Johnny Eager (1941) - full transcript

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

Nix, nix. This is no Cab Stand.
- Oh Officer, give me a break will you.

I must file a report and
every second counts today.

I've only had two fares all morning.
- I know, but if ..

I'll only be a second.
Give me a break, will you.

Alright, run along. But hurry.
- Thanks, Officer.

Hello.
- Hello there.

It's alright, Ann.

Thank you.

Well .. how you been, Mr Eager?

Okay. Swell.



Did you ever see that movie
I told you about last time?

Never found out where it was playing.

I know where it's at this week.
I could see it again.

Well, I ..

Hello, Miss Mines.

Say, In that cab of yours.

Don't you ever sit anything up in
front with you except the trunk?

I'd like to, but every
trunk means a dollar.

What's the fun of putting your
arm around a piece of luggage?

Mr Verne will see you now.

Hello, Mr Verne.
- Hello Johnny. Sit down.

Sit down.
- Thank you.

Well, still living with your cousin
Peg and her daughter, eh?

Yeah. The kid finishes
high school next month.



Maybe we'll get Miss Mines
here to give her a job.

Well ..

Is there anything else, Mr Verne?
- No. Thanks.

Funny. Why do you suppose
Miss Mines doesn't like me?

Well, Miss Mines is beyond
he age of tolerance, I guess.

Johnny, this is splendid.

You keep your parole as clean as this,
you'll be out of our hands in a year.

Can't be too soon for me.
- I know. It's a strain isn't it.

Yes, it's no fun knowing you can go back
up there just for having a few beers.

That's the only thing I ever liked
you know. A good glass of beer.

And then there are a lot of loud
mouths in the hack business.

It's kind of tough when you have to back
off when you'd like to poke one of them.

You know how it is, Mr Verne.
- I know.

Well. That's all.

Keep up the good work.
- Yes, sir.

Johnny .. ever get
hungry for the old days?

Those 200-dollar suits, the
big bankroll and the girls?

Sure. I'd be a chump not
to admit it, Mr Verne.

Specially when I see some of the old mob
still sailing around high and handsome.

Then I think about that
cell down at Stateville.

And the time I did ten days on the shelf
just for tossing a guy a bag of macons.

Now, if I stub my toe just once more I
go back for the rest of that five years.

I think about things like that and then
I don't miss being a big-shot at all.

I wish all my boys were
as level-headed as you.

Keep thinking that way Johnny, and
we'll never have to send you back there.

Well, see you next month.
- Goodbye, Mr Verne.

Goodbye.

Well. How are my young
sociology students today?

Would you come in please?

Good grief, Mr Verne.

Do you mean to tell me
that is an ex-convict?

Oh yes. He was quite
notorious at one time.

Did you notice that profile?

You could put it on a coin.
- Oh Jean, really.

Well you could.

Thanks, Officer.
- Did you ever see those pooches run?

No. Never did.

I don't get that that guy Marco will
ever get that cracked open in this town.

I sure hope they do.

Mr Marco pays those fellows ten bucks
a month for hauling those signs around.

So long, Officer.

Mr Verne. When these paroled men
come in and report every month.

Can you believe what they tell you?

We want to, naturally.

Now, there is the report
on the man who just left.

By the name of John Eager.

And .. there is his record.

John Eager.

You believe him, Mr Verne?
- Oh yes.

Johnny has learnt his lesson.
He's a solid citizen now.

I somehow got the impression that he
looked a little more ambitious than ..

Well, just to stay driving a cab.

How can you be sure this report is true?

Well, that's quite easy.

We have a practice of dropping in
unexpectedly at the homes of parolees.

From time to time.

They have no warning of our visits.

That way we can inspect their home life.

See their surroundings aren't conducive
to a return to their criminal pursuits.

Good grief, Lisbeth. Listen.

That nice-looking thing
has had 38 indictments.

He was only tried and found
guilty on one of them, I might say.

Two for manslaughter. Imagine.

Three for assault with a deadly weapon.

Gambling operations.

This is amazing.

Did he ever really kill
anybody, Mr Verne?

The State has never said so.

The way Johnny is going now.

I like to think he never did.

Is Mr Marco around?
- Up in the office.

That's Wilson's new bitch.

She's sure got a stride, hasn't she.

Well, it won't do Wilson any
good if this joint don't open.

Marco said this morning
that it was in the bag.

Well if it ain't this time, I'm taking
my string and pulling out of here.

Hiya.

Hello, boss.
- Hi.

Look at that crazy cockroach.

Come on, insect. Win for Benjy and
I'll put you back in the kitchen again.

Come on, come on.

Bet you a thousand.
- I'll take five hundred of it.

Five hundred still open. Lew?

That ain't enough.

I'll take it, Marco.

You're on.

Here, Mr Eager. Don't you
think this one is better?

More flash to it.

Billy, can you just keep on dumping the
ashtrays and bringing my ham and eggs.

I'll dress myself.

Now look, boss. I'm supposed to be a
gentleman's gentleman or something.

Now, ain't I? You got to take
my advice about these things.

Behave, will you.

Oh. They win.

Pay up, sucker.

I don't know why a man should wait
when this kind of lettuce harvest is on.

I'm through with cockroaches.
They carry germs.

Hello?

Hello. Jeff Hartnett around there?

You won yourself a quick and
easy five there, Johnny.

Eager always gets his the easy way.

We do all the work and
he gets all the money.

That's right, Lew.

Yeah, you do all the work.
But he does all the thinking.

Hey, Eager?
- These painting bills are brutal.

Hey, Benjy. What about
that cop over on Fallway?

I can't do nothing with him.

Stubborn, huh?
- And dumb.

He says no slot-machines going to run
on his beat as long as he's walking it.

Maybe he'd like a different beat.

I figured that.

His name is Advernowksi.
Badge number 711.

711 .. a lucky number
for an unlucky guy.

I'll take care of it.

You've more rounds to make?

Yeah.

Then get those girls out of here.
- Sure, sure.

Come on you squabs.
I'll give you something.

Say, how about some Jack?

Five hundred on a cockroach, but
if I ask for a buck what do I get?

Conned.

You got me to get married, didn't you?

Come on.

You got anything for me, Lew?

What's wrong?

I'm not holding out.
- Nobody said you were.

The way this town is shut down
there is nothing to hold out.

Haven't a dozen books running. No dice,
no roulette. My whole crowd is hungry.

That's the way it goes.
Some fat years, some lean.

From where I sit it looks
like a string of lean ones.

Well, I'll be seeing you.
At the back of a tin cup.

Hey, Lew.

You sound like something's
itching at you.

Do you expect me to sing Happy Days
with things the way they are?

I got sixty slot collectors
on my payroll you know.

I can't pay them off with conversation.
- Who asked you to talk anyway?

I ..

Blaming me for the lid on this town?
- No, of course not.

Well, we're getting no place fast.

Something has got to crack pretty soon.

This is a laugh. You and
me barking at each other.

Why, we've been pals since
we were news kids together.

Put it on the table, Lew. You think I'm
giving you the wrong end of the deal?

Sorry, Johnny.

Just being short of dough
is giving me the grouch.

You're not sore, are you?

No, of course not, Lew. I'm as
touchy as you are. That's all.

Okay, Johnny. So long.

So long, Lew.

Have a couple of the boys see what Lew
does with his time in the next few days.

Put a tail on him?

Why, you're not worried about Lew?

Why that's silly, Johnny.

You and Lew have been pals for years.

You just said yourself.

You had a newsstand
together when you were kids.

That's right. On Baker Street.
- Well then ..

I got it.

You still want him tailed?

It almost makes me
wonder if you trust me.

A silly question, Marco.

I've half a million bucks in this layout
and we've got to open. You understand?

When will you get the injunction lifted?

Now I've got to tell you about that.
- You mean you can't get it, huh?

Johnny, I've been in front of 5 judges.
Every one of them has refused.

What more can I do?
They're all afraid to move.

Why?

Our new City Prosecutor, Mr Farrell.

Farrell, huh? Wouldn't you know I'd
have to run into him a second time.

He helped the D.A. send
you away once, Johnny.

He wasn't any pushover then.

Go easy now.

John Benson Farrell.
That righteous old rat.

He comes out of retirement, gets elected
to a chicken-coop job like Prosecutor.

What's the idea with all his
dough and reputation, I wonder.

Sometimes a wrong number
comes up on the dice.

Only a sucker plays with
dice he can't handle.

What about Halligan and his boys?
They have a barrel of my money.

They think I'll fold and
not get my dough back?

You ever hear of a politician
paying back anything?

Of course, you can talk to
Halligan yourself if you want.

Exactly what I'm going to do.

You beat it now, and arrange
for a meeting. Right here.

Johnny, do you think that's best?
- Arrange it, Marco. And for soon.

Okay, Johnny.

Hello, Garnet.
- Hello.

Let me speak to Dave.

Well, you're not exactly Romeo.

You're not exactly Juliet.

You might say you like it.

Any time I don't like it you
will hear me loud and clear.

Dave .. seen Jeff Hartnett today?

No .. okay.

If you're looking for Mr Hartnett,
he was here earlier this morning.

He was? Well, didn't you tell
him I wanted to see him?

Oh sure, but he wandered away.

Full of gin and big words.

Say, who was Herod Agrippa?

He took a fine time to throw a bender.

Who was who?
- Herod Agrippa.

I don't know. Why?

Well, he said you were the
modern-day Herod Agrippa.

And then he said I was your Inamorata.

I'm going to get a load
of what that means, too.

You just keep checking up on Jeff's
big words and we'll both get educated.

Yeah?

I'm bringing some
guests home for dinner.

So you'd better leave the
office as early as you can.

Right.

What now?
- Oh, Mines has called.

I got to get out to the
west side in a hurry.

Poor Mines.

Is there any dame you
haven't got in your pocket?

You don't feel crowded do you, sugar?

Who's there?
- Me.

Somebody is coming, huh?
- Yeah a bird.

Better have some coffee on.
- Sure. Alright.

You look good.
- I'm okay.

Here is the paper. Matilda.

What?

Oh hello, uncle Johnny.

I bet the investigators are coming or
you wouldn't come near this rat-trap.

Matilda, stop being so
fresh with your uncle John.

Where do you think we'd
be if it wasn't for him, huh?

He gets what he pays for.

Johnny, why don't you talk to her?
I can't do nothing with her.

She was out in some dancehall
until 3 o'clock this morning.

Didn't even go to school today.

Don't worry, Peggy.
A kid's got to have some fun.

Mattie is a good girl. You've
got nothing to worry about.

I wonder.

You've got sense, haven't you kid?

Haven't you?

Sure I have.

Mr Verne is just driving up now.

Ah, go get your books.

Wipe that paint off your mouth.
- Sure.

Honestly Julie, I don't
feel we ought to.

Oh come on, silly. It's exciting.

It's quite alright, Miss Bard.

Why hello, Mr Verne.
- Hello, Mrs Fowler.

Come on in.

Well, hello Mr Verne.

Twice in one day.
I must be popular with you.

Just the usual routine, Johnny.

Miss Sanford, Miss Bard - Mr Eager.

How do you do.

And this is Mrs Fowler. And Miss Fowler.

Hello.
- How do you do.

Well, isn't that nice.
Won't you sit down please.

We were just going to have some coffee.
I'll go and bring it.

Yeah, coffee. Find yourself some chairs.

Mr Verne.
- As I told you.

My favorite parolee.

These two young ladies are taking
a course in sociology, Johnny.

They were sent to me to help
them with their fieldwork.

Sociology? Well, let's see now.

It's a study of social conditions.

Seeing how the other half lives.

I mean things like .. crime.

Well .. you understand
what I mean, Mr Eager.

I get it.

How is your schoolwork
coming along, Matilda?

Oh fine. I love it.
- That's good.

Uncle Johnny is helping
me with my homework.

You see, Mr Eager is
really not Matilda's uncle.

She just calls him that.

Her father was married to
Mrs Fowler who is Johnny's cousin.

Isn't that right, Johnny?

Huh? Yeah, yeah. That's right.

Yeah, Matt was a great guy.
We were in business together.

You mean .. he's not living now?

He was killed in an automobile.
- Oh ..

It's terrible, these
automobile accidents.

This was on purpose by some
rats with a sawn-off shotgun.

Hey, Matilda.
- Here, here. Now, kid.

You really can't blame her.
She gets pretty riled up about it.

Of course.

We were going to drop in on
some of the other boys, Johnny.

But when Miss Sanford heard about you
she particularly wanted to visit here.

You did? Why?

Oh. My name is 'Bard'. She is 'Sanford'.

Oh.

Oh. Yes.

As a matter of fact, Liz didn't
want to come at all. Did you, Liz?

No? Why not?

Well .. well, I think it's
rather an imposition.

I mean it's rather embarrassing
to have us come in this way.

I'm very sorry.

Don't be. I'm glad you came.

If you've been where I've been,
you can never get enough company.

Thanks.

Matilda, what is your homework?
- What?

Oh .. we got to pick out some
famous character in fiction and ..

Write an essay on something they said.

Oh. Have you decided on anybody?

Why no. We can't think of a good one.

Yeah .. it's kind of tough.

I know. What about A Tale of Two Cities?

When Sidney Carton was in jail, and ..

No? No good ..

There is that speech I always
like in Cyrano De Bergerac.

When Cyrano is telling
Roxanne the meaning of a kiss.

Yeah, what's that?

'The kiss', he said.

'I do not see why your
lips do not dare want'.

'It's the divine secret which
one mouth tells the other one'.

'While neither needs to listen'.

'It is the pilgrimage of the heart
across the lips to the soul'.

Cyrano, huh? Well, I'll go for that.

Where do I read about the guy?
I guess the girl said yes, huh?

No .. he was making love for
Christian, his best friend.

He sent Christian to receive the kiss.

Why? What was his angle?

Well you see, he was afraid.

He was very ugly.

Oh.

What's wrong? You not going to read it?
- No.

Ugly or not, I'm not interested in a
guy who doesn't finish what he starts.

Well come on girls.
We've got to be running along.

Goodbye, Mrs Fowler.
Thanks for the coffee.

You're growing to be a
fine young girl, Matilda.

Oh thanks, Mr Verne.

Goodbye everybody. Goodbye, Mr Eager.

Goodbye.
- Thank you.

It's been very pleasant.
- Yeah.

Sorry about your man, Cyrano.

Well, I'd never thought
of it quite that way.

Perhaps you're right. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

And they call this a free country.

Busting into your house like that.

Did you see the face on that blond
rat when she smelt my coffee? Huh?

Uncle Johnny.
- What?

That Miss Bard.

Any time you want to whistle,
she'll come running.

Forget that.

Any time you want to whistle.

I watched her eyes.

You watched them, too. You know it.

Here. Go cut yourself a rug someplace.

Thank you, uncle Johnny.

But, any time you want to whistle ..

I told Winnie we'd drop by.
She's having a crowd.

Isn't that Eager individual the
handsomest thing you ever saw?

I don't think handsome is just the word.

His face is well cut, but once
for a moment there, he ..

Became hard.

I think he'd beat a woman
if she made him angry.

I wonder.
- What?

Oh. What sort of a woman
he goes around with.

Hey, chum.

There is a limit to this
sociology business you know.

Oh ..

Hello.

Hello, sweet.

Hello, Floyd.
- Hello.

Darling, I'll run along. I've a squash
game at the club. I'll stop by at seven.

Seven? Well, what ..?
- The Art Museum dinner.

You promised in a weak moment.
We can't get out of it.

Oh Jimmy, no.
- Darling, I'm stuck. I have to go.

That's what comes with inheriting
a directorship in a society waxworks.

Oh, Jimmy.

May I beg off? I'll meet you
afterwards someplace.

Well sure, Liz .. what's the matter?

Nothing.

Just those old beards and bodices
sitting round talking about dead things.

She's bored, that's all.
Your Fianc?e is bored of it.

Come out with Gail tonight. We'll pick
up this prematurely aged gargoyle later.

Wait a minute.
- I'd love to, Floyd. A good Samaritan.

Hmm, sounds like a cure.

I'll approve as long as you drive.

Darling, I have to. His
license has been revoked.

Ah, let's find Judy.

Hello Julio. How goes it?

Not bad, not good.

But I visited that man on
England Avenue, Eager.

Yeah?

I think he's learned
not to talk so much.

He has now six stitches in his head.

There you are.
- But, Eager ..

What's the beef? That's all
that sort of a job's worth.

But Eager, I owe lots of
people money. I can't ..

If I give you more you'll put it on the
horses or give it to that dame of yours.

Stop playing sucker and
then we'll talk about a deal.

Hello, Johnny.
- Hi.

Did you bump into Julio?
- Yeah.

That Julio gives me the creeps.

I don't mind tapping a guy
out if he's got it coming.

But that Julio gets
a big kick out of it.

Like every time someone gets knocked
out, there is some swell-looking dame.

Seen Jeff Hartnett?

Here. He's inside.

What's this? I don't want
any of these mutts up here.

He belongs here. He's yours.

I don't get it.

Do you remember Wally Heron?
- Yeah.

He heard you were opening here.

Before he kicked off, he shipped down
the pooch for the grand he owes you.

'Gypsy Prince', he calls him.

Say, he's some dog.
Holds two world records.

He won the Miami Future in 33.
Earned 25 grand.

Sure. The boys knew
about him down below.

They was nuts about him.

Maybe I'll run him myself.

Pick up a little of my own dough.

He can't run now.
Read what it says later.

His legs are gone.
He's twelve years old.

Sure. They die around
fourteen or fifteen.

Then, what the devil did
Heron send him to me for?

Like he says. Out of sentiment.

Sentiment, huh? Since
when does that pay off?

But boss, he only eats baby lamb chops.

Yeah, yeah. Eighty cents a pound.

No, he'd better get used to hamburger.

Keep him out in the kitchen.
Don't let them get rid of him.

You wait until Johnny hears
how you've insulted me.

I looked that word up in the dictionary.

Empress, I have incurred
your displeasure.

I shall fall on my sword
at the first opportunity.

You just wait.

I'm sick and tired of your
big words and your ..

Beat it .. beat it.

He called me an Inamorata.

I looked it up and it means ..
- Not smart to blow your top that way.

Like you? I can't be like you are.
When I'm mad, I've got to show it.

I can't hide it the way you do.

Well do your yelling someplace
else, sugar. I want to talk to Jeff.

Are you going to let him
say things like that to me?

Choose between us, Eager.

Me or your beloved.
- You shut up.

Either he apologizes or
I walk right out of here.

Suit yourself, sugar.

Goodbye.
- So long.

I seem to have offended your light
of love by using a polysyllabic word.

You are drunk.

Now Eager .. that's obvious.

Very obvious. Don't be obvious. You're
out of character when you're obvious.

Adroitness is your racket.

Hard.

Clever and .. adroit.
That's your description.

Oh not again, Jeff.

Well, just because I've said it
before doesn't mean it isn't true.

Eager, you are a man ..

You shouldn't be obvious.

Observed, analyzed and ..

Recorded for history
because you're unique.

Absolutely unique.

Here we go again, kids.

A lot of people think
I'm just a stooge for you.

They don't know I'm a modern Boswell.

Meticulously recording for posterity
the doings of a unique individual.

An individual out of the
days of the Medicis.

And .. I'm your Boswell.

The story of Johnny Eager.

The next forty generations
will find it required reading.

Along with the words of Machiavelli.

And .. no ..

Am I going to have to hold your
nose and pour it down you?

Take it.

It is hardly the nectar of the Gods.

You'll feel better in a few minutes.

Yeah, but during those couple of
minutes, I'll die a thousand deaths.

I forgot my purse.

Oh. Well, did you find it alright?
- Yes.

You'd have let me walk right
out on you, wouldn't you?

If that's the way you want it.

You win.
- Win?

Win what? Were we betting?

Oh Johnny, you're so cold-blooded,
sometimes I think ..

You think what?

Never mind.
- Alright. Keep secrets.

Oh sometimes I wonder if
I mean anything at all to you.

This town may explode on me any minute.
I've four million things to think of ..

And you want to talk about love
at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

Will I see you later?

Well, I got to look around the town
a little. And I smell trouble.

I'll phone you and drop over your place.

Good .. I'll wait.

Bye, darling.
- Bye-bye.

Does that young woman ever do
anything besides make exits?

You'll wake up dead one of these days.

Everybody does sooner or later.

Johnny.

A short one?

Nix.

Why do you keep pouring
that stuff into you?

I've told you. Every now and
then I've got to look in a mirror.

Johnny.

Well, I guess one won't hurt.

Hey, tell me.
What do you hear around town?

For instance?

I mean about Lew Rankin
suddenly getting a big head.

He's got a big head.

That's why his brain rattles.

You heard about Tony Luce running a
wheel and tables over at The Porthole?

Yeah.

I'm sorry. I went to this wingding
and forgot to check on it.

Hey .. Johnny.

The leaf is about to fall.

Oh.

Once again, maybe?

You go and lie down. You've got
to snap out of this by tonight.

We're calling on Mr Luce.

Say, Jeff.
- Sir?

You know these things.

That guy ..

Cyrano.

Cyrano de Bergerac or something?

Does a dame really fall for the
type of chatter he gave out?

Are you starting to
encounter literate dames?

Who said anything about dames?

Go on to bed.

If you can stand at that roulette wheel
and lose over two thousand dollars ..

You certainly can afford to buy
me a new car. I'm not going ..

Do you wish a table, sir?
- No.

Just a minute, Mr Eager.
I'll tell Tony you're here.

And if you college kids think you can ..

Why, Johnny.

Michelangelo did his
best work on his back.

What's the matter with you, Eager?

What's the matter with you?
You're my friend and you slug me.

You didn't send it in, Luce.
You're not kicking through.

That's a perfect way to
stop being friends with me.

But I do send in. Every week.

Yesterday night, I give
Lew Rankin five grand.

Listen, Eager. I always send in.

Rankin, huh?

Alright. Chase your
dame here and we'll ..

My dame? She's not my dame.

Why Mr Eager, what would Cyrano say?

Okay Tony, go out with
Jeff and spill it to him.

There's nothing to be
frightened of, Miss Bard.

Why, I'm not frightened.

I would like sort-of like to ask
what you're doing here, though.

Would you like to be
asked that, Mr Eager?

You're not casing Tony for that
sociology racket of yours, are you?

Hardly.

The gentleman I was with this
evening became quite intoxicated.

Drunk, in fact.

He excused himself and wandered
away leaving a bill for 85 dollars.

Mr Luce suggested I leave some
of my jewelry as collateral.

I couldn't see it that way.

I tried to explain to Mr Luce that the
young man is many times a millionaire.

And I would see that he sent a
check with a bonus in the morning.

Mr Luce couldn't quite understand.

Uhuh.

What are you doing here, Mr Eager?

Well now, look Miss Bard. I know it may
seem strange after what's just happened.

You mean you really don't want
me talking about this to Mr Verne?

Isn't that it?

He might think you've been lying to him.

What lovely material.

A fine tailor cut that coat.

Well, this is a hangover from the days
when I was in big money. Five years ago.

Five years ago.

I knew they were always
up to the fashion.

But I didn't know they were
ever that far ahead of it.

Don't lie to me, Mr Eager.

Why not?

Because I have no
intention of reporting you.

I'd better take you home.

Billiken, you go out and find a cab
for you and Jeff. I'm taking the car.

Okay, boss.

Where is your coat?
- Over there.

Get it and wait out front.

Now you button your mouth. Understand?

Johnny, I'm your friend.

How do I know what that Rankin is?
- Alright, alright. Forget it.

Thanks, Johnny.

So that's her, huh?

Are you thinking of allowing her
to play Roxanne to your Cyrano?

Now don't pin another can on, will you.

My last, Duchess.

But that blessed damsel will
have you over a barrel amigo ..

If she talks to the parole board.

She won't.

Mr Freud.

Take a letter.

So, tell me where you live.

Holby Place, just off Marley Road.

Let's stop all this
bush-league nonsense.

You don't want me to take
you home and you know it.

Of course I don't.

Of course I don't want
you to take me home.

Well.

Well. Well, what happened?

Too late. I've been to every place
in town. They're all closed now.

Well, has that idiotic Markham
pup been back to his house yet?

No.
- Ha.

Well, I suppose that's
the modern scheme.

In my day, if a man even looked
sideways at another man's girl.

He'd get battered on the nose for it.

But nowadays, you hand your girl over
to another man for the entire evening.

And a drunk at that.

Well, I suppose that's alright
if he's a gentlemanly drunk.

You know your daughter as well
as I do. You brought her up sir.

Then that's up to you. Why don't
you do something about her?

Love-making isn't always correct
or gentlemanly or considerate.

Look beyond that patrician
nose of yours.

Realize you still belong
to the animal kingdom.

If you were a bit younger sir
you'd get a left hook for that.

I'm in the mood.

Stop calling me 'sir'.

Can't you take it?

An Irish immigrant who dug sewers and
studied law by gaslight on the street.

Ought to be able to take anything.

I can take it.

But every now and then that
word 'sir' sounds supercilious.

Yep .. everybody is right.

You're one of the most brilliant men in
the world and one of the least pleasant.

Jimmy.

Sir?

Come here.

I think it's about time
you and I had a drink.

Jimmy.

I think you love her
almost as much as I do.

I think so.

Here she is.

Yes, Jimmy.

This is Jimmy Courtney - Mr Eager.
- How are you?

Floyd vanished. Left me with the check.
Mr Eager got me out of a lot of trouble.

Please come in. It was the silliest
thing. I waited for Floyd for ..

Hello, father. You shouldn't
have waited up. I'm alright.

I'd like you to meet Mr Eager.
My father - Mr Farrell.

Your father?
- Stepfather.

Why, of course.

I guess everyone knows
John Benson Farrell.

Especially you, eh Eager?

We are acquaintances of long standing.

I had the pleasure to help prepare the
case that put Eager in the Penitentiary.

For not as long as he deserved.

I served as special
prosecutor, without fee.

As a public service.

To rid this city of vermin.

Oh now, Dad.

Goodnight.

Lisbeth.

I want to talk to you before you retire.

Goodnight, Jimmy.
- Goodnight, sir.

Jimmy.

You don't have to say anything, Lisbeth.

I ..

Guess I hadn't better come
around anymore, right?

You're going to get hurt you know.

No Jimmy, I don't know.

Sure?

As sure as my heart is
beating like everything.

Good luck, Lisbeth.

Hiya.
- Hi, boss.

Bacon and eggs over, easy?
- Swell.

What is the mutt doing in here?
Keep him out in the kitchen.

Come on, Gypsy.

Well, did you break your
finger and can't dial a phone?

Hello, sugar.

In case your memory is bad, you were
going to stop by and call last night.

You know I worry.

You know, you're a character that
can always have an accident.

Billiken, bring another
cup for Garnet will you.

Okay boss, sure.

I sat by the phone wondering if you were
lying somewhere full of bullet holes.

Why didn't you call?
- Well, I forgot all about it.

But I'm glad you dropped over,
sugar. I want to talk to you.

Hangover?

Not in the least.
I feel like fighting Joe Louis.

Or adopting any other
quick form of suicide.

Now look.

This town is sizzling sugar, and I'm
going to have to walk awful soft.

This new Prosecutor will make things so
tough, I'll have to keep moving like ..

Like a white mouse in a revolving cage.

So here is what I want you to do.

You beat it down to Florida
for two or three months.

Things should have cooled off by then.

I'll fly down for a weekend
any time I can get away.

Johnny.
- Hmm?

Is this the blow-off?

Blow-off?

If that's what it is,
don't lie to me, Johnny.

There is another girl.

I knew the minute I saw that
look on your face this morning.

I've seen it there often enough.

You always think the worst
of everybody, Johnny.

Maybe you figured if you tossed me out,
I'd squeal to the Parole Board.

I wouldn't do that, Johnny.
You know I'm stuck.

No matter what you do, Johnny.

It would kill me to think of
you back up there in that cell.

I got 8 million bits of grief and now my
dame is going to throw a wingding on me.

Johnny, you still love me?
- Sure.

Well, say it.
- I love you.

Oh I'm sorry, Johnny.

I wouldn't add anything
to your troubles.

I'll wait for you in Florida.

There, that's the girl.

All that nonsense out of your head?
- Okay, boss.

There is a train at noon.
- I'll make it.

You'll have a beautiful tan by
the time I get down there, darling.

Some more coffee, Jeff?

Get me a bottle of brandy.

Brandy, but Eager said ..

Get me a bottle of brandy.

Ah, why do dames always get so messy?

Don't blow away the mist of love.

Don't dust me from your list, my love.

That's my heart.

I know another quotation.

I can smile and while I smile.

Cuts your heart out with a bloody ax.

That's from Shakespeare.

I'll use an ax on you one of these
days if you don't stop ribbing me.

Who is the new one? That Bard kid?

That stuff makes you nosy, doesn't it.

Poor Garnet. She'll hang around
in Florida eating her heart out.

Until it finally dawns on her
that Lancelot is not coming.

Johnny, why didn't you tell
her the truth, the poor kid?

Poor Garnet?
I thought you didn't like her.

I don't.

Well then, why do
you feel sorry for her?

Well Johnny, you can feel sorry
for someone you don't like.

If you've got a heart
or a soul or decency.

But I guess you don't know
what I'm talking about.

Sometimes, I wonder
why I keep you around.

Sometimes, I wonder too.

One day, you'll to be picking me apart
and I'll slap you in between your ears.

My condition renders
me immune to assault.

Now, listen .. I'm going to
get you told once and for all.

And you stop running me through a ringer
or analysis or whatever you call it.

You always tell me I
don't understand things.

Well, you're the guy that don't
understand as you're the sucker.

And a sucker never
understands a smart guy.

If you weren't a chump for booze,
you'd be a chump for a dame.

Be half-decent and pure about it until
she walks off with a bald-headed banker.

And sent you back on the booze again.

And you're the guy that has pals, too.

You'd give your best pal your
last fifty bucks, wouldn't you.

He's already a dead duck or
he wouldn't need the fifty.

And he's spent it, you're both
free from hunger. So what?

Sure, the suckers all give me sour
looks. The minute they stop ..

I'm worried, see. Because then
I know I'm not on my toes.

And that's where I'm staying.

Ready to hit the first guy that's fool
enough to cross me in the first place.

Now I know why you keep
me around, Johnny.

You do, huh?

Well tell me. I'd sure like to know.

You keep me around because even
Johnny Eager has to have one friend.

[ Telephone ]

Yeah? Oh hello, Ed.

Yeah, yeah. He's right here.

It's Ed Nolan. Says it's important.

You're nuts.

Hello, Ed.
- Listen, Johnny.

There was a phone-call for you.

Of course I told them you was out
on a long trip like I always do.

But you could have knocked me down with
a feather when I find out who wants you.

Why, you couldn't guess
in a million years.

Sure I can guess. John Benson Farrell.

Right.

Farrell?

Johnny, what's up?
- Nothing I can't handle.

Sorry I didn't get your message sooner,
Mr Farrell but I was out on a long haul.

Save your breath, thief.

I called you down here
to tell you one thing.

I'm going to make it short and sweet.

Don't go near my daughter again.

Don't try to see her.

Don't write her and don't phone her.

Now get out.

Well this is marvelous.

I do you a favor and help your daughter
out of a spot and you declare war on me.

That's for the favor.

Now pick it up and get out.

And remember what I told you.

Thief.

You mean ex-thief.

Get out, thief.

It would be much simpler if you just
told your daughter not to see me.

You did tell her that.

And what did she say?

What did she say, Farrell?

Don't push me too far, Eager.

The big-shot John Benson Farrell doesn't
like his daughter knowing a cab driver.

There's no law against my seeing a girl
as long as it's alright with the girl.

Your visit to Stateville didn't
teach you very much, did it.

Look, Farrell. There isn't a thing you
can do. My parole record is clear.

Wouldn't it be odd if you
were picked up on suspicion?

I'd be out on the street
in an hour. I'm clean.

But wouldn't it be odd if a gun
was found in your pocket?

It can happen you know.

The cops in this town dislike me a lot.

You would frame me?
- Why certainly I would.

You'd turn crooked?

You made the typical thief's mistake.

You banked too much on
an honest man's honesty.

Sure, I'd resign my job
tomorrow to frame you myself.

I'd frame you or kill you!

If it would protect my daughter.

Now get out.

Wait.

Pick that up.

Pick that up.

Cab?
- Where to, sir?

Algonquin Park.
- Yes, sir.

What happened?

Ah, he's a little touchy
about his daughter.

He hasn't got a leg to
stand on. I told him so.

Listen Johnny, this is no
good. She is dangerous.

Besides, it isn't like you to
blow your top over some dame.

Especially when things are
going haywire, Johnny.

The boys tailed Rankin.

He spent all morning with Halligan.

There is a big crosseroo on.
Sure as anything.

You got to do something
right away, Johnny.

I'll pick my own time
to take care of Rankin.

Right now I've got something
more important to think about.

You mean .. that dame?

That dame.

Not bad, huh?

Good evening, Billiken.
- Hello Miss Bard.

The boss will in a minute.
- Thank you .. here, Gypsy.

Look what I've got for you.

Wait a minute.

Here you are. Look, a rabbit.

Go get it.

It reminds you of the old
days, doesn't it boy. Here.

Hello, sugar.

Hey, what's this?
- It's a rabbit, silly.

To remind the old warrior of the woods.

He wants you to throw it for him.
- Why?

Well, so he can chase it.
- What's his percentage in that?

There is no percentage.
He just likes it.

Throw it again.
- Nix.

Just because he's not bright is no
reason I should waste my time too.

Say, Billiken. Take him
out into the kitchen.

Okay, boss. Come on, Gypsy. Come on.

Come on.

Oh. You can beat it now.
I won't need you tonight.

Goodnight, boss.
- Goodnight, Billiken.

Goodnight, Miss Bard.
- Goodnight, Gypsy.

Want a drink?
- No thank you.

You don't know very much
about dogs, do you Johnny.

Nope. Never had a dog.

You poor darling.
- Huh?

You never had a dog when you were a boy.

That's dreadful.

Listen .. there are a
million things I never had.

That I needed a lot more than
a dog, when I was a kid.

Yes, but it sort-of tells the
story of Johnny Eager so ..

So completely.

He never had a dog when he was a boy.

Someday a man will come along
and put you in a zipper bag.

I don't worry about what I
missed when I was a kid.

I'm getting all those things now.

But you miss something, Johnny.

That's why you are the way you are.

Darling, where do we get off?

What is to become of us?

Oh now don't turn ordinary on me.
I get tired of ordinary dames.

And I don't ever want
to get tired of you.

I didn't mean to turn
ordinary on you, Johnny.

It was just an approach to
get you to say you loved me.

Listen.

Anytime you start doubting I love
you, just tote up the score.

This town is full of women and I have
to pick the most dangerous one in town.

The one woman most likely
to upset my apple cart.

You know, this time it might
not be the woman who pays.

I might wind up back in a cell.

Johnny.

Johnny, I never doubted for one
moment that you loved me.

Never.

Don't talk about that horrible place.

You're never going back there.

Hey Billiken, I thought
I told you to beat it.

It's not Billiken, Eager.
It's me, Julio.

Have you blown your topper?
- No, Eager. I haven't blown my topper.

You are playing me for a sucker.
Julio don't like that.

Let's talk sense now.
- Now, wait a minute.

Step aside, sister.

Eager, this time you'll get yours.

But ..
- Move, sister.

Johnny!

Johnny.

Sugar!

The gun!

The daffy chump.
I wonder what was eating him.

We got a break. It looks like
nobody heard. Come on.

A doctor.

He's long past needing a doctor.

We've got to get out of
here. I'll get your coat.

Come on.
- We can't leave him like this.

You want to wind up on trial for murder?

But he's badly hurt and
maybe we can help him.

Worse than that. He's dying. I've seen
enough to know. We must get out of here.

I can't, Johnny. I just can't run
off and leave a dying man.

It's a fine time to unravel.

You'll put yourself right in the grease.
You're putting me back in Stateville.

No.

No, I couldn't stand that.

I'll go.

Take me home, Johnny.

I'll put you in a cab.

I've got to get rid of that.

Hey, Jeff.

I should be on the stage.
I'm a good actor, huh?

Well that's a moot question.

On the stage or on the gallows.

Eager will not mind if
I borrow a shirt, huh?

Mine is so covered in ketchup I
smell like a hamburger sandwich.

[ Telephone ]

Yeah?

Yeah, Marco.

That doesn't sound very good.

Yeah, I'll tell him when he comes back.

Did you get her off alright?

Yeah, I put her in a cab.
- How'd she take it?

Pretty rough. She's
shaking like a dice-box.

It's a funny thing.

I feel bad about giving
her this kind of a deal.

I can't imagine why.
- Neither can I.

Maybe because she didn't have it coming.

Well .. it's always the innocent
bystander that gets shot.

That crack doesn't fit this spot.

This innocent bystander
is in love with you.

Yeah, she is that.

I wonder why I feel different about her.
You know, different from the rest.

Maybe because she didn't
want anything from me.

And there wasn't any other way to
play the hand, and we've got to live.

Unfortunately.

Say, when did you start drinking?

Who was that on the phone?

Marco.

I guess the cross is really on, Johnny.
Halligan's giving a poker party tonight.

He invited Rankin.

He didn't invite you, did he.

Uhuh.

Maybe I'll come without an invitation.

Where is Julio?
- Changing shirts.

Tell him to make it snappy.

[ Dog barks ]

Stay out.

Hello boss. I borrowed a shirt.

Okay, come on.

Hey, don't you think I ought to be
on the stage. I'm a good actor, huh?

Don't you think I was good?

Do what I told you.

Hi, Jeff.
- Just fair, Eddie.

Hello, Cupid.
- Hello, Jeff.

Halligan sent for us.
- Okay.

A Jack of Hearts .. possible flush.

A pair of Queens. Nothing.

A pair of Queens showing.
I guess you win, Lieutenant.

What is it, Cupid?

Hello, Bill.

Johnny. Well, this is a surprise.

A welcome one, I hope.
- Sure. Sure.

Take a drink, Jeff.

Thank you, sir.

Get me one, too. A double.

Want to sit in, Johnny?

I'd like to, but aren't you
waiting for somebody else?

Lew Rankin, for instance.
- No, no.

This is hit and miss.

Nobody was invited special.
Anybody might drop in.

Hmm .. here's to truthfulness.

Have you taken to
carrying a jug with you?

You never was much of a hand for booze.

Since I tried it, I find out I like it.

Give me a five-grand stack of chips.

Jeff, another one of the same.

Yes, sir.

Women and children, stand aside.

Come on, deal the cards.
- Alright.

Don't move, Rankin.

Call.
- Two pairs.

No good, Johnny. Three Jacks.

Johnny.

Johnny, you're half asleep. Why don't
you fold up and come on home?

Thanks .. I'm stacked too much.

I'm rocky, you know.

Tell you what, I think I'll knock
off for about a 15-minute nap.

Once I get this fog out of
my eyes, you all watch out.

He's carrying quite a package.

I'll throw this over.

I can't understand it.

It's the first time I've seen Johnny
with more than one drink in him.

And he's always knocking the stuff.

He says that anybody
that drinks it is a sucker.

He's sound asleep already.

He'll be alright.
He just needs a little sleep.

Yeah, that's all he needs.
Just a little sleep.

I took this off him.

Follow us.

I suppose you're going
to put me in a sack.

You are old-fashioned, Lew. There's
no sense in leaving stiffs around.

They're running a crap game in the Old
Planters Inn and hauling out the dough.

You're nuts. The Planters
has been closed for months.

That's not what I hear.
So we take a look.

If it's closed, I apologize.
If there's gambling ..

You'll leave the state, as you've
earned your last dollar here.

Fair enough?
- Fair enough.

I'm sure going to enjoy that apology.

Roll it.

You can see, the
joint is running full blast.

Maybe it just looks that.
Let's take a look.

Where is that apology?

You've got it. I feel like a chump.

Go back to town.
I'll buy you a bottle of wine.

Oh .. here's your gun.

I feel kinda silly.
- You should.

You can beat it, Julio. I won't
need you anymore tonight.

Go ahead, Lew. You're driving.

I'm going to make you buy that wine
in the most expensive joint in town.

Figuring me for a cross after all that
we've double up on since we were kids.

Well anybody can be wrong, Lew.

This time it's you, Johnny.

Move.

So you were on the cross, huh?

Sure. Why should I take
a second cut of the dough?

Get out .. I don't want
to mess up the cushion.

Well, I found out what I wanted to know.
- Now you know.

I'll bet you could use these, Lew.

Why you ..

You must have hit him hard.

I had to. He'd have had
that shiv in my gizzard.

Go on back to the car.
I'll take care of him.

Four .. three Aces showing.

And a Jack.

Alright. Let's see them, boys.

Well, here is our sleeping beauty.

How you feel, Johnny?

Like the rat.

My head is clear now.

Give me a double stack and
get ready to weep, you wolves.

Clipping me while
I was stiff. Fine pals.

Your Ace bets, Eager.

It'll cost you a thousand
to see the next car, men.

I feel lucky.

Just a minute.
- It's important. I've got to see bill.

Alright.

The last card, gents.

You're still high, Eager.
- I'll tempt myself.

Three suckers, huh?
Well, what have you got?

Lew Rankin's just been killed.
- Rankin?

An automobile accident.
He drove his car right off a viaduct.

He was drunk I guess.

Anyway, he smelt of whiskey and there
was an empty pint bottle in his car.

Poor Lew. I saw him just yesterday.
- A great guy.

A pint of whiskey.

A pint of whiskey.
- Poor Lew.

I guess this is the best
alibi anybody ever had.

Nobody could ask me anything about Lew.

At the time it happened I was
playing poker with the city boss.

And a flock of the boss's
influential friends.

I had no idea it was getting so late.

I guess you other fellows didn't
know it was so late either, huh?

Yeah, that's right.
- Wait a minute.

Looks like I win. Three Jacks.

Hey Jeff, get my hat and coat will you?

Hey look Johnny, I ..

I'm opening the track on Saturday.

Your end is ten percent
instead of thirty.

Maybe you'd like to
beef about that, huh?

I thought not.

Come on Jeff.

Eager here?

Who?
- Eager.

I don't know.
- He sent for me. To meet him here.

John Benson Farrell. Go on, tell him.

Say, there's a guy out
here who says he's ..

Yeah, it is him.

Okay, boss.

Well, what do you know? He says come in.

Hello, Farrell.

Do you like that?

We're going to put these on
billboards after we open up.

Saturday night.

So that's it.

You're a bigger thief than ever.

That's it.
- My instinct was right.

You can't stop being a thief more than
a weasel can stop sucking chicken blood.

You're in no spot to talk down
to me, Farrell. So don't.

We will cover that later.

What happened to my daughter last night?

Okay Jeff, this one.

Only make that 'S' look
like a dollar sign, huh.

What happened to Lisbeth last night?

Let's go in there where
we can spread out.

What did she say happened?

I couldn't get a word out of her.

I came downstairs early this morning.

And there she was sitting in
the dark, staring straight ahead.

She wouldn't talk or couldn't.

I called a doctor, but
it didn't do any good.

She even refused to
take a sleeping potion.

She's in a bad way, Eager.

And if you've done anything to ..
- She'll be alright in a couple of days.

She's not in any trouble.

I'm covering up for her.

You're the one that's in
trouble, Farrell. Wake up.

Covering up?

What do you mean?

Lisbeth was here last night.
Don't get holy. It's not the first time.

Yeah, a guy I knew busted in
gunning for me. It was quite a battle.

As he was trying to carve me up, Lisbeth
shot him in the back with his own gun.

Do you blame me for covering
for her? She saved my hide.

It isn't possible.

Lisbeth?
- You saw her face, didn't you?

Quite a mess.

What became of the body?

If it comes to light it won't be where
it bothers anyone. Count on me for that.

Any witnesses?
- None I can't handle.

I sent for you to tell you to sit tight.
Tell Lisbeth to do the same.

One hoodlum more or less
doesn't matter anyway.

Where is the gun?

Oh, I've got that safe with
her fingerprints on it.

Just in case you might try to think
of some way to pin it on to me.

Well, I haven't any choice.

I'll have to keep quiet.

You'll do more than that, Farrell.

You'll have the injunction on this track
lifted. I'm opening up Saturday night.

Listen to me, thief.

My love for my daughter makes
me an accessory after the fact.

But I'll cut my throat before
I become an accomplice.

I'll resign as Prosecutor today.
- No you won't.

You said you'd turn
crooked to save Lisbeth.

You never had a better chance than now.
- You mean that you'd ..

Yes. I'd blast the whole thing.

You would do that to her?

To a girl that loved you
enough to kill a man?

I don't know about a
love routine. It's business.

You'll only go back to the Penitentiary.
- Sure, I risk 5 more years in the can.

But I'm betting you'll see things my way
and I think I'm betting on the favorite.

Alright.

Go ahead. Open up Saturday night.

I'll not shut you down.
- Hey, just a minute.

Thanks for the favor.

Here's your hundred back.

And the kind of a guy I am, I won't
make you pick it up off the floor.

Coming from his face to
yours, I'd say you won.

Hands down.

Do you think you'd better start hoping
that's all bunk about judgement day?

I feel generous. Buy yourself a drink.

I guess you didn't hear me.
It doesn't matter then.

Jeff, from here on we're in clover.

In high hats.

Crawling under the stomach
of our favorite snake.

What race is this?
- The 6th.

Hey, hoist those plates and show prices.
That's what the dames go for.

Okay, Johnny.

Our take is fifty-three
grand up to this race.

Count me out fifty-three hundred.

We're taking twenty
percent on the breakage.

What's that to crow about?

Think we've a racing commission?
Nothing like that in this state.

Make it twenty-five.

Smart, Johnny.

Fifty-three hundred.

Julio.

Take this down to Halligan. Tell him
it's what he won on the first five.

Tell him he's a lucky man.

Yeah, boss.

Mr Halligan.

Julio.

You know Councilman French
and Mr Ruffing here, don't you?

Sure.

Can I talk?
- It's okay. What's on your mind?

The boss says here is what
you won in the first five races.

He says you're a lucky man.

Do you think I'm lucky, Julio?

I don't know.

You are either lucky or smart, huh?

Say, you're smart.

But you're not so lucky, huh Julio?

I don't know.

You're doing a lot of good work for ..

For this outfit, too.

I wonder how they were able to open
a track under the nose of Mr Farrell.

Maybe if I'd been a little smarter I'd
be a little more lucky. Eh, Mr Halligan?

I'm sure of it.

Well, I've had enough for tonight.

Let's go down to the joint.
Start a little game, huh?

You want to come along, Julio?

Sure.

If you'll excuse me, please.

Well, hello Mr Verne.
- Why, hello Johnny.

Quite a crowd, isn't it.
Quite an event, isn't it.

Yeah. I just dropped
in out of curiosity.

How do you reckon they
got this past Mr Farrell?

Somebody must have closed an eye.
Eh, Mr Verne?

Oh, are you betting?
- Well.

Just as long as it's here. Mrs Verne has
never seen anything like this, you know.

Well, I imagine they're already
drawing up a bill to cover it.

Oh sure. Well, good luck Mr Verne.

So long, Johnny.

Johnny.

Yeah?

There is a lady in there
who is asking about you.

Who?
- Mae.

May Blythe. Remember?

What do you know?

Hello, Mae.
- Johnny.

I was just talking to Jeff.
- Yeah.

I was hoping maybe I'd see you around.

I've just dropped in.
I'm pushing a hack now.

Jeff told me.
- You're looking good, Mae.

Well.

I'll take one straight my friend
as a loving cup to the past.

The chump is still at it.
- Yes.

I was hoping maybe you
could do me a favor, Johnny.

It's been a long time, hasn't it may.

Hey, you remember that fresh guy that
got a yen for you down in Miami?

I had to let him have one.

You're the only dame I ever slugged
a guy over, Mae. You know that?

Sure.

You know I'm married
now, don't you Johnny.

Yeah, that's right.
Say, you married a cop, didn't you?

You married a cop.
- And I got three kids.

I got three swell kids, Johnny.
- Well, what do you know.

Well, we're in an awful fix.

Joe is straight, see.
He's as straight as a string.

He wouldn't stand for any finagling on
his beat, slot-machines and all that.

Well, it's right next
to the high-school.

And suddenly he's moved
off of it. Way out to Yarrows.

It takes him two hours to
get there in the morning.

And then two hours before
he gets home at night.

And Johnny ..
- You know, Mae.

He isn't well, Johnny.

He isn't well at all.

And when he does get home at night
his feet hurt and he's dog tired.

He don't see the kids and ..

Well, this isn't his fault, see.

He's not to blame. But we're beginning
to fight and squawk at each other.

And he loves me, Johnny. I know it.

What do you want me to do, Mae?

Well, I just thought maybe
you'd still know somebody ..

Or someone who knew how to have it fixed
to get him put back to where he was.

Can't you do it for me?
Look, this is him.

Joe Advernowksi. His number is 711.

Sorry, Mae. There is nothing I can do.

That one sure went down the wrong way.

I .. just thought you might
know somebody that ..

Would want to do you a
favor for old time's sake.

There is nothing lower than
an ex big-shot. You know that.

Everybody ducks you.
They're afraid of the touch.

There's no such thing
as 'for-old-times-sake'.

Well.

Thanks for listening anyway.

Oh, Johnny.

If you should ever meet Joe or anything
you won't tell him I saw you, will you.

I guess he don't ride in cabs much.

Say, wait a minute here.

You mean you told him about us?
- Sure.

I think he'd black my eye
if he knew about this.

Sure I told him, Johnny.
I had to be honest with him.

You see I love the guy.

Love. Grade A pasteurized, eh?

I get it, kid.

No you don't.

You don't get it at all.

You don't even know
what I'm talking about.

So long, Johnny.

So long, Mae.

Johnny.

What?

How can you stand it?
- What?

You reek with good deeds.

Ah .. let's go up and look at the tally.

But Mr Farrell sent me here.

Eager will know it's
alright. Just tell him that.

We don't know Eager, my friend.
- Look, if you'll just tell him ..

Hello, Mr Eager.

Hiya.
- Can I see you for a moment?

It's a cinch. In here.

Wait in here. I'll be right with you.

I'm sorry. My name is Courtney.

Don't be. My name is Hartnett.

Do you want a drink?
- No thanks.

What's on your mind?

Where can we talk alone?

This is about Lisbeth.

Your problem is solved.
I've got to be spared this.

Sit down.

This is an uptown character.
He likes an audience.

Jonathan, in the name of all ..
- Quiet.

I've got all night.
Now, what about Lisbeth?

Eager, you haven't seen
Lisbeth in five days now.

She's in frightful shape, Eager.

All that time she hasn't eaten.

I don't think she's said ten words.
I don't think she's even slept.

Just staying awake with some
awful sort of driving hysteria.

She won't let people near her.

There is nothing wrong with
her that doctors can cure.

They say it's in her mind.

I'll go deeper.

I'll say it's in her soul.

I don't follow you there.

Well her heart, then.

But whatever it is, it's
mixed up with you, isn't it.

I'm still listening.

Well, I don't know much
about you or your activities.

But it seems to me everything is
messed up because you have to stay here.

Here in this town I mean.

Not only because of your parole, but ..

Because of this track and
the money it will bring you.

I thought perhaps if you had enough
money you could go someplace else.

I get it.

How much money?

Three hundred thousand dollars.

You're only half way to the boat, pal.

I got a half million
bucks tied up out there.

I got to get that back and more.

Alright, then.

I'll meet that.

I think I know where
I can borrow the rest.

And it'll be in your hand, Eager.
Cash. You won't have to wait for it.

Where did you get such credit?

What racket have you got to bring you
three hundred grand in the first place?

Well, hold on to your hat.

My maternal grandfather left it to me
for not taking a drink until I was 21.

Mr Courtney.

If you wish to make up for lost time.

I'll be honored to buy you
drinks from here to the grave.

I had forgotten about
characters like you.

How about it?

You're being a sucker, aren't you.

You give me dough to jump out the way.

Because you think it will
sit Lisbeth in your lap.

You sure that'll happen?

How do you know after you give me the
dough I won't take the girl off with me?

I'm sorry. I thought you understood.

I mean for you to take
her with you. Naturally.

What?

Why do you want it that way?

There can't be any other way.

She's in love with you.

Well.

It will never be said you don't
make interesting propositions.

I'll think it over.
- Alright.

Let me know just as soon
as you can, will you.

Thanks for seeing me.

What's his angle?
I don't see how he can win.

What's his angle?
That's what I want to know.

You never met him before, Johnny.

He the best-dressed bible
salesman in the world.

Ah, cut the words will you, Jeff.
I want to figure it out. That's all.

What's his angle? What's his reason?

A guy has got to have a reason to
make a daffy proposition like that.

Oh forget it, Johnny.

Maybe I just can't think
like a sucker, huh?

You can't figure it either?

Yes, I can figure his angle.

Lots of strange people could.

But nobody born to woman
could explain it to you, Johnny.

Why not?

Go on, give it to me. Why not?

Because it's unselfish.

That broke it.

Here Gypsy, here.
- He isn't bothering anybody.

Sure .. okay, boss.

So what?

Like poor Garnet,
I came back for my purse.

But this tableau is good enough.

If your hair were gray you'd
look like Whistler's mother.

I didn't mean to hit you, Jeff.

But you shouldn't needle me
like that. You shouldn't do it.

The needle shall be proportionately
dulled from now on.

A fine thing you walking out on me.

What would you do with yourself?
Where would you go?

Do you know where I was going, Johnny?

Right down to the District Attorney.

Yes I was, Johnny. I was going to turn
the key on you. I was going to sing.

Sing and yodel and blow a loud whistle.

I was going to sing the
whole beautiful opera.

About.

Poor old Lew Rankin and those
two impetuous Mullavey brothers.

May their souls rest in cement.

I was going to be the troubadour of
all the Eager folks on this, Johnny.

And then I was going
to blow my brains out.

You would .. you would do that to me
just for dusting you across the mouth?

No.

No. I just suddenly got
a stomach-full of myself.

After all, I was sitting listening
to you talk about that little girl ..

And not doing anything about it.

Somebody has got to, I said
to myself. And so it will be me.

And the way to do it is to turn
the key on Johnny Eager.

Turn it and break it off.

But do you know something, Johnny?

You stopped me.

Right out there, you
paraded by the grandstand.

She'd only eat her heart out a little
slower with you in the death cell and ..

I ..

I haven't got the nerve
to blow my brains out.

Or the money to pay for one
of your assassins to do it for me.

No. It's just like you said,
Johnny. You're the boss.

You've got everybody over a barrel.

Ah, cut it out will you. Cut it out.

This slight seizure is over,
Jonathan. I assure you.

Why you daffy boob.

Give a fellah a chance to
say something, will you.

I'm going up to see Lisbeth.
I'll straighten her out in no time.

I'll show her those uptown
croakers. This is Dr Eager talking.

On the level, Johnny. You do feel
a little bit different there, don't you?

What are you talking about? She's
no different from any other dame.

A little better quality, I'll admit.
But just a kid after all.

Just .. a kid thinks
she's carrying a torch.

Come on.

Come on, I'll go there, throw her some
laughs. Snap her out of it in no time.

Come on, now. I'm doing this
for you as much as anybody.

Not going to walk out
on me again, are you?

Well, you go do your stuff.

You come in with me, huh?

No. I've seen enough for one night.

What are you waiting for?
Can't you think up any laughs?

Funny thing. Now that I'm here I don't
know exactly what to say to the kid.

Put your arms around her, Johnny.
Maybe that will give you an idea.

Ah, sober up will you.

Say, look. Tell Miss Bard
I want to see her.

And what is the name, sir?
- Eager. Johnny Eager.

What do you want, Eager?

They tell me Lisbeth
is still kind of rocky.

I thought maybe I could
help snap her out of it.

Very well.
- Is she in her room?

Yes.

Turn to the right at the head of the
stairs. It's at the end of the hall.

Oh she knows I told you
all about this, doesn't she?

Yes.

I surely thought it would
ease her mind to know that ..

I understood and wanted to help her.

I even .. told her about our ..

Deal concerning the dog track.

What did she say to that?

She wouldn't say anything.

She just pretended she didn't
know what I was talking about.

Now, she thinks of me only
as a policeman who ..

Wants to send you back to jail.

Well, aren't you?

That isn't the point, Eager.

My daughter always trusted me.

But she doesn't anymore.

You managed that, too.

You don't have to break
down and cry about it.

You will not have that pleasure.

Yes?
- Is Miss Bard ..?

Johnny.
- Hello, kid.

Never mind, Ella. You can go please.

Yes, ma'am.

Johnny.

Johnny, you shouldn't have come.

There might be someone they want ..

It's all okay, kid. I just saw your
father. He sent me up here.

I knew you'd come when you could.

Oh, Johnny.

It's been so awful.

It's all wrong.

I hope it's alright
now that you're here.

Listen darling, nothing is
awful. Everything is okay.

We're both covered in this. It's happy
days. You've got to snap out of it.

Shush.

Lower.

Don't. They might be listening.

It might be just a trick.

Let's go out here.

Hold me tight.

Hey, you're cold.

Just hold me.

Now look Lisbeth.
I don't like this. You look bad.

I'm alright.

It's just that I haven't
slept much, I guess.

I've been afraid to. You see I might
talk and they might be listening.

Get this in your head. We're fixed.
There's nothing to ..

Johnny, wait.

There is one thing I've got to know.

Did that man .. did he have any family?

What do you mean?
- A wife and children.

No, no .. not a soul.

Oh thank goodness for that.

It's been on my mind so.

It wasn't their fault he was that way.

I was afraid they might
need things and I ..

Wanted to tell you to find a way that I
could send them what they might need.

Now look, Lisbeth. You've
got to be tough about this.

Just as tough as he'd have been if ..
- Darling, I am.

I will be.

Your parole has less than
a year to run, hasn't it?

Yeah, that's right.

And after that, they couldn't take
you back just for being present?

They couldn't do a thing
like that, could they?

I mean it won't get you into
any more trouble unless you ..

You actually committed a crime.

Did something yourself after that.

Could they?

Sure, that's it. But look, that is ..
- I can hold out that long.

A year isn't so much.

If you'll just keep holding me
like this every now and then.

What are you getting at?

They'll never get a word
out of me until then.

You know Johnny, it would
be such a relief to tell.

You'll tell who, what?

The police and everything.

Just as soon as it won't
get you into any trouble.

I must.

You just can't live with a
thing like that in your heart.

Oh, Johnny. It's only the thought
of them taking you back.

That's giving me the strength to
hold out that long. Don't you see?

You're getting holy.
- It's alright, darling. I won't ..

Just be quiet a minute.

Just don't say anything
until I tell you something.

I'm telling you I love you.

Do you hear that?

I've known that all the time.

Is it true?
- Yes.

Of course, kid.

You'll keep telling me
though, won't you.

Yeah.

And look, I've ..

I've told that to other women, see.

But I never meant it before.

I never meant it until now.

Only to you .. I'll mean it always.

I know that.

For the first time I meant it.

Well.

Get yourself all set.

Get all set to start hating me.

Hating you?
- Yeah. I used you, you understand.

You never killed anybody. That guy works
for me. The gun was full of blanks.

And I framed the whole deal so
you'd think you were in a jam.

That wasn't blood on his shirt. It was
ketchup. Ketchup out of the kitchen.

I used the thing as an
angle with your old man.

He thinks it's on the level.
That's why my dog track runs.

He don't make a fuss as
I got him on a hook.

He's afraid I'll spill
the beans about you.

Well do you understand? I framed you.
You've nothing to worry about.

That guy is walking around like you
and me. He's no more dead than we are.

Oh, Johnny.

Johnny, my darling.

To think up such a lie.

Such a wonderful, fantastic lie.

But that's the straight truth.
- That's a beautiful lie.

To make his best girl feel best.

Lisbeth, you've got to believe me.
- Oh, Johnny.

It's sweet.

Suddenly ..

I'm so tired.

I want to lie down.

You've got to understand you can walk
out of here and forget the whole thing.

And you never killed anybody.
- Shush.

Hold my hand, Johnny.

But don't you see how
it was just a gag, kid?

I know.

I know .. a gag.

He looked so mad.

He tried to make himself convincing.

Kid, listen.
- What?

I want to go to sleep.

I'm too tired for more jokes.

Just hold my hand .. and come back soon.

I don't feel like talking now.

I'll sleep so quietly, Johnny.

I won't talk.

You know I won't.

Sometimes when people have a new
experience they like to talk about it.

Well, she's got Julio in her head, and
it's driving her right out of her mind.

It's not very pretty, is it.
- I've told her everything.

I tried to convince her
he was up and walking.

You told her?
- She wouldn't believe me.

I couldn't make her believe it.

She just thinks I'm trying to feed her
a little soap. Can you imagine that?

Yes, I can.

So, what now?

It's a cinch. We just go and dig up
Julio and bring him here. That's all.

Go show him to her.

Johnny, you're taking a
pretty long chance there.

Why? It's a way to
set her right, isn't it?

Yes, sure. But what about you?

You know how I feel
for that girl, Johnny.

But I'm sitting beside you
now, like I'll always be.

How is she going to take it? She is
a female and a pretty good friend.

Why Johnny, you can't play that
kind of a woman for a sucker.

And then tell her about it so easy.

Didn't you hear me? I said she
can't take it the way it is now.

It's driving her crazy.

Supposing she spills it to Farrell?

You know, when a woman loves like that,
she can love with every card in a deck.

And then pull a knife across
your throat the next morning.

Don't you know that, Johnny? Don't you?

I don't know what I know.
All I know is what she'll do for me.

So alright. I've turned sucker.
What about it?

What about it? Have you
got any other name for it?

Sure.

That's what makes the world go round.

Gee Johnny, where you been?
I've been calling all over.

Do you know the name of the
hotel where Julio stays?

Wait. You can't get
hold of Julio anymore.

He's going to work for Halligan.

Where did you get that?
- From Halligan.

He called here a while back and
wants to see you in the morning.

He says from now on,
his end is fifty percent.

And to tell you he said so.

And he said something about
how a good actor like Julio ..

Ought to get better parts.

What did he mean, Johnny? He sounded
like he was talking safe and easy.

Are we in trouble?

No, you're never in trouble.
That's why you work for me.

See what I mean about a sucker?

There comes a time when he
doesn't keep his eyes on the ball.

That's an 8-ball, Johnny.
That's alright. I'm glad.

You'd better start drinking again.

But wait until we get this done, see.

What? What are you going to do?
- I'll go and get Julio back again.

Look, Johnny. If you're going to fool
around with that guy the way he is now.

Don't you think you ought
to carry the difference?

Now I wonder why you
don't get into trouble.

Looking for somebody, Jack?
- Yeah.

Hiya.

Bill around?

No. He went down the
street to a meeting.

So you got a better job and quit on me
without even giving me a chance to bid.

Well, I can't blame a guy for bettering
himself but you might have told me.

He's okay, a friend of mine.
- Well, I didn't know.

He busted in here like
he owned the joint.

You know, Eager. I was a little worried.
- Worried?

Yeah. That you might be sore at me for
quitting you and going to work for Bill.

What kind of a guy you think I am?
All the spots we went through together.

You think I'd be sore that
you do yourself some good?

Remember the time those Vitalio
brothers threw all that stuff at us?

And blam, blam, blam.

Sounded like the Battle
of the Marne alright.

You bet.

When do you think Bill will be back?

Oh, about a half hour.

Hey .. remember the little
trouble we had at the 101 club?

Do I remember?

Why, you were a one-man army that night.

A half-hour, huh?

Hey, grab a coat. I got time to get an
errand done and get back to meet Bill.

Go where?

I've got to stop a guy from talking. I'm
going to do it with the toe of my shoe.

He may have friends objecting to
someone kicking his teeth out.

So I need a man with me.
- Yeah, but Bill ..

Ah come on. We'll both
be back before he is.

It's the last job you do for me.

There's five yards in it.

Ah, I ought to do it free
for old-time's sake.

But I could use five hundred.

Hello, Bill.
- Where you going?

With Eager, to see a man.

Yeah, I got a little deal I need
Julio for. You don't mind, Bill.

You chump. Don't you know you won't live
a minute if he gets you in a dark alley?

You're out of line, Bill.

Haven't you got sense enough to know
that if he kills you, he's in the clear?

Everything is right in his lap.

Julio, you're drunk.

He's just conning you into taking the
same kind of a ride that Lew Rankin got.

You're not making a
friend out of me, Bill.

I am drunk but ..

Eager wouldn't ..

I wouldn't touch that rod, Jack.

You can't win in this ballpark, chum.
It ain't your home ground.

You wouldn't pretend to point one of
those things at me, would you chum?

Just so you'll know I ain't pretending.

Catch on, chum?

I catch on, chum.
- Smart fellow.

Just stand easy now.

He's clean, Bill. Nothing on him.

Johnny, this is awful.

You are saying it is awful,
so I guess it is so.

I've been cutting up
with you for ten years.

Now you try to talk that drunken
torpedo into knocking me off.

Don't make any quick moves, chum.

Don't worry.
You're holding the top hand.

Johnny, listen to me.

There's been a lot of hot-headed
talk, but let's be sensible.

Let's not go to battling
between ourselves.

And spoil everything just when the
money is coming in all our windows.

How about it, Johnny?
You want to talk sense?

Make a new deal on the dog track?

Okay. Back to the original deal.

Now you're talking.

Yeah. Mind if we iron out
the details in the morning?

I've got another little deal on tonight.

I guess I'll have to handle
it without our friend here.

I'll meet you here in the morning then?
- Right.

Oh, and Johnny.

We're all friends again.

This beef is all forgotten?

All forgotten, Bill.

So long.

I'd say you didn't get what you wanted.

Not yet.

So it's going to be like that, huh?

As long as I'm a sucker,
I might as well go the whole way.

You sit here. Keep your eyes glued
on that door. Watch for Julio.

I'll be back in a minute.

Yes .. I'm leaving right now, dear.

Yes, yes. Right away.

Oh, good evening. I was
just going to close up.

I want to get a coat. A big one.

Oh, a large coat .. now let's see.

Here. Let's try this.

It's a real nice coat.

Is it for you?
- For my brother.

Fits okay. How much?
- Ten dollars.

You've got a big brother.

Give me the hat, too.
- That's fifty cents.

And the scarf?
- Fifty cents.

Take it back and brush it up.
Don't hurry. Make it clean.

Oh sure, sure. Thanks.

Thanks very much.

Hello?
- "Courtney?"

This is Mr Courtney.

"Listen, Courtney.
This is Johnny Eager."

Oh. Yes, Eager?

"Listen, sucker. Don't miss anything."

"And don't do any different
from what I tell you."

Well, here you are, mister.
- Thank you.

Say, it just goes to
show you what luck is.

20 minutes ago I was going to close
up and I got to reading the paper.

For no reason I'm reading and I'm 20
minutes late and make an 11-dollar sale.

It just goes to show you a man can't
tell what's going to happen next.

Goodnight.
- Goodnight.

Slide around from the wheel.
We're separating.

Look. You get Billiken.

Have him take my cab and drive
you round to a dozen saloons.

You're a stooge, see.

You shoot off your mouth about big-shot
Johnny Eager now being a cab driver.

And now I'm driving you around. Get it?

An alibi. Yeah, sure.

Well, how long should I keep up
this uncongenial bar-hopping?

Oh, until about daylight.

Then come back to the apartment.
- Okay.

Get going.
- Sure. So long, Johnny.

Hey, Johnny.

Johnny.

Yeah?
- Ah ..

Listen, you know when
you batted me tonight?

Oh, that's water under the bridge.
- Well, sure, but I ..

I had that coming. I just wondered
why didn't do it a long time ago.

Will you get going.
- Johnny.

Ah ..

Have you ever been out to the Rockies?

Are you nuts? No.
Never been to the Rockies.

Well, they've got big mountains
out there like Christmas trees.

The lakes as clear and as deep as
you ever saw in your mother's eyes.

Johnny.

Johnny, let's go out there and
climb a couple of mountains.

Will you get going.

So long, Johnny.

There's no time. Turn off your lights.

Johnny, what is all this?
Why are you dressed ..?

Well, I'm cold. Maybe
I'm nervous, eh kid?

Johnny, tell me.
- Listen to me.

Any minute now, one or two or three guys
are going to come out of the door there.

One of them is the guy you
think you knocked off.

I'll bring him here and show him to you.
On his feet and full of life, as I said.

Johnny, I see through any masquerade.
- You just wait.

What do you think your friend
here did? Had himself a big moment.

I need cash, so he offered me some dough
to leave town and take you with me.

Now wait a minute, Eager.
That was a matter between you and me.

A funny way to be stuck
on a dame, isn't it?

I guess when you and I split up, you can
be half way happy with a guy like that.

Split up, Johnny?

Well, you know. People like you and
me, we break as quick as we hit.

Johnny, don't joke any more.

You can't pretend now.
You said it tonight.

Ah sure, that. Well,
you're in a wingding.

You've got to say a few phony words
if it helps a pal out of a wingding.

I'll be alright.

So long.

Johnny ..
- Cut it.

But ..

Take it easy, Julio.

Just keep going the same way.

Well, here he is kid.
Take a look at him.

Alive and kicking.

Ugly rat isn't he? Too bad
you didn't bump him off.

Well, you see him, don't you?
- Yes.

Yes but Johnny, what you said
a minute ago. You don't mean ..

You can get some sleep now, huh. You
don't have to be quiet any longer, see.

Johnny, look at me. You still don't
mean what you said, do you?

Sure. Sure I do.

That big pitch on your porch tonight
was a gag. Just like this guy was.

For a reason .. now get back in there.
- No, Johnny.

Listen, kid. Get some sense will you.

If it's going to be like this between
you and me we might as well forget ..

No, Johnny! Don't punch him back.

This street will cut loose any minute.
You two must get out of here.

Come on, Liz.
- No, I won't go.

Not until I know ..
- Get that car started.

You got to go. Beat it.
- No, Johnny. I'm staying here with you.

Because I know you're lying to me.
This time I want to know .. look at me.

Well, what if I am?

She'll remember I socked her.

But don't you ever tell
her this. Understand?

Come with us, Eager.
- I've got something to finish. Beat it.

Come on, we'll work it out somehow.
- Get her out of here will you, sucker.

Take her away some place. Any place.

Up in the mountains or somewhere
where there's lakes and stuff.

Just you two together and talk it out.

Only talk her out of my life, will you.

Talk her out of my life.

So long, Eager.

No, Johnny. Don't!

Hey.

Johnny.

Johnny.

Johnny.

Johnny.

Hello Jeff.

Hello Johnny.

Hey, Jeff.

What's that highest mountain?

Where we're going.

Why, it's ..

What did he say?

He just asked about a mountain.

What mountain?

Do you know this guy?

Yeah.

This guy could have climbed the highest
mountain in the world if he'd ..

Just started up the right one.

Hello? Hello, Floyd, is that you?

Yeah, just getting home.

Say there are four down in a gunfight
down here at Swandale and Kensington.

Yeah, I got the last of them.

His face looks familiar.

Oh. Just another hood, I guess.

Well, whoever he is, he don't
mean a thing to anybody now.

Much less to me.

Say, call Mae and tell
her I'll be late, will you.

..t-g..