"The truth..." "It lies in the mind of the listener." "If you can create truths that appear to be what really happened, you have absolute power." "Listen to me." "Listen between my words." "And tell me if this is true or real." "THE AM erican TRAP" "El Moroco Club, Havana" "(Rivard)." "In '56, in Cuba, there was us, in the industry of pleasure that some people call crime." "And then there was them, the Americans, who were cleaning out the island's nickel." "Rockefeller's yes-men dined at the same table as President Eisenhower, while we ate the crumbs from their plates." "(music)" "That same year," "Jack Kennedy wrote his book and won the Pulitzer." "Seven years later, he'd die a hero." "That's when America lost its innocence." "The USA would never see the likes of it again." "The victors of World War II were becoming vulnerable at home, rotting from the inside out." ""Us" was me, Lucien Rivard." "But above all," "Paul Mondolini, one of the bosses in the French Connection." "Paul had started out as a jewel thief in Corsica before graduating into drug trafficking and arms dealing." "When it came to business, borders meant nothing to Monsieur Paul." "A man of vision, that Paulo." "Me, I was his courier, his right-hand man his PR flack." "We'd created a model for raking in cash." "Such a good one that all kinds of businessmen wanted to be our friends." "We showed them how to change water into wine, and, boy, did they learn fast." "Paul was barred from Cuba, but he came anyway to meet with new associates." "And... the ladies." "Paul was a ladies ' man." "Ha!" "Some women are like sharks - as long as you don 't go in the water, you have nothing to fear, but if you do, you better know how to swim." "Good evening, Mrs Bati sta." " Lucien..." " Gracias." " Fulgenci o is raising your taxes." " Raising them?" "." "How much?" "." " $25,000 a week." " We have a contract." " It's not his fault." "Cuba has debts." " $20,000." "Not a penny more." "(music and laughter)" " Lucien, a friend from Texas." " And, uh, you are...?" "." " Jacob Rubenstein." " Lucien wants to get to know you." "(chuckling)" " What's there to know?" "." "Let's see..." "I, uh..." "I own clubs in Dallas." "I got a job like yours." "And I'm connected." "I got friends." "Cop friends." "And they like me." " So we'll do some business together." " I didn't immediately understand who I was dealing with the day Paul introduced me to Jack Ruby and the girl he was with, Rose Cheramie." "Rose had something angelic about her, but Ruby stank" "like the Italian mobsters in florida and New Orleans." " Com e on, baby." "Let's get some drinks." " I don't like his face." " Forget his face." "We can use him." "He's one of Roselli's guys." "Please, folks," "let me introduce Mr. Rivard, from Montreal." " Paul and I were pals, but we didn't always see eye to eye in business." "He had a big-shot side to him." "He liked to flaunt it with the Americans." " They'll never let the Reds grab Cuba's nickel." "Ever." "Which m eans our nightclubs are safe." "The Yanks need the island." "If we sell Castro French guns, the smack trade is safe." "And France won't close our Marseille labs." " No, Paulo, no French guns." "The Americans would drop me cold." " Who cares who sells what?" "." "Business is business." "Money has no smell, guns no nationality." " You don't care, but I have contacts." "I have a deal with the ClA." "Maurice Bishop." " A word of advice..." " Paul loved to give advice from books he hadn 't read." "Me, I kept quiet, so he'd think he was smarter than me." "I was younger than him and also more loyal." "But I only found that out much later." "(torch song )" "The sky of Cuba was also a heaven for the guardian angels of Rockefeller's like." "Their cloud was called the CIA, and their archangel, Maurice Bishop." "We call him "the Engineer. "" "He made sure the money-making machine ran smoothly." "He was our contact in the paradise called the USA, the guy who pulled strings to protect our investments." "(moaning )" "Bishop had learned to play the harp with the Germans." "He seemed almost aloof from the mundane." "He worked nonstop, even with the whores he was recruiting to assassinate Castro." "He was obsessed with Castro." "And rightly so, I 'd say." "With Bishop watching over the rebels," "Paul and I had a field day." "America 's youth was looking for adventure and we'd make sure they'd find it." "This was going to be the decade of free love and millions spent on gambling, sex and getting high." "We were the first to target the baby boomer market - a "competitive edge, " as they say at Harvard." "What was good for Rockefeller was good for us." "The people who supplied us with the raw drugs wanted guns." "So we brought them the surplus sold by our pals in the French and American armies." "It was a wild ride, but profit's profit." "There must've been some logic to it, because Bishop didn 't interfere." "Batista 's price was 20 grand a week." "The rebels, half that." "We played the country like we played the races, but, jeez... we bet on the wrong horse." "(crowd cheeri ng )" "The day Castro entered Havana, we should've run." "Batista had offered us his plane that night - a Sunday." "Ha!" "He'd secretly emptied our bank accounts, but since we didn 't trust anyone, we socked away a pile of cash in Miami, preparing to wait for the cavalry." "Kennedy backed down and his cavalry never showed up." "The rest is history - ours." "It's the story of me, Paul, Bishop, Rose," "Jack Ruby and a few others." "The story of how America lost its arrogance, its certainty, its illusions." "The story of the death of a president and a few innocent people who found themselves in the right place... at the wrong time." "Dallas, Texas, sum mer 1 963" " Rose." " What?" "." " You know, you're prettier when you whisper." "Hmm?" "." "Call me as soon as you get there." "Hustle your ass." " Who's gonna pay for the phone call?" "." " Oh." "When you're not a sweetie, you're a real bitch." "Hmm?" "." "Repeat your instructions again." "You can't be too careful." " I contact Rivard." " Then?" "." " I do what he tells me." " This is the only delivery you know about." "One run, that's all." " Anything else?" "." " Yes." "I love you." "(scoffing)" "(coughing)" "(mumbling)" " Good girl." "(panting)" "((knocking) Shit." "(whimpering)" " So Rosie's on her way to Rivard." "Your fly." " Rose." "Okay." " Mm." " What else?" "." " All in good time." "(sighing)" "You look nervous, Jack." "(chuckling)" "Don't worry." "Rivard will get the job done." " You know, I own this club and I don't need this shit." "Why the hell are we bringing all this smack into the States now anyway?" "." "Hmm?" "." "It is way too risky, Paul." "And you, my friend, you've been acting a little too desperate." "What gives?" "." " Jack... you know why." "To get rid of Castro." "Fort Pike, Louisiana, summer 1963" " Your order." "Where are the guns?" "." " Here's the address." "The guns are there." " The Bahamas?" "." " He screwed us." " Listen to me." "You have the smack." "I want the guns." "(cocking)" " I'm not screwing you, Diego." "My word's all I have." "Go to Nassau." "Your cargo's waiting for you." "Hey, Diego." "Next time you pull a gun on me, you're dead." "Bishop..." "That's my last delivery on American soil." "Even with these Cubans." "The narcs would love to lock me away." " Risks of the job." " Maybe, but you didn't do time in Cuba." "Castro didn't bust your balls." "Where are your hitmen from?" "." " Eastern Europe." "They can get into Cuba easily." " Who's your mole with Castro?" "." "Who'll replace Castro when he's dead?" "." " You don't need to know that." "Not now." " We should've done the deal in Mexico." " Fidel has eyes in Mexico, not here." "Get them Canadian papers, leave the rest to me." " So they can fly through Montreal with their payload of drugs?" "." "I'd be the fall guy." "Look at my face, Maurice." "Does it say "idiot"?" "." " I need the passports for September." "Book the flights now." "Dallas-Montreal." " Can I know the date?" "." " On December 1, they'll fly from Havana to Miami, then Dallas." "They'll fly to Montreal, and on to Paris." "The tickets have to be open for two months, from November 1." "We need wiggle room." " Sure the fbi won't nose around?" "." " Want a letter from Bobby kennedy?" "." " I want protection." "Or find some salsa dancers to do it." "Montreal, Quebec" " AIIo?" "." "Same routine as last time, go in through the back." "Mondolini will fill you in." " Wiill I see you before I leave?" "." " No, I have business down south." "Caron?" "." " Yeah?" "." " Drive carefully." "When you hit Laredo, play the tourist." " You can trust me." "(phone ringing )" " Hello?" "." " How does he seem?" "." " Nervous." " Put him on." " Caron!" " What?" "." " Is this your first time?" "." " No." " You 'II take the missus on vacation." " Vacati on?" "." "In M exi co." "You'll get m oney for passports." "Stay at the Diplomatico." " Using our real names?" "." " Yeah." "We'II give you the number to call George." "Give me Groleau." "Yeah, Paul?" "." "The car?" "." "There's a box under the fin." "It's welded in." " Find us a hideout." "Something safe." " No problem." "New Orleans, Louisiana" "(music)" "(music)" " How long's it been since Havana?" "." " Five years?" "." " Seven." " Already?" "." " Your smile's changed." " Hmm." "Lost my religion." "In Cuba I was young." "I was living a fairy tale." "Here it's a horror show." "Happy now?" "." " There's horror everywhere." "You dominate or are dominated." " Easy for a man to say." "For us it's different." "We've all changed since Cuba." "Even you." " What do you know?" "." " I carry the heroin to Dallas." "You say how." " Why are you doing this?" "." " Why do you think?" "." "(phone ringing)" " Good evening, Mr. Kennedy." " We almost had the mob, now this." "Do you have any idea where those leaks came from?" "." " Too many suspects." "What with all these..." "interagency feuds." "The ClA" " Not your problem, Edgar." " Security is my problem, sir." "And soon it could be yours." "We can't even get the files we need from the Bureau of Narcotics or Customs!" " Anything new on Jimmy Hoffa?" "." " I'm afraid not." " And what about this, uh, French Canadian guy," "Lucien Rivard?" "." " We're working up our own file on him," "Mr. Kennedy." "Right now, if you want to know more about him, talk to Narcotics." "(honking i n the distance)" "Narcotics Division, New Orleans" "(background chatter)" "(man )." "Leave it on the desk." "Thanks." " 'Morning, Jeffrey." " Rivard's fille." "Enjoy." " Can I keep it?" "." " No." " Why?" "." " I 've been working on Rivard for so long," "I'm kind of possessive about my filles." " lt'll let you know what we got but I can't release it." " You aware of what we're talking about here?" "." " Yeah, you still want to invade Cuba, just to prove you can do it." "Our job is prosecuting traffiickers, Mr. Bishop." "We don't do politics." " Let me handle that, son." " We can't let Rivard break the law and do nothin'!" " I need time." "I know the mob's a plague... but you don't wipe it out by starting World War I ll." " Go to the garage, pick up the car." " Then?" "." " Drive to the hotel, leave the keys in the ignition." "Then go to bed." "Next day... you head for Dallas." " Where do I meet the two guys?" "." " They'll be waiting by the highway, just before Baton Rouge." "Pick them up at the abandoned factory." " In Dallas what do I do?" "." " They'll tell you." "Wiill you be careful?" "." " Most guys worry about the smack, not about me." " If the cops pull you over, play dumb." "You found the car with the keys in it." " I'll go down for theft." " Better than for drug running." "Ok, get going!" " Rivard, uh, is a nice guy." "But Narcotics, they want him." "And what they want, they get." " Are you dumping him?" "." " Well, it's nothing personal, but business is business." " What do you mean, business is business?" "." "Rivard trusts me." " I don't want him to tweak, understand?" "." "Do the deal the same as always." " See, Rivard will be our saviour." "Sacrifiicing himself like fucking Jesus." " Hmm." " I won't be a part of that." "Sorry." " Yes, you will." " And the horse should be on time in Dallas... and that's that." "Montreal, summer 1 963" " The CIA sent Oswald to Montreal to expose him, to be seen as an activist." "That's part of their plan." " No, no, no, that's crazy." "Montreal is our safe haven to set up our deals." "The drug comes to Montreal from Marseille." "The CIA shouldn 't do that." "I 'II talk to Bishop." " He won 't do anything." " Fair Play for Cuba, sir?" "." " Oswald is not one of ours." "He's a piece of the CIA cake." "Don 't worry, he'II be everywhere." "And all we have to do is play cool and get on the train at the right time." " I'd like to see some I D, sir." " Of course." " Lee Harvey Oswald?" "." " That's correct." " Good afternoon, sir." "Spare some change?" "." "Thanks, sir." "God bless you." " You 'II make five trips before November." " Why five?" "." " It's less risky to split the run." "Can 't get insurance for that." "(sighing )" "Three trips down." "Rose has two left." " You fucking her?" "." " Come on, Paul." " You slept with her." "(chuckling )" " Are you shafting the ClA and stepping up US deliveries while they're busy with Castro?" "." "An extra few runs, huh?" "." "Cause if so, screw you!" "It's my ass in Laredo." " The price for Castro has gone up." "Way up." "He's careful since the Bay of Pigs." " The killers aren't American." " There aren't any killers." "They're soldiers." "It's a war." "Do you have the documents?" "." "The tickets?" "." " If you're playing me.." "I'll fiind out." "I can talk to Marcello too." " The ClA wants a closed circuit." "Bishop to you, you to me, me to Marcello." "Why're you worried?" "." " It's too much heroin." "Even for whacking Castro." "Plus, shipping to Dallas..." " The contract calls for you to deliver guns to Cuba, and H to Dallas." "The ClA has signed off on it." "We have total impunity." "The narcs won't torpedo the Cuba mission by busting us." " Do you trust Bishop?" "." "Do you believe the ClA?" "." " Bishop's straight, he's clean." "We need him." "We have to cover him." "Then, once the mission's been completed... ciao!" " You'll stop delivering?" "." " I'll stay in the background." "That prick Valachi will squeal to the McClellan Commission." "And Bobby will win." " I'm done for this year." "I'm going back to Montreal." "already?" "." "I've done my part." "Be careful." " Oui..." "Washington, September 1 963" "McClellan Senate Select Committee" " Did you say Cosa Nostra?" "." " Yes, sir." " What do those words mean exactly?" "." " Literally?" "." ""This thing of ours."" "Cosa Nostra is "our thing. "" " So it's another name for the mafia?" "." " Yes and no." "Mafia is Sicilian." "Cosa Nostra is "our thing."" " An American mafiia?" "." " You could say that." " ls, uh..." "Carlos Marcello a member of Cosa Nostra?" "." " Yes, sir." " Is Santo Traffiicante a member too?" "." " Yes, he is." " And what about Johnny Roselli?" "." " Yes, sir." " Jimmy Hoffa?" "." " Mm-hmm." " Do you know Paul Mondolini?" "." " He's a Corsican friend of ours." " What does he do, this friend?" "." " He helps with imports." " You mean drugs." "He helps you import them into US territory." " Yes, he does." " Would you speak louder for the benefit of the recording?" "." " Sometimes  he does big, big imports." "They say "French Connection."" "He owned nightclubs in Cuba." "Like, uh, "El Morocco."" " But he wasn't the sole owner, was he?" "." " No, sir." "He had a partner." "Another Frenchy." "Rivard... something." " Lucien Rivard?" "." " Bingo." " Was he a big or a small guy in Cosa Nostra?" "." " Could not have been in Cosa Nostra!" "He's not ltalian!" "Anyway, with him, it ain't a matter of rank." "Rivard... just smart fucking guy." "Excuse my French." "(aughing )" " Mr. Cohen?" "." " Yes." " There's some extra bit of mail here comin' for ya." " Coming." "Domaine ldeal, Chomedey, Quebec" "Border Crossing, Laredo, Texas October 1 0, 1 963" "(car horn honking)" "(woman singing)" "(children laughing)" "(singing)" "(car horns honking)" " There's that lmpala." "Gotcha." "(singing)" "(horn honking)" " Where you folks headed?" "." " Montreal." " Please pull up over there, sir." " Yep." " Step out of the car and open the trunk." " Yeah." "We'll eat in Dallas." " Got any alcohol?" "." " No, sir." " Take this over." "Take that stuff out." " I wouldn't fiigure you for a guy who likes pottery." "76 pounds of heroin $35 million US" " Why the car seat?" "." " The smack was in cans welded under the fiins." "I don't understand." " Didn't you check?" "." " The Colombians loaded the car." "I wasn't there." "I'm just as pissed off as you." " We have history, Paul." "It was Marcello, right?" "." " No one wants to hurt you." "Or me." " I get it." "I just lost a friend, right?" "." " The stock was in the car." "I left." "No one knew." " Your wife knew." " No, she didn't know anything." " She didn't?" "." " I didn't tell her." "(sighing)" " They paid me." "I was making a run, that's all." "She didn't know." " Who paid you?" "." "You're screwed either way." "If you don't talk," "I'll indict your wife too." "It was Rivard." "(radio).... in the 1960 presidential campaign," "(radio).... in the 1960 presidential campaign," "Mr. Kennedy filled the airwaves with what he called" ""his need for strong leadership, the need to go forward with vigour. "" "If we examine President Kennedy's handling of his legislative programs for his first three years, his 1 960 campaign cries are more applicable today than three years ago." "Mr. Kennedy asked Congress for an alliance for" "( Paul sighing )" " Why?" "." " Necessity." " Are you planning to fram e everybody, Carlos?" "." "( aughing )" " Come on." "Caron needs a French Canadian." " I 'm involved." " Forget it." "The narcs caught Rivard." "They're happy." " Have you fed Customs?" "." "(Carlos laughing)" " I feed only my family." "( Paul sighing)" " Now what about Dallas?" "." " Ah, Dallas." "It's up to you." " Up to me?" "." "Up to me?" ".!" "Fuck you, Carlos!" " Bobby kennedy is happy with the catch." "And that buys us time." "Listen to me." "I ate pasta with Luciano," "I did business with Lansky." "I learned from the best!" "Fuck you, Frenchies." "We got something to do right here in the States." "And if to do that..." "I gotta sacrifice Rivard, that's what I gotta do." "Right now... you have one choice to make." "Only one." "Am I your best friend, or, uh, is Rivard?" "." "Paul, you have an important meeting." "Don't miss it." "Don't miss it." "Hmm?" "." "And Basin Street" "Is the street" "Where all the boys and the good folks meet" "Down in New Orleans" "In the land of dreams" "And you never know how nice it seems" "And just how much it really means" "( aughter) You 're dear to me" "Yes siree" "Dear to me Yes siree" "Can 't you see baby..." " We'l I have three guys." "Eti enne, Max and Ladi slas." " Roselli wants to com e." " That's impossible." " I told him, but he insists." " Either they do it, or we do." " Look, it's their dime." " Alright, but just him." "If he gets caught, tough." "Guerini got a call from New York." "Bonanno's worried about you two." " Lucien has contacts in the Canadian government." "They eat out of his hand." "I'm ok." "As long as I can go back to France..." " Who's the spook?" "." " Oswald." "He's a pigeon." "For him the hit's a pretext, and Castro's declaration of war on the US an excuse to invade the island." "Here." "The passports, plane tickets..." "Everything you need." " Shit, we're on!" "Montreal, November 1 963" " I like the view." "You screwed me in Texas." "Thanks." " It wasn't me." " Then who?" "." " Someone tipped Narcotics." " They didn't just tip them, they changed the hiding spot in the car." "I was dumb enough to trust you." "Mea culpa." " You planned one run too many." "You took advantage of us." "Admit it." "We're moving our operations to Purwakarta." " If we send men to Indonesia, they'll be slaughtered." "What's with Paul?" "." " Soon they'll link Mondolini to Laredo." "You on one end, him on the other." "Maybe Laredo was rigged to distract the fbi." " By who?" "." "Why?" "." " Someone you know is playing a dangerous game." " Sure, you." "Now we're expendable." " I didn't arrange it." "The drivers, the car, the Mexicans." " You couldn't keep your word, so you sold us." " You got something new?" "." " Yeah." "Um..." "Melba Christine Marcades, alias Rose Cheramie." "She's probably a courier." " That's it?" "." " Well..." "I've been wasting my time trying to make connections between, uh... well, between these and those." " 'Cause now we got connections, do we?" "." " I know what you're thinking about." "This guy here" " Clay Shaw?" "." "He's a former cia fileid offiicer." " Wait now." "Now, Shaw used aliases when he talked to Guerini in Marseille." " What for?" "." " Uh..." "I don't know yet." "Maybe just for intel." " That's not your job, is it?" "." " Why?" "." "Because me knowing the criminals are on the federal payroll is a little above my pay grade?" "." "Is that right, boss?" "." "Look, this guy, Oswald, if he's the one who's supposed to kill Castro, how come he's so damned exposed everywhere?" "." "You'd think he was performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, for fucksake." " That's enough, Jeffrey." " I may not be smart enough to be in the ClA, but when it comes to dirty politics," "I'm not blind." " Listen, you concentrate on these guys instead of those." "You got that?" "." "Now, we got charges on Rivard, right?" "." "What about Mondolini?" "." " Nothing yet." " Yeah." "Have you found the informant?" "." "Jeffrey?" "." " No." " Well..." "You let me know." " It was Marcello." " Why would he set you up?" "." " Take a stroll in Ponchartrain." "Marcello dominates the anti-Castro gang." "That's his clan." "You've lost control." " How do you know?" "." " I have ears to hear and eyes to see." "Marcello and Traffiicante are still pissed over the Bay of Pigs." "They'll link us cause of the guns." "And they need Mondolini's labs in Marseille." "And you guys..." "As long as Rockefeller saves his Cuban nickel holdings, nothing else matters." "Hmm?" "." " Kennedy plans to legislate against nickel stockpiling." "He's taking on Rockefeller." " At home it's one thing, abroad another." "You Yanks are greedy." "Think I'm stupid?" "." "Your money was in Miami." "You didn't lose much." " We lost the future, Maurice." " Tell me what you know." " Marcello's preparing a big job." "So big he sold me to the narcs... and Mondolini didn't tip me off." "(door opening and closing)" " Rose Cheramie?" "." "Jeffrey Cohen, Narcotics." "No, don't get up, don't get up." " Now what?" "." " I want to thank you for meeting with me." "You know this man?" "." " Am I supposed to?" "." " How about him?" "." "Wiith them you speak French." "Still working for Jacob Rubinstein?" "." " Jack's protected by the Dallas police." "His club's a hangout for Washington big shots." "I admit it," "I sometimes sleep with the chief of police." "(sniffling) Is that a crime?" "." " You seem to do a lot of travelling between New Orleans and Texas." "What's that about?" "." "Fuckin' another cop?" "." " Why?" "." "Do you want me to stop by your place too?" "." "Visiting friends." " Can I have their names?" "." " What name do you use when you bring a girl to a motel?" "." "Mr. Smith?" "." " You diabetic?" "." "(sniffling)" "How long you been using?" "." "Rivard is gonna be charged with importing heroin into the United States." "You know that." "What are you doing here, Rose?" "." " New Orleans?" "." "Music..." "It's the best place in the world." " You make a lot of money runnin' dope." "A lot of money." "But it's dangerous." " Thanks for the advice." " Sticking needles in your arm, that's dangerous too." "You're gonna die young." " Anything else?" "." " Yeah." "If you get your memory back..." "Good day." "(door opening and closing)" "(moaning and panting)" " Did you fuck Rivard?" "." " He didn't want me." " He didn't?" "." "(grunting)" "(panting)" "(turning on music)" "How much do you want?" "." " Nothing." "I want you." "Thanks." " Did you tell the cops about the car?" "." "(Rose sighing)" " No." "I told'em nothing." " I believe you." "A little present." "You'll go back to Dallas." "It's too dangerous here." "Enjoy." "Dallas, November 1963" " Are we alone?" "." " Yeah, I'm all set." "I got what I need." " Good boy." " But, see, what I don 't understand is, why don 't we just take care of Bobby?" "." " Cut that dog 's tail, he's still barking." "Cut his head off, and he's done." " So tel I m e, who's gonna shoot?" "." " Not your fucking business." "All you got to do is bring the gun to the sucker and we'll be okay." " What if someone sees me?" "." " If that happens, get the gun and shoot yourself." "Oswald will know what to do with the gun." "It's not your business." "Then we'll be done with those fucking Mick bastards." "Once that fucking Kennedy's dead, we're back in business." "See you next week." "(rattling)" " Rose, what the" " What the fuck she's doing here?" "." " Nothing." " She was listening!" " Nah." "She must've just passed out." " Passed out?" ".!" " No!" "(screaming)" " Ah, shit." " You think she's dreaming now?" "." "(whimpering)" "Stand!" " No, no... (crying) Get up." " Ah!" "(sobbing)" " Mertz said he'd wait on the third floor." "(train passing by)" "We'll wait here." " Everything okay?" "." " Yeah." "It's all clear up there." "What do I have to do?" "." " You know how to use it?" "." " Yeah, yeah." "The Marines taught me well." " The gun will be behind the boxes." "Draw a target around the car... and hit it." "The crowd will be huge." "So don't hurt anybody." "Just shoot a tire or the bumper." " Okay." " You take the shot and leave the gun behind." "Got it?" "." " It's risky, but the boss knows what he's doing." " JFK needs that aborted coup." "You'll be a hero." " What about my passport?" "." "Ticket out?" "." " You'll get them after you take the shot." "Texas Theatre, one o'clock." " Why not now?" "." " You think I'm going to let you leave here carrying evidence in your pocket?" "." "Be smart, Lee." "I'll get them at the theatre." "Idiot." "Eunice, Louisiana, November 20, 1 963" " They're gonna..." " What?" "." " They're gonna kill the president." " Come on, sweet pea, let's go." "I'm gonna take you to the hospital, all right?" "." "Come on, it's gonna be all right." "Let's go." " I was at Ruby's club." "I heard them talking about killing the president." "That's why I was beaten so bad." "They tried to kill me to keep me quiet." " Rose..." " Please, you gotta believe me." "Please!" " I'm afraid I can't." " You're part of the cover-up, aren't you?" "." " Rose, I've heard this story so many times, it's my bread and butter." "Some days, everybody I see tells me that same story." "Now how is that possible?" "." " It's true, I tell you!" "It's all true!" " No, it's not." "It's something..." "you thought you heard." "You're sick, Rose." "Paranoid." "I'm gonna cure you." "Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1 963" "(man)." "We love you!" "(woman)." "President, we love you!" "(announcer)." "The motorcade begins the 11-mile ride to the Dallas Trade Mart, where the president is to deliver a major address." "(music)" "(radio)." "although the president is running behind schedule, he pauses momentarily to shake a few hands..." "(peopl e cheering )" "(dog barking )" "(whimpering )" " Shhh... (barking excitedly)" "Don't forget to feed my babies." " Wiill do." "(gunfiire)" "(radio)." "It... it... it appears as though something has happened in the motorcade route." "Something" " I repeat - has happened in the motorcade route!" "... the hill, alongside elm Street, there by the Simmons Freeway." "(people screami ng )" "Just a moment, please." "Something has happened in the motorcade route." "Parkland Hospital..." "(screaming )" "(distant sirens)" "(screaming )" "... The president's car is now going past me." "The limousine is now sailing at a very high rate of speed!" "Secret Servicemen standing up in the limousine!" "They are armed with submachine guns!" "It appears as though someone in the limousine might have been hit by the gunfire!" "The presidential car coming up now!" "We know it's the presidential car!" "I can see Mrs. Kennedy's pink suit!" "There's a Secret Serviceman spread-eagled over the car!" "We understand Governor... (screaming ) (sobbing )" "Dorval Airport, M ontreal November 22, 1 963" "ClA, Langl ey, Virginia November 24, 1 963" " As always, democracy finds its strength in the continuity of the presidency." "Lyndon B. Johnson becomes the 36th President of the United States just 99 minutes after his predecessor's life had ebbed away." " To pay their last respects to the martyred president, who lay in state in the Rotunda of the Capitol." "(phone ringing )" "President Lyndon B. Johnson placed a wreath in the name of the nation." "(ringing )" "As the world and the nation mourn and the country's flags were at half-mast..." " Yeah?" "." " You'll fly out in a m onth." "We'll meet up in Indonesia." " Mm-hmm." "I told you something was up." "Was it Marcello?" "." "We'II talk there." "Who'll be there?" "." " Just like old times." "Except for the continent." "(TV)." "Another camera recorded the deed in slow motion." "The film is stopped as the shot is fired by Jack Ruby." "As the president was laid to rest, an eternal flame was lighted by Mrs. Kennedy, a tower of strength..." "Jack Ruby..." "( Rivard )." "Ruby killed Oswald." "Impossible to read Bishop." "Paul's playing dead..." "Ha!" "Ha!" "I 'd been hung out to dry." "Denpasar, I ndonesia winter 1 964" "Cuba, Indonesia..." "The Americans had a voracious thirst for new trade opportunities." "Only one solution:" "collaborate, stay in the game." " Stop!" "He's neutral, from Canada." " Lucien, come and join us." "Have a seat." "Careful, you'll kill someone." "$200, 000 US." " Okay." "But with your men." "I need them." "They know the country." " My men aren't going to die for the ClA." "I need the guns for our struggle." "Your war is your war." "We know what happened at the Bay of Pigs." " They're not gonna budge." " Fine." "Guns for smack." "keep your men." "He'll play politics." " Do you all agree?" "." " No way." " Deal." " No way!" " It's their war." "Screw politics!" " Gentlemen, outside!" "We'll be back in a minute." "All right, listen." "Marcello fucked us all." "All right?" "." " The narcs were on my tail." "And yours." " You're still a bastard." " Stop it!" "That's enough!" " Marcello is shit and I'm stupid, right?" ".!" "Right?" ".!" " Cut the crap." "I'm the stupid one here!" "I was sure Marcello's plan would fail." "That I'd get out clean, that you'd catch on, that the ClA was as powerful as they claim!" "I'm the jerk!" "Aren't I?" "." " I'm your ticket out of the States." " You know Marcello!" "What choice did I have?" "." " You knew about Laredo!" " Okay, okay." "If you try to fool us again, you're both fucking dead." "Your families are fucking dead and all your fucking friends are fucking dead." " Right." "Beg your pardon..." "I have US guns to sell here." "French guns too." "Brand new." "Western guns." "They'll kill a Commie from 3 miles." "Easy." "Sorry." " What?" "." "(thunder rumbling)" " They're going to extradite me to the US." " They've sacrifiiced you." "I'm next in line." "Let's negotiate." " Negotiate what?" "." " Protection - for what we know." "kennedy..." "We know who and why." "The Yanks have to hush it up." " Think you can blackmail the USA?" "." "You're dreaming!" " Come to France." "Wiith De Gaulle we'll have it cushy." " I don't want to live my life in a gilded cage, nibbling croissants." "When I feel closed in," "I die." "Now that I'm in shit, you're dropping me?" "." " I told you, Laredo was one too many." " What can you do for me?" "." " Nothing." " Neither here nor in the US?" "." " I can 't stop your extradition if Bobby Kennedy demands it." " So I'm all on my own?" "." " Use your Canadian government contacts to block it." " I need my dough from Miami." " There I can help you." "Maybe." " Much too kind." "June 1 9, 1 964" "Bordeaux Prison, Montreal" "(door buzzing )" "( Rivard )." "Friends, money - they only last so long." "I quickly realized that Bobby Kennedy would come out on top." "Bishop had probably leaked the information to the RCMP." "The consequence?" "." "My friends who financed the Liberal Party found themselves in hot water and the Minister of Justice was forced to resign." " Any chance Rivard could be a Communist?" "." " He could be whatever we want him to be." "We know he's friends with a French activist close to the FLQ." " The what?" "." " I guess you 'd translate it as the Front for the Liberation of Quebec." " Apparently," "Rivard smuggled arms in Cuba with m embers of the OAS." " Yeah, we tracked that." "And his ties to the mob." "Mr. Hoover?" "." " Yes, I'm here." "Don't be surprised if Attorney General Kennedy asks for hi s extradition." " The RCMP will be happy to oblige." "( Rivard )." "My only chance was to break out." "I had other friends." "Little guys who worked at the prison." "Little guys are often more reliable than big shots." "Bordeaux Prison, Montreal March 2, 1 965" "RI VARD ES CAPES!" "(man )." "It's not so much that Rivard may be there, although he may be." "NO S IGN OF RIVARD" "But the tip may be there that wins the $ 15, 000 reward." "(Rivard )." "Three months on the Iam, hiding out, spreading rumours to cover my tracks..." "I 'd been a player - now I was a fugitive." "They finally found me and put me on the first flight to Texas." "I was trading Canadian handcuffs for American ones." "Much heavier ones, in terms of consequences." "Montreal, June 1 6, 1 965" " Lucien Rivard, you are now in the custody of the US Marshals." " She knew the president would be shot, she knew Ruby." " Oh, come on, Jeffrey." " Oswald was at the Carousel Club." "She saw him!" " She's a heroin addict." " She's involved with Rivard." " Which is exactly where you should be focusing - not the Kennedy assassination." "You leave that to the Warren Commission." " Rivard's a part of that, dammit!" "I'm sure of it." " Christ, every time you stumble into cia business," "I get a fucking phone call from Washington." "Now, the only truth around here is that Rivard is gonna be convicted for drug smuggling." "After that, it's gonna be case closed and business as usual." "So do me a favour - get that junkie out of here." " I'll take care of it." " I need to speak to Maurice Bishop." "Right now." " A jury having found the defendant, Lucien Rivard, guilty of conspiracy to violate the Federal Narcotics laws, the court sentences the defendant to a fline of $20,000 and a term of 20 years, to be served in a federal penitentiary." " Okay." "Laredo, Texas November 1 2, 1 965" "(reporters clamouring)" "Rivard Guilty: 20 years and $20, 000" "Federal Penitentiary, Atlanta, Georgia" "(gate clanging shut)" "(keys jingling )" "(gate clanging)" " Further down. keep moving." "(gate clanging)" "(toilet flushing)" "There." "Second one." " Hey, Frenchy." "You like lmpalas?" "." "I love lmpalas." " What's your name?" "." "Fuck off." " It's this cell here, sir." " Rivard... he's a big catch." " I want Marcello and Trafficante, as well." "Clock's ticking." " And Hoffa." " Hoffa's as good as convicted." "Now get me indictments for Marcello and Traff,icante." "You know damn well the issues we're talking about here." " Tell me how I can do the work if the ClA won't cooperate." "They're not going to leave you alone." "You know that, don 't you?" "." "They already killed one president." " And they won't have a problem killing another!" " Who are you?" "." "A cop?" "." "A lawyer?" "." " We'll talk tom orrow." " Why?" "." " Tom orrow." "(gate cl anging shut)" "(TV).... thus becoming the first black cabinet member." "A sound decision that should help relieve the racial tension that is still running high ever since the destruction of the Watts ghetto" "(keys j ingling )" "(keys j ingling )" "(PA announcement)" " Jeffrey Cohen," "Narcotics Bureau." " Where'd you learn French?" "." " My mother." " Alright." "What do you want, Jeffrey Cohen?" "." "Besides flashing your smug rookie-cop smile." " Officially I 'm here to close the..." " The real reason." " To indict you for plotting the assassination of the US president." " I see." "Your mom should have also taught you how to think." "That's fbi jurisdiction." " It's my job." " Cut the crap." "You're investigating illegally." "The Warren Commission's over." "No way the narcs would send some greenhorn to indict me for Kennedy's murder." "You want to save America, and you want my help." "Are you crazy?" "." "Do you know her?" "." "She told me everything." "(distant laughter)" "(distant voices)" "(ring tone)" "(phone ringing)" " Gimme the operator." "(phone ringing)" "(ringing)" "(ringing)" " AIIo?" "." " Come get me, Paul." " Rose?" "." "Rose?" "." " They'll kill me." " Hang on." "(distant sirens)" " Where are you?" "." " New Orleans." " I told you not to go back." "That's Marcello's turf.." " It's not him I 'm scared of." " Get out of there." "I 'll wire some cash." " I can't go outside." "I can't!" " Rose!" "(crying )" " Get me out of here!" "(sobbing )" " The truth... it lies in the mind of the listener." "If you can create truths that resemble what really happened, you have absolute power." "Listen to me." "Between my words, and tell me if it's true or real." "I 'm here because some asshole spun a tale and the jury believed him." "And now some crazy narc thinks I'm dumb enough to assassinate the US president." "Your boss know you're here?" "." " Do you have any ties to the FLQ separatists?" "." " You rookie!" " Communist?" "." " You have no leads, so you cast around blindly." "You have nothing." "Lewis McWiillie?" "." "Do you know him?" "." "You were in Cuba together, you both worked for Trafficante." "Wiith Norman Rothman." "Valachi at the McClellan Commission..." "Ring a bell?" "." "Do you know where she is?" "." " You're here because of her?" "." "Is she in trouble?" "." "Your arms dealing..." " It's your government that sells arms, not me." "If you want names..." " I do." "Who?" "." "Lee Harvey Oswald?" "." "A friend?" "." " What?" "." " He was seen in Montreal." "You've never dealt in weapons, Mr Rivard?" "." "For the FLQ or anyone else?" "." " I'm in entertainment." "Clubs, casinos, but no guns." " Ruby got you out of jail in Cuba." " Lucien." "Finally got you out of here." " You want a statement?" "." "You'll get one." "Write everything down." "The oil men, Cuban nickel, guns... who sells what to who, and how." "I'm not holier than the pope." "I do business globally." "Why shouldn't I?" "." "Because it's wrong?" "." "Do you know what wrong is, Mr Cohen?" "." "Do you really know?" "." "Write everything." "Then tell your bosses so they can testify before Congress." " Everyone was in on the Kennedy job, except you." "Is that it?" "." " Go take a break." "Think it over and come back tomorrow." "(radio).... guns brought out of Indonesia by Western diplomats and independent travellers." "Communists, Red sympathizers and their families are being massacred by the thousands." "The murder campaign became so brazen..." " Bobby wi ll become president." "Rivard will be indicted." "You'll be next." "You need me more than ever." " Who'll take the fall for Dallas?" "." "The ClA?" "." "fbi?" "." "The oil cartel?" "." "The arms industry?" "." "They're glad to have a Texan as president." "Kennedy made a lot of enemies." " You have five minutes to name your mob contacts." "After that, good luck." " Roselli." "Two Hungarians." "Etienne." " I know about them." " Mertz." " Good." "Isn't there a girl too?" "." "Close to you?" "." " I told her to keep quiet, but... she's naming people." "Rose." "Rose Cheramie." " I can't say more than I've already told you." "When I met Ferrie, he was... drunk and saying stupid things about Laredo and how guys had been conned." " Did he mention my name?" "." "Whalen." " He said two Frenchies, but no names." "Said it had to be done for something more important than that." "I told him I could use the money, 'cause I was on the run." "(sighing)" "Ferrie assured me I could earn big bucks and promised to fly me out of the country." " Edward Whalen, know him?" "." " What did he say?" "." " He knows about the Laredo car." "He ditched a similar car in Louisiana." "Same make, same model." "He knows Clay Shaw, Ferrie..." "If every idiot knows about the Laredo car, how come I don't?" "." " That idiot heard from other idiots who worked for Marcello." "That's all." "Whalen was hired to bump off a lawyer here in New Orleans." " What's his name?" "." " Garrison." " And the car?" "." " Just a coincidence." " Some coincidence." "Speaking of coincidence, a narc came to see me." " His name?" "." " Cohen." "Jeffrey Cohen." " Mm." " Do I mention you?" "." " Who else?" "." " A girl." "She worked at Ruby's." "Went by the name of Rose Cheramie." "I don't know if you can help her, but she was also involved, by coincidence." " Paul mentioned her." " Paul..." " We gotta talk, son." "Look, I didn't bring my weary bones down to Atlanta to play games." "What you're doing is illegal." "And you've been doing it all on your own." "Now you're a suspect." " A suspect?" "." "Me?" "." "(stuttering)" "I'm just trying to fiind out the truth!" "I don't care if they bury it." "I..." "I gotta know for me." " Do you know the real meaning of "national security"?" "." " I suppose I do." " You suppose you do." "(aughing)" "Stop the car." " What?" "." " I said stop the goddamn car." "Just turn here, right over there." "Give me your badge." " Huh?" "." " Give me your badge." "Now give me your gun." "This car... is our country." "What country's that?" "." "What's the matter?" "." "You don't know?" "." " The United States of America." " Right!" "And your gun... is the mob." "The mafiia, the Cosa Nostra, the fucking spaghetti-eaters." "I mean, you call it whatever way you want," "I don't give a shit." "But they're your gun." "Got that?" "." " Fine." "So what's my badge?" "." " Your badge is us." "And the fbi and the ClA and the Secret Service and all those sworn to protect the people in the car." "Got that?" "." " Yes." " Except the car is stalled." " If you say so." " This fucking car is America, before those shitheads killed Kennedy!" "We were all at the top." "The people in the car were safe, and the car was travelling down the highway  to goddamn Camelot." " Mr. Thompson" " I'm not fiinished yet, son." "You remember what I said?" "." "We do our job, and that job is worth more than our lives." "Now kennedy's dead." "The car's rollin' down the road... but there's nobody driving'." "And the wind's blowin' so hard, and pretty soon, the badge is gonna fall off, maybe the gun's gonna fall off, maybe both." "So you see, we need to secure our agencies in order to secure the safety of the people in the car." " Yes." " We can't afford to have traitors in our ranks." " Mr. Thompson" " Are you working for Rivard, son?" "." " Pardon me?" "." " I know you are." " No, I am not." " Obviously... you wouldn't be able to say it." " I'm sorry..." " So am I, son." "Marcello was right." "He was eatin' at the buffet." " Later, they asked me about..." "Jim Garrison." "(keys jingling)" "Tried to convince me to shoot him." "(gate opening)" " Okay, shut up." " But I couldn't do it." " Rivard!" "You got a visitor." "(gate unlocking)" " The narcs?" "." " Forget them." " Cohen?" "." " Your case is closed." " Thanks to you?" "." " Did Whalen confirm?" "." " Yeah." " Here's the situation." "Bobby will be president." "He'll indict his brother's assassins." "Cuba will be forgotten." "General Almeida will remain in Castro's shadow." " And you guys?" "." " We've a war in Vietnam, interests in Indonesia." " Bobby will stop the war." " I'm not here to talk politics." "I'm giving you the situation as it is, how it'll be." " Mm-hmm." "Does Bobby think I'm one of his brother's assassins?" "." " The Iron Curtain won't last 20 years." "The Middle East will be the next hot spot, the worst one ever." "You have resources." " I asked you a question." "Answer me." " I did." " You want me to shut up, right?" "." " I'm offering you peace of mind." "You'll open doors in Asia for us." "I need you." "The reason you're in here can be your best alibi, as long as I plead your case with Bobby." "Marcello fingered you." "Ergo, you weren't part of the plot." " You can't cover this up forever." "You thought Cuba was complicated..." "Wait for the Arabs." " I'm not asking your opinion on our strategy." "Yes or no?" "." " America will never be safe again." "You're too spread out." "I plot my own course, and I stick to it." " You're a cowboy, Frenchy." "A poor, lonesome cowboy." " You're damn right." "But not as poor as you think." "Maurice?" "." "Tell me you didn't know." " Hmm?" "." " Even in the Far West there was trust." "Did you know Marcello sold me?" "." " Those who make mistakes must live with them." " How many upstanding Americans did you kill to hide yours?" "." " That depends how you defiine upstanding American." " And Rose?" "." " I did what was best." "For the good of everyone." "(music playing on car radio)" "(whimpering)" " No!" "(engine revving) (screaming)" "I've got the blues..." "Three years later" "(distant screaming)" "(announcer)." "... Senator Kennedy..." "Oh, my God..." "Senator Kennedy has been shot by another man, a Kennedy campaign manager." "... shot in the head." " Hold it right there!" "Keep people away from him!" "Keep people away from him!" "(indistinct)" " Yeah..." " Is everybody safe?" "." "Robert P. Kennedy was shot on June 5, 1 968." "Arrested in Paris in 1 967, M ondolini was charged with importing into the USA 1 0 tons of heroin worth $9 billion." "He was murdered in 1 985." "Lucien Rivard was released in 1 975 after serving 1 0 years in the Atlanta and Lewisburg federal penitentiaries." "He returned to Quebec just as hearings opened at the Probe into Organized Crime." "A leading figure in the history of crime in the Americas, he was never called to testify at the Crime Probe." "He died in 2002 at age 86, after spending 30 years out of the public eye." "Subtitling:" "CNST, Montreal" "Translation:" "Robert Gray, Kinograph" "Sous-titrage realise avec la participation de T elefiilm Canada."