Original subtitles

So we've been working on the thing three months. Eleven murdered women and this

guy is still out on a loose.

We followed up every lead, we've returned every phone call, we've talked

ditz and fruitcake that ever claimed to have seen the guy. What more do they

want? I hate to cross the picket line. He signed a contract where I bet the

green nut to strike.

Do it, Mallory.

You're starting to look real good in that uniform there, Canfield. Tag me.

if it's not tonight, we'll go back tomorrow night, and if it's not tomorrow

night, we'll go back the next night.

I'm scared, all right? You happy now?

oh

There are 20 ,000 uniforms in this city.

That's 80 % of the force.

If they walk, your contract binds you to filling for them until such time as

they go back to work. You mean we got to go back on the beat? In uniform and in

blue and white patrol cars.

Failure to do so can result in the loss of your gold shield and a proportion of

accrued benefits.

Mr. Graham, how about 5 ,000... Detectives and supervisory personnel are

to cover the city. Badly.

But at least there'll be a police presence.

That's why they want you in uniform.

Al, if you remember, when the Patrolman's Brotherhood went out in 70,

the detectives called in sick to support them. Right.

And that's why they put a blue flu clause in this contract.

Calling in sick without due cause is tantamount to dereliction of duty and

punishable by loss of rank and benefits.

Should we talk about the meeting, sir? I don't want to hear about that.

But the strike vote is tonight at midnight, sir. Either they're going to

they're not going to walk. There's nothing you and I can do about that.

Now tell me about this Don Juan thing. Where are you?

Well, we're questioning florists and following up all the leads. In other

you're nowhere.

Sir, we've been working on the thing three months. That's exactly the point.

There's 11 murdered women and this guy is still out on the loose.

It's all over the papers.

City Hall is getting pressure to act.

So they're putting together a special homicide task force to coordinate this

investigation. What exactly does that mean, Lieutenant?

It means that a group of detectives was going to work exclusively on this case.

They're going to have their own headquarters, their own budget, their

personnel. But we caught the first homicide.

Eight of the 11 victims were found in this precinct. It should be our case.

Well, it has been, Cagney, like you said, for three months.

Does it mean that Chris and I are off it?

Well, you see, these guys got nothing else to do but to solve this case. They

got access to the latest computers, and they got enough manpower to follow up

every single lead. They're pros.

So what are we, chopped liver? That is not what I meant, Cagney.

And you know it. Now, you go down there and you talk to them. You give them what

you can.

They're going to want a copy of your case file, and then I don't see any

why the two of you can't help out on this case in your spare time.

What spare time?

Well, you each get an hour for lunch.

Christine, not our fault.

So why are they calling in the Marines?

Because he's still out there.

What, like they're going to catch him with a computer?

Come on, we've followed up every lead, we've returned every phone call, we've

talked to every ditzen, fruitcake that ever claims to have seen the guy. What

more do they want? I'll take it personally.

Yeah, two more days a week, we could have nailed this guy.

Excuse me, where can I find Detective Crespi?

I'm Detective Cagney. This is Detective Lacey. We're from the 14th.

We caught the first homicide.

Is that it? Yes, ma 'am.

Wait a minute. This is a photo copy.

Well, we keep the original for our father.

Is it all here?

Yeah, you got detailed reports on all the victims, witnesses interviewed, next

of kin, forensics, leads followed up, the works.

I don't need any clarification.

Excuse me.

Ah, look.

Hey, look, we've put a lot of time and legwork into this. You know, we'd like

keep our hand in.

Listen, Detective, uh... Cagney.

Cagney. Listen, I've got six full -time detectives. I've got three secretaries.

I've got ten phone lines. I've got 24 -hour coverage.

And I've got direct access to computer time. Now, that should be enough

manpower, don't you think?

Well, could you call us at least if you get a break? I mean, we got a lot of

groundwork. Yeah, we'll do.

What a charming man.

Honey, they've been working without a contract since January 31st. I don't

Cops are special. It goes with the territory. They're only trying to keep

with inflation. They got the same as we do. Rent, gas, electric, the kids...

We're shooting... Mary Beth, you've become a cop. You've taken oath to

society. It is an essential service. I mean, you think doctors should be able

go on strike?

Doctors are different.

Yeah? Well, all I know is if those guys walk, this city's going to be a war

zone. Every lowlife from here to Canarsie is going to think he's out of

I mean, you wouldn't walk, would you?

It would depend.

On what?

On what the city was offering and how bad I was hurting.

No, I'm going to stay up listening to the news. Why?

So you can lose a night's sleep?

Find out soon enough in the morning.

Come on, here's some mint chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer.

We'll have an orgy.

What kind of a girl do you think I am?

Uniforms are going out.

Oh.

If I don't breathe today, I should be all right.

I swore I would never wear this thing again.

Not even on Halloween.

I cannot do this lousy tie. Can you help? Can you give me a hand here? It's

driving me nuts.

I keep in practice with Harvey.

I never saw Harvey wear a tie.

Yeah. Christmas Eve?

Easter Sunday?

Weddings and funerals in the track.

In the track?

Bring some luck.

I can't believe they're going out, huh?

They're setting up a picket line outside right now.

Terrific. That's all we need. Police harassment.

Thanks.

Christine, I hate to cross a picket line.

It's not your union.

It used to be.

Well, it's not anymore.

You know that lettuce thing?

I used to walk six blocks to go to another supermarket, do my shopping, so

wouldn't have to go in the one around my corner. Well, get ready.

You heard what the union rep said. You could lose your gold shield.

Yeah? And the people on that line could lose their rent money.

You signed a contract, Mary Beth, agreeing not to strike. So did your

But he went out.

What does my father have to do with this? That was a long time ago. A lot. A

lot. Because he went out, you and I have better pay.

Better medical and pension benefits, better hours. He paid your dues, Mary

For ten years, you wore the uniform.

Come on.

if it was us that were going out.

I don't expect anyone else to fight my battles for me.

Let's look at it.

Well, it'll be an interesting roll call.

Pretty good with that thing.

My first beat was Dykeman Street, Washington Heights.

Tough neighborhood back then.

You had to be pretty good with this baby.

Yeah, but your uniform looks like it's from the Civil War.

Actually, it was the Korean War.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

All right, everyone.

Come here.

The news isn't good.

He could be out for a while. And until such time as they are back, this is the

way it's going to run. We're all going on A and B shifts. It's 12 hours off, 12

hours off.

We're going to set up a temporary dormitory upstairs.

For those of you who live in Jersey or out on the island, so you can stay over.

Now, even though you retain your rank as detective, you will stay in uniform.

Because the key word is visibility.

They want you out on the streets as much as possible.

So we will take only priority calls.

Deputy Inspector Nelman.

myself will be here in the precinct. One of us will be here at all times.

All right, any questions?

Yeah, what about our active caseloads?

Well, you stay with them if you can, but your first priority is to be out on the

streets. I don't want you hanging around here if you can help it. Anything else?

No, sir.

All right, get yourself blue and whites, two to a car, and Paul, here, get

yourself fitted for a new uniform.

They don't make them like this anymore, Bird.

No synthetic fabrics.

I don't care. You look like the Keystone cops.

Hey, wait a second. No wonder you never got shot. Wait a second.

Where is Petrie?

He, uh, called in sick.

I'm very busy here. Why don't you check with Detective Chan, all right?

Doesn't it look like number 12 to you?

Don't give me an attitude, Crispin.

You're a detective, just like I am. You're starting to look real good in

uniform there, Canfield.

Tag me.

Tag me. Tag me.

So how is it you men are not in uniform?

Well, we just don't look as pretty in them as you do.

Patricia McConnell, 832 -547 -E64.

Her body was found in the lobby of her apartment, so we got the victim profile.

Lon, young, attractive.

We got the location.

The red rose, the strangulation with the piano. Who the hell does he think he

is?

Huh?

Crespi. He's a detective, second grade.

Can't pull rank on us like that.

Forget him, will you?

Oh, I don't like his attitude.

All right, Chris, listen to me. The key to the thing is figuring out how he

knows where they live. All the victims were found within two blocks. The answer

is the only detective in the whole damn city.

Will you give it a rest?

Look at this. She's on fire.

What, he's on fire?

No, no. He slammed right into me.

It was his fault. My fault, lady. You didn't signal those signal lights. No

brake lights. No nothing. She just stopped.

Look what you did to my car.

Lady, you could eat off that car.

Now, don't be impertinent.

You know what you could do with impertinent?

You know what you can do with your lips?

Light them up.

They have license and registration for the two of you.

Certainly.

Worth a shot, Mary Beth.

Gotta go through Presby.

Why? Because he's got all the telephones, he's got all the people to

calls. This in here is not even our case anymore.

We're not even supposed to be here.

You want me to do it? No.

Detective Cagney, 14th?

Probably forgot my name again.

Yeah, Crespi?

This is Cagney.

Cagney!

Look, we have a theory we thought maybe you'd like to follow up.

We figured the killer had access to the victim's addresses through a bank.

You know, like a bank teller or a loan officer or somebody.

Nine out of the 12 women worked, and they all probably all had bank accounts,

and so we thought if you wouldn't mind.

calling the next of kin or their employers, you could find out where they

banked, and if it's all the same bank, it'd be an awful... You're welcome.

Okay.

Thank you.

That's what he said, thank you.

He won't do it. I'm telling you, he won't do it.

Come on, we've got to get back out there. Wait a second, I'm calling Mark

how he's feeling.

I'll get it.

Hello?

He's in bed with the flu.

Yeah.

Okay. Yeah.

Thank you.

Bye -bye.

I hate lying.

Then don't.

You're going to find out sooner or later anyway.

Unless you know a doctor we can bribe.

Mark. Marcus, what if they take your gold shield away?

Then I'll resign and you won't be married to a cop anymore.

And you won't have to complain about the hours and the danger. Don't pin this on

me! Well, get off my case, Claudia!

You work here? Yeah.

Cagney, Lacey, 14th?

So how come you're not on strike?

It's the wrong union.

You ask me, it's a criminal. Cops going out on strike. Excuse me, sir, but we're

interested in anyone who's been purchasing red long -stem roses

the past three months.

The Don Juan killer, right?

I knew it.

You knew what?

Mr. Talia Farah.

I never liked his face.

He's your man.

You, uh, you happen to have an address on him?

Lennox Hill convalescent home. He orders flowers all the time, gives them to the

nurses. It's a real latch, even in a wheelchair.

He's in a wheelchair?

He's 80 and he's half blind, but he's the type. Believe me.

Little beady eyes.

You want to stake out my store? It's okay with me.

Uh -huh.

Well, thank you.

40 minutes tops.

Is Michael in bed?

Did you give him his allergy medicine?

Yeah, the best.

Yeah, in a while.

Bye -bye.

Christine, quitting time.

Crespi never called back.

Forget Crespi. Go home. Go to sleep.

9 .15.

Hardly pays.

Well, what about this new man you've seen? What's his name, Bob?

Any word for a friend that gave a poker?

Spring your paycheck.

Since when do you play poker?

I used to play.

It's like riding a bike that comes back to you. Maybe I'll hang around a while,

huh? Yeah?

Okay. Night.

You sure you know how to play poker, Chris? Yes, I used to play Barnard.

What you got it, Becky?

All blue.

Read them and weep. I win.

Ace, king, queen.

Jack, ten, a straight. Thank you very much.

A flush beats a straight.

Since when?

Since the beginning of time.

Right, LaGuardia?

Thank you, gentlemen.

It's been a pleasure.

Anytime.

Hey, be careful out there. There's no cops on the streets. It's dangerous for

lady to be all alone out there.

Victor, we shouldn't take her money. She doesn't know what she's doing. How else

is she going to learn?

Hey, you ain't come.

There have been reports of scattered looting. You've got to keep visible.

Take the bus to work.

Eat lunch someplace with lots of people around, preferably an outdoor hot dog or

pizza stand. Stay on the street.

We've got to keep this situation under control.

The mayor is considering sending in a national guard, which is just what the

strikers want.

All right, questions?

LaGuardia, you've got to do something about that uniform.

yesterday, Inspector. They promised I'd have it today.

All right, let's get out there and remember.

Visible.

All right, that's it. Let's go.

Where's that black guy?

What's his name?

Petrie. Yeah, I didn't see him here yesterday either.

He's got a bad case of the flu.

What color flu, Bert?

Oh, no, Inspector. It's kosher. No, he's running a very high temperature.

He sent in a message. Medical certificate?

Yeah, it's on my desk somewhere.

You want some of this here?

No, I hate rose.

All for me.

Too sweet.

Whenever you're through with the mustard, it could work.

Today?

I'm telling you.

He hasn't checked it out.

Why shouldn't he check it out? It's a good theory.

Because it wasn't his idea.

Well, there's nothing we can do about it, so there's no point in giving

ourselves indigestion.

They can make the calls themselves.

But why not?

We got the employer's numbers and the case file right in the car.

Well, that's going to take a lot of time, Christine. We're making all those

calls, getting the right department, explaining what we want.

So they're not going to have the information at their fingertips. They're

to have to call us back.

So what?

So we don't have an office.

Sure do.

Right there.

It's perfect.

Huh? You want to make phone calls from a booth on 9th Avenue?

No one said he wanted visibility.

We'll give it to him.

You got 20 dimes?

to talk with you, Daddy?

You're putting an awful lot on the line for this, PJ.

I realize that, Lieutenant.

I didn't know you felt this strongly.

It kind of runs in the family.

My father worked in a steel mill in Pennsylvania for 22 years. He organized

the... first walkout that mill had ever had.

Stayed out for 85 days until they signed a union contract.

Your father still alive?

Well, times change, Petrie.

This is not a steel mill in Pennsylvania, and you've got union

This isn't even your union. That's not the point.

Well, then how's this for the point? You got a kid to feed now. My father had

four of us.

gold shield you got.

You worked pretty hard for that, Petrie, and it would be a shame for

you to lose that.

Petrie, I can't cover for you much longer.

You don't have to.

And what are you going to do if they bust you down? I'll quit.

Go back to school, law, computer, something.

I don't know.

I can always boost cars. I know how it's done now.

Well, maybe they'll settle this thing.

Maybe.

Lieutenant. I appreciate you coming up here.

Well, you're a good cop.

You're a damn good cop.

Also, you're the only one on the squad I understand since Becky.

Peggy, 14th.

Yes, that's right.

Yeah, can you repeat that again?

Thank you very much.

Judy Carver, number five.

Madison Fidelity Savings and Loans, 34th Street Branch.

Oh, well, that's five different banks already.

Hey,

we gave it a try.

I wonder what Presby's doing.

Probably playing with his computer.

Fixed apart.

Flushing. Flushing, nice town. I spent a week there one night.

So what are we going to do, Cagney?

Bluff?

Raise.

I think she's running him off the flagpole.

And no one saluted.

Seven's over Johnny's.

Does that beat a flush?

Even to Barnard.

I'm going downstairs for a while.

Victor, this is criminal.

It's like taking candy from a baby.

Look, did you see anybody twist her arm to play?

She's dropping her whole week's paycheck.

I'll teach her a lesson.

Look, you see, she's trying to compete and prove herself in a man's world. I

mean, poker's a man's game, but take a certain intestinal fortitude. I don't

know what intestines have to do with it.

Come on, let's do it.

Yeah. Very good. I got it.

What time is it?

Birth control pills.

Christine, it's 1 .21 in the morning. Where are you?

I'm in the precinct. Listen, you want to hear the link?

A doctor. A GYN. Chris, what are you talking about?

I'm talking about the fact that four of the women were carrying birth control

pills. You read the psych profile on the killer?

Jack the Ripper syndrome.

Sexually repressed. A high sense of morality.

Chris, what are you talking about?

I'm saying he resented women who were sexually liberated.

Women who used birth control pills. Only three of these women were married.

Get it?

See what I'm saying?

Chris, listen to me. It's late.

You're overtired.

But it makes sense!

What if they all went to the same doctor?

Will you listen to me?

I want you to get in a cab and go home and get some sleep.

Okay. Okay, I will.

Just... Just tell me what you think.

Terrific! We'll talk about it in the morning.

What's going on?

Nothing. It was Chris.

Is she okay?

Oh, certainly.

One o 'clock in the morning, she's still working.

She's terrific.

Terrific.

I'm sorry, honey.

How sorry are you?

Harvey.

Hey, Chris.

Hey.

What time is it?

Fourteen minutes of nine in the morning. I got here early to beat the picket

line. You slept here?

You could call it that.

How come you didn't go home?

What time did the doctor's offices open?

Doctor's offices?

Here, come with me.

I think that you should go home and get some rest.

You know, the nurses, they'd be in by now. We could call them. They could look

in the files for us. See, what if this crud is like a random killer?

Well, now, that's great. Then where did that leave us?

I don't know.

Mary Beth, I could be way off base here, but I'd rather be off base than

nowhere, okay?

Okay.

So, what, you think it's really birth control pills?

Well, it fits the site profile, and it explains how he has access to their

addresses.

The thing is, though, they'd all have to be going to the same GYN. That's 12

women, one man. It's a long shot. It's like the bank theory.

Yeah.

Why would they all have to go to the same doctor?

The addresses.

Yeah, but say there was different doctors and they all wrote

And then the prescriptions were filled out at... Oh!

The pharmacist.

That's what I was going to say.

I knew that.

Mary Beth?

You're brilliant.

So why don't you change? Come on, let's go.

Bill, we have to go through the doctors.

Oh, come on, Cressby. You've got three secretaries, ten foes. You've got the

mayor's office behind you.

Now you can get answers we can't get.

I know what the shot in the dark.

What, the banks?

Oh, you finally followed up on it, huh?

Okay,

look, what I need from you is the names and the telephone numbers of the

gynecologists. All 12 of them. We'll take it from there.

And I promise you, on my gold shield, I will never bother you again.

No, never. Not one word, not one phone call, not for the rest of my entire

natural life.

555 -2368.

Okay.

You think he'll do it?

I don't know. I made him a pretty good offer.

He really doesn't like you, does he?

That's what I'm counting on.

Well, there's not going to be any crime on this street corner today.

Is your partner in this morning, Detective?

No, sir. He's still sick.

Well, he must have a pretty nasty case of the flu.

Yeah, he's sick as a dog.

How long have you two been together as a team?

About a year and a half.

You get along?

Sure.

You know, you get used to working together with a partner. It's like a

Yeah.

You get somebody new, you gotta make the adjustment all over again.

Ah, it just doesn't feel right.

You know, where the guy likes to eat, how he handles a perp, whether he'll be

behind you when you go through a door.

You know what I mean?

Sure.

So, if I were you, I'd help him get better real fast.

Real fast.

Like tomorrow.

Through the center of my heart. What?

You want a beer?

Drinking on duty is bad enough, but in uniform?

They'll have me on traffic detail for the rest of my life. Sorry, I forgot.

Must be tough being back in uniform.

No, it's not that hard.

This thing fits me pretty good.

And you should see the looks I get from the broads. Women, Victor, women.

You been hanging around with Cagney and Lisa?

So, how's everything down at the station?

Great.

You understand what I'm doing.

Sure. Sure, we talked about it before. I understand.

I mean, I don't feel very good about walking out on you.

Hey, you don't worry about me, huh?

So who have they got you working with?

Cone.

Nice guy.

Yeah.

We're in for lunch down to the place we go.

You know, the greasy spoon on Mercer near West Broadway.

The one with the waitress in the see -through uniform?

Gladys.

Yes, but I told you you were undercover.

Marcus.

I'm going to say this right now.

I don't want you to know it's from the heart, and I don't want you to think I'm

trying to influence you.

You're the best partner I ever had.

If they take away your shield, They're going to have to take away mine.

They're going to hear from Victor's Becky loud and clear.

We reached ten of the doctors, and every single one of them had written a

prescription for either birth control pills or devices within the last three

months. The dates of the prescription correspond within a day or so to the

murders. Seven of them were the same night.

Okay. But how do we know which drug store they've got a won't fill that?

Three of our doctors phoned a prescription to the same drugstore, 44th

which happens to be within walking distance of either their offices or

apartments. Every one of them. It's all circumstantial, even if you link all 12

prescriptions to the same drugstore. We know that, Inspector, so we have a plan.

We'll have one of the doctors phone in a prescription, and I'll go in, out of

uniform, of course, and I'll have it filled.

And we lay a trap and we wait for him. Well, how do you know we'll strike

tonight? We don't.

But seven out of 12 ain't bad odds.

And if it's not tonight, we'll go back tomorrow night. And if it's not tomorrow

night, we'll go back the next night.

I think it's worth a shot.

Did you run this by Crespi?

No, sir.

We're not exactly on speaking terms with Detective Crespi.

Excuse me.

Hi. Hi.

May I help you?

Yeah, my doctor had phoned in a prescription this afternoon.

What's your name?

Cagney.

Right.

Christine Cagney. Dr. Lewis.

I'll need an address on this.

Yeah, uh, 743 Broom Street. That's with an E.

That's way downtown.

You work around here?

Yeah, over on 48th Street. I just started yesterday.

That's why I haven't seen you before.

I never forget a pretty face.

Oh, thank you.

How much do I owe you?

$14 .49, but you pay up front.

Oh.

Have a nice day.

Thank you.

be out of uniform, you'll be out of sight.

If he sees anybody at all, he may not make a move.

Okay? Paul, you'll be down the street in the doorway here like a wino on a nod.

You're going to be our eyes.

Miss Becky, you're going to be around the corner up here out of sight.

Cagney and Lacey will be in this car around this corner.

All right?

You'll all be in walkie -talkie contact.

Cagney will have a wire on her.

Why do I need a wire? If he makes a move, I'll bring him down.

Cagney, you got backups. Okay on the John Wayne number.

What I want you to do...

Just to lead him down this street here, around into the alley.

Dark, it's narrow, probably be deserted.

That's where he'll probably make his move, okay?

Everybody straight?

Yes, sir. Okay, let's get going.

It's Becky I'll fill you in. You're rolling in five minutes.

Hey.

See you in the car.

Hey, Petrie, welcome back.

I'm not back.

You're here.

Victor told me what was going down tonight.

I'm here.

Tonight.

Just tonight.

I appreciate it.

You know, they say that patients who, like, pretend they're not scared before

surgery actually come out worse than the one that... I'm scared, all right? You

happy now?

They say it's easier if you talk about it.

It's easier for me if I don't.

Lacey?

Reading you, Paul.

Car just pulled up across the street at 7 .52.

Is he getting out?

He's just sitting there.

All right, let's give him a minute.

Becky?

Ready to move?

Yeah.

Patriot, you ready?

Right.

You ready?

Yeah.

He's staying put.

Good evening.

Don't move, or the police will surround us.

Get your hands up.

Major trips, Miss Becky. I knew you were bluffing.

Victor, I think we've been had. We should have guessed when she suggested

tripling mistakes.

Paul Newman and George C. Scott and the Hustler.

Great movie.

Did you ever see this, Becky? I thought you learned how to play poker at

Barnard. I learned to play bridge at Barnard. I learned to play poker around

old man's kitchen table.

Every Friday night.

He was a cop, remember?

Who played?

Sure. When I was little, they just let me fetch a tip.

Then they let me sit in, and by 15...

I was a regular.

You know, you can get busted for hustling poker tagging.

The lousy coward.

Mr. La Guardia, I'm sorry to disturb you, but they tell me I have to find you

here.

Mr.

Giacomo, buona sera. Buona sera, signore. Come state bene?

Mezzo, mezzo. E lei?

Io sono bene, grazie. You like it?

It's very nice.

Polyester? 40%. Wash and wear, hang up, dry and drip.

What do you think?

It's gorgeous.

Are we playing poker here, or is this some kind of fashion show?

Fourteen, detective in uniform.

Oh, yeah?

Oh, that's wonderful.

Thank you. Hey, guys, the uniform just approved their new contract. They go

on in the next shift.

Get out of these market suits.

All right. I just got mine.

450 bucks.

Molto grazie, Mr.

Gigi Como. I'm sure I'll find some use for it. Grazie a lei.

Arrivederci. Arrivederci. Grazie.

Anybody know of 42 Short?

Come on, are we playing? It's Cagney Thiel.

You want to quit while you're ahead of us, Becky? Shut up, Thiel. Okay,

name of the game is Jagster Back. It takes a pair of hooks to open. If you

haven't got them, we'll go to low ball.