Original subtitles

(theme music plays)

WALTER WINCHELL: April 3, 1931.

A diner by the Chicago railroad yards.

On the surface it was like a hundred others.

Blue plate special was 35 cents.

Coffee and doughnut, a nickel.

The same price for a hamburger sandwich...

Five cents.

Behind the counter, Vic's Diner

became the headquarters

of Victor Kurtz,

Bootleg Czar of the Chicago South Side.

He was carving a pie that was not

on the menu.

With him was his enforcer

Holly Kester.

In for half the pie

was Monk Lyselle, boss of the North Side.

With Lyselle his lieutenant, Carl Danzig.

I put one toe across that line,

you get cut down.

I ought to get sore at you for talking like that.

What would I be doing on your side of the line?

Trying to grab off one of my speaks.

Like last month.

Or raiding one of my warehouses like in July.

(train whistle blows)

Or hitting a string of my trucks like last June.

Hey, come on.

That's all over now.

We made a deal.

We live by it.

We made a deal two years ago.

Okay, so maybe I got a little grabby.

Fingers in the jam, you know what I mean?

But no more. I learned my lesson.

It's like we're partners now, Vic.

There's plenty to go around.

Plenty of room for everybody.

Okay.

Plenty for everybody.

Holly, out.

I got some good stuff for ya. My own brandy.

50 years old.

-Oh. -For the partnership.

Vic, thanks. (chuckles)

Well, it's nice to have things quiet again.

Yeah.

You can put your enforcer out to pasture now.

What's that supposed to mean?

You can put away your gun for a while, that's all.

Ah, relax, Holly. Just ripping ya.

No hard feelings, Holly boy.

Like ya said, Vic, it's gonna be real nice...

having things quiet again.

So...

to the partnership.

WINCHELL: September 3, 1931.

Five months to the day

after the declaration of peace

a three truck convoy

carrying a load of Canadian Whiskey

to Chicago was intercepted.

The last of the three trucks

was stopped at 10:17 p.m.

The Untouchables hijacking of Victor Kurtz's trucks

was not exactly by the book.

But in the uneasy peace

between Kurtz and Monk Lyselle

it promised to start sparks flying again.

ANNOUNCER:

"The Torpedo."

Starring Robert Stack as Eliot Ness.

Co-starring Charles McGraw.

John Anderson,

and Gail Kobe.

Narrated by Walter Winchell.

WINCHELL: Two hours after the hijacking

of Victor Kurtz's convoy,

his enforcer, Holly Kester,

was having a quiet drink

in one of Chicago's notorious bottle clubs.

All I wanted to do was thank you

for my pretty new bracelet.

All right, so you thanked me.

Well, you don't have to bite my head off.

Oh, Holly, come on.

What's wrong with you tonight?

There's nothing wrong.

I'm fine. Here.

Have another drink.

Sure he's fine.

Nothing's wrong like the stock market.

Nothing's wrong.

Holly, was it because of what Frankie said before?

The hijack had nothing to do with it.

Don't even know what really happened.

All the stories getting around.

Yeah.

Holly, you know,

I know what's wrong with you.

All right, what?

Well, you're, you're itchy. You're bored.

You've been away from the kind of work that you do

for too long.

Hmm.

You're like, you're like an old...

you're like a war horse that's been out of the war,

and you want to get back into the action, right?

Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right.

I am like an old war horse.

Holly, baby, I didn't mean...

Oh, that's all right. No harm in saying it

as long as I'm not too old for you.

(soft laugh)

Are you kidding?

There is nothing in this world

I respect more than a man with maturity.

Holly.

Hey, Burt. You know Rita.

Hi, Burt.

Ah, come on, sit down. Join us.

-Uh, the boss wants you. -Huh?

Vic wants to see ya, Holly. Now.

Oh, okay. All right, I'll see you later, honey.

Yeah, yeah, you grab the tab.

Bye, Holly.

Bye, sweetie.

Come on, Holly.

Wait a minute, Burt.

What's this all about?

Convoy from Detroit was knocked over tonight.

Yeah, Frankie told me.

So why didn't you check in? Vic's been screaming for ya.

Well, I figured if he wanted me, he'd call me.

All right, well, we better stop off at your place.

For what?

Pick up your gun, Holly.

Let's step on it, Holly.

I-I'll be right with you, Burt.

Holly.

Wait a minute, What's the idea

sneaking up on me like that?

What are you talking about?

I just want to get going.

I told ya, Vic said make it snappy.

All right, so you told me.

What's the matter, Holly?

What do you mean, what's the matter?

Nothing's a matter.

Well, you looked when I walked in here

like you're kind of sick.

You've been drinking some of Kurt's cheap booze.

You, you're seeing things.

Look, what's eating ya, Holly?

There's nothing eating me, Just, just-- Forget it.

Come on.

There's something wrong. You can tell me.

I said forget it.

Okay.

Burt, I, uh,

I'm sorry. I guess maybe I was

feeling a little sick in there.

It's okay, Holly.

Come on. Let's move.

Lee.

Hi, uh, Holly boy.

How's it going?

How's it feel not packing any hardware, huh?

Very interesting.

Yeah.

All right, Holly.

Sure wish we had that diner bugged.

Yeah.

Hello, Monk.

Your right arm is packing a rod again, Vic.

How come?

Sit down, Monk.

You said a meeting. Why a convention?

You ought to try some of my vegetable soup sometime.

Keep you healthy.

Fresh vegetables.

Sit down.

All right, Vic. Let's have it.

What's this all about?

Well?

Plenty of room for everybody, right?

Yeah. So?

You learned your lesson? We're partners?

That's right.

No muscling in, no hijacking, right?

Right.

How do you like this guy?

How do you like him?

Doesn't bat an eyelash.

Come on, Vic.

If you want to say something, say it simple arithmetic

like 1 and 1 makes two.

One and one makes three.

And three of my trucks start from Detroit,

none of them gets here.

What are you talking about?

Simple arithmetic. Subtraction.

Three from three leaves nothing.

Now, you want to go back to the old way?

Okay, I'm ready.

My right arm's ready.

Now this is the first time I've heard about your trucks.

Now I don't want any trouble.

You get me three trucks, we'll start clean.

But I didn't move in on ya.

You got 24 hours to deliver three trucks.

I'll be waiting.

And you know where you can go with this.

24 hours.

Partner.

24 hours.

Holly, show them out.

I got a feeling the truth's just exploded.

Pretty quiet explosion.

No fireworks.

Give it time, Rico.

You'll get your fireworks.

You know, if you don't deliver,

Kurtz will try to grab those trucks.

Tell me something I don't know.

What are you gonna do?

Make him bleed, Carl.

Oh, how?

I'm gonna cut off his right arm.

Okay.

WINCHELL: 24 hours had come and gone.

The trucks that Kurtz demanded were not forthcoming.

Eliot Ness had set off a chain reaction.

The second explosion came on the night of September 5.

That's it.

Huh?

Queen of diamonds puts me out.

Huh?

You should have known I needed a queen.

Oh, yeah. Sure.

I mean, I picked up two of them right in front of your eyes.

Like I was screaming I needed a queen.

What's the matter, Holly?

I'm already into you for a fin.

(grunts)

You know something?

You better get yourself a pair of specs.

You better shut your mouth.

Here, come on, just deal them.

(Frank sighing)

Holly, Frank.

Huh?

Beat it.

Burt just phoned.

Lyselle's convoy is three trucks.

Made to order.

Yeah?

Burt said they passed through Quenneville five minutes ago.

That gives you about an hour to meet him and Charlie

at Meridian Junction.

That's right near the convoy.

Holly?

Huh?

Feels good to be back in action, huh?

Just like old times, Vic.

Step on it.

I got it down to the floorboard.

(tires screeching)

They're closing in on us.

Well, get ready to nail them when they pull up to us.

Holly!

(tires screeching)

(crashing)

(slam echoes)

Shell shocked, Holly?

How does it feel to be a target instead of a torpedo?

Man your age should start thinking about

doing himself some good.

I got nothing to say.

I hear three of Kurtz's trucks were hijacked.

You better ask Vic about that.

I hear Kurtz blames it on Lyselle.

Well?

Ask Vic.

So now there's bad blood again between Lyselle and Kurtz.

And you're right in the crossfire, right, Holly?

What do you want from me?

Information.

I want to know where and when Kurtz's trucks roll

and where and when Kurtz plans to hit Lyselle's convoys.

What do you think I am, Ness?

It's the only way out of the crossfire, Holly.

I ain't gonna talk anymore. Book me and get it over with.

What for?

Downstairs the detective asked me

if I had a permit for that.

And you don't?

Oh, don't worry, Holly.

We have no proof the gun even belongs to you.

Oh, the cops found it in the car.

It's mine, all right.

I broke the law. I'm ready to take the rap.

So you can cool off for a couple of months?

No chance.

Get him out of here.

Uh, listen, Ness...

I'm only gonna listen to what I want to hear-- information.

Come on, let's go.

He's a pretty nervous torpedo.

I thought you might swing it.

He'll be back.

(gun chamber clicks)

We keep the pressure up, he'll be back.

I don't want my boys talking to Ness.

I don't want Ness talking to my boys.

Oh, come on, relax, Vic.

You know Holly don't talk.

I know Holly don't talk.

You know Holly don't talk, but Ness-- maybe he don't know that.

(knocking)

Yeah?

(grunting)

Where you been, Holly?

Oh, just trying to keep out of sight.

What about Ness?

What did you tell him?

Nothing. Nothing.

What did he offer you?

Nothing. He-he didn't offer me nothing.

Okay, that's enough.

Okay, I, uh, help myself?

-Sure.

Last night, uh...

who gunned Frank?

I don't know. It was dark.

I didn't see, and the car was going, like, 60.

Oh. Good thing you had your gun.

Figure you picked off one or two of 'em.

I don't know, Vic.

I-I... I don't think I could tell.

Uh, Vic, Burt and Charlie-- they, uh...

they picked up Lyselle's trucks last night.

So?

Well, I figure that sort of evens things, huh?

But you're forgetting about Frank, aren't you?

No.

I'm gonna even Lyselle.

Gonna even him right down to the ground.

Well, he-he's gonna try doing the same thing to you.

Yeah, well, I'll be waiting.

Oh, uh,

that's just gonna make it lousy for everybody.

Vic? Vic, you remember how it was before?

You know, b-before we made the truce.

It's gonna be the same thing all over again.

You're worried, aren't you, Holly?

I'm not worried, Vic.

Well, you should be.

Oh?

Lyselle wasn't trying to get Frank.

He was out to get my enforcer.

He was trying to get you, Holly.

All right, we'll give him a dose of his own medicine.

You're gonna get his torpedo.

You're gonna get Danzig.

You're gonna get him tonight.

It's as good as done, Vic.

You can forget it.

Burt'll drive.

Okay, Holly, go ahead.

Burt, I want to ask you something.

No, go on, go on, Holly.

Be with you in a minute, Holly.

Yeah, Vic?

What's with him?

What do you mean?

What's eating him?

Nothing. Looked fine to me.

Now, don't give me everything's fine

just because you two bum around together.

He's changed.

He's different. He hasn't got it anymore.

Oh, you're wrong, Vic.

Five months out of action. He hasn't got it anymore.

Look, he's tired, that's all.

Like you said, he had it rough last night.

Holly is okay.

He's as good as he ever was.

I hope so, Burt.

ANNOUNCER: Now back to The Untouchables.

WINCHELL: September 6, 1931.

An all-night movie theatre on Chicago's North Side.

Monk Lyselle's chief lieutenant

sat through a second showing of Min and Bill,

unaware of what was waiting for him outside.

He's liable to be in there all night.

Yeah?

Burt?

What did he say about me?

Who?

Kurtz over at his place this morning

when he wanted to talk to you alone.

He was just asking about the trucks

that Charlie and me hijacked from Lyselle last night.

Come on, you can level with me, Burt.

Oh, you're such a big shot.

Everybody's got to be talking about you.

You know, he thinks something's wrong with me.

He figures maybe I've lost my moxie.

S-Something like that.

Oh, come on.

Don't play Stella Dallas for me.

You're as good as you ever was. You know that as well as I do.

Sure.

Don't mind my bellyaching.

I... I don't know. I just...

Well, I don't know. It...

Can't do it, Burt.

What is it, Holly?

I can't do it. I lost my nerve.

That's okay. I'll take care of it.

Kurtz says it's got to be done.

Says I got to do it.

So, who's to know?

We'll tell Kurtz you did it, okay?

Mm, okay, yeah.

You handle the wheel.

Thanks, Burt.

All right.

Hey, Danzig.

(gunshots)

(gunshots)

Holly.

Help me, Holly.

(door opens)

Holly.

Help me, Holly.

Holly.

Holly.

(engine starting)

Holly.

Oh, Holly.

Eliot, Lee.

Score a hit for each side.

Burt Engle and Carl Danzig.

Any sign of Holly Kester?

Some witnesses saw a car speed away from here,

but none of them got a good look at the driver.

With all the fireworks, he's probably shaking in his boots.

Is Rico there?

He's talking to the witnesses.

Have him put a tail on Kester.

I'll stay on him from this end.

Right.

Building up the pressure?

Full steam.

I-I tried to tell that big ape.

I told him to stay in the car.

I---

just told him to stay out of trouble.

(train whistle blows)

I don't know what got into him.

Maybe when he saw Danzig, he had his gun out.

Maybe he was trying to warn me.

Go back to the car, you big ape.

Go back to the car, Burt!

Come on, take it easy, Holly.

It wasn't you fault; you were just doing your job.

Yeah, just doing my job.

I'm gonna make it right with you, Holly.

Give you a nice, fat bonus

for knocking off Lyselle's number one boy.

Five Gs.

Keep your lousy money.

Okay, okay, we're gonna do better than money.

(groans)

Figured you're sore about them hitting Burt.

Want to get back at them.

Want to hit Lyselle from all sides.

-That right? -That's right.

All right, you're gonna get plenty of chances.

You're my right arm, Holly.

We've had our ups and downs, you and me,

but you're the best man I got.

Yeah.

Yeah, I-I'm the best man you got.

Holly?

Holly?

What's the matter?

Well, that's what I'm waiting for you to tell me.

What's wrong?

I have already told you.

There's nothing wrong!

(chuckles) Yeah.

(sighs)

Oh, look, Holly.

All I want to do is talk to you.

Will you let up on me?

-Holly? -Hmm?

Honey, you can trust me.

What's wrong?

I've never seen you this way.

What way?

Like you're scared or something.

What? Me, scared?

The way you're walking around and looking out the window

like you're expecting somebody.

I am not so... Will you get that through your head?

I'm not scared.

All right, Holly.

(phone ringing)

Get that.

Sure.

Yeah, hello?

Yeah, sure.

Just a minute.

It's for you.

Who is it?

Well, he didn't say.

Yeah?

Lee.

This is Ness, Holly.

How'd you...

How'd you find out to reach me here?

What's the difference, as long as we're talking?

I got nothing to talk to you about.

Not even after last night?

I don't know what you mean.

No one knows better.

Burt Engle was hit, Holly.

It could have been you.

Time's running out.

Come on in and talk while you can.

I got nothing to say.

You-you can just forget about me, Ness.

-Ness? -Yeah, uh, forget it.

You didn't hear anything.

What did he want?

I said forget it.

Look, Holly, if you're in some kind of trouble,

-I want to know about it. -It was nothing!

Will you lay off of me?

Yeah, sure.

Okay, I'll leave you alone.

I'm sorry, Rita.

Yeah, sure, Holly.

Can I trust you, Rita.

Can I really trust you?

Oh, come on, honey.

You know the answer to that.

(exhales)

I got to talk to somebody.

Well, talk to me.

You'll feel better.

Just let it all out.

You're right, Rita?

I am scared.

It's the first time in my life.

It makes me all sick inside.

Can't do my job no more.

I-I freeze up.

My best buddy, Burt, he got himself killed

because of me.

Rita, this is no job for a man my age.

Well, you got a lot...

a lot of money, haven't you?

Why?

Well, we could away some place together.

And we could enjoy life.

You just don't walk out on a job like mine.

Th-There's no retirement, no gold watches

or farewell dinners.

They just don't let you walk out.

A man like me knows too much.

The only man they trust is one that's dead.

Bad enough thinking about it, but to top it off,

that Ness has got me in a squeeze.

Does he want you to talk?

Well,

maybe that's...

Maybe that one way out, but it's only a maybe.

30 years in this business.

30 years.

Then you wake up one morning and you look in the mirror,

and all you see is a sick old man.

Then you know you...

You don't have it anymore.

You're scared

somebody may find it out.

You get all sick inside trying to hide it from the world,

but you know you can't hide it from yourself.

I need you, Rita.

I---

(groans)

Rita, please help me.

Rita, I need your help.

Rita...

WINCHELL: During the second week of September, 1931,

Eliot Ness and the Untouchables applied increasing pressure

on Chicago's bootleg empire.

During that week, over 1,400 cases

of illegal whiskey were destroyed.

(gunshots)

(tires squeal)

Reeling from the losses,

Monk Lyselle struck out at Victor Kurtz's

truck convoys from Canada, and through it all,

Holly Kester had only his prayers to keep him alive.

I don't know, Holly.

I've had it.

I don't know what to do.

As far as you're concerned, I've had it.

Oh, now, Vic, you...

Oh, shut up.

Last night makes six truck in the last two weeks.

I couldn't help it, Vic.

Morning, Mr. Kurtz.

Uh, Charlie, I'm busy.

Wait outside, will you?

Yes, Mr. Kurtz.

We been together now, what is it, uh...

Nine years.

I keep telling myself everything's fine.

Nothing wrong with old Holly.

He's a rock, my right arm.

Well, it ain't true.

It just ain't true anymore.

Last night, Vic, the-they had the drop on me.

It would have been suicide, no less.

But everybody's getting the drop on you these days.

Six truck, you know what that's worth?

It's over 100 Gs in good Canadian booze.

Between Lyselle and Ness, they're drying me up.

The speaks is screaming; New York is screaming.

You haven't got it anymore, Holly.

Wait, wait, I don't have to stand for that.

You'll stand for what I tell you to stand for.

You've had it, Holly.

It's about time I started to think about number one.

That's me.

You're through.

I'm sorry, Holly.

That-That's the way it is.

Mr. Kurtz, Phil Aragon's here to see you.

Send him in.

Morning, Mr. Kester.

Uh, Mr. Kurtz,

uh, I got something very interesting.

Uh, a real hot news item.

It better be good or I'll throw you out of here.

Oh, it's good, it's good.

I thought you'd be interested in some special arrangements

Monk Lyselle's making.

Spill.

Um, a C-note?

It's cheap, cheap at twice the price.

If it's worth it, I'll pay.

Okay.

Uh, you know Lyselle's joint?

The funeral place over on 11th?

Yeah.

He's moving all his booze in there.

Downstairs, you know, where they make the statues and things?

When I say all his booze, I mean... I mean the good stuff

he lifted off of you.

He's getting ready for a run, a really big one.

When's it set?

When Phil Aragon brings in information,

he don't just bring in bits and pieces,

he brings in the whole story.

I'm not paying you for conversation. When?

Okay, okay, Mr. Kurtz, okay.

I'll give it to you like a railroad timetable.

All the booze will be in by tomorrow afternoon,

and the trucks will be there to pick it up

by 10:00 p.m. tomorrow night.

Two C-notes.

Like you said, it's worth twice the price.

Mr. Kurtz, you're a gentleman.

Mr. Aragon, you're a louse,

but I can use what you sell.

Well.

Fella has to make a living.

Uh, bye, Mr. Kurtz.

Lyselle.

Grab every bottle of booze he's got.

- (train whistle blows) -I'll smash him.

Give me another chance, will ya, Vic?

I used to work out of there when I was with Colosimo.

I know the place.

Okay, Holly.

Okay.

Better be good.

Oh, it'll be good. It'll be good, Vic.

Send Charlie in.

Right.

Oh, hey, he wants to see ya, kid.

Well, Mr. Kurtz?

I'm sorry, Charlie, uh...

I'm keeping him on.

He's okay.

He'll make it.

How about me? I...

I thought you were gonna give me a crack at the job?

Not right now, Charlie.

Don't get itchy.

Your time will come.

Ah...

Nothing like a

steam towel to relax ya, huh, Mr. Kester?

Uh-huh.

If you got any troubles,

this is what the doctor ordered.

Makes you forget 'em like that.

Just do it, huh, Jerry?

Yeah, I got ya, Mr. Kester.

No talk. Just, uh, peace and quiet.

-Is that all right? -Yeah, sure is.

Good.

Wait, Lyselle, please.

Look at you.

Scared stiff.

Shaking all over.

Not the old Holly.

Hold on. Give me a break.

That's just what I'm doing.

Now stop rattling your teeth and listen.

I got a message for Kurtz.

And I want you to deliver it personal.

You tell Kurtz that what's going on

is no good for either of us.

We'll dry each other out.

They'll be no business left.

Y-You want to make peace?

That's right.

There's room enough for both of us in this town.

We don't stop,

syndicate will move in and grab it all.

You tell Kurtz what I said, and get back to me.

You think he'll buy it?

He'll buy it. I can knock you off right now,

but I'm letting you go. He'll buy it.

Now get over to Kurtz and deliver the message fast.

Yeah.

Yeah, I sure will.

Sure will.

Anything else I can do, Mr. Kester?

Yeah, get my coat, will ya, Jerry?

Yeah.

-Here you are. -Yeah, thanks.

Is everything gonna be okay, Mr. Kester?

Things couldn't be better, Jerry.

Good luck, sir.

(gun shots)

RITA: Yeah. Who is it?

Holly. Let me in.

RITA: I'm busy. Go away.

I'm in trouble. Help me.

Help yourself.

Look, Rita, I thought everything was gonna be okay,

but then Lyselle, he caught me out in the open,

tried to blast me.

I got troubles of my own, old man.

Don't tell me yours.

They'll kill me.

Uh-huh.

Get out of here or I'm gonna call the cops.

Better yet, I'll call Kurtz,

and I'll tell him all about you and Ness.

Now, get out of here.

-Get out of here. -(door slams)

♪♪

Uh, information.

The Federal Building, please.

The office of Eliot Ness.

WINCHELL: At 6:00 the following evening,

Vic Kurtz was still trying to locate his enforcer.

Well, looks like he disappeared.

Like there never was any Holly Kester.

You know what I think, Mr. Kurtz?

I think he took off for good.

I told you, he's been running scared.

Okay, we'll do it without Holly tonight.

Arrive early and pay Mr. Lyselle a surprise visit.

After tonight, we'll find Holly,

wherever he is.

Take this for the drivers.

See you later.

(rustling)

(rustling)

-Now, who is it? - (rustling)

(gunshot)

(rustling continues)

I

Who the devil is it?!

KURTZ: Your partner, Monk.

I've come to get my booze back.

(gunshots)

Beautiful.

Just beautiful.

Lyselle's drivers will be here in about an hour.

We'll give them the red carpet treatment.

Forget it, Kurtz.

(gunshots)

Watch it!

(gunshots)

I

This looks like all of it.

Yeah.

It's all over, Holly.

You can go now.

Go where?

The coast, any place out of Chicago.

California?

Yeah, maybe.

Maybe they wouldn't get to me out there.

I'd leave tonight, Holly.

Okay, sure.

I'll leave tonight.

No, maybe they won't find me out there on the coast.

Maybe they won't find him out on the coast.

Maybe.