Mod Squad (1968–1973): Season 1, Episode 13 - The Sunday Drivers - full transcript
In Las Vegas, as they watch from the stands, a stock car racer friend of Pete, Linc, and Julie is killed when his car flips over and explodes. Though at first reticent, Greer reconsiders lets the three stay and investigate, as they suspect the crash was not an accident. Linc poses as a racer and Pete as a mechanic. When they check the car they find their hunch was correct.
I'm sorry I'm late, I got
hung up at the slot machines.
How much did you take them for?
35 cents.
(both snickering)
Come on, we're gonna
be late for the show.
It starts at 2:00.
Does your friend
know we're coming?
No, no, we'll surprise
him after the show.
And if we're
lucky, he'll take us
to his mother's house
for the best Sunday dinner
you've ever tasted.
Yeah.
(engine revving,
tires squealing)
Now, how's that for a
quiet afternoon in Vegas?
Wild.
ANNOUNCER (over PA): A big
hand for champion driver Larry Taft!
When does Tommy go in?
Right after the girl.
What girl? The pretty girl.
ANNOUNCER (over PA):
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
the Karnes Auto Thrill presents
the Queen of the Road...
Miss Sally Semple,
doing the difficult
ramp-to-ramp jump.
(tires squealing)
(engine revving)
All right, what do you think?
I'll bet she has stringy hair.
Eat your popcorn.
Ten-to-one she doesn't
take off her helmet.
(applause and cheering)
Okay, she's lovely.
You bet she's lovely.
Hey, there's Tommy!
Where?
So that's the guy that turned
you on to all of this, huh?
Yeah. We go back a long way.
We used to own a car together.
Did 160 flat out.
Used to drive the
Highway Patrol nuts.
Did you ever do any of
the stunt stuff yourself?
Some.
We used to go out to the
desert and jump sand dunes.
Do spin outs, two-wheel stuff.
"Bravos pero tontos"
his mother used to say.
"More guts than brains."
ANNOUNCER (over PA):
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
the youngest member of
our stunt team, Tommy Salido,
will attempt to equal
the track record
for a ramp-to-ramp
jump: 60 feet!
(spectators clamoring)
May we ask for absolute
silence from the crowd
as Tommy concentrates
on this most difficult
and dangerous feat.
(engine revving)
(loud thud)
(people screaming)
Get him out!
Get him out of there!
Get him out of there.
Please, get him out of there.
(theme song playing)
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Uh-huh.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Go ahead.
Easy, Linc, will you?
You know you could be wrong.
Captain, Tommy was murdered.
Now when his front wheels hit
that ramp, his steering snapped.
Linc, accidents happen.
The steering maybe...
but not the rest of it.
Captain, a crash driver
runs with just enough gas
to get him through the stunt.
Tommy's tank was loaded.
It went up like a bonfire.
Now someone got to that car,
and rigged it... the gas,
the steering, the whole thing!
All right, I'll call
a friend of mine,
Tom Henderson,
with the Vegas police.
Now you tell him your story,
and then come right on home.
Not good enough.
I got to find out for myself.
Linc, it's out of
my jurisdiction!
Come on home and stay out of it!
Thank you, Captain...
for your helpful understanding.
(heavy sigh)
He loved the idea.
I'm going in there.
You two go home.
No chance.
And don't start to
give me a bad time...
Now, knock it off, Pete.
(phone ringing)
Hello.
Hanging up, is that the
way you win arguments?
No, that's how I avoid them.
All right, Linc.
If you're that sure, go ahead.
But the minute you find
something, you call Henderson.
And Linc...
you keep your
emotions out of this,
or you'll buy
nothing but trouble.
Don't worry, Captain.
I'm cool.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
What do you want?
We're looking for
the boss, Karnes.
Not in here.
(laughing): Give us a hint.
Sally, no! Now stop bugging me.
I ain't gonna let you do
no 60-foot ramp jump.
I gotta do something.
It's like a graveyard
around here.
KARNES: Oh, you kids!
Your answer to
everything is a kick.
Mr. Karnes.
These kids want to see you.
Yeah, what about?
We're looking for a job.
No jobs.
Well, I heard you lost
one of your drivers.
So?
So I'm a driver.
You see?
Everybody's pushing their luck.
What's your name, driver?
Lincoln Hayes.
KARNES: Never heard of you.
LINC: Now you have.
Uh, he's... modest,
Mr. Karnes, but good.
Another county heard from.
Yeah, I'm, I'm his
mechanic, Pete Cochrane.
You're his mechanic?
SALLY: Wait a minute,
Karnes, give him a chance.
Maybe he's good.
KARNES: Another
genius heard from, huh?
He worries like an old lady.
By the way, I'm Sally Semple.
Queen of the Road, right?
Yeah, well, it's a living.
I'll see you.
Count on it.
Sally, tell that
boyfriend of yours
to stop hitting the juice.
I told you, Karnes, I
don't have no boyfriend.
(laughing)
LINC: Hey, what about that job?
I'm not hiring any beginners.
And especially a...
Oh, you understand.
Yes, sir, Colonel, I get it.
You're wrong, boy.
Now, if I could hire myself
an experienced colored driver,
I might sell me some tickets.
But mister, you ain't him.
We'll see about that.
Oh, man, don't even think it.
Karnes went into his office.
You give me a minute,
then get him out here.
Linc, knock it off!
You'll get killed!
It's a piece of cake, Pete.
Karnes, I think you
should take a look at this.
Your new driver is about
to make a ramp jump.
(engine revving)
Hey, that's my car.
(tires squealing)
(engine revving)
There you are, Karnes.
A little bit of frosting, too.
Now how about those jobs?
Bring him up here.
When did you learn that?
About three minutes ago.
Geez...
Come on, Karnes
wants to talk to you, man.
Welcome to the team.
Thank you.
Can I buy you guys
a drink to celebrate?
I'll go you one better.
Let me buy you
some dinner tonight.
Date?
Okay.
(chuckling)
We're gonna talk
about money later.
Now, the first thing we're
gonna do is change your name.
Gonna call you Kingfish Jones.
Kingfish Jones.
Why?
Well, it's a... it's a gimmick.
After all, you're... you're
my first colored stunt driver.
Man, you're out of
The Twilight Zone.
What's the matter?
Well, if you called me Jones,
my mother wouldn't like it,
and if you called me Kingfish,
I wouldn't like it.
KARNES: Well, I'm just
trying to sell you to the public.
I'm not for sale.
Just my services.
Now, what about the money?
(chuckles)
You sure are a tough cookie.
But my, uh... my drivers
all get the same: $125 a week,
and $150 after they
prove themselves.
I just did.
I'll have to ask the accountant.
Can we afford him, George?
You're the boss.
Can you do a double
dive-bomb crash?
Is there a sky up there?
KARNES: $150 a
week with the crash.
Deal.
All right, come on, Pete,
now, will you get off my back?
Lookit...
this double dive-bomb
crash thing, or whatever it is,
spooks me just to say it.
But I can swing it, Pete.
You're out of your head.
Hi. What can I do for you guys?
What's good?
I don't know. I just
started working here.
86 the gum, will
you? It's too much.
Are you kidding?
That's how I got this job.
Anything to tell the captain?
Yeah, we're in, and
we're staying cool.
Right.
How's the, uh,
Queen of the Road?
Just fine.
I'm gonna see her later.
I bet she has a deep
voice. (laughs): No.
But she does have an
ex-boyfriend named Larry.
He's a driver, and he
does his drinking in here.
Why don't you see if you can
get him a shoulder to cry on?
Okay. Listen, I got to go...
I'll see you in the morning.
No. I got to see someone.
Who?
Tommy's mother.
(church bell tolling)
Linc.
Oh, Linc!
(sobbing)
Mama...
Gracias.
You know my boy Frank?
Sure. Long time.
That's right.
You came all the way from home.
Tommy would be so glad.
I just wanted to
say how sorry I was.
I went to the house first.
It's beautiful.
Oh, that house!
All right, Mama, that's enough.
We'll sell the house.
What's wrong with
a little prosperity?
Don't ask me, pal,
I'm just a social worker.
MRS. SALIDO: It was Tommy's
money that paid for the house.
Blood money.
You were right... We
should never have done it.
Sure, Mama.
But look, don't
upset yourself, huh?
You know how much
they paid Tommy
for his crazy driving?
A thousand dollars a week!
But he never said
how dangerous it was.
He never said it would kill him!
FRANK: Mama, please!
We said we'd never
talk about it again.
Now, look, we'll never
mention the money to anyone.
We'll forget it ever happened.
Please!
Good-bye, Mama.
I'll see you again soon.
Good-bye.
What's the matter, man?
A thousand a week.
That was Tommy's take-home pay.
I thought Karnes
only paid him...
Yeah, I know.
Tommy was hustling.
Hustling big.
Hustling what?
I don't know.
And I wish we didn't
have to find out.
Cheers. Cheers.
Pete,
I liked last night.
I mean, really.
Me, too.
I just never figured
you to be, uh...
the quiet type.
Me, neither.
I mean, uh...
well, I can talk loud and
noisy to men, you know?
But it ain't easy to talk soft.
Why is that?
Well, it's like what they say,
it's what you come from.
I mean, me, I come from
the back hills of Tennessee.
And I had six mean brothers
and a whiskey-soaked pa.
And when I was 14,
I hit him over the
head with a chair,
and I walked, barefooted,
to the nearest road,
and I hitched a ride
in a fast, shiny car.
And I been going
fast ever since.
Well, you must've
made one stop, though.
Why?
To buy yourself a pair of shoes.
(sighs)
The guy I hitched a ride
with bought 'em for me.
He bought me a
pair of high heels,
and he taught me
how to drive his car.
And he taught me a
couple of other things, too...
Like how you don't get nothin'
for nothin' where
men are concerned.
Now, wait a minute.
Don't you think
that that depends
on what you want from the man?
Maybe.
Right now, I'd like to
believe that it's different.
Is that possible, Pete?
(knocking on door)
Excuse me.
Are you on this
crew, or ain't ya?
Mm-hmm.
You mind if I finish this?
Yeah, I mind!
Okay.
Thank you.
Listen, Larry, you
can't stop me...
I ain't got time to talk
to you, Your Highness.
I got a new load
of beasts out there!
Now, maybe you'd
like to come outside
and pick one out
for yourself, huh?
(door slams)
Oh, beautiful, just beautiful.
And boy, will they
take a good crumple.
(laughs) That's
pretty classy, Karnes.
Imported beasts.
Yeah. Tijuana.
George here, he
put me on to the deal.
Why, even with the cost of
transportation, it's like stealing them.
What do I do, just pick
one out? That's right.
Hank there'll get it in
running shape for you.
George, man wants
to get paid now.
Right.
How soon can you get
one ready for Hayes?
Oh, not until this afternoon.
I got to unload these wrecks,
then I got to haul
a load of tires
over to the junkyard. Today?
If you want to get
the right price for 'em.
Well, all right.
You gonna go,
would you mind hauling
Tommy's wreck over there, too?
You know, it gives me the creeps
every time I walk by it.
Okay.
Don't worry, Hayes, we'll
take good, good care of you.
Solid, Hank.
All right, fellas, let's start
unloading these wrecks.
Well, I guess this is your last
chance to check out Tommy's car.
Yeah, I know. Cover for me.
(door creaks loudly)
All right, get 'er down.
Easy, now, easy.
Hey, you.
Hey, you!
Get over here!
Come on, lend a
hand with this car.
Lend a hand on this car!
Hey, where's Hayes?
He's supposed to
be working here.
Uh, he's around
somewhere... I'll get him for you.
Aw, you stay here.
How come you're so
uptight all the time?
You know, you don't own the j...
Don't push me, kid.
For two cents, I'd
crawl all over you.
Let go! Let go of me!
Cut it out! Cool it!
(men shouting in distance)
Come on, you
guys, get out of here!
Cool off!
Get back to work, all of ya!
Are you okay? Yeah, fine.
(chuckles)
I hope you found something.
Yeah. It's a freaky
piece of metal.
I think it's time to call the captain's
friend and have it checked out.
Hey, thanks for the cover.
Solid.
Maybe now he'll try and
find that shoulder to cry on.
(bluesy music playing)
I don't get paid for
dancing with the customers.
What happens if my
boss comes back?
I'll buy him out.
Money talks, you know.
How does a crash
jockey get big money?
Don't push me.
What's your name?
Julie.
Julie, huh?
Pretty.
How come I never
noticed you before?
Come on, let's sit down.
Come on. All right.
Hey, you got any vices?
Yeah, I chew gum.
Now, don't be cute.
Yeah, I got a vice.
But it's, uh, very expensive.
Yeah?
Gambling.
I once spent, uh, 30
hours at a crap table.
Well, that's a long time.
Yeah, and very expensive.
Maybe too expensive?
(chuckling)
Hey, those are hundreds.
Right.
Here, you have a couple.
Yeah? No strings?
Yeah, just one.
Sunday...
you come out to the track
and you watch me drive, okay?
Nothing could keep me away.
(tires squealing)
(crowd cheering)
What are you doing here?
How much longer
could I stay away?
(crowd cheering,
whistling, applauding)
ANNOUNCER (over P.A.): How
about a big hand for Miss Sally Semple!
(whistling)
Check everything?
Yeah, three times.
And with the checks
you made, that makes ten.
You can still get out of it.
How? What'll I tell them?
The truth. I'm scared, man.
Good luck.
Thanks, man.
ANNOUNCER: And
now, ladies and gentlemen,
the newest addition to the
Karnes Auto Thrill Show...
Lincoln Hayes,
doing the dangerous
double car dive-bomb crash.
Say, uh, what's a double
car dive-bomb crash?
Crunch!
He's gonna do just fine, Pete.
(tires squeal)
(tires squealing)
Are you okay?
Yeah.
(applause)
All right, get him out.
HANK: Easy... Slow and easy.
Easy.
Easy does it.
HANK: All right, get the
wrecker, get this thing out of here.
Let's move. Come on!
What went wrong?
Too much ramp speed.
I guess I'm not ready
for the big time yet.
That's the grooviest
thing you've said all week.
Oh, man, are you a ham.
Me, too?
Great stunt, Mr. Hayes.
You gonna do it again next week?
Only better, I hope.
Captain's here.
Yes, sir, Mr. Hayes,
terrific stunt.
You do it again and
I'll bust your head in.
Hey, don't bug me or I
won't sign your program.
PETE: What's the matter?
The guy over there in the suit.
PETE: Yeah, he works
here. He keeps the books.
Yeah? Well, we better
not let him see us together.
Julie's room, right
after the show.
Thank you, Mr. Hayes.
He's leaving now.
Follow him.
Who is he?
He's a cop.
His name is Adam Greer.
His name is George Albert.
A small-time hustler.
I nailed him twice,
extortion and narcotics.
Wouldn't you know,
he beat both raps.
What's wrong?
How could I have been so stupid,
meeting you in a
public place like that?!
All right, take it easy.
Nobody's perfect.
Yeah, nobody's perfect.
Let's just get on with it.
All right.
Here you have it,
short but not so sweet.
Linc was absolutely right.
Tommy's death was no accident.
LINC: Go on.
You know that bolt we
sent to the Vegas lab?
It was part of
an explosive bolt.
The kind that astronauts
use to blow hatches.
With just enough force to
snap the steering linkage.
The question is:
why was he killed?
Think he was in on the take?
Well, don't you?
A known criminal, kids passing
big dough, one of them murdered.
It could add up a
dozen ways, but...
first the boys want to zero
in on what the racket is.
The "boys"?
Yeah. Vegas Police.
Look, you've done enough.
Besides, I...
I might've blown your cover.
I'll take that chance.
Look, you were right once, Linc.
That doesn't mean...
No, Captain, I was wrong.
I thought Tommy was
some kind of innocent lamb
or something,
maybe even a patsy.
All right, well,
he was in on it.
But he's still dead,
and he's still my friend!
All right, Linc, what
do you want from me?!
Just one more day.
I think I can find the answer.
Yeah, how?
I think I know where to look.
(door opening)
What do you want?
The truth, Frank.
Where was Tommy
getting the bread?
That big bread?
I told you once, there
was nothing to talk about.
Oh come on, Frank,
he was hustling big!
Now what was it?
You want to move in
on the territory, right?
Get some of that
loot for yourself?
Frank.
Listen, whatever
happened to you kids?
You and Tommy?
Why couldn't you learn to work,
to make something of yourselves!
I'm trying now, Frank!
It's not the money.
I just got to find
out what happened.
No!
Now listen, I warned him
once and he wouldn't listen.
Now here is an end to it!
Why?!
Why? Because there's an old lady
that thinks he died straight
and I'm not going to spoil
that with some lousy headlines
about her son, the cheap hood!
Headlines?
Well, don't snow me, Frank.
That old lady is tougher
than the both of us!
Now is it her you're really
trying to protect, or is it you?
Now you listen to me, punk.
No, Frank, headlines!
You're sitting in a
real sensitive chair.
And you worked really hard to
be a small cat in the establishment.
What do you know
about it, you bum?
You big-mouthed bum!
Listen, it's creeps like
you that killed Tommy!
No, Frank.
Bigger creeps than me.
Your brother was murdered.
His car was rigged
to explode, then burn.
It's my job to
find out who did it.
Oh, Linc.
The world is full
of surprises, huh?
Frank, help me.
Where was the money coming from?
Please, Frank.
Funny...
it seems so trivial.
I mean, marijuana.
No penny-ante stuff.
No pushing to high school
kids... No, they were importers.
They were bringing in
$25,000 worth of that stuff
each week, from Mexico.
Well, how?
In the cars.
Hidden somewhere
in the old cars.
Cars...
(clank)
(phone ringing)
Hello.
Julie, it's Pete.
Have you talked to Linc yet?
No.
Look, I'm gonna go
over and see Sally.
Maybe she knows
something. You stay there.
Well, I was just
going into work.
No, don't, please.
It would make me feel a
lot better if you stay there.
Now promise me.
I promise, mother hen.
(clattering)
Sally?
Sally.
Did he hurt you, angel?
No.
Just shook me up a little.
I threw a lamp at him.
But he's so thick-skinned,
I don't even think he felt it.
Oh, Pete.
Stay with me.
Talk to me.
All right.
My whole world is tumbling.
It's all right, I'm here.
(ripping)
(hollow thudding)
(dull thud)
Bingo, Mr. Hayes.
Captain Greer
would be very proud.
Okay, you found me out.
I was digging
your little operation.
I thought I'd become
a silent partner.
Now, you don't mind as
much as all that, now, do you?
You know, Hayes, you
remind me an awful lot
of your late friend
Tommy Salido.
I didn't catch the name.
How about "Greedy Tom"?
Or did you know that
side of his nature?
Well, what am I supposed to do,
laugh at your
jokes or something?
Now, you just tell me
what game we're playing,
and I'll ride along.
We're playing "Catch the Cops."
Frisk him.
Turn around.
Hi. The game is on.
Pick up the girl cop.
Quickly, please.
(knocking on door)
Hi, there.
I went down to the
club looking for you.
Hoo-whoo!
This is pretty fancy.
Pretty fancy.
How did you find me?
I mean, this is really swell.
Oh, I conned the bartender.
Hey, don't just stand
there! Let's go! Come on!
Where are we going, Larry?
Well, now, I got
a surprise for you.
I am trying out a new
stunt down at the track.
Well, uh, you know,
I... I... I really feel tired.
I was wondering if we could...
How come you're
stalling, sweetheart?
I'm you new bankroll. Remember?
Or was that just some kind of,
uh... act you were putting on?
No, no. Of course not.
No. Let's go, huh?
Let's go.
Thanks, Pete.
You're what I needed
on a gloomy day.
Is your world still tumbling?
My world's changing.
I guess that's what all
the tumbling's about.
I want out of the old world.
Everything sticks me to it.
I want that old knight
in shining armor
to show up and get me out.
But, every time he shows up,
he's got a crash helmet on.
Till you.
Pete...
I want to say
something very silly...
Maybe a little desperate...
But I got to get out of here.
Anywhere that ain't here.
Will you come with me?
Well, that's a
beautiful thing to ask,
and to say, sweetheart, but...
Pete, I want so
much to be a lady.
Will you help me?
You are.
Why can't you believe that?
(phone rings)
(ringing)
Hello.
Hang on a minute.
It's for you.
For me?
Yes?
Mr. Cochrane, we're having
a little meeting in the garage.
Mr. Hayes and Miss Barnes
would like you to join them.
Who is this?
It's only fair to tell you
that, if you don't show up,
your friends are
in a lot of trouble.
Now, wait a minute.
Just take it easy, man.
I don't like telephone put-ons.
Well, let's not argue.
Take a look out the trailer.
Now, you listen to me.
You have 30 seconds
to get over here.
Beginning now.
What's the matter, Pete?
Listen. You get on the phone,
and you call the Vegas Police,
and you ask for a
Captain Henderson,
and tell him that Greer's
people are in trouble,
and to get out here
as soon as he can.
Wait a minute.
Don't argue! Just do it.
(door opens)
Oh, you're right on
time, Officer Cochrane.
Now we can get started.
Move them over there,
Larry, where I can look at them.
Right.
You, too. Come on.
Your partner Linc has discovered
our little import corporation.
We bring Acapulco
Gold across the border.
GEORGE: He even
knows how we do it.
He also knows we
killed Tommy Salido.
And, now that you
know what he knows,
you can help pay
the consequences.
Why did you kill Tommy?
He was shaking us down.
We paid him a lot of money to
keep him away from the cops,
but his fee kept going up.
That's when Larry
decided to fix his car.
Hey, we all decided.
Oh, yes. That's right.
We all vote on these
big policy matters.
All four of us.
Yes.
We do have another partner.
(door opens)
I think you've met.
SALLY: You shootin' off
your big mouth again, George?
GEORGE: Just
waiting for you, honey.
I think you better give me that.
I don't trust you with a gun.
I think I'll just hang on to it
till we see how the vote goes.
You're moving pretty fast.
You might have talked it over!
Somebody had to move.
You were busy.
George, let's stop
this dancing around.
I am not going to
let you kill them!
That's one "no" vote.
I'll vote "yes".
Hank?
I'm with you.
Well, Larry?
Larry...
Kill 'em.
You're crazy, all of you.
You can't kill three cops.
GEORGE: You'd
rather we just killed two?
What's going on here?
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(ricochet)
(gunshot)
JULIE: Pete!
Sally!
My God! What happened? Sally.
Call an ambulance!
Pete?
Am I going to die?
No. Never.
Pete...
I want to say
another silly thing.
What?
I'm going to miss you.
Shh!
PETE: Bye, angel.
No! No! No!
No... no...
All right, you win.
No. Nobody wins.
You ready, Julie?
Almost.
We called you a
half an hour ago.
I said I'm almost ready.
JULIE: Look, you mind
telling me what the big rush is?
We want to get out of here.
We want to go home.
Well, so do I.
When did the captain
change his mind?
He didn't.
We're going anyway.
What happens if the
Vegas police want to ask us
more questions?
Julie, we have answered
questions for three days now.
We've lived and
relived this thing,
and we're all tired,
a little uptight, and of no
good to anyone anyway.
He's right, Julie.
Let's go.
(phone rings)
The captain.
(ringing)
Coming?
(ringing)
Yeah.
(ringing)
(ringing)
(ringing)
(ringing)
hung up at the slot machines.
How much did you take them for?
35 cents.
(both snickering)
Come on, we're gonna
be late for the show.
It starts at 2:00.
Does your friend
know we're coming?
No, no, we'll surprise
him after the show.
And if we're
lucky, he'll take us
to his mother's house
for the best Sunday dinner
you've ever tasted.
Yeah.
(engine revving,
tires squealing)
Now, how's that for a
quiet afternoon in Vegas?
Wild.
ANNOUNCER (over PA): A big
hand for champion driver Larry Taft!
When does Tommy go in?
Right after the girl.
What girl? The pretty girl.
ANNOUNCER (over PA):
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
the Karnes Auto Thrill presents
the Queen of the Road...
Miss Sally Semple,
doing the difficult
ramp-to-ramp jump.
(tires squealing)
(engine revving)
All right, what do you think?
I'll bet she has stringy hair.
Eat your popcorn.
Ten-to-one she doesn't
take off her helmet.
(applause and cheering)
Okay, she's lovely.
You bet she's lovely.
Hey, there's Tommy!
Where?
So that's the guy that turned
you on to all of this, huh?
Yeah. We go back a long way.
We used to own a car together.
Did 160 flat out.
Used to drive the
Highway Patrol nuts.
Did you ever do any of
the stunt stuff yourself?
Some.
We used to go out to the
desert and jump sand dunes.
Do spin outs, two-wheel stuff.
"Bravos pero tontos"
his mother used to say.
"More guts than brains."
ANNOUNCER (over PA):
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
the youngest member of
our stunt team, Tommy Salido,
will attempt to equal
the track record
for a ramp-to-ramp
jump: 60 feet!
(spectators clamoring)
May we ask for absolute
silence from the crowd
as Tommy concentrates
on this most difficult
and dangerous feat.
(engine revving)
(loud thud)
(people screaming)
Get him out!
Get him out of there!
Get him out of there.
Please, get him out of there.
(theme song playing)
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Uh-huh.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Go ahead.
Easy, Linc, will you?
You know you could be wrong.
Captain, Tommy was murdered.
Now when his front wheels hit
that ramp, his steering snapped.
Linc, accidents happen.
The steering maybe...
but not the rest of it.
Captain, a crash driver
runs with just enough gas
to get him through the stunt.
Tommy's tank was loaded.
It went up like a bonfire.
Now someone got to that car,
and rigged it... the gas,
the steering, the whole thing!
All right, I'll call
a friend of mine,
Tom Henderson,
with the Vegas police.
Now you tell him your story,
and then come right on home.
Not good enough.
I got to find out for myself.
Linc, it's out of
my jurisdiction!
Come on home and stay out of it!
Thank you, Captain...
for your helpful understanding.
(heavy sigh)
He loved the idea.
I'm going in there.
You two go home.
No chance.
And don't start to
give me a bad time...
Now, knock it off, Pete.
(phone ringing)
Hello.
Hanging up, is that the
way you win arguments?
No, that's how I avoid them.
All right, Linc.
If you're that sure, go ahead.
But the minute you find
something, you call Henderson.
And Linc...
you keep your
emotions out of this,
or you'll buy
nothing but trouble.
Don't worry, Captain.
I'm cool.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
What do you want?
We're looking for
the boss, Karnes.
Not in here.
(laughing): Give us a hint.
Sally, no! Now stop bugging me.
I ain't gonna let you do
no 60-foot ramp jump.
I gotta do something.
It's like a graveyard
around here.
KARNES: Oh, you kids!
Your answer to
everything is a kick.
Mr. Karnes.
These kids want to see you.
Yeah, what about?
We're looking for a job.
No jobs.
Well, I heard you lost
one of your drivers.
So?
So I'm a driver.
You see?
Everybody's pushing their luck.
What's your name, driver?
Lincoln Hayes.
KARNES: Never heard of you.
LINC: Now you have.
Uh, he's... modest,
Mr. Karnes, but good.
Another county heard from.
Yeah, I'm, I'm his
mechanic, Pete Cochrane.
You're his mechanic?
SALLY: Wait a minute,
Karnes, give him a chance.
Maybe he's good.
KARNES: Another
genius heard from, huh?
He worries like an old lady.
By the way, I'm Sally Semple.
Queen of the Road, right?
Yeah, well, it's a living.
I'll see you.
Count on it.
Sally, tell that
boyfriend of yours
to stop hitting the juice.
I told you, Karnes, I
don't have no boyfriend.
(laughing)
LINC: Hey, what about that job?
I'm not hiring any beginners.
And especially a...
Oh, you understand.
Yes, sir, Colonel, I get it.
You're wrong, boy.
Now, if I could hire myself
an experienced colored driver,
I might sell me some tickets.
But mister, you ain't him.
We'll see about that.
Oh, man, don't even think it.
Karnes went into his office.
You give me a minute,
then get him out here.
Linc, knock it off!
You'll get killed!
It's a piece of cake, Pete.
Karnes, I think you
should take a look at this.
Your new driver is about
to make a ramp jump.
(engine revving)
Hey, that's my car.
(tires squealing)
(engine revving)
There you are, Karnes.
A little bit of frosting, too.
Now how about those jobs?
Bring him up here.
When did you learn that?
About three minutes ago.
Geez...
Come on, Karnes
wants to talk to you, man.
Welcome to the team.
Thank you.
Can I buy you guys
a drink to celebrate?
I'll go you one better.
Let me buy you
some dinner tonight.
Date?
Okay.
(chuckling)
We're gonna talk
about money later.
Now, the first thing we're
gonna do is change your name.
Gonna call you Kingfish Jones.
Kingfish Jones.
Why?
Well, it's a... it's a gimmick.
After all, you're... you're
my first colored stunt driver.
Man, you're out of
The Twilight Zone.
What's the matter?
Well, if you called me Jones,
my mother wouldn't like it,
and if you called me Kingfish,
I wouldn't like it.
KARNES: Well, I'm just
trying to sell you to the public.
I'm not for sale.
Just my services.
Now, what about the money?
(chuckles)
You sure are a tough cookie.
But my, uh... my drivers
all get the same: $125 a week,
and $150 after they
prove themselves.
I just did.
I'll have to ask the accountant.
Can we afford him, George?
You're the boss.
Can you do a double
dive-bomb crash?
Is there a sky up there?
KARNES: $150 a
week with the crash.
Deal.
All right, come on, Pete,
now, will you get off my back?
Lookit...
this double dive-bomb
crash thing, or whatever it is,
spooks me just to say it.
But I can swing it, Pete.
You're out of your head.
Hi. What can I do for you guys?
What's good?
I don't know. I just
started working here.
86 the gum, will
you? It's too much.
Are you kidding?
That's how I got this job.
Anything to tell the captain?
Yeah, we're in, and
we're staying cool.
Right.
How's the, uh,
Queen of the Road?
Just fine.
I'm gonna see her later.
I bet she has a deep
voice. (laughs): No.
But she does have an
ex-boyfriend named Larry.
He's a driver, and he
does his drinking in here.
Why don't you see if you can
get him a shoulder to cry on?
Okay. Listen, I got to go...
I'll see you in the morning.
No. I got to see someone.
Who?
Tommy's mother.
(church bell tolling)
Linc.
Oh, Linc!
(sobbing)
Mama...
Gracias.
You know my boy Frank?
Sure. Long time.
That's right.
You came all the way from home.
Tommy would be so glad.
I just wanted to
say how sorry I was.
I went to the house first.
It's beautiful.
Oh, that house!
All right, Mama, that's enough.
We'll sell the house.
What's wrong with
a little prosperity?
Don't ask me, pal,
I'm just a social worker.
MRS. SALIDO: It was Tommy's
money that paid for the house.
Blood money.
You were right... We
should never have done it.
Sure, Mama.
But look, don't
upset yourself, huh?
You know how much
they paid Tommy
for his crazy driving?
A thousand dollars a week!
But he never said
how dangerous it was.
He never said it would kill him!
FRANK: Mama, please!
We said we'd never
talk about it again.
Now, look, we'll never
mention the money to anyone.
We'll forget it ever happened.
Please!
Good-bye, Mama.
I'll see you again soon.
Good-bye.
What's the matter, man?
A thousand a week.
That was Tommy's take-home pay.
I thought Karnes
only paid him...
Yeah, I know.
Tommy was hustling.
Hustling big.
Hustling what?
I don't know.
And I wish we didn't
have to find out.
Cheers. Cheers.
Pete,
I liked last night.
I mean, really.
Me, too.
I just never figured
you to be, uh...
the quiet type.
Me, neither.
I mean, uh...
well, I can talk loud and
noisy to men, you know?
But it ain't easy to talk soft.
Why is that?
Well, it's like what they say,
it's what you come from.
I mean, me, I come from
the back hills of Tennessee.
And I had six mean brothers
and a whiskey-soaked pa.
And when I was 14,
I hit him over the
head with a chair,
and I walked, barefooted,
to the nearest road,
and I hitched a ride
in a fast, shiny car.
And I been going
fast ever since.
Well, you must've
made one stop, though.
Why?
To buy yourself a pair of shoes.
(sighs)
The guy I hitched a ride
with bought 'em for me.
He bought me a
pair of high heels,
and he taught me
how to drive his car.
And he taught me a
couple of other things, too...
Like how you don't get nothin'
for nothin' where
men are concerned.
Now, wait a minute.
Don't you think
that that depends
on what you want from the man?
Maybe.
Right now, I'd like to
believe that it's different.
Is that possible, Pete?
(knocking on door)
Excuse me.
Are you on this
crew, or ain't ya?
Mm-hmm.
You mind if I finish this?
Yeah, I mind!
Okay.
Thank you.
Listen, Larry, you
can't stop me...
I ain't got time to talk
to you, Your Highness.
I got a new load
of beasts out there!
Now, maybe you'd
like to come outside
and pick one out
for yourself, huh?
(door slams)
Oh, beautiful, just beautiful.
And boy, will they
take a good crumple.
(laughs) That's
pretty classy, Karnes.
Imported beasts.
Yeah. Tijuana.
George here, he
put me on to the deal.
Why, even with the cost of
transportation, it's like stealing them.
What do I do, just pick
one out? That's right.
Hank there'll get it in
running shape for you.
George, man wants
to get paid now.
Right.
How soon can you get
one ready for Hayes?
Oh, not until this afternoon.
I got to unload these wrecks,
then I got to haul
a load of tires
over to the junkyard. Today?
If you want to get
the right price for 'em.
Well, all right.
You gonna go,
would you mind hauling
Tommy's wreck over there, too?
You know, it gives me the creeps
every time I walk by it.
Okay.
Don't worry, Hayes, we'll
take good, good care of you.
Solid, Hank.
All right, fellas, let's start
unloading these wrecks.
Well, I guess this is your last
chance to check out Tommy's car.
Yeah, I know. Cover for me.
(door creaks loudly)
All right, get 'er down.
Easy, now, easy.
Hey, you.
Hey, you!
Get over here!
Come on, lend a
hand with this car.
Lend a hand on this car!
Hey, where's Hayes?
He's supposed to
be working here.
Uh, he's around
somewhere... I'll get him for you.
Aw, you stay here.
How come you're so
uptight all the time?
You know, you don't own the j...
Don't push me, kid.
For two cents, I'd
crawl all over you.
Let go! Let go of me!
Cut it out! Cool it!
(men shouting in distance)
Come on, you
guys, get out of here!
Cool off!
Get back to work, all of ya!
Are you okay? Yeah, fine.
(chuckles)
I hope you found something.
Yeah. It's a freaky
piece of metal.
I think it's time to call the captain's
friend and have it checked out.
Hey, thanks for the cover.
Solid.
Maybe now he'll try and
find that shoulder to cry on.
(bluesy music playing)
I don't get paid for
dancing with the customers.
What happens if my
boss comes back?
I'll buy him out.
Money talks, you know.
How does a crash
jockey get big money?
Don't push me.
What's your name?
Julie.
Julie, huh?
Pretty.
How come I never
noticed you before?
Come on, let's sit down.
Come on. All right.
Hey, you got any vices?
Yeah, I chew gum.
Now, don't be cute.
Yeah, I got a vice.
But it's, uh, very expensive.
Yeah?
Gambling.
I once spent, uh, 30
hours at a crap table.
Well, that's a long time.
Yeah, and very expensive.
Maybe too expensive?
(chuckling)
Hey, those are hundreds.
Right.
Here, you have a couple.
Yeah? No strings?
Yeah, just one.
Sunday...
you come out to the track
and you watch me drive, okay?
Nothing could keep me away.
(tires squealing)
(crowd cheering)
What are you doing here?
How much longer
could I stay away?
(crowd cheering,
whistling, applauding)
ANNOUNCER (over P.A.): How
about a big hand for Miss Sally Semple!
(whistling)
Check everything?
Yeah, three times.
And with the checks
you made, that makes ten.
You can still get out of it.
How? What'll I tell them?
The truth. I'm scared, man.
Good luck.
Thanks, man.
ANNOUNCER: And
now, ladies and gentlemen,
the newest addition to the
Karnes Auto Thrill Show...
Lincoln Hayes,
doing the dangerous
double car dive-bomb crash.
Say, uh, what's a double
car dive-bomb crash?
Crunch!
He's gonna do just fine, Pete.
(tires squeal)
(tires squealing)
Are you okay?
Yeah.
(applause)
All right, get him out.
HANK: Easy... Slow and easy.
Easy.
Easy does it.
HANK: All right, get the
wrecker, get this thing out of here.
Let's move. Come on!
What went wrong?
Too much ramp speed.
I guess I'm not ready
for the big time yet.
That's the grooviest
thing you've said all week.
Oh, man, are you a ham.
Me, too?
Great stunt, Mr. Hayes.
You gonna do it again next week?
Only better, I hope.
Captain's here.
Yes, sir, Mr. Hayes,
terrific stunt.
You do it again and
I'll bust your head in.
Hey, don't bug me or I
won't sign your program.
PETE: What's the matter?
The guy over there in the suit.
PETE: Yeah, he works
here. He keeps the books.
Yeah? Well, we better
not let him see us together.
Julie's room, right
after the show.
Thank you, Mr. Hayes.
He's leaving now.
Follow him.
Who is he?
He's a cop.
His name is Adam Greer.
His name is George Albert.
A small-time hustler.
I nailed him twice,
extortion and narcotics.
Wouldn't you know,
he beat both raps.
What's wrong?
How could I have been so stupid,
meeting you in a
public place like that?!
All right, take it easy.
Nobody's perfect.
Yeah, nobody's perfect.
Let's just get on with it.
All right.
Here you have it,
short but not so sweet.
Linc was absolutely right.
Tommy's death was no accident.
LINC: Go on.
You know that bolt we
sent to the Vegas lab?
It was part of
an explosive bolt.
The kind that astronauts
use to blow hatches.
With just enough force to
snap the steering linkage.
The question is:
why was he killed?
Think he was in on the take?
Well, don't you?
A known criminal, kids passing
big dough, one of them murdered.
It could add up a
dozen ways, but...
first the boys want to zero
in on what the racket is.
The "boys"?
Yeah. Vegas Police.
Look, you've done enough.
Besides, I...
I might've blown your cover.
I'll take that chance.
Look, you were right once, Linc.
That doesn't mean...
No, Captain, I was wrong.
I thought Tommy was
some kind of innocent lamb
or something,
maybe even a patsy.
All right, well,
he was in on it.
But he's still dead,
and he's still my friend!
All right, Linc, what
do you want from me?!
Just one more day.
I think I can find the answer.
Yeah, how?
I think I know where to look.
(door opening)
What do you want?
The truth, Frank.
Where was Tommy
getting the bread?
That big bread?
I told you once, there
was nothing to talk about.
Oh come on, Frank,
he was hustling big!
Now what was it?
You want to move in
on the territory, right?
Get some of that
loot for yourself?
Frank.
Listen, whatever
happened to you kids?
You and Tommy?
Why couldn't you learn to work,
to make something of yourselves!
I'm trying now, Frank!
It's not the money.
I just got to find
out what happened.
No!
Now listen, I warned him
once and he wouldn't listen.
Now here is an end to it!
Why?!
Why? Because there's an old lady
that thinks he died straight
and I'm not going to spoil
that with some lousy headlines
about her son, the cheap hood!
Headlines?
Well, don't snow me, Frank.
That old lady is tougher
than the both of us!
Now is it her you're really
trying to protect, or is it you?
Now you listen to me, punk.
No, Frank, headlines!
You're sitting in a
real sensitive chair.
And you worked really hard to
be a small cat in the establishment.
What do you know
about it, you bum?
You big-mouthed bum!
Listen, it's creeps like
you that killed Tommy!
No, Frank.
Bigger creeps than me.
Your brother was murdered.
His car was rigged
to explode, then burn.
It's my job to
find out who did it.
Oh, Linc.
The world is full
of surprises, huh?
Frank, help me.
Where was the money coming from?
Please, Frank.
Funny...
it seems so trivial.
I mean, marijuana.
No penny-ante stuff.
No pushing to high school
kids... No, they were importers.
They were bringing in
$25,000 worth of that stuff
each week, from Mexico.
Well, how?
In the cars.
Hidden somewhere
in the old cars.
Cars...
(clank)
(phone ringing)
Hello.
Julie, it's Pete.
Have you talked to Linc yet?
No.
Look, I'm gonna go
over and see Sally.
Maybe she knows
something. You stay there.
Well, I was just
going into work.
No, don't, please.
It would make me feel a
lot better if you stay there.
Now promise me.
I promise, mother hen.
(clattering)
Sally?
Sally.
Did he hurt you, angel?
No.
Just shook me up a little.
I threw a lamp at him.
But he's so thick-skinned,
I don't even think he felt it.
Oh, Pete.
Stay with me.
Talk to me.
All right.
My whole world is tumbling.
It's all right, I'm here.
(ripping)
(hollow thudding)
(dull thud)
Bingo, Mr. Hayes.
Captain Greer
would be very proud.
Okay, you found me out.
I was digging
your little operation.
I thought I'd become
a silent partner.
Now, you don't mind as
much as all that, now, do you?
You know, Hayes, you
remind me an awful lot
of your late friend
Tommy Salido.
I didn't catch the name.
How about "Greedy Tom"?
Or did you know that
side of his nature?
Well, what am I supposed to do,
laugh at your
jokes or something?
Now, you just tell me
what game we're playing,
and I'll ride along.
We're playing "Catch the Cops."
Frisk him.
Turn around.
Hi. The game is on.
Pick up the girl cop.
Quickly, please.
(knocking on door)
Hi, there.
I went down to the
club looking for you.
Hoo-whoo!
This is pretty fancy.
Pretty fancy.
How did you find me?
I mean, this is really swell.
Oh, I conned the bartender.
Hey, don't just stand
there! Let's go! Come on!
Where are we going, Larry?
Well, now, I got
a surprise for you.
I am trying out a new
stunt down at the track.
Well, uh, you know,
I... I... I really feel tired.
I was wondering if we could...
How come you're
stalling, sweetheart?
I'm you new bankroll. Remember?
Or was that just some kind of,
uh... act you were putting on?
No, no. Of course not.
No. Let's go, huh?
Let's go.
Thanks, Pete.
You're what I needed
on a gloomy day.
Is your world still tumbling?
My world's changing.
I guess that's what all
the tumbling's about.
I want out of the old world.
Everything sticks me to it.
I want that old knight
in shining armor
to show up and get me out.
But, every time he shows up,
he's got a crash helmet on.
Till you.
Pete...
I want to say
something very silly...
Maybe a little desperate...
But I got to get out of here.
Anywhere that ain't here.
Will you come with me?
Well, that's a
beautiful thing to ask,
and to say, sweetheart, but...
Pete, I want so
much to be a lady.
Will you help me?
You are.
Why can't you believe that?
(phone rings)
(ringing)
Hello.
Hang on a minute.
It's for you.
For me?
Yes?
Mr. Cochrane, we're having
a little meeting in the garage.
Mr. Hayes and Miss Barnes
would like you to join them.
Who is this?
It's only fair to tell you
that, if you don't show up,
your friends are
in a lot of trouble.
Now, wait a minute.
Just take it easy, man.
I don't like telephone put-ons.
Well, let's not argue.
Take a look out the trailer.
Now, you listen to me.
You have 30 seconds
to get over here.
Beginning now.
What's the matter, Pete?
Listen. You get on the phone,
and you call the Vegas Police,
and you ask for a
Captain Henderson,
and tell him that Greer's
people are in trouble,
and to get out here
as soon as he can.
Wait a minute.
Don't argue! Just do it.
(door opens)
Oh, you're right on
time, Officer Cochrane.
Now we can get started.
Move them over there,
Larry, where I can look at them.
Right.
You, too. Come on.
Your partner Linc has discovered
our little import corporation.
We bring Acapulco
Gold across the border.
GEORGE: He even
knows how we do it.
He also knows we
killed Tommy Salido.
And, now that you
know what he knows,
you can help pay
the consequences.
Why did you kill Tommy?
He was shaking us down.
We paid him a lot of money to
keep him away from the cops,
but his fee kept going up.
That's when Larry
decided to fix his car.
Hey, we all decided.
Oh, yes. That's right.
We all vote on these
big policy matters.
All four of us.
Yes.
We do have another partner.
(door opens)
I think you've met.
SALLY: You shootin' off
your big mouth again, George?
GEORGE: Just
waiting for you, honey.
I think you better give me that.
I don't trust you with a gun.
I think I'll just hang on to it
till we see how the vote goes.
You're moving pretty fast.
You might have talked it over!
Somebody had to move.
You were busy.
George, let's stop
this dancing around.
I am not going to
let you kill them!
That's one "no" vote.
I'll vote "yes".
Hank?
I'm with you.
Well, Larry?
Larry...
Kill 'em.
You're crazy, all of you.
You can't kill three cops.
GEORGE: You'd
rather we just killed two?
What's going on here?
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(ricochet)
(gunshot)
JULIE: Pete!
Sally!
My God! What happened? Sally.
Call an ambulance!
Pete?
Am I going to die?
No. Never.
Pete...
I want to say
another silly thing.
What?
I'm going to miss you.
Shh!
PETE: Bye, angel.
No! No! No!
No... no...
All right, you win.
No. Nobody wins.
You ready, Julie?
Almost.
We called you a
half an hour ago.
I said I'm almost ready.
JULIE: Look, you mind
telling me what the big rush is?
We want to get out of here.
We want to go home.
Well, so do I.
When did the captain
change his mind?
He didn't.
We're going anyway.
What happens if the
Vegas police want to ask us
more questions?
Julie, we have answered
questions for three days now.
We've lived and
relived this thing,
and we're all tired,
a little uptight, and of no
good to anyone anyway.
He's right, Julie.
Let's go.
(phone rings)
The captain.
(ringing)
Coming?
(ringing)
Yeah.
(ringing)
(ringing)
(ringing)
(ringing)