CUT TO: INT. COPACABANA - NIGHT (1947)
[JOEY is at the bar with a DETROIT PROMOTER and JACKIE CURTIE.]
DETROIT PROMOTER: When we gonna get Jake back in Detroit? Jesus, he really did a job on Janiro. Who you after next, JOEY?
JOEY *evasive*: I dunno. We're working on it. He's training at the camp now.
JACKIE CURTIE: After what I seen, they gotta give him a shot at the title.
JOEY: We're gonna get our shot.
[The DETROIT PROMOTER introduces JOEY to JACKIE CURTIE.]
DETROIT PROMOTER: Oh Joey, this is Jackie Curtie. He handles a lot of business in South Ohio.
JACKIE CURTIE: I like your brother. Made a lot of money on him.
JOEY: Betcha more than he has.
JACKIE CURTIE: Made a little cabbage on the Tommy Bell fight too. Whatever happened to him?
JOEY: Ain't he dead?
DETROIT PROMOTER: Nah. He's got a job downtown. Runs an elevator in some building.
JOEY: Yeah?
DETROIT PROMOTER: Went down to see him the other day. I says, "Tommy, take me up to the fifth floor." And you know, he took me right up there.
JACKIE CURTIE: Yeah, Tommy always was a stand-up guy.
[SALVY and PATSY arrive with VERA, SANDY (two neighborhood girls), and VICKIE. They go to a nearby table.]
[The bar area: JOEY sees this.]
DETROIT PROMOTER: Joey, let me get you another drink.
JOEY (distracted): Just a minute. Excuse me. I'll be right back.
[The table area: JOEY arrives at SALVY's table. VICKIE is nervous. There is a cold exchange of "hellos."]
JOEY: *to Vickie* C'mere, let me talk to you for a minute.
[There is an awkward silence as he grabs VICKIE by the arm and takes her over to the hat-check area.]
JOEY: What're you doin' with Salvy? You shouldn't be here with him. Jake's away killin' himself. Suppose he found out.
VICKIE: What the hell am I doing wrong? Just because JAKE is training, I can't go out? What am I, a goddamn prisoner?
JOEY: No, you're his wife.
VICKIE: I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm just trying to have a good time. Do I have to be cooped up in the house all the time?
JOEY: It don't look right.
VICKIE: Well, go ahead, tell JAKE. He's gonna kill me anyway. It's a matter of time.
JOEY: I'm not gonna tell him nothing; but if he finds out, he will kill you. What's the matter with you? Aren't you happy? You got everything you want.
VICKIE: You don't sleep with him. I do. I don't get to breathe without tellin' him. He keeps me in a cage. If he thinks I'm lookin' at somebody the wrong way, I get used as a punching bag. He don't trust nobody. If he saw the two of us talking together right now, you'd be in trouble too -- believe me. Look at me, Joey. I'm 19 years old. I wanna enjoy my life. I love Jake, but you don't know. He gets crazy sometimes. I'm scared.
JOEY: Try to understand, Vickie. Jake's got a lotta aggravation. He's been a top contender too long.
VICKIE: That's right, take his part. You're his brother. He's never gonna be champ. Too many people are against him.
JOEY: And you're drinking with them right now.
VICKIE: And I'm gonna finish my drink. And, I'm gonna have a good time, because I ain't doing nothing wrong.
[She starts to go back to the table.]
JOEY: *grabbing her* You're wrong to be here. Let's go.
[VICKIE pulls away from JOEY, and goes back to the table.]
[The table area: JOEY arrives at the table. He grabs VICKIE.]
JOEY: I said, let's go.
SALVY: Joey, relax. You're taking this the wrong way. Why don't you sit down and have a drink?
JOEY: Excuse me, I'm talking to my sister-in-law.
SALVY: Excuse me for living.
JOEY: What do you think, I'm blind? My brother's breaking his ass in a ring, and you're here with his wife.
SALVY: Hey Joey, I'm here with Patsy and Vera and Sandy. And Vickie just happened to come along. We're just trying to have a good time. What do you want from me? So, why don't you just take it easy before this gets out of hand.
[As the conversation gets louder, PEOPLE begin to notice. PAUL, the owner (a tough-looking, well-dressed guy), and some BOUNCERS also become aware of the argument.]
JOEY: Get the fuck outta here. What did you do, take your gangster pills today? I'll tear your fuckin' head off your shoulders!
[JOEY goes for SALVY. PEOPLE react.]
[The GIRLS begin to scream. VICKIE exits. JOEY notices her leave, and calls after her.]
JOEY: Hey, wait --
[PAUL comes over and stops the fight.]
PAUL: Ain't you forgettin' something? Ain't there never supposed to be no trouble in this joint?
[SALVY and JOEY give each other looks. JOEY goes out after VICKIE.]
CUT TO: EXT. COPACABANA - NIGHT
[JOEY looks up the street for VICKIE. She is gone.]
[SALVY and PATSY come out of the entrance.]
SALVY: Hey Joey, whadda ya lookin' to die young?
JOEY: *as he turns and lashes into SALVY and Patsy* I'll suck your eyes out! I'll fuckin' take the two of you.
[After a few moments, PAUL and the BOUNCERS from the Copa come out. The BOUNCERS pull PATSY away. They try to separate SALVY and JOEY, but can't.]
[JOEY savagely beats SALVY on the Copa steps and in the street against the parked cars.]
JOEY: Fuckin' low-life, cocksucker, etc...
[SALVY tries to fight back, but JOEY is too tough for him. SALVY hits the pavement. JOEY kicks him.]
[PAUL, PATSY, and the BOUNCERS finally pull JOEY away. PATSY tries to go after JOEY again, but PAUL stops him.]
PATSY: *to Paul* Don't fuckin' put your hands on me! You're gonna near about this, Paul.
PAUL: *to Patsy* Get the fuck outta here. Don't come in my place and start fuckin' trouble -- I don't care who you are! *to JOEY* Get outta here. Go on.
[JOEY looks back at him, and then walks away.]
CUT TO: INT. THE BACK ROOM OF THE DEBONAIR SOCIAL CLUB
[The room is furnished with a few round tables and some chairs; it is somewhat reminiscent of an old-fashioned candy store.]
[TOMMY COMO, SALVY, PATSY and JOEY are present. SALVY's face is bruised from the beating JOEY gave him.]
COMO: All right I don't have to hear anymore. I think I understand what happened. I understand it was your brother's wife and there was probably a misunderstanding. I'm not sayin' Salvy shouldn't have acted the way he did. But, Joey, you don't raise your hands. You don't do that kind of thing. This time we forget about it but no more after this. You understand?
JOEY: Yeah, I understand, Tommy.
COMO: All right, you guys, shake hands.
[SALVY, JOEY, and PATSY shake hands.]
COMO: Go 'head. Be friends. That's it. *to Salvy and Patsy* All right, lemme be alone with him for a minute.
[SALVY and PATSY exit.]
[There is a pause.]
COMO: Aside from everything else, your family all right?
JOEY: Yeah, they're good. They're good, Tommy.
COMO What is it with you? Can't you talk? You got like a funny attitude. I can't figure you out, Joey. What's with you and the quick answers? You wanna get outa here fast?
JOEY: Aw, Tommy, c'mon, it ain't that.
COMO: Look, Joey, I wanna tell you something. Your brother ain't gonna get nowhere without us -- nowhere. And I'm tellin' you between the two of us, it's gettin' to the point where it's gettin' to be a real embarrassment to me, a real embarrassment.
JOEY: How can he embarrass you?
COMO: He's an embarrassment because Frankie and the other guys are expectin' me to do something about it, and I'm lookin' very bad. I can't deliver a kid from my own neighborhood. Why's he make it so hard on himself? He comes to me, I can make it easier for him.
JOEY: Tommy, JAKE respects you. He won't even say hello to anybody else -- you know that. But you know when JAKE gets set on somethin', Jesus Christ Almighty could get off the fuckin' cross and he ain't gonna talk him out of it. I'm his kid brother. I got no say with JAKE on this. He thinks he can buck everybody and make it on his own.
COMO: Make it on his own? Does he know the kind of money involved? I mean the real money. He thinks he's gonna become champ on his own? We're gonna sit by and see some nut come in there and hold one of the most important titles in the world? A nut who don't listen to nobody or respect nobody? Is he really crazy? Listen, JOEY, you understand, you tell him. I don't care how great hemis or how colorful. He could beat all the Sugar Ray Robinsons and all the Janiros he wants to. He ain't gonna get a shot at the title without us. I'm not askin' you to do another thing except get that message into that thick head!
CUT TO: EXT. SHORERAVEN POOL - DAY
[Another day. JOEY, fully clothed, opens the gate and looks around.]
[JAKE is sitting alone near the deep end. JOEY walks over to him.]
JOEY: Whatcha doin'?
JAKE: I remember the first time I met Vickie... I know there's somethin' up. I know she's doin' somethin', but I can't catch her...
JOEY: Maybe she's afraid you're gonna hit her so she can't talk to you the way she wants to.
JAKE: What do you mean?
JOEY: Try talkin' to her. She's your wife -- ask her what's the matter.
JAKE: When I'm away, did you ever notice anythin' funny with her? Tell me the truth.
JOEY: Jack, if there was anything funny, I would tell you.
JAKE: I want you to keep an eye on her when I'm not here. Understand?
JOEY: Sure, I'll keep an eye on her.
JAKE: What did Tommy say?
JOEY: I got good news, and I got bad news. The good news is you got your shot at the title. The bad news is...
JAKE *interrupting, resigned*: Yeah, I know.
