On the Bowery (1956) - full transcript

Take it easy pardner!

Who do think your talkin' to, eh?

You quite the wise guys around here !

Whadda you talkin' about?

My name's Dougherty!

Why don't you speak?

Shut up...

Shaddup fer Chrissake!

- Who the hell you talkin' at?

- Shut up!

My name's Brennan.

Brennan? Who knows Brennan?

The name's Dougherty!

Name's as Irish as...

The only friend I have in the world...

How you goin' bud?

- Pretty good.

- Yeah?

- Where you workin'?

- On the railroad.

- Whereabouts?

- Jersey.

- Thought you might of done Monowese.

- No, I didn't get around there.

- No camp down there anyway.

- So I hear...I've never been there.

How are things over in Jersey?

- Fair...fair.

- That's swell.

They feed fairly good.

How's the flop?

Pretty good.

It's not always...

Yeah, I know, with this outfit,

gave clean sheets once a week.

At Monowese, you don't get sheets!

Don't get 'em at all...

That's right you just get the old...

don't even get...yeah...one blankets.

Get a fella a drink...?

Gin?...I'm drinkin' beer.

That's all I'm buyin'.

That's quite alright. I appreciate it.

I'd rather drink wine you know.

But...I'll settle for beer.

So be it.

Give us two beers please.

I appreciate it very much.

You're welcome.

Here's luck!

Your health.

What've you been doin'?

Lately, just bouncin' around.

Worked for railroads too...but...

Some of the boys are over there.

Would you care to come over...and join the party

There's one of those guys over there

I think I worked with on the railroad once.

They're all on the railroad.

- Yeah?

- That should be good.

They wanna meet you.

I know you don't I?

Have a seat.

Good idea.

You've just come in now?

Yeah...I just came back from Jersey.

I got in this morning.

You guys are muscatel drinkers?

That's right!

I don't drink wine myself but if you'll

make a quarter I'll buy a bottle...

This is a swell guy!

Well, make it four.

I don't drink that...

What was that old foreman's name

out there?

What was the section was that old lug

Mike goin' out there?

Oh, he was with Houghton Utah.

He had likely got us all

killed there one day!

When we were raisin' track...

He wouldn't let me knock

that jack down.

I remember that.

Oh, we were lucky to get

out of that alive.

You sure were!

Well...looks like it's here fellas!

Our friends here seem to be dry!

You're lookin' at the driest guy

in the party here, rascal...

I was waitin' for you

to spring a drink.

Are you gonna spring a drink

or aren't you, ya rat!

Come on, break out now.

I'm really waitin' for you to spring.

Reminds me of eatin' in the Grand Union

with friends as your companions.

You're more than welcome.

That's swell for you to say.

We won't make no habit of it.

Well, we won't go into a habit,

you rascal!

You know that we won't

go into a habit.

What do you say we have a smoke?

That'd be an idea!

This is one of the darndest places

ever I seen!

What the hell crap have you got

against this place here?...I mean...

What's wrong with this...?

Wait a minute...What's the rap you got

against this man's town?

I think this is one of the grandest towns...

Are you gonna sing?

Yes.

Let me tell you somethin' fellas...

I bought the booze...I don't have to...

Yes you did...you've bin a gen'leman and we're

not gonna take that rap away from ya!

Nobody's gonna take that rap away

from you but...the mayor!

Did you ever hear a real song?

If we can't be

The same old sweethearts

Why then we'll just be...

You were talkin' about?

...the same old friends.

Oh I'll want someone like you just

To tell my troubles to...

What about you, Gorman ?

How's your railroad experience?

Oh...Pennsy,

New Haven, Lackawanna...

Don't wanna show off...

OK...I'll be around for a couple of days.

Good luck.

What was that about Pennsy

and New Haven, was it?

You've been to Monowese?

I guess it's been burned a dozen years...

I guess there's nothin' left, so...

OK Pat...well I'll see you around.

These guys sure took off, didn't they?

Sure. When they see no more in evidence

...so naturally they gotta go.

Anything for a drink, eh?

Yeah, I reckon!

Oh well...that's the way it goes.

The Bowery way!

What else is there around here?

Well, what do you mean?

I was thinkin' about most

of the places you go...

...there's always a place

you can get a day's labour.

In The Bowery you can get a job

dishwashing for a day...

That's what I need now, a day’s work,

not a full week's work.

The jobs according to all I hear...

you gotta be there when they're open.

That's understandable.

You know...

I left camp last night...

...and I'm pretty well broke.

You in a position to

help out here?

I haven't got a penny on me.

Always need to figure out

some way to get some.

What 've you got in the keister?

I've got...

clothes...

Go down to the ''thieves market''.

You can rake up a few bucks

down there.

It's just a name they've given

this bunch down here

Some of the stuff's "hot"....

Most of it's alright.

You know anyone?

All the boys buy down there.

You'll get a good price.

Better price than

a lot of these second-hand dealers.

I'd like to have another drink.

You gotta have a flop, too.

That's for sure!

So you wanna fly?

I guess it's just as well.

Nuthin'...gain nuthin'!

Where'll we open it?

Anywhere.

Good a place as any.

Got to be enough for a drink.

I haven't got too much.

-What else you got?

- Not much.

Here we are!

Not that, my friend.

Why not?

I said no and I mean no,

and that's all there is to it.

The pants will have to do.

Well, that wasn't too successful, was it?

Oh, they've cheapened up.

You used to be able

to do alright down there.

We won't spend too much...

I wanna save somethin' for a flop.

A beer and a glass of muscatel please.

Hullo, Walter.

Hullo, Doc.

You got a room?

You got money?

I haven't got a cent.

No credit on the house.

I got to sleep or...

No bed unless you got money.

Wait a minute.

How's this?

There's plenty in it.

OK...I'll give you a room.

-Leave the suitcase there.

- Yeah, i will.

Thanks.

Leave it there.

- Thanks.

- Go on right out this way.

Yeah, thanks.

Know where can you get

a job on a truck?

Corner of Houston Street.

Follow me.

How are you going, Gorman ?

Pretty good.

Say, I heard some bad reports about you.

What? About me?

You disappeared...

Somebody told me you made

the sneezer on Rikers lsland.

Oh, you got the wrong island.

I was on Hart Island.

Oh well...

They're next door to each other.

Well...

I only done short period...ten,

and then the next one was five.

But if I had've been

in the right neighbourhood,

I would've not got anything.

Why did you stay

in the wrong neighbourhood?

You gotta jump from one side of the city

to the other to buy what you want to get...

to make a living.

What are you doing, selling 'Sneaky Pete'

out of that pushcart of yours ?

No, just sellin' the cardboard, metal and rags.

Gotta have somethin' to eat in the mornin'.!

I'd like to hit the soup palace.

You mean you eat

when you're drinkin' wine?

I eat, but I don't drink it downwards.

It upsets my stomach.

It's against the law.

Why, what could you do?

I could take one drink of that wine...

I lose my appetite.

I been in worse places than that.

Feed you alright?

Positively!

A man can't live there...

he can't live anywhere.

You can have a T-bone steak every day.

Why not?

The city's got a lot of money.

Not if you're over there.

Well...I don't know I've never hit it...

They're not the same.

It's better than Riker.

Hot towels...everything's perfect.

You have no one bother...chase you round

and there's no work.

Can you sleep all day?...

Get up in the morning.

Go have your breakfast....come back...

Sweep the floor, mop it up...

and stay there.

Are you a bum?

I'm only a bum some ways.

When I get myself cleaned up

and straightened out...

I'm goin' down and get a ship...

I'm gonna wind up

in the South Sea Islands!

That's where I wanna go.

You must like it...are you gonna

stay down there indefinitely?

If I got a boat to the South Sea Islands,

I'd go...

to ''Guatalama''.

Are you gonna stay down there?

For certain. Why not?

Might as well be there as be here!

You'll live in a coconut tree and...?

Makes no difference where you live.

If you don't live on that coconut tree,

here you live in the doorways

with the deadbeats around here.

They don't hold with charity.

Boy, do I love that wine!

It's a good drink

if you know how to handle it.

Some people can't handle it.

I'd put it in my shoes!

I did. I did know how to handle it

when I had a few dollars.

Now look.

I got a deal on up there right now.

Oh, you have?

It's a good one.

Now it's in kitchen.

Pay's good.

It's an apartments hotel

up on the middle Fifties.

I see.

Very exclusive.

I've got a push-cart out here

if it'll do any good.

I don't want...no...no...I'm going up there

and take over the kitchen!

I'm gonna need some help.

Now, if you're interested...

and those bourgeois convictions

you have...

I think I can help you.

Well, I've got to go out this

cartload movin'.

Where are you going?

I'm going uptown...

to see this guy...

I'm going uptown too.

OK. But that's sets the deal now!

Any of the boys been around?

No sir...too early.

- You seen anybody?

- No sir.

Well...let me have a musky.

Make it a short 'n.

Have you seen Phil ?

Not today.

So who's won all the marbles?

The old man!

He beat me two times before.

I thought you were

the house champion...

You usually take everybody

that plays.

It happens you know...

every day can't be the same.

By the way, have you heard anything of...

your family lately?

I don't even depend on them,

you see.

I live on single man's pension.

I sit here 2 or 3 hours a day

Then I go out and have my...

whatever I feel like have.

Then I sit down on the park benches,

I play a game...

That's my life.

Sounds like a quieter one...

than normal.

That'd be what I'd want...right now.

Hullo, Ray.

Hullo Gorman, how are ya?

Oh, fair...how are you doing?

Pretty good.

What are you doing today...anything?

I was lucky today, Gorman.

I was up on a corner,

I got a job on a truck...

made a few dollars.

I can think of a lot more exciting ways

of making a buck than working!

It's the only way I know

how to make it.

How 'bout a drink?

Ah...no...I'm sittin' here drinkin' this!

I...I don't care for a drink.

What are you gonna do tonight?

One of the guys was tellin' me

there was a Bowery Mission opens up here

about 6.30...6.00...

somethin' like that...

A fella can go down there

and wash and shave...

get himself cleaned up...

sorted out...attend service...

...then they'll give him

a place to sleep.

I figured I'd go down there

and do that.

You know...it'll keep me out...

outta the gin mills.

I don't wanna drink

any more.

Look...you've made a day's pay...

You've got the price of a flop

in your pocket.

It isn't the price, Rob.

It isn't the price.

If I walk over here and pay in

for a night...

I'd still be tempted until it was

time to go to sleep...See?

So I figure, if I go on up there...

I'll be engaged until

it's time to go to bed.

I won't be...you know...

tempted to drink.

Well after all, a man's mind

is his own.

If you don't wanna drink...

you don't wanna drink.

I'll offer it to you again...

if you say no...OK.

I'll tell you one thing, though.

I'd like to have the drink,

but I don't want it!

Well, pal...I'm goin' across the street

to the ''Confidence''...

..and pour 2 or 3 in me...

...to carry me through the night.

2 or 3 won't do YOU any good, boy!

Oh you'd be surprised...

they're gonna be doubles!

That figures.

Oh...I'll be seein' ya, boy.

OK, Gorman, take it easy.

Tonight I'll introduce to you

our superintendent,

the reverend George L Bolton.

God bless you.

Gentlemen...

For more than 28 years now,

I have ministered...

Shall I say, on Skid Row.

Endeavouring to...

...tell men...

...that there are no hopeless cases

with God.

I think I know somewhat of the truth

of that statement...

...from personal experience.

Because I am the product...

...of a rescue mission located...

...on Skid Row.

I dare say there isn't

a man here today...

...who started out...

...to end up...

...on The Bowery.

The Bowery of New York.

At least one newspaperman stated...

...that it was the saddest...

...and the maddest street

in the world.

Maybe that was

an understatement.

Clearly it is a tragic...

...street.

I again say...I don't believe

there's a...

...there's ever a man...

...whether he be on Skid Row

or otherwise...

...who started out with a life ambition

to end up in a drunkard's grave.

And that might happen

to some person here...

...this very day.

This need not be so.

God loves you, man!

When you accept Christ,

you become in God's sight...

...just as if...

...you had never sinned.

Isn't that wonderful?

Now my friends, as our heads are bowed

and our eyes are closed...

Remember sir, that this is

God's invitation...

...the same that was given to this man,

so many years ago...

...and so many hundreds that have

passed through the doors of this place.

It's not what I say...it's not even

what the preacher said...

...but it's what you do tonight

with Jesus.

We ask you tonight to come.

Come tonight...kneel at this altar...

...and tell Jesus that you want him

to be your saviour.

Will you do it, sir?...even as

we close now in prayer.

Sir, I lost Jesus 24 years ago

And I've been a lost man

ever since...

..and I'm so glad I came here

tonight.

Amen for that person.

Anyone else, men?

Pardon me,

What's the story here? What's the set-up?

Haven't you been here before?

No, I've never been here before.

You have to sleep on the floor

the first night.

Too many men wants beds.

On the floor?

Too many men wants beds.

There must be quite a few

come in here.

You said the first night? Does that mean

I can stay here more than one night?

Oh yes.

Well, how long can you stay here?

If they assign you to a bed upstairs...

...you can count on a week.

-A week?

-Oh yes.

Will you get a chance to get out

and do a day's work?

Yes, you'll have time...you'll have

plenty of time...to look for work.

I want to tell you something

about what you have to do now.

You see, we're here to help you...

we want to give you help.

But before we can give you a bed

you gotta get cleaned up.

Listen!...You keep quiet 'til I get through...

and then you can start.

In the first place, you have to

stay in here all night.

You have to have a bath.

You have to put your clothes

in the fumigator.

You have to wash you small clothes.

You have to shave.

All those things you have to do

before you can have a bed.

And then we'll give you a bed.

Now when you come in here,

you'll leave the booze outside.

Forget all about Sneaky Pete.

When you come in here,

you stay sober.

Because when you get the ticket,

that's a contract that you're gonna stay

sober as long as you hold that ticket.

The minute you come to the front door

in the evening...

...at 6 o'clock...to come down here.

Then Hal will see whether

you've had a drink or not.

If you are under the influence of drink

you cannot sleep at the dormitory.

The dormitory's clean...

the beds are clean.

There's a shower up there

and a place to shave.

Everything is there for your use.

But you can't get up there

under the influence of liquor.

Take this.

Oh, thanks!

You'll get used to this.

- What time do we get up in the morning?

- 6 o'clock in the morning.

- 6 o'clock...thanks

- OK, boy.

Say, fellas...

What's new?

How you goin'?

You can see that. You don't need

to ask that question, do ya?

- You buying?

- You didn't make it?

- I couldn't take any more of that!

- I know!

You can only stand so much!

I don't care how tough you are...

...you can't take it!

Yes sir! I don't know about you fellas,

but I'm gonna have one on me!

Well the older you get, boy,

the faster you drink.

A beer, please.

It's fun.

I'm making out.

Mind if I have a puff

on your cigarette?

No, not at all.

Look...I'll stand up myself!

Can you stand up?

I hope so.

I'm weak in the legs...or...I don't know.

Come on...

Let's get over here...

I'll help you.

Jimmy...you can't compare...

The grandest guy that ever...

When you say so, that's it.

Collins too.

Then somebody got me a cleaning job

on a newspaper.

I worked for ''Life" and "Time''...

at ''Life" and the "Herald''.

Meantime I got a yen

I wanted to study medicine.

I understood you were...

...a pretty good physician.

Yeah...I graduated in medicine...

and I got fired out of "Life" and "Time"

And I figured I'll go somewhere

where I can practice.

I was a damned good surgeon

and a damned good intern.

I mean, I was a good doctor.

I'll tell you one thing...

You mighta bin as good as you say...

...but me...

...I only care for one thing...

Two-nothing on the Yankees!

I will admit that...

- You remember that...?

- That's not nice, right?

Say by the way, Ray...

where...where were you born, anyway?

What state d'you come from?

You mean my originality?

Your origin...what have you.

I was born in Kentucky...

...raised in North Carolina.

Twin brother of mine

decided to join the army.

I was a friend of his.

I joined the army too.

I gave you 15 cents to buy me...

...a Band Aid bandage.

You never came back!

You're a rat!

That was the lousiest thing

anyone could do!

Nowhere in The Bowery!

You're entitled to your opinion...

I want you to confront me...

That's about the lowest...!

Buy 's a drink?

I'm ready you know...I'm ready to go...

Where did YOU come from?

I just brought this chair

for the lady.

I bring my own chairs...I mind my own chairs...

you understand that?

I dunno.

I even come here.

Gorman, we gotta get a drink

for this lady.

Don't you know where the bar is?!

I know where the bar is!

I'm not coming back.

Go out there and get

what you're drinkin'...

I want a gin.

And I want the same.

The police officer...

with a badge...

Calls me and says:

''Well come on with me.''

What could I do?

I am a victim.

You're a victim of circumstances.

You're certainly right!

You want your drink?

Look...

Let's you and I have a drink.

Then we'll go someplace.

Get rid of 'im and then we'll be set.

I'll tell you what to do...

Spend your 80 cents

and go and sleep in the park.

I don't care whether I sleep

in the park or not.

I wanna tell you...!

It's none of your business.

She's with me!

I just want her address.

Nobody's gonna get my address!

Nobody.

- What bush is it under?

- I live in a real house.

If I have to get up here

and punch you in the nose...!

He's mine.

What a mouthful!

Go ahead, take a drink.

Take a drink...take a drink!

It's up to you...

whatever you want to do.

Pee Wee Reese !

Duke beat Notre Dame.

It looked to me like they did.

Will you get outta here?

Get outta here!

Whatta my gonna do with

the case you got there ?

I'll take it along with me.

You know you owe me

2 nights room then.

You know, I've got enough stuff

in that suitcase to hock.

A whole lot more

than 2 nights room rent.

You know i never stuck anybody

on this Bowery...

I been comin' here

for a long long time.

Have I ever hooked anybody here?

- So long.

- I'll see you.

Here come the cops!

Let's go!

There's Ray there...

Let's get 'im.

Well!...Looks like you had

a pretty rugged night.

You can say that again!

How about a drink?

Set that down your hatch!

No, thanks.

Hell...what's the matter?

I just don't care for it.

I drank too much of that stuff.

What's your trouble?

You know the story.

I came in with my money,

after workin' all summer.

Started drinking that mess.

One thing led to another.

Drank a lot. Spent a lot.

Wound up with Howie over there...

...with nothin' in the world.

No clothes, no money, nothin'.

Well, probably some of your drinking

companions hauled you in by your pockets!

If they did, they didn't

leave any pocket.

'Cause that wasn't holdin' a thing.

It happens.

What then?

I'm just sittin' here...

See if maybe one of the boys

from the camp might come in...

and I maybe borrow a few dollars off.

And I can get cleaned up and...

...go on out to Chicago.

I'm disgusted with this place.

I hear they're hirin' men out there.

Go out there and get a job...

..and make my last stand

out there.

If I don't make it this time,

I'm givin' up!

Well, how do you expect

to get out there?

You haven't got any money.

If I can get cleaned up, maybe

I can get a day's work, you know, and...

Then hitch-hike...

...or maybe I'll ship up the line

on the railroad...

and just walk on down the tracks

instead of going to work.

Ship out in the other direction

until I get there.

I know one thing.

There's no excuse for me to try to stop

just takin' one or two of them!

No good!

That's the reason I refused

that one there.

From now on...

I'm not gonna do it.

We hope.

I'm not gonna say

I'll NOT do it.

But I'm gonna try hard to.

I've only said that

a thousand times.

You've got me by a couple of years.

I've only said it about 800.

I know I don't have a thing right now

I haven't even got a plug nickel.

But...there's a buddy of mine

supposed to be in here and give me some dough.

If he does...He hasn't shown up yet.

He's about an hour overdue

but he always comes.

I guarantee that when I see him...

...you'll get enough to go on.

Yeah, I know...I've heard

those things before.

Look...I don't hand malarkey out.

When I tell a man somethin'

I keep my word.

My friend, I've heard that a million times before.

I'll be seein' ya around.

What's the matter with you anyway?

You went out of that place

like a turpentined cat!

You know how it is, Gorman.

I was tryin' to get a few bucks

to get myself back on my feet...

I didn't see anybody in there I knew...

...so I figured there was as good

a place as any to wait.

You know we try to help each other out

down here when we've got it.

I understand that.

I'm right around into it myself.

When you blew out of there...

Obi blew in...

and Obi was holding.

Obi...that was that friend

you were tellin' me about?

He showed up and he

was carryin' a bundle.

So...I put the bight on Obi.

And I got pieced off.

I'll divide the wealth with you.

It's not much...

...but it might help.

- You'll share the wealth with me?

- I sure will.

That help you any?

It certainly will.

I'll go over here to Talman's...

...and get a clean shirt and

a clean pair of pants.

And I'll be able to get to work again.

That's OK...but get off this Bowery

and stay off the place.

Well, I certainly appreciate this, Gorman.

If I ever run into you again,

I'll give it back.

If I don't, I'll pass it on

to somebody else.

Do what you please about that.

We'll run into each other again.

Thanks a million.

Good luck to you, boy!

As to you.

How are you doin'?

Oh, pretty good.

By the way, have you seen

Ray lately?

Yeah, saw 'im this morning.

They picked Ray up

in an alley this mornin'.

In a terrible state!

Made his squeeze a heap...

Gave 'im a drink...

...straightened 'im out a little

and then we took 'im for a cup o' coffee.

He was in here just a little while back.

Yes, and he's alright now too.

Didn't think a man could

straighten out so quick!

Yes...thanks to him.

I can get anybody

straightened out!

What'd you do for 'im anyway?

I dressed 'im up...

put some money in his pocket.

He don't brag either

about what he does.

The boy's gonna be alright!

Whadda you mean about

'bein' alright'?

I know he's gonna be alright.

I got 'im a good job...

And the kid's gonna come through.

He wanted to get off The Bowery.

And I did the best I could to help.

That's all any man can do.

Let me tell YOU something...

He'll be back.