Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

(police sirens)

(police siren blaring)

- Hurry up, boys, there he is.

(voices overlapping)

Let's clear the way, clear the way.

Clear the way, clear the way.

- What do you have to say, Mr. Conroy?

- I've said all I can say to the boys at the airport.

We haven't had a chance to get set up yet.

- All we've got is the governor's hand out.

- You've extraordinary powers to break up the syndicate of crime.

- Does that mean Neil Eichelberger?

- Well, if it turns out to be Eichelberger,

we'll take care of that.

Anyway, they've got me in to see if I can clean things up.

- But what specifically are you after, Mr. Conroy?

- Everything illegal, bookies, slot machines,

graft, corruption.

- And you think the Eichelberger syndicate controls all this?

- If it does, we'll find it out.

When we find it out, we'll break it up.

- Do you think the situation is serious enough to call for such measures?

- Well, for some reason or other,

the pendulum seems to have swung back again.

And as your newspapers have repeatedly pointed out,

this city has become infested with crime again.

It'll be our job to wipe it out.

Oh, please don't ask me how.

Thanks.

- May we have a picture, please?

- Yeah, sure, help yourself.

- Shaking hands with Mr. Fogel. - Yeah, certainly.

- Thank you. - Thanks a lot, fellas.

I'm gonna need your help. I know you'll go along with me.

I'll give you everything I can as soon as I can.

- There's nothing more now, believe me.

Thanks a lot.

- [All] Thank you, Mr. Conroy.

- What do you think? Boyish charm?

- Are you kidding me? He'll need more men.

- We'll find out, when we do we'll break it up, just like that.

- Oh, brother.

- You'll want to get organised.

Shall we make it 12:30 in the Mayor's office?

- Fine. Thank you very much. - Good luck, Mr. Conroy.

- You know the department is squarely behind you.

- Thank you very much, Captain.

- Thank you, gentlemen, thank you, thank you.

Mandy, oh.

- Hello, Johnny.

- I was wondering about you.

- Oh, Johnny, please.

- Oh, dignity beginning at noon.

- We've been here since six.

Order will come later.

Oh, one thing I want for myself, a car

with a siren and a red light.

- You don't think it might be misunderstood.

- Okay, we'll skip the light.

- Hi.

- Jerry.

How are you, kid?

- I was looking for you in that crowd.

- I let you get the bugs out of your system.

Congratulations. - Thanks.

This is great, Jerry.

Oh, uh, Jerry McKibbon, Ms. Way cross.

- How do you do? - Hello.

- Amanda's helping me out.

Combination of girl Friday and spiritual advisor.

- Oh, Johnny.

- Also picnics on weekends.

- Amanda Way cross?

- Yes, why?

- I just wanna get the names of the brain trust right.

- Oh?

- Oh, you got into a crime wave

should make quite a story on the society page.

- Jerry's a reporter.

- I was beginning to suspect.

- Congratulations anyway.

- Thank you.

- Jerry and I grew up together down in Caroline Street.

- It's nice you both have such important friends.

- Yes, isn't it?

- Uh, Johnny, they're all kinds of messages,

none of them less than cosmic, and your mother called.

- I promised I'd have breakfast with her.

Come on with me Jerry, we can talk.

- I'll ride along, but they'll wanna have

their dear boy to themselves.

- No, they'll want to see you, it's been years.

- [Amanda] If anyone calls?

- Tell him he just went out to get tattooed.

- I suppose that's as good as anything.

And please call the house, say I'm on my way.

What's your angle, Jerry?

- I'm supposed to do some colour stuff on you, Johnny.

Do you feel like a colourful character? - Not exactly.

- How's it been with you?

- Oh, scraping by.

I've read some of your stuff, very tough, very bright.

- There's a trick to it.

I propose the problems, but never suggest the solutions.

- What are the problems?

- Vice, graft, corruption, war.

None of it's simple.

We're weak human beings and the human equation

smears everything up.

- All too sound.

- You're the boy for the solutions.

- So it seems.

- Why don't you help us out? - How?

- Take a leave of absence, come on in with us.

- As a press secretary or a guy to point out Eichelberger to you?

- Write your own ticket.

- I'll point him up for nothing, wish you luck

and you can take it from there.

- You don't go along with us?

- I go along with you fine.

You give me a gun, a ready-made pardon

and I'll shoot the guy for you.

I don't go for the paper hat and the tinsel.

Do you know what it would mean to a man, Johnny,

to break the Eichelberger syndicate?

(horn honking)

- DA's office, the Governor's chair, seat in the Senate.

- That's right.

- I don't want any of it.

- Why not?

- No political ambitions.

- Clean hands, pure heart, and no political future, huh?

- That's me.

- You're a sucker, Johnny.

Eichelberger's sitting on top of a $200 million empire.

Have you got any idea what he'd do to protect that?

- Well, roughly.

- Let me ask another.

You really know why you're in this?

- There's a job to be done.

They tagged me.

I was around.

- You were.

You're a man who wants to do good

and they want a man to do good.

Sure, you always wanted to do good.

I don't say that's wrong.

I say that's the way you are.

You've been discovered.

You made quite a splash at the University,

telling the other do-gooders the theory

of how the law should be.

You're made-to-order for them.

So, they suck you in with your clean hands and pure heart.

- Happy little amateur?

- A kid standing in the sun with books under his arm.

And if a flagpole falls on you, it's just an accident.

- You don't think I'm up to the job.

- I think you give it one fine whirl and I'll be cheering.

- It's all nice and cosy.

Same old story.

Election's a year-off and the Governor's trying to stir up

some free advertising for himself.

- Oh, you sure you don't want something else, Johnny?

- No, thanks, Mom.

You're beginning to sound like Jerry, Pop.

- What's Jerry's saying?

- He thinks I'm a sucker, a fall guy.

- Could be, but you're old enough to know your own mind.

- Are you working with him on this, Jerry?

- No, I'm painting a picture

of a special prosecutor's home life.

- I was afraid of that.

- Well, Jerry couldn't write anything we wouldn't like.

Why, he's just like my own boy.

- I'm not so sure.

- The important thing is, Johnny,

how you feel about all this.

- Well, Pop, I think it's great.

I've always hoped that someday

we'd work out a way to be closer.

So far, our jobs haven't allowed it.

Now, we'll be together.

What could be better than that, huh?

- Well, Johnny, I know,

but I don't just see how you mean.

- Well, haven't you heard from the department yet?

- Heard what?

- By special request of the Governor, you're my chief investigator.

- No, son.

No, I won't have it, I...

- Why not, Pop?

It's already been discussed.

- Well, then you can undiscuss it.

I'm a cop, Johnny.

Just a hard-working, hoodlum-pinching cop

and I want to stay that way.

At least until they pension me off.

I'll leave the brain work for you.

You've got the education for it,

but leave me where I'm comfortable, huh?

- Oh, Pop, it's not as simple as that.

I can get all the bright young men I want,

but what I need most is a cop, an honest cop,

one who knows this town.

Pop, it's already been decided.

- Well, we'll talk about it later.

- Gosh, I thought he'd jump at it.

- Thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Conroy.

I'll see you later. - Yeah.

(bell ringing)

(horn honking)

(horn honking)

(horn honking)

- Be seeing you, Mike.

- Oh, come back anytime, Johnny.

Don't stay away so long.

- Uh, he'll see you in a minute.

- We'll have the answers tomorrow, all right, son?

(indistinct chatter)

- Hello, Harrigan.

Mr. Eichelberger. - Yeah?

- McKibbon from The Chronicle.

- Well? - I thought you'd like to make a statement.

- About what? - Conroy.

- Sure, you can quote.

I am happy that such an investigation

has been started, since it can only clear me of all charges

level led against me by the gentlemen

of the press of this city.

- Thank you. - Anytime.

- You're a friend of the Conroys.

- How do you mean?

- You know them.

- No.

- Harrigan's a friend of Matt Conroy's.

We all grew up in the same neighbourhood.

- Uh, yes, years ago.

One of the finest men I ever knew.

- I thought you kept that friendship up?

- You guys get the idea of the diploma you get

when you graduate from journalism school

makes you different from anybody else.

Don't believe it.

(door closes)

(phones ringing) (people chattering)

- That's a lot of money for a whisky salesman to make,

even for a man that does sell whiskey.

- It's all on the income tax report.

- Of course it is.

- Now, let's' talk about the Manzinates case.

- Never heard of it.

- I'll refresh your memory.

1948, Peter Manzinates was a produce dealer

who refused to pay to the organisation.

He took a trip to Canada and he never came back.

- Maybe that guy liked to travel. - Keep your attention here.

March 1948, you took a leave of absence

from the police force.

You were gone three weeks.

- A vacation.

- Did you like Canada?

- I've never been to Canada.

- You and Jimmy Chop went to Canada.

You took Manzinates to Canada and you murdered him.

- I said I've never been to Canada.

I don't know Manzinates and I never heard of Jimmy Chop.

- Manzinates left town the same time as you and Jimmy Chop.

- It's a big town, people come, people go.

- March 27th, you resigned from the police force.

On the same day, you went to work for Eichelberger.

- The second day, the first day, we talked terms.

- Selling whiskey?

- I didn't sell whiskey then.

- What did you do?

- Odd jobs.

- Killing people?

Odd jobs like that?

- You are cute, too.

- The fact is that you were shaking down

a lot of small-time bookmakers.

Eichelberger got you off.

He did you a favour and you did him one.

You arranged the Manzinates killing.

- I never heard so much junk in my life.

- You are a cop, Silbray, and you sold out.

- Baloney.

- And if it's the last thing I'd do, I'm going to nail you.

All right.

Let's see if Jimmy Chop has a better memory.

You can go, my friend, but not for long.

I'd rather nail one crooked cop than a hundred hooligans.

Get out.

We just got to find that Manzinates.

- Shall I pour it? - No, no, just leave it.

I don't know when Mr. Conroy will be back.

- And is there anything else, Miss? - No, thank you.

I have your story, do you mind?

- I don't mind anything.

- There's plenty of hot coffee there.

I must say, you write very well.

- Thank you.

- You don't think very much of us, do you?

- I think a whole bunch of you are clever-as-all get-out.

And I thought I said so in a style that was all but heroic.

- It's the style I mean, it, uh, has a twist to it.

- Such as? - Such as, uh...

"If the pulp mills of America can continue

supplying enough paper to this efficient staff,

something must come to light."

The detached cynical observer faintly amused

by the follies of other humans.

- Well, that's all there, I agree with you.

I'm one fine writer.

- And it carries over into your personal attitude.

McKibbon, you're heavy with it.

- Get a firm hold on yourself.

- Thanks, I will.

- As a matter of fact, not all people are happiest

being exhibitionists.

- But I am, I suppose.

- I didn't say that.

- Your trick of entrance again.

- Forgive me for not rising.

- Proof of my exhibitionism,

I imagine... is for a girl whose experience

with crime has been limited to a parking ticket.

- And you're quite a girl.

- To stick her nose into a professional clean-up campaign.

- Why should I-- - Walk barefooted through the pigsty.

It had crossed my mind.

- Do you want me to tell you?

- Not particularly.

- You prefer your own explanation.

- Frankly, it doesn't make any difference one way or another.

You're a handsome dame who does what she wants to do

so why worry about why?

(door opens)

- Well, I think we're in business.

We've located Mrs. Manzinates through a nephew

of hers out on Oakmont.

She's here, living at 446 Palm Street

under the name of Mrs. Stephen Nover.

- Oh, off the record, Jerry, this is not for publication.

- Naturally.

- Johnny, the first real break.

- If she'll talk.

- Better keep her on ice.

- Matt will, huh, Pop?

- Yeah, sure, son.

Break off everything else in the morning.

Matt will have her in at 10:00.

- Leave everything to me, Johnny.

I'll have her here bright and early.

We've waited a long time for this.

See you in the morning.

- [Johnny] Right.

(door opens)

(door closes)

- Mandy, what do you say we chuck all this?

Go out and have a real dinner somewhere?

I'll even blow to a bottle of wine.

- Amanda prefers the simpler things in life.

- That's what you think. Come on with us, Jerry.

- No, thanks, I got to work.

I'll see you later.

(people chattering)

(warm music)

(bell ringing) (people chattering)

- Paging Mr. Baldwin.

(bell ringing) (voices overlapping)

Paging Mr. Baldwin.

Calling Mr. Baldwin.

Paging Mr. Baldwin.

Calling Mr. Baldwin.

- But, Johnny, we've had leaks before.

I can't help questioning the wisdom of...

- Question what, me?

I forgot my copy.

I don't blame you.

If I were the professor, I'd question me, you,

the DA, the whole kit and kaboodle.

I'd screen everybody.

- You know they've been screened.

- I'd screen them again.

I'd get to know them intimately

back to the time they were born.

I'd question my own mother.

(knocking)

It's open, come in.

To what do I owe the hon our?

- I wanna talk to you.

- Fine.

No dinner with wine?

- I'm not going.

What about your hurry to get to work?

- I had to do my flower arrangements.

Have a seat.

- Thanks.

Wasn't what you said when you left,

wasn't that meant to be provocative?

- If you're gonna say something, get down to it.

- What did you mean when you said you'd question everyone?

- Just that.

Would you please sit down so I can throw myself at your feet?

- As you say, let's get down to it.

- Good.

- I, uh, came here to ask you exactly

what it is you've been holding

behind your eyes these past weeks.

- I wish some of you ivory tower people

would stop trying to be so smart.

I wish you'd put your socks on

and go home and sit by your fireplaces

and read mystery stories where everything

turns out nice and tidy in the end.

If you must know, I think you're a square.

And Johnny's a square.

You're standing in a coal chute and don't know it.

- And you're a whale of a tough guy, McKibbon.

- [Johnny] I am.

- A real know-it-all guy.

You know all about the viciousness.

You're at home in the slime.

You put your finger on all the bodies that have been buried,

but you won't tell.

Oh, no.

That's too amateurish, that would destroy your pose.

We're the dilettantes and you're the tough professional.

As one exhibitionist to another, why don't you cut it out?

- Come on.

446, where in is hidden Mrs. Stephen Nover,

alias Mrs. Manzinates.

- You understand, Mrs. Manzinates,

we'll have men there.

You won't know who they are, but they'll be there.

I'm gonna know everything you say, everything you tell them.

- I'm not afraid.

- Of course not.

You're an old woman, Mrs. Manzinates.

What should you be afraid of?

- It is true.

- You have a nephew, Peter,

who works in a gas station in Oakmont.

He's a fine boy, Peter.

You're very fond of him.

That's also true, isn't it, Mrs. Manzinates?

All we want is peace, that's all.

Just peace, Mrs. Manzinates.

You put peace on your face tomorrow

and everything will be all right.

All right.

(door closes)

- That was Ackerman, all right.

- Jerry, what do you think?

- She's all right.

They were just selling insurance.

(doorbell buzzing)

- Jerry, what are you doing out here?

- I wanna see you.

- All right, come on in.

What's the trouble?

- Is your wife asleep?

- Yeah, sit down.

- I checked on 446 Palm Street, there wasn't a cop there.

- Well, I didn't think it necessary.

- Ackerman was there though with a couple of his goons

teaching the facts of life to Mrs. Manzinates.

- What?

- Don't act surprised.

Why shouldn't they be?

You called Harrigan right after you left us at the hotel.

- Jerry, you're crazy.

- [Jerry] I know you're working with Eichelberger, Matt,

specifically Harrigan.

- Are you drunk?

- I've known it for three weeks.

I've tried to figure out what to do about it.

I've come to the conclusion it's your problem.

- Jerry, this is nothing to joke about.

- Look, Matt, I grew up with Johnny.

I know how he feels about your

little tin god on a mantelpiece.

It's always been that way. Partly the reason he's in this today.

I don't think you wanna see him torn to pieces

any more than I do.

- Everybody's filling you with pap.

- I don't wanna see you in jail...

any more than I'd like to see you found in an alley,

staring up at a curbstone only not seeing it.

Those are the only alternatives I've been able to come up with.

Now you figure out one.

- I won't have any more such talk.

- I'm gonna print the story about what happened at Manzinates today,

only for Johnny's sake I'm gonna leave you out of it.

I'm gonna give you a chance. - It's a lie.

- But if you don't want him to find out

that his father's been crossing him every day of the calendar,

you better start figuring a way to get yourself clear.

- Get out.

- I'll give you 24 hours.

- Get this one thing through your heads.

We need each other in this thing.

Maybe you'll need me more than I need you.

But this is the last time I go running around just

because somebody on this outfit blows a cork,

you hear that, Iman?

Anything I got to turn over to you,

I'll report just like I've been doing.

- Knock it off.

How do you explain this?

- McKibbon was there yesterday when we got the word

on the Manzinates woman.

He was asked to respect the confidence.

- By who? - By John.

- And you let it go at that?

- What was I to do, arrest him?

- You're a newspaper man.

And he high-tails it down to Pond Street

and sits on the curb.

And you didn't think it important enough to tell us, Matt.

Why was that?

- He's always kept his word before.

- You sap, you wooden-headed sap.

- Take it easy, Matt!

- Wait outside for us.

- He's all right, take my word for it.

- What kind of logic is that?

A business like this depending on someone you think you can trust.

- Hasn't he told us everything so far?

- Small stuff, stuff you put in the window to get the suckers inside.

When it comes to a showdown, he'll pull a switch so fast,

our necks will get twisted watching him.

- All right, that's enough from both of you.

We built a great outfit, almost foolproof,

but we've got the same weak links any business has.

People, if we've got one or 500 people,

we got that many weak links, starting right here.

I want it known around.

I want it circulated in their bloodstreams.

Everybody's under glass from here on out.

This Conroy kid is tougher than we thought.

He's got angles and it looks like staying power.

We'll match him.

Money, brains, time, anything else, tell our men that.

Lay it on the line.

Tell them they're going to be under glass.

I want a system set up.

I want them to know there's a system.

I want fear working for us and we'll begin with Matt Conroy.

(soft music) (soft chatter)

- [Johnny] How can anyone have known where she was?

- Take it just as an example of what you'll be up against

all the way down the line, with all this money

flowing from the bookies.

- That wasn't money, it was intimidation.

- One or the other.

- The fact remains, it proves there is a working pipeline.

- Oh, no, no shop Johnny, skip it please.

This is why I wanted to get you out of your office for a minute or two.

Come along, you haven't met everyone. - Excuse me.

- Give him time. He's young as a politician.

(laughing) So gentlemen, what do you think of him, hmm?

(soft piano)

- Hello, Jerry. - Hi.

You need all these witnesses to draw me out?

- You probably know everyone, don't you?

- Almost too well.

Nice hideout you've got here, Ms. Way cross.

- Thank you.

- With a bird's eye view of our very corrupt city.

- May I get you a drink? - Jerry, excuse me.

Hello, Johnny.

- This was a fine stunt.

- I gather Mrs. Manzinates did arrive

at the hearing perfectly briefed.

- That's not the point.

How did you know what was going on down at Palm Street?

- A shot in the dark.

- I guess you realise what this does to us.

- I printed a simple story that happened to be true.

I thought it might help put pressure on. Anything wrong with that?

- If you can't see it-- - Tell me.

- It's a no good tramp newspaperman's trick.

Break any confidence for a little run-of-the-mill story.

I thought something better of you.

Okay, professor.

- Jerry. (soft music)

- Hello, Matt.

- I'd like to speak to you a minute, Jerry.

- I'm sorry, Jerry. - Oh, forget it.

- Can I fix you something?

- Oh, you're very sweet. Rustle me up a ham sandwich.

- Jerry, I'm in a spot.

- I think I mentioned something about that last night.

- Yeah, I'm sorry I lost my temper.

Suppose I admit what you said last night.

- Yeah?

- And level with you.

- Yeah?

- Will you go along?

- That depends.

- Well, we both heard the same kind

of stories hundreds of times.

Unless you've been through it yourself,

it's hard to understand.

- Try me.

- Jerry, the way they got it worked out, a cop is supposed

to be something more than human.

He's supposed to work harder than anybody,

be more honest than anybody.

Pay for his own bullets when he shoots a crook.

Naturally, he's not supposed to want money

or things for his family.

He's altogether too high principled for that.

Well, it works out fine for a while and then somehow

or other, you get to be 40.

You find yourself looking in the windows

at the things other people look at, then you start

wanting things because by this time,

you've got a kid growing up

and you want some of the things for him.

And then you find you're in debt.

Then suddenly, you find some easy money in your pocket

and then you find they own you.

So, now they've got me in the nutcracker.

- How do you get out, Matt?

- You've got to help me, Jerry.

- If I believe you.

- I have never asked anything from anybody before.

There's only one thing you can do.

Deal behind Eichelberger's back.

Sell Johnny on the idea you've got a plant and feed him phoney information.

- And try hard to stay alive.

- There's that too.

Or you can tell Johnny.

- No, I can't do that, I...

- Matt, how do you make me believe you're on the level?

- Eichelberger had me up this morning.

There's a folder on the DA's files they're worried about.

1934, Lowincast.

He blabbed about a lot out of things

that didn't make much sense then.

They would now if anybody wanted to put them together.

The old days, that's what they're worried about.

They want me to get that folder for them.

Now how do I duck that and stay alive?

- I think that's fine.

I think it's just great.

When do they want it?

- Tonight.

- Get it and give it to him.

Only first have it Photostatted.

- I may be tailed.

- You ought to know how to handle that.

- Good night. - Bye. Thanks.

- Bye. - See you soon.

- Now, thanks, Jerry,

I'll see you about it.

- All right, Matt.

Would you mind if I eat as I run?

- Where are you going? - Say, is your car downstairs?

- In the garage. - Lend me your keys?

- No.

- Operator, this is Ms. Waycross's apartment.

Would you order a cab right away?

Thank you, see you later.

- Hello, operator.

This is Ms. Way cross, please cancel that cab.

(indistinct chatter)

Johnny.

I've got to run out, the others won't mind I hope.

- Mandy. - Yes?

- Do you mind telling me what you're doing?

- I don't think it's just curiosity.

I think it's business, I don't know.

- All right.

I'm awfully doggone in love with you.

- You're sweet, Johnny.

Explain it to your politicos, will you?

- Sure.

- I cancel led the cab, come on, get in, I'll drive you.

- Move over.

(horns honking)

- Thanks, Stew.

You're lucky these days.

- How about it, bud?

- There's no trick to Photostatting.

It's against the rules.

- There are no rules for this committee.

- Wait here, I'll be right back.

(horn honking)

- Yeah, yeah, he was just here.

And I'm holding them in my hands right now.

- Make the Photostat and let him have it.

No, let him have it.

It don't mean a thing, not a thing.

Right.

(horn honking)

- I guess I'm not supposed to ask

who you've been following and why.

- No.

- But I suppose it was all right.

- What?

- Whatever it is I'm not supposed to ask you.

- It was quite all right.

- Relax a little, McKibbon.

- Perhaps we both should.

- Jerry, I know what you think of me.

I guess I knew that day you met me and looked at me.

I got into this because of Johnny, because he was in it,

and because I have so much

respect and admiration for him

and I thought I might help in some way.

And I wanted to be doing something with some use.

Can't you understand that?

- Yeah, sure.

- I still wanna help, but you've made it so

it isn't easy anymore.

And Jerry, I'm beginning to be afraid.

- It's going to be all right.

- Is it?

- You relax a little.

- I'm hungry.

We have time before we go looking for the next body.

- Okay.

- So there you have it, the life and times

of one Amanda Way cross.

- Not very inspirational.

- I'd say very dull.

- This novel you wrote, what was it about?

- About three chapters.

- I mean content.

- About young love in Mississippi.

- Ooh, remind me not to read it.

- You bet I will.

- There's one point in your life story that escapes me.

- Yes.

- I mean Johnny.

- I know.

Well?

- I went up to State U to interview him

for one of my final reviews.

- And strangely enough, he didn't turn against you.

- No.

- He fell in love with you.

- I suppose so.

- Was it immediate? - Instant.

- You have that kind of effect.

- What a nice thing to say.

- You ought to know it by now.

- It's getting late.

- Does it matter?

- It's supposed to.

- May I help you clean up?

- No, thanks.

I'll leave it for Ellen.

- Do you want me to go?

- Yes.

- Mandy, you're not much good as a cloak-and-dagger woman.

We've been yapping all night

and what have you found out from me?

- I found out enough.

- We both have, something we didn't wanna know.

Do you want me to go now?

- Yes.

- Why out here?

- You wanted to be careful, didn't you?

You could be going home to lunch.

- It would have been simpler to mail it.

- Neil's waiting for you.

- Why?

- Something about John.

- Where?

- In the oil station up the street.

(people shouting)

(horn honking)

(people shouting)

(horn honking)

(man shouting)

- Holdup, holdup, holdup!

- Police officer, drop that gun.

(shots firing)

- [Woman] Police, police, police!

(people shouting)

(shots firing)

(woman screaming)

Police, police!

(voices overlapping)

- Well, there's nothing to be done for him.

- Guess somebody better call the police.

- He'll never knew what hit him.

- Neither of them knew what happened.

(phone ringing)

- Hello? - Jerry?

- Yeah.

- Oh, we just a got a flash,

a shooting out on 34th and Skyler.

Matt Conroy killed.

- Oh, no.

- [Caller] Some guy robbing a market,

get out there, will you?

- Yeah, yeah.

Where'd you say it was, then?

- [Caller] 34th and Skyler.

- Yeah, okay.

(siren wailing)

(voices overlapping)

- A fine guy like that and some little two-bit thief.

I almost wished Matt hadn't got him.

I wish we could have had him for a small while,

just a short while.

- Are you satisfied with it, Clint?

- I can't find much wrong.

20 witnesses, they're all telling.

- Big sister act, huh?

- Yeah, the usual thing.

- He was the unlikeliest man in town to get killed,

wasn't he, Clint?

- In a manner of speaking.

- A hood wouldn't put a finger on him. - No.

- He had a badge on his vest and a paper in his pocket,

and the paper said nobody could touch him.

- What's eating you?

Don't you think the department

takes care of its own?

- You got a good question there.

Let's both think of an answer to it.

Accordingly killed in the line of duty.

No connection has been established between his death

and his official position with the crime commission.

Now you'll have to excuse me.

Will you come with me?

- John.

Johnny, I'm so sorry.

- Matt Conroy and I grew up in the same neighbourhood

and I'll miss him.

He was a fine man.

His widow should be proud

of the way he served his community.

- As I said to Mr. Martin, I said,

"That was just like Matt Conroy."

Brave as a tiger, that's what he was.

Brave as a tiger.

- Thank you very much, Mrs. Martin.

You're very kind.

- Mary, is there anything I can do for you?

- [Mrs. Martin] And to think that such a brave man

should be killed by such hoodlums.

- Jerry.

- Yeah?

- I think I should know.

- What?

- I think it's important to all of us.

- Know what?

- About Matt.

- What about Matt?

He stepped in front of a bullet and now he's waiting to be buried.

What else?

- Jerry, don't close me out.

I've never felt so lost.

- Last night, everything seemed so simple.

Mandy?

- Yes.

- You don't believe it was accidental?

- No.

- Why not?

- What did you and Matt talk about at my place?

Why did you follow him downtown?

- Years ago, it seems he took some money.

I gathered it was to put Johnny through college.

They were using him.

And upon my excellent advice,

he tried to double cross them.

- Oh, Jerry.

- What do I do now, call the cops?

And what do I tell Johnny about his father?

That he was a crook?

And how can I tell him about us now?

- Mandy, would you, would you come in a minute

and help mother?

- Station WRRG again takes you to the offices

of the Crime Commission where John Conroy

and his staff continue their relentless questioning

of witnesses alleged to be connected

with the so-called syndicate Conroy is out to break.

- Mr. Eichelberger, we'd like to ask you about some

of the statements you made to our investigators

if you don't mind.

- Not at all.

I'm glad to talk about anything.

On my part, Mr. Conroy, I'll be happy to get on the record

and clean up some of the things they've been printing about me.

I've got a statement here I'd like to read.

- [John] Uh, you can put it in the record later.

- All right.

- You're in the trucking business, Mr. Eichelberger?

- [Neil] That's right, have been for years.

Run a lot of trucks.

- And how would you estimate your income for that business?

- Well, it's all on the tax records, Mr. Conroy.

I couldn't say offhand.

- [John] Well, would you say about $100,0007?

- Yes, I guess so, a little more or less.

And, uh, do you have other sources of income?

- [Neil] That's right.

- Could you tell us what they are?

- Well, they're varied.

I own a few pieces of other businesses

and I lend a good deal of money here and there,

charge interest.

- You lend money to bookies?

- Oh, that I couldn't say.

I lend money to people I know.

What they do with it, I don't always know.

- Uh, they could be bookies, some of these people?

- They could at that, Mr. West, some of them.

I wouldn't know.

- And the control of all this money, Mr. Eichelberger,

wouldn't you say that gives

you control of these bookies?

- No, I wouldn't.

That's what they like to say about me, czar of the bookies.

That's nonsense, it isn't true.

I lend money just like a bank does.

- Did it ever occur to you, Mr. Eichelberger,

did you ever suspect for a moment

that this money was being used for illegal purposes?

- I worried about it for years.

(crowd laughing)

Anybody who has as many friends

as I have is bound to know a few

and in these times, you... come to realise that

you could be sitting on a powder keg

and not knowing it.

You see, a lot of people helped me get started,

helped me a lot, so, uh, how can I always act like a bank?

- [John] You would get notes for these loans

as you call them, Mr. Eichelberger?

Sometimes, yes.

- [Man] They would be given to you directly?

- Well, one way or another.

- And if stock was the security,

it would be registered to you?

- [Neil] Sometimes, yes.

- I'm assuming that you are a good businessman, Mr. Eichelberger.

- Well, that I'll go along with.

- And that you'd see that these

loans to these friends of yours

would be handled in a business-like way.

- If you watch your pocketbook, you'll learn that.

- [John] Did you occasionally buy these stocks?

- Well, uh, I guess, you could call it that.

Sometimes I buy them and hold them. Sometimes I wouldn't.

Sometimes I just put them in the safe.

- [John] And on the occasions when you did buy them,

you used some sort of clearing-house

for these security transactions, I suppose?

- Yeah, that's right.

- Isn't it a fact, Mr. Eichelberger,

that you own a company for just that purpose?

- No, that's not true, I don't own it.

I have some shares in a securities company.

- What company is that?

- Well, I'd like to consult with my lawyer.

- [John] Go ahead.

- One... Arco Securities.

I've done some business with them, among others.

- And the cash transactions, you kept a record of those?

- Mr. Conroy, you make it sound like I was loaning millions.

- As a matter of fact, you were, weren't you?

That is if we accept for a moment the premise

that they were all loans?

- No, I wasn't, and that's what comes

of all this sensationalism,

the kind of stuff the papers have been printing.

A guy makes a two dollar bet, he's a big gambler.

I lend a few bucks and I'm a czar.

- You wish to say that there is not a large,

thoroughly organised syndicate

centred in this city?

- I don't know about it being organised.

But as long as gambling is illegal and profitable,

it'll always be there.

Tell me, Mr. Conroy,

how many people in this room

do you believe never made a two dollar bet?

(crowd laughing)

- Station WRRG returning you to the Harrison Hotel,

headquarters of the Conroy Committee.

John Conroy continues his questioning

of Ms. Lillian Smith, former lady friend of Roy Ackerman.

- [John] And that's when you came back from Florida?

- Yeah, right about that time, I guess.

- [John] And you gave a series

of parties here in the city?

- I didn't give any parties.

Some fellas gave party.

If I give parties, they got to pay for them.

Why should I do that when the parties are for fellas?

- Did Roy Ackerman come to any of these parties?

- That schmo, I wouldn't even have him around.

(crowd laughing)

- How much money did you have

when you came back from Florida?

- I don't know, 15,000, 20,000, more or less.

How should I know?

- Five or six thousand dollars

wouldn't make any difference to you?

- I don't know much about money.

I just use it for spending.

(crowd laughing)

- Where did you get the money?

- From fellas, where else?

That's a silly question.

(crowd laughing)

- This meeting will recess until 2:00 p.m.

(crowd chattering)

- [Announcer] WRRG now brings you the third day

of the Conroy Committee investigations.

John Conroy has for the past hour

been attempting to break down the testimony

of another alleged member of the Eichelberger syndicate.

- That was in June 1935.

What was your salary at that time?

- Uh, I think it was 80 bucks a week.

- [John] Who paid it to you?

-Um...

Arco.

- [John] Arco what?

- [Man] Arco Securities Company.

- Did Arco employ you?

- I don't know, I made a deal with Roy.

- [John] Roy Ackerman?

- Yeah, yeah, that's right.

- But you said you were paid

by the Arco Securities Company?

- I said I got my checks from Arco.

- Were you ever arrested and questioned?

- Um, maybe I was.

I don't remember.

- [John] You don't remember being arrested for murder?

- Uh, the cops can get in the habit of hauling a guy in.

- And you gave bond for $25,000?

- [Man] Huh, if you say I, I did.

- Didn't you?

- Okay, okay, I did.

- [John] Where did you get the money?

- What, for the bond?

Uh, I sold some stock.

- $25,000 worth of stock on an $80 salary?

- Well, uh, oh, well, see, I had--

- Let me remind you that you are under oath.

To whom did you sell the stocks?

- Uh, well, uh, I think, uh...

It was a long time ago.

Maybe it was Arco.

- Uh, look, I don't know from nothing.

(crowd chattering)

- He's got a hit on them.

It isn't a case of finding a buried body.

It's a case of mathematical law.

A thousand of stray pieces of information, he connects them right,

he can spell out the whole story.

Well, whether he knows it or not,

he's got it all right here.

- I wouldn't have believed it.

- Arco, almost every other page, Arco.

Where did the money come from? Arco. What was the holding company? Arco.

- But it had to be, Neil, for the income tax record.

- 20 years it worked for the federals.

Now comes along the professor

with a bee in his pants.

- And gets lucky. - It isn't luck, it's hard work.

He's building step by step,

setting a trap.

Then he'll subpoena Arco's books and spring it.

Tonight, tomorrow morning, the next day.

- What's wrong with our just losing the books?

- It wouldn't stand, it would amount to the same as a confession.

There's no way to do it small.

The whole building will have to go.

- Go?

- Even the fire department gave us a couple of notices

that the gas furnace was dangerous.

- But there are apartments above the place, a dozen people live there.

- You can wake them up and carry them out. You'll be a hero.

- Neil, you can't.

- You wouldn't believe we'd do it?

- No. - That's what makes it good.

- I don't think a jury would believe it either.

(man whistling a tune)

- All right, hurry it up.

Get the ledgers out of there.

Get those files.

I'm gonna check the current.

I'll be right back.

- Hank? - Yeah.

- How is it?

- Coming.

But make sure all the windows are closed.

- Okay. - Make it snappy.

Hurry it up. - All set.

- All right, let's use the back door. (brakes screeching)

- What's that, listen.

- She loves the way he says good night.

- Just a kid.

All right, all right, why don't we get on with it?

- Get going.

- Hank? - Yeah.

- We're going.

- Okay.

- Are you sure there won't be anything left?

I know my business. - Yeah, but...

- The rock this place is gonna get,

there won't be anything big enough to put together.

- Okay.

Okay, turn it on.

(gas hissing)

- Why doesn't it go? - Shut up, it'll go.

(explosion booming)

(sirens blaring)

(crowd chattering)

(child crying)

- Quite a coincidence, isn't it?

- Johnny, I'll dig on this for the rest of my life if necessary.

(sirens blaring)

(crowd chattering)

(firemen shouting)

(child crying)

- Anybody get out alive?

- One or two are still fighting.

- But won't be by morning.

- It's more or less the official opinion.

Did you go out there? - Yeah.

- Maybe you can get it across to your readers

these aren't just a lot of gangsters killing each other,

that the people of this fine Midwestern city

are in danger of their lives in their own beds.

It ought to make quite a story.

- The story's here.

- Yeah.

I should have listened to you months ago.

You suggested I wasn't the man for the job.

- I've changed my mind. - We both have.

I wonder how long it'll take me

to get the smell of that burned flesh out of my nose.

- You can't blame yourself.

- Can't I?

You warned me, Fogel, the police.

What was it you said about me, Jerry?

I was a kid standing in the hot sun

with a dream on my face.

- That's past, Johnny.

- Take a look at those files, evidence, testimony,

thousands of pages of them.

And to what purpose?

They can't even be used for wallpaper.

(foot thudding)

To get anywhere now, to unify a case

against Eichelberger

would take a major piece of criminal evidence.

- According to the police, they'll have a lead on

the explosion in 48 hours.

- What's your own opinion?

- Before they can get anything

that will tie Eichelberger to it,

if they ever do,

your commission will be dead and buried, you know that.

- Yeah.

- Well, so what?

Shall we strike off a medal commemorating Mr. Eichelberger?

- How many more people do you want me to kill?

- I dug up a story, a murder story.

And if we play it right and have any luck,

we can panic them into making a sucker move.

- What murder?

- If we can get one man close enough to go into the chair,

the whole cup will spill over.

- What murder?

- I'm gonna knock you to your knees again, Johnny.

- You'll have to get me on my feet first.

- Matt's murder.

That wasn't a thief shooting his way out of a store.

It was a planned execution all the way down the line

to the double cross with the little guy they used.

- Why?

What would be their motive?

- Matt was working with them.

He told me so himself.

He was trying to shake loose.

- No.

I don't believe it.

- Of course not.

Check it yourself.

Take a look at his income tax returns from 1939 on.

- Johnny.

- Yes, Mom.

- Oh, what is this?

You've been down here two hours.

- Nothing, Mom.

Just some papers of Dad's I wanted to see.

- Well, would you like something, a glass of milk?

No thanks, Mom.

I've got to get back downtown.

- Oh, is there something wrong?

- Nothing more than usual.

Good night, Mom.

(typewriter keys clacking)

I can't stop you from printing it, Jerry.

- All you had to do was ask.

- My father was a crooked cop.

You can decide how much good it will do to publicise that

and what it will do to my mother.

But before you decide, you must know that I'm quitting.

I'm getting out.

- Johnny.

- That means the whole investigation collapses.

- They can appoint someone else.

- Will they?

You know they won't.

They'll dig into the record and find out that all this time

and all this money produced absolutely nothing,

that the sacred investigation was a complete flop.

And from then on, they'll play political hopscotch.

A committee will be appointed to investigate

the investigation.

And in due time, they'll return with a comprehensive report

that will be promptly filed and forgotten.

And in the meantime, the people will wind up

right where they were, at the mercy of the hoodlums.

- Is it important to you? - Yes, it is.

- You're the boy in the sun now, huh?

- Maybe I am, Johnny.

But something occurs to me,

even allowing for the apathy of the people,

and their lack of integrity, and their occasional

lack of intelligence,

and that's the fact they all

want desperately to believe in

a certain majesty of the law.

And for people like us, like you and me,

the greatest crime in law is the lack of faith in the law.

And that's when we join hands with the hoodlums.

If they can convince us of the uselessness

of knocking out crime, the difficulty, the fact

that personal sacrifices may be too great,

then we might as well hand over the city

and the state and the nation too

to the Neil Eichelbergers and let them run it for us.

- That's a very late point of view

coming from you, but a timely one,

I suppose, in terms of a newspaper story,

but I don't think I need a speech about hon our and integrity

from either one of you.

(door closes)

- I understood what you meant about Jerry and me.

I'm sorry I couldn't have told you.

- It's not important.

- I can't apologise and ask your forgiveness.

I can only ask you to try and understand and believe

that we tried very hard

not to have it happen.

But Johnny, don't let this influence your decision.

If you walk out now, you'll regret it all your life.

Isn't it a tragic thing if people all over

this nation can be told that a man like Eichelberger

can tear a man like you apart with his dirty fingers?

What are we coming to, Johnny,

that a man like that can do this to all of us?

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

- [John] This is Conroy.

- Hello, Johnny.

- I'm holding a press conference in my office at 10:00.

I'm giving them the facts about my father.

- You gonna stick with the job?

- Yes, I'm calling you now

so you can have whatever lead this will give you.

- Johnny, what about your mother?

- I think you pointed out that sometimes

a few people have to pay an exorbitant price

to help the law.

- I want to talk to Mr, Mr. McKibbon.

(phone buzzing)

- Hello? - Mr. McKibbon?

- Yes, who's this?

- Well, you don't know me, Mr. McKibbon.

I just read your story.

- [John] Well, that's nice, but who is this?

- My name's Carmelina...

- [John] Carmelina who?

- It doesn't matter.

It's about Monty LaRue.

- Where are you, Carmelina?

- Was that honestly how he was killed?

- Yes, it was, I can prove it to you.

Where are you?

Hello, Carmelina.

- Hello.

- I'm glad you called.

You're not sorry you did, are you?

- Was that how he was killed?

Yes, exactly the way I wrote the story.

- They just shot him like that after we did it for him?

- They planned to double cross him, he didn't have chance.

Were you his wife?

- Yes, but I didn't want him to get into it.

- Of course not.

- I couldn't stop him.

He was crazy.

I don't know what got into him.

He was crazy to be a big guy.

- I know.

- They told him they'd make him a big guy.

- Who told him, Carmelina?

- They.

- Were you there when they made the deal?

- In the next room.

- But you heard them?

- Yes.

- Did you see Monty's body, Carmelina?

There was a hole smashed right through his head.

You'd like to have them pay for that, wouldn't you?

- Yeah, that's what I want.

- Who was there, Carmelina?

- A fella named Roy.

- Roy Ackerman?

- Yeah, and a fellow named Herm.

- What was his last name?

What's the matter?

- It's them.

- Keep your head down.

How did they know you were here?

- I don't know.

I live in the next block.

- Have they seen you?

- Yes. - Are they coming?

- No.

- When they start this way, I want you to get up

and walk toward that door.

Walk, do you understand?

- They'll kill me.

They'll kill us, I shouldn't have called.

- I want you to walk toward that door.

Do you hear me?

- They're coming.

- Go ahead.

- Hey, lady.

(heavy banging)

(shots firing)

- Carmelina?

Carmelina.

Carmelina!

Carmelina.

(typewriter keys clacking)

- And arrange for a spot break on every station

at hourly intervals.

Good.

Now, here it is.

Carmelina, give yourself up to the police.

As long as you are at large,

you are in danger of your life.

The police are your only protection.

You got it?

Good.

- Carmelina LaRue, described as female,

27 years, five foot, six inches, 116 pounds.

Large dark eyes, black hair, olive complexion.

- Don't worry, Roy, we'll find her.

We'll find her or the cops will.

- I said stop worrying.

What's the matter with you, Roy?

- I'll tell you what's the matter.

That dame is the only person in the world with a finger that can point...

That can point straight at me.

- She ran, didn't she?

She knows better than to talk.

- She talked to McKibbon.

- And you know it wouldn't stand in court.

- Who will be sitting in court, Neil?

Waiting to see if it would stand or not.

I'll tell you who.

Me,

And I'll tell you something else.

This guy McKibbon is the only guy

who can identify the LaRue dame.

Anybody else they bring in is just a frightened dame,

but he knows her.

Neil, the day he shoved his nose in,

our luck started going bad.

You go ahead and worry about the court.

I'm gonna change our luck.

- You'll do nothing of the kind.

The first and only blunder we made

was in knocking off Matt Conroy.

- You didn't think so at the time.

- I do now.

Now get this, Roy.

This is a positive order.

Lay off McKibbon.

We'll find her and we'll wash it up.

- I want Detroit, Logan 60126.

(tense music)

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

Who wants him?

This is Harry, Roy.

- What's all that noise?

- [Harry] Just playing some old records I just got in.

Hey, turn that thing off!

Now, Roy.

- Look, you still got that guy Red around?

- Red?

Are you kidding?

He's right here.

- [Roy] I'd like to borrow him.

- Okay.

When do you want him?

- [Roy] Now.

Put him on a plane right away.

- You're my pal.

You're my pal, Jerry, but I hear nothing.

- Keep working, Bink.

Find Ackerman and don't let him out of your sight.

Let me know if he even coughs.

- Okay, it's a deal.

- Come on, girls, step up.

Way over to the end.

Hands down.

- All right now, girls, keep your heads up

and your hands by your sides.

Hey, you with the white blouse, wake up.

Keep your head up there.

Jerry, any of these?

- No.

- All right, Mac, keep sweeping.

He says it's none of these,

but don't pick up the same gals all night.

That's all.

- Oh, Jerry.

- Yeah. - You better stay here.

- Why?

- We don't wanna lose you, sweetheart.

- You're the only one who can identify the girl.

They know that as well as we do.

- I'm touched with your concern.

- You stay here.

- Listen, Clint, there's a girl out there somewhere

scared to death, with every hoodlum in town looking for her.

- We'll get her.

- Yeah, you've done fine so far.

- I suppose you'll know just where to look.

- Maybe not, but I started with her.

The least I can do is stay on my feet.

- Take a couple of men with you.

- You got a couple of men left, let them look on their own.

- McKibbon, your paper on the phone.

- Hello?

- Jerry, I got a call for the board, Sammy Lester.

Do you know him?

- Lester?

No.

- [Ed] He says he used to manage Monty.

- Monty LaRue?

- He says he knows the girl and they have a tip for you.

He won't talk to anybody but you.

- Okay, put him on, Ed. - Hold it.

- [Sammy] Hello.

- Yeah, this is McKibbon.

- [Sammy] Where are you?

- In a drugstore on Canal Street.

- Yeah.

Maybe I can give you something.

- [Jerry] Sure, what do you got?

- Well, not on the phone.

- Where are you? - At the fights.

Listen, I'll leave a ticket at the box office for you.

Come alone.

I'll take the next seat as soon as I can get away.

I got a boy in a bout here.

- How do I know you, Sammy?

How do I know what this is?

- You're not worried, are you, pal?

In the middle of the stadium, how safe can you get?

Now look, I don't want any trouble.

- Okay, Sammy.

(bell ringing)

(horn honking)

(Carmelina crying)

- Take care of her, honey.

Mr. Conroy, Mr. Conroy, she's here.

She's here.

- You're gonna be all right.

You're fine now.

You're safe, do you hear?

We're going to take care of you.

It's all right.

It's all right, you're gonna be fine.

You're safe now.

- I'm John Conroy.

There's nothing to be afraid of now.

You are Carmelina?

- Yes.

- Here, drink this.

- This testimony and the mass of other stuff, you've got them.

- I think, sir. - In any court in the land.

- And they'll break none. - No question.

- All right, let's pick 'em up. Everyone on the list,

Eichelberger, Ackerman, all of them.

Let's go get 'em, boys.

Mike, stay here, will you?

- What about Jerry?

- Still haven't got him.

- Well, stick with it. I'd... I'd like him to be in on this.

- Hello, Ed, yes.

At the fights? He couldn't be.

- Where? - At the fights.

- Why the fights? - Yes.

Yes.

They said he got a tip about Carmelina.

- I don't like it.

Tell him to hold on. - Hold it, Ed.

- Have you still got a detail downstairs?

- Yes, still standing by.

- Get it and get over to the arena quick. - Yes, sir.

Take charge.

- This is Dave Fogel, how about that information?

(crowd shouting)

- McKibbon.

- That's him.

Get him in your mind, Red.

There's no chance for a mistake.

- I could pick him out in a million.

- Are you satisfied with the set up?

- You know me.

I can find a guy across this whole joint.

Let me work it out.

(crowd shouting)

(audience applauding)

(people chattering)

(police whistle blowing)

- Great shot from up here.

- Yeah.

(bell rings)

(crowd shouting)

- I've been trying to find you. I've seen Ackerman here.

He fingered you when you come in, some out of town guy.

He's gonna put the gun on you.

Get out of here, but don't get in the clear.

(crowd shouting)

(crowd groaning)

(crowd shouting)

(crowd shouting)

(crowd shouting)

- [Referee] Two, three, four, five,

six, seven, eight, nine, out.

(crowd cheering)

(crowd chattering)

- Jerry!

Jerry!

Jerry.

- There's a gun on me.

Get away and keep in the crowd.

(shot firing) (crowd screaming)

(voices overlapping)

- Get the doctor, please.

- Get the doctor. - Right.

- Come on. (crowd clamouring)

(shots firing)

- If they get this guy... - Jerry, Jerry...

(shots firing) - They can get Ackerman.

- They will, and we've got Carmelina.

Don't talk, Jerry.

(shots firing) Oh, darling.

(shouts overlapping)

(gunshots firing)

(whistle blowing)

(overlapping chatter)

(gunshots firing)

- I'll admit, I never thought I'd see that.

Let's go.

(siren blaring)

- There was a shooting at the arena at the fights.

One of Ackerman's gunmen got Jerry McKibbon.

- [Man] Let's get moving.

Come on!

(siren blaring)

- Where is he? - Downstairs.

- What happened?

- Where's the hospital?

Sometimes someone has to pay an exorbitant price

to uphold the majesty of the law.

He said so himself.

(emotional music)