All language subtitles for Dying On The Edge 2001

(dramatic music)

(wind blowing)

(soft music)

- Have a drink, why don't you?

Why don't you have a drink ?

Have a drink, hmm?

Why don't you?

Thank you.

(laughing)

You have a drink?

Why don't you fix the TV?

Why don't you fix the TV?

(soft music)

(dramatic music)

- Daddy.

(dramatic music)

(sirens)

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

(tires screeching)

(dramatic music)

- John!

John! John!

John, get up dammit,
John, what are you doing?

Come on, come on, up.

- Hey.

- Come on dammit, come on.

- Okay, okay.

- What are you doing?

What is this?

- I'm okay.

- You're not okay, come on
I'm putting you in the shower.

Come on, come on I
don't want to go.

- John.

- Stewart's Fine
Department Stores.

- Thank you Linda, we're
looking at heavy traffic

on the eastbound 101, coming
out of Woodland Hills.

- I thought we were
past all this John?

- I thought so too.

- Well I don't think
I can handle it again.

- I'm sorry.

- Ah, save it, you know?

You're a mess.

You're fat, and you're a drunk,

and you're a walking
heart attack.

- Okay then --

- I'm out of here.

Oh, I forgot to tell ya,
I reserved a spot for you.

- What?

- A slab, I have this
particular one in mind

for when they roll you in.

It's old, it's worn in, so
I think it'd be comfortable.

I'll put your name on it today,
that's what I'm gonna do.

- Will you stop it?

- No, you stop it, okay?

- I love you.

You coming back?

- My stuff's here.

- Well then you
have to come back.

- Fuller come in,
good to see you.

How have you been?

- Good.

- Good, good.

Got an easy one for ya.

Couple of guys got in a
car wreck outside of Vegas,

victim's brother is
holding a key man policy

worth two million dollars.

- What caused the accident?

- They just went off the road.

- Was it brakes,
was it drinking?

- No, everything was pretty
charred, the driver was clean.

- Anybody see the accident?

- No, cops found
them in a ravine.

- So,

you don't suspect anything?

- No, no, nothing
like that, just

dot the I's, cross the
T's, you know the routine.

- Yeah.

- This ain't the LAPD, John.

(chuckles)

- No?

- You okay?

- I'm good.

- Good.

This guy Wiener, his brother
is one of the survivors,

Melvin, he's a little off.

But he's the
primary beneficiary,

you can certainly talk to him.

- John Fuller, National
Life Insurance.

Very sorry about the loss
of your brother Mr. Wiener.

- The insurance company
tells you to say that, right?

You don't have to say
it if you don't mean it.

- Well I mean it, I assure you.

- You want some breakfast?

Have a seat.

- No, no thanks.

May I?

- How long is this gonna take?

I have to be at work at 10:00.

- Where's work?

- West Hollywood Drugs.

- Jeez, I thought you'd
be a painter or something.

- It's just a hobby.

Something I enjoy doing.

- So, you're a pharmacist?

- Yeah, that's right.

- Okay, I'm John Fuller,

I'm with the California
National Life Insurance.

I'm here with Mel
Wiener, policy 5374143.

Wiener, Minnow.

You gonna be okay if I ask you

a bunch of questions about this?

- No problem.

- So your brother Ricky he
was a producer, or something?

- Record producer, yeah.

- And did you know
Leonard Minnow as well?

- Lenny?

Yeah they were partners
together, Lenny was
the numbers man.

- You didn't like Lenny?

- He was a smooth
talking weasel.

- What's all this stuff?

- That's stuff from
Ricky's office.

- You mind if I
look through there?

- Please, by all means.

- What are these?

- Videos, music videos.

It's what he liked to do best,

you know, they're pretty good.

Just take a look at them.

- Okay.

- Can I ask you a question?

- Sure.

- He's just a number
to you, isn't he?

- I never met the man.

- That's his life's work.

That's all there's
left of Ricky Wiener.

- Well why don't you
tell me about him?

(dramatic music)

- What can I tell you?

He was my brother,

he wanted to get into the
music business so bad.

He became a producer because it

made him feel real important.

He walked around
like a big deal.

(dramatic music)

A real big deal, if
you know what I mean.

- Yeah, please hold.

Morning Ricky.

- Hello, lo, lo, Lola.

- And he went to the
same studio everyday,

the one he eventually
bought, Sound Three.

(music)

His best friend was this

recording engineer
name Shaughnessy.

♪ You liked top 40 radio

♪ And I had my Joni Mitchell

♪ And we were helpless

- Ricky thank God you're here.

- Yeah, yeah, I've got
a session with you.

♪ More than I could ever give

♪ You wanted to feel my cares

♪ From my heart

♪ But I only loved you

♪ 'Cause you're gorgeous

♪ Gorgeous

♪ Gorgeous

- Yes!

- Ha, home freaking run!

- Lightning strikes, and
his name is Ricky Wiener.

- You really talk like that huh?

- That's what he tells me.

Told me.

You okay?

You want some
flakes, some fruit?

I got some chips that
won't give you cramps.

- Oh no, no thanks.

- Well anyway, from
that session he went

to Jackie James' office.

- Jackie James.

- Jackie ran the
studio at the time.

And that's where
Ricky met Lenny.

- Lenny, the Lenny
you don't like Lenny.

(laughs)

- Bingo.

- Yeah, hmm.

(upbeat music)

- Come on in, Ricky,
good to see ya.

I'll call you back in a sec.

So, boy genius, did you
bring me anymore business?

- Yeah I got one session
today, and that's one too many.

You're too expensive.

Look I love working here,
Shaughnessy's my man,

but if we can't deal, I go.

- You're my fourth largest
customer, I want you happy.

This is Lenny Minnow,
Ricky Wiener, Ricky, Lenny.

- He says I should
take care of you.

- What's that supposed to mean?

- Lenny knows his way
around, banking, finances,

leasing deals, Lenny
Minnow knows them all.

He did computers with
the phone company too.

You're doing all the
money from now on.

Deals, collections,
negotiating with you.

- Will I do any better?

(scoffs)

- Look I got a session,
Shaughnessy's probably,

- Get away.

- Now Jackie, I want to try.

- I won't let him.

(scoffs)

What terms you on
with us now, Ricky?

- COD, like everyone else.

- Will 30 day terms, and
lower prices make you happy?

- Can you do that?

- With a wave of my hand.

(chuckles)

Come with me.

- This is your office?

(laughs)

This is hell Lenny.

- Now,

I like Jackie, but you know
the business is getting

a little bit too big for him.

I've been all over his
books, I mean if the guy

bought some equipment,
made some moves,

he'd have something
worth millions.

But, he wouldn't
know how to run it.

One day he is gonna
wind up selling to you.

- To me?

- So Lenny was
doing his tap dance,

(laughs)

and Ricky was
sucking it right in.

- Just like little
kids, like they wanted

to be big shots, right?

- Yeah.

That was my brother,
wanted to be a big shot.

(laughs)

I guess, never really grew up.

- I wonder, if that's
them, or if that's you.

- Mr. Fuller that's really them.

And my God, they had
this thing about it.

They'd go to bars all the
time, they'd go to bars

three or four times a
week to have meetings.

They'd want me to
come along with them,

I never did, yeah some meetings.

(bar chatter)

(soft music)

And then he'd tell me these
stories about the women

he'd meet at these
parties, you know?

And Ricky was a sucker
for a beautiful woman.

And in the music
business you get

to meet a lot of
them apparently.

He loved the whole deal,
he loved the atmosphere.

He loved the smoke, he
loved the schmoozing,

and he loved those beautiful
women, let's face it.

(laughs)

(upbeat music)

Maybe I am I don't know.

That's not my style.

But I keep hearing
stories all the time.

Lenny the hustler, oh, you
got to hear about this!

Lenny the hustler!

- I'm totally jiving
about our future, man.

- Yeah what do you mean?

- Ricky,

I have been busting my
ass, folding newspapers,

washing cars, babysitting.

Stereo hookups,
computer odd jobs.

Every scam and con
I can think of.

Listen to me.

But all I ever
really wanted to do,

was to make my first million.

Retire on the interest by the
time I'm 35, spend the rest

of my life sitting on a
beach chair in the Bahamas.

Looking out at the ocean,
and checking my stock quotes.

That's my idea of
heaven on earth.

Can you keep a secret?

- He asks him.

Lenny had a secret, you know
what Lenny's secret was?

Lenny's secret was
that he wanted Ricky's

money to buy the
recording studio.

- So that's what you think?

- That's what I know.

- I got everybody
but the last share,

I need one more guy with
50 grand, and I want

that guy to be you Ricky.

If we buy Jackie out,
within five years

everything will be bought
and paid for, and ours.

With my ideas and your talent,

it'd be a perpetual
money machine.

- It sounds too good to be true.

- Ricky the only way that
I can make my millions

is for us to take him out.

- Take him out?

- He meant buy him out.

- With your money,
with your $50,000?

- I've always been there for
him, that's our family history.

- To hell with family history.

- So you gonna go to
your brother, partner?

- Yeah, I'll go to Mel.

What about Shaughnessy?

- If he can afford it he
can come along for the ride.

- Alright, I think
we can do this.

- Great!

I got to go, don't
forget to call Mel!

(upbeat jazz music)

- So i gave him his share,
and they bought the studio.

(laughs)

You never saw such happy people.

(upbeat jazz music)

Ricky, Lenny, Shaughnessy,

(laughs)

the gruesome threesome,
nothing could stop these guys.

They had their deal, and
they were working it.

Things were great
in the beginning.

Ricky even bought
a house in Malibu.

(upbeat jazz music)

I used to like to
go out and watch

him do business
overlooking the Pacific.

It just made me feel so good.

He just seemed to be so
calm, and so centered.

He wasn't usually
like that my brother,

he was on top of the world.

- Okay, I think I've
had enough for one day.

- Okay.

- So,

for all the if you
think of anything,

here's my card,
you give me a call.

- Will do.

- Take this?

- Please.

- Thank you Mel.

- I'll see you out.

- Sure.

Okay.

Anna?

(children playing)

Anna?

♪ I hate to break it to ya

♪ But we had nothing in common

♪ No we were so

♪ Far off

♪ You liked top 40 radio

♪ And I had my Joni Mitchell

♪ And we were helpless

♪ From the start

♪ You wanted something more

♪ Than I could ever give

♪ You wanted to feel my kiss

♪ From my heart

♪ But I

♪ Only loved you 'cause
you're gorgeous ♪

♪ Long, long, sleepless nights

♪ So unsatisfied

♪ I wanted a call, your
money, or a diamond ring ♪

♪ I never asked for
anything from you ♪

♪ Mm hmm

♪ I take honesty over
jealousy any day ♪

♪ Something that
you could never ♪

♪ Give to me

♪ Anyway

♪ I only loved you
'cause you're gorgeous ♪

♪ Said I only stayed
because you're gorgeous ♪

♪ Gorgeous

♪ Everyone says I love you

♪ Everyone says I love you

♪ Everyone says I love you

♪ Everyone says I love you

(dramatic music)

(tires screeching)

- Ellen!

(dramatic music)

- Did you get a place to color?

- No, no, no!

No, no, no!

(sighs)

(groaning)

(sirens)

(talking on television)

- When you call us
at 1-800-555-3434,

save on those adjustable
home loan costs,

$150,000 loan, give
us a call, at 1-800.

(upbeat music)

- Come on...

(knocking)

- I got to go.

(knocking)

I got to go.

- Wait a second!

Mr. Fuller, it's 9:00
am, I thought you

were gonna call first?

- I got some sticky buns.

Now's not a good time to talk?

- It's a terrific time.

Come on in, have a seat,
you want some orange juice?

- No.

Thank you.

- That was Ricky's favorite toy.

- It works.

- As a kid, yeah, I don't know
what happened to the tail.

- So,

who the hell is Cal Roman?

You know, Cal Roman.

- Oh, I'm sorry,
he's Ricky's banker.

- Yeah and he's CC'd on
every copy of correspondence

concerning this policy.

You know?

- Yeah.

- And?

- He's a loan shark Mr. Fuller,

he suckered Ricky in and
played him like a fish.

- Really?

Well, why don't you
tell me about it?

- Ricky once borrowed
some money from

this guy Cal for some equipment,

then out of the blue this guy
calls him one day, and says,

Ricky, how are you?

- Ricky, how are you
long time no speak?

- I'm fine Cal, how are you?

- Good, really good,
just taking it easy.

Nikki and I just got
back from Europe.

Took a tour of the
French Riviera.

- Oh, yeah, who's Nikki?

- A very special friend of mine.

Real smart cookie.

So, we stayed at this
dynamite resort in Cannes.

And they treated us like we
were fucking American royalty.

The way Nikki had them
waiting on us hand and foot.

I don't know how she does it.

Me, I'm just a simple
merchant banker

from Venice, California.

(laughs)

Thanks.

You're about out of this
loan, if you want to make

another lease deal,
you're pre-approved.

- Thanks Cal.

- Why don't we have
lunch sometime?

My treat, be nice to
attach a face to the name.

- Cal I would love that thanks.

- Thanks, I get the point.

- Do you?

- Yeah.

You're really very thorough,
right down to the last detail.

- I think Cal Roman killed
my brother, Mr. Fuller.

- What?

- Honey, honey, this is
Mr. Fuller, he's with

the insurance company,
Mr. Fuller, this is,

- Madeline.

- Madeline.

- Pleased to meet you.

(laughs)

- Don't spend it
all in one place,

have a nice time shopping, bye.

- Okay Mel, go on.

- Cal Roman gets
the insurance money.

- All of it?

- Yeah, but you won't
find it in your files.

'Cause Cal paid for the
policy, I was supposed

to collect it and
give it to him.

That's the only way he could
save the studio, he said.

- Sure but that doesn't prove

that Cal Roman
killed your brother.

- I see.

- I mean every
beneficiary, and key man

of an insurance policy
was a murder suspect,

the police would
be very, very busy.

You have any proof?

- No.

Not any proof.

I got a big mouth,

I got a big mouth,
that's what I got.

It sometimes gets
me into trouble.

♪ I forget how to breath

♪ Whenever you are near

♪ The ability to take
a breath of air ♪

♪ Seems to disappear

♪ Can't remember my own name

♪ Seems I heard it just today

♪ Let's see is it
Jeffrey, James or Joe ♪

♪ Doesn't matter anyway

♪ And I would love to
tell you how I feel ♪

♪ But I can't recall
how to speak ♪

♪ When I get near you

♪ I forget how to breath

- There's something
about this case,

just doesn't make any sense.

- I thought you said
it was a no brainer?

- No, that's what Bryson says.

- So?

- So, it's a key man
life insurance policy

where you put up two
million dollars on two guys,

and for anybody to make
any money both these

two guys have to die.

You understand?

- Yeah, two guys,
they both have to die,

two million dollars.

- Right.

And then voila, suddenly
both of these guys

are killed in a car
crash, doesn't that seem

a little suspect to you?

- Odd yes, so why aren't
the cops in on it?

- Well that's what I'm
saying, and the guy

who puts up the
money just happens

to be a shyster loan shark.

The two guys he insures
are a couple of wannabes.

And the guy telling me the
story is a whack out brother.

Bryson doesn't want
to investigate.

I mean this thing right off
the top of anybody's head

looks like a double
homicide, what am I crazy?

- Sure is a beautiful day.

Nice time to relax.

- I'm relaxed.

I'm relaxed.

- Good, then you can take me
out to dinner and a movie.

- Well I would except for
the fact that you have

to go to work tonight.

- I'm back to working days.

- You're back to days?

- Mm hmm.

- Well that's good,
'cause that was always

a little creepy, you working
in the morgue at night.

- But you don't think
it's creepy me working

in the morgue all day?

- No it's not even the same.

I mean you're such
a great looking gal,

I mean you working on
dead guys in a morgue

at night is kind of a waste.

- So do you think I should
look more like Jack Kluggman?

- I think it would
be less of a waste.

(laughs)

At least for me.

- Race me.

- I don't want to.

Come on.

♪ I forget how to breath

♪ Whenever you are near

♪ The ability to take
a breath of air ♪

♪ Seems to disappear

- Yeah, hi, I'm John Fuller,
I'm looking for a Cal Roman.

California National
Life Insurance.

Sure.

Hi, this is John Fuller,
I'm with California National

Life Insurance, I'm
looking for Cal Roman.

I'm calling for Cal
Roman, John Fuller,

California National
Life Insurance.

Yeah,

California National
Life Insurance.

Call back when, what?

If he doesn't talk to
me then I can't pay him

the two million dollars
that he's supposedly owed.

I can't.

Hi.

Hello?

Hello?

I got a funny feeling
about this guy.

I'm just recommending
that you stop payment

until I can at least
talk to this Cal Roman.

- You don't talk to Cal
Roman, you understand?

I just got off the
phone with his lawyer.

He said you're
harassing his client.

- He wouldn't talk to me.

He wouldn't come
and meet with me.

- He said you tried
to hold up payment.

- Yeah I said that because I
wanted him to meet with me.

- Look, Cal Roman represents
a lot of business here.

You finish that paperwork
and be done with it,

I don't need anymore trouble!

- Mr. Bryson.

- Unless you have
proof, let it go.

- Yes sir.

Roman wouldn't return
any of my calls.

- Doesn't he have to?

- Why?

I'm not a cop, I don't
have subpoena power.

- That figures, so
what can you do?

- Well I can do some
checking up on him.

I agree with you he is bad news.

There's no policy on
your life, is there?

- No, not that I know of.

- Good, then you'll
probably be safe.

- Probably?

- Well, you know, what
do you want me to do?

You want me to check it out
I'm gonna need your help.

(sighs)

- Two weeks after that phone
call Cal and Ricky had lunch.

I'm guessing Cal figured
Ricky liked fancy restaurants,

so they went to Montinero's.

He had his mark pegged.

- Good to see you Ricky.

Thanks for joining me.

- My pleasure Cal.

- My favorite restaurant.

Big celebrity hang out.

- Neither a borrower,

- Nor a lender be.

They say that prostitution's
the oldest profession,

it's the second oldest,
where did all those guys

get the money to get laid?

They borrowed it.

(laughs)

So, you and your friends are
in the music business, huh?

I like that business.

Who'd thought there'd
be so much money in it?

You know back in the old
days, like everybody else,

I had dreams of being in
the entertainment business.

Still, it seemed very glamorous.

And as you get
older you wise up.

You make your money
wherever you can.

I like you Ricky.

I trust you.

- Thanks Cal.

- Here's my special
friend Nicoline.

Have a seat Nikki.

- Cal says you're in
the music business.

- Yes, does that interest you?

- Cal says you're talented,
that interests me.

- Well you should come over to

the studio some time and see us.

- I just might do that.

- So you see, Cal was
tempting Ricky with money,

and softening him up
with this babe Nicoline.

(thunder)

I'm late, I got to
cover for somebody.

Got to get to work, can we
finish this some other time?

- Sure.

- Why don't you
take an umbrella?

- What about you?

- I'm covered, here
don't open it inside,

it will bring you bad luck.

- So, how'd it go today.

- I just talked to
this guy on my case.

- Oh.

- And no, I didn't
have anything to drink.

And I may have even lost a few.

You want to smell my breath?

- Uh huh, that bad,
you gonna keep it up?

- I don't know.

I mean, just that it's a
rough time of year for me.

- That's right, it's
been five years, huh?

- Yeah, you remember.

- Timmy needs a father.

- Yeah, go over there
and she'd shoot me,

or call the police.

- So I'll drive you out there.

- Then she'll shoot you.

I'd take a bullet for you baby.

(laughs)

- You may have to.

♪ Going down

♪ I left my home when
I was just a child ♪

♪ Found my peace on the scene

♪ Ain't it funny how I
keep it all down inside ♪

♪ Let it out then the
re-shine is to me ♪

♪ Life's taken slow

♪ I'm sliding down
to the bottom ♪

♪ And I ain't too proud to say

♪ That I'm laughing

♪ Laughing while
the ship goes down ♪

- There he is.

- He's a doll John.

- He's really grown, he
looks good, doesn't he?

- Yeah, he looks great.

- He looks good.

We better go, I don't
want her to see me.

- Why?

- Come on in her eyes
I'm still a lousy drunk,

she'd probably have me arrested.

- Oh, please.

That's just in your head
John, you don't know that.

(soft music)

- No, it's not a good idea.

What?

Paid off, fired?

What, why?

Dammit!

Yeah, Mary this is
Fuller, is Bryson there?

Can I talk to him?

Well, yeah, it's
important, you know.

Alright, great, I'll
call later, thanks.

(dramatic music)

(glass breaking)

(dramatic music)

I'm off the case.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

- Johnny did I wake you?

- No, no I'm awake.

- That guy Roman
you asked me about,

- Yeah?

- he's considered a big
time hood here in Philly.

- Yeah, no I get ya, I hear ya.

- Murder suspect three times.

- That bad huh?

- Oh, he's that bad alright.

- Alright,

- Just watch yourself.

- thanks for calling.

- No problem.

- I owe you one.

- Yeah you do.

(knocking)

- Yeah?

Mel?

- I came back for my umbrella.

- Your umbrella?

Oh, yeah, yeah, here.

- Can I talk to
you for a moment?

- Sure, come on in.

I don't think it's gonna do
any good, I'm off the case.

- Should I come back
some other time?

Like, your maid
didn't show up today?

- We don't have a maid.

Come on sit down.

You know I think you're
in some real danger.

- That's what I was
trying to tell you,

I've been reading
Ricky's diaries.

- So, tell me.

- Who's the kid?

- Huh?

- Who's this?

- That's my son.

- He's very cute.

- Thank you.

- Families are
important, you know?

- Ricky had this
thing about families,

and I was his brother.

But he always talked about
Cal like he was his father.

Cal grew up in South Philly,
his own father deserted

- My father deserted my
family when I was about nine,

my mother, my aunt, my
sisters, and I lived over

our grocery store in South
Philly, a small place.

And like everybody else,
we had to extend credit.

- But then if you
didn't pay after awhile,

Cal was always there to collect.

- I collected every
cent that they owed her.

With interest,

I learned a good
lesson, you make people

pay their bills, they
respect you for it.

- Yeah, I just got a call about
this guy Cal, it's not good.

- I think Ricky was
in over his head.

- Then they were never
heard from again.

They were deadbeats anyway.

- He trusted Cal,
and he trusted Lenny.

Then the first shoe dropped.

- Hey gang, I'm
glad you could come.

Please, have a seat, we have
to talk about a situation.

We're into Jackie for
two months of payment.

That's 60 grand, according
to our original deal,

he could move to
take back the studio,

'cause we'd be in default.

- You told me we
were making money.

- Yes,

yes, but we have sort of a

cash flow problem.

It's,

I'm 350 grand deep
in receivables.

I made 100 grand yesterday.

- 350?

- So he says, if we
don't do something now,

that's it, we lose the studio.

- Which brings us
back to Cal Roman.

- Lenny wanted
Ricky to go to Cal.

This was about,

June 14th.

Dinner at Montinero's, he's
writing into the diary.

I got a veal scallopini,
and a check for $100,000.

- Eat up guys, there's plenty
more where that came from.

Here's to making money.

- So with a new supply of cash
they were back in business.

But first they had to
but an ISDN line in.

(upbeat music)

- ISDN, isn't that that
new phone line thing?

- Oh yes, it's expensive,
but it let's them record

people in other cities,
like Ricky could be in LA,

and Lenny could be in New York.

- Got you loud and clear Lenny.

Okay, way to go team.

- It's amazing technology.

(upbeat music)

And it was the good
times all over again.

Everybody's in fat city.

They're doing the planning,
they're doing their partying,

and their drinking, and
of course, the girls.

And all this time, Lenny kept
saying everything's just fine.

(upbeat music)

And Lenny had a way of
making those numbers work,

no matter what
they actually said.

(upbeat music)

Cal joined in all very
nice, all very sociable,

but you know Mr. Fuller,

he would have a
habit of showing them

what a tough guy he was.

- Ricky said that
he carried a gun?

- I saw it on him, he came
into my store for medicine.

Ricky said I should
fix him up, you know?

- You filled his prescriptions?

- Yes, nitroglycerin,
for angina.

- Anything else?

- Cal always carries a
cell phone, I mean I heard

conversations with
Ricky on his cell phone.

He comes into my store
and uses the pay phone.

- So you could hear?

- Like he wanted me to hear!

I hear Cal talking on the
phone about this meeting

he's gonna have
with his partners.

He went to get the okay
on the money for the guys.

He was bragging about
his timing, he said

the whole deal was
done over a chess game.

- You're in for
100 G's, could go

as high as a half
a mil, maybe more.

- Black queen takes the white
knight, that's your end game.

- Do they know
what they're doing?

- Does it make any difference?

- Not to us.

(laughing)

Alright Cal, give it to him.

After that.

- Check mate,
that's what he said,

check mate.

And the thing was I told
Ricky about the phone call,

and he says it doesn't matter
as long as he gets the money.

Then Lenny starts
going crazy, says he

wants to buy another
studio, in New York!

- We can buy into the New
York company in a heartbeat.

They did a million eight
in sales last year.

- Isn't that risky?

- No, Cal says it's fine, we
borrow against good paper,

and we use the rest of
the money for expansion.

- But what if?

- There's nothing to worry
about, their books are solid,

their clients are
gold, we can't lose.

You want to suite at the Plaza?

Well, we're bi-coastal now baby.

Cal loves it, you'll
love it too, trust me.

I got to go.

- He starts making
speeches like some sort

of music industry guru.

- Media is the California gold
rush for the next millennium.

And look at our client list,

two of the three
major TV studios.

- He was always into
some sort of scam,

he even tried to con
the phone company.

- Favorite, powdered sugar.

- Hey, what's with the change
of mobile phone numbers again?

I hate that.

- Well,

somebody called my car phone
again ripped off the phone

company for another five grand.

(laughs)

I'll give you the
number, fortunately

I still have friends
with the phone company.

And speaking of friends,
somebody saw you on a date.

Hmm?

- I'm gonna marry her.

- Okay,

congratulations.

- Thanks.

- So Sandy is
gonna move $400,000

worth of network sound work
to us in the next two months.

(chatter)

- So the studio's
doing network business,

Ricky's putting some
music, and Lenny's having

a big wedding, they
were on a ride.

(chatter)

- Hey thanks for
the gift pal, Ricky.

- Spend it in one place.

- I will, I will.

We are buying the digital sound
systems I saw in Las Vegas.

State of the art, man.

- How are we financing that?

- I just signed another 350
thou note, so it's no biggie,

as long as Cal's still in
the dance, which he is.

We'll bill the rooms
out for $400 an hour,

we'll make it back in
three and a half months.

- Just don't get us
in too deep, okay?

- The big fish swim
in the deep part.

- Yeah, success was contagious,
I mean you know how it is.

And even that receptionist,
that cute blond girl,

what the heck's her name?

Lola, even Lola got
seduced by it all.

(soft music)

(upbeat jazz music)

All of that happened
the day of the wedding,

it was all a great party.

- When was the wedding?

- Last summer
sometime, June I think.

Jeez, I forgot all about
this, look at that,

right after the wedding that's
when all the trouble started.

- What's the matter?

- New York is
crapping out big time.

They're sales are down 1/3.

Tim is off playing golf.

You think he could at least
take some clients with him.

Donnie goes out on
his boat, and doesn't

come in for two days!

And Cal's not going away either.

Okay, we're still
into him for $750,000.

- Well I assume we
have receivables?

- Out the wazoo.

Even with Cal's bank
dipping into the profits.

I mean if we borrow
the whole million,

the interest will be 200,000.

- Wait a second,
what whole million?

- How do you think
I'm funding this?

The equipment, New York, Cal
and I have an understanding.

I'm not gonna borrow
the whole mil,

but it's there if I need it.

- I told Ricky to pull out.

Come on Ricky these
guys would kill to get

what they want, would you?

- I mean what do you think
I am, some sort of gangster?

- That's exactly
my point Richard.

You can go to a bank
like normal people.

You've got a solid business
with equipment, come on!

I'll introduce you
to my own bank,

huh?

Ricky! Ricky!

- Bad Ricky didn't listen.

- Well he sorta listened.

But then he starts to get cut
out of the business entirely.

- Well you never thought
Ricky was any good with money

anyway, right?

- No.

But then he was kinda
just pushed aside.

Ricky started complaining
that Lenny wouldn't

even take his calls.

- Yeah, tell to call me,

- That really hurt.

- It's important.

(phone ringing)

- New cell phone?

- Yeah, it's Ricky.

- Ricky?

He can wait.

- Yeah, he can wait.

- I think Cal had
already set in motion

a plan to kill him anyway.

- Anna, this is Mel, Mel, Anna.

I'm working on Mel's case,
or I was working on it.

- I'm packing up a few
things, I'm on a break.

I'll be out of here in a minute.

- What?

Wait, wait just a
second, stay here.

- Listen, if this is a bad.

- Anna, Anna, Anna!

- Don't Anna me.

Don't anything me,
you can go back

to your freaking beer bash,
and leave me out of this.

- There's no beer bash
out here, nobody's

drinking any beer, what
are you talking about?

- I don't want to
know, I don't care.

I do not care, where the
hell is my blow dryer?

- Stay in touch, I
need you to believe me.

- I don't have to
believe anything you say,

I've been hanging around
here for two years with you.

- What are you talking
about believe me?

I didn't say believe
me, Mel said believe me.

- Oh, oh, so what is this now?

Are you on a buddy system John?

Is that it, so what
am I doing here?

I don't want to be
your nurse maid.

I don't want to
clean up after you.

Oh, God.

You know what this is your life.

- Yeah, this is our
life, what are you doing?

- Well you know what?

- What are you doing.

- Not that it means
anything to you anymore.

You totally lose it
when you start drinking.

- That bottle of beer
that you saw me with,

I was throwing that
bottle away, alright?

- The place smells
like a freaking bar!

What do I look stupid?

- No, you don't look
stupid, you look beautiful.

Look, look, I haven't
had a drink for two days.

I haven't had a drink
for two days, almost.

Look at my hands,
look at my hands.

Look at my hands!

Hold them, hold my hands.

Okay?

- I'm not happy.

- Well I'm sorry.

(knocking)

Yeah?

- It's me, Mel.

I'm sorry I forgot my umbrella.

- Sure.

- Jeez John, I'm in the
middle of leaving you here,

you stop to give
this guy an umbrella?

Doesn't it register to
you what's important?

Doesn't he know you were
fired from the case?

That you were fired before
because you couldn't

nail the drunken driver?

- Drunk driver
killed my daughter!

Alright, I was a cop,
I went after him,

it took two years out of
my life, I lost my family,

I lost the,

I don't want to yell.

I do not want to
yell about this.

I lost everything.

Til I found you.

You stood by me,
you're my friend,

and I love you, I
don't want to lose you.

I don't, I love you.

And besides, you love me, you
can't stop talking about me.

You just,

you love me too, right?

Right?

(soft music)

Well you're gonna
have to find something

that proves that it's true,
otherwise it's just hearsay.

- I don't need any
proof, I just know it.

- Oh, you just know it.

That'll do it.

- Well it does for me.

You want proof,

take a look at this,
Ricky's diary, huh?

September 22, see Lenny
about refinancing.

- Refinancing, that
ought to do it,

that should incriminate about

75% of the American population.

- Just wait a second, will ya?

Just listen.

- We take the million
dollars you've run up in debt

and refinance it,
spread out the payments,

and we're gonna have to give
him a piece of the company.

- Okay.

You think Cal will go for it?

- Ricky Wiener,
and Lenny Minnow,

this is Saul
Blackmon, my attorney.

Arthur Stricter, one
of our investors,

and of course you know Nikki.

- I'd like to present
a plan that I think

is gonna turn things
around for the studio,

and clean up the debt.

And we're prepared to offer
you a piece of the company too.

- Good, now sit down and
shut up, or I'll personally

throw you out on your ass.

Go ahead Nikki.

- Thanks Cal, right now the
studio owes Cal a million.

So, we're going to form
a new holding company

with Cal in charge, Lenny is
gonna sell this new company

a 30% interest in the
studio, a controlling 30%,

in exchange for the
outstanding debt.

- So the holding company
gets all the assets?

- Yes.

- But what about Lenny's
limited partners?

- Well let's put it this way,

you going from being
limited partners, to being

very limited partners.

Especially you Ricky.

- Meanwhile, you get
to keep your paycheck,

and you can still run the show.

Or we can simply foreclose
on the studio now,

and none of you
get anything, ever.

- Yeah, the question is
are they healthy enough?

- Yeah, what about insurance?

- We'll be wanting you
both, since you're both

in day to day management
duties to get a physical.

- What?

- Sure the loss of either of
you would be a crippling blow.

Believe me, I know.

(rock music)

- I don't get it, Lenny
must've signed something,

they're basically foreclosing.

- On the studio?

- Rick, my mom and I invested
everything we had into this.

And in case you haven't
noticed I was the one

that kept this place
together technically,

while you were
out doing whatever

the hell it was you were doing!

Jesus Rick, I wasn't just
along for the ride here.

- I think the ride's over.

(rock music)

- You know, I still haven't
forgotten, who owes who.

Here I want you to have this,

maybe it will bring you more
luck than it's brought me.

- No.

- You have to.

Let's say this is
still our studio,

I'm not letting go
without a fight.

We're still partners, right?

- Of course man.

- What about physicals?

- That's when they said I should
take out the key man policy

and sign the proceeds to them.

- Yeah, why didn't
they do it themselves?

- They're not what you would
consider regular businessman.

They didn't want
to be investigated

by insurance companies like you.

- And they don't want
anybody investigating

suspicious car accidents.

- Exactly.

- What else?

- What about the
gal Nicoline, huh?

She said Ricky,
you better get out.

- Hello, Mr. Wiener.

- How could you do that?

- It was all perfectly
legal, you must know that.

It's just business.

Just walk away Ricky.

- What so you think
that this is her,

warning your brother that
they're gonna kill him?

- Seems pretty clear to me.

- Pretty clear to you?

- Remember who we're
dealing with here, huh!

(excited chatter)

- I think we got a problem.

- Oh, you think so, huh?

We got a system, if he
plays by the rules, fine.

If not, we got insurance.

- We did right,
we got insurance.

- Sure we got our paisan,

got our long standing
relationships.

Besides an obligation,
is an obligation.

- Is an obligation, these
guys meant business.

- What else, anything else?

- Right after that,
Ricky's house burned down.

And they insisted
that the insurance

from the fire pay
down his debt to Cal.

Doesn't that tell you something?

- Was it arson?

- Well, they never
found any proof.

(dramatic music)

He was devastated, I mean
this was everything he owned.

Everything he worked for.

And this was all because of
Lenny's colossal screw up.

He knew the only way he
could get out of this mess

was to patch things up
between Cal and Lenny.

(dramatic music)

- Come in.

I don't know what you know,
or what you think you know,

but I got a pretty good
idea, why you're here.

I'm not gonna sugarcoat this,
I'm old, and I don't have to.

Plus my field, my rules,
I don't want to hear what

you got to say, but
you listen to me now.

Young man like you and
yours, are a dime a dozen.

And I've been around long
enough to remember when

that expression actually
meant something.

See I have old
friends in New York.

My paisan.

Your friend is not the only one

who couldn't make his payments.

And this we know because my
walls are full of their arc.

My garages are
full of their cars.

My weigh houses are full of
their worldly possessions.

'Cause an obligation
is an obligation.

You are never gonna see your
money back from that studio.

That's it!

So shut up and take
whatever benefits you can

from the associations
you still have.

'Cause you didn't come
here to save your friend.

You came here to
protect your investment.

So you're no hero.

I'll tell you what you
are, you're a loser,

and you lost again.

Interview's over, now get out.

- What about Lenny, what
about your friend Lenny,

what's he doing
during all of this?

- Lenny!

My friend Lenny, huh?

I understand he wanted
to kill himself.

- What?

- I thought I'd help
buy the arsenic,

and for once Cal agreed with me.

- So if he screws up anymore,
he's not the only one

who's going down,
you understand?

He's your partner, he's
the only one who can do

what has to be done to get
you your 50 grand back.

So you have to set him
straight, you understand?

It's all you now, you!

- I messed up man okay, I
thought I could pull it off,

you could see that, right?

Get New York to work.

I could've pulled it off, if
the money had come in faster,

I could've turned New York!

- You lied to all those people.

- They were on borrowed
time, they deserved it.

- Is that you talking, or Cal?

- What do you want, huh,
a public announcement

that I'm a partner in
a bankruptcy fraud?

That I lied an perjured
myself for monetary gain?

I do that we lose everything!

- No, no, listen, maybe not.

Maybe we can go to a
bank, we get a line.

- No, no.

- Why?

- That's not going to work.

Because I went bankrupt
once before on this.

- What is that?

- What, maybe I should
just take myself out, huh?

Make it easier for
everybody else, is that it?

What, you still carry a gun?

- Shut up Lenny,
get out of here.

- Come on, hey.

It's not like you don't blame
me, just like all the rest.

(dramatic music)

Come on, give me
the goddamn gun.

Come on give me the
goddamn gun, give it to me!

Alright tough guy, huh,
is this what you want?

Is this what you want goddammit?

(gunshot)

(dramatic music)

- Wait a minute you
don't think that maybe,

you know the two of them,

- What that he could've
killed himself?

- Why not?

- And my brother?

- Yeah.

- You still don't believe
Cal is the murderer do ya?

- I didn't say that.

- No, no, yeah,
please, please, proof.

Lenny goes to Vegas to see Cal.

- Oh, Christ, is this
another one of your.

- Just listen, just
listen, just listen.

Lenny had a condo in Vegas.

But that night he went
there for Jackie James.

You know, the guy who
originally owned the studio.

(fast paced music)

(moaning)

(dramatic music)

(gun shot)

And Ricky got this call
to come to the condo,

they couldn't reach Lenny.

(chatter)

Ricky was really
shaken, he knew what

this was supposed to mean.

- Okay so you think that
Cal was after Lenny.

- It seems obvious to me, yeah.

- Alright, so where was Lenny?

- Lenny is shacked up with
a bimbo at the Horseshoe.

- And where's your brother?

- You mean after he
went to the condo?

He came back to be
at Jackie's funeral.

He was very torn up Mr. Fuller.

He liked Jackie,
he was a friend.

A regular guy, killed like
in some gangster movie.

(dramatic music)

- And may he hear the prayers
and supplications on our lips.

May the words in our hears
find him, and speed his son

onward to the world of souls.

And may his sovereignty
reign forever and ever, amen.

- He said Cal was there, and
frankly, he felt threatened.

He was scared Mr. Fuller.

- That still doesn't
prove anything.

- I don't believe this!

You still don't believe
Cal was the murderer,

I mean Lenny's
apartment, a guy dies.

- I didn't say that.

- You think this goes,
I think I'll die.

- I'm not saying that.

- And this guys a
total coincidence?

- I didn't say I
don't believe it.

- It's a total coincidence?

I didn't say I did
not believe it!

I didn't say that!

- Goddammit!

Can I finish please?

Can I finish?

Ricky flies up to Vegas,
and drives back with Lenny.

He calls me from Vegas and
tells me they're getting out.

- 'Bout time man.

I think you're doing
the right thing.

- And then he tells me
he thinks he sees Cal.

Thinks he's been followed,
all the way from LA.

Hello?

(dramatic music)

I didn't hear from him
again until he called

and said that he and
Lenny traveled for hours

with hardly a word.

He wanted me to tell
mom he loved her,

and asked me to
take care of her.

(dramatic music)

So what does that
tell you Mr. Fuller?

That maybe he could
see his own end coming?

It certainly seems
pretty clear to me.

He even said they spent
most of their time

watching their tail.

(tires screeching)

I think when Cal realized
his goons got the wrong guy,

he flew to Vegas and
figured out a way to make

the real thing look
like a car accident.

- That's not enough.

- Well, that's all I got.

- Cathy Allison, she's in
the records department.

This is John Fuller, look I
called to ask you a favor,

if you could check
something out for me?

If you have the time.

Yeah, it's a guy I'm trying
to close a file out on,

his name is Cal Roman.

C-A-L R-O-M-A-N.

- You didn't need
to do this John.

- I think Cal Roman
murdered those two guys.

- Jeez you don't give up do you?

- He had motive,
he had opportunity,

he's got a track record.

- Really?

You have witnesses,
you got a weapon?

Confession, fingerprints,
do you have anything?

- I've got a list of
five policies bought

and paid for by Cal Roman.

Never up front, always
indirect, he's putting money up.

Three of the five
beneficiaries on

these policies are already dead.

And what's worse, I'm
given the investigation

of these cases, through you.

And the name Cal Roman,
I've never seen it before.

Made no connection.

- Or maybe you weren't
sober long enough to notice?

- Maybe that's why I
was given the cases.

- Oh, come on.

- Yeah, pretty smart Bryson,
maybe you're in on it.

10-15% cut, what?

- I process claims,
I'm not a cop.

Nobody has ever come to
me with proof of anything.

- I'm gonna nail him.

I'm gonna nail him,
and if I have to,

I'll nail you.

- Him, you gonna nail him?

Roman, he's dead.

You didn't hear this?

He had a heart attack last
night, he's dead Fuller.

Get over it!

Get out of here, I don't want
to see you in here again,

you understand?

Get out.

- I had him man I
just needed more time.

- You cracked the case,
you're back in form.

Move on.

- No, no it's not that,
it's now I'm a nut.

It's back to being
mister, you know, drunk.

Or a bum.

You know what I need?

I need an autopsy.

- Really?

I was just thinking your
color looks so good.

(laughs)

- No, there's an insurance
report on Roman, right?

- Yeah.

- I can get it, you
can help me with it.

- I suppose, why?

- I need it.

- It'll cost ya.

- Cost me what?

- A little better than this.

- Nah, that's too
great a price to pay.

- Oh, then forget it.

- Come on.

Okay.

- Finding some nitroglycerin
in the heart stream.

- Section B, line 12.

- DH7.

- Mm hmm.

Dehydromethyl 7.

- And what is that?

- He was having sex problems.

- You're kidding.

- Uh uh.

- Mr. Fuller.

- How are you?

- What do you want?

- Well, Cal Roman is dead.

- Yeah so I heard.

- Information, his name is
on five different policies,

three of those five policy
holders, are dead as well.

- So he killed others
besides just my brother, huh?

- Apparently so.

(laughs)

- Oh, that son of a bitch.

Come on in.

- Thank you.

So there's probably
gonna be an investigation

and whoever's
connected with this

will be brought to justice.

- Mr. Fuller I mean it,
I want to thank you.

- You're welcome.

But Mel, you don't
mind if I ask you

just a few more questions?

- Why, what else is there?

- Well, you told me
once, if you remember

that you used to
fill Cal Roman's
prescriptions exclusively,

is that right?

- Yeah, I value my life.

I didn't want there to be
any mistakes, you know?

- I looked into Cal
Roman's autopsy.

- So?

- They found traces
of a chemical,

a chemical called
dihydromethyl 7.

- You testing me?

I passed the pharmacy
exam years ago,

you want to see my degree?

I have all of that.

- Well it's a chemical
compound usually found

in male potency drugs.

- Okay, if you say so.

- And if this compound
found itself into somebody's

usual heart medication, it
could cause cardiac arrest.

- So what's your point?

- Did Cal Roman ask you
for a male potency drug?

- Mr. Fuller, I'm a pharmacist.

I fill out 1,000
prescriptions a day.

- Wait a minute, didn't
you just say that you

filled his prescriptions
exclusively,

for fear of losing
your own life?

- Where are you going with this?

You think I gave him a
potency drug so he'd what?

Screw himself to death?

That's your idea of humor?

- No, I think that
you mixed traces

of this chemical
compound with his usual

doses of nitroglycerin,
and you caused him

to have a massive
coronary attack.

I think that you killed
Cal Roman, believing

that he killed your brother.

- Fine, everybody's
entitled to an opinion,

I guess that's yours, huh?

- Mm hmm, mm hmm.

What about this?

- I don't know, what's this?

A vial, what?

- Yeah, it's a vial,
a vial I had analyzed.

And in it I found
traces of this compound

mixed with nitroglycerin.

- Okay look, I've had it,
I've got to get out of here.

Come on.

- It's got your
fingerprints on it.

And Cal Roman's exclusively.

- Maybe a doctor prescribed it.

- No doctor in his right
mind would prescribe

this medication for a man
with a heart condition.

You prescribed it Mel.

You prescribed it, you filled
it, and you killed Cal Roman.

Believing that he
killed your brother.

- You ever lose
anybody close to you?

Like a relative, or a family
member in an accident?

- As a matter of fact I have.

- Then you'll know
the strangest thing,

in addition to
everything else you feel,

are those memories, where
do they come from, huh?

You know what I
remember about Ricky?

Banana splits, this kid comes
home he's seven years old,

and all of his friends
had had a banana split.

He says to me, hey Mel, what's

so great about a banana split?

You take a banana you split it.

(laughs)

Why is that a great dessert?

So I buy my baby brother
his first banana split.

Three scoops of ice cream,
pineapple, strawberries,

hot fudge, whip cream,
and a cherry on top.

And he eats the whole thing.

He gobbles it down.

He's got this smile on his
face, there's whip cream

and hot fudge all
over it, and he says

thanks Mel, now I know
what a banana split is.

And you know what?

That night you
know what happens?

He throws up, all
over the house.

And he just goes, but he
knew what a banana split was.

And he knew that his big
brother bought it for him.

He wanted to be a
big shot, that's all.

He wouldn't harm a fly, and
for that he gets killed.

For no reason what so
ever, and I'm sorry,

it's not fair.

And I don't think a guy should
get killed for that, do you?

- You made a mistake Mel.

- What?

- You made a mistake.

Cal Roman didn't
kill your brother.

A little more investigating
turned up an eye witness.

Herman Brown, farmer outside
of Barstow didn't want

the trouble so he
didn't report it,

then he got scared,

and filed a police
report, we found it.

Barstow two guys in
a car, Interstate 26.

90 miles an hour, swerved
to miss an animal,

went into a ravine,
car burst into flames.

You want to read the report?

- I'm not really
interested, okay?

- Officer, were there any
other vehicles involved?

Brown, no, sir.

There was nothing
else on the road,

hardly ever is that time of day.

Cal Roman didn't kill
your brother Mel.

As good or as bad as he was,
he didn't kill your brother.

- What about the others?

What about the others?

- Well as bad as it looks,
and it does look bad,

it was purely circumstantial.

- I got to call this in.

I'm sorry.

- Well, it has
nothing to do with me.

- Detective Beckner,
John Fuller here.

Oh, hi, no it's
been a long time.

Yeah, I'm calling something in.

So Bryson is indicted
on two counts.

- Yeah, yeah you told me John.

So there they are.

- I don't know what
I'm gonna say to her.

- You will think of something.

- Him, I haven't
seen him in a year.

- Kids have a different
sense of time.

- All I thought about
was killing the guy

that ran my daughter over.

- Yeah, and you didn't.

- Yeah, but I wanted to.

I was obsessed, just
like this guy Mel.

I could've done what he did.

- Focus, Timmy's here,
he's waiting to see you.

- You're right, and when you're
right, you're really right.

I'm gonna go play.

Timmy.

Timmy!

(soft music)

♪ I hate to break it to ya

♪ But we had nothing in common

♪ No, we were so

♪ Far apart

♪ You liked top 40 radio

♪ And I had my Joni Mitchell

♪ And we were helpless
from the start ♪

♪ You wanted something more

♪ Than I could ever give

♪ You wanted to feel my kiss

♪ From my heart

♪ But I only loved you
'cause you're gorgeous ♪

♪ Last night you came to me

♪ In a dream I've
got my therapy ♪

♪ And forbid you
from my memory ♪

♪ I must roll on, roll on

♪ Everyone says I love you

♪ Everyone says I need you

♪ Everyone says he
doesn't marry me ♪

♪ So casually you see

♪ I love you

♪ But I only love you

♪ 'Cause you're gorgeous

♪ Said I only stay

♪ Because you're gorgeous

♪ Gorgeous

♪ Stay

(soft music)