Walk the Dark Street (1956) - full transcript

A big-game hunter seeks revenge upon the Army officer whom he believes caused the death of his brother.

(Silence)

(Dramatic Music)

(Street Noise)

(Dramatic Music)

okay tommy, what is it? what's what? the past two 
days you haven't spoken five words to me now  

what's eating you? nothing's eating me lieutenant 
why should anything be eating me lieutenant?  

i know you're better than that tommy now 
we used to be friends what's happening?  

nothing not a thing. you're lying. you're right 
dan i am lying i'm fed up right up to here  

follow me lieutenant keep talking you must be 
pretty proud of yourself dan lieutenant dan lawton  

whatever made you think you had the guts to be 
an officer? i don't know why you should resent  

me tommy i didn't ask for the commission 
they gave it to me. big deal. think you  



can order me now think i'm gonna follow you 
just cause you're wearing that gold bar huh  

don't kid yourself dan tell me you're 
still a sergeant no more no less. i get it  

you wanted the rank you wanted the commission 
but i got it instead i've taken a lot of risks  

for you dan made you look good more ways than one 
you've had it from now on carry the ball yourself

(Pensive Music)

i don't want anybody going out on their own

all right you guys let's hit 
it come on pick it up let's go

(Somber Music)

hello. are you frank garrick? taking a census? 
hardly i was your brother's platoon leader

tommy's platoon leader in 
korea? yeah he was my sergeant

come in won't you? i'm glad to know you i don't 
know your name lieutenant lawton dan lawton

dan lawton. formerly lieutenant just plain 
citizen now tommy spoke about you all the time  

said you were the greatest guy in the world 
frank your brother was a good sergeant  

young a lot of drive full of vinegar we were 
both up for a battlefield commission there's  



only one opening i got it well he didn't always 
see things my way we were in a wooded area one  

day looking for snipers i told him to stay 
back he disobeyed my orders machine gun

drink

thanks that's how it happened huh yeah  

i'm sorry to hear it lawton i'm sure as an officer 
your first concern was to look after your men  

i feel badly of course that 
was all the family time he had

i guess when your time is up it's up 
i guess so how about you lauden come  

out without a scratch no not quite one grenade 
one slug you must have a charmed life could be

just one thing you don't mind how 
did tommy get it did he suffer  

no now it was fast it's over 
in a second i'm glad of that

i couldn't have taken it if he'd 
suffered when he felt pain i felt it  

when he died a little of me died too if i ever 
get my hands on anyone responsible for him getting

on a fellow no no discharged was over i'm not the 
good well sit down or are you in a hurry no hurry  

gotta catch your 11 15 train out though lots of 
time almost three hours how does it feel to be  

on your own again lawton no shells flying at you 
no holes to dive into no attacks coming at you

do you think you can take 
cervic again well it's rough but  

i think i'll manage you don't seem too 
happy about it i'm not what's the matter  

i had a little business before i left 
nothing big small sporting goods store  

pardon him partner got involved in a deal he 
spent more time with his stuff and with the store  

he let it slide to the extent that the insurance 
lapsed there was a fire no more store no insurance  

five thousand dollars worth of goods on 
consignment i've got to pay for it story of my  

life sporting good store huh yeah you name it we 
had it everything from ping pong balls to magnums

tommy was a great kid we had 
some great times together  

you know what he did had a piano act at the 
hatton king he was their star attraction

i used to listen to him all 
the time even now i go there

i get the feeling tommy's still around

like to hunt i've been 
secretly admiring your trophies  

like to hunt huh you know i don't you i live 
for it oh what have you done big stuff i mean  

oh couple of months in burma once in bengal 
i got a few things myself nothing like yours  

of course but i assure you i'm no amateur 
maybe you're the guy i've been looking for  

in what way a new type of hunt i'll tell 
you about it later how would you like to  

see some pictures i took last year and i'd 
be very glad to as well sit right over there

you'll enjoy these dan

(Dramatic Music)

these are some of the finest pictures 
i've ever seen frank. i envy you. I'm flattered.

when he spotted me he came charging

i had one cartridge and no time to reload  

man that's what i call real guts 
you certainly are a hunter frank

(Orchestra Music)

(Drums)

you see that head over the fireplace? spent three 
months out of bombay safari you know that's always  

been one of my ambitions. i've never been lucky 
enough to go on one though. i'll tell you about  

a better sport. want a refill? why not? yeah, what 
i wouldn't give for some of your experiences

thank you

did you ever want to do something so badly you 
were willing to gamble everything you had for it?  

sure i want this to be my best hunt 
where right here the good old usa  

what can you find here that 
you haven't already found?

man

man? that's right what better game 
is there in the whole world than man?

you're gonna stalk and shoot 
a human being? that's right.  

you're out of your mind frank that's murder 
not if you don't kill your man but if you  

intend to hunt him and shoot him i didn't tend 
to keep him killing him real simple with this

30 30. that's right and if you fire this 
the guy's still gonna be alive that's right  

because this is a camera gun. camera gun? 
yeah take a look carefully see for yourself

blank? no film my own invention instead of 
a real cartridge it's film no sound nothing  

you develop the cartridge and you see 
where you hit your victim and at what time

this is what i mean. that's my dog it shows where 
i hit him at eight seconds 31 minutes past two  

i don't get it for a man who's hunted 
big stuff isn't this somewhat tame?  

tame isn't the word but i'll have to do 
from now on. my ticker began going on the  

blink about a year ago the doctor told me 
to cut out all strenuous activity especially  

hunting. you know what that does to a man like 
me? it's a strangle might as well stop living  

but i wouldn't do it for one more hunt it's got 
to be the best hunt the best game in the world

hey wait a minute how about you 
and me lawton? in what way? a hunt  

i thought you just said the doc told you not game 
you and me hunting each other with two camera guns  

well i think that's a great idea frank 
but i've got some business to take care of  

oh you mean that store of 
yours? yeah what's left of it

how much would it cost to 
straighten it out? about 5 000  

okay i'll make it worth your while i love 
to hunt you've got financial problems right?  

right. all right i'll give you ten thousand 
dollars if you fill my kill is it a deal?  

well i get the money to match it i was a 
second lieutenant not a chief of staff. all  

right i'll give you odds ten to one my ten 
thousand against your thousand. if you win  

you'll have double the money 
you need what do you say?

you've got a deal. one shot each the first 
person to film a kill calls the other's name  

then we'll develop the cartridge and see 
who forfeits the amount. fine with me. great  

maybe my last hunt will be my 
best. where do we start and when?  

in the city. let's mark the 
areas so we don't chase all over.

here the first day. here the second. if 
i can't find you in 48 hours i'll quit.  

we'll start in this area at 10 
o'clock wednesday morning all right  

great with me i find jim aim the camera gun shout 
out your name and i get ten thousand dollars  

first you've gotta find me and hit me with one 
shot or else you lose a thousand. real sporting  

game. what if we don't uh what if we don't meet in 
the in the time period? well then we'll meet back  

here and the drinks are on me. great great just one 
rule lord we do everything in our power to lure  

the other fellow into a trap i'll do everything 
i can to get you to my advantage. you do the same  

no holes barred. anything goes. 
okay. your gun fits into this.

one shot each. where's yours? only 
two guns like this in the world.

same cases

same guns. quite a thing.

i just want to warn you lawton i have unusual 
eyes by that i mean whether it's night a day makes  

no difference to me i can spot you anywhere 
any place so if you want to make it even  

find places that are off the beaten path 
stick to the alleys walk the dark streets  

okay frank see you in town wednesday. 
10 a.m not if i see you first lawton

here's your map i'll put the money in escrow 
in the morning. thanks, i'll do the same.

you know something frank i think i could win 
this hunt. maybe you can lawton, maybe you can.

(Dramatic Music)

like to dance? i can take it or leave it i 
get off tonight at 8 30. good for you. married?

no i always look like this. well? look cookie 
some other time okay yeah sometime in 1973

is there a dan lawton there?

do you have a dan lawton there?

(Dramatic Music)

do you have a dan lawton registered 
lawton one moment i'll see yes we have  

is he in no sir i'm sorry he went out about 
an hour ago where to i don't recall exactly he  

just gave me the key well if this is urgent i'm 
his brother oh wait a minute i i i do remember  

he said something about going out to catalina 
catalina no no he said um let's see uh the avalon  

he said he was gonna go out to take a look at the 
animal i don't know what he meant by that except... (hang up)

(Whistle)

(Dramatic Music)

oh evening mr lawton hi what's this? oh some 
sort of advertising we get it all the time  

even now i go there i get the 
feeling tommy's still around

mr

me the way you could love me

one were to say you could love me

say with a glance warm and thrilling 
there's a chance you'll be willing one day

show me the way you are feeling

have i the right to possess 
you i'm lost unless we'll show

one word to say you could love me

say with a glance

seem to have lost my life you mind not at all

you i'm lost unless you will show me the way

say uh why don't the two of us 
get out of here? sure why not

(Piano Music)

what on earth is that? it's my lifesaver

i'm sorry mr garrick but you understand how 
it is it's not against the law to walk around  

with a weapon in plain sight it's illegal only 
if it's concealed you're right i'm sorry if i  

detained you but it's my job to check on these 
things and now you're free to go anytime you

like drink sure

what would you like surprise me

all right

empty heart and

weary

you know i'm very flattered in what way what if 
all the eligible bachelors to pick on you singled  

i had my reasons

and leave this dark

and lonely stream

this is not a pickup dan

i know about you quite a bit about you mr lawton  

well it's my pleasure i can assure you but 
uh i still don't know why you picked on me

i was very much in love with someone

he was killed on lookout ridge in korea

yes i know

tommy garrick was killed there

well it's a small world i found out 
about you i had someone find you for me

followed you into the hat and came

i hope you win dan i hope frank has 
to pay you that ten thousand dollars  

sorry miss um helen layton helen would 
you mind telling me what this is all about  

not at all i was to marry tommy when 
he got back frank didn't approve of me  

this gets more interesting as it goes 
along i felt out of place with frank

ian is hold over tommy is there thinking for 
tommy telling him how to live how to breathe

open house anytime thanks god lonely 
sitting in my room by myself sit in mine

have a drink i'm over 21.

i'd have never guessed it you 
should have been a diplomat

how do you know i'm not i don't

but you're not how do you 
tell your approach to direct

should i change it not unless 
you're interested in wasting time  

i'm not finished with this yet don't let it age

(Stirring Music)

what do you do?

you tell me.

your eyes... they're cold

sharp what's that a sign of i don't 
know for sure maybe you're a killer  

keep your door locked you could be my next victim  

this hunt how do you know that frank doesn't want 
to get you out into the open so that he could  

push me under a truck or uh off a high 
bridge yes have you thought about that uh-huh  

and also that the world will soon be taken 
over by the people from the planet dopo

you haven't believed a word i've said

thanks for the drink dan just one 
word of caution don't trust frank  

how do i know i can trust you?

(Dramatic Music)

your heart won't take it frank. dan will win 
and you know it. you're not the hunter you used  

to be. you've got to kill dan because he is 
the one responsible for your brother's death.

one more day but in your condition how do you 
know you can hit with one shot? suppose you miss  

and dan finds out you tried to kill him  

you better make sure get another 
bullet you need two bullets to be sure

this is your last hunt and you know it you want to 
win it or lose it? i've got to win it and get two

bullets

well this is an early visit it's that dan lawton 
we've got to do something about him in what way  

if it wasn't for him you'd be marrying 
tommy now instead of him being dead  

you're out of your mind frank oh yeah

take a look at this

i don't believe it dad had tommy killed it wasn't 
for him tommy'd be alive and dead in his place  

did it ever occur to you that fate might have 
played a hand let tommy drew the wrong card look  

we can avenge tommy ellen you and me we can make 
it up to him for both of us i don't follow you  

because of dan tommy's dead a life for life  

are you suggesting that i why not we can kill 
him for both of us the odds are in our favor  

i'm very sorry frank the feeling's 
just a little out of my line

doesn't tommy mean anything to you

but you want to repay his murder

you'd better see a doctor frank you don't care

nobody cares about tommy and you loved him  

you lied helen connie was 
too good for the likes of you

all this time you were engaged 
in how do i know you didn't

you're not good

hey taxi taxi hey taxi

knowledge you must have just got out

thanks

looks like i'm gonna need a 
raincoat raincoat yes sir west side

come this way

sure need the rain give me a 30 30 show 
yes sir they come in boxes of 50 or 100  

one shell 30 30 that's all i want but 
they're more expensive that way look  

it doesn't matter please get me a 30 30 show yes

what's the sir my heart  

can i get you a doctor no pills right two of them

is there anything else i 
can do no i'll be all right

my case it's on the counter we get it please sure

yeah that's a good fit how much do i 
owe you including decks five dollars

looks pretty good now you were right about the 
size like i lost some weight thank you very much

hello did damn latin get in 
yet sorry hasn't come in miss

thanks

who is it

i've been calling you all morning  

look i've been giving this a lot of thought 
uh something down the line isn't straight  

what is it with you and frank he was just here he 
tried to kill me he wanted me to kill you i'll cut  

it out will you hell and i haven't done anything 
to frank i've only known him for 36 hours frank  

thinks that you killed tommy that you sent him 
out to be killed he's crazy you're right he is

look look i've had it i've had all i can take  

i don't know what's going on around here but i'm 
sure gonna find out frank thinks that you were  

responsible for tommy's death that you had 
him killed purposely that it was your doing  

he came in at five o'clock this morning 
to convince me that i should kill you  

it is all very interesting but i don't buy it he 
even tried to kill me you had a great nightmare

does that look like a nightmare

frank's got a lot of explaining to do to me forget 
frank you've got to get away the what he's done to  

you not in your life it could be yours where do 
i find them dan please don't try this is for the  

police it's for me i don't like being hunted down 
like a wild animal but you don't understand he'll  

fight i'm trying to believe you now where is he 
dan please time hotel santa monica and wilson

(Dramatic Music)

(Dramatic Music)

no dan don't shoot dan you win 
dan your money it's all yours

no wounds must have been his 
heart anything else to add  

that's exactly the way it happened what's that

camera gun let's see it

that doesn't look like a camera gun to me.

nor to him either

(Dramatic Music)