The Sleeping City (1950) - full transcript

Hello, everybody.

My name is Richard conte.

In the picture you're about to see,
I play the part of Dr. Gilbert,

an intern at bellevue hospital.

With the permission of the city authorities,
all the facilities of bellevue hospital,

located in the heart of New York City, were
made available to the film production crew.

The story itself is completely fictional

and did not actually happen
in bellevue hospital or in New York City.

During our stay at bellevue in making this
picture, we saw the real bellevue at work

in its wards, its clinics,
and research laboratories.

We came to know the unrivaled opportunities
offered by this great teaching center



to young students of all races, colors, and creeds
in advancing in their chosen profession of medicine.

On this same site will rise during the next
10 years the new buildings of bellevue,

already planned and begun,
and they will form the world's greatest

and most complete medical research
and teaching center.

To the old and to the coming new bellevue,
and on behalf of our entire company,

we salute the magnificent professional skill and
highest devotion to duty known throughout the world

as the Mark of each of bellevue's
1,300 doctors and 1,100 nurses.

How is he, doc?

Breathing from memory.

Get him ready for the operating room.

Emergency, acute retention,
there's the workup.

Urology.

Dr. grennell,
ambulance case brought in by Dr. foster.

Male, 60 years old, retention 30 hours,
on his way up to or.



Yes, sir, I'll call him.

Oh, Dr. foster, miss
Sebastian wants you to...

Anesthetist, or, b6, acute retention.

Dr. grennell, sodium pent.

What about miss Sebastian?

She'd like to see you when you come in.

She's on traumatics.

Della, put that retention in b6,
Dr. grennell's on his way up.

Tell miss Sebastian I'll see her later,
I'm going out for a smoke.

If we get a buzz, you can
send a driver for me.

- Inspector.
- Fill me in.

Got the squeal about twenty minutes ago, intern,
name of foster, caught one in the head.

- Any collars?
- No, no arrest yet.

- Who's here from homicide?
- Barrow and Travers.

They're inside talking to the
chief of staff, Dr. sharpley.

- Who called the squeal in?
- Nurse, name of wardly.

- Any statement?
- Not yet.

Whatcha been doing since you got here,
dating nurses?

- Hi, inspector.
- You finished, doc?

- Just about.
- Anything you can tell me?

Sure, he's dead.

- Okay to handle him?
- All yours.

Miller, get the ballistics man.

I'm detective Travers, inspector, homicide.

You carrying this squeal for downtown?

Just as far as the local
squads will need us.

My partner barrow is over in the hospital
with Dr. sharpley, chief of staff.

- You find any open lines?
- Nothing.

- Feels like it's gonna be a tough one to knock down.
- Hm.

We haven't found the slug yet, inspector.

- You examine the wound?
- Yeah, .38.

Let's go inside.

A call came in.

The driver went out and... and found him.

And then you called Dr. sharpley?

Yes, and Dr. dutra and I examined him,
but it wasn't necessary.

- Who's Dr. dutra?
- Well, he's... he was foster's roommate.

- Where is he now?
- He had to go back to obstetrics.

Will you please call him, Dr. sharpley?

Ask him to meet us in his room.

Had foster ever told you
anything that might...

- No, sir, nothing, nothing at all.
- This is Dr. sharpley.

It was just that when he came in,
he seemed so tired.

- Worried?
- No, just tired, I guess.

Then he started out and I remembered to tell
him that miss Sebastian wanted to see him,

but he said he just wanted
to go out for a smoke,

- and that was...
- Thank you.

You can go now, miss wardly.

You see, inspector, it's just as I told
this gentleman from homicide.

I don't know what more anyone
could tell you about foster.

He was a very bright young man,
he was well liked by everyone.

- I just can't imagine...
- Who is miss Sebastian?

Sebastian, Ann Sebastian,
she's a ward nurse, traumatics.

- Is she in the hospital now?
- Yes.

Call her, tell her to come
to foster's room too.

Sure he had a gripe, all of us do, I guess,
but for future and all that.

How are we gonna get into practice if we
have to be hospital residents all our lives?

Like griping about the food in the army.

Maybe no more serious than that.

The last few months, foster seemed to... I
don't know, he was worried, jittery, bitter.

Jumpy as a cat, could hardly talk to him.

- Did you try?
- Sure, I tried, but it was impossible.

- Why did you bother?
- What... well, I don't know.

I never thought about why.

What do you mean, "why did I bother?"

What kind of a question is that?

You live with a guy, you like him,
you worry about him, you're...

How long did you know him?

We bunked together for almost a year.

You work the same ward with him?

We worked all the wards.

- Psycho?
- Sure.

Foster and I, we worked
psycho for three months.

We work all the wards for the experience.

- Where was he working?
- He was on the bus,

but his regular ward was traumatics.

That's the accident ward.

So you just liked him
and worried about him,

but every time you tried to get him to open
up, he told you to mind your own business.

Look, inspector, a guy's got a problem.

He didn't wanna talk about it, so okay!

I figure it's his problem, and I don't
push my nose in where it isn't wanted.

Well, unfortunately, Dr. dutra, it might
be that his problem finally killed him.

So his problem becomes my problem.

You follow me?

Was he borrowing much money?

You ever meet anyone simple enough
to lend money to an intern?

Why did Ann Sebastian give him the air?

- She didn't.
- How do you know?

You said foster was a clam,
never spilled anything.

And you don't push your nose in where
it isn't wanted, so how do you know?

Don't ever argue with a cop, son.

Just answer his questions.

Please come in, miss Sebastian.

Thank you, doctor, you
can go back to work now.

I'm inspector Gordon, this
is lieutenant Miller.

- Would you like to sit down?
- I'm all right.

You must forgive me for
troubling you at this time.

I know this has been a very
terrible shock to you.

Since you were closer to foster
than anyone else in the hospital,

I thought you might give us
some information that might help.

Dr. dutra has told us that you and foster
planned to be married soon.

Married?

We were very fond of each other, but...

I'm sorry, I'm afraid I
don't feel very well.

Yes, I understand.

- We can talk later.
- Thank you.

Oh, miss Sebastian, just one thing.

- Foster worked with you in the ward?
- Yes.

- He lose any cases recently?
- Lose any?

Anyone die who might've had a relative
who would blame foster?

- No, sir.
- What'd you wanna see him about?

- When?
- This morning.

- It was nothing.
- Nothing?

You asked miss wardly
to tell him you wanted to see him.

- I just wanted to talk to him.
- That's what I'm asking.

- What about?
- Nothing, inspector.

I just wanted to talk to him.

But he didn't wait.

- Had you quarreled?
- Oh, no, sir.

- I was just worried about him.
- Why?

Well, it don't know why.

He was unhappy and depressed,
and every time I tried to talk to him,

well, he, he would...

So much worrying going on about foster
without anybody knowing what was eating him.

You have any idea who might've shot him?

I wish I did.

Thank you, miss Sebastian.

You can go now.

I want foster's complete record.

Hospital, schools, everything you've got,

and I wanna talk to all the nurses, doctors,
interns, everybody he ever worked with.

I can have his complete file
and a list of names this afternoon.

Thanks, let's go.

Yes, chief.

Detective Travers is
carrying it for homicide.

No, the gun didn't show.

I got the harvest squad
grappling the river with a piece.

Right, right.

Right.

- Any suspects?
- Four.

- They look healthy?
- No.

- Know what I think, al?
- I think you're wrong.

- What's your figure?
- First, I'll give you yours.

- You'd say psycho.
- I'd say psycho.

- Give me the rest of it.
- I'd say foster was pushed across

by a released psycho who
had a burn against him.

You wanna work that line, Barney?

I'll make book we don't
find a rational motive.

I think the kid was clean and clear.

It has to be a psycho.

How many men will you need?

As many as you can give me.

I'll give you what I can spare,
but I still say you're wrong.

At night, a strangle job,
that's my figure for a psycho.

He needs the personal contact,
the satisfaction of being right in there,

like in the Ronnie Gibbons
case and a dozen others.

We've had psychos who've used guns before.

Sure, but they never deal
just one in the head.

Once they start, they can't stop pumping.

Okay, Barney, you work that psycho line.

- Get rolling.
- All right, chief.

Sure, I've been rolling, sure, I'm tired,
and you wanna know something?

I've worked every line and I'm no nearer
the killer now than I was when I started.

We're as far apart as a and z, but I'm not
getting off this squeal until I knock it down.

Any lines you've opened look promising?

I think my men are through.

They're stepping on each other's heels.

Lieutenant Miller is still hammering
on the psycho angle, but I don't buy it.

We're not going to find what we want
outside the hospital.

We'll have to dig from inside.

- Deep inside.
- I'm still listening.

I'm going to use three men
from my confidential squad.

You'll have to get me the cooperation
of the hospital commissioner.

All right, al, I'll give
you a little more time.

I don't want it, I can't work against time
and against a killer.

It's one or the other.

Get me the commissioner of hospitals.

Of course we want to find Dr.
Foster's killer.

As hospital commissioner,
I am deeply concerned.

But you must realize that you're asking me to help
prepare fictitious records for three detectives,

put them into the hospital,
one of them as an intern.

Drastic, huh?

Inspector, it is my duty to know
a little more about these men.

I'm not trying to hide anything
from you, Dr. Holland.

It's just that very few people know
about the confidential squad.

I think you can rely upon my discretion.

Let me begin by explaining that every
police inspector has a small group of men

working under him known as inspector's men.

They're not attached to any one squad.

They work wherever I may assign them
in the district under my command.

I call them in whenever my regular
detective squads hit a dead end.

I see.

We try to keep their identities secret,
even from all of the squad.

The three men I picked for this assignment
are highly trained specialists.

Detective Rowan, the man I'm sending in as an
intern, has actually had two years of pre-med,

served three years
in the medical corps during the war.

That will help considerably.

For the past week, he's been in Los Angeles
getting a make on his new background.

We've got the complete cooperation of the
L.A. police and the medical school of usc.

He flew back this morning.

We've even got a family out there for him.

The address of a Los Angeles
detective named Gilbert.

That's the name Rowan will use.

I haven't filled him in yet on the job.

I figured to brief him here
in your office with your help.

Yes?

Send him in, please.

Inspector.

Commissioner Holland, detective Rowan.

How do you do, sir?

What is your name?

Fred Gilbert, sir.

Where and when were you born?

Los Angeles, California, June 15th, 1919.

Do you maintain an address there now?

Yes, with my mother and father
at 7620 olympic boulevard.

Tell me something about
your school background.

Well, sir, I graduated from
Los Angeles high school in 1938.

I got my b.S. At usc in 42.

Who was the principal at Los Angeles high
when you graduated?

Dr. William Collier, sir.

Where did you live at that time?

At 2998 veteran Avenue.

After you received your
b.S., you took your m.D.?

Not immediately, sir.

I enlisted in the armed
forces medical corps.

Served in the pacific until '44.

After my discharge, I went back to the
university for four years of medicine.

Got my m.D. In June '48.

Who was your commanding
officer in the army?

Colonel stirrett, sir, 15th medical corps.

I presume colonel stirrett would be willing
to write a letter of recommendation?

He already has, sir.

Colonel seems to think highly of you.

What does your father do?

- I beg your pardon?
- What's the matter?

Don't you know what your old man does?

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear the question.

My father is an electrician employed
by the motion picture companies.

We didn't plug that, inspector,
nobody's asked that question before.

I'll get that squared away.

Since you received your md,
have you had any practical experience?

Yes, I worked as ship's
surgeon on the ss Honolulu.

July '48 to February '49.

My employment record is in the files of the
transpacific steamship lines in San Diego.

What would you do with a severe asthmatic?

Subcu adrenaline.

What would you do with
a case of renal colic?

Antispasmodic and sedation.

Well, you'd fool me.

Yes?

Send them in, please.

Commissioner Holland,

detectives diamond and Reese.

- Hello, sir.
- How do you do?

- How are you?
- Pull up chairs.

We'll get to you as soon as
we finish briefing Fred.

Generally, your duties in the hospital
will be fairly simple.

Usual morning and night rounds,
the running of case histories.

When you're making the rounds,
you will be accompanied by the ward nurse,

who in many cases knows more
than the inexperienced intern.

You won't go far wrong if you let her take the
lead, but I must caution you, be constantly alert.

The ward conversations with doctors
just might expose you,

and above all, never permit yourself
to be forced into a situation

where you'll be required to do
any extensive medical work.

If such an emergency should occur, I'll rely
upon you to call for capable assistance,

even though it might
mean exposing yourself.

I understand, sir.

And here's all your necessary
identification, Fred.

Study every card, every word.

Be on your toes.

Once I'm inside, is there a specific line
you want me to follow?

The commissioner is going to start you
on the traumatics ward.

The nurse on that ward
is named Ann Sebastian.

There was some kind of thing
between her and foster.

Maybe she knows something,
maybe she doesn't.

Stay close to her.

You'll keep me informed
through Lou and Jim.

When a meeting is necessary,
we'll arrange it through them.

That's about all for now.

This is your application.

Study it.

I'll help you fill it out.

And the board was very favorably impressed
by your record, Dr. Gilbert.

The commissioner of hospitals and the Dean
of the medical school seem to have taken

a special interest in you, and I know
you'll fulfill their expectations.

You've been granted a one-year internship
and you'll start in traumatics.

Your salary will be $50 a month
and you'll live here at the hospital.

And you report tomorrow morning
at 10 o'clock in the auditorium.

And good luck.

And so, once more I say,
welcome to city hospital,

and once more I take this opportunity to emphasize
that we expect of every member of the staff

complete singleness of purpose in
dedicating themselves to a life of service.

Dr. connell, a resident, will now conduct you
on an indoctrination tour of the hospital.

You should make every effort to acquaint yourself
with the physical aspect, the general routine,

and the paperwork which
will be expected of you.

This is to be regarded, of course,
as a preliminary tour.

Later on, you will be made
thoroughly conversant

with the workings of the particular ward
to which you will be assigned.

And now, gentlemen, I present Dr.
Alex connell.

All right, you fellas, follow me.

You can leave your hats and coats here.

You'll pick them up later.

We'll start with the skyline.

Now, take a good look.

The last you'll see of it for a long time.

You'll get the hang of
things as you go along.

Just don't try to be an eager
beaver and you'll get by.

This is our main kitchen where we prepare
and serve approximately 9,000 meals a day,

and all different diets.

Anybody hungry?

Come on.

Grab it.

Now this is one of three chapels we have
here, available for our use at any time.

Let's go upstairs.

As you can see, we're just setting up
for a bronchoscopy.

On rounds, make sure you enter every
observation on the patient's chart.

Now, if you write an order for the ward nurse
to administer something to the patient,

no matter what it is, anything,
sedatives to a glass of water,

it must be entered on the chart.

Now, don't be too quick write an rx.

That's a prescription, fellas.

Especially sedation.

Now, rely on your ward nurse.

Happy is the intern with
an experienced ward nurse.

He's bound to be a great success,

especially if he knows enough
to keep his mouth shut and his ears open.

Well, this, my friends, is traumatics,

as any fool can plainly see.

Now, who's starting in traumatics?

I am, doctor.

Well, you should be a very happy intern.

You've got an experienced ward nurse,
and, uh, I mean experienced.

Come on.

Ann.

This is doctor...

- Gilbert, Fred Gilbert.
- Yes.

- Nurse Sebastian.
- How do you, doctor?

Miss Sebastian.

Dr. Gilbert is assigned to traumatics.

You'll help break him in.

I mean, the routine, of course.

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Well, there'll be plenty
of time for that later.

We still have to get your room assigned
and pick up your uniform,

and there are three more floors to go
and my feet are killing me.

Now, I've given you this advice free
just out of the goodness of my heart.

Cost me four years to learn it for myself.

Well, all this babe wanted to
do was to eat, eat, eat, eat.

Brother, could she shovel it away.

Yeah, that's the trouble when you take out
one of those student nurses.

They haven't gotten their full growth yet.

Door's open.

- You Dr. Anderson?
- Yeah.

My name's Fred Gilbert.

So?

I guess I'm to be your new roommate.

Okay.

Feels like I never left home.

Everything on that side of the room is yours,
everything over here is mine, including the walls.

Looks like all I'll need is the door.

My name is Steve.

You're for traumatics, aren't you?

Yes.

So am I.

I've been on night rounds
but the shift is just changing.

I think you'll have a gal named
Ann Sebastian, the ward nurse.

I just met her.

- Out of school long?
- About a year.

Spent some time with the
transpacific lines.

Which school?

University of Southern California.

We've got a man from there.

What's his name?

Nester, class of '46, I think.

Two years before me.

How long you been here?

Too long.

I'm eligible to become
a resident if I like.

If I like.

Give me an alternative.

What's wrong with private practice?

Oh, nothing, all for it.

Soon as I save up 15,000, 20,000 bucks to
set myself up, I'm out of here like a shot.

Shouldn't take me more than another 30 years
to save that out of my 50 big ones a month.

Maybe if you cut out cigarettes
you'll be able to make it in 29 years.

Of course we could always marry
the daughter of a coal tycoon.

All kinds of tycoons floating around who'd like to have
a nice clean thinking young doctor for a son-in-law.

So where's your problem?

Right here.

Oh, I see.

Guys like us can't afford
the luxury of falling in love.

Not unless she was sired
by some kind of a tycoon.

Even a minor league tycoon will do.

What's she like?

Just a girl.

She's a student nurse,
you'll probably meet her.

Her name's Kathy hall.

Hasn't got a dime.

Well, you never can tell what'll happen.

Maybe some rich charity patient will
leave you a million for saving his life.

Or you might be walking down the street one
day and get shot in the head like, um,

- what's his name?
- Foster?

Yeah, what happened to him?

Some nut got him.

The police get anywhere with it?

Police?

Great for writing parking tickets.

So you figure a psycho got him, huh?

Wouldn't be surprised if
foster paid 'em to do it.

This may feel a little warm to you,

but don't move your leg until
the plaster has settled.

Just relax.

Yes, doctor.

Big man.

Great surgeon.

Gets 10 grand for one operation.

Know how he did it?

He worked hard, studied hard,

slaved for years as a resident.

Finally, he married the daughter
of Mr. steel corporation.

Carves up his wife's girlfriends
at least twice a year.

Shh.

Hiya, pop, what's good at saratoga?

The water, haven't had
a winner in two weeks!

You don't live right.

Anybody see Anderson?

He's going on 24-hour relief.

Horse in the fifth
tomorrow named Andy's son.

Handicappers figure him 30 to 1.

But I don't know, Andy's son,
made me think of Anderson.

Just talking to him
today, might be a hunch.

Worth a small bet.

Think I'll put a couple on for
Anderson too, just for luck.

Find one that sounds like my name, pop,
and I'll book the bet for you.

Wise guy.

Big doctor with big words but no faith
in hunches or things like that,

things that really matter.

Ha, a lot you young ones know.

Gilbert, you ever meet pop ware?

- I've seen him around.
- Sure.

This is Anderson's roommate, Dr. Gilbert.

Pleasure to know you, young fella.

Pop's been around here longer
than the city charter.

He's the only civilian we allow in
this room, for a very good reason.

Any time you've got a heavy date
and you need a few bucks, call on pop.

He likes to give it away to
his boys, don't you, pop?

Don't you get smart with me.

I see too many of you come and go.

Thirty years.

I've run some great men up and down
my night elevator in my time.

Yeah, when they were just
young squirts like you.

But I always knew the ones
who were gonna be great

and the ones who were gonna turn into
fancy pants needle-pushers

with big words out of big books.

If I was you, son, I'd sure keep that needle
mighty close to me when I get out of here.

That's a nice, sure start to dead quick.

What's your opinion, son?

My opinion is that it's a great pleasure
to know you, Mr. ware.

There, now hear that?

Mr. ware.

Mark me, this boy's gonna
be one of the great ones.

If you see Anderson,
tell him pop's got the big hunch

and that there's two riding for him
on Andy's son in the fifth tomorrow.

Want two dollars' worth for yourself?

No, I don't think I can.

No obligation.

Keep it in my book.

If we hit, we'll get roaring drunk.

A keg of beer for everybody.

Just make mine big enough
to lift with one hand.

I've gotta go to work.

There, now, is a young fella
worth keeping your eye on.

Hey, Gilbert.

You're a tough citizen to catch up with.

I hear you're from usc.

- You must be nester.
- That's right.

I've glad to have seen you.

Look, I'm on rounds, I'll
catch up with you later, huh?

Yeah, sure.

- Dr. Gilbert.
- Yes?

Bed 14, coma, diabetic with a hip fracture.

Never mind.

Profuse perspiration,
tremors, unresponsive.

Uh-huh, yes.

His chart doesn't show any covering sugar.

No covering sugar.

It's possible, doctor, that he had Insulin
before he was admitted,

which he didn't report to medical.

I see, and since he was admitted?

Thirty units regular.

Thirty units.

Superficial veins in arm
are thrombosed, doctor.

There's a good vein in his leg.

Use it.

Fifty percent glucose ready, doctor.

Yes.

Glucose is beginning to take effect.

I'll call medical.

We should have some way of checking how much
Insulin was taken before a patient was...

How's that Insulin shock, doctor?

How did you know it was an Insulin shock?

Diabetic coma, temp's
abnormal, skin clammy, no.

- So what else could it be?
- Yeah.

What else could it be?

Hello, Steve.

Going on Liberty?

Twenty-four hours.

- Kathy too?
- Yeah.

- Well, that's handy.
- Great.

You may be a rich man tomorrow.

Find that wealthy charity patient for me?

Character called pop says to tell you he's
betting a deuce for you in the fifth race.

So, you finally met our famous pop ware.

Seems like a nice old character.

- Little eccentric.
- Yeah.

Yeah, he's eccentric all right.

He hates our guts.

I don't mean just us, I mean everybody
who's ever gone beyond the sixth grade.

That's why he pushes money
into the hands of the boys.

Gives him a sense of superiority, and don't let
him fool you with that eccentric old man act.

He'll let ya get into him for more
than you could hope to pay back.

Sneering look in his eye.

He's a big man with a big buck.

What is it, Steve?

You're overboard on pop, you know that?

- Steve.
- Maybe I am.

I'm just...

Look at that.

Come on, kid, tell me, what is it?

It's more than just you
and Kathy, isn't it?

Who's in those nightmares you have
when you're trying to sleep?

I don't know, Fred.

I don't even know left field anymore.

I swing hard but there's nothing at the
other end for my fist to smash into.

I'm worn out swinging at air.

Look, Steve.

You're beginning to hate everybody
who has one buck more than you.

Even a broken down old character
with elevator bells in his head.

It started with him but
your hate won't stop there.

So what am I supposed to do about it?

Marry Kathy now, money or no money, marry
her before you ruin your life and hers.

Great, swami Gilbert has all the answers.

Marry Kathy and settle down
to a fine and beautiful life.

Set up home in a hospital and raise
a large family of cute little ones.

Hey, doc, you got a match?

When's your Liberty?

Tomorrow, midnight to midnight.

Boss wants you.

East river park, south of
the williamsburg bridge.

Be there, 1 am.

Still awake, Mr. engle?

What time is it?

6:10.

Can't sleep.

Pain.

Your leg's coming along fine.

Old bones.

It's a muscular spasm that's bothering you.

We want that bone to set just right.

Can't sleep.

Pain.

Can't you give me something?

Something?

The nurse gave you a quarter grain
of morphine three hours ago.

Yes, but the pain.

It wouldn't be fair to your heart
to narcotize you any further.

- Just try to relax.
- Yes.

- You'll be asleep soon.
- Yes.

Relax and you'll drift right off.

Yes, yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Tired?

Yes, I visited my sister again today.

Oh, her little girl any better?

Nothing new.

Same recurrent fever,
same muscular atrophy.

Poor kid, she tries so hard to walk,
even a few steps.

You know why?

Just to make her mother happy.

It tears your heart out.

We really don't know very much, do we?

Like pop says, "big words
out of big books."

But when it comes right down to it.

There's one thing I know for sure.

There's no law that says we can't go out
for a cigarette and a breath of air,

as long as I leave a nurse in the ward.

A very sound rx, let's go.

"Blemishes are hid by night
and every fault forgiven."

The world should live by night.

The dark draws people together.

They can feel the need
for each other.

But the world gives
the night to the sick.

It keeps for itself daylight and lets men
look into faces filled with fear and hatred.

- Are you filled with fear and hatred?
- All the time.

Good, then you're bound to be
a great man one of these days.

That's the second time that
prediction has been made tonight.

- Who is the other Cassandra?
- The seventh son of a seventh son named pop ware.

Then you're right
in the hall of fame now.

Pop's never been wrong.

Your family lives
in Los Angeles, don't they?

- Mm-hm.
- What are they like?

- Just folks.
- Brothers and sisters?

- Two sisters.
- A girl?

Both girls.

I mean, did you leave
a girl back there?

No, what with medical school
and the war, I barely had time

to give my dog a decent upbringing,
let alone a girl.

- I'll bet it's a fine dog.
- Mm-hm.

Well-trained,
writes to me every week.

I'd like to get to know your dog.

Did you know
I'd been married once?

Mm-mm.

Well, I was.

He left me with two things:

Debts and beautiful memories.

Found it wasn't too tough
to pay off the debts and forget them.

But...

Still carrying the torch for him?

No, Fred, not for him.

Maybe for what might
have been, but not for him.

Ann...

There's no law that says
we can't go out for a cigarette,

but there's no law
that says we can.

- We better get back.
- Sure.

So, I decided to grab
the bull by the horns.

Of course, from this could come
all kinds of lacerations,

but people are always
grabbing bulls by the horns.

Yes, sir, I made up my...

Just in time, my friend.

Now hear this:

Kathy and me,
we're going to be married,

but right now, first chance
we get at the crack of dawn

before that bull gets away.

I'm glad to hear it, Steve.

The smartest thing you could do.

You think that's smart,
well, hear this:

But I'm swearing you all to secrecy
by the blood of aesculapius.

If one word of this reaches Kathy
before we're married,

I promise to incise your collective throat
with my own little scalpel,

even though I've already
promised myself

that my little scalpel has
tasted blood for the last time.

And that's the big news
in my life, my friend.

I'm through, through with scalpels,
retractors, speculums,

and that stinking food downstairs!

You mean you're through
with the hospital?

No, my bosom buddy.

I mean I'm through with medicine.

Through, finished, kaput!

I'm turning in the suture
for a future,

for a decent, normal life with Kathy.

I've got me a job as far
from medicine as you can get!

I won't even permit a box of aspirin
to be brought into my apartment.

Yes, I've got that too,
my own apartment.

Three whole rooms with nobody
in them but Kathy and me.

And every time I hear an ambulance
clanging by in the night,

I'll just hold Kathy
a little closer and laugh,

and laugh, and laugh,
and laugh, and...

Steve, listen to me,
you don't know what you're doing.

This is suicide.

You can't quit medicine,
it's your whole life.

Exactly the point.

My life.

And Kathy and I can't wait
another 20 years to live it.

- We haven't got the time.
- Look, Steve, I want you to report sick.

Go to the room
and wait there for me.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

Keep an eye on him, will you?

Sure.

Fred!

Glad I caught you, you've got
till tomorrow midnight, haven't you?

- Yes.
- So have I.

- Now she tells me.
- Booked up?

Yes, and a very dull booking it is.

Too late to get out of it.

Well, that's Ann Sebastian every time.

Too late with too much.

I'll take a rain check, though.

You've got it.

Anybody talking of the foster job,
like the Sebastian girl?

- No.
- But I thought they were...

- Yeah, well, maybe that's why.
- Anything else?

I'm not sure.
I'm afraid to press.

Where you would you push
if you were sure?

Well, I'm bunked in
with a kid named Anderson.

Spent all his life making
ready to be a doctor.

Tonight, he blew his top.

- Says he's quitting medicine.
- What's his beef?

No money. He's got a girl
he wants to marry.

Hasn't a prayer of getting in
a private practice.

What's your figure?

There's something in his gut.

More than he's talked about.

- He's loaded with hate.
- The kid splinter suddenly?

During the last few weeks.

- Since the foster job.
- Yeah, as far as I can tell.

- You think it's more than his girl?
- Well, I figured her from the beginning.

There's something else piled on.

But right now, the kid is desperate,
a frightened rat running away.

You don't run away from
your life work unless...

Unless what?

I don't know, I'm just
winging in the breeze.

I've got a hunch
we should pick him up.

No. No, if there is a score there,
I might be able to get him to open up.

But if you pressure him
and he doesn't crack, I'm through.

Okay, we'll play it your way,
but stay close to him.

- All right.
- Fred...

- Yeah?
- Do you think Anderson

might have pushed foster across?

I don't know.

- This your room?
- Yes.

I'm lieutenant lally,
13th detective squad.

This is detective abate.

Well, you're on Liberty
till tomorrow night.

- Why are you back?
- I live here.

No place else to go, so...

- Well, what's happened?
- Well, uh, we're not quite sure yet,

doctor Gilbert,
is that your name?

Yes, Fred Gilbert.

Oh. You were
Anderson's roommate?

- Were?
- Anderson's dead.

- When?
- When?

What do you mean "when?"

When what? When did he die?

- Mm.
- Aren't you interested in how

and what happened to him?

- Yeah.
- Well, then why do you ask when?

- Where are you from, doctor?
- Los Angeles.

You haven't been
here long, have ya?

No.

I'm sorry, doctor,
I didn't hear ya.

No, sir.

Did you get to know
Anderson pretty well?

I'm sorry, doctor, you'll have
to speak a little louder.

Fairly well.

What did you do tonight?

Nothing.

You left here about midnight.

It's now 3:20.

Nothing?

I, uh, went to a midnight movie.

One of those joints
on 42nd street?

- Yes.
- Alone?

- Yes.
- Of course.

I don't know very many
people in the city.

- Still quite a stranger.
- Yes.

But you know what
42nd street is all right.

- Yes.
- And the name of the picture house you went into?

Sure, it was the... what is this?

I don't understand why you're
asking me all these questions.

I don't understand
why you asked when.

I remember I was once told
that a friend of mine died suddenly,

and do you know what
my first words were, hm?

Not when, what.

What picture
did you see tonight?

I'm a little confused, I...
It's been a terrible shock.

- I don't know what I asked.
- That's all right, forget it.

Doesn't mean a thing.

- What picture did you see?
- You won't believe this, but...

But you were dog-tired,
you slept all through it,

and you don't even remember
what was showing, right?

Sure.

That happens all the time.

But you did leave
the hospital tonight.

Of course I did.

Anderson's body was found
about an hour ago.

That's when you were sound asleep
in that picture house on 42nd street.

Oh, I know what a terrible
inconvenience this is, doctor,

but we won't detain you long.

- What do you mean?
- I'll have to ask you to come with me

over to the east 22th street
police station.

We can talk a lot easier over there.

Questioning the Anderson case.

Well?

- I'm still waiting.
- For what?

For you to tell me
what happened to and...

I'm sorry, I meant to say for you
to ask me what happened to Anderson.

- All right, what happened?
- His body was found in the river

at the foot of 29th street.

Medical examiner said he hadn't
been dead more than a couple of hours.

- Accident?
- Bruise on the head.

That could have been caused
by the pilings in the river.

In any event, it wasn't the blow
in the head that killed him.

He drowned.
That's what the me said.

You say you've only been
in New York for a few weeks?

- No, I've been here before.
- Los Angeles, eh?

- Yes.
- You think if you tried real hard

you could remember the name
of the picture you slept through?

I can point out the theater.

It figures that Anderson died
somewhere between 12:30 and 1:00.

- You left the hospital a little after midnight.
- Yes.

And you went straight
to that midnight picture?

We talked to the doctors who were in that room when
Anderson announced that he was quitting medicine.

- I was there, too.
- He was depressed, huh?

Why should he want
to quit medicine?

- It's an involved story.
- We've got all night.

- He wanted to get married.
- To Kathleen hall?

Yes.

Have you seen her yet?

She'll be here in a little while.

You, uh, you're out of the university
of Southern California, aren't you?

- Yes.
- You asked one of those interns

to keep an eye on Anderson
until you got back.

- Why?
- I was worried about him.

Now that's what
I want to find out.

Why were you worried about him?

Just his mental state.

Couldn't think
of what he might do...

- I was just worried.
- Or might say?

- Say? What do you mean?
- What year?

- '48.
- What does that mean?

- The year I got out of school.
- Did I ask you what year you got out of school?

- Well, you just said...
- You think pretty fast, don't you, doctor?

All right, lieutenant,
get to the point.

Stop trying to show me
how clever you are.

Now, now, doctor.

That's no way to talk
to the lieutenant.

Well, I'm tired. Ask your questions
and let me go to bed.

You're a pretty nervous young man.

Maybe you ought to see a doctor.

Miss hall, lieutenant.

Sorry we had to bring you
here at this terrible time.

It's all in there, it was slipped
under miss hall's door.

It was slid under the carpet,
just turned up.

Too bad.

You know of any reason
why he committed suicide?

No.

- Inspector.
- Got the squeal 20 minutes ago. Fill me in.

Anderson, resident
of the hospital, suicide.

- Is she Kathy?
- Yes.

- Who's he?
- Dr. Gilbert.

Bunked with Anderson
in the hospital.

- Inspector Gordon.
- The deceased ever give you

any indication he might do this?

Only what I've already told
lieutenant lally.

All right, lally. You can send
miss hall home now.

I want to talk to Dr. Gilbert alone.

Would it be all right
if I took her home, lieutenant?

Sure. She'll wait for you outside.

I didn't get here any too soon.

Lally doesn't like your smell.

He was ready to shake
you down all the way.

He was beginning
to get to me all right.

Now I know what it feels like
on the other side of the desk.

Looks like you were right, Fred.

- It's more than just a girl.
- Look, here's my quick figure:

Foster and Anderson
were in over their ears.

Foster wanted to quit, threatened
to squawk, he got the bullet.

Anderson just cracked
under the pressure.

- What were they juggling, Fred?
- I don't know.

I don't know, there's something
there and I can't get it.

Is there some kind of
a hustle going on?

- What's your best guess?
- The only character on the make is pop, the old man.

What do you mean
he's on the make?

The horses, he's always
doping them for the kids,

hustling them for bets.

They bet with him
and never pay when they lose.

- Doesn't make sense.
- Has he tried it on you?

Yeah. Yeah, he's tried it all right.

You know...

I think I'll get hungry for a buck.

Let him get me hooked
and see what the play is.

I just won't believe it, Fred.

I just won't believe it.

If we could only understand
what pushed him.

It was only a few hours ago
I was standing right there

when he said he was
going to marry you.

Did you know he was
going to quit medicine?

Oh, he couldn't, Fred.

Medicine was
his whole life, everything.

Yes, I know.

Was there something else worrying him, apart
from the hospital and your personal problem?

I don't know.

Had he ever given you any indication
that he was fouled up in something

that had gotten beyond him?

He never confided in me.

Never anything
of any real importance.

A guy has to talk to somebody.

Was there anyone at the hospital
that he had confidence in?

Oh, you know how it was, Fred.

Never really friendly
with anybody.

There was just one person
he would spend some time with.

Who?

Bill foster.

Here it is, boys,
my three-star special of the day.

Rollo in the third at pimlico.
Any takers?

Give me four across the board.

Dr. Gilbert, four across.

That's 12 bucks. You're on.

- My luck is all bad, huh, pop?
- Sure, but don't worry.

Here. Here's one
that'll get you even.

Put the ten spot on his nose,
barrelhead at Jamaica.

Well, I'll try it once more.

There now, isn't it priceless?

Isn't that ingenious?

And, look, look.

Uncanny. Positively uncanny.

It's very clever, but I've bought the
little girl so many mechanical toys.

Perhaps an animal of some kind.

- Ah, I have it right here.
- Oh, isn't that wonderful?

Oh, indeed, it is.

Don't you think so, Dr. Gilbert?

- Yes, yes, it has.
- We'll take that, Mr. daye.

Thank you, I'm sure it will please
your sister's little girl.

That will be $5.95,
including the tax.

- Thank you, Mr. daye.
- Thank you, miss Sebastian.

Oh, herbie, look!

Wow!

Your niece really got
a big kick out of that giraffe.

Yeah, she did seem
a little bit better today.

- I'll see you at dinner.
- Bye.

Whoops.

Hey, doc.

- Got to see ya.
- Feeling sick?

Yeah, I feel sick all right,
but no medicine is gonna help me.

- What's wrong?
- Can you come down my room for a minute?

Can't talk here.

Let's go.

Doc, I'm in trouble.

- What kind of trouble?
- Big trouble, the worst kind of trouble.

Money trouble.
Doc, you know I'd never press you,

but I got to have it right now.

How much?

$143, that's what
you owe me, 143.

- Yes, but how much do you need?
- All of it, right now.

All of it? That's almost
three months' pay.

But I got to have it,
I just got to have it.

That bad, huh?

Otherwise, it's my neck, I tell ya.

What happened?

For the last ten days,
I haven't had one winner, not one.

I lost more than I can get up.

And the bookie don't want
to wait no more.

That's nothing
to get panicky about.

Just tell him he'll have to wait,
there's nothing he can do about it.

Nothing he can do about it, ha.

All he can do is send
his boys to take care of me,

see that I'm tucked away
nice in some alley.

- Has he threatened you?
- Threatened me?

I'd settle right now
for a simple fractured skull.

- Why don't you go to the police?
- The police, oh.

I can just them very happy to supply
an armed guard night and day

for the distinguished pop ware.

And if I do cry cop and they pick up
this bookie, where am I?

The boys outside will
take care of me in spades.

Have you asked any of the other boys
for the money they owe you?

Not a prayer, they're strapped.

This bookie, pop,
he's just trying to scare you.

He wouldn't dare
do anything to you.

No?

What do you think happened
to foster and Anderson?

You mean he had foster killed?

And he drove Anderson to suicide?

All I know is they bet
with him on their own.

Okay, I'll...

I'll try to raise
the money for you.

I don't think I can,
but I'll try.

Wait for me.
I'll make some calls.

Me? I ain't even going out
of this hole till you get back.

And I left him there with the shakes
down in the basement.

He's a frightened little man.

Call the boss and have him round up
all the bookies in the precinct.

- Right away.
- I'll keep pushing the old guy.

Well?

No dice, pop.

You know what this means
for me, Freddie.

I tried, but what can I do?

It's all right, doc.

You tried. I know you tried.

Ain't your fault.

Look, pop, maybe
we can still square it.

Take me to the bookie,
let me talk to him.

I'll sign a note for ya.

Just let me talk to him,
maybe I can convince him.

Oh, that's grand of you, Freddie.

That's real grand of you.

But it's no use.

Notes.

They only talk to cash.

And the truth, doc, I don't
even know who the big boy is.

I do business
with a guy, a runner,

who's been told to get
the money off of me or else.

At least let me talk
to the runner.

- Maybe I can...
- Wait.

There...

Yeah.

There is one way.

One way you can
help me, Freddie.

- How?
- Yeah, one way.

And you could do it, Freddie.

You could do it.

I need the white stuff.

Yeah. Could clear myself with that.

Just a little white stuff.

- White stuff?
- Pills.

Couple of half grains,
very small, very valuable.

Just a couple of half grain pills.

What do you say, Freddie?

What do you say?

I had to get you here right away.

There's no bookie,
it's narcotics.

That's how he hooked the kids.

Foster couldn't take anymore,
so they took him.

Anderson wanted to run away, quit medicine,
anything to get away from him.

- I think you're right.
- Well, do I deliver and make the arrest?

No, I figure the old party for a stooge.

We've got to get the pusher
and the boy with the piece, Mr. big.

You play along.
Get the stuff to him.

How do you get your hands on it?

All I have to do is write the rx,
give it to the ward nurse and she...

She administers the...

Hang on.

Muscular spasm.

You mean you have to work
through the ward nurse,

she can hold the stuff up.

Without her cooperat...

- What's the matter?
- Nothing.

Well, pay attention
when I talk to ya.

Getting soft in your old age?

Yeah, I guess I am.

That's how she hooked
foster and Anderson.

I thought she was
leveling with me.

Make up your mind,
she's hooked into this.

She's all set up for ya.
Follow me?

- Yes, I follow you.
- You've got me worried, I'm worried about you.

- I'm all right.
- I'll notify narcotics

it's turned into
a white stuff job.

You go right on down the line
like the other kids.

Let them hustle you,
and keep delivering.

Okay.

What's wrong, Fred?

Pop's in trouble.

- What is it?
- I don't want to talk about it.

Fred, please, is it serious?

Some bookie
threatened to kill him.

- No.
- Makes me feel it's all my fault.

Owes a lot of money,
he can't pay.

- He's scared stiff.
- Oh, Fred.

He thinks that's what happened
to foster and Anderson.

I don't believe it.

The police. Why doesn't
he go to the police?

He's scared. He says
they'd get him anyway.

How much does he need?

More than any of us can raise.

Know what he wants me to do?

- Get white stuff.
- White stuff?

- Narcotics.
- I don't understand.

To square himself
with the bookie.

Then that's the way
we must do it.

Are you crazy?
Are you out of your mind?

You don't know this city
like I do, Fred.

Of course they'll kill him,
police or no police.

Don't we see them
right in our own morgue?

You can stay out of it, Fred,
but I'll do what I can.

Ann, it's no good.

Believe me, you'll never
get away with it.

But we can, we can,
if we stick together.

It's simple,
it's so simple, it's silly.

- How?
- In rounds,

it's up to you to decide which patient
needs narcotics during the night.

But the order I write goes to the nurse
who is in charge of the narcotic cabinet.

The stuff is sent to me, isn't it?

I'm responsible
for administering it

and entering the dose
on the patient's chart.

In the morning rounds, the doctor can tell
if the patient has been narcotized.

The patient will be narcotized.

I give him phenobarb.

In the morning, it's impossible
to tell the difference.

- Give the patient phenobarb.
- Don't you see?

There's no record kept of that.

Darling, we must.

It's so easy to help him
just this once.

All you have to do
is write out the rx.

No narcotics missing or stolen.

Everything is in order.

I... I've got to think about it.

I've got to have time
to think about it.

- Who is it?
- It's pop.

Come in.

I come to thank you, Freddie.

You saved my life.

- Forget it.
- I gave the stuff to the bookie.

Yeah, it sure saved
my life, Freddie.

Forget it.

Yeah, forget it.

But it ain't that easy.

- What do you mean?
- I got to have more.

I don't blame you
for getting upset.

I got upset, too,
but this bookie,

he says to me, "pop, I like
the quality of this merchandise."

I could make five out of one
at a very fancy price."

You see, doc?

He wants more of the same.

Get out.

I'm really very sorry
about all this, doc.

I got you into it, and I couldn't like
you more if you were my own son,

but you'll think it all out.

I know you'll do
the right thing for me,

for yourself,
for miss Sebastian.

She'd be very unhappy in jail.

He's got us hooked
and we'll get in deeper and deeper.

There must be some way out.

We've got to think,
plan some way...

Plan? Plan what? What can we do?

Fred, if he goes to the police,
there's no choice for us.

We have to figure some way out
for ourselves, but we need time.

How do we get the time?

Only one way.

We have to play along with pop.

You ain't giving me enough stuff.

It's not safe. We'll have to wait
till some new patients come in.

You got to write more.

I can get rid of all you give me.

- There's ten bucks for you for each pill.
- I don't want it.

Now you can pick up 60,
70 bucks a week for yourself,

more than you get here in a month.

Won't be long before you can open
your own office, leave the hospital.

Then, we'll be able to do
a fine business together.

No more piddling
with a few pills.

A real fine business.

Boss is ready.

The old man isn't
unloading the stuff.

He never leaves the hospital.

- And the girl?
- He turns the stuff back to her.

She makes the drop.

- At the toy shop, huh?
- Yeah, you crack at daybreak, all the way,

then start down 29th street
toward the river.

- What time?
- 6:20 on the nose.

All right, be there.

- I'm quitting.
- What?

- I'm finished. I can't go on with this.
- Fred, no.

I'm telling pop right now, and if he tries
to push me, I'm going to the police.

- Fred, darling, listen to me, you can't...
- I just can't take anymore!

You know you can't quit now.

Foster couldn't.

He thought he could quit,
so did Anderson.

You see how wrong they were.

Nah, you don't want to quit, lad.

You're just a little upset.

Maybe what you need is a little something
for your nerves, a little sedative.

Now you're a bright, young doctor
with big words and big books.

You could prescribe some for yourself,
something that'll relax ya,

make ya see how foolish
you're being right now.

- A little white stuff, for instance.
- No, no.

We're through, finished.

I've got to tell the police.

You were spotted
on the fire escape.

I couldn't get near the river.

He moved too fast for me.

He was Mr. big himself.

We got Sebastian pegged
at the nurses' home.

She knows what you are.
Make the arrest.

I didn't know.

- What I really was?
- Pop. What he'd been doing.

- You're not making sense.
- Believe me.

Believe me, Fred. When you
came to me, it was the first time.

You worked foster and Anderson.

- I was to be the next pigeon.
- No, Fred, no, no.

You and pop, you used
the toy store for the drop.

The day you took me there,
the day you forgot your bag.

- That's how you delivered the stuff.
- Fred, that's not true.

Stop it. The store has been knocked over
and your cute friend, Mr. daye,

hasn't stopped singing
since the arrest.

All right, Fred,
that's the way it was.

- I couldn't help myself.
- Why? Why couldn't you?

I needed the money.

Foster and Anderson,
and you needed the money.

Not for me, not for myself.

For the kid.

Help pay for treatments,
help her walk again.

By that time, I was in so deep
I couldn't get out.

I had to go on.

Let's go.

Fred, you can't, you can't.

No matter what's happened,
no matter what I've done,

tell me you didn't care for me,

tell me you felt nothing for me
even for a little while.

Oh, darling!

I'm sorry.

You're under arrest.

- Come on, Rowan.
- No, you go ahead.