Kill the Irishman Page #4

Art Sneperger.

Doesn't sound very good, does it?

It's not gonna sound very good

to a jury, either.

- So what do you want from me?

- The truth.

I told you the truth.

Did you tell me

that Danny Greene murdered Mike Frato?

Hey, don't put f***ing words in my mouth.

I never said that. I said no.

Then you didn't tell me the truth.

Let me tell you something.

I ain't going before the grand jury.

And I ain't testifying.

- Yes, you are. Yes, you are.

- I don't give a sh*t what you tell me.

- No, I'm not.

- I could subpoena you.

- I think I'm gonna throw up.

- Throw up.

Throw up all over yourself.

I'll help you clean it up.

Just tell me what I need to know.

Tell me the truth. Tell me the truth, Mikey.

Okay. This is how it went down.

Mike went to kill Danny Greene.

He threw a couple of shots at him,

Danny shot back.

That's it. Case closed.

So it was self-defence?

Absolutely. I think you got it now.

F*** you, Mikey.

And I'm gonna push. And I'm gonna push.

Shut up.

To me you are just a thug.

You understand that?

I'm gonna be there when you f*** up.

I'm gonna put you away, you know that?

What part of Collinwood you from, Joe?

Catalpa Road.

- Ah. North or south of Euclid?

- South.

Very nice.

Look, I know you got a job to do and all that.

You gotta remember

there are some more important things in life.

You care to expand on that?

Don't rock the boat, Joe.

You got a nice job. Nice car. Nice home.

When it comes to pushing,

I'm the wrong guy you want pushing back.

You threatening me?

'Cause if there's even a hint of that,

badge or no badge,

I will cut your f***ing heart out

with a rusty butter knife

and eat it while it's still beating.

Understand each other?

Good.

I thought we were gonna dance there

for a second.

What'd you say?

You really wanna dance with me?

(SCOFFS)

FEMALE REPORTER:

Danny, do you have any comment?

DANNY:
Get out of here.

DANNY:
Hey!

Where you going?

I've had it.

(UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

See you tomorrow, fellas.

Son of a b*tch landlord bastard.

Making a poor old woman homeless.

Shame on him.

You tell him for me,

may he rot in the lowest pit of hell,

and his children and his grandchildren

and everybody he ever knew and the...

What's she owe?

Three months.

Beat it.

I don't need your pity.

Grace, I'm not paying your rent out of pity.

You're a strong Irish woman and I like that.

Is that so?

I read that article about you

in the newspaper.

Regular desperado, huh?

Stinkin' lies. All of it.

Why, the reporter said that you believe

you're a descendent of Celtic warriors.

- Was that a stinkin' lie?

- No.

That I said.

Is this the Cuyahoga?

No, it's the Liffey, in Dublin, you big galoot.

(CHUCKLES)

You've never been there, have you? I can tell.

Here, have a seat.

You know, Celtic men were so committed

to a fight to the death.

But they'd always leave an heirloom

as a legacy to protect

the ones that they loved.

This was my father's.

Now, our forebears,

our people, yours and mine,

they weren't just fearless.

They knew that there was something better

than just being a big shot.

Something that means having the grace

of God on your shoulder to protect you,

so you can protect those around you.

You have the eyes of a warrior, it's true.

But I see something else.

I see goodness.

There's no good in me.

Don't you ever say that.

We're drunks. We're fighters.

(CHUCKLES) We're liars.

There's a bit of good in every Irishman.

Give me your hand.

Give me your hand.

Go on now, get out of here. Go on.

REPORTER:

What'd you think about Danny Greene?

He's a pretty good guy.

Like when I was 15, I had a mini-bike,

and the police took it away.

He went and got it the same day,

brought it back.

JOE:
Do you believe

the press this guy is getting?

They're calling him

the Robin Hood of Collinwood.

I know this guy over

at Cuyahoga National Bank.

Danny Greene comes in the other day

and he wants to start an educational trust.

He wants to take 10 orphans

and put them in the best private schools

in Cleveland, on his own dime.

Merry Christmas!

(DANNY LAUGHING)

MAN:
Good man for the neighbourhood.

Took care of a lot of families

that were in need.

Gave turkeys away for Christmas.

Gave turkeys away for Thanksgiving.

Merry Christmas, boys.

Merry Christmas.

KEITH:
Happy holiday, if you want.

(SPEAKS HEBREW)

I tell you about the time

I met Marilyn Monroe?

She was in town on some publicity thing.

One night she comes

into the Theatrical with some people,

including the commie writer

she married, Miller.

- Arthur Miller.

- Archie Miller. Yeah.

And everybody's there. Licavoli. Lips Moceri.

And these guys are gushing for her.

End of the evening comes

and Miller goes home alone.

RUTH:
What's the matter?

The soup's not hot enough?

- Why aren't you eating?

- It's hot. We're trying to talk.

RUTH:
You must like potatoes. You must.

You're Irish.

We're trying to have a conversation.

- Ruth, for Christ's sake.

- RUTH:
Okay. I'm going. Okay.

None of these guys had it in them

to make a move.

It takes chutzpah,

brass nuts, to get what you want.

She was a doll.

Her skin was like milk.

What sort of place do you envision?

- Restaurant and lounge.

- Mmm.

Good food. Good cocktails.

Pretty waitresses.

Pure class all the way.

I'm calling it the Dublin Public House.

How much do you need?

I figure 70 grand will get me started.

I'm gonna get you the money. Not mine.

A businessman doesn't invest

his own money.

- You know who the Gambinos are?

- Sure.

Big dagos in New York.

Oh.

Be serious.

Because when it comes to money,

take my word, they're very serious.

I'll send a courier to New York.

Thank you, Shondor.

You've earned it. My young friend.

I want the entrance to jump out, you know?

I want people to feel invited.

I want big gates.

You know, big wrought-iron gates.

Excuse me. What time do you open?

6:
30.

I read this thing about the benefits

of an all vegetable diet.

What do you think?

- What do I think?

- Yeah.

Uh... Sure.

- Thanks.

- Yeah.

DANNY:
Where are you from?

Are you shy?

Youngstown.

Youngstown is a tough town.

You don't look tough.

Why'd you leave?

I... I was living with my uncle.

Didn't work out.

Well, Ellie, the fair's over in Cuyahoga Falls

this month. Do you wanna go?

You mean like on a date or something?

Yeah.

Mind if I ask what you do for a living?

I'm in the restaurant business.

Ellie. Damn it, I told you

to sweep the back room.

Mr Greene. I'm sorry, I didn't...

She's okay with you. Okay? No problem.

It's all good. Everything's good.

Take your time. I'll sweep out the back room.

JOE:
Looking back,

those were the good years.

Danny and I were never friends,

but I got a kick out of the guy.

We even ended up coaching

youth baseball together.

Hey, Joe. I'm going straight now.

You're about as straight as a bent shillelagh.

And just when it looked like Danny

was going to really turn the corner...

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