Original subtitles

[SLOW MUSIC PLAYING]

What's the matter?

You don't think he deserves it?

You don't think a guy like him deserves it, huh?

That ain't the point, Joe.

The fact is that you're not gonna do anything about it.

Is that so?

Is that so?

Hey, Robbie,

come here.

Don't have the guts, huh?

What are you gonna do, shoot him?

Mmm-mmm.

No, but he pulls something like that again,

then believe me, I will.

Right now I'm just gonna put the fear of God in him.

When is the big show, Joe?

Soon as I get out of here.

What do I owe you?

I'll take $3.75.

[MUMBLING]

Here we go, one...

[MUMBLING]

JOE: I'm gonna take care of you, Barbara.

Your father's gonna take care of it for you.

Here.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Thank you.

See you around.

Yeah, old Frederick sure got it all figured out.

Two years, takes exam for sergeant,

by the time he's 30, figure he'd be lieutenant.

Captain, 45.

What's your problem, man?

You're not enough like Fredrick.

Don't have any ambition.

No ambition, huh. Mmm.

Yeah, well, my mother used to say,

ambition is made of sterner stuff, you know.

She used to say, Willie... Willie?

Mmm-hmm. Oh, yeah, that's your name.

Willie. Yeah. She used to say...

Hey!

Take a look. What do you think?

WEBSTER: He's giving no pain.

GILLIS: Should we let it go?

WEBSTER: Well, he is not driving.

He's not down and can't take care

of himself...

Not bothering anyone.

Probably going home to sleep it off.

You're full of the milk of human kindness.

You know that?

Skin deep. Just skin deep.

Ah! Okay.

[PIANO PLAYING]

[PLAYING STOPS]

Door was open.

An oversight.

What are you doing here, Mr. Daley?

Your boss is in?

What do you wanna see Mr. Lance for?

It's personal.

Personal.

It's personal.

Well...

May be it can be arranged, Smitty.

All right. Hey, wait, wait a minute.

What... What are you doing here?

Wait a minute, will you? It's a new policy.

I hope you are not offended.

Well, guess what I found.

Tsk, tsk...

A gun!

You don't usually carry a gun,

do you, Mr. Daley?

You haven't carried one since you were a cop,

have you?

[STAMMERING] I just happen to have

one on me.

Oh!

But you don't mind if I hold on to it

for a while, do you?

Smitty,

tell Mr. Lance he has a visitor.

The big hero.

Gonna come in here and blow me full of holes.

Make a pretty big man of you in the neighborhood, huh?

No, no, that's... No, no. Honestly, I wasn't gonna

do that. I...

I just wanna talk to you about...

You know, about Barbara.

You are a little late, aren't you?

What happened between me and your daughter was...

Was two weeks ago.

Take you that long to...

To get the nerve up!

Huh?

[LAUGHING]

How many drinks did you need this afternoon

before you can come up here?

Three?

Five?

Ten?

[LAUGHING]

Give him back his gun and throw him out.

[GRUNTING]

I told you to thrown him out, not to...

Wave bye-bye, Mr. Lance.

[LANCE GROANS]

Give me your handkerchief.

MAN ON RADIO: Ludlow Niner. Ludlow Niner.

Shooting reported at Treasure Round Nightclub

on South Victoria.

Investigate Code 3, over.

Ludlow 9. Roger.

[SIREN WAILING]

Oh! We were coming into the building and...

We heard these shots.

And we rushed in here.

And...

He still had the gun in his hand.

You hit him?

No, Smitty did.

Smitty.

Andrew Smith.

And what was yours again?

Uh, Caras.

C-A-R-A-S.

Steven. First name with a "V".

Hey, Terry.

It's that drunk.

Oh!

How is he doing?

I don't know, but, uh...

Look at his ID.

Says the name is Joe Daley.

[LINE RINGING]

Lieutenant Ryker, please.

I was thinking about you, Eddie,

just a few days ago.

Why didn't you pick up the phone and called?

We could have gotten together.

I should have. That might have

made a difference.

Okay.

Sit down.

How have you been? Not too good.

You know, wages for a night watchman isn't, uh,

exactly like making a killing

in the stock market.

You're not here for making a killing in the market.

Let's hear your version.

I, uh...

I've been drinking quite a bit and...

I was...

I was talking to Lance, you know, just...

Just talking, you understand?

What about?

Barbara.

My kid.

You remember Barbara, don't you, Eddie?

Mmm-hmm.

See, all she knew about Lance was that he ran this club.

And she got a job there.

I didn't know about it.

She was checking hats.

One night he offered a ride

home.

And she

just managed to fight her way out of the car.

[EXHALES] Oy vey.

Where is she now?

Uh... She is in New York with my sister.

I called her. She'll be back

in the morning.

So you were talking to Lance and you had a gun.

No.

No. No. They took it away from me.

See, Caras and Smitty,

they were standing right behind me.

Go on.

Well, there's not much more, I...

I was talking to Lance and...

That's the last I remember.

How does it look?

[CHUCKLES]

Well, let's see, you had a motive.

You told a lot of people how nice it would be

if Lance were dead.

You went to see him with a gun.

He was killed with that gun and your prints were

all over it.

What? Yes.

Prints!

I would say, not too promising.

I was set up! Prove it.

I can't.

Eddie, I didn't do it. I swear,

I didn't do it, Eddie.

I know that, Joe, because I know you.

What am I gonna do?

Eddie?

You gonna help me?

No, Joe. I just stopped by

to say "Hello".

But I need somebody.

Did anyone know you were going to see Lance?

I mean, at that particular time.

No. No.

Hey, wait a minute.

I remember.

The bartender at the Joker, Robbie.

Robbie, I don't know his last name but...

♪♪ You know I love you

♪♪ You know it's true

♪♪ That's why you treat me

♪♪ The way you do

♪♪ You said you loved me

♪♪ You said you loved me... ♪♪

[EXHALES]

Well?

We had a very interesting conversion.

You saw him?

Yeah.

Well...

Thank you.

Well, what did he say?

What could he say?

The king is dead. Long live the king.

You got it all?

Listen, um...

Didn't we talk about a raise for you?

A raise in salary, something like that.

Yeah.

Yeah. But we never talked about how much.

Well, you're not gonna get a raise.

Your salary's staying the same.

How about a commission?

10% of the net.

You miserable...

You talked me into it.

It's not charity, you understand.

I like people who work for me to be happy.

It's a form of insurance.

It's something Mr. Lance didn't have.

[LAUGHING]

So what are you gonna do?

Run in every drunk because you think he is on his way

to kill somebody?

This one did.

Yeah, but...

[SIGHS] That's like saying...

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Come on in. It's open.

WEBSTER: Good to see you, Lieutenant.

Just happened to be in the neighborhood...

How is it going?

Gillis, could you please get me a cup of coffee or...

Beer or something to hold in my hand?

Sure. We got food.

Would you like something to eat?

No, just a beer. Thanks.

Okay.

Let me ask you something. Do any of you know

anything about Joe Daley as a human being?

Oh, just that a couple of times you told

you were having dinner with him.

Going to a football game.

Thanks, Gillis.

Yeah.

Okay.

I'll tell you something else. He used to be a cop.

You didn't know that, did you?

No, sir.

Well, now you know. We were rookies together

just as same as you.

Only that was 23 years ago.

We were

on a stake-out one night.

And it turned into a...

Turned into a gun fight.

And I got myself caught out in the open.

Joe was supposed to cover me.

And he froze. And I took one on the leg.

Doctors were talking about amputating my leg

for a while.

What happened to Joe?

He quit the next day.

And from there on in it's been downhill.

Lost all his confidence.

Self-respect. Stated to think of himself

as something less than a man.

Until finally he

became what you saw, stumbling down

the street today.

It's quite a story, Lieutenant.

Well, all my stories have a point, Danko.

Policemen aren't violent people,

except when they have to be.

Joe's problem was the worst nightmare

any police officer can have.

He was incapable of being violent at any time.

He didn't kill Lance.

He couldn't squash a bug.

If Joe Daley didn't kill Lance,

then it must have been Smitty and Caras.

Of course.

But to get Joe of the hook, we're gonna have to prove

they did it.

And that's gonna take some doing.

Has homicide come up with anything?

It's very simple. It's up to me.

What can we do to help, Lieutenant?

[CLEARS THROAT] You don't think I came

here just for that, do you?

[CHUCKLES]

ALL: Cheers!

Wanna check it over?

Hmm?

Oh, no. no.

I trust you.

Sign the receipt, please.

That's it.

You are free to go.

I know the routine.

I...

I didn't know you could set bail

on a murder one charge.

The law has changed since you were on the force, Daddy.

I guess.

Are you the one who put up the bail?

It wasn't all that much.

How much?

A thousand to the bondsman, plus $50.

Barb, how did you... Daddy!

You have friends.

Mr. Deluca put up $500.

And the rest came from around the neighborhood.

Mr. Thaylor put up about $200.

And the Ludwigs about $75.

I didn't know they were my friends.

I guess they weren't.

Until now.

Everybody...

Barbara,

can I just look at you for a minute, please?

You just saw me two weeks ago.

I know.

But this is the first time

you kissed me since you were 14 years old.

Daddy...

Horowitz, I want you to ride with Morgan today.

Keyes, the next time you pass that hawk shop,

I want you to check it out again.

All right, that's it.

Hit the streets. Check your pin maps.

I want to see Webster, Gillis and Danko.

Dismissed.

You gentlemen sleep on our little problem?

Didn't sleep much at all, Lieutenant.

Lieutenant, are you sure it was Smitty and Caras?

There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever, Gillis.

Yeah, but we can't prove that, unless we got the evidence

against them.

What about that bartender?

Forget him. He is a dead end,

at least for the time being.

So, no evidence.

Testimony is evidence.

From who? Joe?

No, from Smitty and Caras.

They're not gonna cop out on themselves.

Not without concrete evidence

against them.

Yeah, but maybe one of them will, the one who didn't

pull the trigger.

And implicate the one who did?

WEBSTER: That's right. That's a good attack

on this thing, Webster.

All right, I've gone over the records.

Smitty is pure muscle.

He beats up on people.

He has never used a gun because he's never had to.

Caras, on the other hand, has used a gun.

More than once.

Which means...

Which means, we work on Smitty.

Right.

And how do we do that? Any ideas?

I got one.

No, no, no.

Tomorrow.

I swear it to you.

I'll have it tomorrow. All $700?

It's 600 and a quarter, Smitty.

[GRUNTS]

Service charge. Okay.

Okay. Okay.

[GROANS] Okay.

Okay.

Tomorrow. Okay.

Ciao, Benny.

Oh, wait a minute, fellow, this is a two-hour zone,

I've only been...

Hey, I know you. That's right.

Smith. And it's not a ticket.

Just a...

Note to ask you to call me at your convenience.

What for?

Talk.

We can talk now, if you like.

Mr. Smith.

They're still investigating that murder,

and they're pretty sure that...

That Caras was the killer.

No kidding.

Yeah, and...

If you'd like to verify that now,

it'd save a lot of time.

Can't promise you anything. But I'm sure that you'd

get off a lot easier.

You from homicide?

No. You ain't a detective,

right?

No. You're a cop who

rides a patrol car?

Yeah. How are you figuring this?

Well, I'm gonna make sergeant.

And...

If I'm the one who persuades you to surrendering...

[CHUCKLES]

Well, to tell you the truth,

it'll give me a step up.

You know what I think?

I think you're fishy.

Lance was killed the way we told you.

You don't have a thing on Caras or me.

Well, if that's what you say, man.

Guess there's really nothing to talk about.

What could you have? Well, like you said,

nothing.

I mean, Daley had a motive, there's prints around the gun,

pretty clear prints.

Oh, one thing...

Prints we found on the gun were made with a right hand.

It'd be funny if Daley was left-handed, wouldn't it?

[PIANO PLAYING]

You know, he could be left-handed,

but frankly, it never entered my mind.

If he is, it blows the whole thing for us.

No, the most they can do is release Daley.

And grab us! Look, there are

three possibilities.

And the first one is most likely.

The cop was taking a shot in the dark

to try and scare you.

Yeah, but... The second possibility is

that he was telling the truth.

That Daley is left-handed.

But that's not enough to warrant picking us up!

I mean, the dumbest lawyer in town would have us out

in 10 minutes.

Suppose the cop was telling the truth

and they do have something else.

That's a third possibility.

But if that was so,

we wouldn't be here talking right now.

We'd be in jail.

Hey, come on, Smitty,

relax, we're safe.

That's unless one of us does

something very,

very dumb.

You understand?

[PIANO PLAYING]

It was a drag. It's $12.50 apiece.

Spaghetti tasted like rubber bands.

I thought Gino's was supposed to be

the best in town.

Yeah, well, somebody said Loferelli's was good.

It's supposed to be open till 12:00 midnight.

I'll make a note of that.

You gentlemen read the morning paper?

No. Is there something special in there?

Around the town column, right up at the top.

Fred Patten's column. He's a good friend of mine.

"Mucho evidence..." That's the way he writes.

He studied Spanish

in high school. He's never recovered.

"Mucho evidence to indicate

"that the accused killer of Michael Lance,

"the west side vice proconsul was the victim

of a classic frame.

"Look for el fuzzo to break the case wide open shortly."

That ought to make Smitty crawl right up the wall.

Lieutenant, do you, uh, really think that's gonna

make him talk?

Who cares what I think? It's what Caras thinks.

I think you are getting panicky.

Okay, so maybe it is a plan.

But what if it ain't?

If it isn't, Smitty,

we don't do anything at all.

There's really not much we can do, is there?

I guess not. Hey, come on...

Take it easy. Cool down.

Just take it easy.

We'll go on with our work. Everything is gonna be

all right.

Just calm down, all right?

Yeah.

Yeah, sure.

I'll...

I'll see you later.

There's a letter for you from New York.

Just came.

Says...

Says you gotta stay on there. Get you an apartment.

I was.

But not now?

You need somebody

to help you out.

I mean, into the trial.

And after that?

I don't know.

If I do move. It won't be far away.

I'll be able to visit you.

In prison?

Barb, you read that article in the paper.

The police aren't so sure that I did it.

And I've been telling you from the beginning,

I didn't kill Lance.

Yeah, I know that's what you've been

telling me.

But you won't believe it, will you?

If you want me to I'll believe it.

At least I'll say I do.

I'm not the big hero you think I am.

I am not what the neighbors think I am.

Daddy!

I don't know what you are trying to say to me.

I only know one thing.

Whatever you did,

you did it for me.

And I guess...

Well, that means more to me than it...

Shh...

Now, come here.

Barbara...

I guess I really haven't done much for you,

have I?

It will be different from now on.

I know it will.

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

I'm glad. [CHUCKLES]

[DOORBELL RINGS] I'll get it.

Barbara. Lieutenant.

Joe.

Uh, I'll be back in a little while.

Well, I hope you're not leaving on my account.

I know you two wanna talk.

Besides, I...

I have to get to the bank before it closes.

She changed much, since you seen her last?

I saw her yesterday. She bailed you out.

Ed, she loves me. Can you imagine that?

Yeah, well, that's quite something

these days, isn't it?

Yeah, we talked just now.

Of course we were just kind of feeling each other up,

but we talked!

We haven't done that in the last five years!

Yeah.

Well, I figured you're entitled to know

how we're doing.

So far, nothing definite.

We are trying a few tricks.

Maybe you saw the paper this morning,

that was part of it.

Anyhow I think it's all gonna come together pretty soon.

I, um...

I got a lawyer now.

Yes, I was going to speak to you about that.

I spoke to him this morning and he said that

even if I'm found guilty,

I won't have to spend much time inside.

You sound like a man who's about ready

to buy something.

[SIGHS] Maybe.

Yeah, but, Joe, there is only one thing wrong with that,

you didn't do it. You're not guilty.

Yeah, I know I didn't kill anybody but...

A man can be guilty of a lot worse things.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Thanks.

Lieutenant.

Find anything out?

Yeah.

What can I get you, Officer? Just a cup of coffee, please.

Yeah, I think you're in.

He's ready to open up. It's about time.

Uh, he said he'd meet you in his apartment

in about an hour.

You didn't promise him anything specific I hope.

Uh, no. Didn't have to. Um...

He said he'd rather see Caras go down, than him

go down with him.

There you go, Officer.

Thank you.

One hour, right?

That gives me time to eat.

Drink that in a hurry, we'll get out of here,

buy you a cheap meal.

You got a deal.

So how did that go? [LAUGHS]

As an actor, you'd make a great cop.

I'll bet he's on the horn to Caras right now.

I'm not gonna bet with you.

Dispatch, this is Ryker.

I want you to have Ludlow 9 come in on Tack 3.

RYKER: Ludlow 9, you better get

to Smitty's house.

I think he's gonna have company.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

Who is it? Caras.

Want something to eat?

Huh?

What's the problem?

I was good to you.

I gave you a percentage. I trusted you.

What are you talking about?

What did they offer you, huh?

Tell me, what did they offer you?

A slap on your wrist, full immunity?

What? Come on, tell me what!

You think I talked to the cops?

No. I don't think you talked to the cops.

I don't think you're ever gonna talk to the cops again.

Come on, let's move. No, look, Caras...

Just move. What are you doing?

Move! Open the door.

Caras, will you listen to me?

GILLIS: Police. Freeze!

Grab Smitty. Let's not lose them both.

No gun.

Hands behind your neck.

That's Caras. Cut him off.

[TIRES SCREECHING]

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Are you okay? RYKER: Yes.

WOMAN: You can't do this!

[TIRES SCREECHING]

Did you get the license plate?

Yeah, 216-HFZ.

Go then. You okay?

Yes.

Where is he? RYKER: He's gone.

You let him get away?

It happens.

We had a tip he was coming to see you.

I think he thought you were gonna talk.

I wasn't gonna talk.

Now... Now you won't be able to shut me up.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Hey! Joe.

Barbara there?

No she's over at her friend's house. Why?

I had some good news, it'd be nice to tell it

to you both together.

Good news?

You're home free.

Smitty's spilling his guts, right about now.

He clobbered you. Caras pulled the trigger.

Caras admitted it?

He got away but Smitty's statement

will do it.

Smitty's lying.

He's lying, Ed!

Look, I...

I know I sent you off on a wild goose chase,

you know, I...

I mean, I was scared. You can understand that.

But I killed Lance. So help me... I did!

It won't wash, Joe.

Ed... [SIGHS]

Ed, listen to me.

I talked to my lawyer about an hour ago.

I told him to plead me guilty.

Do you know why?

I think I do now.

Then make it wash, will you? Make it wash!

Ed, look I... I got my daughter back.

Do you know what that means to me?

We were strangers! She had...

She... She had contempt for me.

But now she thinks I killed a man.

She thinks I killed him for her.

And everybody else said the same thing.

All the neighbors, they...

They think so too. They used to treat me

like I was filth!

Now they respect you because they think you are a killer?

That's right!

Look, I know it's gonna cost me time. I know that.

They'll probably put me away for five years.

No jury's gonna... Gonna give me more time

than that

for killing a piece of filth like Lance!

But it's worth it to me!

Five years...

Five years for my daughter's love.

Five lousy years for respect!

How about you, Joe? Would you respect yourself?

I'm sorry, Joe.

Maybe it'll all work out somehow.

I don't know. I hope so.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Hey, Joe.

Hey, good to see you're back, man.

How you been?

I wanna talk to you. Inside.

What's up? Inside.

Yeah, sure, Joe. Sure, come on.

Where's Caras?

What do you mean?

Hey, Joe. Come on, huh.

The police are after me. He's hiding someplace.

Where?

The cops... Hey, this is all news to me,

I swear to you, buddy.

I swear. You're a pal of his.

Where would he hide out?

I don't know, Joe. I just don't know.

Then make a guess, Robbie.

I got nothing to lose.

This is where we found his car.

We've blocked off the entire area.

Maybe 30-40 square blocks.

And they're making a house to house check

right now.

[PHONE RINGING] Could've stolen another car.

Yes, taken a cab or a bus.

They're checking that out, too.

We've got a watch on his apartment, the night club,

and every place he's known to hang out.

Lieutenant. Smitty wants to see.

Captain?

Yeah.

[INDISTINCT TALKING]

Was knocking my brains out and all of a sudden

it hits me, just like that.

Well, let's try and emphasize.

Well, a couple of months ago, Caras and me, we were

driving down to the beach.

You know the old amusement park?

The one they closed down? Yes.

Well, he was once in trouble with

two other guys.

I don't know, maybe two, three years ago.

And that's where he hid?

Only for a couple of days.

He's there now. I'd bet anything on this.

Why? Why wouldn't he just leave town?

Because every cent he's got is in a safe deposit box.

Some bank. I wish I knew which one.

Today's Sunday.

He's got to wait till tomorrow to get

into that bank!

[SIRENS WAILING]

CARAS: That's far enough, Joe.

Throw the gun away.

Now the next one kills you. Drop it!

You really are right-handed, aren't you?

How did you find out where I was?

No, never mind. Scratch that.

I think I can guess.

Do you want to kill me? Is that it?

[PANTING] No.

What then?

I was going to bring you in for killing Lance.

Why didn't you let the police do it?

I wanted to bring you in myself.

Uh-huh.

[BREATHES HEAVILY]

Move back, Joe.

No, come on. More, more.

Back!

That's it.

[SIREN WAILING]

Move. Come on.

Gillis and Webster, I want you to cover

this side.

Danko and I will take that side.

I want you two boys to post yourselves right here.

Okay?

You arrived at a very fortunate time, Joe.

I wanna thank you.

All right, Caras, it's the police.

We know you're in here.

Want you to come out with your hands

empty and up.

Now we have this place surrounded.

You've got absolutely no chance of escape.

Yeah, I'm here all right.

And I'm coming out!

But I got somebody with me.

Joe Daley!

Now, he's a dead man if I see one blue uniform.

That's it! One little mistake and he's dead!

All right. Attention, all police personnel,

I want you to stand your ground.

Do not endanger the life of this hostage.

Do not endanger this man.

All right, Caras.

It's your move.

All right, get up slow. Slow.

Easy.

No!

You okay?

Yes, yes, I am.

I'm all right, Gillis. Please!

Leave me alone.

Just try not to move, Mr. Daley.

There's an ambulance coming.

He's dead.

Joe.

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

You... You okay, Eddie?

[SNIFFLES]

We're all okay now, Joe.

All of us.

Gillis, get the blanket out of my car,

will you please?

You gotta take care of yourself in this life, Joe.

You know I'd have been worse off than ever.

Barbara, the neighbors, they would've all known

I was a phony.

You mean, because you didn't really kill Lance.

No, because I let them believe I did.

So you decided to bring Caras in yourself and go out

in a blaze of glory?

No.

No glory.

Just for once,

be a man.

Do you blame me? How do you feel about that?

Pretty good.

First time in 20 years,

I feel pretty good.

[DOOR OPENS]

Lieutenant Ryker called me.

He told me the whole story.

Everything.