Drive a Crooked Road (1954) - full transcript

Eddie Shannon, car number 64,

moving up very, very fast.

That's Eddie Shannon in the Jaguar,

making a bid for the lead...

Passes a kurtis krafft...

Mitchell and the Ferrari out in the lead...
Has a beautiful lead...

Passing an allard...
Coming up behind Mitchell...

They're round the turn.
They're on their last lap.

Who's going to take this race?

Starter al torris gets the flag up.

Eddie Shannon moving up
very, very fast.



Can he do it? He's moving up,

but he doesn't do it,

and Mitchell wins the race!

- Pretty good race.
- Yeah.

What about the guy that won it?

- Mitchell?
- Yeah.

He owns a string of shoe stores,
four cars, a wife and three kids.

Wealthy sportsman-type fella.

Well, how about Shannon?

That's Shannon over there.

Master mechanic, international motors.

No family, few friends,
lives alone and hates it.

The ripe type.

Nice goin', Eddie boy! Nice car!



Boy, she's hot!

Hey, the brakes fade on you
in the last few laps?

It's all right, Eddie.

You just didn't have
enough automobile, that's all.

- Little guy, isn't he?
- So was Napoleon.

Come on, let's go get a coke
or something, huh?

- How do you feel, boy?
- All right.

Fellas! Fellas!
Are you ready for that?

- Now, isn't that lovely, huh?
- Never bothers me!

Ed? Oops!

Here's your entry
for the march field race.

Just sign. It's all filled out.

- How about some lunch, boy, huh?
- Yeah, yeah.

Come on.

- Hey, Don!
- Yeah?

- Got any good sandwiches?
- Sure.

Trade you. See what I got here...

Hey, Ralph, you wanna
switch the sandwiches?

Let me see what I got first, huh?

- I've an egg salad here.
- Egg salad?

Trade you? Lettuce...

Why doesn't the guy
put a Maserati engine back in it?

Nah, it's too expensive.

Can you imagine a guy like that
wrecking his beautiful car?

- He must be out of his mind.
- Yeah.

I could work on it five years,

it still wouldn't help with
that lousy engine he's got.

Mmm! Hey, hey! Men, men!

- Get a load of that dame up there!
- Wow! Oh, baby!

Holy mackerel!
Look at that, will ya?

I'll help you with your key, sweetie!

Look at her go!

- Hey, baby!
- Hey!

- Hey, that's not standard equipment!
- Nah, that's custom stuff!

- Get a load of that!
- Boy, I'd love to! I'd love to!

Ain't that a nice looking blonde?

Hey, shorty! What's the matter?

Didn't that dame
get to you just a little bit?

Sure, she got me.

Hey, shorty, when was the last time
you had a date with a dame?

Don't tell him nothing.

You ever been, er...
Alone with a dame?

- Lay off, Carl.
- What's the matter with you?

Nothin". Just forget it, huh?

I gotta get back to work.

You got a half hour yet!

You bonehead!

What are you guys,
his guardian angel or something?

What's the sense in ridin' him?

Look, just because the little guy's
an oddball, it don't mean...

There's nothin' the matter with him.

So, he don't get with it
in the dame department.

- S07?
- So lay off!

You wanna rib him,

rib him about cars,
and he'll rib you right back.

- Yeah.
- Did you ever drive against him?

He'd make you wish
you were back in scooters.

- Yes, ma'am?
- My car keeps stalling.

It wouldn't start this morning.
I had to have somebody push it.

Can you leave it?

Well, how long would it take?

It's hard to say.
It's probably just carburation,

but we have to check it.
Shouldn't take long, though.

All right.

Is there a mechanic here
named Shannon?

Eddie Shannon? Yes, ma'am.

The man who helped me
this morning suggested

I bring my car here,
and have him fix it.

Well, if he's not busy,
we'll have him check it over.

If you'll just step over here
and sign an order.

- Er... your name, please?
- Barbara mathews.

And the address?

Hollywood Carlton on orange drive.

Just sign there.

Shannon!

Eddie Shannon.

Be right back.

On a clear day,
you can see Catalina.

Check this hillman.
Lady says it's been stalling on her,

and she couldn't
get it started this morning.

She's in a hurry,
so see what's wrong,

and let me know how long
it will take you to fix it.

Wait a minute.
I forgot my purse.

On!

I'm... I'm sorry.

Don't worry about it.
It's all right.

- My hands are greasy.
- No, really, it's all right.

But if you want to do me a favour,
you can kinda hurry up with the car.

- I've got an appointment.
- Yes, ma'am.

Don't you love me anymore?

It wasn't anything serious, ma'am.

I'm sure it won't give you
any more trouble.

- Your car's waiting for you right out here.
- Thank you.

- Who's that?
- Me, mrs Ogilvie.

Punchy, hush!

Well, what do you think, Eddie?

Drives like a truck.

It'll never be able to corner
like it used to

with that weight you've got in it.

Yeah, she used to
corner like a dream.

Shannon. Eddie Shannon.

Excuse me. I'd put back in there

what you had in the first place.

Hey, Eddie, know that hillman
you fixed yesterday?

Lady just called.
Can't get it started.

Here's the address: Hollywood Carlton
apartments on orange drive.

- Apartment b. The car's in front.
- The hillman?

Yeah, the little brown one.

You know, the good-looking dame.
The name's, er... mathews.

You fixed the carburettor.

Well, it's eleven o'clock. We close
at noon on Saturdays, remember?

Take the mg and get going.

Hello.

Won't start?

Choke out?

It... it sure won't, will it?

Let's see...

Oh, you got a loose connection here.

What does it mean?

Means it won't start.

Any, er... body been
fooling around with this car?

Not that I know of.
I got some gas yesterday.

- The man checked the oil...
- This fits right over on this thing.

Couldn't it just have come loose?

Could have. But...
I don't think so.

It wasn't like that
when I fixed it yesterday.

- Can you fix it?
- Sure.

You work all day Saturdays?

- I beg your pardon.
- No, I... I just work half days.

Here's what I was looking for.

Good.

Beautiful day, isn't it?

Yes, ma'am.

Really too nice to work.

Oh, I... I don't mind.

There, that ought to start now.

How much is a loose
whatever-it-was?

Oh, that won't be anything.

- Oh, let me give you something.
- It's all right.

Thanks.

I... I hope you have
a good time at the beach.

How did you get that scar?

Car accident.

I just wondered.

A scar can look interesting
on some people.

I have one on my leg.

Funny, the more sun I get,
the more it shows.

You don't have much time
to get out in the sun, do you?

No, ma'am.

I go to the beach
every chance I get.

Just above Malibu.

Ever been there?

It's nice.

It's never too crowded.

Well, thanks again.

Goodbye.

Hey, Eddie.

- Where are you going?
- Home.

Stillman said I could borrow the mg.

Oh. Look, Phil said somethin'
about gettin' together tonight.

- Play cards or somethin', huh?
- Yeah. Okay.

Hey, Phil! Yeah?

Whose house? “What?

Tonight. Where are we playin'?

Oh, I don't know. We can play
at my place if you want to.

- Make it around seven.
- Good.

Hey, look, Eddie, if you got nothin' to do,
why don't you come home with me?

We can watch a ball game,
have dinner around six,

then go over to Phil's, huh?

Oh, Ralph, I'd like to, but I...
I've got some things to do.

Yeah? Like what?

Oh, I've just got some things to do.

Okay. I'll see you tonight
at Phil's, huh?

- Okay.
- Right.

Hil

come on down! Come on!

What a nice surprise.

Mr Norris, mr Shannon.
Steve, Eddie.

Hi.

I'll be takin' off. I haven't
done the breakfast dishes yet.

Nice meetin' you, Eddie.

- Bye, Barbara.
- See you soon.

- Friday. Don't you forget.
- I won't forget.

So long.

Sit down.

Hope I didn't bust anything up here.

Steve? No. He's an old friend.

He has a house down the beach.

Did you bring your trunks?

No. I, er...
I just came the way I am.

I just drove down,
drove past down by the beach.

It was such a nice day.

Well, why don't you
take off your shirt, anyway?

The sun feels wonderful.

Didn't do much of anything else,
except go to school.

Started fooling around with cars
when I was twelve or thirteen.

Should've seen
the first car I ever owned.

Tell me about it.
What kind of car was it?

Model a. Did 103 miles an hour.

You made it go
103 miles an hour?

What?

Huh?

What's wrong?

Well, here I've been talking
about nothing but cars.

Must... must be pretty dull.

You don't think
much of yourself, do you?

Why did you follow me
down to the beach?

Want me to tell you?

You like me.

You're interested.

Simple as that.

You followed me because
you wanted to see me again.

You followed me because
I flirted with you a little.

What's the matter, Eddie?

Don't you like being flirted with?

Eddie, I asked you to
come down to the beach.

Why?

Why?

Why are you here?

Better put your shirt on.
You're getting sunburned.

Yeah.

I... I gotta be going any...
Anyway. It's...

It's getting kinda late.

I'm sorry you have to go.
Will you call me?

Yeah, I... l sure would like to.

Hollywood 71466.

Goodbye, Eddie.

Goodbye.

- Punchy, be quiet!
- Beat it, punchy!

Mr Gilbert?

Yeah. How are you, mrs Ogilvie?

Oh, fine, just fine.

Punchy, be quiet!

Hello?

Oh, hello, Eddie.
I'm glad you called.

- Man, it's been a real dull day.
- Yeah, real slow.

- I like it.
- You like it.

Wow! Hey, Max! Holy...

Wow! Ooh!

Oh, man!
That's the best there is, baby!

Oh, no, man, that is
the lovin' end! Kiss me!

Hey, get a load of that walk!

And anybody that thinks different
is dead, man. Dead!

I am so alive it hurts!

You see, that one
even bothered shorty!

You liked that one, eh, shorty?

Yeah, she was...
A good-lookin' dame.

A good-lookin' dame?
Shorty, no, no, no.

That was not a good-lookin' dame.

I thought she was.

You pretty near
jumped through the window.

Now, look, shorty, as long as
you're finally gettin' with it,

you gotta learn that was not
a good-lookin' dame.

That was the atom bomb!

- A good-lookin' dame!
- Well, maybe she wasn't his type.

- Isn't his type? Shorty...
- Come on, Carl, that's enough.

- Knock it off...
- No, no, it's all right. Go on.

- What were you gonna say?
- Ah, forget it.

No, I wanna hear what you
got to say. What was it?

Shorty, that is not your type?

No, I'd say she's
more your type.

The kind you yell at
through a window.

Maybe you could do better?

More coffee?

Huh? No, no, thanks.

Filled right up to the brim.

- Sure a good dinner.
- Nothing special.

Anything would taste good to you after all
those hash joints you've been eating in.

How'd you happen to buy these?

Saw them on a news stand.

Anything you wanna know
about sportscar racing, just ask me.

Don't you get enough
of that from me?

It's a big part of your life.
I'm interested.

I'll take these into the kitchen.

Wait a minute.

Come here.

There.

Now, you look like
you wanna stay for a while.

What are we gonna do
about these dishes?

Don't worry about them.
Maid comes in in the morning.

Gee, that... sure was swell.

How do you...
How do you make that spaghetti?

I wish I could take the credit for it.

I just boiled the spaghetti,
and heated up the meat sauce.

I get everything at a little
Italian market on Santa Monica.

Eddie...

Do you like being a mechanic?

- Sure.
- Don't you ever want to do anything else?

I don't know how to
do anything else.

But you like to race.

Oh, yeah, but
cars, motors, racing,

it's all the same thing.
It's all thrown in together.

But I've been reading
in these magazines about

those professional drivers.
The ones who race in Europe?

Ascari, taruffi, rosier? Yes.

They're all the world's best drivers.

But there was one
that topped 'em all.

I don't know whether I'll find him
in this magazine or not.

He's been dead for a little while.

Nuvolari. He was a king.

They used to call him
"the flying madman".

Just a little guy, too.
About five feet four.

- He was the best, huh?
- Oh, by far.

I'm not saying that I'd ever
be as good as he was,

but I'd give anything to drive
in those great races.

Grand prix, le mans, silverstone.
Race in 'em all.

That's not being just a mechanic.

Well, you've got to be
a great mechanic, too.

You can't just go over to Europe
and drive in those races.

Why not?

Well, Europe is a long way off
for a guy like me.

But it sounds so wonderful.

I don't know much about the grand prix,
or whatever it's called, but...

They're the real races. You gotta be a
great driver just to finish in them at all,

even if it's last place.

And you gotta have a great car, too.

Sounds so exciting.

Tis.

Gosh, if it ever happens...

In the meantime, I'll just
drive in the races around here,

getting the experience I can.

Who knows,
someday I might be right,

save up enough money,
get to Europe.

Next time there's
a race, can I come?

Sure.

In fact, there's going
to be one next month.

- Oh, excuse me.
- The fifteenth, at march field.

I've never been to
a race before. I bet it's fun.

Hello?

Oh, hello, how are you?

No, not at all.

No, I haven't been
down since Saturday.

Well, thank you, I just might
take you up on that.

What?

Oh, no, of course not.

I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Sure, Friday night.

Uh-huh.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

That was Steve Norris.

- Remember, you met him at the beach?
- Yeah.

He asked me to come
to a party Friday night.

Swell.

Will you take me?

Sure.

I... I'd like to.

- Surprise!
- Thanks.

Who did I make this for?
Ah, Jeannie, here you are, doll.

Harold, are you in the habit
of serving empty glasses?

Marge, for you I have
a special witches' brew.

What's he cooking out there?
It smells wonderful.

Stroganoff.

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!

Steve! Steve!

Do you need any help?

No, thanks.
Doing fine, doing fine.

Oops! Sorry.

Would you like a little drink?

No, just pay your respects
to the chef, and leave.

He is temperamental.

There must be something I can do.

Honest, honest, too many cooks
louse up the stroganoff.

Oh, but I could be of some help.

Could I peel this onion?

I can't stand to see a grown man cry.

Take it with you, beautiful.
Drop it into a large Martini.

Well... nice catch!

I used to cook for the white sox.

"Out, out, brief candle."

I hope the sour cream curdles.

How's he doing?

Better than I am!

- Well, greetings, fair Barbara!
- Hello! Harold, this is Eddie Shannon.

- This is Harold baker.
- Eddie, how are you? Nice to meet you.

Come on in.
Meet the motley crew.

- Thank you.
- Attention, everyone!

Lovely one is Barbara,
lucky one is Eddie.

Steve's in the kitchen.
I'll tell him you're here.

- All right.
- How are you, honey?

Hello, Jeannie.
Eddie, I'd like you to meet Mary.

- Hello, Eddie.
- Hello.

How are you, Eddie?

Would you like some
hors d'oeuvres or something?

How are you and
little speed king getting along?

He's awfully nice, Harold.

I'm glad for you.

The wooing of huckleberry Finn.

Oh, shut up!

Then what exactly would you say
is the basic difference

between an American car,
and a foreign car?

A sports car, I mean.

Well, there's a lot of difference.
The, um...

American cars are built
more for comfort rather than speed,

and the foreign cars
are built more for handling,

and they... they corner better.

- Corner?
- Yeah, they can be...

They can take the corners faster.

Well, can't you go around
fast enough with an American car?

Yeah, sure, but, er...
Well, it's...

It's what the car does
as you're cornering.

It's how it acts.

Let's say that you were
out on a highway,

and you were going, oh,
sixty to seventy miles an hour...

And not a policeman in sight.

Madam, we were discussing
the merits of the foreign car.

Why, don't you kid me.
You were speeding.

- Go ahead, Eddie.
- Yeah, go ahead.

- Well, er...
- Go ahead!

Suppose you're...

Suppose you're doing sixty
or seventy miles an hour.

You'd get a ticket.

- Dear love...
- Yes, dear love?

Why don't you go somewhere
and pass out like a lady?

Because ladies just don't pass out.

Oh, when they're drunk they do.
I hope.

Mr... Whatever your name is,

I apologise
for the untimely interruption,

and I do hope you'll forgive me.

Oh, it's all right.

- Is it?
- Sure.

Is it? You've been a doll.

Itis. And I have been a doll.

I have been a living doll.

- The, er...
- Just save it. Save it, Eddie.

- Come on.
- Where are you taking him?

To my den. Your boy's got me
interested in sports cars.

Leave a little for me.

- He's all yours in fifteen minutes.
- All right.

Ooh, man!
Get a load of that mess!

How long have you
known Barbara, Eddie?

- About a week now.
- She's a wonderful girl.

We met in New York.

- New York your home?
- Yup.

I'm planning on going back
in about a month.

It's been fun here.
Made a lot of new friends.

All the people you see
in the other room.

Eddie, you have no idea how many
friends you can make on the beach.

Especially if you happen
to be renting a beach house.

I guess so.

Getting back to sports car racing,

let's say that you had to race
an American car in a road race.

Would it be practical?

Not unless it was light,
and you modified it.

What do you mean?
Make it go faster?

Well, not only that,
but you'd have to

work over the suspension,
and the steering.

You'd have to do
a lot of things to it.

- But you could do it?
- If you had to...

Hey! I feel rejected.

Has it been fifteen minutes?

No, but you've
had him long enough.

Eddie, I suspect that
racing is only one

of a long list
of your accomplishments.

He's all yours, miss mathews.

Hi!

You certainly are.

What's the matter with her?

She's just mad because I
wouldn't let her do the dishes.

I've been saving them
for you, beautiful.

Oh! Nice...

I had a wonderful time.

- I had a nice time...
- Ssh...

I had a good time, too.
I think Steve's a swell fellow.

He likes you.

He's the kind of person
who can do you a lot of good.

What do you mean?

He's a very smart businessman.

How could he help me?

Oh, I don't know.

Maybe he can get you started
in something else,

make you some money.

I don't think
he likes me that much.

Do you know what time it is?

You gotta be at work
in about four hours.

Oh, it doesn't make
any difference to me.

It does to me.

When do I see you?

Call me after work.

I haven't made any plans.

Good night.

- Good morning.
- Yeah. Good morning.

Be back in ten minutes.

- Who is it?
- Steve.

That's not being very smart, is it?

I thought we'd better
have a little talk.

I missed you, punkin.

You think it's been fun for me?

Oh, it's been a lotta laughs.

That's not very nice.

You're right. I'm sorry.
It's not very nice.

Ah, come on, now, punkin,
don't be mad.

Another week or two,
and it'll be all over.

What's the matter?

Nothing.
I'm just tired, I guess.

What is the matter?

I feel sorry for him.

- Terribly sorry for him...
- Yeah, sure you do.

Steve, let's call
the whole thing off.

Please.
You don't know what it's like.

Honey, he...
He's not like other people.

He's... he's like
a lonesome little animal

that's never had any love
in his whole life.

It's too late.

He's in love with you, isn't he?

It's a love that...

It's a devotion.

A kind of terrible worship.

All right, what happens
when he finds out about us?

That's what I mean.

You just can't tell
about a little guy like this.

Well, even if we did
forget about it,

he's still gotta find out.

Yes, but maybe
I could make it easier.

How? By letting him
drag out his big love affair?

No, it all adds up
to the same thing.

One way or another,
he's gotta find out, so...

Yes, but at least
he won't have to know

how he's been used.

He'll think that there was some
attraction that I just got over,

like people do.

He's hooked.

And when a little ugly guy
like that gets hooked,

he gets hooked deep.

The damage is done.

So is it better to drag it out,
and watch him suffer,

or hit him in the face with it,
and let him hate you all at once?

Any way you look at it,
it's a rotten deal for him.

Punkin, remember the prize?

That is not a rotten deal.

Then he can buy himself a car,
and race his head off.

Oh, I don't know.

Everything seems to be
out of shape, soiled. I...

I feel like I want to wash
everything out, and start all over,

clean and new.

That's the way
it's gonna be, punkin.

Clean and new.

- How's the water?
- Oh, beautiful!

- Did you call Shannon?
- Yeah. He works half day today.

He'll be down around one o'clock.
I can hardly wait.

Listen,

you be a good boy
around our mr Shannon,

or I will bury you in the sand.

Oh, I'll be nice as pie.

Gee, if this works out maybe we can
all room together next semester.

Hello?

Oh, hi, is...
Is it two o'clock already?

No, it's, er...
Just a little after ten-thirty.

Er... I didn't mean
to wake you up, but, er...

Steve Norris just called me.

You're going, aren't you?

Certainly I think you should.

Yeah, I... I will.

Stop by on your way back.

Mmm. Goodbye.

- Hi, Eddie. Come on in.
- Hi, Harold.

- My car okay out there?
- Yeah, it's fine.

- Hi, Eddie.
- Mr Norris.

- Glad you could make it.
- Thanks.

- Come on in. Relax.
- Thanks.

Sit down.
Did you bring your bathing suit?

- No, I didn't.
- Oh, that's all right.

We got a couple extra ones around here
if you feel like taking a swim.

Thanks. Hey, I sure liked
that party the other night.

Good. Glad to hear it.
How about a drink?

- No, thank you. I don't care for one.
- Coke? Beer?

No, no th... I will have a coke
if you have one around.

Sure.

- Great day, isn't it?
- Yeah, it... it is nice out.

How's the girlfriend, Eddie?

Barbara? Oh, she's fine.

In fact, I... I talked to her
just before I came down here.

You did?

- Eddie...
- I could have gotten that...

Ah, tut, tut. Only man alive
who holds a gunga din scholarship.

He makes the jokes.

Eddie, Barbara tells me
that you wanna go to Europe.

Race at le mans and, er...
Le grand prix.

Did she tell you that?

Yeah. She said you wanna
be a big time race driver.

Yeah, I'd like to,
and I'd like to try...

Well, er... how would you do it?
Would you race your own car?

Well, it's if I could get up
enough money to buy one.

Mmm. Money, money, money.

It's the old problem, isn't it?

How much would it cost?

Well, I don't think I could
ever get enough money

to buy one of the big ones.

If I was lucky, I could save up
enough to get something

under fifteen-hundred class,

but even those cars
cost a lot of money.

- Oh? Like what?
- Four or five thousand.

Then I'd have to work it over
a little bit, and get it in shape.

Yeah, and of course you'd
have to pay to ship it over there,

- and your living expenses while you were there.
- That's right.

In other words, if you had
about fifteen thousand dollars

you might be able to race
at le mans next year, huh?

Fifteen thousand!

That'd really be a thrill,
wouldn't it?

- That's putting it mildly!
- Yes, sir. Get the map, will you?

Eddie, I have got
a business proposition for you.

- Yeah?
- I'd like to see what you think about it.

Now, this is something that I'm
very interested in, to put it mildly...

Anything else? I could go down to the
store and stock up on canned goods.

At ease.

Now, here...

Yeah, here we are, Eddie.

This is us sitting on
the beach in Santa Monica.

Now, over here is palm Springs.
You ever been there?

Mm-hmm.
In fact, I raced there last year.

Good. Then you
probably know this road.

It's a back road running from
the Springs down to San Diego highway.

Yeah, I think I remember it.

I don't know too much
about it, though.

Eddie, this is a big proposition.

I got the idea one weekend
when I first came out here.

I went down to Springs,
and we've been planning it ever since.

And, well...

It won't work without you.

- Without me?
- That's right.

Eddie, this road is nineteen
and one-sixteenth miles long,

and it's less than a great road.

It's got some bad turns on it,
and the surface isn't too good.

I think that a good driver
could probably make it in, well...

Thirty-five to forty minutes.

But, even then, he'd have
trouble on the turns.

Now, I think that
somebody like you,

- a really great driver...
- Oh, wait a minute.

No, I mean it, Eddie. I mean it.

I think that you could
make it in twenty minutes.

Well, 1 don't know. Maybe I could.
I'd have to drive the road first,

and see what kind of
condition it was in. I don't know.

Why?

Eddie, we've gotta get
from here to here

in no more than twenty-two minutes.

Less, if possible.
Now, if you can do that,

you've got fifteen thousand dollars.

You'd give me fifteen thousand
just to drive that road

in twenty-two minutes or less?

Gosh, I...
Wait, let me get this straight.

Well, why do you have to
make it in that time?

Because, at exactly 8:28,

the people who work
in the palm Springs bank

will discover that it's been robbed.

There'll be a moment of silence

while mr Shannon checks
the battery on his hearing aid.

- You're kiddin' me?
- Hmm? Not a bit.

You're gonna Rob a bank?
You want...

You want me to drive the car?

Oh, you're just... you're jokin', huh?
Just havin' some fun with me?

Eddie, I just want you to drive the car,
for fifteen thousand dollars.

Rob a bank? You're crazy.

Your proposition doesn't appeal
to mr Shannon's finer sensibilities.

- I'm gonna get outta here.
- Eddie, before you take off...

Eddie, just one little suggestion.

- Please, believe me, I...
- Before you make up your mind,

- I'm not a criminal. I've made up my mind.
- Eddie, before you make up your mind,

- have a little talk with Barbara.
- What has she got to do with it?

Just have a talk with her.

But keep it in the family.

Good afternoon, mr Shannon.

There goes one of the
sweetest kids I've ever met.

I hope we haven't made a mistake.

What did you tell him?

What did I tell him?

He told me he was
going to Rob a bank.

He wants me to
drive the car for him.

I told him "no".

But he said
before I made up my mind,

to be sure and talk to you. Why?

Eddie, look. I've known
Steve Norris for a long time.

- He told me.
- He knows all about you.

About your plans, about the things
you wanna do someday.

But he told me to talk to you first.
What did he mean?

I guess he thought
it might make a difference.

What difference?

He knows what I want.

Eddie, you don't know me very well.
It's been such a short time.

We... we've had a lot of fun,
but you really don't know me.

What do I gotta know?

I guess now you have to know

that Steve's proposition
does make a difference.

He knew it would.

I guess, in his own funny way,

he thought he was
doing me a favour.

Favour?

Eddie, look, this isn't
the end of the world.

You don't have to do
anything you don't want to do.

Wh... what do you want me to do?

That's up to you to decide.

You want me to do it?

Oh, Eddie, not if it'll
make you unhappy.

Look, a guy is gonna Rob a bank.

He wants me to
drive the car for him.

That's gonna make me very happy.

But it doesn't bother you, does it?

No, you want me to do it,
don't you?

Why? What for?

Have you got
fifteen thousand dollars?

No, no, I haven't got
fifteen thousand dollars,

but I'm... I'm not a criminal.

Will you ever have
fifteen thousand dollars?

Someday, someday,
maybe I'll have it.

Eddie, sit down
and listen to me.

I wanna tell you once,
and I hope you understand.

I'd like things to be right for us.

I'd like you to go to Europe, and...

And drive in those races, and get
everything you want out of life.

That would make me very happy.

You don't want to be
just a mechanic,

and I don't want you to be.

Steve made you a proposition.

To you, it's terrible. It's...
It's breaking the law.

Well, sure it's breaking the law,
and maybe it's terrible,

but I can think of things
a whole lot worse.

- But Barbara, you don't want me to do...
- Let me finish, Eddie.

Things have never been
very easy for me.

I learned a long time ago
to take things as they come.

If they work out, well, fine!

You want something, and so do I,

but there's a...
A difference between us.

You're willing to... to wait, and...

And hope that maybe someday
you'll get what you want.

Well, I can't wait.

I know what happens
when people wait.

You...
You knew all about this, didn't you?

Yes. Steve told me
he was gonna ask you.

You knew all about Steve, too.

That's why you
took me to the party.

I won't do it.

That's the end of it, huh?

Hello?

Hello, Barbara?

Yes, Eddie?

Is it important?

No, I'm sorry, I'm afraid
I'm gonna be busy.

No, it's not that.
It's just that...

Well, under the circumstances,

I don't think it would be
a very good idea.

I'd... I'd...
I'd like to see you.

I'd like to see you, too,
but we just don't seem to...

No, Eddie.

I'm sorry.

Hey, shorty!

- The guy with the Maserati's back and...
- My name is Eddie!

Ah, come on, shorty!

What happened?

I don't know, but,
whether you like him or not,

he's gonna get his face
pushed in if he's not careful.

Who is it?

- Yes, Eddie?
- Can I come in?

Steve:
Now we turn onto the main highway.

It's approximately
one-sixteenth of a mile

until we reach the old road
that leads to the mine.

Now, here comes the turn-off.

It's gonna be hard to see
until you're almost right on top of it,

but, like I said, it's only
one-sixteenth of a mile

to the palm canyon turn-off.

We didn't take any pictures of
the old road leading up to the mine.

It's practically straight all the way,
right to the mine.

Our car will be parked at the mine.

We'll leave it there.

We'll take the other car
into palm Springs.

Other car?

You said if you had to drive
an American car in a road race,

you'd need something light?

Yeah, that's right.

Come on.

We're gonna use this?

I picked it out personally,
with loving care.

It'll certainly be inconspicuous.

You'll never get over that road
in this in twenty minutes,

no matter who's driving.

Not even if you modify it?

Hop up the engine?

I'd have to do a lot of work on it
to drive that road in that time.

You'll have to average
sixty miles an hour.

Better, to be on the safe side.

I figure you'll have to do at least
a hundred on the straightaways.

That's up to you.
Harold'll get you anything you need.

Just give him a list.

Oh, and you'll keep your job.
Continue to work there during the day.

After work Harold'll pick you up

at the corner of
orange drive and Franklin.

He'll bring you out here,

you can put in about
four hours a night here

until the car's done.

That'll bring you back to
your rooming house each night

around eleven-thirty.

- How long have I got?
- No rush.

This isn't something
we have to do tomorrow.

I want you to do
the best job you know how.

If anything goes wrong,

we won't be able to stop and fix it.

Oh, and Eddie...

I don't think that you'd better
see Barbara until after this is over.

- What do you mean?
- I don't wanna take any chances.

If anything went wrong,

you wouldn't want her
mixed up in this, would you?

- See you later.
- Good night. See you later.

- So long.
- Goodbye, Eddie.

- So long, Ralph.
- Right.

How many times
can you look at this?

Movies must be better than ever.

Hey, looky,
I brought you some popcorn.

Sounds great! Come on, I've got
some more pictures to show you.

Get us a drink, will you, Harold?

All right.

That was one of the
best dives I've ever made.

- What do you want, coke?
- Yeah, that's fine.

You want the same thing?

- Excuse me.
- Remember this doll?

Yeah. Can I ever forget her?

This stuff is some shots we took,
you know, around the hotel.

Just a couple of average
vacationers with a camera.

- Who's operating that camera, Harold?
- Yeah, that was me.

- I think that was a pretty good job.
- Yes, yes.

A good dive.

Oh, he's quite a sportsman, this boy.

- Here you are.
- Cold down there?

No, no. Beautiful.

Hey, dig this. Hello, girlie!

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Give the man his drink.

Here.

- Oh, man.
- This was a real problem, Eddie.

I couldn't get
my lightning to work.

Ah! This is early in the morning.

That's monte vista drive.

Now, watch. Watch.

That man coming out there,
he's the chief teller at the bank.

He leaves his house every morning
at exactly 7:50.

He drives to the bank.

He arrives twenty minutes before the
rest of the employees, and opens up.

Why did you pick
the palm Springs bank?

Because it's never been robbed,
and it's a set-up.

There's money in it.

Now, it's all very simple.

You and I will be waiting

about a half a block down the street
from the teller's house.

Harold'll be waiting to meet the teller
when he comes out to his car.

When they leave, we follow.

Can't possibly miss,
unless something goes wrong.

Nothing's going wrong!

Now...

The teller opens the bank at 8:05.

At 8:10, the vault opens.

Harold's got five minutes
in which to get the money.

If I don't make it in five,
we're goin' on overtime.

Steve:
That gives us thirteen minutes

before the rest of the employees arrive,
and discover there's been a robbery.

By the time they notify the police,

and the highway patrol sets up
roadblocks here, here, here and here,

we'll have had twenty-two minutes
to have travelled from here to here,

and be well on our way
to the old mine turn-off.

How do you know that the police will
set up road blocks right there?

I asked a policeman.

No, cross my heart.

Now, there is another problem.

The distance through the town
to the old palm canyon road

is a mile and an eighth.

Observing the speed limit,
it's going to take us

three minutes to travel
that mile and an eighth.

A horse named noor did it
in one-forty-six-four.

There weren't any stop signs.

That leaves us eighteen minutes

to travel nineteen miles
of pretty lousy road.

But, if we do it,

we will have gotten
to this point here

a full minute before the police can
arrive there to set up a road block.

Isn't that cuttin' it kinda thin?

The faster you drive,
the safer we'll be.

Why don't we rent a Cannon and
shoot ourselves back to Los Angeles?

- Now, after we get rid of the old car...
- How?

We'll drive the car into the old mine,
and block up the entrance.

- And we'll all wear old clothes.
- I can hear the police calls now.

"Be on the lookout
for three scarecrows."

Why don't you give your mouth
a rest for a few minutes?

I think I'll make it
numb with alcohol.

Eddie, we'll have a change
of clothes at the mine.

After we stash the car,

we'll go back onto the highway

turn southwest on the
anza highway to San Diego,

and return to la
by the coast route.

Then we'll bury the plunder,

raise the jolly Roger,
and sail off to Tortugas!

J yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum! J

all right, Eddie.
You'd better get some rest.

Harold'll meet you tomorrow night
at eight, the usual place.

- Drive him home, Harold.
- Aye, aye, sir.

Oh, and Eddie...

You'd better tell 'em
down at the garage

that you won't be in on Wednesday.
Get a toothache in the afternoon.

If they call, to see
how you are the next day,

well, you could always say
you were at the dentist.

But don't forget and tell 'em
you were out robbin' a bank.

Get a good night's sleep.

Eddie!

- I... I thought Steve told you not to see me?
- I just had to see you.

Glad I didn't wake you up.

I was just
cleaning the apartment.

The bedroom's a mess!

What's the matter?

I just wanted to see you.

I, er...
We... we're gonna leave tomorrow.

I just wanted to talk to you.

I just can't get used
to the whole thing. I...

I guess I never will be able to.

I... I wasn't gonna come by, and...
Then I just had to.

It's not that I'm gonna walk out
on you, or anything like that.

It's... it's too much money,

but everything is important, isn't it?

The money and everything.

Whole thing's up to me.
It's really very simple.

Than I've ever driven
any car in my life.

It's a tough road.

Gonna have to really barrel.

It's all up to me.

I'll have to be about as good
as any driver there is.

Even as good as
those drivers in the magazine.

Who knows, maybe I'm ready
for le mans now and don't know it.

Eddie, look...

I know ['ve said
a lot of things, but...

Maybe it's a mistake.

You mean,
you don't think I should?

Well, it's not that I don't think
you should do it,

it's just that...

Don't go through with it
just for me.

Do it for yourself, for...
For the money,

and the things it can get for you.

But I want what you want.

Money like that doesn't mean
anything to me, unless...

I want you to do
what you want to do.

I told you how I feel about it,

but if it makes you unhappy,
then forget it.

Look, I didn't force you into this.

You could have backed out any time,
and that would have been that.

I'm sorry. I...
I didn't mean to get you upset.

Oh, I'm sorry, too. I...

I guess nobody'd be particularly
calm under the circumstances.

Sure.

You look tired.

I am... I'm a little tired.
I've been workin' so hard,

and I haven't been
sleepin' very good.

When are you leaving?

- Eight o'clock, tomorrow night.
- Oh.

I gotta go in tomorrow and tell 'em
that I got a toothache or somethin',

so I can get off Wednesday.

Never had a toothache in my life.

Not even a filling.

You'd better get some sleep, Eddie.

Yeah. You'd better, too.
You... you look tired.

I've missed seeing you.

Eddie, I...

Look, after Wednesday,
it'll be all right.

We're both just a little on edge.

- Yeah.
- I'll call you when I get back.

Remember, don't worry.
It's gonna be all right.

Any questions?

Okay.

Here he comes.

Morning.

Make a sound,
and I'll blow your brains out.

Let's go.

Wouldn't it be hilarious
if this was a practical joke?

You'll never get away with it.

But if I don't, I'll lose the game.

See, this is a scavenger hunt,

and I'm supposed to get
all the money out of the bank.

That's dad.

He says I'm too young to drive yet.

All right.

How'd you do?

I'll give you a suitcase
full of money for a cigarette.

We're a minute behind schedule. You
can drive a little faster through town.

- We're doing twenty-five right now.
- Do thirty.

This is it.

There's the highway!
Right on the button.

One of the bandits
was hidden in the car

owned by James r snyder,
chief teller at the bank.

Snyder was forced at gunpoint
to drive to the bank,

where the bandit filled
a large bag with the money,

bound and gagged snyder,

and left him lying behind
the teller's window.

One of the employees discovered him
some twenty minutes later.

Snyder told authorities
the hold-up men escaped

in an old Ford sedan that followed
them to the bank from his home.

An all-out search is under way
for the hold-up car.

In Washington today...

Here's your plane ticket.

Eleven o'clock flight.

It'll only be a week.

I've gotta say goodbye to people.

What is it?

Steve, it's not
the way it should be.

- The midget?
- That's unkind.

Forget about him.

Think about the $67,000
worth of fun we're gonna have.

I can't forget about him.

Look, punkin,
it's over and done with.

There's nothing
you can do about it now.

I could see him.
I could tell him I'm sorry.

Sorry for him, or yourself?

Both.

And I'm a little frightened, too.
Steve, people get paid back

- when they do things like this.
- Oh, come on, come on, come on.

Whether you think so or not,
I think they do.

You don't know what
we've done to that little guy.

Do you think telling him
is gonna help?

It might.

Confession is good for the soul, huh?

I don't know.
I think maybe it is.

Nn-nnn.

No, he's never gonna find out.

You're forgetting one thing, punkin.

If you ever told him,

he just might go to the police.

Oh, no, he wouldn't, Steve.
I know he wouldn't.

You just keep on bein' pretty.

In a week's time, I'll be
knockin' on your door again,

and we'll have everything
we ever wanted.

Nice, and clean, and new.

Right.

Don't ever kiss me like that again.

Get in the bedroom,
and stay in there.

Well...

Eddie, I told you to stay away from here.

Maybe he thought
the grunion were running.

Have you...
Have you seen Barbara?

Steve:
No, I haven't, Eddie. Why?

I went over to her apartment,

and the landlady said
that she moved away.

So, she moved, Eddie.
People do that sometimes.

She wouldn't do a thing
like that, though.

She'd leave a message of some kind.

You were out
robbin' a bank, remember?

Now look, Eddie...

Eddie, I told you to stay away
from here, and I mean it.

I don't want
any of us seen together,

until this thing cools off.

Well, if you...
If you see her...

- You'll tell her that...
- If I see her, Eddie,

I'll tell her to get in touch
with you. That's right.

Now you'd better take off.
Yeah...

Oh, wait a minute.
How'd you get here?

Cab.

- Drive him home.
- No, it's... I can call a...

If this keeps up,
we'll have to install a meter.

Eddie.

- Barbara!
- Eddie...

Steve told me that...

You've got to know something.

Well, I, er... your landlady said
that you moved away.

I know. I came down here.

I'm supposed to be on the
eleven o'clock plane for New York.

New York?

Eddie, there's no way
to say this so it won't hurt.

- Maybe if I hum "hearts and flowers"?
- You shut up!

No, let her say it.

This whole thing was planned
from the very beginning.

We were all in this together,
just one big happy family.

A little broke, but we
didn't worry about that.

We'd just stick up a bank.
Really wasn't anything to it.

All we needed was
someone to drive the car.

We had to make sure
to get the right person.

These two noble specimens
picked you.

The rest was up to me.

Do you hear
what I'm saying, Eddie?

We couldn't take any chances
with you. We had to make sure.

We had to hook you, and hook you good,
and I was just the little girl for the job.

I said it was gonna hurt.

I'm sorry, Eddie.

I'm so sorry, I'm sick.

What she's trying to say is,
you've been had, mr Shannon.

Yes, you tell him.

You say it in your
nasty, foul little way.

You heard him, Eddie.

Any way it comes out, that's it.

You were never supposed
to see me again.

You were just supposed to go home,
and count your $15,000,

and pretend like I never happened.

Okay, you said enough.

We were gonna be married after this,
and have everything we want.

Mr and mrs Steve Norris,

anything in the world for a buck!

Eddie, I don't love you.

I never did.

Steve! You killed him.

You killed him when you
walked into this room.

- All right, Harold, get him out.
- Come on, let's go.

No, Steve, no!
You can't kill him!

Steve, no! No! No! Oh!

You stupid little fool!

- No, please, Steve! Don't! You can't!
- I can't do anything else!

- You can't!
- Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

- Please!
- Shut up!

Now, listen to me.
Listen to me. I tried to tell ya.

I told you, if he ever found out,
he might go to the police.

No, he won't!
He won't go to the police!

- He would have! He would have!
- No!

He could have taken a brush-off,
but he can't be made a fool of.

He's tired of being a fool.

Don't do it, Steve. Don't!

It's done.

Open the door.

Get inside.

You drive.

I've been drinking.

Now, start it.

Now we're gonna take
a slow ride down the highway.

If you go over forty,
I'm gonna get unhappy.

Now, back it out.

Keep it right there.

The little man has had a busy day.

Tell me something, Shannon.

Always wondered what goes through
people's minds in a spot like this.

No views on the subject, huh?

Come now, Shannon, you must be
thinkin' about dyin'.

Yeah!

He's had it.

I don't think he was driving.

Well, what happened
to the driver?

Probably walked away from it.

Yeah.

Yeah, lucky.

Yeah, he walked away, but I bet
he wasn't feelin' too good.

He's hurt, all right.

Car's registered to a Steven b Norris.

24742 Malibu road.

That's not far.
About a mile down the road.

Probably tryin'
to make it to his house.

I think we'd better get down there.

We'll call in,
and get the wagon up here,

and have one of the other units
get up there and check the address.

Leave her alone!

Hey, look! People down there.

It's gonna be all right.

Don't cry. Don't worry.
Everything will be all right.

Please, please don't cry.

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