All language subtitles for (hdpopcorns.com) Ace In The Hole (1951)

(TROLLEY BELL RINGING)

CHARLES TATUM:
Hey. Pull up at the corner.

Wait here.

How.

Good afternoon, sir.

(TYPEWRITERS CLACKING)

(DINGING)

Yes?

I'd like to see the boss.
What'd you say his name is?

- I didn't say.
- Cagey, huh?

Mr Boot is the owner and publisher.

Okay. Tell Mr Boot Mr Tatum
would like to see him.

Charles Tatum from New York.

What about?

Look, fan, just ask him,

how would he like to make
himself a fast $200 a week?

What did you say you
were selling? Insurance?

I didn't say.

Cagey, huh?

(DINGING)

Now, isn't that something?
Who said it?

Well, Mr Boot said it,
but I did the needlework.

Oh!

- Okay.
- I wish I could coin them like that.

If I ever do, would you
embroider it for me?

(EXCLAIMS)

- Mr Tatum?
- Yes, sir.

Go ahead. What is it?

Well, Mr Boot, I was passing
through Albuquerque.

Had breakfast here.
Read your paper.

Thought you might be
interested in my reaction.

- You bet I am.
- Well, sir, it made me throw up.

I don't want you to think I
expected The New York Times.

But even for Albuquerque,
this is pretty Albuquerque.

All right. Here's your nickel back.

Now, what's all this about
my making $200 a week?

Apparently, you're not
familiar with my name.

Can't say that I am.

That's because you don't get
the eastern papers out here.

I thought maybe once in a while

somebody would toss one
out of the Super Chief

and you might've seen my byline.

Charles Tatum? Worked New
York, Chicago, Detroit...

- What about the $200?
- I was coming to that.

Mr Boot, I'm a $250-a-week
newspaperman.

- I can be had for $50.
- Why are you so good to me?

I know newspapers backward,
forward and sideways.

I can write them, edit them, print
them, wrap them and sell them.

- Don't need anybody right now.
- I can handle big news and little news.

And if there's no news,
I'll go out and bite a dog.

- Make it $45.
- What makes you so cheap?

A fair question, considering I've
been top man wherever I've worked.

You'll be glad to know that
I've been fired from 11 papers

with a total circulation
of seven million,

for reasons with which I
don't want to bore you.

Go ahead. Bore me.

I'm a pretty good liar. I've
done a lot of lying in my time.

I've lied to men who wear belts. I've
lied to men who wear suspenders.

But I'd never be so
stupid as to lie to a man

who wears both belt and suspenders.

- How's that again?
- You strike me as a cautious man.

A man who checks and double-checks.

So I'll tell you why I was fired.

In New York, a story of mine
brought on a libel suit.

In Chicago, I started something
with the publisher's wife.

In Detroit, I was caught
drinking out of season.

- In Cleveland...
- I get the picture.

Now, then I find myself in
Albuquerque with no money.

A burnt-out bearing, bad tyres
and a lousy reputation.

Bad tyres can be dangerous.

I've only one chance to
get back where I belong.

To land a job on a
small-town paper like yours

and wait and hope and pray
for something big to break,

something I can latch on to,

something the wire services will
gobble up and yell for more.

Just one good beat, a Tatum special,
and they'll roll out the red carpet.

Because when they need you,
they forgive and forget.

But until then, Mr Boot,

you'll get yourself the best
newspaperman you ever had.

- At $40 per. When do I start?
- Don't push.

- I hope I haven't scared you off.
- Well, I don't know.

I'm not afraid of a libel suit,
because I'm a lawyer myself.

Check and double-check
every word I print.

Sure. Belt and suspenders.

Now, about that publisher's wife,

I think you should know Mrs Boot
is a grandmother three times.

If you wanna start something with
her, she'd be very flattered.

And as for drinking,
do you drink a lot?

Not a lot. Just frequently.

We have a shop rule here,
no liquor on the premises.

- How about smoking?
- Of course.

And I pay $60 a week in this shop.

I'll take it.

Where's my desk?

The one by the door. You may
be out of here by Saturday.

The sooner the better.

Thanks, Geronimo. Take these
over to the engraver's.

What's this mess?

They haven't got any
chopped chicken livers.

I brought you some chicken tacos.

Chicken tacos?

They're not gonna chop the
livers any more for you.

Nobody else will buy them.
And no more garlic pickles.

When the history of this
sun-baked Siberia is written,

these shameful words
will live in infamy.

"No chopped chicken liver."

"No garlic pickles."

No Lindy's. No Madison
Square Garden.

No Yogi Berra.

What do you know about
Yogi Berra, Miss Deverich?

- I beg your pardon?
- Yogi Berra!

Yogi? Why, it's a sort
of religion, isn't it?

You bet it is. A belief
in the New York Yankees.

You know what's wrong with
New Mexico, Mr Wendel?

Too much outdoors.

Give me those eight spindly trees in
front of Rockefeller Center any day.

That's enough outdoors for me.

No subways smelling sweet-sour.

What do you use for
noise around here?

No beautiful roar from
eight million ants,

fighting, cursing, loving.

No shows. No South Pacific.

No chic little dames
across a crowded bar.

And worst of all, Herbie,

no 80th floor to jump from
when you feel like it.

Is this one of your
long-playing records, Chuck?

Let's hear the other side.

All right. I'll play it for you.

When I came here, I thought this was
gonna be a 30-day stretch, maybe 60.

Now it's a year.

It looks like a life sentence.

Where is it? Where's the loaf
of bread with a file in it?

Where's that big story
to get me out of here?

One year, and what's our hot news?

A soapbox derby.

A tornado that double-crossed
us and went to Texas.

An old goof who said he
was the real Jesse James,

until they found out he was
a chicken thief from Gallup

by the name of Schimmelmacher.

I'm stuck here, fans.
Stuck for good!

Unless, of course,
you, Miss Deverich,

Unless, of course,
you, Miss Deverich,

instead of writing household hints

about how to remove chilli
stains from blue jeans,

get yourself involved
in a trunk murder.

How about it, Miss Deverich?

I could do wonders with
your dismembered body.

Oh, Mr Tatum. Really.

(GROWLS)

Or you, Mr Wendel.

If you'd only toss that
cigar out of the window,

real far, all the
way to Los Alamos,

and boom!

(CHARLES CHUCKLES)

Now there would be a story.

I told you no liquor in the office.
I thought I could trust you.

What a suspicious nature
you have, Mr Boot.

Pretty, isn't it?
I make those things

every night when I go home out
of matches and toothpicks.

Calms my nerves.

(CHUCKLES) Sorry, Tatum.

- Maybe you do need a change.
- Do I.

And I got news for you. You're going
out of town for a couple of days.

- How far and in what direction?
- Los Barrios county.

They're having a rattlesnake hunt,
and I want you to cover it.

- A rattlesnake hunt?
- That's right.

And take Herbie along.
Let's get some art.

A rattlesnake hunt. Well,
isn't that ginger-peachy?

A real "stop the press,
pull out the front page",

"get ready to re-plate" assignment.

Have a nice time, Chuck.
See the country.

And don't worry, I'll
put the paper to bed.

Well, it looks like we're starting
our second year with a real bang.

Okay, fan, pack up.

You know, this could be a
pretty good story, Chuck.

Don't sell it short.

It's quite a sight, 1,000
rattlers in the underbrush,

and a lot of men smoking them
out, bashing in their heads.

Big deal, 1,000 rattlers
in the underbrush.

Give me just 50 of them
loose in Albuquerque.

Like that leopard in Oklahoma City.

The whole town in panic.

Deserted streets.
Barricaded houses.

They're evacuating the children.

Every man is armed.

Fifty killers on the prowl. Fifty.

One by one, they start
hunting them down.

They get 10, 20.

It's building. They get
40, 45. They get 49.

Where's the last rattler?

In a kindergarten? In a church?
In a crowded elevator? Where?

I give up. Where?

In my desk drawer, fan.

Stashed away, only
nobody knows it, see?

The story's good for
another three days.

Then when I'm good and ready,
we come out with a big extra.

"Sun-Bulletin snags number 50."

Where do you get those ideas?

Herbie, boy, how long did you go
to that school of journalism?

Three years.

Three years down the drain.

Me, I didn't go to any college, but
I know what makes a good story.

Because before I ever
worked on a paper,

I sold them on a street corner.

You know the first thing I found out?
Bad news sells best.

Because good news is no news.

Better get some gas.

(HONKING)

Hey! Anybody here?

Hey!

Service!

Anybody home?

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

Sorry to bother you, lady.

I'd like to buy some gas.

Hey, there's something
screwy about this place.

There's just an old
lady in there that's...

(SIREN WAILING)

Now, what would the law be doing up
there in that old Indian cliff dwelling?

Maybe they got a warrant for
Sitting Bull for that Custer rap.

Come on, Herbie, let's go
visiting. It's for free.

I can get the gas on the way back.

That is, if she's stopped praying.

- Who?
- That old lady in there.

What's she praying for?

I don't know, but whatever she's
praying for she's sure praying hard.

Maybe it ties in. Let's see.

Oh, I thought you were the doctor.

What's the matter? Somebody hurt?

We don't know yet. He's way in
there, under that mountain.

- What happened?
- We had a cave-in this morning.

Oh. That so?

Dumb cluck. Everybody
keeps telling him,

"Stay out of that place.
Stay out of there."

Not Leo. Stubborn like a mule.

He always keeps going back,
digging for those Indian pots.

- Who's Leo?
- My husband.

Oh.

Well, I'm sorry to hear
about it. Hop in.

- You live around here?
- Yeah.

I'm Mrs Leo Minosa.

We own that trading post
down on the highway.

Finest store in downtown Escudero.

Is that what they call
this place? Escudero?

Got a couple of other
names for it myself.

Did the Indians really live
in that place 450 years ago?

I wouldn't know. I haven't
been around that long.

Only seems that long.

Say, if you gents stopped by to see
that broken-down cliff dwelling,

you sure picked a swell day.

All right, let's have the facts.
You're his father?

Yes. I'm his father.

- How long has he been inside?
- Pretty near six hours now.

How far down you think he is?

Oh, about 250 or 300
foot, I should judge.

Best we could do was to
get in about halfway.

You got to watch yourself. Swing that
pick too hard in them old walls,

you start a sand slide and
block up the whole place.

Then goodbye, Leo.

(CAR DOOR OPENING)

Is that coffee good
and hot, Lorraine?

Sure, it's hot. The sandwiches are
in the blanket. So are the cigars.

- How's Mama?
- All right, I guess.

- How do I find my way?
- Just follow our rope. We left it in there.

After that, holler.
He'll yell back.

Wait a minute, you.

Nobody goes no place
here without I say so.

He's cold. He's hungry. We've got to
let him know we're doing something.

Look, I got my hands full already
without having two of you in there.

- Somebody's got to go.
- How about those Indians?

What do you say, chief? You ought to
know your way around here pretty well.

They won't go in. They never do.

- Bad spirits.
- Ah, go on.

What are you holding out
for, a couple of bucks?

(SPEAKING IN NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)

He says it's their holy mountain.
The mountain of the seven vultures.

He says it's their holy mountain.
The mountain of the seven vultures.

The mountain of the seven
vultures. It's got a sound to it.

Get me a few shots, Herbie.

Looks like it's your move, copper.
What's it gonna be?

I'm thinking. Don't rush me.
I'll do something.

You could always give that poor fellow
in there a ticket for parking overtime.

Let me have those things.

Who do you think you are
butting in like this?

- Let me have your flashlight.
- Who is he?

I'll tell you who I am. I'm the
guy who's going in that cave.

And you're the guy that's been
sounding off long enough.

Now give me your flashlight.

- Why, you...
- Shut up.

Come on, Herbie.

Thanks, mister, and God bless you.

Tell him we'll get him out.
Tell him not to worry.

- Sure.
- Okay.

And tell him we'll have a big
coming-out party for him

with a brass band and everything.

Here's the rope.

I hope we can get to him.

Yeah.

Watch out for those rocks.

The old man sure looked bad.

- Did you see his face?
- Yeah.

Like the faces of those folks
you see outside a coal mine

with maybe 84 men trapped inside.

One man's better than 84.
Didn't they teach you that?

- Teach me what?
- Human interest.

You pick up the paper,
you read about 84 men or 284,

or a million men, like
in the Chinese famine.

You read it, but it
doesn't stay with you.

One man's different. You wanna know
all about him. That's human interest.

Somebody all by himself, like
Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic

or Floyd Collins.

Floyd Collins.
Doesn't that ring a bell?

No, not to me, it doesn't.

You never heard of Floyd Collins?

1925. Kentucky.

The guy pinned way
down in that cave.

One of the biggest
stories that ever broke.

Front page in every paper
in the country for weeks.

Say, what'd you take at that
school of journalism, advertising?

Well, maybe I did hear about it.

Then maybe you heard that a
reporter on a Louisville paper

crawled in for the story and
came out with a Pulitzer Prize.

Guess we'd better not
fool around with that.

Here. Hold this.

Now let me have it.

And camera.

You got a couple of bulbs?

(SAND SHIFTING)

You stay here.

That sand gets any worse,
let me hear from you, but loud.

I don't like the
looks of it, Chuck.

I don't either, fan.

But I like the odds.

Hello!

Hello!

LEO: Here!

(CRASHING)

Over here.

Here.

Over here.

Hello, Leo. How do you feel?

Not so bad any more.

I thought nobody would ever come.

Anything hurt? Any bones broken?

No, I guess not.

Can't you get your
legs out from under?

What do you think I've
been trying to do?

They're pinned under me.

Maybe I can help.

(GRUNTS)

Hey, watch it! Watch it!

You want those rocks to
come down on my head?

(COUGHING)
I didn't know they were that shaky.

They're all pretty shaky.

It's an old place been coming
apart for a long time.

CHARLES: Looks like we'll have
to take them out one by one.

Don't try it by yourself.
It's gonna take a lot of figuring.

The way they are now, if one goes,
they'll all go, roof and everything.

I see what you mean. Well, here.

Wrap yourself in this blanket.

And get some of this hot
coffee inside of you.

Thanks, mister.

- Cigar.
- Your wife sent them.

She did? That's funny. She always
beefs when I smoke a cigar.

- Hey, what's your name, mister?
- Charlie Tatum.

Just driving by the trading
post when I heard about it.

Hey, what happened to
those other fellows?

I heard them, but they went away.

Why don't they do something
about getting me out?

Easy, Leo. They'll get you out.
But you know what you just said.

It takes figuring, maybe
some special equipment.

They're not gonna leave
me here overnight?

They'll do it as fast as they
can, but they got to do it right.

Yeah, I know. Only that's
a pretty heavy mountain.

Tell me, Leo. How'd it happen?

I...

I guess I crawled in too far this time.
You've got to, to find a good one.

Back there, it's pretty
well cleaned out.

But I found me a beauty.
Worth 50 bucks any day.

Just then the whole floor
caved in under me.

I guess maybe they didn't
want me to have it.

They? Who are they?

The Indian dead. They're
all around here.

This is a tomb, mister,
with mummies 400 years old.

They used to bury them here
with these jars alongside,

you know, full of corn and wampum.

That's worthwhile
knowing, Leo. Go on.

I...

I guess maybe they've been
watching me all the time

I've been taking things
out of here and got mad.

Bad spirits, huh?

I guess you're gonna laugh
at me, think I'm crazy.

But when you lie down here all by
yourself, you get to thinking.

Do me a favour, will you?

Hold up that jar again.
And look at me.

- Hey, what are you doing?
- Taking your picture.

What for?

- Gonna put it in the paper.
- What kind of paper?

In a newspaper in Albuquerque.

- My picture?
- Certainly.

- Honest?
- Everybody'll want to see how you look.

And I'm gonna write a story.
They'll wanna know all about you.

They'll be pulling for you.

How do you like that?
Me in a paper.

- Let's take another one, Leo.
- Oh, let me wipe my face first.

Hold it.

And don't say anything about
those Indian spirits.

I don't want anybody
to think I'm scared.

Don't worry, Leo. I'm your pal.

I know. That's why
I can talk to you.

Sure, you can.

You know, in the army,
I was plenty scared, too.

Like when my outfit
landed in Italy.

Only in the army, it's different.
There, everybody's scared.

Your barge is gonna land.
You know you're gonna die.

And then a guy starts
singing, soft-like.

Then a guy next to you starts singing.
Pretty soon, you're singing, too.

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla, brawla sooit

Hut-Sut Rawlson

Well, it worked, didn't it?
Nothing happened to you.

Not a thing, except I got
the mumps in Naples.

Well, you light yourself a cigar,
Leo. I gotta say so long.

I certainly wish you could
stay a while longer.

So do I. But there's a lot to do
outside getting things organised.

Well, you wanna get out, don't you?

Looks like it's gonna
be a long night.

None of that. Come on, Leo.

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a...

I said come on now. All together.

BOTH: (SINGING)
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla, brawla sooit

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla sooit

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla, brawla sooit

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla...

The brawla is the boy and girl

The Hut...

(CRASHING)

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla, brawla sooit

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla sooit

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

What's the idea?
Have you gone nuts?

Just a couple of pals singing.
What's wrong with that?

I got me some pictures, fan.
Guard them with your life.

Let's get moving.

What happened?

- Aren't you gonna tell me?
- Quiet, Herbie. Quiet.

I'm writing the lead to the story.

- Well, what is the story?
- Big.

As big as they come, I think.
Maybe bigger than Floyd Collins.

- Floyd Collins plus.
- Plus what?

Plus King Tut. You remember
that one, don't you?

The curse of the old Egyptian pharaoh
when they came to rob his tomb?

How's that for an angle?
"King Tut in New Mexico."

"Curse of the old Indian chief.
White man half buried by angry spirits."

"What will they do? Will they
spare him? Will they crush him?"

Give it to me straight, Chuck.
How does it look? Can they get him out?

- Certainly.
- Well, how soon?

I don't know.

Floyd Collins lasted 18 days.

I don't need 18 days.

If I just had one week of this...

- Oh, brother.
- You're kidding, Chuck.

You don't really wish
for anything like that.

I'm not wishing for anything.

I don't make things happen.
All I do is write about them.

- Did you reach him?
- I saw him.

- I talked to him.
- Couldn't you bring him out? Is he alive?

You can be sure of one
thing, we'll get him out.

Today? Tonight?

I'm afraid not. There's nothing
we can do here tonight.

Tomorrow?

As soon as we get an
engineering crew on the job.

And I'm gonna get them, Mr Minosa,
the best. And I'll get that doctor.

And the sheriff, too.

The sheriff's tied up in
Los Barrios until Monday.

- You better talk to me.
- Tied up in Los Barrios, huh?

I'll bet he's at that rattlesnake hunt.
Chances are the doctor, too.

How do you like that? A man
could be dying here, and...

- Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs Minosa.
- I know all about that sheriff.

He stops in every week for a steak
dinner and never picks up the cheque.

He'll be here. They'll all be here.

The sheriff, the doctor,
the engineer.

- You got a phone at the trading post?
- Yeah.

Let's get started. We got a
lot of telephoning to do.

- The phone's inside.
- Okay.

Fill her up, Herbie.
You're going back to town.

All right.

Over there.

There's the doctor's number.
Dr Hilton.

The sheriff's number's there, too.

Oh, that's the sheriff, huh?
Gus Kretzer.

We'll get some action
here. You'll see.

By tomorrow, this
place will be jumping

if I have to call Santa Fe and
get the Governor out of bed.

Oh, would it be too much trouble
to put me up for the night?

Sixty beautiful rooms.
The Escudero Ritz.

What'll it be, ocean
view or mountain view?

Anything. A cot. A couple of
chairs in here will do fine.

(CLANGING)

Operator? Get me Albuquerque 4923.

- What's the number here?
- Escudero 2.

Escudero 2.

Hello?

Sun-Bulletin? This is Tatum speaking.
Get me Mr Boot, and make it fast.

(MAMA MINOSA PRAYING IN SPANISH)

Mr Boot? Tatum.

No, nothing's wrong.
Quite the contrary.

Uh-uh. I'm in a dreamy
little spot called Escudero

about three hours down the line.

Forget the rattlesnakes.
We got something nicer here.

We got birds, vultures.
Seven of them.

How does this hit you?

"The curse of the mountain
of the seven vultures."

Of course you don't know what I'm
talking about, but I'm gonna tell you.

And wait till you see the pictures.
I'm sending them up with Herbie...

No, I'm not drunk, Mr Boot.

Maybe a little excited, because
unless war is declared tonight,

here's your front-page
feature. Now...

(DOOR CLOSES)

How much is it, Mr Minosa?

No, sir, I wouldn't take your money,
not after all you're doing for my boy.

(TYPEWRITER CLACKING)

- Hi.
- CHARLES: Morning.

The construction boss show up?
Or the sheriff?

Not yet.

From the way you were talking, I thought
you'd get the Governor down here.

- The Marines, too.
- It's all taken care of.

They got a construction crew
together, machinery too,

and they're on their way from Los
Barrios now, Sunday or no Sunday.

- Yap, yap.
- I've talked to the doctor.

We're taking him in as soon
as they clear the passage.

And the sheriff will
be on the job, too.

Yap, yap, yap, yap, yap.

Look, madam, when I say
I deliver, I deliver.

Where are the old folks?

Went to early mass.

What's that you been playing
on your typewriter all night?

From upstairs, it sounded
like that Sabre Dance.

With all this trouble, I didn't
think you could sleep anyhow.

I've had enough sleep,
five years of it.

What else could you do in Escudero?
Look at the family album?

- Where'd you get it?
- From Mama Minosa.

Just shows.

Yesterday, you never
even heard of Leo.

Today, you can't know
enough about him.

Aren't you sweet?

Good-looking kid in his
uniform, wasn't he?

Him and eight million other guys.

See our wedding picture?
Bet you didn't even recognise me.

Sure, I did. You were
a brunette then.

In '45? No, in '45,
I was a redhead.

See how skinny I was?

A hospital back in Baltimore
said I had a touch of TB.

You'd never think it
to look at me now.

You don't look like
a chest case to me.

If you can spare this one,
I'd like to take it along,

in case I forget
what he looks like.

What time is it?

5:45. What's all this about?

- I'm grabbing the early bus.
- Where to?

Out of here fast. As far
as 11 bucks will take me.

I'm blowing this place.

- You picked a fine time.
- I've left him before.

Once, I got as far as
Dodge City, Kansas,

in a big, blue convertible
that stopped by for gas.

It must have cost $4,000, easy.

But Leo caught up with me.
I told him I was through.

I told him it was no good
any more. This isn't for me.

What is?

I bet he took you out of some
dime-a-dance joint in Baltimore.

- Nightclub.
- Saloon.

All right. Saloon.
You know what he told me?

He told me he had 160 acres in
New Mexico and a big business.

Look at us, we sell eight hamburgers
a week and a case of soda pop,

and once in a while,
a Navajo rug maybe.

He married you, didn't he? Brought
you out here, fed you, nursed you.

And I thanked him plenty. I've
been thanking him for five years.

That makes us even.

So long, Jack.

Nice kid.

Got a little jump on
him this time, huh?

Can't run after you, not lying there
with those rocks on his legs.

Look who's talking.
Much you care about Leo.

I'm onto you. You're
working for a newspaper.

All you want is something
you can print.

Honey, you like those rocks
just as much as I do.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Say, lady.

Excuse me, we're a
little mixed up here.

Are we on the right
road to Escudero?

This is Escudero.

- Is that the mountain?
- Is he still in there?

That's the mountain,
and he's still in there.

Anything else you wanna know?

No. No, just stopping
by to take a look.

The name's Federber. We're on
our way to Bottomless Lake.

Gonna get in a week of
fishing and boating.

- Thought, as long as we're this close...
- Glad you dropped in, folks.

How'd you hear about it?

- Are you one of the family?
- No. Just a friend.

Well, haven't you seen
the paper? It's full of it.

- Got one?
- Sure. Picked one up in Albuquerque.

Come on, Nellie. Tilt.

Thanks.

NELLIE: We thought there'd be
a lot of digging going on.

- Where is everybody?
- Scared of those Indian spooks, huh?

When are they gonna
start doing something?

Any minute now. They're on
the way. Aren't they, mister?

FEDERBER: I guess it's all right
if we drive up there, isn't it?

Go ahead. Help yourself.

What do you say, Nellie?
Just a half an hour?

All right. Later on, we can
have a nice breakfast here.

That is, if it won't
disturb the family.

- It's all right. You can get breakfast.
- FEDERBER: Thanks.

Wake up the kids, Nellie.
They should see this.

This is very instructive.

Walter, Willie. Wake up.

Hey, you look pretty good here.

Wanna hear what I wrote about you?

"The grief-stricken wife
with a tear-stained face,"

"trying to fight her way into the
cave to be at her husband's side."

Tough. You'll just
have to rewrite me.

In a pig's eye. This is the way it reads
best, this is the way it's gonna be.

In tomorrow's paper
and the next day's.

It's the way people like it.
It's the way I'm gonna play it.

Get this.

There's three of us buried
here, Leo, me and you.

We all wanna get out,
and we're going to.

Only I'm going back in style.
You can, too, if you like.

Not with any 11 stinking dollars.

You saw those people. To you,
they're a couple of squares, huh?

To me, they're just the beginning.
To me, they're Mr and Mrs America.

I wasn't sure before, but now I know.
They're going for it. They'll eat it up.

The story and the hamburgers.

You'll sell all your hamburgers,
hot dogs, soda pop

and all your Navajo rugs.

There's gonna be real dough in
that cash register by tonight.

(BUS HORN HONKING)

When they bleached your hair, they
must've bleached your brains, too.

Hello there, Mr Minosa.
Anything new with Leo?

Not yet. Mr Tatum's down
there now with the doctor.

Okay.

Hey! That'll be two bits.

- It's the press.
- Twenty-five cents.

- Newspaper. We never pay.
- Everybody pays.

Mrs Minosa says so. Two bits.

Now keep moving.

We'll have that air going in
about 20 minutes, Doctor.

I could use a little of it myself.

- Thank you, Doctor.
- I'll send over some aureomycin.

That's every four hours
for that one, isn't it?

Yes. The caffeine if he feels weak,

and the Demerol if the
pain gets very bad.

- Say, about every three hours.
- I got it.

As soon as I can get close enough,

I'll give him a shot of
tetanus-gas gangrene antitoxin.

But it's all right for the time being.
In fact, any time within a week.

But we'll have him out before then?

Oh, sure.

Say, Doc?

He's a pretty rugged
customer, isn't he?

Leo? They don't come any tougher.

He walked around with a burst
appendix for three days,

because he promised his wife
he'd take her to a square dance.

Well, as soon as you get him free,
I can start to work on him.

Call me anytime, night or day.

- I certainly will, Doctor. So long.
- Goodbye.

Thanks a lot.

It's a fine thing. Now I
have to pay to see you.

- Howdy, fan.
- Did you read the paper?

That I did. Broke pretty good, huh?

Boot flashed a couple hundred
words over the wires,

and they came back for more.

- They want all we've got.
- Yeah, it figures.

We wired all the art, too.
What a break for me.

If this keeps up, maybe Life
will go for it, or Look,

one of those four-page spreads.

You like it now, don't you?

Well, everybody likes a break.
We didn't make it happen.

Oh, Smollett! How's it look?

Don't know yet. Lots of problems.

We've been figuring on doing some
bulkheading and cross-bracing.

But those old walls, I don't know.

All right, boys, start
bringing those jacks in.

Well, it looks like we'll
be here for a while.

I brought you enough for a couple
of days, some shirts and shorts.

- A couple of bottles.
- Save it, fan. No booze.

- Not for the duration.
- Hey, you!

The sheriff wants to see you
down at the trading post.

And don't waste none of his time,
because he ain't staying around long.

- Maybe you ain't, either.
- You don't say?

You wanna know something?
He don't like you.

And I was gonna propose to him.

(RATTLING)

He won't eat any steak.

Maybe he'd like a little raw
hamburger or some milk maybe.

After all, he's only a baby.

Try him with a lollipop, Sheriff.

Or how about my right arm?

(RATTLING)

He'd like that. You would,
too, wouldn't you?

So you're that Tatum guy that was
popping off over the phone last night.

Not popping off, Sheriff.
Just threatening.

You play along with me,
and I'll have you re-elected.

You don't, and I'll crucify you.
That's all I said. Remember?

I think I'll have my boys take you to
the county line and throw you out.

Throw out your campaign manager?
You need plenty of help, Kretzer.

And maybe before I throw you out,
I'll toss you in the clink for a while.

Wasting your time on
a rattlesnake hunt.

(RATTLING)

- This is where the votes are.
- What do you know about votes?

There's seven here in
Escudero, 700 up there.

We had a big barbecue, and I
made a speech, a good one, too.

Then we sat down to a
little poker game,

and you started bothering me,
right in the middle of a hand.

What'd you have, pair of deuces?

This is better.

Here we've got an ace in the hole.

(ALL CLAMOURING)

- Two candy bars, please.
- A couple of hamburgers, please.

How much are those
Swiss-cheese sandwiches?

- I'll have the coffee.
- I'll take a coffee.

Come on, Mama. I need some help.
We're swamped out here.

Come on.

Now, how's this, Sheriff? By tomorrow,
I'll have your name all over the paper.

"The man who rushed here
at the first cry for help"

"to direct the rescue operation."

By Tuesday, everyone in
the state will know you.

"Gus Kretzer, the tireless public
servant who never spares himself."

I'll pile it on every day.

Six days of this and
I'll make you a hero.

The election's in the bag.

In the bag? The guys running
against you will vote for you.

Okay, I'm a hero. And
what do I make you?

Now here's the deal.

The way things look, there's
gonna be other newspapermen

trying to horn in on
this story. A lot of them.

Maybe all the way from New York.

This is my story.

And I wanna keep it mine.

You're gonna help me.

Mr Tatum, we're moving
you into our room.

It's a good, comfortable bed.

Oh, no, Mr Minosa. I don't
want to put anybody out.

Mama and I will be fine.
This is a great honour.

Okay. Thanks.

Oh, Herbie, unpack for me,
will you? And stand by.

We're gonna take some
pictures of the sheriff.

Guess I'm getting too old
to crawl around in there.

- How about a cup of coffee?
- Make it two.

LORRAINE: Coming up.

- What's the latest?
- Not too good.

There must be a pretty deep
fault underneath there,

or it wouldn't have caved in.

How long will it take?

Of course we haven't been
able to get all the way back.

There's a lot of
shoring to do first.

That means getting those
bulkhead timbers placed right.

- Then there's all that cross-bracing.
- How long?

When we get that done, we ought
to be able to start operating.

Moving those heavy slabs and stones

so the whole shebang doesn't come
crashing in on us and on him.

- How long?
- Well, Gus, I can't tell you exactly.

But I don't see how we can
do it under 16 hours.

Uh-uh.

Well, maybe I can do it in 12 hours
if I send for a second crew.

Although some of the men
don't want to work,

on account of that
jinx you wrote about.

Look, Mr Smollett, I'm no engineer,
but the way you wanna do it,

those crumbling walls
and piles of stones,

isn't that kind of
dangerous for your men?

Not after we get the walls braced.

Suppose we set up a drill
on top of the mountain

and go straight down.

Cut through all that rock?

Do you know how long
that would take?

You tell me.

Six, maybe seven days.

It's a great big job.

Have you got any drills like that?

Yes, sir, but it's not necessary.

Once we get that back part
shored up, I think...

You're thinking too much.
Let Mr Tatum do the thinking.

But he's all wrong.

- I think...
- You're thinking again, Sam.

A few years ago, you was a truck driver.
Now that I'm sheriff, you're a contractor.

Do you want to be a
truck driver again?

All right, Gus,

if that's the way you want
it, I'll set the drill.

But that fellow in there.
Seven days.

I know what's in your mind,
Mr Smollett, and it does you credit.

Leo's a rugged boy. The
doctor told me that himself.

He'll get the best of
care, so don't worry.

Sugar?

- MAN: Hey, how about some cigarettes?
- Couple of hot dogs, please.

Don't you wanna be paid, lady? We had
four hamburgers and four coffees.

- That's $1.20.
- Can you change a $50?

(DINGS)

- Hey, how about one here, Chuck?
- Okay, fan.

Get me a few of Mr Smollett,

the man whose know-how is gonna
save the life of Leo Minosa.

You'll be the biggest contractor
in the business, I bet you.

And let's get that drill. See you,
gentlemen. Lot of work to do.

Yes?

Come on, come on. What is it?

I met a lot of hard-boiled
eggs in my life,

but you, you're 20 minutes.

Is that a boost or a knock? Because
I haven't time to figure it out.

I've been doing my own figuring.

Took in 70 bucks so far. By
tonight, it ought to be $150.

Seven times $150.
That's over a grand.

That's the first grand I ever had.

Thanks.

Thanks a lot.

Look, Mrs Minosa, your husband's
stuck under a mountain.

You're worried sick. That's
the way the story goes.

Now get the smile off your face.

It's been a nice day, Chuck.
I feel like smiling.

You heard me. Get it off.

Make me.

That's more like it.

And don't wipe those tears. That's
the way you're supposed to look.

Put on your wedding ring.

Go on back and peddle
your hamburgers.

(THUMPING)

BOB BUMPAS:
Good morning, everybody.

This is radio station
KOAT, Albuquerque.

Bob Bumpas speaking and bringing
you another on-the-spot report

of the Leo Minosa rescue operation.

- Send up more casings!
- Since the operation began 3 days ago,

the drill has cut its way
57 feet closer to Leo.

You have just heard the
voice of Sam Smollett,

the man who is in charge
of the drilling job.

This man, together with Sheriff Kretzer
and a crew of volunteer rescue workers,

is tirelessly fighting this battle
against stubborn rock and fleeting time

with a human life at stake.

If anyone can lick this,

this curse of the mountain of
the seven vultures, they can.

Ladies and gentlemen, something
phenomenal is going on here,

right in front of this
400-year-old cliff dwelling.

A new community is springing up

a veritable town of tents
and trucks and trailers.

Standing here, I can
pick out licence plates

from California, Arizona,
Texas and Oklahoma.

And more cars pouring
in all the time.

And more volunteer workers
from all over the state.

Top-flight newspapermen from the biggest
papers in the country are here.

The most outstanding of
these newspaper people is,

of course, Chuck Tatum,

the courageous reporter who first
made contact with Leo last Saturday.

Later on in this broadcast, we will try
to get Mr Tatum to this microphone.

In the meantime, I'm sure you'll
want to hear from some of the folks

who have gathered here to hope
and pray for Leo's rescue.

This gentleman right here,
what is your name, sir?

Federber. Al Federber.

What business are you
in, Mr Federber?

In the insurance game, in Gallup.

Feel right at home, Mr Federber.

Speak right into the
microphone, please.

(CLEARS THROAT) We're from Gallup.
This is Mrs Federber and the boys.

It's a very wonderful thing
to see a man and his family

come all the way from Gallup to join
us here during these anxious days.

Well, I didn't exactly
what you call join.

I heard you talking to some other
people on the radio last night.

We were over there in our
trailer having supper.

And they said they were
the first ones here.

Oh, I hate to call anybody a liar,
but that just plain isn't so.

My wife will bear me out.

Nellie, who were the first
people here? Tell them.

Why, we were. I wouldn't lie
about a thing like that.

I'm sure you wouldn't,
Mrs Federber.

Now, Mr Federber, what is your reaction
to this wonderful job being done here?

I think it's wonderful.

I run up against accidents all the time.
I know what I'm talking about.

I'm in the insurance game myself.

You never can tell when an
accident's gonna happen.

I sure hope Leo had the good sense to
provide for an emergency like this.

Now, you take my outfit,
the Pacific All Risk.

- We have a little policy that covers...
- Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr Federber.

I'm sorry we have to interrupt
these on-the-spot interviews,

but I see it's almost time for Mr Tatum to
make his first visit of the day to Leo.

Stand by while we
move our microphone.

We'll try to get Mr Tatum to say a
few words to you when he reaches us.

Hold it, fan.

Look, Mrs Minosa, they're having a rosary
at that little church this evening.

I want you to be there.

I don't go to church.
Kneeling bags my nylons.

You're making enough dough to
buy yourself another pair.

I want you to be there

because I'm sending Herbie down to
get a couple of shots, understand?

Okay.

But only because you wrote me
up so pretty in today's paper.

You sure can make with the words.

"A figure of fair-haired loveliness
in the lengthening shadow

- "of the cursed mountain. Beautiful..."
- Unquote.

Tomorrow this'll be yesterday's
paper, and they'll wrap a fish in it.

And another thing, mister.
Don't ever slap me again.

(SIREN WAILING)

(HUMMING)

Did you buy the cigars for Leo?

Real Havana. The best I
could find in Albuquerque.

I got a job for you, fan. Pick up
Mrs Minosa. Lorraine, I mean.

Make sure she gets to
that church this evening.

I want a picture of
her with her beads.

If she hasn't got any,
get some for her.

Sure. And how about me taking
a picture of a medicine man,

you know, with the fancy
headdress and all the trimmings,

- exorcising all the evil spirits?
- Now you're clicking, fan.

- That's got a message.
- Thanks.

When I take your copy
in Albuquerque...

No more copy. Not for Boot anyhow.

As of now, I'm not working with
the Albuquerque Sun-Bulletin.

- Neither are you. We quit.
- Both of us?

- Hope it's all right with you.
- Sure, Chuck.

There isn't anything you could do
wrong as far as I'm concerned.

But I don't get it.

Quit in the middle of a story right
when it's snowballing like this?

That's exactly the time
to do it, Herbie, boy.

They've been lapping it up.

Every word, every paper,
from New York to Los Angeles.

So now we turn off the
spigot. Just like that.

Watch them with their tongues out.

Stop at that tent. Let's see
the gentlemen of the press.

Look, boys, I don't care
where you come from,

New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago or the moon.

Nobody goes down to see Leo.

- What about Tatum?
- It's out of bounds.

- Why?
- Because it's dangerous down there.

Because a wall could
fall in on you.

Because I'm sheriff and because I'm
responsible for everybody's safety.

- What about Tatum?
- Out of bounds! You heard me.

What about Tatum?

You're repeating yourself.

This is a pretty nice place I
fixed up here for you boys.

Be a shame to cut all these
wires and kick you out.

Don't try it, Mr Sheriff.

We wouldn't take that kind of guff from
J. Edgar Hoover, let alone from you.

We came all the way out here to do
a job and we're going to do it.

- It's out of bounds!
- Now you're repeating yourself!

How come it isn't out
of bounds for Tatum?

How come he goes in as
much as he wants to?

- What about Tatum?
- That's right. What about Tatum?

Howdy, fans. Why,
it's like old home week.

Glad to see you, Mac. Mr McCardle,
used to work together in New York.

And if it isn't Jessop.
Big-hearted Mickey Jessop.

Thanks for the 50 bucks
you didn't send me.

Guess he didn't get my wire.

And what do you know?
Josh Morgan. Where was it?

Boston? Chicago? All I
know is he's got a hernia.

Sitting pretty, aren't you, Chuck?
Got everything sewed up,

Leo, the sheriff.

Try to talk to the father, the
mother, the wife, and what do I get?

- "See Tatum! See Tatum!"
- He's a friend of the family.

Now, what's your beef, fans?
You're smart cookies,

big-city newspapermen.

There's a lot of good stories
lying around here all yours.

The weather,
the crowds, the Indians.

Inside stuff, how they weave a rug.

Cut it out, Chuck. We're all buddies.
We're all in the same boat.

I'm in the boat.
You're in the water.

Now let's see you swim, buddies.

Tatum, I always knew
you were a louse.

Easy, Mr Morgan. You're talking
to an officer of the law.

That tin badge will do you no good.

We've launched a protest
with your publisher.

Launch it with the sheriff.
He's my superior.

All right, we'll take
this all the way

to Santa Fe, to the Governor.

- And you know what he'll do.
- You bet I do.

He's a fine man, and he'll take action.
He'll phone the sheriff.

And I'll write him a letter and
tell him I'm doing my duty.

Then you talk to the Governor again,
and he'll talk to the Attorney General,

and for all I know, they'll
throw me out of here.

Only by that time,
buddies, Leo will be out,

and the story is finished.
Over, done!

Excuse me, gentlemen.
I got a date with Leo.

VENDOR: Popcorn! Popcorn!

Just so you don't think
I'm a complete louse,

I do have some news for you.

Put it on a teletype.

Tell your papers Chuck
Tatum is available.

Looks like there's gonna be three
or four more days of hot copy.

Exclusive. And Tatum
is sitting on it.

So let's hear their bids.

Come on, fan.

(DRILL THUMPING)

Of course, it's hard to say
what we might run into.

You hit rock and then
those layers of shale.

That's what we call a stratified
formation. And that means...

(CROWD CHEERING)

Wait just a second! There's Mr Tatum
making his way toward the cliff dwelling.

I'm going to try to get
him on this microphone.

Mr Tatum! Mr Tatum!

Good. He's coming
over this way now.

Mr Tatum, could you spare
us a few moments, please?

Just a word or two about Leo and the
way things look to you down there.

Well, we're making
progress, good progress,

but every second counts
in this rescue operation,

and I'm sure your radio
audience will excuse me,

as well as Mr Smollett here if he
goes back to his post at the drill.

I don't know why they have
to use a drill at all.

They don't have to go from the top.

There's a quicker way to
get that man out of there.

- What's your name, sir?
- My name is Kusac.

I did a lot of mining in my day, silver
mining, that is, up in Virginia City.

Now, the way I see it...

Yes, go ahead, Mr Kusac.
We're very much interested.

Well, we had cave-ins,
quite a few of them.

One that I know of was
further in than yours.

Were you ever in a cave-in
yourself, Mr Kusac?

- No, not personally.
- Well, I was.

Course you might not call
it a cave-in exactly,

but I was stuck in
an elevator once,

in the store I work in, between the
basement and the sub-basement.

It was six hours before
they could get me out,

and they had to use a
blowtorch to do it.

Right from the top. Just like here.

I'm afraid I gotta be
getting back to my crew.

As I was trying to say,
we didn't have no big drill.

We didn't need it.

We just hauled in the timber and
shored up the walls all the way back.

Now, if we did it that way in Virginia
City why can't we do it that way here?

You're not telling me
anything I don't know.

I know all about
shoring and bracing...

Mr Kusac, you see, this is a cliff
dwelling and not a silver mine.

Well, I think it's all the same. A man's
underground and you got to get him out.

Did you get your man out, Mr Kusac?

I'm afraid we didn't.
We were too late.

Well, then, suppose we let Mr
Smollett do it his way, from the top.

Thank you, Mr Tatum. Thank you very
much. And thank you, Mr Smollett.

I know I speak for my
entire radio audience

when I express my great
admiration for both of you.

Mr Tatum is now approaching the
entrance to the cliff dwelling

to start another one of
his perilous journeys

into the underground mazes
of this dread mountain.

As he waves to the crowd, you
can hear the tremendous cheer!

(CROWD CHEERING)

(DRILL THUMPING)

Hiya, Leo. What do you say?

Five minutes late this morning.

Sorry. What's the matter?

- Did you eat anything?
- I'm not hungry.

- Take your pills?
- Yeah.

This afternoon,
when the doctor comes,

you better give yourself
another injection.

I don't want any injection.
It's that drill.

You gotta keep telling yourself, Leo,
they're getting closer all the time.

I can't stand it. It never stops.

It's like somebody was driving
crooked nails through my head.

Listen to it! It's enough to
wake up the dead, I tell you...

Stop!

I'm sorry.

Here. I brought you the paper.

Thanks. Yesterday, I read there
were 2,000 people outside.

Today there's over 3,000.

Well, who are they?
What do they want?

- They're your friends.
- They are?

I guess everybody's got a lot of
friends they don't even know about.

Like those guys drilling for me.

Or like you, Chuck. I didn't even know
you were alive this time last week,

and now you're my friend.
I guess you're my best friend.

Leo, when we get you out of here

I'll be going to New
York more than likely.

Then I won't be
seeing you any more?

No. I was just about to say

when I'm in New York, I'll bring you
out to visit me for a couple of weeks

or as long as you want.
Stay right with me.

Hey, you ever been in New York?

Been in Baltimore.
Never in New York.

(CHUCKLES)

We're really gonna have a great time.
You'll see. We'll live it up a little.

New York. Lorraine told
me a lot about New York.

Does she talk about me?
Is she upset?

Sure. Everybody's upset about you.

- Say, Chuck, what day is this?
- Wednesday.

Think there's a chance they
can get me out by Friday?

Because Friday's something special.

We're doing all we can.

Because it's gonna be five years
that Lorraine and I were married.

You know, things haven't
been so good between us.

Maybe this'll make a difference.
Maybe we can start all over again.

Maybe I can take her along
on that trip to New York.

(SIGHS)

She's so pretty.

VENDOR: Here you are.
Get yourself a red hot!

A show-stopping monster for a dime!

We can't let them come in here,
Lorraine. Not the carnival!

Quiet, Papa. I told
them it was all right.

It is not all right.
I won't have them here.

They're paying for it. Good money.

Look at them. Selling balloons
here, ice cream, hot dogs.

Everybody's paying for it.

Why don't we just lock up this place
and tell everybody to go home?

Because they won't go home.

They'll just park on the other side of
the highway and eat someplace else.

Why shouldn't we get
something out of it?

I don't want their money.
All I want is Leo.

Who do you think the money's for?
It's for him when he gets out.

He's always wanted to make
some improvements around here,

build some cabins for tourists, buy a new
car, have a little money in the bank.

It'll make things easier for him.
Doesn't that make sense, Papa?

(SIREN WAILING)

PAPA MINOSA: Mr Tatum!

- How is he?
- Pretty good.

Does it hurt him bad?
Is he getting any sleep?

Sure, he's fine.

Well, you ought to see him smoking
a cigar, reading the paper.

He's making plans.

All the doctor says is he's doing
as well as can be expected.

- What does that mean?
- Means he's gonna be fine.

Means everything's gonna be
fine, doesn't it, Mr Tatum?

(ALL CHATTERING)

- How is he, mister?
- Did you see him?

- WOMAN 1: Is he holding out?
- WOMAN 2: Is he all right?

- What did he have to say?
- When do you think they'll get him out?

Go ahead. I guess you need a drink.

Care to join me?

Looks like the only other glass we
have is one of these candle jiggers.

Sensational copy you've
been sending in.

- Glad you like it.
- Had to get out an extra every day.

Circulation jumped 8,000.

What did you come down for?
To pin a medal on me?

You've got a medal,
and I know how you got it.

What else do you know?

Heard a few things in Albuquerque
about how you're handling this story.

I didn't like it. Now that I'm
here, I like it even less.

Suppose you stop beating
around the bush.

Tatum, you've been putting a halo
around that Kretzer sheriff,

so you could hog the whole story.
That's the setup, isn't it?

Oh. For a minute, you had me scared.
I thought I did something real bad.

You have. Kretzer should be
kicked out, not re-elected.

One of these days, I'll get
the facts and print them.

I think he's corrupt,
rotten, no good.

He's been good to me. So there'll be
one more crooked sheriff in the world.

Who cares?

I do. I don't make deals.
Not my paper.

Even if it does sell
8,000 more a day.

(RINGING)

Hello. Who in Chicago?

Tell them Mr Tatum will be
ready to talk in half an hour.

Now then, Mr Boot, I sent
you a wire this morning.

- Apparently, you didn't get it.
- No, I didn't.

Because you could've
saved yourself the trip.

I've quit. I'm not working
for you any more.

I'm sorry to hear that, Chuck.

No, you're not. I'm not
your kind of newspaperman.

I don't belong in your office, not with
that embroidered sign on the wall.

- It gets in my way.
- Then it does bother you a little.

Not enough to stop me.
I'm on my way,

and if it takes a deal with a crooked
sheriff, that's all right with me.

And if I have to fancy it
up with an Indian curse

and a broken-hearted wife for
Leo, that's all right, too!

Not with me, it isn't. And not with
a lot of others in this business.

Phoney, below-the-belt journalism.
That's what it is.

Not below the belt. Right
in the gut, Mr Boot.

- Human interest.
- You heard me. Phoney.

For all I know, there isn't
even a Leo down there.

Yes, there is. Tatum
made sure of that.

Look, I've waited a long
time for my turn at bat.

Now that they've
pitched me a fat one,

I'm gonna smack it right
out of the ballpark.

(RINGING)

Yes? What paper?

Tell Philadelphia to call
back in half an hour.

You know what, Chuck?

I had that medicine man
stage a whole ceremonial.

Hello, Mr Boot.

Come on, Herbie. Get your things
together. We're going back.

Tatum just hit a home run,
and the big leagues are calling.

Go ahead, Herbie. Maybe Boot's right.
Maybe you'd better go back with him.

But you said I could
stick with you.

Give him good advice, Chuck.
You can do it.

He's old enough to
make up his own mind.

Everybody in this game has
to make up his own mind.

I've made up mine.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello. Yes?

Sure, I'm ready to talk to
New York. Put them on.

Don't be so sorry for him.

What makes you think the
Albuquerque Sun-Bulletin

is all that a kid
wants out of life?

What makes you think you
have all the answers?

They're out of date.

High-button shoes,
belt and suspenders,

they're not wearing them any more.

Look at the calendar, Mr Boot.
It's the 20th century,

the second half of it!

You don't expect the kid to stand still.
He wants to get going. Going!

Going where?

Hello. Who?

Mr Nagel? Not lover
boy himself. Well, well.

Tell me, Mr Nagel, did you ever
repair that ceiling in your office?

The one you hit the day you told me
my services were no longer required.

All right, Tatum. You're
a very comical guy.

And I promise I'm gonna laugh.
Hard! But not right now.

What about that Minosa story?

Yes, the weather's
fine in New York.

No, it's not raining.
Yes, she's still here.

Come on, Tatum. How much for
the Minosa story? Exclusive!

What? Don't you know there's
a war on somewhere?

I'll give you $1,000.

What do you think I got here,
a plane crash or a set of quadruplets?

This is a circulation builder.

It'll go another four days.
Some beautiful copy coming.

Speak up fast.
There's a waiting list.

So you think you've
got me over a barrel?

All right, maybe you have!

Give you $1,000 a day.
As long as it lasts.

Mr Nagel, you're not
getting the point.

It's not just $1,000 a day.

It's that desk of mine I
want back when this is over.

You heard me. The old
desk, the old job.

Here, here, lover boy,
watch that ceiling.

That's more like it.

Now put the contract on the wires.
You'll get the first story in an hour.

Oh, one more thing.

See that there's some flowers
on my desk with a little ribbon.

"Welcome Home."

This means you, too, fan.
We're rounding third.

I'm right behind you, Chuck.

(DOOR OPENS)

MAN: (SINGING)
We're coming, we're coming, Leo

So, Leo, don't despair

While you are in the cave-in
hoping We are up above you groping

And we soon will
make an opening, Leo

We're closer, we're closer, Leo

And soon you'll breathe fresh air

While you are in the devil's prison
Keep that spark of life a-fizzing

We'll soon have you
out of prison, Leo

Oh, Leo, Leo, Leo, Leo

Be steadfast and keep
your spirits high

We're coming, we're coming, Leo

(CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING)

I want to take this opportunity

of thanking you people of
the television audience

for the hundreds of letters and
telegrams that have been pouring in.

I only wish that I could reach right
out there and shake you by the hand,

each and every one of you.

But there's one thing
that I want to make plain

to you good people of
Los Barrios county.

When election day rolls around

I don't want what I'm doing here to
influence your vote one little bit.

Because all I'm doing here
is my duty as your sheriff.

(DRILL THUMPING)

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING)

MAN: (SINGING)
We're coming, we're coming, Leo

Leo, don't despair

While you are in the cave-in
hoping We are up above you groping

And we soon will
make an opening, Leo

We're closer, we're closer, Leo

And soon you'll breathe fresh air

While you are in the devil's prison
Keep that spark of life a-fizzing

(THUMPING)

We'll soon have you
out of prison, Leo

Oh, Leo, Leo, Leo, Leo

Be steadfast and keep
your spirits high

We're digging, we're digging, Leo

We've come to set you free

We can look you in the eye
When you are free beneath the sky

Hey, how about some more ice here?

(ALL CHATTERING)

- Yes, Mr Tatum?
- Close that door.

- What can the management do for you?
- I'll tell you what you can do.

You can stop playing games
with those newsboys.

- They're nice fellows.
- They're sharpies.

They'll rope you into a
game of 20 questions.

And 20 questions take 20 answers.
And one of them may be the wrong one.

Don't worry, Mr Tatum. They just
want me to write something for them.

- Write what?
- My life with Leo, in three parts.

- I got them up to $750.
- Tell them you can't spell.

I told them I'm not
interested in their $750.

And you're not interested in $1,000,
$2,000 or $3,000, understand?

And I'm not interested in their
three-part story, either.

It's the fourth part
I'm thinking about.

After I get out of here, I'm
figuring on going to New York, too.

Maybe I'll run into you. Maybe
you'll buy me a couple of drinks.

Maybe you'll even take me
out for a big evening, huh?

How big?

You won't be ashamed of me.

I'm gonna buy me a new
trousseau and look real swell.

Why don't you wash that
platinum out of your hair?

(CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING)

BUMPAS: This is radio
station KOAT, Albuquerque.

Bob Bumpas speaking
and bringing you

our 10:00 p.m. Special events
newscast from Escudero.

This is the fifth night the
big drill has been pounding

and grinding its way toward Leo.

The rescue workers are
now only 26 feet away.

At the rate they are going, they should
reach Leo by this time tomorrow night.

So after 129 hours of being buried
alive, at last, freedom seems in sight.

Now put it on your right side, Leo.
Underneath your arm.

(COUGHS)

A little lower. Breathe
through your mouth.

Move it down a little.

Breathe. Through your mouth.

- I can't.
- Don't talk, please. Just breathe.

Now, on the other side.

I can't any more.
Get me Father Diego.

CHARLES: Shut up, Leo.
Do what the doctor tells you.

Chuck, don't, don't let me
die without the priest.

You don't need a priest.
You're not going to die.

Tell him he's not
gonna die, Doctor.

Everybody's gonna die someday,
Leo. I am. Tatum is. You are.

But you still have a
long time ahead of you.

Only you have to help.
Now, put it on the left side.

Way over. There. Breathe.

They'll never let me go.

They're getting even with
me for robbing their tomb.

They'll never let me go.

- Pneumonia.
- How bad?

He told you himself.

- Nobody dies of pneumonia these days.
- He will.

You can't lie down here five days and
five nights in the same position.

What can you do?

We can get him some oxygen
and help him breathe.

How long can he hold out?

Oh, 12 hours.

Unless we get him in a hospital
tomorrow morning, he'll be dead.

Chuck. Chuck!

- Yes, Leo?
- Tell them to stop the drill.

It's no use. They'll never make it.

Get those ideas out of your head.
You're talking crazy.

You'll be out of here
by tomorrow morning.

No, I won't.

They'll never reach me
by tomorrow morning.

I figured it out myself.

You'll be out of here in
12 hours. Hang on!

You wouldn't be lying to
me now, would you, Chuck?

Leo, look at me.

No, you wouldn't. You never have.

(COUGHING)

Here.

(RATTLING)

(CHUCKLES)

How do you like that dumb snake?
I feed him meat. I feed him cheese.

I even caught him some bugs.
Won't touch a thing.

What do you think he goes for?
Chewing gum!

But only with the
silver wrapper on it.

(TELETYPEWRITER CLACKING)

Look at him.
He's putting on weight.

Say, Chuck, I think we ought to get
together about tomorrow night.

The kid will be out, so let's
make a big thing of it.

Now, the moment they bring him up,
I wanna shake hands with him.

But I gotta be the first one.

Then I wanna make a speech
from the top of the hill.

I want you to write it for me.
Something nice and simple.

Hey, what's this?

What are you sending out here?
What new development?

What's this all about?

You read it. We'll have Leo
out by tomorrow morning.

- We're going the other way.
- What other way?

The way we could have gone in
the first place, the easy way.

Now why should we do that?

Now why should we do that?

I'll tell you why. Because
the guy in there is dying.

That's no good for my story.

When you have a big
human interest story,

you've got to give it a big
human interest ending.

When you get people
steamed up like this,

don't ever make
suckers out of them.

I don't want to hand them
a dead man. That's why.

- Well, who says he's gonna be dead?
- I say so.

Well, maybe he will and maybe he
won't, but I know one thing for sure.

If we make that switch now,
we got a lot of explaining to do.

People are gonna wanna
know a lot of things,

especially them reporter
friends of yours.

Like, for instance, why did
we have to set up that drill?

Why did we waste five days?

First, let's get him out. Then
we'll think of what to tell them.

Why should we stick out our necks?
Why not stick to the drill?

We'll speed it up
as much as we can,

and if we get him while he's
still alive, well, fine.

If we're too late, well,
we done the best we could.

It's a better story if we're not
too late. I've sent for Smollett.

Smollett's my man, and
he's taking my orders.

Wait a minute, Gus.

Sit down.

(GROANS)

Now when Smollett comes, you
can give him your orders.

Tell him to go in through
the cliff dwelling,

shore it up and get him out fast.

SMOLLETT:
Not through the cliff dwelling.

You can't get him out
that way any more.

Why?

Because we've been pounding
away with that drill too long.

They're all shot, those walls.
You can't shore them up now.

Put a lot of men to work in there,
and they'll cave in on them.

Don't look at me like that.

I never wanted to use the
drill in the first place.

I never wanted to go in on
this at all. You know that.

(CLACKING)

HERBIE: I'm sorry, Mr Nagel.
He's not back yet.

No, I don't know where he is.

Well, yes, Mr Nagel, I left word
everyplace for him to call New York.

Yes, I know he has a deadline.

Well, of course he hasn't
answered the teletype, Mr Nagel.

He hasn't been in all night.

Yes, I know how much
you're paying him.

If Tatum said he's gonna
send more, he'll send more.

Chuck! Chuck!

- Where are you, Chuck?
- Here I am, Leo.

Over here.

I thought you went away.

Put that thing back on your
mouth, and take a good long drag.

It's morning, isn't it?

- Leo, you have to breathe that oxygen.
- Friday morning.

Come on. Come on, up there.

Make all the noise
you want. Hurry up.

I'm all set.

I got one leg out already. See it?

Cut out all that talking, Leo.

Five years today.

I hope she hasn't found the present.
I want to give it to her myself.

I hid it in a good place.

In the cupboard of our room,
in my old barracks bag.

She'll never find it there.
I want her to wear it.

She'll look like a million.

(PANTING)

Why is it so hot in here?
It's so hot.

'Cause you're talking too much.

Don't be so dumb, using
up all your strength!

Breathe that oxygen! Breathe!

Don't you want to get
your other leg out?

Yeah, sure. I have to.

So I can walk down
the hill, walk home,

walk up the stairs to our room.
So I can give her the present.

Up the stairs. Up the stairs.
Up the stairs.

Up the stairs.

(CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING)

I didn't say come in.

Now get out, will you, Chuck?
I wanted to surprise you.

I'm changing my type.
Going light brown again.

That's the colour it was before
I started fooling around with it.

I'm cutting it shorter, too.
What do you think?

Herbie's been looking for you
all night. Where've you been?

What's that?

Here.

What is it?

- A present.
- For me?

It's your anniversary, Mrs Minosa.

- Oh.
- Go on, open it. He wants you to have it.

Parisian furs. All the
way from Albuquerque.

Gorgeous, isn't it?

They must have skinned a
couple of hungry rats.

- Put it on.
- Honey,

you wouldn't want me to
wear a thing like this.

He bought it for you, didn't he?
Now put it on.

Not me. I got enough money to buy
me a real fur, a silver fox.

- He wants you to wear it.
- I don't care what...

I do.

- I hate it, Chuck!
- Don't take it off.

- It's like him touching me.
- You know what he said?

He said you'll look like a million.

- Let me go, Chuck.
- You know what else he said?

He said maybe you'll love him now
after what's happened to him.

Maybe you and he can
start all over again.

- Let go!
- You're all he talks about.

- You're all he thinks about.
- Chuck!

You can buy yourself a dozen silver
foxes, but you're gonna wear this.

(GASPING)

Don't, Chuck! Don't!
I can't breathe!

He can't breathe, either.

Now keep it on.

(CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(SIREN WAILING)

(SIREN WAILING)

(SIREN WAILING)

(CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(SIREN WAILING)

(DRILL THUMPING)

(DRILL THUMPING)

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla, brawla sooit

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah

And a brawla sooit

FATHER DIEGO: Leo.

Father Diego?

- Is that you, Father?
- Yes, Leo.

Is Chuck with you?

I'm right here, Leo.

- See that she gets the present, Chuck.
- She's wearing it.

She is? How does she like it?

Does she look pretty in it?

Yes, Leo.

(PANTING)

Thanks, Chuck.

I'm ready.

Bless me, Father,
for I have sinned.

I'm sorry.

(SPEAKING IN LATIN)

(SPEAKING IN LATIN)

FATHER DIEGO: Amen.

(DRILL THUMPING)

SMOLLETT ON MICROPHONE:
What's holding up those oil drums?

Send them up!

Stop the drill. Stop everything.

Quiet! Quiet, everybody!

(CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYING)

Shut off that music and listen!

This is Charles Tatum speaking!
Listen to me!

(MUSIC STOPS)

Listen! Listen!

(ALL MURMURING)

Leo Minosa is dead.

He died a quarter of an hour ago
with the drill just 10 feet away.

There's nothing we can do any more.
There's nothing anybody can do.

He's dead. Do you hear me?

Now go on home, all of you!

The circus is over.

Operator, get me Chicago!

Operator! Operator!
This is a press rush.

Get me New York. Longacre 57598.

What are they doing with that?

They're taking it away.
Orders from New York.

You never heard anybody
as mad as Nagel.

I don't get it either, Chuck.
Where were you?

What's the idea of not
protecting your own paper?

You had it all for yourself.
You had it first.

- He told me to tell you you're fired.
- Get me a drink.

So they moved your piano out, eh?
What are you gonna play on now?

Had everything sewed
up, didn't you, Tatum?

Everything but the payoff.
What slipped up?

Beat it.

Booze yourself out
of another job, fan?

McCARDLE: The great Tatum.
Better wipe his mouth.

Beat it. Beat it.

You heard him. Outside, all of you.

Where do you go from here, Tatum?

Maybe the kid can get you a
job on a high school paper.

Put in a call to New York.
I wanna talk to Nagel.

Aren't you a little late, Tatum?

- The papers are on the street now.
- Don't stand there, Herbie. Get Nagel.

What're you gonna flash to them?
How they weave a Navajo rug?

That ought to be
worth $1,000 a day.

Look, Tatum, you were good
to us. We'll be good to you.

Here's a hot tip. We just
got it from the sheriff.

He's gonna dig Leo out yet
and give him a big send-off.

Get out.

Get out!

See you in New York when you
pick up that Pulitzer Prize.

Get out!

Okay, hold it. Nagel.

Hello, Nagel? Tatum.

Wait a minute. Don't yell at me!

Sure. Sure, I let you down.

I know they're on the
street, the other papers.

Sure, sure. Everybody else got
the story. Only it's the wrong story.

Shut up, I said!

Leo Minosa didn't die.
He was murdered.

Is that the best you can think of?

Stop it, Tatum. You're
wasting your breath.

Now let me tell you the
story behind the story.

You got drunk yesterday, you were
drunk all night, and you're still drunk!

All right, I'm crazy!

But it's only because I
took a chance on you!

And I'm giving you your money's
worth, a Tatum special.

Something that'll make all
the other papers look sick.

Hey, Nagel, you wouldn't be
sap enough to hang up on me.

Not now. Listen to this.

"Reporter keeps man
buried for six days!"

Now get set for the rest of it.

Nagel! Nagel! Nagel!

New York?

Running a big-city newspaper,
that bald-headed idiot.

He won't believe me.

You believe me, don't you?

Yes, I do, Chuck.

Now let me help you. I'll take
you to a doctor or a hospital.

Forget the doctor.

We've got things to do.

Like, for instance,
re-elect a sheriff.

Come on, fan. We got a deadline.

Come on, Herbie.
You're wasting my time.

Sit down. That's your desk.

Now go to work.

What's the matter with everybody?
Haven't you ever seen me before?

Go on! It's getting late! Your
paper starts printing in an hour.

Mr Boot! Boot! Mr Boot!

Where's Boot?

Yes, Chuck.

How'd you like to make yourself
$1,000 a day, Mr Boot?

I'm $1,000-a-day newspaperman.

You can have me for nothing.