Avenging Angelo (2002)

[My name's Frankie.]
[Frankie Delano.
And l'm a professional watcher.]
[That's what l do. l try to stay
in the shadows and watch.]
[The man who employs me is Angelo.]
[Angelo Allieghieri, who is
considered a generous man..]
[..by some
and a very bad man by others.]
[But good or bad, he is a father
first and foremost and has,..]
[..for years, had me watch
his daughter who, by the way,..]
[..doesn't even know
she's his daughter,..]
[..which really complicates things.]
[ln the last few months,
Angelo has been having me..]
[..film messages to his daughter.
lt's kinda like he's gettin'..]
[..his life in order,
which kinda makes me nervous,..]
[..like he knows something
l don't.]
Hey, Frankie?
You want me to say..
..something for you? You know,
put in a good word or something?
Please, Angelo, it's gonna
embarrass me, okay?
Come on!
You embarrass too easy.
Frankie, if she ever leaves
that sorry excuse of a husband.
You can't keep doing what you
are doin' for me. Understand?
Now, Frankie, watch out.
For what?
Watch out for the one..
..who feels pain..
..and wants you to know it.
All right.
Turn it on.
You know,
after so many years,..
..it's become like
a pool of memories to me,..
..never knowing
if those memories are real,..
..or if they're simply
what l want to remember.
Because all l have left
to join me to that world is her.
[See, that's what Angelo
had always said..]
[..that she was all he had left.
But that wasn't exactly true..]
[..because, even though l never
made a big deal out of it,..]
[..he also had me. See,
l pretty much loved Angelo..]
[..like you would your own father.]
Come on.
Before we lose 'em.
[So it was hard for me, too,
having to stay invisible..]
[..as her world fell apart,
after she'd given in..]
[..to that husband
and sent their little son off..]
[..to some distant
boarding school.]
l see him! ln the plane!
Rawley! Rawley!
lt wasn't my idea!
l didn't mean to send you away,
baby. Oh, l love you!
Jennifer! Jesus! God, what
are you doing? Get back in the car!
Look at him.
He's driving crazy.
A willow in the wind.
- Get back in the car!
- l just want to see his face!
Jennifer, for goodness' sake,
l'm shutting the sun --
Get back!
Just get back in!
Bloody hell!
l feel her sadness.
l mean, sending away..
..her only child.
l don't understand that.
But then, l do.
Jennifer, for God's sake,
what exactly is the trauma here?
Our little soldier is going off to
military school. lt'll make him a man.
- He's seven! - And you're
acting about the same age.
Have you ever considered,
lightening your hair?
- What?
- Lightening your hair.
Well, l thought maybe it'd,
you know, brighten your mood.
You know, this can be
corrected, Angelo, seriously,..
..it would be my pleasure.
- You can't. You know that.
- l understand.
- That's right. Keep the distance.
The distance.
We send our son off to military
school where he can be surrounded..
..by nothing but boys. You fire
the gardener. The place is a mess.
The furniture is in storage,
we can't even afford to get it out..
..because you invested
in some other mining stock..
..or something or other. We don't
even have a home! Brilliant!
- Where's my FedEx package, or did
you misplace it? - lt's there. - Oh!
How can you be so blas?
Don't you miss Rawley?
You know, you really have
to get a grip on this.
A grip on what?
Seriously.
What more could you want?
- You keep asking me that.
- Okay, okay, fine.
- So go out and get a job.
- Well, l had a job, remember?
But you said a mother's place
was in the home.
Besides,
who would hire me now?
Everything we funnel..
..through
to that family of theirs..
..he manages to lose.
Or squander.
Look at her now.
She's skinny.
Probably, nerves.
You know, when l'm gone,..
..you're gonna have
to take over. Be sure..
..and fatten her up.
l'm afraid you're
not goin' anywhere, okay?
Everybody's goin'..
..somewhere.
There's no need for the cannon.
Twenty-two should be all we need.
Let the old man finish his meal.
An ill wind
is blowing this way, ladies.
l am so messed up.
l just sent my baby boy
off to military academy.
Oh God! l am so wired.
Am l having a heart attack?
- ls that what's going on?
- No, sweetie,..
..men get heart attacks. We don't.
- We don't. We don't.
Can you breathe?
Okay, blow out. That's it.
- Oh, God!
- You know what?
Momma's little helper
to the rescue.
l want you to take one of these.
Sweetie, take two. And leave
all your troubles behind. Trust me.
- What are these? - Her husband
gives them to his patients.
Well, for me,
he triples the dosage.
Jennifer, l said take two pills.
How many did you take?
l don't know!
Just what you told me!
- Well, bon voyage, darlin'.
- Oh, my God.
Scusi.
Officer!
ls there a problem here?
- You're in a no parking zone.
- We're talkin' minutiae here.
What does Angelo see
in a guy like that?
l could run circles
around that pain in the ass.
- Does Malatesta know about....
- Does Malatesta what?
Know about this? There's
a lot the old man don't know.
As for you, don't sweat
the small shit. Do you hear me?
This frickin' song.
lt makes my heart weep
every time l hear it.
Yeah.
l get a twinge, too.
A twinge? What kind of person
just gets a frickin' twinge..
..when you hear a song like this?
So, what do you get?
Let me get this straight.
Are you sayin' that this little..
..distance here is not negotiable?
- The law's the law.
Okay. Well, how about
if l just pull it forward?
And how about
l just call for some backup?
How about you not?
- lf you weren't so cute.
- You watch it!
Nice shine.
Cheap after-shave.
Must be Bruno.
Any last words?
Yeah. Try the clams.
They're fabulous.
Hey! lt's a good thing l didn't
see you earlier, otherwise..
..l would had
to give you a ticket!
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Hello?
What?
l'm on my way.
l'll be right there.
My son has a temperature
of a hundred and three.
Oh. He'll be all right.
You want some company?
l gotta go.
Later, lucky ones.
Good afternoon,
ladies, and welcome.
We have a very special treat
for you this afternoon.
All due to the very hard work
of our own Jennifer Barrett.
Please join me
in welcoming a celebrated author,..
..Marcello Della Rosa!
lt seems there are no men.
Pity.
lf you will indulge me,..
..l would prefer to let
my work speak for itself.
l've taken the liberty
of bringing ''Our Way'',..
..the book l published last year.
Then, if you must,
ask your questions.
But please be gentle.
''He stood on the cliffs
of Apollonia di Mare,..''
''..the cliffs of his Sicilia.''
''All about him swirled sounds
as holy as God's silence.''
''The cry of the sailor''.
''He was home''.
''With ghosts of ships
that came before''.
''Come, you Romans,
and you Greeks''.
''You dark-eyed,
Spanish moors''.
''l've waited
too long to come home, he thought''.
''For time is a thief,
and he never gets caught.''
Never, Jennifer.
Oh!
Jesus Christ!
Now, Jennifer, this is not
the time for another..
..of your scenes.
- My scenes?
lt's not
what it looks like.
You have no clue
what it looks like.
You're doing her in the pool,
and l get Mister Missionary?
- Jen-Jen...
- Don't you ''Jen-Jen'' me.
You were supposed
to be my friend,..
..and now you're nothing
but a porn star.
Now l know why you wanted me
to lighten my hair. That's it.
Get out of here!
Oh!
l have to pick up my kids.
Jennifer,..
..you have to take your share
of responsibility for this.
- My share?! - Yeah. do you have
any idea how lonely l've been..
..while you've been off
doing this book club thing?
You are just
about to get lonelier.
Oh, man!
You creep.
You're not coming back here
in my house since it's my house.
There's nothing you can do
about it, Kip!
And you are not gonna
disrespect me!
Jesus!
Ma'am, please.
lf you don't mind?
Hello.
- You're hurt?
- Yes, ma'am, l am.
You're bleeding.
Rather profusely.
- That's what happens
when you get shot. - Shot!
- Yes, ma'am. - You've been shot?
- Definitely. But it's not..
..as bad as it looks. Really.
Well, you're at the wrong house.
lt's the wrong neighborhood.
- You want Queens. Maybe Brooklyn.
- Uh! No, wait.
l'm at the right house, Jennifer.
May l?
- l know you, don't l?
- Yes, ma'am, you do.
l'm so sorry. l can't
remember your name.
Frankie.
Frankie Delano.
Oh, right! Frankie.
You used to deliver groceries
for Angelo when l was a girl.
Yes, ma'am.
When you were a kid, ma'am.
The news
l heard you presumed.
Come again?
l presume
you heard the news.
- What news?
- Got a television?
Sources close to the investigation
tell Mobile Eight's news team..
..that it had the trademark signs
of a mob hit. - That nice old man?
We've gotta
get you to a hospital.
lt's,..
..not necessary.
The police?
Definitely not necessary.
Well, so what do we do?
You were shot!
That's what you said, right?
Ma'am, do you happen
to have..
..a DVD player?
- DVD?
Yes, ma'am, a DVD player.
- lt's been shot. - Shot?
- Yeah.
DVD's been shot. A lot
of that goin' around tonight.
There's another one
in the master bedroom, l think.
l'm a little drunk and goofy
from the loss of blood,..
..so if l happen to say
something outta line,..
..l'd like to apologize
ahead of time. You can put..
..the towels over there.
- Yes.
Great breasts. Absolutely great.
They're like champagne glasses.
- Apology accepted.
- l'm sorry.
Could you please play this?
You're not gonna do what
l think you're gonna do, are you?
lt's okay. lt's no big deal.
- l've done it before.
- Okay.
Ow! Ow!
Shh!
Oh, smart son of a....
lt's okay.
- Just two more.
- Yeah?
My dear Jennifer.
Did he just say
''Dear Jennifer''?
Could you pass me
the whiskey, please?
lf you're watchin' this,..
..l am dead.
How does he know who l am?
- Why is he telling me this?
- l'm telling you this..
..because you are not
who you think you are.
Well, right now,
that's a relief.
There was a war..
..in New York.
He had a lot of enemies at the time.
They were tryin' to take him out.
There was Sammy Carboni
who wanted to kill him.
And the same with Lucio Malatesta,
but as much as they both wanted..
..to get Angelo, they wanted
to kill each other even more.
So Malatesta gave Sammy
a new set of golf clubs.
lt was his way of making sure
the hit man would know just..
..where to find Sammy.
And since this hit man was
a traitor who worked for us,..
..it looked like Angelo
was behind Sammy's death.
And when the hit man
got taken out by Bruno senior..
..who was there left to tell
what really happened..
..with our guy laying dead there
with a smoking gun in his hand.
Wow.
What a hit.
But what kind of hit man,
of any substance, has his kid,..
..Bruno junior, waitin' in the car
when he does the thing?
ln the hospital,..
..Sammy Carboni's first visitor..
..was, of course, Lucio.
Lucio Malatesta,
who's blamed it all on me.
l come to tell you
that the guy who shot you..
..was one of Angelo's men.
Lucio. My son, little Gianni.
l ain't gonna be around..
..to watch him grow into man.
lf Angelo..
..ever has a child,..
..find it. Kill it.
My wife, Maria,..
..was pregnant,
so we flew to Sicily..
..to the village of Castellammare.
What more could l want?
My beloved wife,..
..her child on the way.
The opera house that l was..
..renovating to hear the music
that my wife Maria loved.
My wife died in childbirth.
l do not have the words..
..for my grief to this very day.
This is just the saddest.
His young wife dies giving
childbirth? lt's just.... Oh!
- They had a daughter.
- A daughter?
And when he came to America,
he brought his daughter,..
..but he had enemies over here.
And if they'd ever found him,..
..they woulda killed the baby.
- Oh, that's awful.
So he found this childless couple
that didn't have much money,..
..and he gave the husband a job,
and he bought them a big estate..
..in Glen Cove.
Well, that's where l lived.
And even though she had dark hair,
and they had blonde hair,..
..he still let them adopt her.
- He gave her away.
Ah, is it getting warm in here?
So he took care of all
their expenses under one condition.
That the girl never know
who her father was..
..because if she were to know....
- She'd go looking for him.
....and his enemies
would get to her.
So her parents never told her.
But now..
..it's time she knows.
- Oh, Jesus.
- Now it's time for you to know.
- Don't go there.
- l....
- Don't go there. No.
....am your father, Jennifer.
You..
..are an Allieghieri and we..
..do not bow down!
Night, Jennifer.
Who is it?
l've got a gun!
Somewhere.
- lt's only me, ma'am.
- Only you?
Good mornin'.
Let me get this.
Please don't close the door.
l never have any door closed.
Claustrophobic?
My phobias are none
of your business.
l'm calling the police.
Please, please, please.
You don't need to do that.
Are you gonna hurt me?
No.
Look what l got here.
ltalian eggs a la Milanese,..
..a little polenta, a little
biscotti, a little ricotta..
..and a lot of espresso.
- l don't eat that stuff.
l know. You have black coffee,
dry toast, no butter.
- Jam once a week.
- How do you know that?
Please,
it's gonna get cold.
- Are you all right? - Yes.
Thank you for asking. Very good.
Please.
Big house.
ls that your way of asking me
why there's no one here?
No, no.
Well, my son's off at military
school, if you can believe it.
At seven.
My husband's idea.
Well, my husband's away.
That's my idea.
- You really like cooking?
- No, l love cooking.
You ought to try the polenta.
lt's great for gaining weight.
See, your father always
wanted you to eat more.
- My father?
- You know, Angelo.
That's it.
Enough already, Frankie,
with the father and all the..
..whatever your name is. He
is not my father. Do you understand?
l..
..have a real-life father
who lives five miles from here.
Wait!
Stop!
- Could you just wait a minute?
- Stop!
l'm not gonna stop you,
but slow down for a minute!
l just wanna talk to you
for a second. Ma'am.
Look, if you need
someone to drive you....
Last night did not happen.
All right?
So when l come back,
you will be long gone.
Thank you for breakfast.
lt was lovely meeting you.
Where are you going?
Where are you going?
Therapy!
Come on.
You don't need therapy.
Oh, yeah.
Shopping.
Are you okay?
May l help you?
- And your name would be?
- Allison. Enchanting.
Allison, may l see everything
you have in Ensada in a size 7?
- Everything? - l wanna melt
this mother to the ground.
Cassidy, we have a no-limit on our
hands. l'm going to need backup.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
l'll take them all.
My God!
Oh, my God!
lt's all right.
lt's all over. All over.
Oh, God! Oh, God! A hit?
That's what that was, right? A hit?
- Yes, ma'am, it was. - Oh, God!
Who would want to kill me?
l'd say Lucio Malatesta
would be at the top of my list.
List? What list?
People are lining up
wanting to kill me? What am l?
A Thanksgiving turkey
and people are placing orders?
- Let me drive this car, ma'am.
- No, l will drive my own car.
l know it's yours,..
..but l think l'm in a little
better mood than you are.
- l am perfectly capable of driving.
- l know you are.
You're probably a very good driver,
but l think now l'm the one..
..who should be driving the car.
Maybe it's my fault, ma'am.
Maybe they followed me
and l led 'em to you.
Great! Just great. Until l met you,
l was perfectly capable..
..of shopping for shoes
without someone trying to kill me!
What is that cologne
you're wearing?!
ls it Brut?
Oh, don't tell me it's Brut!
You know, ma'am, could we be just
quiet for a coupla seconds, please?
- Well, l am on edge, you know!
- Well, l understand,..
..but l'm really gettin'
a terrible headache.
Oh, pardon me all over the place.
Five seconds ago..
..l almost didn't even have a head!
And what's with this?
This?! Don't shrug! Speak!
Ma'am, what you're doing is you're
having this panic attack syndrome..
..and that often happens
after a hit. Really.
You know all about those things,
you're a hit man, right?
ls that what you are? No,
actually, a hit man takes a life.
l'm a bodyguard,
and a bodyguard protects it.
So you were my father's
bodyguard, and he got waxed.
And so now you're my bodyguard?
Thatjust fills me with confidence.
Boy, am l getting
a major league friggin' migraine!
Do you have any idea
how powerful my father is?
He is a very successful
New York businessman..
..who will make your life
a living hell!
lt's gettin' there.
Ma'am please, l'm sorry.
You don't have to do that.
l want to see my father, now.
- Your father was Angelo.
- Take me to my father's house now!
Mother?
ln here, dear.
My God, did you hear
what happened at the mall?
- There was a shootout! Just
think of it! - l have. Really.
l need to talk to you
and daddy immediately.
l think l just heard
your father return from his..
..racquetball lesson. - When did
daddy start playing racquetball?
Your father's having an affair.
At the club.
With the racquetball instructor.
How old is she?
Well, the she is a he.
Jen-Jen?
ls that you?
Daddy?
Jen-Jen!
Hello, loved one.
My, my.
Someone is looking fabulous!
Daddy,
don't take this in a bad way,..
..but have you switched..
..affiliations?
- Oh!
This doesn't change
anything between us.
After all,
l'm still your father.
l'm feeling better than ever,
thank you.
He's gotten me into great shape,
don't you think?
There is something completely
irrational about all men.
No kiddin'.
So what'd they say?
Exactly what l expected, thank you.
They say that they are indeed..
..my parents and that you,
Mr. Mafia Pants, are full of it.
So there. The emotional extortion
doesn't go past here.
- Furthermore, when my attorn --
- Excuse me. Tell me something, ma'am.
ls there a place where people go
to learn how to behave like this?
Talking all the time in a manner
designed to, like,..
..induce a migraine in a rock?
- l will not be talked to like this.
Don't you understand
this is not the real you?
- This is too, me.
- Really?
Do you know what is you?
Don't kill my parents!
They're not your parents.
Please, promise me
you won't wax them.
For the record,
it's not wax.
lt's whack.
How you doin', Whitney?
- Very well, Frankie. And you?
- Been better.
Yeah, l hear.
You look good, Whitney.
Are you takin' care of yourself?
You always did notice
the details, Frankie.
Wait.
You two weren't lovers.
Whitney,..
..it's time. Come on.
Do it.
Come on. Come on.
Simply put,
when Angelo brought you to us,..
..you were
the most beautiful baby girl.
You took my finger
and sat right on my lap.
You kept saying
the only word you knew.
''Pretty''.
''Pretty'' over and over.
Of course we took you.
We would've taken you without
the money, although the money..
..has been endlessly spectacular.
l've really given you nothing,
Jen-Jen. Nothing except my old,..
..ridiculous heart.
Daddy.
Mom, the food's better
than what we have at home.
Well, l guess it's better
than my cooking, right?
l never really
was too much of a cook.
No! No.
That's good.
lt's great! Really, it is.
Yeah, but, you know, sweetheart,
what l really need to talk..
..to you about is, genetics.
You know, the way things get passed
down through families?
Like,
it seems your grandfather.
Well, at least, l still
think he's your grandfather.
Uh, no.
l guess what l'm tryin' to say,
darling, is..
..how are things in the showers?
Okay, the Frankie cooking show
brought to you by Beretta.
- Are you crazy?
- A little.
Nothing. Nothing, darling,
it's just some thunder.
Mom, l gotta go, okay?
Okay.
Bye, darling. l love you.
So how's your boy?
He couldn't be happier.
l couldn't be lonelier.
You wrecked my kitchen.
- Oh, l'm sorry about the bullet.
Really. - No, l mean this.
Oh, this. This is what happens
when you cook a lot.
Really?
- You know, l'm sure your kid
really misses you. - No.
He really doesn't.
l mean, why should he?
He's got a father
who treats him like a dog and..
..a mother who's never had
a clue what to do with her life.
So, tell me the truth.
Somebody else did all this,
right? You're just faking it.
No. No, no, no.
l love cooking,
and l'll tell you what.
Just promise me you'll eat it
before it gets cold.
Sure.
So Frankie,
what's your nickname?
You know, your nickname.
All you mob guys have one, right?
Like, Louie the Lump,
Charlie Fat Lips,..
..Frankie the Food Freak.
lt's just Frankie, ma'am.
- What's Frankie short for?
- l don't know. What's that..
..got to do with anything?
- l just want to know.
ls it Francis?
You know, you got more important
things to think about, ma'am.
lt is Francis, isn't it?
You've got a girl's name.
Thatjust explains everything.
See, you've probably been
overcompensating your whole life.
You know, some anxiety
transference syndrome to,..
..you know, the macho, non-verbal,
Sicilian mixed in with the Brut..
..to cover the Francis that lives
inside some inner self or something.
That'll be your new nickname.
St. Francis the Brut.
Don't take this the wrong way,
ma'am, but l think you're startin'..
..to give me a small hole
in the side of my brain.
l will make you a deal.
lf you promise
to stop calling me ''ma'am'',..
..l'll stop calling you Francis.
And you swear to God
that you made all this?
Yes.
l didn't even know
l had any of this stuff.
You got a lot more
than you think you have.
Thank you.
Now what?
Look. Your father's dead
because l didn't do my job,..
..and it's not gonna
happen again. No way.
And l see you got
a guest house out there.
lf you don't mind,
l'd like to move in..
..'cause l don't trust anybody.
There is danger everywhere.
Everywhere l look.
The night has a thousand eyes.
Excuse me.
You stole that line.
l know. From Bobby Vee. Remember ''when
you tell those little white lies''?
''The night has a thousand eyes.''
Yes, l do.
That was playing when Peter Hackbart
was trying to get under my blouse.
l'm sorry.
l shouldn't have said that.
No.
What?
Actually, it wasn't your blouse.
lt was a bulky knit green sweater.
And what was playing was
Bon Jovi's biggest hit to date,..
..''You Give Love a Bad Name''.
- Jesus!
l'm goin' to bed.
Um...
You can stay
in the guest house, l guess.
- Thank you.
- lt's been a ridiculous day.
Ah!
Frankie!
What's going on?
l know this sack o' shit.
This sack of shit is my husband!
Sh! Now, you want me to take care
of this problem once and for all?
- Seriously? - Seriously.
Why don't you go back to bed..
..and let me do my job.
Do you have a shovel downstairs?
- A shovel? - Yes,
something l can dig a hole with.
Ah! Ah!
What the hell is going on?
Who the hell are you?
Who the hell is this?
Do you have a boyfriend already?
This is Frankie.
He's my bodyguard.
Look. Who are you
and what is that smell?
- lt's Brut.
- Well, it's overwhelming.
Ma'am, you don't have
to tell him anything.
Hey. You cannot talk to me
in my house like that.
lt's her house.
Reconsider.
Darling?
Darling,
l have to talk to you.
- Does he have to be here?
- He's just doing his job.
Whatjob?
l am your husband!
Do you mind? Please?
Sorry, Kipster.
Look, um, about yesterday.
That was simply an aberration,
fermented by the consumption..
..of too much single-malt scotch
on an empty stomach.
An aberration of marital ethics
for which l am truly,..
..truly grievous.
- Was it the only time?
Oh, absolutely!
August fourteenth,
the airport hotel.
Okay, okay.
Yeah, the Swedish flight attendant,
but that was the only other time.
December fifth, Four Seasons.
Ah, right.
Yeah, the real estate lady,
but she was a nooner!
My only nooner.
l swear to God!
Ah! Oh, Jesus Christ!
The fucking sky is falling!
All right, all right!
lt's been going on for years!
Get out!
You should go.
Then fine.
Great.
Terrific.
l'll see you in court.
- Well, there he goes.
- The past.
The future.
- Manless.
- Nah, there'll be other men.
l don't want other men.
l believe in two things.
The kindness of the saints
and there's somebody for everybody.
Do you have a someone, Frankie?
- Sort of.
- That's nice.
- Everyone should have someone.
- Mm-hm.
Why is everybody looking
like they hate me?
They think
you're Angelo's mistress.
Oh, Jesus! l feel
like a whore in a Catholic church!
Sh!
We all do.
What's he saying?
Mostly that we're not worthy.
Now he's talkin' about Christ.
And his blood.
And the wounds.
And more blood. Now the guilt.
There's more blood.
More wounds.
More blood.
Now he's back to the wounds.
That guy over there
is Bruno Maranzella.
- Where? - That guy over there with
the head like an aircraft carrier.
And this Malatesta fellow,
where is he?
Right in front of him. The guy that
looks like he should be in a box.
Jesus!
And whoever said men age well?
Sorry.
Angelo Allieghieri
was a man of great passion.
How Verdi, Rossini
would fill his heart.
He was a man of great sadness.
He lost his wife,..
..his Maria, too soon.
He never had children
or grandchildren whose laughter..
..would lighten the burden of old age.
Peace was his sadness.
His emptiness.
To die alone.
And so, Angelo, we remember you
here today. All in all.
- Amen.
- Amen.
l'll remember you, Angelo.
''Remembering''
in ltalian means vendetta.
(You keep the distance.)
(Always a distance.)
You gumbas never quit, do you?
Frankie?
Frankie, what's that noise?
Just taking out the trash, ma'am.
Frankie, did you say something?
Nothing, ma'am.
l didn't say anything.
Malatesta,
you're using amateurs.
Frankie?
Frankie?
- Frankie?
- Yeah!
May l come in?
All right.
Frankie? lt's not exactly warm
out here, you know?
- You okay?
- Peachy.
Oh, God! Oh!
l feel like l'm in the Brut center
of the universe!
l'm sorry about that.
Frankie, l am so frightened.
- l'm here, ma'am.
- Yeah, of course.
- You know what's terrific about
being frightened like this? - No.
At least now l'm frightened
about something specific,..
..like being whacked, as opposed
to the non-specific variety,..
..which is what l usually feel.
That kind of dread,..
..that free-floating
whatnot and all. - Mm-hm.
Oh.
l remember as a little girl
being afraid. Very afraid.
Little bogeymen under the bed
and devils in the closet.
lsn't it amazing
how our innermost fears..
..turn into this Freudian whole --
Did you say something?
No. No.
Amazing Freudian nuances
of memory and consciousness.
When l was growing up,
they sent me to an analyst.
Everyone was going
to an analyst at the time.
He said,
Dr. Gilmore was his name,..
..he said it's not so much that,
well, never mind what he said,..
..l lied to him all the time
because l didn't want him..
..tellin' my parents
what was going on and....
Ma'am?
Frankie?
We got squirrels.
- Squirrels, Frankie?
- Yes, ma'am.
Big squirrels.
They tend to overeat..
..preparing for a difficult winter,
and sometimes they bloat.
And often
they get caught in the walls.
And to get out
of the walls,..
..they have to deflate.
And, thus, this is causing
the passage of windage.
Oh.
Oh. Poor things.
Yeah. Tough luck.
Tough luck.
- Frankie?
- Mm-hm.
Tell me the part again.
That part..
..of dreaming about the saints.
Well, there's a dream that..
..Sicilians that have never
been to Sicily have.
That they're on the coast,..
..on a cliff.
Above the water.
And they hear this music.
The sound of opera
coming from somewhere,..
..but they don't know where.
And they believe it's
the saints who are singing.
Arias of longing
for what they've never known.
And your father,
he always told your mother..
..the greatest love stories
were in the opera.
He loved her very much.
Dammi la mano..
..in pegno!
Eccola! - Ohim!
Cos'hai. Che gelo questo mai?
[ Skipped item nr. 719 ]
No, no, ch'io non mi pento,
Vanne lontan da me!
Pentiti, scellerato!
No, vecchio infatuato!
- Pentiti! - No!
Pentiti!
- No!
Si! - No!
- Si! - No!
No! No!
#Ah! Tempo pi non v'!
l'll be right back.
Great. You made it.
Two dozen, right?
Do me a favor and hang out here
until the thing is over,..
..and you'll hear some applause.
You'll come up to the door,..
..and l'll signal you to come on in.
- And we'll surprise her.
- Thank you.
- Do you know what they're saying?
- Not really. No. l know he's dead.
- He's dead, yes?
- Completely dead.
- What is he saying?
- Well, he wants his daughter..
..to avenge him. He's saying:
''Avenge me, my little one''.
''My little one''?
Oh, God, l can't stand it.
What else?
''Give the man who gave you life
peace in death''.
La vendetta tutto!
- La vendetta ....
- Tutto. - ....tutto.
lnteresting.
Marcello!
Can you believe it?
He threw me a rose!
- A white rose. - Yeah, it's nice,
but l always thought the red ones..
..were the special ones.
- Oh, no. You don't understand.
White is special.
lt's pure. Not like red ones.
Everybody gets red roses.
- So how'd you like the opera?
- Oh, more..
..than l could have imagined.
- Yeah, well, Angelo loved it.
My father, was he handsome
when he was young?
Yeah, very. And your mother, she'd
be able to walk across a room,..
..and everything would just stop.
And l remember that one time,..
..at this wedding,
she made me dance with her.
- Were you embarrassed?
- Course l was embarrassed.
l was just a kid, but, you know,
she was pregnant with you.
Actually, that means you were
the first person l ever danced with.
Mm, l guess.
l like that thought.
Frankie, tell me something.
Why haven't you ever been married?
- l'm just waitin'. - Are you
saying you've never been in love?
Love is like this temporary form
of insanity, isn't it?
And you've never been insane?
You're reading that.
This Marcello, he turns
everything into such a passion.
l can't put it down.
- Have you ever read him?
- l don't think l'd like the guy.
- Why not?
- Ah, he looks a little too smooth.
- What's wrong with smooth?
- l don't know.
l know guys like that,..
..struttin' around like roosters,
taking credit for the sunrise.
Sometimes l just think smooth
is not too appealing, that's all.
So you don't think
a man can be called beautiful.
l think there's a possible exception
for every rule in the book,..
..but personally, l've never stood
on a chair and, in a loud voice,..
..yelled: ''Hey, guy,
you're really kinda gorgeous''.
''Wanna go to Palm Springs
this weekend, or whatever?''. No.
You see, women are totally
different about this.
Women have been known, on occasion,
to go absolutely crazy over a guy.
l know. Believe me.
- You know?
- Mm-hm.
You know, the first time l saw it,
it was when Sammy Carboni's kid..
..came back to Queens.
He was living over in ltaly,..
..and Angelo wanted to know
what he was like, so he had me..
..follow him. And one day,
l see all these little girls..
..goin' absolutely cuckoo nuts over
some kid. lt was like this kid..
..was a golden boy that the sun
was shining on all the time.
He's the kind of kid that every
l know.
So l was just watchin' this.
Why were you watching him?
Well, it was Carboni.
Gianni Carboni.
- Son of Sammy Carboni?
- Uh, yeah. Right, right.
The guy that Lucio Malatesta
murdered, and....
- Frankie!
- ....tried to blame Angelo.
l think he's coming over here.
What should l say?
How do l look? l mean,
if you were walking over here..
..looking at me,
what would you think?
- You wouldn't want to know.
- l do. - Wouldn't. - l would.
Frankie! l'm serious.
He's getting closer.
What would you
want me to look like?
What are you doing?
No, no.
Just trust me on this one.
So, what do you think?
What do l think?
- Are you together?
- Mm. Yes.
Uh-uh-uh-uh-l-no.
l mean-l mean, no.
- He's the....
- ....Security consultant.
You mean, the bodyguard.
l am not good at pretending.
We've been watching each other.
So forgive me if l cause offense
baring my heart in telling..
..the truth. You see, in my soul,
l stand naked before you.
Maybe he ought to go back and get
dressed so he doesn't catch a cold.
No!
He's justjoking.
- You are Jennifer Barrett, yes?
- Yes, l am.
l wanted to thank you for arranging
my reading at your club.
But you seemed,
how shall l say, distracted.
l'm such a great admirer of yours.
l've read all of your books..
..over and over and....
- Miss Barrett?
What? Jennifer.
Jennifer. May l call you?
Thank you.
l apologize
if l disturb you.
Oh, my God!
Can you believe it?
Frankie?
Did Angelo....
Did my father
really want to protect me?
Protect you? Your father used
to drive by here on summer nights..
..and watch you go
swimmin' in the moonlight.
Then he'd see you
up in the balcony..
..you know, combing your hair,
talking on the phone to this guy..
..and that and comin' home
from school and kickin' up..
..those leaves
in the dyin' light of fall,..
..and l saw these things, too,
l'm definitely talking too much.
And l was just living my life.
- And you were there.
The whole time. - Yes, ma'am.
- Spying on me.
- Spyin'?
No. l wouldn't say that.
You know, l was watchin',..
..and for your information,
l knew when to turn away.
Did you have anything
to do with Bobby Jordan?
Excuse me?
Bobby Jordan.
Bobby Jordan.
Bobby Jordan.
No. Um,
l can't recall a Bobby Jordan.
l went with him in high school.
He was cheating on me
the whole time.
And l was so crazy about him.
l swear l would have married him.
And, then,
he just got strange, one day.
No! No! No, Frankie!
No, Frankie! No!
He stopped talking to me.
Young guys can go through
this neurotic phase.
Well, it's notjust guys.
- Could l have some more anisette?
- Sure.
What about Polly Peters?
Do you remember her?
No. l've never heard of her.
- Polly Peters. No.
- Well, she was this mean,..
..nasty witch who started
spreading awful stories..
..about me sleeping around.
She was destroying my reputation.
We know the most fragile thing in
the world is a woman's reputation.
lt all stopped,..
..right after this terrible thing
happened to her car.
My car!
lt's like she just sort of upped
and moved to another school.
You know something, Francis?
We're becoming friends.
Did you realize that?
No, l didn't know that.
Well, like it or not, we are.
Do you realize that you never
call me Jennifer?
You may, you know.
That being my name and all.
Good night, Francis.
Good night, Jennifer.
What?
Frankie!
Oh, my God!
The door's closed.
The door's closed.
Okay. Okay. Okay.
l'm gonna go up there.
- What are you gonna do?
- Just stay here.
No, l'm serious. You go somewhere.
l'll be all right. Stay here.
- Stay here. - No! - No!
- Yes. - No. - Yes. - No!
No!
l know this guy. He used
to work for Malatesta..
..before the Stroons
moved to Chicago.
We better move this Stroon because
l got neighbors all over the place.
God, l get so aggravated!
- Aggravated?
- Aggravated! Yes!
- Answer it.
- No!
- Yes!
- No!
Don't hit me.
Hold this.
Oh, Rawley, honey,
l miss you so.
- Mom?
- Yes, baby?
Make sure you call me tomorrow.
You know l will.
l love you, too.
All right. Bye baby.
l can't effing believe it.
My son actually calls me 5 minutes
after one of Malatesta's goons..
..tries to wax me!
What if they succeed next time?
Where does that leave Rawley? l'll
tell you where that leaves Rawley.
lt leaves him
without a mother. Oh, God!
My son is not going
to be an orphan!
- l made a decision, Frankie.
- Yeah, what's that?
l have to whack Malatesta.
You're gonna whack Malatesta?
Frankie, my ''willow
in the wind'' days are over.
You're getting in your-way
over your head on this one, really.
An Allieghieri does not bow down.
l'm sorry,
l ever told you that.
You're gonna whack Malatesta.
That's just great.
- Nice moon.
- lt's beautiful.
Just beautiful.
So you think you got this vengeance
thing all figured out.
- You know how it's done?
- Done?
- Oh, you mean the thing?
- Yeah.
- Not really.
- lt's not as easy as it looks.
There's all kinds of courage,
you know?
l know.
A woman's courage should
never be underestimated.
Ever be underestimated.
Ever.
Let's go over it again.
- Go over what?
- The plan.
We go to the Valhalla lnn.
You wait in the parking lot.
l walk in.
Malatesta takes
a good look at me.
He thinks he could have any woman
because he's a little tweaked.
l bat my eyes.
And then l whack him.
And you think you can do this.
Oh, l think l can do this.
Okay. Show me.
- What?
- Your walk. - Why?
'Cause you go in that place
and your walk doesn't match..
..your attitude, and your attitude
doesn't match your walk,..
..you're gonna be in a bag
and the bag's gonna be in the river.
Really?
Watch this.
That is nothing short of terrible.
Are you telling me
how to walk now?
- Well, somebody's got to.
- Well, you think you can do it?
Maybe.
Are you gonna
put me on the spot? Okay.
What am l doin'?
Forget about it.
- Come on, Jennifer, this is yourjob.
- Concentrate. You said you could.
- Enlighten me a bit. - Come on.
You can do it! One, two, one....
That's it.
Nah, do you have an ankle damage?
Now you're really starting
to irritate me, and l can't....
Just follow me. Just follow me.
l can figure this out. Ready?
Let's go.
One, two. Cross over.
Like an antelope?
Back and forth.
l don't think this is right.
You goin' in there alone.
- l'll be fine. - Well,
l don't know about that,..
..because l think it's better
if l go in there..
..and maybe hang out in the back
in case there's any trouble.
Frankie, no.
lf this is my life now,..
..l've got to learn to handle
something on my own.
You can't keep bailing me out.
All right.
He'll be at the corner table,
probably on the phone,..
..whacking somebody long distance.
Thank you.
Jennifer?
The ring. The ring.
The boss says you need a rope.
Get her over here!
There's someone at my table
that would really like to meet you.
Maybe that someone should've
had the manners to come over here..
..and introduce himself.
- Don't be a fuckin' idiot.
Simple. Direct.
l like that in a man.
- So, do l know you?
- She's Angelo's.
Was.
So now you come over
to the A-team.
You don't exactly look bereft
with grief and, uh..
..whatnot.
He was old.
What am l? Springtime?
- Maybe you're different.
- Maybe. Maybe.
Where the hell
do you think you're goin'?
You're fantastic.
What's the matter with him?
What's goin' on?
- Goddamn ticker.
- Ticker?! Let me help.
Call the ambulance.
Get some help. Call a doctor.
Don't help so much.
You're an angel.
My good luck piece.
Maybe you shouldn't talk.
Rest.
Bruno, shut up.
She comes with me.
l keep telling you
l don't need this shit!
Just fine.
- You'll see.
- l'll see?
Get me a priest.
Tell your guy to stop
so we can get ourselves a priest.
- What do you need a priest for?
- You. Sit there and fix your hair.
All right? Now, relax.
He'll be fine.
Your big night's coming.
Hail, Mary, full of grace....
ls anyone there? Anyone?
Could you please get these goons
off my back? Please? Amen. Amen.
This is for last rites,
l presume.
Hey, Father, relax.
lt's Lucio's little fantasy.
He likes pretendin'
that he's married to all his bimbos.
Jennifer.
Jennifer!
My heart ain't no fine-tuned watch.
But what the hell?
l wanna go out special.
Like, married to you.
But l am married.
- Don't go gettin' technical.
- But l'm married!
No. Questo no....
The Church cannot all --
So, Father, you're gonna pull
some strings right?
The Church cannot allow
such a love so pure to go --
l'm an old man with a couple
of months to live.
Here's a young broad on the make,
so what the hell?
Love, like all things fine and true,
takes time to blossom and bloom.
Blow me with the blossoming
and the blooming. Do it.
You are man and wife.
Kiss the bride.
You heard him.
Everything's all right.
l got the doctor in one room..
..and the broad in the other.
All right?
Be careful with him!
And what the hell is this?
lt's your wedding trousseau.
Put it on.
Move!
Thank you!
Fucking dog.
All he does is bark.
Dog's been barkin'
all night long.
Where's my bride?
Oh!
Would you shut up?
All you do is sit around
and bark. You're useless!
Too bad, huh? Keith, do me a favor.
While this retard reshuffles,..
..will you go check
on the old man for me? Thank you.
What do you call me a retard for?
What'd l do to you? l just play cards.
Spell ''ecclesiastical''.
- Ex-scles.... l....
- Retarded.
''Ex-sclesiastical''.
What is that? Ex-sclesiastical.
Where are you, my beloved?
There's only me out here now.
Look at you.
Like an angel, you are.
And look at me, like some
dried-up prune creature.
Oh,..
..mi amore.
But tonight
l'm coming back from the dead,..
..like some mighty oak
rising out of some dead jungle.
But, angel-face, we must go slow.
Very slow. You know?
Like molten lava.
There's a few more tunes
to be played on this flute.
But you must be
careful of the ticker.
Time
to mount the baloney pony.
Ah! Ah!
Ah!
Thanks a lot for that last one.
Let's play ''Chase the Bitch''.
No, we're playin'
a different game.
l know how
to play ''Chase the Bitch''.
ls your mother in this game?
l didn't notice.
- l got four hundred on this.
- What are you gonna do?
Hey! The broad!
Get-get off your ass!
Let's go!
Let's go!
Come on! Let's go!
Ah, shit!
Stupid mutt!
lt's payback time!
- Jennifer!
- Frankie? - Come on!
Oh, God!
- l did it!
- Did what? - l did it!
- What'd you do?
- l whacked Malatesta!
- You did? No, you didn't.
- l did, too.
- Oh, come on. You didn't.
- Oh, l did, too.
- He looked pretty dead.
- Really? How?
- You wanna know how?
- Look, l wasn't there.
- l'm askin' how.
- l married him to death.
- That'll do it.
- Yeah.
Cheers.
lf l don't have
any more enemies, does that....
Does that mean
that you won't be around?
- Surely l must still be in....
- ....grave danger? - Yes.
Yeah, there's still
a few bad guys hangin' around.
- l think it's Rawley.
- l'll get it.
He misses me.
Hello? Oh!
Oh, Marcello, l forgot.
Um, no, it's not too late.
lt's not.
Yes, tomorrow would be all right.
Mm-hm.
How you doin', Bruno?
Wanna know what the old man's
last words were?
''Try the clams''.
''They're fabulous''.
You got any last words?
- You ever read this book?
- Have l read that book?
Not only does that insult
my intelligence,..
..it insults my ignorance.
Why would a man like me,..
..who happens to like himself,
be caught dead reading..
..a bit of boy-toy fluff like that?
- 'Cause it's a killer.
You have a lot of anger
in you, Bruno.
You've been working.
Yeah,
a little home improvement.
You got stuff here.
He got to you, didn't he?
You okay?
lt was just drinks.
lt's none of my business.
l wasn't asking that.
No, but l know you.
You know me.
Marcello asked me to go
to Sicily with him.
So, l guess you're....
Going.
Course.
lt's no big deal or anything.
What are you afraid of?
Telling me something
l want to hear?
Telling me that l'm more
than just some obligation?
Maybe l mean something to you?
l ran away and never returned.
From then on, l became a kind
of legend, surrounded by a mystery,..
..fed on itself. Some people
thought l ran drugs. And others..
..suspected l became a killer. None
of that came close to explaining..
..what happened. See, l'm talking
about the kind of pain..
..that eats away at you
and it never leaves.
l want you to know it.
l want you to feel it.
(Watch out for the one..)
(..who feels pain..)
(..and wants you to know it.)
Check!
This is my mother.
We're in the opera house.
Happy?
Marcello,..
..l have to tell you something.
Uh, l'm not who l say l am.
My name is not really..
..Jennifer Barrett.
l'm an Allieghieri.
My father was a man named
Angelo Allieghieri, and he....
l know.
You know?
And do you want
to know who l am?
l know who you are, Marcello.
You have no fucking idea
who l am.
What?
Your father,
he killed my father.
- U-uh, Marcello....
- Call me Gianni.
Sammy's son.
- Sammy who?
- Sammy Carboni.
Angelo murdered him,
standing there unarmed,..
..with only a golf club
in his hands. Such a coward.
- No. You're making a mistake.
lt was Lu --. - Enough!
What your father did, it lives
in me like it was yesterday.
- That pain hidden away.
- Uh, Gianni, or Marcello....
Marcello!
What a freaking stupid name!
- l like that name.
- Those stupid books?
l couldn't believe my luck.
But, then Bruno said you needed..
..your little fantasies.
- Bruno?
You killed my father
and not Malatesta?
Jennifer, please, understand.
- La vendetta tutto.
- Vendetta?
Oh, enough with all that!
- Hey, Jennifer!
- Figlio di puttana.
Parli italiano?
l had a great teacher,
and right now l miss him.
Of course. Frankie.
Such a pain he was.
lt hurt me to see you
so happy with him.
Jennifer, please understand. l must
do this. My ancestors demand of me.
Brut?
Oh!
Frankie!
God!
- How bad is it?
- lt's all right.
This is the theater.
Angelo was right.
He said l'd be back some day.
You know when l was a boy
with Angelo, l'd watch you.
l would. On summer nights,
l'd watch you, and l'd memorize..
..your face in the moonlight.
l fell in love with you then.
And l guess l'm fallin' still.
Frankie, l love you,
so don't you do anything dumb,..
..like die on me right after
you made an admission like that.
Because you shoulda made it
a long time ago!
Fair enough.
[You know, Angelo used to say
there's never perfect people,..]
[..only perfect moments.
And, of course, he was right..]
[..because l'm living one of them.]
[Doin' something l love
in a place that l love..]
[..with a new family that l love.]
Go and get Frankie for me,
will you? Thank you, Rawley.
Frankie! Frankie!
Mom says you gotta get pink!
- We gotta go! Or else!
- Whoa!
Su, Frankie. Andiamo.
Andiamo. tardi.
[Needless to say,
Jennifer has found her roots..]
[..and is becoming
an authentic ltalian mother.]
[And l'm enjoyin'
being around at all. And why not?]
[lsn't living
better than watching?]
[So, Angelo, if you're listening,
l have to apologize.]
[l just couldn't
keep the distance anymore.]