Original subtitles

Good evening. I hope it doesn’t disillusion you

to see me doing such menial labor.

But I’d like to demonstrate that I’m just an ordinary person,

besides, I need the money.

You see, this isn’t my car, it’s my brother’s.

He hires me to do work of this sort.

He keeps telling me it’s for my own good.

I suppose it is in a way since a car will become mine,

if anything untoward should happen to brother.

[knocking]

That’s peculiar!

I don’t believe you’ve met my brother.

[mumbling]

Goodness! He used to drop his H’s.

Now he’s dropped the entire alphabet.

I closed the trunk because I know he’d like it that way.

He always hated our stories,

and we have one coming up in just one minute.

Yes?

Could I please see Mr. Towers? My name is Dave Sumner.

I’m an old friend of his. From college.

Well, OK, but, uh...

uh, you’d better go around to the back entrance.

Back.

[jazz music playing]

It’s not just that you spend ten hours a day at the office.

It’s all those stupid business dinners,

Stanley.

The least you could do would be to take me dancing

every once in a while.

Oh, honey, the least you can do is just

let me finish reading this report.

Look, why don’t you go out shopping or something, huh?

[footsteps]

What is it, Hilda?

It’s for Mr. Towers, ma’am.

There’s a man at the back door. He says he knows you.

At the back door?

Yes, sir. He says his name is Sumner.

Says he’s an old friend of yours from college.

Sumner?

That Dave Sumner? Tell him to come right in.

Well, I-I don’t think he wants to come in Mr. Towers.

He don’t look like somebody who--

Well, I mean, his clothes.

Oh, all right. I’ll-- I’ll go out and see him.

-Dave Sumner! -Stanley, hi.

Why, you’re the last person in the wor--

What, it’s gotta be 20 years, huh?

Yeah, 20 years at least, huh.

Oh, come on in!

-Thanks. -Sit down.

I-I was over in, uh, Hartsdale doing some odd jobs

and I remembered you had a place near here.

I just thought I’d stop by.

[chuckles]

-I-I hope you don’t mind. -Mind? Of course not!

Gee, you’ve got a great place here, Stanley.

Well, listen, what in the world had happened to you?

Since college, I mean.

A lot of things, I guess. Most of them bad.

Oh, I can’t figure it out!

You were the head of our class, Dave.

Yeah.

You were president of our senior class.

You were honor student. Valedictorian.

You know, I still remember the day you walked off

stage at graduation.

Why, you had a stack of awards and, honors, up to here.

Yeah, it was a long time ago.

Yeah, sure was.

Listen, are you hungry? Want something to eat?

-I wouldn’t mind. -Hmm.

Boy, I-I still remember how we used to sit around and talk.

You know, at the fraternity house.

Remember? About how we felt about things and, you know,

what we, what we wanted out of life?

-Yeah. -Right, we-we never

did see things the same way, did we?

-Nah, I guess not. -No.

Yeah, I had a different picture of the world. Nice and simple.

-Huh. -If you didn’t take,

you got taken, that was it.

Well, I saw it happen with my old man,

with that extrusion machine he invented.

He sold the patent for 500 bucks

and some big company turned it around and made

-$5 million with it. -Hmm.

Boy, that’s when I decided,

you take it where you can find it.

Did you know how old I was when I made my first million?

Thirty-two, Dave. [chuckles]

But listen, I’m not letting you do

any talking. What about yourself, Dave?

What’s been happening to you?

Not much to tell.

Things just didn’t pan out since I graduated, I...

tried all kinds of work.

Lately, I’ve just been picking up jobs wherever I could get ’em.

Listen, if there’s something I can do around the place,

Stanley, anything at all, huh?

Gee, I-I don’t know, Dave. We got a pretty big staff right now.

Oh, but for old Dave? I’ll...

Well, sure, we’ll find something for you to do.

Hey, you can help out around the house.

And you can drive my wife around when I’m using the chauffeur.

Hey, you can help out when I’ve got people over, I...

I’ve got big business meetings here all the time.

You know, you can’t work an eight-hour day

when you’re the boss. You know what I mean, Dave?

Well, what’d you say? Sound OK?

-That sounds fine. -OK, it’s a deal!

Listen, I’ll pay 80 bucks a week and your keep.

And, uh, well, let’s, let’s do something

about these clothes, huh?

Dave, it’s good to see you.

Do I have to sign all these?

That’s right, Mrs. Towers.

-All six copies? -Yep.

Sign all six copies.

Well, that’s all I’ve been doing all night long.

A person could get writer’s cramp.

Oh, it’s worth it, darling. You are now the sole owner

of a million dollar business.

Oh, thanks, Dave. Say,

would you put something else on the phonograph?

[Dave] Thank you.

Oh, Stanley, I just don’t understand, I mean,

I know it’s legal and all, but you know,

I really don’t know anything about running a factory.

But you don’t have to worry, about it, Mrs. Towers.

You’ll be getting rid of your interest in the plant

in six months, just as soon as we get rid of it at a loss.

Seems silly to me. Buy a whole factory just to lose money.

Well, that’s the way we do business these days, darling.

Ain’t that right, Jim?

That’s right.

Say, what about my cousin Freddy?

Can we get him that deal as plant manager?

Well, if you still want him, Stanley.

But if you put any more relatives on the payroll,

we won’t need an organization chart, just a family tree.

Well, I guess that goes everything for this evening.

Gee, thanks for coming by the house, Harry.

I’ll-I’ll see you back in town. And, uh,

give my regards to the wife, will you Bill?

I will. Thank you very much.

Come on, I’ll see you at the door.

Goodnight, Mrs. Towers.

Yeah, goodnight.

Say, uh, what did say your name was?

Sumner. Dave Sumner, ma’am.

Oh, yeah, that’s right. Dave.

Would you get Mr. Towers another drink please?

Or just bring the whole bottle.

Yes, ma’am.

-You know what? -Ma’am?

My husband just loves a drink after every meeting.

Oh, I’ll try and remember that.

Yeah.

Hey, it was a good meeting.

-Oh, yeah? -Hey, where’s my drink?

What-his-name’s getting you a fresh one.

Dave. Honey, how many times I gotta tell you his name

is Dave.

Oh, thanks. Thanks, Dave.

Listen, it’s after midnight. Why don’t you hit the sack?

-Yes, sir. -And, uh, maybe you could

brush up my clothes for the morning.

Yes, sir.

[chuckling]

What are you laughing at?

Oh, nothing, I was... I was just thinking.

-Oh, yeah? -Yeah.

What were you thinking?

Thinking about college.

-College? -Hey, you know Dave

and I went to college together. We were buddies!

As a matter of fact, we were in the same fraternity.

Rah-rah-rah.

Only here’s something I didn’t tell you?

Did you know he was president of our senior class? Yeah.

Yeah, good old Dave was top scholar

in the whole school.

-Him? -That’s right.

Yeah, Dave was always a very funny guy.

He figured all you have to have in this world were top grades

and high scholastic honors.

He thought all you had to do was play the game right.

Only he didn’t know the rules, not like I did.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute, I wanna show you something.

Oh, your college yearbook? I didn’t know

-you were sentimental. -Yeah.

Here. Let me see that.

-Oh, that-- -That’s your picture!

That’s not what I want to show you.

Let me see!

Well, well, little Stanley Towers.

"Stanley Towers, business administration,

vice president, dance committee."

-Is that all? -Oh, give me that.

-You let me see! -Wait a minute.

Oh, here it is.

Here. Read that.

"David L. Sumner,

Phi Betta Kappa, president of the senior class,

chairman, debating society.

editor in chief, the Lancer.

Winner of Polk Award for Scholastic Excellence.

Voted, ’Most Likely To Succeed.’"

Yeah, that’s the part. That’s the best part of all.

Voted, "Most Likely To Succeed."

[chuckling]

-Oh, say, uh... -Ma’am?

Do you have the right time?

I’m sorry, I don’t have a watch.

Oh, well, doesn’t make any difference, anyway.

Stanley will come home when he gets good and ready.

Do you mind if I ask you something?

Oh, not at all.

Uh...

Well, how come?

How come what?

I mean, how come a man like you, see, my husband says

you got a real brain.

How come you’re doing work like this?

It’s the best I could get.

Oh.

I, uh, saw your picture in the college yearbook.

-Hmm. -You haven’t changed very much.

[laughing]

Not like Stanley. Boy, he changes every year.

-Hey, would you mind? -Pardon me?

I mean, you can fix the books later.

I just kind of wanted to talk a little bit,

-yeah? -Wow.

What is it you’d like to talk about?

Oh, well, you’re so smart, you tell me.

No, I just want to ask about you.

Maybe Stanley isn’t curious, but I am.

Well, it’s not very much to say, I, uh, do odd jobs,

I try to do them well.

Was that what you call success?

Maybe it is.

OK, if you don’t want me around, I’ll go.

No, no, no...

It’s your house, Mrs. Towers.

That’s so, huh?

Yeah, I suppose it is in my name.

Stanley has so many kooky deals going,

I never know what’s mine and what isn’t.

Come on now, what about it?

Was there some woman or something?

Was that a stupid question?

No, no, no... that’s a very good question.

Yes, there was a woman.

Everything seemed fine when I graduated.

I never had a moment’s doubt about my future.

The class even voted me, "Most Likely To Succeed."

But I guess you know that if you saw the yearbook.

Yeah, I saw that.

Would you like to have a seat?

No, thanks.

Well, I-I took a job with a brokerage firm,

a friend of my old man’s.

That was my first mistake.

I ended up marrying the boss’ daughter.

That was my second mistake. She...

She was no angel, let me put it that way.

I went along with her as long as a I could,

when I couldn’t take it anymore, I...

I got a divorce...

from her, from the job, both at the same time.

That’s when I discovered I wasn’t much of

a business man.

I couldn’t make out with any other brokerage firm.

[sighs]

I paid alimony for six years until she got married again.

That’s when I started drinking.

I guess that’s what finally did it.

[whistles]

And I thought I had it rough.

You?

Oh, it doesn’t look like it, does it?

Big house, a lot of money, a lot of jewelry.

Little Louise Johnson, a regular Cinderella, huh?

Only thing wrong is Prince Charming.

Oh, you’ve been around here for a couple of weeks.

You know what goes on.

He uses this house like a hotel.

If it isn’t one business meeting it’s another.

If he can’t do business at lunch, he does it at dinner.

If he can’t do it in the daytime, he does it at night.

That must be pretty rough on you.

Oh, you have no idea.

Do you know that even when we’re alone

he’s thinking about business?

He’s always gotta come up with some smart, new way

to put something over on his competitor, or the tax boys.

Now,

wouldn’t you think that I could pick out the furniture

for our own home?

Oh, no, he has his company order it.

And then he just has a truckload set up here.

And you know that new wing we’re building on the house?

-Yes? -Where do you think

all that lumber and stuff is coming from?

He has his company order that and then he makes a deal with

the contractor just to send it up here.

I don’t even think that’s legal, do you?

I doubt it.

He has a thousand little things like that.

Like putting his family on the payroll at fancy salaries,

and then having ’em kick back half.

Oh, he comes up with something like that every day.

And I’m just getting sick of it.

I’m just getting sick to death of it.

[sighs]

-Mrs. Towers. -What?

Is there something I can do for you?

Get you a drink, maybe?

You know, Dave, I think you’re right.

Success is a lousy thing, it really is.

It’s better to be a bum.

-I-I don’t know about that. -No, I mean,

you have more fun that way. I’m so bored here.

All I can think of to do is to eat!

-Hey, that’s a good idea. -What’s that?

Why don’t you fix me a hot fudge sundae?

Something real warm.

Yes, ma’am.

Hello, Dave, old buddy boy!

-Good evening. -Whoa.

What a headache.

[grumbles]

Hey, fix me something, will you, Dave?

A little something fizzy, huh.

Yes, sir. I think there’s something in--

No, I don’t mean that, Dave.

Come on, make me a drink.

Give me a little Scotch and soda.

-Yes, sir. -Oh, boy!

These business meetings really take the starch out of you.

Uh, sometimes I wonder why I work so hard.

Hmm. I know why.

Money, Dave.

A lousy part is getting ten times harder

to make a dollar nowadays.

By the way the government’s got things rigged,

you gotta work every minute.

Gotta try all the angles, you can’t ever letdown.

Gotta keep going.

Tote that bar, lift that bail, and get a good lawyer.

Or you’ll wind up in jail.

Now, you ain’t got it so bad, Dave.

What you gotta worry about is a good meal now and then.

But when you got money,

oh, that’s when the troubles really begin.

-Is it worth it? -Sure, it’s worth it!

Nothing else is worth anything. Haven’t you learned that yet?

You and your shining lights and honor bright,

play the game according to all the rules.

[chuckles]

Ah.

You’re OK, Dave. You’re a nice guy.

What a shame you’re born a sucker.

Ah, I’m going to bed.

[whistles]

Dave.

-Ma’am? -I want you to drive some place.

Oh, yes, ma’am. Where to go?

Any place. New York, Boise, Idaho,

just so long as it’s away from here.

-Something wrong? -Oh, no,

the same thing that’s always wrong.

Only this time I’ve had it.

Stanley and I had a fight last night, I told him

what I thought of his phony business deals

I told him what I thought of being nothing

-but a tax deduction. -Uh-huh.

Uh, where’s Mr. Towers now?

Probably setting up some phony corporation

or I don’t know.

Would you take the bags out to the car?

There’s some more in the hall.

Well, all right.

Yeah, you don’t belong in this place, either.

What?

No, you’re a nice guy!

But you won’t be if you stay around him very long.

Look, why don’t we go some place together, huh?

Just any place!

I can’t do that, Mrs. Towers.

Well, it’s only gonna get worse, he’ll just make more and more

-deals! -I’m sorry, I can’t.

Hey!

What the heck’s going on here?

Nothing, I’m just going on a little trip.

Little trip? Where?

Any place! Just so long it’s away from here.

Wait a minute. What’s this all about?

I have tried to tell you a million times

what’s this all about!

Why don’t you ask your friend, Dave, here?

Maybe you’ll listen to him.

Dave, huh?

Go on, Dave. You’re the big brain around here.

-Tell me what’s going on. -Nothing, nothing!

Mrs. Towers wanted me to drive her some place.

-That’s all. -Oh.

Give me the keys.

Give me the car keys!

If any driving gonna be done around here, I’ll do it myself.

Now, you take that bag and go upstairs, Louise.

You go see Everett for the money I owe you.

What?

-You mean I’m fired? -Yeah, I’m afraid so, Dave.

I don’t think this arrangement of ours is gonna work out.

Go on, consider yourself lucky to be out of this place!

I’ll talk to you later!

Well?

Well, I’m sorry. If that’s the way you want it.

That’s the way I want it.

Well, he’s gone.

I suppose you’d like to go with him, too, wouldn’t you?

Leave me alone, Stanley.

Yeah, you’re not kidding anybody, Louise.

You’re not going anywhere.

You like what you got too much, you’re not giving it up.

-Well, isn’t that right? -Leave me alone!

You know where your bread’s buttered?

Not with a guy like Dave Sumner, but with someone like me!

Well, isn’t that true?

Well, say it.

Go on, say it!

It’s true.

Now take that bag upstairs!

Well, let’s get this over with as soon as possible.

Yeah, I’d sure like to sneak in a couple of holes of golf

-this afternoon. -Yeah, it’s a good idea.

We’ve sure got the weather for it.

Figure this meeting won’t last more than an hour.

No, we’ve been over all this stuff before.

Hey, how’s your golf game, Harry?

Still shooting in the low 90s, huh?

It’s better now since I’ve been working with the pro.

Oh, Stanley, I’d like you to meet Frank Anderson

-from our New York office. -Glad to know you, sir.

He knows everybody down here.

I’m certainly glad to meet you, Frank.

Uh, you think this is gonna take very long?

Well, it all depends on what kind of a case they’ve got.

Let’s walk in and find out.

All right.

Make yourselves comfortable, gentlemen,

I’ll be with you in a moment.

Towers, I believe you know Mr. Sumner.

Dave?

You mean to say you know that man?

Of course, I know him. We went to school together.

He worked at my house only a month ago.

That explains it.

Treasure Department probably

assigned him your case because he once knew you.

You mean to tell me he’s one of them?

-He’s a tax investigator? -More than that.

He’s the most successful agent in the Treasury Department.

I do believe that was the most frightening story

we have ever presented.

Fortunately, it will only frighten

one segment of our population, tax payers.

Now, for something equally frightening.

A commercial. After which, I shall appear.

That is all for tonight. And it was quite enough too.

Next week, I shall be here again.

And I know my brother will be also.

[knocking]

I seemed to locked the trunk key inside.

So, until then, goodnight.