Voila! Finally, the The Grifters
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the starring John Cusack,
Annette Bening, and Anjelica Huston. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of The Grifters. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
Around the country, the bookies pay off winners at track odds.
It's dangerous when a longshot comes in,
unless you have someone at
the tracks to lower those odds.
Bet you can't do that with
a quarter.
Are you kidding? Sure I can.
I'll give you a dime for every quarter
you can lay down. -It's a bet
Hey. You got any quarters?
-Sir?
How're you doing?
Can I get a Miller please? -You got it.
Outta 20. 3, 4, 5,
5 is 10, 10 is 20. Thanks. Next.
OK, ace, they're on a row.
Yep, you're right.
That's a dollar I owe you.
Hey? -That was the deal.
A dime for every quarter.
5000 on the 3 horse to win,
please.
Thank you.
2000 on the three horse to win.
Mrs. Langtry, I'm sorry.
-Why? What's wrong?
You are a valued customer, as
you know. But what's wrong?
I can't understand this. It's
something you almost never see.
This is some of the finest filegree
platinum I've ever seen.
But the stones... no. They're not
diamonds, Mrs. Langtry.
But they must be! They cut glass!
-Glass will cut glass, Mrs. Langtry.
Almost anything will.
Come with me.
Let me show you a positive test
for diamonds.
Take this.
Do you see, how the water splashes
over him? How it slides off in a sheet?
With real diamonds, it won't do that.
It clings to the surface in tiny
droplets.
I see it.
I hope you're not too badly
disappointed with us, Mrs. Langtry.
It's not your fault. -You'll give us
an opportunity to serve you again.
I hope. If there's anything you think
we might be interested in...
Well, I have only one thing now.
Are you interested?
Well, I would have to see it,
of course.
You are seeing it.
You're looking right at it.
Mrs. Langtry,
something like this very rarely
happens.
A fine setting in workmanship
usually means precious stones.
It always hurts me when I find
them not.
I always hope I'm mistaken.
Can I get a Miller, please?
One too many, mister? -What?
-Step away from the car.
May I see your driver's license?
You seem pretty sick, Mr. Dillon.
No, it's a bad shrimp, I think. Didn't
quite taste right when I was eating it.
I'm getting over it, though.
-Must I take you to the doctor?
No, I'm fine now, thanks.
I still got a lotta clients to see.
Take it easy now. - I will, thank you.
Have a good day now.
Hi, Lilly. -Hi. I'm done here.
Do I come back to Baltimore?
No. Bobo wants you to go on
to La Jolla.
La Jolla? I never go to California.
It's a thousand miles from here.
Come on, Lilly. You don't argue with
Bobo. He needs someone to
handle playback there.
-Maybe I'll swing out to Los Angeles
on the way. - Take two or three
days. Call when you get there.
Put it this way. Say I rent it to a
woman. Of course, she has to have
a room with a bath because otherwise
she's got the hall bath tied up all the time
washing their goddam hair and her clothes
I had my first hotel years in
Witchita Falls, Texas
and that's when I learned
about women.
They don't make the money, see, for
a place like this. Not regularly.
There's only way they can get it: by
selling'theirself', tapping them cute
little piggy banks they all got.
Mr. Dillon. Mr. Simms.
Here's a potential neighboor
of yours.
Mrs. Langtry may drop by.
-I'll send her right up.
That's the fine type of person I have in
mind for here, like yourself, I'm sure.
Don't you wanna see me?
Of course, I do. Come down.
No, honey, I can't go there.
- What do you have in mind?
Come on, you could be here
in min.
Oh, I don't know, Roy. I gotta get
thru all this traffic downtown.
In a minute.
Smack.
Heads.
What do you want, kid?
Show me how ya did that other one.
-Scram. Go home. -I can't.
I've just left home.
-Too young. Ya oughta be in school.
I am in school.
of spades.
Where's the ?
-In your other hand.
Good. You learned something.
Goodbye.
I wanna learn everything.
Wanna be a grifter?
-Grifter? Yes.
Not partners. That's your first lesson. Cut
your score in half, right down the middle.
Worse than that, you take a partner, you
put an apple on your head, and hand
the other guy a shotgun.
Grifters, ah?
You're one, allright. Grifters
got an irresistible urge to be
the guy who's wise.
There's nothing to whipping a fool.
Hell, fools were made to be whipped.
But to take another pro, even your
partner, who knows you
and has his eyes on you,
that's a score.
No matter what happens.
You wanna learn a few tricks? I'll
teach you a few tricks.
But you hand does not get into my
pocket. -It's a deal.
Roy.
All right, forget the long con.
If the fool tips, you're caught.
You'll do time. Never do time.
Don't go dressing like that. -Ah?!
- Showing off. Showing off!
Any blind man can spot you.
Give me dollars.
Come around tomorrow,
I'll take you again.
Well, that's fine.
Two months we know each other,
You're already so bored, you fall
asleep before I get here.
When you're not here, all I can do
is dream about you, Myra.
You stink. I hate you.
The twins seem to be very restless.
Maybe we oughta put them to bed?
You know what I'm gonna do?
I'm gonna smother you.
Death, where is thy sting?
You smell good, Myra.
Like a bitch in a hothouse.
Darling! What a beautiful thing
to say!
Maybe you don't smell so good.
-I do, too. You just said so.
It could be your clothes.
It's me.
Do I have to prove it?
- Naturally.
What?
Sims here, Mr. Dillon.
Sure, Mr. Sims. What can I
do for you?
A visitor, Mr. Dillon.
A very attractive young lady.
She says she's your mother.
Send her up.
Come on in, Lilly.
Hi, Lilly.
Roy.
Long time no see you.
Eight years.
I'm just making some coffee. You
want some? Just instant.
It'd be nice.
Here we are. Come on,
sit down, Lilly.
So, what are we up to these days?
Still handling playback money at
the track.
I'll be going back to Baltimore as soon
as the races at La Jolla are finished.
So you're working for that same
bookmaker? -Yes.
An easy life?
Usually.
Got a great view, Roy.
I guess you've been getting my
Christmas cards.
You always did have a sense
of humor. -Glad to see ya, Lilly.
I'd have been hurt if you hadn't
drop by.
I'm glad to see you too, Roy.
Though I'm not sure what
you're up to.
Up to? I'm not up to anything, Lilly.
-Come on, Roy, you can't kid me.
You got so much more in the ball
than I ever did. Do you know
what it does to a person... - Lilly, I want
you to mind your own goddam business!
Roy, what is it?
It's no sweat.
God, you're ice cold. -Don't laugh at me.
-Laugh? I'm not laughing at you, honey.
Did somebody hurt you, Roy?
-Got hit in the stomach
a couple of days ago. -Let me see!
-Oh, no. -Let me see. -No.
Dr. Mittchel?\NIt's Lilly Dillon, doctor.
I work for Justus Amusement Company
out of Baltimore.
What?
Don't you brush me off, buster.
If I have to have Bobo Justus
call you...
Mrs. Dillon, I am sorry about our
little disagreement on the phone.
I'm really sorry. About
your son...
It's hard to believe this strapping
young man is your son.
Never mind that. Just take
care of him. - Yeah, but he's had...
He's had an internal hemorrage.
He's bleeding to death.
Well, make it stop.
His blood pressure is under .
I don't think he's gonna make it to the...
You know who I work for?
-There's just not much I can do.
My son's gonna be allright.
If not, I'll have you killed.
No, really?
You're Roy's mother?
That's impossible! -Not quite.
But, I'm not sure who you are, Mrs...
Langtry, was it?
I'm Roy's friend.
Yes, I imagine you're lots of
people's friend.
Oh, oh, of course. Now that I see
you in the light,
you're pretty old enough
to be Roy's mother.
Aren't we all? -Play nice.
Don't fight.
Darling!
-Roy!
You're gonna be allright.
What am I doing here?
You were bleeding inside, honey.
Remember that bruise you had?
You called the doctor, ha?
- Well, no Roy. Your mother did.
Thanks.
How long do they say till I can get outta
here? -Roy, your mom saved your life.
Yeah.
Second time I gave it to ya.
I was kind of,
inconvenient for Lilly. She was
only when I came along.
In fact, I used to be her kid
brother, well,
or so she'd say.
-Well, you're allright now, I guess.
It's a two-hour drive, I'm late,
I have to go down to the track.
Thanks, Lili. - Don't mention it.
-I guess I owe you my life.
You always did.
Down to the track?
La Jolla. A job.
I wanna know everything about you.
Damn it!
Number "Troubador",
rank outsider,
stays unchanged at : .
: .
Now at the start,
"Blue bay", : .
"Celadon Star", the favorite,
moves in at : .
Now "Troubador" goes into the gate,
still running high odds at : .
An they're off! From the start
it's "Zreli poklon", "Troubador",
"Otis Blue", "Buck Meister",
"Uncle Louis".
Down the back stretch, "Celadon
Star" has the lead by two lengths,
with "Warmy hep" second. "Six Streams"
goes along in third. Now "Troubador"
now moving stoutly on the far outside.
-No, "Troubador".
running the far turn,
"Celadon Star" at front.
"Warmy Hep" second. "Blue bay" begins
to drop back a little bit as "Six streams"
moves up. Now "Troubador"
making a bold move on the outside.
They round the turn around into the home
stretch and it's "Celadon Star" in front.
On the outside, "Troubador" now coming
strong with "Warmy Hep" along the rail.
Those two running for the second
position but it's "Celadon Star" in front.
Now "Troubador" begins to pick up the
pace
"Celadon Star" holding the lead, "Troubador"
coming on it.
"Celadon Star" and "Troubador"
tracking on the outside
It's "Troubador" on the outside
coming behind to get the lead.
"Troubador" winning it by half a
length.
The results were as follows:
to this amazement sucess story
"Troubador", outsider, at :
meets first place, second place...
Roy, what happens when you get outtta here?
-Tick-a-tick parade, a key to the city,
sex with my baby,
the usual I guess.
And that's it?
-What else?
Well that's what I wanna know.
Is this all we have, Roy,
"sex with my baby"?
Not that I'm knocking it
but is that all?
-What're you driving at, Myra? Marriage?
I didn't say that. -But that's what I asked.
-I don't think so.
I'm a very practical little girl,
and I don't believe in giving
any more than I get. And that may be
pretty akward for a match-book
salesman or whatever you are.
-Everybody needs matches.
What do you sell anyway?
-Self-confidence.
God knows you have it
to spare.
I'll see you tomorrow.
No kiss?
Hello, Mrs. Langtry.
Time to rest.
Well, I'll leave you in Carol's
good hands.
You're looking much better today. -But
you're not. You're looking very bad.
You belong in bed, Mrs. Linn.
Here, I'll give you part of mine.
-But you must. I've seen girls with
this look before.
Bed is the only thing that will
cure them.
Bed without dinner might cure you.
-You'd better behave,
or I won't kiss you goodnight
and then you'll be sorry.
You'd better behave,
or I'll tell your mother.
Well, we wouldn't want that
now, would we?
Oh, hi, Myra.
I didn't recognize you.
No, I'm sure you didn't.
Myra's been here.
And what's your objection to Myra?
-Same as anybody's.
I stopped by your place, picked up
your mail.
Just bills. I'll take care of them.
I can take care of my own bills, Lilly.
Whatever you say.
The manager at your place
said your boss called.
Really pulled the wheel out of
everyone's eyes, ha?
What're you talking about? So I got
a job, so what? -Stop kidding me.
Four years in a town like Los Angeles,
a peanut selling job is the best you can do.
D'ya expect me to believe that?
- What's there?
The boss called.
You said do yourself.
That dump you live in, those
clown pictures on the walls...
I like them. -You do not. Roy Dillon,
corn-ball clown pictures, comission salesman
it's all a front.
You're working some angle.
Don't tell me you're not,'cause I wrote
the book.
You want to talk? You still want to run
playback money for the mob?
That's me. That's who I am. You were
never cut off for the rackets, Roy. -How come?
You aren't tough enough.
Not as tough as you, ha?
-How d'ya get tha punch in the stomach?
I tripped on a chair.
-Get off the grift, Roy!
Why?
You haven't got the stomach for it.
Oh, good, Carol. Come in.
Dr. Mitchel says you can get out of here Friday.
But that you should have someone to look in
on you, so I hired Carol.
You hired? - You'll pay me back, I'm sure.
-Lilly, I make my own decisions for a long
time now.
-Roy, you couldn't possibly object
to a pretty young lady coming to
visit you. -Carol!
Do you know why my mother
hired you?
Ha, yes. I'll come every afternoon
and make sure you feel...
She hired you for me to fuck.
To keep me away from bad
influences.
Isn't that right, Lilly?
It is not.
Mrs. Dillon, perhaps I...
- Go wait in the hall! Don't go away!
You didn't have to do that.
-I thought I did.
So you won't take a thing from me,
is that it? -Sex?
I'm not offering you sex, you little punk!
-That's not what I meant.
Lilly, you're just throwing that wall flower
on me'cause you don't like Myra.
Moire is nothing!
She's less than nothing.
Why does she bug you?
You jealous? -Of what?
You wanna lie down with dogs?
Then I'll pick the dog.
-Go ahead, Roy.
Thanks, mom.
That's right. I just give you your life.
What you do with it is up to you.
That's right.
Myra here. So you miss me.
Tell me how to reach you.
And I will.
Baby, I'm getting outta here today.
That's it.
Listen, let's go down to La Jolla this
afternoon. We'll hit the beach!
Have some fun, ha? Take some
time off.
Forget all this sorry stuff.
Myra!
Don't tell me. You're Addison
Sims of Seattle! And we had lunch
together in the fall of ?
-Myra, listen! Myra, damn it!
Listen! Myra!
Joe. How's your wiry zone? Are
hidden germs lurking in your nooks
and crannies?
Allright, this is your final warning.
You've got to settle your bill today.
Joe, don't I always pay my bills?
One way or another?
Well, this time it's just
one way.
Stop getting up nights, man.
You too could learn to dance.
All you need is a magic step.
Simple as one-two-three.
Here's your bill.
It's a lotta money, Joe.
You wouldn't have padded it?
You owe every damn cent
of that.
Maybe I could get the dough from
your wife, you suppose?
Maybe your kids would crack their
piggy banks?
You take one step towards my family...
-Don't wet your pants, for Christ's sake.
Come in, Joe!
The money!
There it is.
The automatic clutch, Joe.
It comes with a deluxe upholstery,
and the highspeed wiry zone...
Myra, please.
I've let you...
I've been very good to you.
I've let you stay here...
Can't be done, Joe.
All passangers must
pay as they enter.
No free passes or rebates.
That's a strict rule of the intercourse
commerce comission.
Oh, God!
Only one choice to a customer:
the lady, or the loot.
What's it gonna be?
The difference between a folded towel
and a clean towel is a trip to the laundry.
When you're cleaning those baths
what you do is, you pick up a towel,
and you give it a good shake and
a good look, and you say to yourself:
"Would I dry myself in one
of those towels"?
If the answer is "yes", you fold it.
-What if it's wet?
Mr. Dillon, wellcome back.
You're looking fine, just fine. -Thank you,
Mr. Sims. I'm feeling fine.
I'm glad you're better. -Sickness comes
to us all, Mr. Dillon. -That's true, Mr Sims.
We never know when, we never know why,
we never know how. The only blessed thing
we know is that it'll come in the most
time, just when you've got tickets
to the World Series. And that's the way
the permanent waves.
Well...
That fellow could be a congressman.
If it's wet, you don't fold it.
You shake it and hang it neatly
on the knob provided.
-Yes, sir.
What're you laughing at? -Nothing.
Oh, no, nevermind, Joe.
It's just that I was remembering,
at lunch, on the menu it said
"Today's special:"
Broiled hothouse tomato,
under a generous slice
of riped cheese.
Hi, Bobo.
Did I buy you that dress
you piece of shit?
Well, I guess so. You're the guy I work for.
-I'm the guy you work for, ha?
In that case I may just flush
you down the toilet.
Take me to my hotel.
Troubador!
How did you figure you were
gonna get away with that?
I'm not getting away with anything,
Bobo. -You're fucking right!
How much did your pals cut you in
for on that nag, or did they give you
the same kind of screwing you gave me?
I was down on that horse, Bobo. Maybe
not as much as I should've been.
There was a lotta action... -One question!
You wanna stick to that story or
you wanna keep your teeth?
I wanna keep my teeth.
-Allright.
I'll ask you another: you think I got
no contacts out here?
That nag paid off at almost
the opening price. There wasn't hardly
a flutter on the tote board from the time
the odds were posted.
There ain't enough action to tickle the
toteboard and you claim a ten-grand win.
You send me . dollars like
I'm a fucking marker
in rip off.
No, Bobo... -Are we talking
straight up? -My son.
Your what?
-My son was in the hospital.
What the fuck are you doing with a son?
-He left home a long time ago.
He's was in a hospital, up in Los
Angeles. He was real sick.
Motherhood.
I never fucked up before, Bobo.
You got any kind of long coat in the car,
something you could wear home
over your dress?
No.
I'll loan you a raincoat.
You guys take a walk.
You wanna go to the bathroom
and bring me a towel?
Ever hear about
the oranges, Lilly?
You mean the insurance
frammis?
Tell me about the oranges, Lilly,
while you put those in the towel.
You hit a person with the oranges
wrapped up in a towel,
they get big, ugly-looking bruises, but they
don't really get hurt, not if you do it right.
It's for working scams against
insurance companies.
And if you do it wrong?
It can mess up your insides.
You can get pe-pe-pe...
What?
Permanent damage.
-You never shit right again.
Bring me the towel.
Come on. Get up. Coat is on
the bed.
Oh, I won't forget. grand.
Yours. "Troubador"?
You want a drink? -Gee. I'd better
not, if that's OK?
Still got a drive up to Los Angeles.
-See your son, ha?
That's nice, Lilly. Side of you
I never knew.
He's a good kid. Salesman.
-On the square, ha?
How are you hanging out these days?
Stealing much? -From you?
My folks didn't raise no stupid kids.
You're not scheming a thing, Lilly?
Well, you know, I clip a buck here,
and a buck there. Not enough to notice.
That's right. Take a little, leave a little.
-A person who don't look out for himself
is too dumb to look out for anybody else.
He's a liability, right, Bo?
That's a % right, Lilly.
-Or else he's working an angle.
If he's not stealing a little,
he's stealing a lot.
You know it, Lilly!
You know what, I like that suit, Bobo.
I don't know what there is about it, but
somehow it makes you look taller.
-Yeah? -yeah.
You really think so? -Yeah.
-A lotta people've been telling me that.
Well, you can tell them from me
they're right.
Well, I'd best be going.
Roy will wonder where I am.
-Worries about his mother, does he?
You give him a hug from me.
-I will.
Thanks, Bobo.
So long, Bobo.
I don't see why we have to take
the train.
What if we wanna drive somewhere,
while we're there?
We will rent a car.
-Expender!
You ain't seen nothing yet.
-Why so many people?
The races at La Jolla.
Where your mother is?
You don't wanna see her, do you?
-No.
Hit the beach, eat well is good
enough for me.
I must stretch my legs, you wanna
come along?
No.
-Wanna drink?
No.
-See you in a minute.
A drink for you, a drink for Generson's
day grandmother. -Right.
But junior gets milk.
-Right, right.
A minute.
I'm sorry. -I spilled
all your drinks.
Sure you're ok? -Yeah. What were those?
Beers?
Four Millers.
Hey! Did one of you guys drop this?
-No.
I don't know. I wouldn't have taken a chance.
Another round, I'm buying.
-No, come on guy, you can't buy every round.
It's like our turn.
-Come on, we've got plenty of cash.
Tell you what.
We'll roll off one?
Low number buys.
-Very good. -You're on for it.
Let's go, Junior.
That's just four.
Gimme a chance to get one of you back.
-You got it.
Wanna go one more time?
I got four.
It's great to get away, isn't it?
To take some time off?
Next week, I'll be back to work.
-You already went back to work.
What? - I watched you. Working
the tatt on those sailor boys.
Working the what? -Oh, come on, Roy.
The tatt. What you do for a living.
I'm a salesman. -You're on the grift.
Same as me. - Myra, I'm not following this.
Roy, you're a short-con operator.
And a good one, I think.
Don't talk to me like
I'm another square.
You talk the lingo.
What's your pitch?
The long end. Big con.
-Nobody does that single out.
I was teamed years with the
best in the business.
Cool Langley.
-I've heard the name.
It was beautiful, and getting better
all the time. -Is that right?
It is, Roy, it's where you should be.
What are you bringing? a week?
We used money like that for tips.
- Wow!
And now, right now, it's the perfect time.
The best time
since I've been in the game.
All over the southwest you've got
these businessmen. They were
making money when everybody was
making money. They think that means
they're smart. And now they're hurting.
When the price of oil fell, so did they.
They've still got money,
but they need more money.
When the oil money was good, they put
up all these office buildings. Now they're
half empty. They'd give you anything to
move in: first two months free,
redecoration, whatever you want.
They help you set up the store.
I'm the roper. I go out and find them,
and bring them in.
Morning, gentlemen.
Gloster Hebing, may I present my
fine stock broker, Henry Fellows?
Gloster.
What we have here today,
Mary Beth, is strickly between...
Oh, I told Mr. Hebing all
about it. How brilliant you are
at making money for your
special clients.
Well, I certainly hope that you're not
spreading the news a little too widely.
Well, of course not! But I'd trust
Mr. Hebing with anything.
Wouldn't I, darling?
Well, I guess I'll just have to take
your word for that. Won't I?
Here's the money.
Goodie!
Please, let me help you.
Once they saw that money,
they were hooked.
And I made sure they saw it.
Ain't that just beautiful?
Then, all Cool had to do was
tell the story. -We are talking about
breaking the law here. I just wanna
make sure you understand that.
No one is gonna get hurt, but the law\
is gonna be broken. -Laws were made
to be broken. - Lose talk is the one thing I
worry about.
I can keep my mouth shut.
Gloster, come on over here
and sit down.
Tokyo exchange is hours behind us,
the NY exchange is hour ahead of us.
There is never one hour in which
both exchanges are open.
Information moves, but it has to wait.
Now, I have a fellow working for me.
D'ya know what a hacker is?
Yeah, sure. That's like a computer expert,
a genius. -Very good.
And what this boy has been able to do,
is tap into that main link
between Tokyo and NY
and when we really need it
he's been able to give us
a second delay
in the transfer of that information.
Do you know what that means?
Well, I can see that you get your
information ahead of NY.
Every once in a while
a major change happens.
And we have a second advantage
to put a buy order, a sell order,
into that computer in NY just before
that data from Tokyo comes pulling in
right behind it.
Not much time.
-No, we have to be ready, we have
to have the money, we have to know
what that information means
and we have to move like grease
lightning.
But boy, when it works,
it is beautiful!
Seven seconds, ah?
I don't see how you can do it.
-Machines!
Machines, Gloster!
I've got a whole room full of machines
machines back here.Y'wanna see it?
Henry, no. -I've got a whole suite full
of mainframe computers back here.
They are so beautiful!
-No, Henry.
Oh, you got a minute?
Come on, Gloster!
Listen to them hum.
Henry, don't try Mr. Hebbing's
patience! - You sure?
Well...
OK, then.
Cole liked to take risks, huh?
-He didn't think they were risks.
He was so good, Roy,
he could just play with the mark.
He was so crooked, he could
eat soup with a corkscrew.
And when he got serious?
- He'd explain he had to have cash,
so there wouldn't be any paper
trail for the SEC. And a lot of cash,
or it wasn't worth while.
The least we ever took
was US$ .
and the most was . $,
from one sucker!
I thought these people were broke.
No, no, Roy, just cash poor.
They had savings accounts,
stocks to sell,
houses to mortgage.
Sell their wife's jewelry.
Oh, they had a lot of money,
when they put their minds to it.
Or when I put their minds to it.
And a month later, the sucker calls
the cops and you're on the run.
No no! He never calls the cops,
not after we give him the blow-off.
FBI! Everybody hold
what you've got!
Back off!
It's right here!
You was it!
-No!
You and your goddam bigmouth!
-No!
Henry, no!
You don't move, backwards,
nobody move!
You stay there! Come with me!
-No!
Go, go, go!
They never came back.
We were rolling in dough,
lived wherever we wanted,
only pulled two or three
scams a year.
It was great!
Great! Great!
What happened to Cole?
He retired.
-Retired...
Where?
Upstate.
Upstate where?
Atascadero.
No, baby. Not again.
It's hollow. I can't move.
Cant' move. Can't move.
It's just the stress again.
We'll take a vacation.
Cole, you scare me
when this happens!
No, no! Turn around!
Cole, please! Please!
That's where they keep
the criminally insane, isn't it?
He retired, and that's it.
But I didn't.
I'm still the best long-con
roper you'll ever see.
-I bet you are, too.
Now you're trying to rope me.
-Join up with you!
A beautiful woman like you?
You shouldn't eat alone -Go away.
What d'ya wanna eat alone for?
-Can I have some more coffee?
Coming up!
-We can have coffee together.
My name's Kenny.
Your pal wants you.
Let'm find his own pretty woman.
This fellow bothering you, miss?
-Yes.
Why don'y you go back there
and just go sit down?
I'll sit here.
You all right?
-You didn't need to do that!
I thought I did. You should
take better care of yr friend.
Get outta here!
I'm sorry a lady can't eat in here
without been bothered!
Will never happen again, miss.
See you later.
-Why d'we have to have separate rooms?
Expect your father to come through?
-Separate bathrooms, darling.
I will not lay out all my
cosmetics for you to knock over.
Things a man isn't
supposed to know.
You don't mind, really, d'ya, Roy?
It's been such a wonderful evening,
I guess I just wore myself out.
Sure. I'm pretty tired myself.
Forget the longcon,'cause I'm
the one who's been conned.
Screw this noise!
Open your door!
What for?
Open it, and find out.
Gangway!
I hope you don't mind, sir.
I just washed my clothes,
and I couldn't do a thing\Nwith them.
If you could have seen the look on
yr face when I told you good night!
You looked so...
Roy! -Can I come in?
-Sure.
What'r'ya doing in La Jolla?
-Me and Myra came down yesterday,
we're leaving tonight.
If'ya come out to the track, don't
know me. -We won't hit the track.
What's that? - grand.
It's for the hospital, is it enough?
Roy, I don't want yr money.
-I pay my debts.
Oh, you do?
Yeah!
Expecting somebody?
No. That was the point.
Where did ya get that? -Accident.
Take the money back, I don't want it.
No.
I thought...
I was hoping we could play it
straight with one another.
I guess not. -I guess you won't
be getting a straight job, either?
Not this week. -Not ever!
-It's up to me.
I'm strictly short-con.
I've heard that one before.
-Yeah, but I'm in control.
Sure. You're only years old
already you can lay down
grand, without even
turning a hair!
Goes like anything else, Roy.
You don't stand still,
either go up or down, usually
down, sooner or later.
Well, that oughta be
a surprise, then.
You'll gonna head east
from here?
After the meet.
Back to Baltimore.
It was nice to see
you again.
You little prick!
OK? -I see him. Just wait. Hold it.
-That's the guy we followed.
Just wait!
Excuse, me? Can I borrow your
binoculars? Thanks!
Excuse me.
What did you do to yrself all
afternoon? - I went out to the track.
What were you doing at the track?
Did you run into my mother?
No, how could I?
I was in the clubhouse.
Lilly wouldn't be in the clubhouse,
would she? How did ya know that?
OK, I saw her. -But she didn't
see you, in other words?
I saw her out there, and I was curious.
You know she's always so nasty to me.
I know she was knocking me
to you every chance she has.
So, I called a friend of mine in
Baltimore, so now I know who she is.
You must have some very
knowledgeable friends.
I'm well connected, Roy. Cole
introduced me to a lotta people.
Very valuable.
Valuable for us.
Running your broker scam,
you mean.
What a team we'll make!
You won't regret this, Roy.
Regret what? I didn't say
I was coming aboard.
Why not? I thought it was settled!
-Nothing was ever settled.
It's yr mother talking against me!
-She's got nothing to do with it!
I make my own decisions!
-It's not what Lilly thinks...
Who cares what she thinks?
I don't care what she thinks.
Left home when I was with nothing
but stuff I bought and paid for myself.
Nothing from Lilly.
Darling, guess what?
I had to tell you right away.
I called a fellow I know in Tulsa,
the one who plays my chauffeur.
He says that there's a sucker there
that's made for us.
And a broker that just shut down,
we can use their office,
not change a thing!
I can scrape up grand if I try,
I got a couple of aces in the whole,
some markers I could call on
for something real.
That leaves or to yr end.
We can start this weekend,
get the sucker into position...
-Hold it!
You're talking some
pretty tall figures,
What makes you think I have got
that kind of money?
Now, you must have.
Now, you know you do, Roy.
Maybe I like it where I am.
Well, maybe I don't. I had good
years with Cole, and I want'em back.
I gotta have a partner.
I looked and looked
and believe me, brother
I kissed a lotta fucking frogs!
And you're my prince!
Don't I get any say in this?
-No.. -That's what I say!
What I say is no.
We don't do partners.
What is it?
What's going on? Why don't
you wanna team up?
The best reason I can think of
is that you scare the hell outta me.
I've seen women like you before,
baby. You're double tough,
you're sharp as a razor, and you
get what you want, or else...
But you don't make it work forever.
Sooner or later, the lightning hits.
And I'm not gonna be around
when it hits you.
By God!
It's your mother.
It's Lilly!
-What?
Sure it is. That's why you act
so funny around each other
What's that?
Don't act so goddam innocent!
You and your own mother?
You like to go back where you
been, huh? -Watch yr mouth!
I'm wise to you, I should've seen it
before, you rotten son of a bitch!
How is it, huh?
How do you like it...
Stop!
Stop!
That's not like me.
I don't do this.
That's why we wouldn't
work together.
Yr disgusting. Yr mind's so filthy
it's hard even to look at you.
Goodbye.
And you don't even know it.
Mama. It's Mama. She's the one.
You'll get yours, Mama. Oh, yes.
Yeah? -Lilly, it's Roy.
Lilly, I was wondering if...
I was wondering if we could just talk.
You know, like have a conversation.
Maybe we've both grown up.
Maybe we could just talk?
Sure, Roy.
You want me to drive up?
-No. -OK.
I'll come there tonight.
-Fine. Come on down.
There won't be a home cooked meal.
-That's good news.
Who's a boy gonna talk to,
if not his mother?
Lilly, listen, it's Irv.
You've always been decent to me,
I'm taking a hell of a chance here.
Somebody blew you out with Bobo.
The car full of money, he's....
Lilly? Lilly?
Bobo knows about all the money in
the car. The money you stole from him.
A black and gold Cadillac.
Hi! Wellcome to Phoenix.
I'd like a single room
for tonight.
Everything's the same size,
same price.
I'm a very light sleeper, traffic
noise keeps me wide awake all night.
Trucks. I know what you mean.
Do you have something around
back facing away from the road?
I'll put you in . Very quiet.
Faces the desert.
Sounds perfect. Can I park
my car back there?
Right in front of the room.
Something wrong?
Oh, sorry. I thought you were
the other lady.
No. I'm me.
I'll give you n. . Very nice room.
Very handy.
In the front, right by the pool.
Don't you have sth round back?
Where it's quieter?
Everybody wants
the back tonight!
I guess everybody
wants privicy.
Roy Dilon? Lt. Pearson,
Phoenix police. I have a car here.
There was a bunch of money
hidden in yr mother's car. -Yeah?
A lotta money! Would you know
anything about that? -No.
I realise this is a shock.
-Mostly, I don't believe it.
That's natural. -No, I mean, I don't
believe it.
I know my mother. Lilly is not a suicide.
Nothing would make her check out.
I'm sorry. It was her, all right.
It's her gun, even.
-Her gun?
There is one thing I have
to caution you.
Normally, we don't do a next to kin
ID, unless there's no other choice.
In this case, there's no fingerprints
on the file, the dental records
don't help, because of the
location of the wound...
She ate the gun!
I'm sorry. This is going
to be a shock.
Not many laughs in this room, eh?
-Not many.
Remove that, we want a full
identification.
Jesus!
-No question, ahn?
No.
That's it, then.
-Yeah.
That's that.
Mom.
The last modern thing I liked
was the miniskirt.
Your technology, now,
nobody understands it,
that's the simple fact
of the situation.
Evening, Miss...
Langtrey.
Hello, Lilly.
Roy, you scared me.
You going somewhere?
-Somewhere else, that's for sure.
I just came back from Phoenix.
-Oh, yeah? Is the frame holding?
Looks very solid, Lilly.
Take a minute, tell me about it.
-I've really got to go...
You're dead, Lilly, it worked.
-Yeah, but not for long.
Cops may buy it, but Bobo will
spend money to make sure.
Even so, relax a minute.
Sit down!
Just for a minute.
Put that down.
Myra followed you, huh?
-Yeah.
I guess She must have been the
one that blew me off with Bobo.
To get me running. Did you tell her
about my stash? -No.
It was she was after, though.
What happened at Phoenix?
Oh, Roy. It was terrible.
You read about people killing
people and all that,
But when it happens...
My God!
She was in her nightgown, you
know, the old grifter's dodge,
nightgown and the ice bucket and she
just got into the wrong room by mistake.
I sat in there with her,
I thought, what do I do now?
Run, I've got Bobo
and the law after me.
Stay, and how do I explain?
-This was perfect.
It is, isn't it? I've wanted
out of the rackets for years,
and now I'm out.
I can make a clean break and...
You've already made a break.
I don't know how clean it is.
-I'm sorry, Roy.
I hated to take your money, but --
You're not taking it.
Roy, I need this money. I can't run
withouth money, and if I can't, I'm dead.
You must have some money.
-Just a few bucks. -Myra's stuff?
Her credit cards. How far am I
gonna get with that?
Far enough. San Francisko, St Louis.
Some place new. Start over.
You're smart, good-looking, you
won't have any trouble finding a job.
A job? I've never had a legit job in my life!
-Well, you're gonna start if you wanna
live through this. You're gonna get a
square job, live a quiet life. You start
showing up at the track or the hot spots
and Bobo's boys will be all over you.
Roy, don't tell me what to do with myself,
it's a big world ou there. -Not anymore.
Lilly, listen to me, it's good advice.
I'm following it myself. -What?
You wanted me out of the rackets,
off the grift? I think I'm gonna get out.
Roy, that's fine,
but I don't have time for this.
Bobo's after my ass!
-I thought you'd be happy for me.
After all, you're the one who...
Bobo isn't after you! Bobo's after me!
And he's goddamn good, but so am I.
What makes you think I'm gonna let you
outta here with my money? -I'm a survivor.
I survive. And to survive, I need money.
No!
You want a drink?
No! You probably shouldn't
have one either.
No, but I'm goddam thirsty.
Ice water?
Sure, that sounds nice.
I'll get it.
Take whichever one you want.
You wouldn't do that.
You don't know what I'd do.
You have no idea.
To live.
-You'll live, Lilly.
I know what's bugging you, of course.
-Oh? I didn't know anything was.
I wasn't a very good mother
to you when you were a kid.
It was pretty lousy of me, I guess.
-To be a child at the same time you
were. -For God's sake, Lilly!
I gave you your life twice.
I'm asking you to give me
mine once.
I need the money, Roy.
No.
So, you're getting off the grift, ahn?
-I might. -That's good.
You don't really belong on this
side of the fence, you know.
I don't? -If you stayed a crook, do you
think you'd live to be my ripe age?
Well, I don't see why not.
I guess I got it wrong, then.
Seems to me I heard about a guy
just your age that got hit so hard
in the guts it almost killed him.
Well, uh... -That's different...
That doesn't count.
It doesn't really matter, does it?
If I'm getting out...
You're getting out? You're on the
level? You don't need the money.
So why the hell can't I take it?
Lilly, my money wouldn't last
forever. And then what?
You'd be stuck in some other part of
the rackets, with another Bobo Justus
to slap you around and burn
holes in your hand.
If you can't change your life now,
when you're still relatively young,
how could you do it when you're
say... crowning ?
This way you gotta go
the square route.
Send me a card when you got settled,
I could maybe help you out sometimes...
Roy... What if I told you
I wasn't really your mother?
That we weren't related?
What?
You'd like that, wouldn't you?
Sure you would.
You don't have to tell me.
Now, why would you like that, Roy?
What're talking about? Of course
you're my mother. Of course you are.
Roy... Roy...
-There's nothing more to talk about.
I want that money, Roy.
I need it.
What do I have to do to get it?
You mean, you won't give it
to me, Roy?
Will you? Won't you?
What can I do to get it?
Is there nothing I can do?
-Lilly, Jesus, what're you doing?
Nothing at all...?