Can I help you?
[man] I'm lookin', uh, for Ben Aronoff.
I'm afraid he's not in.
Huh.
I've been trying to reach him for a week, but he hasn't gotten back to me.
I call, and I call, and I call.
[sighs] Now, look, my boss is a very wealthy man
who wants to buy a boat. [scoffs]
And he wants to buy the boat before he goes back to Michigan.
Now, look, I'm just trying to give this man some money.
I'm Ben.
Why don't you bring your boss in?
We'll show him some boats, and he can see what he likes.
My boss...
took me from the gutter,
gave me a job.
Everything I have, everything I am, I owe to him.
I'd do anything for my boss.
Anything... and everything.
I'd never turn my back on my boss.
You tell your boss that I'm done.
I don't owe anybody anything.
I'm paid in full and more so.
You tell him that.
Okay. I'll tell him.
I'll tell him every word.
Hey, Ben.
[gunshot]
[man] You couldn't build a fuckin' outhouse right now
without somebody blowing up your goddamned car!
[Ben] Irv, calm the fuck down and just tell me what happened.
It's over! The war's over. We lost, man.
No. No, what did Lansky say?
You don't get it!
What did he say?
We're done! We're out of business, Ben!
We lost the union! You still got your cash, right?
Son of a bitch.
- What's that? - I got it.
You've always been a lucky bastard.
Now, grab your family and your money,
and get the hell out before things get any worse!
[narrator] I'm Ben Aronoff, contractor, entrepreneur, husband, father,
and out of business.
Time to start over.
[jazz music plays]
[man singing] ♪ Let's take off on an adventure ♪
♪ Let's take off fancy-free ♪
♪ Worry not, forget the weather ♪
♪ It's a perfect fantasy ♪
♪ Flying high above the clouds ♪
♪ Without a destination... ♪
You gotta see this.
[sighs]
We are done with winters in New Jersey.
New start, babe.
What about our house, Ben, and the construction business?
We outgrew it.
Coney Island, New Jersey...
It's a new beginning, Mrs. Aronoff. We're in Florida.
New life.
I'm not sure what was wrong with our old life.
You're swinging with Tarzan now. Hang on.
I'm going down to the front desk to square some things away.
[all laughing]
Hey, hey, hey. Come on. Keep it down.
You two over there, Melissa in this bed.
Settle down.
I'm coming back in two minutes, turning off the lights.
[laughing resumes]
[music playing]
- [bartender] Hey. - Bourbon, neat.
[bartender] You got it.
Two Millers and a highball.
[bartender] You got it.
Well, if I had known that you were working, I'd have taken a table.
It's never too late.
- The king of construction, Big Ben. - Jules!
[Ben] Now, this guy is Jules Bergman, Meyer Lansky's main man.
Very connected and very dangerous.
- How are ya? - Welcome to Miami.
- Thank you. - Find everything? Family good?
Yes. Yes. We're all settled in upstairs,
and I thank you for the arrangements.
Of course. [laughs]
They tell me you built 100 houses in one suburb
from dirt to sold in under four months?
More than once. Drove the banks crazy.
Wow. Let's have a seat.
Sure.
So you call me when you're ready and I'll get you in front of the old man.
Well, how is he?
When Castro came back to Havana and stole Mr. Lansky's casino,
who took care of me?
Who got me off the island?
If you cut open Mr. Lansky's heart,
he would bleed only loyalty.
To you too, Ben.
You know, I appreciate that. I appreciate all of it, but I...
I want to do something on my own here, you know?
A new town, new beginning.
Like the second game of a doubleheader.
- So what are your plans? - [laughs]
Like usual, to win. [laughing]
Okay.
You call me when you're ready.
- Good seeing ya. - Good to see you.
Thanks.
So, you still want that table?
Why wouldn't I?
[rock music plays]
♪ Well, its burning vengeance That fire... ♪
♪ That burning desire To not do what I'm told ♪
♪ Yeah, to change your perspective ♪
♪ Is long overdue ♪
♪ Return to my roots before I need you ♪
♪ Maybe I said things that I never meant... ♪
Ben?
Shelley?
Shelley Katz, real-estate law.
[Ben] Yep, he was a small-time lawyer, but I needed someone hungry.
- How are ya? - I'm great. Here's my card.
So do you, uh, make the laws or do you figure out ways to break 'em?
- Scotch rocks. - [sighs]
I make, I break. I just don't do floors.
And what about you, Mr. Big Shot?
No, I checked up on you.
Giant shopping centers, entire neighborhoods.
What are you planning for Miami? Pyramids?
Just looking for opportunities.
Well, then, for the record, beyond my hourly rate,
I take 5% of any deal we close.
I'm a lot more than purchase agreements and deeds of trust.
Three percent.
Okay.
[laughs]
You're too damn easy.
[laughs] That's my new client discount.
All right, tell me, Counselor, what do you know about that?
- [indistinct yelling] - [Shelley] That, my friend...
is what makes Miami Miami.
Beats the hell out of concrete and dirt.
- Mm-hmm. - [crowd cheers]
[rock music plays]
♪ Ah, yeah, ah ♪
♪ So long, so long ♪
♪ I gotta be moving on ♪
♪ Yeah, so long, so long ♪
♪ I gotta be moving on ♪
♪ Yeah, so long, so long ♪
♪ I gotta be... ♪
You're hired.
For what?
- How ya doing? - Good, you?
- Ben. - Knocky House, Mr. Aronoff.
Knocky? Is that you real name?
- It's what my friends call me. - Oh, yeah? [chuckles]
Yeah.
So, what do you got in there?
Twin 327-cubic-inch Chevy V-8s.
- Oh, yeah? - [engine revving]
Wow.
[Ben] Yeah! Let's get out there!
- [Knocky] Go ahead, open her up! - Let's do it!
Use that line!
[whooping]
All right!
[Ben] Whoo!
[Ben] And boom, just like that, I was in love.
The speed, the water, the rush.
I wanted it, I needed it, I would have it.
[Knocky] Ready?
Yeah! I never get tired of this shit!
[kids laughing]
[Ben] What do you think, guys?
And you, come here. [grunts]
How about this? Whose name do you think should be there?
- Who? - Yours, silly!
[she laughs]
What do you think?
- Yeah, it is kinda sexy. - Yeah. It is.
[Ben] Now, this, here, was my first race
against a bunch of rich fat cats and their toys, and I loved it.
That's the suckers we gotta beat right there.
Bet they never wrestled a kid from Brooklyn College.
[both chuckle]
[starting pistol fires]
- Keep the throttle down! Let's go for it! - I'm on it!
We're doing it!
[chuckles] Yeah!
- Yeah! - Whoo-hoo!
[Ben] We're beating 'em!
- We got 'em! - Ah, yeah!
- [engine puttering] - [Ben] What was that? Oh!
[Knocky] Hold on, I'm gonna check the back.
Keep her straight.
Ah, no. God. She's toast.
Okay, forget it. Fine, you know what?
It's fantastic.
Forget the motor, forget everything.
This is fantastic. I love it.
[rock music plays]
Let's go celebrate, have a glass of champagne!
♪ There's a thousand miles of highway... ♪
The 233. It's an exclusive boat. It's an icon for style and speed.
It's the kind of sexy toy that you can't live without.
[rock music continuing]
Well, you close one door, and you open another.
A new company with a new vision.
We're building boats that, well, they push the envelope and break barriers.
Daring, defiant, and, of course, they're irresistible.
If you want to cross the finish line first, buy a Donzi.
[male announcer] It's a glorious day here where a field of 51 racers
stream full speed ahead from the starting line in Miami.
And there's Dick Bertram racing his way to his usual position
at the front of the pack.
[interviewer] Mr. Aronoff, tell us about that first win from Miami to Nassau.
Well, if you really want to win,
sometimes you have to take a chance, let it all hang out.
As the kids say, it's gotta be your bag.
[male announcer] As the leaders approach Nassau, it's Bertram,
Webb, and Ben Aronoff.
[inaudible]
The racers make the turn to clear the outside of the island,
and, oh, my! That's Aronoff placing a big bet,
risking it all on a shortcut through the shore,
threading the needle through the jagged rocks!
[inaudible]
Aronoff in the 0-0-7.
- [Knocky] Aronoff! - Yes!
[announcer] James Bond himself has taken the lead!
And no one's gonna catch him now!
[jazz soundtrack dialogue]
♪ Lady luck is at my side ♪
♪ This hot streak can't be denied ♪
♪ She has put me at the top ♪
♪ May this run never stop ♪
♪ Bringing wondrous Riches on this crazy ride ♪
♪ You start the day flat, busted ♪
♪ Deep down in a hole ♪
♪ Now it's seven come eleven The girls are heaven ♪
♪ And life is on a roll ♪
♪ She's the charm I'm holding fast ♪
♪ He's betting his luck will last ♪
♪ Fortunes come and go just like the blues ♪
♪ But with lady luck at my side I'll never lose ♪
[upbeat Latin music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
Thank you.
No olives.
Hey, Dad! Hey, Dad!
Catch!
Nice spiral, Joe Namath!
Wanna come play with us?
Later. I gotta find your mom.
[indistinct chatter]
Oh, wonderful of you to show up.
It got so late last night, I just stayed at Knocky's.
Yesterday's race, I think I broke something.
Yes, you did.
Excuse me.
The woman has a tattoo of Elvis on both thighs,
and she's not convinced that it looks like Elvis.
So she goes out in the street, she finds a drunk,
and she lifts up her skirt, and she says to the drunk,
"Do you recognize these guys?"
And the drunk says, "I don't know who the twins are,
but the guy in the middle is definitely Willie Nelson. "
[all laugh]
I need a drink. A good joke always makes me thirsty.
Ben, somebody wants to see you.
Mr. Lansky.
[Ben] Meyer Lansky, the financial wizard of organized crime.
When he called, you answered.
- Ben Aronoff of Sheepshead Bay. - How are ya?
- All right. You look good. - Oh, thanks.
Real good. I've been keeping up with you.
- Oh? - Yeah. [chuckles]
Our box houses in Jersey must feel like ages ago
and not nearly as sexy as those boats of yours.
Build boats, build homes, same thing.
- Not according to my nephew. - Is that right?
He's gaga for those powerboats of yours.
And those ads.
[both laugh]
Hey, Robbie!
[Ben] That's Robbie Reemer, Meyer Lansky's little asshole nephew.
Tell us why you like Ben Aronoff.
Because Ben Aronoff has everything!
[Lansky laughs]
See?
[sighs]
Still remember Jacob, your father.
He'd be proud of you selling to that hoity-toity crowd.
Making a stir, making a buck.
But on your own?
New beginnings?
That's crap.
Not wanting to be a bother?
More crap.
We're your family, Benny.
These are your people.
Sometimes you just want to do some things on your own.
You do that when it comes to banging shiksas
and betting the ponies.
You don't put that bullshit in front of me.
You ever seen a head all swelled up? That's you.
Not good for a goddamn thing.
Don't remember who you are or where you came from.
Hey. Are you kidding me?
You know him? You know Meyer Lansky?
Oh, fuck Lansky! I've worked too hard, Shelley,
for him to come in the middle of our shit.
We've got too many big things coming in.
[announcer 1] Aronoff's revolutionary Cigarette
has taken offshore powerboat racing by storm.
At each stop on the European circuit,
the Cigarette has burned through the record books,
shattering every mark for time and speed.
[announcer 2] Up to a fantastic 66 miles an hour,
13 miles an hour faster than the record set three years ago.
Boats are sex symbols, and, certainly, the Cigarette boat is a sexy boat,
but we don't market it that way.
[camera shutters click]
It's a man's boat, and it's a dangerous machine.
[announcer] And there's Ben Aronoff speeding home,
heading towards his seventh victory this season.
One more and he reclaims the world championship.
[Ben] Mmm.
My husband would like to purchase two Cigarette boats.
- [Ben] Hmm. - Hmm.
Well, for you, I'll have to charge him double.
[both laugh]
[sighs]
You know, I would have to come to America, pick them up.
Could you?
[chuckles]
Does it ever get cold in, uh, Florida?
- Very. - [chuckles]
But I could always use some warmth
of the... Tuscan... sun.
[Shelley] Hey, Ben.
Shelley?
I've been lookin' all over for ya.
- Who is this man? - He's my lawyer.
We gotta talk.
I'll be back. Don't you go.
[Shelley] Now I didn't volunteer, okay, to run your office,
your business and your family, for Christ's sake.
I'm just a lawyer, remember?
You flew 3,000 miles to complain?
What are you doing here, Ben?
What are you running away from? Lansky?
I'm busting my ass for our company.
Oh, oh, okay. Yeah, right. I can see that.
Winning races sells boats, Shelley.
Do you throw in the sex with every sale or do they pay for that, too?
- You better watch your fuckin' mouth. - Oh, good. Great. Rip me to shreds, Ben,
because then there will be absolutely nobody running your company.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
[Shelley sighs]
I'm gonna win the world championship at the end of this month, Shelley.
That's big. It's very big.
Mazel tov.
By the way, your son just got into college.
He's leaving in a week.
I just thought you'd like to know.
I'll see you back in Florida.
[rock music playing]
[people cheering]
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah ♪
♪ I may have fallen upset ♪
♪ But I won't stop this time ♪
♪ I may have fallen upset ♪
♪ And I'll be gone for a while ♪
♪ You see those cracks in the sidewalk ♪
♪ They're like the cracks in my mind ♪
♪ Don't wanna talk to nobody ♪
♪ I've reached the end of the line ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah ♪
[Ben] But while I was winning championships,
I was losing something far more important.
[sirens wailing]
Kathy.
[sobbing]
Andrew.
He damaged his spine... in the car accident.
He's in surgery now.
They say he may not make it.
Don't worry. We'll get this right.
We will get this right.
[monitor beeping]
[sighs]
Andy, you gotta fight through this.
You need to stick around.
You're an Aronoff. We fight back. We battle.
Okay, this is the deal.
You're gonna get through this, you're gonna get better,
and you're gonna walk the hell outta here.
You hear me?
[sighs]
I'm gonna be here all night with you, okay?
I'll be right here. I'm gonna sleep right there on the couch.
I'm not going anywhere. Okay? Dad's back.
Dad's back.
Baby boy.
Your son had to almost lose his life to get his father's attention.
What do the rest of us have to do?
Come on.
- You got a lot of friends, Ben. - Do I?
How is he? How's Andrew?
They told me he'll never walk again.
Oh, God.
I mean, he's here, though, right?
He's a tough kid. He'll battle back.
Kathy and I are through. Done.
- A long time ago, Ben. - [scoffs]
So, how are we doing?
What do you mean? Business-wise?
- Yes. - Oh. [scoffs]
No, I'm not talking about that right now.
Oh, yes, you are, Shelley.
Actually, no, I'm not.
Just tell me, how are we doing? What are the numbers? Just tell me.
Look, it's not like every time you win a race, they gave you a million bucks,
which is half of what it costs to run the racing team across Europe for the summer.
[Ben sighs]
To be honest, we can't sell enough hulls a year
to keep the company afloat, not the way we're running it.
We're in a deep hole, Ben.
Well...
I'll fix it.
Like I always do.
[Ben] I knew where I had to go, and he was waiting for me.
I thought I got out,
but you never get out.
Great to see you, Ben.
[Ben] Someone else was waiting for me, too.
[TV playing softly]
Hell of a day out there, champ.
But they're still running the horses at noon.
So, what do you say we burn a grand or two
and remember what real beer tastes like?
[clicks remote-control]
Andy.
I'm telling ya, feeling sorry for yourself ain't gonna work.
You gotta get out there, boy. You gotta live again.
Come on, buddy. Let's go out. Let's go out to the track.
[turns volume up]
Okay, that's it.
I fuckin' hate you!
Well, I love you.
What do I see?
I see a smile?
You know you're still fucking crazy?
Yeah. I know that.
Now let's go to the track.
- [announcer] And they're off! - [indistinct yelling]
Here we go!
Here we go! Come on! Come on!
Do it! Five! Come on! Five! Come on!
- You got this! - Do it! Do it! Do it!
Five! Come on!
Yes! There it is! Look, look! Look, look, look! We got it!
Yes! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
[Ben] Bring it home! Whoo!
- That's it, baby! - We got it!
Come on, five!
Whoo-hoo!
[Ben] Two wins today, buddy. Not bad.
You like it?
Yeah, what's not to like? It was fun.
You know, I got a line on a big stable up north in Ocala.
What do you say we buy it?
We fill it with thoroughbreds,
and you run the whole damn thing.
I don't know anything about horses, Dad.
I didn't know anything about boats or building houses.
See this? See that?
That was my whole year's salary when I was a gym teacher in Brooklyn.
- How do you think I did that? - [scoffs]
How do you think I made that happen?
I busted my ass and I beat the fuckin' odds.
So can you.
- You really think so? - Ah! I know so.
[Ben] I was never really there for him,
but I wanted to buy him some happiness, and he took that money... and ran.
Coño.
Top-of-the-line model.
- How much? - Retail, 32K.
- You'll take 35? -45.
- [speaking Spanish] - [speaking Spanish]
Fuck it. We take together, pair.
- Say, 80K. -100K.
[scoffs]
- [speaking Spanish] - [speaking Spanish]
- [man speaking Spanish]
Okay.
Ah.
Deal.
What do you want the title to be?
- [man scoffs] - Pick a name. A good one.
Nobody wants to explain where the cash came from.
- Come with me. - [laughs] I like this guy.
[Ben] And just like their drug-sniffing dogs,
once the DEA got the scent,
they were hard to shake.
Mr. Aronoff!
Stuart Lopez, DEA.
Nice boat!
I'd like to ask you a few questions.
Office.
I'll see you there.
Look, no surprise to you, Mr. Aronoff.
Cigarette boats are a big hit on the drug-running circuit.
Lately, we busted a lot of smugglers driving your boats.
My boats?
I mean, boats manufactured by your company.
Ah, yes.
The problem is the sales names are fiction and the hull numbers don't make any sense.
We sell boats.
They're registered, re-registered, sold and resold.
And, by the way, the resale value is through the fucking roof.
Do you record the hull numbers associated with each purchase?
Now you know, and I know, that it's illegal
not to record those numbers, so...
where are you going with this?
Just doing our job, Mr. Aronoff.
- You know, catching bad guys. - [laughs]
Okay, so do you go to Smith and Wesson every time you haul someone in with a gun?
Look, I make boats. Fast boats.
People want them. They come in here, I take their ID,
they pay me money, and boom, they are standing
in the cockpit of a speedboat, a very sexy speedboat.
So what do you want me to do?
To chase them down and fingerprint them?
- We'd put you on our payroll if you did. - [both laugh]
That's good.
- Whoa, watch out. - Out of the road!
[indistinct chatter]
Make sure you get the name right.
I'm Robbie fuckin' Reemer!
[Ben] With the Feds closing in on him,
Meyer Lansky fled to Israel,
but Israel's welcome to all Jews from anywhere
did not include him, and he was forced back to Miami.
Hey, Ben. Come.
Meyer, welcome back. How are ya?
Ben. [coughs]
- [clears throat] - [Ben sighs]
They tell me that you made all the payments back to me.
Yes. Almost six months ago.
We've just been rolling them out.
You know, it's a... Business booming and it's... [laughs]
Just... everyone and their brother wants a speedboat.
Here, let me get that.
Yeah, it's good. [sighs]
[laughs]
[Ben sighs]
You self-satisfied little prick.
You took the money, Ben.
[bangs table]
You took the fuckin' money!
You didn't borrow it from Household Finance!
You don't think that I got other things to worry about?
Besides Ben Aronoff and his little fuckin' boat business?
[Ben] Meyer. Meyer, please.
You know I'm grateful,
and you also know I went to great lengths to...
Stop!
We are growing our operations on the seas.
You're clean and that helps.
Don't play dumb.
You know exactly what I'm talking about.
Now, there is a big difference
between what we had agreed upon and what you're implying here.
You'll do your fuckin' part!
[bangs table]
- Hey, champ. - Hey.
I got a fucking name!
You remember me, right?
Because Ben Aronoff has everything.
Meyer's nephew.
Meyer's nephew?
You're not?
I'm racing now! You better watch out!
Oh, yeah? We'll be lookin' for ya.
[engine revving]
Good to see ya.
I gotta see it.
We're good?
Yeah, we're good. It's this way.
1.5 tons.
Now, that's what I'm talking about.
- Boys, get to work. - Yes, sir.
Whoo!
[coughing] It tastes stronger every day, man.
Hey, boss! You want some?
Yeah, pass it over here!
Some fuckin' good weed!
[coastguard 1] See if you see him. He's coming at you. Late-model C.
[coastguard 2] Yeah, we got eyes on him right now.
Here he comes. Here he comes. Everybody set?
- [officer 1] Yes, sir. All set. - [officer 2] All set. All set.
Go! Go! Go!
[siren]
- Fuck! - Oh, shit! Fuck!
[officer] This is the Coast Guard!
- Stop your boat! Stop your boat! - [siren]
[yells]
Oh, man!
You okay? You okay?
Shit! Brad looks bad!
Grab the wheel!
You're gonna be okay!
Move!
[officer] Pick him up! Pick him up!
Need some repairs, champ.
I got some holes in her, and I want you to take care of it.
[Ben] Mmm.
No. We don't do those kind of repairs.
I'm sure you do.
As a matter of fact, I know you do.
And, while you're at it, how about you put some of them custom seat-stitchings
you've been doing on the new ones?
I'd really like that.
And, when you're done, you can run the bill over to my uncle.
Let me ask you something.
- Hmm? - Did your uncle teach you how to swim?
[groans]
[upbeat music playing]
Let's get a drink. Come on.
This is so fun being with you, Ben.
- Manhattan, two cherries? - Let's do champagne.
Champagne!
Are they getting younger, champ,
or are you just getting more distinguished?
Do you really want to start this with your best-paying client?
I'm not starting anything.
- Uh, you are the famous boat racer? - Yes.
- [laughter]
So shall I call you "The Animal?"
Yes. [growls]
[growls]
[Ben laughs]
You can call me "The Animal. "
[indistinct chatter]
- Your Majesty. - King Hussein of Jordan?
Now, you know this is the spot!
[Ben] And, oh, my God, she walked in.
I've known him for years.
I'll be right back.
- How's my favorite king? - [laughs]
You didn't realize? I stopped speaking to you
after you sold those Donzis to the Israelis,
and they turned them into torpedo boats.
- Anything to beat the damn Arabs. - [laughs]
Still the same Ben.
My friends.
You can't say "Miami" without saying Ben Aronoff.
And this lovely creature is Emily Gowen.
My pleasure.
I lure her from New York to come slum with us on the beach.
[laughs] I wouldn't call it that, Your Highness.
- [woman] Emily, how are you? - Oh, you made it.
So...
[upbeat music]
[indistinct singing]
Last night at The Jockey Club, this motherfucker came up to me
and said, "Get down to your warehouse right now. "
So I dump my date, I speed down,
I open up the fucking gates, and bam!
There are two boats pulling up, filled with marijuana.
They take that shit through my warehouse, put 'em on trucks,
and this is what we get.
This is how you go to jail, man.
Ben, uh, what are we doin' here?
This is Lansky saying, "Do your bit! "
And, on top of that, he wants me to fly down to the Caymans
and make deposits on their money.
[sighs]
That's not my biggest problem.
You know anything about Emily Gowen?
- You gotta be kidding me, right? - No.
Besides the fact that she's King Hussein's girlfriend?
Shelley, he's got two fuckin' wives.
And bodyguards, and an enormous bankroll, and an army.
Please. Just get me the number, will ya?
Hey! Hey, Emily!
There's a guy up there, says he wants to talk to you.
I didn't know what to bring,
but I saw that you drank this the other night at the club.
You're nothing if not persistent, Ben Aronoff.
I got your calls.
Examine a man's faults, you'll find his virtues.
I have some stuff to do. You're welcome to come along.
Thank you.
So, have you been riding since you were a kid?
- That's all I lived for. - Hmm.
Until my mother threw me into modeling.
Have you ever been on a horse?
[chuckles]
I have a tough enough time staying on a boat.
No horses, but I do like horse races.
- Yeah, me too. - Yeah.
There's nothing like it when they're really running and turning for home.
It is the best 20 seconds on Earth.
Yeah. The sound of those hooves and the muscle and grit.
It's amazing. It's truth.
Yeah.
Marlboro, he's my favorite, so I always make time to feed him.
If he had his way, he'd bust right outta here and just keep running, right?
- I know how you feel, Marlboro. - [she chuckles]
May I feed him? May I?
Here, let me try.
There you go. Oops.
- Let me try again. Here you go. - [chuckles]
Here. There you go. Wow.
You're pretty comfortable around a horse.
You sure you haven't been on one?
- You're a natural. - [chuckles] I wouldn't say that.
[thunder rumbling]
It's gonna get worse.
Hey, there's no shame in sitting this one out.
Half the field's already dropped.
Really?
You know, I knew a guy once, looked a lot like you.
He said, "I'll never get tired of this shit!"
- Come on. - Yeah.
Oh.
I'm no sailor, but those dark clouds can't be good.
Do they have rain-outs like they do in baseball?
[laughs]
Let me explain, sweetheart.
In the glorious sport of offshore powerboat racing,
you take the beating of a lifetime for hours,
there's no one there to cheer you on, and if you get hurt,
which Ben does every single race, you can't quit.
You gotta just keep going until you see land.
That's good to know, Mr. Katz,
that the chances of Ben standing me up on this date are...
Zero to none. Okay? And would ya please call me Shelley?
[laughs] Okay. Shelley.
[announcer] I've got Ben Aronoff up front.
Brassfield coming up in second.
And there's Robbie Reemer
fighting the waves and keeping it close.
And there's Brassfield! He's making a run!
Oh, he crashed! Brassfield crashed!
Circle back! Circle back! We're gonna need a rescue!
[groans]
This is suicide!
[groaning] Come on.
Come on! Oh, come on! Get over there!
[shouting]
We're turning the fuck around!
- We're the last one left! - Keep going!
- We can still turn! - No! Full throttle! Full throttle!
We can make it!
Yeah?
Yeah, okay.
Well, keep me posted.
All boats accounted for, except for Ben's.
It's been over six hours.
If he was gonna make it, he'd be here by now.
I hardly know him...
Or... knew him.
But he gets to you, your Ben.
He made it! He made it!
[cheering]
[cheering and applause]
[inaudible]
[groans]
[knock on door]
[man] Hey, Robbie!
I just heard Ben Aronoff made it to Nassau, won the race.
Thought you'd want to know.
[knock on door]
[announcer] This is Channel Three News at Six.
The new administration's War on Drugs on full display tonight.
DEA Special Agent Lopez at the Miami Field Office.
We're sending a message. The hunt is on.
No matter who, where or how,
we'll cut off the flow of illegal drugs into our country.
This represents just one night of action.
[rock music plays]
♪ You can try ♪
♪ But I'll always come back around ♪
♪ I'm the one, I'm the one ♪
♪ Oh, yeah, baby ♪
♪ I'm the one, I'm the one ♪
[police sirens wailing]
♪ Don't be surprised ♪
♪ I'm the one, I'm the one ♪
♪ I'm the one ♪
Welcome to World Choice Island Bank. Follow me.
This way.
We'll use the vault.
Divide it evenly among these ten accounts.
No problem. Pleasure to have your business.
Looking forward to have much more.
Yes.
[slurps]
You're supposed to eat your food, not wear it.
You worked late, and I didn't want to wake you.
It's okay.
Morning.
Morning. Bobo. Bo.
[laughter]
I'll be home early.
[Ronald Reagan] Our goal is to break the power of the mob in America
and nothing short of it.
We mean to end their profits, imprison their members
and cripple their organizations.
- [applause on TV] - [coughing]
If anyone doubts what federal, state and local authorities
working with the support of the people can achieve,
let them come to South Florida, and see, here, what we've seen today.
[coughs]
- [TV shuts off] - Ugh!
[coughing]
[hard coughing]
[coughing]
[breathless gasp]
[reporter] Meyer Lansky is the reputed crime boss
who was once said to have boasted,
"We are bigger than U.S. steel," but today, dead at the age of 81,
Lansky was buried in a Miami cemetery in a plain coffin.
[Ben] I don't like it, Shelley.
I still have mud on my shoes from Lansky's funeral.
That's 36 hours ago. Why? Why this meeting?
Hey, it's just a courtesy, all right?
We're gonna sit down with them. We're in, we're out.
- Hey. Hey, Al. - Shelley!
- Ben. - Hey.
Okay.
I want to keep this short.
Our company, Comanche, is building a new plant on Thunderboat Alley.
Really? Have you bought the land yet?
That's why we're all here.
Well, good. So why don't you just put a proposal together,
present it to Shelley, and I'll review it?
Simple.
Good. Let's go.
Sit down, Ben.
This is bullshit, and you know it.
Hey, hey, no, Ben. Ben, Ben.
- What? - Let's come to peace.
For you. That's it. What? What is it?
Here's the proposal. Only it's not really a proposal.
You're gonna give us the land.
Al's gonna take care of the deed,
you and your lawyer pal here are gonna sign it.
And then we're gonna build our own boat factory right down the street.
We'll be neighbors. Now, won't that be great?
You're fucking crazy. Come on! Jesus Christ!
We'll even throw a big fuckin' block party, Ben!
- Good! - You're invited!
Motherfuckers!
It's just dirt, Ben. What do you care? You're not using it anyway.
You know how much money they're making.
Why do they have to rip me off?
You're making a lot of money too, buddy.
And you're rich enough to not give a damn.
Besides, that kid is sloppy. All right? He's all over the place.
He'll be back in prison before you know it, while you, my friend,
have a new company to run. U.S.A. Racing, baby.
I'll call you tomorrow.
[Shelley] Safe flight, buddy.
I can't believe this, Shelley. Last run.
I'm with you. Last run for me, too!
Last time, Shelley!
[indistinct chatter]
[man] Ha-ha! Big Ben!
Mister Vice President.
Oh, go tell it to the Marines.
I'm happy with just plain old George.
I'm happy with Ben.
[all laughing]
- How are ya? - How are you?
This is Nick Brady. He's a long-time friend.
He runs a big bank in New York... Dillon Read.
Oh, well.
I've been hearing loads about you, too, 'cause George is always bragging.
- Is that right? - You need someone to manage your millions.
Nick runs a pretty good outfit.
- I'll keep that in mind. - Yeah.
- Is that it? - That's it.
- [Ben] Come. - [George] Holy smokes.
Hey, what do you think of the jacket?
- Uh, you look like a... like a boat racer. - [laughs]
- Barbara thinks I look silly. - How is Barbara?
Oh, she's doing great. Thank you.
Well, it certainly passes the eye test.
[Ben] Mm-hmm.
[George] What are you gonna call this one?
[Ben] Blue Thunder.
- [George] Blue Thunder. - Blue Thunder.
- Let's take her for a ride. - Yeah, let's do it.
[rock music playing]
♪ Suffer in silence 'Cause you've been broken this time ♪
♪ Well there ain't nobody gonna Bleed for you ♪
♪ Ain't it true, ain't it true now? ♪
[Lopez] Santa Anita, big race track on the West Coast.
And that's Gypsy Red winning the Breeders Cup last spring.
I remember. My source.
Trained here at Ocala Stables.
- Over 500 horses now. - It's beautiful.
Lansky's place, if we ever prove it.
That's right. We're getting there.
The Tricycle Club in California, legalized card gambling.
Bought for 30 million a year ago,
and now worth five times that.
What do they all have in common?
Bought with loans by the same bank in Liechtenstein.
Same forms, even.
Liechtenstein. Jesus. The secrecy laws there.
Hit the lights.
[Lopez] This is the Isle of Man, just off the coast of England.
The money to Liechtenstein comes from here.
And this man is singing like a canary.
And has the bank records to back it up.
- Now, where's the trail start? - It starts here.
Deposit in the Cayman Islands to a whole host of companies.
But it's dope cash rolling in every day by the wheelbarrow.
Half a billion dollars last year alone.
All cash.
Here's how we think it lays out.
From our investigation, a large network.
Nice family. Who's the guy on top?
That right there, that's Robbie Reemer.
[Ben] What is this? "Let's snuff out the Cigarette. "
George Bush.
We are pleased to place an initial order
for 100 Blue Thunder catamarans.
Forget the royals and the celebs.
We just got us some government money!
Sincerely, William Van Raab, Commissioner, U.S. Coast Guard.
Ten million dollars! Couldn't get any richer!
Well, break out the fuckin' champagne!
- Come on, buddy! - We did it!
- Yeah. - U.S.A Rizzy, baby!
I gotta call. I gotta...
[Emily chuckles] Mmm.
[sighs]
I can't believe it.
- A fleet of my catamarans... - Mmm-hmm.
...protecting the coastal waters of these United States.
What'cha doin', bo-boo?
Oh, you don't have a chance. This is the Coast Guard.
We're driving the Blue Thunder.
I am so proud of you, Ben Aronoff.
Not bad for the son of an immigrant, from Sheepshead Bay, huh?
Hmm, no. No, not bad at all.
Now, you, you could've done better.
- You could have had that King of Jordan. - [she laughs]
You are my king.
[Ben] Shelley!
Shelley!
Hey, Ben.
I need your help on something.
Right there.
I'm not gonna sign over Blue Thunder to you.
You arrogant piece of shit.
[groans]
Do you think you're different than us? Huh?
Something better?
Something special?
You're just another guppy in the food chain.
Sign! Sign now!
[groans]
[grunting]
You're property, Ben. All you've ever been.
- [sighs] - Sign.
[laughs]
[groans]
[Emily chuckles]
Morning!
Headed to the office.
You don't have to sleep in the guest room when you get home late at night.
It makes me feel unwanted.
I didn't want to wake you. I love you.
You know the Blue Thunder deal?
All that hoopla about catching bad guys with better boats?
I just got off with customs,
and they've been asked to make checks payable
to a new company, Super Chief South.
Robbie Reemer owns that company.
So you're telling me the biggest dope smuggler in the country
is in charge of building the boats intended to catch him?
[laughter]
I thought the Blue Thunder contract went out to Ben Aronoff.
Yeah, it did.
[scoffs] An old friend.
[sighs]
Please. Sit.
[clears throat]
No reason to coat this, Ben,
but our Dade County guys tell us the Feds are digging around,
looking into everything.
Dope-running, money, the whole operation.
A Grand Jury's collecting evidence faster than we can clock it.
It's bad. And it's moving right up our asses.
So you're all personally suspects?
Some fuckin' banker in Europe
is ratting us all the fuck out for a fuckin' plea deal.
So what do you want me to do?
[scoffs]
How about some basic [yells] co-operation?
- Really? - Really.
You know what? You better bring your fuckin' goons here
'cause I'll cut your fuckin' heart out.
Get this asshole outta here, or this meeting ends!
I'm not kidding! Get him out! Get out!
Fuckin' handle this. Handle this!
Look, Ben...
we need to put some assets back under your name,
back under the purview of your companies.
Remove it from the Feds' reach... for a period.
[laughs]
You guys are precious. You really, really are precious.
This is serious, Ben.
Hmm.
Fuck it. Move the assets.
But you put every single one of them in my name,
not my company's name.
And then good luck on getting them back.
Nobody's winning here, Ben.
We're just talking about surviving.
This is bigger than you,
or Robbie, or fuckin' anyone.
Well, guess what? It ain't my problem.
What have you got us into?
He has a gun.
- Where's Willie? - He's in his room.
You go to him.
Nice place. Nice family.
I hate to see you lose it all.
Now it's my family?
You're gonna get subpoenaed,
and all kinds of people are worried about it.
Worried about what you're gonna say.
But I tell them...
I'm sure old Ben's gonna play ball.
He's on the team.
That is what teammates do, right?
Get out.
- Get the fuck outta here. - Good luck.
- You've been warned, Ben. - Get the fuck out.
Tell me something. You owe me something.
I have to get you out of here.
I want you to get on the phone and call your sister in New York
and tell her that you're on the way. Just do that.
What is going on?
I will tell you everything when you get to New York. I promise.
- I am scared. - [sighs]
I am scared for you. I am scared for all of us.
Don't be. Don't be.
- I love you. - God. I love you, too.
Okay.
- Now, listen. Listen. Listen to me. - [sighs]
We're gonna be fine.
I'll call your sister with the number you can reach me. Okay?
I'll call you when I get in.
Okay. Okay. Go, go. Go.
Slow down. Slow down. Take it easy.
Don't alarm her.
Plenty of time before we get to the causeway.
Stay with her.
Go, go, go, go. Don't let her go too far.
[music playing]
[phone rings]
- Emily. - [Emily] Hey.
Oh, thank God. Hey, babe.
You're safe? No problems?
Yeah. Yeah, William's already in bed, and Aunt Cynthia's been incredible.
Except, I think I forgot what winter was like.
Yeah, man. Oh, I used to hate Jersey winters.
Well, it's pretty here. You should come.
I can't, babe.
You know, I can't put you guys at risk.
So are you gonna tell me?
Okay, look.
Over the years, I did business with a lot of shady guys, okay?
And I stepped on some toes.
I don't know what that means.
It means that I made promises to people that I can no longer keep.
And it's come back to haunt me.
The guy in the living room?
The guy in the living room is just one of a whole line of people
going all the way back to my days in New Jersey.
- The mob? - [sighs] Oh, fuck...
Okay, babe, listen.
There is a big court case.
A lot of people are gonna go down.
And the Feds are pushing hard on everyone, including me.
So...
So, you and me, our lives, it's just all been one big lie?
Babe, don't say that.
When I fuckin' saw you, I dropped to my knees.
You fuckin' stoned me.
You're the one who cleared up my life.
Then run.
I can't do that now, babe.
I'm a fighter too, Ben.
If you're in a fight, I wanna be right at your side.
Just hang in there.
Hang in there for me, baby.
I love you.
[sighs]
[phone rings]
Yeah?
Hey.
Uh-huh.
Where?
What's the name?
Okay, Dutch. It's a straight shot down to 75.
It's a little bend in Orlando, but we don't change highways, so...
- Okay. - Yeah. Take it easy.
- Hey. Come on. - What? No tickets.
- No tickets. - No tickets.
- No tickets! - [laughs] Yeah, no tickets.
[chuckles]
- That means the cops are... - Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember.
[knocking]
- Morning. - Morning. Agent...?
- Lopez. - Ah!
- It's been a while, hasn't it? - Yes.
A couple of goombahs wound up in the E.R. last night.
Smashed into by a Ford Bronco. Thought you might know something about it.
I... ran your plates.
Put the word out, called around, and bingo.
It's kinda weird to find a Mercedes in this parking lot.
Although, more likely to find Robbie Reemer with a couple of hookers.
- What do you want? - I'm just curious.
You know, I really am, 'cause your name keeps popping up
all over this big-ass investigation.
You know, a guy who was friends with kings and queens,
and a goddamn Vice-President,
sells his multi-million-dollar government contract to a mobbed up hustler?
- It's just business. - Just business?
Look, you know, I read this book once by a Jewish guy.
He said, "People who have a why to live can bear almost anything. "
What's your why, Ben?
Let me tell you something.
Sometimes it doesn't matter who you are or what you have.
It's just too hard to say no.
Do you have a plan? 'Cause you're in with a rough crowd.
- You can help us, and we can help you. - [scoffs]
Water's calmed down, we just gotta stay in the boat.
Hang on.
That's a risky bet.
I've been winning with it my whole life.
Now, if you're not going to arrest me, you have a nice day.
[Shelley] Hey, buddy, there he is.
[sighs] Secret rendezvous on the beach.
Black.
I spoke to my buddy at the D.A.'s office.
They won't confirm anything.
On the other hand, they would have told me to take a hike
if the subpoena wasn't coming.
If it's typed, it's ripe.
You're getting served, buddy-o, tomorrow.
[sighs]
- That's actually great news. - Really? How's that?
Once you get served, they'll keep you safe.
The Reemers, whoever, they're not gonna touch you once that happens.
They'll bring the Feds and the Miami-Dade P.D.
Dirty as they are, no one wants that.
25 years of your giving me high-end advice,
and it all boils down to "Stick around till you get served. " [sighs]
That's the ticket.
Here's something. Now, you're involved in this, too.
All right, I'll tell you what. Head back to your office,
grab your cash, anything you want,
meet me at the Hollywood Marina, we'll take my boat and just...
just disappear for the day. All right? We'll wait it out.
Just two good ol' boys gone fishing. [sighs] Sounds good.
Millie, it's me. Anyone there I should know about?
Nothing moving but the waves, Ben.
Good.
[shower running]
Can I help you?
[man] I'm lookin', uh, for Ben Aronoff.
I'm afraid he's not in.
Huh.
I've been trying to reach him for a week, but he hasn't gotten back to me.
I call, and I call, and I call.
[sighs] Now, look, my boss is a very wealthy man
who wants to buy a boat. [chuckles]
And he wants to buy the boat before he goes back to Michigan.
Now, look, I'm just trying to give this man some money.
I'm Ben.
Why don't you bring your boss in, we'll show him some boats,
and he can see what he likes?
My boss...
took me from the gutter,
gave me a job.
Everything I have, everything I am, I owe to him.
I'd do anything for my boss.
Anything... and everything.
I'd never turn my back on my boss.
You tell your boss that I'm done.
I don't owe anybody anything.
I'm paid in full and more so.
- You tell him that. - I'll tell him.
I'll tell him every word.
Hey, Ben.
[watch ticking]
[ticking stops]
I'm Ben Aronoff. I was on top of the world.
I loved, I created, I won.
It was one hell of a race.
[reporter 1] Internationally known race-boat designer, Don Aronow,
was shot to death this afternoon outside...
[reporter 2]... two-time world offshore powerboat racing champion...
[reporter 3]... pronounced dead at about 5:00...
[reporter 4] ... the Godfather, that is him.
You could call him the Henry Ford of powerboats. He is the man...
[reporter 5]... starting up and developing the sport of offshore powerboat racing...
[reporter 6]... raced his creations
to three national and two world championships.
His friends are badly shaken, unable to understand why anyone would...