The Rockford Files (1974) s05e17 Episode Script

(PHONE RINGING) ROCKFORD ON ANSWERING MACHINE: This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your name and message.
I'll get back to you.
(BEEPS) MAN: Mr.
Rockford, you know what to do if you're attacked and killed? Ask for Albert Kinsey at grand opening of Happy Dawn School of Secret Arts.
Win free lesson.
(INAUDIBLE) (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) Sonny? (EXCLAIMING) Mmm? Sonny? You go ahead.
I'll wait for you here.
No.
No, we're home.
We already stopped at Kelly's Ice Cream store.
You're kind of nauseous still, ain't you? No.
I feel great.
Who said I'm nauseous? I'll tell you, Dad, the man is an absolute genius.
I know.
You told me.
You told him.
Come on, sonny.
No, no, no, no, Dad.
I don't feel like sleeping.
But you're full of dope.
You might fall asleep any time.
No, no, the dope has worn off.
I feel excellent.
I feel like doing something.
Well, let's see what we got in the line of milk shakes for the next couple of days.
Eugene Pallette.
(PHONE RINGING) Hello? Oh, hello, Miss Danielli.
Yeah he's right here, but well he He just came back from having oral surgery, had his wisdom teeth pulled out.
Yeah.
Why don't you tell me what it is you want? See what she wants.
It's about the audit.
I told him the final deadline was coming up next week.
He was having trouble getting the records together.
Now the IRS have given him two extensions already and they're not about to give him another.
And I start my vacation this weekend.
It's about the audit.
She's leaving town on her vacation in the next few days.
It's okay.
It'll all be all right.
He said I heard.
Listen, I better call him back in the morning.
He's in for a big shock.
Goodbye, Mr.
Rockford.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Rocky.
Hey, Dennis.
How you doing, Jimbo? No problem.
It's all in the shoe boxes.
He means his paid-off bills and tax reports.
The oral surgery went okay? The man is a genius, Dennis.
It's the best operation I've ever had.
Jimbo, I hate to come at you at a time like this with this kind of news, but I feel there's some urgency and you should know.
You remember Tony Gagglio? The lounge singer? No, Anthony Gagglio.
He's an outfit shooter from Brooklyn.
He worked with the Minett family.
You got snarled up on a case with him about two, three years ago? Yeah, Anthony Boy.
Yeah, that's where all the hollow points for flying around on that sport fishing pier down in Oxnard.
Yeah.
He was trying to kill that witness from New York, that girl.
Word on the street is that Gagglio holds you personally responsible for that sabbatical he got up in Quentin as a result of the Oxnard shoot-out.
Me? I was just working the case.
Well, you did have a hand in bringing him down.
Beyond that, there's not much logic.
Apparently he's had a lot of liver trouble resulting from a gunshot wound that he got that day.
For this he blames you because he wouldn't have caught the police bullet if you hadn't called us in.
Also, he's got this insane hatred for California.
When it looked like he was gonna die and be buried here, he started rambling about you and he's never stopped.
Obviously he's a very mentally ill person.
Maybe.
But a giggler in a Napoleon hat he's not.
He's intelligent, professional, totally ruthless.
According to NYPD, he's got 32 kills under his belt.
It's all right.
There's nothing to worry about.
Jimbo.
Tony Boy is gonna get paroled today.
Well, now, what has happened to our justice? I, for one, am getting pretty fed up with it! Well, you didn't say that when I was in prison, Dad.
Let's not get into polemics.
You want a beer, Dennis? No, I do not want a beer.
Jimbo, I think you're in danger and I think you should consider taking steps.
Leave town, take that vacation you always dreamed about.
Let me get a line on this guy.
See you first thing in the morning, okay, Jimbo? That's a good idea.
Good idea.
Hey, we don't have anything to worry about.
You know people always say things in prison.
It's just a way to pass the time.
You know, I feel good, but I think I will take a little nap.
Dennis.
Uh-huh.
Dennis, you just help yourself to some ice cream, all right? RICHIE: Hey, Tony! Hey, Tony! Anthony.
Go home.
Wait.
It's so good to see you, I can't tell you.
Hey, let me look at you, let me look at you.
You look good.
Hey, Tone, Ma's here.
She come.
We were both coming to pick you up.
She's down in the car right now.
She don't walk too good lately.
Anthony.
Tell her to go home.
What's the matter with you? Your family comes all the way out here to meet you your first day out of the joint.
We come all the way from Brooklyn.
Ma's got a bad hip now.
This is the way you act? I already got a ride.
Oh, boy.
What? I mean, what is it? You're still thinking about that business with that PI down in Los Angeles.
What's his name? Rockford.
And I want no advice from you or Ma.
Get on a plane.
Wait.
Listen to me for one second, Tony.
You gotta put these kind of things behind you.
The past is yesterday.
Come on, listen.
Hey, listen to me now! You don't go down there and talk to Ma, I'm gonna have to listen to her all the way home.
Now I've been with her for two days straight and I'm going out of my nut! (EXCLAIMING) Hey, Mom, I got a surprise for you.
Look who's here! (CRYING) Anthony Boy.
Why are you crying? Why you crying? Quit crying.
What are you crying for? Ma Come, get in the car.
Get in the car.
We'll go to the airport and God willing, we'll go home.
Richie, you drive.
All right.
Don't let your brother.
He doesn't look so good.
He needs his rest.
Come, come here, sit next to your mother, Tony.
Here, come.
Hey, Ma Ma, I can't go home right now.
I told you this, Ma.
It's that guy down in LA.
Tony, please come home.
Hasn't this family had enough trouble yet? No.
Not enough.
Not yet.
We need more.
No! Hey, Ma Ma Ma Oh, Ma! Richie, but didn't you tell him? You didn't tell him how things are finally going to look up for us? Nobody tells anybody anything around here.
That's what the trouble is.
Mention his Jewish girlfriend and he'll talk all night, but something important to his family Okay, Ma.
Ma, you gonna let me talk now? All right? Tony, (CLEARS THROAT) I had a call from him the other day.
Yeah.
What'd he do, call you right there at the tire shop? No, no.
I don't work there no more.
Tires aren't selling like they used to.
They had to cut back.
Anyhow, he calls me and he asked about you and he wants to know how you are and this and that, boom boom, and he asked about your liver and how you're feeling.
You know, he's concerned.
Yeah.
No, no, no.
Not like you think.
He's not holding any ill will because he had to do that stretch in Atlanta because you didn't get a chance to talk to that girl, you know, that testified against him.
Please, please.
I don't want to hear any of this, huh? I've told you both.
I don't want to hear this kind of talk.
I've been in an airplane all day and I'm very upset.
Tony, he wants you should come back to Brooklyn right away.
He needs you and he's got plans for you.
Hey, Tony, listen.
For all his faults, this man has been a saint to this family since your father died, God rest his soul.
Tony, Mr.
Minett's very anxious you should come back to work for him.
In a more managerial position, you know what I'm saying? And listen to this.
He wants me to work for him, too.
Hey, I told you I don't want you to get involved with this business.
I won't be! I won't! He wants me to work in his produce thing.
A manager probably, of the, what do you call it? Artichoke, the distribution department to start with.
And, Tone, this way I'll be able to marry Rhonda.
And for Ma, he wants to give her a house out on Long Island.
Oh, Tony, you wouldn't believe what our neighborhood has turned into.
They're all around us now.
All four sides.
Yeah, I know, I know.
I saw it happening before I went away.
He'll give her a nice house out in Maspeth.
She shouldn't have to live like this, not at her age, Tone.
And me with my hip Come on, let's face it.
Mr.
Minett, he don't really want me.
It's you, Tone.
He considers you like a son and he says you're the most valuable piece of manpower he ever had.
All right, I'm gonna tell you something.
Now, this is between us.
I'm not sure I wanna go back to work for Joe Minett.
Tony Wait, shut up! He didn't give me no legal help at all, nothing.
And I'm getting other offers I'm considering.
I don't even have time to think about it.
And that's enough for right now.
I gotta go down to LA and take care of some business, then I'll think about the future.
I'll be in touch.
Where you going? If you won't listen, please promise me you'll stop in and see Conchetta while you're there.
She lives in the Pacific Palisades.
I'm gonna be busy.
This is a business trip.
Promise me.
Conchetta will never forgive me.
And then I'll have to listen to her mother.
All right.
I'll be in touch.
Tony? I bet you miss my sauce.
Come home.
I'll make you a meal you'll never forget.
Hey, Ma, I've been in prison three years.
I had a lot of meals I'll never forget.
(CAMERA CLICKING) Okay? Ah, that's nice.
Thank you very much, Congressman.
Well, it's always a pleasure to see you and please give my regards to Mrs.
Hartschorn, okay? I'll do that, Mr.
Minett.
Of course, we're both hoping to see you at the dedication of the Joseph Minett Youth Recreation Center.
Thank you.
Listen, you take good care of yourself, huh? It's cold out there.
Good night, Mr.
Minett.
Good night, sir.
(PHONE BUZZING) Here.
Hello? OPERATOR: Mr.
Gagglio calling from California.
Yeah, put him on.
Richard, how are you? Fine.
Fine, Mr.
Minett.
I'm calling, you know, 'cause you asked me to keep you posted.
Right! How's the weather out there, you lucky son-of-a-gun? It's chilly here.
They're expecting another big blizzard.
Oh, it's okay.
I always thought that California would be real warm, you know.
It's kind of damp here now.
Did you see him, Richie? How's he look? He looks so-so, Mr.
Minett.
About the same, you know.
But, look, here's the thing, he's not coming back right now.
He's not coming back? That's a big disappointment to me, Richard.
Richard, that's a very big disappointment to me, you know.
I was looking forward to having him here as soon as possible, Richard.
There's a lot of work to be done.
What's the holdup? What's he up to? He's going down to Los Angeles.
He's got this thing about settling a personal score down there.
That brother of yours, Richie, is a regular knucklehead, you know that.
Well, hey, you sure that's all it is? Oh, yeah, yeah, Mr.
Minett.
He's real excited about coming back to work for you.
He just wants a few days.
I mean, that's okay, isn't it? Where'd he go? Do you know, Richard? Why? I mean Why? Why? Richard, because Because I'm asking you.
That's why.
Richard, if you don't trust my judgment, then maybe you shouldn't come to work in my produce business, huh? I mean, you probably wouldn't like it.
No, no.
It's not that.
I mean Well You do just want to talk to him, right? Where did he go, Richie? The guy's name is Rockford.
He lives down in Los Angeles.
But I think, Mr.
Minett, that he probably went to Syl's first.
You see, Syl lives up around here some place.
I'm trying to find out where through the prison authorities now, and you know, because Ma's very upset about this whole thing and Gee, poor Mama, I can understand that, Richard.
Listen, I'd like you to do something for me, if you don't mind.
Stay in California another couple of days, you and Mama.
Check into a nice motel, you know, show her the sights.
But I want you to keep in touch with me.
As a matter of fact, make sure you call me tomorrow night.
You know, in case my people and your brother, Anthony, they miss each other in LA.
Be easier for you to make contact with him, you know, through Syl or whatever, if you can find Syl.
But I just want to make sure, you know, that Thank you, Richard, very much.
You're an intelligent boy.
I think you have a good understanding of the situation here.
Hey, don't get too much sunburn, you knucklehead.
Good night.
Get the Chin in here.
Now! Tell him to call Murf at home.
I want him here, too.
(SIGHS) Rockford.
That was a great dinner.
What do you call it again? Ginger beef.
Ethan, Rebecca, please help me clear the table.
How do you like the 49ers, huh, kid? You like Gene Washington this year? I'm not into competitive athletics.
Dessert will be served in just a few moments.
Oh, let's see, we had ginger with the main dish.
What's for dessert? Cake with pork frosting? What do you gotta antagonize her for, huh? (SIGHS) Tony, I've been thinking.
I ain't gonna go down to LA with you.
I'm sorry.
It's your show.
You ain't gonna go? After what Rockford did, you can make a statement like that? You ain't gonna go? He didn't do nothing, Tony.
No? You didn't notice what that pill in the gut did to me? You didn't notice how I gotta get up from the table three times during dinner? And, Syl, we did time.
We both did time.
Hard state time.
Tony, that wasn't the first stretch that either of us did, huh? It ain't pleasant, but it doesn't explain your attitude.
You got any cigars around? Look, what you just said doesn't explain it, Tony.
It don't explain this obsession that you have popping Rockford.
Hey, do me a favor, huh? Come over here.
Here, blow the smoke out the door here, huh? Tony, I got a good thing going here.
You know, Jeanie likes me, she digs me and I dig her.
You know, she's got a good business going, and, you know, I like working in the gallery.
Hey, I don't know that much about art, but she's teaching me, you know.
I'm learning.
And the kids, you know, I really love the kids.
Hey, Syl, you forgetting I once saved your life on Bayshore Parkway? You got out of the joint early on this work furlough program.
And you managed to sucker this broad.
But what about me? What do I got? Hey, come on, Tony, you could've got out on work furlough.
No? No, but you always gotta make a problem.
You know that, Tony? Always a problem! Hey, listen to this, my partner ever since 16th Street.
We done it all together, ate good food, drank wine, we met broads, we worked.
We did it together.
Now look at you.
You're dressed like some flit that lives in The Village, (STUTTERING) You're sneaking smokes like some little kid in school.
It makes me wanna puke! You're coming down there, Syl.
We've been together too long for you to start acting like this! You're coming down there! No, I'm not! Hey, Syl, this means a lot to me.
A whole lot.
So I'm gonna be blunt.
Either you come with me or I do the kids.
You try it and you gotta come right through me.
You understand? Oh, yeah, you wanna do it? You wanna put it to the test? After all these years, that's one thing we never did, Syl.
You wanna try it? Well, how you feeling, sonny? Miserable.
I've never felt so bad in my life.
The pain is excruciating.
That clown didn't know what he was doing.
He went to the Bigger Hammer School of Dentistry.
I feel nauseous, too.
Someone's singing a different tune this morning.
Oh, that Miss Danielli called you.
Oh, that? Dad, do you have any conception of the trouble I'm in? She said that she was going to be at her cabin in Arrowhead and that if you could get your shoe-boxes and your records together and head on up there, she'll give you a couple days working on the audit, sort of a working man's vacation.
Dad, I can't go up there with this tax bite coming.
I've gotta scare up some work.
Oh, Dad Was Dennis over here yesterday talking about He sure was, sonny.
He sure was.
Dennis and me, we didn't want to press you yesterday.
You said there was nothing to worry about.
Dad, Dad, don't tell me what I said yesterday.
I'm better off not knowing.
Well, you said that guys say lots of things in prison.
Dad! That blue sedan with two guys parked in it is still there.
Hmm? They were out there early this morning when I got up to take a pain pill.
You sure Mr.
Minett gave you that name right? Rockford? There's no action in that trailer.
I didn't write the name down.
Mr.
Minett done it himself.
He took it right off the phone.
I seen him.
You like it we fly tourist? Big Joe they call him, he sends us out here tourist.
This is big? So Tony'll show up here, we'll pop him, we'll go home.
'Morning.
Is there something I could do for you fellas? Beg your pardon? Well, I noticed that you were sitting out here staring at my house since early this morning.
I was wondering if I could help you with something? Hey, we weren't staring at your house.
We just come down the shore for the day.
Weather's a little chilly.
We're hoping it'll clear up.
Yeah, it won't clear up.
I can promise you that.
Might as well clear out.
Yeah, I guess he's right.
We might as well hit the road.
What do you say? Keep the car running.
I'm gonna put his lights out and take him in the trailer! (BOTH GRUNTING) Hey! What's going on? If you guys want any trouble, we'll call the police.
He's got a gun! (GROANING) We better travel! (TIRES SCREECHING) Sonny! Sonny! You all right? (GROANING) It hurts, Dad.
Here you go, Jim.
Oh, thank you, thank you, Jake.
Any time.
Come on, let's get you inside.
Was it that Anthony Boy? Do you think it was him? They had definite Brooklyn accents.
Maybe they were some friends of his? I think they were waiting to meet him but beyond that Boy, that means he's coming! I think you better take Dennis' advice.
You better Take that vacation I've been dreaming about? Yeah? I'm really up to it, too.
This is untenable.
Dad, sometimes I don't believe you.
I put all the paid bills for an entire year in one file drawer in the garage.
The drawer gets full.
So what do you do? You pull April and May, two full months in the middle of the year.
I pulled April and May because it begins with A and I'd remember where I put it.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) But I don't remember, I'm sorry.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hi, Angel, come in.
Hey, Jimmy, I'm glad I found you man.
I've been trying to call you all morning long.
We have a little parley private? I don't want to waste anybody's time.
Look, Angel, I don't have any time.
I'm trying to pack for a trip.
You got anything to say, you can say it on the run.
Oh, Adriana Danielli, this is Angel Martin.
Hi.
This is business, Jimmy.
Angel, either I hear it or I don't.
All right, all right.
You remember old Buster Hutchins, don't you? All my efforts to forget him have been unsuccessful.
Buster's living out near Philadelphia now and he got himself wired into this church.
He's a member.
He goes regularly.
Our Lady of the Highway near the Turnpike or some deal like that.
Anyway, Buster told the padre he had a good idea to raise money for the church, put on a Monte Carlo night.
And he'd have all his old friends, professionals from Vegas come, you know, ex-dealers, pit bosses.
I'm going to go.
So is little Eddie Whitefeather from Seminole Springs, Florida.
You're going to stick it to a church? No.
Why don't you listen to what I'm saying? We're going to raise money for the church.
I just need the airplane fare because the church can't front it.
Come on, Angel, you think I don't know what's going to happen? You and Hutchins and Eddie Whitefeather are going to clear out of there with everything but the padre's socks and the papier-mâché tablecloths.
All right! So what are you all of a sudden, Ivanhoe? Just give me the plane fare.
I'll pay you 30% return on your money.
That is disgusting! I'm sorry you had to hear that, miss.
Look, Angel, I got problems of my own, huh? I got a tax mess here that's so bad I'm going to have to spend three days up at Adriana's place at Arrowhead just trying to sort it out.
How you doing with April and May, Dad? ADRIANA: Jim, I hope you don't mind my saying, but I think this is symptomatic of the whole problem.
Why are these receipts stored here in the first place? Look, you wanna try living in a house trailer and running a business out of it, too? Which you can't claim, by the way.
Alice Faye.
I'm thinking of all them pictures and records I collected back in the '40s.
That's it! Alice Faye! Alice Faye? April and May? Hi, this is Joe Rockford, Jim's dad from across the way.
How are you? Yeah, Jim wanted me to order one of those good T-bone steaks of yours and to split a champagne and put it on his tab.
Yeah, oh, and the boy that comes over, you could just have him wrap it up real good in tin foil and leave it on the steps.
Thank you, thank you.
(LAUGHING) (LAUGHING) Some company.
It ain't bad enough I'm here, I get to ride with a statue.
That road.
That road down here.
Twelve hours on that road.
Those brown hills mile after mile.
And no people, nobody.
And then once in a while you see a gas station, all lit up with the fluorescents like a What kind of place is this? That was the San Joaquin Valley, that's all.
Route 5 is the fastest way down here from Frisco.
San Joaquin Valley? It reminds me of pictures I seen of hell.
I had a terrible dream.
Thanks for asking me about it.
I just told you I had a nightmare and what do you do? Nothing.
All right, what was it about? I don't know.
I can't remember it too clear.
I was at the Polo Grounds.
I was a kid.
It was right after my old man died.
Alvin Dark was still playing for the Giants at the time and Duke Snider was in centerfield for Brooklyn.
I started screaming, "Duke! Duke! My father's dead!" And Duke Snider turns around and he's got the face of a skull, and then he points up into the stands by where I'm at and then I don't know, it all went blurry and I woke up.
Hey, what do you say we stop and get something to eat, huh? No, keep driving.
We're almost there.
Besides, I don't wanna go near no more tacos and chili dogs and sandwiches with alfalfa sprouts on them.
You people eat garbage out here.
(TIRES SCREECHING) All right, all right! That's it.
All right, this is as far as I go.
Get out of my car.
What are you talking about? Shut up and get back inside.
I'm risking an awful lot coming down here with you.
In 15 minutes, I'm gonna blow some guy up.
I can end up in death row, and you don't even try to make it pleasant for me! All the time complaining, making cracks about Jeanie, huh? Well, I'm finished! So you're getting like everybody else out here.
Can't tell where you stand with you.
I don't wanna listen to you anymore, Tony! You don't make no sense, huh! Here.
Why don't you take yourself a bus? Just like all the rest.
Back in New York, you walk into a deli and order a sandwich, you know where you stand.
Right away the guy is giving you a hard time because he hates his job and he hates you for wanting a sandwich so he makes your life miserable.
Here? You walk in, it's, "Morning, sir.
"How are you today, sir? "What would you like, sir?" And they don't mean none of it! They hate you! They're just friendly, Tony! Life is different here! Friendly? It's sick! They go around killing innocent people here, people they never even met! A guy goes out, grows his hair all funny, hears God talking to him at a skateboard rink.
Then he forms a group of other losers with their hair all funny and they form a church and they go out and pop 17 people! Oh, so what? So I'm worried about you, Syl.
I'm worried about all these values you're starting to have.
Now get back in the car and drive.
(GROANS) Look at him.
My mind's going back to '72.
Remember Bayshore Parkway.
The Capri Lounge? Big black dude comes in, worked for Little Fermin, comes in gunning for you.
Yeah, yeah, I remember.
You shoved me out of the way, huh? Yeah, but that wasn't enough.
I went out, I looked this guy up, and I put three rounds in his Chiclets while he's sitting in his stinking Eldorado bragging to his pimp friends.
That's what I'm talking about, Syl.
Values.
Yes, honey.
I want to call Seminole Springs, Florida.
Mr.
Edward Whitefeather.
That number is 634-4945.
ANGEL: Yes, honey, I'm still holding.
Get him out of here.
(ANGEL LAUGHING) I don't see his car, but I hear voices.
It ain't his.
Hey, Eddie, it's Angel.
How, Chief? Any way I can.
Same old Eddie Whitefeather.
How you doing, Chief? Listen, I'm going to be talking to Buster up in Philly about running the game out here.
Says you two domino in Philly.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Put it on the step.
Listen, I thought maybe we could get a franchise going on this.
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
What, you got hardened under the ear flap? I said leave it on the stoop.
I'm looking for Mr.
Rockford.
You know where I can find him? Who's looking? I am.
Hold on a second, Eddie.
Is it business or personal? Very personal.
Yeah, well, is it very personal enough to maybe advance me $10 or $15? That sounds fair enough.
What do you think, Syl? Yeah, I like it.
Remember Howdy Doody? How his head used to do a complete 360? Wasn't that a kick in the pants? Huh? Let go of my face! Let go of my face! Hey, Syl, in my right hand pocket there's a ball-peen hammer.
Get it out.
He's in Lake Arrowhead, he's in Lake Arrowhead.
Where at Lake Arrowhead, squirrelly? I don't know.
He's with this chick.
Danielli.
Something like that.
Adriana Danielli! Is there a phone there? I don't think so, because she said when she likes to get back to nature, she likes to get back to nature! But whatever you want to do, you can do it, just sneak up on them and do it.
You know, he's not going to be able to yell for help! There's all kinds of cabins out in the toolies in Arrowhead.
Syl.
Hey, wait a minute, Tony! I only signed up for one hit! Complications, I don't need! You blow him up and what? Somebody comes in here and finds him and maybe screws up the whole deal up there? Come on, Tony, this is a career squirrel, huh? He ain't gonna do no talking, are you, doll? No! No! Never! I lost my voice! From now on I'm a mute.
Starting tomorrow morning I'm going to be selling sign language cards down at the bus station.
SYL: With all we got to do today, this big schlep up to Arrowhead and we gotta waste time with this? TONY: If I don't stop and see my cousin, Conchetta, like I promised my mother, I ain't never gonna have no peace.
Anthony Boy.
Conchetta.
Look at him, how he's changed.
Look who's talking.
Hey, you remember Syl from Bay 16th? Is that him? What is this? RICHIE: Hi, Tone.
I said what the hell is this? Come on.
Come on in! We're just having lunch! Come on.
(SIGHS) Look, we were in California already so I told your brother Conchetta's mother will never forgive me if she finds out we were here and we didn't stop and visit, huh? Hello, Sylvester.
(EXCLAIMING) Look at the weight he's put on.
At least he's eating good.
Come on.
Get some bread, make yourself a pepper sandwich.
No, no, let me do it.
Hey, I got no time to eat, Ma.
Syl and me, we still got business.
Anthony, I want you to listen to me.
Now last night your brother spoke to Mr.
Minett.
He's very anxious for you to come home.
He wants you back there because he wants to discuss things with you.
He wants you to get back on your feet.
They been talking to Joe, huh, Tony? Eat your cheese.
So where you going, Tony? I mean, at least let me know in case we gotta get in touch with you or something.
He's going nowhere.
He's going to make a nice visit here to his cousin and he's going to have a sensible family discussion about these opportunities that are coming our way, that's where he's going.
Now what do you want on the sandwich? I don't want to hear no more talk about sandwiches, peppers and eating! That's all this family is, is one big gigantic digestive tract.
It's like an obsession! (SOBS) Oh, geez.
Now she's gonna cry now.
Watch.
I'm gonna get some aspirins.
It's all right, Ma.
As usual, being with my family for about five minutes and I get a headache.
MRS.
GAGGLIO: Your brother's leaving! Anthony, Anthony, please.
You're acting like a maniac.
Get on a plane and go home! What are you doing? Oh, I was just getting the mail for Conchetta.
How do you like that? When you worked for the post office, you couldn't even hold the job.
Tony, wait I want What? What do you want? Come on.
Let's go.
You disallowed everything.
I mean everything! Nothing I had works.
I feel like I just got a term paper back with a D on it.
Better me than the IRS.
When they give you a D you wind up staying after school.
Well, what about my phone answering machine? Mmm-mmm.
They're not going to allow that.
'74, '75, '76 and '77.
The thing's been depreciated so much there's nothing left but pure energy, no mass.
What about that Dennis Becker case of scotch? Why did you cross that off? Well, Dennis Becker is a friend of yours, a personal friend.
You cannot write off his Christmas present as a business deduction.
Of course, he's a friend of mine.
We also have business dealings.
That's $15 scotch! I don't really think you want to hold that one up to too much light, do you? No, no, I guess not.
But, hey, now that was a business gift, huh.
I also gave Dennis a personal gift at Christmas time that I don't plan to deduct.
Oh? What was it? Those long matches.
The ones you use to light the fireplaces with.
Well, you don't feel well and you've done yeoman duty for one day.
I bet you could use some dinner.
I know I could.
What flavor milk shake would you like? I've had it.
Coming up here with my aluminum foil bag like some 12-year-old.
I want some pork chops and fried chicken, chicken fried steak.
I think I'm getting a toothache on the other side.
Well, I'm just a ton of fun, aren't I? Oh.
Thank you.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES) That's funny.
I don't get drop-in guests up here.
Who is it? ANGEL: Danielli place? Angel? ANGEL: Jimmy! Open up! Angel, if you're here about Buster Hutchins and his roadway church.
No, no.
It's bad, Jimmy, it's bad.
This is like a nightmare.
I've been through living hell! I was at your trailer, you know, and these two guys come in No, I don't know! What were you doing at my trailer? Well, I was returning your movie camera.
You know, Rocky gave me the key and I was kind of cleaning the lens off when these two guys walked in.
Jimmy, one of them looked like a cross between George Hamilton and Dracula.
I told him, "Buddy, take it out in the street.
" Anthony Boy Dear God You told them where I was, didn't you, Angel? Yeah, but I tried to hang tough, Jimmy.
I mean, they started working me over for a couple of hours! They even shocked me with a 110 volt line! Yeah, right.
How long did you hold out? Did you make it Jimmy! Angel, the only reason you came up here is because you know if I somehow get out of this alive, I'm gonna come after you with a sickle.
That's the thanks I get for my loyalty? After risking my neck! After driving through the worst terrain in Southern California with a severe head wound and the gas station attendant hardly knew where her cabin was? I'm sorry, Adriana.
The best thing we can do is clear out as fast as possible.
Say, Tony, what Richie said before about Joe If he's really offering you a good deal, how come you talking salty about him? I ain't heard his deal.
I have heard what he said about me while I was in the Atlanta Federal Pen.
Hey, he gets hot.
You know he doesn't mean what he says.
You know that.
Nobody'll take care of you like Joe.
You've been working for him too long.
Hey, Syl, one time in the prison library, bored out of my melon, I seen this book, Death of a Salesman.
I see it takes place in Brooklyn so I figure, what the hell, I'll read it.
Well, it's all about this guy Willy, see, he's a salesman.
He sells buttons or some junk.
Where did he sell his stuff? In Brooklyn? What difference does that make? Boston, someplace, I don't know.
Anyways, this and that happens, and Willy, he's having hard times, so he goes to see his boss, Howard, only Howard's gonna fire him.
Forty years he worked for this guy and this guy is gonna fire him.
That's it, end of discussion.
Get my point? No loyalty? What happened in the end? I never finished it.
But Willy's got these two sons, see, Biff and Happy.
So I figured he takes his two sons down there, pops Howard, and takes over the company.
Jimmy! Come on, get back, get back! (EXCLAIMING) Stay down, Angel.
Stay low.
Angel, you go to the back door and keep your eyes open.
Angel, move! Go on! Adriana, do you have a gun around the house? No! Yes! There's some kind of a rifle that one of my partners uses to shoot gophers.
It's in the hall closet.
Okay, all right, go over there.
Stay down.
Okay.
Stay down.
It's that guy's car.
The squirrel.
Then Rockford knows it's us.
You've got to be kidding! I'd hold you responsible.
You owe me good.
Let him sweat, let him eat it.
It's a pellet gun! (GLASS SHATTERING) Hey, Gagglio! Rockford! Hey now, be smart.
Put on a happy face.
Go home before somebody gets hurt.
You're too much, Rockford, you're a comedian! Look again, Anthony Boy.
I can pick you and your buddy off like cans.
Let my friends go.
They've got no part in this.
It's a smart deal, Anthony Boy.
You'd be a sucker not to take it.
Suck on this! Adriana, come here.
Okay, now I'm going to try to hold them down with this thing for a while.
I can stall them for a while.
Now you and Angel, you go out the back door, down the hill to the fire trail.
What about you? Don't worry about me.
I'll catch up with you as soon as I can.
No.
Don't worry about it.
Now, go on.
Hey, why don't you come up here, Anthony Boy? Don't stand out there in the cold.
(GUN FIRES) Hey, where's Angel? He's already gone.
He's what? I came back up the hill.
Angel.
Angel! (MUMBLING) Hold it, squirrel! (GUN FIRES) (GRUNTS) Get up out of there, squirrel.
Jim.
TONY: Rockford! Okay, Rockford.
Throw out the BB gun or your friend and his head leave in separate cars! Jim.
It's going to be all right.
It's going to be all right.
(GUN FIRES) All right, why don't you let her and Angel go, huh? Hurting them's not going to help you.
No? All right, all right, Tony.
Come on.
I'm here, I done what you wanted.
Do it and let's get out of here, cut the small talk.
This isn't something you just do bim, bam, boom.
This is something you gotta do slow.
Give me the ball-peen hammer.
SYL: I left it back at the trailer.
Huh? I said I threw it on the floor back at the trailer.
I heard what you said! You're no help to me, Syl.
You're a milestone around my neck! Fine, I'll say good-bye.
Just shut up, will you? Okay.
We gotta look around, we gotta see what kind of party favors we can make with what we got.
Why don't you and I just talk, huh? That's just what I wanna do, beach boy.
You and me, I want us to talk.
We'll shoot the breeze about old times, maybe take a look into the future.
All right, everybody.
Grab a seat, let's go.
Mr.
Minett? What are you doing here? I mean, I didn't know you'd be coming.
I was kind of hoping you wouldn't have to.
Me too, Richie, me too.
Flying you can keep.
But Murf here tells me that Rockford's house went bust as a possibility, and, well, then after our conversation last night on the phone, I could sense that you were in a tough spot.
Maybe you were having second thoughts, huh? So I decided to come out and oversee things myself.
I'm sorry, Mr.
Minett, it's just that Richard, there's never a need for apologies between us.
But time is crucial.
Now I think it's very, very important that we end this thing now.
Then we can put all of our energies into other things, get on with our lives.
Mr.
Minett, I know Tony can be a problem, I know he's very confused right now, but maybe The bond that once existed between your brother and me got weak.
Hey, Richie, these things happen.
Hey, am I blaming anybody? No.
Maybe me.
A little bit.
But the point is, Tony has knowledge about my activities which he could give to other people, and it could be used to hurt me.
Do I need that, huh? I mean his knowledge, his talent, used against me, Richard? Let's face it, that brother of yours is a pretty frightening guy.
You know where he is, Richard? Prepared to tell me? Like I said on the phone, Mr.
Minett.
I couldn't.
Not again.
Not unless, well, my mother saw that it was for the best.
Otherwise, I couldn't live with it.
You're a good son, Richard.
That's something.
Relax, it's going to be all right.
Richard, your mother was the prettiest girl at the baths in 1934 and she hasn't changed a bit.
Mr.
Minett.
Hey, what is this Mr.
Minett? Joe and you're Nucci.
Hey, because people lose touch, you think that things change? Would you like some coffee cake? No, no, no, no, no.
Hey, Nucci.
I gotta watch what I eat.
It's my colon.
I got a young doctor.
He went to Brandeis, but, you know, at our age, when they tell you something, you better listen.
Am I right? I guess so.
That's our lot.
I'm sorry you had to fly out here not being well and all.
Hey, that's all right.
I know what it's like.
Me, I had to get on the plane with my back, my hip and everything.
Listen, as long as it comes to a satisfactory resolution, it's worth it, huh? Sit down, Nucci.
Sit down and let's talk about Anthony.
Huh? Let's talk about that son of yours.
Nucci, you know, through the years, I've tried to be like a father to this boy, you know that.
I tried to do right by him.
Just like I've always tried to do right by Richie and by you.
I know.
And I'm so grateful.
Hey, your husband, Frank Gagglio, God rest his soul, was a fine man.
The best.
He was a good baker, he was always a friendly face in my dealings at the union.
It's the least I could do, Nucci.
After that tragedy on Myrtle Avenue, those animals gunning down that innocent man.
Well, I just wanted to see that the boys had some, some guidance.
They never did find those bums, huh? You know, as a matter of fact, Nucci, that's right, it was me and my brother Allan took Anthony to his first baseball game.
Hey, you remember? That's right, huh? It was after his father died.
Nucci, you know how I tried.
I tried.
I tried to see that he had some measure of success.
But, I mean, let's face it, Nucci.
You know your son, he's not exactly managerial type, am I right? He doesn't have his feet on the ground.
And lately, the last few years, it's gotten worse.
Nucci, you know, in spite of my love for this boy, I gotta ask myself a question.
What's more important? This boy who you love like a son, or the family of Frank Gagglio, a man you respected and a man whose wife and his other son needs help? Marianuccia, look at me, will you? Marianuccia? Now that's not a very easy question to answer, is it? These things he does, he don't mean it.
I know.
He never could be controlled.
Even his father couldn't control him.
You know, I read somewhere where it's those first years, those crucial years.
And who knows, Nucci? Maybe Frank wasn't home enough, or maybe it was one of those hormone things when he was a little boy.
He always was a worry.
Oh, how I wish May God strike off my tongue.
How I wish I had a son like other mothers.
Look how poor Richie has suffered.
Listen to me, Nucci, listen to me.
Hey, there comes a time in all of our lives when each of us have got to stand at the Rubicon like Caesar.
We got to ask ourselves, "What is this all about? "What is this water? What is this place in time trying to tell me?" Now in times like this, there is always pain.
It's the way of the world, Nucci.
But through this pain comes the future.
It's how we go ahead.
But why? Why? Why? If we had the answer to that question, we would unlock the mystery of the universe, and the world would beat a path to our door.
Why? There's so many things to think about.
Nucci, listen to me.
At your age, you shouldn't be faced with going back to the old neighborhood, to that violence.
You should be someplace peaceful, nice, like Maspeth, huh? And Richie, Richie should be able to marry this Rhonda Weisman if that's what he chooses, God bless him.
I wanna help.
It's the way Frank would want it.
I I don't know what to do about this son of mine.
Hey, Nucci, you want to leave it in my hands? Yes? Nucci? Hmm? Nucci? Marianuccia, he was like a son to me, too.
Let me work it out with him, huh? Nucci, Nucci.
It's a whole different world with these kids.
You and me, we're just a couple of old, tired horses.
And these kids, they've got their whole lives ahead of them.
Come on, Richie, let's go out front and chew the fat.
Good luck, Richie.
You make yourself available to Murf here and the Chin, you know, just in case your brother doesn't feel like talking or whatever, you know.
You can help him come around, huh? Wait a minute, Mr.
Minett, aren't you coming? Over here.
I thought a long time, Rockford.
In my cell, I thought.
In the can, I thought.
During the prison variety show, what am I doing? Thinking.
I threw out a thousand ideas.
Then I finally came up with it.
First I work you over with the ball-peen, then I take you out to the beach by where you live, chain you to a rock, and sit there with a sandwich, wait till the tide comes in.
That's a lot of mental effort, Gagglio.
And you wanna know something? When you're all finished, you're not gonna feel any better.
Oh, yeah? How do you know that? Well, just take my word for it.
Or don't.
Just ask your friend back there what he thinks.
Hey, Tony, can we get on with it? I wanna get back home, huh? I don't know why I gotta be here.
I'm just an innocent bystander.
Hey, what's your problem, Gagglio, huh? What is this thing you've got for me? What? Well, you heard me explain it.
I was only peripherally involved in that thing up in Oxnard.
The police shot you, I didn't.
So what is it? What is it? What is it? I'll tell you what it is! Guys like you, you're all over the place, eating your stinking cheeseburgers, clogging up the streets on your stupid lousy Sunday drives! Football players, milk drinkers, funny boys! Hey, Tony Shut up! Guys like you, Rockford, and guys like me, we can't live here together! You make this planet a toilet for me to live in! Hey, Tony, would you listen to me? I heard a car pull up! It's Murf Guellow! Hey! Wait a minute, how did they Hey, this is it, Syl.
I told you I had a feeling.
This don't smell good.
That's an understatement.
TONY: The Chin's here, too? He's never been further west than the Jersey Meadows.
Well, maybe they came up to talk to you about your new deal, huh? I mean, your new job.
No, no.
I I don't think they came up here to give you the keys to the executive washroom.
No, no.
I think they came up to the mountains to hunt.
Old Joe Hey, Murf! What can I do for you? Tony! Hey, Tony Boy! What do you want? Business, Tony.
The old man sent us to talk to you! It's urgent! You ain't gonna get no Oscars, Murf.
But you're gonna get this! (GUN FIRES) What did you do that for? Why did you shoot at them? 'Cause I thought I'd hit them, stupid! Take it from me, Syl.
They're out to blow us away.
Anthony? Huh? RICHIE: Tony! Tony! What's wrong? What are you doing, firing at the fellas? Him? He's with them.
The kid is out there.
He's with them.
SYL: Hey, Tony, that's how come they found us, I bet, huh? Richie must've found out and, you know RICHIE: Hey, Tone, cool off, would you? They just wanna talk.
It's about the family.
Ma and all.
He wouldn't do this without my mother's blessing.
He don't go to the bathroom without consulting her.
Tony? Come on out, will you? I'll talk to you, Richie.
But that's it.
Come on in, okay? Come on in alone.
Sorry you can't come in, Richie! Remember I used to tell you about the alligators under the bed? And scare you? They were really there, kid! I know.
I saw them! Tony.
Tony, what if I (GUN FIRING) (GUN FIRES) TONY: Syl? Syl? He's out of this one, Gagglio! And his shotgun is out on the porch.
My brother! I lived like a dog so he could go to Hofstra College! He flunks out! I did everything I could to keep him out of the rackets.
I even lived with my mother so he could move to Manhattan, take acting classes.
Oh, you're breaking us up.
There's not a dry eye in the house.
They've got us pinned down, genius.
Start thinking about that! All we gotta All we gotta do is Yeah, what? We're gonna go down to the hardware store and pick up a gross of ball-peen hammers, huh? What am I talking to you for? Because you never worked alone in your life, that's why.
Guys like you, you aren't capable.
I still got my piece.
They can't rush us.
They can't do nothing but be lawn ornaments! They don't have to rush us (GUN FIRES) They don't have to rush us.
They can wait until dark.
That's like 20 minutes from now! We can all be dead in 20 minutes! Hey, Tony, get me out of here.
I wanna go home.
Maybe somebody heard the shots and called the sheriff? No, no.
Your nearest neighbor's half a mile away.
If they haven't heard it by now, they're not going to.
I could still do you, Rockford, and I'll wait for the rest when the time comes.
Now that's a great solution.
This is a fire area.
I saw the signs coming up.
There's lookout stations in these hills.
Yeah, I get it, Jimmy, I get it! I make a Molotov and you get outside somehow, and you start a fire! Shut up! Everybody, shut up! I say what goes on here! Anyways, there's not enough brush around the house.
It's all dirt.
I didn't say anything about a brushfire.
What we need is a fireball.
Yeah, right! I'm gonna have to get outside to lob it.
Gagglio, you're going to have to cover me.
A fireball! Jimmy's right.
A fireball.
Maybe we'll make it out of here yet.
Adriana, I need some rags and a glass bottle.
Be night soon.
We can all go home.
You know, Richie? I'm impressed.
(CHUCKLES) (GUNS FIRING) Lucille! (INAUDIBLE) Let's go, Chin.
The whole mountainside is gonna be full of firemen and cops.
We can't make the job.
Murf! Murf, what are you doing? Wait a minute.
TONY: Hold it, Rockford! Get away from that car or I'll put one right in your girlfriend's face.
Come on, come on.
It's all over, Gagglio.
The sheriff's going to be here in a matter of minutes.
I don't care.
I don't worry about that.
(RUSTLING) Richie! Come on down here.
Tony Come on down here.
Move! Come on.
I wanna see your face.
She knew about this, didn't she? What? No, Tony.
What are you protecting her for? She ain't gonna protect you.
Not now.
Please, Tony, he talked us into it.
He, like, hypnotized us.
That's what happens with snakes.
They get hypnotized.
It ain't your fault, kid.
You and me, we got fear with our milk.
Looks like you got a problem, Gagglio.
You can't have everything you want.
Richie! (GUN FIRES) (GRUNTS) Come on, Tony, come on! Come on, come on, Anthony Boy, huh? You came all this way.
I wanna see your moves.
Come on.
Oh, bad boy.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING) Now, Mr.
Serra, I don't want to jump the gun or anything but it would appear, and I could be wrong, and you tell me if I am, but it would appear that you're disallowing even more deductions and expenses than Adriana Danielli did.
Miss Danielli doesn't work for the IRS.
You know the preparer of the returns, if they have any ethics at all, should arrange to be present during the audit.
I mean, I just tell you that for future reference.
Yeah, well, it's not a matter of ethics.
I mean, she really wanted to be here today, she really did.
But, you see, she had a very traumatic week.
Both of us did.
Traumatic? How so? Believe it or not, someone tried to kill her.
Both of us.
Oh, yeah, it was terrible, last Monday.
A professional killer had us trapped in a cabin up in Arrowhead.
Well, the whole thing lasted for about eight hours.
Yeah, there were two men wounded, one very seriously.
Gunfire just tore the whole cabin apart.
I was actually physically assaulted by this man.
How awful! I see a Super 8mm camera with zoom lens and synchronized sound? The IRS isn't going to allow that as a business expense.
Well, that was on a surveillance case I was on.
The client has the film.
Where's the camera, may I see it? Well, I I loaned it to a friend of mine.
He hasn't returned it yet.
Would you care for a beer or something? Never touch it.
Let's see Rental of a hotel suite and limousine with TV set and bar for an entire week and a half? Well, yeah, well, that was part of a securities case that I was working on.
It's in the file.
It's under Interfund.
You see, I needed these things to establish my credibility for my cover as a major overseas investor.
Mr.
Rockford, if you'll forgive my saying so, it seems like what we're talking about here is a confidence game.
I mean, the Internal Revenue Service is not going to allow deductions based on con games or any other marginal activity.
Mr.
Serra, I don't think you fully get the hang of the nature of my work.
You see, these are things that private investigators do.
They may not be pleasant and they may not fit in any niche that the IRS has, but they are really legitimate business expenses, totally above board.
(SIGHING) All right.
I'll allow that expense.
$1,800.
40.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Come in.
(LAUGHING) Oh, Angel, not now.
You ain't gonna believe this.
Buster Hutchins, Jim.
Bet you don't remember me.
I remember you, Buster, yeah.
And, look, here he is, El Supremo, the break man, my insane main man, $24 worth of beads himself, Eddie Whitefeather! How.
Eddie.
Go on, Jimmy, give him his line "Any way I can.
" Hey, look, fellas, I don't have time to sit around and schmooze.
This gentleman is with the IRS, and we're right in the middle of an audit.
That's all right.
I need a break.
And I have to call my office.
(MUTTERING) If you'd like a little privacy I've got a telephone back in the bedroom.
You might use that.
Oh, fine, thank you.
Jimmy, see Buster and the Chief flew in from Philly.
First class! If you get my drift.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Your venture of Our Lady of the Highway was a grand success? I'm happy for all of you.
No, the Lady was a bust.
I just doctored a couple of stand-by tickets, that's what Angel meant.
Yeah, remember how Eddie could make music with an electric typewriter and a couple of carbons? Hey, my camera.
I loaned you my camera.
Mr.
Serra wants to see it.
It'll save me about 400 bucks! Didn't I bring that back? Angel, if you hocked my camera, I'm gonna change your facial structure.
Jimmy, Jimmy, now these two gents and I are gonna help you with your cash flow situation.
That's right, Jimmy.
You see, Buster and Eddie hit a snag in Philly but they ran a post-game analysis and they scoped where the flaw in their scam jammed.
Yeah, we're gonna revamp the Monte Carlo night concept, see, then we're going to fly it over to the St.
Aloysius Cathedral.
You know, it's downtown LA.
Eddie here, he's already contacted the monsignor.
My sister's a hoi polloi in the diocese.
She puts on them charity balls, she's our way in.
Angel, I don't want to hear it.
Well, I'm gonna tell it to you.
Now just listen to me.
You see, the problem in Philly is it was a weak front.
The church, they just took no stock in Eddie and Buster because, well, they showed up in Eddie's old Nash and they had that cheap gaming equipment, and the priest, he smelled a rat.
Yeah, Angel But you, Daddy, with that suave-ole image and that natural talent for talking that uptown trash, will put us into the deal! We get you a tux and rent you one of them Mercedes.
Why you'd be the master of ceremonies.
Them suckers will think they've been teleported to Monaco!