Marty (1955)

[bunniefuu]

Hello, Sam. Hiya, Marty.

Your kid brother got married Sunday, huh, Marty?

That's right, Mrs Fusari. It was a very nice affair.

The tall fella with the moustache? No. No, that's my other brother Freddie.

Freddie got married about four years ago. He lives on Webb Avenue.

No, the one who got married Sunday is Nicky.

I thought he was a big, fat fella. Don't I meet him here one time?

A big, tall, fat fella, tried to sell me insurance.

Oh, no, that's my sister Margaret's husband Frank.

Margaret married the insurance salesman.

And my sister Rose married the contractor.

They moved to Detroit last year.

My other sister Frances, she got married two years ago in St John's Church on Kingsbridge Avenue.

Oh, that was a very nice affair.

Well, let's see now. That'll be $1.79. How's that with you, Mrs Fusari?

Well...

Hey, Marty, I'm in a hurry! You're next right now, Mrs Canduso.

When you gonna get married, Marty? You should be ashamed of yourself.

All your brothers and sisters younger than you. They get married, they got children.

I meet your mother. She say to me "Hey, you know a nice girl for my boy Marty?"

What's the matter with you? That's no way. What's the matter with you?

Mrs Fusari... You get married, you hear?

Mrs Fusari, Mrs Canduso's in a... My boy Frank was 19 when he married.

What's the matter? That's swell.

You should be ashamed of yourself!

Marty, I want a pullet, about four pounds. Sure.

I hear your kid brother got married. That's right. It was a very nice affair.

Marty, you oughta be ashamed of yourself.

All your kid brothers and sisters married and got children.

When are you gonna get married?

The Giants are gonna wind up in the cellar! In the cellar!

Hey, Lou, turn on the Dodger game.

What happened? Yanks won both. They m*rder*d 'em!

Any homers? Whoo!

So anyway, Leo and me, we're sittin' in the bar and these two girls come in.

Angie come in yet? So they come to the bar...

Hey, Ange, you want a beer? Yeah, I guess so.

So I look over at the one next to me... Hey, Lou.

Hiya, Marty. Hiya, Ralph.

I'm tellin' these guys about two nurses Leo and me picked up in a joint.

Hey, Lou, let me have two beers. So let me tell ya about these two nurses.

Man, oh, man! How about that, huh?

What you readin', Joe? Lou, turn the set off!

They shouldn't sell magazines like this. Imagine the effect it has on adolescents.

Now, that's something, huh?

I went out with a girl like that. You should live so long!

Hey, Richie, the Yankees took two today.

Hey, Marty.

Hey, Marty, Leo and me, we got a date with these two nurses tonight, you know?

So we gotta take 'em somewheres first, you know what I mean?

So I'm hard up for cash right now and I...

I owe you ten bucks already, don't I?

I'll find it somewhere else.

Hey. Hey, Richie.

That Ralph, boy, he's always got girls but no money.

See ya, Ralph. See ya, Joe.

So, what do you feel like doin' tonight?

I don't know, Ange. What do you feel like doin'?

Well, we oughta do somethin'. It's Saturday night.

I don't wanna go bowlin' like last Saturday.

Hey, how about callin' up that big girl we picked up in the movies a month ago up in the RKO Chester?

Which one was that? That big girl that was in front of us with the skinny friend. Oh, yeah, yeah.

Her name was Mary Feeney. We took 'em home all the way out in Brooklyn.

What do you say? Think we oughta give 'em a call? I'll take the skinny one.

She maybe got a date already, Ange. What can we lose?

I didn't like her. I don't feel like callin' her up.

Well, what do you feel like doin' tonight?

I don't know, Ange. What do you feel like doin'?

We're back to that, huh? I say "What do you feel like doin' tonight?"

You say back to me "I don't know. What do you feel like doin'?"

Then we wind up sittin' around your house with a couple of cans of beer.

I'll tell you what I feel like doin'.

I feel like callin' up this here Mary Feeney.

She likes you.

What makes you say that?

Man, I could see she likes ya. Yeah, sure.

Call her up. You call her up yourself. I don't want to.

Well, how about goin' down 72nd Street?

See what we can find down there?

Ralph says you gotta b*at 'em off with clubs. Boy, you're gettin' to be a real drag!

I been lookin' for a girl every Saturday night.

I'm 34. I'm just tired of lookin', that's all!

I'd like to find a girl! Everybody's tellin' me "Get married."

Don't you think I wanna get married? I want to. Everybody drives me crazy.

I don't wanna wreck your Saturday night. You go somewhere. I don't wanna go.

Boy, my old lady, too. Every word out of her mouth: "When you gettin' married?"

My mother, boy, she drives me crazy.

So...

What do you feel like doin' tonight?

I don't know, Ange.

What do you feel like doin'? Hello. Yeah, he's here.

Marty, your mother's on the phone. My mother?

He's comin' now, Mrs Piletti.

Hey, Marty. I'm goin' home. Listen, Ange, come on over about 7.30.

We'll think of somethin'. Hello, Ma. What's the matter?

Your cousin Thomas and his wife Virginia, they're here and waitin' to see you.

OK, Ma. I'll be home in two minutes.

Listen, Ma, tell Thomas to stick around. I wanna see him.

OK. You come on home, huh? OK.

Marty's coming home.

So what happened about this milk bottle was, my mother-in-law is in the kitchen, she begins pokin' her head over my shoulder here and there.

Then she tells me how I waste money, I can't cook and I'm raisin' my baby wrong.

She got me so nervous I spilled the milk for the baby.

Tommy, your mother is my sister, but...

So she says "You're spillin' the milk." She kept talkin' about these drops of milk.

Finally she got me so mad I said "Mama, you wanna see me really spill milk?"

So I picked up the bottle and I threw it at the door.

I didn't throw it at her. That's something she made up.

She tells everybody I threw a bottle of milk at her.

I didn't throw it anywheres near her.

Anyway, I was sorry, but she ran out of the house and I...

I don't know what you want me to do, but, if you want me to, I come and talk to her.

Well, Aunt Theresa, we... Let me tell it, Tommy.

OK.

Aunt Theresa, we want you to do a very big favour for us.

Sure.

Aunt Theresa, you got this big house here.

You got this big house just for you and Marty.

I thought Tommy's mother could come and live with you and Marty.

Well... I talked to Tommy's brother and I said "You gotta take her for a couple of years!" And he says "Oh, no!"

I sound terrible... No, Virginia. I know how you feel.

I just can't stand it any more! Every minute of the day! Do this! Do that!

I don't have ten minutes privacy with my husband. We can't even have a fight.

We don't have any privacy!

All right, Ginnie. Don't get so excited. She's right, Tommy.

A young husband and wife should have their own home.

And my sister Caterina, well... she's my sister, but I must say she's an old goat.

And plenty of time in my life I feel like throw the milk bottle at her myself.

But I tell you right now, if Caterina wants to come and live here with Marty and me, it's all right with me.

That's very nice of you, Aunt Theresa.

Of course, we gotta ask Marty first. Sure, sure.

Sit here. I go in the kitchen and turn a little fire under the cooking.

That's very nice of you, Aunt Theresa.

How's Marty been lately, Aunt Theresa?

Oh, he's fine. You know a nice girl he can marry?

Oh, don't worry. He'll get married.

I don't know. He sits around the house all the time.

You know a nice place where he can go to get a bride?

There's the Stardust Ballroom. That's a big dance hall.

Every Saturday night it's loaded with girls. It's a nice place.

You pay 77 cents. Well, it used to be 77 cents. Probably a dollar and a half now.

You go in and ask some girl to dance.

It's a respectable... That's where I met Virginia.

You tell Marty to go to the Stardust Ballroom. It's loaded with tomatoes.

"The Stardust Ballroom. It's loaded with tomatoes."

Right.

Aunt Theresa, this is so nice of you. I want you to know we appreciate it.

He's here.

Hello, Marty. Hello, Ma.

Thomas and Virginia are here.

They just had another big fight with your Aunt Caterina, so they ask me if it's OK Caterina come live here.

I said all right with me, but we gotta ask you.

Marty, she's a lonely old woman. Nobody wants her.

Everybody's throwing her out they house.

Well, sure, Ma. It's OK with me. You got a good heart.

Marty say it's all right she come here. Thanks. Takes a load off of my mind.

We got plenty of room here. Oh, it's gonna be nice.

I come over tonight, I talk to Caterina. Everything is gonna work out all right.

I wanna thank you because it was becoming impossible.

Sit down, Thomas. Sit down.

Marty, I appreciate what you and your mother are doing because...

Oh. No, listen. What was happening...

Virginia was makin' milk and my mother...

I promised the baby-sitter six o'clock. OK.

Before you go, I need some advice. Sure. What?

Well, you're the accountant in the family. My boss wants to sell his shop to me.

Oh, yeah? Well, him and his wife live alone.

They wanna move out to California and live near their married daughter.

Well, he wants $5,000 down, although I think I can knock him down to four.

Tommy!

Marty, I gotta run now, but I'll meet you at mass tomorrow.

Afterwards we'll discuss it. It sounds like a good proposition.

OK. He wants an answer by Monday. Oh, sure.

We'll work out an arrangement about my mother. I wanna pay you...

No, listen... Tommy!

We'll talk about it later. Thanks again.

Goodbye, Marty. Goodbye, Virginia. See ya soon.

Goodbye, Aunt Theresa. Goodbye, Aunt Theresa. Thank you.

Hello. Is this Mary Feeney?

Well, could I speak to Miss Mary Feeney?

Just tell her an old friend.

Oh, hello there. Is this Mary Feeney?

Hello there. This is Marty Piletti. I wonder if you recall me.

Well, I'm kind of a stocky guy. The last time we met was in the RKO Chester.

You was with a friend of yours and I was with a friend of mine name of Angie.

This was about a month ago.

The RKO Chester on West Farms Square.

Yeah, you was sittin' in front of us and we was annoyin' ya and you got mad.

I'm the fella who works in a butcher shop.

Oh, come on, you know who I am.

That's right! And then we went to Howard Johnson's. You had a milk shake.

Yeah, that's right. I'm the stocky one, the heavyset fella.

Yeah. Well, I'm glad you recall me, because I had a pretty nice time that night and I was wonderin' how everything was with you.

How's everything?

That's swell.

Yeah, well, I'll tell you why I called. I was figurin' on takin' in a movie tonight and I was wonderin' if you and your friend would care to see a movie tonight with me and my friend.

Yeah, tonight.

I know it's a little late to call for a date, but I didn't know myself till...

Yeah, I know.

Yeah, well, what about...

Well, how about next Saturday night? Are you free next Saturday night?

Well, what about the Saturday after that?

Yeah.

Yeah, I know.

Oh, I mean, I understand that...

Yeah.

Yeah.

So, what are you gonna do tonight, Marty?

I don't know, Ma. I'm all knocked out. I may just hang around the house.

Why don't you go to the Stardust Ballroom?

What?

I say "Why don't you go to the Stardust Ballroom?" It's loaded with tomatoes.

It's loaded with what? Tomatoes.

Who told you about the Stardust Ballroom, Ma?

Tommy. He say it's very nice place. Oh, Thomas!

Ma, it's just a big dance hall, that's all. I been there a hundred times.

Loaded with tomatoes! Boy, you're funny, Ma.

Marty, I don't want you hanging around the house tonight.

I want you go shave and go dance. Ma, when are you gonna give up?

You got a bachelor on your hands. You gonna get married.

Ma, sooner or later there comes a point in a man's life when he's gotta face facts.

One fact I gotta face is whatever it is women like, I ain't got it.

I chased after enough girls in my life. I went to enough dances.

I got hurt enough. I don't wanna get hurt no more.

I just called up a girl this afternoon. I got a real brushoff, boy.

I figured I was past the point of bein' hurt, but that hurt.

Some stupid woman who I didn't even wanna call up. She gave me the brush.

I don't wanna go to the Stardust Ballroom.

All that ever happened to me there was girls made me feel like I was a bug.

I got feelings, you know. I had enough pain. No, thanks, Ma.

Marty... No.

I'm gonna stay home tonight.

You gonna die without a son. So I'll die without a son.

Marty, put on the blue suit, huh? Blue suit, grey suit.

I'm just a fat, little man. A fat, ugly man.

You not ugly. I'm ugly! I'm ugly! I'm ugly!

Marty. Ma! Leave me alone!

Ma, what do you want from me? I'm miserable enough as it is.

All right, I'll go to the Stardust Ballroom. I'll put on a blue suit and go.

You know what I'm gonna get for my trouble? Heartache. A night of heartache!

Loaded with tomatoes!

That's rich.

Not a bad crowd tonight, you know? Yeah.

There was a nice-lookin' one over there with the black dress on.

But she's dancin' now.

Hey, there's a nice-lookin', little short one for you down there.

Where? Down there. That little one down there.

Oh, yeah.

What do you say? Wanna ask 'em?

I'll take the one with the flowers on her dress.

Well, I think this music's a little fast.

Just a minute.

Yeah, I think it's all right. Are they still over there?

What do you say? You wanna dance?

Uh, excuse me. Would you care to dance?

I don't feel like dancin' just yet. Sure.

Clara, have you decided about tomorrow?

Millie, I always go to the movies with Papa on Sunday.

I know, but you could have a lot of fun. I'm gonna get some cigarettes.

Herb, I told you she wasn't especially attractive, but she had a lot of charm.

Look, Herb, she's a real nice kid.

She's all right, Andy. It's just that I get one Saturday night off every three weeks.

I was expecting somethin' better.

D'you like him, Clara? Yes. He seems very nice.

Millie's been after me to fix her up. All right, I'm having a fair time.

I get one Saturday night off in three weeks and I wanted to wind up with something.

OK. So I'm sorry. Forget it.

Herbie, have you ever been here before? Hey!

Herbie!

What are you doing here? I came up to dance. What do you think?

You here with somebody? I'm just here with another girl.

Where you goin' now? For some cigarettes. Left 'em in my coat.

I'll see you around. Yeah, I'll see ya.

Oh, that's a... girl I used to know.

Boy, it's sure packed in here. Some of these kids are awfully young.

You might run into one of your students.

I wouldn't think so. I teach out in Brooklyn.

Oh, you been here before, Clara? Yes. Twice.

You wanna try and get a table and a drink, or you just wanna start dancing?

Well, Herb... Herb! What do you say? We grab a table before we dance?

Listen, you people go grab a table. I'll be back in a minute.

I'll be right back.

What do you say, Clara, huh? Come on, we'll grab a table.

You here stag or with a girl? You say somethin'?

Yeah. I was askin' you if you was here stag or with a girl.

Oh, I'm stag. I got stuck on a blind date with a dog.

I just met an old girl I used to know, so I need to get rid of the girl I'm with.

Somebody to take her home, you know what I mean?

I'd pay you $5 if you take her home. What?

I'll introduce you as an old army buddy of mine and then I'll cut out, because I got this other girl waiting for me by the hatcheck, and I'll pay you $5.

Are you kiddin'? No, I'm not kiddin'.

You just can't walk off on a girl like that!

As long as she's goin' home alone, give me the $5 back.

Look, Mac, you paid me the $5. The $5 is mine.

Excuse me, miss, but would you care to dance?

Miss?

You come up here often? I was up here twice before.

Once I came up with a friend of mine and... once alone.

The last time...

You see that girl sitting over there in the grey dress?

Yeah.

Well, the last time I was here, that's where I sat.

I sat there for an hour and a half without moving a muscle.

Now and then some fellow would kind of come up to me and then change his mind.

I'll never forget just sitting there for an hour and a half with my hands in my lap.

Then I began to cry. I had to get up and go home.

I've begun to cry a lot lately.

I cry a lot, too. I'm a big crier.

This is something recent with me, this bursting into tears at the slightest thing.

I cry all the time, any little thing.

My brothers, my brothers-in-law always tell me what a good-hearted guy I am.

You're not good-hearted by accident.

You get kicked around long enough, you get to be a real professor of pain.

I know exactly how you feel.

I also want you to know I'm having a good time with you and really enjoyin' myself.

So, you see, you're not such a dog as you think you are.

I'm having a very good time, too.

So there you are. So I guess I'm not such a dog as I think I am.

No, you're a very nice guy.

I don't know why some girl hasn't grabbed you off long ago.

Well, I don't know either. I think I'm a very nice guy.

I also think I'm a pretty smart guy in my own way. Excuse me.

I figure two people get married and they're gonna live together 40, 50 years, so it's gotta be more than whether they're just good-lookin' or not.

You think you're not so good-lookin'.

Well, my father was a real ugly man, but my mother adored him.

She told me how she'd get so miserable sometimes, like everybody, you know?

And she says my father always tried to understand.

I used to see them sometimes when I was a kid sittin' in the livin' room talkin', and I used to adore my old man, because he was always so kind.

That's one of the most beautiful things I have in my life - the way my parents were.

And my father was a real ugly man.

So it doesn't matter if you look like a gorilla.

See, dogs like us, we ain't such dogs as we think we are.

I'm 29 years old.

How old are you?

I'm 34.

Oh, hello, Aunt Theresa. Come on in. Is Caterina here?

We didn't say anything. We thought we'd leave it to you.

We thought you'd put it like how you were lonely and why doesn't she live with you.

That way it looks like she's doing you a favour, instead of we're throwin' her out.

You want Tommy and me to stay? No. It's better idea if you and Tommy go, otherwise she's gonna start to fight with you and everybody be yelling.

Hello, Aunt Theresa. Hello, Thomas.

Who's there? Who's there?

It's me, Caterina! How you feel? Hey, what are you doin' here?

I come to see you. How you feel?

I got a pain on my left side and my leg throbs like a drum.

I been getting pain in my shoulder. Hah! I got a pain in my shoulder, too.

I got a pain in my hip and my right arm aches so much I can't sleep.

Ah, it's a curse to be old.

We got a postcard from my son Nicky and his bride.

They are in Florida in a big hotel on their honeymoon.

I got a letter from my husband's cousin in Abruzzi.

His mother die. Oh.

You remember Emilio DiGiorgio, who own a tavern in Abruzzi?

He die. Oh.

You know who else die? Who?

You know the old man who live upstairs in this house? Irishman, always drunk.

He get pleurisy. He stay two weeks in a hospital. Yesterday he die.

I like to visit you, Caterina, because you always got such cheerful news.

Hey, kids. Why don't you two kids go to the movies?

Your mother and me, we be baby-sitter.

Let's go down to the Kaplans'. Sure, sure.

Ma, we'll be down at the Kaplans' if you want us for anything. OK?

I wake up this morning. I hear the baby cry, so I wake up.

I come in their room, and that girl, she's shakin' her hand at the baby.

I said "You brute! Don't you strike that baby! That's my son's baby!"

It's her baby, too. It's my son Thomas's baby.

But it's not your baby.

I tell you she throw a bottle of milk at me?

I know. I know.

She's a witch, that one, I tell you.

I tell you what she do yesterday? What?

She give me the evil eye. Uffa Caterina.

I keep one eye open when I sleep, because she's gonna s*ab me in my bed.

Caterina, I want you to come and live with me in my house.

Hm?

Your son Thomas and his wife, they come to my house today.

They say things are no good in this house.

Caterina, your son is married.

Leave him in peace. He wants to be alone with his wife.

They don't want no old woman sittin' in the balcony.

My son Thomas come to see you this afternoon, and he say to you he's gonna throw his mother from this house?

Ooh, Caterina, don't make an opera out of this.

The three of you and a little baby in three skinny little rooms.

You know this is no good - old woman living with a husband and wife.

Two women in the same kitchen, the house burns up.

So I'm an old garbage bag put in the street, huh?

Caterina, don't make a tragedy.

Come and live in my house where you know you be more happier yourself.

It pains they should do this.

I know it pains.

These are the worst years, I tell you.

Caterina, you are very dear to me.

We cried lots of times together.

When my poor husband, he die, I would be crazy if not for you.

I ask you to come to my house, because I know I can make you happy.

Please come to my house, Caterina.

These are the worst years, I tell you.

It's gonna happen to you.

I'm afraid to look in a mirror.

I'm afraid I'm gonna see an old lady with white hair, like the old ladies in the park - little bundles in black shawl, waiting for the coffin.

I'm 56 years old, and what I got to do with myself?

I got strength in my hands. I wanna clean, I wanna cook.

I wanna make dinner for my children.

Am I an old dog to lay near the fire till my eyes close?

These are terrible years, Theresa. Terrible years.

Caterina, listen...

It's gonna happen to you. It's gonna happen to you!

What are you gonna do if Marty gets married, huh?

What are you gonna cook?

Where's all the children playin' in all the rooms? Where's the noise?

It's a curse to be a widow. A curse!

What are you gonna do if Marty gets married?

What are you gonna do?

I'm gonna put my things in a bag, and I come to you tomorrow.

Don't worry. We'll come right back.

You teach chemistry? What school?

Benjamin Franklin High School. In Brooklyn?

I went to Theodore Roosevelt on Fordham Road. It's near my house.

I have a cousin who's a teacher. He teaches Latin.

He was studying to be a priest, but he gave it up.

I was pretty good in high school. I sound like a jerk now.

I got an 82 average. That ain't bad.

I was accepted at City College, but my old man d*ed, so I had to go to work.

Want some cigarettes?

German was my best class. That was my best language.

Der, die, das. Des, der, des. There you are, I still remember.

You know what I was good at in high school? Math.

You know how long ago I graduated high school? June 1937.

Holy cow! June 1937! What is that? 15... 17 years ago!

Holy cow! Seven... Let's see, is that right? Yeah, 17. That's right.

Where'd it all go? I'm gettin' old. I'm gonna be 35 years old November 8th. 35!

Wow! Time goes on, boy!

Yeah. 19... June 1937.

My old man d*ed December 1937. Two o'clock in the mornin', he d*ed.

Bell rings. I knew somethin' was wrong because my room is on the ground floor.

I had to get outta bed to answer the door, and there was Mr Stern.

He had a house down about a block away from us. He moved out, though.

My old man played cards with him and some other guys. He was a Jewish fella.

So he said "Is your mother home?" So I knew there was somethin' wrong.

I was only 18, exactly 18 years old just a month before.

So I said "Is something wrong, Mr Stern?" I was in my pyjamas.

So he said "Marty, your father d*ed."

My father d*ed right in the middle of playin' cards, at the table.

He had a heart att*ck. He had low blood pressure.

He used to faint a lot, you know.

Boy... Boy, am I talkin'!

Excuse me. I never talked so much in all my life.

Usually everybody tells me their troubles.

Well, I'm gonna shut up now and let you get a word in.

Yeah, 17 years ago.

What I been doin' with myself all that time?

Well, there I go again! I must be drivin' you crazy.

Most of the time I'm with a girl I... I can't find a word to say.

I'm gonna shut up and let you get a word in, because usually I'm not like this.

Usually I...

There I go again! I can't stop talkin'.

I'm on a jag, for Pete's sakes! You'd think I was loaded.

Well, anyway, like... like I started to say...

Ahi!

I can't stop my mouth. Isn't this stupid?

You got a real nice face, you know.

Really, a nice face.

Thank you.

Hey, Mac. Anything good inside? A bunch of dogs.

Hey, Marty.

Marty, you in here?

So I'm in a kneeling position, and if you ever tried sh**t' a BAR in a kneeling position, you know what I mean.

I can't hold a steady position. I'm waverin' back and forth.

So the guy next to me, he's sh**t' from a prone position, and he's cross-eyed, like I told you.

So just then...

So just then I hear five sh*ts go off from the guy next to me.

My target goes down. A minute later the flag comes up. I got five bull's-eyes!

That's how I got the reputation of being the best sh*t in the whole battalion!

So when I got out of the army, Clara, I was lost.

I didn't know what I wanted to do.

I was 25 years old.

What was I gonna do? Go back to my old job, 40 cents an hour?

I thought maybe I'd go to college under the GI Bill of Rights.

But my brother Freddie wanted to get married and I had three unmarried sisters.

In an Italian house, that's a terrible thing.

So I just went to pieces.

I used to walk the streets till three, four o'clock in the mornin'.

My poor mother... used to be so worried about me.

God forgive me what I'm gonna say now, but...

I used to think of doin' away with myself.

I used to stand on the subway and, God forgive me what I'm gonna say, I...

I used to feel the tracks suckin' me down under the wheels.

Yes, I know.

I'm Catholic, you know. Even to think about su1c1de is a terrible sin.

Yes, I know.

So then Mr Otari, he offered me this job in his butcher shop and...

Everybody pleaded with me to take it.

So that's what happened.

I didn't wanna be a butcher.

There's nothing wrong with being a butcher.

Well, it's not an elegant profession.

It's in the lower social scale. People look down on butchers.

I don't.

Well, the point is Mr Otari wants to sell his shop now because...

It's a nice little shop. I handle his books which is not unreasonable.

Takes home net maybe $100, $150 a week.

Point is, of course, you gotta worry about the supermarkets.

There's two in the neighbourhood and an A&P comin' in, at least that's the rumour.

Marty, it's my feeling that you really want to buy this shop.

Well, that's true. I do.

But it means I gotta take a loan out in a bank of $8,000.

That's a big note to carry.

Marty, I've known you for three hours, but I know you're a good butcher.

You're an intelligent, decent, sensitive man, and... well, I have a feeling about you.

Like, well, like sometimes one of my kids comes to see me about something, and some of these kids, Marty, in my classes, they... they have so much warmth and so much capacity.

Well, that's the feeling I have about you.

If you were one of my students, I'd say to you

"Go ahead and buy the butcher shop. You're a good butcher."

Well, there's lots of things I could do with this shop.

I could organise my own supermarket.

Get a bunch of neighbourhood merchants together.

That's what a lot of them are doin'.

What do you think?

I think anything you wanna do you'll do well.

I'm Catholic. Are you Catholic?

Yes, I am.

Look, I only got about $3 on me now, but I only live about eight blocks from here.

Why don't we go back to my house, I'll get some dough and we can go somewhere?

I... I really should get home.

It's only a quarter of 12. The clock's right up there.

I... I really should get home. I told my father...

Well, I... I suppose a little while longer...

Do you suppose there's someplace around here I could put on some makeup?

Oh. Hey, Mac! You got a ladies' room around here?

In the back. In the back.

She told me, at the risk of her life. She always had thin hips.

She told me the doctor told her, if she had more babies, it'd be at the risk of her life.

When she told me that, she already had six!

Every time I saw her, she was either goin' to the hospital or comin' from it.

She was hatchin' 'em out like eggs. Her husband's a skinny fella.

Well, I bumped into her on the street and she was as big as a barrel.

I said to her "Mary..." Lou, seen Marty?

No, I ain't seen him all night. Where's everybody?

"Didn't you say if you had another it'd k*ll you?"

And her husband's a little bit of a man.

Well, last week on Tuesday she gave birth to her baby in St Elizabeth's Hospital.

A fine, healthy boy. Nine pounds. That's fine. So the doctor was wrong.

Oh, no. She d*ed right there in the hospital.

Oh, that's a sad story.

And her husband's that little fella? That's the one.

That's a sad story.

...moving out to Port Chester. It's silly to think of commuting.

I'd have to take the subway down to 125th, then take the bus to the railroad, and then take the New York, New Haven and Hartford out to Port Chester.

Then I think I have a 20-minute bus ride out of Port Chester.

Somebody suggested that I buy a car, but I'm terrified of cars.

I'm always afraid I'll k*ll someone.

Of course, it is a fine opportunity for me.

I could never hope to be the head of a department in the New York City system, especially not in the science courses.

Of course, I'm not sure I want to be a department head.

It's mostly executive and administrative work.

On the other hand...

Well, anyway I told you about my father and, well, he depends on me a great deal.

Well, let me tell ya, Clara. I think you're kiddin' yourself.

I mean, I used to think about leavin' home, you know.

And that's what I used to say: "My mother needs me."

But when you really come down to it, that ain't it at all.

We're just afraid to go out on our own. It's a big step when you go out on your own.

And I think you're kiddin' yourself when you say your father needs you.

Actually, you need your father. You know what I mean?

Well, you know what I mean.

You're livin' at home now and you've got your father and mother there.

You could go on like that, be a little girl all your life.

I'm afraid of being lonely.

You won't be so lonely. You'll make friends right away.

Well, actually, I don't make friends easily.

What are you talkin' about? You're a real likeable person.

You'll make friends in Port Chester one-two-three.

You'll have people visitin' you all the time. I'll visit you.

I'll get my brother Freddie's car or you can call me up when you feel blue.

Or I'll call you up and...

It'll be real nice. Don't be so afraid.

Hey, Marty!

Hey, Marty! Hey, over here!

Hello, Ralph. Hey, Marty. Come over here a minute.

Excuse me a minute. Sure.

You'll like this guy. He's nice. Who? Marty?

Yeah. Oh, this guy's a nice guy, this guy.

Hi, Ralph. Hello, Leo. Hiya, Marty.

Hey, Marty, come here a minute.

Hey, Marty, we got an odd squirrel. You interested?

What do you mean, Ralph?

Hey, Louise, meet Marty Piletti. Marty, that's Louise Kelly.

Hiya. We just gonna sit around here all night?

Listen, Marty, these three squirrels are nurses.

Money in the bank, man.

All goin' over to Leo's house later because there's nobody there.

These are the girls I told you about.

Wanna get in the car? She's a pretty nice-lookin' doll.

I'm with a girl, Ralph. Get rid of her. This is money in the bank.

I can't do that, because somebody already brushed her off once tonight.

This is a good deal here, Marty.

I can't do it, Ralph. Thanks anyway, huh?

Nice seein' you all. Come on, let's get outta here.

Yeah. We might as well get goin'. I'll see ya, Leo.

So long, Ralph. So long, Marty.

Wait a minute. I'll find the light.

I guess my mother ain't home yet.

My cousin Thomas and Virginia must be at the movies, so they won't be home yet.

This is the kitchen. Yes, I know.

Come on in the dining room.

Sit down.

You want somethin' to eat? We got chicken.

No, thank you. I don't think I should stay long.

Oh, sure. Well, just take off your coat a minute.

I was tellin' you my brother Nicky got married last Sunday. It was a nice affair.

They had a statue of a woman and there was whisky spoutin' out of her mouth.

I never saw anything so grand in all my life. And what a meal!

I'm a butcher, so I know a pretty good hunk of meat when I see it.

This was choice fillet right off the top of the chuck. $1.80 a pound.

If you want a cheaper cut of meat, why, get rib steak.

It's got a lot of waste on it, but it comes to a buck and a quarter a pound, if it's trimmed.

Listen, Clara... Make yourself comfortable. You look all tense.

Oh, I'm fine.

You want me to take you home, I'll take you home.

Maybe it would be a good idea.

No, Marty. I like you. I been tellin' you all night I do.

Marty... All I want is a kiss.

Please. Please. No, Marty.

All right. All right. I'll take you home!

All I wanted was a lousy kiss.

Think I'd try somethin' serious with my mother comin' home any minute?

I just didn't feel like it, that's all.

Well...

I'm old enough to know better.

Come New Year's Eve, everybody starts arrangin' parties.

I'm the guy they gotta dig up a date for.

I'll just get a pack of cigarettes and take...

I'd like to see you again... very much.

The reason I didn't let you kiss me was because I just didn't know how to... handle the situation.

You're the kindest man I ever met.

The reason I tell you this is because I want to see you again... very much.

I know when you take me home I'm going to lie on my bed and think about you.

I want very much to see you again.

What are you doin' tomorrow night?

Nothing.

I'll call you up tomorrow.

Maybe we'll go see a movie.

I'd like that very much.

The reason I can't be more definite now is... because my Aunt Catherine's probably comin' over tomorrow.

I may have to help out.

I'll wait for your call.

I better take you home now.

It's gettin' late and the buses only run about one an hour.

All right.

I'll just get a pack of cigarettes.

What are you doin' New Year's Eve?

Nothing.

Hello! Hello! Marty?

Hello, Marty. When you come home? We just got here ten minutes ago, Ma.

Ma, I want you to meet Miss Clara Snyder. She's a graduate of New York University.

She teaches chemistry in Benjamin Franklin High School.

Sit down. Sit down.

You want some chicken? We got chicken in the icebox.

No, thank you, Mrs Piletti. We were just going. Thank you anyway.

Well, sit down just a minute. I just come in the house. I take off my coat.

Did Thomas give you a ride? Sure. Is a sad business.

My sister Caterina, she no get along with her daughter-in-law, so she gonna come live with us.

Oh, she's comin', huh, Ma? Sure. Sit down. Sit down.

Marty, tell her sit down. Might as well sit down a minute, Clara.

You offer young lady some fruit? I offered her, but she don't want nothin'.

No, thank you, really, Mrs Piletti.

Is a very sad business, I tell you.

A woman, 56 years old, all her life she had her own house.

Now she's just an old woman sleeping on her daughter-in-law couch.

It's a curse to be a mother, I tell you.

Your children grow up and then what is left for you to do?

What is a mother's life but her children?

Is a very sad thing when your son has no place for you in his house.

Well, couldn't she find some kind of hobby to fill out her time?

Hobby. Hobby. What can she do? She cook and she clean.

But you gotta have a house to clean and you gotta have children to cook for.

These are the terrible years for a mother. The terrible years.

You mustn't feel too harshly against her daughter-in-law.

She probably also wants to have a house to clean and children to cook for.

You don't think my sister Caterina should live in her daughter-in-law house?

Well, I don't know them, but, as a rule, a mother-in-law shouldn't live with a couple.

Where you think a mother-in-law should go?

I don't think a mother should depend so much upon her children for her rewards.

Well, that's what they teach you in... New York University.

In real life it no work out like this.

You wait till you are a mother.

It's silly of me to argue about it. I... I don't know the people involved.

Ma, I better take her home because the buses only run about one an hour.

Sure.

Good night. I'm glad to have met you. I hope I see you again.

OK, Ma. I'll be back in about an hour, an hour and a half.

Sure. Good night, Mrs Piletti.

Good night.

Hey!

Hey!

Hey, Marty! Hey!

Hey, Ange!

Marty, where you been? I been lookin' all over for ya.

I looked all over for you, but I couldn't find you.

Well, I was lookin' all over for you.

We thought we were gonna go for a walk and then we thought we were gonna come back, but we got to talkin'.

I want you to meet Clara. Clara, my best friend Angie.

I told you about him. Yes. How do you do?

Hello.

What we gonna do now? I'm taking Clara home. It's close to one.

You want me to ride down with ya? What for?

It's early. It must be one o'clock.

It's Saturday night! There's still plenty of action around!

Listen, by the time I get Clara home it's gonna be 1.30.

By the time I get home it'll be two. I gotta get up for ten o'clock mass tomorrow.

OK. I'll see ya. Hey, well, where you goin'? Hey, Ange.

Hey, I'll see ya tomorrow after mass, huh?

You got an elevator in this house?

We only live one flight up.

OK. So I'll see you tomorrow.

OK.

Uh, I'll give you a call about 11, 11.30, as soon as I get out of mass.

Well, better make it around 2.30, because I won't be home from my aunt's till then.

Oh, OK.

OK. So... I'll see you tomorrow night.

OK.

Good night. Good night.

Taxi! Hey, taxi!

Taxi! Hey, taxi!

Hey!

Hey, Ma. You know what I think I'm gonna do?

I think I'm gonna buy Patsy's shop.

You hear what I said, Ma?

This is how I figure. We got 33-odd hundred dollars in the bank, so I'm gonna have to take it out to buy the shop. So what do you think?

I don't know.

I'm a good butcher. I think I'll make out pretty good.

I wanna ask Thomas about this, but I got my own ideas.

Come on, Marty. It's nine o'clock.

Listen, Ma, you mind comin' home alone from church because I wanna find Angie?

I think he's sore at me for somethin'. OK.

Ma, what I wanna ask you is, is Thomas bringing Aunt Catherine here or what, because I wanna see him?

I think Thomas is gonna bring Aunt Caterina over here, but I don't know.

Now, please go outside because I gotta put on my clothes.

All right. So what are you gettin' so sore about?

Marty? Please excuse what I say.

OK, Ma.

Don't you think I feel lousy about it, too? I don't wanna talk any more about it.

I don't think I got an hour's sleep the whole night.

Last night was the first time I ever heard my mother cry.

Tommy, I... I don't wanna talk about it.

I know what you're gonna say. A man's gotta stop bein' his mother's baby.

She's my mother. I have some feelin' about her.

Why am I always made to be the louse? I don't wanna talk about it!

Look, Tommy... Tommy, I love you and I know you feel lousy right now, but we'll never be happy unless we have a chance to work out our own lives.

We can't keep talkin' in whispers the rest of our lives. We gotta have some privacy.

Ma! Can't you wait five minutes? I'll drive you over.

I just gotta put on a shirt. Go to mass.

I got time to go to mass. I'll go to 11 o'clock mass.

Let me drive you over, will you, Ma?

Thomas, leave me alone.

All right, get dressed because we're gonna drive my mother over.

Why couldn't you get along with her, make an effort?

She's hard to get along with. All I asked you was to try!

Tommy... I don't wanna hear any more about it!

Hello, Aunt Theresa.

Hello, Tommy. How you feel?

Ah, my mother... drives me crazy. I had to beg her to let me drive her over here.

Oh. She's always gotta be the big martyr.

Please, go to mass, huh?

This one, he wake up this morning with salt in his nose. Do this! Do that!

Please leave me alone, huh?

Hello, Thomas. Hiya.

Hello, Aunt Catherine. You gonna go to mass with us?

I was to mass two hours ago. Oh, good.

Make yourself at home. The refrigerator's loaded.

You go upstairs, take any room you want, OK?

Thomas!

You want a cup of coffee? Ah.

Oh, hi, Virginia. Oh, you brought him over, huh?

Let me hold him for a minute.

Hey, Petey boy. Yeah. You're sure gettin' fat. You know that?

Yeah. You're bigger than a leg o' lamb now.

So, Tom, like I was tellin' you when you was over here, my boss wants to sell his shop, because he wants to move out to California.

What are you so sore about? Shut up. Will you do me a favour?

So, Tommy, he does about $12-1300 gross. The rent's $102.

The problem is the supermarkets. That's what I wanna ask you.

If I get together with other merchants...

What about the time she wanted to make dinner, but you wouldn't let her?

Once a month she can't use the kitchen. She could use it any time.

You had to be the boss. She wouldn't use my pots and pans.

Pots and pans, my foot! You want me to buy new pots and pans?

Tommy... Tommy... Look, just give me a coupla minutes.

I told Mr Otari I'd let him know tomorrow. You and Virginia can fight any time.

Listen, I wanna know about individualised mark-ups.

Say I'm the butcher and Aldo Capelli is the dairyman and the grocer, but he works on a...

Do you know what you're talkin' about? No, I don't. That's why I'm askin' you!

Why d'you wanna buy a shop?

You got a good job, no wife, no responsibilities. Boy, I wish I was you.

What do you wanna buy a shop for? Take the baby, will ya?

If he wants $5,000 down, you'll have to carry a mortgage: $60, $70 a month.

You're single with no responsibilities. Stay that way. Take my advice.

Why are you yellin'? He's askin' advice.

Yeah, Tom, but Patsy's shop is a specialised trade.

Supermarkets don't carry Italian meat. Who buys Italian? Think my wife does?

She goes to the A&P, gets a lamb chop wrapped in Cellophane, and that's dinner!

All right. I know the problem of the supermarkets, but I was talkin' to this girl last night...

Look, Marty, will you see my mother is nice and comfortable?

Oh, sure. But this girl... What girl? What does she know?

Marty, take care of my mother, will ya?

Hey, Ma, get ready, cos I'll be down in a minute.

Hey, Caterina. Huh?

Last night when I come home from your house, Marty was here with a girl.

Who? Marty.

Your son Marty?

Well, which Marty you think would be here in this house with a girl?

Were the lights on? Oh, sure.

This girl is a college graduate.

They're the worst. College girls are one step from the street, I tell you.

My son Joseph's wife, you know, she type on a typewriter.

One step from the street.

This is the first time Marty brang home a girl.

She look like a nice girl. You know, I think Marty has a feeling for this girl.

You heard him sing? Sing like that all morning.

Well, that's all. You'll see.

Today, tomorrow, in a week, he's gonna say to you

"Hey, Ma, I'm tired of running around. It's no good to be a single man."

Then he's gonna say to you "Hey, Ma. Why we need this old house?"

"Why don't we sell this old house and move in a nicer part of town?"

"Nice little apartment."

I don't sell this house, I tell you that.

This is my husband's house. I had six children in this house.

You'll see.

In a couple of months you gonna be an old lady sleeping on a couch in your daughter-in-law's house. Ah, Caterina!

Where you go, rain go!

Someday you gonna smile, we gonna have a big holiday.

Hey, Ma. What do you say, Ma? It's gettin' a little late, huh?

Sure.

Boy, this place is really comin' to pieces. Ma, I think we oughta sell this place.

The whole joint's goin' to pieces.

Plumbing's rusty, everything. Now I'm gonna have to replaster this whole place.

You know what we oughta do, Ma?

Get one of those new apartments they're buildin' on Southern Boulevard.

A nicer part of town, you know?

You all set, Ma? I'm set.

Goodbye, Aunt Catherine. Goodbye.

We got a couple of minutes yet.

Hi, Marty. Hi.

Ma, fix your coat.

Hey, Marty, we're gonna sit in the back on account of the baby. See you afterwards.

That was a nice-looking girl last night, huh?

She wasn't a very good-looking girl, but she look like a nice girl.

I said she wasn't a very good-looking girl, not pretty.

I heard you, Ma.

She look a little bit old for you. About 35, 40 years old.

She's 29, Ma.

She's more than 29 years old. That's what she tells you.

Buongiorno. Che bella giornata. La messa comincia fra poco.

She looked 35, 40 years old.

She don't look like Italian girl.

I say, is she Italian girl? I don't know. I don't think so, Ma.

She don't look like Italian to me.

What family she comes from?

I don't know. Something about her I... I don't like.

It's funny. The first time you meet the girl, she comes to your empty house alone.

These college girls, they all one step from the street.

What are you talkin' about? She's a nice girl.

She don't look Italian to me.

I don't like her. You only met her for two minutes.

Don't bring her home no more. What didn't you like about her?

I don't know. She don't look like Italian to me. Plenty nice Italian girls around.

Let's not fight about it.

Why are you gettin' so worked up? I only met her last night.

Probably not gonna see her again anyhow.

Come on.

Hello, Lou. Hiya, Marty.

Hi, Ralph. Hiya, Marty.

Lou, let me have a Coke, will ya?

Marty, I hear you really got stuck with a dog last night.

Who told you that? Angie. Said she was scrawny-looking.

She wasn't so bad.

Was Angie here already? He was here last night till about two.

Oh.

Hey, Ralph, how'd you make out with those nurses last night?

Oh, Marty. Man, didn't I tell ya?

You know that one that was for you, the one in the back?

We went over to Leo's house, you know? So she got loaded drunk.

You should have seen what she was doin'.

Even the people downstairs started bangin' on the walls.

So in the middle of the whole thing the landlord comes in.

These crazy girls are runnin' around drunk.

So we gotta get rid of her because of the landlord.

So Leo's talkin' to the landlord while we're tryin' to get this crazy girl out the window.

This crazy girl, she even left her shoes up there!

So how'd you make out?

I had a nice time. Yeah?

Uh, she's a nice girl. Oh, I didn't try anything.

I just met her last night, you know. She's a nice girl. We just talked.

Uh... uh... We just talked.

Listen, Ralph, if you see Angie, tell him I went home. I'll see him after lunch, huh?

I wanna talk to you. I don't wanna talk right now.

So the whole book winds up... Marty. Hey, Marty.

So the whole book winds up, Mike Hammer - he's in the room with this doll.

So he says "You rat, you're the m*rder*r."

So she begins to con him. She tells him how she loves him.

Then bam! He sh**t her right in the stomach.

So she's layin' there, gaspin' for breath, and she says "How could you do that?"

He says "It was easy."

Boy, that Mickey Spillane, boy, he could write.

I read everything he ever wrote.

Come on! We got a whole pot. We give you a plate of your own.

I couldn't eat nothin'. My mother just fed me.

What I like about Mickey Spillane is he knows how to handle women.

In one book he picks up this tomato. She was hit by a car and throws a pass at him.

Then he meets two beautiful twins, and they throw a pass at him.

Then he meets a beautiful society dame, and she throws a pass at him.

That Mickey Spillane, he could really write.

Anybody wanna go down Van Courtland Park, watch the ball games?

It's only a little bit after two o'clock.

Where you goin'? To call up that girl from last night.

Thought I'd take her to a movie. You kiddin'?

Now, listen, Angie, you were very impolite last night.

I introduced you to that girl, you just walked off.

Why'd you do that? It got me mad, that's why.

Hey, Jerry, show Marty that picture, you know.

Put it away! My mother's out on the porch.

I wonder where they find those girls. They're Hollywood starlets.

Put it away. My mother'll walk in.

Hey, Marty, let's go down 72nd Street area tonight.

I don't feel like goin', Angie. I thought I'd take this girl to a movie.

Boy, you must have made out good last night.

We just talked. Boy, she must be some talker.

She must have been about 50 years old.

The way I figure, a guy oughta marry a girl 20 years younger than he is, so that when he's 40 she's still a real pretty doll of 21.

That means he'd have to marry the girl when she was one year old.

You're right. I never thought of that!

She wasn't so bad-lookin'. She must have kept you in the shadows.

You don't wanna hang around with dogs. It gives you a bad reputation.

Let's go down to 72nd Street.

I told this dog I'd call her up today, about 2.30.

Brush her!

You wanna come with me tonight or go with that dog?

Why you gettin' so sore? Cos I looked all over for you last night!

Another book that I read by Mickey Spillane, I can't remember the name of it, but he finds this red-headed doll on the streets and he gives her some dough because he feels sorry for her.

Wait a minute. I think that's the same book I was tellin' you about before.

You didn't like her at all? A nothin'. A real nothin'.

You know somethin'. This Mickey Spillane.

Boy, he sure can write.

So, what are you gonna do tonight, Marty?

I don't know, Ma. I'm all knocked out.

I may just hang around the house and...

Maybe I'll go down and see what Angie and the boys are doin'.

I'll see ya later, Ma.

We had... I don't wanna talk like that fella.

We had the extreme privilege... of having Jackie Gleason make his TV debut on our show.

So tonight on our anniversary show...

I'm doing it, huh?

Oh, now, leave me alone, will ya?

You know, he scares the life out of me.

What time is it? It's about eight o'clock.

You don't feel like goin' to 72nd Street?

It�ll take an hour and an hour back. The whole evening's gone.

What's playin' on Fordham Road? There's a good picture in the Loew's Paradise.

Feel like workin' up a game of cards?

Come on, let's go down to 72nd Street. We'll wind up with somethin'.

I'll never forgive La Guardia for cuttin' out burlesque outta New York City.

There's a burlesque in Union City. Let's go to Union City.

You don't even wanna ride a half-hour on the subway, now you wanna go all the way down to Union City.

I feel like playin' cards. I saw Richie Rizzo. That's what he said he felt like doin'.

I don't feel like playin' cards. What do you feel like doin', Angie?

I don't know. What do you feel like doin'?

I don't know. George, what are you doin' tonight?

"What are you doin' tonight?" "I don't know. What are you doin'?"

The burlesque! Loew's Paradise!

Miserable and lonely. Miserable and lonely and stupid.

What am I, crazy or somethin'? I got somethin' good here.

What am I hangin' around with you guys for?

Wait a minute, will you? What's the matter with you?

You don't like her. My mother don't like her. She's a dog, and I'm a fat, ugly man.

Well, all I know is I had a good time last night. I'm gonna have a good time tonight.

If we have enough good times together, I'm gonna beg that girl to marry me.

If we make a party on New Year's, I got a date for that party.

You don't like her, that's too bad!

Hey, Ange, when are you gonna get married?

You oughta be ashamed of yourself.

You're 33 years old. All your kid brothers are married.

You oughta be ashamed of yourself.

Hello?

Excuse me, Ange.

Hello, Clara?

What happened? What happened? Hey, Marty! Hey, Marty!

Hey, Marty, what happened with you?

Saturday we had a party, a party.

Frankie and Lou, everybody but you.

Where was you Thursday? Hey, Marty! Hey, Marty!

Hey, Marty, for our bowling game?

It seems like a year since we chug-a-lugged the beer.

Hey, Marty, you must have a dame, a dame.

Hey, Marty, you must have a dame.

Must have a dame!