Original subtitles

♪ It's a jungle out there ♪

♪ It's a jungle out there ♪

♪ It's a jungle out there ♪

♪ If you're blue and you don't know where to go to ♪

♪ Why don't you go where fashion sits ♪

♪ Puttin' on the Ritz ♪

♪ Different types will wear a day coat ♪

♪ Pants with stripes and cutaway coat perfect fits ♪

♪ Puttin' on the Ritz ♪

Once upon a time,

there was a land of neon rainbows called Kings Cross.

Where fantasies could be bought

and nightmares walked the streets.

It was a Neverland, a land on another planet.

A land were a western suburbs schoolboy

called John Ibrahim

came to seek his fortune.

Come on, Buddy.

Left right, right left. Left!

Kick his arse, Bud.

Get him, Bud.

Come on!

Get him, Bud, fight him.

Ooh!

Well done.

Hey, you've gotta move your feet.

Move your feet.

Nice job, boys, nice job.

What are you doing here?

I had a free period.

What happened to your hand? What happened?

What happened?

- Nothing happened. - Show me your hand.

Show me your hand! - Here we go.

Come here!

What? Piss off.

Show me your hand.

- There's nothing. - Show me your hand!

What happened?

You think you're fucking cool, don't you, Ibrahim?

Dirty fucking Leb!

So that's why you got kicked out?

No, I just walked out.

It's him that should be expelled

for Russia-villa-classification, man.

- Vilification. Listen. - Yeah, whatever.

What about your HSC?

I'm done with school.

What? Man, you're a div, man.

You know what plans we've all got for you.

Yeah, I've got plans of my own.

What?

Man, not this stuff again.

Come on, I've been working doors for ages, hey?

Well, how long have you been at Images for, John?

18 months.

Cut a bit of time on the brothel, hey?

Hey, Parra's not the Cross, okay?

No, it's not.

You can't stop me working here though.

Yes I can.

Ah, come on, I can help you out, mate.

Mate, you can't even do what you're told.

You're a short-arse, you're gonna get in my way, go home.

Go home.

Go.

Far out, mate.

He just can't do what he's told.

See you, Johnny.

Ah, Johnny.

Hammer, real name Harry Hammoud,

and the other boys John Ibrahim looked up to

all came from the same streets out west.

Their families had emigrated

from the same part of Lebanon.

They grew up together, went to school together.

Briefly.

They were like brothers, a band of up-for-anything brothers.

And Hammer's particular skills, Taekwondo, hot-headedness,

no regard for personal safety,

earned him a reputation for never losing a fight.

And a reputation for reckless violence

comes in handy when you're collecting protection money.

Which is kind of like insurance cover

against acts of reckless violence.

The Cross was the vice capital of Sydney.

No, make that Australia.

A one mile stretch of strip clubs, brothels,

nightclubs, discos, restaurants, coffee shops,

and heartbreaking sob stories.

Whatever your poison, whatever your perversion,

it was for sale on the Golden Mile.

And people flooded there every night

with pockets full of cash.

Moths to a neon flame.

It was a license to print money

for those who controlled Kings Cross.

So who were the Kings of the Cross?

The hard old men of Sydney's underworld,

George Freeman and Lennie McPherson.

Dogs! Sorcerers!

They're sexually immoral.

You're outside the Lord's gate.

Outside! - Open 'til late.

Get your first three for free- - Dogs! Sorcerers!

- Mate, no cover charge. - They're sexually immoral.

- Hey. - You're outside the-

Your parents know where you are?

- Outside! - I'm an orphan.

- Really? What's your name? - Dogs!

Morrison.

First name.

Van.

Well, you look about as Irish as I do.

Arrest the little prick, officer,

and give him a slap over the head.

Save me the trouble.

Hey, I'm more scared of him than you.

You two know each other, do you?

Oh!

We've got a smart copper on our hands.

- Yeah, yeah. - We really need

to be careful now. - Hey, come on,

let's get out of here, huh, huh?

Hey, I thought I told you'd go home.

Trains were all full.

Collecting money for George and Lennie

wasn't the only use Hammer put his skills to.

He freelanced as muscle for most of the clubs and brothels.

And a message on his pager

that said "Pink Flamingo, no ties"

meant that matters had got past the canape stage.

Hey.

Hey, what's going on? Where you off to?

Oh, Pink Flamingo.

You need a hand?

No, no, no, I'll page you.

- Sure. - Okay.

Hey, stay there.

Oh, come on, let me come with you!

Stay there.

Stay here with us, mate.

Come on!

Stay back here with us, mate.

The Golden Mile was a law unto itself.

But its denizens understood very well the need for order.

When order breaks down, violence breaks out,

punters get scared off, and the money dries up.

And that cannot be tolerated.

Take it!

Go in, go in!

- Oh, shit! - Go in! Go in!

Bouncers, doormen, enforcers like Hammer,

they all shared this love of order.

So when a mob of drunken out-of-towners

overpower local security staff,

peace has to be restored, and quickly.

And that's what this is, by the way.

A peacekeeping exercise.

Oi, sunshine!

Done. - What the fuck

do you think you're doing?

I just saved your hairy Lebanese arse, mate.

Yeah, like fuck, you did.

Oi! What's going on here?

Nothing.

Had a report of a brawl.

Yeah, you're fucking a bit late.

I've done your job for you.

Is everything alright?

You guys alright in here?

- Yeah. - You alright, boys?

What about you, sir, are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Kings Cross 51, a VKG,

everything's pretty quiet

on the street here. - Fuck off.

Get outta here. Fuck off. - Gonna check out inside.

Get out. Get out.

Hey, you gotta admit,

that was a pretty good kick.

Fucking overreached, mate,

your balance was all wrong.

Oh, bullshit!

Fuck you, man.

I'm Taekwon-diva, mate.

First you must learn to stand,

then you must learn to fly.

Yeah, Ross wants me over at Pussycats.

Suppose you might as well come.

Oh, you need my short arse now, do you?

No, I need a mascot.

John Ibrahim wasn't the only one

attracted to the pots of gold on the Golden Mile.

Alright, don't miss the bus.

Good luck at the new job, Dad.

Thanks, sweetheart. Bye, mate.

Bank card payment's due.

Mhmm. I'll see you later.

Greedy coppers could see the appeal

of working in a place where the language was money.

For Detective Sergeant Trevor Haken,

a transfer to Kings Cross

was like an express train to the Promised Land.

And this is what I call the general revenue shelf.

Yeah, it's for general use,

anyone in the office can eat all of that.

Now, this shelf down here, though, individual use only.

Now, the label system really helps out there

otherwise the whole system-

The fridge fairy finished boring your balls off yet?

It's a system, Chook.

Come here.

Okay, this is Grunter.

- G'day, mate. - Yeah, Sean.

Ah, this is Parrot.

- G'day. - How you doing?

They're working on those bashings

at Macleay Street, aren't you, gentlemen?

- Yep. We're out, let's go. - And Scully's supposed to be

up to his purse pawing pits in car rebirthing

but I don't know what the fuck he's doing.

I got a lot on me plate right now, Chook,

and why is it- - Shh!

That all the work here comes to me? Sorry, Jimmy.

- Jim. - I'll call you back, mate.

So what do you want me on?

Oh, well, take your pick.

What do we got here?

Attempted murder. Assault with a deadly weapon.

What is it, drug deals, soliciting.

More drug deals.

I tell you, the average punter on a Saturday afternoon

mowing his lawn,

he ain't got a clue what goes on here.

Well, that has its advantages.

What do you reckon, Jim?

You two go back a ways.

What do you reckon Sergeant Haken's good for?

I'm tempted to say nothing.

Hm.

Only joking, Trev.

The look on you!

Look, mate.

There's a joke on here.

There's a big bloody joke on

and there is a very good dollar to be made every week.

Oh! It's tea time, Jimbo.

Why don't you take Trev out and get us some victuals.

Oh, don't forget your lunch, mate.

He's a drug dealer.

He's another.

Who's the big goanna in the drug trade up here?

There isn't one, really.

Three or four blokes. Got a few drug dealers each.

Though, that piece of work over there

has got delusions of grandeur.

Bill Bayeh, he owns a gambling joint on Bayswater Road.

You see the small guy?

- Mhmm. - He's a fist.

They call him Captain Jack.

Lunchbox.

Evening.

How you doing, boys?

This is Sergeant Haken.

Nice to meet you, Sergeant Haken.

♪ I've had all the lonesome I can stand ♪

♪ The playmates in the magazines ♪

♪ Are only ink and paper dreams ♪

♪ I'll go home with you, just take my hand ♪

Mate, you should see the pavers

that I'm putting around the patio.

Real flash.

Yeah, that reminds me.

Skulls, have you bought that new rod yet?

Nothing wrong with me old one, Chook.

Well, that'd be the one Moses used

when he was a nipper?

Favorite rod.

Made an arrest on that bashing.

Confession?

Signed and in the can.

Well, I think that deserves

a little bit of overtime, then.

Thanks, mate.

You don't mind holding the fort, do you, Skulls?

You can do a fridge audit, mate.

♪ I'll go home with you ♪

♪ I'll do anything you want me to ♪

♪ I've had all the lonesome ♪

The Kings Cross detectives

were headed up by the legendary Chook Fowler.

♪ The playmates in the magazines ♪

A hard man from the old school

who was tougher than all the doormen, bouncers,

and enforcers rolled into one.

Trevor Haken had just found his role model.

New recruit.

I found him on the street, he followed me home.

John Ibrahim.

Nice to meet you, Mr. McPherson.

How you going?

Pleased to meet you, Mr. Freeman.

You can bring the car around when you're ready.

Hey, you know those new $10 notes

have got more anti-counterfeiting devices

than any other money in the world?

Shadow images, micro printing,

even fluorescent ink.

It's good to know your own's the real thing, eh?

What the fuck was that all about?

It's called networking, mate.

It's called being a zup, more like it.

Oh yeah, you're a zup.

Oi.

They're expecting you at the door of The Tunnel.

Johnny.

Hey, Michelle.

Slumming it from the burbs, are we?

Hey, there's no law against checking out the Cross.

So, are you working here now, Johnny?

Yeah, I work here.

So, what are you, like a bouncer?

No, I'm just perusing my future investments.

What?

Streets here are paved with gold, love.

Oh, is that right?

So you heard how the school social's coming up?

Kind of a shame you won't be there.

Hey, who says I won't?

You can't go.

- You got expelled, remember? - Move it!

You said you wouldn't do this anymore.

Come on. Gimme a break.

It was my welcome drinks.

Here we are, boys.

Management at the Bourbon wishes us a good day.

Here you are, mate. - Ah, thank you, good sir.

- Cheers. - No worries.

Trev.

Cheers.

Here's to top a evening with the wives tonight.

- Boys. - Cheers.

In Kings Cross, morality was negotiable.

One man's sin was another man's salvation.

The crooks liked to think that they had a code of honor

while the dirty cops prayed that their good deeds

outweighed the kickbacks, payoffs,

and bribes that paid for the kids' teeth

and their wives' fancy shoes.

Hey, let's have it, eh?

Woo!

Look at the freak!

Every man has his line in the sand.

The Kings Cross detectives drew theirs

perilously close to the water's edge.

Babysitter's at 11.

Come on, the boys wanna show us a good time.

See you.

Well? Hey, darling.

Hey, buddy. How are you?

So who's your favorite arrest, Jim?

Druggies or hookers?

Maria!

You know, as long as the streets are nice and clean

and safe and the average punter's happy,

I'm a happy copper. - Oh, piss off!

So how's the kids, mate?

I mean, they must be getting bigger.

You know, much bigger.

Don't buy a dildo, sexy.

I'll provide the real dick for free.

What'd you say to my wife?

She's your wife?

Fuck me, you pay her to get hitched to you?

You wanna watch your manners, buddy.

Nothing wrong with my fucking manners.

- Trevor, just leave it. - Listen mate,

you even look at her again, I'll rip your fucking nuts off.

Oh, I'm shitting myself, Romeo. We all are.

Come on, you!

Jim!

Hey! Break it up!

Break it up!

Everything's under control, Constable.

Yeah, I can see that, Detective Sergeant.

Very in control.

You're cops?

Yeah.

It's your lucky day, mate. - They're bloody cops!

Fight, fight, fight, fight!

Oi, that's enough, Detective.

Take these shitbags back to the station,

First Senior Constable.

We'll sort it out there.

Oh, don't take them out, come on!

Let them go, come on!

You're all fucking dead!

You're dead!

Wish you'd stayed out west tonight?

Fucking dead man.

- Open up! - Yeah,

you're fucking dead, mate.

Anybody home? Oi, get back.

When you're ready!

Not such a big man now, huh?

They're not getting out!

You blokes have work to do?

Go!

Yeah, bye!

Come on, run along!

Open the van, piss off.

Hoody hoody!

Constable Webb!

Ladies first.

Out you come.

Those guys, they'd already started a fight in Playbirds.

Maybe they had it coming.

You don't think they did.

No, actually.

Then why didn't you say something?

It's the wrong time, wrong place.

Oh.

Any complaint you or I make will go nowhere.

Then things will never change, will they?

We stick our bloody heads in the sand.

It's not about sticking our heads in the sand, Deb.

It's about making sure they don't get shot off.

Come in.

Jimbo.

Look at this.

Thanks for coming up.

No worries, mate. Looking very spiffy there.

Yeah, area command dinner.

Don't have to wear it too often, thank Christ.

So, mate.

Bush telegraph's flickering.

Mhmm?

You Kings Cross boys had a busy night.

Just an affray, mate.

10 pissed clams out on a buck's night.

Give you any trouble?

No.

Word is they ended up looking like

Jeff Fenech's sparring partner.

Well, they resisted arrest, didn't they?

You used only necessary force?

Of course.

I mean, nothing Commissioner Avery

wouldn't think was 100% kosher?

You know, Den, you and your beloved leaders

have been sitting behind desks for too long.

Have you forgotten what it's like out in the real world?

Real world's changing, Jim.

We're just trying to do our job.

Right, just doing your job.

You know, journos, mate,

print "Kings Cross police brutality."

Hey, and the job

gets harder for all of us, mate.

What would those bloody journos know, Den?

I'd like to see them spend a day,

half a day out there on the Cross

dealing with the shit that we've gotta deal with.

I mean, come on, those scumbags

were marching up and down Darlo Road

all night causing trouble.

They insulted Trev's wife then they attacked us,

they kicked Sean Sinclair's head so hard

he's got six stitches.

Now, any sort of injuries that they have

happened during the brawl

or in the process of arrest.

That's what your incident reports will say.

That's what happened.

So what's Mel Mal done, mate?

Nothing.

So why are we going there?

To kick his head in?

Well, who says we're kicking anyone's head in, huh?

We're just going there for a drink.

Do you want any? Here.

- No, no, no. - Alright, let's go.

Hey, mate.

Detectives, praise the Lord.

Some druggies took my board.

I can't impart the word of the Lord

if I don't have a board to write the word of the Lord on it.

Why would they- - What, what time was this?

- About one hour ago. - Whereabouts?

Up on the strip.

And how many were there?

- Four. - Mhmm?

How long you owned this place?

A couple of years.

Yeah? You do alright?

Well, turnover's great.

I mean, it's one of three clubs on the Cross

that's got a 6:00 a.m. license.

But drugs are a problem,

half the staff's got their hands in the till.

Every Tom Dick and Harry thinks they've got the right

to hit on you for a freebie.

Quick licensing check, Mel.

I trust no one's underage.

I'm not drinking, mate, so.

You know, I file a report,

you could lose your liquor license.

Or you could just pay an on the spot fine.

He had you going, didn't he?

Come on, Trev, we've got some work to do.

See you, boys.

Yeah, see you later.

Is there a problem?

You were a bit warm in there, mate.

I mean, opportunity knocks and everything

but don't you think you were kind of brazen?

I thought you'd be pleased.

Buy yourself a few more flash pavers, eh?

Let's see if we can hunt down

poor old Bible boy's word of God.

Hey, matey.

What did he look like?

There were four of them.

You're too pissed to drive Freeman home.

What? Fucking hell, what's wrong with you, man?

I've been driving since before you knew

how to fucking drive. - "I've been driving since"-

Hey, you're not considering driving, are you, Hammer?

What?

How many beers have you had?

I haven't had any beers.

Well, I find that hard to believe.

I'm sweet as!

Alright, sweetie?

Step back, please, sir.

Come home with us tonight.

I want you to go home by yourself.

Say hello to your mother for me.

Oh really, huh? Cheeky, huh?

Alright, I think you guys need to take a break.

Why don't you go have a coffee, huh?

Why don't you just fuck off?

Do you wanna spend the rest of the night in the locker?

You fucking cops

are fucking dogs, bro! - Step back, sir.

Now, you get behind the wheel of a car,

I will bang you up so fast you'll need a checkered flag.

Hey, hey, no one's driving here, officers,

these lovely boys were just going up

to play a game of Manila, weren't you?

I bet Billy Bayeh's got a pocket full of cash

that he's itching to lose.

Go clean him out for me, eh?

Go on.

I'll take care of the other, go on.

Sorry, officers.

Smile mate, smile.

See you, sweetie.

Dogs, mate.

Sorry officers.

Mr. Freeman.

John Ibrahim.

What?

Ah, the boys had a busy night, so they sent me.

You got a fucking license?

Yeah, of course.

That new place. What's the ask?

800.

Right, well, after compliance,

we'd have to be getting not less than 15% over three years.

Get yourself a taxi at the end of the road.

Hey, Mr. Freeman.

Compliance means conforming, right?

Like, conforming to government regulations,

safety and shit?

Hey, what do you and Mr. McPherson look for in a club?

Is it just the street, or does the building matter too?

Didn't realize you taught basic business

to the hired muscle.

Hey, I wanna be like you guys, Mr. Freeman.

Mr. McPherson, I wanna,

I wanna be as successful as you, you know?

I wanna have what you've got.

Sure you do.

Hey, I don't wanna be someone else's bat all my life.

No offense.

Cocky little shit, aren't you?

You still at school?

I can read, write, multiply.

Nothing more school could teach me.

In other words, they kicked you out.

I was expelled from three schools.

I left for good when I was 14.

Never did me any harm.

I told the Chinese to stay put.

They got a whole fucking town named after them.

We get the Cross.

What, you don't trust Asians?

Chinks, wogs, Lebos, bog Irish, poms,

Aussies, doesn't bother me.

Me and Lennie, we got the casino earns

east of Elizabeth Street.

- Hey, Georgie. - Hey. G'day, Georgie.

Hey, Lennie.

G'day, darl.

Sweetheart, this is John.

- Hi. - Hi.

Sweetie, the estate agent called,

we can check out that place in the Highlands this weekend.

Looking forward to it, sweetheart.

Hey, not too many of those.

Cholesterol. It's a silent killer.

Nice to meet you, John.

Nice to meet you.

Eyes to the front, sweetheart.

Like King Arthur with Merlin,

John Ibrahim sat at George Freeman's well-shod feet

and soaked up everything the colorful raising identity

had to teach.

Change, ladies? Good girls.

Two of his most important lessons

were about money and respect.

You can't take something for nothing.

You pay your people, you pay them well.

You pay your suppliers.

Fuck me, even pay some taxes.

If you're serious about making money,

then you've gotta stay outta trouble.

And you won't stay outta trouble

if you don't give people what they've earned.

And that includes respect.

Especially respect.

Do your time, son.

Three or four years in Kindy and who knows?

One day, you might even know one end of the Cross

from the other.

Three to four years, eh?

Wait and see.

You're fucking kidding me,

you went inside Freeman's house?

Swear to God. He invited me in.

Gave me a cup of tea.

You should see Freeman's missus.

She is hot.

What, mate, you still think I can't handle myself?

I think you're a fucking little crawler.

Alright.

I gotta go anyway.

Where you going, bro?

School social.

- School social? - Yeah.

Isn't he expelled?

In fact, he'd been expelled

and explicitly forbidden

from attending any school functions.

But that wasn't John's biggest problem.

The social was fancy dress

and like Cinderella, he had nothing to wear.

- A few bucks, ladies. - Oi, mate.

How much for your suit?

What?

The bear suit. I need it.

Koalas are not bears.

Save the wilderness?

Oi!

You'd steal from the environment?

I don't want your money, I need your suit.

Hey, listen, I'm hiring it,

or you can consider it a bloody donation

but I need your suit, right?

Gimme the suit. - No.

- Gimme your suit. - No!

- I need your bloody suit. - Fuck off!

Gimme, gimme!

Jesus! Don't fight it!

Don't fight it!

♪ Well it's a horrid town ♪

♪ Where people kiss the ground ♪

♪ And the higher you go ♪

♪ That's where the feeling grows ♪

♪ There's a world out there ♪

♪ Where people just don't care ♪

Hey, brass nuts! Hey!

Come here!

Oh! Who's that in there?

It's me, told you I'd come.

John?

If the principal sees you, he's gonna go mental.

You'll be in so much trouble.

Oh my God, Johnny's here, Johnny's here,

he's in the koala suit!

Go tell everyone he's here!

♪ Well it's a horrid town ♪

♪ Where people kiss the ground ♪

♪ And the higher you go ♪

♪ That's where the feeling grows ♪

♪ There's a world out there ♪

♪ Where people just don't care ♪

♪ About what's going down ♪

♪ Right here in horrid town ♪

♪ Well it's a horrid town ♪

♪ Where people kiss the ground ♪

♪ And the higher you go ♪

♪ That's where the feeling grows ♪

♪ There's a world out there ♪

♪ Where people just don't care ♪

♪ About what's going down ♪

♪ Right here in horrid town ♪

Year 12?

Year 12, a bit of shush, thanks.

I know you're out there, Ibrahim.

Everyone, masks off.

Masks off, please.

Did you see the look on his face?

Yeah. It was pretty priceless.

Hey, did you know that koalas spend like,

18 hours of the day sleeping?

Really?

- Yeah. - What do they do

with the rest of the time?

They watch TV and play video games.

No, I'm serious.

You are not like anybody else, you know that?

That suits me just fine.

Cheers, mate.

Saved my arse.

♪ I think that we could be lovers ♪

Come on in, don't miss out on the action.

Continuous drinks, come on, sir!

You only live once, open up your lives, folks.

Come on, don't feel nervous, come on in.

George, Lennie, Hammer,

they'd all drummed it into John's skull

that order on the streets was vital.

Maybe that's why he decided to jump into a fight

that didn't concern him

between guys he didn't even know.

Hey!

Got a knife!

It's over a mile to St. Vincent's Hospital.

Still, on foot's probably faster than calling an ambulance.

Which is important when your liver's sliced in half,

your intestines are chopped spaghetti,

and you've got a collapsed lung.

Where's the boys?

Everyone's at the mosque,

praying to Allah for not sending you to paradise.

Get some rest, man. Relax.

Don't worry about anything.

Me and Lennie will look after you.

We'll keep your pay coming.

That kid you went to help, he was one of our boys.

You didn't know that?

Don't have to fucking do this, George.

Let's just wait and see, shall we?

You're gonna be okay, John.

You'll get better.

But you're too pretty and too small

to be the toughest.

That's what I always say.

But you're smart enough to be the smartest.

Look, I gotta get out of here

before this no smoking kills me.

Once upon a time, a young man

with a bright future came to the Golden Mile,

only to die an untimely death.

For three long minutes, clinically speaking.

But John must've had a guardian angel watching over him

because he got to be born again.

♪ I'm standing here on the ground ♪

♪ The sky above won't fall down ♪

♪ Seeing no hero in all directions ♪

♪ Resolution of happiness ♪

♪ Things have been dark for too long ♪

Most of us would never dream

of carving out a life for ourselves in Kings Cross.

It's a freak show, a fantasy to be enjoyed in small doses.

But for John Ibrahim, the Golden Mile

was where he had always wanted to be.

♪ Don't change a thing for me ♪

He always knew he belonged there.

And now everybody else did too.

♪ It's a jungle out there ♪

♪ It's a jungle out there ♪

♪ It's a jungle out there ♪