All language subtitles for Black.Legion.1937.1080p.WEBRip.x264-RARBG(HI)

How you doing, Ed?

Ooh, terrible.
I feel like that
drill was driving

right through
the top of my head.

It might be
a good idea at that--

let out some
of that beer you
slopped up last night.

Quit riding me, will you?

Oh, I ain't even
started on you yet.

Come on. Let's eat.

Oh, no, Frank. I--

come on.
It'll do you good.
You got to eat.

I got just the thing
over there to
straighten you out.

Yeah? What is it?

A nice ice-cold oatmeal
smothered with lard.

[Whistles]

[Talking indistinctly]

Oh, tomato juice, eh?

Well, next best thing
in the world
for a hangover.

Yeah? What's
the best?

Laying off of
the booze entirely.

[Laughing]

Hey, Grogan, what
time did he roll
in last night?

Oh, I wouldn't know that.

I never check up on me boarders.

Your daughter's
kind of checking up
on him, ain't she?

I wouldn't be surprised
if she was trying to.

She better, before
that Pearl Danvers

makes a tramp out of him.

Lay off, will you?
You know I'm through
with that dame.

I was just out
with her last night
to tell her good-bye.

Yeah? What'd she say
when you told her?

She said, "good-bye.
Call me up soon."

[Laughing]

Shame on you guys,

wasting your time
in idle chatter.

Look at Joe over there.

Hey, dombrowski!

What do you got there?
A hunyak back scratcher?

Just a slide rule
to figure out
these stress formulas.

What's that got
to do with running
a lathe?

Nothing, but it's got
a lot to do with
designing one.

Oh, running a lathe
ain't good enough
for you, huh?

Now you got to learn
how to design one.

It ain't your time
he's wasting,
is it?

Yeah, his going
to night school
don't hurt you any.

Naw. He's always got
his nose in a book.

It's his nose, ain't it?

And a plenty big one at that.

Hey, Cliff, why don't you stop?

Man: Hello, fellas.

Hello, Tommy.

Hiya.

I got a little news for you.

This just came
from the division super.

"To: Mr. Thomas w. Smith.
Subject: Promotion.

"Effective Monday, July 12,

"you will report to
division superintendent James

to assume your new duties as
assistant general shop foreman."

All: Congratulations.

Thanks.

Hey, you seem kind of glad

to get rid of your old foreman.

No, we ain't at all.
We're glad to see
you get it.

Tommy, who's going
to crack the whip
in your place?

Far as I know,
the job's still
wide open.

I guess they'll
fill it the way
they always have--

move the best man up.

Well, uh...

Who would you say
the best man is, Tommy?

Ha ha! Well, kid,
if they ask me,

I'll have to tell them
you're all pretty good.

You know darn well
I'm better than pretty good.

Sure. You're the guy
that wrote those books

dombrowski's always studying.

[Laughter]

There's one for you, wise guy.

[Whistle blows]

There she blows.
Let's go back.

Till Monday, I'm still
the best man.

Yes, sir,
Mr. Smith.

Hey, you big ape!
You get in there.

Look, Tommy was only kidding.

You've been here
longer than any
of the rest of us,

and you can run this
shop just as well

as you run that drill press,

and I'll fight
the guy that says
that you can't.

I hope they think
that way up front.

Forget it.
You're a cinch.

You're sure
you're rooting
for the right guy?

Sure.

You better think it over,
because I'm warning you--

there ain't gonna be
no hangovers

in no shop I'm boss of, get it?

Ok, Mr. Taylor.

Oh, starting to red-apple
the boss already, huh?

Ha ha! Come on. We'll
give him a week's worth

between now and quitting time.

Sure that'll do
you, Mrs. Taylor?

Yes, thanks,
Mrs. Grogan.

I'll return it
first thing
in the morning.

Even if you don't,
it's all right,

because I still owe
you those 4 eggs

and that half bottle
of bluing I got from
you last Monday.

Oh, gee, Betty,
that looks swell.

I hope it tastes all right.

The men around here
are certainly getting
hard to please.

Not your pa.
He eats anything.

I trained him like that.

You know you got
to train a man just
like you would a dog.

Oh, so it's Ed Jackson's
getting hard to please.

Now, Ruth, are you
going to start that
again?

Yes, I am,
and I'm going
to keep it up

until you and Ed
do something
about it.

What on earth are
you waiting for?

That's just what
I keep telling her.

I guess it's polite
to wait until you're asked.

Don't be silly.

No man ever proposes
unless he's sort
of pushed into it.

Isn't that right,
Mrs. Grogan?

It most certainly is!

And with that blonde hussy
chasing after Ed,

he's going to need
a lot of help to shove
him into proposing.

That's what I keep telling her.

Oh, mother, please!

All right, but I know
what I'm talking about.

You've got to make up
Ed's mind for him

just like I made up
your father's,

men being
the simple-minded
creatures they are.

There are the boys.

I've got to run.

Much obliged
for the butter,
Mrs. Grogan.

I'll return you
the eggs and bluing,
Mrs. Taylor.

Oh, hello, Ruth.

Hello! I'm robbing
you again. Hi, Ed.

Hi, Ruth.

[Whistling]

Hello, sweet.
How's everything?

Couldn't be better.

I got to talking to
the grogans and almost
forgot your supper.

I'm glad
you said almost,
because I'm hungry,

and I'm a man that
really gets hungry.

Oh, no!

What you got there?
Margarine?

No. Butter.
I borrowed it.

Butter, huh?

What is this,
Christmas
or something?

Hello, pop!

Hey, get a load of this.

Buddy, look at yourself!

What's the matter?

Oh, he's all right.
We'll run him
through the ringer.

He'll wash clean.

Hey, how was the ball game?

We beat the daylights
out of them.

You did, eh?
What was the score?

63 to 40, but we
only played 5 innings.

Fat hit a home run,
and we lost the ball.

And you've torn
your pants again.

I was sliding into third,
and muggy spiked me.

Yeah? What'd you
do to him?

I smacked him.

You know, when I was his age,

I could lick any kid
in the neighborhood.

Ouch!

What's the matter?

That's where he smacked me back.

[Laughing]

That's about all there is.

Most of the fellas seem to think

I'm going to get the job, and I?

I'm the best man
in the shop, ain't I?

Gee, pop, you'll be foreman,

and that's about
the highest job
there is, ain't it?

[Laughing]

Well, I wouldn't say that,

but it's pretty high.

Wait till I tell
muggy about this.

He thinks he's hot
because his uncle
used to be a foreman.

Yeah. We'll get
muggy, won't we?

Come on, boys.
Dinner's ready.

And if I'd have known
about this,

I'd have fixed us a real spread!

Don't you worry, kid.
We got from now on
to celebrate.

Aw.

I'm not hungry,
Mrs. Grogan.

You've got to eat!

All you had
for lunch was a
can of tomatoes.

Go on and eat your supper.

Don't worry. I'll be
over this tomorrow.

You will if you
stay home tonight.

[Laughing]

[Telephone rings]

Never mind.
I'll get it.

Hello?

Oh. Just
a moment, please.

Ed, it's for you.

A Mrs. Danvers.

Thanks, Betty.

You're welcome, I'm sure.

Hello?

Hello, eddy.

Oh, I'm fine.

I just wanted to find
out how you were.

Huh?

Aw, gee, that's too bad.

Yeah. Must have been
the gin chasers.

It couldn't have been
the beer. Ha ha.

I just called up
to tell you I'm not mad

about what you said last night.

No. Well, you know--
about our not having
any more dates.

No. I've forgiven
you already.

Huh? Ha ha!

I couldn't stay mad
at a swell guy like you.

Well, that's fine.

No. No, I couldn't.

Saturday, I got to work.

Sunday, I'm going to a picnic.

Well, no, I couldn't take you.

It's not exactly a picnic.

Some fellas and I
are going fishing.

Well, yeah--

I'll call you up
sometime. Good-bye.

I see by the paper
they're having a sale

of vacuum cleaners
down at the fair.

I think I'll get you one.

Plenty of time for that.

When will you know
about the job
for sure, Frank?

Oh, I ought to hear
from the super tomorrow.

After I get you
the vacuum cleaner,

I'm going to get you a new coat.

I think maybe we can
doll this house up
a little bit,

and maybe we can get
rid of that old heap
and get us a real car.

You think we should?
The old car runs
all right.

Listen, I got the
swellest wife and kid
in the world, ain't I?

And the best ain't none
too good for them.

Aw, that's swell of you, honey,

but first we got
to pay back the folks

that helped us when
you were out of work.

Oh, we'll clean that up
in no time.

[Plate breaking]

[Laughing]

I think maybe we ought
to get some new dishes, too.

Hey, pop, come on!
You're missing out
on speed foster.

What's he doing now?
Still hanging on
by his teeth?

Yeah, but he's
in terrible danger.

Go ahead, darling.

Hang on by your teeth,
and I'll hang on
to the dishes.

Radio announcer:
...Hand over hand at the rope.

With superhuman courage

that defies anything
else he's ever done before,

he fights his way up out
of the blackness of the pit,

while the man-eating crocodiles
gnash their teeth in rage

at the escape of their victim.

Gee, crocodiles!
Oh, boy!

He'll get away from them,
like he did from those
man-eating sharks.

I bet I could
if I was speed foster.

...poisoned spear
ready to strike.

Man: Kadunka kill 'em
white devils.

Announcer: Speed laughs
at him in scorn and roars:

Foster: Throw that spear at me,
and you die, kadunka.

Kadunka heap big warrior.

Hold poison spe...

Man: All right, lay one
down there boy.

I sure hope Frank
gets to be foreman.

Boy, how we'll stall on him.

Or maybe you guys
are too dumb to know
how to stall.

I guess everybody around
here is pretty dumb--
except you.

That's telling them,
eddy, old boy.
That's telling them.

Frank will do
all right in the job.

He's got a lot
of good, practical
experience in this shop.

Every time I say anything,
you always want to start
an argument. What is it?

Don't be discouraged.
Keep trying.

Maybe someday
you'll say something
that makes sense.

[Laughing]

Hey, Joe? Come here.
I need you.

Sure, Tommy.
Anything wrong?

Nothing dombrowski can't fix.

Come on. I want
to have a little talk.

[Horn honking]

Doesn't it make
you feel proud
and dignified

sitting behind that wheel?

Oh, boy!
And it's a honey
of a dashboard, too.

Strictly aeroplane
type, Mr. Taylor.

Yeah, airplane, huh?

And pretty good-looking
cigarette lighter.

Does it work?

Sure it works.
Try it.

You get 18 miles
on the gallon
with this car.

That ought to mean
a lot to a man in
your circumstances.

Ow! It works
all right.

Sure it works.

I tell you, you get
more for your dollar

than on any car made
in this country.

Of course,
you'll want
immediate delivery.

I won't know till tonight.

You see, I'm getting
a new job and a raise.

Congratulations!

I wouldn't want
to sign up till
they tell me definite.

I hate to see you wait too long.

This is the only
light-colored phaeton
we have on the floor.

Tell you what you do.
You got my phone number.
Give me a buzz tonight.

Be glad to.

Ok.
Thank you.

If my wife answers
the phone, don't
tell her who you are.

I'm getting this
as a surprise
for the family.

I'm wise.

Wait till you meet them.

I got the cutest wife
and kid you ever saw.

So long.

Man: Congratulations, Joe.
Glad to see you get it.

Congratulations, Joe.

Glad to see you get it.

Hey, Frank.

Come here and meet
our new foreman--
Joe dombrowski.

Nice going, Joe.

Thanks.

He won't feel like
going to a movie.

Best thing to do
is leave him alone.
He'll get over it.

Oh, come on.
At least we can
try and help him.

Come on.

All right.

Hey! Anybody home?

Mrs. Taylor:
Hello, Ed.
Hello, Betty.

Hi.

Come on, folks.
How about a movie?

No, thanks.
I don't want to.

Why don't you
and Buddy go, Ruth?

I'd rather not.
It's kind of late
for Buddy,

and I ought to finish
these socks.

Come on, Frank.
You and Ruth can
chaperon us.

Lay off, will you?
I told you I don't
want to go.

What are you going to do,

stay here and make faces
at yourself all night?

Will you go on
to the movies
and let me alone?

Aw, come on, Frank.
No job's worth eating
your heart out.

Yeah, but it was
my job, wasn't it?
You said so yourself.

Sure, I said so,
but the company didn't.

They got their own ideas.

Where'd they ever get the idea

dombrowski was so hot?

You know he invented
that oiling system
that their using now,

and he's saving them
plenty of dough.

I guess they figure
a guy who could do that

could save them
in other ways, too.

Besides he's always
got his nose in a book

and going to night school,

while we lay
around the house
and listen to the radio.

Frank, you got
to hand it to him.

They've already handed
it to him, ain't they?

I suppose if I went around
showing off, reading books,

they'd make me president
of the company or something.

Ok, if you want
to be a sorehead,
forget it.

Sorehead?
Sure, I'm a sorehead.

Ain't I got a right to be?

How would you like it

if you'd been counting
on a good break
for a long time,

you was sure you was
going to get it, and
all you got was laughed at?

Just because some guy's
been sucking around the boss.

[Telephone rings]

Yeah?

Hello, Mr. Taylor.

This is Jenkins
of the zenith auto
sales company.

Remember I showed you
the car this afternoon?

Forget it.
I changed my mind.
I don't want the car.

I tell you I don't want it.
I can't afford it.

You two better go on.
You'll be late for the show.

Yes, we'd better.
Come on, Ed.
Good-bye, Ruth.

Good-bye. Good-bye.
Have a nice time.

So long, Frank.

[Dance music plays]

Announcer: Good omen
was second...

[String music plays]

Man: ...Hordes of grasping,
pushing foreigners

who are stealing jobs
from American workmen

and bread from American homes.

It is to combat this peril,

to preserve and protect
standards of living

which have made
American workmen
the envy of the world

that we the challengers
have raised our rallying cry
"America for Americans."

The problem has got
beyond the point

where the individual American
workman can cope with it alone.

He needs guidance,

solidarity, and expert advice

on the subject
of protecting his job.

We the challengers are
organized to provide

just that solidarity
and expert advice.

Pop?

Can we listen to speed foster?

No. Listen
to this guy.
He's talking sense.

...it is also
an organization of which
it might be said,

"he who is not with us
is against us."

The choice, my friends,
is a simple one.

Do you want our beloved
red, white, and blue flag

replaced by the vile banner
of anarchy?

The time has come
when we must realize
what is going on

in this great land of ours,

when the real 100% American
must stop and think.

How'd you like the picture, Ed?

Huh! Gee, it's good
to get out in the air.

It was hot in there, wasn't it?

I didn't notice it,

but I suppose I would
if I'd been drinking
as many beers as you have.

Hmm. Thanks
for reminding me.
Let's go get some.

Why don't you have
an ice cream soda
for a change?

Oh, no!

Do you have to wake
up every morning
with a hangover?

Come on. Let's go
into Nick's.

All right.

Well, kids,

how do you like
the moving picture tonight?

I thought it was grand.

Kind of sappy, if you ask me.

Sure. Too much love stuff.
Is not for me.

I like the racketeer
pictures, boy.

You know, shoot them up
is more excitement as love.

Why, Nick,
where's the romance
in your soul?

Where is the what, please?

Romance--you know.

Two people falling
in love and sitting
in the moonlight,

gazing into each other's eyes.

Well, I like this, too,
but I like better to do
it myself personal

than to see some guy
in the movies do it.

Huh, kid?

I don't care what they say.

I think
that love story was
beautiful tonight.

Oh, it's a lot of bunk.

No real man would ever
propose like that.

Oh, they don't?

No. You don't have
to look at a girl
and tell her

her eyes are like
the twinkling stars
and all that stuff.

Oh, you don't?
No.

Well, how would you say it?

I don't know.

I guess I'd call
her up and ask
her to a dance.

Or a movie?

Yeah, or a movie.

Then we'd go and get
something to eat.

Or drink?

No! Not any girl
I'd propose to.

Oh, I see.
Well, go on.

Well, then, when the time came,

I guess I'd hold her hand.

You mean, uh--

like this?

Yeah.

Then what would you say?

I'd say, "Betty,
I'm crazy about you."

"Will you marry me?"

Well, let me think.

Yes, Ed, I guess I will.

Well, then we're engaged!

I think that's
what they call it.

Oh!

[Laughter]

Swell, isn't it?

Yeah.

Hey, what will your mother say?

She'll probably say,
"thank heavens!"

Come on. Let's get
out of here.

Ok.

Well, how you like the sodas?

Ok, Nick. Take
it out of there.

Hello, Ed.
How are you?

Why haven't you called me up?

Why, I--

our--our phone's
out of order.

Well, you could have
come to see me.

No. No, I couldn't.
You see--

the girl I'm engaged to
wouldn't like it.

So long.

Say, was he trying to insult me?

Oh, no worry about that.
Is nothing.

You know
the old saying--

is just as many
good fish in the ocean
as there ever was.

Fish in the ocean.

There she is, boy,
give her the gun.

Yeah? What's
the hurry?

They told us to step
on it, didn't they?

You know what
Joe says--

they got enough
orders in here
to paper the shop.

Oh, dombrowski said.

[Shrill grating]

Hey! What's
the matter with you?

That's the fourth drill
you've burned up today.

Yeah? What's it
to you?

Dombrowski's trying
to sweat a record
out of us, ain't he?

Let him worry about it.

Listen, get down to work
and quit knocking Joe.

Let her down.

What's the matter, fellas?

Well, we're having
a little trouble
with these drills.

No more spares?

No. They're all
shot, too.

Well, turn
them in. Get
some new ones.

Frank, these drills cost money.

We got to be more careful.

Yeah? Well, you asked us
to speed it up.

Maybe you'd better get
some drills that'll
stand this gaff.

They'll stand up
if they're used right.

Maybe you can use them better.

Yeah, and so can you.

Did you check your setting?

Yeah, it's all right.

That's tool steel.
You're giving her
too much speed.

Come on, boy, you're
too good a guy for
boners like that.

[Chuckling]

I see that greaseball's
been picking on you, too.

Yeah.

How's it feel
being pushed
around by a hunyak?

I don't like it at all,

and I ain't going
to stand for it no more.

No? What are you
going to do?

Take a poke at him
and lose your job?

Sure, I'll take a poke
at him, and I'll get
another job, too.

That don't worry me none.

You were a long time
getting this one.

Weren't you, Frank?

Yeah.

All right, then.
Why don't you get
wise to yourself?

You don't have
to be pushed around
by no foreigners.

There are a lot of guys
in this town--Americans--

who feel just like you and me.

They've been giving
this thing a lot
of thought.

They can show you
how to protect yourself.

Would you like to meet them?

Sure.

But, Mr. osgood,

the "stay-on"
lasts so much longer.

Ha ha! Yes,
so I've heard.

Anything else?

No.

That'll be 50 cents.

50 cents? For
ajax shaving cream?

Why, I can buy it for 37

down the street
at molyneux's
cut-rate.

You better try there, then.

We don't cut nobody's
prices or throats.

Molyneux's
cut-rate store!

If you haven't got
the stay-on kind,
Mr. osgood,

I'll take this--
"my lady beautiful."

Anything else,
Mrs. Danvers?

Oh, a package
of henna--
the good kind.

How do you do,
Mr. Taylor?

Hello.

Seen our friend eddy these days?

Yeah.

You ain't going to let him marry

that Grogan girl, are you?

Why not?

It's still
a free country,
ain't it?

That'll be $1.39.

Oh.

Oh, I think I spent
all my money,
Mr. osgood.

Will you charge it, please?

Well...

I guess so,
Mrs. Danvers.

Gee, you're sweet.

Good-bye,
Mr. Taylor.

Yes, sir.
What'll it be?

Give me that third
bottle from the end
on the second shelf.

Little late, ain't you?

Yeah, a little.

I had some trouble
getting away from home.

Sure. I know.

Cliff been around?

Cliff who?

Cliff summers.

He's around.

Tend the store, will you?

All right, Dan.

[Two knocks]

[Chuckling]

[Man giving a speech]

...multitudes that have
swarmed to our shores,

take refuge under the
protection of the greatest
government on earth.

And how have they rewarded
the fine, generous
Liberty-loving people

who opened to them
their hearts, their homes,

and their horizons
of opportunity?

I will tell you how:

With the basest ingratitude
and the vilest of treachery,

spurning American ideals
and the sacred principles

of which our forefathers fought.

They have clung tenaciously

to their alien doctrines,
foreign faiths,

and un-American morals.

Like poisonous vipers,
they have patiently
bided their time,

while they fed and fattened

on the bleeding bosom
of our country!

Now, enriched with the jobs

they have chiseled
away from Americans

and drunk with the
impudent power of their
stolen prosperity,

they are openly plotting to
seize control of our government,

overthrow our glorious Republic,

and subjugate
the American people

to their own dastardly designs!

Standing alone,
you and I are helpless

to defend ourselves
against this deadly peril,

helpless to protect
our homes and families

from the menace
that threatens them,

but if we unite
with millions of other
red-blooded Americans

under the banner
of the black legion,

we are invincible!

With fire and sword,

we'll purge the land
of these traitorous aliens

and trample
their every deadly scheme,

till once more our beloved
stars and stripes

will wave o'er a united nation
of free, white, 100% Americans!

[Applause]

Will the new candidates
for membership

please step forward and get
their application blanks?

Go ahead.

Ain't you joining?

I joined last month.

Hey, I want to ask a question.

Yeah?

If we joined up,

don't we get a uniform
or something?

Man, the black legion's
got the doggonedest uniform
you ever laid eyes on,

one that'll grow plenty of fear

into the hearts
of all them rotten,
ungrateful foreigners.

Cliff: Go on.

Man: Candidate
Frank Taylor is ready.

Second man: We are ready
to receive him.

Candidate Frank Taylor?

You will kneel and take
the oath of allegiance.

Raise your right hand.

Read.

"In the name of god
and the devil,

"one to reward
and the other to punish,

"and with powers
of light and darkness,
good and evil,

"here under the black arch
of heaven's avenging symbol,

"I pledge and consecrate
my heart, my brain,
my body, and my limbs,

"and swear by all the powers
of heaven and hell

"to devote my life
to the obedience
of my superiors,

"and that no danger
or peril shall deter me

"from executing their orders,

"that I will exert
every possible means
in my power

"for ex--extermination
of the anarchists,

"the Roman hie-hierarchy
and their abettors.

"I swear that I will die
fighting those

"whose serpent trail
has winnowed
the fair fields

"of our allies and sympathizers.

"I will show no mercy,
but strike with
an avenging arm

"as long as breath remains.

"I further pledge
my heart, my brain,
my body, my limbs

"never to betray a comrade,

"and that I will submit
to all the tortures
mankind can inflict

"and suffer
the most horrible death

"rather than reveal
a single word of this,
my oath.

"Before violating
a single clause

or implied pledge
of this my obligation--"

do I have to say this?

Say it.

"I will pray
to an avenging god
and an unmerciful devil

"to tear my heart out
and roast it over
the flames of sulfur.

"And lastly, may my soul
be given into torment

"that my body
be submerged
into molten metal

"and stifled
in the flames of hell,

"and that this punishment
may be meted out to me
through all eternity.

In the name of god
our creator, amen."

All: Amen.

Soldier of the black legion,

you see before you

an instrument of death.

We give you this half...

As a symbol of our trust.

The other half--

you will receive the day
you betray that trust.

Our sacred oath is now
engraved on your heart.

You'll need that
perishable paper no more.

Step forward and consign it
to these flames.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Congratulations, Frank.

New candidates,

you'll report to the office
of supplies immediately

we'll issue to you
your black legion uniform

for the nominal sum
of $6.50.

Those of you who
do not own a revolver,

will place
your orders at the
office of ordnance

for the black legion special,

a regular $30 revolver
for the small sum
of $14.95.

Say, hargrave,
I think I can
manage the $6.50,

but could I
kind of hold off
on the revolver--

private Taylor,
you've got
your orders.

Dig up the money somewhere.

We in the black legion
must make every
sacrifice for our cause.

You want to protect
your home and family,
don't you?

Ok, Buddy.

And when you address
your superior officer,

say "sir."

Yes, sir.

Well, you're one of us, Frank.

Feels great, don't it?

Come on. Let's get
out of here.

Hello, pop!

Oh, hiya, Buddy.

[Whistles]

Are those real bullets?

Yeah, and
steel-jacketed, too.

Come on, now.
Leave them alone.

Don't monkey with them.

Ruth: Buddy?

Yes, mom?

Buddy, did you
get the--

oh, yes. Now,
go on upstairs

and do your homework.

Oh, gee, mom.
I got plenty
of time for that.

Now, go ahead,
Buddy. Do like
your mother says.

Will you let me
shoot it sometimes?

Yeah. I'll let you
shoot it sometimes.

Oh, boy!

Frank, why'd you buy that gun?

Hmm?

Well, because--

with all
these holdups
and kidnappings

you've been reading
about in the papers,

a man's got a right
to have something

to protect his home, ain't he?

After what you paid for it,

there's nothing
left in the house
to steal.

It's worth
any sacrifice,
ain't it,

to be able
to protect your home
and family--

and things like that?

[Telephone rings]

Wait a minute.
I'll get that.

Yeah?

Oh, yeah, Cliff.

Yeah, when?

What, tonight?

Where will I pick you up?

Ok. I'll be there.

Frank:
Oh, Ruth?

Yes?

Say, I got to go
out for a while.

That lodge again, huh, Frank?

Yeah. Yeah. That was
that phone call.

Something special's
just come up about

that group insurance
plan we've been
figuring out.

You won't be
very late, will you?

No. No, I won't
be late.

I'll be right back.

Oh, say, but don't
wait up for me.

You don't bother.
I go open.

[Knocking]

That's his old man.

What--what?

What do you want?

We want you,
dombrowski
and your son.

But what have I done?

I know nothing!

What is this?
What's this all about?

You Joe dombrowski?

Yeah, that's him.

Our committee has decided

that you're
an undesirable alien,

so you're leaving
town right now.

Why do you say leave town?

We good American citizens.

We got farm.
We pay taxes.

Shut up! Nobody's
talking to you.

[Clucking]

Man: Get them
out of here quick!

Haul them quick!

[Laughter]

Hey, you!
Some more beer.

This time, it's on me, boys.

[Laughter]

Hey, Charley!

Did you see how my pal
took care of those
fresh guys?

Boy, I'd like
to have died laughing.

The look on their faces
when we shoved them
on that freight train.

They won't be
sticking their noses

around this town again
for a long time.

Cliff, you should have
given them that book

and the slide rule
to take along with them.

Well, Frank, how do
you like the way
we do things?

I like it fine, chief.

See, Frank, what did I tell you?

We don't take no lip
from nobody.

Yeah. That's the stuff.
Hit hard and quick.

We ain't afraid of nothing
and nobody, are we?

[Clock chiming 4:00]

[Door closing]

[Coughing]

Frank!

I thought I told you
not to wait up for me.

I've been so worried about you.

You said you'd
be home early,
and it's after 4:00.

Checking up on me, huh?

You've never done this, Frank.

I was afraid
something had
happened to you.

You mind your own business.

I can take care of myself.

[Whistle blows]

Boy, did you feel them brakes?

Smooth as velvet!

Yeah. You sure got
a sweet-running
car here, Frank.

Yeah, and get a load
of that dashboard.

Strictly airplane type.

I want to get a load
of Ruth's face

when this buggy rolls
up to the house.

So do I!

If I were you, Ruth,

I'd have fruit cocktails.

They went over swell
at our church dinner.

All right.
Here, put that down.

First we'll have fruit cocktail,

and then we'll
have tomato soup,
like we said.

What are you
going to have
for the main course?

Well, I'd like
to have fried chicken,

but it's awful expensive.

That's what we thought, too,

but when mother
was in charge of
our church dinner,

she got a swell buy
on chickens from
old dombrowski.

Say, wasn't that an awful thing?

I wonder if they'll
ever find out what
really happened there.

I don't know.

I read in the newspaper
that the police were
still investigating,

but I don't think
they'll find anything

until they locate
the dombrowskis.

Frank says there's
a rumor around town

that Joe and his father
might have done it themselves
for the insurance.

Oh, that's crazy!
They're fine people.

They wouldn't think
of doing anything
like that.

Well, it's awful, anyway.

I sure hope the police
find out who did it.

Hey, Ed.

You ever think
of joining
any organization?

Sure. I'm
a union man.

No. I mean a lodge--
one of them
secret societies.

Oh, that's
for half-wits.

Now, don't you believe it.

There's some things
fellas like us
ought to belong to.

Yeah, maybe I ought to,
but I'm not going to.

Hey, come to think
of it, I am thinking
of joining a lodge.

Yeah?

The ancient order
of henpecked husbands.

Fooled you that time,
didn't I, big shot?

Hey, look out.

Buddy: Hey, mom!

Come on out,
quick! Quick!

Look! Ain't
it a pip?

It's not ours?

You bet it is!
Pop just bought it.

Boy! Look how
she shines!

Oh, darling!
A new car!

Oh, you shouldn't have.

Oh, no?

Oh, Frank!

Now, now.

Wait a minute, lady,
and that ain't all.

Here you are, son.

Try this out on muggy.

Oh, boy!
A louisville slugger!

And here's that vacuum cleaner

I was talking to you about.

Ruth, he's the original
Santa claus.

That's a man for you.

Now, for goodness' sake,
what is all this?

Frank Taylor,
have you been
betting on the races?

No, I ain't been
betting on the races,

and nobody died
and left me any money.

They just got around
to making me foreman
of the shop, that's all.

Oh, honey, that's wonderful!

Oh, boy! Wait
till I tell muggy
about this,

and am I going to tell him!

Foreman? Wasn't that
Joe dombrowski's job?

Yeah. Sure.

Well, here.
Take this in the house.

Give me a hand, will you?

Come on over after supper,

and I'll give you
a drive in a new car.

Ok, Mr. Taylor.

Zowee! Bam!

A three-bagger!
Oh, boy!

Are we in for
another reign of terror

by a new ku klux klan?

That is being asked
in the face of the mounting toll

of floggings, beatings,
and burnings

here and in several
of our neighboring states.

Again we have hooded hoodlums

riding through the night
with whip and torch

spreading terror and violence.

Who are these new marauders?

By what distorted ideals
are they inspired?

What do they hope
to accomplish...

Wouldn't they like to know?

Turn that sap off.
We got to get back
to business.

Hey, jonesy, where
were we on that
monthly statement?

I was just giving
you the gross receipts
on membership dues.

7,163 members
at 10 cents a month--
$716.30.

What? Less
than a grand?
Are you crazy?

You misunderstand me,
Mr. barham.

Those are just
the figures from
general moffet's brigade.

Total income from charters
and dues from all brigades--

$5,891.10.

Well, that's more like it.

What's the gross
on that other
stuff up to date?

Sale of uniforms and regalia,

after deducting regional
commanders' commissions,

sale of black legion
special revolvers
with ammunition,

making a grand total
of $221,499.58.

That's only chicken feed.

We got to get
this thing set up
on a national basis,

so we can really go to town.

I wouldn't be
too optimistic, Fred.

Don't forget the millions
we were all set to make

on oil explorers incorporated

before the district attorney
started sniffing around.

Let him sniff this time
to his heart's content.

We're producing,
aren't we?--
Pure 100% patriotism.

Yes, but of a rather low
specific gravity.

But of a high cash content.

What this country
needs is bigger
and better patriots.

At so much a head.

Hey, jonesy, get
this order out to all
brigades immediately.

Yes.

The black legion
must go forward.

Although our enemies
are already crying
in consternation,

our battle is not yet won.

We must press on relentlessly,

redoubling our efforts,
strengthening our forces.

Got that?

It is therefore imperative
that each member

shall personally
secure the enlistment

of two new recruits
within the next 10 days.

Underline the "two."

Hey, Cliff.

Yeah?

Weld this.

Sure.

Oh, hello, Ted.

Hello, boss.

I want to talk to you a minute.

All right.

Watch this, Jake.

Ok.

Smoke?

It's against the rules,
ain't it, sir?

Yeah, but it's
all right. Go ahead.

Thank you, sir.

Where are you from, Ted?

Texas, sir.

Yeah? What church
you go to?

Mr. Taylor, the fact
is I don't go much
to any of them.

Seems like I kind
of got out of the
churchgoing habit.

Like your job here?

Yes, sir. This is
about the best job
I ever had, sir.

I suppose you'd like
to keep it then.

Yes, sir.
I sure would.

Well, I want to keep you.

You've been doing
good work here.

Nowadays, that
ain't always enough.

But I ain't sure
I quite understand,
Mr. Taylor.

I mean, are you
willing to protect
your job?

You bet, sir.

I'm glad to hear that,

because we got
a pretty bad problem
here in this state.

It's full of foreigners

all trying to chisel jobs

out of Americans
like you and me,

well! I certainly
am obliged to you

for telling me,
Mr. Taylor.

The first one of them
foreigners that comes
messing around my job

is going to find himself
in a heap of trouble.

Oh, it ain't going
to be one, metcalf.

You got to fight all of them.

You see, they
stick together,
these foreigners,

and they'll knife
you in the back

before you even know
who they are.

An American alone
ain't got a chance.

Oh, no!
That's awful!

Yeah, that's pretty bad,

but we got a way
to protect
ourselves.

I want you to meet
a bunch of fellas

that feel just
the same way
about this thing

as you and I do.

Man: Hey! Hey!

[Machine rattling loudly]

Where's Ted?

He's out in the washroom
with Taylor.

Leave that machine alone
till I get back.

What'd you do to it?

[All talking at once]

They're kicking
around all
the American ideals

and the sacred things
that your forefather
and my forefather--

oh, hello, Tommy.

Go on back to work.

Yes, sir.

And put that cigarette out.

What's the big idea, Frank?

What idea?

Taking one of your men
off his machine

to come in here and smoke.

It's pretty tough
when a foreman
can't take a minute

to get acquainted
with a new man.

An expensive minute.

While you were getting
acquainted with metcalf,

his helper stripped
every gear off his machine.

They're still
picking up the pieces.

There wasn't anything
I could have done

unless I happened
to be right there.

Accidents will happen.

This one wouldn't have happened

if metcalf had been
where he belonged.

He wasn't tending to his job,

and you weren't
tending to yours.

Yeah, I know,

but it won't happen again.

Say, listen, Tommy,
you can cover me up

just this once, can't you?

I'm not so sure.

Mike, this is wonderful!

I'm proud of you!

Thanks, Nora.

I'm glad you're pleased.

What's the matter with you?

You're acting
as sober as if
this was bad news.

Well, it ain't all good news.

And why not? It's
what you've always
wanted, isn't it?

Oh, sure. I wanted
the job, all right,

but not enough for
them to take it away
from Frank Taylor.

Good heavens!
You don't mean to say
they fired him?

No, no. Not fired.

He just had
a little trouble
at the shop,

and they put him
back on the machine.

Oh, I feel terrible about that.

That's a shame.

And Ruth was so proud
of his being made foreman.

Well, it's no picnic
for Frank either.

Well, what happened, Ed?

Oh, nothing.

Oh, just a little
mixup at the shop.

It didn't amount to anything.

You know, I tried
to talk to Frank
about it.

He wouldn't even talk to me.

Seemed like he was sore at me.

Say--

I hope that boy don't think

I was trying
to take his job
away from him.

Oh, no. Frank's
not like that.

Sure, he's taking it
kind of hard, and
you can't blame him.

Just leave him alone
for a couple of days,
and he'll be all right.

Oh, I hope so.

Sure, I wouldn't do
anything to hurt
Frank or Ruth.

[Knocking on door]

Who's there?

Man: Mr. Grogan?

Yeah?

Telegram.

[Screen door closes]

[Whip cracking]

Man: That ought to give
the Irish something
to remember us by.

Thank you, Mrs. Riley.

Yes. Heaven be praised.
The doc says he's out of danger.

How could we know who did it?

Mike hasn't an enemy
in the world.

You're right, Mrs. Riley.

To think that such
a thing could happen in
this country and today!

Dad certainly liked
your soup, Ruth.
He wants some more.

Oh, fine.

I'm going to make him
some custard
this afternoon.

You are not.
You've been here
practically all week.

You even missed church
this morning.

Oh, well, it's
a fine world if neighbors
can't help each other.

Besides, Frank wanted
to sleep late this morning.

Now, run along with this
before it gets cold.

All right.

Frank go to
that lodge again
last night?

Yeah.

What time does he
generally roll in
from those meetings?

Oh, pretty late.
I don't bother to
wait up for him anymore.

Must be pretty
important things they
do at that lodge.

Seems important
to Frank, but he never
tells me anything.

It's one of those
secret organizations.

Yeah, sure is.

What do you mean?

Oh, nothing, Ruth.
Forget it.

Ed, you've got something
on your mind.
Now, what is it?

Well, Frank's
been acting pretty
strange lately.

Every time I
go to talk to him,
he stalls me off.

Ruth, I don't mean
to poke my nose
in your business,

but somebody's
got to talk
to that guy.

What about?

About those
new friends he's
running around with.

That Cliff summers--
I don't like
that guy.

And I don't like
those rumors
floating around

that those beatings
have been done
by some gang.

You don't think
Frank had anything
to do with it.

Where was he the night
that Grogan got his?

Ma, pop wants something to eat.

I think you'd
better come over
right away.

Tell the folks
I'll be back as soon as
I get something for Frank.

Why don't you
take care of
your own home?

Do I have to eat
a lot of cold junk

just because Grogan
got himself beat up
in a drunken brawl?

Why do you say it was
a drunken brawl?

That's what they're
saying around town,
ain't it?

Let's quit worrying
about Grogan and get
me something to eat.

It's you I'm worried about.

You don't have
to worry about me.

You were angry
at Grogan that night,
weren't you?

I--will you quit
gabbing about Grogan

and get me something hot to eat?

And you were sore
at dombrowski when
they made him foreman,

and you were out
till after 4:00 the night
his farm burned down.

I told you I was
at a lodge meeting.

And you were at
a lodge meeting when
they beat up Grogan.

Yeah, yeah.
That's what I said,
and it goes.

Not anymore, Frank.
You've been lying to me.

Don't you call me a liar.

You are, Frank. You did
have something to do with
all those terrible things,

you and those
new friends of yours.

You shut up
about my friends.
I won't.

Only a bunch of dirty,
contemptible cowards
would do a thing like that.

Why, you--
oh!

Do you think grandpa

will let me
milk the cows
like he used to?

I guess so,
that is, if he's
up and about.

Is he very sick?

Well, the telegram didn't say,

but I thought we'd
better go there anyway.

Well, when pop
comes up, we can
go fishing, can't we?

He may not be able
to come up for some time.

Not even for a weekend?

Well, we'll see, now.
Now, read your book, dear.

Oh, yeah!

"It was nothing to
nothing at the end
of the 9th inning,

"when
Frank blakewell,
cool as a cucumber,

came up to bat with
a look of do or die
on his face."

Oh, hello, eddy.
Hello.

Say, wait a minute.
Isn't your
new girlfriend

afraid to let you
out alone
at this hour?

No. I just came in here
to buy some medicine.

Hey, wait
a minute, eddy.
What am I, poison?

When am I going to get a chance

to congratulate
you on your
marriage, huh?

Oh, I don't know.
Pretty soon, I guess.
We're not sure yet.

Well, I hope
your new wife will
give you a chance

to see some of
your old friends
once in a while.

I don't know. You know
how it is. Wives are funny
about things like that.

Yeah. You'll find
they're funny

about a lot of
other things, too.

Maybe it won't be so bad

if you learn
to handle her good
right at the start.

Don't worry.
I'll smack her down
whenever she needs it.

Can I depend on that?

Sure. I'm
starting already.
So long.
So long.

Hey, Frank.

Oh, hiya, Cliff.

Hey, wait a minute.
Where you going? Come here.

What are you trying
to do, high-hat me?

Me? No. Why?

You been acting kind of
funny lately.

Haven't seen you
around with the boys.

I've been having
some trouble at home.

What's that got to do
with the gang?

Say, Cliff,
I'm glad you said that

because I don't think
I'm going to be able

to give that organization
the time it needs...

You're not trying
to crawl out on us,
are you, Taylor?

No, not exactly that,

but I got to have
some time to get myself
straightened out.

You better get yourself
straightened out.

You don't want any
real trouble, do you?

No.

Now you're getting some sense.

Now you're getting
wise to yourself.

Go on, loosen up.
Have a good time.

I got a date
with a dame.
See you later.

Why, hello,
Mr. Taylor.

Oh, hello.

How's Mrs. Taylor
these days?

I wouldn't be knowing.

Well, what do you mean?

You don't mean she's left you.

Aw, you poor lonely man.

Come on, tell me all about it.

[Slurred]
* I've been working
on the railroad *

* all the livelong day *

* I've been...
The railroad *

shut up!
* just to...
Time away... *

hey! Shut up!

* oh, they hear
the whistles
blowing *

* all, uhh, morn *

that ain't the way
you sing that.

Why not?

Listen.

Both, discordantly: * I've
been working on the railroad *

* all the livelong day

* I've been working on...

That shameless woman.

I bet she had him
fired out of his job
on purpose

so they could
carry on like that.

I'd like to slap her face.

Ed, this is
terrible. What's
got into Frank?

I don't know,
but I'm going
to find out.

* all the livelong day

[indistinct singing]

Oh, hello, eddy.
Come on in.

You're just in time
for a little drink.

Come on, you, get out of here.

Aw, eddy, don't be silly.

You heard what
I said, didn't you?

Hey. Hey, what's
the idea talking...

I'll tell you about it later.

I'm not fooling.

Hey, listen,
I'm the guest
of Mr. Taylor!

Hey, let me go, you big drunk!

Hey, Frank, get me out of here!

Let me go!
Let me take him on!

Hey, let me go!
You're hurting me!

Put me down!
If Frank had--

don't come back.

You needn't think
you can beat me like
you do your girl!

Frank, come on,
snap out of it.
What's eating you?

Who do you think
you are, throwing
my friends around?

Don't you think
it's about time you
laid off that booze?

Yeah?
What's it to you?

Enough to want to try
to keep you out of
the gutter.

You still got a wife
and kid, you know.

Yeah?

Fat lot she cares,
running out on me.

Oh, so she's left you?

Yeah. What can you
expect from a dame?

You ought not talk
about Ruth like that.

She's the best thing
that ever happened to you.

Yeah, well,
she ran out on
me, didn't she?

Whose fault was that?
I suppose she started you

running around half the night
with a bunch of rotten thugs.

Who says they're thugs?

I do, and you can
tell them I said so.

I wouldn't go around

shooting my mouth
off like that
if I was you.

We don't like it.

Oh, we don't?
No, we don't.

And the sooner
you learn it,
the better.

Frank, you ought to know
I don't learn easy.

You will if you
get a dose of what
the dombrowskis got.

Yeah? What did they get?

Plenty. And anybody else

that monkeys
with the black legion

will get the same thing.

The black legion.

So that's what your
rotten gang calls itself.

It ain't a gang.

It's a fighting
organization of
real Americans.

Real Americans--

running around the country
in nightshirts,

ganging up on helpless people.

The cops
are going to be glad
to hear about this.

Go on.
Tell me some more.

What?

Now, wait a minute, Ed,

you can't go to the cops.

I can't help it.

That's exactly what
I'm going to do unless
you quit that gang.

Listen, they'll kill
you. They'll kill me
for telling you.

Those black legion
guys don't fool.

I'm not fooling
either. You're going
to quit that gang.

I can't get out.
I've tried. They
won't let me out.

Nobody ever
lived to get out
of the legion.

Ed, I swore
a sacred oath
to stick to them.

You swore a sacred
oath to Ruth, too.

Yeah...

Yeah, I know.

What am I going to do?

You're going to do
exactly what I tell you.

Tonight I'm sending Ruth
a wire in your name,
begging her to come back.

You got to straighten
yourself out

and be a decent guy
like you used to be,
or I'm going to the cops.

Sure, Ed. Sure.
But I tell you,
they won't let me out.

You can't go
to the cops. You got
to give me a break.

I'm giving you
a better break
than you deserve,

and don't make me
change my mind.

[Ring]

Hello.

Yeah, Frank.

Not tonight.
I got a date.

You did what?

Ok. I'll be right over.

You sure fixed us up,
didn't you, big mouth?

I couldn't help it, I tell you.

I was drunk, and he
got me sore, and it
just slipped out.

We got to shut
that guy up somehow,
or we'll all go to the can.

I can't go tell
the boys. You know
what they'll do to me.

Now what do you want?

You needn't bark at me.
I just came back
to get my purse.

It's got my keys in it.

Well, come in
and get it
and get out.

You ought to be
ashamed of yourself,

letting that
big brute beat me up
and throw me out.

Wait a minute.
Who beat you up?

That Ed Jackson.
He's always beating women.

He told me himself
he beats up his girl
all the time.

Oh. You don't say.

You don't have to worry, kid.

Everything's
going to be all right.

You don't think the boys
are going to let any man
beat up a woman, do you?

Come on, Jackson.
Get going.

Oh. Taking me up
side roads, huh?

Aren't you the clever little
bunch of kidnappers,

and only an army against one.

Aren't you afraid
I might gang up on you?

Shut up.

It's too bad you can't
put a nightshirt
on your voice, Cliff!

Come on. Who are
the rest of you guys?
Take off those sacks.

The cops will be glad
to hear about this.

What's the matter?
You afraid?

Maybe they better change
the name of your outfit

from the black legion
to the yellow legion.

Get him out.
Strip him down.

Get him! Get that man!

Ed...

I didn't mean it.

I didn't mean it.
I don't know why I shot.

Ed, I...I tried to tell you them
black legion guys don't fool.

Ed! Ed!

[Train whistle blowing]

Man: And if any
of our listeners see a man
answering this description,

kindly notify the police.

Jackson disappeared
around midnight,

after leaving his family
and some friends on
the front porch of his home

while he went to put his car
in the garage.

And now, to continue
our recorded program,
we hear fancy meeting you.

How do you like that?

A guy goes to
put his car away
and disappears.

Probably went out
to play a little rummy
with some of the boys.

What's yours, Buddy?

Give us a glass
of water, will you?

Yeah. Sure.

Kind of thirsty, ain't you?

Yeah. Mind if I
have some more?

No.

[Fills glass]

[Officers laughing]

Hiya, boys.

Let's have some coffee,
and don't stick your
thumb in it.

Look who's trying to rib me.

Man: Flash! Edward Jackson,
missing from his home
since midnight,

has been found murdered
with a .38-caliber bullet
in his body.

Lewis Leonard,
26-year-old dairy farmer,

discovered Jackson's body
lying in a grove

at the northeast section
of Cobb's woods.

A possible clue to
the murder is revealed
by the discovery...

Turn it off!

Of a black hood
fantastically decorated
with skull and crossbones...

What's the matter, Buddy?

Man on radio: Police are
investigating the theory

that this black hood
may have been
the mask of mystery...

Why, it's a .38!

Yeah.
And 4 slugs used up.

Therefore, considered
internationally

as the greatest
recorders
of the news today,

we the sponsors
invite you
to listen to...

The news parade.

[Playing dramatic music]

"Today the country is
seething with excitement
over the revelation

"of a mysterious
and possibly sinister
organization--

"the black legion.

"Ostensibly
organized as a secret
patriotic society,

"this black legion
assumes an ominous
appearance

"as authorities uncover
its strength and scope,

probe for its true purposes,"

says state's
Attorney General
George f. Porter.

"At first we were amused
at the black legion's

"childish regalia
and its bloodcurdling oath.

"Then we began finding whips
studded with copper rivets

and guns of the type
and caliber used in the
murder of Edward Jackson."

Says the reverend
Dr. j.K. Lean,

president of
the state council of
protestant ministers.

Any organization
that appeals
to narrow prejudice

and attempts to enforce
its creeds by violence

is inimical to our democracy
and repugnant to the ideals

of every good Christian
and every decent American.

Meanwhile,
in the cominga
county jail,

police continue
their questioning
of Frank Taylor,

who is being held for the murder

of his friend, Edward Jackson.

Frank Taylor, did
the black legion order
you to kill Jackson?

No, I told you, no.

Then why did you
do it?
I don't know.

We know that your gun
fired the bullets
that killed him.

Come on, Taylor,
why did you do it?

I don't know!

[Playing dramatic music]

All right.
Come on.

Give us the story.
Do you belong to
the black legion?

Did the black legion
have anything
to do with this?

Be a good fella.
Give us the story,
will you?

You might as well.
It's coming out anyway.

[All asking questions]

Officer:
Leave him alone.

The guy don't feel like talking.

[Sobbing]

Oh, don't, darling.
Don't, darling.

Oh, please, Frank, please.

Taylor, here's your attorney.

How do you do,
Mr. Taylor?
My name is brown.

Brown? That ain't the name
of the lawyer my wife
told me she hired.

Well, confidentially,
I'm not a lawyer.

I had to say I was
to get in here
to see you.

Some friends of yours
asked me to have
a little chat with you.

What friends?

Good friends interested
in making sure you get
a fair trial.

You tell them guys
I'm through with them
and get out of here.

I got myself into this jam,
and I'm going to take
what's coming to me.

Now, wait a minute,
Mr. Taylor.

You're taking
rather a selfish
point of view.

There are quite
a few people who are
mighty interested

in seeing this trial
comes out all right.

All right for them.

Well, if you don't
want to be loyal
to your friends,

you should consider
your wife and child.

What about my wife and child?

You love them, don't you?

Sure.

You wouldn't want
anything unfortunate
to happen, now,

just because you're stubborn...

Would you?

All right.

What do you want me to do?

That's better.

Now, when you see your lawyer,

you tell him
the story I'm
going to tell you,

and when you get
into court, you
stick to that story.

You killed
Ed Jackson
in self-defense.

Now, here's the way
it winds up,
step by step.

Yes, I see.

And you say that Jackson
started swearing,
shouting at you, right?

Then what happened?

Well, I got out of the car
to argue with him.

Then he pulled
a gun on me. I tried
to get it away from him,

and while we was
wrestling around
that way, it went off.

Mmm-hmm.
And Mrs. Danvers
saw all this?

Sure. She was sitting
right there in the car.

Taylor,
are you positive,
absolutely positive

that you're telling
me the truth?

Now, why should I
lie to my own lawyer?

All right.
I'll have a talk
with Mrs. Danvers.

If she
substantiates what
you've just told me,

we've got
a pretty strong case
of self-defense.

You better see her today.

I certainly will,
because it looks
as if that lady

is going to become
a mighty important
factor in this case.

Good-bye.
Good-bye, sir.

Keep your chin up.

[Bangs gavel]

I want to caution everyone

that I shall clear
this courtroom

if there is any demonstration
such as occurred yesterday.

You may proceed.

Now, Mrs. Danvers,

you knew
the deceased--
Edward Jackson--

did you not?

Yes, sir, I did.

And is it true that
you were at one time
engaged to marry him?

Yes, sir.

Who, uh...Broke off
that engagement?

I did.

Why?

I was forced to.

Will you kindly
tell the jury
what forced you to?

Oh, please, I...
I'd rather not.

We all appreciate
your feelings,
Mrs. Danvers,

but I must remind you

that the defendant's
life is at stake.

The witness will please
answer the question.

Well, I broke off
my engagement
because I...

I found out that
Mr. Jackson drank.

I object, your honor.
This testimony's
incompetent,

irrelevant, and immaterial.

Sustained.

But, your honor, this
testimony is relevant.

It is imperative to
establish the relation
of these people

so the court may realize
that Edward Jackson
met his death

as the unhappy
result of his own
jealous passions.

You may proceed,
but confine yourself
to the issues involved.

Did Mr. Jackson ever
discuss with you

his attitude toward
miss Betty Grogan?

Oh, yes, sir.

He told me that
he only pretended
to be fond of her

just to make me
jealous, just to make
me take him back.

Now, will you kindly
tell the jury

what Mr. Jackson's
attitude toward you
was generally

after you broke off
your engagement
to him?

Oh, he was very angry
and kept threatening me
all the time.

Then when he found out
that Mr. Taylor wanted
to marry me,

he said he'd prevent it
if it was the last thing
he ever did.

I object, your honor,
on the same grounds.

Objection overruled.

Will you kindly
tell the jury
in your own words

just what took place
on the night
of the shooting?

Well, after we came out
of the movies,

it was such a lovely night,
we thought we'd take
a little ride in the car.

We were taking
a shortcut through
the woods to silver lake

when suddenly Mr. Taylor
stopped the car

and began pleading
with me to marry him

after he could get
a divorce from his wife.

Um, I told him
he ought to consider
his wife and child,

but he wouldn't pay
any attention to me.

Then, suddenly,
Ed Jackson appeared,
just as if from nowhere.

He was crazy mad
and began shouting
and swearing at us.

Mr. Taylor got
out of the car to try
to reason with him,

but that only made Ed madder,

and he began threatening us.

Threatening to do what?

To...To kill
the both of us.

Go on, Mrs. Danvers.

Well, then Ed grabbed his gun,

and Mr. Taylor tried
to take it away from him.

They struggled,
and the gun went off.

How many times?

Oh, a lot of times.

Would you say 3...
Or 4?

Uh, I think it was 4.
Yes, it was 4.

What happened then?

Well, then when
Mr. Taylor saw Ed
lying dead on the ground,

he got frightened
and sort of hysterical,

and he just ran away
into the woods.

And what did you do?

Well, I was so frightened,
I didn't know what to do.

I couldn't stay there
all alone, so I--
I just drove away.

Your witness.

Mrs. Danvers, why
didn't you report this
shooting to the police?

Oh, I couldn't do that.

Don't you know
that by your failure
to do so,

you're liable
to imprisonment for
compounding a felony?

You wouldn't want me to snitch

and get the man
I loved into trouble,
would you?

Oh, I see.
You don't like
to make trouble.

Your method of avoiding it

is to encourage
the attentions of a man
with a wife and child.

Oh, but you don't understand.

I felt so sorry for
Mr. Taylor when he was
so lonely and unhappy

after his wife deserted him.

This sympathy
ripened into love,
eh, Mrs. Danvers?

Yes, sir.

Yet you're willing
to let this man
divorce his wife

so you can marry him!

Because I knew
it was his only
chance for happiness.

That's all,
Mrs. Danvers.

Your honor, I should
like to call

Mr. Frank Taylor
to the stand.

Call the witness.

Frank Taylor, take the stand.

You understand,
Mr. Taylor,

that you are within
your constitutional rights
in refusing to testify?

Yes, sir.

Proceed.

Do you solemnly
swear to tell
the truth,

the whole truth,
and nothing
but the truth,

so help you god?

Yes, sir.

Attorney:
Now, Mr. Taylor,

your wife recently left you,

did she not?

Yeah.

Will you please
tell the jury
why she left you?

Well, my wife is a fine woman,

but she's
awful ambitious,
and she wanted

a lot of things
I couldn't afford
to give her.

I tried hard,
and I finally
got a break.

They made me shop foreman
and raised my pay.

Then we got along
a little better.

A bought her a new car
and a vacuum cleaner.

I was going to fix up
the house a little bit
when I lost my job.

I couldn't afford
to keep up the payments

on the things I'd
already bought, and...

So she left me.

And it was
Mrs. Danvers who
pitied your distress

and gave you
her sympathy after
your wife left you?

Yeah.

Will you please
speak a little
louder, Mr. Taylor?

Speak a little louder,
Mr. Taylor, so the jury
can hear you.

Yes!

And your gratitude
to Mrs. Danvers

gradually developed
into love,
did it not?

No! It's all a pack of lies!

The black legion
made me do it!
I belong to it,

and so do a lot of
other guys sitting right
here in this courtroom.

Your honor!
Let me alone.
Let me talk.

Let him go on.

They threatened to kill my
wife and kid unless I helped
them to frame up this case.

There ain't one word of truth

in what Pearl Danvers
has been saying or what I
been saying up to now.

I ain't never cared
nothing about any other
woman except my wife.

About being in love with Pearl,
that's all lies.

Yeah, and all she said about
Ed being in love with her,

that's all lies, too.

We tried to make it
look like the black legion

didn't have nothing
to do with Ed's death,

but they did, and plenty!

I killed Ed Jackson
because he found out
too much about the legion

while he was trying
to make me get out of it,

and I was afraid
he'd go to the cops,
and so I killed him,

and the guys
that helped me do it are
sitting right over there.

Come on, Cliff,
and you, hargrave,

and the rest of you guys--
stand up and tell the truth.

[Gavel bangs]

I don't care what you do to me.

If ever a guy had it
coming to him, I have,

but I want you to take care
of Ruth and Buddy,

and don't let them rats
make her suffer no more
than she has.

Judge: Lock those doors.
Don't let anyone leave
this room.

You will identify every
member of the black legion
in this room.

Yes, sir.

I can't begin to tell you

what a shock
Taylor's confession
was to me.

And to me.

Naturally, if I'd had
the slightest suspicions
to what the facts were--

I understand, billings.

Knowing you as well
as I do, I'm positive

you had nothing whatever
to do with the perjury.

Thank you, sir,
and may I have
your permission

to withdraw from the case now?

Of course, billings.
Of course you may.

Thank you.

Judge: Furthermore, your idea
of patriotism and americanism

is hideous to all
decent citizens.

It violates every protection
guaranteed them

by the bill of rights
contained in our constitution.

The bill of rights,

assuring to us all
freedom of religious opinion

and security
of person and property

against the attack of
illegal and extralegal forces,

is the cornerstone
of true americanism

and must be jealously
guarded if we are to
remain a free people.

We cannot permit
racial or religious hatreds

to be stirred up
so that innocent citizens

become the victims of
accusations brought in secrecy.

We cannot permit unknown
tribunals to pass judgments,

nor punishments to be inflicted
by a band of hooded terrorists.

Unless all of these illegal
and extralegal forces
are ruthlessly wiped out,

this nation may as well
abandon its constitution,
forget its bill of rights,

tear down its courts of justice,

and revert to the barbarism

of government
by primitive violence.

This would mean
relinquishing everything
that civilized man has won

by the most prodigious effort

over a course
of the past 5 centuries.

The American people
made their choice long ago.

Their blood and their sacrifices

secured for us
the basic human rights:

Life, Liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.

Their wisdom
built the whole structure

of our Democratic
form of government,

expressly to keep
sacred and inviolate
these same human rights.

It is our duty
to guard them zealously

if we are to remain
a nation of free men.

As Abraham Lincoln said,

"our reliance is in
the love of Liberty which
god has planted in us.

"Our defense is the spirit
that prizes Liberty

"as the heritage of all men
in all lands everywhere.

"Destroy this spirit,

and you have planted
the seeds of despotism
at your own doors."

All of you men
have been tried and convicted

of the murder of Edward Jackson.

It is therefore
the sentence of this court

that you be confined
in the state penitentiary

for the rest
of your natural lives.

Guard: Come on, men.
Get going.

[Door closes]