American Gangster Page #7

Sit down.

Uncle Frank.

What's happenin?

How you doin?

Cool.

Want a drink?

- You know better than that.

- Just checking.

Why didn't you show up

for that meeting?

I set it up with the Yankees

and Billy Martin.

Why didn't you show up?

Don't lie to me.

I don't want to play ball no more.

- I decided.

- What you mean, decided what?

- I don't want it.

- What you talkin about?

You play since you was little,

you're ready for the pros,

what do you...

We got a problem.

What do you want?

I want what you got, Uncle Frank.

I want to be you.

My man!

- Welcome, Frank.

- How you doin, Nick?

It's all great, welcome.

- I need to talk to you.

- Right, c'mon.

Yeah, everybody's good,

everybody's happy,

Charlie, Baz, the Italians,

johnny law,

everybody's happy except you.

I don't get why you have

to take something that's

perfectly good,

and mess it up.

See, brand name,

brand name means something,

you understand?

Shut the f*** up!

Go ahead.

Sorry about that bullshit.

Blue Magic.

That's a brand name.

Like Pepsi, that's a brand name.

I stand behind it, I guarantee it.

They know that even if

they don't know me

any more than

the chairman of General Mills.

- What the f*** you talkin about?

- What I'm talking about is when you

chop my dope down

to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 %,

and then call it

Blue Magic,

that's trademark infringement,

understand?

With all due respect,

if I buy something I own it.

That ain't true.

I buy a car,

I can paint the motherf***er.

But you don't have to,

that's what I'm saying to you,

it's good enough the way it is.

You can make enough money of it

the way it is

just by calling it Blue Magic.

More than that is greed, son!

What you want?

That I change the name?

I'd have to insist

that you change the name.

Fine by me,

I'll call it Red Magic.

- Even if it don't sound as good.

- Name it what you want.

Put a choker on it, motherf***er,

and call it Blue Dogshit,

know what I mean?

Just don't let me

catch you doing this again.

"Catch me",

"infringement", "insist" ?

I don't like these words

as much as "please",

"thank you, sorry to bother you Nicky,"

these are better words to use

when you come to my club uninvited.

Hear me?

My man.

Sh*t.

F***, is that cops there?

It's all right.

What the hell they gonna do,

give us a ticket?

Stuff's in the car, Frank.

- What?

- Some of it is in the trunk.

- How you doin, Frank?

- Good, how was your Thanksgiving?

Not so good as a matter of fact.

Get out of the car.

- Give me the keys.

- Where's the Shelby at?

It's gone. Stay right there.

Yes, sir, right here.

Got anything worth lookin at?

That's the Trupo guy.

- Is that him?

- Yeah.

F***in prick.

Come here a minute, Frank.

What we gonna do about this?

Nothing, close it up, throw it back in,

everybody go home.

Have some pumpkin pie,

warm apple cider.

I got a better idea.

Or would you rather me

throw you and your bro in the river?

Or would you rather

your house blows up next time?

- I loved that car.

- I know.

What's he doin?

Shakedown.

Somebody's getting some money

for the benevolent funk.

Sorry, Frank.

Go on, get in the car.

All right, you call me back.

INS, IRS, FBI,

can't get a damn thing out of them.

Cause they all think

you're on the take.

And you think they are.

I don't think they want this to stop.

He employs too many people.

Judges, lawyers, cops,

politicians, prison guards,

probation officers.

His dope stops flowing in, a hundred

thousand people lose their job.

What the f*** is a microwave?

It's a scientific force,

like atomic energy.

It rearranges the molecules.

- Of what?

- Of what...

Of popcorn.

Of your head.

Stick it in, go on.

I can get you one of those.

Brand new, just like this.

I'll have it delivered.

No, thank you.

- Where is that?

- Aspen, we just got back.

- Great time. You know who we met?

- Who?

Burt Reynolds.

I'm not kidding.

Hollywood people go up there,

they're buying up everything.

This is your place?

You know what its worth?

Ski in, ski out,

five bedrooms,

sauna, everything.

We were guests.

It's your place.

Isnt there something we can do

about leaving the big guy alone?

You know what I mean.

I dont report what you just said,

then I can get in a lot of trouble.

I do report it,

and the trouble is yours.

Hoping you won't do that.

C'mon, I am not taping it.

How do you know?

Because we're friends.

- I'm telling you, this is a real offer.

- From who?

Your uncle?

Why would you do this?

Why risk our friendship?

Because...

I care what happens to you.

You shouldnt have done it.

I had too, I had no choice,

neither do you, Richie!

You don't have a choice!

Just leave

Frank Lucas alone!

Frank Lucas?

Tell Maria I had to leave,

I'm sorry.

Tell her why.

- Talk!

- Don't shoot!

- Are you Richie Roberts?

- Yes, so what?

It's been served.

Sorry.

Laurie.

I'm sorry I never gave you

the kind of life you wanted.

I'm sorry it was never enough.

Don't punish me for being honest.

Don't take my boy away.

What? Are you saying...

that because you were honest

and didn't take money

like every other cop, I left you?

No, you don't take money

for one reason.

To buy being dishonest

about everything else.

It's worse than taking money

nobody gives a sh*t about!

Drug money, gambling money

nobody's gonna miss.

I'd rather you took it

and been honest with me!

Or don't take it, I don't care,

but don't go cheating on me!

Or on your kid

by never being around.

Don't go out and get laid

by your snitches,

and your secretaries and strippers!

I can tell by just looking

she's one of'em.

You think you're going to Heaven

cause you're honest.

But you're not!

You're going to the same hell

as the crooked cops you can't stand!

All rise!

Please, be seated.

Ms. Dickerson.

Before the court renders its opinion,

is there anything else

you'll like to be heard on?

Yes, your honor.

Your Honor, a lot has been said here

today about

how unsavory Mr. Roberts

environment is for a child.

How dangerous it is.

We tell him to protects us.

We give him that responsability

but then

say "Oh, we dont trust you

to raise a child."

- "We don't think you're fit for that."

- I'm not.

You're right.

Being around me

is no place for a kid.

You take him to Vegas.

I'll come see him when I can.

Your Honor, I want to apologize

for wasting the court's time.

Doc.

I see him.

Here he is.

What's going on?

Champagne?

- Merry Xmas, detectives!

- For us?

Yeah, enjoy that.

Fellas, have a good time.

Good stuff.

The South Vietnamese troops

conducted airstrikes

on communist positions inside the city.

Paying all of johnny law,

that's one thing.

I got no problem with that,

I've been...

paying off the police since I was ten,

putting more of their kids to college

than the National Merit Award.

Give me one of them rounded.

This is different though.

This Special Investigative Unit,

that's their problem,

- they think they're special.

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