♪♪ Our hearts have been as one ♪♪
♪♪ Yeah ♪♪
♪♪ Our true love and devotion ♪♪
♪♪ Led to things to come ♪♪
♪♪ And l don't want to be boastful ♪♪
- ♪♪ And bragging just ain't my thing ♪♪ - ( horn honks )
♪♪ No no ♪♪
♪♪ But our love is gold, people ♪♪
♪♪ And nothing's gonna-- ♪♪
( static hissing )
♪♪ Gonna keep on loving you... ♪♪
( crackles )
( coughs )
Is that all you got?
It's gonna take more than a few firecrackers
to kill Danny Greene!
The Cadillac was Danny Greene's.
Put a 24-hour tail on him.
Manditski's voice: The Irish have this expression--
''He's a man you don't meet every day.''
That was Danny all right.
We both grew up on the east side,
in Collinwood.
Danny was an orphan.
He was raised by his grandfather
in a dump on Waterloo Road.
He was a good athlete,
made all-metro basketball and baseball.
School held no interest.
Danny was already marching to a different tune.
♪♪ Money is money and jewels are jewels... ♪♪
Manditski's voice: Back then everything in Cleveland
was controlled by the mafia
which had been run since the '40s
by one man-- John Skalish.
Every day after school
it was Danny and his friend Billy McComber
against this one group of Sicilian kids.
♪♪ lf you would say ♪♪
♪♪ You'd be my cover girl ♪♪
♪♪ I've got a crazy little notion... ♪♪
Manditski's voice: I don't know why they hated Danny so much.
You know what they say--
kids will be kids.
Boy: Let's go. Let's go. Let's get out of here.
As for me, l joined Cleveland PD at age 18.
After 1 2 years l made detective
investigating organized crime on the Lake Erie shore.
All right, listen up, men.
Grain barge.
- Nungester, William. - Here.
- Parlett, Roger. - Right here.
- Bueller, Leo. - That's right.
Walton, William.
Greene, Daniel.
Sneperger, Arthur.
Walton, George.
McComber, William.
Billy: Oh great. It's only 91.
Wait till noon.
( machinery chugging )
( whistle blows )
Art: What is that?
It’s one of those container ships out of New Orleans.
They're gonna put us all out of business.
And who told you that? Danny?
Yeah.
Where does he learn that shit?
He reads.
I read.
Comics don't count, Art.
( whistle blowing )
( panting )
Hey.
( horn blaring )
Man: You got him? Ready?
( horn continues blaring )
Turn that thing off!
What's this all about?
You know the rules.
The temperature hits 110-- we're done.
I’ve got a contract to unload these barges by close of day
and I will fulfil that contract.
Someone's gonna die in there.
Who? Him?
Eh, looks fine to me.
In the pink.
If you want to continue working in this union,
quit your bellyaching
and get back up there.
Come on, Danny.
Ice him down.
Get up.
( pop music playing )
You know, Danny, we at the national chapter don't support Merke.
He doesn't care about the rank and file, and that's a problem.
You ever think about running against him?
Union president? I-- I don't know, Mr. Gilroy.
The guys look up to you. I’ve seen it.
I didn't even finish high school.
So what? You've read the entire Library of Congress.
Think about it.
Here you are, boys.
- I'm Art. - I'm Billy.
Hi Art. Hi Billy.
Uh, who's your friend?
Oh, no, don't bother. He doesn't like girls.
What you got there?
Oh, a little light reading, huh?
Yeah.
My family's from Kildare.
Nice.
Your friends said that you don't like girls.
They're being ironic.
Gotcha.
You know, where you say the opposite for laughs?
Well, l think that you are the ugliest man on Lake Erie
and I'd rather kiss Richard Nixon.
Like that?
Why don't you read that?
♪♪ There is nothing in this world ♪♪
♪♪ Sweet as my baby, no... ♪♪
( seat squeaking )
♪♪ There is nothing in this world ♪♪
♪♪ Sweet as my baby... ♪♪
( panting )
l never do this,
really.
What makes me so special?
'Cause you're different
from all those idiots.
( knocks )
Danny, I'm in trouble. I'm in really big trouble.
Go.
It’s in there.
Wait here.
I'm a friend of Art Sneperger's.
Oh yeah?
Well, Sneperger's got no friends here.
Come over here.
Well, looks like your friend owes us a lot of money.
He can't pay.
You came here to John Nardi's casino
to tell him that your friend can't pay?
You know who he is?
Everyone in Cleveland knows who John Nardi is.
I’ve got a proposition.
You believe this fucking guy?
Well, let's hear what he's got to say.
- l took care of it. - What?
I want one thing in return--
you gotta promise me you'll never gamble again.
- Yeah. - Can you do that, Art?
Yeah yeah yeah.
Jesus, Danny.
- Promise me! - l promise.
Get out of here.
Okay.
( knocks )
Good call, Danny.
The place is like Sears Roebuck.
There's four more rotisseries.
( whistle blows )
Mr. Greene, a word with you, please.
What can l do?
Tell me,
what can l do for you?
Resign.
That's out of the question.
Then l'll run against you.
Running plows on a grain ship's one thing.
Running a union's quite another.
Think you're moving up,
a new career?
l don't think so.
l think you're gonna tell Mr. Gilroy you're not interested.
And then you're gonna pay me half of what you've been making
with your wop friends in the container yard.
Oh, l didn't know about that either?
I’ve got no moral issues with it, mind you.
l just want my cut.
But next time
the Cleveland PD will pay a visit to your house.
Oh, they're my friends too.
And then it's over.
You won't work in any union anywhere.
You won't exist.
I'll come to your house and drink all your beer.
I'll visit your girlfriend in the back bedroom.
And you, sir, will take it,
because you have to.
Be in the machine shop at midnight.
I'll send my man to pick up the cash.
Now get the fuck out of my office.
( rain pattering )
A gun?
You Polack prick.
What do you do if a Polack throws a hand grenade at you?
Take the pin out and throw it back.
You hear how the Polish firing squad died?
Stood in a circle.
Come on, Joe.
Let's dance.
Joe Buka!
Joe's not here.
I'll give you three seconds--
To do what?
Huh?
To do what?
Go ahead.
Yank it.
Get out.
Man: To the new president!
( cheering )
This place is a dump. Clean up the freight yard.
And replace those signs.
I'm sick to death of looking at them.
Repaint these goddamn stairs.
What color do you want?
Green.
Steiner, Barley.
Holt, Richard.
Parlett, Roger.
Picksford, Harold.
Stock barge. Manskoeder, Harold.
Mr. MacLeish, Danny Greene.
I know who you are. You're the tool who sent me this.
$4000 to unload each vessel?
Are you out of your fucking mind?
The price is $2000.
We have a contract and you're going to honor it
or I'm gonna lock out your union.
Is that clear, you fucking potato-eater?
Potato-eater?
Seeing as how the potato
was the only source of nutrition in Ireland for 300 years
and half the population, including my ancestors,
died in the great famine,
I'd say that term is insensitive.
Speaking of culinary tastes, Mr. MacLeish,
you're Scottish, aren't you?
Let's talk about haggis.
Haggis is seasoned lard stuffed into a sheep's colon.
So l may be a potato-eater, Mr. MacLeish,
but l don't eat fat out of sheep's asshole.
( harrumphs )
What do you think of the new carpet?
( piano playing quietly )
Manditski's voice: After all these years,
I'd lost track of Danny Greene.
You can imagine my surprise
when l heard a guy by the same name had been elected
president of the longshoremen's union.
Man: This is John Skalish.
I wondered if it was the same guy from my neighbourhood.
Man: Danny Greene, Johnny.
- How's tricks? - Manditski's voice: Yeah, same guy.
Danny: Come here.
Manditski's voice: It was only a matter of time
before he started hanging out at that Theatrical Grill.
Every city's got a Theatrical--
the one place where crooks and cops sit side by side.
Mr. Greene wants you to know he appreciates the fine job
Cleveland PD are doing. He wants to pick up your tab.
Tell Mr. Greene that Cleveland PD will pick up its own tab
to avoid any look of impropriety,
but thank you.
Bartender: He said no-- something about
impropriety or something.
Oh, you are a beauty.
( keys jingle )
( child fussing )
( laughing )
How are you doing?
Man: Got it?
Did l tell you? Come here.
He's not bothering you, is he?
( camera shutter clicks )
( Joan squeals )
Thank you.
Detective Manditski, Steve Marshak from the newspaper.
Can l talk to you for a minute?
Yeah, l know who you are, Mr. Marshak.
I read your column. What can l do for you?
Somebody told me you played hoops against Danny Greene
in high school. Is that true?
Was he really the best player in Metro East?
Second best.
So are you gonna do a story on Danny,
about the rags-to-riches,
from orphan to union president, something like that?
Well, we're gonna do a story on him all right,
just not the kind he's going to like.
Call this a heads up.
Thank you.
Danny, aren't you coming?
No.
Well, I'm not going anywhere without you.
They don't want you, Billy.
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
( distant sirens wailing )
( police radio chatter )
Reporter: A 1 2-count indictment has been returned
by a Cuyahoga County grand jury
against labour leader Daniel Patrick Greene.
Greene, arrested last Tuesday,
is charged with multiple counts
of grand larceny, extortion and labour racketeering.
Is it true?
All of it?
I paid the lawyer.
We don't have any money left.
Sell the house.
The house?
Where are we gonna go?
We'll find somewhere next week.
''We''?
Excuse me,
you're in jail.
- No testifying? - No testifying.
We drop the extortion and labour racketeering charges--
it's 10 years.
You plead guilty to two counts of falsifying financial records
and agree to a lifetime ban from the union.
That's what l get. Fuck you. What do you get?
Well, the Bureau knows very little
about organized crime in northern Ohio.
So talk to us, say, once a month,
tell us what you hear.
l can do that.
The feds just released Danny Greene.
Girl: l won the game.
Girl #2: l won the game.
Come here.
( distant dog barking )
( men shouting )
( motorcycle engines rumbling )
( men cheering, shouting )
We can't live here.
it’ll have to do.
What are you gonna do for work?
It’s America-- land of opportunity.
John Nardi, please.
Tell him it's Danny Greene.
He's got the best restaurant in town.
He runs the cleanest numbers.
Now everybody wants to play Shondor's numbers--
the Irish, Polacks, even the shines, all right?
He's Jewish. He doesn't discriminate.
Get yourself a job.
You like stroganoff?
Danny, taste that.
Mm.
More salt, l think.
l have to tell you how impressed l am
with how you handled your recent adversity.
l provide a unique financial service
to men who like to gamble.
Before your time gamblers borrowed money from casinos.
The problem was that if a gambler skipped town
the casino had no recourse.
So l started to offer a six-for-five,
meaning you borrow five, you owe six within a week.
lf you don't pay you get charged 30% interest-- vigorish.
Now all this was perfectly legal.
And the best part-- l ran my own debt collection.
Then, in its wisdom,
the federal government labelled such practices loan sharking,
which is a stupid term.
Come here. l want to show you something.
Joey.
Lenny, what happened?
The wife let you out of the doghouse finally?
Eat something. Enjoy.
The Cuyahoga County DA.
Where was l?
Yes, the two men running my debt collection
have been incarcerated.
Is this a position that would interest you, Danny?
A man's gotta work, Mr. Birns.
So many young people don't understand that these days.
l swear, l don't have it.
- ♪♪ There's just one place for me ♪♪ - l swear l don't have it.
- ♪♪ And this is it ♪♪ - l swear. l swear l don't have it.
♪♪ Yeah, just one place to be and this is it... ♪♪
Woman: Agent Malloy will be with you in just a moment, Mr. Greene.
Malloy: Danny, how are you doing?
Hanging in there.
Malloy: You got anything for us?
No, nothing of interest.
( disco music playing )
♪♪ l wanna get high high high high... ♪♪
Oh, Danny Greene, huh?
How about you tell Shondor Birns that l get Shorty's money first, baby?
- Second. - Hey, baby, l can deal with that.
Here, take this.
No, thanks.
Tell Shondor sorry l was late last month.
Giants plus seven against Eagles-- it's a lock, right? Wrong.
I’m Mike Frato, by the way.
Nice truck, Mike.
Thanks.
l was hauling gravel till l discovered garbage.
Big money in garbage. l highly recommend it.
You like what you do?
Yeah, sure.
It’s good to like what you do-- keeps the blood pressure down.
Nice Caddy, by the way.
Manditski's voice: My wife met his wife Joan Greene
at a church luncheon. They hit it off.
That made things a little awkward.
Joan: Thanks, Claire. Thank you.
Bye, thank you.
Claire: See you next Sunday.
You missed an excellent sermon.
What the hell is this?
Joe and his wife gave us a lift.
Joe and his wife?
Father Killian said it'd be nice if you came to one of his services,
you know, sometime this decade.
They never should have taken away this guy's title.
He wouldn't go to Vietnam.
l wouldn't go if l were drafted. Why stick our nose in Vietnam?
English have been doing that to the Irish for 2000 years.
And by the way, how are we gonna pay for it, huh?
Deficit spending, my ass.
Next thing you know, we'll be going off the gold standard.
The country's going to hell.
It’s those kids smoking pot.
lf l were president, I'd legalize this stuff and tax the sales of it,
like booze and cigarettes.
In two years' time we'd be richer than King Croesus.
Danny, the game.
It’s the Packers.
All right.
Have you got anything to eat other than that?
That's grade-A sirloin chuck.
There are no vegetables, no fruit, no nuts?
That stuff's got too much cholesterol.
- What's cholesterol? - ( motorcycle engines rumbling )
( loud music playing, people shouting )
( music stops )
Party's over.
You've got five minutes to clear out.
Party ain't over.
You show yourself here again,
I’m coming over there
and I’m knocking all your teeth out
and I’m fucking that hot little wife of yours
all night long
- while you watch. - ( men laughing )
( gunshots )
Frato: Come on, stupid, move. Come on.
( men shouting ) Hit him, Billy!
Licavoli and Moceri--
they're on my level, so mind your Ps and Qs.
You're the only wop l can stand, John. You know that.
All right, just be respectful.
Jack,
Leo, you remember Danny Greene.
Of course.
How're you doing, Danny?
Sit down, Danny.
Well, somebody say something.
Why am l here, John?
We want to talk about garbage.
You know, we want to give you a hand.
Oh, you decided we need a hand.
You know, Jack, you've been trying
to get the union off the ground for five years.
So you came here to tell us we're fuck-ups, is that it, John?
Why do you have to talk to me-- why does he have to talk to me like that?
l came here to do you a favour and you're breaking my balls.
What do you propose, John?
We bring Danny into the mix.
Didn't you talk to Shondor?
Shondor Birns says you've been doing a good job for him.
Oh, and that thing, you know, with the longshoremen union--
you handled yourself real well.
Thank you.
A guy who keeps his mouth shut is a standup guy.
What do you say?
All right, you got my blessing.
But be prepared, eh?
These garbage haulers are tough nuts.
Some of these guys--
there's no talking to them, you know?
Believe me, we tried.
With all due respect, Jack, that was you talking to them, not me.
Wait a minute. When you're speaking to Mr. Licavoli--
l guarantee you're not gonna be disappointed.
All right?
Manditski's voice: The garbage-hauling plan was
Danny's golden opportunity to get back in the game.
The only problem was he knew next to nothing about garbage hauling.
So he found someone who did--
former Golden Glove champion of Cleveland
half-Lithuanian, half-Irish--
he'd been clearing out bars down on the docks since the 10th grade--
Keith Ritson.
There's a million houses in northern Ohio.
You know who collects their garbage?
200 separate companies, that's who.
It’s chaos out there. It’s no good to anybody.
It’s gonna be next to impossible to organize these guys.
You got any ideas?
We hold a recruitment drive. ( snaps fingers )
♪♪ Yeah ♪♪
♪♪ Bust your streets, come on, man... ♪♪
No, hold it. I’ll join. I’ll join.
♪♪ Ah, you're looking good ♪♪
♪♪ Doing all right ♪♪
♪♪ Do what you want to do, but do it all right... ♪♪
What?
l know what you are.
Mrs. O'Keefe.
Don't you start with me, you hear?
You got guys coming around here all hours of the day or night
- doing God knows what. - You misunderstand.
Oh, l understand.
But l ain't afraid of you.
Now get the hell off my gate before l stop being polite.
( horn honks )
Hey Danny. How are you, my friend?
It’s good to see you. How's everything?
All good.
Be careful. it can get a little hairy in here sometimes.
( laughing )
What did l tell you? Right?
It’s like this every day.
( children playing )
At first l didn't want to have kids-- babies, diapers.
But shit happens. My wife still looks pretty good, you know?
l got a hot salami. What can l say?
To what do l owe this privilege, my friend?
Jack Licavoli sent me.
l should have fucking known.
Okay, cut to the chase.
You know what?
Fuck Licavoli, fuck Lips Moceri
- and, all due respect, fuck you too. - Calm down, Mike.
No, l ain't calming down. l don't want to join a union.
l don't give a fuck how many friends they got in New York.
l built this company from scratch,
up to my neck in shit every day.
And l didn't work my balls off
so somebody else could just fucking walk in.
You tell those guys they can't fucking muscle me.
That's right. l got all the muscle l need right here.
And that means you too, Danny.
Moceri: All I’m saying is it sets a precedent.
This here guy says no--
others will follow suit.
Are you friends with Frato, Danny?
Is that the problem?
We're like acquaintances, but l like the guy.
Well, the fat fuck-- he was given a choice.
And now he's gotta deal with the consequences.
Hang on a sec. l think l got a say in this.
A say in this?
No, you don't, John.
This is my union.
Well, fuck you very much.
Wait a minute. ls there a problem here?
You know, 10 years ago Skalish-- he divided up the unions.
Now you got yours. l got mine.
Let's not come down with a sudden case of amnesia.
You know, we did all the work.
- Wait, l didn't get that, John. What? - l said we did all the work!
Licavoli: You're trying to take over my action.
That's it, isn't it?
You greedy fucking prick.
Look, l'm not trying to take over anything. l'm just saying--
Oh, yeah yeah. l know what you're saying.
We're gonna have a sit-down with Skalish over this.
All right?
We're gonna take this up later.
Mike Frato is a dead man.
Now either you make it happen or Lips and Vic will.
Can you do this thing, Danny?
Frato's got 10 kids, John--
10.
l don't care.
You gave him a reasonable option
and he crapped in your face.
You said you wanted to be in the bigs.
Sometimes you gotta do things that you don't like.
You gotta make Frato go away.
Don't you disappoint me.
It’s got a 50-yard radius, lads,
works like one of those garage doors or one of those TV changers.
Now the transmitter sends a command
from the remote to the receiver.
Then it's lights out, lads. It’s fucking lights out.
Good, Keith, good.
Art: So when?
Friday night.
( laughing )
Woman: l'll put you right through to Agent Malloy, Mr. Greene.
Malloy: Got something for you, Danny.
One of your guys was picked up by the city PD.
They're talking about making a deal.
Who?
Art Sneperger.
He was boosting a Mercedes in Shaker Heights,
said it was to pay down a gambling debt.
l don't believe it.
Art doesn't gamble.
There's 10 blackjack dealers in Youngstown who'll disagree.
Anyway, l just thought l would keep you in the loop.
l wanted to talk to you about something we discussed--
( insects chirping )
( car approaches )
( car door opens, closes )
( door opens )
Hey.
What's going on?
Mike Frato, tonight.
But you said Friday.
l changed my mind.
It’s Halloween.
Were you going trick-or-treating, Art?
What-- what are you doing?
Why isn't Keith--?
Christ.
Danny, is everything all right?
Yeah. Why?
Get going.
( device beeps )
Maybe we could talk to him.
l mean, I’ve known the guy my whole life.
Keith: He'll rat us out, Danny. Do it.
l told you not to gamble, Art.
What's going on? l heard voices.
Go back to sleep.
Here's your paper.
( tires screeching )
You fuck! You slimy mick fuck!
You sent a guy to my house-- to my fucking house?
- It’s not how it looks, Mike. - It’s not how it looks?
You lying fucking prick!
Man: Mikey! Jesus Christ!
What the fuck, Mikey?
What the fuck?
Don't shoot me. Don't shoot me.
Come on, don't do that.
Reporter: Police theorizing a belief of Frato's getting off three shots.
Greene returned one shot from about 25' away,
described by police as a lucky shot,
hitting Frato in the head.
- Danny, did you do it? - Policeman: Give him some room.
- For the fifth time-- - No, it's the fourth actually.
l was at the municipal park like l am every morning doing my push-ups
when l see Mike Frato coming at me in a Cadillac.
Okay, it wasn't Mike Frato's car. How did you know it was him?
l could smell him.
The same Mike Frato who refused to join your union?
l'm barred for life from the unions, remember?
The same Mike Frato whose car was blown up
by your former associate Art Sneperger?
Doesn't sound very good, does it?
It’s not gonna sound very good to a jury either.
So what do you want from me?
The truth.
l told you the truth.
Did you tell me that Danny Greene murdered Mike Frato?
Hey, don't put fucking words in my mouth. l never said that. l said no.
Then you didn't tell me the truth.
Let me tell you something--
l ain't going before the grand jury and l ain't testifying. You got it?
- Yes, you are. Yes, you are. - l don't give a shit. No, l'm not.
- l can subpoena you. - l think l'm gonna throw up.
Throw up. Throw up all over yourself. l'll help you clean it up.
Just tell me what l need to know. Tell me the truth.
Tell me the truth, Mikey.
Okay, this is how it went down.
Mike went to kill Danny Greene.
He threw a couple of shots at him. Danny shot back.
That's it. Case closed.
So it was self-defense?
Absolutely. l think you got it now.
Fuck you, Mikey.
l'm gonna push and l'm gonna push-- shut up.
To me you are just a thug. You understand that?
l'm gonna be there when you fuck up.
l'm gonna put you away. You know that?
What part of Collinwood are you from, Joe?
Catalpa Road.
Huh. North or south of Euclid?
- South. - Very nice.
Look, l know you've got a job to do and all that,
but just you gotta remember
there's some more important things in life.
You care to expand on that?
Don't rock the boat, Joe.
You've got a nice job, a nice car, a nice home.
When it comes to pushing,
l'm the wrong guy you want pushing back.
Are you threatening me?
'Cause if there's even a hint of that,
badge or no badge,
l will cut your fucking heart out with a rusty butter knife
and eat it while it's still beating.
We understand each other?
Hmm.
Good.
l thought we were gonna dance there for a second.
What did you say?
You really want to dance with me?
- ( reporters clamoring ) - Danny: Get out of here.
Danny: Hey.
Where are you going?
I’ve had it.
See you tomorrow, fellows.
♪♪ Each day l get a little older ♪♪
♪♪ The wind blows a little colder... ♪♪
Son of a bitch landlord bastard
making a poor old woman homeless.
Shame on him. You tell him from me,
may he rot in the lowest pit of hell,
and his children and his grandchildren
and everybody he ever knew.
What's she owe?
Three months.
Beat it.
l don't need your pity.
Grace, l'm not paying your rent out of pity.
You're a strong lrishwoman and l like that.
ls that so?
l read that article about you in the newspaper.
A regular desperado, huh?
Stinking lies, all of it.
Well, the reporter said that you believe
you are a descendant of Celtic warriors.
Was that a stinking lie?
No.
That l said.
ls this the Cuyahoga?
No, it's the Liffey in Dublin, you big galoot.
You've never been there, have you?
l can tell.
Here, have a seat.
You know,
Celtic men were so committed
to a fight to the death,
but they'd always leave an heirloom as a legacy
to protect the ones that they loved.
This was my father's.
Now our forebears,
our people, yours and mine--
they weren't just fearless.
They knew that there was something better
than just being a big shot.
Something that means having
the grace of God on your shoulder
to protect you
so you can protect those around you.
Now you have the eyes of a warrior, it's true.
But l see something else.
l see goodness.
There's no good in me.
Don't you ever say that.
We're drunks. We're fighters.
We're liars.
But there's a bit of good in every lrishman.
Give me your hand.
Go on now, get out of here.
Go on.
Reporter: What do you think about Danny Greene?
Well, he's a pretty good guy.
Like when l was 15
l had a minibike
and the police took it away.
He went and got it the same day, brought it back.
Manditski: Do you believe the press this guy is getting?
They're calling him the Robin Hood of Collinwood.
This guy over at Cuyahoga National Bank--
Danny Greene comes in the other day
and he wants to start an educational trust.
He wants to take 10 orphans
and put them in the best private schools in Cleveland on his own dime.
Merry Christmas!
Ho ho ho!
Man: A good man for the neighborhood, took care
- of a lot of families in need... - Billy: Courtesy of Danny Greene.
...gave turkeys away for Christmas, gave turkeys away for Thanksgiving.
Merry Christmas, boys.
- Merry Christmas. - Keith: Happy holidays, Manditski.
And happy holidays to you all.
Birns: Mazel tov.
l tell you about the time l met Marilyn Monroe?
She was in town on some publicity thing.
One night she comes into the Theatrical with some people,
including the Commie writer she married-- Miller.
- Arthur Miller. - Archie Miller, yeah.
And everybody's there--
Licavoli, Lips Moceri.
And these guys
are gushing on her.
The end of the evening comes
- and Miller goes home alone. - ( footsteps )
What's the matter? The soup's not hot enough? Why aren't you eating?
It’s hot. We're trying to talk.
He doesn't like potatoes. You must. You're lrish.
We're trying to have a conversation, Ruth.
- Ruth: Okay, l'm going. - For Chrissake.
Ruth: Okay.
None of these guys had it in them to make a move.
lt takes chutzpah,
brass nuts
to get what you want.
She was a doll.
Her skin was like milk.
What sort of place do you envision?
A restaurant and lounge--
good food, good cocktails, pretty waitresses--
pure class all the way.
l'm calling it the Dublin Public House.
How much do you need?
l figure 70 grand will get me started.
l'm gonna get you the money-- not mine.
A businessman doesn't invest his own money.
You know who the Gambinos are?
Sure. Big dagos in New York.
Whoa, be serious,
because when it comes to money,
take my word, they're very serious.
l'll send a courier to New York.
Thank you, Shondor.
Oh, you've earned it,
my young friend.
l want the entrance to jump out, you know?
l want people to feel invited.
l want big gates, you know-- big wrought-iron gates.
Excuse me,
what time do you open?
6:30.
l read this thing about the benefits of an all-vegetable diet.
What do you think?
- What do l think? - Yeah.
Uh, sure.
- Thanks. - Yeah.
Danny: Where are you from?
Are you shy?
Youngstown.
Youngstown's a tough town.
You don't look tough.
Why'd you leave?
l was living with my uncle.
Didn't work out.
Well, Ellie, the fair's over in Cuyahoga Falls this month.
Do you want to go?
You mean like on a date or something?
Yeah.
Mind if l ask what you do for a living?
l'm in the restaurant business.
Ellie, damn it, l told you to sweep the back room.
Mr. Greene.
l'm sorry, l didn't--
oh, she's okay with you, okay? No problem.
It’s all good. Everything's good.
Take your time. l'll sweep out the back room.
Manditski's voice: Looking back, those were the good years.
Danny and l were never friends, but l got a kick out of the guy.
We even ended up coaching youth baseball together.
Joe, l'm straight now.
You're about as straight as a bent shillelagh.
Manditski's voice: And just when it looked like Danny was
going to really turn the corner...
Man: So where the fuck's a guy like you come up with 70 large?
lt was going to some chump in Cleveland.
l borrowed it temporarily.
All right, up against the wall.
( sighs )
There's no way to sugar-coat this, kid.
The courier picked up your money, but instead of bringing it here
- he bought six kilos of cocaine. - l'll fucking kill him.
Probably not. He's in Rikers lsland.
Where's the money?
Evidence locker, l suppose.
l'll make an arrangement, talk to Licavoli,
offer that you'll do a couple of jobs free for the family.
That way you don't have to pay a vig.
A vig?
There's gonna be interest on the money.
You borrowed money from the Gambino family, Danny.
l did?
How do you borrow money if you don't receive it?
l understand that, but they won't.
ln their eyes, lost money is lost money.
l didn't lose it. The courier lost it.
- l understand. - lt was your courier.
lf anyone's on the hook, Shondor, it's you.
What?
l didn't hire the courier. You did.
What are you saying?
What l'm saying is
l lost nothing to nobody,
thus l owe nothing to nobody.
Coming after me would be unjust.
And if the wops in New York don't see it that way, then fuck them.
And if you don't see it that way, fuck you.
You give this to the man who kills the lrishman.
( music playing on stereo )
Danny: Come on. Shondor?
l mean, sure, we had a little argument.
Nah.
Shondor wouldn't do this.
The contract went out yesterday--
25 Gs for the head of Danny Greene.
25?
Yeah, in cash.
( laughs )
Come on, you should be flattered.
You want my advice?
Always.
Turn this thing around.
Pay Shondor the 70 large that you owe.
Don't argue. Just pay it
and walk away.
- l can't do that? - Why not?
Pride.
What, the Celtic warrior shit?
It’s not shit.
You know, you've been careful
always.
And that's what's kept you alive.
You cannot go to war with Shondor Birns.
Remember what l told you.
Can't be too careful.
Thank you, Mr. Greene.
♪♪ l don't want to be boastful ♪♪
♪♪ And bragging just ain't my thing ♪♪
♪♪ No no ♪♪
♪♪ But our love is gold, people ♪♪
♪♪ And nothing's gonna-- ♪♪
( static hissing )
♪♪ Gonna keep on loving you-- ♪♪
( crackling )
( explosion )
...firecrackers to kill Danny Greene!
Nardi: Danny, come on.
The Cadillac was Danny Greene's.
Put a 24-hour tail on him.
Ellie: That was fun.
That Ferris wheel was something, huh?
l'm not dumb.
The men outside-- they're the police, aren't they?
Cleveland's finest.
You have a bad reputation.
People say you're crazy and l should watch out.
What people?
Who's saying this?
l'm not telling you. You'll probably kill them.
You really believe that?
Why'd your wife leave you?
l was different then.
Look, maybe l should just--
No no no, stay. There's beer in the fridge.
l don't drink.
You got soda?
ln the fridge.
Keith: Shondor Birns is in the pawnshop down the street from St. Malachy's.
He's a sitting duck.
The alley behind my house, five minutes.
( choir singing psalm )
( knocks )
Here he comes.
Aw shit.
Where the fuck did she come from?
Reporter: lnvestigators have been here well over a half-hour.
What have they pieced together? Any idea who it is?
Man: As far as l can determine, it's a white male.
The part that we've got recovered, just the upper torso.
There's pieces all over the place.
We found a leg over against the fence.
lnside Rabbi Rudolph Rosenthal characterized Birns as no saint,
but he said the numbers figure had much charity
and was often generous and had many friends.
...but also to recognize that everybody is fallible.
Shakespeare said if each one of us got his just deserts,
nobody would escape a whipping.
John Skalish at 3:45 this afternoon had a heart attack and died.
Manditski's voice: John Skalish,
Cleveland's don of 34 years, died during routine surgery.
The problem was that Skalish hadn't named a successor
and the only two candidates for the job hated each other--
Jack Licavoli who spent half his time
sucking up to the Sicilians in New York
and John Nardi who didn't.
Guess who won.
Moceri: What are we gonna do about the lrishman?
All right, ask for a meeting.
And keep Nardi out of it. He's friends with the fuck.
The lrishman can have Shondor's business,
but we take our cut.
So essentially what you're saying is we do all the work
and you get 30% for doing nothing, right?
That's the arrangement-- 30% .
And characterize it any way you want.
Any way l want?
Any way you want.
- Really? - Really.
Okay.
How about this?
A gang of hairy, greasy wops
who came into existence when a Greek fucked a goat
want to extort hard-earned money
from a band of noble lrish stock. How's that?
- ( yelling ) - Hold it. Hold it.
You got a dirty mouth, young man.
You guys have bled me dry for too long.
The lrishman's in business for himself now.
Oh, by the way,
l know why you guys call each other Ronnie the Crab
and Peanuts and Frankie B.
It’s 'cause you're too fucking stupid to remember each other's names.
See you around, Lips.
Okay, what do you think?
( exhaling )
Thank you.
( rock music playing )
Danny Greene's going down.
When?
Tonight.
You want to talk?
Yeah, l want to talk.
Not here.
So you and Danny are close?
We grew up together. What's your angle?
Hey, now insults are insults,
but the Shondor Birns thing has got a lot of people pissed--
not at you, Billy.
How would you feel about going into business with me
and owning all of Collinwood?
What the hell is this thing?
You've talked to Licavoli?
Of course.
About time you stepped up. Think how easy it would be.
Very easy.
( phone ringing )
Come on, Danny, come on.
Come on, Danny.
Danny?
( glass shatters )
( Ellie moans, coughing )
There's been times when other people have attempted
shots at his life-- a fatal situation.
But l have no idea
and l'm sure Mr. Greene doesn't. At this time he's a little shook up.
Police have issued arrest warrants for the two men
they say are responsible for blowing up Danny Greene's home.
So far those men have not been caught
and police are expected to go to the grand jury this week
to seek indictments.
Ryan Ross, Action 3 News.
You missed? What the fuck does that mean, huh?
People are intimidated.
lntimidated?
Are you intimidated? Huh?
You-- you intimidated?
Come on, get out of here. Get out of here!
The night before my house went up l heard a rumor
that Tommy Sinito came to you with an offer to play Judas.
Two days later
Cleveland PD finds him at the bottom of a lake
tied to a cast-iron sink you were hauling around.
l wouldn't know anything about that.
Billy: You're the only thing I’ve got in this world, Danny.
You know that.
( gunshot )
- ( gun clicks ) - ( tires screeching )
( yells )
Reporter: This is about the fourth time someone has tried to kill you.
How do you account for the fact that you survived each time?
l'm an lrish Catholic with the grace of God on my shoulder.
l'm not going anywhere until he says so.
You see this trailer behind me?
It’s where l work.
See the bar at the end of the street there?
Get a shot of that. l live on the top floor.
Let me tell you something--
if any of these maggots from the so-called mafia
want to come after me,
l'm not a hard man to find.
You know, you must have the biggest nuts in Cleveland.
Yeah, l saw you on the news.
The problem is you got too much heat on you.
Licavoli breaking your balls, John?
Well, he's not blowing up my house.
Ha.
The fucking cretin won, you know. He's the boss.
- ( cars passing overhead ) - l get that.
But the cocksucker's trying
to take over my business.
l gotta put my foot down.
l was thinking
maybe you need somebody to watch your back.
What are you saying?
What l'm saying is
alone l could never take over Licavoli,
but together
there's no stopping us.
- You want to be partners? - Yeah.
You're serious?
You know,
l'm gonna show you how serious that l am.
( moaning )
This is the kid from the Highlander-- the valet who put the bomb in your car.
( knife snicks )
( kid moaning )
Look,
your enemies are my enemies.
( punk rock playing )
Fuck you, Nardi. l never should have trusted you.
You ain't got the balls to do it yourself, do you, you little--?
Reporter: There is some kind of gang war in Cleveland.
The figures over the recent months show that for those involved
life expectancy is very short and getting shorter.
Manditski's voice: That summer in 1976
36 bombs exploded in Cleveland.
The Danny Greene war became the subject of national attention.
Reporter: Federal authorities expect more murders,
as the hierarchy of organized crime in Cleveland
continues to violently realign.
Jeff Campbell, Eyewitness News, Cleveland.
A steel door?
It’s just a precaution.
l want you safe.
l don't want safe. l want you.
It’s a Claddagh ring.
Women in lreland have worn them for 300 years.
The hands symbolize friendship,
the heart-- love,
and the crown-- loyalty.
lf you wear it with the heart facing out,
it means you're free.
lf you're wear it with the heart facing in,
means you're taken.
Don't put it on until you know.
Ellie, l have a plan--
a plan to set things right.
But it will mean leaving here
for good.
But Cleveland--
It’s all I’ve ever known,
but it's no good for me anymore.
l want to go someplace l can breathe again,
you know?
Licavoli: l'm getting calls from New York every half-hour.
This guy-- he went on television
daring us to do something about it, for crying out loud.
What am l gonna tell them, eh?
What is going on here?
Your people-- your people-- you can't do a simple job?
My people? My people are your people.
Your family is becoming a major fucking embarrassment.
l am still getting calls from Pauly Castellano
about that 70 Gs that he lent to that prick Shondor Birns.
What the hell is going on out there?
This is one guy and you can't take care of it?
We've shot him. We've blown him up.
l mean, nothing we do seems to matter with this guy.
Eight times you tried to get this mick cocksucker, eh?
What are you doing? Where's your men?
- Where's Brancato? - He's watching the city.
Watching the city? You might as well give the city to this mick prick.
All right.
l understand that you got a difficult situation here.
Generally speaking you got things under control.
l understand that.
l'm going to propose something to you, okay?
l would consider it a personal favor
if you would ask my help in this,
okay?
l can do this for you. l can be there for you on this one here.
But you have to give me the word.
Do me this favor.
Then it's done.
Nardi: ''Vast lands fit for an industry on the rise--
Texas cattle ranching.''
l don't know where you come up with these crazy ideas.
l mean, do you know anything about Texas? No.
You know anything about cattle ranching? No, you do not.
He's crazy, you know that?
What's it gonna take to get this place in order, John--
all of it-- the land, new cattle-- the whole thing?
Like a couple million. l mean...
That much, huh?
l'm guessing.
Why not?
You think we could move there?
Danny: Damn straight.
You have that much money?
Someone once told me
a businessman never invests his own money.
( laughing )
You got a pair of balls, let me tell you.
( continues laughing )
$2 million. $2 million.
You didn't pay back the $70,000 that you borrowed.
Why should l lend you $2 million?
To get rid of me.
To get rid of you?
l'll get rid of you with one spic outside for $100.
What the fuck are you talking about?
Let me take this guy out back right now and take--
Shut the fuck up.
l apologize.
l'll leave Cleveland, hand everything over to Licavoli.
Your money will help fix up Texas feed lots, plants, cattle.
And the best part--
we sell the meat through co-op outlets
that l can tie directly to the unions.
That guarantees sales nationwide.
Projected income
is $3 million in the first year alone.
Gonna have a cattle drive like John Wayne, huh?
Yippie-yi-yo. We're gonna become cowboys.
So this is the lrishman, huh?
That's right.
It’s not as crazy as it sounds.
You know, you'd be getting 50% of the cut.
And more importantly,
this business is legitimate, you know,
totally almost.
l'll think about it.
All right.
It’s good to see you again, Frank.
How do you think it went in there?
Danny, it was good to see you too.
Who knows when l'll see you again?
l got a joke you can pass on to Salerno.
- What is it? - Why do you call ltalian guys wops?
Throw a piece of shit against a wall-- it goes wop!
Yeah, wop this.
Get the fuck out of here,
all of youse, a bunch of lrish pricks,
all of youse.
Get the fuck out of here.
l want you to go to Los Angeles,
see Ray Ferrito.
l thought he went back to ltaly.
No. You take Julius with you.
This way we'll get two for the price of one.
Okay.
Whatever's gotta be done.
lrish pricks.
This is the guy?
He don't look so tough.
l understand you're having some problems in Cleveland?
Yeah, l got two problems-- this guy Nardi
and this guy the lrishman.
What's in it for me?
Don't worry about your share.
New York wants this guy out-- you take him out.
You'll get yours, all right, guy?
Once John Nardi's gone,
you'll get his territory and everything that comes with it.
Licavoli's agreed?
Yeah.
So how are you gonna do it?
l mean, it's not like you can just walk up to the guy
in your fancy business suit and say, ''Hi, l'm here to whack you.''
Sure you can.
Hi, l'm here to whack you.
See you in Cleveland.
Yeah, have a nice trip.
Nardi: Who gives a shit about Texas anyway?
The place smells like shit.
We're gonna take this city over, Danny. Right, pal?
Sure.
You and me.
John, l want you to be careful.
You know, you lrish-- you worry too much.
Look, l never liked that Licavoli.
And l don't trust that cocksucker in New York either.
And you know what? And they're scared of you and me.
And they've got good reason to be.
Hmm.
Hey, Danny,
we're moving up.
( seagulls cawing )
( explosion )
John.
Give me a hand up, all right?
Come on. l'll walk home. l don't live far from here.
l'll go home and lie down, have a rest.
Hey, John,
let's just rest here, eh, buddy?
- ( distant sirens wailing ) - Hey, Danny.
We're moving up, Danny boy.
We sure are.
Everything's gonna be all right.
( sirens wailing )
Billy: Danny, come on.
Reporter: John Nardi, for three decades
a prominent member of Cleveland's crime syndicates,
was killed today by a bomb rigged to the ignition of his car.
Nardi's murder brings the number of organized crime figures
slain in Cleveland this year to four.
Reporting live from Cleveland, Jeff Campbell.
Got a problem?
No.
Do you?
l don't have a problem.
l think you do.
l think most people in Cleveland would say you've got a problem.
Who are you?
Huh?
- ( starts engine ) - Answer me.
Who are you?
What'd you call me for? l shouldn't be doing this.
Licavoli wants to sit down with you--
just you and him.
He's gonna offer you a treaty he wants you to sell to Danny.
- You're the only one he'll listen to. - What, do l look like a fucking idiot?
We're gonna drive over to a payphone down at the docks.
Licavoli's gonna call at 3:00 PM.
You tell him where you want him to go and he'll be there.
And if anything feels fishy, shoot me in the fucking head, okay?
Come on.
Get in the fucking car.
Fucking don't believe nobody. Fucking impossible, man.
( car horn honks )
Danny? What the fuck?
Brings back memories, huh?
Right on time.
- Name the place. - ( phone ringing )
Tell him to meet me behind the Highlander.
You got it.
Manditski: What's with the ice?
- Danny: A bad tooth. - You want to talk?
l heard about your friend Billy
and your man Keith.
Me and mine will take our chances.
It’s bad, Danny.
It’s over.
His name is Ray Ferrito.
l checked him out.
He doesn't make mistakes.
He gets close--
your family, your mother, your girlfriend.
They have not build a bomb big enough to kill Danny Greene.
You really think the luck of the lrish is gonna save you?
My enemies will be taken care of, Joe.
l promise.
Good luck, Danny.
Hey, Joe.
Thank you.
Billy's voice: ''l was too embarrassed to recite this in person,
so l'm sending this in a letter.
'The Ballad of Danny Greene.
They've shot and they've bombed, tried all that they knew
To bring Danny Greene's time to an end.
But warriors don't fall.
This legend still stands,
My captain, my brother, my friend.'
Bill McComber.''
( phone ringing )
Hello.
Hey baby. l made you that dentist's appointment. Take this down.
Brainard Medical Building,
2000 Brainard Place,
Lyndhurst, 3:00 PM.
Danny: Thanks, honey.
There's something else--
something l--
l want you to know.
l love you.
Danny?
( sobs )
Danny?
l changed the oil.
She's clean.
Sure you don't want me to go with you?
Nah. Get your fucking hands off my car.
Woman: Go ahead.
Man: Let's take a look at that tooth, Mr. Greene.
Hey, mister,
are you him--
the lrishman?
What about it?
My cousin Timmy says you got more balls than anybody.
He wants to be just like you.
( Danny chuckles )
You don't want to be just like me, kid.
Go on.
Get out of here.
Come here, you.
Whoa.
Wow.
Go on, beat it.
Manditski's voice: Ray Ferrito, the hit man who killed Danny Greene,
got too big for his britches,
so the Cleveland mafia took a contract out on him.
What did Ray Ferrito do? He went to the feds and cut a deal.
The resulting trial led to the indictments of Jack Licavoli
and LA gangster Jimmy ''the Weasel'' Fratianno
who testified against mafia associates
across the nation.
lt would all lead to the famous Commission Trial
which convicted bosses in each of New York's five families.
Danny Greene's murder directly led
to the indictment of 27 mafia associates
and the collapse of organized crime in Cleveland.
The Cleveland mafia has never recovered.
Reporter: This is about the fourth time someone has tried to kill you.
How do you account for the fact that you survived each time?
( chuckles )
Do you want me to give you the lrish version?
Reporter: What's the lrish version?
The guy upstairs pulls a string, you're gone. There's no other way.
( instrumental music playing )