that got to do with you? They want me to look into it.
That's it.
Well, I hope you said "no".
If Doug wins, he'll get the shot at Liston.
Think of all those kids in Harlem who look up to him.
If Clay's gonna fall, let him fall.
Night, Babe.
Love you.
I'll take Margaret to school in the morning, - alright? - Okay.
Miss Vanderbilt.
I'm alone in misery I couldn't find Possum, Todd, this is Bumpy Johnson.
He's an old friend of mine.
This is Ross Todd.
He's Cassius' primary backer up from Louisville for the fight.
Actually, the fight's what I'd like to talk to you about.
Oh, misery Cassius, he took a secret meeting with Malcolm X.
We told Cassius to stop fraternizing with the Nation of Islam and listening to all that talk about "white devils".
You knew? We have paid, uh, several reporters quite a bit of money not to write about it.
My heart is broken Well, right now Chin Gigante's got a tape, wants to make Clay take a dive.
Said he'd give him a shot at Liston if he does.
Misery, misery That's not an unreasonable proposal.
You want your Louisville Lip to have a loss on his perfect record? Cassius Clay fights Sonny Liston and wins the championship, well, he can call himself Cassius X, uh, Cassius Y, or Daffy Duck for all anyone cares.
Misery, misery Well, then Misery Sorry to have interrupted.
Have a nice night.
Bumpy, wait.
What is it you came for, Bumpy? See if I could help a friend.
I need you to stop calling my house, alright? Let me think about it.
everything I had My heart is broken You know, I've always found that it's counterproductive to hide what it is you want.
Misery, now, now, now, misery It always comes out in the wash.
Yeah, misery You're killing me, yeah Get away, get away, get away - Amy.
- Hmm? I need you to let go of my hand.
You're killing me Get away, get away, get away from me Have a nice night.
Oh, misery You're Killing me I'll give it to that dumb palooka he was right about Harlem.
There's more money in dope there than everywhere else.
This is capitalism, Frank pure and simple.
I go where there's a demand.
And I'm expecting you to side with me.
Joe, Chin may be odd, even a little crazy.
But he's no dumb palooka.
I know.
And it didn't help you calling him Vito's "driver".
That didn't help matters at all.
He had the nerve to mention my son Lorenzo.
I'm sorry.
He was out of line.
Six years since my beautiful boy was taken by those niggers in Washington Heights.
Six fucking years, and my wife lights a candle at St.
Anthony's every single day.
Giuseppe Maybe that's why I never wanted to go into Harlem.
'Cause any one of those mulignans could be the one that took him.
Alright, but you got to meet with Chin.
We can't afford another war.
Come on.
Lillian.
Mayme, how nice to see you.
I did the count.
We made almost $8,000 on the raffle last night those signed gloves went for $1,500 alone.
That is gonna buy all the books for next year's literacy program and then some.
I was just telling the board HARYOU couldn't exist without you, and I mean it.
I said the same thing to my husband at dinner last night, and he agreed.
He wondered if you'd be a good addition to the board.
As a matter of fact, - my husband told me something last night, too.
- Oh? He said if you was down to your last nickel, you'd put your money on Doug Jones.
Of course, I've always had faith in Doug to win, but there's faith and then there's fact.
Interesting.
He looks good.
Child, he always looks good.
You alright? I think I've written my best song.
But I can't get no one to listen.
They will.
I heard you playing that thing in your room.
I could probably sing it myself.
Your daddy would have told you to just go play it out on the street.
Between you and Daddy, you always had the better voice.
Daddy could raise the rafters.
Yeah, but you was the one the preacher always called on to sing "Wade in the Water".
I like it when you smile, Mama.
You know, I used to dream I'd be like Eartha Kitt singing "Santa Baby" on TV.
I knew Granny would whup my ass if she caught me listenin' to that devil music, so I'd just sing it to myself under the covers after dark.
I'm proud of you, Teddy.
But there's a cost for saying these things.
That's just what Bobby said.
Cookie? A guinea cookie? I'll say one thing for the guineas.
They know they way around an oven.
I take mine black, thank you.
Just a touch.
Whoa, thank you, sister.
See, Bumpy, the only thing I like integrated is my coffee.
That Louisville Group, they don't care if Clay loses, long as he gets a shot at Liston.
I thought you were making an effort to get the tape.
C'mon, man.
I've been sponsoring Doug Jones since he was a kid.
My wife got that HARYOU program with him Yeah, I'm familiar, the Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited.
Taking the government's money and teaching our young black kids to be good little Uncle Toms.
Teaching kids to read, youth arts programs, uh, feeding the hungry Come on, brother, that ain't nothing but the indoctrination of the white man's negro.
How is that any different than the shit you peddlin', man? Come again? You talking shit about Mayme's program when the only reason that you care about Cassius Clay is that he can bring you recruits, that's it.
The Bumpy Johnson I know or at least the one I knew would never want to see white men controlling the black man's ability to fight fair and square.
Or his ability to believe what's in his heart.
Come on, man you ain't gonna finish your coffee? It's too light.
How are things with Stella? - Good.
- Fine.
You know, I always wanted her to be with someone I wasn't under any, you know, delusion she was a nun.
You got a problem with nuns? She was, I don't know, 13 years old.
She had a love bite on her neck at breakfast.
So, you know, I asked one of the guys to keep an eye on her.
Sure enough, she's sneaking out at night.
To meet a boy.
Is that unusual for a teenager? Lorenzo, Bonanno's son.
Lorenzo.
One of the guys, he told me he seen his hand up her skirt, 13 fucking years old In God's name, Vincent, what did you do? I hired a couple of niggers to grab him, make him disappear.
I buried his body in the basement of Fidler's store.
Bonanno's child? Yeah.
I know, I know.
I fucked up.
Does anyone know? God.
You.
We will rise, we will rise with the fire in our eyes Yeah, yeah, yeah With no hate in our hearts And the future in our minds, yeah, yeah, yeah There's room for the two of us in Harlem.
There's enough of those jigaboo junkies to last a thousand years.
They should all burn in hell.
Every last one of them.
So, this is my proposal.
Look, you move all your stuff through my capos, $22,000 a key.
I sell mine for $26,000.
You're taxing me four grand a key? That's right, 'cause you're getting protection, established networks, we pay off the cops.
$26,000.
$22,000's my final.
I can go over your head to Vito.
He'll see my point of view.
Yeah.
Alright.
Fine.
You know, I-I got a tip for you.
Yeah? Yeah.
I fixed the Clay-Jones fight.
- No shit.
- No shit.
So I'd put all your action on Clay, 'cause Doug Jones is gonna take a dive in the fourth.
How'd you get to Jones? Frankie Carbo, Philly.
Mr.
Johnson.
Malcolm send you here? No, I came here on my own.
Everybody give me the room for a minute, alright? He always says you're one of the smartest men that he knows.
Hmm.
Possum Norton and Mr.
Todd warned me to stay away from the Nation.
- You shoulda listened to them.
- No, I listened to my heart.
Yeah, well, sometimes it's better to listen to your head.
Take the dive.
Chin'll get you a shot at Liston.
How do you know that for sure? 'Cause it'll make him money.
I don't want a loss on my record.
I am the greatest.
You see, it's talk like that that makes people hate you.
You know that, right? I've come to realize by the grace of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad that I am equal to any white man.
Mr.
Johnson, I am great.
And so are you.
Why do we have to hide it? Fight your fight.
I'll take care of that tape.
Thank you, Mr.
Johnson.
You can come back in now.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's standing room only at Madison Square Garden in New York City, for once again, the famous landmark has become the mecca of boxing.
There is one young man who has made this all possible.
He's the 21-year-old heavyweight from Louisville, Kentucky, named Cassius Marcellus Clay.
- Go, Cassius! - Tonight he meets a native New Yorker in 26-year-old Doug Jones.
Go, Doug! Ooh! Go, Doug! And here we go with a scheduled 10-round bout.
Come on, Doug.
Cover! Cover! Come on.
Come on, Doug.
Come on, get it out there.
Neither fighter is cut.
Clay has never been cut in his boxing career.
Jones several times.
Good one-two by Clay.
As you can see, Jones is gonna be a tough one to knock out at any rate.
Clay appearing a little tired right now.
- Come on, Doug! - Oh, that's it! Jones would appear to have the edge now.
Where's the fucking tape? Good body punch by Jones.
Beautiful finish.
Five seconds.
Referee Joe LoScalzo has it 5-4, 1 even.
Winner by unanimous decision Cassius Clay.
Yes! I know.
I know, baby.
It ain't right.
You shoulda won.
I wish I could come over there right now.
But it's over, baby you know that.
And if you want to stay alive, it has got to stay our secret.
I know.
Me, too.
Goodbye, Doug.
Don't call here again.
Nel nome del Padre e del Figlio e dello Spirito Santo I ask for your forgiveness.
Got to move your bones, Lorenzo, you know, to somewhere safe.
Harlem is mine.
- Times have changed.
- I haven't.
Chin likes to play the dumb bruiser so the guineas from the other families underestimate him.
You don't want to go to war with Bonanno.
I ain't sharing Harlem.
We could see the value in it.
Joey fucking Bananas couldn't.
This girl don't understand you.
She don't love you.
You so caught up in this white girl you can't even see what it is she doing to you.
This is our chance to show Bobby Robinson my stuff.
You can go on ahead now, boy.
If this is what you want from me, then I just can't.
You running around with another man to keep your daddy happy.
I'm just wondering why you're keeping me around.
Because I love you.
You love me, or you just love fucking a nigger? Well, I can't thank you enough for pushing through the Harlem Youth Opportunities Act.
I've got the boxer Doug Jones' support.
He's going to donate his gloves after his fight with Cassius Clay.
That building where Fidler's store is, I want Malcolm X and his people out of there.
I don't want it to get damaged.
Mayme told me about Fidler's.
Got it rebuilt up in '57.
Makes a guy wonder what else might be in there.
A Christian man will always tell you to turn the other cheek.
But my faith tells me that's how a man gets beat.
I want to buy heroin from the guineas.
Key for 27,000.
Chin's gonna keep coming at me no matter what the family said.
Chin has a right to protect his territory.
You and me are gonna be at war until one of us is dead.
Big round of applause for Doug Jones.
Doug Jones, ladies and gentlemen, the Hope of Harlem.
I am a proud supporter of Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited.
"HARYOU", as it's known, recognizes that the youth of Harlem must be provided with the same opportunities as the rich kids downtown.
The young people of Harlem are not expendable.
And with us today we have a woman who has helped realize this vision.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mrs.
Mayme Johnson.
Thank you, Reverend.
HARYOU is more than a government program.
It's a community program.
A Harlem program.
Doug Jones has given his name and his time to helping our young men achieve success not just in the boxing ring, but in life getting them off the streets and giving them a sense of pride and purpose.
He's fighting for more than a title.
He's fighting for all of us.
- Mm-hmm.
- Yes! And that's why we have all got to join together to cheer him on when he whips that loudmouth Louisville Lip! Yes! Doug Jones! Hey, Jones! Hey, ugly! You know what this fight mean to me? A tomato-red Cadillac Eldorado convertible with white leather upholstery, air conditioning, and hifi.
Well, that's what the Louisville Group is giving me for a victory present.
Now, can you picturing me losing to this ugly bum Jones with that kind of car waiting for me? Well, I wouldn't fill that Cadillac with gas just yet.
Ooh, well, my eyes can see you a beautiful lady all the more reasons why Doug Jones should be 'fraidy.
Motivation, my dear, you done given me more instead of five, well, I'm gonna stop Jones in four.
You pretend like you've been a champion since birth.
Well, let's hope your fists can prove your worth.
Who are you to talk with words that are so bold? I would tell you get in the ring.
You just too damn old.
You don't know who I am, so I'll excuse your behavior.
After three rounds with me, you'll be on your knees to your savior.
Doug Jones, I will see you later.
And, beautiful lady, call me when you want something greater.
Let's have a hand for Mayme Johnson, please.
Ms.
Mayme Johnson, thank you.
Thank you, thank you for being here today.
Daddy, you were funny back there.
Oh, he gives the Louisville Lip a run for his money.
Margaret, you know what I could use right now? - Ice cream? - Yes.
You know what? I forgot.
Got some quick business.
You take 'em to Bischoff's.
- Go on.
I'll be there in minute.
- Okay.
Bumpy Johnson.
Get in.
I need you to get out of here for a minute, alright? What are you doing here? What do you think? I came looking for you.
A month or two to settle in, fine.
But it's been 12 weeks since you've been back in the city.
A girl starts to feel like she's being frozen out.
It ain't like that Then what's it like, Bumpy? Hmm? We used to have fun together.
Oh, my God, yeah.
You didn't answer my last letter.
I was, um, excited to hear your thoughts on Harper Lee's new novel.
Thought it was brilliant.
I love how Atticus explains to Scout how you never really know a person till you walk around in his skin.
Yeah.
Amy I-I think I would've went crazy in there if it weren't for your letters.
But I'm trying to walk the line with Mayme this time around, you know? I see.
The thing is, I'm a major backer of the Louisville Sponsoring Group.
You're gonna be seeing more of me as this fight gets closer, whether you want to or not.
And we both know that you aren't cut out for walking the line any more than I am.
You're killing me.
Mm-hmm.
This is about one thing and one thing only Harlem.
What was it you said, Joe, when I agreed to giving you the docks and stevedores union in Brooklyn? You said, "Go ahead, take Harlem.
It's a bunch of niggers anyway.
" Vincent, watch your tone.
Well, what are you, my fucking mother? Hey, three weeks ago you gave Bumpy Johnson the right to use our sources.
Why not Joe Bonanno? I granted him the right to Genovese sources.
My sources.
- Your sources? - Yeah.
I established the entire narcotics trade, you ignorant cocksucker.
Without me, you wouldn't exist.
You established that 20 years ago.
This is now.
Look, you sell to Johnson or anyone else, you're gonna have a serious problem on your hands.
Oh, really? Let's not forget you're just the "acting boss" while Vito's in the can you think he's gonna want to start a war over all this shit? I got his full confidence.
You were his fuckin' driver, for Christ's sakes.
Check the tires, Vincent.
Fill it up with gas, Vincent.
Enough of that.
You know, I wouldn't have thought you'd want to hang around with these coconuts, considering they're the ones that killed your son.
You invoke my son's name in a business dispute? Let's go.
Jesus, Vincent.
I thought I was nice.
Mrs.
Greene, I'm Stella.
I brought you a gift.
I made cookies.
"By the time you read this, Sammy Davis Jr.
and May Britt will be married.
May says, 'We're quite aware we may happen to find hotels where we're not allowed to stay as man and wife.
'" See, they're doing it.
"I am a Negro and I am a Jew, - and now I'm getting married.
- Any newlywed couple expects to face problems.
" Add that glass eye, and this negro got more problems than any man I ever heard of.
C'mon he doesn't give a damn about what other people think.
Neither do we.
And neither does anyone in L.
A.
What are you saying, you wanna pick up and move to California? Yes.
With what money, Baby? You gonna steal another key of dope? All I mean is, I ain't Sammy.
Well, that's all the more reason for us to get the hell out of here.
Maybe if you sell a song to Bobby Robinson he'll give you an advance.
He loved that song you wrote.
I wrote another song.
After the riot at Fidler's.
It's called "Rise".
I think you're really gonna like this one.
- Really? - Yeah.
Oh, my God.
What's it about? What's it like? Brother Minister will be in to see you shortly.
You look different in person.
Well, so do you.
Man, when I saw you speak at that rally in Detroit, it changed my life.
And I thought, how could a black man talk about white people like that and and not get shot.
Well, Allah protects me in the form of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
I'm glad you came, Brother Cassius.
Have a seat.
You know, when I was young, I-I had asked my mother, why is Santa Claus white? Why is Jesus white? And that night you said a slave-master convinced his slaves to worship a pale, blond, blue-eyed God.
Yeah, well, he taught us to hate everything black, including ourselves.
Now, some white folks been good to me.
Like Mr.
Ross Todd of the Louisville Group Yeah, well, he stands to profit from you.
His only motive is money.
So's mine.
There's a '63 Caddy waiting if I win.
Well, can your soul be bought that easily? For a shiny new car? Now, I believe you have a much larger role to play in our movement, Cassius.
That's why I asked you to come today.
It's an honor to be here, Minister.
I've seen you on the television clowning around with Liberace, boasting and bragging, making yourself a sideshow for the white devil.
I'm just being me.
Disguise has always been integral to our survival in the white man's America.
You know, we play the obedient step-and-fetch-it, the minstrel, or in your case, the court jester.
But the real you is attracted to the Nation of Islam.
Now, we don't look upon Martin Luther King as any Moses.
Moses didn't say love your enemy.
King is advocating turning the other cheek.
Moses didn't say turn the other cheek.
Moses taught those slaves how to defend themselves against their enemy.
And had he not taught those Hebrews how to defend themselves, why, those Hebrews would be getting lynched and segregated against and Jim Crowed and second-class citizen just the same as the so-called "Negro" here is in America today.
I'm ready to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
I can't tell you how much it warms my heart to hear that.
But if a reporter today were to learn of your faith, the state would deny you a boxing license, television would refuse your matches, your sponsors would flee, and you'd go back to Kentucky, just another nameless, faceless negro.
But I have to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
It's It's my faith.
Not until you're heavyweight champion.
It's better for you, it's better for me, and it's better for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
You you think's gonna win the fight? Oh, man.
Look, you gentlemen have to decide that yourselves.
- Hmm.
- Jones got strength, Clay got the speed.
If you call back-peddlin' speed Man, I could duck a Jones hook and still have time for breakfast.
Uh, not the way you eat breakfast.
Hey, watch it, Cecil.
You gonna put some green down on that now? Shit, I have you two-to-one on that.
I'll take that bet.
Jones is gonna send that hayseed back to Kentucky on a stretcher.
Congressman Powell.
I have a beef I want to bring to your attention.
What's your name? Alejandro Villabuena.
Everyone calls him "Guapo".
Hello, "Guapo".
It's nice to meet you.
Every day, I got to bail out my runners for some minor infraction or another.
You want to talk about your illegal numbers operation? I am your constituency, ain't I? I mean, look, the guineas, they run the banks, but the Blacks and the Latinos, they get pinched off the street every day.
You gotta talk to these people in Congress about coming up with some law about cops just busting the brown man while the white man gets a pass.
Look, you got the black vote.
Why not get a whole mess of Latinos? Well, Guapo I'm not sure the Dixiecrats will vote to end discrimination in the illegal numbers game, but I have my own pulpit with which to disseminate about this pernicious imbalance.
Why you got to use big words like that? Anyone can utilize gargantuan idioms to fabricate intelligence.
The problem with big words is they mean so little.
You know, I don't know what the fuck either one you is sayin'.
Television would refuse your matches, your sponsors would flee, and you'd go back to Kentucky, just another nameless, faceless negro.
But I have to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
It's It's my faith.
Not until you're heavyweight champion.
It's better for you, it's better for me, and it's better for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Where the fuck did you get this? This guy in the FBI.
We've been friends since we were kids.
They're worried Clay might win the championship.
They don't want a fuckin' Muslim as heavyweight champion.
Turns out the Feds got more bugs in that Mosque than they do in here.
Bonanno's gonna make a play for Harlem.
I can feel it.
His Family's tough.
All those Castellamarese Sicilians.
We're gonna have to prepare for war.
How? I think Cassius Clay is our ticket.
A woman called for you tonight.
Who? They hung up.
Oh.
How you know it's for me, then? They hung up when they heard my voice.
You tell your secret admirer that I have got things covered.
Get off me! But I have to tell the world that I'm a Muslim.
It's It's my faith.
Not until you're heavyweight champion.
It's better for you, it's better for me, and it's better for the Honorable Elijah Muh The Feds, they got a bug on your friend, Malcolm X.
You've been a naughty boy, hanging out with the wrong people.
Who are you? Vincent Gigante.
You know I used to be a boxer? No, I did.
I fought four times at the Garden.
You know, technically you're weak.
You keep your hands too low, you pull your head straight back.
You're not supposed to do that.
You know that.
You know better.
But somehow all those bastards keep missing you.
What do you want? Why am I here? When I was a kid, I listened to Billy Graham on the radio.
I heard him say Catholics were worse than commies.
And now we got a President that's Catholic.
What's that got to do with anything, huh? Maybe one day we'll have a Muslim as President.
But I know one thing for sure.
That a fuckin' Muslim will never get a shot at being world champ.
So you're gonna take a dive.
I don't dive.
I never did, and I never w Get your hands off me, you bum.
One loss to Jones, and I guarantee you a shot at Liston.
You ever hear of Frankie Carbo? You hear that name before? He can put that match together.
I told you, man, that ain't me.
Oh, that's you, sweetie.
That is you.
You are taking a dive.
'Cause if you don't we're gonna tell the world you're a Muslim.
And then your career will be destroyed.
What do you want me to do, Malcolm? Well, I want you to get the tape.
Why don't we just ask Chin to give it up? Cassius says the place they took him had a pinball machine and a pool table.
Chin's social club on the Avenue.
It would be easier if they was keeping that tape at Fort Knox.
And you don't even know if that's where he's got it stashed at or not.
If Chin's got that tape Clay's taking a fall.
Do you understand how important Cassius Clay is going to be? Black heroes are expected to be docile and deferential.
Clay is ushering in an age where black kids can voice pride in their own achievements.
Now, we don't have enough doctors, lawyers, or bankers.
But we do have sports heroes and they do have a platform to carry our message.
Didn't you say that prize-fighting is just a racket? Rich white men exploiting poor black men to beat up on other poor black men? Cassius Clay is an engine of racial pride who'd never mark himself with skin lighteners or processed hair, as I once felt the need to degrade myself.
Cassius Clay, he ain't no Malcolm X.
Alright? His name is "Clay".
He can be molded.
Teddy Greene embarrassed me in front of those record executives.
I know.
He's sorry.
He has a new song you gotta hear.
What kinda song? Some cop hit him at the riot at Fidler's last month.
It's a song about fighting back.
Nah, baby, that's not what my label's about.
People are tired of hearing about sock hops and will-you-be-my-baby and "Puff the Magic Dragon" and please-mister-postman.
You tellin' me how to do my job? I'm just saying, why sign someone doing the same thing everyone else is doing? Because it makes money.
Ain't no white person gonna pay no negro to moan about some cop kicking his ass.
I'm a white person, and I'd buy it.
You don't count.
You think all white people are happy with the way negroes are being treated? You think we like watching Bull Connor turn his hoses on those women and kids? What's speakin' out ever got us? Water blastin' from fire hoses and dogs bitin' through our skin.
I make music to help people forget.
You see that sign out there? What's it say? Happy Records.
I make music that makes people happy.
Teddy Greene, he makes me angry.
next heavyweight opponent is going to be, uh, Doug Jones.
You're gonna fight him on March 13th, and poetically you've said where, what? Well, Doug Jones, presently, is ranked number 3 in the top 10 heavyweights of the world.
I'm ranked number 2.
I understand that Jones likes to mix, but he must fall in six.
I don't know why you think he's funny.
You may not like him, Mama, but I like that he talks like that.
Why, little one? He's not afraid to be himself.
- You see this blue scarf? - Uh-huh.
You see it.
Watch it.
- I've got it, I've got it.
- That's good.
You like that kind of thing.
This guy's supposed to be a boxer.
What is he? Where you going? You don't make your rounds for hours.
Saw Malcolm today.
Seems like Chin Gigante's got some kind of FBI tape with him and Clay talking about Islam.
Doesn't surprise me that young fool's attracted to the Nation, all that talk about spaceships and other nonsense.
And Noah's Ark is different? Yes, it is.
Chin wants Clay to take a dive.
And if he doesn't he's gonna tell the whole world that Clay's a Muslim.
What's that got to do with you? They want me to look into it.
That's it.
Well, I hope you said "no".
If Doug wins, he'll get the shot at Liston.
Think of all those kids in Harlem who look up to him.
If Clay's gonna fall, let him fall.
Night, Babe.
Love you.
I'll take Margaret to school in the morning, - alright? - Okay.
Miss Vanderbilt.
I'm alone in misery I couldn't find Possum, Todd, this is Bumpy Johnson.
He's an old friend of mine.
This is Ross Todd.
He's Cassius' primary backer up from Louisville for the fight.
Actually, the fight's what I'd like to talk to you about.
Oh, misery Cassius, he took a secret meeting with Malcolm X.
We told Cassius to stop fraternizing with the Nation of Islam and listening to all that talk about "white devils".
You knew? We have paid, uh, several reporters quite a bit of money not to write about it.
My heart is broken Well, right now Chin Gigante's got a tape, wants to make Clay take a dive.
Said he'd give him a shot at Liston if he does.
Misery, misery That's not an unreasonable proposal.
You want your Louisville Lip to have a loss on his perfect record? Cassius Clay fights Sonny Liston and wins the championship, well, he can call himself Cassius X, uh, Cassius Y, or Daffy Duck for all anyone cares.
Misery, misery Well, then Misery Sorry to have interrupted.
Have a nice night.
Bumpy, wait.
What is it you came for, Bumpy? See if I could help a friend.
I need you to stop calling my house, alright? Let me think about it.
everything I had My heart is broken You know, I've always found that it's counterproductive to hide what it is you want.
Misery, now, now, now, misery It always comes out in the wash.
Yeah, misery You're killing me, yeah Get away, get away, get away - Amy.
- Hmm? I need you to let go of my hand.
You're killing me Get away, get away, get away from me Have a nice night.
Oh, misery You're Killing me I'll give it to that dumb palooka he was right about Harlem.
There's more money in dope there than everywhere else.
This is capitalism, Frank pure and simple.
I go where there's a demand.
And I'm expecting you to side with me.
Joe, Chin may be odd, even a little crazy.
But he's no dumb palooka.
I know.
And it didn't help you calling him Vito's "driver".
That didn't help matters at all.
He had the nerve to mention my son Lorenzo.
I'm sorry.
He was out of line.
Six years since my beautiful boy was taken by those niggers in Washington Heights.
Six fucking years, and my wife lights a candle at St.
Anthony's every single day.
Giuseppe Maybe that's why I never wanted to go into Harlem.
'Cause any one of those mulignans could be the one that took him.
Alright, but you got to meet with Chin.
We can't afford another war.
Come on.
Lillian.
Mayme, how nice to see you.
I did the count.
We made almost $8,000 on the raffle last night those signed gloves went for $1,500 alone.
That is gonna buy all the books for next year's literacy program and then some.
I was just telling the board HARYOU couldn't exist without you, and I mean it.
I said the same thing to my husband at dinner last night, and he agreed.
He wondered if you'd be a good addition to the board.
As a matter of fact, - my husband told me something last night, too.
- Oh? He said if you was down to your last nickel, you'd put your money on Doug Jones.
Of course, I've always had faith in Doug to win, but there's faith and then there's fact.
Interesting.
He looks good.
Child, he always looks good.
You alright? I think I've written my best song.
But I can't get no one to listen.
They will.
I heard you playing that thing in your room.
I could probably sing it myself.
Your daddy would have told you to just go play it out on the street.
Between you and Daddy, you always had the better voice.
Daddy could raise the rafters.
Yeah, but you was the one the preacher always called on to sing "Wade in the Water".
I like it when you smile, Mama.
You know, I used to dream I'd be like Eartha Kitt singing "Santa Baby" on TV.
I knew Granny would whup my ass if she caught me listenin' to that devil music, so I'd just sing it to myself under the covers after dark.
I'm proud of you, Teddy.
But there's a cost for saying these things.
That's just what Bobby said.
Cookie? A guinea cookie? I'll say one thing for the guineas.
They know they way around an oven.
I take mine black, thank you.
Just a touch.
Whoa, thank you, sister.
See, Bumpy, the only thing I like integrated is my coffee.
That Louisville Group, they don't care if Clay loses, long as he gets a shot at Liston.
I thought you were making an effort to get the tape.
C'mon, man.
I've been sponsoring Doug Jones since he was a kid.
My wife got that HARYOU program with him Yeah, I'm familiar, the Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited.
Taking the government's money and teaching our young black kids to be good little Uncle Toms.
Teaching kids to read, youth arts programs, uh, feeding the hungry Come on, brother, that ain't nothing but the indoctrination of the white man's negro.
How is that any different than the shit you peddlin', man? Come again? You talking shit about Mayme's program when the only reason that you care about Cassius Clay is that he can bring you recruits, that's it.
The Bumpy Johnson I know or at least the one I knew would never want to see white men controlling the black man's ability to fight fair and square.
Or his ability to believe what's in his heart.
Come on, man you ain't gonna finish your coffee? It's too light.
How are things with Stella? - Good.
- Fine.
You know, I always wanted her to be with someone I wasn't under any, you know, delusion she was a nun.
You got a problem with nuns? She was, I don't know, 13 years old.
She had a love bite on her neck at breakfast.
So, you know, I asked one of the guys to keep an eye on her.
Sure enough, she's sneaking out at night.
To meet a boy.
Is that unusual for a teenager? Lorenzo, Bonanno's son.
Lorenzo.
One of the guys, he told me he seen his hand up her skirt, 13 fucking years old In God's name, Vincent, what did you do? I hired a couple of niggers to grab him, make him disappear.
I buried his body in the basement of Fidler's store.
Bonanno's child? Yeah.
I know, I know.
I fucked up.
Does anyone know? God.
You.
We will rise, we will rise with the fire in our eyes Yeah, yeah, yeah With no hate in our hearts And the future in our minds, yeah, yeah, yeah There's room for the two of us in Harlem.
There's enough of those jigaboo junkies to last a thousand years.
They should all burn in hell.
Every last one of them.
So, this is my proposal.
Look, you move all your stuff through my capos, $22,000 a key.
I sell mine for $26,000.
You're taxing me four grand a key? That's right, 'cause you're getting protection, established networks, we pay off the cops.
$26,000.
$22,000's my final.
I can go over your head to Vito.
He'll see my point of view.
Yeah.
Alright.
Fine.
You know, I-I got a tip for you.
Yeah? Yeah.
I fixed the Clay-Jones fight.
- No shit.
- No shit.
So I'd put all your action on Clay, 'cause Doug Jones is gonna take a dive in the fourth.
How'd you get to Jones? Frankie Carbo, Philly.
Mr.
Johnson.
Malcolm send you here? No, I came here on my own.
Everybody give me the room for a minute, alright? He always says you're one of the smartest men that he knows.
Hmm.
Possum Norton and Mr.
Todd warned me to stay away from the Nation.
- You shoulda listened to them.
- No, I listened to my heart.
Yeah, well, sometimes it's better to listen to your head.
Take the dive.
Chin'll get you a shot at Liston.
How do you know that for sure? 'Cause it'll make him money.
I don't want a loss on my record.
I am the greatest.
You see, it's talk like that that makes people hate you.
You know that, right? I've come to realize by the grace of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad that I am equal to any white man.
Mr.
Johnson, I am great.
And so are you.
Why do we have to hide it? Fight your fight.
I'll take care of that tape.
Thank you, Mr.
Johnson.
You can come back in now.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's standing room only at Madison Square Garden in New York City, for once again, the famous landmark has become the mecca of boxing.
There is one young man who has made this all possible.
He's the 21-year-old heavyweight from Louisville, Kentucky, named Cassius Marcellus Clay.
- Go, Cassius! - Tonight he meets a native New Yorker in 26-year-old Doug Jones.
Go, Doug! Ooh! Go, Doug! And here we go with a scheduled 10-round bout.
Come on, Doug.
Cover! Cover! Come on.
Come on, Doug.
Come on, get it out there.
Neither fighter is cut.
Clay has never been cut in his boxing career.
Jones several times.
Good one-two by Clay.
As you can see, Jones is gonna be a tough one to knock out at any rate.
Clay appearing a little tired right now.
- Come on, Doug! - Oh, that's it! Jones would appear to have the edge now.
Where's the fucking tape? Good body punch by Jones.
Beautiful finish.
Five seconds.
Referee Joe LoScalzo has it 5-4, 1 even.
Winner by unanimous decision Cassius Clay.
Yes! I know.
I know, baby.
It ain't right.
You shoulda won.
I wish I could come over there right now.
But it's over, baby you know that.
And if you want to stay alive, it has got to stay our secret.
I know.
Me, too.
Goodbye, Doug.
Don't call here again.
Nel nome del Padre e del Figlio e dello Spirito Santo I ask for your forgiveness.
Got to move your bones, Lorenzo, you know, to somewhere safe.