Original subtitles

I'll check it out, Mr. Kordic, let you know.

Harry, anciano.

I've been waiting a long time.

How did you manage those security gates?

Contacts.

Always have contacts and know-how.

Remember Miami back when?

Yeah.

You look surprised to see me.

I heard you were buried.

Do I look dead?

There was a rumor around you'd OD'd.

Bull, man, they were putting you on.

I'm on a bread trip, and California's all green.

But I hear you're feeling down, way down.

Knock it off.

Who greased you to tail me here?

Anonymous, Harry, anonymous.

My party thinks when a private eye reaches your age,

he should sit on a park bench feeding pigeons.

¿Comprende?

Okay, you warned me.

Don't get yourself wired so high tonight

or you won't have any veins to shoot up.

Listen, amigo, you are swimming in deep water.

You are too old to fight the sharks.

They will gobble you up in one bite.

So my party wonders how much it will take

to make you quit this assignment

and sit on a bench with your wife and get a suntan.

¿Mil?

A thousand?

Ah, too little.

¿Cuanto?

Two grand?

You tell your party, he's got poor judgment

sending a cheap junkie to buy me.

I may be what you call me, amigo, but at least I am young

and I am not a failure.

Joe, thank God you're here.

Hello, Ruth.

How bad is Harry?

Well, he's still in surgery and he's lost a lot of blood.

I'm scared, Joe.

Well, Harry is all I got.

Mrs. Forrest.

Yes.

The surgery is going to take longer than we anticipated.

Is he going to live?

We're very hopeful.

Why don't you go home and get some rest?

We'll call you.

Good and strong, Joe.

Tell me something, Ruthie,

why did you and Harry cut me out of your lives?

Oh, I've got some great cheesecake.

Ruthie, don't give me the runaround, not now.

Oh, we love you, Joe, you know that.

That's just it.

Harry gave me my first chance.

He trained me.

I owe him everything.

I-I know, but...

But what?

After a lifetime, up goes a wall

and I couldn't even climb over it.

Oh, well...

Harry didn't want you to know what happened.

What happened?

He's a has-been.

Don't make me laugh.

Harry?

- He's one of the best investigators... - Was.

Was, Joe.

He lost his way and never got back.

Oh, don't ask me how it started...

Maybe two years ago...

But he got fewer and fewer jobs,

and then all our savings went.

And then no cases at all.

And then nothing until two weeks ago.

What then?

Somebody offered him a job.

Doing what?

Well, that's just it.

I haven't got any idea.

Come on, Ruthie, now, Harry always confided in you.

No, not, not this time, Joe.

Oh, you should have seen him.

He was so happy.

He was all cocky again.

He'd clam up whenever I'd ask him questions.

And now, because of that job, he may die.

Who hired him?

I don't know, Joe.

What about his appointment book?

Maybe the answer is in there.

Oh... that's a joke.

Blank pages.

Never been used.

Well, that wasn't there a month ago.

What's that?

A calling card.

Harry was, uh, shot in the garage at that address.

Kordic?

Don Anthony Kordic.

One of the syndicate chiefs on the West Coast.

Hello, Joe.

Hello, Nedda.

It's been a long time.

Yeah, let's see, you were getting rid

of husband number three.

Ah, Dickypoo, of course.

Come on in.

Congratulations, Nedda, I mean, on the career.

I keep seeing your name in lights.

Yes, Nedda Carroll, Rocky Mountain Songbird.

Isn't it all wonderful!?

Hmm, marrying Tony Kordic didn't do any harm.

By the way, how many nightclubs did he buy you?

Now, don't be nasty.

As a matter of fact, he does own a few.

I'm sure.

I have a feeling that you didn't come to see me.

Well, it's, it's about the shooting today.

A visitor, Nedda?

We agreed to spend tonight alone and retire early.

Well, yes, darling, I know we did,

but it was such a big surprise.

This is Joe Mannix.

Come on, I want you to meet him.

Joe and I... Well, we used to double-date.

Joe and his girlfriend and me and Al.

Let's not review your past.

You in show business, too, Mr. Mannix?

Well, actually no, darling,

Joe is a private investigator

and I think he hoped to meet you through me.

Right, Joe?

Something like that.

Nedda, get Mr. Mannix a drink.

Thank you.

Scotch on the rocks.

Twice.

Yes, darling, of course.

You must be very proud of Nedda.

Extremely.

Exactly why'd you want to see me, Mr. Mannix?

Harry Forrest is a very old and good friend of mine.

I owe him a lot.

I intend to find out who shot Harry.

I'm afraid I must tell you what I told the police.

I haven't the faintest idea who did it.

Or why?

Or why.

But he was working for you?

If you're trying to connect the attempt on his life

with the assignment I gave him...

Why did you hire him?

For the same reason you're here...

Friendship.

Here you are.

Thanks.

You and Harry?

We grew up in the same neighborhood... very rough.

We went our different ways.

Lately one of my corporations...

The Kordic Olive Oil Company... Had a problem,

a matter of short inventory.

I needed someone to check out personnel,

so I got in touch with Harry.

It was a simple job.

Did he uncover anything?

Nothing.

Poor Harry... it's sad.

I'll pay all the hospital bills.

Hey, maybe you'd like to earn Harry's fee.

How?

By finishing the job.

I already have a job... Finding out who shot Harry.

Nice meeting you, Mr. Kordic.

Thanks, Nedda, and, again, congratulations.

Thanks, Joe.

Don't underestimate him.

Once he sinks his teeth into Harry's case, he won't let go.

A bulldog, huh?

Let him try.

He'll have no teeth to hold on to anything.

Joe.

Son of a gun.

Good to see you, boy.

Just let me do the talking, Harry.

How's Ruthie?

Oh, she's fine.

She's been here twice a day, but you've been out cold.

She's due back any minute.

Joe, I want to tell you...

Take it easy, Harry.

Let me tell you.

Now, Tony Kordic says he hired you

because of a short inventory in one of his legitimate outfits.

Is that true?

He conned me?

Joe... find Tropic.

Who?

Tropic... he's a killer.

He shot me.

He, he lives on a boat.

Go talk to Addie.

She knows.

She knows about him.

Okay, Harry.

And tell...

Tony Kordic it's true.

He's being set up.

What?

For a hit.

♪♪

Well, he was a pro.

He either wiped it clean, or he wore gloves.

Yeah, well, you don't hire an amateur

to kill a syndicate chief.

Ballistics is running a comparison check

between the slug in Harry and the slugs in Tony Kordic.

Good. Let me know, huh?

Yeah. Maybe you ought to install a hot line in my office.

Hi, Joe.

You going to be okay?

I won't go to pieces.

When the phone call came at the club, I knew.

I'd seen it in my dreams a hundred times.

Who'd want him dead?

Who wouldn't?

He was a giant.

People hate giants.

Especially when the giant happens to be a don.

Oh, I know the lyric to that tune, Joe.

But I respected him for his power.

I grew to love him for it.

Who will be the, uh, new don?

Probably his younger brother, Gilbert.

He should be very happy about this.

He was very jealous of Tony.

There are other members in the Family, not related,

I guess the council could pick.

Frankly, my dear, I couldn't care less.

Harry told me to look you up, Addie.

I'm looking for a man named Tropic. You know him?

Yeah.

He got into town about two months ago from Miami.

Tell me about him.

A climber.

Started as a two-bit runner for a numbers parlor.

Chopped his way up

from Puerto Rico to the Miami big boys.

Harry tells me he's into boats.

Mm. The grapevine says

that Tropic uses them to smuggle dope.

Hmm. Is he an addict?

Since a kid.

How do I find him?

Chris at the boat yard told me,

he's just bought a new motor cruiser.

Must be in the dough.

Hmm.

Joe, be careful.

I'd hate to see

that handsome face of yours all spoiled.

Are you trying to tell me he's dangerous?

He's a killer when he's up.

Hey, man, you're off limits.

This your boat?

That's right.

You must be Tropic.

So?

What do you want?

You.

Why?

Talk.

About what?

About the day you shot Harry Forrest.

He told me himself.

You're freaked out, man.

Maybe. Why don't we go down to police headquarters?

They'd like to ask you a few questions about Harry Forrest...

and Tony Kordic.

Mr. Mannix,

please get in the car.

Someone would like to see you.

Who?

You'll find out presently.

Not interested.

Interested now?

Let's say, curious.

Give your gun to the driver... carefully.

Get in, please.

My name is Whitfield Scully.

The legal eagle?

Right now I'm retained exclusively

by the Kordic family.

Now that Tony Kordic is dead,

we have a rather complicated situation on our hands,

which is where you come in.

Where is that?

Presently.

Driver?

♪♪

Good afternoon, Mr. Scully.

Uh, Albert, this is Mr. Mannix.

And this is his property.

Oh, you'll get your gun back when you leave.

What about my car?

It will be brought here.

Any tow charges?

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Kordic, Joe Mannix.

We're Miriam and, uh, Gil.

It's good of you to come.

Your invitation was hard to turn down.

Sit down, Mr. Mannix.

Let's talk.

Your timing was lousy.

Oh?

I could have caught your brother's killer,

but, uh, Mr. Scully here interfered.

Was it intentional?

Not at all.

This is an important meeting, and we want Mr. Mannix

to know certain facts about the Family.

Even a rookie cop knows

about the Kordic Family and its soldiers.

Don't you mean... employees?

Who earn their keep in narcotics,

loan-sharking, prostitution and murder?

Soldiers.

Now if you don't mind...

Mr. Mannix, our family is in many businesses.

Olive oil, real estate.

Gilbert is an officer in a respected bank...

Westland Central.

Really? What department?

The laundry for hot money?

Mr. Mannix, Gilbert's not just an officer...

Miriam?

Mr. Mannix is not a fool.

Let's not treat him like one.

He's very well-informed about the family.

I'm sorry, Gil.

Of course. He'd be perfect.

How about it, Mr. Mannix?

How about what?

I want to hire you.

You must be kidding.

No.

I'm serious.

Because of the, uh, Family,

I've got a friend on the critical list.

You won't reconsider?

Not a chance.

My car ought to be here by now.

Oh, and, uh,

next time, just use the phone.

Mr. Mannix?

The conference isn't quite finished.

You don't seem to understand, Mr. Mannix.

You're hired.

Why you want to hire me?

Have you ever heard of a man named Vincente Demorra?

Who hasn't? Your brother's partner on the East Coast.

Don Vincente is a very old man now.

He's taken my brother's murder very hard.

He means to find out who hired this hit man, this, uh...

What's his name?

Tropic.

None of us have ever heard of him.

Don Vincente is convinced

that someone in our family put out the contract.

He thinks you set up your own brother?

It's impossible.

Don Vincente's known Gilbert since he was a baby.

Yet, as a lawyer,

I can see Gilbert is the most likely suspect.

He had the most to gain.

Mr. Mannix, I never wanted to succeed my brother.

But if Don Vincente thinks I hired this killer,

he'll go back to the council.

You can fight. You've got an army.

You've got your fortune.

And you've got Scully here and his brains.

If the council votes against Gilbert,

my legal skill is of little use.

Before Don Vincente gets here,

we need evidence to prove Gilbert is innocent.

We'll pay you any price you ask.

I'm working for Harry Forrest.

I didn't hire this man that you call...

Tropic.

I only want to know who killed Tony.

Help Gilbert?

Please?

I loved my brother.

I didn't do it.

I hope not,

because I intend to find out who did.

When I do, I'll let you know...

free.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Take care, baby.

Mm.

So long, Ruthie.

One of these days, when Harry gets out of here,

I'm going to make a real dinner.

Like the old days, eh?

That's a date.

Well, Harry, uh,

you feel strong enough to give me some answers?

Strong enough.

But I'm not going to.

Why not?

You stick your nose in any deeper,

and they're going to slice it off.

After my hassle with Gilbert Kordic, I'm in too deep to quit.

Oh, Joe,

you always were a stubborn...

Harry, let me in on it.

Okay.

What do you want to know?

Well, Tony Kordic's story

about why he hired you was a phony.

What was his real reason?

No idea.

Oh, come on, Harry.

Think about it as old times.

The two of us working together again.

Tony knew someone was out to kill him.

Someone in the Family?

Close in the operation, anyway.

Who were you on to?

Fred Dobie.

Fred Dobie?

Who's he?

Vice President of the Kordic Olive Oil Company.

A cover?

Yeah.

Dobie was heading up their heroin operation.

And ripping off his boss.

Did you tell Tony Kordic?

About Dobie, yeah.

Dobie was selling a kilo of heroin for a hundred grand,

putting down 75 in the books.

Skimming off the top.

You can check with Adams down at the D.E.A.

He has the number of Dobie's Swiss bank account.

Same day I-I told Tony,

I... I got plugged by Tropic,

and then Tony was killed.

By Tropic, you think?

Could be.

If they paid him enough.

Hmm. Well...

I guess I'd better pay a Mr. Dobie a visit.

Don't, Joe.

Someone in the Family, related or not,

will stop at nothing.

Stay out of it.

Not a chance, Harry.

Who is it?

It's Joe Mannix.

Try to control your temper...

for a change.

Hello, there.

This is Joe Mannix.

Oh, yeah. Scully's been filling me in about you.

I'm Fred Dobie.

Bad timing, Mr. Mannix. I was just about to win the set.

Tennis isn't my game, but I need the exercise.

Well, I hear talking is pretty good exercise, too.

Talking about what?

Oh, let's say a man who wanted his boss dead.

His boss?

Tony Kordic.

You mean me? Y-You're talking about me?

Why should I?

Maybe Tony Kordic found out

you were skimming off the top of the narcotics operation.

That's the hot rumor around town.

Oh, you're out of your mind.

I run a legitimate olive oil importing business!

Olive oil mixed with heroin.

If Tony Kordic knew about your phony bookkeeping,

he probably knew about your Swiss back account

and had you on ice.

Is that why you burned him?

Don't be a fool, Dobie!

Get off my property before I have you thrown off!

Better do as he says, Mr. Mannix.

Sorry I ruined your tennis game, Mr. Scully.

Oh, and, uh, you can tell Gilbert

that Dobie here just may get him off the hook.

I had to come back.

Vegas was grim without you.

I've missed you.

I really needed you.

Things are getting pretty sticky around here.

You look beautiful.

Yeah. Mannix just left.

He should be at Vinewood Drive in about, uh, ten minutes.

So...

you're still hunting for our friend, Tropic, eh, Joe?

That's right, Addie.

No luck the other day?

Oh, well, I found him, and then I lost him,

so I came right back to the source.

That you did.

I think I know where he's holed up now under another name.

Where?

He moved his boat to Ventura.

The harbor master there ought

to be able to point it out to you.

There she is. Third from the end.

Owner's a weirdo.

Sure fits the description you gave me.

Thanks.

Okay.

♪♪

♪♪

So it was a thousand dollar bill.

What about it?

I think it was part of Tropic's payoff for killing Tony Kordic.

Well, then who killed Tropic?

Whoever made him believe the payoff was for real.

Joe, I'm trying to stay with you.

Just imagine Tropic spaced out on heroin,

counting the payoff,

the killer standing there watching him.

Tropic goes on counting.

And bang, Tropic gets a bullet.

And the killer takes the money back and splits.

All except for the one thousand dollar bill

clutched in Tropic's hand.

Which might lead us right to whoever it is.

How?

Peggy, did you ever try

and get thousand dollar bills from the bank?

Not since you gave me my last raise.

Well, it's impossible to get even one

without going through a lot of red tape.

Now, that bill must have been lying

in somebody's safety deposit box for years.

Somewhere in town, there's a bank

where the Kordic family does business.

Maybe even where they have a director on the board.

Those are all the signatures, Mr. Mannix.

Hmm.

Everyone who signed in and out of this vault in April.

Well, the name I'm looking for isn't here.

- I'm sorry. - Why don't we try the merry month of May?

Oh, well, I don't know.

Even this was more than I should...

I'd really appreciate it.

Hmm.

Thank you.

Put me through to Lieutenant Malcolm, please.

Art, I'm outside Gilbert Kordic's place.

Don Vincente's in town.

Yeah, he just went into the house with his soldiers.

Oh, and by the way, I was over at the Westland Central Bank.

I know who hired Tropic.

You better call in the cavalry.

No, Art, I can't wait.

This time next year, I may be dead.

But if I die, it will be of old age...

not because a traitor set me up.

Yes.

A traitor killed Don Anthony.

Gilbert... the brother of my dear friend... and Miriam,

thank you for allowing me this visit.

Our honor and privilege, Don Vincente.

It's good to see you again.

After all, when Gilbert was a baby, you rocked his cradle.

That is true.

Long ago, very long ago.

And you, Nedda, did you make

the last days and nights

of my dear friend Anthony happy?

I loved Tony and I grieved when he was killed.

So...

why do my men bring me rumors from Las Vegas?

What rumors?

Dirty ones.

You have no wife, Mr. Counselor.

Since my wife died, I've been married to my law profession.

But not faithful, huh?

Not faithful.

We have looked into it and we know, huh?

Hmm.

And how goes the olive oil business, Frederick?

It's been a fat year, Don Vincente.

Legit business pays off sometime.

But Don Anthony put you in charge of other interests.

I have seen pictures of the Turkish poppy... a gold flower.

It gives no odor, but it gives off to our families...

The Kordics and mine...

Millions of dollars.

Don Anthony phoned me the very day he was killed.

Guess what he told me about you, Frederick.

I swear to you, I didn't rip him off.

I can account for every penny.

We did not come here to punish a thief.

We came here to find a murderer.

I am of a generation

you call old-fashioned,

but it is as the Bible says for me...

An eye for an eye.

♪♪

♪♪

If you are guilty, Gilbert, I would vote in the council

for you to disappear...

fond as I am.

We were brothers.

Tony was my brother.

Brothers? Yes.

There were brothers in the Bible, too.

There are others in the Family

that had more reason than Gilbert

to have Don Anthony killed.

You think I want to go to the council

and say Gilbert made the contract?

No.

But if he planned it...

Enough of sentiment.

We talk now of the organization, of business.

The murder of Don Anthony

has caused great losses in our investments.

The police... my private phone has been tapped.

Bad stories in the newspapers.

We cannot take chances,

and without chances, the money is less.

And all because somebody in the Kordic family

ordered someone to kill

my good friend and business partner.

Who?

Gilbert,

can you prove you did not order the killing of your brother?

Prove it?

No.

But I swear to you, Don Vincente,

on my mother's grave.

No.

Leave him alone.

Take his gun.

Who are you?

His name is Mannix.

He's a private detective.

So, you take a big chance coming here, Mr. Mannix.

Why?

I promised young Kordic I'd let him know

the minute I found out who killed his brother.

We know who killed Don Anthony.

It was the one called Tropic.

But I know who hired him.

That's what you really want to know, isn't it?

Tell him, Mannix.

Tell him it wasn't me.

Everybody quiet.

Talk, Mannix.

Tropic was paid with thousand-dollar bills

that were hidden in a safety-deposit box.

The owner of that box made one mistake.

Ah, mistake?

Before you can enter a safety-deposit vault,

you've got to sign a slip.

Here's a copy of the slip.

This slip is a scribble.

It says, yes, Kordic...

Which Kordic?

Nedda.

This is Westland Central Bank.

That's not mine.

Try again, Joe.

May 14.

Nedda was in New York singing that week.

She couldn't have signed this slip.

It's true.

It's not her signature.

Why don't you ask Gilbert?

He's an officer at the bank.

Wait. Uh, Don Vincente, uh, Gilbert was with me

in Chicago on business all through May.

That's right.

I checked.

It's not Gilbert's signature, either.

That leaves only one person, huh?

Miriam?

Didn't you know how Tony bullied you?

Didn't you know what a tyrant he was?

How he kept you under his heel?

You loved him too much to fight him.

He was stupid and full of noise.

He was so weak he couldn't even keep his own wife faithful.

So blind he let Dobie rob him of millions.

And you call that a don.

Go to the council.

Forget all of this.

Vote my husband the new don.

He's young and ready to take over as a real power.

I'll stand behind him and make him strong.

♪♪

Let the police handle this, Don Vincente.

They're right behind me.

I don't believe you.

Gilbert.

Take her along the river.

One of my men will drive.

Mario, hold Mannix until it is done.

It is an order.

Well, the party is yours from here on in, Art.

Hi, Harry.

How are you feeling?

Oh, a bit rocky,

but it's going to be great being home again.

You're staying for dinner.

I'm making your favorite... Brisket of beef.

- Ah. - Mine, too.

You got yourself a dinner guest.

Ah, here we are.

Hop in, Harry.

Ready?

- Ready. - Ready.

And it's brisket of beef.