Street of Sinners (1957) - full transcript

You'll have trouble here at night.

Now what kind of trouble?

Oh, fights, births, sad women,
drunks, stray kids, everything.

Before you have big troubles,
you have little troubles like Sam here.

Hello, Mr. Gus.

Who's your friend?

Johnny Dean. He's taking
over this beat. I'm retiring.

Pleased to meet you, Sergeant.

Not a sergeant. He's one
day out of police school.

Larry, what's wrong?

The whole world.



I want you to meet the new
policeman on this block, Johnny Dean.

Glad to know you, Larry.

Yeah, sure.

Larry, Larry, the new shoes.

It shouldn't be out here
in the gutter.

On this street they throw
bigger things in the gutter.

- Come on, Johnny.
- Hold it.

I've just seen my first ticket.

Oh, no, not him.

That's Tommy, Leon's brother.

What difference does that make?

All the difference on this street.

Not to me, it doesn't.

Hey, buddy.



Let's see your driver's license.

Hey, Gus, who's the clown?

Gus, tell this boy who I am.

I did but it's his beat now.

So, he has to show off.

Like some of the wise MPs
we had in Tokyo.

Oh, blue boy.

There's your ticket.

- Pick it up.
- You do, Tommy, and I spit in your eye.

What's your name, miss?

Nancy Kaminski.

What's yours?

Patrolman John Dean.

What's your address?

14 Prospect Avenue.

Here's your summons, miss.

For what, blue boy?

Littering the sidewalk.

Oh, I got to tell my
brother about this character.

He looks strong
but I don't think he's bright.

Whose girl is she?

Tommy's girl,
he wears her like a new pair of shoes.

Patrolman Dean, post 10.

Thanks, Sergeant.

Get to know a beat
pretty well, don't you?

Yeah, it's more than the beat,
it's your street.

Hustlers, con men, horse players,
winos, all looking for a small buck.

This is a street of
hard eyes, Johnny.

You won't break it.

I don't like a street where a
policeman's on the wrong side.

Policeman?

No, you're a cop.

If you're on the wrong side,
you put yourself there.

Let's go inside and meet Leon.

He owns this street.

Hey, hiya, Gus boy.
How are you doing?

I'm fine.
Johnny, meet Leon.

- He can be a good friend.
- My name is Dean.

Leon Curtis,
you're going to like it here.

Hey girl, at the table, please.

- What'll you have?
- Ah, the usual.

Your brother's car is parked
next to that fire hydrant.

- Oh, yeah? Well, is it bothering anybody?
- Yeah.

- Who?
- Me.

- Double.
- Okay, John, it's not a big thing.

He'll move it.

You know, a big thing about
Leon is he always tells the truth.

Yes. Sometimes the truth is a club,
you can beat people down with it.

He'll help anybody on the street,
gives away a lot of money.

And where does he get it?

The truth, I take a few bets here.

You've just stopped.

I don't think so.

And I lend out some money,
$6 on payday for every five.

No more.

You also serve liquor to minors.

Hey, come on.

If they're old enough to have money,
they're old enough to drink.

You're telling me
I've got to close you.

Uh-uh. Uh-uh. There's only
person who closes this place,

and that's me, every night
after I've counted up the money.

Oh, Johnny,
Leon has some big connections.

So do I.

People of this town,
people I work for.

Come on, have another double.

- Yeah.
- What do you say, John?

You're gonna break down?
What are you going to have?

Trouble.

You work in here, miss?

You've got a better job for me?

How old are you?

Over the age of consent, blue boy.

But not old enough
to work in a bar.

Let me see your ID cards.

Listen, I was old enough to serve
a couple of years in the Far East.

I drank more liquor there
than you'll ever see.

Johnny, this is your first day.

Don't try to change everything.

You could have a whole
street full of things, Johnny,

if you kind of
don't look all the time.

I like friends

but not the kind you get by
having your eyes closed, miss.

I want to talk to you, Johnny.
Let's go outside.

Today you get by with it, Curtis.

I'll be back by myself tomorrow.

What are you going to do
about that one, Leon?

He'll soften. This street
softens them all.

Hey, Jack, come on,
come on. Go home.

This is no hotel.
Go on. Beat it.

Hey Leon, I'll buy it
for the crowd, huh?

- I'm like that.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. A big shot on my money.

Now,
you know your debts are now pretty low.

Listen,
I got back two weeks ago with 400 bucks

and I spent it all here.

Talk about girls you used to know
but not about money you used to have.

You're okay with me, boy.

I'm getting some fresh loop.
Joan's going to lend me 50.

Your sister's doing wonderful,
isn't she?

Yeah.

Leon, do you think
I could be a fashion model?

Now that takes
a certain kind of girl.

Now, Ricky's sister, Joan,
she was cut out for that kind of work.

Oh, you could do it.

All you need is for Leon
to make the connection.

Hey.

Now, it's not for you,
I don't want to talk about it.

I changed my mind.
I'm not going with you.

- Oh, come on.
- No, I told you leave me alone.

Ooh. Now, you ought to get
into the argument.

It ain't nothing, Officer.

I just want to drive
the little lady home.

I can walk home.

It's just down
the end of the block.

- Would you please walk?
- No. I'll drive her.

No, I don't feel like walking.

I feel like swimming.

Can't swim with my clothes on,
can't swim with your clothes on.

His first night on the beat and
Terry is taking her clothes off again.

Well, you know Terry, every time
she gets drunk, she takes them off.

Hey, would you send a wagon for a lady
who's trying to take her clothes off?

Come on.

- Yes. All right. Take the...
- Leave me alone.

- Fine.
- Leave me.

Help! Police!

Where did he get
this expensive tie?

Can't look at that tie.
Burn it up.

Have you any idea
where he might've gotten it?

I told you, same day in the morning,
it came in a fancy box.

From who, I don't know.

It just doesn't make any sense.

He was healthy, strong,
popular at school.

It doesn't figure.

Now my boy is dead,

17 years, suicide.

Why did he do it?

Drive myself crazy
with that question.

Maybe it was the street
that killed him.

He had nothing to do
with the street.

He was a good boy.

A street like this
touches everybody.

I'll find out what it did
to your boy.

Four times today,
you want me to check them again?

- No. We got...
- Do you want to check them?

- No. We got...
- You can if you want to.

- We got to...
- Go ahead, check this part.

All right. All right. We got
to win tomorrow that's all.

Sure.

- Tight?
- Yeah.

A dragster?

Yeah, we got a 4-0
transmission and a Cad engine.

This one will do
110 inside 25 seconds.

That's a pretty drag.

Yeah.

You boys knew Larry?

Sure. Same class.

Seniors at Roosevelt High.

Except me. Mostly,
I go to juvenile hall.

Any idea why he might have done it?

You take that badge
real serious, don't you?

He seemed to have been a nice kid.

Kid?

Next he'll be calling us punks.

Look, we're not kids and Larry was as
much a man as you are, maybe more.

Did he have a reason?

A reason?

He's dead, isn't he?

Look. Why don't you
flap on, Mr. Law?

We don't much like
to talk about it.

You ever see this tie?
Larry ever show it to you?

Hey, you know that drag
length will pop the first time...

Yeah.

I asked you a question.

Did Larry ever show you this tie?

Larry was a great guy.
We're all great guys.

We never saw the tie before, okay?

Okay. You're all great guys.

One great guy didn't want
to live anymore.

It could happen to any
of you other great guys.

That's why I've got
to find out about it.

Maybe we should have told him.

What's the good?
Larry's dead, isn't he?

Officer,

I want to thank you.

For arresting you, miss?

The next day always seems
like a nightmare.

That's when they promise
themselves never again.

No, I got past that point.

This is the last time I'll ever
promise myself never again.

That'll be the last time.

You remember my name?

Terry Warren. I'm John Dean.

That arrest cost you much,
Ms. Warren?

Ms. Warren, that's my name
at the office. I'm Terry to you.

All right, Terry.

Oh, your arrest,
that was just a waste of time, Johnny.

Leon fixed everything for me.
I didn't even appear in court.

Leon's a good friend
of everyone, isn't he?

The worst friend in the world.

Now, you know
where you stand on the street.

Doesn't pay much attention
to me, does he?

Why should he?
What are you?

Get your ticket-writing
fingers off of me.

Oh, she's awful brave,
and so young.

Yeah, too young.

Ooh, I'm glad you think so.

I'm going into Leon's.

Oh, just for one martini.

Why don't you come in and
have a drink with a customer?

No, thanks. I don't want to
see you again as a customer.

Thanks.

I'll see you.

He was looking right at your car
with that usual dumb look on his face.

Oh, yeah? Was he going
to write a ticket?

I think he was getting ready
to polish it for you.

Oh, my favorite customer.

Favorite lush.

Is my tab too big for a martini?

- A tab at a bar is too big...
- Too big with the first dime.

Yeah, that's right.
You got it.

Hey, Vinny, give her the usual.

You have got a long way to go with me,
Terry. Sit down.

I'm going a long way.

And you've watched me
every step of the way.

Hey, does Nancy
ever remind you of anybody?

No. Who?

You, maybe seven years ago,
the way I first remember you.

You've known a lot of girls.

Oh, a lot
of a certain kind of girls.

But you never married?

I never even thought about it.

Why?

What's the matter, Terry?

You looking for a second husband?

Women like me usually are.

What's the matter with you?

Why do you lead such a lonely life?

I lead a lonely life?

I got this whole street
and all the people on it.

All the men are like wayward
sons to me and the women,

the women on this street have taught me
everything I ever wanna know about women.

What do you know about women?

Eh, I make a small profit
on every drink I sell them.

That's all I ever want
to know about them.

Hiya, John, how about
some corn liquor today, huh?

I hear you've been
dusting off my car.

Hey, Tom, you know what I want
to hear from you? Silence. Shut up.

Now, John,
you're a reasonable man, huh?

Before you do anything,
how about some coffee, a few words, huh?

Look, Curtis,
you're still serving liquor to minors.

There's nothing to talk about here.

Uh, what do you want to do?
Arrest them, me?

Just you.

No need to give them
a police record.

I can see you're a reasonable man.

It may not be a quality that
I understand but I respect it.

All right. Get your coat on.

Some coffee,
a few words unreasonable?

- Make it fast.
- Okay.

Now, I wanna
ask you something, John.

What kind of a man do you
think I really am, huh? Hmm?

Kind of man who'd
do anything for a buck.

Yeah. And what do I do
with the buck, huh? Ask her.

Ask her about her son who went
to medical school on loans from me.

Her son who's got a fancy office
downtown, who never comes up here,

not to have a drink,
not to say thanks, nothing,

who sends her 100 bucks
a month by mail.

And what kind of a mother is she?

Now, you won't give me
an edge at all, will you?

I'm a bad guy.

And the successful young doctor,
he's a good guy,

because he's in a fancy office with
a pretty nurse and I'm behind a bar.

He tries to help people.
Do you?

Oh, John, this street
is a street of losers,

people who don't have the
stuff to come up in the world.

People who sink slowly down,
losers.

And so they gamble,
they drink, they play around.

They think that's all
they can get out of life

and I sell them what they want cheap.

And the kids have to take
the same route?

These kids here, they don't
grow up. They just grow older.

And sometimes at 17 they
don't want to live anymore.

Hey, look, I didn't know Sammy's
son. He never came in here.

This ain't no nursery.

It all depends upon
how you look at it.

You still want to clean up the street,
huh? You don't understand.

Get your coat on.

Why?

I'm taking you in.

Yeah? Why, I don't see
no evidence of liquor.

You see, just one.

And leave my car alone.

I'd worry about that car
if I were you.

Hey, somebody took it.

Not far, police garage. Fifty
bucks and you can get it back.

I know an easier way.

Hey, Leon, $2 across the board
on Blackbill in the last race, okay?

Hey, Pete boy,
the gentleman here is a policeman.

So give him a free drink.

Uh, Frank, this is Leon. I want my
car returned from the police garage.

We got a new rookie, he had it towed in,
he doesn't understand,

somebody's gotta explain it to him.

Okay. Thanks.

Now, you are never going to tell me to put
my coat on, that you're taking Leon in.

This street may be dirty but
I'm the big man on this street.

Yeah, you're a real big man
on this street,

turning kids into bums, getting
food and rent money on losing bets,

loaning money at 1,000% a year.

That makes you real big.

And you're not going to stop me.

Everything stays the same. Nothing
changes except that you go along with it.

I'm making one change right now.

Hey, let go.

Take your cop...

Ow!

Let go.

Now, go on home and
get yourself a decent job.

You sure went ape in a hurry.

Are you going to let him do this?

You'll be back
working here tomorrow.

Now, go on home.

- Hi, Leon.
- Hi, Sarge.

You get the call from downtown?

About your car, yeah,
and I didn't like it.

What was going on with that girl?

Nothing important. No trouble.

Dean, you got one job on this beat.

Keep it like Gus did,
smooth and quiet.

Yes, sir, Sergeant.

Come in.
It ain't locked.

Nancy. Nancy,
what happened to you?

- Johnny did this.
- Johnny, I'll kill that...

Oh, slow down.
Where's your mother?

Working, where else?

I need a needle and thread
to sew this up.

- Hey, how did...
- I can't go home like this.

How did Johnny do that to you?

He threw me out of Leon's
because I'm underage.

Well, I don't like you working
at Leon's, you know that?

What's it to you, Ricky?

Too many guys making passes
at you there.

Oh, I can take care of myself.

And with Leon I was safe.

You know, I...

Nancy, I thought about you an
awful lot when I was overseas.

But... but you only wrote me
a couple of letters.

Well, there was never
anything big between us.

I got off that ship burning
like a fire to see you.

- And what do I find?
- Tom.

Muscles, money, a big car,
is that all you want?

I don't know what I want,
Ricky. Maybe it isn't Tom,

but I'm not playing,
not with anyone yet.

We could have a lot
of laughs together, Nancy.

That's about all
we could have together.

But Tom, he's Leon's brother,
so he travels first class.

In the end, you're going
to travel with him

because that's the only way
you'll go.

You're a swell guy, Ricky. You know,
in a way, you're kind of a sweet kid.

Sweet kid. Is that
what you think I am?

Well, maybe I like
that part of you.

Sure, you say that,
but I know different.

If I was a real, tough,
carrying heavy... You'd be with me.

You're wrong, Ricky.

Not wrong enough.

Ricky, don't.

Doesn't seem to be much
I can do for you, does it?

There's one thing
you can do for me.

Yeah? What?

You can help me drive
that cop off the street.

Okay. Okay.
If that's what you want.

How?

I'm going to turn
this whole street crazy.

I'm going to make this
a hell night.

Give our square new cop
a hard time?

The hardest.

I'm with you.

Don't fight me, Nancy.

I'm sorry, Ricky.

Watch the street tonight,
Nancy. It's gonna be rough.

Uh-oh. Here comes blue boy, behind
his badge and gun, he really goes big.

I don't wear them in the morning.

That's right, sir. Bye.

Got any of the other kids?

Yeah. One of the boys
got a busted leg.

The ambulance just picked him up.

Do you know a couple
of store windows got smashed

while those cars
were being wrecked?

Kids threw bricks, then ran.

Yeah. I heard.

It takes a certain type of
officer to handle this beat.

Well, I'm learning.

You don't have time to learn.

I wonder what cop's gonna
walk this beat today.

Ricky really went
to town last night.

Yeah. I'm beginning
to notice Ricky.

Leon, do you ever notice me?

- I gave you a job, didn't I?
- Hey!

Yes, but you introduced Joan to people
who gave her a start on her career.

You're not like Joan. And look,
I like having you here.

Nancy, I need you here.

Your customers don't need
a waitress.

They can stagger
up to the bar themselves.

Well, maybe I like to look at you.

I'd like to have a career. I
could learn to model fashions.

You think of me
as an old man, don't you?

I never really thought about it.

Maybe you believe I'm cold
and hard and in love with money.

No, not money so much,

but you love having
a hold over people.

The kind of people on this street,

you got a bar that'll
give credits and $20 bills,

that's all a man needs to have
a hold over these people here.

Who were the people
you introduced Joan to?

Forget Joan.
Forget those people.

Why?

Nancy, I don't want
nothing bad for you.

That sounds a little funny.

Why, because I said it?

I'll tell you something real
funny about you and me.

I watched you grow up
on this street.

First, a skinny little girl and then
you discovered that wonderful surprise.

What wonderful surprise?

That you're a big girl,
a girl that could be a woman.

I watched you. I watched you.
My brother, Tom, he found you.

You're jealous of Tom.

Of only one thing,
that he's 20 years old.

When I was 20 years old, I was hustling
a crap game back of a river saloon.

Do you know what kind
of women I knew then?

Leon, I'm not Tom's girl.

Now there's a man walking the street.
You looked at him and I watched you.

Johnny? I despise him.

I respect him.
He walks like a man.

He's no friend of yours.

All right. I'm his enemy but not because
he wants to clean up this street.

Oh, no, not because of that,

but because maybe one day
you'll find yourself going to him.

Me? To a cop?

Don't pretend with me.
Don't pretend with me, Nancy.

I looked in the eyes of women
for a long time.

- You think you know women.
- The good in women,

maybe I don't know so much about...

about that, but the bad in women,
that I know of.

Hey, Leon. Hey, Leon, how about a
couple of drinks for Nancy and me, huh?

Your tab has hit the limit,
Ricky, I'm cutting you off.

Well, Joan's coming in.
She's bringing me 50...

I don't want her in here.

Why?

She moved uptown,
she's got her own place.

She don't belong
on this street no more.

Well, I'm glad she's coming.

Maybe she'll help me get a job
working with her if you won't.

Listen, uh, listen. She's coming
here so, I mean, let's have a drink.

I don't know about you, Ricky. Last night,
you got the kids to wreck the street.

Oh, you wanna get rid of that cop too.
He'd be begging for a transfer today.

Yeah, yeah,
you half-talking half punk.

Calling me punk?

I'm sorry, man.
I get hot too fast.

Give me a dime.
I want to call my mother.

Give her a dime.

Tell the operator you got the wrong
number, she'll give you the dime back.

That whole go last night,
I did that just for her.

You want a drink?
Give him a drink.

Hey, Leon.
You got connections uptown.

Oh, forget my connections uptown.

Man, I don't want to wait
till I'm on my old age pension

before I make some real money.

What do you think?
I can pick up the phone, say,

"I know a fellow named Ricky
who wants to make big money fast"?

Next, if you're a big shot,
Nancy's your girl, that easy?

I heard you've done that
for some guys.

You heard right. But what kind of guys
and what did they do for the big money?

They'd do anything
they're paid to do, right?

You're willing to hurt people?

- Yeah.
- Hmm?

Beat them up, maybe even use a
gun so you can wear $200 suits?

- Yeah.
- Make Nancy think you're a big shot

and a big man because you got
a $1000 bill in your pocket?

What are you getting so hot about?
Is there anything you haven't done?

I fought for dirty money because I
didn't know no other way of living.

Call your downtown
connections, Leon,

tell them you got a man who'll
do anything for big money.

When I think you're a man,
I'll call.

Hey, what happened on the street
last night? It sounded like a war.

Yeah. It was,
a war on Johnny the cop.

Oh, why him? He's a nice guy.

Very nice guy. He's got one
weakness though, you know,

he doesn't have a wife or a sweetheart
and that leaves him wide open.

He can have one he
probably doesn't want.

Here's one for the road, Terry.

Nancy, baby, this is the road.

You used kids last night to get at me,
didn't you, Curtis?

If I want to get at you,
I won't use the kids.

Here we go again.

Why are you in such a hurry
to become a tramp?

What's that dime for?

Your phone.

Here. Use it free.

Not when I call
the wagon for you, Curtis.

But this time you just threw
away the evidence yourself.

I'll find evidence.
That'll do.

Listen, John. I'm going
to tell you something

before you make a very bad mistake.

If you shame me on this street,

I'll make you crawl to me
like a dog with a broken back.

I warn you, John.
I got pride.

Don't dirty my pride.

Pride? Just what have you got
to be proud of?

Sergeant.

You got an enemy, a bad one though.

Curtis is the kind of enemy I like.

Well, they're bailed out.

At least he knows what the
inside of a jail looks like now.

You want to transfer
to some other beat?

Why should I?

You, Johnny, you've got
another night ahead of you.

If it's another one like last night,
I'd have to take you off.

Don't worry, it won't be.

Johnny. Johnny, you've
been beaten. I'll call the station.

Sure. Call the station. Tell them
I can't handle this street. Call it.

Come on. Come on.
We're gonna go to my place.

Here, it's just down the street.

I wonder why those kids jumped me.

Oh, it's a tough street,
Johnny. It's not you, it's the uniform.

They just hate cops.

Funny, I've always
wanted to be a cop.

- Oh?
- Far back as I can remember.

Where are you from originally?

Montana.

How did you end up here?

Thought I'd like the big city.

Thanks.

Hey, they've taken your badge.

I'll get it back.

Why don't you stay here,
rest a while?

I gotta be on that beat,
badge or no badge.

Please stay.
I'll worry if you go out.

Don't worry.

But tomorrow, why don't you come
here for dinner? I'm a good cook.

I'm afraid I can't,
Terry. I...

Please, a favor, Johnny.
Great, big favor.

All right.
I'll be here at 06:00.

I've only got a half hour,
you know.

- Goodbye.
- Bye.

Hey, boy. Hold up there,
will you, please?

Who, me? I didn't do nothing.

I know you didn't. I'm looking
for a boy about 250, 300 pounds,

probably the biggest boy
in this neighborhood.

I don't know Tiny at all.

Tiny? Where does he live?

If... if I showed you where he lived,
you'll never tell him who showed you?

I'm not going to do
much talking to him.

Man, I'd sure like
to see that. Come on.

I'm looking for Tiny.

Trouble?

Might be. Where is he?

I can't do a thing with him.
Fifteen years old and I'm helpless.

Who's been talking?

- Where's my badge?
- I don't know.

Maybe I can help you remember.

Look, you can't treat
my boy that way.

No?

After I get through with your boy,
you're not going to be so helpless.

Let me go.
Let me go.

I don't know where it is.

Maybe you'll do some talking.

Sure. I'll talk.

What did you do with that badge?

I gave it to Tom.

Why did you kids jump me?

'Cause you beat up Joey,
you put him in a hospital.

Who is Joey?

One of the kids
who was rolling cars with us.

You caught him and you beat him up.

Tom's seen you do it
and he told us.

Tom was lying.

No, you say.

Look, you go ask Joey. Go
to the hospital and ask him.

He'll tell you how it happened.

Yeah. You mean Tom
would lie to us guys?

Yeah. You just go ask Joey.

Officer,
would you come here every week?

Nothing. Beating him
is nothing.

He got hurt but they didn't kick
his face and I wanted them to.

Not them. Tomorrow he'll be
back on the street again.

Hey, Leon, the jail don't agree
with you. You were sweating.

So what? It was hot in there.

I was thinking of killing,
that's why I was sweating.

- John?
- If he makes me.

You mean really kill a guy?

Yeah. Why, what's the matter? You never
heard about killing? I've killed before.

All right, I didn't figure on it. Got
in a beef with a guy over a girl.

You? Over a broad?

Yeah, at a joint just like this.

A guy came macho with
a broken beer bottle,

I smashed a chair on his head.

Manslaughter, a year and a day.

In the end, she turned out
to be a tramp.

That night, she married him.

Ricky, about you, I don't know.

If I ever saw three guys that looked
like they were plotting a murder.

You better not be here, Nancy.
The street's hot tonight.

Hmm?

The place is closed. Get out.

Let's have that badge.

All right.

You come in here to make trouble,
we'll finish anything you start.

You start it first.

- I'll start it.
- You want that piece of tin? Start taking.

Johnny, I've got your badge.

All right.
Give it to me.

I've got it at home.
Come on.

Nancy doesn't want to see no fight
and we don't want her to see none.

You boys are pushing.
Just don't push any further.

Here's your badge.

I thought you said it was home.

How come you switched sides?

Oh, I don't know.
I'm just not sure yet.

You walked out on them.

How about Tommy?

Well, I can see Tom was a mistake.

Ricky?

I thought he'd grow up
in the Army. He didn't.

Just what does Leon mean to you?

He's just a friend, but he helped
me and never asked for anything.

I just didn't want to see Ricky cut you
open and Tom with that bottle on your face.

So I eased you out.

I had my gun.

Yes. But you weren't
reaching for it.

You played a cool head,
I like that.

You did too.

You might be all right at that.

You think it's easy being 19?

Easy for what?

Know exactly what you want.

What do you want?

Look at your insides, Ricky. When they want
a kid downtown, they want one with guts.

They don't want somebody like you.

You like to bug me, don't you?

Well, I can bug you some too.

Go ahead. Bug me.

I don't like the way
you look at Nancy.

What's the matter?
What are you talking...

I seen you look at her.

- So?
- So you're an old man and you want a kid like Nancy.

- Go ahead, bug me.
- You're crazy.

You're way out, old man.
Nancy isn't for you.

She wants a...
a young guy like me.

The old men get the best girls.

They got more to offer
than conversation.

Hey, why are you so gone
for her anyway?

She's the only girl
around here that's not dirt.

What about my sister?

What about her?

You better make exception to
my sister and make it plenty fast.

We won't talk about your sister.

Look, I'm telling you
to cut her out.

You were trying to get me angry,
now look at yourself.

- I said cut it out. You... Right!
- All right. All right.

Okay.

It takes something special to kill a man,
not a belly full of chicken feathers.

I was just testing you, kid,
just trying you out.

You shouldn't play me that way.

Okay, kid.

You'll kill, all right, but do it for
money. Don't do it over a woman.

Now, go home and get some sleep.

You're all right.
You're all right.

Hi, Gus.

- Hiya, Johnny.
- Hi there. What's up?

We just saw Joey at the hospital.

Oh?

He told us you were the guy who
saved him, boy. He's for you strong.

Now, we'll aim for that phony,
Tom. We're gonna cream him.

I shouldn't say this,
but good luck.

Hey, you could send us up for pulling
that goof off the other night, huh?

Look, the damage has been done.
There's nothing you can do about it now.

You could turn out be a right guy yet,
you know, Johnny?

Thanks. I'll try.

See? You know, it's hard to figure out how
a nice guy like that could become a cop.

Yeah.

Come on.

Uh, now, Terry,
you wouldn't be borrowing money from me

to spend at another bar, would you?

- Vinny, give me some money.
- Oh, no.

I just wanted to buy a couple
of things, groceries...

...and candles, maybe even
a bottle of wine.

And you find yourself
a man to work on?

Johnny is coming
to the apartment for dinner.

Here.

- Oh, thanks, Leon.
- Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.

Play it smart,
you got yourself a husband.

Oh, it's only a little dinner,

but I want him to like it.

Johnny took her home last night.

- Nancy?
- Glad to see you, Nancy.

What are you doing here so early?

Oh, I'm not coming back
to work, Leon.

Why?

Do I have to have a reason?

Oh, that cop must have talked
real good to you last night.

Hey, Leon. I think I'll just
have one last one before I go.

Oh, wait a minute, Terry.
What did he say?

Leon, I'm in a hurry.

For you there's no more hurry.
Give her a drink.

I don't want that to happen to me.

With me watching over you, never. Now,
Nancy, don't walk out on me.

I need you here. Look,
I need you. I'll raise your pay. I'll...

Oh, Leon. It's not the money.

You've been good to me,
but I don't want to end up as a tramp.

That's sure where I've been headed.

And your good friend, Leon,
has he tried to stop you?

Terry, I wanna do something
real nice for you.

Oh, why are you always doing
something nice for me?

Because I like you.

Here. Take this, it's on the house.
Get drunk so the cop recognizes you.

I'm sorry.

Here.

I'll just finish this one
and then I'll go, okay?

You want Nancy to end up with John?

That flat foot must have
really talked to you, huh?

Yes, he did.

And I kissed him.

Why, you cheap thing. One decent guy on
the street, you couldn't leave him alone.

What's the matter with you, Terry?

All right. So she kissed him, just for
laughs, that's all it was, for laughs.

Nancy, why don't you stay here
with Leon?

He can fix things for you
like he did for Joan.

- All right, all right, all right.
- Why? What's the matter?

You wouldn't understand.

Oh, I understand, Leon.

You're like a father to me.

Yeah, sure. Oh, I'm like a father
for this whole street, a stepfather.

Look, John is gonna have dinner
with Terry in her apartment tonight.

Terry, before you go,
I wanna do something real nice for you.

I want you to take this bottle of gin,
compliments of the house.

Oh, no. No, thanks,
I'm not drinking, not tonight.

Are you and Johnny good friends?

They will be.
Terry wants to be his wife.

Yeah, and I was a good wife too.

I was a swell wife once
while it lasted.

Come on, and this is your big chance
tonight at your place to hook him.

Now, Terry, this is may be
your last chance. Take it.

Oh, Leon,

it's only a little dinner. I just...
I just want to show him I was...

I'm a good cook, that's all.

Come on, come on. Okay,
okay. Come on, straighten up. Come on.

We shouldn't have
let her get drunk.

Oh, forget those two, will you?

I'm in love with that cop, Leon.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

To show you how happy I feel about it, I'm
going to fix you with a nice job downtown.

- You mean like Joan?
- Mmm-hmm.

Oh!

I'll introduce you to some
of my good friends down there.

But I don't have any training
or experience.

Joan made out well, you will too.

When do I start?

Tomorrow morning.

I'll take you downtown.
Get here early.

I'll see that you get set up right.

Oh, Leon, you're an angel.

You've got talent.

You'll be all right.

Be right there.

- Come in, Johnny.
- Hello, Terry.

Hello, you're just on time.

I'm so glad you could come. Here,
make yourself comfortable.

Take your coat off.
I'll be right with you.

Johnny,
I look different tonight, don't I?

- A new dress? Yeah, it looks wonderful.
- Oh, no, no, not the dress.

I mean me.

You're different?

Oh, you mean being here
in the kitchen, busy cooking?

Like a wife.

Here, let me help you.

No, you don't. You sit down.
I'll do everything.

I'll fix everything.

I don't have much time,
Terry. I...

Oh, forget time, John.
Time is cruel.

Cruel or not, I've got to be
back on that beat by 06:30.

Don't worry.
I'll get you back.

It's all ready.

There you are.

Well, how about yours?

Oh, I just made one. I just
want to watch you, okay?

Sit down.

Oh, we'll split this one.

Oh, no.

I'm much too happy to eat.

I do look different,
don't I, Johnny?

You know something?

Tonight I'm going to start
a brand new Terry.

All clean... all clean
and fresh and...

and...

Here, eat.

A cop,
I'm so proud that you're a cop.

You don't mind
my being divorced, do you?

I mean, it doesn't make any
difference at all, does it? Huh?

Ooh, well,
that's too well done, isn't it?

- No, no, I like it crisp like that and...
- You know,

a divorced woman is more understanding,
Johnny, you know that?

She'll work much harder to make her
second marriage really happy, you know?

- Sure, sure.
- Starting all fresh and new and...

Oh. Oh, that was the biscuits.

I made you some biscuits.

Oh.

The biscuits didn't turn out.

Would just salad be okay?

Sure, that'll be fine, Terry.

Why don't you just bring in
the coffee and sit down?

Coffee?

Oh, I forgot the coffee.

A woman should be gracious
and charming.

That's what a man wants in a wife.

I don't live in the past, Johnny.

Rub out all the mistakes
as if... as if they never were.

All the men and...
What I mean is

I could be a swell wife.

Gracious

and charming.

Oh, suppose a woman
has made a few mistakes,

just the kind of learning.

Men don't fool her anymore.

She finds the right man and she
builds her charming and gracious life.

Oh, Johnny,
don't you understand, I can change.

- Sure, Terry, I know.
- I can fix...

I'm sorry.

- I'll fix it, let me...
- I'll be all right, Terry. Don't worry about it.

I have some cleaning fluid
here, but...

I don't know what I did with it.

Here, here, this will do.

- This'll take it off. No, this will take it off!
- No. Oh, no, not that, Terry.

It's just alcohol.

It's not going to go
too well on the uniform.

Oh, Johnny, Johnny,
don't you understand?

I'll be all different,
all new, all fresh and new.

You need some coffee.

Why? I'm not drunk.

I had a before dinner cocktail.

Don't you know that well-bred
people have before dinner cocktails?

Sure, I know, Terry.

Is there something
I could do to help?

Help me?

Oh, that's very easy.

Just give me a reason to live.

Gi... give me a reason to
want to wake up in the morning.

I'll make some coffee.

You're not much
interested in me, are you?

Who's your girl, that Nancy?

Look, Terry,

Nancy is just a kid. I...
Sure, I like her.

Terry, I'm not important to
you. You've got to find yourself.

She's too young but she's
not so clean and fresh either,

hanging around Leon.

You think she's any better
than I am?

Dinner was lousy, wasn't it?

I went and messed everything up again,
didn't I?

Charming and gracious.

Gracious, gracious...

Terry, get a hold of yourself.

I knocked but I guess
there was too much noise.

Just the same as the day
I left you,

drunk.

Neighbors had to call a cop.

Oh, Harry, this...

this is a good friend, Johnny.

Johnny, this is...
this is Harry.

We were married once.

I didn't want
to interrupt anything.

Oh, no, it's just a...
it's just a quiet dinner.

I supposed you're drunk too.

This would be a good time
to be kind to your wife, mister.

It's just a little dinner, Harry.

I was about to make
some coffee. Have some?

You wouldn't believe I was crazy
in love with us once, would you?

That is before you started
stopping in at Leon's.

Leon fixed you up good, didn't he?

Harry, what do you want?

You have two copies of the
divorce decree, I want one.

Why?

I'm getting married.

I'm sorry, fella,
I guess I talked out of turn.

The girl's got to believe
in herself.

Why don't you help her?

I tried, believe me. She was
the finest person in the world

until Leon convinced her
it was smart to be a drunk.

She's dying inside.

Why don't you go out there and make
her feel that she's still important?

It's too late.

Terry! Terry!

Hey! Come back...

Terry.

Terry. Terry, stand still.

Terry, get back in here.

Terry.

Terry.

You come near me and I'll jump.

Terry, take my hand.

Leave me alone.
You had your chance.

You, everybody, look at me.

See how young I am.

How clean and fresh.

Terry, Terry,

I'm holding my hand out
for you. Please.

I don't want your hands. See,
how beautiful I am.

Terry, Terry, you must live.

Why must I live?

Give me one reason to live.

I'll come back.

Harry said that you were the
finest person in the whole world.

Oh,

he said that?

Yes, he said that, Terry.

- Take my hand.
- No, he didn't.

No, he didn't.
You didn't give me a reason.

Terry, I need you
as a friend, Terry.

As a friend.

But you couldn't love me,
could you?

Could you, Johnny?

I could, Terry.

Oh, tell me you love me.

But don't lie.
Please don't lie.

Terry, please give me your hand.

- Please.
- No.

Please take my hand.

You couldn't lie to me, could you?

Terry, I love you.
Please take my hand.

Oh, Johnny, I don't want to die.

I want to be loved.

Terry, Terry.

Terry!

You're crazy coming down here and
getting mixed up in this, you know that?

I gotta find out what happened.

It's him, ain't it?
You're worried about him.

Johnny,

Johnny, where's your uniform?

I've been suspended
until after the hearing.

What'd you do, cop?

Push her?

Don't ride me tonight, boy.
Don't ride me.

Ah, nice tie you're wearing.

Got 20 bucks?
Get one like it.

I got one.

- Where'd yours come from?
- It was a present from my sister.

Did she know Larry, Sam's boy?

How should I know?

They used to go steady.

What happened?

She outgrew him I guess.

She got a job as a fashion
model and moved uptown.

I'd like to talk to her.

You know where she lives?

No.

You?

Look it up in a phonebook
if you're so interested.

Let's go to Leon's.

You go.

You ain't gonna do yourself no good
hanging around with him, you know that?

Yeah, I'll worry about that, Ricky.

In my spare time.

Why didn't you go with him?

Does it bother you that I didn't?

No, it doesn't bother me.

Something else bothers me.

Ricky's sister.

She bothers a lot of people.
She's very pretty.

You said she went steady with
Larry. When did they break up?

Quite a while ago.
I don't know exactly.

Who would know?

This could be very, very
important. Is there anybody that might know?

Well, the kids they used to
go around with, Tiny or Joey.

Short Stuff
was a real good friend of his.

Let's go talk to him.

So you found out
about Larry and Joan?

Yeah, but not enough.

I know now
that he was in love with her.

Yeah, he had it real bad.

Is that why he died?
Because he had it real bad?

In a way I guess.

Her saying she was a model,
that was just a front.

Larry found out.

How?

She told him.

I guess she got tired of him
hanging around and bothering her.

Getting in the way I guess.

So she gives him that
fancy tie for the kiss off.

Larry just couldn't take it.

I can't believe it. She
seemed like such a nice girl.

Know her address?

Joan's address?

Why? What'd he
want to know for?

He had some goof off stuff
about a tie and that dead kid, Larry.

You didn't give it to him, did you?

Well, how could I?
I don't have it.

That John is asking for a killing,
his own.

How much would it be worth to you?

Now you're talking, Ricky,
trying to talk big and hard.

I don't think you'd do it.

Would you, if I gave you a gun?

Maybe.

- Yes.
- Hello,
I'm looking for a girl named Joan.

Well, she's not home.
I'm Frances.

When do you expect her back?

Oh, I don't know.

I'd like to ask some questions.

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- So am I.

Get out of here
before I call a cop.

What do you think I am?

I could have guessed.
Why bother me?

Because I found out why a certain
boy named Larry hanged himself.

Larry?

The boy Joan used to go with?

That's right. The boy
who loved Joan very much.

What's that got to do with me?

What's it got to do with Leon?

Leon? I know
lots of Leons.

A certain Leon,
who runs a bar on a certain street,

whose pleasure is helping
people destroy themselves.

Oh, that Leon.

Yes, that Leon.

I guess I know him, too long and
too well, but I don't talk about him.

Why?

See this face, mister?

Maybe it's not as good as it once was,
but I don't want it broken.

Look, I can help you
if you... if you talk.

I told him,
Joan. I had to. He kept after me.

You told a cop?

Maybe I'm not sorry I did.

But you wouldn't testify.

I told him I would.

Against Leon?

Gus, I...
I need your help.

Haven't you heard?
I've retired.

Yeah, I know.

And I'm tired too.
You want some coffee?

Thanks.

Look, Gus, I came to you because
I've got no official standing now.

Yeah, I heard.
But neither have I.

Yeah, but... but they respect you,
they'll listen to you.

About what?

Leon's downtown connections.

You found that out in a week?

It took me a year.

You knew?

You knew all that time
and let Leon get away with it?

Now wait a minute, Johnny.

Don't talk to me like that.

While you walked your beat Leon
took these kids, these boys and girls,

made them into drunks,
got them into trouble,

sent them downtown,
dirty and rotten.

No, no,
not at first. I fought back, Johnny,

but the street whipped me.

Well, it won't whip me.

You know, a patrolman
walking his beat,

he's a little man, Johnny.

This is a big world.

You know, Gus, I found a girl...

I found a girl
who will testify against him.

You've talked to her?

Yeah.

- Where is she now?
- Downtown in an apartment with another girl.

Is the other girl
willing to testify?

Well, I don't know.
I haven't talked to her.

Well, then get back to her.
Get back to her fast.

She'll tell the other girl, she'll tell
Leon, and that will be her finish.

What are you worried about?
Leon wants to see us on business.

You swear you didn't tell Leon
about the cop I talked to last night?

I swear.

What's with this 80 miles an hour?

Officer, I'm on the force.
I can't explain right now.

Okay. Show me your badge.

Look, I'm on suspension.
This is terribly urgent.

Three, four, five.

$500?

- Take it. It's yours.
- And what do I do?

"And what do I do?"
You said you didn't care.

- I don't.
- All right. Take the money.

Now, your sister's coming down here with
another girl. That girl is your job.

My sister? What have you got
my sister into?

This girl could go on the witness stand

and send your sister to
jail for a whole year.

Joanie, how did...
how did she get in this mess?

Well, you never wondered about that
when you got the easy money from her.

No, no, I just didn't think.

All right. Your sister knew
what she was doing.

She wanted the clothes,
the fun, the money.

Do you want your sister
to go to jail?

No, she won't go to jail.
I'll do anything.

I know you will. I mean,
the fast 500 I gave you makes it easy.

Nancy, how are you?

I found out about
your downtown connections,

the kind of work you got for Joan.

Oh, you still want the job?

Is that what you want me to do?

Nancy, girl, when you first
came down here,

you came down for the kind
of pleasure that I can provide.

Boys, men, jukebox, liquor, huh?

Did you come down here
for something else?

I thought it was fun.

This kind of fun is for keeps.

I should have guessed about Joan.

I can see what happened to Terry.

Oh, yeah, poor Terry.

She died owing me a $50 bar tab.

Is that all she meant to you?

What did she mean to anybody?

I'll watch you
for the next five years.

I'll tell you something.

I'll be five years older but
I won't be too old for you.

Hey, Nancy, when you get back,

I'd like to see you before
you go downtown with Leon.

Well, what's so important
you want to talk about?

Oh, I didn't send for you,
only Joan.

What'd you get me up in
the middle of the night for?

Oh, I thought he meant both of us.

I don't think Leon wants
you around right now, Ricky.

He doesn't mind.

Uh, you and I got
some business, Joan.

- I'll see you later, Joan.
- Wait, wait.

Uh...

Ricky will take you home.

- A cab is just as easy.
- No trouble.

He's a real nice boy. You
want to get to know him better.

All right. Fine.

Let's go.

Ricky, everything's all right,
isn't it?

Everything's just fine, little sister.
Now we're both making money.

I got to make a stop for some gas.

Okay.

Why did you bring
my brother into this?

Because he was right for the job.

There was only one other witness,
his sister, you.

Witness? To what?

All you have to do
is scare Frances a little.

Scare her, yes, so she'd go to the
police running instead of walking.

Leon, Ricky wouldn't
do anything really bad.

Ah, you know what Ricky's gonna do?

Your brother, Ricky,
is gonna do what he has to do.

Not Ricky.

Oh, what are you afraid of? I doesn't
matter, he's going to kill the girl.

Johnny, did you see
Joan last night?

No, but I talked to Frances, her girl
friend. Do you know her by any chance?

Yeah. She just left here
with Ricky in George's car.

- When?
- Just a minute ago.

Sergeant, you got to put out
an all-points bulletin

to stop a blue and white
Mercury convertible,

license number 2041. I haven't
got time to explain it right now.

Just do it.

Since when are you
running this station?

Look. There's gonna be
a murder.

Leon Curtis sent out a kid named Ricky
to get rid of a girl named Frances.

Leon Curtis again? You got a
bug on that guy, haven't you?

Will you put out a bulletin
and stop that car?

I know Leon. He works
long hard hours in a little bar.

He's no rackets, man. If so, where
is his penthouse? Where is his yacht?

Look, this girl told me enough
about Curtis to put him away

if we can only get to her in time.

What right did you have to talk
to her? You're no police officer.

Sergeant, will you
please listen to me?

No, you listen to me.

Until the hearing you're just a guy
that's involved in the death of a woman.

Maybe you are too.

Do you know where Ricky lives?

- Yeah.
- Come on.

It's the next floor.

Ricky?

Where's Frances?

I don't know.
She went home.

- With Ricky?
- How should I know?

Joan, please. Tell him
before it's too late.

It is too late.

Listen to me.

- Where is Frances?
- I took her home.

Ricky, don't say anything.

You didn't have time to drive
her all the way downtown.

- Where is she?
- Well, could...

Will you get your hands off
of me or I'll call a cop?

I'll make it easier on you.
We're going to the station.

You blow your top?
What's this?

A punk killer. Book him
and I'll make him talk.

- What killing?
- Nothing's happened. This guy's flipped.

What right did you have
to bring this boy here?

I'm making a citizen's arrest.
On suspicion of murder.

Did you see the crime committed?

No, but I know there was one.

Didn't you learn anything
at police school?

You can't sign a complaint unless
you see the crime committed.

Look, Sergeant, I know there
was a crime committed. Book him.

Give me an hour alone with him
and he'll go show us where the body is.

Now, what's the matter?
What's the matter?

Everything's all right.

What's going on here, Sergeant?

You knocked this rookie off the force,
now he goes around beating people?

We get no police
protection around here?

What are you going
to do about it, Sarge?

You want to sign a complaint
against him, assault and battery?

No. I just want
to get out of here.

Come on. Let's go.

Johnny, you step out of line once more,
I'm going to have you locked up.

Johnny, Johnny,
we can't be sure about Frances.

Now there are three people
that are sure about her,

Leon, Ricky, and his sister.

Well, you did everything you could.

Yeah.

Look, Nancy, I'll... I'll call
you at the house later, okay?

- Okay.
- I'll catch you.

Hey, chick. Come here.

You seen the cop around?

Yeah, sure, why?

Well, I got something to tell him.

So tell me.

See the garage over there?

- That guy used to always play the horses...
- Yeah.

- ...in back of Leon's, now Leon owes the guy...
- So, what about it?

Well, this guy, Ricky,
he drives in the garage with a girl.

They go right by me.
They're both laughing.

So?

Well, a few minutes later,
Ricky walks out of the garage alone!

He ain't laughing.
I go in the garage,

the car is there,
but no girl. No nothing.

She could get out some other way.

But there ain't no other way.

No, wait.

- Stay there until I can say you can come back.
- Yeah.

- And make sure they get on a plane.
- Okay.

All right.
Get out or I'll shoot.

Where is she, Curtis?

This man has threatened me,
I told him to stay out of here.

I've got a gun.
I'm going to shoot you.

I can do it legally.
I'm warning you and I want to do it,

but I'm going to give you a chance,
now get out.

Where is that girl, Curtis?

Shoot.

Now, you haven't got
the guts, Curtis.

I've killed before,
you guys can see this time it's legal.

Johnny? Johnny?

Johnny, I got something
to tell you. Quickly. Alone.

Hey, Leon, you ought to get out
a warrant for that crazy ex-cop.

I don't need a warrant for him.

He's dangerous.

It's all in knowing how, huh?

Nothing under the car.

Sand, it makes a good blackjack.

- Do you think he would?
- Yeah, but what did he do with the body?

Johnny, please let
the police handle this.

Who am I?

Without a badge, without a gun?

Nancy, will you please
go home? I'll see you later.

I'm not going home.

Now you listen to me.

- Johnny, please let me stay. I don't want to go.
- Short Stuff,

see that she gets home.

Yeah.

- What are you doing here?
- Leon, I went to the...

I went to the garage to get the car and
I saw Johnny in there, snooping around.

So... So?

Well, isn't Frances in there?

No. I told you to take them
to the airport.

Well, that's what I came back
to tell you.

On the way to the garage,

Ricky started to break up like
he's going out of his head

- so I took him home.
- You... you what?

You took him home?

The kid is breaking up and you left
him two blocks away from the police?

Well, what did you want me to do? Bring
him here in that condition? That...

Kill you.

Listen, you're going to have to get
somebody to take care of Ricky. Face it.

This is one job I'm going
to take care of myself.

Go in there
and take care of the brew.

Let's go to the garage, Curtis.

There's nothing there.

You'll show me.

All right. All right.

All right. Move.

There's a girl's body
in here some place.

Girl, huh?

All right, come on in.
Come on in, everybody.

Look around. Look around
and see if you can see anything.

What do you see, huh?

An empty garage, four walls, right?

Yeah. Empty.

Now, tell me is this
guy crazy or isn't he?

He must be crazy. I don't
see anything. Joint's empty.

Okay. All right.
Thank you very much, folks.

All right. Now, you, get out. This
is my property. You're trespassing.

Go ahead! Get out!

Well, Johnny.

Hi, Gus.

Good to see you.

Well, my street broke you.

It didn't break me
and it's not your street.

Suspended from duty.

Look, I have a hearing.

Assault today,

once in the police station,
once in front of a dozen witnesses.

I may be in trouble but Leon is
scared. He's real scared, Gus.

That's why I'm here.
To ask you to go away.

We're not big enough for this street,
Johnny. Neither of us.

I got off of it alive.

Well, I'm not getting off of it.

Nancy came to the station.

They called me.

I told her to wait there
and I'd bring you back.

When I go back into that
station it's not going to be alone.

I've got things to do, Gus.
I'll see you later.

All right.

You won't find anything there.

Her body is five miles out
in the bay by now.

I thought you retired.

I am but it's still my street.

Not anymore, Gus.

Not anymore.