Original subtitles

(theme music playing)

Aw, man, that's got to be jive.

Nah, that's what I said, but my old man swears it's true.

And how long your old man been wearing this uniform?

He had over a year in the day I was born.

(laughs) Well, I guess he's seen it then.

Hey, I meant to ask you sometime,

how come he never made the Bureau?

They offered him a transfer into Robbery about five years ago.

I could have sworn he was going to make the move but...

I guess he just likes it here on the street.

DISPATCH: 211 in progress in market at 19th and Taraval.

Units to respond.

- Did you get that? - Yeah.

Repeat, 211 in progress in market at 19th and Taraval.

Three Charles Two responding.

(siren wailing)

(siren approaching)

(tires squealing)

Drop the gun, put your hands on your heads! Halt!

(car door shuts, engine starts)

OFFICER (over radio): Three Charles Two to headquarters.

DISPATCH: Come in Three Charles Two.

(over radio): Ambulance at the 211, 19th and Taraval.

Two suspects shot.

One male Caucasian escaped,

driving a light blue, late-model, four-door sedan.

Travelling east on Taraval.

License number not known.

Jqe!

Hey, Joe!

(knocking on door)

Yeah, yeah, hold it.

Hey, Joe, come on.

- Yeah! - Move it.

-(water running) - I'll be right there.

NQW!

All yours, buddy.

I didn't know you were in such bad shape.

Maybe you better tell me what kind of shape you're in.

What?

There's a 211 pursuit in progress; I'll drive.

What do you mean, you'll drive? What do you...

You think I'm drunk or something? What is this?

What, do you want me to walk a straight line for you?

Ah, we'll talk about it later.

No, we'll talk about it now.

There's a burglary suspect headed east on Taraval.

All right, we'll talk about it later.

But I'm driving.

Come on.

Told you I was all right.

Now get off my back, will you, good buddy?

OFFICER (over radio): Three Charles Two,

still in pursuit, closing on Taraval and 34th.

- That's Corky. - Yeah.

What's he got?

Armed robbery at a market on 19th.

He dropped two. One got away.

- A male Caucasian. - In a what?

(honking horn)

Light blue sedan.

-(continues honking) - Late model.

There it is.

It couldn't be.

They're only at 34th.

(tires squealing, siren wailing)

Holy cow, Joe, you almost hit that guy.

1973 Ford.

Light blue.

TBA-“NJ.

Call that in.

(tires screech)

I'm sorry, Officer.

I guess I shaved that red light a little too thin.

I... (chuckles nervously)

All right, get your hands up there.

- Take it easy. - Put your feet apart.

- Wider! Wider! - Hey, take it easy.

Yeah... Joe!

Why, you...

(tires screech)

(tires screech)

Joe?

He died on the way here.

I'm sorry.

You want to tell me what happened?

Oh, there was this car that went through a red light.

We took off after him because we thought

he was a suspect in that market holdup.

And, uh, we stopped him, and Mel was on the radio,

and I went up front to check him out.

And he jumped out of the car.

I shook him down, he took a swing at me.

Sol backed up to get my gun.

He went for me, he grabbed me, grabbed it...

and he killed him.

He shot him.

Was it your gun?

Yeah, I had a hold of him

and the gun fell to the ground, and then I...

-(tires screech, car door shuts) - When I went down to get it,

he dropped me.

And then he took off.

I'll need a description of the man, the car...

Corky...

...and the license number, if you got it. -Corky.

Corky. I got to talk to you for a second, Cork.

It's about your father.

He's dead.

Yeah.

Damn.

I'm going to stay with Corky.

That's a rough one.

Yeah.

MAN: Look, we were standing right over there.

- Where? -By the awning. - MAN 2: It was police brutality.

That's what it was.

Yeah.

Listen, it was just like we told you.

The guy stepped out of the car

and the cop starts pushing him and shoving him

and hitting him for no reason.

The guy didn't do anything, huh?

Sure he did; he pushed him back.

A man don't stand there and take that kind of thing from anybody.

That's it?

Okay, thank you very much.

You think I'm lying to you.

I didn't say that, man.

You're thinking it.

Okay, man, truth.

We don't know what happened.

There's only three people that do, and one of them's dead.

All we know is what we saw, and that's what we told you.

- Police brutality, man. - Shut up, Toomey!

The man don't even know what that means.

Listen, you want to talk to me again, you got my number.

(knocks)

I got something here.

The make on the car Dad called in while they were in pursuit.

TBA-“NJ.

DMV says it's registered to a Frank Graves.

Male Caucasian, 31 years old,

five-nine, 160, black hair, brown eyes.

Present address: 4025 West 76th Street.

Computer readout says no warrants, no wants.

But there's a record.

A column and a half ofjuvenile offenses,

including a stretch in Q for grand theft auto.

Been out three years.

Sit down, Corky.

You get out an APB?

Yeah.

How about the market?

- Is there anything to connect him? -Not yet.

- Mike... - Nope.

Not at all.

I don't want you on this case.

You're too involved. You're too emotionally upset.

Besides, there isn't anything you can do

that we're not doing already.

Now, don't you give me that look.

Believe me, I want to catch this man just as much as you do.

No, you don't.

Co rky!

KELLER: Corky, when you got a chance, I'd like to talk to...

You think he's going to be all right?

Yeah, he wants to be in on the case.

He wants to charge out and get himself shot

so that someone will have to tell Nina

she lost two men in one day.

All right, what did you get?

I've got two eyewitnesses.

What did they see?

Police brutality.

Oh, come on now.

Joe Lenders'?

Look, he may be a little hard-nosed,

but he never manhandled anybody.

I don't buy that.

All right, did they see the gun go off?

Not who was holding it, no.

You're not really thinking it was Joe Landers, are you?

I think if they were lying, they could've gone all the way.

They could've said Landers was holding it; they didn't.

Let me have a look.

There's a tear sheet on the desk.

Looks like the guy's name we're after is Frank Graves;

he's got a record.

Why don't you get a complete rundown on him

from his probation officer.

Right.

Hey, where are you going?

Joe Landers'.

Lieutenant, sir?

- My notebook. -(chuckles)

Maybe I ought to put you in charge of lost and found.

Lost and found.

Feeling a little shaky still.

Want some?

No. No, thanks.

Not for me.

Well...

Iron Mike, huh?

Always a cop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

I, uh... I guess that's why you're a lieutenant

and, uh, clowns like me are out walking the streets, huh?

Thought you'd be out shaking a few doorknobs

and looking under rocks for that guy.

Steve came up with two witnesses.

Oh, yeah? Yeah.

- Yeah. - Well, that's good.

What did they say?

Well, they said that this guy opened the door, came out,

and you slapped him against the car.

That's a lie.

I turned him around to the car,

he turned around, he hit me, he took my gun, and he shot Mel.

Your holster was unsnapped?

Yeah, sure it was unsnapped.

Thought he was a suspect

who'd been shooting at Corky and-and Sanders.

Okay.

Okay, so he hit you.

That's right I got hit.

Right in the head here. You want to feel the bump?

Come on, Joe.

You know I have to ask these questions.

'Cause of a couple of kids who probably need to wear glasses.

Because it's my job.

It doesn't exactly seem like a job to me today.

Look, I'm just trying to set the record straight.

Well, let me help you set something else straight.

I just saw my best friend shot to death in the street,

I just spent an hour trying to explain it to his son,

and now I got to go face his widow.

Now maybe you could handle all that like it was just routine,

but I can't.

So get off my back, will you, good buddy?

All right. We'll do it tomorrow.

Yeah, anytime.

Are you sure you're all right?

What's that supposed to mean?

It means I could drive you home.

Thank you for your concern, but I can manage.

Just get off the stick and find the guy who killed my partner.

STONE: 4027 is here.

4025 must be down here somewhere.

There it is, right there.

STONE: Keep your eyes open.

- Mrs. Graves? - Yes?

Lieutenant Stone, San Francisco Police Department.

The other policeman already searched.

If you want to search, too, go ahead.

I got it, Mike.

Inspector Keller.

Mrs. Graves.

He's not there.

You said the other policeman already searched?

Was he a young man, tall, sandy hair?

Oh, no. He was, uh... he was closer to your age.

He had kind of silvery... silvery hair,

and I think he had blue eyes.

He wasn't wearing a uniform, either, but he had a badge.

I told him everything I know.

Forgive me for asking,

but, um... would you mind going over it again for me?

Please?

I know that he didn't do any of the things

that that other man said he did.

He didn't kill anybody.

Not any policeman. No one.

I mean, why would he do something like that?

He's got a good job, he's not in any trouble,

we're about...

That's why we're investigating.

Oh...

Uh...

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, I just don't know anything else.

He hasn't called me. I have no idea where he is.

He just left and didn't tell me where he was going.

KELLER: Excuse me. Thank you, ma'am.

If your husband happens to call...

well, it would be better for him

if he got in contact with me first.

Just in case you need anything.

KELLER: Well, if he hasn't talked to her yet, he will soon.

STONE: Yeah? What did you find up there, a crystal ball?

No, just the house shows a lot of care,

his wife's pregnant.

All right, Sherlock, we'll stake it out.

But I'll bet if he contacts her, we won't hear about it.

Hey, what about Corky coming over here like that, huh?

You're really going to have to sit on him.

It wasn't Corky.

R was Joe Lenders.

What did he want?

I don't know, but the way I left him,

I'm not too sure he knows either, right now.

(sighs)

Nina?

Can I come up?

JOE: I came by earlier, you know, and, uh...

NINA: I was at the morgue.

Nina, you didn't have to do that.

I did have to.

It was the only way I could convince myself it was true.

What happened, Joe?

(sighs heavily)

I don't know.

It's all like a nightmare, uh...

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

The guy got the gun, and, uh...

the gun went off, and...

Nina, there's nothing that I could have done, you know.

Can I get you something?

A drink, maybe?

Well, no, I'm-I'm fine.

NINA: You had enough already?

JOE: What?

When did you have the first one, Joe?

The first drink of the day?

What are you talking about?

Well, when was it?

After Mel was killed, or before?

Oh, now, Nina, no.

You know what Mel meant to me. I...

Don't give me that brother speech.

Don't do it, Joe.

I got that for too many years from Mel about you.

"Oh, Nina, Joe's just got problems.

"I mean, he'll be all right.

"I can't turn the guy in after 13 years of living with him.

He's a friend. A brother."

Well, I don't want to hear that from you, Joe.

Because you see, Mel wasn't my make-believe brother.

He was my husband,

and he was my life,

and now he's dead,

and all I want to hear from you

is the answer to one question:

Were you drunk?!

No, I was not drunk.

And I would have thought that Mel would have told you...

I mean, he'd been helping me so much.

I've been dry for almost a month, Nina.

I want to believe that, Joe.

I mean, I really want to believe that.

Because if I found out that you were lying to me now...

if I found out that Mel was dead

because you were out of control,

because you were not protecting him

the way he always protected you, I would...!

Oh, Joe.

Nina...

now, that's the way it happened.

You can believe that.

Oh, Joe.

I'm sorry.

Oh, it's okay.

You know, I loved him, too,

and I know that it doesn't do any good

to say this now, but...

I wish it had been me.

Maybe you ought to stay here, Joe.

Maybe neither one of us should be by ourselves right now.

I, uh... I thought that, uh... that, uh...

I thought, uh, Corky was coming over.

Yeah, he is. He is. He's on his way.

Well, you got him, okay?

I got something I got to do.

(phone rings)

Hello?

FRANK: Helen?

Frankie. Oh, sweetheart, where are you?

What happened? Listen, are you okay?

One thing at a time.

Have the... have the police been there?

HELEN: They said that you killed a policeman.

No. I didn't do it.

I didn't.

Frankie, just listen to me, all right?

You've got to go to the police station

and give yourself up, all right?

Now the man left a card here

with the number on it, and he said...

No, baby, I can't.

It's my word against a cop's,

and the way that guy came down on me, I'm a dead man.

Frankie.

Frankie?

Three David 19 to headquarters.

(on radio): Repeat, this is Three David 19 to headquarters.

We have a 1030 here in the Mission District

at Valencia and Clarion.

Dark blue sedan, license 764-lWJ.

Suspect, owner of vehicle, escaped on foot.

Believed to be in area. Request backup units.

Repeat, a 1030 in the Mission District

at Valencia and Clarion.

Dark blue sedan, license number 764-lWJ.

Suspect, owner of vehicle, escaped on foot.

Believed to be in area.

Request backup units.

STONE: The Mission District.

Didn't his probation officer

say that Graves' brother hung out there?

KELLER: Yeah, we didn't have an address.

STONE: Well, we've got Valencia and Clarion.

Come on, let's move it.

(siren wailing)

(tires squealing)

(siren wailing)

(tires squealing, siren stops)

- Where is he? - When he saw our car,

-he headed toward that building. - Is he still in there?

I don't know. My partner's watching the front.

Stay here, keep your eyes open.

(tires squealing)

Where is he?

He's in there, Joe, but I don't think...

That's all right.

(running footsteps)

Joe.

(hushed): Come here! I think I got him.

Watch it!

Steve!

KELLER: Yeah?

- STONE: Are you all right? - KELLER: Yeah.

KELLER: Where's Graves?

He's gone. That was Joe.

KELLER: What?

He thought you were Frank Graves.

What are you doing, huh? You could have killed me!

- What the hell are you doing, man?! -Come here!

All right, all right.

I didn't know it was you.

Just give me the gun.

Give me the gun!

Here.

What's going on?

Come on. Let's go.

And this time, I'll drive.

I was just trying to help, Mike.

You just tried to kill somebody, and it was almost Steve.

I didn't know Steve was in there.

You didn't ask.

Gonna be all right inside?

I'm all right now.

You're stinking drunk is what you are.

All right, so I had a couple of belts.

Who wouldn't?

STONE: Come on.

Oh, excuse me, Lieutenant, of course I know who wouldn't.

All right, I'm not the straight shooter that you are.

I'm not Iron Mike, you know,

the machine that doesn't make any mistakes.

I'm just plain ordinary old Joe Dokes Landers.

And I'm loaded! I'm loaded right up to here!

Give me my keys!

I make mistakes,

but that doesn't mean to say I'm what you think I am.

I'm no lousy wino.

I'm no drunken bum sleeping in the gutter.

For your information, good buddy,

we both belong to the same department.

We wear the same badges, we work the same hours,

and I lay my life on the line out there seven days a week,

just like you do!

Listen to me, Joe,

why don't you take the next two or three days off?

It'll do you good.

I'll tell 'em down at the station.

And just what are you gonna tell 'em?

That you're gonna take the next two or three days off.

I'll just bet that's what you're gonna tell 'em.

Well, butt out!

You got that? Butt out!

What I do on my own time is my own business.

I don't want your advice, your help or your missionary zeal.

Just... butt out!

We got a call.

Took Graves' car apart.

There's nothing in it now

he would have hid when they stopped him.

He could have dumped whatever it was.

Yeah, and he could have been high on something, too,

but his PO says no.

Said he went straight ever since he came out?

That's right.

You know what his juvie record was for?

Running with a street gang.

Whatever they did, he did.

Sounds like you're right back

to Joe Landers holding the gun when it went off.

Could be that all he did was run a streetlight.

Could be.

But Mel Shaffer is dead.

Okay, all right. But Graves has got a wife,

he's got a family on the way, a good job, money.

I mean, why is he gonna kill somebody for a traffic ticket?

Head for Potrero.

Why Potrero?

I think it's time we talked to Nina Shaffer.

Was he drunk when it happened?

I don't know that.

But you suspect it.

I suspect...

I suspect that Joe Landers may be an alcoholic.

Did Mel ever talk to you about it?

(sobbing): Oh, God!

Oh, dear God!

- Mom, sit down. - No!

No, he... he stood here and lied to me.

And now I'm gonna stand here and tell something

that should have been told to somebody five years ago.

Yes, he's an alcoholic.

Mom...

Mel knew it, but he wouldn't turn him in.

And he covered for him and he carried him.

And now he's dead because of it.

Mrs. Shaffer...

we don't know that.

Well, I know it!

You said five years ago.

Wasn't that about the time that...?

You know, I'm sure it was about the time

that Betty walked out on him.

And just about when Dad backed off

that detective slot in Robbery he was gonna take.

He did that for Joe...

and Joe got him killed.

Now wait a minute, Corky.

Don't hate him.

It's a disease.

A disease called loneliness.

II

(sighs)

(bottles clanking)

(sighs)

II

Inspectors 8-1 to headquarters.

Anything from that team around the Graves' house?

OFFICER (over radio): This is headquarters, 8-1.

Inspectors 24 report that wife of suspect on the move

and nearing the Mission District.

(over radio): Suspect entering the Mission District.

She's going to him, all right.

And he's probably with that brother of his,

a member of the same gang that Graves used to hang outwith.

KELLER: Yeah, Grim Reapers.

That's a bad bunch.

STONE: Grim Reapers, yeah.

Here we are chasing him right back into it.

You're the dude who said he'd never come back, right, Frankie?

Everybody comes back.

You know why?

'Cause they don't want you out there.

They never wanted you out there, Frankie.

You shut up, Vinnie, please, huh?

You thought that they were gonna show you the good life.

You thought that they meant all that stuff

about wanting to help you out, right?

Frankie, that company you're working for,

do you know the reason that you got that job?

You got that job because they need to show somebody

that they're do-gooders. That's all.

They get big brownie points on the outside and the government

by showing them that you're on the payroll.

But wait, Frank, wait till you need them,

when you really need them to be there...

Shut up!

(sighs)

Vinnie...

Oh, Vinnie...

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to yell at you.

I'm, uh...

I don't know, man.

I didn't do it.

And you know what?

The last thing in the world I need

is a lecture from my kid brother.

I didn't come here for that.

You know what I came here for?

A little help, Frank?

This is the place.

OFFICER (over radio): 8-1, this is 2-4.

The lady's stopping at a building on Lexington and 18th.

Keep her out of there. It could be a powder keg.

And get some backup units here to screen off the area.

MAN: 10-4.

No answer.

It doesn't matter anyway, Frank. You don't need a lawyer!

You need this!

I told you to put that thing away.

Yeah, and you also told me

you were gonna be king of the hill out there, too, Frank.

All you needed was that big break they gave you.

(tires squealing)

That building, Mike.

KELLER: All right, I'll get the back.

I didn't have to call you, did I?

No, but I wish you had. Which room?

Now, you said before it had to be a mistake.

Well, I'm beginning to think you're right.

So don't you let another one happen now

because the next man to get killed could be your husband.

- Number seven. - Seven.

All that time, Frankie, all that work, and where are you?

You're right back down here where you started from.

You want to call somebody, Frank?

Why don't you call that company you work for?

Tell them what happened. Explain the situation.

You think they're gonna come down here and stand by you?

Vinnie your needle's stuck.

Tell me, Frank, am I wrong? Tell me I'm wrong!

You're wrong.

(knocking on door)

Who is it?

STONE: Police. Open the door.

(hushed): Put that thing away.

What are you going to do? You gonna run again, Frank?

That's not the answer. That's never the answer.

(knocking)

I'm coming. Just a second.

Graves, you just hold it right here.

Co rky.

- Is that him? - Yes.

- G raves? - Yeah, that's him.

This is his wife.

Mrs. Graves, this is Officer Shaffer.

Shaffer?

- Here you go. - Mrs. Graves.

Excuse us one moment, please.

STONE: Frank, tell me exactly what happened

after you pushed him.

Well, he, uh, he reached for his gun

and, uh, I thought he was going to shoot me.

And, uh, and I grabbed his arm and, uh,

all I wanted to do was keep him from pointing that gun at me.

And then it went off.

At what point did you gain possession of the gun?

I never touched that gun.

Never.

It just went off.

The officer fell,

the gun dropped, and, um,

I hit him.

And then I ran.

Why did you run?

It was my word against his.

Who'd I think you'd believe...

me or him?

Okay, Frank.

I guess you'd like to talk to your wife for a moment.

Go ahead.

And take it easy.

Art, stay with him!

How do you read him, Mike?

Well, he's telling the same story those kids told.

And there are two of them, right?

So that makes the odds three to one that Joe Landers is lying.

STONE: It may be an honest mistake.

What about the shots he took at me?

Well, he thought you were Graves.

That's right.

Do you know what you're accusing him of?

Drunk on duty, manslaughter, obstructing justice.

And attempted murder.

What else was Landers doing there

if it wasn't to get a hold of Graves before we did.

I mean, I'm not saying he's a killer, Mike, but he's, uh,

he's like you said, he's sick.

All right, he's sick.

But he's alive, my father's dead.

Now look, I've been doing some checking on my own,

and I found out that Joe Landers has had

-more than his share of sick calls. -Corky...

And knowing how close he and my father were,

-there's no telling how many others -Corky...

that nobody else knew about.

Corky, now listen to me!

This is no courtroom in here.

Okay, bring him in.

Wait a minute.

I'm okay, Mike.

You're sure?

Yeah.

Why don't you go home now?

I don't want you to get in the habit

of hanging around police stations.

Oh, Frankie.

You don't meet a very nice class of people.

What's going to happen to him?

Well, my personal opinion is

that your husband is telling the truth.

And that he's just as much a victim

as that officer who was killed.

- Thank you. - Oh, wait a minute now.

Remember, I said that was my personal opinion.

I know. I know.

I don't happen to agree with what Frankie said

about the class of people you meet here.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

(knocking)

Jqe!

("Amazing Grace" playing)

II

He's a little taller than you with silver hair.

It was about 15 minutes ago?

Great. Thank you very much.

- You got anything? - No.

All right, why don't you go up to Market and I'll head south.

Okay.

("Amazing Grace" continues playing)

("Amazing Grace" playing in distance)

(car horn honks, traffic sounds)

("Amazing Grace" continues playing)

Howdy, friend.

Get away from me.

Hey, all we want is a little drinky, huh?

Yeah, there's plenty for all of us.

Get away from me,

or I'll run you in for vagrancy.

He's going to run us in.

-(man laughs harshly) - Get away from me!

Hey, come on.

- Get up. - What?

Get over against that wall.

Now, get your hands on that wall, and put your feet apart.

MAN: What are you talking about? Listen...

Jqe!

JOE: Hey.

Hiya, Corky.

You came just in time.

What's the matter, son?

- You killed him, didn't you?! - What?

My father-- you killed him!

Who told you a thing like that?

Come on, let's go.

All right, now, where are we going?

To see Mike Stone.

Oh, Stone, huh?

Is he the one who told you that?

Is he the one who told you that I killed Mel?

Come on, Joe, you're going in

even if I have to put the cuffs on.

All right, all right.

I'll go in, but I'm going to walk in.

("Amazing Grace" continues playing)

(music stops)

(panting)

Stone.

(excited chattering)

EXCUSE me, EXCUSE me.

Oh, man. Oh, man.

I found him.

He hit me with a bottle.

How long ago?

A few minutes.

I don't know, I was out.

(tires screech)

KELLER: Let's get that patched up first.

JOE (slurred): Stone.

What are you trying to do to me?

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

KELLER: Mike!

(gunshot)

Co rky.

Co rky.

It was an accident.

I mean, God help me, son.

I mean... I mean, there was nothing I could do.

I mean...

There was nothing I could do.

Why did it shoot?

(Joe crying)

Book him.

Hey, Mike?

Hmm?

-(elevator bell dings) - Why you?

I don't know.

It didn't have to be me, I guess,

just somebody besides himself.

Yeah.

It's still a hell of a thing to wake up to though, isn't it?

-(elevator doors opening) - Yeah.

Do you know that there are 45,000 other people

with the same problem right here in the city?

Yeah. Ten million in the country.

- Ten million? - Mm-hmm.

You said it's a disease of loneliness?

No, I didn't say that-- AA said it.

I guess they ought to know...

JEFF: Hey, Steve.

Some of the guys are going to Luckys for a few beers.

You got anything on?

Uh... I don't think tonight, Jeff.

Thanks anyway.

- JEFF: Okay. See you later. - Good night.

I hope you didn't do that for my benefit.

No, no.

But on the other hand,

I wouldn't want to end up in lost and found either.

- Lost and found? - Yeah.

What...? Oh, yeah.

That wasn't bad, was it?

- That was pretty bad. - Huh?

That was pretty bad.

Just because you didn't say it.

(laughs): That's not the reason.

(continues indistinctly)