Miller's Crossing (1990)

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Plot Summary

Leo O' Bannon (Albert Finney), is an Irish mafia boss with political ties,

Tom and Leo

during prohibition. Tom Regan (Gabriel Byrne), is Leo's trusted friend and adviser. A gang war sparks when Leo's rivial, Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito), openly plans to killsmall time thief and bookie Bernie Bernbaum (John Turturro). Leo disregards Tom's advice and protects Bernie, because Bernie's sister, Verna Bernbaum (Marcia Gay Harden), has had a longtime relationship with him. Verna also has been having a secret affair with Tom. Tom tries to convince Leo and Verna to give Bernie up to Caspar to end the war. Verna won't budge because

Ya can't kill Leo

Bernie's her brother, and Leo won't give in because of Verna. After an assassination attempt on Leo, Tom reveals his affair with Verna to Leo, who in turn beats Tom up, kicks him out of his nightclub, and turns his back on both Tom and Verna. Tom has no other choice but to work for Caspar, and his first order is to kill Bernie at Miller's Crossing to prove his loyalty.In the middle of the woods, Bernie desperately begs Tom to let him go. Tom thinks it over and pretends to shoot Bernie, allowing Bernie to escape knowing that he better leave town.

Bernie thinks he's smart

Caspar capitalizes on the war and quickly replaces Leo as boss of the city. Tom starts to manipulate Caspar

and his most trusted enforcer, Eddie Dane (J. E. Freeman), into distrusting each other. Bernie returns and blackmails Tom into killing Caspar, with the threat that he will tell Caspar that Tom let him go.

Caspar kills Eddie Dane, due to Tom's head games. Tom arranges a meet with Bernie, but sends Caspar instead. Surprisingly, Bernie takes Caspar out. Tom shows up and tricks Bernie into using Bernie's gun as a frame job on Eddie Dane who, Bernie doesn't know is already dead.

Killing Bernie

Bernie hands his weapon to Tom, who then tells Bernie he's goning to kill him, even though theres no play to gain anything form it. Bernie begins to beg Tom for mercy yet again by saying, "Look into your heart," while semi-fake crying. Tom says, "What heart?" and shoots Bernie between the eyes. Tom and Leo reconcile now that Tom has personally ended the gang war. Verna has also won her way back into

The End

Leo's good graces, but despises Tom for killing Bernie. Leo announces that Verna has proposed to him, and offers Tom his old job back. Tom refuses.