A Stranger Among Us

Synopsis: Detective Emily Eden is a tough New York City cop forced to go undercover to solve a puzzling murder. Her search for the truth takes her into a secret world of unwritten law and unspoken power, a world where the only way out is deeper in!
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Director(s): Sidney Lumet
Production: Buena Vista Pictures
  1 win & 3 nominations.
 
IMDB:
5.7
Rotten Tomatoes:
23%
PG-13
Year:
1992
110 min
498 Views


## Baruch atah Adonai...

## elohenu melech ha-olam...

[ Hebrew singing continues ]

[ Man ] Look at that line. Kids

gettin' younger or we gettin' older?

[ Woman Chuckling ]

A little of both.

- We used to be like that.

- Yep, born to bop, that was us.

[ Man ] Remember in academy,

night before graduation?

We were so hung over I thought I was

gonna barf right in the mayor's lap.

Oh, geez, about our first collar?

Cha-cha all night and straight

to the courthouse in the morning.

You were wearing my personal favorite.

Red dress, no back.

I thought they were

gonna run me in for soliciting.

- [ Chuckling ] Pretty wild.

- Mmm. We had good times.

We're havin' good times.

Tell me something, Emily.

We in love?

- We are in lust.

- [ Chuckling ]

[ Emily ] See those two?

Just like my stool pigeon told me.

It's goin' down.

Where's our backup?

You didn't let'em know?

You didn't call for backup?

Please, Emily. I hate this rogue sh*t --

Nick, Nick, if I may. This is not rogue.

We just happen to be at the scene.

Who the hell's gonna believe that kinda

action? The "National Enquirer"?

- Police. Freeze.

- I'll take your little friend.

Assume the position.

Spread 'em.

- [ Groan ]

- Nick!

You want it?

[ Sirens ]

[ Man ] We got a scoop and run!

Respiration:
32.

Blood pressure:
90 over 60.

Heart rate:
135.

He's gonna make it, right?

I said,

he's gonna make it, right?

Not if you keep

comin' at me he's not!

- I'm sorry!

- Fine!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[ Sirens, Beeping ]

[ Whispering ]

Ariel, stop reading.

It's time for evening prayers.

- Sher hamalos.

- [ Together] Sher hamalos.

[ Indistinct Chanting ]

[ Man ]

Excuse me, Commissioner.

He's just gone up to

the operating room now.

[ Elevator Bell ]

Make note of the time, Detective Eden.

I'm relieving you of your weapon.

- I.A.D. in the morning.

- I shot the perp.

Why should I have to

face those headhunters?

Because you used

your weapon again.

Emily, why didn't

you call for backup?

Because we thought

we could handle it ourselves.

No, you thought you could

handle it by yourself.

We got 27,300 police officers in the

city. Isn't there anybody you trust?

What are you trying to prove?

[ Indistinct Chatter ]

[ Indistinct Chatter ]

Mah-tovi oaleich, Yaakov...

mish kinoteichu Yisroel.

- I wanna see him.

- He's gonna make it.

[ Beeping ]

What's new and exciting?

What? I'm not dead?

[ Chuckle ]

Geez, you really are some cowboy.

Yeah, ahem,

Calamity Jane.

- Perps?

- We got 'em.

[ Whispering ]

Good. Yeah. I --

[ Beeping ]

Again.

- If the Rebbe finds out --

- Who's going to tell?

You shouldn't learn Kabbalah.

Mysticism can shorten your life.

On the other hand,

it can lengthen your life.

The Rabbis say we shouldn't study

Kabbalah until the age of 40.

Besides, only the

most brilliant students...

can understand it.

Only the brightest can hope

to understand its mysteries.

I'll never reach that level.

Yaakov, you're bright.

You can study anything, anytime.

Maybe. I'm not so sure.

I think I'm better off where I am.

I need your advice.

The answer is:
Yes, you should.

- Yes, I should what?

- Marry her.

She's a fine girl.

You'll be very happy.

What is it?

It's nothing.

It's nothing.

You're sure? You don't have

the look of nothing on your face.

- You have the look of something.

- No, it's nothing.

I should marry her, shouldn't I?

You know what Mara told me?

Not only is she going

to be a wonderful wife, she's

also going to be my best friend.

Yaakov, listen. Would you like to hear

something wonderful?

"God counts

the tears of women."

What's it mean?

I'm not sure.

[ Chuckling ] Actually I just came

across it in the Kabbalah.

[ Train Approaching ]

[ Buzzing ]

Hello?

Internal Affairs says you're spick-

and-span. Deadly force was called for.

Gee willikers, what a surprise.

Think maybe it's because

Nick's in the hospital?

- I think you need some R and R.

- I need to work.

It's not your fault.

[ Sigh ]

What do you got?

Please.

Guy disappears on his family?

What, are you kidding me?

It's work.

Um, I'm afraid the Rebbe

has a very busy schedule today.

- You're the policeman?

- Police person.

- Person?

- Never mind. Policeman.

Ah, come with me,

please.

[ Phone Ringing ]

Hello?

[ Woman ]

This way.

Wait here, please.

Hi.

[ Whispering ]

Anshuldik mir.

Zeer gut.

Hi, I'm Detective Eden.

Ah, I've been assigned

to the Klausman --

Yaakov Klausman was reported

as a missing person?

Do these guys understand

what I'm saying?

- The Rebbe speaks eight languages.

- Is English one of'em?

Okay. You know, most cases

where kids disappear...

we're talking some kind

of sh*t going on.

Um. I know.

I know. I apologize.

I'm really not as stupid as I act.

Relax.

You're a very tense person.

Which one of you

is immediate family?

- Are you the immediate family?

- I'm Yaakov's father.

Okay, good. Maybe there's some place

we could go and talk.

No. My Rebbe has to be here.

[ Sigh ] So you're all like a family?

In a manner of speaking.

Thank you. Okay.

Your son disappeared two nights ago?

Did you fight with him?

- No.

- Your wife maybe?

-Anything like this ever happen before?

-Of course not.

Has Yaakov exhibited signs

of strange behavior lately...

you know, being depressed,

uncommunicative?

- Staying alone in his room?

- No.

Is anything missing?

Money? Jewelry?

Diamonds are missing, yes.

How much are we

talking here?

Wholesale, about $720,000.

Well, look, I hate to say this,

but if we're talking diamonds...

we could be looking

at a felony here.

Maybe your son ripped you off.

I've seen it a hundred times.

In your world perhaps, not in ours.

Are you in charge here?

The Almighty is in charge.

Um, Mr. Klausman...

when was the last time

that you saw your son?

Tuesday night... right before Yaakov

went to say Maariv.

[ Ariel ] Maariv,

that's the evening prayer.

I should also tell you

I'm Yaakov's best friend...

and probably the last person

to see him before he disappeared.

Then you and I are gonna

have to have a little talk.

You will pardon me.

I have people waiting to see me.

No, no. You stay.

- Um, would you excuse us?

- It wouldn't be proper,

us alone in the room.

Why, are you planning

on jumping my bones?

It's a question of modesty,

proper behavior.

I was just kidding.

I was kidding.

Yes, of course.

I got it. I got it. Okay?

Here we go. All right,

speak to me of Yaakov Klausman.

[ Buzzing ]

- Sholem alechem.

- Alechem sholem.

Hi.

That's all the transactions

for the past year...

- to the public.

- What do you mean?

On the street, among ourselves,

we do business with a handshake.

- No written contracts?

- It's a business based

on honor and trust.

Huh. What exactly does Yaakov do?

Yaakov cuts the stones.

He's fallen behind in his work

what with his wedding and all.

Oh.

- What do you call those?

- These?

- Yeah, those.

- Payess.

Payess?

Why do you wear 'em?

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes

Robert J. Avrech

Robert J. Avrech is an American screenwriter whose works include the 1984 film Body Double (with Brian De Palma) and A Stranger Among Us (1992). He won an Emmy Award for his screenplay The Devil's Arithmetic, based on the young adult novel by Jane Yolen.He is also the author of the children's novel The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden, and the memoir How I Married Karen, and publishes personal and political writings on his blog, Seraphic Press. From 2009 through mid-2012, he was a writer for Breitbart News. more…

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