The Deuce (2017) s02e04 Episode Script
What Big Ideas
1 (DISCO MUSIC CRESCENDOS) (DISCO MUSIC PLAYS) PRODUCER: You want to do a literary adaptation? Little Red Riding Hood.
PRODUCER: I might be able to get behind it.
WOMAN: You make relationships with these women and it opens a door to something bigger.
CHRIS ALSTON: Another action plan.
Somebody in public morals got morals? PETER MCDONAGH: It's not morals.
It's money.
VINCENT MARTINO: So, this is it, huh? BOBBY DWYER: There's 16 parlors now.
Things could get ugly.
RUDY PIPILO: You should warn Paul.
Let him make an informed decision about his future endeavors.
Christ! The fucking parlor down the street's going up in flames.
Ain't one of ours.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
- OK, let's lose the smile.
- What? I got good teeth.
Yeah, but we gotta give 'em options.
Darlene, don't I got good teeth? My mama says they're my best attribute.
Yeah, well, your mama's not who we're after here.
At least I hope not.
Give me serious.
[LAUGHING.]
- What's so damn funny? - Keep still, please.
Up the menace.
Scary.
I mean, sexy.
- Scary-sexy.
- That's good enough.
Why don't we move over to the bed, and lose the trousers, please.
Say what? The directors are gonna be curious.
She didn't tell me that.
She ain't tell me that! - She said head shots.
- [FAKE LAUGH.]
I spent all morning picking out these damn trousers.
They cost me $59.
99.
You're doing this to get into porn, right? You want to do pornos? This tells the directors what they want to know.
Do you want to explain to the fashion model here what pornography is? Huh? Look, Mr.
Brown, we got like 15 minutes.
You got something to hide, I say let's just go home.
'Cause whatever she did or didn't tell you, the folks eyeing these shots don't give a fuck about your nice teeth.
Unless they really are your best attribute.
- Fuck it.
- [UNZIPS.]
Fuck this bullshit.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Thank you very much, sir.
Adjust the blanket, please.
I'd hate to see that thing angry.
Best be quick.
[CAMERA CLICKING.]
[CHUCKLING.]
See her picture in a thousand places 'Cause she's this year's girl You think you all own Little pieces of this year's girl Forget your fancy manners Forget your English grammar 'Cause you don't really give a damn About this year's girl Ahh-ee-ahh Still you're hopin' that she's well-spoken 'Cause she's this year's girl You want her broken with her mouth wide open 'Cause she's this year's girl Those disco synthesizers Those daily tranquilizers Those body-building prizes Those bedroom alibis All this But no surprises For this year's girl All this But no surprises For this year's girl Hey! PAUL: Arabescato from Carrara, Makrana from India.
They used this to build the Taj Mahal.
Shit, they both look the same to me.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
Kenneth likes the Makrana.
It's also cheaper, but barely.
I like the stateliness of this one.
So these are for the back bar? Bathrooms.
- [LAUGHS.]
- What? What? Am I out of control here? CONTRACTOR: More fuckin' trouble.
A little bit? - Another problem, boss.
- What's up? We got behind that plaster wall, and there's no wiring.
Nothing.
- Nothing? - Not a circuit, because they ran the wires up the goddamn chimney spout.
Two minutes, Stan, I'll be over.
[DRILL WHIRRING.]
- Remind me why I'm fuckin' doin' this.
- C'mon, it's gonna be great.
It's gonna be the Taj Mahal of the Village joints.
Heh.
Yeah, if it doesn't break me first.
It's great.
You startin' to worry about your investment? No! No.
I'm just here to check-see if there's any trouble, you know, the other joint or here at the work site.
- Gotten anything? - Hunh-unh.
Maybe there's nothin' to worry about.
Yeah, maybe.
It's been a few weeks since that parlor fire.
Maybe them other guys have backed off.
I don't know.
You still got people watching your places at night? Yeah.
It's costing me, but yeah.
Rudy says another week or two.
If nothin' happens, then maybe we can stop worrying.
But if Hodas and them greaseballs behind him are comin', they're gonna come hard.
And they know your other place is with Rudy, and they might not know that this new spot here is just you.
So Rudy says just be aware.
Yeah, he's just lettin' me know the risk of having anything out here on my own.
I'm sorry, I just I fucking knew it.
Of course he won't let this go.
He's not gonna let me break away clean.
He isn't sayin' that.
Do what you want, Paul.
Yeah? All right.
When do you open? Six weeks? Eight? Three months? Ha! Shit, the way thing are going, possibly never.
All right.
Question: one bathroom or two? [LAUGHS.]
Two.
I'm just askin'.
Tryin' to save you some money.
Yeah.
It's a tough choice for sure but I think I'd still pay for the Italian.
CONTRACTOR: Wanna move that six-footer over here? Probably be worth it in the long run.
Mm-hmm.
[HAMMERING.]
CANDY: So all my calls came to nothing, and even with the ten grand from L.
A.
, this is gonna need more.
It's gonna need a lot more.
And one thing I know for sure is, we gotta go upstate, or Jersey, I mean, or even Westchester, but someplace, ya know, 'cause it's not gonna work on a half-assed fake-o set.
We need real trees.
I mean, I need a fuckin' forest.
Harvey, are you listening? What was I just sayin'? You'd want to shoot outside.
We don't have the lights to shoot outside.
Not at night, anyways.
So we gotta get some.
And we need to rent a cabin.
And we're gonna need to bring the actors and the crew up there.
Are there wood nymphs? Excuse me? Or wood nymphos? I'd hope.
Oh.
Will they also be wearing lederhosen? Is that what turns you on? - [CHUCKLES.]
- Sure.
You've done a ton of work here, and I look at these pictures, and I can't see it.
I think it's a little quaint for a fuck film.
Except it's not.
I mean, that's the thing.
I know it plays that way on the surface I like that.
But I mean, this is not some kiddie shit about, you know, "Don't go off the beaten path or you're a bad girl.
" This is about the hunger and the terror and the risk we all fuckin' risk to connect to each other.
Oh, my.
What big ideas you have.
Fuck you! C'mon.
No, hey.
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey.
No, no, no.
I'm sorry.
Hey, come back Please sit down - Do we have a script? - Yes.
We do have a script, but it is mostly in my head.
Well, then, get it on paper, and we will talk about it more, and yes, we will see what we can do with what we have.
I get what you're going for.
I've read my fair share of Bettelheim.
I am familiar with all the Freudian shit Sex and death and annihilation of innocence and matricide and infanticide, et cetera.
At the end of the day, it's gotta be about the fuckin'.
So, give me three straight boy-girl scenes, one with the lesbian munching carpet, and the big-top orgy at the end.
You got me.
I'm sold.
But if the fuckin' is not good, then I'm not buyin' it.
Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.
That's the wrong fuckin' fairy tale.
Oh.
Fuckin' Three Little Pigs.
Fuck off.
How'd it go? [SCOFFS.]
It's like pushing string.
But ya know, I'm still pushing.
Well, I just wanted to say, I wrote a play in college It didn't get staged or anything But I aced the class with it.
My professor said that I have a really good ear.
On the other hand, he kind of wanted to fuck me.
You a writer? I really like what you're trying to do here.
I just want to be a part of it.
[DEEP BREATH.]
I feel like this is something I need to do by myself.
Well, I'm here if you need anything.
Hey, what's a Bettelheim? Yeah.
[CHATTER.]
Hm.
NAN: They call that art? I coulda done that.
VINCENT: I kinda like it.
Looks like Buzz there's workin' pretty hard.
- You know him? - Oh, yeah.
I'm a bartender.
I know everybody.
- Hey.
- So what do you think? You said photo show, I thought you meant flowers and landscapes and seashores.
Like Connecticut, huh? It's good.
- Hey, Viv.
- VIV: Hey! Come meet Vincent.
These are Viv's photographs.
- Oh.
- Hello, Vincent.
I think this one's my favorite.
Hm.
Cookie.
She's an actress in John Waters' films.
You ever seen those? - No.
- [LAUGHS.]
She's from Baltimore.
Viv's got an eye for the marginalized.
Bringing out everyone's humanity.
Hey, all you gotta do is listen.
Sounds like we have the same job, minus the alcohol.
- Oh, yeah? - Yeah.
I'm gonna keep making the rounds, speaking of alcohol.
Hey, wait.
She's the best.
Can't believe she did all this for me.
Yeah.
Where'd you find this guy? Looks like my brother in Bushwick, circa 1961.
[LAUGHS.]
Actually, Frankie still looks like that.
I'm obviously the more refined brother.
BARKER OVER P.
A.
: Change! Get your change! Get your change here.
You want to see the show, you need to get your quarters here.
[COMBINATION LOCK CLICKING.]
BARKER: Upstairs now They're showing it all and more.
Things you ain't seen before I sure feel bad for Frankie.
- Yeah? - Think they'll ever give it back to him? He'd have to pay back what he owes.
Kiss a lot of familiar Italian ass, ya know? BARKER: Lesbian ladies want nice fellas.
Don't make 'em wait! Get in there, boys.
Did ya ever think about how much cum is on those coins? Say what? You're jerkin' off with one hand, you're pumpin' quarters in the machine with the other.
Some of 'em gotta get confused.
- No doubt.
- I mean, when your head's in that place, you're not really thinkin' right to begin with.
You're spewin' on your money, you're trying to stuff tissue in the fuckin' coin slot - Ya know? - Yeah.
We all just tryin' to get to that place where no other thought matters, right? - I'm sayin'.
- LOIS: Shay! Shay! Shay! Help! - Shay! Help! Irene! - [BANGING ON BOOTH WINDOW.]
Shit! Shay? Shay? - [BANGING ON WINDOW.]
- MIKE: Irene! PEEP SHOW CUSTOMER: Wait your turn, asshole! - She just keeled over.
She was fine.
- MIKE: Let me in there! - MIKE: Irene! Irene! Open up! - Fuck! Open up! Irene, what's goin' on?! - What do we do? - What the fuck you lookin' at, asshole?! MIKE: Let me in there! What the fuck did you do to her?! Nothing.
PEEPER: Is she OK? The fuck?! Get Mario! I need both of you! I put three quarters into this machine MIKE: Mario! Hey! Shay? It's Irene.
Hey.
Hey.
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING ON JUKEBOX.]
Have you seen Viv? Not for a bit, no.
How about Vincent? Put this on and drink this up.
- Tilt.
Swallow it.
- Mm-hmm.
We gotta get you to the hospital, flush you out.
MIKE: Mario, flag a cab.
Other sleeve now.
Come on.
[GRUNTS.]
- MIKE: Easy does it.
- IRENE: Careful.
Be careful.
MIKE: Take your time.
Take your time.
- This way.
- Here, cover Shay.
MARIO: Go, go, go, go.
MIKE: You got it.
Come on.
All right, almost there.
IRENE: All right, I got her.
I gotcha, baby.
I gotcha.
[TIRES SCREECH.]
Third time this year.
Nobody get no higher than Shay, that's for sure.
[HORN HONKING.]
["BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE" PLAYING.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
If you're thinkin' Hey! None of that.
Why not? You saying you're not a character worthy of New York? Well, I'm not sayin' that.
- [LAUGHS.]
- VINCENT: Jesus.
Hey, this is early.
You should see it at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning.
It's like the center of the universe.
Anything can happen, and usually does.
I'll bet.
But I'm out of film.
You got somebody to take over? Wanna walk me home? Hey, Jimmy.
You got the helm till Big Mike gets here.
- Let's go.
- Pour me a Dewar's first? - Abby.
- Your show was a hit.
Got a rush at the end.
Too bad you missed it.
- I, uh - VINCENT: Don't worry, you're good.
We're all good.
Right, Abby? Just get me the Dewar's, barman.
Sure thing.
Go on out, I'll meet you out there.
[CHATTER, LAUGHTER.]
There's no time to waste, let's get this show on the road I mean, OK, I was flirtin', but that one came on me fast.
Ungrateful bitch.
Does that mean you're not gonna join us? The sooner we break down The longer we got to groove Don't keep her waiting.
Listen to the music and let your body OK.
Now get up on the floor 'Cause we gonna boogie oogie oogie Till you just can't boogie no more FRANKIE: Good morning! Hey! How ya doin'? Ohh, what the fuck! - WOMAN: You work here? - Work here? I own it.
You're supposed to be open by 9:00.
The sign says "In my 12:00, out by 5:00.
" All right, well, I'm here by 12:00, huh? - It's 12:40.
- Whatever.
But the sign is saying if we get you the clothes by 12:00, then you get them back to us by 5:00, the same day.
Yeah, so everyone says.
But that's my sign, I think it means something different.
Capisce? Just hold on a minute.
MAN: We been holding on for a long time! Alma! What the fuck's going on? You're late, and it's "Almunda.
" All right, Almunda, where's Hui-wh the other one? - Sick.
She call.
- Sick? - [BELL TINKLING.]
- You don't wanna open the door, let the customers in? Not me, honey.
Alterations.
- MAN: Do your damn job! - Alterations.
- WOMAN: What is going on?! - Excuse me.
WOMAN 2: This is ridiculous! - MAN: Sir? - All right, I hear you! - MAN: Hurry it up, mac! - MAN 2: This is disrespectful! WOMAN 2: Never coming here again! You lost my business! [TINKLING WOMAN: Finally.
All right.
Open for business.
What can I do for ya? I have borscht on my tzitzit.
Say that again? Borscht on my tzitzit.
A spill my son made.
On your On your what? Tzitzit.
Say that one more time? IRENE: Morning, sunshine.
It's afternoon.
What are you guys doing here? And where the fuck is "here," exactly? You got an inpatient bed.
In Queens.
[PHONE RINGING.]
Your boss here paid.
You paid for 28 days? Also, I got you breakfast, even though they stopped serving it an hour ago.
[GAGS.]
I gotta let Rodney know where I am.
He knows.
IRENE: You're gonna be good.
I promise.
I'll come by every day, make sure they're treating you right.
Every day? What the fuck's wrong with you? [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
Uh, let me check if they got some yogurt or whatever.
What the fuck are you doin' here? Shit, girl, we go way back.
All the way back to the Reggie Love days.
- Old-timers.
- Yeah.
Ya ask me, when you get out of here, you're gonna have a man on your hands.
OK, move around on her, move around zoom in zooming in [WHEEZING.]
[WHEEZING CONTINUES.]
- I'm sorry, can we cut? - Yeah, we're cut.
What is with the goddamn breathing? - It's not me.
- Yeah, I know it's not you.
- Where the hell is John? - John is gonna be late.
I told you.
He's got a dentist thing.
Can we wait for him to come so we can all be professional? I can't have the camera guy getting off.
I'm not getting off.
I have asthma.
We can just dub the sound in later.
It's not like he's bumping into any lines.
Am I right? I'm trying to do my job here, Bernie.
CAMERAMAN: I'm trying to do my job too.
- Have you ever been on a movie set before? - Lots of them! - [ALL TALKING AT ONCE.]
- [C.
C.
WHISTLES.]
Do you want me to pass out and choke? Go ahead and choke, but be quiet.
May I make a suggestion? I'm sorry? Let the tourist guy shoot it.
Think about what you're selling here.
Every nut-bustin', raincoat-wearin' chump in the theater is trying to imagine that it's him getting head from Lori, right? So now your story has a guy, in an ugly-ass shirt, actually getting some of that.
And he's holding the camera.
So make the camera him.
You know? He's looking down, enjoying the view so we're looking down, enjoying the view.
Ain't that what you're sellin' anyway? Plus, no more ducking the damn plastic palm trees.
Not a bad idea.
- OK, we're resetting.
- Are we gonna try it? No, for fuck's sake, we're not gonna try it! Our cameraman is shooting the scene.
I am directing the movie.
You keep the breathing to a minimum, everybody do their goddamn jobs, and everybody else let us do them.
How 'bout that? You think you can manage that, C.
C.
? All right, let's get ready here.
I'm gonna need a few seconds.
OK, roll sound.
SOUND MAN: Rolling.
[CAMERAMAN WHEEZING.]
- LORI: Wonderful.
- And cut.
[SIGHS.]
I'll be at the bar.
CREW MEMBER: Can I get a hand with this? Every week's got a new set of passengers with their own bunch of problems, like they're lonely or they're fighting, or like some guy cheated on his wife.
Then the crew helps them work things out.
- "Love Boat," huh? - JOAN: Don't let him fool ya.
He loves it.
The cruise director, especially, with her clipboard.
- You'd be way better than her.
- What are you talkin' about? If you were on that show, you'd be way better! - I'm not an actress.
- I'm just sayin, you would.
OK, kiddo.
You got that math test tomorrow.
- How about some studying? - CANDY: Yeah.
Do your work, baby.
I'm gonna help Nana with dinner.
Well, that put a lump in your throat, didn't it? [CHUCKLING.]
Yeah.
Yeah, for a minute, ya know, it did.
So you see what I've been sayin'.
He's older.
He's gonna be older still.
He'll hear about it, or or worse, see it.
Yeah, I don't think we're at that place yet.
You don't think so? Excuse me.
He got it from your father's sock drawer.
Uh, you know this is normal, Ma.
Normal? You're gonna tell me now what's normal? - Ma.
- Eileen, he is 13 years old.
He's exploring.
And sooner or later, one of these days he is gonna Why do I get the feeling that you want me to pay the price here? I am on it.
Now, where'd you find that? - Under his mattress, where else? - You should put it back there.
You should.
Unless, you know you wanna hang onto it.
CREW MEMBER: Who coiled these X.
L.
R.
s? CREW MEMBER 2: Just trying to find the best angle.
So, uh seems it turned out OK, then.
You know, Bernie, I'm only trying to improve the product, all right? I'm standing around here all day ideas do come to mind.
- A man can't help it if he gets inspired.
- BERNIE: Uh, C.
C it's all right.
OK? Coulda picked a better moment, but it's not the worst idea.
Shit, I might even use it sometime.
Yeah? 'Cause I got more where that came from.
In fact now's a good time, I got a brand-new notion.
Uh-oh.
"The Life and Times of a Pimp.
" Huh.
What's goin' on? Are we ready to go? I was down at Leon's thinkin' Well, I was filling Rodney and Julito in on all this Hawaiian-y nonsense I think Bernie has a scene later, so we should go.
Our lives are custom-made dramatical.
The day-to-day shit we go through? The trouble with the johns, trouble with the ho's? Plus, you got fuckin' throughout.
Endless fucking.
Threesome, eightsomes Who gets it more than us pimps, huh? - Hmm? - [BERNIE CHUCKLES.]
- You laughin'? - No, no, no, no.
Fuck's he laughing at? You saying my tale don't cut it? You wanna keep making money, we put the ladies front and center.
- That's just how it works.
- You're gonna find you have a problem putting women front and center, sideways, upside-down, or otherwise At least this one.
He doesn't mean that.
Baby, we have another scene we have to shoot tomorrow.
Aloha, motherfucker.
C.
C.
: Lori! We gone.
I'll calm him down for tomorrow.
[SIGHS.]
Ah, Jesus Christ.
- [FIRE ALARM RINGING.]
- CARLOS: Move it! - [GIRL COUGHING.]
- CARLOS: Come on! Go! Oh, shit, where's Kitty? Where's Kitty?! [COUGHING.]
Where the fuck's Kitty?! [COUGHS.]
Where's Kitty?! [COUGHING.]
Kitty! [COUGHING.]
Oh, my God [SIRENS WAILING.]
Oh, that's Felicia, and the one in the green's Lulu.
- I could introduce you.
- DAVE: Maybe later.
[CHUCKLES.]
Oh, yeah.
RODNEY: Back on the stroll? - C.
C.
know you around? - Yeah, Rodney, he does.
- Who this, your new man? - Yeah, just keep walking.
Bitch got old! No loss on that one.
- [HORN HONKS.]
- Charming.
Look, if you'd rather not be out here You reach that doctor friend of yours? Talked last night.
I meant to tell you.
He loved the idea.
Wants to help with it.
I gotta drive up to Tarrytown, meet with him tomorrow.
You should come if you can, tell him more what it'll be.
LORETTA: Holy fuck! Oh, my God [BOTH LAUGHING.]
I figured you'd be back in the Bronx, just livin' the quiet life.
Shit, I figured you were dead.
C.
C.
made it sound like you were, anyway.
Ohh.
You ain't with him, right? I'm still with Larry Brown.
I had a few years there where I went to play house with one of my johns, and Larry said that I'd be back, and, shit, he was right.
- Hey.
I'm Dave.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
This is my friend Dave.
This is Loretta.
You back on the street, Dave's someone you oughta know.
He's gettin' some things organized.
- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hm.
What's that, "organized"? Well, free anti-clap meds to start, and some other stuff.
Yeah, like what? How long ya got? All fuckin' night.
- Well, come on.
- Let's go.
Let's get a drink or somethin'.
[MUTTERS.]
Fuck you.
OK.
All right Oh, no.
OK.
"Good" "Look" "Look how big" - [PENCIL SCRATCHING.]
- No, no, no.
Crap.
[INHALES, EXHALES.]
Hmm.
[SIRENS WAIL IN DISTANCE.]
Oh, shit.
[SIRENS CONTINUE.]
[MAN WOLF-WHISTLES.]
[MAN SHOUTING.]
[SIRENS CONTINUE.]
[RADIO CHATTER.]
You let the fire get to the second floor before you started clearing the rooms? Didn't see nothin' till it was too late, Bobby.
What the fuck were you doin'?! They got us, Tommy.
Motherfuckers burnt us out here.
- I see that.
- One of my girls didn't get out.
- Which one? - The kid.
Kitty.
I had her at the Alhambra, and I moved her over here to the Geisha? - Oh.
- I yelled for everyone to get out, she musta been asleep or something.
She was asleep? I can smell your breath from here.
You've had a few.
Right, Carlos? We knew this could be comin'.
We were supposed to be on guard.
You wanna speak to that? [SIREN BLEATS.]
[MUTTERS.]
Twelve - [WOMAN YELLING IN DISTANCE.]
- Ah, fuck.
Ah, shit.
Hey, Alvira, how you reverse this thing? Fuck.
Ah, got it.
MAN: Ah, Jesus.
Just gimme my suit already.
I'm late! FRANKIE: Got it.
WOMAN: You call this clean? It may look clean, - I thought it was clean until I put it on.
- Here you go, sir.
- Just a little mix-up.
- Smell it.
I dare you.
I can't even identify it, but it's nasty.
MAN: That's a dress.
Not mine.
- Whaddya mean it's not yours? - What do I want with a dress? - MAN: What does it smell like? - Ohh! The fuck got on that thing?! - Da shu fenbian! - You can say that again.
WOMAN: I've been using this dry cleaner for 15 years, this is the first time anything like this has happened.
- What happened to the Irish guy? - I don't know! But you see him, tell him he can kiss my fuckin' ass! - I will! - Good! How about her people, her family They know she's dead? BOBBY: She never mentioned family.
You got a last name for her? She showed me an I.
D.
when we hired her on, said she was 19, but I don't remember the name.
Cops don't know, either.
She went to the morgue as a Jane Doe.
You can't do any better than that, Bobby? The fuck do you mean? She means you use her, you make money from her, and you can't even tell anybody who she is.
Use her? [LAUGHS.]
I use her? She's paid for the work.
She works in the parlors, nobody hurts her, nobody cheats her She knows this.
- Her money's good at the end of every shift.
- Oh, yeah.
[SCOFFS.]
Fuck the both of youse.
I don't need this.
You think I don't hate that this shit happened? She was a nice girl.
This is fuckin' awful.
- Yeah, it fuckin' is.
- VINCENT: All right, why don't we just give it a rest? Fuck you too, Vincent Martino.
Any of your other girls close to her? Did she hang with any of them? Amber.
They're kinda friends.
OK.
ASHLEY: See ya later.
[FOOTSTEPS RECEDE.]
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
PATRICCIA: No way to do business.
The fuck were we supposed to do? Them guys had Hodas open five parlors in six months All of 'em undercuttin' ours.
You burn them, they burn us.
Now there's some dead girl.
And we're in the goddamn newspapers.
- Enough.
- All due respect, Carmine, I don't see that we let what happened here go unanswered.
I never said we don't answer.
[SIGHS.]
All right, Bobby, c'mon.
Time to go home.
[SLURRED.]
I let her live there, ya know? - ABBY: The girl? - Kitty.
Yeah.
Let her live where, the parlor? Back when she started, last winter, her junkie roommate OD'ed, dick of a landlord changed the locks.
So I said, "Fine, take a room till you can find a new place.
" - I looked out for her.
- Mm-hmm.
I looked out for all of 'em.
But you and your fuckin' friend are givin' it to me like I lit the fuckin' match.
And this one, standin' there like a fuckin' church statue.
- What's he supposed to do? - Just let it go.
He's drunk.
The girl worked for you, Bobby.
Me, and me alone.
Bobby.
Go home.
- Ya know, funny thing - Go home.
Bobby, go home.
Go home! Go back to Brooklyn! Or wherever else you lay your head and call home.
[SIGHS.]
Nobody's blamin' you.
It's a shit thing that happened, it ain't anyone's fault! No one here, anyway.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[GLASSES CLATTER.]
- Lookin' for me? - Yeah.
- Who caught the arson homicide? - Rappollo.
- Anything kick loose? - Not yet.
Don't even think he has a solid I.
D.
on the dead girl.
Goldman's mobilizing on it.
He's now mobilizing on every goddamn case we catch in Midtown? - Really? - On the fact that we've got wiseguys torching up each other's whorehouses, that needs some attention.
Inspector respectfully, you keep trying to marry me to this guy, but I'm not trying to get dragged into any of Whatever you think of the prick, he and the people running his office have the mayor's ear, and they can touch someone in every city department.
Including ours, apparently.
That Midtown Enforcement Project is sitting on half a million dollars to start Federal money coming through Albany.
Lemme get that.
It's temperamental.
Thanks.
Half a million to start? Yeah.
And look, Detective, we've got ourselves a 20-year-old coffee machine.
I'll get it goin'.
Just takes a second.
Not holding my breath.
MAN ON P.
A.
: John Calloway, line one.
ASHLEY: Thank you, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Not at all.
Glad to help.
So, again, just let me check with my office, and we'll pin down the dates.
The end of the month at the latest.
We'll look on a location that works and spread the word.
You may end up with more girls than you can handle.
Mm.
Dave told me some of the women see medical people who take advantage of the situation.
You shouldn't worry.
Thank you for including me, Miss Spina.
[GRUNTS.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
How far is Nyack? MAN: Yeah, Rick's a cool guy.
So, he's lit some of your films? Yeah.
Yeah, and he says you're a really great writer.
So, uh, "Little Red Riding Hood"? Yeah.
No one's done it as a feature, and, I mean, definitely not the way we want to do it.
So this would be full-length, fleshed out Well, here's my idea.
I want to update it, I want to clear out all the quaint shit, and I want to make it urban.
I want to move the whole thing to the city New York City.
But I-it's still a kids' film? Rick didn't tell you? Tell me what? All he said was it's low-budget, but high enough so you could pay.
It's porn.
It's a sex film.
"Fleshed out" OK, yeah.
I tried to do it myself, but I'm not a writer.
You wanna take off? It's fine, I'll get the check.
No.
I'm in.
I I can see the whole thing.
Ya know? I think it's genius.
It's sick, but it's genius.
- Yeah? You OK with sick? - Please.
OK? The wolf eats the granny fuckin' whole I used to get a little kiddie boner whenever I thought of that.
You're kidding.
I am.
But I was into it way too into it.
You guys doin' porn, you don't need to use your real names, right? Like, in the credits, I mean? She was older than you guys.
Maybe a year or two ahead? I don't know if she graduated, or She's really pretty, whoever she is.
She oughta get dressed, though.
All right.
Thanks anyway.
Maybe we should give this up.
Worth a try.
Might have the wrong school.
Shit, we might have the wrong town.
With everything, all this, what the fuck am I even trying to do here with any of this? [CHATTER, LAUGHTER.]
Excuse me.
Either of you know this girl? [MUTTERS.]
Fuck this.
Let's just go.
Why are you kicking yourself just for trying? Um, can I see that again? It is.
It's Stephanie.
[CHATTER.]
Thanks for comin'.
I was ordered.
Well I asked McDonagh for some help from Homicide, and he said you were my man, so You got guys from three different precincts in here, and the Public Morals task force.
Captain McGillavery from Manhattan South is in command for this, but they come when called, so Pull up a chair.
GROSSMAN: Hey, Alston.
All aboard the Overtime Express.
The ho wagon rides again.
[CHATTER CONTINUES.]
[BOISTEROUS LAUGHTER.]
Who told you where we lived? We talked to one of your son's friends at the school.
I thought you'd You'd want to know.
You a whore too? What if I was? Dorothy's an organizer, actually.
She's trying to help girls like your daughter.
Little late for it.
Mr.
Esposito, she's in the morgue in New York, unclaimed You tell your boss I'm gonna need him to give up one location.
He can move the girls, let us kick over an empty joint, but we're comin' next Tuesday.
Got that? He'll want it to be the place on 35th.
That's our worst earner.
I don't care which.
I just need one spot to give the bosses.
You guys keep settin' fire to shit, so we're comin'.
[SIGHS.]
You know, for a tip like that, you could at least pour some top shelf.
What'd he want? Tell us there's gonna be raids on Tuesday.
We gotta give up a spot.
Bobby's not here? Not since the fire at the Geisha House.
But he told me to have the nut ready for you.
All right.
Come with me.
Frankie's watchin' us.
Come on now, Vince.
We ain't tryin' to get burnt up in here.
He won't be long.
Come on.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[KNOCKS ON DOOR.]
- CANDY: Hey.
- HARVEY: You're workin' late.
Yeah, I gotta edit the stuff from yesterday.
Will you pay this when you get a second? - How's it lookin'? - Good.
The jail guard/lesbian scene's actually pretty hot.
- Oh, yeah? - Even with those uniforms.
And the tracking shot you did past the cell bars, it's a little slow, but I think it works great.
I wanted it slow.
Ah we're paying actual money to an outside writer? Yeah.
I should die of boils.
- [DISCO MUSIC PLAYING.]
- [MEN HOOTING.]
[HOOTING CONTINUES.]
MAN: Whoo! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah! [HOOTING CONTINUES.]
Whoo! MAN: Hey, there Hey, get the fuck outta there! - I don't want your fuckin' money! - Simmer down, sweetie! Get the fuck up outta here if you know what's good for you! - What'd I do? - Done.
Cut the fucking light.
I don't need this shit.
Next dancer! [MEN HOOTING.]
I'm hungry.
You're buying.
Tips were shit tonight.
It's all good, clean fun until the late show, and then, the cheapest and the drunkest.
BARKER: January Cummings! Come on up, January! VINCENT: Yeah, from now on, the part of the nut that's the weekly from the parlors, Black Frankie here's gonna deliver that.
No, Vince.
You're responsible.
Not anymore.
I'm steppin' away from the parlors.
I want out of that.
Out.
What the fuck is "out"? - BLACK FRANKIE: Tommy.
- What? Ain't that one of them motherfuckers you want me to be lookin' for? - Where? - Suckin' on a pizza slice.
- Billy - Billy Diamond.
- Who? - Muscle.
Workin' with the Horse.
And Marty Hodas.
He ain't a made guy, but he's into their shit just the same.
Here.
Hold that a second.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES.]
What the fuck is this about? Thing about all this is that when I put a torch to your place, I got the sense to go to a phone, drop a dime, call the joint, tell 'em that they're on fire.
Not you guys.
You're assholes.
What the fuck you talkin' about? You heard me.
Fuck you.
[CHUCKLING.]
Fuck me.
- Oh! - MAN #1: Fuck! Go! - [GUNSHOT.]
- [GASPS.]
MAN #2: The fuck was that about?! MAN #1: Let's go! [FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
Well - that was regrettable.
- [ENGINE STARTS.]
You see that bald guy? Fucking prick wanted his bill back because I wouldn't let him finger me.
Customer ain't always right.
Hey, Tina.
Ya ever think for one minute of your life you'd ever find yourself married to a dry cleaner? - No.
- BARKER: Gentlemen, here comes - the beautiful and flexible - Me neither.
Jessica Danger to the stage.
Welcome to the stage, Miss Danger.
[SIGHS.]
Stephanie Esposito was 16.
- Who? - Kitty.
The dead girl.
Ashley found her family upstate.
She was underage.
Might have been 15 when Bobby hired her.
We're goin' to bury her, Vincent.
Find her a boneyard buy her a stone.
OK.
You tell your brother-in-law this is his responsibility.
Bobby's paying out.
This is on him.
I'll do it.
You'll "do it," you'll tell him, or you'll "do it," you'll pay? I mean I'll cover it.
Why you? I asked you a question.
Why you, Vincent? I want to make sure it gets done.
- I just feel bad.
- That's it? - Nothing else to say? - What, is this about the other night? - Your photographer friend? - I don't give a shit about Viv.
We both have rules we play by.
- This is Bobby.
- Bobby? The man was drunk.
That's how he gets.
I'm goin' to sleep.
I've got a funeral to plan.
I saw something happen tonight.
What? What was it? You're not gonna tell me? [SIGHS.]
HEATHER: You're a bad boy, Prisoner Dickey.
All's I Why you gotta be so mean? All's I want is more food.
Are you gonna say "please"? You open up these bars, I will.
- [WHISPERS.]
It's still you.
- What's still me? - You have another line.
- Say what? You have another line.
OK, let's cut.
- A.
D.
: Everyone back to one.
- It's OK.
It's OK.
Hey, Larry, what's goin' on? If you would quit interrupting me, I'd get it.
You're throwing me with that shit.
- OK.
The line is - [RUSTLING PAGES.]
"Open this door I'll show you 'please' and 'thank you.
'" CANDY: It's five sentences.
Five stupid sentences.
You want me to get this right, why don't you give me some shit that makes sense? Mr.
Brown, you are not the first guy to say some dumb shit in a porn film.
Now stop slappin' the camera.
WOMAN: can't say his fuckin' line.
MAN: They're not watching it for the dialogue.
Candy, respectfully Larry, I'd like to roll the camera.
Respectfully, you read that shit? People supposed to believe she wanna fuck me behind that shit? He's right.
I've seen some pretty bad scripts, but this one is like a junior high school kid wrote it.
A junior high school kid who takes the special bus.
- [LAUGHING.]
OK.
OK.
- Just sayin'.
All right, give me ten minutes, I'm gonna try and tweak it.
While you're at it, can you change my name? [LAUGHING.]
Stop! "Prisoner Dickey.
" Please.
You're welcome.
"The Life of a Pimp.
" "Life and Times.
" It's like he's looking for a way to piss everybody off.
"The money's good, just shut the fuck up and get paid, right?" I just wish that you could rep me.
And he could still get paid, but you could just do everything the right way.
That sorta leaves me short.
Yeah.
Or there's this.
You keep C.
C.
as your manager, I find you work, we split the fees on that work, but only on the gigs I bring you.
- So you each take half of 15.
- On one condition.
On those jobs, I come with you.
He stays the fuck away from the film set.
Kiddo, when he had you tricking, did he need to be in the room? Different business, same setup.
You want me to tell him? Mm-mm.
You gonna tell him? Mm-mm.
- I think Wait, where - How's it goin'? - "I bet you are.
" - Still shit.
There's no saving this storyline.
- "Why are you being so bad?" - "'Cause I haven't been fed.
" - Candy.
- Yep? Don't make it a thing, but I don't think Larry can actually read very well.
I mean, I go over his lines with him the night before, so even if y'all make it better, I don't think he could just change what he's saying on the fly.
LARRY: We gonna shoot soon? I'm losin' my juice! OK.
OK, everybody, let's get ready to shoot.
A.
D.
: Everyone back to one, we are back in.
Hey, Heather.
Let's talk.
MAN: Least we'll get to the fuckin' before midnight.
Larry, come here.
What is this scene about? I mean, we all know where it's headed, right? - Mm.
- So you just get there however the fuck you want.
- Improv? - Yeah! Candy, no.
No.
Come on.
Let's start at the top.
Same places.
Look, hold this.
All you gotta know is that you fuckin' hate him and he's hot.
And Larry you've been in here a long time.
You are lonely, you are horny.
You know what to fuckin' do.
Just say whatever you need to say to get here in this door and get her clothes off.
All right, everyone, let's do it.
MAN #1: Can I get a frame line? MAN #2: Cameras up.
And, frame line.
Brace yourself.
What? Count 'em yourself, you want.
Why don't you give me 15 for it? Twelve-five is what I have.
And I gave you the keys.
You want it, you keep it, Frankie.
Mr.
Frankie.
Done.
Hey.
Looks good as new.
Thank you.
You have a good life, Alma! Almunda.
That's what I said.
LARRY BROWN: Three months I've been here.
Hungry, thirsty, alone Um you've already had enough to eat, though.
You bad boy.
"Boy"? "Boy"? Why you gotta be so cold? Just 'cause a man steals a car and robs a liquor store, and pistol-whipped two cracker cops who show up in the parking lot at the wrong time don't mean I don't have any needs.
I'm still a human being you got locked up in here, ain't I? How 'bout you show a human some heart? If it's a heart you have.
Aw, shit.
That's the man I know.
Ohh [MOANING.]
[LOUD CLATTER.]
[HEATHER MOANING.]
So, we good to fuck now? [CHATTER, PHONE RINGING.]
COP: Some people learn the hard way.
[CHATTER CONTINUES.]
COP ON P.
A.
: Sector Three, remove your unit from the sidewalk.
Repeat, Sector Three, the unit must be moved immediately.
That doesn't look friendly.
McDonagh sent you to me, and you just left.
What should I tell him? Tell him you're bullshit.
What bullshit? We're gonna raid these parlors All that we can hit.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah? Is that what you think? [PHONE RINGING.]
Because I think you're gonna hit nothin' Just a few empty, cum-stained shitholes.
- That's what I think.
- Why? Because half the shitbags you had in that room, they had the word out on the street even before you could drive home to wherever you mow a lawn.
This is The Deuce.
If it were as easy as you think it is, it wouldn't be here in the first place.
I'd let you waste more of my time, but hey, I caught a homicide last night, so excuse me.
COP: Only books you can read had to be smut.
The smut kind.
GRAVE DIGGER: There you go, ma'am.
Maybe we shoulda gotten someone to say a few words.
She's Catholic, right? I mean No idea.
[DOG BARKING.]
Don't forget to throw a stone on there.
I heard ya.
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
[DOG CONTINUES BARKING.]
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
(FUNK MUSIC PLAYING) WOMAN: We're going to try to brokerage numbers for working girls.
We can change things.
I'm going for a kind of quiet glamour.
Old Hollywood.
Larry's an actor now, huh? How involved in this thing are you gonna get? ABBY: Just gettin' started.
I just want some reliable information.
MAN: You best tread light.
[CRIES OUT.]
CANDY MERRELL: The hero is the heroine.
She could turn the tables anytime she wants.
And when she does (FUNK MUSIC CONTINUES) That wolf is dead meat.
PRODUCER: I might be able to get behind it.
WOMAN: You make relationships with these women and it opens a door to something bigger.
CHRIS ALSTON: Another action plan.
Somebody in public morals got morals? PETER MCDONAGH: It's not morals.
It's money.
VINCENT MARTINO: So, this is it, huh? BOBBY DWYER: There's 16 parlors now.
Things could get ugly.
RUDY PIPILO: You should warn Paul.
Let him make an informed decision about his future endeavors.
Christ! The fucking parlor down the street's going up in flames.
Ain't one of ours.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
- OK, let's lose the smile.
- What? I got good teeth.
Yeah, but we gotta give 'em options.
Darlene, don't I got good teeth? My mama says they're my best attribute.
Yeah, well, your mama's not who we're after here.
At least I hope not.
Give me serious.
[LAUGHING.]
- What's so damn funny? - Keep still, please.
Up the menace.
Scary.
I mean, sexy.
- Scary-sexy.
- That's good enough.
Why don't we move over to the bed, and lose the trousers, please.
Say what? The directors are gonna be curious.
She didn't tell me that.
She ain't tell me that! - She said head shots.
- [FAKE LAUGH.]
I spent all morning picking out these damn trousers.
They cost me $59.
99.
You're doing this to get into porn, right? You want to do pornos? This tells the directors what they want to know.
Do you want to explain to the fashion model here what pornography is? Huh? Look, Mr.
Brown, we got like 15 minutes.
You got something to hide, I say let's just go home.
'Cause whatever she did or didn't tell you, the folks eyeing these shots don't give a fuck about your nice teeth.
Unless they really are your best attribute.
- Fuck it.
- [UNZIPS.]
Fuck this bullshit.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Thank you very much, sir.
Adjust the blanket, please.
I'd hate to see that thing angry.
Best be quick.
[CAMERA CLICKING.]
[CHUCKLING.]
See her picture in a thousand places 'Cause she's this year's girl You think you all own Little pieces of this year's girl Forget your fancy manners Forget your English grammar 'Cause you don't really give a damn About this year's girl Ahh-ee-ahh Still you're hopin' that she's well-spoken 'Cause she's this year's girl You want her broken with her mouth wide open 'Cause she's this year's girl Those disco synthesizers Those daily tranquilizers Those body-building prizes Those bedroom alibis All this But no surprises For this year's girl All this But no surprises For this year's girl Hey! PAUL: Arabescato from Carrara, Makrana from India.
They used this to build the Taj Mahal.
Shit, they both look the same to me.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
Kenneth likes the Makrana.
It's also cheaper, but barely.
I like the stateliness of this one.
So these are for the back bar? Bathrooms.
- [LAUGHS.]
- What? What? Am I out of control here? CONTRACTOR: More fuckin' trouble.
A little bit? - Another problem, boss.
- What's up? We got behind that plaster wall, and there's no wiring.
Nothing.
- Nothing? - Not a circuit, because they ran the wires up the goddamn chimney spout.
Two minutes, Stan, I'll be over.
[DRILL WHIRRING.]
- Remind me why I'm fuckin' doin' this.
- C'mon, it's gonna be great.
It's gonna be the Taj Mahal of the Village joints.
Heh.
Yeah, if it doesn't break me first.
It's great.
You startin' to worry about your investment? No! No.
I'm just here to check-see if there's any trouble, you know, the other joint or here at the work site.
- Gotten anything? - Hunh-unh.
Maybe there's nothin' to worry about.
Yeah, maybe.
It's been a few weeks since that parlor fire.
Maybe them other guys have backed off.
I don't know.
You still got people watching your places at night? Yeah.
It's costing me, but yeah.
Rudy says another week or two.
If nothin' happens, then maybe we can stop worrying.
But if Hodas and them greaseballs behind him are comin', they're gonna come hard.
And they know your other place is with Rudy, and they might not know that this new spot here is just you.
So Rudy says just be aware.
Yeah, he's just lettin' me know the risk of having anything out here on my own.
I'm sorry, I just I fucking knew it.
Of course he won't let this go.
He's not gonna let me break away clean.
He isn't sayin' that.
Do what you want, Paul.
Yeah? All right.
When do you open? Six weeks? Eight? Three months? Ha! Shit, the way thing are going, possibly never.
All right.
Question: one bathroom or two? [LAUGHS.]
Two.
I'm just askin'.
Tryin' to save you some money.
Yeah.
It's a tough choice for sure but I think I'd still pay for the Italian.
CONTRACTOR: Wanna move that six-footer over here? Probably be worth it in the long run.
Mm-hmm.
[HAMMERING.]
CANDY: So all my calls came to nothing, and even with the ten grand from L.
A.
, this is gonna need more.
It's gonna need a lot more.
And one thing I know for sure is, we gotta go upstate, or Jersey, I mean, or even Westchester, but someplace, ya know, 'cause it's not gonna work on a half-assed fake-o set.
We need real trees.
I mean, I need a fuckin' forest.
Harvey, are you listening? What was I just sayin'? You'd want to shoot outside.
We don't have the lights to shoot outside.
Not at night, anyways.
So we gotta get some.
And we need to rent a cabin.
And we're gonna need to bring the actors and the crew up there.
Are there wood nymphs? Excuse me? Or wood nymphos? I'd hope.
Oh.
Will they also be wearing lederhosen? Is that what turns you on? - [CHUCKLES.]
- Sure.
You've done a ton of work here, and I look at these pictures, and I can't see it.
I think it's a little quaint for a fuck film.
Except it's not.
I mean, that's the thing.
I know it plays that way on the surface I like that.
But I mean, this is not some kiddie shit about, you know, "Don't go off the beaten path or you're a bad girl.
" This is about the hunger and the terror and the risk we all fuckin' risk to connect to each other.
Oh, my.
What big ideas you have.
Fuck you! C'mon.
No, hey.
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey.
No, no, no.
I'm sorry.
Hey, come back Please sit down - Do we have a script? - Yes.
We do have a script, but it is mostly in my head.
Well, then, get it on paper, and we will talk about it more, and yes, we will see what we can do with what we have.
I get what you're going for.
I've read my fair share of Bettelheim.
I am familiar with all the Freudian shit Sex and death and annihilation of innocence and matricide and infanticide, et cetera.
At the end of the day, it's gotta be about the fuckin'.
So, give me three straight boy-girl scenes, one with the lesbian munching carpet, and the big-top orgy at the end.
You got me.
I'm sold.
But if the fuckin' is not good, then I'm not buyin' it.
Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.
That's the wrong fuckin' fairy tale.
Oh.
Fuckin' Three Little Pigs.
Fuck off.
How'd it go? [SCOFFS.]
It's like pushing string.
But ya know, I'm still pushing.
Well, I just wanted to say, I wrote a play in college It didn't get staged or anything But I aced the class with it.
My professor said that I have a really good ear.
On the other hand, he kind of wanted to fuck me.
You a writer? I really like what you're trying to do here.
I just want to be a part of it.
[DEEP BREATH.]
I feel like this is something I need to do by myself.
Well, I'm here if you need anything.
Hey, what's a Bettelheim? Yeah.
[CHATTER.]
Hm.
NAN: They call that art? I coulda done that.
VINCENT: I kinda like it.
Looks like Buzz there's workin' pretty hard.
- You know him? - Oh, yeah.
I'm a bartender.
I know everybody.
- Hey.
- So what do you think? You said photo show, I thought you meant flowers and landscapes and seashores.
Like Connecticut, huh? It's good.
- Hey, Viv.
- VIV: Hey! Come meet Vincent.
These are Viv's photographs.
- Oh.
- Hello, Vincent.
I think this one's my favorite.
Hm.
Cookie.
She's an actress in John Waters' films.
You ever seen those? - No.
- [LAUGHS.]
She's from Baltimore.
Viv's got an eye for the marginalized.
Bringing out everyone's humanity.
Hey, all you gotta do is listen.
Sounds like we have the same job, minus the alcohol.
- Oh, yeah? - Yeah.
I'm gonna keep making the rounds, speaking of alcohol.
Hey, wait.
She's the best.
Can't believe she did all this for me.
Yeah.
Where'd you find this guy? Looks like my brother in Bushwick, circa 1961.
[LAUGHS.]
Actually, Frankie still looks like that.
I'm obviously the more refined brother.
BARKER OVER P.
A.
: Change! Get your change! Get your change here.
You want to see the show, you need to get your quarters here.
[COMBINATION LOCK CLICKING.]
BARKER: Upstairs now They're showing it all and more.
Things you ain't seen before I sure feel bad for Frankie.
- Yeah? - Think they'll ever give it back to him? He'd have to pay back what he owes.
Kiss a lot of familiar Italian ass, ya know? BARKER: Lesbian ladies want nice fellas.
Don't make 'em wait! Get in there, boys.
Did ya ever think about how much cum is on those coins? Say what? You're jerkin' off with one hand, you're pumpin' quarters in the machine with the other.
Some of 'em gotta get confused.
- No doubt.
- I mean, when your head's in that place, you're not really thinkin' right to begin with.
You're spewin' on your money, you're trying to stuff tissue in the fuckin' coin slot - Ya know? - Yeah.
We all just tryin' to get to that place where no other thought matters, right? - I'm sayin'.
- LOIS: Shay! Shay! Shay! Help! - Shay! Help! Irene! - [BANGING ON BOOTH WINDOW.]
Shit! Shay? Shay? - [BANGING ON WINDOW.]
- MIKE: Irene! PEEP SHOW CUSTOMER: Wait your turn, asshole! - She just keeled over.
She was fine.
- MIKE: Let me in there! - MIKE: Irene! Irene! Open up! - Fuck! Open up! Irene, what's goin' on?! - What do we do? - What the fuck you lookin' at, asshole?! MIKE: Let me in there! What the fuck did you do to her?! Nothing.
PEEPER: Is she OK? The fuck?! Get Mario! I need both of you! I put three quarters into this machine MIKE: Mario! Hey! Shay? It's Irene.
Hey.
Hey.
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING ON JUKEBOX.]
Have you seen Viv? Not for a bit, no.
How about Vincent? Put this on and drink this up.
- Tilt.
Swallow it.
- Mm-hmm.
We gotta get you to the hospital, flush you out.
MIKE: Mario, flag a cab.
Other sleeve now.
Come on.
[GRUNTS.]
- MIKE: Easy does it.
- IRENE: Careful.
Be careful.
MIKE: Take your time.
Take your time.
- This way.
- Here, cover Shay.
MARIO: Go, go, go, go.
MIKE: You got it.
Come on.
All right, almost there.
IRENE: All right, I got her.
I gotcha, baby.
I gotcha.
[TIRES SCREECH.]
Third time this year.
Nobody get no higher than Shay, that's for sure.
[HORN HONKING.]
["BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE" PLAYING.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
If you're thinkin' Hey! None of that.
Why not? You saying you're not a character worthy of New York? Well, I'm not sayin' that.
- [LAUGHS.]
- VINCENT: Jesus.
Hey, this is early.
You should see it at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning.
It's like the center of the universe.
Anything can happen, and usually does.
I'll bet.
But I'm out of film.
You got somebody to take over? Wanna walk me home? Hey, Jimmy.
You got the helm till Big Mike gets here.
- Let's go.
- Pour me a Dewar's first? - Abby.
- Your show was a hit.
Got a rush at the end.
Too bad you missed it.
- I, uh - VINCENT: Don't worry, you're good.
We're all good.
Right, Abby? Just get me the Dewar's, barman.
Sure thing.
Go on out, I'll meet you out there.
[CHATTER, LAUGHTER.]
There's no time to waste, let's get this show on the road I mean, OK, I was flirtin', but that one came on me fast.
Ungrateful bitch.
Does that mean you're not gonna join us? The sooner we break down The longer we got to groove Don't keep her waiting.
Listen to the music and let your body OK.
Now get up on the floor 'Cause we gonna boogie oogie oogie Till you just can't boogie no more FRANKIE: Good morning! Hey! How ya doin'? Ohh, what the fuck! - WOMAN: You work here? - Work here? I own it.
You're supposed to be open by 9:00.
The sign says "In my 12:00, out by 5:00.
" All right, well, I'm here by 12:00, huh? - It's 12:40.
- Whatever.
But the sign is saying if we get you the clothes by 12:00, then you get them back to us by 5:00, the same day.
Yeah, so everyone says.
But that's my sign, I think it means something different.
Capisce? Just hold on a minute.
MAN: We been holding on for a long time! Alma! What the fuck's going on? You're late, and it's "Almunda.
" All right, Almunda, where's Hui-wh the other one? - Sick.
She call.
- Sick? - [BELL TINKLING.]
- You don't wanna open the door, let the customers in? Not me, honey.
Alterations.
- MAN: Do your damn job! - Alterations.
- WOMAN: What is going on?! - Excuse me.
WOMAN 2: This is ridiculous! - MAN: Sir? - All right, I hear you! - MAN: Hurry it up, mac! - MAN 2: This is disrespectful! WOMAN 2: Never coming here again! You lost my business! [TINKLING WOMAN: Finally.
All right.
Open for business.
What can I do for ya? I have borscht on my tzitzit.
Say that again? Borscht on my tzitzit.
A spill my son made.
On your On your what? Tzitzit.
Say that one more time? IRENE: Morning, sunshine.
It's afternoon.
What are you guys doing here? And where the fuck is "here," exactly? You got an inpatient bed.
In Queens.
[PHONE RINGING.]
Your boss here paid.
You paid for 28 days? Also, I got you breakfast, even though they stopped serving it an hour ago.
[GAGS.]
I gotta let Rodney know where I am.
He knows.
IRENE: You're gonna be good.
I promise.
I'll come by every day, make sure they're treating you right.
Every day? What the fuck's wrong with you? [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
Uh, let me check if they got some yogurt or whatever.
What the fuck are you doin' here? Shit, girl, we go way back.
All the way back to the Reggie Love days.
- Old-timers.
- Yeah.
Ya ask me, when you get out of here, you're gonna have a man on your hands.
OK, move around on her, move around zoom in zooming in [WHEEZING.]
[WHEEZING CONTINUES.]
- I'm sorry, can we cut? - Yeah, we're cut.
What is with the goddamn breathing? - It's not me.
- Yeah, I know it's not you.
- Where the hell is John? - John is gonna be late.
I told you.
He's got a dentist thing.
Can we wait for him to come so we can all be professional? I can't have the camera guy getting off.
I'm not getting off.
I have asthma.
We can just dub the sound in later.
It's not like he's bumping into any lines.
Am I right? I'm trying to do my job here, Bernie.
CAMERAMAN: I'm trying to do my job too.
- Have you ever been on a movie set before? - Lots of them! - [ALL TALKING AT ONCE.]
- [C.
C.
WHISTLES.]
Do you want me to pass out and choke? Go ahead and choke, but be quiet.
May I make a suggestion? I'm sorry? Let the tourist guy shoot it.
Think about what you're selling here.
Every nut-bustin', raincoat-wearin' chump in the theater is trying to imagine that it's him getting head from Lori, right? So now your story has a guy, in an ugly-ass shirt, actually getting some of that.
And he's holding the camera.
So make the camera him.
You know? He's looking down, enjoying the view so we're looking down, enjoying the view.
Ain't that what you're sellin' anyway? Plus, no more ducking the damn plastic palm trees.
Not a bad idea.
- OK, we're resetting.
- Are we gonna try it? No, for fuck's sake, we're not gonna try it! Our cameraman is shooting the scene.
I am directing the movie.
You keep the breathing to a minimum, everybody do their goddamn jobs, and everybody else let us do them.
How 'bout that? You think you can manage that, C.
C.
? All right, let's get ready here.
I'm gonna need a few seconds.
OK, roll sound.
SOUND MAN: Rolling.
[CAMERAMAN WHEEZING.]
- LORI: Wonderful.
- And cut.
[SIGHS.]
I'll be at the bar.
CREW MEMBER: Can I get a hand with this? Every week's got a new set of passengers with their own bunch of problems, like they're lonely or they're fighting, or like some guy cheated on his wife.
Then the crew helps them work things out.
- "Love Boat," huh? - JOAN: Don't let him fool ya.
He loves it.
The cruise director, especially, with her clipboard.
- You'd be way better than her.
- What are you talkin' about? If you were on that show, you'd be way better! - I'm not an actress.
- I'm just sayin, you would.
OK, kiddo.
You got that math test tomorrow.
- How about some studying? - CANDY: Yeah.
Do your work, baby.
I'm gonna help Nana with dinner.
Well, that put a lump in your throat, didn't it? [CHUCKLING.]
Yeah.
Yeah, for a minute, ya know, it did.
So you see what I've been sayin'.
He's older.
He's gonna be older still.
He'll hear about it, or or worse, see it.
Yeah, I don't think we're at that place yet.
You don't think so? Excuse me.
He got it from your father's sock drawer.
Uh, you know this is normal, Ma.
Normal? You're gonna tell me now what's normal? - Ma.
- Eileen, he is 13 years old.
He's exploring.
And sooner or later, one of these days he is gonna Why do I get the feeling that you want me to pay the price here? I am on it.
Now, where'd you find that? - Under his mattress, where else? - You should put it back there.
You should.
Unless, you know you wanna hang onto it.
CREW MEMBER: Who coiled these X.
L.
R.
s? CREW MEMBER 2: Just trying to find the best angle.
So, uh seems it turned out OK, then.
You know, Bernie, I'm only trying to improve the product, all right? I'm standing around here all day ideas do come to mind.
- A man can't help it if he gets inspired.
- BERNIE: Uh, C.
C it's all right.
OK? Coulda picked a better moment, but it's not the worst idea.
Shit, I might even use it sometime.
Yeah? 'Cause I got more where that came from.
In fact now's a good time, I got a brand-new notion.
Uh-oh.
"The Life and Times of a Pimp.
" Huh.
What's goin' on? Are we ready to go? I was down at Leon's thinkin' Well, I was filling Rodney and Julito in on all this Hawaiian-y nonsense I think Bernie has a scene later, so we should go.
Our lives are custom-made dramatical.
The day-to-day shit we go through? The trouble with the johns, trouble with the ho's? Plus, you got fuckin' throughout.
Endless fucking.
Threesome, eightsomes Who gets it more than us pimps, huh? - Hmm? - [BERNIE CHUCKLES.]
- You laughin'? - No, no, no, no.
Fuck's he laughing at? You saying my tale don't cut it? You wanna keep making money, we put the ladies front and center.
- That's just how it works.
- You're gonna find you have a problem putting women front and center, sideways, upside-down, or otherwise At least this one.
He doesn't mean that.
Baby, we have another scene we have to shoot tomorrow.
Aloha, motherfucker.
C.
C.
: Lori! We gone.
I'll calm him down for tomorrow.
[SIGHS.]
Ah, Jesus Christ.
- [FIRE ALARM RINGING.]
- CARLOS: Move it! - [GIRL COUGHING.]
- CARLOS: Come on! Go! Oh, shit, where's Kitty? Where's Kitty?! [COUGHING.]
Where the fuck's Kitty?! [COUGHS.]
Where's Kitty?! [COUGHING.]
Kitty! [COUGHING.]
Oh, my God [SIRENS WAILING.]
Oh, that's Felicia, and the one in the green's Lulu.
- I could introduce you.
- DAVE: Maybe later.
[CHUCKLES.]
Oh, yeah.
RODNEY: Back on the stroll? - C.
C.
know you around? - Yeah, Rodney, he does.
- Who this, your new man? - Yeah, just keep walking.
Bitch got old! No loss on that one.
- [HORN HONKS.]
- Charming.
Look, if you'd rather not be out here You reach that doctor friend of yours? Talked last night.
I meant to tell you.
He loved the idea.
Wants to help with it.
I gotta drive up to Tarrytown, meet with him tomorrow.
You should come if you can, tell him more what it'll be.
LORETTA: Holy fuck! Oh, my God [BOTH LAUGHING.]
I figured you'd be back in the Bronx, just livin' the quiet life.
Shit, I figured you were dead.
C.
C.
made it sound like you were, anyway.
Ohh.
You ain't with him, right? I'm still with Larry Brown.
I had a few years there where I went to play house with one of my johns, and Larry said that I'd be back, and, shit, he was right.
- Hey.
I'm Dave.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
This is my friend Dave.
This is Loretta.
You back on the street, Dave's someone you oughta know.
He's gettin' some things organized.
- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hm.
What's that, "organized"? Well, free anti-clap meds to start, and some other stuff.
Yeah, like what? How long ya got? All fuckin' night.
- Well, come on.
- Let's go.
Let's get a drink or somethin'.
[MUTTERS.]
Fuck you.
OK.
All right Oh, no.
OK.
"Good" "Look" "Look how big" - [PENCIL SCRATCHING.]
- No, no, no.
Crap.
[INHALES, EXHALES.]
Hmm.
[SIRENS WAIL IN DISTANCE.]
Oh, shit.
[SIRENS CONTINUE.]
[MAN WOLF-WHISTLES.]
[MAN SHOUTING.]
[SIRENS CONTINUE.]
[RADIO CHATTER.]
You let the fire get to the second floor before you started clearing the rooms? Didn't see nothin' till it was too late, Bobby.
What the fuck were you doin'?! They got us, Tommy.
Motherfuckers burnt us out here.
- I see that.
- One of my girls didn't get out.
- Which one? - The kid.
Kitty.
I had her at the Alhambra, and I moved her over here to the Geisha? - Oh.
- I yelled for everyone to get out, she musta been asleep or something.
She was asleep? I can smell your breath from here.
You've had a few.
Right, Carlos? We knew this could be comin'.
We were supposed to be on guard.
You wanna speak to that? [SIREN BLEATS.]
[MUTTERS.]
Twelve - [WOMAN YELLING IN DISTANCE.]
- Ah, fuck.
Ah, shit.
Hey, Alvira, how you reverse this thing? Fuck.
Ah, got it.
MAN: Ah, Jesus.
Just gimme my suit already.
I'm late! FRANKIE: Got it.
WOMAN: You call this clean? It may look clean, - I thought it was clean until I put it on.
- Here you go, sir.
- Just a little mix-up.
- Smell it.
I dare you.
I can't even identify it, but it's nasty.
MAN: That's a dress.
Not mine.
- Whaddya mean it's not yours? - What do I want with a dress? - MAN: What does it smell like? - Ohh! The fuck got on that thing?! - Da shu fenbian! - You can say that again.
WOMAN: I've been using this dry cleaner for 15 years, this is the first time anything like this has happened.
- What happened to the Irish guy? - I don't know! But you see him, tell him he can kiss my fuckin' ass! - I will! - Good! How about her people, her family They know she's dead? BOBBY: She never mentioned family.
You got a last name for her? She showed me an I.
D.
when we hired her on, said she was 19, but I don't remember the name.
Cops don't know, either.
She went to the morgue as a Jane Doe.
You can't do any better than that, Bobby? The fuck do you mean? She means you use her, you make money from her, and you can't even tell anybody who she is.
Use her? [LAUGHS.]
I use her? She's paid for the work.
She works in the parlors, nobody hurts her, nobody cheats her She knows this.
- Her money's good at the end of every shift.
- Oh, yeah.
[SCOFFS.]
Fuck the both of youse.
I don't need this.
You think I don't hate that this shit happened? She was a nice girl.
This is fuckin' awful.
- Yeah, it fuckin' is.
- VINCENT: All right, why don't we just give it a rest? Fuck you too, Vincent Martino.
Any of your other girls close to her? Did she hang with any of them? Amber.
They're kinda friends.
OK.
ASHLEY: See ya later.
[FOOTSTEPS RECEDE.]
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
PATRICCIA: No way to do business.
The fuck were we supposed to do? Them guys had Hodas open five parlors in six months All of 'em undercuttin' ours.
You burn them, they burn us.
Now there's some dead girl.
And we're in the goddamn newspapers.
- Enough.
- All due respect, Carmine, I don't see that we let what happened here go unanswered.
I never said we don't answer.
[SIGHS.]
All right, Bobby, c'mon.
Time to go home.
[SLURRED.]
I let her live there, ya know? - ABBY: The girl? - Kitty.
Yeah.
Let her live where, the parlor? Back when she started, last winter, her junkie roommate OD'ed, dick of a landlord changed the locks.
So I said, "Fine, take a room till you can find a new place.
" - I looked out for her.
- Mm-hmm.
I looked out for all of 'em.
But you and your fuckin' friend are givin' it to me like I lit the fuckin' match.
And this one, standin' there like a fuckin' church statue.
- What's he supposed to do? - Just let it go.
He's drunk.
The girl worked for you, Bobby.
Me, and me alone.
Bobby.
Go home.
- Ya know, funny thing - Go home.
Bobby, go home.
Go home! Go back to Brooklyn! Or wherever else you lay your head and call home.
[SIGHS.]
Nobody's blamin' you.
It's a shit thing that happened, it ain't anyone's fault! No one here, anyway.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[GLASSES CLATTER.]
- Lookin' for me? - Yeah.
- Who caught the arson homicide? - Rappollo.
- Anything kick loose? - Not yet.
Don't even think he has a solid I.
D.
on the dead girl.
Goldman's mobilizing on it.
He's now mobilizing on every goddamn case we catch in Midtown? - Really? - On the fact that we've got wiseguys torching up each other's whorehouses, that needs some attention.
Inspector respectfully, you keep trying to marry me to this guy, but I'm not trying to get dragged into any of Whatever you think of the prick, he and the people running his office have the mayor's ear, and they can touch someone in every city department.
Including ours, apparently.
That Midtown Enforcement Project is sitting on half a million dollars to start Federal money coming through Albany.
Lemme get that.
It's temperamental.
Thanks.
Half a million to start? Yeah.
And look, Detective, we've got ourselves a 20-year-old coffee machine.
I'll get it goin'.
Just takes a second.
Not holding my breath.
MAN ON P.
A.
: John Calloway, line one.
ASHLEY: Thank you, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Not at all.
Glad to help.
So, again, just let me check with my office, and we'll pin down the dates.
The end of the month at the latest.
We'll look on a location that works and spread the word.
You may end up with more girls than you can handle.
Mm.
Dave told me some of the women see medical people who take advantage of the situation.
You shouldn't worry.
Thank you for including me, Miss Spina.
[GRUNTS.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
How far is Nyack? MAN: Yeah, Rick's a cool guy.
So, he's lit some of your films? Yeah.
Yeah, and he says you're a really great writer.
So, uh, "Little Red Riding Hood"? Yeah.
No one's done it as a feature, and, I mean, definitely not the way we want to do it.
So this would be full-length, fleshed out Well, here's my idea.
I want to update it, I want to clear out all the quaint shit, and I want to make it urban.
I want to move the whole thing to the city New York City.
But I-it's still a kids' film? Rick didn't tell you? Tell me what? All he said was it's low-budget, but high enough so you could pay.
It's porn.
It's a sex film.
"Fleshed out" OK, yeah.
I tried to do it myself, but I'm not a writer.
You wanna take off? It's fine, I'll get the check.
No.
I'm in.
I I can see the whole thing.
Ya know? I think it's genius.
It's sick, but it's genius.
- Yeah? You OK with sick? - Please.
OK? The wolf eats the granny fuckin' whole I used to get a little kiddie boner whenever I thought of that.
You're kidding.
I am.
But I was into it way too into it.
You guys doin' porn, you don't need to use your real names, right? Like, in the credits, I mean? She was older than you guys.
Maybe a year or two ahead? I don't know if she graduated, or She's really pretty, whoever she is.
She oughta get dressed, though.
All right.
Thanks anyway.
Maybe we should give this up.
Worth a try.
Might have the wrong school.
Shit, we might have the wrong town.
With everything, all this, what the fuck am I even trying to do here with any of this? [CHATTER, LAUGHTER.]
Excuse me.
Either of you know this girl? [MUTTERS.]
Fuck this.
Let's just go.
Why are you kicking yourself just for trying? Um, can I see that again? It is.
It's Stephanie.
[CHATTER.]
Thanks for comin'.
I was ordered.
Well I asked McDonagh for some help from Homicide, and he said you were my man, so You got guys from three different precincts in here, and the Public Morals task force.
Captain McGillavery from Manhattan South is in command for this, but they come when called, so Pull up a chair.
GROSSMAN: Hey, Alston.
All aboard the Overtime Express.
The ho wagon rides again.
[CHATTER CONTINUES.]
[BOISTEROUS LAUGHTER.]
Who told you where we lived? We talked to one of your son's friends at the school.
I thought you'd You'd want to know.
You a whore too? What if I was? Dorothy's an organizer, actually.
She's trying to help girls like your daughter.
Little late for it.
Mr.
Esposito, she's in the morgue in New York, unclaimed You tell your boss I'm gonna need him to give up one location.
He can move the girls, let us kick over an empty joint, but we're comin' next Tuesday.
Got that? He'll want it to be the place on 35th.
That's our worst earner.
I don't care which.
I just need one spot to give the bosses.
You guys keep settin' fire to shit, so we're comin'.
[SIGHS.]
You know, for a tip like that, you could at least pour some top shelf.
What'd he want? Tell us there's gonna be raids on Tuesday.
We gotta give up a spot.
Bobby's not here? Not since the fire at the Geisha House.
But he told me to have the nut ready for you.
All right.
Come with me.
Frankie's watchin' us.
Come on now, Vince.
We ain't tryin' to get burnt up in here.
He won't be long.
Come on.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[KNOCKS ON DOOR.]
- CANDY: Hey.
- HARVEY: You're workin' late.
Yeah, I gotta edit the stuff from yesterday.
Will you pay this when you get a second? - How's it lookin'? - Good.
The jail guard/lesbian scene's actually pretty hot.
- Oh, yeah? - Even with those uniforms.
And the tracking shot you did past the cell bars, it's a little slow, but I think it works great.
I wanted it slow.
Ah we're paying actual money to an outside writer? Yeah.
I should die of boils.
- [DISCO MUSIC PLAYING.]
- [MEN HOOTING.]
[HOOTING CONTINUES.]
MAN: Whoo! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah! [HOOTING CONTINUES.]
Whoo! MAN: Hey, there Hey, get the fuck outta there! - I don't want your fuckin' money! - Simmer down, sweetie! Get the fuck up outta here if you know what's good for you! - What'd I do? - Done.
Cut the fucking light.
I don't need this shit.
Next dancer! [MEN HOOTING.]
I'm hungry.
You're buying.
Tips were shit tonight.
It's all good, clean fun until the late show, and then, the cheapest and the drunkest.
BARKER: January Cummings! Come on up, January! VINCENT: Yeah, from now on, the part of the nut that's the weekly from the parlors, Black Frankie here's gonna deliver that.
No, Vince.
You're responsible.
Not anymore.
I'm steppin' away from the parlors.
I want out of that.
Out.
What the fuck is "out"? - BLACK FRANKIE: Tommy.
- What? Ain't that one of them motherfuckers you want me to be lookin' for? - Where? - Suckin' on a pizza slice.
- Billy - Billy Diamond.
- Who? - Muscle.
Workin' with the Horse.
And Marty Hodas.
He ain't a made guy, but he's into their shit just the same.
Here.
Hold that a second.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES.]
What the fuck is this about? Thing about all this is that when I put a torch to your place, I got the sense to go to a phone, drop a dime, call the joint, tell 'em that they're on fire.
Not you guys.
You're assholes.
What the fuck you talkin' about? You heard me.
Fuck you.
[CHUCKLING.]
Fuck me.
- Oh! - MAN #1: Fuck! Go! - [GUNSHOT.]
- [GASPS.]
MAN #2: The fuck was that about?! MAN #1: Let's go! [FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
Well - that was regrettable.
- [ENGINE STARTS.]
You see that bald guy? Fucking prick wanted his bill back because I wouldn't let him finger me.
Customer ain't always right.
Hey, Tina.
Ya ever think for one minute of your life you'd ever find yourself married to a dry cleaner? - No.
- BARKER: Gentlemen, here comes - the beautiful and flexible - Me neither.
Jessica Danger to the stage.
Welcome to the stage, Miss Danger.
[SIGHS.]
Stephanie Esposito was 16.
- Who? - Kitty.
The dead girl.
Ashley found her family upstate.
She was underage.
Might have been 15 when Bobby hired her.
We're goin' to bury her, Vincent.
Find her a boneyard buy her a stone.
OK.
You tell your brother-in-law this is his responsibility.
Bobby's paying out.
This is on him.
I'll do it.
You'll "do it," you'll tell him, or you'll "do it," you'll pay? I mean I'll cover it.
Why you? I asked you a question.
Why you, Vincent? I want to make sure it gets done.
- I just feel bad.
- That's it? - Nothing else to say? - What, is this about the other night? - Your photographer friend? - I don't give a shit about Viv.
We both have rules we play by.
- This is Bobby.
- Bobby? The man was drunk.
That's how he gets.
I'm goin' to sleep.
I've got a funeral to plan.
I saw something happen tonight.
What? What was it? You're not gonna tell me? [SIGHS.]
HEATHER: You're a bad boy, Prisoner Dickey.
All's I Why you gotta be so mean? All's I want is more food.
Are you gonna say "please"? You open up these bars, I will.
- [WHISPERS.]
It's still you.
- What's still me? - You have another line.
- Say what? You have another line.
OK, let's cut.
- A.
D.
: Everyone back to one.
- It's OK.
It's OK.
Hey, Larry, what's goin' on? If you would quit interrupting me, I'd get it.
You're throwing me with that shit.
- OK.
The line is - [RUSTLING PAGES.]
"Open this door I'll show you 'please' and 'thank you.
'" CANDY: It's five sentences.
Five stupid sentences.
You want me to get this right, why don't you give me some shit that makes sense? Mr.
Brown, you are not the first guy to say some dumb shit in a porn film.
Now stop slappin' the camera.
WOMAN: can't say his fuckin' line.
MAN: They're not watching it for the dialogue.
Candy, respectfully Larry, I'd like to roll the camera.
Respectfully, you read that shit? People supposed to believe she wanna fuck me behind that shit? He's right.
I've seen some pretty bad scripts, but this one is like a junior high school kid wrote it.
A junior high school kid who takes the special bus.
- [LAUGHING.]
OK.
OK.
- Just sayin'.
All right, give me ten minutes, I'm gonna try and tweak it.
While you're at it, can you change my name? [LAUGHING.]
Stop! "Prisoner Dickey.
" Please.
You're welcome.
"The Life of a Pimp.
" "Life and Times.
" It's like he's looking for a way to piss everybody off.
"The money's good, just shut the fuck up and get paid, right?" I just wish that you could rep me.
And he could still get paid, but you could just do everything the right way.
That sorta leaves me short.
Yeah.
Or there's this.
You keep C.
C.
as your manager, I find you work, we split the fees on that work, but only on the gigs I bring you.
- So you each take half of 15.
- On one condition.
On those jobs, I come with you.
He stays the fuck away from the film set.
Kiddo, when he had you tricking, did he need to be in the room? Different business, same setup.
You want me to tell him? Mm-mm.
You gonna tell him? Mm-mm.
- I think Wait, where - How's it goin'? - "I bet you are.
" - Still shit.
There's no saving this storyline.
- "Why are you being so bad?" - "'Cause I haven't been fed.
" - Candy.
- Yep? Don't make it a thing, but I don't think Larry can actually read very well.
I mean, I go over his lines with him the night before, so even if y'all make it better, I don't think he could just change what he's saying on the fly.
LARRY: We gonna shoot soon? I'm losin' my juice! OK.
OK, everybody, let's get ready to shoot.
A.
D.
: Everyone back to one, we are back in.
Hey, Heather.
Let's talk.
MAN: Least we'll get to the fuckin' before midnight.
Larry, come here.
What is this scene about? I mean, we all know where it's headed, right? - Mm.
- So you just get there however the fuck you want.
- Improv? - Yeah! Candy, no.
No.
Come on.
Let's start at the top.
Same places.
Look, hold this.
All you gotta know is that you fuckin' hate him and he's hot.
And Larry you've been in here a long time.
You are lonely, you are horny.
You know what to fuckin' do.
Just say whatever you need to say to get here in this door and get her clothes off.
All right, everyone, let's do it.
MAN #1: Can I get a frame line? MAN #2: Cameras up.
And, frame line.
Brace yourself.
What? Count 'em yourself, you want.
Why don't you give me 15 for it? Twelve-five is what I have.
And I gave you the keys.
You want it, you keep it, Frankie.
Mr.
Frankie.
Done.
Hey.
Looks good as new.
Thank you.
You have a good life, Alma! Almunda.
That's what I said.
LARRY BROWN: Three months I've been here.
Hungry, thirsty, alone Um you've already had enough to eat, though.
You bad boy.
"Boy"? "Boy"? Why you gotta be so cold? Just 'cause a man steals a car and robs a liquor store, and pistol-whipped two cracker cops who show up in the parking lot at the wrong time don't mean I don't have any needs.
I'm still a human being you got locked up in here, ain't I? How 'bout you show a human some heart? If it's a heart you have.
Aw, shit.
That's the man I know.
Ohh [MOANING.]
[LOUD CLATTER.]
[HEATHER MOANING.]
So, we good to fuck now? [CHATTER, PHONE RINGING.]
COP: Some people learn the hard way.
[CHATTER CONTINUES.]
COP ON P.
A.
: Sector Three, remove your unit from the sidewalk.
Repeat, Sector Three, the unit must be moved immediately.
That doesn't look friendly.
McDonagh sent you to me, and you just left.
What should I tell him? Tell him you're bullshit.
What bullshit? We're gonna raid these parlors All that we can hit.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah? Is that what you think? [PHONE RINGING.]
Because I think you're gonna hit nothin' Just a few empty, cum-stained shitholes.
- That's what I think.
- Why? Because half the shitbags you had in that room, they had the word out on the street even before you could drive home to wherever you mow a lawn.
This is The Deuce.
If it were as easy as you think it is, it wouldn't be here in the first place.
I'd let you waste more of my time, but hey, I caught a homicide last night, so excuse me.
COP: Only books you can read had to be smut.
The smut kind.
GRAVE DIGGER: There you go, ma'am.
Maybe we shoulda gotten someone to say a few words.
She's Catholic, right? I mean No idea.
[DOG BARKING.]
Don't forget to throw a stone on there.
I heard ya.
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
[DOG CONTINUES BARKING.]
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
(FUNK MUSIC PLAYING) WOMAN: We're going to try to brokerage numbers for working girls.
We can change things.
I'm going for a kind of quiet glamour.
Old Hollywood.
Larry's an actor now, huh? How involved in this thing are you gonna get? ABBY: Just gettin' started.
I just want some reliable information.
MAN: You best tread light.
[CRIES OUT.]
CANDY MERRELL: The hero is the heroine.
She could turn the tables anytime she wants.
And when she does (FUNK MUSIC CONTINUES) That wolf is dead meat.