Godfather of Harlem (2019) s03e08 Episode Script
Homeland or Death
1
♪
I really admire how
you stood your ground
- for your friend Malcolm X.
- He's my brother.
Malcolm and Che are gonna be
speaking at the United Nations.
That's just between me and you.
I don't want nothing
to happen to Malcolm.
I would never betray your confidence.
Chin Gigante put a hit out on me
something he couldn't have done
without your fuckin' approval.
I told Fineman you tried to fuck me.
- Ohh.
- I'm sorry.
I got you into this
mess. I'll get you out.
One of those bosses
tried to have me killed.
We figure out who that
was, use it as leverage.
Oh!
Who'd you get to put the hit out on me?
Gambino? Lucchese?
What the fuck does
that have to do with me?
He knows, Tommy. He knows everything.
You not only put a hit
out on a boss's daughter,
you also fucked his wife.
Word gets out, you don't make
it past breakfast tomorrow.
[OMAR] I spoke with Sister Marny,
made her think I was on her side.
And she pointed me to
Mosque Number 25 in Newark,
where Brother Clyde and Sister Sondra
are crafting a plan
to kill you, Malcolm.
Why are you doing all
this? Why risk your life?
I wanted to redeem myself
through deed and not word.
You want me to convince Lillian
to go away with her husband,
and you won't tell me why?
Archie's been doing some work for me.
And there's some people that think
that he might be talking to the Feds.
They could be right.
Ellsworth, what have
you gotten him into?
[LAUGHS]
Oh! [SCREAMS]
God! Archie! Archie!
Archie Gaines the
classified informant!
You left him wide-ass open!
I have no idea who Archie Gaines is.
And there's a much bigger
game being played here.
It's about the fate of this country.
[BUMPY] I should've smelled
a rat sooner myself.
What?
You were the only one
I told about Malcolm
speaking with Che at the United Nations.
Do you understand what
your friend is doing?
Partnering with Che Guevara,
a man who wants to have
communist revolutions
all over the world.
The buddy-buddy shit with
this Malcolm character
is gonna destroy your
business, if not your life.
If I get touched, Operation
Mongoose goes public.
I'm sorry, brother. I
don't trust you anymore.
This partnership is over.
What's that?
♪
[DOOR OPENS]
Ernesto Che Guevara, Cuba's
Minister of Industry,
arrived in New York this morning,
set to address the United Nations
General Assembly this week.
It's rumored that he
may be accompanied
by Black militant nationalist
Malcolm El Shabazz,
better known as Malcolm X.
Their appearance has
been deemed controversial
and even dangerous,
as U.S. officials worry
that these radicals aim to perpetuate
the spread of communism from
the Soviet Union and Cuba.
You'd be a fool to make that speech.
- the spread of communism
- And why is that?
in other parts of the world
The CIA, the FBI.
The NOI, the KKK.
It's all part of the
wallpaper now, brother.
I didn't work so hard
to protect your ass
to watch you blow it.
Right now ♪
You haven't touched your food.
I know it's late ♪
A man stops eating when
his mind eats him.
Talk to me, brother.
I lost Mayme.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Please steal away ♪
What was the trouble?
Now, don't start thinkin' ♪
I had to start dealing narcotics again.
Things got complicated.
One of our friends was laundering money.
Got caught in the crossfire.
I know it's late ♪
Whoa, I can't wait ♪
Bumpy, that's actually
part of the reason
I asked you here to breakfast.
Now, I'm sorry about Mayme.
I'm sure your love for one another
will overcome these obstacles.
But I believe it's time for you
to dismiss the security detail.
No.
Are you serious?
We have United Nations
security as we prepare to speak.
It just doesn't work to have
ex-felons as part of the detail.
I'm sorry.
♪
I'm forever grateful to you
for protecting my family and me.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
But a man can't help anyone
'til his own house is in order.
♪
Don't let your home collapse around you.
Rebuild.
You haven't worked this hard
for your own ass to blow it.
♪
[HARVEY] It takes a lot of ingenuity
to kill two men at once,
but I think we've got
the perfect solution.
An M-20? Where the
fuck did you get this?
23rd and 10th. Army Surplus store.
You bought this in a store?
Well, that's the beauty.
Any schmo off the street
can walk in and buy one.
CIA plausible deniability.
♪
Come with me.
This is a demonstration model,
a fifth as powerful as
the one we'll repurpose.
Now, the shell is loaded
with Composition B.
If it hits, anything
within 50 feet is charcoal.
Che Guevara, Malcolm X.
Two commies, one stone.
[LAUGHING]
♪
Yeah ♪
Change ♪
Yeah ♪
Open up my window again ♪
Open up my window again ♪
I can hear death callin' my name ♪
I can hear death callin' again ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
Just in case ♪
[RAPPING] Lay on my back
watchin' the ceilin' fan ♪
I had a dream to touch a kilo gram ♪
Still at odds with the Irish mob ♪
Rolls-Royce down Malcolm X Boulevard ♪
Lord, these really
out here preyin' on me ♪
Got the .40 on me and his hand on me ♪
Snow-white mink like
I'm Dutch Schultz ♪
Run the books and let me
show you how the numbers look ♪
You can't be lucky like you Luciano ♪
The kilos slammin'
like they new pianos ♪
And Fat Boy got the big body ♪
Coast-to-coast, I
could shoot product ♪
Open up my window again ♪
Open up my window again ♪
I can hear death callin' my name ♪
I can hear death callin' again ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
Just in case ♪
[SALSA PLAYING]
♪
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
What the fuck are you doing here?
I don't want to waste your time,
so I'm gonna make this simple.
You take no action against Che
that would endanger Malcolm
at the United Nations.
He's my brother.
He's my homeland.
You understand?
You want to protect your friend?
Advise him not to show up.
Excuse me. I got a date.
♪
[WHIRRING]
♪
You know what my father always said?
The IRS is your friend.
- Friend?
- Mm-hmm.
I'd like to go down to Washington
and personally blow up
their fucking headquarters.
Pretty baby ♪
You own all these
trucking companies, right?
Yeah.
You registered the trucks out of state.
To avoid New York tax.
Why the fuck should I pay them anything?
Exactly. You also own
all these gas stations.
- Pretty baby ♪
- I get it from all ways.
A piece of the union, the trucking,
the fuel that goes into the truck.
But you're collecting four
cents a gallon for the IRS
and you're paying them. Why?
'Cause it's four fucking cents.
Shit like that's what got
Al Capone thrown in jail.
- I got a better idea.
- Oh, yeah?
Keep the taxes for a year,
then go out of business
and start new companies.
You need me by your side ♪
For the gas stations?
Exactly. Then legally,
they can't collect.
You get to keep the four cents,
which comes to about
$1.8 million a year.
Honey, you can run to the west ♪
♪
Oh, that big, beautiful brain of yours!
Mwah!
See? The IRS is your friend.
[CHUCKLES]
It's a philosophy I
picked up from my father.
[CHUCKLES] Yeah, well
maybe you can tell me what
his next move is gonna be.
How do you mean?
Well, he's gonna come after me again.
Yeah. He will.
But how is anybody's guess.
♪
[SMOOCHES]
[OLYMPIA SIGHS]
Joe Colombo is the devil himself.
He framed me by making up lies
that I tried to kill
my own stepdaughter.
Heaven help us.
I'm scared, Father.
I'm sorry. I don't know who
else to turn to for help.
You must trust in the Lord, Olympia.
I want you to say ten "Hail Marys"
No! That is not
what I'm talking about.
I need your help.
I need you to straighten
out the situation.
♪
Meet me outside in five minutes.
♪
[BELL TOLLING]
You need to know Joe Colombo
is trying to destroy our family, Lou.
Olympia, there is a plan
for all of us in this life.
We're given choices.
We must choose to put our faith in God.
God.
Ohh
God is the one who
put us in this position
in the first place, Lou.
Do you understand? He
turned our Stella into a rat.
He put her in the hands of
the devil himself, Joe Colombo.
♪
And what can I do?
Do I have to spell it out for you?
Joe Colombo is using the lies
to align the families against us.
He wants to start a war.
You're gonna have to
talk to the other bosses.
You're gonna have to tell
them that your brother
will not tolerate these lies!
[SIGHS]
I don't think it's a good
idea for me to get involved.
There are lives at stake here, Lou.
You have to look deep in your heart
and you have to ask yourself
"What would Jesus do?"
What would Jesus do?
♪
[OMAR] Mr. Guevara, Mr. Johnson,
thank you for coming to meet with us.
Mr. Guevara, any friend of
Malcolm's is a friend of mine.
Mm.
As for me.
As I no longer have my
men protecting Malcolm,
I come with a warning.
I have credible information
that CIA proxies are planning
to assassinate you both
this week at the UN.
The CIA has been throwing
poisonous darts at Fidel
since '59.
Why would they hit the bull's-eye now?
Because you're here. On our shores.
And later this week, they have you both
in the same place at the same time.
[BUMPY] With the world watching.
They'll stop at nothing.
I-I know these men.
Che's cause is our cause.
His words are for the good
of brown and black
people the world over.
What good can a man do for
blacks and browns if he's dead?
What do you do when faced with an enemy?
Do you run? Do you hide?
I fight. I fight smart.
You and Malcolm should
not be in the same place
at the same time!
I should be serving you.
It helps for me to keep busy.
Keeps my mind occupied.
Really, Lillian, my problems
are nothing compared to yours.
Eat. You look like you're wasting away.
Both of our husbands
involved in criminal activity.
Still can't believe it.
I will never forgive Bumpy
for involving Archie in his affairs.
I thought he knew better
my Archie.
Now he's dead.
Oh, Lillian, my heart breaks for you.
If you don't mind my saying so, Mayme,
I never understood how you could be
with a criminal in the first place.
A good Christian woman like you.
Bumpy has many sides.
You need to find yourself
a good man, a decent man.
A man like Archie.
And when you find him, hold on tight.
Never let him out of your sight.
Because maybe one day he'll be gone
- Oh, Lillian.
- Mnh.
[SNIFFLES] Take my advice.
Stay away from Bumpy Johnson.
And never look back.
[ALEX HALEY] Everything
in your autobiography
is in your own words.
I don't know how you did it.
You got me to open up about my past.
Hmm.
My mother, my days as a hustler.
Well, I have to admit, it
wasn't easy gaining your trust.
You've only gained 75% of my trust.
That's better than where I started.
[BOTH LAUGH]
What was it 20%?
Was it that high?
[BOTH LAUGH]
There is something, Alex,
that I've left out of my autobiography.
Oh, yeah?
I've been writing about it in my diary.
I'm thinking about turning
it into another book.
But I'm afraid my time
may be running out.
I may not write that book.
I may not live to see
this one published.
I don't like hearing you say that.
You know I've always been
keen on not wasting time,
and I don't want to waste yours.
There's another chapter we must write.
- About what?
- Bumpy Johnson.
The gangster. What about him?
I want to explain our friendship
and why white society
should fear him even
more than they fear me.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[VEHICLE HORN HONKS IN DISTANCE]
Thanks for agreeing to meet me.
I agreed to talk. This isn't a date.
I know.
It's for Lillian.
I'll be sure she gets them.
I wish this could've all been avoided.
Yes. If he'd never met you.
I tried to help Archie.
This is not my fault.
It's the same old story.
I've heard it before.
Anyway, I didn't come here to
talk about that or us, so
No?
I want to ask you for a favor.
A favor?
- You have your nerve.
- For Malcolm.
- What about Malcolm?
- He's in serious danger.
I want you to talk to Powell,
see if he can put Federal agents on him.
Trustworthy ones.
Is this really about Malcolm?
That why you're here?
Well, I'd plead to
have you come back home,
but I know that's not gonna work.
So yeah, I'm here for Malcolm.
Adam's in Washington.
I'll have to talk to Roy Wingate.
- Thanks.
- Is there anything else?
Yeah.
I love you.
Come home.
♪
[MOZART'S "COSI FAN TUTTE" PLAYING]
Gentlemen, I want to thank you all again
for agreeing to meet with me.
I'm very honored to be here.
Well, the honor is really
ours there, Father Louis.
I haven't been to
church for a long time.
Your being here makes me feel good.
How can we help you, Father?
As God is my witness,
the concerns I'm about
to convey are not my own.
They come from my brother Vincent,
who, you know, remains in prison.
If Chin has a beef, let us hear it.
My brother seems to think
that there are rumors
about his wife and and daughter
that are being spread for the
purpose of creating division.
And he's concerned that
this could lead to violence.
Naturally, he wishes to prevent this.
Naturally, Father.
My brother is
of the belief that you, Joe Colombo,
have falsely accused his wife, Olympia,
of trying to kill his daughter, Stella.
Father, I was entrusted with
protecting Chin's daughter
from men who tried to kill her.
Unfortunately, to this day,
we still don't know who that was.
I've never said a word
about Chin's wife or daughter
to anyone.
♪
Gentlemen, I
I don't mean to cause problems.
My message is simple.
Stop these rumors.
And keep my brother
in in your prayers
that he may be released soon.
I'm sure he will. Is there
anything else, Father?
There is one more piece of information
that I've been asked to convey.
My brother has lost
all faith in Joe Colombo
to look after his affairs in Harlem.
He wishes it to be known to all of you
that he and Joe Colombo no
longer have any agreement.
What?
I hope my words have helped
to lower the temperature between you all
and that we will avoid
any unnecessary violence.
Good day.
♪
That motherfucker!
What kind of fucking priest is this?!
He just threw a hand
grenade into the commission!
It can't have been his idea.
My guess is that
Olympia put him up to it.
She's probably terrified
my father's gonna find out and kill her.
It's safer for her if he's at
war with you and the others.
So what do you recommend
we do? Kill Olympia?
No.
The man my father trusts most
in this world is Uncle Louis.
The trick's to convince
him that Olympia's lying.
Oh! How do I do that?
I'm not sure.
I gotta nip this in the bud.
♪
The other families may
side with Chin in a war,
even though they know
I'm telling the truth!
What are you gonna do?
I've never killed a priest before.
First time for everything.
Joe, please don't do that.
What if I don't have a choice?
Uncle Louis is the
one member of my family
who's always been good to me.
Just let me speak with him.
Please?
♪
Y-Yes. Yes, sir. I understand. But
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
Okay.
Thank you for your time.
[RECEIVER HANGS UP]
Police commissioner refuses
to put any men on Malcolm.
Adam called him
personally from Washington.
He also called the mayor
and Assistant District Attorney Pike.
He's very concerned, as you are,
but there's pushback
from law enforcement.
- Of course.
- The usual excuses.
Not enough manpower.
And with Che being in town,
they're using extra men to guard
against Cuban agitators
and communist spies.
Malcolm's the one they
should be protecting.
After his trip from Africa,
he's more influential
than ever and more feared.
Because he's helping to
fight for a more just world.
Why is that so scary?
Maybe people are afraid
of what they don't know.
I mean, we don't know
what a world with equality
would look like, do we?
No.
♪
You have to convince Malcolm
to stay away from the UN.
He's been breaking his back,
struggling to put a
coalition together for months.
He won't get another
opportunity like this.
Talking about the NYPD,
the FBI, the CIA.
All puppet-masters.
How many chances will he
get to take the world stage
with someone like Che?
Tell me about the guards.
He peeled me off. Who's on him now?
He's got about 30 followers
who were Fruit of Islam,
so they have some background.
And the United Nations
is providing security
for the event.
You gotta talk him outta this.
He's a He's a sittin' duck.
It's almost like he
knows he's gonna die.
He's accepted it.
He's tired of running.
There's no way anybody's
gonna talk him out of it.
Not you. Not me. Not Betty.
Not anybody.
Then for your safety I can't
condone you sitting by his side.
What you do or don't condone
stopped mattering to me a long time ago.
But I'll keep my eyes open
and my eyes to the ground,
like you taught me.
Twenty blocks around the UN
will be completely shut down.
Pedestrian checkpoints
at every crossing.
NYPD in full engagement,
coordinating 150 motorcades.
What about the Feds?
The Feds'll have 40 first-rank
USMC snipers on every building top.
What's this?
Staging a protest as a distraction.
That's where they'll
be expecting trouble
the protesters.
Got mostly, uh, señoritas
from whatever's left of
Operation 40 in Union City.
Fantastic.
Yeah. Yeah.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]
East River Zones 1 and
2 completely shut down.
No commercial vessels from 35th to 59th.
So how the fuck are we gonna
kill these two commie bastards?
Queens? Long Island City?
[CHANCE] So we got to figure
out how these motherfuckers
are gonna hit Malcolm and Che
with all the security
at the United Nations.
Rifle hits, if they're professional,
work off triangulation of crossfire.
You can't do that with two targets.
First one's down, all hell breaks loose.
The odds of hitting the
second go down to zero.
Pettigrew, go now stake out Battle's.
I want to know who's coming
and who's going, all right?
You got it, Bump.
NYPD and the Feds are
pullin' out all the stops.
Shit's sealed tight.
They gonna have to get real creative.
And they will. Don't doubt that.
Want I should call my boy
Crawford in the 13th Precinct?
See if he's heard anything
around the campfire?
Later. First, I want you to send
a message to Wild Bill Harvey
and do a little recon.
You all right?
Yeah.
Anything you wanna jaw about?
You're not a praying man.
I'm not a praying man.
But before you go to bed tonight,
let's hit our knees for Malcolm.
A man like Bumpy Johnson is
more than just a criminal.
He's a a hyper-intelligent, fearless,
self-made man who
knows who and what he is
and takes pride in being
an unstoppable force.
He's forged in the fires of adversity
and willed himself to be a
king in the white man's jungle.
A man like that can change the world.
And has Bumpy done so?
Not yet.
It's a project I'm still working on.
[SIGHS]
Look, Malcolm
maybe writing this chapter
isn't such a good idea.
I need future generations to understand
why I'm friends with a
man who, on the surface,
is morally against
everything I believe in.
Society judges men like Bumpy
because they're scared of him,
just like they're scared of me.
You have your faith.
How does a man like
Bumpy transform like you?
By believing in something
bigger than himself.
And what is that?
A vision
of a future that's so
real you can taste it.
A world where we are honored and equal,
where past hurts no longer haunt us.
Where a man like Bumpy Johnson
can apply his considerable intelligence
to pursuits that have
nothing to do with narcotics.
When the black gangster gains
political and social conscience
and makes the so-called
"ghetto" his homeland
and treats her with the
the respect a true homeland deserves,
white America will tremble.
Mm.
♪
May God be with you.
[SIGHS]
Father Louis, why would you try
to start a war against Joe Colombo?
Stella? W-What are you doing here?
I'm here to tell you that
Olympia's full of shit.
She's lying to you.
She got Tommy Lucchese
to send one of his men
to kill me, but I
managed to kill him first.
Have you been taking your medication?
I'm not crazy, Uncle Louis.
You know how vengeful Olympia can be.
No. I don't believe that.
And And why in God's
name are you siding
with Joe Colombo over your own family?
I'm siding with truth.
I thought as a man
of God you would, too.
Olympia is a good and kind woman.
She would never be a part of a murder.
Why are you doing this?
Even after you had Vincent
arrested he forgave you.
He's your family. He stuck by you.
Why can't you do the same?
It's a dangerous game
you're playing with Olympia.
I'm actually trying to help you.
Joe Colombo would
just as soon whack you.
Devil spawn! These are the
words of Beelzebub himself.
He's clearly taken
possession of your soul.
You get out of my confessional!
And don't come back until
you're ready to repent!
I'll say ten "Hail
Marys" for you, Uncle.
You're gonna need them.
♪
- Good evening.
- Go on ahead.
♪
[DOOR CLOSES]
Thanks for seeing me.
Well, I hear you got
something good. Lay it on me.
Well, as you know, my boss
has been protecting Malcolm X.
Yeah. That's, uh, old news.
Well, I'm here to tell
you that you have an ally.
- An ally? Is that so?
- Yeah.
'Cause I hate that big-mouth
motherfucker more than you do.
Why is that?
What some of my people
fail to understand is
America-haters like Malcolm X,
they don't help the
cause. They fuck it up.
So I'd love to see that
motherfucker smoked.
Yeah, you know, people tend to forget
that this is a great fucking country.
You're damn right. I
fought for this country.
Yeah, I know.
Delbert C. Chance. 503rd.
All-black field artillery battalion.
2nd Infantry. Silver star.
That's me.
Do you know why the
Civil Rights Act passed?
Why Negroes are now
getting elected to office?
Because guys like me
eliminate impediments.
- Impediments?
- Well, to democracy.
I keep the train tracks
clear of impediments
like Malcolm X who just
want to blow shit up
instead of working to improve
the Negro situation over time.
I keep the train moving forward.
So how can I help you clear the tracks?
Well, mostly by cutting the shit.
Whether you actually
hate Malcolm X or not,
we both know you are more
loyal to Bumpy Johnson
than anyone or anything.
So as I respect your
service to this country,
I will afford you 30 seconds
to say what you came here to say
and then get the fuck out.
[LAUGHS]
Bumpy wanted me to remind
you in case you forgot
that he's still got
this little bedtime story
called Operation Mongoose.
You tell Bumpy Johnson
that Malcolm X's UN speech
is a greater threat to America
than any fringe article he might
cook up about Fidel Castro.
Bumpy should tell his friend
to keep his fat mouth shut
about revolution in
the streets of America
if he wants to keep Betty
from becoming a widow.
Thank you for your time.
♪
[DOOR CLOSES]
Bumpy.
Hey. How'd it go?
[CHUCKLES] That Wild Bill
is one fat, crazy fucker.
He don't fuck around at all.
But I got a good look at
things, just like you wanted.
I saw an artillery box in his office
with the word "Stovepipe" printed on it.
- Stovepipe?
- Yeah.
In the war, that's what we used
to call M-20 rocket launchers.
Bunker-busters
used for blastin' tanks
from up to 1,100 feet.
Long-range weaponry.
East River's only about
900 feet from the UN.
They could launch that thing
anywhere from up and down the shoreline
off 50th Avenue at Hunter's Point
all the way up to the Pepsi-Cola sign.
Crazy. But smart.
They could avoid all of the
cops on the UN perimeter.
On my way in, I saw a fruit truck.
Now, that "fruit cart" tactic
that shit goes way
back to the Civil War.
They had weapons in those things.
All right. What you wanna do?
Tomorrow, before the speech,
you and Pettigrew are gonna
cover from Hunter's Point
all the way to the Pepsi sign,
see if you can find that fruit truck.
All right. What about you?
♪
I'm gonna have to cancel
Malcolm's schedule for the day.
♪
[HORNS HONKING]
♪
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
I'm sorry, Lillian. Am I interrupting?
It's okay, Mayme. Mr.
Gilford was just leaving.
You must be Mrs. Johnson.
I've heard so much about you.
You have my agency's
card. We'll be in touch.
Who is that man?
He's one of the best private
detectives in the country.
I've just hired him to
find Archie's murderer.
What are you talking about?
I can't trust the police.
They're doing nothing.
Between you and me, we can
bring whoever's guilty to jail.
But Archie was involved
in my husband's businesses.
That's our first clue.
But a private detective
could put Bumpy in jeopardy.
So what?!
You fight for social justice, don't you?
How about regular justice?
Lillian, you're going to
put my husband in danger.
Your husband can burn
in hell, for all I care.
And you should feel the same way.
Now, Archie was up to his
neck in criminal activities,
just like Ellsworth.
He didn't deserve to die for it!
Bumpy tried to save him.
- You're on his side?!
- You bet your ass I am.
- Call that man off.
- I will not!
- Call that man off.
- I will not!
Now, I know you don't want me
to rip that wig off your head
and parade you down St. Nick.
Dial.
♪
[PHONE DIALING]
[HORNS HONKING]
♪
You know me?
[GRUNTS]
♪
I told him he shouldn't
have talked to you that way.
If it wasn't for you, he'd be dead.
If he knows what's good for
him, he'll mind his business.
Let's go.
Well, the parts are heavy.
Needs to be assembled on site.
Axis, shield plate,
base-skis, launch tube.
We'll load it in the back
of a fruit truck for cover.
I have a bunch of crates of
apples and bananas in the back.
After the hit, going over the bridge.
You'll position on
the crest right here
the bank of the Adam Metal
Supply Plant on 50th Avenue.
Now, we've arranged for
you to use their garage
as cover if need be.
The truck will leave from here?
Yeah. But you're gonna be
in place and ready to go
by the time Che arrives
at the United Nations.
And the coordinates?
40.748 and 73.968.
Very good.
Your target is the third
floor of the General Assembly
where Che and Malcolm will speak.
Make your shot. You hop in the truck,
and you deliver whatever
bullshit fruit we left you.
[CHUCKLES]
All right.
Go take a peek and make sure
the launcher's properly hidden.
Then go kill these bastards.
- Copy that.
- Copy that.
[BATTLE] Give them hell.
Those are great guys you have.
It's a shame.
Easy to clean?
Clean?
No family, records,
permanent address, right?
My understanding was they
would only be eliminated
in case of an arrest.
Succeed or fail, we were never
gonna leave them alive, Jose.
I thought you understood that.
We're not playing Monopoly here.
♪
[MALCOLM X] What is
this? What is this, Bumpy?
I'm sorry, Malcolm.
You're not going to the UN.
- I'm afraid I am.
- I can't allow it.
This is the single most
important opportunity
I've ever had to build a
coalition for our people.
Or it's a deathtrap.
Have you lost your mind?
Brother Malcolm, if Brother Johnson
has what he deems as
credible information
I'm tired of running scared.
I made a vow to protect you.
And that's what I'm doing.
♪
Man, I wish this car could go faster.
Yeah. We just need to get by the water.
- Stay by the water.
- Okay.
[RADIO REPORTER] As the world watches,
Che Guevara is minutes
away from taking the stage
at the United Nations in New York City,
while thousands of concerned
citizens take to the streets
to protest his message of
revolutionary communism
as a threat to our democracy.
Also slated to speak is Malcolm X,
who has joined forces with Che
in what promises to be
another incitement of violence
on the streets of urban
centers throughout our nation.
I want your protection dismissed.
Now, please move out
of the way so we can go.
You gonna shoot me, brother?
I'll shoot you in the
goddamn foot if I have to.
You're not going anywhere.
Don't make me do it.
Security is tight as Che Guevara
makes his way through a hall
packed with diplomats and reporters.
He and the rest of the Cuban delegation
take their place in
the General Assembly.
However, still no sign of Malcolm X.
[APPLAUSE]
I won't forgive you for this.
Mr. Guevara takes his place
at the podium of the General Assembly.
Let's listen in.
[GUEVARA] I welcome this opportunity
to speak to the Nations of the World.
Many of whom fear me
and my people, the Cuban people.
But why do they fear us?
Because we are willing to
die for what we believe in.
That's it.
Homeland or death.
That is the question all Cuban people
should ask in the face of the aggressor
who see our freedom
as a danger to theirs.
Why would any revolutionary
die for their cause?
Because their cause is just.
And although we don't have
the power of a United States,
the fact that we are willing
to die makes us more powerful.
I will never quit.
- Hold on, hold on, hold on.
- Okay. We got it. We got it.
If you tremble with
indignation at every injustice,
then you are a comrade of mine.
To all revolutionaries around the world,
if you want justice and equality,
ask yourselves,
are you willing to die?
Homeland or death. That is the choice.
- [PROTESTORS SHOUTING]
- And whatever your cause is
civil rights, economic
freedom, or racial equality
never surrender.
I have a wish.
It is a fear, as well
- I think it's over there.
- that my end will be by
Okay. We're almost at it.
Where's my rifle?
And each one of us
alone is worth nothing,
and so we fight.
We fight for our independence
[GUNSHOT]
and hear well our cry of battle.
Patria o muerte.
iVenceremos!
[APPLAUSE]
It seems your precautions
were unnecessary after all.
♪
I suggest you take your men and leave.
For good.
Have it your way, Malcolm.
Let's go, fellas.
♪
[DOOR CLOSES]
Baby.
♪
Oh.
♪
I can't live without you. [CHUCKLES]
It is as simple as that.
I've been so lost.
♪
So lost.
♪
[HALEY] I am glad you got
me to write this chapter
on Bumpy Johnson.
♪
I understand your thesis
that a society that denies the
opportunity to the black man
can only expect him to become an outlaw.
And as legitimate opportunities grow
with our civil rights movement,
the black gangster will have to shift
his unique skills to
larger social purposes
than simply his own enrichment.
No, Alex.
I was wrong.
What are you doing?
Maybe a man like Bumpy
Johnson can't change.
Maybe he's stuck in that hidebound
"Negro ain't nothing
but a criminal" mode.
I want nothing more to do with him.
♪
♪
I really admire how
you stood your ground
- for your friend Malcolm X.
- He's my brother.
Malcolm and Che are gonna be
speaking at the United Nations.
That's just between me and you.
I don't want nothing
to happen to Malcolm.
I would never betray your confidence.
Chin Gigante put a hit out on me
something he couldn't have done
without your fuckin' approval.
I told Fineman you tried to fuck me.
- Ohh.
- I'm sorry.
I got you into this
mess. I'll get you out.
One of those bosses
tried to have me killed.
We figure out who that
was, use it as leverage.
Oh!
Who'd you get to put the hit out on me?
Gambino? Lucchese?
What the fuck does
that have to do with me?
He knows, Tommy. He knows everything.
You not only put a hit
out on a boss's daughter,
you also fucked his wife.
Word gets out, you don't make
it past breakfast tomorrow.
[OMAR] I spoke with Sister Marny,
made her think I was on her side.
And she pointed me to
Mosque Number 25 in Newark,
where Brother Clyde and Sister Sondra
are crafting a plan
to kill you, Malcolm.
Why are you doing all
this? Why risk your life?
I wanted to redeem myself
through deed and not word.
You want me to convince Lillian
to go away with her husband,
and you won't tell me why?
Archie's been doing some work for me.
And there's some people that think
that he might be talking to the Feds.
They could be right.
Ellsworth, what have
you gotten him into?
[LAUGHS]
Oh! [SCREAMS]
God! Archie! Archie!
Archie Gaines the
classified informant!
You left him wide-ass open!
I have no idea who Archie Gaines is.
And there's a much bigger
game being played here.
It's about the fate of this country.
[BUMPY] I should've smelled
a rat sooner myself.
What?
You were the only one
I told about Malcolm
speaking with Che at the United Nations.
Do you understand what
your friend is doing?
Partnering with Che Guevara,
a man who wants to have
communist revolutions
all over the world.
The buddy-buddy shit with
this Malcolm character
is gonna destroy your
business, if not your life.
If I get touched, Operation
Mongoose goes public.
I'm sorry, brother. I
don't trust you anymore.
This partnership is over.
What's that?
♪
[DOOR OPENS]
Ernesto Che Guevara, Cuba's
Minister of Industry,
arrived in New York this morning,
set to address the United Nations
General Assembly this week.
It's rumored that he
may be accompanied
by Black militant nationalist
Malcolm El Shabazz,
better known as Malcolm X.
Their appearance has
been deemed controversial
and even dangerous,
as U.S. officials worry
that these radicals aim to perpetuate
the spread of communism from
the Soviet Union and Cuba.
You'd be a fool to make that speech.
- the spread of communism
- And why is that?
in other parts of the world
The CIA, the FBI.
The NOI, the KKK.
It's all part of the
wallpaper now, brother.
I didn't work so hard
to protect your ass
to watch you blow it.
Right now ♪
You haven't touched your food.
I know it's late ♪
A man stops eating when
his mind eats him.
Talk to me, brother.
I lost Mayme.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Please steal away ♪
What was the trouble?
Now, don't start thinkin' ♪
I had to start dealing narcotics again.
Things got complicated.
One of our friends was laundering money.
Got caught in the crossfire.
I know it's late ♪
Whoa, I can't wait ♪
Bumpy, that's actually
part of the reason
I asked you here to breakfast.
Now, I'm sorry about Mayme.
I'm sure your love for one another
will overcome these obstacles.
But I believe it's time for you
to dismiss the security detail.
No.
Are you serious?
We have United Nations
security as we prepare to speak.
It just doesn't work to have
ex-felons as part of the detail.
I'm sorry.
♪
I'm forever grateful to you
for protecting my family and me.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
But a man can't help anyone
'til his own house is in order.
♪
Don't let your home collapse around you.
Rebuild.
You haven't worked this hard
for your own ass to blow it.
♪
[HARVEY] It takes a lot of ingenuity
to kill two men at once,
but I think we've got
the perfect solution.
An M-20? Where the
fuck did you get this?
23rd and 10th. Army Surplus store.
You bought this in a store?
Well, that's the beauty.
Any schmo off the street
can walk in and buy one.
CIA plausible deniability.
♪
Come with me.
This is a demonstration model,
a fifth as powerful as
the one we'll repurpose.
Now, the shell is loaded
with Composition B.
If it hits, anything
within 50 feet is charcoal.
Che Guevara, Malcolm X.
Two commies, one stone.
[LAUGHING]
♪
Yeah ♪
Change ♪
Yeah ♪
Open up my window again ♪
Open up my window again ♪
I can hear death callin' my name ♪
I can hear death callin' again ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
Just in case ♪
[RAPPING] Lay on my back
watchin' the ceilin' fan ♪
I had a dream to touch a kilo gram ♪
Still at odds with the Irish mob ♪
Rolls-Royce down Malcolm X Boulevard ♪
Lord, these really
out here preyin' on me ♪
Got the .40 on me and his hand on me ♪
Snow-white mink like
I'm Dutch Schultz ♪
Run the books and let me
show you how the numbers look ♪
You can't be lucky like you Luciano ♪
The kilos slammin'
like they new pianos ♪
And Fat Boy got the big body ♪
Coast-to-coast, I
could shoot product ♪
Open up my window again ♪
Open up my window again ♪
I can hear death callin' my name ♪
I can hear death callin' again ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
I keep a revolver with your name ♪
Just in case ♪
[SALSA PLAYING]
♪
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
What the fuck are you doing here?
I don't want to waste your time,
so I'm gonna make this simple.
You take no action against Che
that would endanger Malcolm
at the United Nations.
He's my brother.
He's my homeland.
You understand?
You want to protect your friend?
Advise him not to show up.
Excuse me. I got a date.
♪
[WHIRRING]
♪
You know what my father always said?
The IRS is your friend.
- Friend?
- Mm-hmm.
I'd like to go down to Washington
and personally blow up
their fucking headquarters.
Pretty baby ♪
You own all these
trucking companies, right?
Yeah.
You registered the trucks out of state.
To avoid New York tax.
Why the fuck should I pay them anything?
Exactly. You also own
all these gas stations.
- Pretty baby ♪
- I get it from all ways.
A piece of the union, the trucking,
the fuel that goes into the truck.
But you're collecting four
cents a gallon for the IRS
and you're paying them. Why?
'Cause it's four fucking cents.
Shit like that's what got
Al Capone thrown in jail.
- I got a better idea.
- Oh, yeah?
Keep the taxes for a year,
then go out of business
and start new companies.
You need me by your side ♪
For the gas stations?
Exactly. Then legally,
they can't collect.
You get to keep the four cents,
which comes to about
$1.8 million a year.
Honey, you can run to the west ♪
♪
Oh, that big, beautiful brain of yours!
Mwah!
See? The IRS is your friend.
[CHUCKLES]
It's a philosophy I
picked up from my father.
[CHUCKLES] Yeah, well
maybe you can tell me what
his next move is gonna be.
How do you mean?
Well, he's gonna come after me again.
Yeah. He will.
But how is anybody's guess.
♪
[SMOOCHES]
[OLYMPIA SIGHS]
Joe Colombo is the devil himself.
He framed me by making up lies
that I tried to kill
my own stepdaughter.
Heaven help us.
I'm scared, Father.
I'm sorry. I don't know who
else to turn to for help.
You must trust in the Lord, Olympia.
I want you to say ten "Hail Marys"
No! That is not
what I'm talking about.
I need your help.
I need you to straighten
out the situation.
♪
Meet me outside in five minutes.
♪
[BELL TOLLING]
You need to know Joe Colombo
is trying to destroy our family, Lou.
Olympia, there is a plan
for all of us in this life.
We're given choices.
We must choose to put our faith in God.
God.
Ohh
God is the one who
put us in this position
in the first place, Lou.
Do you understand? He
turned our Stella into a rat.
He put her in the hands of
the devil himself, Joe Colombo.
♪
And what can I do?
Do I have to spell it out for you?
Joe Colombo is using the lies
to align the families against us.
He wants to start a war.
You're gonna have to
talk to the other bosses.
You're gonna have to tell
them that your brother
will not tolerate these lies!
[SIGHS]
I don't think it's a good
idea for me to get involved.
There are lives at stake here, Lou.
You have to look deep in your heart
and you have to ask yourself
"What would Jesus do?"
What would Jesus do?
♪
[OMAR] Mr. Guevara, Mr. Johnson,
thank you for coming to meet with us.
Mr. Guevara, any friend of
Malcolm's is a friend of mine.
Mm.
As for me.
As I no longer have my
men protecting Malcolm,
I come with a warning.
I have credible information
that CIA proxies are planning
to assassinate you both
this week at the UN.
The CIA has been throwing
poisonous darts at Fidel
since '59.
Why would they hit the bull's-eye now?
Because you're here. On our shores.
And later this week, they have you both
in the same place at the same time.
[BUMPY] With the world watching.
They'll stop at nothing.
I-I know these men.
Che's cause is our cause.
His words are for the good
of brown and black
people the world over.
What good can a man do for
blacks and browns if he's dead?
What do you do when faced with an enemy?
Do you run? Do you hide?
I fight. I fight smart.
You and Malcolm should
not be in the same place
at the same time!
I should be serving you.
It helps for me to keep busy.
Keeps my mind occupied.
Really, Lillian, my problems
are nothing compared to yours.
Eat. You look like you're wasting away.
Both of our husbands
involved in criminal activity.
Still can't believe it.
I will never forgive Bumpy
for involving Archie in his affairs.
I thought he knew better
my Archie.
Now he's dead.
Oh, Lillian, my heart breaks for you.
If you don't mind my saying so, Mayme,
I never understood how you could be
with a criminal in the first place.
A good Christian woman like you.
Bumpy has many sides.
You need to find yourself
a good man, a decent man.
A man like Archie.
And when you find him, hold on tight.
Never let him out of your sight.
Because maybe one day he'll be gone
- Oh, Lillian.
- Mnh.
[SNIFFLES] Take my advice.
Stay away from Bumpy Johnson.
And never look back.
[ALEX HALEY] Everything
in your autobiography
is in your own words.
I don't know how you did it.
You got me to open up about my past.
Hmm.
My mother, my days as a hustler.
Well, I have to admit, it
wasn't easy gaining your trust.
You've only gained 75% of my trust.
That's better than where I started.
[BOTH LAUGH]
What was it 20%?
Was it that high?
[BOTH LAUGH]
There is something, Alex,
that I've left out of my autobiography.
Oh, yeah?
I've been writing about it in my diary.
I'm thinking about turning
it into another book.
But I'm afraid my time
may be running out.
I may not write that book.
I may not live to see
this one published.
I don't like hearing you say that.
You know I've always been
keen on not wasting time,
and I don't want to waste yours.
There's another chapter we must write.
- About what?
- Bumpy Johnson.
The gangster. What about him?
I want to explain our friendship
and why white society
should fear him even
more than they fear me.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[VEHICLE HORN HONKS IN DISTANCE]
Thanks for agreeing to meet me.
I agreed to talk. This isn't a date.
I know.
It's for Lillian.
I'll be sure she gets them.
I wish this could've all been avoided.
Yes. If he'd never met you.
I tried to help Archie.
This is not my fault.
It's the same old story.
I've heard it before.
Anyway, I didn't come here to
talk about that or us, so
No?
I want to ask you for a favor.
A favor?
- You have your nerve.
- For Malcolm.
- What about Malcolm?
- He's in serious danger.
I want you to talk to Powell,
see if he can put Federal agents on him.
Trustworthy ones.
Is this really about Malcolm?
That why you're here?
Well, I'd plead to
have you come back home,
but I know that's not gonna work.
So yeah, I'm here for Malcolm.
Adam's in Washington.
I'll have to talk to Roy Wingate.
- Thanks.
- Is there anything else?
Yeah.
I love you.
Come home.
♪
[MOZART'S "COSI FAN TUTTE" PLAYING]
Gentlemen, I want to thank you all again
for agreeing to meet with me.
I'm very honored to be here.
Well, the honor is really
ours there, Father Louis.
I haven't been to
church for a long time.
Your being here makes me feel good.
How can we help you, Father?
As God is my witness,
the concerns I'm about
to convey are not my own.
They come from my brother Vincent,
who, you know, remains in prison.
If Chin has a beef, let us hear it.
My brother seems to think
that there are rumors
about his wife and and daughter
that are being spread for the
purpose of creating division.
And he's concerned that
this could lead to violence.
Naturally, he wishes to prevent this.
Naturally, Father.
My brother is
of the belief that you, Joe Colombo,
have falsely accused his wife, Olympia,
of trying to kill his daughter, Stella.
Father, I was entrusted with
protecting Chin's daughter
from men who tried to kill her.
Unfortunately, to this day,
we still don't know who that was.
I've never said a word
about Chin's wife or daughter
to anyone.
♪
Gentlemen, I
I don't mean to cause problems.
My message is simple.
Stop these rumors.
And keep my brother
in in your prayers
that he may be released soon.
I'm sure he will. Is there
anything else, Father?
There is one more piece of information
that I've been asked to convey.
My brother has lost
all faith in Joe Colombo
to look after his affairs in Harlem.
He wishes it to be known to all of you
that he and Joe Colombo no
longer have any agreement.
What?
I hope my words have helped
to lower the temperature between you all
and that we will avoid
any unnecessary violence.
Good day.
♪
That motherfucker!
What kind of fucking priest is this?!
He just threw a hand
grenade into the commission!
It can't have been his idea.
My guess is that
Olympia put him up to it.
She's probably terrified
my father's gonna find out and kill her.
It's safer for her if he's at
war with you and the others.
So what do you recommend
we do? Kill Olympia?
No.
The man my father trusts most
in this world is Uncle Louis.
The trick's to convince
him that Olympia's lying.
Oh! How do I do that?
I'm not sure.
I gotta nip this in the bud.
♪
The other families may
side with Chin in a war,
even though they know
I'm telling the truth!
What are you gonna do?
I've never killed a priest before.
First time for everything.
Joe, please don't do that.
What if I don't have a choice?
Uncle Louis is the
one member of my family
who's always been good to me.
Just let me speak with him.
Please?
♪
Y-Yes. Yes, sir. I understand. But
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
Okay.
Thank you for your time.
[RECEIVER HANGS UP]
Police commissioner refuses
to put any men on Malcolm.
Adam called him
personally from Washington.
He also called the mayor
and Assistant District Attorney Pike.
He's very concerned, as you are,
but there's pushback
from law enforcement.
- Of course.
- The usual excuses.
Not enough manpower.
And with Che being in town,
they're using extra men to guard
against Cuban agitators
and communist spies.
Malcolm's the one they
should be protecting.
After his trip from Africa,
he's more influential
than ever and more feared.
Because he's helping to
fight for a more just world.
Why is that so scary?
Maybe people are afraid
of what they don't know.
I mean, we don't know
what a world with equality
would look like, do we?
No.
♪
You have to convince Malcolm
to stay away from the UN.
He's been breaking his back,
struggling to put a
coalition together for months.
He won't get another
opportunity like this.
Talking about the NYPD,
the FBI, the CIA.
All puppet-masters.
How many chances will he
get to take the world stage
with someone like Che?
Tell me about the guards.
He peeled me off. Who's on him now?
He's got about 30 followers
who were Fruit of Islam,
so they have some background.
And the United Nations
is providing security
for the event.
You gotta talk him outta this.
He's a He's a sittin' duck.
It's almost like he
knows he's gonna die.
He's accepted it.
He's tired of running.
There's no way anybody's
gonna talk him out of it.
Not you. Not me. Not Betty.
Not anybody.
Then for your safety I can't
condone you sitting by his side.
What you do or don't condone
stopped mattering to me a long time ago.
But I'll keep my eyes open
and my eyes to the ground,
like you taught me.
Twenty blocks around the UN
will be completely shut down.
Pedestrian checkpoints
at every crossing.
NYPD in full engagement,
coordinating 150 motorcades.
What about the Feds?
The Feds'll have 40 first-rank
USMC snipers on every building top.
What's this?
Staging a protest as a distraction.
That's where they'll
be expecting trouble
the protesters.
Got mostly, uh, señoritas
from whatever's left of
Operation 40 in Union City.
Fantastic.
Yeah. Yeah.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]
East River Zones 1 and
2 completely shut down.
No commercial vessels from 35th to 59th.
So how the fuck are we gonna
kill these two commie bastards?
Queens? Long Island City?
[CHANCE] So we got to figure
out how these motherfuckers
are gonna hit Malcolm and Che
with all the security
at the United Nations.
Rifle hits, if they're professional,
work off triangulation of crossfire.
You can't do that with two targets.
First one's down, all hell breaks loose.
The odds of hitting the
second go down to zero.
Pettigrew, go now stake out Battle's.
I want to know who's coming
and who's going, all right?
You got it, Bump.
NYPD and the Feds are
pullin' out all the stops.
Shit's sealed tight.
They gonna have to get real creative.
And they will. Don't doubt that.
Want I should call my boy
Crawford in the 13th Precinct?
See if he's heard anything
around the campfire?
Later. First, I want you to send
a message to Wild Bill Harvey
and do a little recon.
You all right?
Yeah.
Anything you wanna jaw about?
You're not a praying man.
I'm not a praying man.
But before you go to bed tonight,
let's hit our knees for Malcolm.
A man like Bumpy Johnson is
more than just a criminal.
He's a a hyper-intelligent, fearless,
self-made man who
knows who and what he is
and takes pride in being
an unstoppable force.
He's forged in the fires of adversity
and willed himself to be a
king in the white man's jungle.
A man like that can change the world.
And has Bumpy done so?
Not yet.
It's a project I'm still working on.
[SIGHS]
Look, Malcolm
maybe writing this chapter
isn't such a good idea.
I need future generations to understand
why I'm friends with a
man who, on the surface,
is morally against
everything I believe in.
Society judges men like Bumpy
because they're scared of him,
just like they're scared of me.
You have your faith.
How does a man like
Bumpy transform like you?
By believing in something
bigger than himself.
And what is that?
A vision
of a future that's so
real you can taste it.
A world where we are honored and equal,
where past hurts no longer haunt us.
Where a man like Bumpy Johnson
can apply his considerable intelligence
to pursuits that have
nothing to do with narcotics.
When the black gangster gains
political and social conscience
and makes the so-called
"ghetto" his homeland
and treats her with the
the respect a true homeland deserves,
white America will tremble.
Mm.
♪
May God be with you.
[SIGHS]
Father Louis, why would you try
to start a war against Joe Colombo?
Stella? W-What are you doing here?
I'm here to tell you that
Olympia's full of shit.
She's lying to you.
She got Tommy Lucchese
to send one of his men
to kill me, but I
managed to kill him first.
Have you been taking your medication?
I'm not crazy, Uncle Louis.
You know how vengeful Olympia can be.
No. I don't believe that.
And And why in God's
name are you siding
with Joe Colombo over your own family?
I'm siding with truth.
I thought as a man
of God you would, too.
Olympia is a good and kind woman.
She would never be a part of a murder.
Why are you doing this?
Even after you had Vincent
arrested he forgave you.
He's your family. He stuck by you.
Why can't you do the same?
It's a dangerous game
you're playing with Olympia.
I'm actually trying to help you.
Joe Colombo would
just as soon whack you.
Devil spawn! These are the
words of Beelzebub himself.
He's clearly taken
possession of your soul.
You get out of my confessional!
And don't come back until
you're ready to repent!
I'll say ten "Hail
Marys" for you, Uncle.
You're gonna need them.
♪
- Good evening.
- Go on ahead.
♪
[DOOR CLOSES]
Thanks for seeing me.
Well, I hear you got
something good. Lay it on me.
Well, as you know, my boss
has been protecting Malcolm X.
Yeah. That's, uh, old news.
Well, I'm here to tell
you that you have an ally.
- An ally? Is that so?
- Yeah.
'Cause I hate that big-mouth
motherfucker more than you do.
Why is that?
What some of my people
fail to understand is
America-haters like Malcolm X,
they don't help the
cause. They fuck it up.
So I'd love to see that
motherfucker smoked.
Yeah, you know, people tend to forget
that this is a great fucking country.
You're damn right. I
fought for this country.
Yeah, I know.
Delbert C. Chance. 503rd.
All-black field artillery battalion.
2nd Infantry. Silver star.
That's me.
Do you know why the
Civil Rights Act passed?
Why Negroes are now
getting elected to office?
Because guys like me
eliminate impediments.
- Impediments?
- Well, to democracy.
I keep the train tracks
clear of impediments
like Malcolm X who just
want to blow shit up
instead of working to improve
the Negro situation over time.
I keep the train moving forward.
So how can I help you clear the tracks?
Well, mostly by cutting the shit.
Whether you actually
hate Malcolm X or not,
we both know you are more
loyal to Bumpy Johnson
than anyone or anything.
So as I respect your
service to this country,
I will afford you 30 seconds
to say what you came here to say
and then get the fuck out.
[LAUGHS]
Bumpy wanted me to remind
you in case you forgot
that he's still got
this little bedtime story
called Operation Mongoose.
You tell Bumpy Johnson
that Malcolm X's UN speech
is a greater threat to America
than any fringe article he might
cook up about Fidel Castro.
Bumpy should tell his friend
to keep his fat mouth shut
about revolution in
the streets of America
if he wants to keep Betty
from becoming a widow.
Thank you for your time.
♪
[DOOR CLOSES]
Bumpy.
Hey. How'd it go?
[CHUCKLES] That Wild Bill
is one fat, crazy fucker.
He don't fuck around at all.
But I got a good look at
things, just like you wanted.
I saw an artillery box in his office
with the word "Stovepipe" printed on it.
- Stovepipe?
- Yeah.
In the war, that's what we used
to call M-20 rocket launchers.
Bunker-busters
used for blastin' tanks
from up to 1,100 feet.
Long-range weaponry.
East River's only about
900 feet from the UN.
They could launch that thing
anywhere from up and down the shoreline
off 50th Avenue at Hunter's Point
all the way up to the Pepsi-Cola sign.
Crazy. But smart.
They could avoid all of the
cops on the UN perimeter.
On my way in, I saw a fruit truck.
Now, that "fruit cart" tactic
that shit goes way
back to the Civil War.
They had weapons in those things.
All right. What you wanna do?
Tomorrow, before the speech,
you and Pettigrew are gonna
cover from Hunter's Point
all the way to the Pepsi sign,
see if you can find that fruit truck.
All right. What about you?
♪
I'm gonna have to cancel
Malcolm's schedule for the day.
♪
[HORNS HONKING]
♪
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
I'm sorry, Lillian. Am I interrupting?
It's okay, Mayme. Mr.
Gilford was just leaving.
You must be Mrs. Johnson.
I've heard so much about you.
You have my agency's
card. We'll be in touch.
Who is that man?
He's one of the best private
detectives in the country.
I've just hired him to
find Archie's murderer.
What are you talking about?
I can't trust the police.
They're doing nothing.
Between you and me, we can
bring whoever's guilty to jail.
But Archie was involved
in my husband's businesses.
That's our first clue.
But a private detective
could put Bumpy in jeopardy.
So what?!
You fight for social justice, don't you?
How about regular justice?
Lillian, you're going to
put my husband in danger.
Your husband can burn
in hell, for all I care.
And you should feel the same way.
Now, Archie was up to his
neck in criminal activities,
just like Ellsworth.
He didn't deserve to die for it!
Bumpy tried to save him.
- You're on his side?!
- You bet your ass I am.
- Call that man off.
- I will not!
- Call that man off.
- I will not!
Now, I know you don't want me
to rip that wig off your head
and parade you down St. Nick.
Dial.
♪
[PHONE DIALING]
[HORNS HONKING]
♪
You know me?
[GRUNTS]
♪
I told him he shouldn't
have talked to you that way.
If it wasn't for you, he'd be dead.
If he knows what's good for
him, he'll mind his business.
Let's go.
Well, the parts are heavy.
Needs to be assembled on site.
Axis, shield plate,
base-skis, launch tube.
We'll load it in the back
of a fruit truck for cover.
I have a bunch of crates of
apples and bananas in the back.
After the hit, going over the bridge.
You'll position on
the crest right here
the bank of the Adam Metal
Supply Plant on 50th Avenue.
Now, we've arranged for
you to use their garage
as cover if need be.
The truck will leave from here?
Yeah. But you're gonna be
in place and ready to go
by the time Che arrives
at the United Nations.
And the coordinates?
40.748 and 73.968.
Very good.
Your target is the third
floor of the General Assembly
where Che and Malcolm will speak.
Make your shot. You hop in the truck,
and you deliver whatever
bullshit fruit we left you.
[CHUCKLES]
All right.
Go take a peek and make sure
the launcher's properly hidden.
Then go kill these bastards.
- Copy that.
- Copy that.
[BATTLE] Give them hell.
Those are great guys you have.
It's a shame.
Easy to clean?
Clean?
No family, records,
permanent address, right?
My understanding was they
would only be eliminated
in case of an arrest.
Succeed or fail, we were never
gonna leave them alive, Jose.
I thought you understood that.
We're not playing Monopoly here.
♪
[MALCOLM X] What is
this? What is this, Bumpy?
I'm sorry, Malcolm.
You're not going to the UN.
- I'm afraid I am.
- I can't allow it.
This is the single most
important opportunity
I've ever had to build a
coalition for our people.
Or it's a deathtrap.
Have you lost your mind?
Brother Malcolm, if Brother Johnson
has what he deems as
credible information
I'm tired of running scared.
I made a vow to protect you.
And that's what I'm doing.
♪
Man, I wish this car could go faster.
Yeah. We just need to get by the water.
- Stay by the water.
- Okay.
[RADIO REPORTER] As the world watches,
Che Guevara is minutes
away from taking the stage
at the United Nations in New York City,
while thousands of concerned
citizens take to the streets
to protest his message of
revolutionary communism
as a threat to our democracy.
Also slated to speak is Malcolm X,
who has joined forces with Che
in what promises to be
another incitement of violence
on the streets of urban
centers throughout our nation.
I want your protection dismissed.
Now, please move out
of the way so we can go.
You gonna shoot me, brother?
I'll shoot you in the
goddamn foot if I have to.
You're not going anywhere.
Don't make me do it.
Security is tight as Che Guevara
makes his way through a hall
packed with diplomats and reporters.
He and the rest of the Cuban delegation
take their place in
the General Assembly.
However, still no sign of Malcolm X.
[APPLAUSE]
I won't forgive you for this.
Mr. Guevara takes his place
at the podium of the General Assembly.
Let's listen in.
[GUEVARA] I welcome this opportunity
to speak to the Nations of the World.
Many of whom fear me
and my people, the Cuban people.
But why do they fear us?
Because we are willing to
die for what we believe in.
That's it.
Homeland or death.
That is the question all Cuban people
should ask in the face of the aggressor
who see our freedom
as a danger to theirs.
Why would any revolutionary
die for their cause?
Because their cause is just.
And although we don't have
the power of a United States,
the fact that we are willing
to die makes us more powerful.
I will never quit.
- Hold on, hold on, hold on.
- Okay. We got it. We got it.
If you tremble with
indignation at every injustice,
then you are a comrade of mine.
To all revolutionaries around the world,
if you want justice and equality,
ask yourselves,
are you willing to die?
Homeland or death. That is the choice.
- [PROTESTORS SHOUTING]
- And whatever your cause is
civil rights, economic
freedom, or racial equality
never surrender.
I have a wish.
It is a fear, as well
- I think it's over there.
- that my end will be by
Okay. We're almost at it.
Where's my rifle?
And each one of us
alone is worth nothing,
and so we fight.
We fight for our independence
[GUNSHOT]
and hear well our cry of battle.
Patria o muerte.
iVenceremos!
[APPLAUSE]
It seems your precautions
were unnecessary after all.
♪
I suggest you take your men and leave.
For good.
Have it your way, Malcolm.
Let's go, fellas.
♪
[DOOR CLOSES]
Baby.
♪
Oh.
♪
I can't live without you. [CHUCKLES]
It is as simple as that.
I've been so lost.
♪
So lost.
♪
[HALEY] I am glad you got
me to write this chapter
on Bumpy Johnson.
♪
I understand your thesis
that a society that denies the
opportunity to the black man
can only expect him to become an outlaw.
And as legitimate opportunities grow
with our civil rights movement,
the black gangster will have to shift
his unique skills to
larger social purposes
than simply his own enrichment.
No, Alex.
I was wrong.
What are you doing?
Maybe a man like Bumpy
Johnson can't change.
Maybe he's stuck in that hidebound
"Negro ain't nothing
but a criminal" mode.
I want nothing more to do with him.
♪