The Plot Against America

You're gonna call Italy. You always call Italy first.

- That's because you're slow. - Faster than you.

Say Italy and we all win.

I declare war on...

England!

Six, nine, ten, 11...

Freeze!

Philip! Move, you're in the way!

Philip.

Good as gold.

Good afternoon, Selma. How's your husband today?

As well as can be expected.

You know, if there's anything I can do.

Thank you, Bess. And thank you for asking your husband

to drive us to the doctor last week.

A bus would have been too much for Martin.

Seldon. It's time to come in.

Bye, Selma.

While I'm in the basement with the laundry,

I can hear Mr. Wishnow coughing.

Poor man.

- Car! - Car!

Get out of the street.

Car, C-A-R, stick your head in a jelly jar!

Sandy, Philip. Your father is home.

Can I do it again?

Sandy!

- Sandy, draw me next. - No, me.

Unfortunately, ladies, the artist in residence

has to come inside for dinner.

What do you think, Aunt Evelyn?

Ah, remarkable.

I look like Rocky from Angels with Dirty Faces.

- What? - The one Jimmy Cagney played.

He goes to the electric chair and only pretends to cry

because the priest asks him to.

You look more like Leo Gorcey. Come on.

Shelly, Jackie!

- Where are ya? Come home! - This. Huh?

Where are ya? Come home!

You've been listening

to the Artie Shaw Orchestra...

One, two, three...

Boys, dinner.

I told your mother I'd wait, but she didn't want to be a burden.

Sandy, Philip.

Doesn't matter to me if she rode over here in a house coat.

I told her as much. I could run over there and get her right now.

It's not a big deal.

Sandy, help with the farshpayz. The chicken's overcooked.

- Looks fine to me. - Wanna get the door?

Anyway, that's what gravy's for.

Bet you can taste freedom already.

A couple more days, boychik.

Gut Shabbos.

- Can I speak with the papa? - Dad.

Gut Shabbos.

Still time until sundown, I've come

for the Jewish homeland in Palestine, please.

Of course. Sure.

Wash your hands. Sandy!

I washed them upstairs.

Good Shabbos.

And, uh... thank you for your effort.

Most generous. Thank you.

Alvin, can you scoot over? You're too close.

Aw-main.

Philip, the motzi.

Anyone listen to the Yankee game?

- Ruffing won again. - Did he?

Aw-mein.

I mean, Ruffing is pitching better,

but it'll be hard for him to win 20 again.

He still could.

Well, he's off last year's pace.

Napkin in your lap, please.

Boys, you went into New York, you went to Katz's,

you know how much you'd pay for soup this good?

A dollar a spoonful.

Every Friday, the same line.

Every Friday, the same soup.

Dad.

- Isn't this your homeland? - Huh?

- Man asking for money. - No, it's for Palestine.

It's to settle Jews in Europe who are running from Hitler.

Well, we don't need another homeland, right?

No.

- Who did the damage? DiMaggio? - Dickey. Three-run homer.

How much do you want for this?

- Really? You can have it. - No, I w... I wanna buy it.

You're my cousin. I'm not gonna sell you something I made.

When you become a famous artist, I wanna be able to say

I was the first person who bought your work.

So, uh... two dollars sound right?

You sure?

Let me see what you bought.

Oh boy, he caught you.

- A real gangster. - I was posing.

Is that what you call it?

You never let nothing go, do you?

What'd I say?

This might give you an idea for your Arbor Day poster.

The red one at the bottom.

This is good.

Thanks.

Boys, it's close to your bedtime.

You know, Philip,

it'd be nice if you played with Seldon once in a while.

Nobody wants to play with him.

And all he wants to do is play chess.

I think you should extend yourself.

His father's very sick.

Sandy.

Lights out.

What is it?

Ford Trimotor.

Citing the anniversary

of Jewish refugees

aboard the MS St. Louis attempting to enter

the United States, Senator Wheeler of Montana said

maintaining strict border control merits focus

- over giving resources for a foreign war. - I don't get it.

What don't you get?

Why can't you do the new job, but we still keep our apartment?

It's too far to drive every day from Weequahic.

I'd be spending half my workday in the car.

I'd have to change schools, right?

You would.

This is a promotion, though.

I'd be the district manager in charge of the Union office.

That's because your father has had the highest sales

for Metropolitan Life in the Newark office

for years now.

They're looking to pay me 75 dollars a week

to supervise in Union.

Maybe up to 100 after a year or two.

Let's take a look.

- Apartments? - Nope.

For one family only. The whole house.

The whole house?

This Depression has knocked prices down.

And with my raise,

we could afford to buy something like this.

Bess, you'd have the flower garden

you've always wanted.

And boys, you'd each have a bedroom of your own.

It's nice.

The other advantage

is that the interest on the mortgage alone

is deductible in your income tax,

which is a savings you don't get when you're paying rent.

Sons of bitches.

Herman.

Go back to Delancey Street.

What are you looking at?

Hey, you there. Wrong turn.

Herman, please drive.

Bye now.

Goddamn fascist bastards.

W...

What just happened?

Bess.

Are you awake?

No.

Why was Dad so mad today?

Can't wait until I get my own room.

Why did Dad cuss?

What's a "fascist bastard"?

You don't know, do you?

The fascists don't like Jews.

- Why? - 'Cause we're Jews.

But why?

'Cause of Hitler. Now go to bed or I'm getting Mom.

You don't know.

Not like I know. You grew up in the Third Ward around Jews.

You never had to think twice.

In Elizabeth, we were the only Jewish family.

Then what?

Did the Cossacks run you out?

Did they... Did they burn the shtetl?

You lived. You grew up.

That's not how it feels.

I was the only Jew in my class.

I had no friends.

People would walk by our apartment and point

and say, "That's where the Jews live."

Like it was something that had to be told to everyone.