-30- (1959) Movie Script | Subs like Script

[drumbeats]

[title music]

[music continues]

Now, I want you to listen

to what I'm gonna say, Collins

'cause I'm going

to lay it on the line.

And furthermore, I'm

gonna ask questions later.

Now, I don't want you

to drop that a surprise

but I am not the man

who owns this newspaper.

Not even that much of it.

So, basically, I don't give

two hoots and a holler

whether we sell three copies

or 300,000 copies except that

if we don't sell 300,000

copies, then I have no job

and furthermore,

you have no job.

And because of the conditions

that prevail, Collins

long before I have no job

you will have become such

a stranger to this sitting room

that if we had dogs here,

they'd bark at you, Collins.

Okay, Mr. Bathgate. I'm willing

to admit that I made a mistake.

You are? Really?

Well...you've certainly

got character, boy.

Not much intelligence perhaps,

or ready instinct

for newspaper work,

but character

you've got up till here.

Uh, Mr. Bathgate, when I

first started on this paper

we were told that

the most important thing

they'd look for in us

was initiative.

I don't give a damn

what they told you.

They said you're working

the night edition now.

3:00 to 12:00, midnight.

Yes, sir, but

you gotta admit, sir

if it'd turned out

to be legit

I could've won the Pulitzer

Prize for a story like that.

Oh, well, there's always

next year, you know.

Now, Collins, where were

your brains that night?

Some itinerant crackpot

gypsy wanders in

shows you a crumpled piece

of cheap wrapping paper

covered with a lot of lines

and some childish high school

equations on it.

'Tells you that it's

the top secret plan'

'for America's first

manned space station.'

And how did you react?

You not only didn't

throw him out on his ear

you actually believed him.

And then...you assured him

that this paper would buy

his phony claptrap

for some ridiculous fancy sum.

He didn't look like a gypsy

to me, Mr. Bathgate.

Why, because his

ears weren't pierced?

Oh, Collins, one of these days,

you're gonna end up famous

for owning more

non-producing oil wells

than anyone ever

before you or since you.

Well, I don't see what oil wells

have to do with space stations.

Get out.

- 'Just a minute, Collins.'

- Yes, sir, Mr. Bathgate.

I don't want you to even talk

to me for one week, Collins.

'And by that, I mean

I don't wanna have'

'any kind of communication

with you whatsoever.'

If we should happen to meet

each other on the way to the..

Don't you even dare nod

to me, do you understand?

'That's an order Collins.'

Now, get back to work.

[upbeat music]

[whistling]

[music continues]

[whistling]

Boy.

Do we or do we not have

coffee boys on this newspaper?

As far as I know, we don't.

If we do, I know I haven't

come across one

in at least

six to eight months.

Yeah. Where're the little chaps'

hideout? Under the building?

No, I looked there

one night.

But you might try

the ladies' room.

I always wanted to,

but I never had the guts.

When did you manage

to save up a dollar and how?

Oh, Crockett,

down in the composing room

is making a fortune

taking bets.

I want to put this down

on whether that Italian actress

is gonna have a baby

or not and what kind.

But his odds

are way out of line.

- Boy?

- How are you betting?

On twins, the odds are 50

to one. And I need the money.

Really? And we all thought

you were the husband

of one of the richest women

in America

and became a City editor

just for a lark.

Gatlin in yet?

Why should he be?

It's Thursday.

Oh, yeah.

Mr. Gatlin's not in yet, huh?

What happened to your

new Playboy calendar?

It's Thursday.

Oh, yeah. I guess I forgot.

On account of the wife and I

usually bowl Thursday mornings.

But she ruptured herself

last week.

How long has Mr. Gatlin been

pulling this Thursday thing?

Why, are you writing New Yorker

profile on him or something?

No, lot of us haven't been

on papers as long as you have.

And, naturally,

we're a little curious.

I mean, who goes and puts

flowers on grave every Thursday?

Gatlin does,

and since he's the boss

what business

is it of yours?

It was just a question,

Mr. Bathgate.

Do I need Mr. Gatlin's approval

to have cuts made on these?

Well, now, why even ask?

After all, what is Gatlin except

the night managing editor?

- Of course, you're kidding now.

- Me? Kidding. Oh, no, no.

You go ahead

and you do it your way

because I hear they have

a very good opening

for a man just like you

on the Herald Express.

To think, I've been

feeling sorry for myself

because working nights,

I have to miss

so many of those real good

TV comedy shows.

Boy.

I'm not supposed

to talk to Mr. Bathgate.

So would you ask him

if he called for a boy?

Now why should I call for a boy

when girls are so pretty?

Tell Mr. Bathgate that I have

been busy in the press room.

So, they're busy

in the press room, are they?

Could it be that the boys

are taking extension courses?

Now hear this.

I want you to bet this dollar

in my name with Crockett

on that Italian actresses' baby.

Tell Mr. Bathgate that I'll

be too happy to run his errands.

Even though this sort of thing

is not part of my job.

[sarcastically]

Aha aha.

Which way does Mr. Bathgate

want to bet his dollar?

- Twins.

- Twins?

You better tell Mr. Bathgate

that the odds are seven to five.

She isn't even legally

married to that guy--

Just do what you're told to do

and then you can go back

to that place where you all

hide out and hide out again.

Well, it's

Mr. Bathgate's money.

So he can use it

for Kleenex if he wants to.

- But the smart money--

- Will you get going?

[comical music]

Oh, what gives

with these kids?

I started as a copy boy

and believe me

we hustled like the job

meant something to us.

We were eager, ambitious,

scared to death

we weren't gonna make a place

for ourselves on the paper.

Yeah, but like the man

said in that book he wrote

"Times have changed."

Well, I'll bet they never

sold many copies of that book.

These kids are different than

we were when we started out.

I'll say they are.

They don't know how to move

any faster than to crawl

and they can make themselves

invisible whenever they want to.

Most of them are veterans

of the Korean war.

That one you were just

chewing out was a sergeant

with nearly as many

decorations as Audie Murphy.

You were in the army once,

weren't you, Jim?

Oh, you know

damned well I was.

Four long, dreary years.

And I never got any higher

than private first class.

And I never got

any closer to fighting

than Fort Sill, Oklahoma

which does not mean

that I intend to go around

feeling outranked

for the rest of my life.

Don't yell at me. I couldn't

pull rank on a campfire girl.

Let me know as soon as Sam

Gatlin gets in, will you?

I've got something

I wanna talk to him about.

You put your trust

in the right boy, kid.

Just let Gatlin put one foot in

the door and you'll get signal

faster than you can say,

"Richard Harding Davis."

You're pressing again, Jim.

Your humor is not only forced

and reachy, it's just not funny.

Well, I guess that makes

the rainstorm official.

The lady's carrying

her umbrella.

That's not an umbrella, Sid.

That's a parasol.

Lady used to be a Mack Sennett

girl, didn't you, lady?

You, got your decades

all mixed up again, junior.

Even when the Mack Sennett

girls were bowling them over

I was still old enough to be,

God forbid, your mother.

Ah. Even so, I'll bet you

were a living, breathing gasser

when you were about 17.

Weren't you, lady?

Well, cute or ghastly,

drunk or sober

there isn't a man

on this newspaper

who could have gotten half way

to first base with me.

When are you going to learn

to quit when you're ahead?

When I get ahead for once.

[thunder]

[upbeat music]

Sam, you're looking great.

That's me, alright,

Fred, a great looker.

Sam, I've waited

a long time for some way

to show you how much

our friendship means to me.

Now, you know I never bypass

Jim Bathgate on these things.

But this little girl

that I've taken on as a client.

And you know how untrustworthy

Jim is in this particular field.

Sam. Believe me, believe me.

This little girl can stop

traffic in any old freeway

during any old rush hour.

If she ever does, let me know.

I might be able

to get her mentioned

in auto club annual.

I know what you think. You think

this is just another picture of

some little starlet without

many clothes on, don't you?

- You mean it isn't?

- Well, take a look at it.

If you don't replete your front

page to make room for this kid..

...I'll sell you

my mother for two bets.

Well, last week you sold

her to me for only for 10 cents.

Well, she got herself a job

in a laundry since then.

Aren't you

even gonna look at it?

No. My wife

gets real psychotic

if I show any interest

in naked female children.

So we don't tell your wife.

That isn't the answer, Fred.

Not the real answer.

Oh.

We're gonna have

a news paper tonight, Jim?

Oh, we're gonna

have a newspaper, alright.

Lots of pages with print on it.

Folded together just right.

Headlines in the right place,

all that sort of stuff.

Anything interesting

on the wires?

If you dig the National

Spelling Bee

and Philadelphia's interesting.

How soon do you

want to go to school?

Five minutes.

I wanna pick up the dupes.

Lady wants to see you

about something.

Make it seven minutes.

I'll see lady first, now.

Lady Wilson's still kicking

around in the business?

That's right. And

I wouldn't trade her

for any dozen re-write men

half her age.

You know, Fred

you used to be a better

than fairer newspaper man.

What happened that you

ended up peddling flesh?

What happened?

I made at least five times

as much money as any man

on this newspaper last year.

That's what happened.

Oh, the man sold out

for a pot of gold.

Oh, it wasn't

so much of that.

They threw in some

green stamps too.

Sam, what about

my client?

Well, you just leave

her picture there on my desk.

And if she's half what you say,

and if you haven't been busy

with your retouching

talents again

I may, repeat,

maybe able to use it.

But I'm not promising when.

Sam, I've even forgotten

that you can retouch pictures.

And besides, this girl is

more than just a client to me.

She may turn out to be something

really special in my life.

You're a real pal, buddy.

Don't build your life

on it pal, buddy.

- What about city side?

- Well, it's bleak.

Little three year old girl

disappeared couple of hours ago.

Just on a hunch,

I sent Hobart up.

Look, Sam. I don't know

why you're so down on him.

- He's a good man.

- He was a good man.

Lately, he's been trying to make

like Tennessee Williams.

You give him two bit

domestic quarrel

he tries to build it

into a three act play.

Tonight, we could use it.

Mr. Gatlin, there's Mr. and Mrs.

Bentley Jason want to see you.

They do.

Well, who are they?

Well, they said, Mr. Northcliff

made arrangements with you

for them to be

shown through the paper.

- I forgot. Where are they?

- Right over there, sir.

I'll be right with you, Jim.

You come along with me.

Now, tonight, you are the top

expert in newspaper business.

And you do know whose

friends they happen to be.

I know. Mr. North cliff owns

this whole chain of salt mines.

Don't worry. I'll turn on every

bit of charm I got, Mr. Gatlin.

And believe me

that's enough for a bus load

of over-eager college boys.

Let's go, Tony Curtis.

If you wanna wait in my office,

I'll be right with you.

Thanks, Sam.

I only need a minute.

Take two, they're small.

Mr. Jason, I'm Sam Gatlin.

Tom Northcliff,

called me about you.

How do you do, Mr. Gatlin?

This is Mrs. Jason.

Mrs. Jason.

I'll bet we are nothing but a

lot of irritation, Mr. Gatlin.

Don't give it another thought.

Unfortunately, my job doesn't

leave me whole lot of time.

Luckily, we have here,

a young man whose gonna show you

as much as you wanna see.

He just assured me

he has as much charm

as a car load

of Latin lovers.

Now, I wouldn't go so far

as to say that.

I'll probably run into you

during the evening.

In case I don't, be sure to stop

by office before you go.

- Mr. Jason.

- Thank you, Mr. Gatlin.

Mrs. Jason. See you.

[upbeat music]

Now, my name is Carl Thomson.

And please, don't hesitate

to ask me any questions about

anything you don't understand.

You see, getting out a

daily newspaper is a complex

and rather battling process

to anyone not on the inside.

I can well imagine,

Mr. Thomson.

- Carl, Mrs. Jason.

- Thank you, Carl.

Now if you'll just follow me,

we'll start at the beginning

and drive right on

through to the end.

If it's a raise

you wanna talk about

we got a new directive against

those, just two weeks ago, lady.

As I remember, we got a new

directive against those

way back in 1917.

No, Sam. It was almost 40 years

ago, I made my fatal decision.

Whether to try to lead

a life of relative comfort

or whether to stick

to newspaper work.

What's your problem then?

You know, the speed run

that the Air Force is making

with their new bombers

from Honolulu to New York.

Yeah. But those guys are

breaking records everyday now.

A flight like this has about as

much news value as a milk run.

Routine stuff, lady.

Yes.

To you and the paper maybe.

The pilot of one of those planes

just happens to be my grandson.

Tony?

The last I heard of him,

he was having trouble

passing finger painting

in kindergarten.

Yeah.

He finally bowed down

or cheated or something because

he's been a lieutenant in the

Air Force for quite a while now.

In fact, the prolific

little brat

is just about to make me

a great grandmother.

Well, lady, somebody

said it, time does fly.

And I'm just the kid

who can prove it.

[laughs]

What I was hoping was that

the associated press

could give us 95 service

on the progress of the flight.

Get me Thompson at AP.

It's a personal favor,

I'm afraid, Sam.

Hello, Mel. Sam Gatlin.

Mel, shoot us a blow by blow

on every thing you get

on that Air Force run

from Honolulu, will you?

95 service.

Why, no dear, nothing special.

It turns out

that lady's grandson

is one of the dotless fly boys.

Yeah. Thanks, Mel.

You see. All it amounts to,

is knowing the right people.

Thanks a lot, Sam.

And you were actually

considering a life of comfort.

And all the time, you had the

power of the press behind you.

The power of the press?

Have you ever figured out

what that actually means, Sam?

No. But it's a phrase

that has a nice ring to it.

'Don't you think?'

Alright, Jim, let's have

school and get it over with.

[thunder]

Alright then, the sports lead is

critty patrol of fight tonight.

Oh, boy, here's one fight.

Whoever win's it'll be an upset.

- Do we want any art on this?

- Yeah.

Newest picture

of the century would be

if we could get a shot of either

of 'em showing up for the fight.

Maybe, we should

dope one of the boys.

They both been doped so often,

they'd never notice difference.

What have we

got for the gals?

Well, there's a half page

ad in the women's section

for a heaven sent

brassieres.

I said, for the gals.

Since when do you

work on the advertizing?

You read the part of paper you

like and I read the part I like.

Sam, there's

the Carlson Halstead wedding.

Who are Carlson and Halstead?

And why do they

want to get married?

No, they don't, actually.

But the groom's father

owns Palm Springs.

The brides father owns national

chain of shooting galleries.

Have we gotten those AP wire

photos on the hooping cranes?

They're coming in just as I left

to come here, Mr. Gatlin.

Sam, we're not gonna plug those

skinny birds again, are we?

Do you know how many

letters we got

on the last story

we ran on them?

Or do you have any idea how few

hooping cranes are left

anywhere in the world?

No. But I do know that

not one of them buys a paper.

I'm with Jim on this one.

Why can't they just

go to Capistrano?

Like any other well-adjusted

normal American bird?

Pick me a good shot.

We'll run it.

Gee, I sure hope

we didn't beat the Times

to the street

with that one.

That should take care of the

Jerry Lewis department tonight.

We're pretty well

set up then?

Yeah, we're cooking

with a solid propellant, boss.

Except, that we haven't got

one single thing

that could be

read in as news.

Carlson and Halstead

aren't news?

I hope that all their kids

are such much lushes

that the little league

won't have them.

They got a line on that

missing three year old girl.

She crawled into an open

catch basement, they think

she's wandering around down

in the storm drain someplace.

Police are there and even woke

up two companies of firemen.

Is she alive?

They won't know

until they find her.

[dramatic music]

- Is Hobart on top of it?

- He called it in.

Good. Maybe we'll have

something to put

on the front

of our paper after all.

Get Harry and

Simpson out there.

Have each of them take

photos and detailed story.

Do we use that Russian theme

on the lion story, Sam?

Yeah, for now.

But we still got time.

[music continues]

Mr. Bathgate.

Walter Ashton said to tell you

that the police beat

just called.

They caught the strangler

of those three Hollywood girls.

Well, what are you

waiting for, a bonus?

No, sir. It's just that I, well,

used to know one of those girls

who got strangled.

I'm interested, that's all.

What do you mean,

sort of know her?

I had a couple

of dates with her.

Not that anyone could throw

rocks at me, Mr. Gatlin.

What a shame, kid.

You might have gotten

that bonus after all.

But of course, there are dates,

then there are dates.

I bet everything that happened

was strictly her idea.

My family has very

strong views on these things.

That sounds more like

the chivalrous boy

that we've all

come to know and love.

You tag along with me,

Gallahad

and if your story's

really good

you may still even be working

here tomorrow night.

[phone ringing]

Gatlin.

No, Mrs. Burgess,

I haven't had a chance

to look at today's puzzle.

Well, even if I had,

I certainly wouldn't be able

to remember off hand

what 51 down is.

Well, of course,

there's an answer, Mrs. Burgess.

All of our crossword puzzles

are thoroughly pre-tested

before we run them.

Yes, that's true. All of the

people working here on the paper

do get to see the solution of

the puzzle a day before you do.

But we're honorable

people down here.

We try hard not to peek.

Well, your sister-in-law

is wrong, Mrs. Burgess.

We run these puzzles

to make friends not enemies.

No, no. I do not know

what 51 down is.

And I'm not being

suspiciously evasive.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Burgess.

I can't help you.

Well, well. Old Fred did have

something after all.

About these crane

pictures, Mr. Gatlin.

Cranes?

- The hooping cranes.

- Oh.

Oh, those cranes.

Yeah, well, you can see

for yourself, Hymie.

'One hooping crane'

'generally looks pretty much

like another hooping crane.'

Which unfortunately, doesn't

sell very many newspapers.

Yes, sir.

So, what say, we use this little

piece of modern art instead?

Oh, I wonder how a girl

gets to be that way?

And, you know, I predict

that women the world over

are either gonna hate that kid

or end up worshipping

at her shrine.

Oh, they'll hate her.

Oh, hi, Mrs. Gatlin. We don't

get to see you down her often.

- Hello.

- Help you?

Thank you.

Well, three years of

marriage is toughening.

Even if a woman's place isn't

necessarily at home at all times

it's never in her husband's

office during business hours.

Except, in case of fire

or flood, of course.

Oh, we got the flood,

now where's the fire?

All I can tell you

at this point is

I think it's going to

start with an explosion.

Right in there.

So, that's what

you do for a living.

You know, you look

a whole lot like a girl

I left at my house

just a little while ago.

Isn't that rather dangerous?

I mean, leaving girls around

where your wife might find them.

That's why I married

a girl from Philadelphia.

You see..

...they can't tell a cheating

husband from a Buddhist monk.

So...what are you

doing later on, honey?

Well...honey,

to tell you the truth

I haven't made any plans.

Now, all of a sudden,

you're giving me ideas.

[ambient music]

Hi.

How are things

on the home front?

Umm. You just left

this afternoon.

Oh, really?

Already, it seems

like days or even weeks.

You try to tell a child bride

how much you miss her

and what do you get

back for your trouble?

Scorn and disbelief.

I think we can use

little more light in here.

And maybe, even a genuine

certified chair for you.

Oh, no, Sam.

I'll only be a minute, I..

I know I've broken

a cardinal rule of yours

by coming to the office

during working hours.

I know several sayings that

cover this situation

beautifully like..

..."Rules remain to be broken,"

or maybe, "You and I..

...we're above man made rules."

I'm going over there

and get him now, Sam.

I wish you wouldn't, Peg.

In fact, I'd like to

call the whole thing off.

Right now.

Call it off?

How would we do that?

I know every argument

you're gonna give.

But what a heel I must seem to

be to you right now--

But you haven't

even seen him.

It wouldn't change anything.

Believe me, it wouldn't.

No, I won't believe you, Sam.

Not this time,

because you're wrong.

An adopted child

wouldn't be ours, Peg.

He could be ours

if we let him be.

And I know

he wants to be ours,

'Sam, he wants to

belong to someone'

'more than anything else

in the world.'

I should have picked

him up about noon, I..

Well, he's been dressed

and packed

ready to go since then.

But I-I wanted

to tell you..

...first.

And then, I was afraid.

It just wouldn't work, Peg.

'Why?'

A kid, any kid deserves people

who really love and want him.

And the best acting job in

the world isn't gonna fool him

into believing he has this

if he hasn't.

Well, I know one thing.

I will not leave a little boy

who's sitting in a front hall

waiting for someone..

I'll not leave him

sitting there

waiting for someone

who never shows up.

Oh, don't, honey, please.

Now, please, I--

I'm going to go get him, Sam.

I wish you wouldn't.

It's a mistake

for everyone concerned.

I'm still going to do it.

[phone buzzing]

Rewrite, Ashton.

Who? Yeah.

Oh, well, I think you

want the puzzle editor.

Yes, I have

his number right here.

It's Connor-3672.

Yes, that's in Honolulu.

He mails the puzzles

in from there.

Feels it safer that way.

You're welcome, Mrs. Burgess.

[thunder]

In case you're thinking

there's jumping

you're not alone,

Mr. Galtin.

Hello, Jan. Sit down.

And, Jan, no matter

what you've been told

there are times

when suicide may be

the only honorable way out.

What's on your mind?

Well, Mr. Gatlin, I've been

on the paper about a year now.

Give or take a days, of course.

And I guess it's no secret

how I got shoved into this job.

All that I'm referred to

is the sacred cow around here.

Well, there are times

when nothing else has worked

that knowing the right

people can do the job.

There are times when knowing

the right people can be murder.

Besides, it was my father

who knew the right people.

- Oh.

- But so what?

Does that mean

I couldn't have made it

in this business on my own?

If there's one thing we've got

plenty of

in our family, it's money.

And instead of this

I could've used a little of it

and wasted away

my life on a French Riviera.

From all I've heard, it's not

too bad a place to waste away.

But what if I think I were cut

out for the newspaper business?

I mean, really.

Is it such a crime

that I came from a nice family?

Or that I went

to a good school?

Where, I might add, I worked

hard and did pretty darn well.

Lots of people work hard, honey.

In fact almost everybody I know.

Okay, supposing

we put it this way.

What if I happen to be

a really good newspaper woman

in spite of the way

I got the job?

In that case, you'd be

the exception to the rule.

And how do you know

I'm not just that

if the paper won't

even give me a chance?

You're assigned to Jim Bathgate.

He runs his department,

hands out his own assignments.

When Jim gets ready

to stick out his neck

to give somebody new a chance

it's always because

he thinks they're ready

and that they've

earned that chance.

Well, dandy, Mr. Gatlin.

Except that in a thousand years

Mr. Bathgate isn't

going to forgive me

for coming from a good family,

for having graduated

from Smith College,

for having enough money

to buy my own stockings

or for having a father

who happen to know some people

who could give me some help.

You know, Jan, you may just be

what they call a reverse snob.

And I just may be a well

of a good newspaper woman

which couldn't matter less

if I spend the rest of my life

out there writing

shorts and obits.

What do you want, Jan?

Just a chance.

Maybe I'm a lousy reporter

although, I bet you

about anything, I'm not.

Okay. So I shot off my

big mouth and got myself fired.

At least, I went down swinging

which is the way we do things

in my family.

Fired? All of a sudden, you

couldn't get fired around here

if you turned out to be

a spy for the Mirror News.

After all,

Thomas Carter Northcliff

who started this whole

chain of papers

didn't exactly begin

his life as a pauper.

Alright, precious,

you've won your point.

Why haven't you blown off

about this a long time ago?

- I would have.

- Well, because I..

Am I really gonna get a chance?

Unless you insist on making

obits your life's work.

Gee, after all

my big mouth talk..

What happens if

I can't handle a story?

Well, In that case, sweetheart,

you get your pretty little hide

tacked up right

in the lobby of the men's room.

Come on, relax. You'll get

all the help you need

from here on in.

We've all been through

the shakes of our

first big assignment.

Thanks, Mr. Gatlin.

You don't suppose

Mr. Bathgate's going to be mad

because I went over his head?

Oh, you're not

going over his head.

Jim.

All of a sudden,

I'm scared stiff.

I know the feeling, Jan, almost

as I'd invented it myself.

Yeah.

How about sending Jan over

to get the woman's angle

on that strangler

they just picked up?

Fine, sounds like

a good angle.

Now, who we got here

to write obits?

How about Collins, the one

who was a sergeant in Korea.

Who won all those medals.

He seems to have initiative.

He's got initiative

and he's got character too.

And it's an

unbeatable combination.

Recommend him unless you can

think of somebody better.

Better than Collins?

Why that boy and I have been

real buddies since he joined our

little night time family.

And you had better

rustle your bustle now.

there's a photographer ready to

leave for the county jail.

You miss a ride with him and

you're gonna go on foot.

Yes, sir.

You know, I thought for

a long time that girl

sort of belonged around here.

Well, you know me Jim. I can

spot real newspaper talent

through ten feet

of reinforced concrete.

Of course. That's why where ever

good newspaper men get together

your name is legend.

[knocking on the door]

May I come in,

Mr. Gatlin?

Are all our copy boys

on the good old Ben

everybody just having trouble

sleeping tonight.

I'm not supposed to speak

to you for a week, remember?

I remember alright, Collins.

And you wouldn't be except

and probable as it sounds.

You may get a chance,

at reporting.

Oh, 95 from A.P sir.

About the bunch of

air force bombers

from Honolulu.

What is it Collins?

Are you trying to prove

that you can read

or that I can't.

No sir, am I really a reporter

sir or is Mr. Bathgate

still turning a knife in me.

In an organization this size,

how could I possibly know

everything that goes on,

Collins.

Yes sir, sorry sir.

- Collins.

- Yes, sir.

Congratulations.

Yes, sir.

Anything you say ,sir.

Well, I've narrowed down

the area where the kid could be.

Which I suppose you could

call progress, but..

I haven't found her yet.

What about pictures?

There's a car on the way in now

with the first batch.

Oh, Ben, see that lady gets

these first from now on.

Okay, anything else?

Yeah, don't ever

have any children, Ben.

Ha-ha. That is like

advising a guy on relief

not to go to Monte Carlo

for this season.

Now, this is our art department.

And this is Mr. Chapman.

One of our staff artists.

Mr. Chapman.

Mr. and Mrs. Jason.

- How do you do, Mr. Chapman?

- How are you?

Would you draw something

for us please, Mr. Chapman?

Draw. Draw?

What would you like?

A dog, a cat?

Or a pig with a squiggly tail?

Or how about a house?

I was always real big

in the house department.

Especially on those chimneys

with the smoke

cork screwing out.

Now look here.

Mr. and Mrs. Jason just happen

to be two of the best friends

Mr. Northcliff has.

And besides

Mr. Gatlin himself

ordered and arranged

for this tour.

Oh, I am sorry.

I hope you won't think any

the less of our newspaper chain

'because of the way I've acted.'

Now what would

you like me to draw?

A Dog, a Cat,

a Pig with a squiggly tail?

How about a house with

the smoke cork screwing

'out of the chimney.'

Now I don't know why or who

he was trying to impress.

But to call me a staff artist.

[laughing]

I haven't had a pencil

or a brush in my hand

since I graduated

from the art institute.

No, my pitiful little job

in this group effort

is to re-touch things.

I take the moustaches of

international beauties

and raise the their dresses

to an acceptable level.

A real man would blow up

the whole joint.

Yeah, well, we have to be

getting on now.

You know how these temperamental

artists are, nuts!

(male #1)

Say, that's good.

Simplicity, clarity,

primitive and childish.

That's exactly the style

I'm looking for.

Now.

This is the chart of

the storm drain system

we have around here.

And this, is approximately the

area where that girl could be.

Yeah.

I want you to draw me

a chart of the drains

in just this one area.

And I want you to use that same

simple childish

easily understandable technique,

that has caused you

to be ignored by art critics

the world over.

They did have a course in storm

drains at the art institute

didn't they?

- Oh, they stressed it.

- That's the way to talk.

I knew you belonged on this

paper the moment I spotted

your extremely, low forehead.

What's the latest on Tony?

Just reported over Albuquerque

and they're well ahead

of the old records.

What else?

[music playing on radio]

You wanted hourly reports

on the movie actress?

Yeah, yeah what's happened

to the poor kid?

Nothing, she had

cream tuna fish for supper

and her boyfriend came over

and gave her a pedicure.

A pedicure is the same

as a manicure sir.

I know that.

What about her baby?

Her baby. Well, my guess would

be that everything is still

status quo and it hasn't

gone out to a drive in.

- Or anything like that.

- I'll kill you.

I'm only telling

what I was told.

We sent you over

to the jail with Jane

to help with the

Hollywood strangler story.

We just returned, she's running

it right now.

Well how do you think she did?

All in all I'd say not bad.

The guy really went for her.

But what within being in a cell

and handcuffed the whole time

they were together. But, there

were cops all over the place.

Yeah, okay. Thanks kid.

I don't know weather I'm glad

or sorry that I'm not gonna

be around when those boys

take over this business

that I've known

and loved so well.

Right, right. That story on the

little girl is catching fire.

What's happened?

Everything is good for us

and lousy for the kid.

Every television station in town

already has mobile units

out there, all on the way.

Why didn't we all get

together to help stamp out TV

while there was still time.

Sam, remember the Russian crisis

we were gonna use?

- Our line story?

- Yeah.

Well, here's a story

coming in that makes our

Russian crisis look like an

Easter rule.

As soon as you get it all

bring it into my office.

Ben, I want everything

you got on that kid story.

Here's the spot where

she fell in.

Here's the closest street

intersection, 63rd and western.

We got any art on her

or the family?

Nobody can near the family,

they've barricaded themselves

in their house and they wont

talk to anyone.

We hustled one

of the neighbors for a picture

she had of the kids.

Alright, now fill me in.

How'd she get in there?

She was out with a neighbor kid

playing with a puppy.

Evidently, Dory was

chasing the pup.

'The pup ran into that catch

basin, the kid went after it'.

Well, the other kid panicked,

ran home, was afraid to tell

anyone for nearly two hours.

Then the fire department

and the bureau of

public works were called.

'They found Dory's eye glasses

on the floor of the drain'

where she crawled in,

but no Dory, and no puppy.

'Obviously she got lost,

and started walking'

'looking for a way out.'

So for two hours it was kept

a big secret by Dory's playmate.

'Then they finally started

looking three hours ago.'

And still nothing.

What's the barrier?

Look, there are half a dozen

cut in channels

she could have wandered into,

figuring she could walk

a mile or two in an hour

and that five hours

have gone by already.

She could be anywhere

in that area.

'An every hour that passes,

you can widen that circle.'

Plus the fact that this rain

hasn't let up all day

and the water levels are getting

higher and higher and..

How is it that this catch basin

didn't have a grading on it?

Probably one of the

old one's, Sam.

Get some more help out there.

Send another photographer.

Thompson and Garable.

And to hell with that

dull series of theirs

on smog and its effects on

juvenile delinquency.

And then send Jan

in here, right away.

- Jan?

- The young pretty one.

Out there, who's

built like a girl.

Even though your descriptions

are a little vague

I'll try and track her down.

How big do you wanna

play this?

All the same as the world

series, only bigger.

Jim, this shot

of the catch basin

let's run it same size..

'...across pages

two and three.'

'Across both pages 16 columns?'

- That's right.

- No can do.

Or, can do.

We'll run two eight column cuts

with the gutter down the middle.

Now run a type overlay,

white on black across both pages

use 72 point but only catch.

"DANGER KIDS, STAY OUT OF THESE"

Exclaimer.

Then in lower case,

"One little girl didn't."

And read what happened below.

Yeah.

What those parents must

be going through, Jim.

At least, with me it was

all over before they told me.

The boys down in the composing

room are gonna start gunning for

another Abraham Lincoln to free

them after this job.

[dramatic music]

I don't believe it.

What are your

Russian's up to now?

They agreed with us three times

in the United Nations.

- Why?

- Who cares, don't you get it..

They agreed with us

three times.

Well, there's only one answer.

- What?

- Today we were wrong.

Well, Lady Aster, how did you

like your first job?

They say some girls find guys

like that irresistible.

I'll sleep better tonight

knowing that boy's in the cage.

Sounds like the kinda guy

my present wife goes for.

Jan, I have gone over

your story..

I mean, on the side of course.

I have gone over your story,

you're gonna lose a paragraph.

I am sorry, I tried to keep

the adjectives down.

Debbie Reynolds, on this

newspaper when you only lose

one paragraph, that's like

getting a bronze star.

You came up with a good angle

and you seem to know

your way around a typewriter.

You asked for a chance

and you picked this night.

Bathgate's got another task

you're gotta cut more

of your teeth on.

He'll brief you on the whole

thing tell you what he wants.

Well, goodbye dear.

Goodbye, I mean,

I am practically there, sir.

[intense music]

* Boy *

* Copy boy *

* A job's that headed no where

on a one way track *

* Rush this copy over there then

bring it back *

* Boy copy boy *

* Just running all the errands

like without a rest *

* Want to be a copy boy

well be my guest *

* Boy copy..*

Boy.

Well, you sure fooled me.

Never in a million years

would I have thought of looking

in the society section.

And you, put those

kettle drums away.

Jake, how are things in

'Radio and TV' land tonight?

I don't know,

I haven't been home all day.

I'll ask my kid.

When you do ask him if

Huckleberry Hound

is really a Dog, will you?

[orchestra music]

How are the Dodger's

doing, Vince?

Not bad, considering

we're right in the middle

of the football season.

Oh, that's right, they do have

different times of the year

when they play those various

games, don't they?

Except in February,

which has only 28 of course.

Sam, do you ever

get the feeling

you're spending

your entire life

writing millions

and millions of words

that nobody ever reads.

Oh, that's treason you're

talking, pal.

What would people line their

garbage cans with if we didn't

keep our noses

to the grinding stone.

Good evening, Mr. Pettifog,

anything hot on

the revival circuit tonight?

I'm the real estate editor

tonight, Mr. Gatlin.

Oh, sorry.

On the nights that I'm the

religious editor I sit there.

Mr. Gatlin, this job of mine

doesn't make any sense at all.

What do you mean?

Well, in the first place,

I don't know anything

but anything about religion.

And if you put what I don't know

about religion alongside

what I don't know about

real estate, well, it adds up

to enough total ignorance

to create an absolute vacuum.

Well now, what would you like

to be doing, Mr. Pettifog?

Weather.

- You'd like to do the weather?

- Oh yes, sir.

Why I'll bet I have known

cumulonimbus cloud

from a cirrus since

I was four years old.

- And that's good?

- It's just an indication.

Alright, Mr. Pettifog,

as of now you are our

weather editor and furthermore

you are going to get to

be editor of this department

without having to give up

your job either as religious

editor or real estate editor.

Now, what do you think of that,

Mr. Pettifog?

I wonder if we're gonna be able

to get another desk in here.

Oh, we'll get another desk

in here even if it means

moving you out.

Mr. Gatlin.

I wondered if it'd be alright

if we had the sign

on the door changed.

But what would you like

it to read?

Editor of Heaven and Earth.

Oh great, Sam, I'm glad I caught

you out, just take a minute.

May I present

Miss Lucile Greghouser

last year's official

Miss Reentry Nosecorn.

I'll bet she was, how do you do,

Miss Greghouser?

Naturally, we'll bury all this

Lucile Greghouser stuff

and get a name that really

fits her.

This is a real sensitive

girl, Sam.

Yeah well, thanks for

dropping by Fred.

Wait, you owe me a minute.

After all, there were some

pretty damaging remarks

made earlier around here

about my re-touching pictures.

And you can't do that to this

overly sensitive kid.

So?

Lucille.

Now, darling.

Sensitive.

And that Sam, you cannot say

is retouched.

I don't even care.

'Then you'll run her picture?'

'Fred, I don't think the

public is ready for her yet.'

Now, look Sam, we used to work

together, we used to drink

together, we've been friends

for years, right.

On the strength of that

I'm telling you

if you'll just run her picture

I think it might do it

for me with this kid.

Well, nature boy if you think

I am gonna ask do what

you're crazy.

[instrumental music]

Lucille, would you mind

buttoning up?

'We have a paper to

get out here, you see.'

- Are you gonna run it, Sam?

- I was Fred.

In fact I think

it's already plated.

But when you want me to be

a party to one of your sordid

conquest of some

innocent child.

How could I possibly

justify it to myself later?

Are you gonna run it?

I honestly do not know Fred,

this is one of those decisions

that calls for a

great deal of thought.

What'd I tell you kid,

it's all set.

What are the chances

of the rain letting up.

Ben, remind me to write up

a recommendation for a $10

- raise for Pettyfog, will you?

- Pettyfog?

That guy is holding down

more departments

on this paper than

I knew we had.

When? Tomorrow morning?

Well, that's not gonna do that

little girl any good.

Well, who said

it was your fault.

All I know is that once

a bushfire gets going good

you boys can't come up

with a cup full of moist air.

But just a little three

year old girl fall into

a storm drain and bingo

a cloudburst.

Well, you too Charlie.

No let up until tomorrow, huh?

At least that's what Kruger over

at the weather bureau says

and he's usually right.

That crape hanger.

[phone ringing]

City Desk, Bathgate.

You did huh? Well, look at you.

Alright, dictate and come out

and print the story.

Lady, make this insert

high in your lead.

That was your protege, Jan.

Somehow she managed to get

through to little

Dori's parents and got

the only interview they've

given out so far.

Turns out to be good, why don't

you give her a byline?

- On her first night?

- What difference does it make?

If she got a drop on

everybody else she deserves it.

She'll ask for a raise, Sam.

So would I, pal,

and I'd get it.

You're liable

to fix it so that kid get's

the resentment of everyone

on the paper.

Jim, the only squawk

I'll ever take is when

somebody else comes up with

something just as good

but doesn't get treated

just as well.

What's the condition

of the storm drains?

Spilling over and flooding

out in the valley.

The search crews are still

working in the kid's district.

But not for long, according

to Hobert's last report.

Just in case anybody thinks

it isn't really raining

these are latest

and maybe the last.

[dramatic music]

'That's a rookie fireman

by the name of Johnson.'

'It was his first day

on the job and he got'

'trapped in one of the drains.'

Use it and caption it, a rookie

counts his take home pay.

Mrs. Gatlin's

on the phone, sir.

I'll take it in my office,

thanks.

They've taken that movie star

down to the delivery room.

That's a little better,

now we're getting somewhere.

Oh, maybe so, sir.

But babies, I just don't dig

all those frantic commotion

people are always making

over them, a baby is a baby,

big deal.

(male #2)

'That is all I have to show

for two years of devoted'

'service to this pamphlet.'

Hey, that's a

good looking pipe.

Ashton bought it

and then threw it away

when he found out

it choked him.

I scrounged it out of

a waste basket.

- It's a real beauty.

- Yeah, it's great.

- Except it chokes me too.

- You moving or something?

I'm quitting.

Why not? Bathgate's been on my

back ever since I started

and it's only gonna get worse

before it gets unbearable.

I don't blame you,

you take it

and you're taking it for what.

You have The Examiner.

What is it?A newspaper

that's all.

It's not like we joined

the priesthood.

Ever seen these things on a news

stand on a day like this?

Look like old bags there

with their faces fallen.

That right, Aristotle and

that's because nobody's come up

with a waterproof paper yet.

And even if they did

we wouldn't use it.

The Los Angeles Examiner

wouldn't use it

and neither would any

other paper in the country

because we have to print

on the cheapest paper

they can make otherwise

we cant sell for a dime.

Do you know what people

use these for?

They roll them up

and they swat their puppies

for wetting on the rug,

they spread them on the floor

when they are

painting the walls

they wrap fish in

them, they shred them up

and pack their two bed china

in them when they move

or else they pile up in the

garage until they're declared

a fire hazard, but, this..

..also happens to be

a couple of more things.

It's got print on it,

that tells stories that

hundreds of good men

all over the world

have broken their

backs to get.

'Gives a lot of information

to a lot of people'

'who wouldn't have known about

these things if we hadn't'

'taken the trouble

to tell them.'

'It's the sum total of the work

of a lot of guys'

'who don't quit.'

Yeah, It's a newspaper,

that's all.

Well for once you're

right, stupid.

That only cost's ten cents,

that's all.

But if you only read the

comics section or the ads

it's still the best buy

for your money in the world.

I am sorry to see you go,

Collins.

Here.

You'd probably want

something to read

on the way home.

I'm not leaving the paper,

Mr. Bathgate.

Yeah? Well, I wouldn't send

your laundry out kid.

But I told you how I felt

about that pig and just because

you have him across the street

doesn't change anything.

No, not even for a minute.

I wish you'd go home

because this storm

isn't gonna let up

and the valley

is already flooded.

Wait for me? Honey, I don't know

what time we're gonna finish.

Yes, I am sorry too, honey.

Alright, goodbye.

'Pictures coming over now'

'were taken at Hickam Field,

Honolulu.'

'Right before the start

of that Air Force speed run.'

They're individual shots of

the boys and the planes

that they are flying.

I'm not to get too technical

because I couldn't anyway.

Let's say we're in Honolulu.

Now the original photos

of these fliers look like this.

This photo was then placed

on a metal cylinder that was

whirling at a high speed

and was transmitted

electronically,

to this machine right here.

I noticed that all the pictures

are of the same size.

Eight by ten.

'You see, I took a little

journalism in college and..'

How deep would they run

on a three column?

-30- (1959) - full transcript