Night Owls (1930) - full transcript
After getting lambasted by the Police Chief for the 42 unsolved robberies committed on his watch, Officer Kennedy bamboozles vagrants Stanley and Oliver into a plan to recover his reputation, in exchange for not jailing them for sleeping on park benches. Kennedy sets them to burgling the Police Chief's own house, planning to arrest them in front of his boss, and later "fixing it" for the boys.
Say, lookie here. Who was on duty
in my neighbourhood last night?
Why, er...
l was, sir.
- You were, eh?
- Yes, sir. l was there all night.
Did you look at this morning's paper?
- No, l didn't...
- You didn't, huh?
Well, take a squint at this.
Well, what about it?
l'm just about fed up with your kind of stuff.
Now, if there's any more robberies
in that neighbourhood
and you don't make an arrest, you're fired!
- You get me?
- Yes, sir.
Poor old Kennedy.
The only way you'll ever make an arrest
is frame it yourself.
(All laughing)
Frame it myself!
Frame it myself.
(Snoring)
Come on, come on. Get up out of there.
Come on. Get up, get up.
Get up out of there.
l suppose you fellas know you can get
90 days on the rock pile for this?
lf l should let you go...
would you do...me a little favour?
We'd be glad to.
Kennedy's my name.
Mr Hardy's mine.
This is Mr Laurel, Mr Kennedy.
How do you do, Mr Laurel?
Here's the proposition.
The Chief and l are on the outs...
and l want to get on the good side of him.
- Naturally.
- Certainly.
What l want you boys to do
is to go up and rob the Chief's house.
Why, we'd be arrested.
That's the idea!
And l will arrest you.
That'll put me in good with the Chief.
But what's going to become of us?
Don't let that worry you. Kennedy will fix it.
We won't do it.
All right, then the rock pile for you. Come on.
Just a moment.
Pardon me. l'll speak with my friend.
- Just a little conference.
- Make it snappy.
No good'll come of it
and we'll be put in jail...
Excuse me.
All right?
- We'll do it.
- Ha ha! l thought you would.
You look like you have intelligence
and so do...
Come on and l'll show you
where that house is.
(Clock striking twelve)
That's the house.
Now, be as quiet as you can.
l'll see you later.
(Crashing)
lt's the garbage man, sir.
Climb over the wall.
- Shh!
- Don't shush me. Pick those things up.
What's the matter?
l'm scared.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
Kennedy'll fix it.
Come on, let's go.
(Whimpers)
(Bin clattering)
(Whispers) Hey! Hey!
(Banging and clattering)
(Crashing)
See what that racket is out there.
lt's the cats, sir.
(Whispers) Let's pretend we're cats.
Miaow!
Miaow-ow-ow!
(Both yowling)
Do something about it.
(Yowling continues)
(Miaowing and yowling even louder)
(Yowling continues)
Will you quit your playing?
Get in.
- l'm afraid.
- There's nothing to be afraid of.
Kennedy'll fix it.
Get something. Quick!
Get your hands off of it.
Why don't you do something to help me?
What can l do? lt blew shut.
Oh, blew...
Now we've got to
go through the window again.
Go on.
(Clattering)
(Crashing)
Miaow!
Shh!
Hey. Psst!
(Whistles loudly)
(Ollie yelling)
Will you get me the hammer, please?!
(Music starts)
(Music stops)
Get me something to tie this with.
(Bell ringing)
(Ringing stops)
Miaow.
Did you ring, sir?
No, l didn't ring, sir!
Will you get of here
so l can get some sleep?
l believe you're getting old...and nutty.
We'll wait here for Kennedy
and don't make any noise.
(Clatters)
l told you, keep quiet!
(## Ragtime on piano)
Meadows, quit playing the piano
at this time of night.
Meadows!
Yes, sir.
- You go and phone the police.
- Me?
Yes, you! Hurry up.
(Piano still playing)
Kennedy!
(Music stops)
So it's you that's been
robbing the neighbourhood!
You'll get life for this.
(Police siren)
There's the police now. Hurry up!
- Give me a good...
- l'm doing the best l can.
(Crash)
in my neighbourhood last night?
Why, er...
l was, sir.
- You were, eh?
- Yes, sir. l was there all night.
Did you look at this morning's paper?
- No, l didn't...
- You didn't, huh?
Well, take a squint at this.
Well, what about it?
l'm just about fed up with your kind of stuff.
Now, if there's any more robberies
in that neighbourhood
and you don't make an arrest, you're fired!
- You get me?
- Yes, sir.
Poor old Kennedy.
The only way you'll ever make an arrest
is frame it yourself.
(All laughing)
Frame it myself!
Frame it myself.
(Snoring)
Come on, come on. Get up out of there.
Come on. Get up, get up.
Get up out of there.
l suppose you fellas know you can get
90 days on the rock pile for this?
lf l should let you go...
would you do...me a little favour?
We'd be glad to.
Kennedy's my name.
Mr Hardy's mine.
This is Mr Laurel, Mr Kennedy.
How do you do, Mr Laurel?
Here's the proposition.
The Chief and l are on the outs...
and l want to get on the good side of him.
- Naturally.
- Certainly.
What l want you boys to do
is to go up and rob the Chief's house.
Why, we'd be arrested.
That's the idea!
And l will arrest you.
That'll put me in good with the Chief.
But what's going to become of us?
Don't let that worry you. Kennedy will fix it.
We won't do it.
All right, then the rock pile for you. Come on.
Just a moment.
Pardon me. l'll speak with my friend.
- Just a little conference.
- Make it snappy.
No good'll come of it
and we'll be put in jail...
Excuse me.
All right?
- We'll do it.
- Ha ha! l thought you would.
You look like you have intelligence
and so do...
Come on and l'll show you
where that house is.
(Clock striking twelve)
That's the house.
Now, be as quiet as you can.
l'll see you later.
(Crashing)
lt's the garbage man, sir.
Climb over the wall.
- Shh!
- Don't shush me. Pick those things up.
What's the matter?
l'm scared.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
Kennedy'll fix it.
Come on, let's go.
(Whimpers)
(Bin clattering)
(Whispers) Hey! Hey!
(Banging and clattering)
(Crashing)
See what that racket is out there.
lt's the cats, sir.
(Whispers) Let's pretend we're cats.
Miaow!
Miaow-ow-ow!
(Both yowling)
Do something about it.
(Yowling continues)
(Miaowing and yowling even louder)
(Yowling continues)
Will you quit your playing?
Get in.
- l'm afraid.
- There's nothing to be afraid of.
Kennedy'll fix it.
Get something. Quick!
Get your hands off of it.
Why don't you do something to help me?
What can l do? lt blew shut.
Oh, blew...
Now we've got to
go through the window again.
Go on.
(Clattering)
(Crashing)
Miaow!
Shh!
Hey. Psst!
(Whistles loudly)
(Ollie yelling)
Will you get me the hammer, please?!
(Music starts)
(Music stops)
Get me something to tie this with.
(Bell ringing)
(Ringing stops)
Miaow.
Did you ring, sir?
No, l didn't ring, sir!
Will you get of here
so l can get some sleep?
l believe you're getting old...and nutty.
We'll wait here for Kennedy
and don't make any noise.
(Clatters)
l told you, keep quiet!
(## Ragtime on piano)
Meadows, quit playing the piano
at this time of night.
Meadows!
Yes, sir.
- You go and phone the police.
- Me?
Yes, you! Hurry up.
(Piano still playing)
Kennedy!
(Music stops)
So it's you that's been
robbing the neighbourhood!
You'll get life for this.
(Police siren)
There's the police now. Hurry up!
- Give me a good...
- l'm doing the best l can.
(Crash)