(latin rock music)
(singing in foreign language)
(men talking indistinctly)
(man exclaiming)
Whoo!
(speaking foreign language)
(man speaking foreign language)
Cowboy says they threw in a cocktail last night.
Tell him, Cowboy.
The Hippo and his brother,
they threw a cocktail through the window.
The old man runs out,
and this is the same old man they jumped two days ago.
He's in this country illegal.
So, who's gonna help him if we don't?
We're his brothers, man.
We're Chicanos!
If somethin' like that happened in Marina del Rey,
the cops would be there In a minute.
Right.
Excuse me, sir.
I beg your pardon, sir,
did someone throw a bomb in your bed, sir?
Don't worry, we'll bust him.
We'll send him straight to jail.
But Venice ain't the Marina.
So what do you wanna do, Cesar?
I wanna show them.
We call ourselves Los Aztecas.
That's a proud thing to be!
So how come we let them come down on somebody in our race?
No way, man!
We show them!
What do you think?
Okay.
(speaking foreign language)
(glass shatters)
[Man] Johnny, get out!
Hey, fellas.
I was just kiddin' around, you know.
Gimme a break.
Come on, give me a break, all right?
(Johnny exclaims)
(suspenseful music)
Burn him, Vincente.
You're the one wanted to carry a piece.
Now use it.
No!
Don't shoot me, man!
Put the gun in his mouth and blow his Goddamn head off!
[Johnny] Oh, God, come on, man, please don't shoot me!
Don't shoot me, man!
Come on.
(gun firing)
(all speaking foreign language)
[Sarah] Don't forget.
[Girl] All right, I won't.
Maybe you can spend the night.
- Come early. - I will. (Laughs)
Never.
No, that wasn't me.
No, it wasn't me.
(speaking indistinctly)
(tires screeching)
Oh.
(engine stalling) (horns honking)
Shit!
What's the matter with it?
It won't start!
You want me to take a look at it?
- Um- - I know a little about cars.
I won't rip off your hubcaps.
(Sarah laughs)
Hey, why don't you open up the back?
- I'll take a look. - Yeah, right.
You got it?
Yeah, I got it.
Okay, start her up.
All right.
- Turn the key. - I am turning the key.
Wait a second.
Okay, try it now.
What did you do to this car?
What did I do to it?
I didn't do anything to it.
This is the deadest automobile I ever saw in my life.
- Thanks. - Lock it up.
I'll take you home.
Listen, I think I better call my father.
Well, I'll catch you later, all right?
- Bye. - Bye.
You know, you really shouldn't keep your car here.
I know.
What do you say if I kinda push you over there some place?
Okay.
Do you think you can?
Are you kidding?
Do you know who you're talking to?
No.
I'll be your engine, okay?
All right.
Put it in neutral.
- You like this car? - Yes, I do, very much.
[Emilio] It's nice.
- How much did it cost you? - I don't know.
It was a present.
I got it for my 17th birthday.
- That's a nice present. - I know.
[Emilio] And I'll send you my bill in the morning.
I didn't want none of the others here.
That's why I'm tellin' you guys first.
We're the ones who started the clica, man.
We, the...
Oh, it's about time, ese.
I want John Vincente out, ese.
He's a chicken-shit dude!
I tell him what to do last night.
He don't do it!
I tell him stick the piece in the bastard's mouth,
blow his head off.
He shoots him in the leg instead.
I think we should give him another chance.
What for, man, so he can screw up again?
Hey, Cowboy, maybe Cesar's right, ese.
We did make the rules.
Damn right I'm right, homeboy!
This is my Azteca and he's with us.
(speaking foreign language)
Or not at all.
I tell somebody to do somethin', I want him to do it!
Otherwise, get another president!
Hey, carnal, uh, to jump him, huh?
Yeah.
I don't want him in my clica no more.
I want you to understand this.
I wanna make sure you understand this.
After today, you're not an Azteca no more.
That means, you don't come around no more.
You don't come no place near us, you hear?
You don't tell nobody what we ever talked about.
You don't say where we keep our pieces.
You just keep your mouth shut!
You hear?
To us, you don't exist no more.
You get in trouble some other clica, tough shit!
You go no more insurance.
Do you understand that?
Cesar, I swear to God,
Ooh, good!
You want to hear he understands?
(all yelling)
Al right.
[Man] Hit him!
Leave him!
(dramatic music)
Let's go, Emilio.
Come on, Emilio, let's go.
Let's go.
Let's go cruise up.
Let's go get some home girls.
I know this nice one.
(telephone ringing)
[Receptionist] Community Action Center.
All right, guys, let's go.
Hey, where's Cesar?
[Cowboy] He had some business, man.
What do you mean, he had some business?
I said I wanted to talk to all four of you.
- He couldn't make it. - Aw, he couldn't make it.
All right, come on, let's go.
Hey, Russell, you got those forms?
Straight ahead, man.
Straight ahead, Diego. (Sighing)
Make yourselves comfortable, huh?
Call downtown and see who Central had.
Yeah, yeah, well, I told you I was takin' care of that, man.
Yes, sir.
Mmm-hmm.
Well, I'll settle that when I get to the office.
Sure.
This is Sergeant Gannett, of the Police Department.
He's here because there's a 15-year-old kid in the hospital.
It's a kid who belongs to your gang.
His name is- It's a club, Sergeant.
His name is Vicente Carranza.
Anybody know how he got hurt?
Where's Arrelano, Mike?
You said he'd be here.
He couldn't come, Jim.
He's the leader of your gang, isn't he,
this Cesar Arrelano?
He's president of our club, Sergeant.
Well, this Carranza kid,
a patrol unit found him in a field behind the airport.
His arm was broken, half of his teeth was knocked out.
He's in a coma and the hospital
says he may not pull through.
Does anybody know what happened?
Who do you think did it?
Maybe some other club, Sergeant.
Yeah, from Santa Monica, maybe.
Culver City.
Crazy dudes over there.
What about you?
Do you think some other club did It?
That's a possibility.
Do you know what "jumping out" is?
I've heard that term.
Mike and I both think this Carranza kid
was jumped out of the Aztecs.
What do you think?
He might die.
Now that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
One of your own brothers dying
because of some stupid gang bullshit.
Sarge, it's a club!
It's a gang, punk!
And don't be interruptin' me when I'm talkin"!
You didn't invent gang-busting.
I was a member of the East LA Guardians
before your mother and father even thought you up!
In those days, we called it war counseling.
That's right, I was a war counselor.
But it's the same bullshit any way you slice it!
Was Vicente Carranza macho enough for you today?
Did he have enough balls to make it through your line?
Well, I hope he has enough balls
to make it through the night.
Thanks, Mike.
(door opens)
[Receptionist] Community Action Center.
I don't know what's worse, Chicano cop or a nigger cop!
They're all punks, ese.
(Mike sighs)
Okay, we got the law in here again, huh?
Sometimes, you guys make me sick, do you know that?
You guys think you got it made 'cause you're not 18 yet.
You get into a mess,
the most you can get is six months
and then you're out in the damn streets again.
I did nine months at that camp.
And you didn't learn much there either, did you?
Hey, Mike, I learned how to read and write English.
That's more than I ever learned in school!
Yeah, but that didn't make you any smarter, my friend.
Would you like to go back to that camp?
Who the hell cares?
Besides, it was easy.
I could do nine months standing on my head.
Yeah, but what happens when you're 18, Diego?
Name's Dagger.
You can write any name you want on that wall.
To me, you're still Diego.
Do you know what happens when you're 18?
Yeah.
His record gets wiped clean.
Whatever he done as a juvenile don't matter no more.
They start you from scratch!
You start with a clean slate.
I mean, just think of that chance.
Don't you understand?
When are you gonna be 18 anyway?
October 21st.
That's next month.
Yeah.
Well, that's when they're gonna start treating you
like a man, Diego.
Will you be a man by then?
Will any of you be men?
(classical piano music)
(slamming piano keys)
(Sarah sputtering)
Hi.
I'm the great mechanic, remember?
Yeah, hi.
So what was wrong with it?
Oh, they still don't know.
They had to tow it away.
You know, you have to be careful about those garages.
Sometimes, it's just a loose wire or something,
they'll try to sell you a whole new engine.
Yeah, I know, but my father knows this guy.
He's worked on the car before.
Okay then.
Um, how you gettin' home?
The bus.
You want a lift?
What's your name anyway?
(chuckling) Sarah Lassiter.
Didn't we have art together once?
No, I don't think so.
I think so.
I know, didn't you used to have,
like, you know, darker hair?
No, my hair has always been this way.
What's so funny?
I know even Chicano girls that dye their hair.
Even niggers.
I seen niggers with blonde hair.
Would you believe that?
Blacks, yes.
[Emilio] Here, let me get the door for you.
So what's your name?
Emilio Mendez.
That's for Zapata.
Emiliano Zapata.
Big Mexican hero.
- Oh, yeah? - Emilio, Emiliano.
Same thing.
There must be over two million Mexican kids name
after Zapata.
- Hmm. - Maybe more.
Did you see that movie?
What movie?
"Viva Zapata"!
No!
That was a good one.
Here, this is my car.
Oh, uh-
- See, get in. - Yeah, all right.
Thanks.
What are you seeing?
Do you think I look like Marlon Brando?
Around the eyes.
Look!
Oh, come on!
How do you know if I look like him or not?
You didn't even see the movie!
I know what Marlon Brando looks like.
No, but I mean in the movie "Zapata"!
Did you see the movie?
Oh, forget it.
Did you see "The Brave Bulls"?
No.
That was a good one, too.
Ay, toro, toro, toro!
(Sarah laughing)
(engine starts)
That's what I'd like to be.
A bullfighter?
Did you know that in Mexico,
bullfighters are like movie stars.
Yeah.
Except I don't think I really wanna Kill a bull.
I just wanna fight the bull.
Yeah.
They stick these things all over his back.
Is that a contest?
I ask you, is that a contest?
So, how do you like my car?
It's nice.
Yeah, I know.
- I like it. - I like it.
So you want a hamburger?
Um, no, thanks.
Are you sure?
Yeah, I'm positive.
You thirsty?
No, really.
So anyway, my grandmother,
she still lives down there in Mexico.
Yeah.
She came up here, with my, with my mother
when I was pregnant.
Well, when my mother was pregnant.
I wasn't pregnant.
You were pregnant.
Tell me about it. (Laughs)
You're funny.
Anyway, my father, see, he split
and my mother came up here all by herself.
I never met him, my father.
I wouldn't even know him if I fell over him.
How about you?
Your people still together?
My people?
Yes, they're together.
Good.
What does he do, your father?
He's a dentist.
(chuckles) How about that.
Maybe I oughta look him up.
Get my teeth fixed.
Oh, he's a periodontist, actually.
What's that?
He takes care of gums.
Are you thirsty?
No.
Are you Jewish?
What?
Am I Jewish, did you say?
You see, Sarah, lots of dentists are Jewish.
(laughing) No, I'm not.
I, I don't know what I am, actually.
I'm English, I think, and Irish and Scotch
and maybe a little German.
Well, I'm Spanish, and Toltec and Nahuac,
and maybe a little Chichimecas.
You want some ice cream?
You were born here though, weren't you?
Oh, yeah, right here.
Well, not in Venice, actually.
I was born in East Los Angeles.
What was that you just did?
What?
This.
This? (Chuckles)
This.
That means I'm from Venice.
That's my neighborhood, my barrio!
Venice.
I love Venice.
I never wanna leave Venice.
And that's, that's my barrio!
I love Venice.
You want a hamburger?
- No, thank you. - No?
Okay.
My car is nice, huh?
But I got my eye on this '68 Riviera.
Really sweet car.
I'm gonna put on some silver paint panels, you know?
Boy, would that be a smooth ride?
Yeah?
But you see the problem is that the guy,
he wants like 900 bucks more.
I figure I could sell, I could sell my Ford for,
I don't know, 2,000 bucks.
I gotta come up with 900 bucks.
You might as well say 9,000 bucks.
Yeah, well, listen, great.
Well, listen, Emilio, this is my house.
Nice area.
Yeah, it's nice.
Well, listen, thanks a lot, Emilio.
Oh, that's, That's Emilio.
Ay-mee-lio.
Ah, yes.
Emi, Emilio.
- Emilio. - Emilio.
Right.
Okay.
Listen, you wouldn't want to go
to a, uh, a show or nothin', would you?
A show?
You know, a movie?
Oh, we were talking about movies before, you know?
- Yeah. - "Zapata"!
You know, I was thinkin' maybe, you know,
you might really enjoy it.
I don't think so.
But thanks a lot, really for everything.
Why not?
Is it because I'm Chicano?
Is that it?
Ah, that's no reason.
So what do you say?
Okay.
(Sarah giggles)
(Emilio whistling)
[Mrs. Mendez] Your cousins are here, Emilio.
[Emilio] Hey, hi.
Don't you look pretty?
- Ooh. - Hey, Emilio.
(Emilio speaking foreign language)
Katie just invited us to her presentacion.
And your old suit is gonna be just perfect for Manuel.
[Emilio] Yeah?
You're 15 already?
Uh-huh.
Two Saturdays from now.
Okay, you.
That's it.
Okay, remember, September 24th.
We'll be there.
Don't you worry.
- Come on, Manuel. - Take care, huh?
Gee, I wonder why they call us "beaners?"
I like beans.
I wish I did.
(Emilio whistling)
(telephone ringing)
Hello?
Hey, Cowboy.
(speaking foreign language)
Uh-huh.
Oh, that's good, huh?
Si.
Well, did you call Dagger?
Call Dagger and let him know for me, okay?
Yeah.
Thanks for letting me know.
I was getting worried.
Si.
I'll catch you later, man.
Okay.
Who was that?
- That was Cowboy. - Cowboy?
Who's Cowboy?
Julio Zamora.
He calls himself Cowboy.
Why?
I don't know why, Ma, he just calls himself Cowboy.
[Mom] What did he want?
(Emilio breathing heavily)
He called to tell me that his cousin Vicente died.
Vincente who?
Vicente Carranza.
I know his mother.
How did he get hurt?
He was in an accident, I guess.
I really don't know.
Anyway, he's gonna be all right.
Your friend Cowboy,
is he in a gang?
No, Chale, no!
Then why does he call himself Cowboy, I mean,
if his name is Julio?
Probably belongs to a club or something.
When these guys belong to a club,
they give themselves these names.
What club?
I don't know.
Does Vicente belong to it?
I don't know!
Is it Los Aztecas?
What I see on the walls, Los Aztecas?
Because that is not a club, Emilio, that is a gang!
Los Aztecas, a gang!
Look at me!
(tense music)
Swear to me that you don't belong to that gang.
I swear.
Swear
on the Virgin.
I swear on the Virgin.
(tense music)
Would you like a hot dog?
You know, I'll take you to a real good hot dog place.
So listen, Sarah,
you didn't tell me, you know, why?
Because I was curious about the word.
"Chicano?"
Yes.
So you mean, you just went to the library, huh?
Uh-huh.
Do you know what it means?
It means "double-cross" in slang.
What?
Who told you that?
The book!
That book told you that "Chicano" means "double-cross?"
(scoffs) That book, that's crazy.
Chicano, that's a word of honor and of pride.
Get in.
Where did you get that book?
I told you, in the library.
You mean, you just went into the library
and you asked for a book on Chicanos?
- Yes. - Why?
Because I knew we were going out tonight.
That really pisses me off.
That really pisses me off, you know that?
Why?
Because it's like I'm a midget or something.
And you went into the library and you got a book on midgets.
That's the best hot dog in all of Venice.
Very good.
I'd say maybe in all of Los Angeles,
right there in your hand.
So tell me about that time?
Well,
we just moved from the Valley to the Marina, right?
And I was 12 years old,
and this girl was sleeping over for the night.
A girl from school.
♪ Starlight fills the evening ♪
♪ You wrote it and I played it ♪
♪ Somethin' happened ♪
♪ It's so strange, this feelin' ♪
♪ Naive notions that were childish ♪
♪ Simple tunes that tried to hide it ♪
♪ But when it comes ♪
♪ We all fall in love sometimes ♪
♪ Did we, didn't we, should we, could we ♪
♪ I'm not sure ♪
♪ 'Cause sometimes we're so blind ♪
♪ Struggling through the day ♪
♪ When even your best friend says ♪
♪ Don't you find ♪
♪ We all fall in love sometimes ♪
So is your father strict?
Um-
- What do you think, huh?
This is beautiful. (Chuckles)
Hey, you didn't answer me, you know?
- What? - About your father.
Oh.
You know, was he strict or not?
No, no.
He's really okay.
I mean, now that we've resolved the Oedipal thing.
Or Electra, I guess it is with girls.
What?
In any case, we get along fine.
What?
What is that?
What?
Electra?
Electra was a person in Greek mythology.
What is that?
Come here, come here.
The legends?
The Greek legends?
Oh, the legends.
Here.
I want you to sit.
Anyway, why do you wanna know about Electra?
No, I know about that.
Oh.
I wanna know about your father.
You know, I wanna figure out whether your father
raised you strict or not.
I'm not following you.
Well, you see, Sarah,
Chicano girls they're raised very strict.
Yeah?
Most of them.
Some of them,
well, they're raised not so strict.
Down in the barrio, guy learns pretty quick
who's who and what's what.
So the dude knows how to behave with a girl.
Do you understand that?
Um, yeah.
Comes the dawn.
Whether to, uh,
you know.
Yeah.
Or whether to cool it.
So, what you're trying to figure out is-
- No, what I'm trying to figure out, you see,
if you were raised strict or not.
And you wanna know
whether it's gonna be trick or treat, right?
And here I thought you were beginning
to love me for my mind.
Okay, well, tell me about these nice Chicano girls.
Nevermind, I'm sorry.
No, seriously, I wanna know.
Do nice Chicano girls kiss for example?
Yes, they kiss.
You mean without a duena?
Yeah, without a Friggin' duena.
Look, Sarah, don't you make fun of me.
(soft music)
♪ As long as I have some time ♪
♪ To kill the boredom we acquired ♪
♪ Runnin' with the losers for awhile ♪
♪ But our empty sky was filled with laughter ♪
♪ Just before the flood ♪
Do you know that book?
- What book? - About Chicanos.
Honor and machismo, it said, very important.
Si, machismo.
What else did the book say?
What book?
♪ We all fall in love sometimes ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ We all fall in love sometimes ♪
What do you think?
What do I think?
I think this is armed robbery, ese.
Yeah.
I mean, you know that?
Yeah.
But, Emilio,
this way we got a shot at $400 to $500.
The other way, we just break into a house some place.
Come on, what did we get for that television in Malibu?
50 bucks.
50 bucks, sure.
I don't think we should go in there with a piece, ese.
The piece is only to scare him.
You won't use it?
Yeah, if I have to.
But he's an old man, Emilio.
I stick the gun in his face, and he'll piss in his pants.
What do you say?
When did you wanna do this?
Tuesday.
Tuesday?
That's el dieciseis.
That's the whole idea.
They don't expect you in the school
on Mexican Independence Day,
and they don't expect us to hold up no record store, either.
(speaking foreign language)
(dance music)
♪ Some other time ♪
(car engine idling)
♪ Some other time means not at all ♪
♪ Some other time means other time ♪
♪ And other time means not at all ♪
♪ Some other time means other time ♪
♪ And other times means not at all ♪
Well, that's $6.98,
tax, and it comes to $7.40.
Right.
♪ We like it, get down, get down ♪
Here's your change.
Eight, nine, 10.
Thank you very much.
- Bye-bye. - Enjoy.
[Woman] Thank you.
♪ Some other time means other time ♪
♪ And other time means not at all ♪
♪ Some other time means other time ♪
♪ And other times means not at all ♪
♪ I like it, I like it ♪
[Man] That's $9.95 and, uh, tax makes $10.55.
Open the register.
Open it!
♪ Do you like it ♪
♪ Are you ready ♪
♪ Are you ready for this ♪
♪ Do you like it, do you like it like this ♪
(gun firing)
♪ Push, push ♪
(tires screeching)
(horns honking)
(car horn honking)
(upbeat mariachi music)
(people clapping in rhythm)
Hey, do you know what I'd love to do, is go to Mexico.
Will you take me to Mexico sometime?
Yeah, sure.
I'll take you to Mexico.
Uh, hey!
(speaking foreign language)
Thank you.
My parents are gonna like you.
What'd you tell 'em about me?
Nothing.
But I will.
By Saturday, they'll know all about you.
What's Saturday?
You're coming to meet them.
Who said?
I said!
Think I'm a gardener?
[Cesar] Hey, hey, Emilio!
Sarah, this is Cesar.
(speaking foreign language)
This is Dagger.
Hi there.
And Carlos.
Carlos.
And Angel, he's a boxer.
A boxer? (Laughing)
- Heavyweight. - Manuel.
He's my cousin.
Hello, Manuel.
Hey.
(Sarah laughs)
Hey, everybody, this is Sarah.
Hello.
It is my great honor to make your acquaintance.
Hey, look who's here!
Sergeant!
Over here!
What is it this time?
Well, this time, it's a hold up.
Oh, so of course, you come straight to the barrio, huh?
Yep, I come straight to the barrio.
The Cowboy got himself shot this afternoon,
holding up a record store in Santa Monica.
Armed robbery is a felony.
Now two of you went in there this afternoon,
and one of you got away.
Cowboy won't say who it was.
The store owner will.
Oh, well, we've been here at the fiesta all day long.
- All day, huh? - Yeah.
Well, we'll just see about that
when we get to the station.
You BUSTIN' us, Sergeant?
- It's no bust. - For what?
I'm rounding up as many Aztecs as I can find
because I'm gonna have a little talk with you
at the station, gentlemen.
Now if you don't mind, your cars are waiting outside.
Aw, this is a waste of time.
I've got all the time in the world.
Let's go, Emilio.
(door slamming)
I don't care which one of you was with Cowboy.
That don't matter to me.
Cowboy behaved with honor.
He refused to betray his brothers.
Bueno.
The store owner will be here.
He's gonna look us over.
They got a one-way mirror.
He can see us, but we can't see him.
But that don't matter.
When you look in the mirror, stare him down.
Make him know he fingers one Azteca,
the rest of us come back to get him!
You understand?
Look at the mirror as if you're lookin' him straight
in the eye.
We're brothers.
All of us.
Just remember that.
(footsteps approaching)
(keys clanging)
[Guard] Oriano, come on over here.
You, get in the back.
Open the door.
Close the door.
Let's go.
Move out.
Hello, Oriano.
Have a seat, my friend.
Did they feed you in there right?
Mmm-hmm.
Are you settled down from all the excitement?
Yeah.
Listen, Oriano, you and I are you know,
we've done business together, huh?
Mr. Henderson, just take your time.
Look each one over carefully,
and if you recognize anybody, let me know.
So what I want you to do is just to explain
to me how you got involved.
Did somebody entice you into it?
Are you sure they can't see through this thing?
No, I'm positive.
[Officer] All together.
It's all right here.
It feels like, like they can.
Somewhere in there, I'm sure you can fit.
Just go ahead and explain to me, how you got hung up
in the whole thing.
Loosen up, man.
I've got half the case together.
It's gotta go together.
You know how they all fall together.
(Henderson sighs)
Just give me your partner.
I know it wasn't really your fault.
I know what you suddenly get caught up in.
[Gannett] Do you recognize anybody?
[Officer] You know I'm not gonna back up on you.
No, not yet.
[Officer] Come on, Carlos, you know what's gonna happen.
You know what's gonna become of it.
Tell me about the robbery and how you got involved in it.
(Henderson breathing heavily)
He's, he's not the one.
[Officer] I've had Oriano in here I've had Diego in here,
I've had Miguel in here, Carlos in here,
and now you're in here.
So all the pieces are falling together, Emilio.
No, he's,
he's not the one.
Are you sure, Mr. Henderson?
[Officer] And so what I want you to do is just let me know
how you got involved in It.
I don't remember.
I don't recognize anybody.
Can I go now?
I gotta get back to the store.
[Officer] Just tell us how you got started in all this.
Now you can't take the top line now.
Sure.
Thanks.
[Officer] Your buddy's lying out there.
He's shot up and he's gonna be okay.
Now where you gonna stand?
(telephone ringing)
Hello?
(speaking foreign language)
Hi, Milo, it's Sarah.
When did you get home?
Just a little while ago.
Because I figured it was too late to call.
I didn't wanna wake your people.
Nothing.
The cops are always hasslin' us.
They think anybody's Chicano belongs to a gang.
No.
No, no, Chale, no.
I don't belong to no gang, Sarah.
I'm telling you, okay?
The store owner came in, he looked us over,
and he didn't recognize anybody.
Are you telling me the truth?
That's the truth.
I don't belong to no gang.
All right, I'm sorry.
Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow.
Good night.
Tighten the jenny a little bit, Abby.
How long have you known Sarah?
Just a little while.
Are you in the same class?
Oh, yeah, we both graduate in June.
What are you gonna do afterwards?
I'd like to get a job.
What kind of job?
I wanna be a mechanic.
See, I like cars.
I'm really good with cars.
Yeah, Dad?
Emilio's got this '60 Ford that he customized himself.
You should see it.
Yeah.
I stick with Ford power, you know? (Laughs)
I parked it just up the block from your apartment, you know,
if you wanna see it.
You know, if you wanna see It.
Is your father a mechanic, too?
My father?
I don't know.
I never met my father.
Is, is he here in America?
No.
Mexico.
Yes, I think so.
I really don't know.
What's that on your hand?
Tattoo?
Oh, no, no.
I made it myself.
With India ink, you know?
You see these letters here?
CS?
That means Con safos!
That means "safe" in Spanish.
Looks like a crucifix.
Are you religious?
I don't think this is a crucifix.
I really don't know what it is.
You put it on your hand yourself, didn't you?
Oh, yeah.
But you see, a lot of guys, they put it on their hands.
It's like a superstition, you know?
It don't mean nothing.
I see.
It don't mean nothin'?
No, nothin' at all.
This course is fine.
Sails look good.
Uh, Sarah, maybe we ought to get lunch started.
Lunch.
Yeah.
Beautiful.
I could stop her from seeing you, you know?
She still listens to me.
You know that won't work.
What makes you so sure?
I know Sarah.
All right, then.
From now on you pick her up at the house.
No more street corners.
Yes, sir.
- Sarah? - Yeah?
[Dad] Would you like to come up here and take the helm?
Yes.
Thank you.
I'm, uh, going below to get something to drink.
Would you like something?
No, thank you.
(soft music)
Well, what did he say?
I think it's okay.
Well, is it or isn't it?
I think so.
(Sarah laughing)
I don't know if they would invite my mother to supper yet,
but it's okay.
(both laughing) (soft music)
(all chattering)
Hey, whatchen, vatos.
Somebody crossed out my name.
Con safos is supposed to mean free and clear safos.
This wall, my place, man!
That's my name on it.
Whoever crossed it out, he answers to me.
So,
Why did Cesar send you, man?
I mean, such a big man!
Why didn't he come himself?
He don't trust you.
You crossed out his name, Tigre.
You shouldn't have done that.
Don't point at me, man!
There was a treaty between the two clicas.
You shouldn't have started this.
He never should've marked the walls!
That was nobody's wall.
Where was that wall?
Santa Monica.
Yeah, Santa Monica, right.
So when did Santa Monica become Azteca territory, huh?
Santa Monica is Los Espiritus, man!
It's ours!
Did you get that?
Ours!
Cesar wrote on it, and we crossed it off!
That's all there is to it!
You crossed it off.
Yeah, I crossed it off, so what?
Tigre, you're a dead man.
Cesar says to tell you that.
He's gonna waste you, Tigre.
He's gonna plant you six feet under, man.
And something else, Tigre,
you tell your president that Los Espiritus-
- [Hugo] Tell me yourself, Emilio.
Hello, Hugo.
[Hugo] What's the matter now, Emilio?
I think you know what the matter is.
When Clemente was president of this club-
- Clemente got busted in June.
I'm president now.
So why don't you take care of your members?
You got a jerk like El Tigre here,
he goes and he does something stupid!
He didn't do nothin' stupid!
If we see Venice writing here in Santa Monica,
we cross it out, man.
That's it.
Hugo, you're fooling with Los Aztecas.
That's too bad about Los Aztecas.
If they don't wanna see their names crossed out, man,
you tell 'em not to write on the walls out here.
Cesar says, "No more safe passage.”
If anybody on Los Espiritus gets caught coming through,
he gets jumped.
Then you better stay out of Santa Monica, man.
Because the same thing happens here.
Los Aztecas go wherever they want.
Not if the shit is on, man.
He's telling you it's on, that's why I'm here.
Now, I think you better get the hell outta here, man,
while you can still walk.
What is it?
Your grandmother's dead.
Emilio.
Mamacita.
She wants to go home, for the funeral.
Si.
Si, Mamacita.
They called from Mexico about an hour ago.
Mama, do you want me to go with you?
Si, Emilio.
Okay.
(knocking at door)
(speaking foreign language)
I just heard the news, senora.
I'm so sorry.
- Gracias. - Emilio.
If you've got a minute, I'd like to talk to you, all right?
Outside.
(speaking foreign language)
(door opens and closes)
Emilio, did you go to Santa Monica today?
Hey, look, I'm talking to you.
Is it true you went to Santa Monica today
to meet with Los Espiritus?
Look, Mike, what do you want from me?
I want you to stay out of what's coming.
Man, Chale, there ain't nothin' coming. (Chuckling)
Don't "Chale" me, huh?
Mas respeto, man.
You know, Cesar is bragging all over the barrio
he's gonna get El Tigre.
He's gonna show Los Espiritus!
Stay out of it, Emilio!
I'm an Azteca.
I can't stay out of it.
Cowboy's an Azteca, too.
Yeah.
And he's going to jail!
Cesar's an Azteca, too.
And he's talking about killing somebody!
Is that what an Azteca is supposed to be?
You wanna know?
[Mike] Yeah!
Okay, I'll tell you, man.
It is somebody with honor!
Somebody with pride in his race!
Our race, Mike!
We're Chicanos!
We're Aztecas!
And the two of them together-
- Si, muy macho.
Si, muy macho!
I'm an Azteca, Mike, and that is something!
No, that is bullshit!
To call myself an Aztec?
You know how many guys would give their right arms
to call themselves an Azteca?
How about calling yourself Emilio Mendez?
How about finding your pride and your honor
and your Goddamn manhood in that?
Could you try that, Emilio?
For once in your Goddamn life try that.
Stay out of it, Emilio.
(dramatic music)
How long will you be gone?
Oh, only two or three days.
I'm just going down for a funeral.
I'm really gonna miss you, Sarah.
You wanna tell me what the matter is with you?
You lied to me!
You belong to a gang, Emilio!
I asked Carl, in my English class.
(dramatic music)
What the hell difference does it-
- "What the hell difference does it make?"
Jesus!
You expect me to go with somebody who belongs to a gang?
Somebody who goes around breaking heads?
That's right!
We break heads, Sarah!
- Why? - We kick ass!
Oh!
I belong to a gang, Sarah!
Los Aztecas!
- Oh, no! - I'm proud of it!
And when I walk down that street in Venice,
I hold my head high because I have my brothers!
That's right, Sarah.
- Why? - I'm proud of it!
Because I need them, that's why.
Because when I'm in trouble, they come running, that's why!
(dramatic music)
I'm sorry, Sarah, but that is just the way it is.
Oh, God!
(dramatic music)
Just the way it is.
(slow mariachi music)
Alicia.
I'm sorry about your mother.
You gonna be here long?
We leave tomorrow.
Jerry,
this is your son.
She never told you, huh?
Never.
Who'd you think I was?
She said
you were
a handsome Mexican businessman.
It's true enough.
I run a taxi service here.
Gerald R. Kelsey, Mexican Transit System.
Drink up, you're not drinkin'.
Don't you drink?
How old are you anyway?
Wait a minute, don't tell me.
I'll be 18 in May.
You're a good-looking kid, Emilio.
You take after your old man.
You got a lot of girls up there in LA?
I have a girl.
(chuckling) Now, what else did she say about me,
your mother?
She said, you left!
Yeah, I left.
Why?
I didn't wanna marry her.
She was 16, I was 28.
And I didn't want my balls cut off either.
I couldn't come back to this town till
after her father died.
Very big on them, honor, bullshit!
These Mexicans, you know.
So what do you do up there in LA?
I go to high school.
You on any teams?
I used to play football in high school.
I drifted down here to Mexico after the Korean War.
I met your mother.
Well, you know, I had to leave.
You could've stayed.
Tell me something.
Did you think that I was a Mexican?
Did you think that your old man was a greaser?
I didn't know what you were.
Well, you know now.
(Jerry chuckling)
(light acoustic guitar music)
Hi.
How was it?
It was okay.
Hey, met my father.
Yeah.
He's an Anglo.
Who'd have guessed that, huh?
There are guys in Los Aztecas,
they've got skin, you know, much lighter than me.
They got Spanish blood going back centuries,
and me, I got an Anglo father.
Mexico, Mexico is really something.
Beautiful.
I didn't even know half the things
they did down there, in Mexico.
And that's Mexico down there, Mexico.
And what the hell does Mexico have to do with me?
I was born right here in East Los Angeles,
and I got an Anglo father.
Oh,
Mexico,
US of A.
Well, it's like going back to maybe, 100 years.
Sarah, my father,
on the plane coming back, you know, I asked her.
I said, "Why didn't you tell me?
Why did you let me believe
my father was," I don't know, I don't know what I thought.
Handsome Mexican businessman, that could be anything.
She told me she didn't wanna confuse me.
Wow, she told me she wanted me to be proud of my heritage,
proud of my language, proud of being Chicano.
Confuse me.
Well, if I'm not American
and I'm not Mexican, then what the hell am I?
They tell me, tell me I'm Chicano,
but they're just selling me a bunch of bull!
They're selling me a word about honor and pride!
Because I don't even know who I am!
Sarah, my father, he's an Anglo!
He's a drunk!
He's a, his clothes stink of vomit!
I didn't mean to say that.
Milo.
No, leave me.
Some machismo, huh?
Your father,
he thinks I am Pancho Villa, come to steal his daughter.
What he doesn't realize
is that I am Pancho ninguno.
Pancho nobody.
I couldn't steal you if I tried.
You don't have to steal me, Emilio.
No, huh?
I love you.
I love you, too.
I don't know what to do.
I know you want me to quit the gang.
Yes!
I know that's what you want,
but you see, Sarah, if I quit Los Aztecas,
what have I got left?
Me.
And when I lose you, Sarah?
You're not gonna lose me.
(soft music)
[Mrs. Mendez] He told you, Emilio, why I cannot go
to the presentacion,
I am in mourning.
[Sarah] Yes, I'm sorry, Mrs. Mendez.
You don't have this in your religion?
A presentacion?
No.
What is your religion?
Presbyterian.
This has Jesus?
Yes.
How long have you known Emilio?
Just a little while.
Did you meet in school?
Yes, we did.
(woman singing in foreign language)
Those are all Katie's closest friends.
You remember Manuel?
You met him at the fiesta.
There are 14 of them here, because, you see,
when you add Katie, that makes it 15.
And this is to celebrate her 15th birthday.
(woman singing in foreign language)
(man speaking foreign language)
(upbeat music)
(all chattering)
Hey, Emilio!
[Emilio] Hey, Dagger!
I wanna, I wanna dance with your girl, ese.
(both chuckling)
I wanna dance.
How about going out?
We get some nice fresh air?
[Dagger] Hey, what's the matter?
Hey, you don't love me anymore?
I love you.
You wanna go out and get some air?
We danced.
Come on.
[Dagger] How am I doing, Emilio?
Bueno.
See how nice it is out here?
There's a step there.
Hey, Emilio, I gotta pee.
Shh!
Dagger, there's a lady present.
Oh, but I gotta pee bad, ese.
Okay, how about we go right in here, okay?
How did you get so drunk, ese?
[Dagger] Drunk?
Who's drunk?
I'm fine.
[Emilio] You look very drunk to me, I tell you that.
You okay?
[Dagger] Yeah.
Hold it.
[Emilio] All right, just stand there.
[Dagger] Hey, Emilio!
Yes, Dagger?
[Dagger] Can't find my zipper, ese.
Hey, Emilio!
It's okay now.
(upbeat music)
Hey, do you wanna go out to a parked car?
(Dagger sighs)
Hey, we carnales, huh?
(speaking foreign language)
Oh, wow, hey!
Emilio!
Watch!
It's night.
Wow!
Whoa, I'm here!
Wow!
(Dagger groaning)
(all grunting)
Emilio!
(man speaking foreign language)
No!
God!
Milo!
(Sarah pounding on gate)
(dagger clinks)
Milo!
Stop it!
Find help!
Go get help!
Now!
Let's get out of here, man.
Come on!
Cesar, Carlos, Espanol.
(speaking foreign language)
Emilio.
Emilio!
Oh, no!
(tires screeching)
(speaking foreign language)
You're cut!
Emilio, you're bleeding!
(speaking foreign language)
Give it to me.
Can you make it?
Let's kick ass!
(chuckling) That's right.
Al right.
(Dagger groaning)
Okay, I got him.
[Dagger] Hey.
They had wheels.
They got away.
It was El Tigre.
(speaking foreign language)
Emilio, I don't want you to go.
I'm gonna get Katie to take you home, okay?
I'll call you later.
Milo?
Don't go!
I'm an Azteca.
(Cesar speaking foreign language)
Don't go.
[Cesar] Emiliano!
Sarah.
Sarah, come on.
[Cesar] We're gonna dig everything up.
We're gonna throw everything at 'em!
They think they can mess with our honor, man.
They think they can come here tonight
at Katie's presentacion,
mess up her party, mess up our guys?
(all chattering)
Man, they wrong!
They gotta know who we are and what we are.
[All] Right.
[Cesar] We're Los Aztecas, that's who we are!
And we're Chicanos!
(all chattering)
That's what we are!
That stuff is a cannon, man!
Look at that.
Put a hole in that chicken-shit, Tigre's head.
[Man] Hey, remember that time
with those Culver City dudes?
[Carlos] Yeah, the time they shot Petie.
[Cesar] Yeah, we came down with more shit.
[Carlos] Oh, man!
Yeah, hey, some of you guys don't remember this.
Yeah, they shot Petie at the school, man.
He was minding his own business, right?
Hey, he was only walking along.
They jumped him.
They blew his arm right off.
Yeah, man, we got in the cars, man.
And we went after them, man.
Remember, Emilio?
Emilio?
We find those Culver City dudes.
We got him against the wall.
I hit him in the head with a baseball bat.
And his head's bleeding all over the goddamn place.
(all laughing)
Stabbed him right in the stomach, ese.
He's holdin' himself.
Those assholes can't believe it, ese.
He can't believe he's got a knife hole in him.
(speaking foreign language)
Hey!
We gonna show 'em tonight.
Tonight we show Santa Monica!
(all cheering)
The heat comes down, we show them, too.
(all agreeing)
We're gonna burn those bastards out, man.
We go straight to the pier, man.
Hey, there is nobody there.
We burn down the whole pier!
(all agreeing)
Then we go look for them in the street.
I want El Tigre.
El Tigre is gonna eat this piece, man.
(all whooping)
He's gonna have a hole in the back of his head,
when I'm finished.
Los Aztecas!
(all cheering)
We'll write it all over their walls.
We're gonna claim that whole barrio for ourselves!
Los Aztecas!
(all cheering)
Los Aztecas!
I wanna kick ass, man, for doing this to my face!
[Cesar] We're gonna give it to them all, man.
Kill 'em!
[All] Yeah!
Los Aztecas!
(all cheering)
Los Aztecas!
(all yelling)
All right, Dagger, you, me, Carlos in Emilio's car.
Going to Santa Monica!
(all yelling excitedly)
No.
When we get to Santa Monica,
we're gonna hit the pier first!
No!
What's the matter?
I'm not going.
What?
I'm not going with you, Cesar.
- Come on, come on, what- - Mmm-mmm.
What the hell's the matter with you, ese?
I don't wanna go with you, Cesar.
Those bastards crossed out my name, vato.
So what?
So, they crossed your name off a wall!
Where does it end, Cesar?
We get them!
They get us!
We get them again and for what?
For a name on a wall?
No!
No, vatos!
No, Cesar.
I want something else.
Not this.
You're chickening out, huh?
No!
No?
Then what do you call it, man?
You're chickening out, man!
You got no balls!
You're a pussy!
You're a little sissy!
You have it your way.
I'm still not going with you, Cesar.
(Cesar spitting)
[Man] Aztecas!
[All] Viva!
[Man] Aztecas!
[All] Viva!
[Man] Aztecas!
(tires screeching)
(dramatic music)
You chickened out.
(dramatic music)
I'm sorry I called so late.
Shh!
Milo, my parents are asleep.
I just had to talk to you.
I know.
You told me on the phone.
Come here.
I didn't go with them.
Oh, Milo.
That's good.
My brothers!
You remember Espanol?
They don't think he's gonna make it.
Oh, God!
And for nothing.
Some guy of Los Espiritus hit him
across the neck with a machete.
And Danny, you don't know Danny.
Danny got shot in the back.
Dear God!
I don't know how many of them Los Aztecas got,
but Dagger told me.
There were guys laying all over the place.
You stayed out of it, that's all that matters.
Milo, they won't try to hurt you, will they?
No.
Are you sure?
You don't have to worry.
Emilio, please, tell me, what will they do to you?
They jumped me out.
What does that mean?
Sarah, there are just some things you'll never understand.
It's late.
I better get going.
Milo?
No, listen, I'm okay.
Hey, you!
I'd like you to step up on the curb, please.
[Emilio] What?
I'm gonna ask you a few questions.
(dog barking)
What's this?
I cut my hand.
- Where do you live? - I live in Venice.
- What? - I live in Venice.
Well, where are you going now?
To my car.
I can't hear you.
I said I was going to my car.
This is my car right here.
You, you mind telling me what I did?
We just wanna talk to you.
Do you mind telling me what I did?
[Sarah] Stop it!
Wanna talk to you.
Look, leave him alone!
He's a friend of mine.
He just left me.
I live right here in this building.
1220, right here.
My name is Sarah Lassiter.
You can look on the mailboxes.
He's a friend of mine.
He's my friend.
Now take it easy, miss.
Oh, but he's a friend of mine.
Come on, Jake.
Does this happen a lot?
Hey, wait a minute.
Sarah, you told them that I was your friend.
What if you had to tell them that I was your boyfriend?
What if you had to say that we were engaged,
or this is my husband?
"This man here is my husband."
What would you do then, Sarah?
I'd say what had to be said.
Would you?
Emilio, I did say it.
They knew exactly what I was talking about.
(dramatic music)
You see, it's never gonna work in a million years.
Emilio, I love you.
That's all that matters.
I love you, too.
But how can this work?
Don't you see that?
(dramatic music)
Milo.
[Emilio] What are you doing here?
How did you find out where I'd be?
I called Katie.
She told me you'd be here.
Oh, Emilio, don't do this.
I have to.
No.
You don't have to do anything you don't wanna do.
Sarah, go home!
Just get the hell out of here!
For Christ sakes, go.
Please.
(tense music)
I want you to understand this.
I wanna make sure you understand this.
After today, you're not an Azteca no more.
That means you don't come around no more.
You don't come no place near us, you hear?
You don't tell nobody what we ever talked about-
- Save your breath, Cesar.
I know it by heart.
I think you better save yours, maybe!
We're gonna break every bone in your body, Emiliano.
You get up off the ground again, es un milagro.
You know why we doing this?
'Cause you're a disgrace to Los Aztecas.
And when you disgrace us, you disgrace the Chicano people!
That's bullshit!
They're not the same thing, ese.
I'm gonna beat the shit out of you anyway, ese.
And then I'm personally gonna kick your ass
through that line!
Good, you do-
(Cesar groaning)
Emilio?
Emilio.
(speaking foreign language)
Come on.
You wanna get out of our clica with honor and pride.
I'm already out!
I have nothing to prove to you.
Only to myself.
(men grunting) (all yelling)
[Carlos] I have to do it all myself?
What the hell's wrong here?
(tense music)
This is the way you wanted it, huh, Emilio?
(members cheering)
(tense music)
Carnal!
(dramatic music)
Oh!
(light acoustic guitar music)
♪ New day dawnin' ♪
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
♪ New time comin' ♪
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
♪ New sun crowns the eastern sky ♪
♪ Now I've found the reason why, why I'm livin' ♪
♪ What is within my head and my heart ♪
♪ My head and my heart ♪
♪ Just this mornin' ♪
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
♪ Without warnin' ♪
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
♪ Everything seemed different today ♪
♪ Even dreamed a brand new way ♪
♪ All at once the dreams I dreamed go ♪
♪ Past tomorrow past tomorrow ♪
♪ Stand up, Chicano ♪
♪ mano a mano ♪
♪ It's plain to see it's up to me ♪
♪ Gotta try the odds are high ♪
♪ No alibi, it's all up to me ♪
♪ It's all up to me ♪
♪ Stand up, Chicano ♪
♪ mano a mano ♪
♪ Life against me ♪
♪ No guarantee I will win so let's begin ♪
♪ It's plain to see it's all up to me ♪
♪ It's all up to me ♪
(singing in foreign language)
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
(singing in foreign language)
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
(singing in foreign language)
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
(singing in foreign language)
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
(singing in foreign language)
♪ Adios yesterday ♪
[Dagger] Hey, Emilio.