Original subtitles

I'll say this about the Fatman: he's a sweet guy.

Listen, creep, I'm going to take you apart like a clock.

He can be tough when he has to be.

Jake Styles?

Don't ask me how

he can live the way he does on a cop's salary.

Some people do seem to like him, however.

But he's a damn good investigator, and he's mine.

He's a good guy.

Don't you forget it.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Oh.

I didn't know you were still here.

I wanted to set these records to exhibits

before tomorrow's meeting.

Oh. Need copies?

Oh, that's all right.

I'll do it myself.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Dealer will open for 100.

I'm in.

Mr. Jennings, I might just be

persuaded to see where this all leads,

so I'm going to... raise 500.

I'm out.

Fold.

Just the three of us?

I didn't become an old dog by playing bad cards.

Enough.

Oh.

Ah...

Ah.

Is that your way of saying that you'll play those?

I've got to consult with my business manager.

Just a moment.

What do you think, Max, huh?

Oh, come on, take a look.

What do you think?

You sure?

Thank you.

Well, in that case,

I will play the hand with two new cards.

Thank you, sir.

And the dealer takes two.

Well, no guts, no glory.

Unfortunately, no cards.

That's the evening.

Gentlemen, thank you.

What a lovely way to end

the evening, huh?

Let's see. Ah.

Oh, good, you're back.

I just finished.

Oh, thanks.

Good night.

Good luck on the appointment.

Oh, please.

That's very premature.

Mr. Duncan has a lot of good years left as president.

That's not what I hear.

And believe me, the coffee room knows everything.

Maybe,

but it's just bad luck to say it out loud.

Mr. Duncan will call you.

You've got my word on it.

It's late J.L.,

and you and Max have a long ride back to town.

What do you say we get down to business?

All right. I'll be real

direct then.

I ran a check on your pal Jennings very quietly.

And?

He appears to be clean.

Appears?

I fire men who appear to be competent.

What the hell does that mean?

Well, he's got

several friends on a private list I keep,

friends that I've been trying to indict,

but they're too slippery for me.

So far.

Everybody with a little life in him knows some of them.

Hell, in Prohibition, those guys were my best friends.

This isn't Prohibition,

is it, Phil?

Now, look, I checked for you without asking why.

I was glad to do the favor, but I got to tell you

that my curiosity is real itchy.

Sorry, J.L., I can't scratch it.

It's very confidential.

Well, good night, Phil. I...

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

I wasn't including his card-playing.

What?

The man's a cheat.

He was dealing a stacked deck that last hand.

But you won.

Because I took cards.

Your vice president expected me to stand pat.

The cards I took he needed for his own hand.

He wound up with garbage.

You didn't say anything.

Hell, no.

I took the pot instead.

Good night, old boy.

Good night.

Come on, Max, let's go.

You're... You're picking Jennings instead of me?

That's what I heard myself say,

and I never talk for my own amusement.

The man has no idea how to run this company.

He's illiterate in finance, and he...

He's tough, Ned, and you're not.

What he is is a crook.

He's tied in with the mob.

You don't know that.

He's capable of anything.

I built this company from nothing,

and I didn't do that to turn it over to somebody

who'd negotiate everything away to the unions.

That's not fair, Phil.

Nobody's worked harder for you.

And maybe nobody will work harder for Jennings,

because that's who your future's gonna depend on.

So you'd better get used to the idea.

Ned...

what is it?

What's happened?

Damn him.

Damn him!

It's not possible.

It's done.

The old fool.

Has he lost his mind?

Jennings is completely unqualified.

That's what I told him.

Didn't you tell him

you know that Jennings is blackmailing him?

Oh, how? Am I supposed to tell him that I found out

while I was breaking into Jennings' office

and rummaging through his desk?

Yes, because that's exactly why

that old man is giving him your job.

I haven't told you the worst part.

He all but told me that when Jennings takes over,

he's gonna fire me.

Does he know about the money you took?

He didn't mention it.

There's got to be some way to get rid of Jennings.

Duncan will never pick me.

Jennings could get hit by a truck tonight.

He'd just go outside the company.

But if Duncan were dead...

the board would have to make you president.

But he's not, and I doubt if he will be

by tomorrow when they pick the...

No, darling.

Listen.

He could be... if we helped

just a little.

So, what do we do,

sit around here and do nothing

while we lose everything we've worked for?

Do nothing

while he shoves you out for that crook?

You're not serious?

You said you killed a man once.

In the army.

He's up there alone at that lodge.

No witnesses,

no motive.

And you...

have an alibi.

You were with me all night...

and it will all be...

too true.

I don't know if I can.

Let's find out.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Do it.

Shoot him!

Shoot him.

Cynthia,

we have to go now.

Come on.

One more thing.

Morning, Caroline.

Oh.

Is Mr. Duncan in yet?

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Covington, he's not.

Oh. Uh, any idea when?

Gee, I don't know what his schedule is.

I haven't spoken to him since yesterday afternoon.

Oh.

Okay, thank you, Caroline.

It's, uh, nothing pressing.

I don't understand.

Why haven't they found the body?

Why is it taking so long?

Darling, it's only been a few hours.

The caretaker probably hasn't even checked the house yet.

Shouldn't we do something? Shouldn't we...

No!

Absolutely not.

Unless you want to come home for lunch.

I'd like that, but I'd better stay.

Ned?

Excuse me.

I understand you were looking for me.

Oh, no.

No, uh...

Ned, are you all right?

You look terrible.

I'm fine.

Excuse me, Mr. Duncan?

What is it?

Detective Morgan, Homicide.

What can I do for you?

We're here about a murder.

What?

Who?

Your caretaker up at your lodge,

he found the body.

It's one of your employees.

Carl Jennings.

Look, if you had him

up here on business,

what the hell were you doing in town?

Personal.

Came up all of a sudden.

Oh.

Edna?

How is she, Phil?

Oh, some days are better than others.

Some days, she's almost her old self again.

Hey, J.L. And then...

Oh.

This is Jake Styles, my investigator.

Phil Duncan. Hi.

How do you do? How do you do?

It's a hell of a place you got here. Whoa.

Well, the corporation owns it, actually.

We use it for meetings, seminars, retreats.

It's very private.

Anybody live on the property?

Just the caretaker.

He has a house about a quarter mile up the road.

Who else knew Jennings was gonna be out here, do you know?

Well, I didn't tell anybody.

When I asked him to come up, I said it was private.

Of course, we don't know if he respected that or not.

Phil, would you

excuse us for just a minute?

I got to talk to Jake. Oh, yes.

Think it was robbery?

Nothing taken.

Whoever did it had just one thing on his mind.

You think it was a pro or not?

Duncan called me last week,

asked me to check Jennings out.

Very privately, of course.

I didn't find anything, and I told him that.

Did he give you a reason why he was worried about his boy?

He wanted to know

if he was mixed up with organized crime.

I couldn't find anything.

Real.

But, Jake...

Lots of smoke?

The Chicago fire.

Damn.

Sap.

Nice place for a tree.

Great. That's great.

Thank you.

I'd forgotten just how delicious these taste.

When people are as poor as we were, they're a real treat.

I remember you used to call them tube steak alfresco.

You don't have to be quite so happy about it.

What the hell are we gonna do?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

About Jennings, that is.

What do you mean?

There's nothing that ties us to Jennings, is there?

No. No, thank God.

But there's someone who's very mixed up with him,

someone who could have every reason to want to kill him.

That old man.

What are you saying?

Duncan still won't make you president, will he?

No.

We killed the wrong man, for nothing.

Hmm.

Not exactly.

It's so simple, darling.

Elimination.

What, now you want to kill Duncan?

Cynthia, that's impossible.

No, no, no, that wouldn't work.

Then it would be obvious we did it.

No.

I'm thinking of letting the law take care of Duncan.

Well, somebody had to kill Jennings, right?

You mean, make it seem like Duncan?

You weren't number one at business school for nothing.

Now, the practical details.

Can you get Jenning" ledger sheet?

The one with, uh, Duncan's blackmail payments on it.

I can break into his office again.

And the pictures, too?

I'll even help.

Late at night, scared out of our minds

that security guard will catch us.

Do you really think we could...

frame Duncan for murder?

Why not?

Sorry, Jake.

It's just professional attention.

No problem. I love this part.

Your message was

you wanted a meeting.

Thanks.

You're here because I owe you a favor.

Listening to what you got to say makes us even.

Anything more than paying attention, well...

we negotiate.

Well, lucky for me, I've got something else to trade.

I need some information, Sid, about Carl Jennings.

We sent flowers.

Who hit him?

Could be an easy answer.

It all depends... on what you got.

How about your kid brother Vinnie?

He's got nothing to do with us.

He's got a big problem, Sid.

He was caught dealing.

Hey.

He's an enterprising kid.

Maybe.

But you know,

Sid, even in the country club kind of jail

where he's doing time, they kind of frown on

inmates selling dope.

What's that go to do with Jennings?

Well, you help me, the D.A. puts in a good word for Vinnie

and maybe he doesn't go to a real jail.

You wouldn't do that.

Well,

I think you ought to read it.

It's a transfer order,

sending your brother

to a maximum security prison.

It's pretty rough.

I don't think he'd live long enough to send you a postcard.

Okay. Okay.

Jennings was a good friend of ours.

Were you in business with him?

We helped him with certain problems:

labor problems, transportation problems.

He helped us get certain service contracts with his company.

Very standard stuff.

So if he took over the corporation,

he'd be worth a lot more to you, right?

Hey.

We're talking a multinational enterprise.

That's like owning your own country, only better.

We'd be crazy to kill him.

And, Jake,

we may be crooked, but we sure ain't crazy.

Now,

about Vinnie.

Tear it up.

You still owe me one, Sid.

I checked Jennings' bank accounts.

Lots of cash, no real debt.

I also asked about girlfriends.

It was more like model of the week. Yeah?

You should have seen some of those pictures.

Anyway, he didn't keep any of them

around long enough to get serious,

or at least not serious enough to murder him.

Lucille.

Lucille! Mr. McCabe,

she's at the copy machine.

That's a lie, that woman doesn't know how

to use a copy machine.

Yes, McCabe.

I know who killed Carl Jennings.

You do?

Well, that's very interesting.

Why don't you, uh, start

by telling me your name, huh?

That's not important.

All that counts is I want Carl's killer to pay.

Sorry, I don't take anonymous phone...

Carl was blackmailing Phil Duncan.

That's why Duncan was gonna make him president.

Can you prove any of this?

You'll get the proof soon.

Well, now, let me get this straight.

You're saying that...

What was that?

I'm not sure.

Ooh, nice car.

You, uh, wash the cars around here, huh?

Maybe.

I'm here to see Mr. Covington,

if that helps make up your mind.

Okay, sure.

But I got to finish Mr. Duncan's first.

I just got it back from the lodge,

and it's got this gunk all over it.

Yeah, you got that sap on there, huh?

Yeah. Same thing on my car.

I'd sure like to chop those damn trees down.

I know what you mean.

You know, every time one of those big shots

comes down from the lodge, I got two hours

to get his car clean, and that's if I'm lucky.

I guess when Duncan goes up there,

there's people running back and forth all the time, right?

Hey, that man says, "Jump,"

and they're already driving.

The worst is that Mr. Covington, though,

up there the day before yesterday.

I washed his car that afternoon.

Next morning, he brings it in again

all covered with this stuff.

He was up there twice?

Yeah.

Yeah, when?

Uh, the day somebody shot Mr. Jennings.

Covington was up at the lodge twice,

once when Duncan told him he wasn't getting the job,

and the other time was when he went up there to kill Jennings.

Sounds logical.

What it sounds like is circumstantial.

Now, let me give you an example of real evidence, huh?

I got a special delivery today, anonymous.

Ledger sheets showing Duncan

was making payoffs to Jennings.

And some very embarrassing photographs.

You mean Duncan killed him to stop the blackmail?

That means appearing to give him the big job was just a cover.

That sounds persuasive to me.

How do you explain the burglar alarm?

Now, the caretaker says that when Jennings was up there,

he always kept the burglar alarm on

because he was real paranoid.

As a matter of fact, he even saw it on

when he made his last rounds.

Well, it didn't go off when the killer broke the window

because somebody had already turned it off.

Now, I have a positive theory about that.

See, whether it was Covington or Duncan,

either one turns off the alarm

and shoots Jennings,

then breaks the window to make it look

like someone from outside.

The burglar alarm is clue neutral.

Clue neutral?

Unless the two of you have...

I don't want to hear about clue neutral.

I've got evidence,

and for the moment, it points to Duncan.

Except the sap on the car.

How do you explain Covington's second trip

to the lodge? You can't explain that.

I'll check out Duncan, and you look at Covington,

but for Lord's sake, be careful,

because remember, you've got no case.

Come on, Derek.

Oh, my God.

We've been robbed.

But... how?

Call the security guard.

Hello?

Uh, excuse me I can't talk now, we've been robbed.

I know.

Pretty slick, huh?

Who's this?

I represent some people who are real upset

about Mr. Jennings' untimely death.

Real upset.

What's that got to do with me?

Well, we cleaned your place out to get your attention.

Thought we'd show you what can happen

in your own security building in broad daylight.

Kind of makes you stop and think, doesn't it?

What do you want?

Well, I thought we'd have a little talk over lunch.

We don't have anything to discuss.

Before you get too impulsive,

turn around and look behind you.

See, my boss is getting very upset.

He's convinced you murdered Mr. Jennings.

Come on, let's go.

Hey, get the other door.

All right, let it down.

Good, come on forward, come on.

All right, come on.

You're clear.

Whoa, whoa, that's good.

Come on in.

Take it up.

Go ahead.

Got it.

Come on, keep moving.

Little more.

Hold.

Over here.

My name is Sid.

Come on in.

Chateau Sarmont.

1958.

$180 a bottle, but what the hell,

I think it's a special occasion.

Let's just stop at, "It's a good wine."

You should know, it came from your wine closet.

It was a joke.

I knew you had it, so I thought

we'd have some here to make you feel at home.

What is it you want, Sid?

Exactly.

I like you people.

And I mean that sincerely.

Ned, I'd like to see you become president.

I think you'd do a hell of a job.

The only reason we came is to get our things back

with as little trouble as possible.

You return them,

we're perfectly willing to forget the whole thing.

You mean that?

You have our word.

Well, I like dealing with reasonable people.

I wish I could say the same for the people I work for.

Now, you want to talk

about unreasonable and very unpleasant.

Who are your employers?

I hope you won't take offense, sir...

by me saying this, but your wife...

has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my life.

What color are they, anyway?

They look like they're blue, but then,

there's this little green...

Why don't we cut through this?

We didn't kill Mr. Jennings.

We don't know who did.

Oh, I understand completely.

Personally, if it was left up to me,

I would be willing to forget about the murder.

I realize it was the only alternative.

You really didn't have a choice.

Ned, you feel you deserve the job.

One thing leads to another, and things just don't work out.

We're leaving.

Not before the lobster, Ned.

Besides, I have to finish my speech.

My people would be very disappointed

if they felt you didn't want to hear their message.

You know, as far as I'm concerned,

I say no hard feelings, but my boss

was really looking forward

to working with Mr. Jennings.

Now, I'm telling him

we can have the same arrangement with you.

I'll tell you what.

As soon as I'm appointed president,

we'll sit down, and we can discuss a deal.

That's just what I wanted to hear,

but-but then there's... there's one small detail.

Unfortunately, because of what's happened,

my boss is out a large sum of cash.

Carrying costs, you see, he has to wait

till the new president takes over.

You understand that.

No, we don't understand.

Let me explain it to you.

It's a little embarrassing, I must admit,

but he's willing to let things stand,

meaning that you take over for Jennings

if you pay his out-of-pocket costs.

Which is a quarter of a million dollars.

He prefers cash.

That's impossible.

Even if we could raise that kind of money...

I really appreciate the fact that it's tough for you.

I really do... If it was left up to me,

I'd say pay me once you got the job,

because I know I can rely on your word,

but my boss, well...

my boss... he has no sense of trust.

Let's just leave it at that.

I suggest you enjoy the lunch.

I know you two have quite a bit to talk about.

And I meant what I said about your eyes.

Where'd you get this?

Duncan, what's important

is where you were when Jennings was shot.

I was with Edna.

She was having one of her attacks, so I went back to town.

I told you that.

And that's a lie.

Phil, I checked with Edna's nurse.

I'm gonna ask you one more time.

But maybe you want to call a lawyer first, huh?

I've got nothing to say except I didn't kill Jennings!

Look, you've done nothing but lie to me from the beginning!

Damn it, man, tell me the truth!

It's too late for anything else.

He was bleeding me white.

But he wasn't satisfied.

He wanted the company, too.

That's why I asked you to check on him.

I thought if you could tie him

to organized crime, I'd have an out.

But I couldn't.

So you killed him.

No, I didn't!

I was... I was with her.

Did Jennings set you up with her?

Yes, he did.

That was the blackmail.

Who is this woman you were with that night?

Her name is Gloria Connor.

And she can testify that you were

with her the whole time? She can.

Where is she?

She has a condo at the beach.

I, uh... I bought it for her.

She's out of town today.

She'll be back tomorrow.

All right, we'll talk to her then.

I'll wait before making my decision.

Thanks, J.L.

I appreciate it.

♪ ♪

Cynthia.

Cynthia, come back to bed.

Soon.

What are you thinking?

Don't you think we should get rid of that?

Maybe.

Maybe we should keep it a little longer.

Gloria Connor?

Yes?

We don't have much time.

I'm going to be very direct.

I know about your relationship to Phil Duncan.

♪ ♪

Gentlemen, I've got to ask you to stop here

while I call up to the party you're here to visit.

We're here to see Miss Connor.

She's expecting us.

I'm sorry, there's some mistake.

Phil, let me handle this.

I'm J.L. McCabe, the District Attorney.

Miss Connor has some information for us.

Well, that may be true, sir, but you won't get it here.

Why not?

She left.

About a hour ago.

You're wrong.

I talked to her this morning.

She's expecting us.

All I know is she left here,

took all of her luggage with her.

But where'd she go?

She didn't say.

Well, she must have said something.

She must have left a message for me or...

All she told me was she might be gone at least a year.

You!

Hey. What is it with you people?

You're out till all hours of the night.

I don't know how you can do it. What in the hell are you doing here?

I tell ya, I can't keep these kind of hours.

I've got to get up in the morning.

Listen, I made myself some coffee.

You got a great coffee bean grinder in there.

This coffee's terrific.

I thought we were clear at lunch.

We have nothing to tell you or give you.

Cindy, honey, let me share something with you.

I cannot go back and tell my boss that.

He's got a very, very bad temper.

Maybe you'd prefer to tell your story to the police?

Ned, I think that's a hell of an idea.

I think you ought to go pick up the phone and call them.

I have to tell you though I'm a little hurt,

because I am coming here as a friend to find out how

you're doing raising the quarter of a million dollars.

We explained. There's no possible way we can raise...

Sweetheart, look, I think a couple of young,

enterprising people like yourselves

should be able to work it out.

And by the way, I think this frame

you're building around Duncan is terrific; I love it.

The investigation of Phil Duncan is ridiculous.

I know he's innocent.

That's what I mean Ned.

Exactly the right amount of sincerity.

I tell you if there's anything

my people can do for you,

all you've got to do is give me a call.

Because after all, we are practically

business partners, are we not?

I think you better leave.

Yeah, I think you're right.

I'm beat.

Listen, Ned, Cindy,

I hope you don't mind me, uh...

about this money, I don't mean to pressure you.

It's just I have people looking over my shoulder,

so you understand.

Thank you for the coffee.

I meant what I said about those beans, great.

Oh, I almost forgot.

The alarm system you people have here is pretty cheesy, okay.

Now I know a guy who can put in a great system

for a terrific price... Top notch stuff.

What the hell, it's something to think about.

You can never be too careful.

See you later.

Quarter of a millions dollars, Mr. Duncan.

Cash. Tomorrow afternoon.

What the hell is...?

Who are you?

A friend of Gloria's.

She's very sorry she left without saying good-bye.

Where is she?

Traveling.

In fact, that's why she asked me to call.

The trip is turning out to be

much more expensive than she planned.

She wants money to come back.

Hardly.

She won't be coming back.

But she does have something to sell you.

She has nothing.

A piece of evidence that will convict you.

That's impossible.

I'm innocent.

That's for a jury to say.

And what will they think when the police

testify how they found the murder gun

in a place very private and very personal to you?

What?

What are you talking about?

I've got the gun that killed Jennings.

Mr. Duncan?

Are you still there?

Yes.

I thought you might be.

Now, listen carefully.

Take Old Mill Road to the cutoff.

A quarter of a mile past the bridge turn right.

Continue until you get to a large dirt lot

with a fence around it.

At the end of the fence, get out.

You'll see a trash bin.

There'll be bag for you in it containing the gun.

Leave the money.

And Mr. Duncan, don't even think about

double-crossing us, because believe me,

you don't want to make Gloria your enemy.

If you answer it now, I'll break your arm.

You've reached the Covingtons.

At the tone, please leave your message.

Hey, guys, how's it going?

I sure hope you're having a good time with that quarter mil,

because today's the deadline.

Bring it to me at the company lodge tonight.

Sid, here's the quarter million you asked for. Here.

I told you with the lights out

they couldn't tell it was Jennings

and not Duncan.

Duncan, this man is a crook.

He made us come up here.

The game's changed.

Now it's called "you're under arrest."

Duncan told me about the blackmail call.

We marked the money he dropped off.

Whoever left the murder gun

for him has that money.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same money

that's in that duffle bag.

We had no reason to kill Jennings.

Phil had already made it perfectly clear

that I wasn't going to be president regardless.

At first, it didn't make any sense to us either.

Why would you have shot Jennings?

Then detective Styles realized about the lights.

Came back up here the other night,

about the same time we figured that the murder took place.

With just the firelight,

it's very hard to tell who's who and what's what.

You made the same mistake twice.

No, Jake.

They made just one mistake.

Murder.

Most foul.