Tortilla Flat

Pilon?

Pilon, are you awake, my friend?

I don't know.

And that is a beautiful way to be.

It's past noon, we should think about

getting something to eat.

That is a beautiful thought.

You know, the mackerel should be running good today.

Two boats have already come in.

You like mackerel, Pilon?

- I like T-bone steak. - Yeah, sure.

But when it comes to fish, I don't know

ah, I like mackerel.

You know what would be nice, Pilon?

If you had a trained pelican, you know?

And every time you wanted to fish

all you have to do, just, uh

send him out to dive for a while, heh.

We could train a pelican like that, yeah?

- No. - Oh.

- Why not? - Because you are dumb.

A pelican is dumb, too, but not that dumb.

- He would eat the fish himself. - Oh.

But what am I asking, if you train one...

Shut up, shut up, shut up. I got to think. I gotta think.

- You want mackerel, huh? - Oh, better than any fish.

I think I could eat a mackerel myself today.

Yeah?

Alright, I'll tell you what you do.

- What? - You go and get some rocks.

- A whole handful of rocks. - Rocks?

Then you go down to the dock and when the other boats come in

you, you call the fishermen names

and throw the rocks at them.

Oh, yeah, I'll get arrested.

No, you will get mackerel.

Well, I don't know what you mean, Pilon.

What do you think those fishermen

are gonna throw back at you?

Their oars and their nets?

No, they're gonna throw only fish.

Ah, bingo! But it's wonderful!

Hey, how-how'd you think of such a thing?

- It is a good way to trade. - Come on, come on then.

No, I will stay here.

Yeah, but two of us can throw more rocks

and get more fish.

Uh, you want wine with your fish, no?

Wine. I ain't gonna get it.

I will stay here and think of a way to get it.

Is either of you named Pilon?

Uh, what is it you wish, senor?

Well, to begin with, here's my card.

What is your name?

Cummings. Paul D. Cummings.

- I'm a lawyer. - We've done nothing.

I'm looking for a young fellow named Daniel Alvarez.

'They told me in town, one of you'

'paisanosmight know him.'

Danny Alvarez? Danny Alvarez.

No lawyer will do Danny any good now.

It's too late, he's already in jail.

- In jail? - Sure.

'What for?'

Well, they, they said it was

some, some kind of conduct

uh-uh, disorderly, I think.

Yeah, and he was drunk, too.

Yeah, some evil person gave him some bad wine.

That's right, in a poolroom.

And you know, it made him, uh

throw a six-ball through the window.

'And later, he found himself'

hitting a policeman on the hea.. Um..

I thought you were going after a mackerel.

Well, sure, I'm going, yeah.

Is he here in the local jail?

Senor, if it is so important

I will, I will be glad to sit in the seat of your car

and show you to him.

'Hey, who's that?'

That's the judge.

- Hey, you can't do that. - Why?

Don't it look like him?

Yes, a little, but he-he's a judge.

- You should have more respect. - Why?

- I don't know. Hey, who's that? - You.

You smearing my walls like this.

Ain't you got nothing better to do?

No. It's dead around here.

Doesn't anybody else get arrested anymore?

- You've got company. - Who?

There's Pilon and some men. You wanna see them?

Sure, sure.

- Are you Daniel Alvarez? - That's me.

- Hello, Pilon. - Hello, amigo.

Amigo, this a lawyer who came all the way

from Stockton just to see you.

Stockton? To see me?

I haven't been there in three years. It's a lie.

Yes, I can swear to it, he's been here with me all...

No one's accusing you of anything.

You remember your grandfather, Peter Alvarez?

Well, yeah, sure! How is he?

- He's dead. - Oh.

- He was a nice old fella. - He died last month.

And as his executor

I'm thoroughly shocked and ashamed

to find his one and only heir in a common jail. He was...

- Oh, he left something... - Just a moment.

Your grandfather was a paisano, too

but he was a good man, a sober man, a hard worker.

He had lots of money? Danny...

Will you please be quiet?

And by the terms of his will, you are heir to two houses

situated on Tortilla Flats.

- Two houses. - And the rest, it is all money?

The liquid assets of the estate

were just sufficient to pay the funeral expenses

'outstanding debts and so forth.'

No money. Just the houses.

There's one thing more.

This was his watch. It belongs to you now.

Yes, I remember this watch.

'Will you sign your name, please?'

Huh? Sure.

Sure. Oh, Danny can write.

Danny went to school a long time, until he was 11.

- Sure. - Two houses.

That's a fine start in life.

'Better than most American boys have.'

That's all I've got to say. Goodbye, son.

- He makes a good speech. - Yeah.

Like an old goat in the moonlight.

You shouldn't talk like that.

Now you are a man of property.

And now you're a man of property, you should celebrate.

- Like, fiesta. - I'd like a drink, alright.

Yeah, your grandfather should've left you some wine.

Yes.

Yes, it is too bad he did not

leave you something of value

like, money.

The watch. The watch!

Torrelli would give us lots of wine for that one.

What are you saying?

This is the watch of his grandfather.

Or-or maybe you have no feeling about such things, Danny.

- Most people do not. - That is a good watch.

- It shows the time. - Sure, sure.

But say, the hand, it-it points to seven.

It is summer time.

Seven o'clock is a good time to get up in the summer time.

- Right? - Sure.

But what happens when winter comes?

What good is seven o'clock then? It's cold and dark.

You want to get up at seven o'clock in winter time?

- No! - Hm.

You see, you, you cannot trust a watch.

The only thing you can trust is the sun.

That is gold, too, and bigger. And always costs nothing.

- This watch cost me nothing. - 'Uh, you will find out.'

You have to polish it, you, you have to wind it, you..

Always you are afraid it's going to be stolen.

It's a, it's a load on your back that never comes off.

Take it.

It will make a burrow of you.

I never asked to be left this watch.

The watch or some wine, which do you want?

- Wine. - We don't get wine here.

Then I can get my guitar back from Torrelli's, too, huh?

Sure.

Hey, wait! No, he can't go.

He's a prisoner. You get the wine from Torrelli.

- And we will drink it here. - What talk is this?

You want our friend to celebrate this important thing in prison?

You have the heart of a chipmunk.

He hasn't finished his ten days.

He still has one more day to serve.

Listen, Tito, I'll come back with you.

But I-I gotta feed him when he wakes up.

When we come back, we'll bring him some nice wine, too.

Come on, come on.

His grandfather, eh?

How do I know if you didn't steal it?

Ask Tito Ralph.

No, the lawyer brought it.

Well, it's pretty old.

Maybe it won't go right anymore, huh?

I'll give you one gallon and your guitar.

One gallon?

Uh, Torrelli, amigo.

Torrelli, do you, do you think

Danny would part for this for wine

if it was not that the death of his father's father

'has made him so sad?'

'Huh, Danny?' - Hello, Cesca.

Hello, Danny.

No! You stay here.

Go on inside.