Three on a Match (1932) - full transcript

How's that?

- Hey, Mary, your
bloomers are showing.

What do I care?

Mary!

I hate black bloomers, don't you?

- What color are yours?
- Pink.

Bob, come here. I've got
something to tell you.

Don't go, Bobby.

- Lf you do, I'll be mad.
- Oh, yeah?

All right, Bob, I'll
meet you. You know where.

I know where you're going, Mary.



Children, children, order! Order.

Now, ready.

"Look forward and not back,

"look out and not in,

"look up and not down,

"and lend a hand. "

Willie Goldberg,
would you keep quiet?

Willie Goldberg?

Oh, I'd like to be your mother
for just about two minutes.

- I'll speak to Pop about that.
- Order!

Has anyone seen Mary Keaton?

She was here this morning,

and I'm sure I saw her in
the yard a few minutes ago.

Did you want to say
something, Vivian?



Why... Why, no, Miss Blazer.

Where did you get these, Max?

- Oh, my mom smokes
them all the time.

Boy, it's a good thing
she don't roll her own.

Yeah, it is.

Say, Max, that's a nice
piece of goods you got there.

- Yeah, pretty swell.
- Nice suit.

You've got a good
suit yourself, Willie.

- I got two pair of
pants with this suit.

- Say, how do you
like my suit, Willie?

- It's all right.
- You bet it's all right.

- Aren't you scared?
- No, why should I be?

- I'll bet Mary is
catching it all right.

It serves her right.

- I feel sorry for her.
- Well, I don't see why.

Mary, look at me.

If I permit you to join your
classmates out on that platform,

will you strive to do your
best from this day forward?

Will you listen to
this fine mother of

yours and do what
she expects of you?

Yes, sir.

All right, then, take your place.

Thank you, Mr. Gilmore. I'm sure
Mary will not disappoint you.

She's not a bad girl, Mr. Gilmore.

She's just not serious
enough. She's too full of fun.

I am the last person to disapprove
of fun at the right time.

But there is also a time for work.

Hello, Mr. Gilmore.

The first diploma tonight will
be awarded to Miss Phylis Fraser.

Now, I take pleasure
in graduating the

class prophet, little
Willie Goldberg.

Four score and seven years ago

when our forefathers brought into
this continent a new nation...

Now I shall award a
diploma to the girl

earning the highest marks ever
attained by anyone in this school.

The class valedictorian,
Miss Ruth Westcott.

Lastly, but not least,

I shall award a diploma to the girl

voted by her class the
most popular, Vivian Revere.

Rise!

"Look forward and not back,

"look out and not in,

"look up and not down,

"and lend a hand. "

Good luck to all of you.
- Thank you, Mr. Gilmore.

Oh, Ruth, what are
you going to do now?

- I'm going home.
- I mean, about school?

- Are you going to high school?
- I can't.

I think I'll go to business
college so I can learn to work.

Are you going to high school?

Oh, no. Mother said I could go
to an exclusive boarding school.

Gee, that's fine. I wonder
what will happen to Mary.

Oh, she'll probably
go to reform school.

Will you stop
reminding me of heaven

when I'm so close
to the other place?

What's the matter, Mary? Don't
you like our little hotel?

Oh, I think it's swell.

The ventilation is great, my
room has a southern exposure,

the rates are cheap,

but somehow or other, the
atmosphere is too confining.

Don't let it get you down, kid.

At least we don't
have to wait in line

for a bowl of soup
like they do outside.

Don't be always a-stewing, dearie.

You only get your insides
in an uproar. And for what?

You're in and you're gonna stay in

until they get even with
you for busting the rules.

Yeah, I'm in all right, but that
don't mean I have to like it.

I'll bet you a red herring
against a case of pre-war Scotch

it was some man that
got you pushed in here.

Well, don't sit around
figuring the worse things

you'd do to him if
you was Mussolini.

Just make up your mind not to
get tangled up with a man again.

Any man.

Girls! It's 9:05.

Oh, so it is, Lady Diana.
My watch has stopped.

Remind me to have James take it
to the jewelers in the forenoon.

Lights go out in three minutes.

What was that song about heaven?

Go on, Vivian, read us some more.

"Gloria tried to
resist him, but in vain.

"The tone of his voice, the
satanic gleam in his eye,

"his warm breath upon her cheek
routed her resolution completely.

"Feeble cries of, 'No, no,' came
to her lips but were never uttered,

"for his powerful arms
crushed her to him.

"Her temples throbbed with pain

"and then suddenly she
went limp with submission

"and her mouth melted into his.

"She was lost in a fever
of pain and pleasure. "

Well, that ends Chapter 6.

Wow! I wonder what they'll
be doing in Chapter 10.

That's all for today, girls.
Hand in your work at the desk.

- Everything all right?
- Gee, I look like an octopus.

- How much longer
do I have to fry?

- You'll be out of
here in a few minutes.

Gee, I had a funny
experience today.

Bumped into a kid I haven't
seen in 10 years, Ruth Westcott.

We used to go to Public
School 62 together.

Is she in the show business, too?

Nope, just a stenographer and
probably eating three meals a day

while I have to live on the
hot air these producers put out.

But you're getting a lucky break
in this new show, aren't you?

Oh, sure. Three weeks rehearsal
and two weeks work if I'm lucky.

The lady in the next
booth heard you saying

that you went to Public
School 6210 years ago.

She says she went there, too.

Now don't tell me I'm
gonna meet another one.

You tell her I'm Mary Keaton,
the worst girl in school.

She'll remember me.

Sounds like old home week.

Funny, meeting two people in one
day you haven't seen for 10 years.

Makes me feel like a kid again.

- Hope I don't break
out with the measles.

She says she knows you.

Her name used to be Vivian Revere.

Oh, I remember her. She
was the class beauty.

- Is she still pretty?
- In a mud pack?

Tell her I'd love to see her.

- Well, I've got to
give her a facial first.

It won't take long.

Vivian used to be a ritzy little
devil. I wonder if she's changed.

Well, it's been nice
seeing you again.

I'll look forward to hearing
from you, sometime this week?

- Did you keep Ruth's number?
- Yes.

Well, bring her along. We'll
all have lunch together.

Sure and dish the dirt.

You know, I didn't
like you much as a kid.

- No?
- No.

Maybe it's 'cause
you wore pink pants.

- Remember old Blazer, our teacher?
- Oh, yes.

I used to sit up nights thinking
of a way to cut her throat.

- Three on a match.
- What's the difference?

Will there be anything else?

- Lf there is, don't
tell me about it.

Well, all in all,
I've had a great day.

In fact, it's been
darn near perfect.

I'm certainly glad you
got that job in the show.

And treated to a swell luncheon.

- Little Mary's doing
all right for herself.

I sincerely envy both of you.

Now look who's talking, will you?

Did you get a flash of that
50-foot kiddie car outside

with the Russian grand
duke for a chauffeur?

I wish I could get
as big a kick out

of it as you got
out of this luncheon.

It must be a grand feeling
to have everything you want.

If it is, I never had it.

Oh, I suppose I should be the
happiest woman in the world.

Beautiful home, successful husband
and a nice youngster, but...

Add it all up and it
spells herring! Is that it?

Somehow the things that make
other people happy leave me cold.

I guess something must have
been left out of my makeup.

I think I want things
passionately, and

when I get them, I
lose all interest.

If wanting things make you happy, I

should be turning
cartwheels right now.

Maybe life's been too
easy for you, Vivian.

I wonder. But it's you
I really envy, Mary.

Your independence and your courage.

Oh, I've had to go into
port for repairs a few times.

I accepted the first man who
really wanted to marry me.

I thought it meant
comfort and security.

You're doing all
right for yourself.

That thing on your finger
isn't a pop bottle, you know.

But didn't you love him, Vivian?

- I thought I did.
Maybe I do still.

Maybe it's my fault that things
have turned out to be rather,

well, tiresome and pointless.

- But you have a child?
- Yes, a boy.

Three-and-a-half
and a darling.

What does your husband do?

He's a lawyer, one of the
most prominent in the city.

But let's talk about you,
Ruth. What are you doing?

I won't be doing anything if
I don't get back to the office.

I've been here an hour and a half.

Well, let's go then.

Oh, will one of you
girls help me up, please?

Well, goodbye, girls.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye, Vivian.

- Some people get all the luck.
- I wonder.

Molly!

Molly!

Junior. Junior, where are you?

Stop! There's something
big and black out there.

Nonsense, you get
right back into bed.

You better look out.

There, hear it?

Silly boy, that's just a branch
tapping against the window, see?

There we are. Goodnight.

Let's play horsy. Let's play horsy.

We'll play horsy in the morning.

Now you lie down and go to sleep.

But I don't want to go to sleep.

Oh, please try to go
to sleep. Goodnight.

Don't go away.

There's nothing to be afraid of.
Go to sleep like a good little boy.

Tell me a story.

Now stop this nonsense
and go to sleep.

But I'm thirsty.

- Gee, that was good.
- That's enough now. Goodnight.

More.

Don't turn out the light, Molly.

- I wonder if anything's wrong?
Stay here a little longer.

- Is Junior sick?
No, Mrs. Kirkwood.

The wind outside woke him
and now he won't go to sleep.

Now, listen here, young man,

you get right down
there and go to sleep.

Hear me? There you are.

That's a good boy, now.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight, Mommy.

Goodnight, Son.

Don't go, Daddy.

Come along, Bob, and
let Junior go to sleep.

I'll be there directly. Now
what's the idea, young man?

Why don't you go to sleep, huh?

Look, I didn't mean
to break it, Daddy.

You didn't break it, Son.
Look, it's a trick hat.

- Here, you try it.
- Okay!

That's a boy.

Now you go right to sleep
so you can get up early

and we can go down and
look at the goldfish.

I want to see the one
with the fat stomach.

- How is he, by the way?
- You mean Oscar?

Yes, speckled old Oscar.

Oh, he's fatter than ever.

Tell me the story, Daddy.

The one about the big fish
that jumped over the boat.

- Goodnight, Son.
- Goodnight, Daddy.

Just what is it, Vivian? I know
you're asleep with your eyes open.

- What do you mean?
- Why do you avoid me?

Have I done anything to offend you?

No, it isn't you. I
don't know what it is.

I just seem fed up with everything.

I've noticed that, but I thought
it was just a mood that would pass.

So did I, but it hasn't.

- Oh, what's the use
of talking about it?

I don't understand you, Vivian.

I've done everything in
my power to make you happy.

I try to give you everything you
ask for, let you do as you please.

I know. Maybe you've been too good.

I might try beating you every
morning before breakfast.

That might prove effective.

No, but seriously, dear,

there must be some solution.

Can't we get together?

I wish to heaven we could.

I've had the willies for months.

Everything depresses
me, even this house.

Sometimes I think, if
I could only get away.

That's an idea. Let's go away.

I can get away from
the office for a while.

I think maybe I've been
sticking a bit too close.

Haven't given you
enough of my time.

We'll go abroad and
forget about everything.

- Just have a good time.
- That wouldn't help things much.

It would be the same
thing, whether it was here

or Paris or Rome or Vienna.

Just a change of background.

Would you rather go alone?

Would you mind?

I'd mind, of course,
but if you think

that's the best way to work it out.

What about Junior?

I think I'd like
to take him with me.

Well, I'd miss the little
fellow, but maybe it's best.

Well, we can talk over
the details in the morning.

Goodnight.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight, Bob.

- Sure you have everything?
- I think so.

You don't sail till midnight.

Shall we take a little
sprint around the deck?

I'd rather not if you don't
mind. I wanna get Junior to bed.

I don't wanna go to bed.
I wanna stay with Daddy.

You're going to be a big boy now

and take care of Mumsie, and
I'll be seeing you in a few weeks.

- Be sure and take care of Oscar.
- You bet I will.

- I'll feed him every day.
- Oh, no, every other day.

Do you wanna kill him?

Come on, Junior, it's
way past your bedtime.

- I wanna undress myself.
- All right, if you think you can.

Well, I hope you're going to get
along all right without Molly.

It'll be sort of fun
taking care of him myself.

Maybe that's just what I need.

Come in!

This telegram came just after
you left the office, Mr. Kirkwood.

Mr. Stevens said you'd
want to see it tonight.

What is it?

It's that Wainwright
Chancery case in Cleveland.

It's all in a mess.

They've upset the settlement
we reached last summer.

Business, business.

It won't even let you
see me off in peace.

I'm sorry. I'll have to go.

There's a train leaving
the Grand Central at 12:10.

It gets you there at 9:00 a.
m. Anything else, Mr. Kirkwood?

Make reservations and
meet me at the station.

Right. Well, a pleasant
journey, Mrs. Kirkwood.

- Thank you.
- I hate leaving you like this.

That's all right,
dear. You just go ahead.

- Well, Son, shall we say goodbye?
- Bye, Daddy.

Don't forget, every other day!

I won't forget. Goodbye.

Bye, Daddy.

You've been awfully
sweet about this, Bob.

Now just forget about
everything and enjoy yourself.

I'm sure when you get
back, you'll feel better

and have a happier outlook.

- I hope so.
- Goodbye, dear.

Goodbye, Bob.

- Cable me as soon as you arrive.
- I will.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.

- Vivian!
- Mary Keaton. Of all people.

- Mary Bernard, the
stage name, you know.

Oh, that's right.

- How are you? I'm glad to see you.
- Well, I'm glad to see you.

I was just about to break out
with a case of acute lonesomitis.

Oh, we'll cure that, won't we?

Oh, pardon me. Mrs.
Kirkwood, Mr. Michael Loftus.

- How do you do?
- How do you do?

And Mr. Jerry Carter.

- How do you do?
- How do you do?

Well, this is quite a coincidence
going abroad on the same boat.

Oh, I'm not going. No such luck. We

just came down to
see the Merrill's off.

Gonna give them a farewell
party in their stateroom.

Won't you join us, Mrs. Kirkwood?

Well, that's awfully
sweet of you, but

I'm afraid I can't
leave my little boy.

Well, you could get the
stewardess to look after him.

Sure, he'll be all right.

Well, all right. I'll join
you as soon as he's asleep.

Well, make it snappy
now, and we'll show you

what a real send-off's like.

Come on, Jerry.

- We'll be waiting for you.
- I'll be there.

I love it.

I wish I was going
along with you, Mildred.

- So do I.
- Me, too.

Here, let me get you another drink.

- Hey, how about
a drink for Vivian?

Oh, for Vivian.

- Oh, for Vivian.
- There you are, darling.

- Well, here's looking at you.
- At me?

Yeah, and liking it, too.

Uh-oh.

- To Vivian!
- To Vivian!

If you don't expect to have
a good time, why do you go?

On the other hand, why not?

You're a funny one. I
can't figure you out.

Why not? What's so funny?

I can tell you're a real woman.

Not one of those stuffed
brassieres you see on Park Avenue.

Why, you've got all
the works that make

a woman want to go
and live and love.

But you're only making passes
that'll never get you anywhere.

- How do you know what I do?
- I can tell.

Say, you don't know what life is.

But I suppose you could show me.

I never met a man yet
who didn't ask to try.

Yeah? Well, listen,
you'll keep on stalling

and backing away and then
someday they'll quit asking you.

- Oh, I'm getting
too old, is that it?

Oh, darling, I didn't say that.

Why, to me you're the most
marvelous girl in the world.

But you don't know me.
We've only met tonight.

Oh, tonight or an hour or 10
years. What's the difference?

It's now that matters.

Vivian, don't turn
your back on life.

Take it. Take it while you can.

Where are we going, Mommy?

Where are we going?

Junior. But where are we going?

All ashore that are going ashore.

Lowering the baggage!

Stand by the
gangplank. Take it away.

And the hotels?

We searched every register
for the day after the sailing.

Naturally, she wouldn't
use her own name.

You're assuming, Mr. Kirkwood,
that she's deliberately hiding?

Of course.

No, that's all, Randall.

Put as many men on it as you
see fit, but show results.

Yes, sir.

Oh, yes, Phil, of course
she went deliberately.

Really, sir?

You mean Mrs. Kirkwood was
dissatisfied or unhappy?

I'm afraid she was, Phil, but
there's one thing she shan't do.

She shan't make the
little fellow suffer.

Poor little shaver.

Just one more, darling, and
then you'll have to dress.

That's right.

Mommy, I'm hungry.

Is Mommy's little honey-bunch
hungry? Here, have some of those.

I don't like those anymore.
Can't I have bread and milk?

Look, Viv, you'd
better order supper

sent up for you and the boy, eh?

There's a party down on the
third floor, a friend of mine.

I'll play Santa
Claus down there and

then I'll come back.
What do you say?

I don't like that so well.

I'll be back.

All right, Junior, go wash
your face. We'll have dinner.

Come here.

Go on.

All right, I won't be long.

Mommy, do I have to wash my ears,
too? It's getting kind of late.

No, I'll let you off this time.

Oh, I tell you, Ruth, it just makes

my blood boil every
time I go up there

and see that poor little
youngster in such an atmosphere.

It's a wonder to me her husband
doesn't do something about it.

How can he find her?

She's taken a phony name and
won't even let the kid out.

Too bad.

Oh, if I ever see anyone off on a
boat again, strangle me, will you?

Don't blame yourself, honey. It's
not your fault she fell for him.

Fell for him? She took a nosedive.

Ever since she met
him, she hasn't had

eyes or ears for
anything or anybody else.

Oh, Ruth, we've
got to do something.

I'm with you, but what can we do?

Listen, if I can
talk Vivian into it,

would your sister
mind keeping him here

just till Vivian
comes to her senses?

I'm sure she wouldn't.
She loves children,

and he'd be happy here
with her little girl.

All right. You talk to
her and I'll see Vivian.

- Good luck.
- Thanks, I'll need it.

You're gonna miss my kissing
You're gonna miss me, honey

When I'm gone away
When nights are lonely

You're gonna miss me only

Some of these days You're
gonna miss me, honey

You're gonna miss my huggin'
You're gonna miss my kissin'

You're gonna miss me,
honey When I'm gone away

Hello, Mary. Hello, Mary.

Hello, Mary. How are you, kid?

Hello, Mary. You're just in time.

For what?

Oh, Miss Bernard, meet Mr.
Spencer, Mr. Roy Spencer.

How do you do, Mr. Spenster?

You're just in time.
We were short a lady.

You're still short as
far as I'm concerned.

How about a drink, Mary?

No, thanks. I'll
only be here a minute.

Vivian, can I see you for a second?

Why, sure, Mary.
What's on your mind?

Can we go in the other room?

Why, yes.

- Pardon us.
- Why not?

Oh, what a pal is
Mary Oh, what a pal...

Close the door.

Well?

Vivian, I'm no puritan,
and I'm no killjoy.

I don't mind people
having a good time. I

never have. And I'm
no buttinsky, either.

Who said you were
any of those things?

Well, I'm just trying
to tell you these things,

so you won't misunderstand
what I'm going to say to you.

Go on.

Well, what I mean is,

it doesn't make any
difference what you do,

but I think it's kind of unfair to

expose the kid to
this kind of business.

And what would you suggest?

Let me take him.

We can get Ruth or someone
like that to take care of him.

Ruth has a sister, a widow,
and a baby at the house.

They can take care of the two, and
they're nice, respectable people.

Oh, they're respectable,
are they? Well,

that would be a
change, wouldn't it?

Well, there may be an idea in
what you say. I'll think it over.

Tell me that you'll let
me go through with it.

Just till you decide what
you want to do permanently.

Will you, Vivian? Please.

You'll never regret it.

Well, let's have a drink and
maybe I can make up my mind.

A drink has worked
wonders on you before.

Come in.

There's a Miss Bernard to see
you. Something about Mrs. Kirkwood.

Send her in. Hurry. Get
Randall. Tell him to stand by.

Yes, sir.

All right, Miss Bernard.

- Are you Mr. Kirkwood?
- Yes. Do you know Mrs. Kirkwood?

- Yes, we're old friends.
- Where is she now?

She's right here in New York,
and your little boy is...

Yes, yes. Is he
with her? Is he well?

Yes, he's all right.
He's... He's...

Miss Bernard, for the
love of heaven, what is it?

Now, look here, Mr. Kirkwood,

I'm butting into something
that's none of my business.

I don't know what happened between
you and Vivian and I don't care,

but I do care about
your little boy.

Where are they?

At the Warwick. She's registered
under the name of Mrs. Killroy.

I'm more grateful
than I can tell you.

You'd better be pretty cagey
about getting into the Warwick.

If she gets wind of your
coming, she might run out on you.

I want to see Mrs. Killroy at once.

You know I'm a friend of hers, so
don't push me around. Where is she?

I'm telling you I don't know.

Oh, no?

Where's your boy?

Here I am, Auntie Mary.
Come and see what I'm doing.

Well, what are you doing?

I'm fixing this place up for Oscar.

Who's Oscar?

What? You don't know Oscar?

No.

He's my goldfish, the
fat one, like this.

Oh, won't Oscar like that?

I'm going to write my
daddy to send him to me.

He has to have plenty places
to hide and plenty to eat.

Daddy!

My little boy.

What are you going to do?

- I'm taking him home.
- You can't do that.

Have you any objection?

None that I can think of offhand.

Miss Bernard, will you get
Junior's things together?

I'll meet you downstairs.
Randall, will you help her?

Yes, sir. Where are
the boy's clothes?

- Why should I tell you? All
right, I'll find them myself.

You're a fool, Vivian. Take
it from someone who's been one.

How can you do this to a
man who's been on the square?

What do you know about
being on the square?

You jailbird.

Thanks.

That's it. There we are.

Now to me.

Catch.

Whoopee!

Catch it.

Fine.

Oh, that was a knock-out
blow all right. I give up.

- No, Mary.
- No, sir.

Better rest a while, Son. You've
got everybody all tired out.

I'm not tired. Come on,
Mary. Don't be a sissy.

What do you say we build a
castle in the sand, honey?

Okay.

All right, come on.

He's a real athlete.

You're going to spoil
him, you two. He's

getting to be a
regular little tyrant.

Oh, but an adorable one. We
get a big kick out of him.

And he's becoming very fond of you,

too, in these last
few months. I'm glad.

It'll make it much easier when

you'll have to live
in the same house.

Are you by any chance offering
me a job as Junior's governess?

No. I was thinking of
offering that to Ruth.

She seems so happy
with youngsters. I

had a much harder
job in mind for you.

Well, trot it out.
I'm used to tough ones.

Mary, I'm going to
be free tomorrow.

Free?

My divorce will be granted,

but I don't think my freedom will
mean much if you don't share it.

Why, Bob...

Whoopee! Help!

See that car?

Sure. Why?

That's been coming here
now for three years.

Even the rich guys
are learning senses.

Used to be that one of them fellows

would turn in a job
like that every year.

But here's the gag.

This belongs to a
guy named Kirkwood,

big lawyer downtown.

His wife used to come
here in it all the time.

One day, she met a girl
that she knowed at school.

They were sitting in
adjoining booths to each other.

That was maybe a
couple of year ago.

Them things will happen. My wife's
cousin went to Niagara Falls...

Yeah, but listen. The girl
she met in the booth, see,

is now riding around in the car.

Hey?

Yeah. She copped the husband,

married him and now
she's got the car.

This cousin of my wife's...

But listen, see, standing
over there by the window.

Yeah?

That's the first wife.

Well, what do you know about that?

Vivian.

Mary, could I... Could I
speak to you for a minute?

Why, of course.

Vivian, you seem
so... So different.

Different? You might call it that.

But you look marvelous.
Why shouldn't you?

We've gone a long way
in two years, Vivian.

How's Junior?

He's grand. He's a
darling, Vivian. Get

in the car and I'll
tell you about him.

No, thanks. That's
a little too much.

You're crying.

Goodbye.

What did you want?

Oh, what does anyone want?
Mary, I'm... I'm desperate.

It wasn't easy to wait
here and beg from you,

but I've got to do something.

You're broke. Mike, too?

Mike never had anything.
We've used up all I had.

My rings went long ago.
There's nothing left.

Thanks, Mary, you've been...

I'll never forget it.

Come home with me, won't you?

No, thanks.

I'm sorry, kid.

That's all right.

Did you get it?

How much?

$80, that cheapskate.

Hello.

- Hello.
- Hi.

Hello, Harve.

Ace has been expecting you.

Yes, I know. I should
have been in last night.

Yeah.

Why, I did the best I could, Harve.

Ace'll understand
that, won't he, Harve?

He'll understand that.

I don't know, Loftus.
He's pretty dumb sometimes.

Yeah, dumb like a fox.

For one thing, he expects a check
to lay there when he puts it down.

Yeah, and mine
bounced hard, did it?

Did it bounce? You
drop a golf ball, see,

from the top of the
Chrysler Building.

Will it bounce? Come on.

But honest, Harve,
really. I did the

best I could. Ace
ought to know that...

Harve tells me you
want to see me, Ace.

Yeah?

I'm sorry about that check,
Ace. You know I'd been drinking.

I thought I could cover it.

Yeah?

I brought you what
dough I could raise.

I'll get the rest to
you if you give me time.

Here.

$80.

I'll get the rest,
Ace. No kidding, I will.

No kidding!

You give me a bum check
for close to $2,000,

and you try to square it with $80.

No kidding!

Please, no, Ace. Ace, please.
Give me a break, will you?

I swear I didn't
mean to take you, Ace.

Boys, Harve, tell him
I'm a right guy, will you?

Please tell him.

Now that's for nothing,
and it's only a sample.

From now on, be careful.

Please, Ace, please don't,
will you? Please. I...

You get that dough, every
cent of it, do you see?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'll get it, Ace.
I swear I'll get it.

Dunlap, you say?

He said his business
concerned Mrs. Kirkwood.

What?

The present Mrs. Kirkwood, he said.

- Send him in.
- Yes, sir.

All right, Mr. Dunlap.

I'll come right to the point, Mr.
Kirkwood. I need money desperately.

It's no exaggeration when I say
it's a matter of life and death.

Well?

I need $2,000.

I'm not a money lender.

But I think you'll lend it to me.

What makes you think so?

Did you know your wife's real name

was Mary Keaton and
not Mary Bernard?

I did.

But you didn't know
that as Mary Keaton

she served a term
in the reformatory

for grand larceny, did you?

I think you'll lend me the money
now, won't you, Mr. Kirkwood?

You wouldn't want me to sell that
story to the newspapers, would you?

No, I wouldn't. And you won't.

In the first place, no
newspaper, reputable or otherwise,

would buy it, because
if they printed

it, I could take
their shirt for libel.

Let me give you a lesson in
elementary law, Mr. Dunlap.

The truth is no justification for a

libelous article
printed without cause.

Oh, yeah? Well, I'll call
your bluff, Mr. Kirkwood.

If you make one move
against my wife or me,

I warn you, I'll
break every bone in

your body and then
throw you in jail.

Now, get out!

You're not through with this.

Bunk. Get out!

And it was such a
terribly important matter

that I told Junior we ought to stop
on our way and ask Daddy about it.

I'm sure that was right, Miss
Westcott. You may go in now.

Come on, honey.

- Here you are.
- Hello, Daddy.

Hello, yourself. How
are you, Commodore?

I'm okay, Daddy. Say, Daddy,
I wanted to ask you something.

Shoot, big fellow.

Did you say I could have anything
for my birthday that I wanted?

That's what I said.

Anything, did you mean?

Oh, well now, if you
should want a real

locomotive or an
airplane to fly in,

I might have to back out, but
anything within reason, sure!

Is a yacht in reasons, Daddy?

Oh, well, now...

Oh, I mean like this.

Big sails and everything.

Oh, why, sure.

Miss Westcott, take him over
to Harlow's toy department

and get him the biggest,
finest yacht you can find.

- Thank you, Daddy.
- That's all right, big boy.

Don't go too far, sailor.

Okay.

Hello, Junior.

Hello, Uncle Mike.

Say, that's a fine
boat you got there.

My daddy gave it to
me for my birthday.

Look, Junior, you remember
your mother, don't you?

Of course I do.

Well, then, look, Junior, you want
to help your mother, don't you?

She's in trouble.
She wants to see you.

Must I leave my daddy?

Well, only for a little while.

Well, I'll tell my Auntie Ruth.

Oh, no, we can't wait for that.

Well...

She's right over there, Junior.

Oh, gee.

She's crying for you.

Well, all right.

All radio cars. All radio
cars. All radio cars.

Apprehend on sight Robert Kirkwood,

five-and-a-half, son of
Robert Kirkwood, lawyer.

Medium height and build,
dark hair and eyes.

Also, hold for questioning
Vivian Kirkwood,

also known as Killroy or Revere.

But your mother lives upstairs,
Junior. She's waiting for you.

Oh, all right.

- What's this? I had
to do it, I tell you.

- Do what?
- You aren't crying, are you?

Why, no.

Uncle Mike said you were.

Why, no. I'm all right,
Junior. What is this, Mike?

I'll explain later. I tell
you I had to do it, Viv.

- Who is it? Come on,
let us in. Open up.

- Who is it?
- It's Harve. Open up.

How's it, Loftus?

What do you want here?

Ace happened to be
listening in on the radio.

Radio?

Yeah, he likes those
short-wave police calls.

They give him ideas.

- I don't understand.
- You'll find out.

There's a lot more in
this deal than 2,000 bucks.

Ace figures we might
as well all cut in.

Say, you got a nerve busting
into my flat like this. Get out!

Uh-oh.

Go on, get in that
room and shut up.

You mustn't hurt my mama.

Okay, I'll bear that in mind.

You've got to find him, I tell
you. You've got to find him!

Open up here. Open the
door. Go on, give it to them.

Give them the show!
Give them the show, boys!

"Page 2, Column 4."

"This incident, verified
by two witnesses,

"occurred within half an
hour after the kidnapping,

"and the police are confident

"Dunlap was at that time taking
the boy to a hideout somewhere

"in a crowded tenement
section nearby. "

You sap!

Could I help it if
the kid started to cry?

They're swarming around like
alley cats over a fish head.

I wish Harve would come.

I wish she wouldn't do that.

Stay here.

Is my mamma sick some more?

Now, stay there!

Now, wait a minute.

Open up.

- Did you get the dough?
- No. What a runaround.

What happened?

We drove by the place
in a laundry truck,

me peeking out of
a hole in the side.

Say, I spotted four
dicks I knew by sight.

No telling how many
more were staked out.

Was the package there?

Sure, and 18 bulls
ready to grab any

sucker that gets
within 10 yards of it.

Two cops, going in the cigar
store across the street.

And I just left
there, bought these.

They're coming out
again, getting in the car.

Did you get anything for
her? She's clean out of it.

How could I? I tell you the heat's

on enough to curl
your shoe leather.

The cops are three
deep on every corner.

So what?

Lay low. Wait, try again. Ace
is working on a better plan.

She ain't going to get any better.

Are any of us?

And I cannot give you the
news for which you are waiting.

The Kirkwood child
has not been found.

The 10th day since the kidnapping
passed without any tangible result,

although the police continue
to run down every clue.

In the state capital...

I tell you this. We've got to
do something and do it quick.

That's right.

But why pick on me?
Why make me the goat?

Because you're the
guy that has to do it.

Junior.

Junior.

Well, come on, out with
it. What do you want?

It's got to be you, Loftus.

I can't do it. I can't
do it, I tell you!

In cold blood. I can't do it.

It's got to be you. You
brought him here. He knows you.

You'll be the first one he'll

identify if we duck
out and leave him.

We can't stay here. No grub,
no chance now of getting any.

The cops getting
closer every minute.

If we split and go out one by one,

we've still got a chance
to collect the dough.

No. No, I won't do it, I tell you.
I won't do it. A kid in cold blood.

I'll kill myself first! I'll
kill you! You can't make...

Junior, Junior, wake up,
darling. Do you hear me?

Yes, Mommy.

Look, sweetheart, we're
playing a game, see?

You must run and hide. Hide
under Mama's bed. Quick.

- Hide and go seek?
- Yes, darling. Hurry.

But you're crying, Mommy.

But I'm happy, darling. I'm happy.

Hurry. Quick.

Don't peek, Mommy.

See what that daffy dame is doing.

Get her out of there and
lock her in the bedroom.

Oh, please, God.

She's daffy, all right. She
thinks she's going somewhere.

She's daubing herself with lipstick

and getting most of
it on her nightgown.

Oh, yeah? Open that door.

Come on, the cops will
be here in 10 seconds.

Can't you figure what she
used that lipstick for?

Hurry!

Boys, the Kirkwood boy's
on the 4th floor. Hurry!

And my own dear
Mama, wherever she is,

God bless her, and keep
her safe from harm. Amen.