[narrating]
Before I ever ran a casino or got myself blown up, Ace Rothstein was a hell of a handicapper, I can tell you that. I was so good that when I bet, I can change the odds for every bookmaker in the country. I'm serious. I had it down so cold that I was given paradise on earth. I was given one of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas to run: the Tangiers, by the only kind of guys that can get you that kind of money. Sixty-two million seven hundred thousand dollars. I don't know all the details.
[narrating]
Matter of fact, nobody knew all the details. But it should have been perfect. I mean he had me, Nicky Santoro, his best friend, watching his ass. And he had Ginger, the woman he loved, on his arm. But in the end, we **** it all up. It should have been so sweet, too. But it turned out to be the last time that street guys like us were ever given anything that ****in' valuable again.
What are you doing? He's a square guy, for Christ's sakes. You can't treat him like that. He's gonna run to the FBI.
**** the FBI! That prick's been dodging me for three weeks. And what is it with you? All of a sudden, you're trying to tell me what to do all the time.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do. But you were way out of line, Nick. What're you doing? Where's your head?
Where's my head? Where's your **** balls? Huh? You know I'm trying to put something really big together out here. You know what I'm talking about, huh? You know! If you're acting like this now, how can I depend on you? There's a lot of things going to change out here. And if you wanna be there with me, Sammy, you're going to have to go my **** way.
Listen, Nick, you got to understand my situation. I'm responsible for thousands of people. I got a hundred million a year going through the place. It's all over, I'm going to tell you, it's all over, if I don't get that license. And believe me, if it goes bad for me, it's gonna go bad for a lot of people, you understand?
Yeah, forget about your **** license. I plant my own flag out here, you ain't gonna need a **** license. [pause] You know, I don't know what it is, Sammy, but the more I talk to you, the more I feel like you just don't want to go along with me, is that it? You should say so.
No, I don't want to come along with you. I'll be honest with you.
Just say so- All right, fine.
I don't want to be involved in anything you're talking about, okay? I just want to run a square joint. That's it. I just want my license. I want everything nice and quiet. That's it.
You mean, quiet like this? [holds up a magazine] "I'm the boss." That's quiet?
That's all taken out of context. I have no control over that. Ronnie and Billy were right there. They'll tell you exactly what happened.
Well, back home they don't know about **** control. That looks bad.
Looks bad? I'm going to tell you what looks bad. Every time you're on television, I get mentioned. That looks bad. That looks bad!
What the **** happened to you? Will you tell me?
What happened to me? What happened to you? You lost your control.
I lost control? Look at you! You're **** walking around like John Barrymore! A **** pink robe and a **** cigarette holder? I lost control? You know, I didn't want to bring this up, but you have treating a lot of people with a lot of disrespect. Even your own wife.
Now, what does she have to do with all this?
Well, she comes to see me. She was upset about a lot of things, especially that whole ****in' Diamond - that Lester Diamond incident.
All of a sudden, you're the shoulder to cry on? Did you at least tell her about your little role in that whole situation?
No, I didn't. What good would that do? That's not the **** point. The point is that she's upset. She's - and you got a **** problem.
Listen, I would appreciate it if you'd stay out of my personal life, okay? You wouldn't like it if I did it to you.
Where the **** do you get off talking to people about me behind my back, going over my head?
What people, d'ja think I wasn't gonna find out?
I don't even know what you're talking about Nick...
No? You said I'm bringing heat on YOU? I gotta listen to people because of your ****in shit? You're orderin me out? You better get your own ****in army pal!
I didn't do anything, I mean, I didn't order you or anybody. I only told Andy Stone that you had a lot of heat on you and that was a problem.
You want me to get out of my own ****in town?
Yeah I said l-let the bullshit blow over for a while, so I can run the casino. Anything goes wrong with the casino it's my ass, it's not yours, it's my ass!
Oh I don't know whether you know this or not, but you only have your ****in casino because I made that possible. I'm what counts out here, not your ****in country clubs or your ****in TV shows! And what the **** are you doing on TV anyhow? You know I get calls from back home every ****in day, they think you went bat shit!
I'm only on TV because I got to be able to hang around the casino. You understand that, you know that, come on.
Your ****in ass! You coulda had the food and beverage job without going on television. You wanted to go on TV.
Yeah I did want to go on TV. That way I have a forum, I can fight back. I'm known. People see me. They know they can't **** around with me like they could if I was an unknown, that's right, yeah!
You're making a big ****in spectacle of yourself!
Me? I wouldn't even be in this situation if it wasn't for you. You brought down so much ****in heat on me, I mean every time I meet somebody the big question is "do I know you?"
Oh sure now you wanna bring your ****in license on me, is that it?
No, Nicky, when you asked me if you could come out here, what did I tell you? I mean you asked me and I know you were gonna come out no matter what I said, but what did I tell you? Do you remember what I told you? Do you remember what I told you?
Back- Back up, back up a ****in' minute here. One minute. I asked you? When the **** did I ever ask you if I could come out here? Get this through your head, you...
Get this through your head you Jew mother****er, you. You only exist out here because of me. That's the only reason. Without me, you, personally, every ****in' wise guy skell around'll take a piece of your ****in' Jew ass. Then where you gonna go? You're ****in' warned. Don't ever go over my ****in' head again. You mother****er, you.
Frank Marino [Narrating, when asked by Remo if Nicky's having an affair with Ginger]
What could I say? I knew if I gave the wrong answer — I mean, Nicky, Ginger, Ace — all of 'em could wind up getting killed. Because there's one thing about these old-timers: they don't like any **** around with the other guys' wives. It's bad for business. So I lied. Even though I knew that by lying to Gaggi, I could wind up getting killed too.
H Headline
ROTHSTEIN OUT OF GAMING
Remo Gaggi What is he going to do now?
Andy Stone{sighing}: I don't know.
Remo What in the world was he thinking, ranting and raving on like that? He knows all those guys he yelled at are friends of ours.
Andy Maybe he could run things with a different job title. Would not be the best, but hey, what can we do?
Remo So long as he is quiet; let him hide out in his office, call himself a janitor, I do not give a shit! But...whatever job he takes, make sure it is something quiet!
Strauss' instrumental from a famous film plays as scene cuts to Tangiers
T Trudy
Ladies and gentlemen, the Tangiers Casino proudly presents the all-new Sam Rothstein show, Aces High!
[voiceover]
Ace saw Vegas one way.
[Nicky and Frank Marino arrive at a bookies and exit their car]
You call this guy and tell him I'm comin'?
Frank Of course.
[Nicky and Frank make their way into the bookies] [voiceover]
But I saw it another. I saw it as untouched. I mean, they had bookies, pimps and drug dealers I could shake down. Who the **** were they gonna run to? So, I started getting everybody in line. Best of all, for the first time in my life, I figured out a way not to lose.
[voiceover]
Yeah, he had a foolproof scheme, all right. It wasn't very scientific, but it worked. When he won, he collected. When he lost, he told the bookies to go **** themselves. What were they gonna do, muscle Nicky? Nicky was the muscle.
[Nicky and Frank approach Tony, a bookie, and Nicky grabs him by the back of his neck]
Tony.
T Tony
[surprised]
Nicky!
All right, yeah. You got that thing for me?
T Tony
What thing? Oh, Nicky, I thought you was layin'.
I was layin'? No, no, I'm takin' it. I was takin' it.
T Tony
Well, I'm a little confused here.
You're a little confused?
[Nicky forcibly turns Tony by the back of his neck, towards a betting window]
Maybe if I stick your ****in' face through this window over here, like, you know, you'll-you'll get unconfused. Give me the ****in' money!
T Tony
[Nicky releases Tony, who turns back to him and takes a sizable wad of cash out of his pocket, and gives it to Nicky]
I'm sorry, Nicky. I didn't mean anything by it.
Yeah, I know. That's why you had it ready. You thought I was ****in' layin' it?
T Tony
[Nicky smacks Tony on the head with the wad of cash]
Ah! My ****in' head!
Your ****in' head, huh? Don't **** around, Tony.
Frank [Nicky turns to depart, with Frank following him] [pointing at Tony]
Smarten up.
[voiceover]
Now for the best, and I couldn't believe this shit. Piscano's expense reports took the cake.
FA FBI Agent 1
[looking through Piscano's expense reports and books]
Oh, this is good. Bingo.
[voiceover]
He might as well have given them a ****in' blueprint. Everybody's names, addresses, dates, everything.
FA FBI Agent 1
Look at this! Thank you so much, Mr. Piscano. How considerate of you. We appreciate it.
Artie Piscano [weakly]
Those are my — those are my mother's books.
FA FBI Agent 2
[begins handcuffing Piscano]
You're under arrest.
[as he is handcuffed, Piscano has a heart attack and collapses on the floor] [voiceover]
What a ****in' balloonhead.
[voiceover]
When the bosses were arrested, some of 'em were so old that they needed doctors at their arraignment. But when it looked like they could get twenty-five years to life just for skimming a casino, sick or no ****in' sick, you knew people were gonna get clipped. So, the day of the arraignment, they had this meeting right in the back of the courthouse. See, when something like this happens, you know how things are gonna work out; It's always better with no witnesses. So what about Andy?
Vinny Forlano He won't talk. Stone's a good kid, stand-up guy just like his own man. That's the way I see it.
Vincent Borelli I agree. He's solid. He's a ****in' Marine.
AC Americo Capello
He's okay. He always was. Remo, what do you think?
Remo Gaggi [pause]
Look...why take a chance? At least, that's the way I feel about it.
I told you this was **** dangerous. Remember I said, "Ginger, this is a dangerous situation, be very careful," you **** yes me to death.
Ginger If it's so **** dangerous, then why don't you kill him?
I'm not gonna kill him. Shut the **** up, you don't know what you're talking about.
Ginger Well then, have him killed, and get it over with.
Hey, don't be such a **** smart-ass, will ya?! And I known the **** guy 35 years! I'm just gonna **** whack him for you?
PN Paige Novodor
Good evening, everyone. I'm Paige Novodor. What should've been a routine licensing hearing turned into bedlam yesterday when the flamboyant Tangiers Casino executive, Sam "Ace" Rothstein, accused the state's top gaming officials of corruption and hypocrisy. In a wild and unprecedented outburst that followed his gaming license denial, Rothstein followed several stunned commissioners into the hallway, where he continued his harangue until his own lawyers and friends urged him to leave.
[on tape]
I have a past, you have a past, and my past is no worse than yours. But you think you have the right to pass judgment!
PN Paige Novodor
Long suspected of running the Tangiers without a gaming license, yesterday's hearing was to determine whether someone with Rothstein's checkered personal history was qualified to officially hold a top gaming post.
[A man dressed like a cowboy is playing blackjack, his boots off and his feet up on the table] [to Billy]
I don't give a shit who he's connected to. Tell him to take his **** feet off the table. What does he think this is, a goddamn sawdust joint?
Billy Sherbert [to cowboy]
Sir, would you mind taking your feet off the table and put your shoes on, please?
C Cowboy
Yeah, I would mind. I'm having a bad night.
Billy [to Ace]
**** asshole won't budge.
Call security. [to cowboy] How are you?
C Cowboy
Good. How are you?
Good. Want to do me a favor? You want to take your feet off the table and put your shoes back on?
[to security officers]
I want you to exit this guy off the premises, and I want you to exit him off his feet and use his head to open the **** door.
SO Security Officer #1
[to cowboy]
Sir, you're gonna have to leave. You mind coming with us outside?
C Cowboy
Bullshit. I ain't going anywhere.
SO Security Officer #1
[ejecting him as instructed]
Bullshit, you're outta here!
C Cowboy
**** you! **** you! You know who you're **** with, huh? Do ya? [to Ace] You **** ****! You know who you're **** with? Leave me alone!
[narrating]
Sure enough, an hour later, I get the call.
[to Ace on the phone]
Ace, what happened over there? I mean, did you know that guy you threw out was with me?
No, I didn't know that, but you know what he did?
He insulted Billy, then I walk over to him politely, and he tells me to go **** myself.
Then he called me a ****, so what do you think I did? I threw that **** out.
Wha-? Ho-hold- [to cowboy] Hey, come here. You called my friend a ****? You told him to go **** himself?
Is that what you did, tell him to go **** himself? [beating him down with the handset] You **** hick! You **** hick, you! Come here. Come here! [to Marino] Get him up. [to cowboy] Come here. You go over there right now and you apologize. You better hope he lets you back in. If you ever get out of line there again, I'll smash your **** head so hard, you won't be able get that cowboy hat on! You hear me? **** hick. [to Ace] Sammy, listen. This guy obviously doesn't know who he was talking to. You understand? He doesn't know that, uh, we're dear friends. I mean, he's already very sorry but, uh, if you could do me a favor: let him back in, I swear to you, he'll never get out of line again. I promise you that.
If he does it again, he's out for good. I don't care what it is, Nick. I'll never let him in the place again.
I'm sorry about this, really. All right, Ace? Thanks, pal. [Hangs up and turns to the cowboy] You took your boots off? You put your feet on the table? You shit-kicking, stinky-horse-manure-smelling mother****er, you! You **** me up over there, I'll stick you in a hole in the **** desert. You understand? [slapping him] Go over there and apologize! Get the **** out!
[Ace meets with Andy Stone late at night, after Ace is denied a license to operate the casino and the bosses back home grow angry about his TV show and continued attacks on the Nevada gaming board]
First of all, what they did was totally unconstitutional. We're on the list to be heard before the Supreme Court of the United States--
Andy Stone [interrupting]
These guys don't give a **** about the Supreme Court! They want you to walk away.
Walk away? Andy, you can't be serious. How can I walk away? Don't you see what's at stake?
Andy The old man said "maybe your friend should give in". When the old man says "maybe," that's like a papal bull. Not only should you quit, you should run.
