BYRON: Now, in stamping,
we'll be doing three shifts a day,
12 workers per shift.
Thirty-six.
Good. Skills?
Just some strong backs.
No drunks, or we'll be pulling fingers out of the presses.
Can't have that, can we?
Eight strong backs in carting.
I was thinking 12.
I only need eight.
Twelve makes everyone more efficient.
Ten.
Ten it is.
Now, who are these four men you have listed as supervisors?
I'm glad you asked.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
- LEARY: Cheers, Mr. Mercer. - (GLASSES CLICK)
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
(MACHINES WHIRRING)
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
(FLOORBOARDS CREAKING)
Jacob.
You're back late.
Sorry, missus.
What is it?
LEE: Where is everybody?
O'HARA: I don't know.
But I'm not complaining.
- (CROWD CLAMORING) - (INDISTINCT CHATTER IN CHINESE)
What the hell is this?
Looks like a street fair of some kind.
(SPEAKING CHINESE)
I suppose you're thinking maybe we should go in.
No, I'm thinking we should definitely go in.
Do you know why you're here, Lee?
Because God is punishing me.
I'm pretty sure He's not.
And how would you know?
'Cause He's not there.
(DRUMS BEATING)
LEE: Did you have any idea this was down here?
Not a fucking clue.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
YOUNG JUN: You ready for this?
Yeah.
I know Father Jun won't say it.
And I'll forget later, so...
I just want to say thanks.
You didn't have to do this.
I didn't?
We're having a moment here, man.
Don't fuck it up with the truth.
(BREATHING DEEPLY)
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
Are you sure about this?
What do you mean?
He's your brother.
Only one of us is going to walk out of there.
Sergeant O'Hara. Officer Lee. Welcome.
What's going on, Chao?
Just some neighborhood entertainment.
A prize fight, yes?
(INDISTINCT CHATTER IN CHINESE)
A lot of tongs here.
Everything peaceful.
People want to have good time.
Forget troubles.
Come, I take you to good seat.
No, no, no. We'll stand.
Okay.
But you need anything, you call Chao.
(SPEAKING CHINESE)
Shouldn't you guys be on your beat?
Streets are empty. Everyone's here.
Well, stay sharp, eh?
It's time.
Good evening and welcome.
Tonight
is about something more than simple competition.
This is a sacred ritual of our ancestors,
a means for the tongs to settle their disputes
while maintaining peace in the region.
(SPEAKING CHINESE)
Tonight we celebrate them by bearing witness
to this battle between two great warriors!
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Hey.
Isn't that our boy?
LEE: Yes, it is.
Well, this should be interesting.
(STEADY DRUMBEATS)
(CHANTING IN CHINESE)
Some beer for you, gentlemen.
- With my compliments. - No, thanks.
You don't drink?
Not here.
More for me.
What are the sashes for?
Winner take sash from loser to claim victory.
That's the whole game?
Five bills on the tall one.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(GRUNTING)
Come on!
I don't know what the hell kind of boxing this is,
but if they could all fight like this, we'd be in some deep shit.
(MEN SHOUTING IN CHINESE)
(BOTH MEN GRUNTING)
(GROANS)
Get up, Ah Sahm! Get up!
Yeah!
(ALL CHEERING)
(CROWD CHANTING IN CHINESE)
Get up!
Take it!
(GASPS)
(GROANS)
(DRUMBEATS)
- (MUFFLED CHEERS) - (BREATHING HEAVILY)
(GROANING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(CRACKING)
Where are you going?
He's finished.
No, he's not. He'll get up.
Come on, Ah Sahm! Get up!
(STRAINED BREATHING)
(YELLS AND GROANS)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(STRAINED BREATHING)
(SCREAMS) No!
- Wait, what the hell is this? - He's gonna break his neck!
(CLAMORING)
O'HARA: Time to go, Mrs. Blake.
(AH SAHM BREATHING HEAVILY)
(STRAINED BREATHING)
Will he be okay, do you think?
The man who lost?
I don't know.
He took one hell of a beating.
Excuse my French.
I'm sure it didn't escape you
that this is the same man you got tangled up with a few weeks ago.
Did you think I wouldn't recognize him?
I don't know, Sergeant.
Don't they all look the same to you?
Look, it's none of my business, but...
No, it's not.
You have a real way with people. Has anyone ever told you that?
I'm sorry.
Why did you save him?
I didn't save anyone.
I saw you.
You fired your gun
just as that other fighter was gonna snap his neck.
Look, um...
Chinatown is no place for a lady like you.
Being the mayor's wife means nothing down here.
It doesn't mean very much anywhere, I'm afraid.
Sergeant, I'd rather my husband didn't know I was in Chinatown.
That's fine.
I didn't vote for him anyway.
I don't give a shit about a fucking tournament!
There is no way we're cutting the Long Zii into our business!
I gave my word.
Yeah, and they broke the treaty.
So, why should you have to be the one who keeps his word?
I told you we never should have agreed to this.
You also told me Ah Sahm would win.
For now, we'll keep our word.
But believe me,
Mai Ling is gonna find that buying into the molasses business
can be a costly proposition.
What about Ah Sahm?
He fought for us.
And he lost.
He's of no use to us anymore.
(PANTING)
(GROANING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(STRAINED BREATHING)
(AH TOY SHUSHING)
Mr. Buckley.
This is an unexpected visit.
You've ramped up very quickly.
It's a big job.
That it is.
So, to what do I owe the pleasure?
Economics, Mr. Mercer.
How come when you say that it sounds like a disease?
A late bidder has come in.
A dark horse, if you will.
But his pricing is very attractive.
You can't go rejiggering the numbers after the fact.
I was awarded the contract.
You were awarded the first purchase order,
of which there will be many.
This is a job of unprecedented scale,
and the stakes for the mayor couldn't be higher.
Putting all of the city's business with a single vendor
has always been a somewhat questionable move.
And when a second vendor comes in a good 15% below you...
15%? Who the hell is bidding that?
I'm not at liberty to say.
It's impossible to do the job at that price with premium steel.
Well, the specifications have been checked.
They're using the same steel you are.
So, how are they cutting down on their cost?
They're using Chinese labor.
$27 per month, per worker.
Jesus Christ, I can't compete with that.
Of course you can.
It's just...
Economics.
Xiaojing...
Thank you.
If you're gonna keep picking fights,
the least you can do is win them once in a while.
Father.
The kid who beat him up was bigger than him.
Well, what kind of idiot starts up with a bigger kid?
Why do you think I started it?
HOI CHUEN: Because you have a bigger mouth.
And this is the third time this month that someone's punished you for it.
And now I have no one to plow my damn fields.
Ever since your grandfather died,
you've been getting into trouble.
Do you think you're honoring his memory?
He would be ashamed.
He didn't mean it.
Yes, he did.
(GROANING AND PANTING)
(BREATHING RAGGEDLY)
(SHUSHING)
(BREATHING DEEPLY)
Do you know where you are?
Yeah.
Where?
Here.
That's right.
(SCREAMING)
(DOOR CLOSES)
You're Sifu Li Qiang.
The jade has healing powers.
It helps the flow of energy through your body.
Get up.
(BREATHING DEEPLY)
Will you teach me how to fight?
You can't fight if you can't breathe.
(BREATHING DEEPLY)
(GROANING)
MAI LING: Ah Sahm, wait!
If I had known that you were gonna leave,
I never would have brought the Sifu here.
I'll come back to visit you every month.
Promise?
I promise.
Today we recognize that the leadership
of the Long Zii tong has been transferred,
along with the blood oaths we all swore...
To Mai Ling.
ZHANG YAN: This is absurd.
She single-handedly started a war with the Hop Wei
and endangered every single person in this tong.
I moved with the full knowledge of Long Zii.
He knew, as many of you sitting here know,
that this day was inevitable.
You manipulated him.
Zhang.
ZHANG YAN: Everyone at this table knows it.
Long Zii lost his senses when she climbed into his bed.
And yours.
It's okay.
I understand you're angry, Zhang.
I mean, answering to a woman must be difficult.
When will a woman be strong enough?
Will she do what it takes?
What I need is a demonstration of some kind.
Something to prove that I won't allow anyone
to disrespect me in my own house.
(SCOFFS QUIETLY)
(GUN FIRES)
I know for some of you it might be difficult
to accept a woman as your leader.
But I see a great and prosperous future
for the Long Zii.
And I can't do it without you.
So I ask this council,
do I have your support?
You not belong here.
I just want to make sure he's going to be okay.
You Mayor Blake's wife, yes?
That's right. Yes.
(DOOR CLOSES)
I miss you.
BLAKE: Buckley.
What's this I hear about you telling Mercer to lower his pricing?
We got in a lower bid.
Why didn't I see it?
Because it doesn't exist.
Come again?
There was no lower bidder.
I simply imputed the savings of using Chinese labor
and created a new bid.
I think you misunderstand your job, Buckley.
My job, as I understand it,
is to clean up your messes.
So, when I'm not pulling your cock out of Chinese whores
or running interference with the governor's office,
I also keep track of your administrative budget,
which, in case you didn't know,
is in arrears.
Your political capital is on the decline,
and if this project comes in one dime over budget,
the appropriations committee will be calling for your head.
You still should have talked to me first.
He's your father-in-law.
Do you know how this could look for you?
You cannot be perceived to have granted favors in any way.
How did he take it?
Let me worry about Mercer.
You saved his business.
I'm gonna make sure he saves yours.
I appreciate your zeal, Buckley.
But in future, please tell me in advance.
I don't like feeling like an idiot.
I understand.
I apologize.
BARTENDER: Yes, sir.
(BREATHING DEEPLY)
(GROANING)
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
Hey.
You are not ready to start moving around yet.
Come on.
(AH SAHM GROANING)
I got you.
(GROANS)
You were right.
He was better than me.
He was fighting for something he believed in.
He had purpose.
You didn't.
There are 25,000 Chinese living in this city.
And more coming every day.
They were promised a better life,
but are treated like dogs.
Someone has to start fighting back.
How are you fighting back?
One day I'll show you.
It's a fight you can't win.
Of course we can't win.
But we can inspire others.
For what?
- We'll never belong here. - No one belongs here.
This is a country of foreigners.
Why should we be any different?
One day, Chinese people will own land here and be citizens.
(SCOFFS)
What else do you have to fight for?
Why are you still here?
I have my reasons.
Mai Ling.
You know...
The tongs were at peace for a long time
before she married Long Zii.
She was prepared to let you die.
You need to accept
that she's not the sister you came to save anymore.
And who she is is dangerous for Chinatown.
And for you.
O'HARA: It's a simple question, Chao.
Look around, Bill. Do you see sword?
I don't sell sword. Not worth it. No volume.
LEE: Four white men gutted,
and you're telling me you never sold a sword in Chinatown?
Sword is very old-fashioned.
Chinatown is new world.
Told you he wouldn't talk to us.
I sell guns, knife, hatchet.
No one sell sword.
Give us a minute, will you? Please?
Your partner talk funny.
He ask too many questions. Stir up a lot of shit.
You and me, we go back, Chao.
We have an understanding.
You help me out, I help you out.
Some crazy Chinaman is running around slicing up people with a sword.
Maybe it's more than one guy.
I don't have a fucking clue.
So, I need you to give me one.
This isn't a problem that goes away, Chao.
Not for me and not for you.
If we don't catch someone soon,
things are gonna get very ugly in Chinatown.
Especially for anyone who deals in black market weapons.
Do you make threat to Chao, Sergeant?
(SIGHS)
I'm just trying to look out for you.
Okay. I look around.
I'd appreciate that.
But you're sure you're looking for Chinaman, right, Bill?
Sometime white people kill white people, no?
You gonna say something?
I don't know what to say, man.
I didn't see things going this way.
I'm sorry.
I thought I had him.
YOUNG JUN: Yeah.
I thought so, too.
What happens now?
I think you know, man.
I tried to talk to Father Jun,
but he's not hearing it.
This probably goes without saying, but...
If you go to work for another tong,
there'll be a price on your head.
You get me?
Yeah.
This is the last time I can talk to you.
I've been thinking about when we went out to Grass Valley a lot.
You ever think about that?
Mmm.
We never should have come back.
Evening, boys.
Any action?
Just another day in paradise.
O'HARA: Stay sharp.
We'll see you boys at roll call in the morning.
LEE: So...
Murdered tycoons, maniac swordsmen.
Any idea where to start?
Well, Chao was our best bet.
And he either can't or he won't help us.
But I can tell you this,
we won't find him just walking our beat.
No, I reckon we won't.
You got any Southern wisdom for me here?
A guilty fox hunts his own hole.
Terrific.
What the hell does that mean?
I don't know.
Never really understood that one.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
- See you tomorrow. - Right.
(LEE GRUNTS)
(TRUNCHEON CLATTERS)
Ah!
(CHINESE RAP SONG PLAYING)