Three on a Match (1932) Movie Script

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!

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.

- 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?

And Mr. Jerry Carter.

- 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!

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.

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.

Three on a Match (1932) - full transcript