But I'm getting my own nightclub.
Think about it for a minute.
That number comes in the 7th race.
So I look at the payoff totals from the first six races and...
What if I don't like the number?
I place last minute bets.
And that changes the last number to what I want.
Any number!
And you can figure it in your head?
The one and only.
They're fixing the world with math.
You ever play the horses, Sol? - When I was a kid I raced rats.
If you can do this, we can take over the whole Harlem numbers racket!
The service is lousy here. Why don't you get me a gin, darling?
You can own Harlem, lock, stock, and barrel.
Bottoms up, Dutchess.
I'm really sorry about that.
I saw you spilling that drink. You ain't clumsy. I didn't like it.
You ever do anything like that again, I mess up your face. You hear me?
Yeah, yeah. I won't spill any more drinks.
I want you to pick up my laundry. It's at the Chink's.
Yeah.
What's up? - Three bankers.
15,000 from 113th, 20,000 from 72nd, and 21,000 from 150th Street.
Beautiful. You'll be the next boss! - Come on.
Come on, get over there! - One more time!
You still mad at me? - I was never mad at you.
I just felt you should respect my private life. - Let's get married now.
We could have lunch anytime! - Dalbert, no chance.
I got too many things to do. I want to make it.
Really make it. I want to do Broadway.
You want to do white show business. - Isn't that what it is?
Wait a minute! I can't just run out like this!
Wait a second here. I like that you're taller than me.
Most men are intimidated. - We're going to the top together!
Dalbert, wait!
Sugar, marry me! - I'm already married.
You're the president of the club. So you can perform the ceremony.
And I can't wait no longer. - If you take this man
for your husband, you're crazier than he is.
Sugar, would you... - Plus, ain't no women allowed.
Why not no women? - 'Cause this is the Hoofers Club!
Hoofers! I'll show you. - This is going to be something.
This is what you do. Give me a little music.
Heelology!
Don't be so mean!
To the floor!
I'm coming through!
Look out!
No, no! - What? My brother...
He's doing it!
This is the way it goes! One, two, three, four... now!
What is this? Where's the Duesenberg?
Where's Dutch? - Dutch can't make it tonight.
I'm your escort.
I'll do anything for money, too.
Where we headed? Not the theater. - We ain't going to the theater.
What is this, a kidnapping?
Would you like that? I think I'm up to it.
I don't know why, but you do move me.
In unusual places.
Where? Your appendix?
We'll sit at Dutch's table.
Go ahead, will you walk?
Keep moving!
Sit down!
Thank you. - Thanks.
I never have figured you out.
That's funny. I know all about you.
I can imitate your walk. The way you play your cornet.
Like how?
I know a few things about you, too.
Like what you look like making love.
When did you see that? - Ever since I put you to bed that night.
The Golem has arrived.
He follows me everywhere. - The Golem is in love.
Don't be ridiculous. He just keeps tabs on me for Dutch.
Why do I feel like I'm walking the dog or something?
I want to dance. Let's dance for Dutch.
I used to dance for a living. - No kidding?
I worked in tearooms when I was 18.
Tell me all about it.
These old ladies would pay me to put my arms around them.
Waltz them off their feet.
Pay two bucks in the afternoon. Plus tips.
More for the night work.
In private. If you could stand it! - Could you?
Sure. Look at me tonight.
Dutch likes you to dance, huh?
Dance!
You dance for me! Get up!
Come on, you dance!
You wanna dance? I'll dance with you, come on!
What makes you think...
That's enough!
I'll dance with you next time, Sol.
I just cracked my heel. - I didn't mean to hurt you.
Yes, you did. - No, I'm crazy about you.
You tell that to all the girls you beat up. - I live here.
It belongs to my brother's wife. She's about your size.
To anything!
Is that you, Vincent? - No, it's Michael.
It's okay, go back to bed. - Goodnight, Michael.
Goodnight!
Michael?
Yeah, Michael.
Well, Michael, where do I change?
You feel like you're on your honeymoon?
Honeymoons are never this dangerous.
If he came in here right now, he'd kill us. - Forget about him.
Who?
I'm quitting the Dutchman.
I'm not running around for his cigarettes while he strokes you.
I'm not waiting in the car...
while he does whatever he does to you. - Whatever he does.
All I know is... I'm getting away from that bastard!
You're a tough guy.
Some things you can't do.
You can't see a murder, then come home,
fuck your friend, who loves you,
leave him, then go home,
and wake up and have breakfast with a psychopath.
You can't do that, can you?
Yes.
Madden upstairs? - Yeah, he's in.
How are ya? - Alright, alright.
You says I should come see you. - Oh, yeah...
You're seeing difficult times.
You noticed.
You got any ideas for me? - If you was colored, we'd book you.
The great tragedy of my life. - Listen...
I heard what Gloria Swanson was saying about you.
A lot of my cash goes to different places.
Some goes to Hollywood, and to the studios and to movies.
You could front for us.
What do you mean? - Be my face on the coast.
What about the Dutchman?
I'll keep him off your back. Come and have some lunch.
Swell, Mr. Madden.
See you tonight! - See you later!
I got a specialty act. Remember that solo we talked about?
Can you do it tonight? - Of course.
You're on right after the Duke. - I'm there.
What's this about a solo? - They asked me to do a solo.
They asked you? You didn't ask them? - I talked to them.
Clay...
Look, it's a step up, man! It's good for both of us.
Don't give me trouble. Shake my hand.
Shake your hand? I ought to spit in your hand!
How could you? I'm your brother!
How could you go behind my back?
You want a solo? You got one!
On stage and off!
Your brother wants to see you.
See you later, Vinnie.
What's the urgency?
I gotta go to a doctor. - For what? You okay?
I got a small graze. Can't go to a hospital I know.
'Cause they'll find out. - Jesus Christ, kid!
What?
What happened? - It's just a graze.
A graze from what? - I was fighting niggers.
The niggers, Harlem niggers.
Why?
Look at me. Why do you think?
I should kick the shit out of you. What are you doing fighting coloreds?
Who do you work for? What's the matter, Dix?
Do I look like a boss in this suit?
Keep two thugs behind you and you do. - I want them to notice the suit!
Spill a little gravy like you always do, they'll notice it.
You know, Dixie took a screen test.
What's a screen test? - They shot some pictures.
Now they want me to make a movie. - In Hollywood?
That's right. - Forget it! - What do you mean?
It's his big chance! - They want me to play a gangster.
You? - In fact, I did an imitation of you.
"Hey, come here. Do what I tell you to do or I'll plug ya!"
Owney arranged the whole thing. He's co-financing
the movie. He said you wouldn't mind if I left for the coast.
Playback Dixie Dwyer. Sound!
Here he comes. He's in egg-cream. - Madden always had good judgment.
Right. - What's the kid's name?
Dixie Dwyer. Keep an eye on him.
He's fantastic. He's coming in now.
Unbelievable. Watch him, watch him!
First kid you ever sent me that doesn't sound like a soprano.
He's the greatest. He'll become...
Hold it, hold it, Sully! - What? What?
This kid can't act. - Alright, I can see it.
He has a good face, good voice, doesn't look like a fruit.
Not at all. - He looks like
a gangster. What's his name again?
Dixie Dwyer. A great name!
A fake name. The first thing...
I'll decide about the name.
I like the name. Keep the name. - Put him under contract.
We'll send him to the coast. We'll give him a shot. - Fantastic.
Anyone who moves is a dead nigger!
You! St. Clair!
The Dutchman wants you in his numbers racket.
Madame St. Clair!
Gentlemen, we are here because Mr. Jewett says he can
protect us from the white invaders. Is that true?
I know how the Dutchman thinks. I see him operate with the Flynns.
You meet a gun with a gun.
And I got all the guns you need.
Hire him! - I don't want no parts of guns.
Or I'll leave the numbers business. - It's not about guns, it's politics.
You connected with Jimmy Hines in Tammany? They control the police.
Look, I come to do you people a favor.
That man is leaning on you.
You wanna lean back or no?
It seems we will pass on your offer.
We are not ready to go to war at this time.
Then you don't know you already lost the war.
Lila!
You can't do this to me, Lila! - Do what?
Disappear like you do. Where do you go all day?
I have a private life now.
I can't talk to you here.
Let's go up on the roof.
I told you that there are other people in my life.
I want to talk. - This is Madden's place!
I want to talk to you now. Now just come on! Come on!
Not up here. - We won't get into trouble.
Let's go outside. - You moved. Got a new address.
How am I supposed to find you?
What are you doing up here? - We're just going to talk.
Yeah! You come up here to fornicate like two dogs.
You don't belong up here. Get down.
Why can't we... - I'm fed up with you!
Please! - I'll take care of you!
Wait a minute! - Come here!
You know what? See this?
Stop it!
Get out of my life, woman! - Lila, stay out of this!
You gonna stop fuckin' around, nigger? - Yes, yes!
Get out of here!
Out!
I'm quitting! I'm leaving this dump!
How can you treat decent human beings like that? I know what I have to do!
Must I just take anything from him? - What can you do?
Kill the motherfucker! - Don't be stupid, Sandman!
You want me to take on Madden's man?
You want me to take on the most powerful white mob in the city?
Then you truly have someone on your ass.
There's only one way to get even with a guy like Mike Best.
Treat him like a fireplug. Piss on him.
Listen to the man. - I'll piss on his grave!
I can kill him, but you can dance on his grave.
Listen to me, Sandman.
I'm not a dancer. I'm a pimp, I'm a thief.
I'm a gambler. I don't have no talent for dancing.
I can't even get in the Cotton Club, where my own people are the stars.
Because I'm black! There are only two things for me.
One is stay black. The other is die.
I got nothing but the underworld.
That is where I dance. Let me ask you, Sandman:
Where do you dance?
I'm gonna kill him with my tap shoes.
Alright, put 'em up! Turn around and put 'em up!
I'm the boss now!
There you are. - Thank you, sir.
Enjoy the show.
Not bad, not bad. - Hi, how you doing?
How you doing? Been a long time. - Hi.
What's Madden doing here? - I invited him.
I gotta go talk to him.
Dutch, how are ya? - Your money's no good here tonight.
What's this I read about this "Mob Boss"?
They say you copied your style? - You taught me everything I know.
You know, the lesson ain't finished yet.
Sorry, whites only.
Can you get a message to Angelina for me?
Yeah. - Tell her Sandman Williams is here.
Okay, sure.
Welcome to Vera's! Everybody's here tonight!
Everybody who's somebody. If you ain't somebody, you ain't here.
Mr. Broadway himself is with us.
Mr. Owney Madden.
Take a bow, Owney!
And with him, just back from Hollywood, is Dixie Dwyer!
Get up, come on!
There comes a time... - Who the fuck let you in?
I wanna talk to the Dutchman. - Ah, like that...
Yeah, go get him! - You wait here, ya hear?
I'd like to introduce our lovely songbird, Miss Angelina,
formerly with the Blue Belles.
Some garbage is out back, wants to talk to you.
Dutch has some business outside.
What? - I wanna talk money.
We get shot up! - It's part of the game. How much?
We delivered half of Harlem to you. I want part of the numbers percentage.
Just cause you can handle a gun, you think you're a boss?
You're nuts!
There are a million guys willing to pull a trigger for me!
But I'll give you a raise.
100 a week, and 50 for Popke there. Is that fair?
Fair? You can take your 100 and shove it up your ass!
Wise guy!
Get out of here before I blow it off!
How'd you find me?
You may be passing for white, but you ain't invisible.
What time are you through here?
At two. - I'll be here.
We'd like to get a room, please. - Of course, sir.
Now, how may I... help you? - A small...
...romantic room, maybe on the 10th floor.
Uh... yes. Your key, sir.
We don't admit mixed couples here.
Well, we're colored.
What color are you? - My father is colored
and my mother's white. So what color does that make me?
417. - Thank you. No luggage.
Come on! - Gotcha!
You got people thinking you're white.
When I want. Remember I told you about my private life and the lawyer?
Why do you do it?
Because I can. - So what?
So stop judging me about it!
Vera pays me five times what
the Cotton Club did! And she don't ask no questions.
I'm a human being.
And that's the way I like it.
I can't even get into Vera's to hear you sing.
The doorman won't even let me in. I can't pass for white.
Just make love to me!
I love you. Don't run away from me!
Oh, Dalbert! Just love me, but please understand.
Hey, Popke! Shake.
What? - Like I said, shake.
The Dutchman wants to do a deal with Vince.
Come on, shake. - Forget it...
Wanna buy an apple? - No. Get lost!
I'll see you about 5 o'clock.
Scram! - Thank you!
Old friend outside wants to see you.
Why don't he come in? - You don't want him in here.
You wanna see me?
Alright, Frenchy. Down the stairs. Now.
What's this all about? - Let's go.
I thought your specialty was killing kids.
I'm over 21. - I don't want to kill you, Frenchy.
I just need a little money. I bet Madden gives you money.
Doing this could get you in trouble. - Shut up!
Owney, what's up?
Your brother's become a major pain in the ass.
2 hours ago he snatched Frenchy.
Are you kidding? Crazy son of a bitch!
You didn't know about it? - How am I supposed to know about it?
I'm asking you a question.
I don't tie your shoes anymore, Owney.
You're a smart man.
Your brother's bound for the graveyard. A mad dog on the streets.
What do you do with a mad dog? - I don't wanna talk about my brother.
He called me and hour ago.
He only trusts you to carry the money.
50,000. Count it.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a star...
A star is here! Sandman Williams, my brother.
Clay Williams, the finest tap dancer in Harlem!
Why don't you and Clayton dance together?
Wanna finish out "Crazy Rhythm" together?