You've got to bring Amy to Sasha's birthday party.
We'd love to have her there. 3:00, Saturday.
- Yes, okay. - Great.
She made everybody feel good.
- Congratulations, Sam. - Thanks.
Hello, Mrs. Rothstein. How are you?
You're one of the most gorgeous women I've seen. You're a lucky man, Mr. Rothstein.
Thanks for that compliment.
He was a young kid from the casino. Nice kid. Bright boy.
What balls on this fucking kid. The next day I fired him.
Ginger had that effect on people. I think she even encouraged them.
Do you wanna see this one?
Daddy gave me all this jewelry because he loves me so much.
But as much as they loved her...
Fabulous.
... they didn't know what really moved her.
Look at this.
Daddy gave me...
With Ginger happy, I was able to concentrate on what I knew best.
Loose machines are right back over there.
What are they doing back there? You can't even see them.
Okay.
What about the progressives with the high jackpots?
These are our best machines. They bring all the action.
No wonder the drop is off. The action is in the front.
- Bring them up front. - All right, I will.
Listen carefully. There are three ways of doing things here.
The right way, the wrong way, and the way that I do it.
- Understand? - I do understand. I'll get right on it.
- Thank you. - Don't thank me. Just do it.
You're the slots manager. I shouldn't have to tell you this.
Dang, you are right. I'm so sorry.
So I ended up working 18-hour days.
Ginger was the one who wound up enjoying the best of Vegas.
Come with me, please. I have a better table for you.
What did you say to that fucking jerk, anyway?
I told him that I was Mrs. Sam Rothstein.
You might as well get something out of it.
It wasn't long before what I was afraid was gonna happen, happened.
Nicky managed to get himself banned from every casino in Vegas.
From then on, I couldn't be seen talking to him anywhere in or near Vegas.
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
"...detrimental to gaming and...
"he will be ejected from any casino in Las Vegas.
"And the casinos can be fined as much as $100,000...
"every time he shows up."
- You believe this shit? - Yeah, you got banned.
"Because of notorious and unsavory reputation."
Motherfucker.
- Is there any way around this? - No, there's no way.
Let's say, for instance...
I want to go into the restaurant, which happens to be in the casino...
to get one of those sandwiches I like?
Forget it. You can't even set foot in the parking lot.
That's how serious it is.
- In other words, I'm fucked? - In so many words, yes.
It didn't sink into his head about the Black Book and what it meant.
Not being able to go into a casino is just one thing...
but being in this book etched your name into the brains of every cop and FBI agent.
You're listed in there with Al Capone. But Nicky didn't care.
I gotta do something. They ain't getting rid of me.
They're not getting rid of me. I'm staying here. Fuck them.
So once they pulled that shit...
I started doing my own things in Vegas nobody had thought of doing.
To keep an eye on things, I brought in my kid brother and some desperados...
from back home and started knocking over high rollers, casino bosses...
bookmakers, anybody right here in town.
I had a good fucking crew going for me, I'll tell you that.
I had Sal Fusco, a great second-story guy.
Jack Hardy worked for a safe company before he did a six-year bit.
Then there was Bernie Blue. This guy could bypass any alarm for me.
It was like old times.
I opened up my own jewelry store, too. The Gold Rush.
Sometimes I used to go along on a heist, just for the fun of it.
I didn't like the people I was ripping off looking at me...
so I turned their fucking pictures around.
What's taking so long? This is a motherfucker!
It's working.
Learn to open these instead of taking them.
These stones got a lot of niggers in them.
If that fucking Pepe's switching stones on us...
he better take a fucking camel back to Nigeria.
- They're in Penthouse "K." - Check in alone?
- They checked in alone. - Are they out now?
- Yes. Don't worry. - All right. Thanks.
He had tipsters all over town. Bellmen...
- You got to hurry. - Okay.
...valet parkers... - They're just checking in now.
- I'll tell him. ...pit bosses...
Room 1230 at the Scirocco.
- 1230. Right. ...secretaries.
- Mint condition coins. - Mint condition? All right.
They all got a piece of the score.
Car's coming.
They were very careful.
They always bypassed the alarms, or else, if not...
they'd drill enough holes to knock through the walls with a sledgehammer.
Nicky was grabbing everything he could.
Nobody out there was expecting a guy like him.
For Nicky, Las Vegas was the fucking Wild West.
I just got a shipment of diamonds from Israel.
What the fuck did they expect from me? I had to earn, didn't I?
- This diamond has flaws in it. - There's no flaws in it.
Don't tell me. I'm doing this for 25 years.
You better clean your loupe, because there's no flaws in this diamond.
When we got local merch...
we'd usually send it to Palm Springs, or Arizona, L.A.
I had a couple of sand niggers out there. You know, Arabs.
Are you gonna have a meeting or buy some diamonds?
I know his language. I'm talking with him.
$40,000, you buy the whole package.
$20,000. That's my final offer.
He suddenly talks English. Let's talk turkey. $25,000.
I actually turned my bedroom into a bank vault where I kept the choice stuff.
I couldn't leave it at the Gold Rush in case we got raided by the cops...
or if my crew got cute.
I had the only key. Jennifer didn't give a fuck.
She fell asleep on the couch watching TV every night.
This stuff was all mine. I didn't send any of this back home.
Actually, I couldn't, because I wasn't supposed to be doing it.
The bosses were making so much money with the casinos...
that they didn't want anybody making any waves.
You've all given your crew a piece of that?
I took care of everybody.
That's why there was no real organized street stuff in Vegas before I came.
But how much cash could I bury in my closet, right?
You have to understand, and I'm sure you do...
that in a venture of this kind...
you must be prepared to take some kind of loss.
I put some money in legitimate deals with Charlie Clark, Ace's banker.
- You will try to push it through, won't you? - Yes.
You got to understand, I'm giving you $50,000 cash.
Then I put more money in some legitimate places, like my restaurant.
Is that the last one? Yeah.
I had my kid brother, Dominick, run it.
Fuckers.
Here you go, guys.
- Thanks a lot. - Enjoy it. Have a good time.
- Choke on it, motherfucker. - Hi, Dom.
How you doing?
Yeah, Nicky loved restaurants. He was a real restaurant buff.
And over the years, he always made money with them.
In Vegas, he had the Leaning Tower. It was a very popular spot.
He had politicians, showgirls and movie stars hanging out all over.
That show at The Flamingo gets better and better.
By the way, Sammy said whenever you have a minute, give him a call.
- Made you a messenger, too? - I'll do anything for a buck.
- He does it to everybody. Enjoy your dinner. - Thanks.
I got to tell you, the thing Nicky liked most was the showgirls.
To them, Nicky was the movie star.
- You walk past me? - This is Shelly.
- Hi, Shelly. How are you? - Hi.
This is Stacy.
- This is Nick. Wanna have dinner? Come on. - All right.
Let's check the kitchen first. Excuse us one second.
Come on, I'll show you. I fly stuff in fresh every day.
I get bread from back home. I get fish from California.
You can always tell a great kitchen like ours because of the milk-fed veal.
That's the secret. See, milk-fed veal is pure white.
Out here, they got that pink veal. Slide over, honey.
Now, pink veal you can pound for two days.
It'll never ever get tender. You know what I mean?
I left here with the money. Got muscled on the street.
A couple guys, I owe them. So I gave them the money.
- That's what I did. - Yeah?
You call yourself a man?
You know you're a lying lowlife, motherfucking gambling degenerate prick?
You know that's what you are? Two small kids at home.
I gave you money to pay the fucking rent...
and buy groceries, put the heat on.
You know your wife called Frankie and told him the fucking heat's off?
You didn't gamble that money? Can you tell me that?
- No, you didn't? - I didn't.
Don't fuck with me, Al! Don't make a fuck out of me.
You wanna make a fool out of me? You didn't gamble?
Tell me you gambled the money and I'll give you the money to put the heat on!
Did you gamble?
Fucking degenerate, you.
Fucking kids at home.
Here. Get the fuck out of here.
Thanks, Nick. Yeah, thanks.
If I find out you fucked up, I'll leave you where I find you.
How many of these you gonna eat? Two.
At around 6:30 a.m., when he finished his day...
no matter where he was or what he was doing...
he always went home to make breakfast for his son, Nicky boy.
I know you like this.
A little butter, right? Not a lot. You know why, right?
Why? 'Cause it clogs up your heart.
What a smart kid you are.
Okay, eat.
Every couple of weeks, I sent Marino back to the bosses...
BACK HOME with a piece of what I made. Not a big piece, but what did they know?
They were 1,500 miles away, and I don't know anybody who can see that far.
Their drop was a truck stop garage...
where Remo and the guys used to hang out and count their millions.
The cops knew, but they didn't give a fuck. They worked it out.
Nicky sends his warmest regards.
I knew how to keep the bosses happy.
Whenever they gave me little jobs to do, you know, to send a message...
I would carry things out to a "T."
Like the time Tony Dogs, who was supposed to be the new maniac tough guy in town...
shot up one of Remo's bars.
Here's a fucking guy who kills two of Remo's guys...
and a poor fucking waitress who was just working on her night off.
This guy's just begging to be made an example of.
I want the names of all the other people he had with him.
I don't care what you have to do to them to get them. You understand?
I'll take care of it.
To be truthful with you, I had to admire this fucking guy.
He was one of the toughest Irishmen I ever met.
This son of a bitch was tough.
For two days and two nights, we beat the shit out of him.
We even stuck ice picks in his balls.
Hope he gives me a name, or I'll give him yours, Frank.
Thanks a lot.
But he never talked.
I know you would've ratted by now.
In the end, I had to put his fucking head in a vice.
Can you hear me?
Listen to me. I got your head in a vice.
I'll squash your head like a grapefruit if you don't give me a name.
Don't make me do this. Please, come on.
Don't make me be a bad guy.
Fuck you.
Motherfucker. You believe this? Two fucking days and nights.
Fuck me? You motherfucker!
Fuck my mother? Is that what you're telling me?
You motherfucker!
Oh, God. Give me the fucking name!
Charlie M.
- Charlie M. - Charlie M?
You make me pop your eye out your head...
to protect that piece of shit?
You dumb motherfucker!
Kill me, you fuck!
You motherfucker!
Frankie, do him a fucking favor.
Word got around that finally...
there was a real gangster in town.
Nicky was the new boss of Las Vegas.
Charlie M.
Four reels, sevens across. Three $15,000 jackpots.
You have any idea what the odds are?
It's gotta be in the millions. Maybe more.
Three jackpots in 20 minutes?
Why didn't you pull the machines? Why didn't you call me?
It happened quick. Three guys won. I didn't have a chance.
You didn't see the scam?
There's no way to determine that.
Yes, there is. An infallible way. They won!
It's a casino. People gotta win sometimes.
You're pissing me off. You're insulting my intelligence.
You think I'm an idiot?
Somebody had to get into those machines and set the reels.
The probability on one machine is a million and a half to one.
On three machines in a row, it's in the billions. It can't happen.
What's the matter with you?
Didn't you see you were being set up on the second win?
- You didn't see that? - I think you're overreacting.
Listen, you yokel, I've had it with you.
I've carried your ass ever since I got here.
Get your things and get out of here.
- You're firing me? - I'm firing you.
- You might regret this. - I'll regret it if I keep you.
- This is not the way to treat people. - lf you didn't know about the scam...
you're too dumb to work here. If you did, you were in on it.
Either way, you're out. Go on.
The guy is history as far as I'm concerned.
You can't fire him. His brother-in-law is County Commissioner.
Everyone out here with cowboy boots is a commissioner or related to one.
I'm sick of this.
This is his state. His uncle's Chief Judge.
His brother-in-law runs the County Commission.
There's gotta be a way to work him back in.
You're in the finances, upstairs. You don't see what's going on.
I've got thousands of players. I got 500 dealers.
They're all looking to rob me blind 24 hours a day.
I have to let them know I'm watching all the details all the time.
That there is not one single thing I will not catch.
Look at yours. Look at that.
Look at this. There's nothing.
Look how many blueberries your muffin has.
- I have nothing. - What are you talking about?
If you don't do it yourself, it never gets done.
Where are you going?
From now on, I want you to put an equal amount of blueberries in each muffin.
An equal amount of blueberries in each muffin.
Do you know how long that will take?
I don't care how long it takes. Put an equal amount in each muffin.
Just a little. That a girl.
Wanna go to Mommy? Wanna come to Mommy?
It's all right, sweetheart.
I need to talk to you. I need some money.
- What do you need? - Got her?
I need a lot. I need more than usual.
Why don't you take it out of your account?
I would, it's just that...
I need more than that. I need $25,000.
$25,000?
- For yourself? - Yeah.
Why do you need that much?
What's the difference? I just need it.
I gotta ask you. That's a lot of money. It's not a box of popcorn.
We don't have to turn this into a big deal.
We don't have to have a fight.
It was important to me. Forget it. Something I wanted to do.
Who's fighting? Tell me what it's for.
Why can't you tell me what it's for?
Now I want you to tell me.
My wife comes to me and asks me for $25,000. Do you want a coat?
No. If you want a coat, you got it.
It's not the money. It's just, why do you want it?
Am I not entitled to ask that?
I've been independent all my life. I never had to ask anybody for anything.
Now you're making me beg you for this.
- What are you talking about? - Okay? And you're embarrassing me.
Why make me feel so bad?
You're asking me for $25,000.
I'm not out to make you feel bad. I want to just be able to trust you.
It's about trust.
I have to be able to trust you with my life.
Do you understand?
Can I trust you?
Can I trust you? Answer me.
You can trust me.
Good. So then you can tell me what the money is for.
She's leaving the bank now.
I'll follow her.
What is that?
I know that look. What does that look mean?
It means I got the money.
How are you doing? It's Lester, right?
Sam.
From my recollection, aren't you the card shark...
the golf hustler, the pimp from Beverly Hills?
If I'm wrong, correct me.
I never knew you to be a heist man.
But if you are, you know what?
Here, take mine, too.
Take it. You already have hers.
She's my wife.
Look at me.
You did know that, didn't you? You knew she's my wife?
Look at me. I know that.
You do, yeah?
If you ever come back again...
to take her money, next time bring a pistol.
That way you got a chance.
Be a man, don't be a fucking pimp.
Now, you want to do me a favor? Get out of here.
I wanna be alone with my wife. Get the fuck up and get out of here.
Fucking piece of shit.
Remember when you called him that night and said goodbye to him?
He didn't say, "Don't get married. I'll be right down."
- He didn't say that, did he? - No, he didn't.
What did he say?
"Fuck him. Take him for everything he's got."
Come here. I want to show you something.
Make them stop it!
It's not his fault! It's my fault!
Piece of shit.
Do it yourself, you chickenshit cocksucker!
He's such a prick.
He had some guy from the hotel beat him up.
He didn't want to do it himself.
He didn't want to get his own hands dirty.
Why did he have to do that?
Tell me.
It wasn't a nice thing to do... No shit.
You gotta understand it. He doesn't know if this guy is shaking you down.
I told him all about this guy before we got married.
- This is no fucking surprise. - You did? I didn't know that.
He's just a friend of mine I was trying to help. So what?
The first time I ever saw you guys together...
I never saw him so happy.
I know he's a crazy Jew fuck and everything...
but I never seen him act like that with anybody else.
I think he's crazy about you. He really loves you.
He does. Come on.
I went into this with my eyes open.
I knew the bottom could drop out any time.
I'm a working girl. You don't think I'm gonna go into a situation like this...
if I don't think I'm covered on the back end?
Sure, I can see that.
So he put aside some jewelry for me. A lot of jewelry.
A lot of expensive jewelry? About how much?
You want to steal it?
No. I'm just curious. I was wondering...
how much he would put into a thing like that.
I'm told it's worth about $1 million, maybe more.
There you go. What does that tell you?
$1 million in jewelry.
Does that tell you he is crazy about you?
I should have never married him.
He's a Gemini. Triple Gemini. Duality.
Gemini is the snake, you know. You can't trust a snake.
I mean it.
I know what you mean. Listen, Ginger.
This is probably not... I don't have the answers anyway.
- This is probably not what you want to hear. - I do.
You're a little upset, and I understand that.
But try to make the best of it now. Go slow. See what happens.
He could've killed him!
He didn't have to hit him. I'm not sleeping with the guy.
He makes me sneak around to see my own friends.
What the fuck is that all about?
I guess it's 'cause he loves you so much, he's jealous and worries.
Who gives a fuck what I do?
I'll try to find out what the hell is going on.
- When I see him, I'll talk to him. - Okay.
- All right? - Yeah.
Thanks...
for putting up with me.
Take it easy with this shit. This can only make matters worse.
You're a beautiful girl. Don't ruin that.
I've seen a lot of girls get shot to hell from this stuff.
You're so nice.
Come on, now. I don't wanna see you unhappy.
Thanks.
It's all right.
County Commissioner Pat Webb is here to see you.
- Give me a minute. - Okay. Just a minute.
Can I get you anything?
No, thank you, little lady.
Send him in and call me four minutes after.
Mr. Rothstein, I'm Pat Webb.
How do you do?
- It is a pleasure. - I heard a lot about you.
Thank you, sir. House is doing well.
All that money is rolling in.
I appreciate you taking the time to see a poor old civil servant.
Why don't you have a seat? Thank you, sir.
I come here personally to smooth over...
any fracas about a certain matter.
Maybe you didn't know it...
but Don Ward is a very well-liked man in this town.
He's got lots of friends. His family and their money go back many years.
Friends vote, family and money votes.
That's important to me and you.
If you'll think about our little problem along them lines...
and you'll forgive me for saying it...
maybe he did not deserve to be fired.
He knew about our getting hit...
on three big machines in a row, and he did nothing about it.
Either he was in on it or, forgive me, he was too dumb to see it.
Either way, I cannot have a man like that working here.
Before we point the dirty end of the stick at old Don...
we better be sure we can prove them charges.
Believe me, if I could prove it, he'd be under arrest.
Are we certain that you want the Gaming Control Board...
eyeballing your record and your gangster pals like Nicky?
I think you're way out of line talking to me like that.
What you're saying is libelous. You're in no position to challenge my expertise.
I went way out of my way to be helpful and courteous to that kid.
He's weak. He's incompetent. He jeopardizes the whole place.
There's not much more I can do for him.
You have got me there.
Old Don is as useless as tits on a boar.
But he is my brother-in-law...
and I would look on it as a personal favor...
if you'd think some more on hiring him back.
I can't do that.
I appreciate the fact that he's your brother-in-law.
I do want to help you and I like to do favors.
And I know who you are. But I cannot do that.
Could there be any position...
farther down the trough?
I'm sorry. I can't do anything.
He's too incompetent. The bottom line is he cannot be trusted.
Okay, thanks a lot.
That's it. I'm sorry.
Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand...
the way it works out here.
You're all just our guests.
But you act like you're at home.
Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home.
But that's where we'll send you if it harelips the Governor.
- Thank you for your time. - No problem.
- Sorry. - You bet.
What happened to my pills?
Isn't it bad enough you drink too much? You're taking my pills, too?
I didn't take your pills.
For my ulcer, I take a half of one of these.
That's when I have extreme pain.
I had a three-month supply. What did you do with them?
You didn't have to beat him up.
What?
I was just trying to help him.
Like I'm sleeping with the guy.
Yeah, how do I know?
You can't make me stop caring about people.
What? I said...
you can't make me stop caring about people.
Listen...
I'm trying to make the best of everything here.
I mean, you're my wife, for Christ's sakes.
People look up to you in this town.
You know what, Ace? I don't give a shit.
I'm getting out of here.
You gotta get a hold of yourself.
Okay. If not for me, at least for Amy.
Understand? Your drinking's getting way out of hand.
I'm gonna get you into a program. They got plenty of good ones.
- I don't need one. - Yes, you do. It's very discreet.
There's no names in the papers.
That's all you care about.
You don't care about me.
Yes, I do. No, you don't.
How could you say that?
You're a beautiful woman. You're destroying yourself.
You don't need that stuff, that fucking leech living off you.
I know you better than you know yourself.
You're a tiger. You're stronger than I am.
When you set your mind on doing something, you do it better than anybody.
You're gonna do it.
Oh, God.
I'll try.
I will.
Don't be mad at me, okay?
No matter what the problems were outside the count room...
it was all worth it.
The cash kept rolling in...
and the suitcases kept coming and going.
And let me tell you, the fucking bottom line here is cash.
The only problem was that after a while...
the bosses noticed that the suitcases were getting a little light.
Wait a minute. You mean to tell me...
that the money we're robbing is being robbed?
Somebody's robbing from us?
We go through all this fucking trouble and somebody's robbing us?
Like I said, it's part of the business. It's considered leakage.
Leakage, my balls. I want the guy who's robbing us.
Even John Nance, that's the guy who ran the scam...
he knew there wasn't much he could do about it.
You gotta know that a guy who helps you steal...
even if you take care of him real well...
he's gonna steal a little extra for himself.
Makes sense, don't it? Right?
You go try and make these hard-headed old greaseballs understand that.
What's the point of skimming if we're being skimmed?
It defeats the whole purpose of what we're doing.
They take this money because they're my guys, so give them some leeway.
But the bosses never believed in leeway...
so listen to what they do.
They put Artie Piscano, the underboss of K. C...
in charge of making sure nobody skimmed the skim.
What were you doing?
I was with my cumari.
What were you doing with your cumari?
I gave her a schiaffo.
The only trouble was, Piscano was a disaster.
This guy could fuck up a cup of coffee.
What you been doing? I'm out there more than I'm here.
Little did anybody know where this would lead.
If they did, they would've been better off making fucking novenas.
You gotta go back there and talk to that guy.
- My expenses weren't paid for the last trip. - What expenses?
I'm laying money out of my own pocket, and I never get anything back.
You gotta go back out there.
From now on, I'm gonna start keeping records.
What are you gonna do with records, pay taxes?
I can't keep laying out my own fucking dough for these trips.
What the hell are we doing over here?
You're going to Las Vegas and having a good time at my expense.
What the fuck? I mean, after all...
No matter how many novenas you could make...
nothing was gonna stop what came up next at the casino.
I can't believe you're doing this. We made a deal.
It turned out Phil Green, "Mr. Integrity"...
had a partner nobody knew about...
and when she showed up and demanded money from Tangiers...
- Why are you doing this to me? - Because you're wrong.
I'm not. You are.
No, I am not wrong.
... Green tried to stonewall her.
I will see that you don't get away with this.
So, she sued him in court.
The court will now hear the matter of Anna Scott...
against Tangiers Corporation and its President, Philip Green.
Oberon on behalf of Mr. Green. Logan on behalf of Anna Scott.
Mr. Oberon, you can proceed. Thank you.
I believe he was fair, and I'm delighted with the decision.
We got a problem.
It didn't go too well.
Green has to open up the books...
has to show how he got the financing.
That's not good.
She was doing pretty good with her lawsuit.
But before she could start counting her money...
the boys back home decided to settle the case out of court.
So they sent me.
Any comment on the murder of Anna Scott?
What are you talking about?
She was found last night shot in the head.
Was this just a real estate partnership?
Her lawyer said you were partners.
We were involved in minor real estate deals many years ago.
It was never a partnership.
Did you ever hear of the.22 caliber killer?
Now, Instead of the cops only looking at Nicky...
they started looking at Green, too.
And he was supposed to be our squeaky-clean front man.
I had to start giving interviews to make sure everybody knew...
the casino was on the up-and-up.
So how often do you really fill in for him?
Green's here about two or three times a month...
and he's busy with other real estate deals, and things.
So in Green's absence, then, you're the boss?
I serve at the pleasure of the Chairman of the Board.
My responsibilities are to run the day-to-day operations.
So day-to-day, then, you're the boss?
Well, in a sense, you could say that I am the boss...
when Mr. Green is away.
You could say that.
Have you read this?
About Mr. Rothstein.
It says, "The Midwest bookmaker with mob ties...
"says that he is the real boss of the $100 million Tangiers casino empire."
Do you believe that? Did he really say that?
Why, of course he really said that. It's right here.
Has that man even filed for his license yet?
I don't know. We have to check the files.
Without getting your shorts in a knot, would you do that?
And check closely, 'cause we may have to kick a kike's ass out of town.
Thank you.
A Gaming Control Board investigation of Tangiers executive...
Sam Rothstein's application for a gaming license is underway.
Rothstein, who heads the Tangiers casino operation and is a boyhood friend...
of Las Vegas mob boss Nicky Santoro...
could lose his ability to work in the casino...
Hello?
I gotta meet Charlie the Banker right away at your house, okay? I gotta meet Clean Face right away. What about the Chez Paris?
You gotta make a reservation. It's all booked up.
No, it's okay.
I don't want a meeting at my house. It's impossible. It's booked up, and it's very difficult to get in.
I'll come in from the golf course side. See you at six. It's okay, I'll use the service entrance. I'll see you at nine.
All right.
The battle between state gaming officials and Tangiers casino boss...
Sam "Ace" Rothstein is heating up.
Tonight, a look at Ace Rothstein's attempt to get state licensing...
despite law-enforcement allegations of Rothstein's organized crime connections.
Will Sam Rothstein's friendship with organized crime figure, Nicky Santoro...
keep Rothstein from running the Tangiers casino?
And can the integrity of state gaming laws be jeopardized by a boyhood friendship?
Why don't you take it easy on that stuff?
Come on. Let me help you down.
We're talking about some stuff.
At 6:00, will a boyhood friendship...
unseat Rothstein as the Tangiers casino boss?
Exclusive on the KBBO special news report.
Go down. Just go downstairs.
You can't let this concern you, Ace. Don't worry about that stuff.
It's just a political witch hunt.
Do you want something to drink?
- Charlie, you want a refill? - Yeah, that would be great.
I don't want nothing. Hi, Mr. Clark. I've been trying to reach you.
- You're tougher to get than the President. - I've been busy.
Yeah? At least you could return my phone calls, though.
Listen, Nicky, we talked about this.
And I explained to you that you might have to take some kind of loss.
Yeah.
I think I want my money back.
What are you gonna do, strong-arm me?
I think you've gotten the wrong impression about me.
I think, in all fairness...
I should explain to you exactly what it is that I do.
Tomorrow morning I'll get up nice and early, take a walk to the bank...
and walk in and see, and if you don't have my money for me...
I'll crack your fucking head wide open in front of everybody.
And just about the time that I'm coming out of jail...
hopefully, you'll be coming out of your coma.
And guess what? I'll split your fucking head open again.
'Cause I'm fucking stupid. I don't give a fuck about jail.
That's my business. That's what I do.
We know what you do.
You fuck people out of money and get away with it.
You can't talk to me like that.
You fat Irish prick!
You put my money to sleep. Get it, or I'll put your brain to sleep.
Never mind Sam. This is personal.
I'll be there in the morning. You can try me, fatso.
- You think he got the point? - What are you doing?
He's a square guy, for Christ's sakes. He's gonna run to the FBI.
That prick's been dodging me for three weeks.
- You're trying to tell me what to do? - I'm not trying to tell you what to do.
You're way out of line. Where's your head?
Where's my head? Where's your fucking balls?
I'm trying to put something big together. You know what I'm talking about.
If you're acting like this now, how can I depend on you?
A lot of things gonna change. If you wanna be there with me...
you're gonna have to go my way.
You got to understand my situation. I'm responsible for thousands of people.
I got $100 million a year going through the place.
It's all over if I don't get that license.
Believe me, if it goes bad for me, it's gonna go bad for a lot of people.
Forget about your fucking license.
I plant my own flag out here, you ain't gonna need a license.
I don't know what it is, but the more I talk to you...
the more I feel like you just don't want to go along with me.
- No, I don't want to come along with you. - All right.
I don't want to be involved in anything you're talking about, okay?
I want to run a square joint. I just want my license.
I want everything quiet. That's it!
Quiet like this? "I'm the boss"? That's quiet?
It's taken out of context. I had no control.
Ronnie and Billy will tell you exactly what happened.
Back home that looks bad.
Looks bad? Every time you're on television, I get mentioned. That looks bad.
What the fuck happened to you?
- What happened to you? You lost control? - I lost control?
You're fucking walking around like John Barrymore.
A pink robe and a fucking cigarette holder? I lost control?
I don't wanna bring this up, but you treat people with disrespect. Even your own wife.
My wife? What does she have to do with this?
She was upset about a lot of things, especially that Lester Diamond incident.
You're the shoulder to cry on? Did you tell her about your role in that?
No, that's not the fucking point.
The point is, she's upset, and you've got a problem.
I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my personal life.
You wouldn't like it if I did it to you.
She came to talk to me. Was I supposed to throw her out?
Stay away from her. It's none of your business.
A week ago it was. Now it's not. When you need me, you need me.
Right, the way you need me to vouch for you as a citizen.
I'm gonna have to straighten out what you did with this guy.
This guy's gonna run to the FBI.
Your head's bigger than your casino. That's your problem.
I knew what he wanted and I didn't want any part of it.
He wanted to take over.
He wanted to go after Gaggi, the skim, everything and everybody.
He also stopped asking permission from back home for every little thing.
A casino boss and his wife were killed. The bulls questioned Nicky.
A dealer from the Scirocco. They questioned Nicky.
Stool pigeons wound up in the trunks of their cars. They questioned Nicky.
A lawyer.
They questioned Nicky.
When some guys who didn't pay their shylocks began disappearing...
Nicky's name was in every newspaper.
Nicky was questioned in two dozen murders, but they always had to let him go.
There were never any witnesses.
The coppers blamed me for everything that went wrong.
Watch yourself. You're gonna get runned over.
If a guy tripped over a banana peel, they'd bring me in for it.
Be nice.
The bosses were no better.
They complained because things don't run smooth.
In my line of work, things don't run so smooth. I'm sorry.
I'm dealing with degenerate animals out here.
The bosses, what do they give a fuck?
They're sitting on their asses drinking anisette.
Meanwhile, I'm the guy in the trenches.
Fucking bosses think it's a fucking free lunch out here.
Frankie, they found a guy's head in the desert.
You know about that?
I heard.
Everybody's talking about it and making a big deal out of it. It's in all the papers.
What are you gonna do?
That's no good.
Tell him to take care of things a little better.
I'll tell him, Remo.
Fucking bosses smoking their Di Nobilis...
and eating trip' and fucking soffrit', fried pigs' guts...
while if I wanna talk private, I gotta go to a fucking bus stop.
- What do they care? Long as I send money. - They're complaining.
Let them complain. I'm the one who's here. I do all the work.
Somebody don't like it, fuck them. It's up to you.
They want a fucking war? I'm ready.
If I take care of five of those guys, the rest will fall into place.
Peek-a-boo, you fucks, you.
I see you, you motherfuckers.
Nicky was not only bringing heat on himself, but on me, too.
The FBI watched every move he made, but he just didn't care.
If they're gonna watch me, I'm gonna watch them back.
I spent a few bucks. Top dollar. Who gives a shit?
I got the latest anti-bugging equipment from the same places that sell to the CIA.
I had all the special police frequency radios, FBI de-scramblers, night-vision cameras...
So, the miserable sons of bitches never caught me doing anything I couldn't handle.
I got my job on the line, he's having the time of his life.
He has every cop in the state watching him, and he's out playing golf.
And at the worst possible time for me.
I had my license hearing coming up and I didn't want to leave anything to chance.
If I can't work in Vegas, where am I gonna go?
You've been very open with us with the books and papers.
That'll mean a lot when you go before the commission.
- All I ask is a fair hearing. - This honesty will guarantee it.
We'll move on to...
I want to hear about Kansas City.
What the fuck is this?
Where's this fucking guy gonna land, in the fairway?
They're fucking agents, Frankie. Look at this.
The Feds were watching Nicky play golf for so long...
they ran out of gas.
Just what I needed, right in front of the control board.
$100, whoever hits the plane.
If things weren't bad enough...
in comes Piscano, the Kansas City underboss.
He ran the grocery store in Kansas City where they brought the suitcases.
Fighting over those suitcases again. You know what that means?
I gotta take another trip to Vegas. It's gonna cost me another couple grand.
He ran it with his brother-in-law...
but he mostly complained about his trips to Vegas to his brother-in-law and mother.
You gotta lay down the law, or they'll make a fool out of you.
I write it all down. Every fucking nickel goes down.
- What's the matter with you? - Everything's here.
- Since when do you talk like that? - I'm sorry.
Nance gives me trouble, I'll take the eyes out of his freaking head.
- Again. - I didn't curse, I said, "freaking head."
- That's enough. - I'm sorry.
What happens next, you can't believe it.
Who'd believe the FBI had a wire in the place...
looking for information about some old homicide...
about some guy who was whacked out God knows when over God knows what?
What prevents him with the suitcases from taking what he wants?
Nance brings back two suitcases from the Tangiers. What about three or four?
We've got nobody in the room to watch. That's the law.
We can't even go into the count room to watch our money.
He's got his people in there. They could all be in on it together.
I'll find out. If it's Green himself, I'll bury that bastard.
I never trusted him. I got eyes behind my head.
They trust that scumbag. I don't.
I'll hit the two of them in the head with a shovel.
Take it easy.
Ma, I'm sorry. They're beating me left and right.
I'm sorry. I'm upset.
I know, but that's enough.
You know what they're doing to me. I can't take this no more.
Take it easy. You'll get a heart attack. I know. I'm too upset.
The damn thing is, they hear all this stuff...
about Las Vegas, casinos, and suitcases...
and that's it.
Everything's coming out of my pocket. I gotta pay.
Would you believe this could happen?
I'm in this to make money, not lose it.
Every FBI man across the country had their ears open now.
If you want something done right you gotta do it yourself.
Piscano, this guy, basically sunk the whole world.
There are some that are good and some that are bad.
Members of the Commission...
Mr. Rothstein is pleased to be here today.
When the day finally came, I was ready.
I felt so confident that all I had to do was present my case.
We have documents, one of which is a report by retired FBI agents...
which completely absolves Mr. Rothstein from any wrongdoing.
- Counselor, before you continue... - I want to have this marked...
...this Commission acts on a motion denying the Rothstein application.
Denying? Do I hear a motion seconded?
Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
Do I have a vote on the motion?
- Aye! - Aye!
Aye!
The ayes have it. This hearing is adjourned.
- You have to be kidding. - Adjourned? What do you mean?
Senator, you promised me a hearing. You didn't even look at the FBI reports.
When you were my guest at the Tangiers Hotel, didn't you promise me a fair hearing?
I was never your guest. Never my guest? I never comped you?
I don't comp you at least three times a month?
I'd like to answer that at this time.
Mr. Rothstein is being very typical to this point. He's lying.
The only time I was at the Tangiers was a dinner with Barney Greenstein.
Was I at the dinner?
You were wandering around.
Was I at that dinner? You were wandering.
You were in the building. I was in the building?
You know damn well I was there. You swore I would have a fair hearing.
Did you not?
Tell me I was at least at the dinner. Allow me that much.
Give me that much at least! Yes, you were.
Thanks for not calling me a liar, you son of a bitch.
A routine licensing hearing turned into bedlam yesterday...
when the flamboyant Tangiers Casino executive, Sam "Ace" Rothstein...
accused top gaming officials of corruption.
...promised me a fair hearing when you were comped at my hotel?
And you asked for copies of your bill to put on your expense account.
In a wild outburst that followed his gaming license denial...
Bullshit!
... Rothstein followed several...
stunned commissioners into the hallway where he continued his harangue...
until his own lawyers and friends urged him to leave.
You have a past. I have a past. My past is no worse than yours.
You guys think you have the right to pass judgment!
Long suspected of running Tangiers without a license...
yesterday's hearing was to determine if someone with Rothstein's history...
was qualified to officially hold a top gaming post.
Fucking hypocrites!
- What the hell's he gonna do now? - I don't know.
What's he doing?
He knows all those guys he yelled at are friends of ours.
What's the matter with him, making all this mess?
Maybe he could run things with another job title.
Won't be the best, but what are we gonna do?
However he runs things, it's gotta be quiet. Let him hide upstairs in the office.
Say he's a janitor. I don't give a shit.
But please, whatever job he takes, make sure it's something quiet.
Ladies and gentlemen...
the Tangiers Hotel proudly presents the all-new...
Sam Rothstein show, Aces High.
Tonight, taped live from the all-new sports book...
we present the premiere showing of Aces High...
with the Sasha Semenoff Orchestra...
and the Sam Rothstein dancers!
Mr. Rothstein is a professional gambler and the best U.S. football handicapper.
A man who will take you inside the real Las Vegas as no one has ever done before.
Now, the new entertainment director of the Tangiers Hotel Casino...
Mr. Sam Rothstein.
Welcome to the Sam Rothstein show. We're happy to have you here this evening.
The young lady to my left is Trudy...
who is a lead new dancer in our fabulous show from Paris.
Our first guest this evening...
is Frankie Avalon.
Keep an eye on him. I've got a large family.
How many kids do you have?
I'm very proud to say, eight children.
- That's amazing. - There's nothing to it. It was my pleasure.
Ace, don't do it.
Jesus.
He's juggling!
Let's not take County Commissioner Pat Webb too seriously.
I recently challenged him to a debate on this program, and he declined.
What are you worried about, Pat? You don't have to send me any questions.
You can ask me anything you want.
What the hell is he doing on television?
He's on all night, screaming about taking his lawsuit to the Supreme Court.
He really must be crazy. He's gonna go to Washington with this?
He's out of his fucking mind.
It's a pity we have such hypocrisy. Some people do what they want.
Other people have to pay through the nose. Such is life.
Andy, go see him. Tell him maybe it's time he should quit.
First, what they did was totally unconstitutional.
We're on the list to be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court.
These guys don't care about the Supreme Court.
They want things to quiet down. They want you to walk away.
Walk away? Andy, you can't be serious. Don't you see what's at stake?
The old man said maybe your friend should give in.
When the old man says "maybe," that's like a papal bull.
Not only should you quit, you should run.
Every time they mention my name in the papers, they mention Nicky, too.
How the fuck does that help?
The heat he brought down is murder.
The police department was cooperative.
They're pissed off. Nobody can make a move anymore.
What do you do about that?
- What are you proposing? - I don't know. He doesn't listen to me.
Maybe he should get lost for a while. Would that be so bad?
- They ain't sending Nicky nowhere. - lf he took a break...
it would give everybody time to maneuver.
I would forget about the maneuver. I would just get out.
I can't do that.
Of course, as soon as Andy got home, Nicky heard about our talk in the car.
Next morning, bright and early, I get the call.
I've got to do some shopping. Want to go?
Getting a call from Nicky wasn't easy anymore.
Even the codes didn't work. So we figured out another act.
If a phone's tapped, the Feds can only listen in on the stuff involving crimes.
On routine calls, they have to click off after a few minutes.
I got a sprained fucking elbow.
Meet me at 3:00.
- At Caesar's? - 100 yards further down the road.
- Why? - Don't ask questions. Just be there.
Suzy Cream Cheese has the same outfit.
I saw something.
Something very cute.
Okay, he's out. It's the ant. Brown unit.
He's with the bogey. I think it's Frankie.
Nicky started out before me...
because it wasn't that easy for him to get around anymore.
Nicky couldn't even go for a ride without changing cars...
at least six times before he could shake all his tails.
Because of the planes, he had to use underground garages.
Meeting in the desert always made me nervous.
It's a scary place.
I knew about the holes in the desert, of course.
And everywhere I looked, there could have been a hole.
Normally, my prospects of coming back alive...
from a meeting with Nicky were 99 out of 100.
But this time, when I heard him say a couple of hundred yards down the road...
I gave myself 50-50.
Where the fuck you get off talking to people behind my back?
- What people? - Did you think I wouldn't find out?
I don't even know what you're talking about.
You said I'm bringing heat on you? I gotta listen to people because of you?
You're ordering me out? You better get your own fucking army!
I didn't order you or anybody.
I told Andy Stone that you had heat, and that was a problem.
You want me to get out of my own fucking town?
Yeah, let the bullshit blow over so I can run the casino.
Anything goes wrong with the casino, it's my ass, not yours.
You know that you only have your fucking casino because I made that possible!
I'm what counts out here.
Not your fucking country clubs or your fucking TV shows.
And what the fuck are you doing on TV anyhow?
I get calls from back home every day. They think you went batshit!
I'm only on TV because I gotta be able to hang around the casino.
You could've had the food-and-beverage job without going on TV!
- You wanted to go on TV. - Yeah, I wanted to go on TV.
That way I have a forum. I can fight back. I'm known.
They know they can't fuck around with me like they could if I was an unknown.
You're making a spectacle of yourself.
I wouldn't even be in this situation if it wasn't for you.
You brought down so much heat on me.
Every time I meet somebody, they ask me if I know you.
Sure, now you wanna blame your fucking license on me.
When you asked me if you could come out here...
what did I tell you? I knew you'd come out no matter what I said. Do you remember?
Back up a fucking minute here. One minute.
I asked you? When the fuck did I ever ask you if I could come out here?
Get this through your head, you Jew motherfucker!
You only exist out here because of me! That's the only reason!
Without me, you personally...
Every fucking wise guy still around will take a piece of your fucking Jew ass!
Then where you gonna go? You're fucking warned.
Don't go over my fucking head again, you motherfucker, you!
Well, we got company.
Did you see that?
Dumb Jew motherfucker. Grew up together, and he acts like he doesn't know me.
I know we're supposed to avoid each other, but there's ways to do things.
Fuck him.
To Abraham Lincoln.
Forget about it. Don't let it bother you.
Does it look like it's bothering me? Why do I give a fuck?
Oscar, too. All the money I gave him, that prick.
He didn't even look over. What's his fucking problem?
- Fucking Jews stick together, don't they? - They're having a good time.
So are we.
Yeah?
- Sam, we got a problem. - What is it?
The little guy. Nobody told him he was eighty-sixed from the joint.
We turned our heads and made out like we didn't know who he was.
He's over at the 21 table with his nose wide open.
He took money out of his own kick. His nose is open for about $10,000.
Now he's really pissed.
- He wants a $50,000 marker. - Just give him $10,000.
That's it. I'll be right down.
He's gonna come up with $10,000 just the way you want.
No, I said fucking $50,000!
Go get it. I don't give a fuck where you get it.
Fuckers. They take it but don't wanna give it back.
How the fuck can you grin?
You know how much I'm stuck? Do you give a fuck?
Give yourself a hand, right across your fucking mouth.
Look at this beaut they put in now.
Sherbert send you in here to rob me now?
Been fucking knocking everybody's dick in all night? Been beating the customers?