Original subtitles

♪ "M" is for the million things she gave me

♪ "O" means that she's only growing old

♪ "T" is for the tears she shed to save me

♪ "H" is for her heart of purest gold

♪ "B" is for her eyes with love light shining

Shh.

Cut that out.

♪ "R" means right and right she'll always be

♪ Put them all together...

♪ They spell Mother

♪ A word that means a world

♪ To me ♪

Take your hands off me.

- Hitting a woman. - Oh, don't do that.

Stop that!

Are you with me? Come on!

Let me get out.

Get the cops.

Let me out of here!

- What's the big idea? - Take your hands off me.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

That palooka hit me!

Come on. The Judge wants to see you.What Judge?

Judge Daly.

Judge Daly and I are just like that, just like that.

Oh, come on! Oh wait, wait my hat. I can't go without my hat.

Come on.

Ya-hoo!

Judge Daly!

Your Honor, she was throwing beer bottles, she was wrecking the place,

and the language she used, I wouldn't use it myself.That's a lie!

A profane word never passed my lips and if this copper says so,

he's nothing but a dirty, lying, rotten

That will do.

Stop that. Do something to frighten me.

Judge, I want to prefer charges against this copper for false arrest.

Silence! Suppose you give me your version of the case.

I was over by the piano, Your Honor, doing my work.

And what is your work?

I'm a singer, Your Honor. That's a lie.

If you interrupt the proceedings once more,

I'll fine you for contempt of Court.

Why Judge, I ain't got no contempt for this Court. I like this Court.

It's him I got contempt for, the mealy mouthed...Be still.

I was putting over a number, Your Honor, and she was sitting at a table nearby,

all ginned up and making noises.

What sort of noises? Well...

Like this Your Honor.

Now what did you do that for?

Why, Your Honor, he was singing a Mother song.

Silence! Why shouldn't he sing a Mother song if he wants to?

Why Judge, that off key crooner used to beat his mother when she was alive

and only last year he deserted his wife and three kids.

So when he gets to...

♪ "E" is for her eyes with love light shining ♪

I up and let him have it.

You'd have done the same, Your Honor.

Perhaps. That is, well, the point is you were drunk and disorderly.

Oh Judge, drunk maybe, but never disorderly.

I may have been fighting, I'm high strung.

And when a man like that puts his hands on me, I'm apt to forget myself.

Let me have the report on this case.

That Judge Daly looks tough.

Hey, maybe that raid you framed will get us more than publicity.

Don't worry. Before I got to be a press agent,

I used to cover this beat for the newspapers.

Judge Daly's an old friend of mine, a right guy.

He don't look it. Don't worry. You know how to handle people like him.

Why, you'll have him eating out of your hand.

How many times has she been up before me in the past year?

Seven Your Honor.

Eight!

I let you off last time on your solemn promise that you'd never touch another drop.

Well, I tell you... You've made similar promises before.

I know, but, Judge, I give you my word.

There isn't a single ordinance you haven't broken.

You're no good to yourself or anybody else.

Hold her while I take this case under advisement. Next case.

But you can't hold me. I know my rights. Send for my lawyer.

Send for Johnny Mills I want my lawyer. You can't hold me.

Oh, my hat, my hat! I can't go without my hat.

Next case. Come on you're next.

Hi, Judge!

Violation of the morals code, fan dance, Georgie Lee.

Better known as Alabam the Human Heat Wave. That billing was my idea.

And who are you? Public Relations Counsel for Miss Lee.

The psychology of arousing human interest...Not interested.

But I have heard about you.

I'm familiar with your escapades and your record in general.

Your Honor, as manager for Miss Lee, I wish to make an offer.

If she demonstrates her dance for you and you find anything objectionable in it,

she'll donate $1,000 to charity.

I'm glad to know she's charitably inclined.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not. I don't know anything about charity.

I never got any and never handed out any.

You're not accused of charity, young lady.

You're accused of violation of the morals code.

And from what I know of your reputation,

it's high time something was done about it.

I hereby sentence you to one year with a fine of $100.

However, I suspend the jail sentence, but I warn you, young woman,

if I hear of any more fan dancing, or any further breach of the peace,

that sentence against you will be invoked immediately.

Next case.

If I were you I'd enter a plea. I'd ask for a jury trial.

You're fired! Give me $200.

The judge only said a hundred.Come on!

You've given me $200. The fine is only 100.I know it!

What's the other hundred for? Your Honor, it's for the old lady.

It's gin money to make her forget that new deal you just handed her.

Keep it! You're fined $100 for contempt of Court.

That's cheap at half the price.

Bradley, have Patsy sent to my chambers. And get Brannigan.

Brannigan, Patsy's in again.

I thought you were supposed to keep an eye on her.

I was, Your Honor, but if I had a thousand eyes, it wouldn't be enough.

If you want to keep that old girl in line, you'd better call out the reserves.

See If you can dig up Johnny Mills. I want to talk to him.

Yes, sir!

My hat.

I've been looking all over for it.

Sit down, Patsy.

Now Judge, you were only trying to scare me.

I've made up my mind. You're off the streets for good this time.

The only thing to do with rubbish is to get rid of it.

Now see here, Your Honor,

when you first went in to politics, I voted for you, twice in the same day.

I always say to everybody, "If you have to go before a judge,

"get Judge Daly. His bark's worse than his bite."

Hmm. Even if he is a Democrat, he has an understanding heart.

Every man has a problem, Patsy. I suppose you're mine.

I don't know what I ever did to deserve you

but I seem to have inherited you.

You keep coming back to my doorstep.

Now what am I going to do about you? I don't want to put you in jail.

I knew it!

You were only teasing.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mills, but she's in again.

But you promised me you'd keep her out of trouble.

You know I'd do anything in the world for you, Counselor,

but I can't trail the old lady 24 hours a day, can I?

Well she's down here now and Judge Daly wants to

talk to you. Will you hold the line?

Oh no, Patsy, no. Okay, Judge! I got him.

Now, Patsy.

You're sitting on my bird. Patsy...

Now, Judge,

I've been thinking of what you said to me, and you're right.

I'm going to show you how I feel about it. You see that?

There. When I reform,

I reform.

Look here, Johnny, I don't want to pry into your personal affairs.

But Patsy's not your sort of a client.

Yet you turn up every time she gets into a jam.

Do you mind my asking why you're so interested in her?

There's no reason why I should continue to make a mystery of it, Judge.

Just before my father died, he told me there was someone he wanted to look up,

a woman, he wanted me to be her friend, to take care of her if she needed any help.

I see. He didn't know where she lived,

didn't even know if she was still alive.

For a long time he kept track of her, then she disappeared.

Her name was Patricia Patterson. I found the woman.

It was Patsy.

Cut the cards!

Ha!

You're going to lose. You cut the cards away from you.

Remember now, no cheating! All right. Then cut the cards again.

That ain't going to do you a bit of good.

When I saw the circumstances under which she was living, I suggested a weekly allowance

enough to keep her comfortably the rest of her life. She turned it down.

Why she's been known to beg pennies from strangers.

She's been arrested dozens of times for panhandling.

And yet she won't take a dollar from me.

She denies knowing my father

says she never even heard of him.

I'm sorry you're in a jam again, Patsy.

You got a heart of gold, Brannigan.

I remember you when you were just a copper.

Yeah, and I'd have been one yet

if it hadn't been for you telling Johnny Mills

to get me out.

Say he can have my right eye any time he wants it.

What about your left one, Sarge?

That's for you, you old rum-hoister!

I'm going to miss you after you're sent up.

Sent up? You don't think he'd do that?Yeah!

Oh, go on. Judge Daly'd never send me up.Why wouldn't he?

Could I trust you with something really confidential?Sure!

Yes sir, yes sir, yes sir!

Come on, they're ready for you.

Oh, my hat!

Patsy, Mr. Mills and I have been considering your case

and he's persuaded me not to be so severe on you.

We've decided instead to place you in an old ladies' home!

What? You'll be very well taken care of, Patsy.

They won't have to know who you are

or anything about you. We can arrange that.

It'll be like starting a new life.

But I don't want to start a new life.

I won't go to an old ladies' home.

I'll make them sorry they ever took me in.

It's better than prison! Not for me!

I played a benefit once at one of those places.

A lot of old women sitting around

in rocking chairs crocheting, just waiting for the end.

Do you suppose I want to wind up like that?

I tell you I won't go to an old ladies' home.

That's the last place I'll go to! I won't go!

I must... Get out...

I tell you, I will not.

I will not go to any old ladies' home.

I will not.

I don't care how you feel about it! I'm in charge and what I say goes.

You'd better be careful what you say to me, Charlie Kendall.

That phony raid that Front O'Malley framed was supposed to get you tons of publicity.

And all it got you was a fine and a jail sentence.

The jail sentence was suspended and we paid the fine, so what?

This is the third time I've taken him back.

What do you want to keep a sap like that around here for?

For laughs! For laughs! That's all you think about.

Can't you ever get serious? Are you going to be a goose all your life?

Yeah, and I'm the kind of a goose that's apt to quit

laying gold eggs on a minute's notice.Don't flatter yourself!

They're only gold-plated since they took that fan away from you.

Is that so? Remember this, it's me they come to see at the Montmartre, not the fan,

and any time you think different, you can...Now, now, now,

don't talk like that, Alabam. I wouldn't care if you didn't draw flies.

You know how I feel about you!

It hasn't got anything to do with bookkeeping!

I'm not blaming you because business is slipping.

It's that Front O'Malley's fault.

That parasite ain't a press agent, he's a suppress agent.

He's fired and this time he's going to stay fired!

Boss, I want a raise!

You want a what?

An increase an emolument, an additional stipend!

I only hope that war isn't declared tomorrow,

because there won't be any room for it in the newspapers.

We're going to crowd everything off the front page!

Front, where's the funeral?

That's not for a funeral, Alabam honey.

That's for a birthday, the birth of an idea.

Have you forgotten that today is Mother's Day?

Well, what's that got to do with me? I'm not a mother.

That's not for you! It's for your mother.

I haven't got one! Ah, but you will have before the day's over.

Front, what the devil are you raving about?

Dog bites man, no news. Man bites dog, news.

Mother adopts baby, no news. Baby adopts mother, news.

But news, what I mean. Especially when it happens on Mother's Day

and especially when the baby is Alabam, the Human Heat Wave.

Or do you disagree with me?Adopt a mother, huh?

Well, I gotta admit for a change you got something that looks pretty good.

Front, I've got no more use for a mother

than you have for a loudspeaker.

Now don't you worry your pretty little head about details, honey.

You leave that to front the detail king.

You've adopted a mother, cookie.

All you've got to do now is to pick one out while cameras click and thousands cheer.

Well, we got no time to waste. We've got the press waiting. Let's go!

Well where are we going? Mother shopping!

Now ladies put away your sewing and form a group down here.

Well, we're all ready. Miss Lee will make her decision

and select the one that she will legally adopt as a mother.

Difficult to decide!

It's terribly difficult to decide, Miss Kingsley.

I've never met so many darling old ladies in all my life.

I wish I could take them all.

That's the one I told you about, the daughter of the Confederate general.

She's the sweetest, gentlest old lady of the lot.

Haven't we met someplace before?

I hardly think that's possible, my dear.

I've lived in Richmond, Virginia all my life,

except since I've been a guest here.

Don't you know who she is? That's the old gal we ran into in the night court

a few months ago?

Do you know Judge Daly?

Of Roanoke?

I seem to recall I do.

Sold. I'm from the South myself and if what's your name?

Patricia Patterson. And if Miss Patterson is willing to leave the home.

Are you willing?

Are you?

I'm more than glad to give my consent.

Thank goodness we're getting rid of that incorrigible old woman.

I feel sorry for the girl who's adopting her.

She doesn't know what she's in for.

Here's some flowers for, Miss Lee.

Miss Lee. May we have a picture please, Miss Lee?

Mother, that's it! If you'll just stand in closer.

Now just put your arms around her please.

Now if the ladies will just come in a little closer.

Now there we are! All ready. Hold it,

Take a letter, please. Dear, Patsy,

I want to be among the first to congratulate you on your good fortune.

I want you to know, however, that if anything should happen

if you should need a friend, I'm yours forever and ever and ever.

That's all. Who to, Mr. Mills?

Oh. Patricia Patterson, care of Miss Georgie Lee, Wilson Apartments, city.

Pretty good, Front, pretty good!

You are without doubt the greatest master of understatement in all history.

Pretty good? Why they gave us more space

than Insull got when he came back from Greece.

You can't miss with that old mother stuff.Ah.

Wait till Alabam gets a look at this publicity.

Yeah, what's keeping her? Where did she disappear to?

She went shopping to get some clothes for the old gal.

Clothes? What for?

Does she think we're going to let that old buzzard stay around here?

She is a getting a great kick out of the old lady. She likes her.

She says, she's good for plenty of laughs.

What harm can she do?

Plenty if she starts snooping around.

She's liable to get wise to a lot of things.

She'll cramp my style. Get her out of here now.

Before Alabam gets back? Yes. Go down to that old ladies' home

and tell 'em the goods they sent won't do.

You can't... Come on. Tell them anything. I won't have her.

Who's going to break the news to Patsy?

Me. It's a delicate situation.

It'll take a certain amount of tact.Don't worry.

I will handle her as if she was my own mother.

But, boss... Come on.

Ah, Mr. Kendall,

I've been sitting here trying to find the right words to thank you.

Thank me? For what?

For the marvelous, big-hearted, generous thing you've done

in giving me a home like this.

Oh, I had nothing to do with it.

It was Front O'Malley's idea.

Ah, that's your modesty.

It's a shame the newspapers didn't give you most of the credit.

Yeah, 20, 40, 60, 80.

Here. Huh?

A hundred dollars.

What's that for?

Well, Mother, you've got to find yourself a place to live

till Front arranges for you to go back to the home.

But I'm not going back to the old ladies' home.

Well, that's up to you.

I don't care where you go but you've got to leave here.

Oh, but I couldn't leave here. I just love this place.

It's what I've dreamed of all my life. It's so lovely and refined.

Cut out the magnolia dialect, you crummy old, beer guzzler.

Crummy old beer-guzzler?

You dirty, low-down, four-flusher.

You rotten yellow dog.

What kind of language is that to use to a lady?

Lady, huh? I know just who you are

and just what gutter you came out of.

And if you aren't out of here in 30 seconds, I'll throw you out.

Throw?

You want to throw?

Throwing is my specialty.

Come on, here... Why you...

Start throwing.

She's a sweet old thing, isn't she?

Sure is, Miss Alabam, a lovely old lady,

You don't want me around here because you're a crook.

Don't you come around me.

Hey! Stop it.

What's going on here?

Stop it now and sit down.

Oh, cut it.

Now if you two will stop calling each other names,

we can come to some sort of an understanding.

We don't need any understanding.Well, I won't be called no...

Oh, shut up! She's getting out of here right now.

Where are you going? To get a cop.

I'll not only have her thrown out,

I will prefer charges against her for assault and battery.

Great, that suits me.

Make a swell follow-up story for the newspapers.

Adopt a mother in the morning and kick her out in the afternoon.

You can't blackjack me into keeping you.

I don't care what happens.

I do. You'd better let me handle this.

There isn't anything to handle. I won't have her around here.

You won't have her around?

Where do you rate telling me that?

If there is anything in the world I can't stand,

it's being led around by the nose.

Neither you nor anybody else can tell me what to do.

I'm only trying to tell you for your own good.

Don't you worry about my own good.

Okay. But get this, either she goes or I go.

Good, that gives me a mission in life.

Cigarette, Patsy?

No, thanks, I don't smoke, but I do drink.

In a minute after we talk things over.

Oh, no need to talk things over, I can take a hint.

If I had to stick around with that Kendall fellow,

I'd be arrested for murder in a week.

He's not a bad sort. A little hot-headed and talks rough,

but he's a pretty good egg when you get to know him.

Well, I don't want to get to know him.

But you don't have to worry, I'm going back.

To the old ladies' home? No.

To the streets where I belong.

That's all right.

You needn't think I'll spill anything to the newspapers.

I wouldn't do anything in the world to hurt you.

You're all right.

You're regular.

Well, wait a minute I bought you some new clothes.

Don't you want to look at them?

No, I don't need any hand-outs, I can take care of myself.

You know at that you're a pretty good, old battler.

I've had lots of experience.

I've tried everything in the world at least once,

except being a mother, and I guess I wasn't cut out for that.

Well, I'd better blow before Simon Legree gets back with the cops.

He's not coming back with the cops, and you're not going.

Huh?

I loved you the minute I heard how you crowned that mammy singer.

Do you mean that you...

That you really want me?

Sure.

You'll be a lot of laughs...

Stop it.

Gut it out, Patsy. I said laughs.

How about a drink?

I'll help you.

Take yours straight?

Yes.

So do I.

I may come in handy to you at that.

I'll admit, I don't know

much about the right things to do,

but I can tell you all about the wrong things not to do.

You see, I've done 'em all.

Ah! Here's looking at you.

Ah.

Patsy's not home.

JM, JM.

Are you the Johnny Mills she's always talking about?

Yes. Are you the Georgie Lee?

I'm always reading about?

In person.

I've wanted to meet you for a long time.

Well, you couldn't very well meet me now.Why not?

I just case out of a shower.

What sort of a looking person are you?

Oh average. And you?

Right now, I look like a drowned rat.

Well, I could wait until you dressed.

I guess maybe it wouldn't be so polite of me

to keep you waiting outside.

Well, that's what Emily Post says. Who's she?

The lady who wrote the book of etiquette.

Right in the very first chapter,

she says, "Never keep a young man waiting in the hallway."

You won't look, will you?

Certainly not.

All right, come in.

Make yourself comfortable.

Thank you, I will.

Why did you want to meet me?

Well, I suppose it was to thank you.

For what? For adopting Patsy.

That was an awfully nice thing for you to do.

Oh, I did it for a publicity gag,

but she got under my skin.

She's a grand guy, that old lady.

Say, why didn't you adopt her yourself?

I've got a mother. Besides Patsy wouldn't consider it I'm sure.

She couldn't want a nicer home than this.

Do you expect her back soon?

I don't know. She went to a lecture.

A what?

Believe it or not, a lecture.

Now, once more, just once more for Patsy, come on.

Seven, the winner.

Go on, let 'em ride, let 'em ride.

All light, coming out again. Hands up please.

Now then, get hot, get hot there for Patsy.

Come on.

- Ah! - Seven, the winner.

Good, good.

Hello.

Glad you waited?

Huh? Oh, oh, yes of course.

You, you're so utterly different than I expected that I...

What did you expect?

Well, I don't know. A sort of a...

Kind of a... That's it? Sort of a, kind of a...

In fact you might call me a kind of a sort of a...

I can only say I'm sorry it didn't occur to me to come here before.

What made you think of it today?

Well, as a matter of fact, Judge Daly called me up and suggested it.

Judge Daly? Yes.

You see, Patsy was more or less paroled into my custody.

You want to make sure she's fallen into the right hands.

I get it. Slumming.

Well, you've had a chance to look around.

Do you want my fingerprints?

Look me over.

Well?

Having looked you over, I find the results eminently satisfactory.

So much so, in fact,

I've decided to see more of you.

You'll have to come down to the Montmartre for that.

I'll be there tonight.

In the meantime, Miss Lee, please be assured that

in spite of my association with Judge Daly, I don't step on flowers,

I've never torn off butterflies' wings,

and I don't go around telling children there's no Santa Claus.

And do you expect to see Judge Daly soon?Yes.

Tell him, I think he's an old fuss-pot and a kill-joy.

Quote me. I shall.

Word for word.

And I shall also tell him what I think of you.

What's that?

Ask Judge Daly. Good-bye.

Telegram for Miss Patsy.

Thank you.

Alabam.

Alabam.

Hello, old dear. How was that lecture?

Marvelous.

What was it about?

Numerology.

You know, Alabam, everybody's life is ruled by numbers.

My number is 7. The greatest number in the world.

Hello, what's that?

That's a telegram came for you this afternoon.

For me?

Yes.

Oh, who could be sending me a wire?

Oh dear, I haven't my glasses.

Read it to me.

Your brother in Australia has died

and left you a legacy of $7,000.

Please call at our office for details.

Austin & Brown, 61 Broadway.

Now what do you think of that?

What did I tell you?

I'm in a spot, Patsy. What does this call for?

Condolences for your loss or three cheers for your gain?

Well...

You see he was, he was only my half brother

and I didn't know him very well...

So I've adopted an heiress instead of a...

Derelict is the nice word.

Well, I brought you luck anyway, didn't I?

And I'm going to bring you luck, you just wait and see.

$7,000...

You don't know what that money means to me.

We'll need it when you quit the Montmartre.

What?

I said you'll need the money when you quit.

But I'm not going to quit, what made you think of anything like that?

I was calling...

And who do you suppose that is?

Oh, it's you. Oh, there you are.

What were you doing down in my office this afternoon?

Just waiting for you.

Oh, she not only gets into my hair here and down at the cafe,

but she's to go snooping around the office, too?

You went through my desk and read my mail.

What did you want?

I just wanted to tell you what a double-crossing crook you are.

That clinches it.

We're going to have a show-down right here and now.

Okay. There isn't room enough around here for both of us.

Take a look at that.

Why this is the contract I signed with the Montmartre, where did you get it?

I swiped it out of his desk.

It says you get 500 a week and you split with him.

That's right. Is it?

Wait a minute.

There's the contract Kendall signed with the Montmartre,

the real one.

Have a look at that.

This contract says you've been getting 1,500 a week from the cafe for me.

How about it, Charlie?

Uh, look Alabam...

I'll sum it up for you.

You've not only been holding out 1,000 a week on me,

but you've been grabbing 50% commission on the 500 I get.

That's for being my manager.

I don't know whether to thank you or not.

You not only showed him up but you showed me up too...

Well, what are you waiting for, last week's commission?

Well, even 250 a week runs to over 10 grand a year.

That's a whole lot better than the 10 cents a dance

you were getting when I first ran into you.

That's where you started.

And if you let this old battle-axe hang around you, that's where you'll end up.

Get out, Kendall.

Okay.

Well open the windows, Patsy. Let's get some fresh air.

So that's how you knew I'd quit the Montmartre.

Mmm-hmm. That's how.

I brought you in here for laughs.

Now what have I got to laugh about?

No job, no manager, broke.

You're wrong three ways, honey.

You're not broke.

Have you forgotten about that little old

half-brother of mine in Australia?

That money belongs to you.

Well, that makes it yours, too.

I'm not going to let... Oh, shut up.

We're talking business.

How let's get down to this manager problem.

I will admit you need a new manager.

You've got one. Me.

Well, that is a laugh.

Well, that's what I'm here for, laughs.

But between laughs I'm going to sell you something.

An idea.

Where are you going? No place.

What are you driving at?

You're standing right at the crossroads,

just like I did a long time ago.

You can either go left or right.

I went left,

you know what I found at the end of the road.

I'm not going to let you make that same mistake.

Go on, Reverend Patterson.

Oh, I'm not preaching.

It's only that you slipped me that mother billing

and I'm trying to live up to it.

Do you think that my coming here was an accident?

There must have been a reason.

Okay, manager.

I will be putty in your hands, where do we go from here?

Up to glory.

No more hip shaking in a honky-tonk.

But a real career.

I am going to make a headliner a star out of you.

I've got everything figured out.

It's all I've been thinking of ever since I came here.

Now. In the first place...

Wait a minute, there's something much more important than that.

Let's get drunk, Patsy.

I've quit boozing.

Now laugh that off if you can.

Oh, let it go. Let's try the time step.

Get ready? Go.

Right foot, left foot.

Right foot, left foot.

Right foot, left foot.

No, this way.

Try it.

No, no, no. That's too tight. You must loosen up here.

See how I do it. Watch me how I do it.

It comes from here.

Volume, power.

Now look at my mouth.

A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse.

Ah, my dear child, there's no theater

like the pure lyric theater of Shakespeare.

He's right, honey. Once you knock off your Shakespeare,

everything else rolls off your knife...

Hello, Patsy. Hello, honey.

What's that you're reading?

Famous Women of History.

All about Josephine, du Barry and Pompadour.

Hmm, you would pick out a book like that.

Swell book. Those three babies certainly knew their scallions.

Learn about women from them.

They were low Women.

Well, maybe they started low but they aimed high.

Well, never mind about them. How was the practice today?

Terrible. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Who said you were a sow's ear?

And who wants to make a silk purse out of you?

I wish you'd lay off trying to make me over

and let me go back to what I know.

Ah, now see here, honey. You wouldn't go back on a deal.

You promised to let me run things.

It's a waste of time.

Did you ever hear of Jack Dempsey?

Yeah, that's the guy that married Hannah Williams, isn't it?

He was an unknown youngster until Jack Kearns got a hold of him.

Kearns made a champ out of that kid

just as I'm going to make a champ out of you.

Champ or chump? I'm no leather pusher.

It doesn't matter what you are.

I'm only interested in what you're going to be.

A winner!

That reminds me,

you've been a winner yourself lately, haven't you?

Me? How?

Poupolis crap game. Poupolis?

I don't know what you're talking about!

Oh, yes you do. I looked up those lawyers that sent you that wire.

Austin & Brown there's no such firm. You lied to me, Patsy.

Well, I didn't want you to know I made that money gambling.

I don't approve of gambling, except when it's necessary.

Well, you're liable to get in trouble,

get caught in a raid or something.

You've got to cut it out.

Oh, well, all right.

Promise?

Now see here, honey, don't you know better than to ask a person

to make a promise they can't keep?

Say, what are you trying to do, reform me?

Patsy, a woman of your age...

That's just it. It's only youngsters that have to watch their step.

Old people don't have to be respectable.

Old people are respectable in spite of themselves.

Hello, honey. I bet I am the first here today.

I'm sorry Patsy, but... If Opper's out, I will wait.

If he's at the theater, I'll wait...

If he's out of town, trying out a new play, I'll wait.

Mr. Opper is in conference.Great!

I've always wanted to see what a conference is like.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Oh. Hello, sweetheart.

No! No, what?

Just no.

I wouldn't take no for an answer, not even the tenth "No."

Now look, David, I want you to send, for that secretary

and tell her to bring in the books.What for?

I want you to look up 1904, 1905, and 06.

That is when I worked for you,

find out how much money I made for you in those 3 years!

If it's money you want, sweetheart...Oh, money...

Why, we're rolling in it.

That's what I came here to hand you.

Alabam is money in the bank.

She's got it all over me when I started.

Better looking and 10 times as much talent.

I told you before there's no place for a fan dancer in this show.

Fan dancer? Now, what are you talking about?

Well, that's the way started, isn't it?

Lincoln started as a rail splitter, didn't he?

All I ask you to do is to take a look at her.

Oh, what's the good?

Give her a chance to show you what she's got.

She sings like an angel,

she hoofs like the devil,

and when it comes to reading lines

she's a cross between Bernhardt and Duse.

Will you put that in black and white?

Sure, but you've been in the red so long you wouldn't understand it.

Alabam is the best bet on Broadway this minute.

Now folks, I brought you here for a special reason.

I won't take up much of your time.

We've been at it day in and day out for months,

and I just want to know whether the time is been wasted or not.

How about it, Walsh?

My end of the business is funny. It's all a question of rhythm.

You've got it or you haven't got it.

Thanks, Walsh. How about it, Lucretia?

Well of course, dearie, you have great possibilities.

But you know as well as I do

that this is a day of crooners and wah-wah singers.

I got it. Well, Mr. Marlowe?

My dear child, it was all my fault.

I was instructing you in a dead art.

Fine.

Now I'll tell you what I think of you.

You're three very swell people.

You've been sweet and patient all the way through,

and nobody knows better than me

how you've been wasting your time

trying to make a Man o' War out of a selling-plater.Oh, my dear.

Oh, I'm way ahead of you.

You all told me about specialization and you're right.

Find out what you can do best and do it.

Well, believe it or not, I've got a specialty.

So, I am all right. Only you've got to do me a favor.

Patsy is been reaching for the stars. She thinks I'm swell.

Don't tell her I'm not, let me do it.

We're in. We're set.

I've fixed It.

Get on your hat, honey.

I've just coma from Opper's office.

It's all set for a try-out.

Oh.

Oh?

Don't you know what that means?

Opper's the greatest producer in the business.

He sent for me. He begged me to bring you down.

Said he's been watching you for ever so long.

It was he, who discovered me.

The greatest nose for talent in the business,

and he's waiting for you right now in his office.

Oh, no. I can't go Patsy. I'm too nervous.

Great! That's a splendid sign.

You see if you weren't nervous

first thing I'd be nervous, too.

No, call It off, Patsy.

Call it off?

I'm not there. I haven't got it in me.

Don't ask me to go down there with you Patsy.

But you've got to. It's the chance I've been waiting for.

It means a job, and we've got to get a job, honey.

We're broke.

Broke? Patsy with all those bills piling up? Oh!

Bawl me out later on.

I broke my promise.

I went over to the Greeks.

The only reason I've got my shirt on is because I couldn't hock it.

But what's the difference?

You've got your break.

Opper is waiting.

It's not only my hunch.

It's Opper's, and he never misses.

He's the greatest producer in the business.

Tonight I fall off the wagon. Hot diggity!

Wait. How do I look?

Like a million.

Is my make-up okay?

Perfect! Come on. No, wait.

It's a good omen, it's lucky.

Come on, courage now, come on.

Glad he turned you down Alabam.

Cheap old skate. What does he know about talent?

Plenty.

Parade passed him by 20 years ago.

He never did know anything.

He's gotten by on bluff all his life.

Why he's the guy that turned down Chaplin

in the old days because he wasn't funny.

And he turned me down because I was funny.

I flopped and so did you.

Opper isn't the only manager in town. Do you think I'm giving up?

I am. I'm sorry old dear, but it didn't work out,

I haven't had much luck with managers beginning with Kendall.

I think I can do better on my own.

You don't want me around?

Sure I do.

But from now on you're just an innocent bystander.

I'm going to run things myself,

and I'm not going to wait till we get thrown out of here

for non-payment of rent, either.

Oh, don't let that bother you.

We'll meet that when we come to it.

We're not coining to it.

The little squirrels don't wait for the summer to end,

they gather nuts for the winter.

Oh, know you meant well, Patsy,

and you tried hard, but I've had just about enough of this reform ticket.

What I mean is Mama's going hunting.For what?

Bank roll, no penny-ante either, no more fishing for shrimp.

A whale, that's what I am after.

Somebody with a ton of money.

Money, shucks. That's the least of my worries.

My credit's good with Johnny Mills up to any amount.

Up to 10 bucks?

Up to 10,000 bucks.

What?

You heard me.

Say who is this guy anyway?

How did you happen to run into him?

I used to know his father.

His father was my,

my lawyer.

Is the kid well heeled?

Why?

He must be if he can stand for a 10 grand touch

just because you knew his father.

Well another day, another dollar.

Someday I'm going to build a dance floor right in the middle of the ocean.

Then I'll hire Paul Whiteman and his orchestra to come and play

for us in the moonlight, just we two, then we'll dance and dance

until he runs out of music.

I have a rough idea you like dancing with me.

That's a feeble way of expressing it.

Then give me 10 cents.

Come on, a thin dime.

What's it for?

An old habit of mine. Reminds me of my first job,

one of those Palais de Hop places.

Oh, I used to dance with anybody.

I must have gotten a dime from everybody but Rockefeller.

Where are you going? I'm going out and change all my money into dimes.

Oh, have a heart.

Come in.

You up yet? Why didn't you go to bed?

I haven't been sleeping very well lately.

All this money we owe and nothing coming in.

What are you worrying about? Didn't you tell me

you could always go to Johnny Mills for a touch?Mmm-hmm.

But It'd hate to do it.

I don't!

Johnny here again tonight?

Yeah, he brought me home. We were out dancing.

You've been seeing quite a lot of him lately, haven't you?

Legal matters?

No, money matters.

So, you haven't been asking him for money, have you?

Did you know that old man Mills popped off a couple of years ago

and left over a million dollars?

And now I leave it to you,

isn't that too much money for a kid like that to have?

Think of all the income tax he'll have to pay.

Alabam, why don't you answer my question?

Have you been getting money from Johnny?

You don't have to worry about all those bills. They've been paid.

Why don't you look me in the eye?

Why don't you be your age? You're old enough to know the facts of life.

Certainly I've taken money from Johnny, and I'll take more.

I'll grab as much as I can.

You can't do that, not to him.

What makes him different from any other sucker?

Why shouldn't I be the one to take him?

There are lots of good reasons.

Give me one.

I won't let you.

Do you mind telling me what business it is of yours?

I wouldn't let you do that even to a stranger. It's not right,

especially to him. He's a friend of mine.

He's the finest kid in the world

and I'm your mother.

I've got the right to stop you from doing something that's low and cheap.

How do you like that?

Who are you to tell me what's low and cheap?

I'm sorry I ever went into that old ladies home.

First you come in here and disorganize my life,

and then you try to run it. If you don't like the way I do things, get out.

Or else mind your own business, and leave me alone.

Take your choice.

You don't leave me any choice, Alabam. You're right. I did fail.

I'm used to failure.

I was pretty nearly through when you took me in.

I am just a little bit nearer now.

I'm sorry we had to say nasty things to each other.

But you're not going to do this to Johnny Mills.

You can't! You can't.

I won't let you. I will find some way to stop you.

Patsy.

Patsy.

Pat...

Thanks for the lunch. I won't take up any more of your time.

Oh, yes you will.

You'd be surprised how much of my time you're going to take up.

Tomorrow you'll come into court with me and watch me win a good case.

Then we'll have lunch. How about lunch every day this week?

And dinner? You forgot breakfast.

So I did, the most important meal of all. By all means breakfast, too.

Well, that practically comes under the head of supporting me.

Well? Well how do you know I'm not

working you for a good thing?Are you?

I borrowed quite a lot of money from you

and there isn't the slightest chance of my paying it back in the near future.

What of it? You wouldn't have come to me

if you hadn't needed help, would you?

I'd like you to feel that I'm the one you can always come to,

that I am the best friend you have, except maybe Patsy?

By the way, how is she? I haven't seen her in some time.

She went out of town to visit some people she knows.

A great old girl.

She knew your father, didn't she? Wasn't he her lawyer?

He was more than that.

You've probably wondered about my interest in Patsy.

That photograph, was inscribed to my father.

When he died, it was her name he whispered in his last breath.

Did she ever tell you about him?

No.

They must have been crazy about each other.

I wonder what broke it up.

May I have this, Johnny?

Surely.

Well. Hello.

How are you? All right.

I got your subpoena and here I am.

I was wondering if I'd have to issue a bench warrant.

Come on.

I was hoping she'd change her mind.

I waited praying she would.

But she's seeing him every day. She's going through with it.

You've got to do something to stop it.

It's odd that you should come to me like this, Patsy.

Oh, I'm torn between two people. I love them both.

I can't help the one without hurting the other.

I'm in trouble.

Where else could I go?

What else could I do? No...

I didn't mean that. I'm glad you came to me, Patsy.

But you're the second person within 24 hours that's asked me to break up this affair.

Who's the other?

John's mother. I told her I couldn't do anything about it.

But now I believe that I can.

But you mustn't do anything to hurt Alabam.

I wouldn't have you do that.

From what you tell me, she's not the sort of person anybody can hurt.

Operator, get me Georgie Lee

at the Wilson Apartments.

The witness will please take the stand.

Raise your right hand.

Solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

I do. What's your name?

Georgie Lee.

How would you like to change it?Huh?

I said "How would you like to change your name?"

To what? To Mills.

I refuse to answer on the grounds

that it would tend to...

Degrade and incriminate you?

No.

Degrade and incriminate you.

Oh, come now. Have you any objection to

matrimony as a social institution?

Are your affections otherwise engaged?

Are you at all interested in one John Mills?

Then I repeat my question.

How would you like to change your name to Mills?

Well, I... Answer, yes or no.

Never mind, I wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

You've got to take "no" for an answer Johnny, I can't marry you.

Why can't you?

Because I love you.

Well, if that's the case, two and two make three.

No, four as usual.

I'm a phony, Johnny and a half-baked one at that.

I guess I can't go through with anything good or bad.

I went after you because you had money,

that's what I was interested in from the start.

Okay, will you marry me?

Darling, you don't understand...

Look, why do women become interested in man anyway?

Because they're rich or strong or attractive or smart.

All right. In my case, it was money.

Doesn't that bother you?

It would except for one thing.

Why do you tell me about it? Now.

I meant to take you for a ride, but somehow I...

Listen, do you remember telling me the big kick

you get out of life is laughs?

All right I'll hand you one right now.

You went out after a rich young man,

but the man who's proposing to you now is practically broke.

Yes, I know. So is Andrew Mellon.

No, it's true. All the money in my family belongs to my mother,

and she objects very strenuously to you.

We've had lots of fights about it.

She finally told me that if I insisted on marrying you,

she'd cut me off without a cent.

And I do insist on marrying you.

That is if you're willing to marry a man who has to work for a living,

and at the present has a very modest income.

Johnny, if you'll only promise me to stay poor the rest of your life.

We'll be practically paupers. We'll spend every cent we make

and end in the poorhouse. Give you my word of honor...

I know somebody who will be happy about this, Patsy.

You must give me her address so I can send her a wire.

No, no, let me do lt.

Sit down, Miss Lee.

Why should I? I'm tired of listening to other people.

I'm going to listen to myself for a change.

You've got nothing on me.Yes, I have.

Tell Johnny I started in a 10 cents a dance joint he knows it.

Tell him I was a fan dancer

and pinched in a police raid, he knows that too.

He knows all about me.

Does he know that you started out with the sole purpose of getting his money?

Is that true or Isn't it?

Yes, but it isn't true anymore.

Besides I told him all about it,

but it didn't make any difference.

He asked me to marry him, and if I do,

his mother is going to cut him off without a cent.

That's what gave me the chance to say yes.

It proves I wasn't after his money, doesn't it?

And I love him and I'll do anything for him.

Yes, look what you've done.

Already you hurt him.

If he marries you he loses his inheritance.

We don't care about money.

You've alienated him from his mother.

If you marry him, she'll never see him again.

Well, that's her loss, what has she got to do with it?

What has anybody got to do with it except me and Johnny?

I won't give him up, I won't give him up for anybody.

I promised Mrs. Mills that I'd put an end to this,

and I'm going to do it.

You can't.

Who do you think you are,

sitting up there on your bench looking down at people.

Little people that made mistakes,

hanging your gavel, judging and punishing.

Well, this is one spot where you can't judge and you can't punish.

Perhaps not, but I'd like to recall to you that when you were arraigned before me,

I sentenced you to one year. I suspended that sentence.

But I can still put it into effect.

If you marry Johnny Mills, you'll spend your honeymoon in prison.

Your Honor, that's blackmail, isn't it?

I'm using a weapon that your own past provided me with.

I guess you don't know Johnny as well as you think you do.

You think it'll make any difference?

Don't you suppose he'll wait for me?

I can marry him when I get out, can't I?

Not if you love him.

You've got nothing on me to send me to prison.

That suspended sentence is a bluff and you know it.

That's true, it is. Well, go ahead, marry him.

I can see the story in the newspapers.

All the juicy details, "Charlie Kendall's girl,

"night club queen,

"fan dancer, police record." Excellent publicity for a young bridegroom.

Bound to be a big help to a young attorney in his career.

Splendid dowry to bring to the man you love.

Oh, but I'm only wasting my breath.

I thought I could stop you, but I see that I can't.

I'm afraid you win.

No, I don't. You win.

You won before you started.

Alabam.

Hello, Kendall. Got a job for a good fan dancer?

Well, well, the chicken comes home to roost, huh? What happened?

Nothing, except I need a few laughs.

I guess I missed my old job at the Montmartre.

Sorry, kid, you should have dropped in a week ago.

This is my last night at the club.

I'm through with floor shows. I'm going to do a revue in London.

London? When do we go?

I sail tonight.

We sail tonight.

I'd like nothing better if I could sell the idea to Brooke

that's putting up the money for the show.

If I could only fix it with him.You've got to fix it.

I'll be aboard that boat tonight even if I have to stow away.

What are you running away from?

Never mind that, will you take me along?

I'll get in touch with Brooke right away.

No, wait a minute. I'll do even better than that.

I'll show him a sample.

Have you still got that old fan of yours?

Yes. it's in moth balls, but it's just as good as ever.

Well, dig it up, I'll put you on at the club tonight.

Brooke'll be there? And if you've got any of your old stuff left,

we'll sell him a bill of goods.Sold.

Now about terms.

You write your own ticket.

You'll get most of it anyway.

Hello, Alabam.

Hello.

See, I've got the same old key.

I just dropped in to see how things were coming along.

Perfect, Patsy, couldn't be better.

I thought you might feel sore at me, honey,

on account of that difference of opinion we had.

Oh, but I see you're not.

Otherwise you wouldn't be having that here.

Yes, I'm glad you dropped in.

It gives me a chance to say good-bye.

Good-bye?

I'm going back to Kendall.

He is going to do a show in London, and I've got a chance to go in it.

Wish me luck?

I wish you more than luck, honey.

I wish you joy and happiness and the right road.

Thanks.

I've got some packing to do. The boat sails at midnight.

Johnny.

Well, Patsy, when did you get back?

Why, tonight.

Well that's fine. You're just in time.

In time? Uh-huh.

I want you to be my best man.

Your what? What's the matter, didn't Alabam tell you?

No, I didn't. Why didn't you?

I've changed my mind. I've decided not to marry you.

Well, I know it's anything for a laugh, honey.

But I wish you wouldn't kid about this.

I'm sorry but it's cold, it's the wrong set-up.

Ask, Patsy, she'll tell you.

You wouldn't want to see me marry Johnny, would you?

Why, I don't know, honey. That is...

What is it, sweetheart? What's happened?

Let me go, Johnny. No, no, no, tell me the truth.

I was after your money, that's all I was interested in.

You told me yourself you'd be broke if you married me.

But that was the very reason you wanted to marry me.

I've changed my mind.

What changed it? What difference does it make?

Alabam you're keeping something from me.

Why don't you tell me the truth?

What's the matter? Can't a girl change her mind?

Maybe I'm not the marrying kind.

I guess I belong in the Montmartre.

I never should have left the place.

When you quit there, I was fool enough to think

you wanted to make something of yourself.

Well I did, didn't I? Yes, you did...

Something cheap and low and disgusting...

When you took Patsy in I gave you credit for decent, human motives.

I can see now why you did it,

just to cover up your gold digging.

Go on sail into me. I rate whatever you want to call me,

but I can't help it, that's the way I am. No good.

I'm sorry. Sorry?

You couldn't be sorry for anyone but yourself.

I'm glad I found out now instead of later. Go on back to the Montmartre.

That's where you belong.

What am I supposed to do? Go back to the office and blow out my brains?

Well, don't worry, I won't.

Principally because I haven't got any brains.

Well, Patsy, you're a good manager at that.

See how swell everything turned out.

"M" is for the million things

she gave me.

"O" is only...

Well, why don't you crown me with a gin bottle?

You love him, honey? You love Johnny.

You heard what I said, figure it out for yourself.

Oh, you do love him. Love?

Lay off the word. It's out of my dictionary.

What are you worrying about now?

Everybody's satisfied, you, his mother.

Judge Daly.

Everything is all right.

God's in his Heaven and all's right with the world.

Johnny read that to me one night out of a book.

Somebody by the name of Browning wrote it. Poem.

I didn't know.

Oh, I wouldn't hurt you for the world.

Oh, baby please.

I am sorry but, I've got to go to work. Farewell appearance.

It's a regular try-out this time for bigger and better things.

Alabam.

Alabam...

Oh!

I want to see Mr. Mills.

It sorry but Mr. Mills is engaged.

No he isn't and I've got to see him.

Oh, Johnny, Johnny.

Why what is it, Patsy?

Remember you wrote me a letter once.Yes.

You said if I ever needed a friend to call on you,

well I need a friend now, more than I ever did in my whole life.

Well, what do you want me to do?

Oh, I want you to come with me.

But where to Patsy? I'll tell you outside.

Johnny, you know me. You know who I am.

Who I was.

I've begged. I've been a drunkard.

I've done everything you'll find on the police blotter,

but I wouldn't lie to you, you believe that don't you?

Why, of course, Patsy.

Well, this is the truth.

You're just where we were 30 years ago,

your father and I,

letting go of each other when we ought to have clung to each other.

Alabam's been so good to me, and I wanted to do something to help her.

And this is what I've done. I've balled up her life, just as I've balled up my own.

She loves you, Johnny, that is why she's giving you up.

Now look here, Judge... You got me into this

You're an old bachelor. What do you know about things like this.

You said you wouldn't hurt her and now look what you've done.

Please, please just a minute.

I thought I was acting for the best.

I promised your mother... My mother...

I am the only one concerned in this and Alabam.

That's what you get for butting in.

Now you upset this apple cart and you've got to fix it.

Oh, guilty on all charges.

Tell her I was wrong. Tell her I withdraw everything I said.

Tell her I'll perform the marriage ceremony.

Tell her... Tell her, tell her how?

She's gone back to the Montmartre.

She refuses to see me.

She won't listen to anybody.

She won't answer the telephone or pay any attention to telegrams.

It's all your fault and you've got to do something.

Now, please, wait.

Oh, I'm sorry I ever got into this.

Only a little while ago you were begging me to separate these two people.

Now you're asking me to bring them together again.

Huh?

Why can't a woman change her mind?

I never knew such a helpless man in all my life.

Where are you going?

You can't do anything, so I will.

I've got only an hour and 10 minutes.

She's not going to sail tonight if I have to sink the boat.

Who is it?

It's me, Patsy. Oh, let me in, Alabam.

I can't. I've got to go on in a minute.

Oh, please, honey, please.

It's a matter of life and death.

Oh, I'm not interested.

But I must speak to you for just a minute.

It's about Johnny. No!

Leave me alone. It's all finished.

Aren't you satisfied? Go away!

Hello, Patsy. Did you come down to see Alabam put on her fan dance?

Her what? Her old fan number.

It's a big surprise for everybody.

She's doing it for some Englishman out there.

Gang way. Gang way.

Hello.

Judge Daly.

Oh, Judge Daly.

Well?

Charming.

Get out of the way. Hold your seats everybody.

Stay right where you are.

Say wait a minute, Brannigan, you can't do this.

Oh, resisting an officer, huh?

Take him away.

Hey, now, what's the idea? You can't do this.

You're under arrest. Come on.

- Thank you, Brannigan. - Arrested again, eh?

Young lady, that constitutes an actual violation of your parole.

This time I can really invoke that suspended sentence

and I'm fully prepared to do so.

Don't you ever let go? No.

What's the arrest for? What have I done?

I warned you what would happen

if you attempted that fan dance again.

It was only a try-out.

I'm leaving town tonight, going to London.

Then you'll be rid of me for good.

That's what you wanted wasn't it?

If you hold me, I'll miss the boat.

That's too bad, but you broke your parole.

Oh, can't you forget about it?No.

I received a complaint, young lady that I can't possibly ignore.

From whom? From an old friend of mine.

I entered that complaint.

There's only one way to take care of that suspended sentence.

It's a tough, alternative, but the fact remains

either you marry me or go to prison.

That's it and I warn you,

you're up against three hard determined people.

Judge Daly, what are we hanging around here for?

I am waiting for Miss Lee's answer.

That is none of our durn business, come on.

Make up your mind, young lady.

Move over, Your Honor.