Shh. Back of the fence. Come on.
Hold it. There they are.
Let's go.
Jimmy!
Oh, he's a nice one.
Frankie, we got him.
Yell at him.
Frankie, come on.
I said yell at him!
- I'll kill you, you...
Frankie!
Come on. Come on.
Get out of here.
Get out of here.
Come on.
This is the one right here, Frank.
Come on. Do it to him.
Come on.
I don't... Don't like to.
Come on.
Come on.
All right. All right.
- Come on.
He belongs to Lenny. Take him home.
- All right, let's go.
- Come on, boy. Let's go.
Looks like you're hurting.
Come on.
Hey, Frank. This guy is still shaking.
What's the matter, boy?
You wanna fall apart or something, huh?
- Ask him what's his name.
- Yeah.
What's your name, huh?
Says his name is Herman Q. Pastorelli.
You know he's all dirty? He's all dirty.
Frank, why do we have to stand around
with the jokes?
How come your club rumbles like girls?
- Frank.
- Okay. Let's stop the horsing.
Lenny is the one that got caught
on their turf and belted around.
What do you wanna do?
- Break his arm off.
Go, man.
- Go, go.
- All right.
- Take him into the alley. Let's move.
- Let's go.
Hey, Frank.
It's the coolest, isn't it?
Huh, Frank?
Frank?
Hello, Frankie.
Hey, Maria Gioia.
I love you.
Mr. Gioia.
I'm sorry, Mr. McAllister.
Listen to that. Enough to make you sick,
what's happened to this neighborhood.
Wild kids, they don't wanna stay home
no more.
- What are you gonna do?
- Tell you something.
If they got their tails fanned,
they'd straighten out.
Look to the parents, I say.
They're the ones
who let them run the streets.
Brother, if I had one of those kids,
I'm telling you.
You know all they understand?
Boom, right across the face.
- I don't know.
- Listen to me.
Only way they're gonna be good
is if they're scared to be bad.
It's not so easy with a boy.
I mean, to hit.
Nothing is easy. But you gotta do it.
Listen, you got any pretzels, Mr. Gioia?
Now, listen to me, boy.
I'm almost through with you.
Just one thing more.
You go back to your turf...
...and you're gonna tell all the boys
what ours tastes like.
So open your mouth,
stick out your tongue...
...and lick the ground for me.
Let's go, boy.
Do it or I'm gonna burn you.
Go, man.
- Grab him.
- Open your mouth.
- Take him. Come on.
- Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
Hey, did you see that guy?
Yeah.
Boy, you really gave it to him.
Hey. Get him.
Hey, Frankie. Did you see his face, huh?
- I gotta go.
- Did you see his face?
Frank, I gotta go.
I forgot.
All right, Frank, I touched your arm.
What do you want out of me?
Take it easy. Go home, Pops, huh?
I'm going home, Frank. It's late.
- See you tomorrow.
- Night, Phil.
- See you, Phil.
- Me too. I'm gonna take off. See you guys.
- Good night, Frank.
- See you tomorrow.
- Good night, Frank.
- See you, Herk.
Hi, Frankie.
Angelo.
Ben.
How you doing, Blockbuster?
- How do you do, sir?
- Nuts?
No. No, thanks. They give me terrible gas.
Perhaps my friend here might want some.
- Fighter?
- They get in my teeth.
Why didn't you show up
for the ball game today?
We dropped another one three to two.
We can use you.
Oh, we've been in poor spirits lately, sir.
Hear you rumbled with the Dukes
tonight.
- Calderon Street's up to here in blood.
- No kidding.
That kid looked like he'd been put
through a meat grinder.
- What happened?
- This whole theater marquee fell on him.
Lana Turner, Rock Hudson, everybody.
Hey, what a mess, huh?
We beat his brains in.
- Did you make any money at it?
- Frankie, look at this.
He's not there.
He's a tall, husky kid with light hair.
Lives right around the corner.
I think they call what he had a zip gun.
These kids make them themselves.
Listen. I'm telling you.
You take your life in your hands
walking the street.
He got it on him?
Glasses, tell him.
What does Mr. McAllister gotta turn
Lenny in for?
Huh, what does he gotta do that for?
Oh, he gets a merit badge.
- Two more and he makes eagle.
- Why don't they let us alone?
Mr. McAllister.
I swear.
I'm gonna take him out.
Open up.
Yeah. Who is it?
Police. Open up.
What did he say?
It's the police, Katherine.
Open up. Police.
Lenny.
Mr. Daniels?
Yeah. What did he do?
According to this man, he threatened
another boy with a gun on the street.
Come in.
Just stand still, son.
Nobody's gonna hurt you.
Turn around.
Come on, son.
Eighteen.
Never gave us a moment's peace.
Never in 18 years.
Maybe he had a chance
to toss it down the air shaft or something.
I banged on his window.
He didn't have much time.
Hey, what's gonna happen to him,
Frankie?
He's gonna sit.
Baby.
Hey, listen. I gotta go.
Put a book in your pants, chicken, huh?
Listen, Frank.
Lay off.
I'll see you, Frankie.
Uh-oh. Here they come.
Officer, all I wanna know
is where he's gonna be.
Look at him shoving his nose in.
These social workers could talk you
to death.
- Tell me, please, where he's gonna be.
- A hundred and first precinct.
I don't know where tomorrow.
Call the precinct.
Thank you very much.
Hey, Lenny.
Come on, son.
See you around.
Come on.
- Look, Frank. I'm taking off, okay?
- See you, Frank.
Why did you have to do the bit
with the cigarette for?
See you tomorrow.
Well, a lot happened tonight.
Oh, that's clever. Very clever.
Wanna get a beer?
Why don't you stop sucking around?
What are you,
in love with us or something?
Sucking around is my job.
Why not work on somebody else's block?
We're doing okay on this one.
Are you?
What's the box score for tonight?
Lenny's going to jail...
...kid over on Calderon Street
has got 10 stitches in his head.
A couple of busted noses
and a bashed shoulder.
Yeah, you're doing great here.
- Think I'll work in front of the Waldorf.
- You do that.
They got plenty of juvenile delinquents
there for you to play with.
What else is new, Frank?
Look, what do you want out of me?
You're 18.
I'd like to see you live until you're 21.
- Why?
- So you can vote.
Hey, Frankie.
So you can vote, huh?
Hey, Frank?
What's it gonna be with McAllister?
I don't know. Something.
Well, I mean,
are we gonna scramble him up?
- I said, something. Now let me alone.
- Okay, okay.
It's just that the guy has got me bugged.
That's all.
Oh, Frank. Here comes your mother.
Well, I'm leaving you now.
Aren't you gonna kiss me goodbye, huh?
- Good night, Mrs. Dane.
- Good night.
I bought some ice cream.
Chocolate chip was all they had left.
Okay.
I saw a police murder.
Then all the fans was broken...
...and I started to get this awful feeling
in my throat.
- Aren't you gonna walk with me?
- No.
- Leave your brother alone?
- He can take care of himself.
He's 10 years old.
He's still scared of the dark.
- Listen, I've asked you a million...
- Do me a favor, will you?
- Come home. I'll make something...
- You leave me alone.
What's so great about the street?
Come on home, Frankie.
I've got the funniest story to tell you.
This very charming man came
into the restaurant today.
It was about 5:00,
and he started to call me...
Frankie?
Frankie, the ice cream is melting.
Hi, Frankie.
You want some coffee?
What's the matter, Frankie?
Drink your coffee.
I won a lot of emmies yesterday.
Where were you last night, Frank?
Out.
Mom bought some ice cream.
Boy, I was sitting here waiting for you.
I caught a roach.
You wanna see him, Frankie?
He's right here in this box.
Hey, it's 10:00 in the morning.
Now, will you leave me alone?
How come you don't...
...talk to me?
Here's some cookies. Marshmallow ones.
Hoodbey O'Malley is teaching us
how to wink.
Say, were you in a fight last night?
Who with?
Drink your coffee, will you?
Mr. McAllister.
He's all the time dropping stuff
and everything.
I think it's his bowling ball.
Good morning.
- What time is it?
Ten.
That pain is in my back the whole night.
It's from bending over them tables
all day.
I never get a chance to sit down.
The other restaurant where I used to work,
we could sit down, like, from 4 to 9.
Hello, Richie, honey.
Hello, Frank. Did you sleep good?
I could hear you snoring inside.
Boy, me too. Right in my ear.
Ma?
How come people snore?
I don't know. Something with their nose,
like the air don't go in right.
You got something on your mind, Frank?
Because you're so quiet.
Yeah.
Yeah, I got something on my mind.
Where you going, Frankie?
Hey, can I come along?
Oh, stay home, baby. We can talk.
All set.
Hit me.
Hit me.
I'm over.
Morning, Miss Gustafson.
Looks like another nice day, don't it?
Yeah. That it does.
- How's the mister?
- Oh, not so bad. Thanks.
- Good. Give him my regards.
- I will.
Mr. McAllister.
Listen, I'm talking to you.
What was he doing to you?
I'm asking you a question.
What was he doing to you?
- Look, boy. Last time...
- Don't "look, boy" me.
Do you know where he is?
He's in jail.
Because you've got this great big mouth.
Where he belongs. And you with him.
You're making a cesspool
out of this street.
Listen to this.
One night you're gonna go home
and you're gonna look in your mirror.
You're gonna find a brand new face,
Mr. McAllister.
One night.
Maybe this week.
Strike!
You're out.
Come on out. Come on.
Go.
Strike.
Hit me.
Hit me.
Glasses, you must be blind. That's mine.
Listen, man.
You're the one who's blind.
Okay, okay, you guys! Knock it off.
Mine's closest. You're the...
Get your hands out of the way.
- Right here.
- Look at mine. It's right there.
Don't touch. They're mine.
Hey, Chuck. Come here, Chuck.
We're supposed to be talking
about the dance.
- He's waiting.
- Let him wait.
Hey, Marilyn Monroe from the neck down,
you like to fish?
Oh, man, are you brilliant.
No, I don't like to fish. I like to dance.
- Dance. What do you want out of me?
Quit shoving.
Hey, knock it off, you guys. Come on.
Who's spinning the records
to this dance?
Our own private social
worker. He thought up the whole thing.
- What's his angle?
- Who? The social worker?
Now, what do I know?
- When is this?
- What do we need it for?
He'll be standing around like we stabbed
his mother if we open up a bottle.
- Tell him to blow it out.
- Tell him. I don't wanna break his heart.
Go, go.
I swear, you kill me.
You're the new Cagney.
Only broad I know
that dances with her mouth.
Hey. Hey, social worker.
No dance.
- Hi, Lou.
- Get over here.
Hey, Blockbuster.
Why don't you drop dead, huh?
Lou.
Frankie, where have you been all day?
- Lou, Baby.
We've been waiting around all day.
Yeah. I thought you went
downtown or something.
We're gonna kill him.
No.
- No.
That's what I said.
Crazy.
- Mr. McAllister. How about that?
- Not funny.
It ain't funny. Are you kidding us?
- Want me to be? Your heart pumping?
- No.
- You sweating? You're lying.
- No.
Don't matter. Get used to it.
That's the deal.
We're gonna kill him.
- You, you and me.
- His window is open.
- He's out.
- But you said it so loud.
- Your brother is inside.
- Doing arithmetic.
That's all he knows. Forget my brother.
- We never did anything like this before.
- That's right. So?
Well, no, no. I was just asking, like...
You know, like... What have we gotta do?
- What are you walking around for?
- I gotta. My foot is asleep.
What do you have to call me Baby for?
Why don't you call me Angelo?
You're 15.
When you're 18, I'll call you Angelo.
Now, come here.
- I surprised you guys with this, right?
- Oh, and how.
First, I was gonna take him
and open up his head for him all by myself.
I was gonna...
All right. Forget that.
We're doing it together.
- What about the other guys?
They're all gonna be part of it.
They're gonna have a party
at somebody's house.
- Swear we were there.
- Told them yet?
- Later. First us.
- Hey, stop asking so many questions.
Let Frankie talk. Come on, Frank.
Give, give.
Okay.
Three of us, right?
One brings him when we want him...
...one holds him still and quiet,
and one gives it to him.
Go, go, go.
- It takes 10 seconds and we're out of there.
- Frankie boy, you kill me.
Frankie, don't!
Hey, Frank. I forgot.
Frank, I swear to God, I forgot.
I swear. Frank.
Hey, look up there.
You see that? He's choking him.
They're just kidding around.
Take a breeze, will you?
Oh, I'm sorry, Frank.
That's the first time I ever forgot
about you.
I never touched you before, did I, Frank?
He never did, Frank.
This morning on the stoop,
I started telling Mr. McAllister off.
I mean, I just wanted to find out
why he turned Lenny in.
He wouldn't answer me.
I started to yell at him.
He smacked me across the face.
Yeah. He smacked me across the face.
A lot of people there.
For a minute I couldn't see, you know that?
That's the way I was, I couldn't see.
Then he walked away.
And we're gonna kill him.
Frankie.
And how we're gonna kill him.
When that cigar goes off in his puss...
...he'll drop dead. Hey, right, Frankie?
- Pfft!
Get back inside before I break your arm.
Hey, Frank. I don't like it.
He don't know enough. Forget him.
I said, forget him.
Okay, come on. Let's get it done.
I'm gonna tell you who does what
so you can think about it.
- Are you ready?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You're gonna bring him to us.
Okay, I'll bring him.
You're gonna hold him.
I'll hold him.
And I'm gonna slice him.
Oh, Frank.
I'm telling you, you're the end.
- Frank, your old lady just came in.
- Take a walk.
Hey, Frank. When are we gonna do it?
I don't know. See you later.
Imagine?
- Lou, can you imagine?
- Grow up, grow up, grow up.
Oh, tired.
I've never been so tired in my life.
I don't know what was so special
about today.
Would've thought we're the only restaurant
in New York.
From 12 to 2
and then from 5 to 8...
...they never stopped coming.
My feet are ready to scream.
And they most of them wanted the special,
boiled beef in horseradish sauce.
Listen, we got nice salads on the menu.
I didn't see a salad all day long.
Richie, honey,
I'm so sick of looking at boiled beef.
If I had the strength, I'd go look for a job
in one of them French-type restaurants...
...where they have hors d'oeuvres
and things.
- Make me some tea, will you honey?
- Okay, Mom.
- Hello, Frankie.
- Hello.
Maybe you'd say hello to me first
for once.
Ought to have known better.
Make it nice and strong.
Well, what did you accomplish today?
- Same as anybody.
- Look for a job today?
- Yeah, all day.
- And?
And nothing.
You didn't look.
You're old enough to have a job.
Frankie, I need some help here.
Look at this place.
I see it.
All you can do is hang around
with the neighborhood bums.
- Nasty, dirty kids.
- That's what their mommies say about me.
Do you ever have an answer
that isn't smart?
God forgive me, sometimes I wish
your father was here.
Do you?
That would be great, wouldn't it?
The yelling and the hitting
and the dirty names.
- Why don't you wish his father was back?
- Frankie!
You can make me a jelly sandwich with it,
Richie.
I don't know where you get the strength
to fight me the way you do.
I haven't got it.
I don't know what to say to you
anymore.
Listen, how am I supposed to be?
I don't know.
I don't feel like a mother.
I can't tell you to do anything.
It's like telling a rock.
Frankie, are you...?
Like out of a whole different piece of cloth.
What I say bounces off you
like I wasn't even here.
Maybe I'm too old.
Maybe I get tired too easy, I don't know.
My fault.
I guess it's my fault,
but how much can a person think about?
It's muggy for this time of year.
Baby.
Hi, Frankie.
Listen, I'm sorry about before.
You want some tea?
I wanna tell you something.
You open the window when I'm out...
...l'm gonna belt you right around
the block, Richie honey.
Don't talk to him like that.
Gee, Frank,
I only wanted to ask you something.
Don't ask me.
Listen, you're not talking to the garbage
on the street, now...
...you're talking to your brother.
- Do you hear me?
The water's boiling.
So what good is he?
Middleweight champ and he got no hand.
- He'd jab you.
- He could jab.
What's a jab? Right hand's the whole thing.
You got the power. Boom.
- You sneak in the right, that's all.
- He's a good fighter.
What good is he?
Busy, busy, busy. Busies you to death.
Maria Louisa, what are you reading?
Read it to me, I'm all ears.
Yeah, no head.
Hey, Maria, you're for me.
You get out of here!
- Hey, lady, your motor's running.
- Hey, Lou, dig the tomato.
Stella, Stella.
Look at me, baby.
Remember me in Waterfront?
What'd you do with the pigeons?
What'd you do with the pigeons, baby?
- Ask her.
- I think I'm in love, honey.
I really think I'm in love, so don't go away.
Please don't go away, l...
Hey, Frankie. Ain't she a swinger, huh?
Come here, Lou.
I'm telling them now.
What a jelly.
- First, I take off my steaming glasses.
- What a lover, he takes off his glasses.
All right, all right, all right,
now, Frankie's here.
Hi, Frank.
Hey, get lost. Go on, get out.
Frankie, how come you, Lou and Baby
got secrets from the rest of us chaps?
Later you can ask the questions.
Now, I got something to tell you.
- I don't wanna be interrupted.
- Something pretty big, Frank?
- The biggest.
- Shut up, Lou.
Now, let me give it to you fast and plain.
Don't nobody fall down.
We're bumping a guy.
Everybody all of a sudden got cold.
Don't fold up on me, girls.
Lou and me and Baby are doing the job.
All you gotta do is set up the alibi.
Now, the mark is Mr. McAllister.
What's the matter?
What's wrong?
Well, come on, talk up!
Benny, you're backing away from me.
I ain't getting into no murder, Frank.
There's a 15-year-old inside who didn't
say that. What's the matter?
What's the matter with you?
It's not my line, Frank.
Me neither, Frank.
Anything else, but no killings.
- I'm not flipped.
- Crazy nuts. What's the matter with you?
You can yell your head off.
I'm with them.
Ditto.
Fighter?
What do you have to start in
with the heavy stuff for?
I asked you a question.
Not for me.
- I'll knock your dumb head off.
- Cut it.
- Now, get out of here.
- Listen...
I'm not gonna listen to you. Take off.
Listen, Frank, I don't get it.
You're the head man, just tell them.
Frank, you feel like belting me one?
You could do it.
Beat it.
Glasses.
Blockbuster.
If this is a private war,
I'll just keep walking.
No. It's nothing like that.
How you doing, Frankie?
What time is it?
Ten fifteen.
You wanna shoot some pool?
No, we don't wanna shoot some pool.
Wanna hear about Lenny?
He pleaded guilty to the violation
of the Sullivan Law.
His case comes up next Thursday.
- Well, what's he gonna get?
- Could get a year. I talked to the judge.
He wasn't happy about a kid carrying a gun,
but he said he'd think about it.
- A year?
- Yeah.
Listen, you did your duty.
Now why don't you go buy yourself
an ice cream soda or something?
Why don't you?
Why don't you?
Frankie?
- I wanna talk to the guys.
- Don't talk to them.
Frankie, I don't dig you.
I don't understand what you do.
I said, don't talk to them.
Fifteen, 20, 25 cents. Thank you.
It wasn't sweet enough.
Okay, next time I make it sweet.
A person comes in for a soda for 15 cents,
it ought to be good and sweet.
- You wanna rot your teeth?
- Good night.
Good night, Mr. Wagner.
- I have to go in the back.
- Good night, Mrs. Gioia.
Hi, Angelo.
- Hi.
How you doing?
Okay.
Did you have a busy day, Mr. Gioia?
Busy, busy, I don't know.
Depend on what you call busy.
I'm doing big business in one-cent candy.
Been down and up, down and up,
picking up the candy for the kids.
All day long, maybe 200 times a day.
That's busy, eh?
Profit, 1 dollar.
And you know what's happen
with the dollar, Mr. Wagner?
This one is jump out of his diapers
and spend it in the pool room.
- Cut it out, will you, Pop?
- What cut it out?
Listen, Mr. Wagner,
you working with kids.
Tell Baby what's happen with kids...
...when they hang around
with bums in the street.
- Now, Pop, listen.
- Take it easy, Angelo.
Why does he gotta pick me apart
all the time for?
You see how fresh? No respect.
Baby.
- Wanna see you when you're done.
- You get out of here.
How many times I tell you to stay out?
I throw you out.
- When you're done.
- Look at him.
I told you, lousy bum trash,
get out of here.
- Pop, shut up.
- You tell me to shut up, I smack you behind.
I'll be outside.
You keep away from my boy!
- You keep in back.
- What do you gotta talk...?
Just shut up.
Mr. Gioia.
- Mr. Gioia.
- What? What do you want?
- Don't you start...
- Malted.
- What flavor?
- Chocolate.
No syrup.
Shut up, he say. Shut up.
I'm his father.
Just don't hit him, Mr. Gioia.
You gotta hit. All of them,
or else they gonna be no good.
To hit, that's how they know.
Look my boy. Fresh, mean, full of hate.
At what? Me? I bring him up right,
send him to school, everything.
Fifteen years old.
Ask him what he wanna be,
you know what he said?
Doctor, lawyer, teacher? No.
Big wheel.
So I say, "How you be big wheel, Baby?"
He say, "Be tough."
Tough, that's all he want. What I do?
Listen, Mr. Wagner...
...I could break my hand.
I love my boy, but I gotta hit.
I gotta punish.
I gotta make him understand.
Mixed it too much.
Too many bubbles is no good.
You let it sit, eh?
And for that one...
...that one, you gotta put him in jail,
else he gonna kill somebody.
- Maybe.
- I tell you... That's 17 cents.
You know, Mr. Gioia, we're not talking
about wild animals, though.
We're talking about tough, angry kids.
You can beat them up,
they just get tougher and angrier.
Send them to jail...
...maybe you wreck them for good.
Those aren't the answers.
What is the answer?
We try to understand.
We try to remember that kids
don't get this way without good reason.
We listen, we sympathize and we talk.
It's not easy,
but it's the only way we can work.
You can't tell a kid to be good.
He's got too many reasons to be bad.
So we're patient...
...and every now and then,
we get to one of the really wild ones.
Then we can do some good, maybe.
But you know...
...everybody expects it to happen
all at once.
They expect a kid who's been lumped
on the head all his life...
...to suddenly become a respectable citizen
just because they say he ought to.
If they hit him...
Well, it just doesn't happen that way,
Mr. Gioia.
I know.
It takes a long time...
...to straighten out just one kid,
the way we work.
But if it happens to be your kid,
it's worth it.
You don't understand, Mr. Wagner.
I tell you.
You good man,
but you don't understand.
Maria?
What do you think?
I don't know.
You think I do?
Good night, Maria.
Good night.
Frank.
Good night.
What are you standing in the street for?
I mean, alone.
You have such an angry face.
Listen, my father shouldn't have thrown you
out of the store.
I mean, you weren't doing anything,
just standing there.
- I apologize for him.
- Okay.
He's an old-fashioned man.
Oh, listen, the way you walked out...
- He shouldn't have done that.
- Okay.
That's all I wanted to tell you.
I guess you don't care anyway.
No, I don't care.
I guess I'll go in now.
Good night.
What do you say, Pops?
- What are you looking at?
- The alley.
What for?
Hey, Frank...
...let's go get a beer or something, huh?
My old man's gonna tear me apart when
I get home. May as well keep him up late.
Come on, huh, Frank?
- This is the place, Lou.
- Hmm?
This is the place.
What place?
This is where we're gonna kill him.
- You're kidding.
- No, I'm not kidding.
Hey, Frank, this is where we live.
Hey, Frankie, you live there.
Baby lives in the store,
I live across the street.
Hey, Frank, you, me and Baby
makes three, right?
This is the place, Lou.
Frankie, what is happening to you?
Now, I don't know when we're gonna
do it, but it's gonna be here.
Nobody's gonna believe we worked
in our own backyard.
Frankie, what are you, bugging me?
This is wild.
- You wanna figure it?
- I don't wanna figure it.
- No, no, you're the boss.
- Now, look, it's gonna work.
It cannot miss.
Do what I say, Lou, will you?
Please, just do what I say, okay?
Okay, Frank.
It's our first. How do you feel?
My skin is crawling.
I feel loose. I mean...
...I could fall asleep standing up.
I never felt this loose before.
It's like I was made for it.
Getting even.
Go home, Lou.
I'll see you, huh?
Crazy, Pops.
Hello, Mr. McAllister.
Harry. Harry!
Get a loaf of fresh bread too.
And no candy, understand?
- Rags. Clothes.
- Hey, hey, hey, pick up on this.
"Two million two hundred thousand
voted by city for delinquency study."
Hey, man, we're rich.
- What are they gonna study?
- Us, idiot.
- They got 1 million dollars for me.
- They drop dead with their studies.
What they'll do,
buy a giant 2-million-buck microscope.
We each get a turn under it.
Anybody didn't take a bath flunks.
- I flunk.
- What do they want from us?
Why don't you go ask them?
They don't know themselves.
Hey, listen, here's what it says...
Glasses, reading's bad for your eyes.
- Hi, Baby.
- Hi.
- Where you going?
- Lou's.
Is Frank kidding
about the McAllister deal?
- No.
- You mean you're gonna give it to him.
- That's the deal.
- You know you're off your nut?
Hey, Baby, what's the matter with you?
Why don't you tell him you're out?
Because I'm in, that's why.
Boy, for 15 years old,
he's sure got guts.
He got nothing.
- Hey, man, what are you doing?
- I gotta read the box scores, don't I?
Hi, Frankie.
Where's Lou?
I don't know.
What time is it?
It's about 8. Hey, listen, Frankie.
You asked me to meet you and everything,
but I gotta go help my father in the store.
Wait a minute.
Richie, come here.
Well, come here. What are you afraid of?
You.
Here.
Pack of cigarettes.
Go to the movies
with the change tonight.
Okay.
What's the matter with him?
Nothing.
Well, look, I gotta go.
We're doing it tonight, bambino.
- You kidding?
- Never.
So fast?
You only decided last night.
That's right. We got any reason to wait?
Look, this is Mr. McAllister's bowling night.
He won't be home till around 2.
Now, we'll be waiting for him.
- Do you hear me, Baby?
- I hear.
We're gonna plan it move for move.
I'm meeting you and Lou at 10.
Find him and bring him there.
- What about the guys?
- We don't need them. It's all figured out.
- What are you biting your nails for?
- I'm not.
Now, go back to the store.
See you at 10...
...Angelo.
Hi.
Richie.
Hi, Mr. Wagner.
- Ben.
- Ben.
When anybody calls me Mr. Wagner,
they're talking about my father.
- How are you going?
- Okay.
- Say, how'd you like to play basketball?
- I don't know.
I'm getting up some teams on the block,
one for 10-, 12-year-olds.
- What do you say?
- No, I'm too short.
- We were gonna call your team the Midgets.
- Okay.
Don't tell me you're taking up smoking.
No, these are for my brother.
- How is Frankie?
- He's okay.
- What's the matter, giving you a hard time?
- No.
Quite a boy, your brother.
I think he's gonna kill somebody.
Why would you say that?
I heard him talking.
- When?
- Last night.
- Who was he talking about?
- I don't know.
- lf you say anything...
- You know I wouldn't say anything.
I mean, I don't know.
Maybe I heard wrong or something.
He's not such a terrible guy.
He gave me money to go to the movies
tonight. I didn't even ask him.
- Is he home now?
- Yeah.
I'm scared. Please don't say anything.
Richie, there's nothing to be scared about,
you understand?
Now, look, you wait right here.
- I'll be right back.
- Wait.
Now, Richie, nothing's gonna happen.
Okay, Richie.
What do you want?
- Nothing. I just wanted to say hello.
- Go ahead.
Hello, Frankie.
What do you want up here?
Nobody asked you.
I don't want anything.
I was just downstairs and realized
I never seen your place before.
Well, feast your eyes, tourist.
It's straight out of Hollywood.
That's a pretty lousy place.
Cigarette?
- What are you doing with yourself, Frankie?
- Nothing.
Why don't you take off?
Why don't you get a job?
Nothing's for when you were 9.
You're 18.
How much do you make saving souls?
- Seventy-five.
- I don't want a job.
You know, I'm really living, boy.
I make more than your mother and haven't
got anybody to worry about but myself.
- You're trying to get me sore?
- Yeah, that's right.
I figure maybe you'll belt me one.
I can mop the floor with you,
then we can shake hands, start even.
If I ever belted you...
Maybe.
What's the matter, Frankie?
Why are you chewing yourself to pieces?
That's my business, let me alone.
Maybe I could help you.
If you don't get out,
I'm gonna smack you right across the face.
Go ahead, smack me,
if it'll make you feel any better.
Frank, why don't you let me earn
some of that 75, tell me your troubles?
- Hmm? I won't open my mouth.
- Who made you so dumb?
Tell you my troubles?
You're sitting on my troubles.
Look around, you dumb,
take a sniff anywhere.
Go ahead. Go in the corner and take a sniff.
Tell me what it smells like.
Look at this place.
Open your eyes and look at this dirty,
filthy, rotten, stinking hole.
It's where I live.
What do you want out of me?
A case history?
You bucking for a raise? Take this.
Got a hole in my shirt,
brother's wearing my underwear.
Mother's sticking her thumb
in some slob's soup, Is that what you want?
Let me ask you something.
Who did it to me?
Who put the stink in my room?
Who told me every time I wanna be alone,
go out there and squat on that fire escape?
Who told me if I stopped littering,
I'm gonna go to heaven?
Come on, name them, tell me.
Because I'm sitting, waiting to get even.
And when I find him,
I'm gonna spill his brains in the gutter.
You think there's anybody anywhere
that can stop me, you're out of your mind.
Let me tell you something, social worker.
There's nobody anywhere
that can stop me.
That's your report.
Now, you take that down to your
fat-belly committee and read it to them.
Tell me how many old ladies pass out.
Nobody's gonna pass out.
Oh, no?
Listen brother, I know you people.
I know why you're coming up here
to let the kids cry on your shoulder.
It's not because you wanna help us.
It's because you're scared to death of us.
It's because you shake in your pants
every time you pass us on the street.
It's because we're getting our pictures
in the paper.
You're not coming up here
to make things better for us.
You're coming up here
to make things better for you.
Because if you weren't scared of what
we might do to you, you wouldn't be here.
You'd be selling us doughnuts
and old furniture.
You're all wrong, you know.
Am I?
Well, let me tell you something, brother.
You got a right to be scared of me.
Now, get up on your feet
and get out of my house.
You sound like you're gonna kill somebody,
Frankie, just for kicks.
Well, it isn't kicks.
Don't touch me.
I'm telling you, don't ever touch me.
You better get out of here.
If you want me, I'll be around.
Hey, man, knock it off. I ain't got no left.
Could a guy have everything?
- You got nothing.
- Save me a slice.
- You want your hands warm?
- Give me.
You ought to see the hands on the guy
who makes this stuff.
Hello, gentlemen.
Why aren't you hanging with Frank?
Who knows? Ask him.
- Fighter, is Frank in some kind of trouble?
- Who ain't?
- I'm gonna catch a flick. Wanna make it?
- Yeah, I'm with you.
- Come on.
- Let's go.
And away we go.
- No thanks, it gives me gas.
- Crazy.
Hi, Lou. How come you're not
hanging around with the boys?
- How come you're not home?
- I wanna ask you something.
- I'm busy, sonny.
- What's the matter with Frankie?
He's having a baby.
I'm not kidding.
What do you wanna know for?
He's like a coiled spring.
Man, you ought to see him
when he gets loose.
Like he's 9-foot-4.
Now, come on, lose yourself, will you?
You looked at your watch already.
I'm telling you to get lost.
Go away.
Where are you going, Baby?
Out.
Why?
Tell me why. I don't understand.
Why you gotta go out?
What's out, running the streets
and make trouble, make people afraid?
Baby, I beg you, stay home just once.
Talk to me. I don't know you
because we don't talk no more. Just yet...
- Please, don't turn your back.
- What do you want?
- Talk nice to me.
- Leave me alone.
Your mom's in the back.
She's afraid to come out
because we fight.
You take a look at her sometime.
Her skin is like paper, wrinkled...
...feet hurt...
...hair's changed color.
It used to be shiny black.
Baby, what are you doing to her?
She stand up at the counter all day long
working for... To buy you gangster jacket.
Give me that.
Give me that, I gotta get out of here.
Hornets.
Stand on the street corner,
talk dirty when girls walk by.
Fight, steal, yell, hate against everything.
No respect.
Just tough.
What good's tough?
I'm not tough,
I'm a quiet man all my life.
And I got a lot.
I got you.
Baby...
...the day you was born,
I cry because I got myself a son.
I cried and I went out to work.
I got this store.
It is for you, Baby, I make for you.
You my son.
You used to be a fat little baby,
all the time laugh.
I liked to kiss you.
Make you giggle.
You growing up all wrong.
- Pop...
- No, it's all wrong.
I don't know how to talk to you.
You don't understand.
Look, I'm your father.
I kiss you.
Let me kiss you.
You don't listen, Baby.
I tell you, be good.
I can't hit you no more.
Be a good boy.
I beg you, please.
I love you.
Pop, let me grow up.
Baby.
Baby.
What time you got?
It's three past.
Sit down.
Hey, Frank, what's the matter?
I got it all planned.
I know, I know, I know.
Okay, then listen to me.
Get this into your skulls.
Frank, take it real slow for me, huh?
Sure.
All right, he's out bowling.
Now, it's 10:00 now.
He won't be home till around 2.
Now, here's how it goes.
When we finish talking here,
we each go straight home.
By 12:00, we're in the sack.
We lie in bed like we're asleep
until 1:30 on the nose.
At 1:30, we get up.
Now, get this straight.
Nobody can see you go out.
If anybody sees you in the house
or in the street...
...turn around, go back, forget about it.
We'll try it again another time.
If nobody sees you,
you come straight to the alley, you got it?
Okay.
Now, we meet right here by 20 to 2
at the latest.
If one of us don't show up...
...the other two will turn around
and go back home.
And we'll know
that somebody saw that one guy.
If all three of us show up, we're safe.
Then we wait for Mr. McAllister.
You're gonna be lying on your belly
at the edge of the alley.
Lou and me will be up
against that wall over there.
When Mr. McAllister walks by, if there is
anybody else on the street, we let him go.
If not, you're gonna start crying.
And you're gonna cry loud
so he can hear you.
He's gonna walk over to you.
He's gonna bend down,
he's gonna take a look.
And you're gonna tap him on the head.
You're gonna grab him around the chest.
You're gonna get up, you're gonna help.
You're gonna swing him into the alley
and I'm gonna give it to him.
With what?
With this.
Nobody's gonna hear a sound.
We're gonna leave him there
and we're gonna go home.
And we're gonna crawl into our sacks
without being seen.
We'd better, do you hear me?
Anybody who wants to know
where we were when Mr. McAllister got it...
...we were home in our beds
dreaming up a storm.
- Our families will guarantee it.
- Crazy.
Any questions?
Uh-uh.
Seven minutes after 10.
Set your watches.
- Okay?
- Right.
Okay?
Now, go on home.
You okay?
Hey, you're gonna be a man tonight.
We'll try it on for size.
Get over here. He's stoned.
He won't know what's happening.
- Frank, you're not gonna give it to him.
- Lie down.
I said, lie down.
Cry. Cry.
I'm telling you. Cry.
Harder.
Boy of mine.
What's the matter, boy of mine, huh?
Hey, what...?
Let him go.
Frankie, you were gonna kill him.
You were gonna...
What you saw, you ever tell it, I'll
cut you up and I'll throw away the pieces.
Open your eyes.
I'll kill you, Richie.
Believe what I'm telling you. I'll kill you.
Frankie, please.
Do you hear me?
I hear.
- Frankie?
- Leave me alone.
Listen, Frankie.
What do you want?
- Hey, what's the matter with you?
- I don't know.
So, what do you want, Angelo?
It's too much.
Oh, come on, will you?
- No, Frankie, listen.
I started to shake.
I swear, my hands and everything, l...
- It's too much.
Baby.
I forgot your real name.
Will you come on already with this?
We're not killing him.
You're a flip.
Now, come on, Frankie,
what are you saying?
Listen, we got this whole plan here,
what are you double-talking?
- This boy is chicken.
- Frank...
Eleven of us in the gang, nine chickens,
it's just Lou and me left.
I wanted to find out who was chicken,
now I know.
You're wrong.
I went all the way.
- It's just I started to shake.
- Well, shake over this one, chicken.
We're gonna slice his name into him,
and that's what we're gonna do.
- Frank, what are you saying?
- Right here.
- What's that spell?
- R-A-T. Rat.
So, what are you giving us?
I'm talking.
He gets laid out cold and carved so he can
read that scar for the rest of his life.
- Oh, Frank, how come...?
- I said, I'm talking.
You're gonna be there, chicken.
Okay, Frank.
Now go home.
We're not gonna kill.
We're not chicken.
I mean, the other guys and me...
...but murder is going too far.
You're right. One thirty.
Oh, Frank,
how come you changed your mind?
One thirty.
One thirty, Frank.
Mrs. Dane?
You suppose we could talk
for a couple of minutes?
Well, I don't know. I'm pretty tired.
It'll only take a minute.
I've got some hot coffee on.
- What's it about?
- Frankie.
- What'd he do?
- Nothing.
- What's there to talk about?
- Maybe we could help him a little by talking.
Well, I'll tell you, I'm out on my feet.
I wait on tables all day and by this time
of evening, I'm pretty tired. Maybe...
I'll walk you home, Mrs. Dane.
Jim, I'll be right back.
Can I take it for you?
- He's kind of an unhappy kid, Mrs. Dane.
- Why should he be unhappy?
He does whatever he wants.
He hangs around.
Don't work or nothing.
Nothing but pleasure.
Think that's what he wants to do?
Hang around?
Sure. Why doesn't he do something else?
- Did you ever ask him?
- Ask him.
I can't even talk to him.
You think Frank's like all the kids here?
Sure he is. They're all alike.
Or do you think
that's the way kids ought to be?
No.
That's really
what I wanna talk to you about.
What good is talking? Frankie is the way
he is. Ain't nothing gonna change him.
- How about Richie?
- Richie's different.
He's a good, sweet kid.
How come, Mrs. Dane?
What do you mean, how come?
Listen, I don't understand
what you're trying to say here.
I mean, I told you I was tired
and everything.
Don't you wanna help Frankie?
Sure I wanna help him.
Sure I wanna help him.
- Honest, he ain't in trouble.
- No, not yet.
- I wanna keep it that way.
- Listen, you don't even know him really.
Why should you wanna go
through all this trouble for him?
One time, a guy did it for me.
Frankie must hate you.
Maybe.
He hates me.
I see it in the way he looks at me.
I don't know what to do.
I try to be nice and I try
not to get him angry and everything.
I've never hit him.
I never even touch him.
I'll tell you, this is a terrible thing.
I'm afraid of him.
It's too much. It's just too much.
I mean, I've got Richie,
and I'm trying to see he grows up decent.
I owe him something special.
His father...
Well, he don't know his father.
It happens.
So mostly,
he has to take care of himself.
I can't be at the restaurant and home both,
so I worry.
Believe me, all the time I worry,
but what can you do?
I swear, I don't know how it happens.
Ten years ago, everything was fine.
Frankie was a nice kid.
He was a real nice kid.
I don't know. I try.
I really try,
but I'm just about dead by this.
What's gonna become of Frankie?
Nobody can answer that.
One thing, Mrs. Dane.
Is there anybody
that Frankie's especially angry at?
Listen, I don't know. Everybody, I guess.
I gotta go in.
Maybe sometime we'll talk.
Maybe you can tell me what to do.
What's the matter?
What is it, sweetie?
Don't cry, baby. I'm right here.
It's all right, sweetie. It's all over.
Now, don't cry, Richie, don't.
Tell me what's the matter.
Dear, I'm holding you.
That's better, baby.
Now tell me what's happened.
That's my Richie.
What happened?
- Nothing.
- You don't cry for nothing.
- What is it?
- I fell.
What did you do to him?
- I said, what did you do to your brother?
- Mom, he didn't do anything.
He was hysterical. What did you do?
Answer me.
- I said, answer me.
- Lower your voice.
Lower my voice.
You listen to me, I'm your mother.
Don't you tell me what to do.
I wanna know what you did.
Now answer me!
Shut up!
Frankie!
Don't you touch me.
Don't you ever touch me.
I'm your mother.
Mother.
God help me, when I say it,
the word feels dirty in my mouth.
"Don't touch me, mother."
Well, you listen to me.
I touched you once.
I gave birth to you.
I touched you all over.
You're part of my body,
and every time I think of it, I wanna wash.
You're garbage, Frankie Dane.
I give you up. I give you up.
Mom.
Oh, God, what did I say?
Richie baby, what did I say to him?
Frankie?
Go away.
I thought maybe you wanted
to talk, Frankie.
Maria, something the matter?
No.
Can I help?
What do you want?
To talk.
- We talked.
- No, you talked, I listened.
- I want the same deal.
- Get lost.
It's your fire escape.
Wait.
- What do you get out of it, kicks?
- I told you. I get paid.
- Time and a half?
- No.
It's after 9.
What are you knocking yourself out for?
- I think you're worth it.
- Sure.
I wouldn't lie to you, Frankie.
Let me talk?
Yeah, okay.
Go ahead.
Don't make no difference.
They're only words.
See, no matter what anyone says,
they're only words.
You think I'm gonna tell you
to be a good boy?
Well, it'll never happen, kid.
I know you.
And I know why you're on fire inside and
I'm gonna lay you bare, so brace yourself.
It goes something like this.
You're 8 years old.
Your father walks out of the house
without kissing you.
And you never see him again.
And then, all of a sudden, you don't know
how or why there's a new kid, Richie.
You haven't got a mother anymore.
She sits there nursing the baby...
...and tells you
you're big enough to take care of yourself.
So you run out of the house
and cry for the last time in your life.
You're 8 years old,
but you've lived a century.
It's like nobody in the world loves you.
And then you learn a very sad thing.
Only time anybody pays any attention
is when they're lumping you on the head.
There's lots of kids here
just like you, Frank.
If they're good, they're neglected,
and if they're bad, they're noticed.
So they run the streets fighting
and busting things.
It's just like they're yelling:
"Hey, look at me.
I'm somebody too."
Well, some of them get hurt.
Most of them grow up.
Well, you never did.
You look 18, kid,
but you're really only 8 years old.
You're still hating and being hated.
That's the only way you know who you are.
You're just a little kid, yelling:
"Pay attention to me.
I'm the worst thing that ever happened."
That's what I mean.
"Look, I'm so bad, I'm untouchable."
But you haven't got the guts...
...to admit that you're being bad
just to be noticed, have you?
You call it something else, don't you?
Getting even.
Getting even for having to live
in the filth of a slum.
Well, you know, that's what makes me
sick to my stomach about you.
The way you beat your breast
and scream about how rotten everything is.
It is rotten.
Sure, but who says
you're the only one who knows it, kid?
There are thousands more just like you...
...beating their heads against these walls
every day just like goats.
But they're trying to make things better,
Frank.
You know something, you could lead them.
That's right.
You're one of the rare things, Frankie.
You're a leader.
But that'd be a little too hard,
wouldn't it?
That'd be creating something new instead
of crying about something already busted.
It would be growing up.
Frankie, you make me wanna weep.
You're 18 years old
and you're preparing yourself to die.
I don't know when it'll happen.
Maybe tonight, maybe next week.
But you'll kill
and you won't even know why.
And then you'll be killed.
That's the only way it can end,
and it's such a waste.
And let me tell you something.
When your body hits that sidewalk, nobody
will even turn around to even look at you.
I feel sorry for you, Frankie.
And I guess pity is the worst thing
I can give you because it means I like you.
If you want attention, Frank...
...let somebody love you,
or you're nothing.
Now.
Come on, Frank.
You gotta give it to him now.
Come on, Frank. Now. Come on.
Go, man.
Frank?
Frankie.
Hey, Frankie, come on.
Frankie!
Get out of here!
Get out of here!
Help! Help!
Help! Police!
- Help!
Get out of here!
Frankie.
Frankie, you're my brother.
I love you.
Richie.
Go home, Richie.
Please go home.