All language subtitles for Cutters Way (1981).en

(buzzing razor)

(traditional Spanish dance music
in the distance)

You don't have to go.

Yeah. I gotta...

I gotta see this sick friend.

- He is, he's sick.
- Well, it wasn't that good anyway.

Remind me not to get on your bad side.

I was supposed to pick up some
medicine for him. I don't suppose you...?

Nah, I don't suppose...

Bone.

Buy some vitamin E.

OK.

You're not interested in the boat, are you?

No. I don't think
I can convince my husband.

OK.

Well... It's been better for me, too.

(music and laughter
in the distance)

Green Healey.

(thunderclap)

Healey! A green Healey!

(rattling engine)

Yeah, my engine's had it. Gotta get it
fixed. Sorry, fella. There goes your tip.

(rattling engine)

(engine falters)

(engine splutters and dies)

(starter motor whirrs)

(starter motor whirrs)

Shit!

(starter motor whirrs)

(starter motor whirrs)

(car accelerates)

Hey!

Son of a bitch!

Jesus Christ!

(rain gets heavier)

Fuck you, too!

- I owe you a drink.
- That's true, you do.

Ahoy, maties! Ishmael returneth, huh?

How goes your search for that fiendish
leviathan of the deep - Moby Dick?

- Moby Dick?
- (both) Isn't that a social disease?

- God, it's only 1.30, Alex.
- Yeah, and already into the B material.

Great art demands a great audience,
you know what I mean?

Permit me to introduce to you
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern here.

Emissaries from the Danish court.
Tree surgeons to the king.

- They prune Danish, right?
- Yeah, right. That's my line, Rich.

And this is of course Karl Marx.

Karl Marx, former lead guitar
with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

- Karl.
- And last but certainly least is Rastus...

the court nigger!

(laughs)

What?

Do I detect some tension?

Oh.

Come now, gentlemen.

Simple matter of semantics.

What are we white,
well-intentioned liberals

supposed to call you cats these days?

Blacks? Coloureds?

Negroes? Darkies?

(laughs)

Jeez, you know, I don't know.
What would you call 'em, Rich?

I'd call 'em "Sir" if I were you.

That's funny 'cause that's not what you
called 'em the night your car was stolen.

Just what was it
that you called 'em that night?

Alex...

Alex? (laughs)

I wouldn't put up with that
if I were you guys!

You must be crazy, Rich,
calling 'em something like that!

(laughs)

The war, you know...

- I can understand that.
- I wasn't in any war.

See?

But if he convinces you he isn't crazy,
don't send me the pieces.

- Alex. Thank you, man.
- You're watching a pro in action.

Richard Bone doing
what he does best - walking away.

Where are you going
with my goddam keys? You fuck!

(man) That's going on your tab, Cutter!

(clatter)

You look beautiful.

Considering.

I didn't say that.

It's a given. The way of the world.

Things are OK...

considering.
- That good, huh?

(whispers) Better.

Any minute now,

Prince Charming will...

ride by on his grand white charger and...

take me in his arms and carry me away.

My charger's got a bad battery,
but will I do?

Hell, no!

Speaking of which, you're home
awfully early, aren't you?

Couldn't you find a matron
with a taste for gutter squalor,

or is that the battery trouble
you were complaining of?

I don't like you when you're stoned.

Hey, Rich, I don't like you
when I'm straight.

How would you know?

You did have a bad night, didn't you?

Not until now.

Is it...

Is it so bad, having a place to come
home to when you've got no place to go?

Poor Richard.

The bottle.

Golden boy.

Never say no to Richard.

It must be tough...
playing second fiddle...

to a one-eyed cripple.

He's not your average one-eyed cripple.

Is that why you put up with his bullshit?
Are you waiting for the resurrection?

- It's not gonna happen.
- How would you know?

You never stay in one place
long enough to find out.

What does that mean? Does that mean
if I'd been around at the right time...?

I would have married Alex anyway.

- I don't think so.
- Whatever you say.

But I did.

And you know what?

I am real happy with the way things are.

(man retches)

Kenny?

Kenny?

- Kenny?
- (retches)

- One, two, three!
- Yeah!

All right, Georgie.

What did I do with my cane? OK...
You don't have to follow me. I'm all right.

I'm all right!

I know the way. There's 13 steps.

(George laughs)

- Come on!
- Here are the steps, right on cue.

- One, two...
- Three. Whoa!

Shh! Don't wake Mo up.

- Maureen, are you awake?
- (yells) Silence!

It's George!

(Cutter) Look who's here.
(George) Can you give me a hand?

(Cutter) You ain't got no clothes on, boy.

(Cutter yells and laughs)

(laughs)

Ah, shit. It's always good to have
a little Bone around the home, you know.

- (Cutter) Is it safe?
- Yeah, it's dark.

Agh!

Jesus Christ, Bone.
You really know how to hurt a guy.

- I had a good teacher, Alex.
- Give me that bottle.

- Give me the goddamn bottle!
- Hi, Mo.

Hi, George.

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy.
I must have died and gone to heaven!

- Are you all right?
- (George) Yeah, he's fine, Mo.

- Sorry.
- No. Don't be silly.

Don't let him fool ya.
He's buckin' for sainthood.

Without me, you ain't got a prayer!

- Like some coffee?
- No, thanks.

I'd better go. Susie's probably worried.

Must have known you'd bring him
home. -No, completely by accident.

How did we do with that woman?

She seemed
pretty interested in the 40-footer.

I think she had something
a lot smaller in mind, George.

- Too bad. Here you go.
- Give me that bottle.

Take care of my boy Alex!
See you at the parade.

Give me the bottle!

(Mo) What'll it be, Alex, coffee or sleep?

Any other choices?

- Where are you going?
- I'm gonna finish sleeping on the boat.

- Come on, Bone...
- He wants to, Alex.

He doesn't wanna go, do ya?

Yeah. It's getting late. I'm gonna hit it.

It's not late. It's early.

Come on.

Come on. Stick around.

Mo doesn't want you to go.
You're just being cranky, right?

Come on.

We'll do something together.
Have breakfast. A cup of coffee.

Good idea, huh?

Unless you got something else
in mind, right?

You wanna watch?

Nah. You want me to watch.

You guys are a little grim.
It's just a little joke.

(laughs)

Oh, I get it.

You don't want me to watch.

OK.

You guys are making me very nervous.
If I didn't know better...

(knock at door)

- Yeah?
- Is there a Richard Bone here?

That's me.

- Do you own a green Healey
convertible? - Why not come in (?)

Yes, I do. Why?

(Bone sighs) Oh, God.

(man) OK, Mr Bone. Let's do it again.

Let's take a look at the autopsy report.
Crushed trachea. Fractured skull.

Semen in her throat, on her face.

17 years old. Cheerleader.
It's ugly, Mr Bone.

In LA, it happens all the time,
but we don't get the creeps up here.

And, you...

- You didn't see anything.
- And I didn't do it so I'm gonna go, OK?

Sit down.

Look.

I didn't see the face, right?

I only saw the body -
a dark shape with sunglasses on it.

I can't identify a face for you.

Send in Miss Duran.

- Who's that? Her mother?
- Her sister. Tell her what you saw.

Shit.

- That's your job.
- It's your story.

Miss Duran. Mr Bone.

I'm sorry.

(mariachi band plays)

What's your name?

Hey, Rich, you made the big time.
Have a drink. Look. Show him.

(Cutter laughs)

(Cutter) "Suspect held in slaying."

Of course, a witness is not nearly
as exciting as a murderer,

but I'm willing to let bygones be bygones.

What did you see?

I've been playing this game for six hours.

Come on. It's me - your old buddy Alex.
What did you see, man?

- Come on!
- I didn't see anything, man.

You saw a silhouette.
We heard that much outside.

- That's what I saw exactly.
- What did he look like?

- What did the guy look like?
- I wanna go home. I'm tired. Let's go.

Home? What home? Let's go look
at some naked dancing ladies.

(indistinct tannoy)

Hey.

See, Rich? Just what I told you.
Take your mind off your trying ordeal.

- You mean you.
- Come on. Watch the parade!

(whistles and cheers)

(Cutter) Our glorious past -
the mission of Santa Barbara.

Happy padres, happy Indians.
The blessings of the white man.

Wiped out in 200 years
by disease and forced labour.

You can still get one to clean up
your kitchen, or park your car.

They died with Christ's blessing.
Happy corpses, each and every one.

You're right, Alex.
I need something fun like this (!)

(indistinct tannoy)

(mariachi music)

The baton brigade. Hey!

Jesus Christ, look at that one. My God,
they're maturing early. Holy shit, man.

We were born too soon.

Know what they do with the hard,
smooth, polished, chrome batons these days?

I'll bet you do.

(band plays a march)

(indistinct tannoy)

(Cutter) We gotta find somebody for Mo.
Mo, you could go out with this guy.

Look at that one, Rich.
You could go for that, huh?

With that one. With that one.

With that one. That one ain't bad.

You could probably boff all of 'em.

Look at the silver in that horse's mouth.

You think we can mug a horse?
You think we can mug a palomino?

(cheering)

(drunkenly) Hey!

Arrest me!

Lock me up!

- Hey, kid.
- Gross!

(tannoy) And now, representing
Cord Industries...

Hey. Now we're getting down to it.
Hard Cord (!)

Background. Breeding. Genealogy.

Sociology. Rich. Rich.

Rich, Rich (!)

For an honest-to-God dynasty,
you need family.

What do you say, Mo?

That's him.

That looks like the guy I saw.

- (tannoy) Honorary presidente, J.J. Cord!
- Who? That guy?

No, this guy right here.

That guy? That's the guy
you saw at the trash can?

Come here. Come here!

(cheers and whistles)

(Cutter) Excuse me.
Excuse me very much.

Excuse me a great deal.
Get out of my way.

Excuse me. Rich, come here.
Do you mean him? Do you mean him?

(Rich) No.
(Cutter) That's J.J. Cord!

Hey, Alex! Richie, how do I look?

- You look like a fat man on a horse.
- Huh?

(band plays a march)

(Mo) Cord was busy last night.
(Cutter) What do you mean?

(Mo) His car was burned at the marina.

(Cutter) What was he doing at the marina?

(Mo) The paper says he was
at the oil conference at the El Encanto.

He went for a drive.
He says he does it all the time.

That's where I saw him.
I saw him at the El Encanto last night.

I saw him at the parade
and then made the connection.

Pretty good. Well, we cleared that up.

(they laugh)

What time did you say
you left the El Encanto?

I've been doing this all night
with professionals, Alex.

- All right. I'm sorry.
- Talk about your leg or something.

Get your hands out of the guacamole, too.

Can I ask one more question
before we talk about my leg?

What time did you leave the El Encanto?

12. A little after 12.

That's funny because it says here
this guy was driving around midnight.

He went to the yacht club to look at his
boat, and somebody blew up his car.

What size car did you say you saw?

It didn't say anything about blowing
the car up. The car was burned.

This is the fiesta. Bars are trashed
and cars are blown up all the time.

Girls get killed all the time (!)

What kind of car did you say you saw?

A big car.

Like a Cadillac, maybe?

I don't know.

OK, I'm sorry, man.
You're right as rain as usual.

The odds against old J.J. Cord being
a trash-can killer are out of the question,

except for one thing - two things, in fact.

First of all, you said, "It's him."
Is that right?

Not, "Similar, looks like him a little bit."

You said, "It's him."
And second, big number two, Rich...

His car takes it in the shorts within 90
minutes of when the girl's body is found.

Isn't that even remotely intriguing?

- You've got one big problem.
- What's that?

Your imagination.

It's just facts, Rich.

I haven't even begun
to let my imagination loose on this one.

He's drunk.

(Cutter laughs)

What makes you say that (?)

(Cutter yells) Yeah... Yeah...

Mother fuck goddammit!

I'm going to have to give that another try.

(laughs)

(laughing)

(man) You fucking maniac!

Hey...

It was an honest mistake.

(laughs)

I didn't even see the goddam thing,
and, besides, it was in my driveway.

You lying bastard.

You crazy, crippled son of a bitch!

Hey, don't hit that with me.

Come on. Why don't you
come on in the house...

Come on in the house and have a drink,

and we'll talk it over, OK?

Hey, you know, my old lady,
she's got a vibrator your ass would love.

Watch it.

- Let's go inside.
- Let's be neighbourly.

He's crazy.

(woman) Let's just call the police. Oh!

(Cutter yells)

(dog howls in the distance)

Now look what you did.

You woke up the dog.

(child cries)

- What the hell are you doing, Alex?
- Minding my own business.

Doing a little research.

And I conducted
a modest sociological experiment.

Picked up several hitchhikers -
an Afro-American homosexual

and two mestizas
with a domesticated simian.

Black cat and the two mest chicks
weren't bad,

but don't ever orgy with a pet monkey -
the little fuckers bite.

(gargles)

(swallows)

(Cutter burps)

You know your insurance has lapsed.

- That would be his problem.
- Your licence has expired.

Car runs fine without one.

backs it right up where you see it now,
backs up again, pulls the car...

That's him.

Evening, Officer. Officer.

My name is Alexander Cutter.

This is my car and I'm real sorry
about what happened, sir.

- Just what did happen?
- He didn't tell you?

I'm still a little shaky about it but...

I was coming up the street here in my car.

Another car flashed by me
with his brights on.

I was turning into my driveway...

I know my driveway by heart -
I kinda have to - and just whammo.

- Can I see your licence?
- Yes, sir.

- What about some language?
- Language?

- What language?
- Jesus!

I simply invited the man to come in
to call you - to calm down, really.

He seemed pretty upset.

- You know this licence expired?
- It never rains but it pours.

I didn't know that. No, sir.
You'll have to cite me for that.

You'll have to do your duty.

Duty's something I know a little bit about.

I've cited you for licence violation.

- Straighten it out with the insurance.
- Thank you.

Are you kidding me? This bastard's
a goddamn crazy menace.

- Ain't you gonna do something?
- We're gonna turn in a report.

- What about him?
- What about him?

- Listen, you asshole...
- Excuse me, sir.

You heard me, you goddamn storm
trooper. I'm a taxpayer, goddammit!

So am I.

(Cutter) Goodnight, Officer.

Goddamn fascist pigs!

You assholes!

Forget it, pal.

Toyota's a shitty car anyway.

I'm a cripple.

(Bone) What kind of research
are you doing in Who's Who?

(Cutter) Nothing special.

The serious stuff - checking up
on the younger generation.

Where cheerleaders spend the night.

Where do they spend the night? -Wouldn't
you like to know, you sly devil?

You know, Bone, did you
ever check out Group Therapy?

- No.
- You oughta.

It's a new disco near the ocean.

Take that guy with ya.

Yeah, and...?

And that's where Vicki Duran was
when last seen.

- Boogieing the night away with J.J.?
- No.

J.J. was across the street
at the El Encanto, just like you said.

- Which you didn't buy.
- I never said that.

Fact is that he was definitely there.

A little reception for some oil people.

But J.J., old J.J., he left around 11.

- Yeah. 11.
- Where did you get that info, Alex?

PR man at the hotel.

He's glad to help out a reporter
for the Sunset Magazine.

Always pleased to help such honoured
guests, even if they are a little sauced.

- What else happened?
- That's it.

What do you mean, that's it?

That's it. What the hell else do you want?

I wanna know what the fuck
you're up to, man.

I can see you really give a shit if I spend
another night in jail. It's my ass, right?

- The world lacks heroes, Rich.
- I don't wanna be one.

It's got nothing to do with you.

You never wanted to be one.

(sighs)

- (Cutter) Where you going?
- You can stay here.

Absolutely.

Mi casa es su casa. We'll try
to hold it down in here for you, too.

Unless you want two strong arms.

(Cutter) Slow but steady wins the race.

There he is. Gazelle Boy.

- Had to do it, huh?
- Yeah. Like I said, Rich, I press.

One more time, George.

Come on. Get up!

Hah (!)

Pulled a muscle. Gonna take a break.

- How are you?
- OK.

Good.

- Alex has been keeping me busy.
- He's got a gift for that.

Have you changed your mind?

Changed my mind? What do you mean?

Decided that Cord was the man you saw.

(laughs)

Now what could have given you
an idea like that?

- Alex, how are you doing?
- Hey, Georgie.

You looked great out there. No kidding.

- Georgie, this is Valerie Duran.
- Hi. Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.
- Vicki Duran's sister.

The girl that was
unfortunately murdered last week.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Nice, Alex (!)

- Can I get anybody some lunch?
- Sure. We could eat right here.

No. Susie's not up to it. How about
that new French restaurant?

You fooled me, George. That's pretty nice.

- I'll meet you there.
- Sure. For coffee, right?

And the check. I'll see you there.

Let's go, gang. Free eats.

(Bone) This is a dead end.

- Alex knows that.
- (Valerie) He said you'd say that.

I didn't see his face.
I don't want to look at any pictures.

A quote from J.J. Cord:
"I like to pick up hitchhikers.

"Especially young ones. I like their input."

You know, I would go straight to the DA.
That's an open and shut case.

- You'll probably get a medal.
- There's lots more.

Go ahead. Read it.
Let's string this dude up. Come on.

Alex made some phone calls.
What do you think?

Around midnight,
at a gas station on the coast highway,

some guy buys two gallons of gas
in jeep cans.

- Cans, yeah.
- He wears a funny hat and glasses.

A funny hat?

Wait a minute. A funny hat?

That's Cord. That is Cord!
Alex, that sounds like Cord to me.

Doesn't it? He's always wearing
funny hats all over the place.

OK, let me try.

- Look, Rich...
- Yeah.

I'm...

I'm Cord.

And I got a pint of Chivas in me,
and I'm weaving on home...

and I spot this scrumptious teeny-bopper.

And... I pull over. I pick her up.

Innocent that she is, she's flying high on
angel dust, Thai stick, God knows what.

She gets in, only I'm drunk
so I'm having some trouble.

And she starts to laugh.

And I'm old and I'm fat and I'm sweaty,

and she's laughing.

She's laughing and she's choking,

and she spits my puny cum
right in my face.

The fucking bitch.

(shouts) Wham!

She ain't laughing any more.

(laughs)

But...

I'm J.J. Cord.

I turned a wildcat well into a dynasty.

I do not crack.

All I have to do is clean up
a very messy car and get rid of a body.

It's fiesta time.

Happens all the time.

Bars get trashed. Cars get burned.

Yeah, so?

So we let him know we know.

(Bone laughs)

- That's wonderful.
- What did I miss?

Not much. Alex is making
a few jokes about your boss.

Cord? This isn't the best place
to make jokes about Mr Cord.

That's Mrs Cord behind me.

Georgie's got a point. Let's walk.

Get the check, will you, Georgie Porgie?

- Hello, Patricia. How are you?
- Hello, George. Who are your friends?

That's Richard Bone,
one of my salesmen from the marina.

- I see. Charming.
- Enjoy your lunch.

Thank you.

So we pretend blackmail and then,
when he pays, we go to the police.

We got him.

OK, so maybe we don't do that.

Alex admitted he might try
to talk us out of that,

but it's up to me because she was
my sister, and he's got to pay.

Wait. Let's say you are right. You're
not right. Let's say you are, though.

Blackmail isn't your problem.
Your problem is your ass.

If you're right and you mess with this guy,
you'll wind up nailed to the mast of a boat.

- I'd be very, very careful.
- Sure.

Sure? That's why you go shouting out
your whole story in a restaurant

full of Cord's friends,
people who work for him?

Well, actually, Rich,

I'd say that you're the one
that ought to be very careful, not us.

You're the witness, remember?

That's right.

Your fantasy, my ass.

All right, so we'll be more careful,
but he can't get away with it.

No, of course not. The forces of good.

A little blackmail, a little perjury.
We can all retire to a tropical island.

Hold it, Bone!

You sanctimonious bore.

Who the hell are you, anyway?

The fastest dick on the beach?

Hell, while you were getting laid in the
Ivy League, I was getting my ass shot up,

so don't give me any lectures on morality.

In fact... In fact, Rich, let me give you one.

Let me guess - this is the one about how
you see life exactly the way it is, right?

Everything's a total crock of shit?

Or is it about your leg?
Please, not the leg. God.

I watched the war on TV like everybody
else. Thought the same damn things.

What you thought when you saw
a picture of a woman with a baby

lying face down dead in a ditch,
two gooks.

You had three reactions, Rich,
same as everybody else.

The first one was real easy:
"I hate the United States of America."

Yeah.

You see the same thing the next day and
you move up a notch. "There is no God."

Yeah.

But you know what you finally say,
what everybody says, no matter what?

"I'm hungry."

I'm hungry, Rich. I'm fucking starved.

- So you pick out somebody to blackmail.
- You picked him out.

And he isn't somebody. He's responsible.

- For the girl?
- For everything.

Him and all the motherfuckers
in the world. They're all the same.

- Let's blow up AT&T (!)
- Know why they're all the same?

Because it's never their ass
that's on the line. Never.

It's always somebody else's.

Always yours, mine, ours.

So leave off the morality, OK?

And don't write me off as
a money-grubbing bastard altogether.

OK. But you don't need me. Do it yourself.

That way, you'd only have
to split the money two ways.

- It's like trying to seduce a eunuch!
- Did they show you Vicki's body?

I just wondered.

Maybe if they had,
you'd be with us on this.

(sighs)

Could be.

- Where are you going?
- Sailing. Do you wanna come, Alex?

I'd like to.

Oh... Maybe revenge
isn't the only thing on your mind, hmm?

Have fun... girls (!)

(Valerie sighs)

(Valerie) Nothing really counts, does it?
(Bone) Not much.

(Valerie) Not even murder.

You know what I think, Richard?
You know...

(Bone sighs)

Valerie... -I think
we should do what we want to do.

- I didn't see his face.
- That's not why I'm here.

You don't want this. Watch your back.

- Why? Don't you?
- It's got nothing to do with me.

This is Alex's fantasy. You wanna
live it out, you do it with him, not me.

- I don't want you getting hurt, that's all.
- Don't flatter yourself, Bone.

(Bone) All right. Then sit down
and forget about it.

That son of a bit...

Oh!

- Where are you going?
- What do you care?

If you wait a second,
I'll give you a lift back to the hotel.

No, thanks. I'd rather hitchhike.

(George) Hey, Richie.
Hey! You got a minute?

Yeah.

Look, Rich, I wouldn't mind
being in your shoes sometimes,

but I think, in the end,
you're gonna tire of all this drifting.

Just stay on here - permanently.

Take the customers out.

You look great on the deck. And
anything you sell, you get five per cent.

And what do you get?

With you around, I get to know
what Alex is up to,

and speaking of Alex, what's he up to?

Alex feels the world's short of heroes.
He's trying to fill the gap.

I don't know about him lately. It's
a little funny, but it's more than that.

Know what he said to me last week?

That he'd sell me
the next five years of his life.

That's what he said. For $50,000.

And in return, he wouldn't damage
my merchandise.

Now what does that mean?
Can you believe that?

- I told him he was crazy.
- You got that right.

Where am I gonna get
that kind of money? And for what?

(Bone laughs)

Well, I'd better get my ass in gear.

- Lock up for me, would you?
- Sure.

You see? It's not so bad,
a little responsibility.

Just take it one step at a time.

Sooner or later, you're gonna have
to make a decision about something.

Come on, Tiger.

- (Cutter) Calcutta. Black Hole speaking.
- It's me.

- Yeah? Great (!)
- Listen. I changed my mind.

- About what?
- Cord.

- It's too late.
- What do you mean?

- I just slashed my wrist.
- Well, tape it.

(Cutter laughs) All right! Hey!

"I will phone your office to arrange
a personal meeting with you.

"Time is of the essence.

"Richard Bone. Witness."

- That's me!
- (Cutter) Brilliant.

It's goddam brilliant.

We've got that motherfucker's balls
in a vice.

What a team. What a goddamn team.

Not since the Three Musketeers,
one for all, and all for one.

- You want me to sign this, right?
- Right.

It's my main squeeze, bringing home
the bacon. Ain't she a swell gal?

You want me to sign this? Tell her.

Blackmail, huh?

- What's all this crap?
- Food.

(Mo) Real food.

This, for instance, is a tomato.

Food, huh? People used to have to eat it
during the Prohibition, didn't they,

occasionally for days on end?

- Are you serious?
- I lost my head.

I was on my way
to the Liquor Locker as usual,

and all of a sudden I got
an overwhelming desire to eat real food.

I couldn't stop myself.

You know, a vegetable, a piece of meat.

I tried to stop myself, God knows I did,
but then it happened: 7-Eleven.

Food will never catch on, darling.

(Cutter) Mo...

I'll take everything back, Alex. I promise.

Why?

Just to make you happy.

You remember a conversation
Rich and I had about a Mr Cord?

Well, our investigation
has proceeded apace, as they say.

Things are beginning to crystallise,

and we are all, Rich included,
agreed that Cord killed Valerie's sister.

So we're gonna apply a little pressure,

and if he pays, we're gonna bust him.

Telling you was Bone's idea.
Me, I would have waited.

You're gonna blackmail J.J. Cord,

and if he pays, you'll turn him over
to the cops with the money. Is that right?

- You got it, kid.
- This is really insulting.

This is more bullshit than I expect
even from you. You're an asshole!

- Whatever you say.
- It can work.

Just like he said. And that's what I
want - to get Cord and turn in the money.

- Get fucked, sweetie!
- (Cutter) Don't be abusive, Mo.

Abusive? How could anyone be abusive
with a band of would-be extortionists?

Really!

Hold it just one little minute here.

Let me refresh your burnt-out little
memory. Valerie did just lose her sister.

With me so far, or do you want a drink?

And if Cord killed her, it seems to me
that whatever we do

falls under the heading of justice,
justice, pure and simple.

Simple, hardly pure.
Dishonourable and gutless.

You know about guts?

Guts is hanging around in this pigsty
month after month

waiting for you to get the nerve to start
living again, and what does it get me?

You in a play pen, planning a dumb crime.

- I don't see much use in this. I'll go.
- You're a little charmer.

Your sister's two days in the ground.

- You're planning how to cash in.
- We're not keeping the money.

Shit! Give me a break, will ya?

- Richard, I'm going.
- Hold it.

This was your idea, Bone, telling
little Mama all about it. Speak up.

- I've got nothing to say.
- Of course not.

He's got nothing to say!
When does he ever have anything to say?

You're not some saint avenging
the sins of the earth, you know,

and if you are, what am I doing here?

Oh, I know. I'm like your leg.

Your leg! Sending messages to your brain,
and there's nothing there any more.

(Bone) I wouldn't.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah.

You think this is the first time?

You make it the last, Alex.

Whatever you say, partner.

I'm sorry.

Someday in Tahiti, we'll look back
on all of this and... laugh.

(beeping car horn)

There she blows.

It's gonna be just fine, Rich.
Do your thing.

That's easy for you to say.
I'll be out there alone.

On point. Only place to be.
Purple Heart Land.

That's where I was, Rich.
Used to call this the wet-ass hour.

You really know how
to give a guy confidence, Alex.

You're just delivering the mail.
"Neither rain nor sleet,

"nor snow, nor gloom of night..."

Can I help you?

Yeah. I'm supposed to meet a friend here.

Hi, I'm here to see Mr Cord, and, er...

You're kinda sexy.

Do you have an appointment?

No, I don't have an appointment,
but I have to see him.

It's a matter of crucial concern to Mr Cord.

It concerns the night his car was burned,
but he has to hear it from me personally.

Well, I don't have that authority.

I'll have to go to my superior,
Miss Ironcrotch.

No kidding.

Well... you do what you have to do, miss.

If I were you, I'd go as high as I can.

I'm sure Mr Cord would be very unappy
if too many people knew about this.

Let's skip right past Ironcrotch
and go on to Mr Step'n'Fetchit.

That's as far as he's gonna get.

- (Bone) Let's go.
- Outta sight, man. What happened?

I pressed the dude. I said, "Look, this is
a very personal, a very important letter."

I told him that Cord was gonna have his
ass if anybody else got hold of the letter.

- You did it!
- I've got to call him back at one o'clock.

Bonehead did it!

You did it, Bonehead!

Oh, that baby Bones!

We're gonna nail that guy with the huge
head and the little teeny weeny...

We did it!

Hey-hey!

(Cutter) # It's a grand old flag
It's a high-flying flag

# For ever with grace may you wave

(Bone joins in)
# It's the emblem of the land I love

# The home of the free and the brave! ♪

(rattling "gunfire")

Yay! One more time.

What do you think?

I try not to.

I mean about me, or about what Mo said.

Vicki only being dead a few days,
and me trying to cash in.

We all have our reasons.
That's mine, right?

- Rich, it's time to call Cord.
- One sec.

- Call him now.
- I'm gonna win a doll here.

You've been trying to win a doll
for half an hour. Come on.

You piss me off, Bone.

Give him his goddam doll. Give this
clown enough to cover any damage.

You'll get it back in a couple of hours.
Come on.

Yeah.

He didn't, huh?

I see. But he gave him the message?

No, I understand. Fine. Thank you.

- No.
- What does that mean?

No dice, man. No dice.

He gave Cord the message. Price
gave it to him personally, and that's it.

That's all there is, which is nothing.
No response.

The murdering bastard!
The murdering bastard!

- Are you fuck...?
- Sorry, Alex. There's no sale.

Goddammit! That fucking
murdering bastard, goddammit!

Are you fucking shitting me?

That goddam fuck! Fucking fuck.

Shit! Fucking goddam...

(splash)

I didn't deliver the letter, Alex.

(Cutter) What?

(Cutter laughs)

- Why not?
- Because the game's over.

You may be suicidal. I'm not.

(Cutter) Yeah, it takes
too much commitment (!)

You tickle me, Bone.

You know, look, if you
don't wanna hang around any more,

and if you wanna go home
where the heart is, go.

I'm sure Mo's very lonely, too.

Me?

I'm gonna... I'm gonna nail the bastard.

Come on, Val. It's you and me.

(Bone) Mo?

Hello, Rich. Enjoy yourself?

Yes, I did.

(Mo) Well, they're pretty good,
what there is of 'em.

I'm an eyes man.

- Bloodshot?
- Yeah, most of the time.

Where's Alex?

- He's fighting the good fight.
- What about you?

Me, I chickened out.

Amazing. A moment
of weakness or sanity?

I don't know.

I was hoping
that when nothing happened...

this scheme would just dissolve
or something.

And Valerie, did she chicken out, too?

No. She's hanging in till the bitter end.

(phone rings)

(ringing continues)

Hello?

Hi.

Fine.

Wonderful.

Yo.

Hey, look, man,
I wish you all the luck, you know?

You did?

Well, that's terrific.

He's gonna send you a message. Uh-huh.

Thank you, Alex.

Thank you very much.

Yes, I'll tell her.

OK. We won't expect you. Bye-bye.

Well, he's done it. Gave Cord the letter.

He's also forgiven me of my sins,

and he wanted me to tell you
to be sure to be extra nice,

because my ego has been
so badly bruised of late.

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

(sighs)

Well, Rich...

sanity is positively...

taking over.

It's an off day, speaking of which,
do you wanna take the day off?

Anything special in mind?

Probably, but we could start with the
old standbys: Loaf of bread, jug of wine.

- Cheese.
- Cheese.

(they laugh)

(♪ record: "We're Old Enough To Know"
by Jack Nitzsche)

♪ We're old enough to know
one night won't change the way

♪ Your eyes look back like photographs
of others I can see

♪ We're old enough to know
one night can't take away

♪ The faces of the lovers
that you see engraved on me

♪ We're old enough
to know that it can't be...

Don't bother, Rich.

♪ Can't remember all the faces

♪ Can't remember half the names

♪ But I remember all the times
I felt like this... ♪

You'd only be disappointed.

I'd lose a friend.

I don't think so.

Let's find out.

You really are a slave to it, aren't you?

Gee, Mo, if you don't want to, that's fine,
but you don't have to knock the feeling.

You're right.

Sorry.

It's a bad habit.

I guess we really don't have
that much to lose, do we?

Wait a minute.

(♪ "We're Old Enough To Know)

(Mo sobs)

(Bone) Shh...

(Bone whispers) I love you.

- Rich, can I ask you a question?
- Yeah, sure.

Do you still mean any of what you said?

Yeah, I think so.

How much?

I said I love you.

Relax, Rich.

The, um... Richard Bone Fan Club
is now complete.

No more hold-outs.

Mo...

Yes?

Is there something else?

(fridge opens, bottles clank)

(Mo unscrews bottle top)

(Mo sighs)

Do you know what I do, Rich...

sometimes?

You know, when I wake up
in the night alone and I can't sleep...

I have to go and look
and see if I'm still here.

Mo, I'll be here.

I just stand there...

looking.

And I wonder...

I really wonder if I care...

if I ever really cared...

or if all I...

ever do is pretend.

It's... No, Rich, it's not you.

It's me.

I'm gonna stay.

Would you?

Just tonight, you know?

Please.

Shh.

Come on.

(door creaks)

(foghorns blast)

(footsteps above)

Never met a man so eager to make a fool
of himself on the field of combat!

- (George) Richie? Richard!
- Yeah! I'm down here, George.

- Where's Alex?
- In LA. Why?

What happened?

What happened?

(man) Are you done in there?

Open it.

Mo.

Are you OK?

I've been better.

Susie wants you to have the guest-house
for as long as you need it.

- Come on, George. You and Susie?
- Yeah.

- Let's go to the polo club, get a drink.
- I don't drink.

The routine grind drives me to drink.

Tragedy I take straight.

need a drink.

(Cutter) Why don't you go play, George?

I'll stay here with you.
There's always a game.

(Cutter) I'd kinda like to watch you play.

I'm gonna score one for you, Alex.

You've been watching
too many Babe Ruth movies.

It's kind of a funny hat, wouldn't you say?

Like the kind the gas-station attendant
said the guy with the jeep cans wore.

What, you think Cord killed Mo?

I know he did. So do you.

- 'Cause of the blackmail letter?
- The letter. What a crock.

Jesus, I win the prize. Alexander
Cutter underestimates the rich.

I was one.

It's simple. It's real easy. Your picture
was in the paper, remember? Page one.

He knew who you were from the first,
and not only you, but me, Valerie and Mo.

Do you think we haven't been watched?

He may be scared,
but he's smart and powerful.

He had your baptism papers
within the first half-hour,

a list of your friends, and every broad
you've racked for the past ten years.

You never had to deliver
any blackmail letter.

All you had to do
was go to the Cord Building.

- So what are you gonna do? - It's
not a question of what I'm gonna do.

What are you gonna do
with the time you've got left?

They weren't after Mo.
They were after you.

He just didn't see you leave.

No, huh?

That night I left...

She was pretty depressed.
Things got kind of heavy.

You're unbelievable!

You are truly unbelievable!

What a monster fucking ego!

You walk out on a girl,
what choice has she got?

She just heads straight
for the oven, right? What's left her?

Nice, Rich. Really nice. Nice.

- Fuck you!
- When are you gonna walk?

I know you're gonna try
to do your little walk.

Richard Bone
always does his famous walk.

Walk!

Walk!

Walk!

Walk! Walk!

Walk! Walk! Walk! Walk!

Walk! Walk!

Alex!

Alex.

You killed my wife!

You...

(yells) They're gonna crucify you!

They're gonna crucify you!

You're gonna pay!

(Cutter yells)

You're gonna pay!

Walk! Walk!

Walk! Walk!

(Cutter sobs)

(sobbing)

- Permission to come aboard.
- Come on in, Rich.

I'm worried about you and Alex.

Hassling guys at the local pub
is one thing, but J.J. Cord?

That's crazy.

Even with Mo and all,
he is way overboard.

He's practically barricaded himself
in my guest-house.

Won't come out. Won't let me in.
I don't know what he does for food.

What is this about Cord
murdering somebody?

I don't know.

You know Alex. He picked up
on something and won't let it go.

Well, he better.

That sounds a little final. Why?

Somebody said something
about yesterday, huh?

Look, you know, I feel responsible
for Alex in a lot of ways.

When my mother died,
his mom took me in like a second son.

I know.

Cord has helped me out, too.
He set me up.

But he's in a whole other league. They
don't play games. They play for keeps.

OK.

He presses on this one,
and he is in serious trouble.

I have a lot on my mind,
so I know you'll take care of him.

I mean, if you need anything, I'm here,

but I don't want to lose him.

Hey.

Alex.

Private R Bone reporting
to General George Armstrong Cutter.

- All quiet on the Western Front, sir!
- I think tomorrow is our best bet.

- For what?
- For a meeting with Cord.

Ah.

It says here he's having a party tomorrow.

Yeah.

I figure I'd like to have as many people
around as possible.

I hear he's dangerous.

- You've been invited, huh?
- Of course I've been invited.

We're invited.

This is George's.

(sighs)

I understand if you want nothing
to do with this, but I'd like you there.

But it's up to you.

- George is pretty frightened.
- So am I. Fool not to be.

- Still, it's up to you.
- I mean he's scared, man.

You know why? Cord killed his father.

(sighs)

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know.

Alex is really around the bend, huh?

This you can check out with Georgie.

You see, in the '30s, his old man
used to own the entire marina.

Cord was always trying
to buy it from him, but no sale.

Old man Swanson was one tough
son of a bitch. He was a great guy.

Anyway, somebody offed his old lady,
and that broke him.

He went after Cord. Unfortunately,
he found him. He got beat up real bad.

Ended up a vegetable and died.

Georgie was just a kid.
He was a kid, but he knew something.

All of a sudden, Cord started
paying extra special attention to him.

Put him through college,
put him up in the marina -

trying to help the poor kid. Sure.

And keep real close tabs on him, too.
Georgie's scared shitless.

Has been his whole life.

It's got nothing to do with Georgie.

It's got something to do with us.

So like I say, Rich,

it's up to you.

- You sure about this, Alex?
- Not really.

(laughs)

No, I'm not.

Then what the hell are we doing here?

Cord sent us a message.
He killed my wife.

Look, that last night with Mo,
she was depressed.

I mean she was really depressed.

So who isn't?

You take it pretty good, don't you?

Which part?
The dying part, or the screwing part?

(sighs)

Alex, what's this gonna prove?

It's not like it's gonna change anything.

It's not gonna bring her back.
It's not gonna take away our guilt.

It's not gonna make you whole again,
you know that.

Nothing's ever gonna do that.

I... I gotta go, I go.

Are you going to kill him?

That's what I do.

If you wanna walk, I understand.

I think Mo would like this.

She always liked to play dress-up.

(waltz on Spanish guitars)

Excuse me, fellas...

(Spanish guitars)

(Bone) Oh, excuse me.

Excuse me. I'm Mrs Cord.

- Alexander Richard.
- How do you do?

With such a charming hostess,
marvellously.

Yes, well, if there's anything I can do,
please let me know.

OK.

(mariachi band)

Bone.

- You seen Cord?
- Not yet.

Well, I saw his wife in there.
She gave me a real weird look.

Then he knows we're here.
Let's go find the murdering bastard.

- Give me the gun, huh?
- Are you serious?

Alex, you look ridiculous.
Give me the gun.

It isn't loaded.

Let's mingle.

Howdy. Just put your arms around me.
Thank you.

I'm trying to avoid somebody. Just laugh.

- I'm supposed to laugh at you?
- Look at me and kiss me.

- My God.
- Great.

I'm Richard Alexander
with C.C. & Mutual Investment.

- I don't usually do things like this.
- It's been pleasant chit-chatting.

- Alex! What are you doing?
- I'm looking for Cord.

I know you are. Will you wait for me?

- Come on!
- Wait.

- What?
- Let's stick with the crowd.

You stick out too much.

He isn't in the crowd. Come on, will ya?
I know every room in this house.

(Mrs Cord) Why don't we all
go out to the garden?

In the crowd, we don't stand out so much.

We're looking for Cord, remember?
Come on.

- (man) Hold it right there, fellas.
- Move your ass, Alex!

Come on, Bone!

All right.

Oh!

(groans)

Mr Bone? I do hope you aren't hurt.

Come in, Mr Bone.

(Cord) I'll take care of it, my dear.
Thank you.

- Mr Cutter?
- Richard Bone.

How did you find your way
into this house?

We used George Swanson's invitation.

That's right. He just called me.
He seemed quite disturbed.

Not very coherent.

As I understand it,

this young friend of yours
is pursuing some fantasy of his own,

and it includes me. Is that correct?

Something like that.

I don't find that very pleasant.
You understand that?

Yes, I do.

A veteran, isn't he?

- Excuse me?
- I understand he's a veteran.

Well, I've been in the war.
I know what it does to some men.

I'm willing to talk to your friend
if you think it will do any good.

Do you think it will do any good?

(rattling)

(Cutter yells)

(yells)

(gunshot)

Cord!

Alex.

Alex. Jesus!

Alex.

(Bone) It was him! It was him!

Alex?

It was you.

What if it were?

(shaky breathing)

(echoing gunshot)

Published 11/05/2013
@ www.podnapisi.net