American Madness (1932) Movie Script
Good morning. Union National Bank.
Just a minute.
Come on, Oscar. What are we waiting for?
- What's the matter? Can't you find it?
- Sneak up on it, boy.
- Oscar, come on.
- Say, if it had lipstick on it, he'd find it.
Almonds to you. Almonds.
Not almonds.
9:00 and all is lousy.
I have to spend half my life
waiting for these time clocks to open.
Say, where's Matt?
Probably upstairs thinking up
that daily joke.
That guy kills me with his wisecracks.
Say, when he comes in,
let's put on frozen faces.
Let's smile.
Here he comes.
How you doing, slaves?
- Hello, Matt.
- How are you, Matt?
Did you fellows ever hear the story
of the pawnbroker with the glass eye?
No, Matt. What is the story about
the pawnbroker with his glass eye?
Well, I'll tell you.
A fellow went into this shop
to pawn his watch.
The pawnbroker said,
"I'll give you $50 for it
"if you can tell me which is my glass eye. "
The fellow says, "All right,
"I'll do that.
"It's the right one. "
The pawnbroker says, "That's correct.
"How did you know it was the right one?"
The fellow says, "Well, it's got
more sympathy than the other. "
Sympathy. You know, the right one
had more sympathy than the other.
What's the matter?
Can't you get this thing open?
Six reasons why banks fail.
I love your jokes, Matt. So entertaining.
Let me get to the point of this story.
- Very funny man.
- Great audience, you guys.
Come on, white collars. The day's started.
You're carrying too much money, Hank.
Better turn some in tonight.
- Okay, Matt.
- How are you fixed?
I'm okay, Matt.
- You got enough?
- I'll be all right.
Matt, I'll need some money
for those Manville payrolls.
- How much?
- About $24,000.
It was more than that last week.
Well, here's $25,000.
Say, do me a favour, will you, Charlie?
- Yeah.
- Let me have $10.
Ten bucks?
Say, if I had $10, I'd quit.
- Charlie.
- Yeah?
I'll pay you back on Saturday.
On the level, I will.
Now, give me $10, will you?
I got to get it back in my account.
If Helen finds out...
Baby, I can't give you anything but love.
Listen, Charlie, I'll give you an IOU.
I'll give you a note, a mortgage...
It's a matter of life and death.
Whose death?
I'll be yours
if you don't kick in with that $10.
Say, pal, did you ever hear of a depression?
Nerts!
Come over and see us sometime.
I'm not asking you to pay off the French
war debt. I'm only asking you for $10.
That mug reminds me
of the guy with his second dollar.
What did he do with his first one?
He bought himself a pocketbook.
- Hello, Helen.
- Matt, come here.
- What?
- Come here.
Hey, look out. Somebody's liable to see us.
Is that so?
Look who's here.
Hey, Jim.
Five ill winds.
And blowing no good
for the old man, either.
The four-and-a-half horsemen.
What are they doing here?
There's no board meeting today.
Search me.
- Mr Dickson in yet?
- Not yet, Mr Clark.
Tell him we're waiting for him
in the board room.
- And tell him not to delay.
- Yes, sir.
Looks like trouble for your boss.
Takes more than two tons of directors
to make trouble for my boss.
Says you.
I've sent for the cashier, gentlemen.
He has a list of the loans
that Dickson made last month.
As I told you,
it's time we did something about it.
Mr Clark's right. Dickson will ruin this bank
if we don't stop him.
Looks to me like we're in hot water already.
Gentlemen, I was just wondering...
I think you're panic-stricken about nothing.
- Dickson's all right.
- Is he?
We carry more unsecured paper
than any other institution in the city.
- We're fools to tolerate it.
- That's what I say.
And the only way to end it
is to get Dickson out.
- Don't make me laugh.
- Dickson doesn't have to go,
but he must agree to this merger
with the New York Trust.
What good will that do?
I'll take control away from him.
We'll put someone else in charge,
call in all doubtful loans
and be on safe ground again.
- It just occurred to me...
- You're wasting your time.
Dickson will never stand for it.
He will if I have anything to say about it.
- Come in, Cluett.
- Here's the list.
- Thank you.
- Anything else?
No, nothing.
Look at this. Just look at this.
It's outrageous.
Henry Moore: $36,000.
Manny Goldberg: $8,500.
Tony Consero: $55,000.
Joseph McDonald: $18,000.
Alvin Jones: $66,000
to a hotel that's on its last legs.
People can get loans here
who couldn't borrow 5 cents anywhere else.
And on what? "Hunches," he calls it.
Someday he'll get a hunch
and give the bank away.
He's almost done that already.
Matt Brown is an example of that.
Breaks into Dickson's house, holds him up,
and next day has a job here.
As far as I'm concerned...
A boy who should be in jail,
handling the bank's cash.
What did you do with it?
- With what?
- The $10.
- Ten dollars.
- Yes.
A friend of mine...
Yeah, really, his mother was terribly sick
- and she was dying, would you believe it?
- No.
- You think I'm lying?
- Yes.
All right, I'm lying.
Don't forget you called me a liar.
Honey, why don't we get married?
Then you can handle it all.
- Say, Matt, did you hear the news?
- No.
Well, pardon me.
All the big shots are in a huddle.
It looks like Dickson's out on his ear.
- You're kidding.
- I'm not kidding.
- Everyone knows. Ask her.
- I haven't heard about it.
Everybody's talking about it.
If that's on the level,
there goes my assistant cashier's job.
I just thought I'd drop by
and cheer you up a bit.
I'll be seeing you, Matt, in the bread line.
That ham I had this morning...
Gentlemen, let's get organised
before Dickson gets here.
- Schultz, can I count on you?
- Absolutely.
- What about you, Ames?
- That's how I feel about it.
Ives, how about you?
- Well, the way I look at it...
- All right. O'Brien?
You've got an awful fight on your hands.
That's all I've got to say.
Gentlemen, I think that it's time
that we do fight.
- Hello, Gardiner.
- Good morning.
You're on time this morning. It's about time.
- Good morning, Mr Dickson.
- John, how's your wife this morning?
- Much better this morning, thank you.
- Got a handkerchief?
Excuse me.
Wait a minute.
How do you feel this morning?
- I'm feeling fine this morning.
- That makes it unanimous.
- I feel all right, too.
- Thank you.
- Carter!
- Yes, sir?
You know the rules about smoking.
Thank you, sir.
Oh, Matt.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
- Hello, Tom.
- You here again? What do you want?
The same as anybody
wants from you, money.
- I told you I wasn't interested in that deal.
- But I want to know why.
- Wait a minute. Where's your uniform?
- I haven't any.
- You haven't got a uniform?
- No, sir.
You gotta have a uniform.
How much does one cost?
I don't know.
Tell Mr Sampson I sent you.
Gotta have a uniform.
I never had trouble
borrowing from you before.
When I was broke, you gave me all I wanted.
- Now I come to you with a swell deal...
- I don't like your crowd.
You can have all the credit you want.
For that deal, not a cent.
- But listen...
- Good morning, Mrs Pembroke.
- Get my letter?
- Yes, thank you.
- Hello, Helen.
- Good morning.
You're becoming more beautiful every day.
What do we do about it?
I don't know.
Guess we'll just have to sacrifice the bank,
that's all.
When are you and Matt
going to get married?
- Well, I...
- Stalling, eh?
Anything new?
The directors are waiting for you
in the boardroom.
Directors?
Long faces?
Longer.
And I haven't got any new stories
for them this morning, either.
- Mr Dickson.
- Mrs Pembroke.
I spoke to Mr Schaffer at the Guaranty.
He'll take care of your mortgage.
Mrs Dickson's on the phone.
You'd better hurry over there.
He's waiting for you.
Hello, dear. Yeah.
Where are you?
Sure. Come on down, right away.
Yes, of course I remember. It's tonight.
See what a social hound I'm becoming?
All right. Goodbye, dear.
But, Mr Dickson, I thought you were
taking care of the mortgage.
I only want $10,000,
the property is worth $60,000.
Mr Schaffer will take care of you.
He'll give you $15,000 or $20,000.
Better hurry now. Goodbye.
Good luck to you.
If Mrs Dickson comes in, tell her
to see Cluett if she needs any money.
What's the idea of turning her down?
Sounded like a safe investment.
She's a widow.
I don't like to take mortgages from widows.
Well, why not?
- If she can't pay, I'll have to foreclose.
- Yeah, sure.
"Yeah, sure. "
Make that uniform blue.
Yes, sir.
One, two, three, four, five.
Seven more and you'd have a jury.
Well, it's a nice morning, gentlemen.
How about two foursomes of golf, huh?
I say, that...
You know I found out something
about hitting a golf ball.
Hit it with the left hand,
and from the inside out.
- It's the only way...
- We'd like to have a little
of your very valuable time here at the bank
this morning, if you don't mind.
You would?
All right.
If it's more important than golf, go ahead.
What's on your mind?
- The cheque is no good.
- What?
The cheque is no good.
The man has no account here.
- Holy mackerel! I've been robbed.
- I'm sorry, madam.
So am I. And don't call me madam.
Yes, ma'am,
you can deposit your money here.
- Is it safe?
- Absolutely.
- It's his life insurance money.
- That's all right.
You come with me and I'll show you
where to deposit your money.
There he is.
Good morning, gentlemen.
- Who do you want to see?
- You.
Yeah, we want to talk to you
about a big deal.
Oh, yes?
Well, come right this way.
Hey, Pat, come here. Look!
That's Dude Finlay.
I've seen his picture in the papers.
- I wonder what he's doing with Mr Cluett.
- I'm scared.
He's one of the toughest gangsters in town.
Gentlemen, you're only wasting your time.
There'll be no merger.
Why should I turn this bank over
to anybody else?
I've worked 25 years to build it up
and now you ask me
to dump it into somebody's lap.
Nothing doing.
You could make a handsome profit
on your stock.
I'm not interested in profits.
I'm interested in the bank.
The depositors are my friends.
They need my protection.
I won't walk out on them.
How are you protecting your depositors?
By making a lot of idiotic loans?
Take it easy, Clark.
- My dear friends...
- It's all right.
Let him speak his piece. I like it. Go on.
All right, I'll speak my piece.
Dickson, you've got to change your policy.
What's the matter with my policy?
How many losses has this bank taken
in the last 25 years?
I'll tell you, not a single one.
- What's wrong with that kind of banking?
- Pure luck.
Conditions have changed.
These are precarious times.
Banks today have got to be careful.
And you've been more liberal than ever.
Yes, and I'll continue to be liberal.
The trouble with this country is
there's too much hoarded cash.
Idle money is no good to industry.
Where's all the money today? In the banks,
vaults, socks,
old tin cans buried in the ground.
We've got to get the money in circulation
before you'll get this country
back to prosperity.
Who are we going to give it to?
Men like Jones?
Last week you made him an extra loan
of $50,000. Is that intelligent banking?
Can't pay his bills.
How do you expect him to pay us?
That's a fair question, Schultz.
Let's see how bad a risk Jones is.
What's his history?
He's been a successful businessman
for 35 years.
Two years ago, business started falling off.
Today, Jones needs money.
And if he doesn't get it,
he goes into bankruptcy
and throws 900 men out of work.
Answer: unemployment.
It also means his creditors aren't paid.
They're in trouble.
They go to the banks and are turned down.
More bankruptcies.
It's a vicious circle, my friends,
and the only place to cure it
is right here at the source.
Help Jones and you help the whole circle.
When Jones comes to me,
I ask myself two questions,
first, is he honest? Yes.
Second, is he as good a businessman
as he was before?
And the answer is, he's better.
He is not only older and wiser
but his present trouble
has taught him precaution.
In my estimation, gentlemen,
Jones is no risk.
Neither are the thousands of other Joneses
across the country.
It's they who made this nation
the richest in the world
and it's up to the banks
to give them a break.
Disraeli said,
"Security is the prosperity of a nation. "
Disraeli didn't say anything of the kind.
He should have.
It's as true now as it was then.
But let's get the right kind of security.
Not stocks and bonds
that zigzag up and down.
Not collateral on paper, but character.
Character. That's your idea.
It's Alexander Hamilton's idea.
The finest banking mind of this country.
Those were his exact words, gentlemen,
"Character is the only thing
you can bank on
"and it's the only thing that'll
pull this country out of the doldrums. "
You know what we do to welchers, Cluett,
don't you?
I know, Dude.
I must have been crazy.
I lost my head completely.
That's your funeral.
We've got $50,000 coming to us.
- I haven't got it.
- Then what did you want to gamble for?
If you'd have beat us out of $50,000,
you'd have been paid.
Well, we want our dough.
- I'm sorry, Dude, but I...
- That don't do us any good.
After all, you can't take blood from a stone.
We can take blood from anything
if it's coming to us.
Perhaps if you'll wait a little while
- I might be able...
- We've waited long enough.
Nix. Lay off.
What's the use of getting excited, Cluett?
It ought to be easy for you
to lay your mitts on that kind of dough.
There's plenty of it in this bank
laying around loose.
Good Heavens, man!
- You're not suggesting that I...
- Why not?
- I couldn't do that.
- You don't have to do nothing.
What do you mean?
All you gotta do is fix a few things for us
and we'll do the rest, see?
No. No, I couldn't.
I couldn't do anything like it.
All right.
- Good morning, Helen.
- Good morning.
Is that busy husband of mine busy?
He's at a board meeting.
Board meeting?
That means hours, I suppose.
I'm afraid so.
Helen, did you ever try
competing with a bank?
No.
Take my word for it, and don't try it.
It's useless.
If it were another woman,
I could handle her,
but after all, you can't scratch
a bank's eyes out, now, can you?
Hardly.
Oh, well, I guess
the only other thing for me to do
is go out and buy myself
a few sticks of dynamite.
When he comes out, tell him I'll be back.
He hasn't gotten rid of me.
All right.
Dude,
there's not any chance of my
becoming involved in this, is there?
You? No, you'll be all right
so long as you establish an alibi for tonight.
- I know, but...
- Be sure to be with somebody responsible
in case any questions are asked.
Understand?
But, Dude, listen.
Couldn't we make this some other time?
Listen, buddy, you're getting by pretty easy.
Quit squawking.
Hello, Phyllis.
This won't do. Not during business hours.
I needed a... Want one?
Heavens, no!
Do you mind putting up with me
until the financial genius
gets through geniusing?
No. Of course not, not at all.
Here.
Why, what is the matter with you?
You're trembling.
Am I?
Why, I don't know any reason
why I should be,
- unless, of course, it's you.
- Me?
Being alone with you has always
done this to me. You know that.
For a celebrated bounder,
that is an awful admission.
Besides, I didn't know that any female
could do this to you.
You can. You always could.
Liar! You're just suffering
from lack of sleep.
Here, now.
Now, don't you go to work on me, too.
I'm getting tired of this.
Besides, it's beginning to affect your looks.
The running around. Not the work.
You better start reforming, Cyril.
If I thought you were the slightest bit
interested, I would.
Not bad, not bad at all.
Do you know something?
- I've always been curious about your line.
- Line?
Or whatever it is that makes you
such a riot with women.
Come on, Cyril. Try a little of it out on me.
I haven't had any first-class blarney
thrown at me since the day I was married.
But, you see, it isn't blarney
where you're concerned.
Now, let me see. What comes next?
Oh, yes, I know.
"What are you doing tonight, Phyllis?"
- Tonight?
- Doesn't that come next?
Yes, it does.
What are you doing tonight, Phyllis?
See, we're getting along famously.
Most of the depositors I know personally.
I've seen them grow up.
I knew their parents before them.
I know, that's all very well,
but you're taking too many chances.
In these times, a bank should keep liquid
in case of emergency.
I know what you mean.
You want me to hang on to our cash.
I don't believe in it. The law demands
that I carry a certain legal reserve, and I do.
The rest of our money is out working,
to help industry and business.
Meanwhile, you're jeopardizing
the safety of the bank.
Well, we won't stand for it.
You'll have to stand for it.
But my dear friends...
You're forcing us to take action against you.
Go ahead, take all the action you want.
I'm running this bank my way.
Get that clear!
Gentlemen, you'll notice that Mr Dickson
refuses to consider our wishes.
He refuses an offer to merge
with the New York Trust,
the only thing that'll put this bank
on safe ground.
He insists upon running a bank
on so flimsy a thing as faith.
You said it. That's the only thing
that means anything to me.
Before I take a man into this bank
and extend credit to anyone,
I satisfy myself on one thing,
do I believe in him?
So far, my judgement has been right, 100%.
When I start going wrong,
you won't have to take any action.
I'll turn the bank over to you,
and then you can merge all you want to.
I won't be the fellow to run it then.
Good day, gentlemen.
- Helen, tell Matt I want to see him.
- Yes, sir.
And after dinner we could go...
No, I think I've done enough experimenting
for one day.
Congratulations, Cyril.
You've convinced me
that you're a philanderer
of the very first order.
- I shall recommend you highly.
- Please don't laugh at me, Phyllis.
- I must see you tonight.
- Tonight? Never.
Tonight I have reserved
for a very special occasion.
Believe it or not,
it's our wedding anniversary.
Tom doesn't probably even remember it.
But then, they never do, do they?
- No...
- But I've planned a party for him,
a real old-fashioned surprise party:
caps, bells, whistles, and everything.
I'm really terribly excited about it.
I've been planning it for months.
Well...
Well, what?
- Well, aren't you going to invite me?
- You?
No can do. It's all set.
Just a few of Tom's closest friends.
Phyllis, if you don't invite me,
I'm coming anyway.
Don't be silly, Cyril.
These are respectable people.
- They'd probably bore you to death.
- No, they won't, not when you're there.
Please, come on, be a sport. Please ask me.
- Why are you so anxious?
- Don't you know?
No.
- I want to be near you.
- What?
- I've been crazy about you for years.
- Wait a minute.
I've always loved you,
long before you married Tom.
- Why, Cyril, you're insane.
- No, I'm not.
I deliberately avoided you.
I was afraid of making a fool of myself.
But I won't stand it any longer.
Please forgive me, Phyllis.
I lost my head for a moment,
but I couldn't help it.
Please stop apologising.
You're making it far too important.
Hi, Matt.
Matt, where have you been?
Mr Dickson wants to see you right away.
Hurry up.
I heard the merger isn't going through.
Isn't that grand?
Yeah, swell.
Well, Matt, get ready for the big moment.
Starting tomorrow,
you become assistant cashier.
How's that?
It's all right. Thanks.
What's more, keep up the good work,
and who knows,
someday you'll be the fellow
sitting behind that desk.
Not a bad thought, eh?
What's the matter?
You don't seem very excited about it.
Sure, I think it's swell.
Come on, show a little enthusiasm.
What's the matter? You sick or something?
Go on, fake it, even if it isn't real.
I'm sorry, Mr Dickson.
It's just kind of sudden, that's all.
Sure, I'm excited. I think it's great. Only...
You've done so much for me already,
I'll never be able to thank you enough.
Forget it. You came through, didn't you?
That's all I wanted.
Lot of them didn't think you would.
You don't know how much satisfaction
it's been to me.
It's been swell.
When are you and Helen
going to get married?
Well, I...
I suppose you want me
to fix that up for you, too?
Well, look who's here. Hello, darling.
Hello, darling.
Well, if this isn't a red-letter day
for Tom Dickson.
First I trample on the board of directors,
then I promote Matt to assistant cashier,
and to complete the day,
I've a visit from my sweet,
lovely, gorgeous wife.
What a man!
It's amazing that your sweet, lovely,
gorgeous wife can ever get to see you.
That has the earmarks...
Are you still here? Go on, go to work.
What do you think I pay you for?
What happened? What did he say?
Did you get the job?
Yeah.
What's the matter, Matt?
I thought you'd be thrilled to death.
Come here.
A few minutes ago I was in Clue's office,
and Mrs Dickson was there.
- Well?
- He was making love to her.
- Matt, you must be mistaken.
- I tell you, I saw them.
- In Clue's office?
- Yes, right in his office, the rat.
I'd like to take a crack at that guy.
Wait a minute. Don't go away.
Yes, George.
Yeah, sure.
That's for tonight?
Yes, certainly I'll be there. Yes.
We'll go down together
and have dinner in Philadelphia.
That's right.
Just as soon as the bank closes.
Right. Bye.
Sir?
I'm going to Philadelphia
when the bank closes.
- Make all the arrangements, will you?
- Yes, sir.
What's the matter, dear?
What have I done now?
Nothing.
I thought you were going out
with me tonight.
I did have a date with you tonight, didn't I?
Yes.
I'm terribly sorry. I'd forgotten all about it.
I'm so sorry.
You simply cannot go to Philadelphia
tonight, that's all there is to it.
- I've got to go. It's an important...
- I don't care if it's important or not.
You said you were going out with me.
If you hadn't promised so faithfully,
I wouldn't have planned the whole thing.
It's not so terribly important.
We can go to the theatre anytime.
- The theatre?
- That's what was your plan, wasn't it?
Yes, of course.
You can take some of the girls.
Take Mildred, or Gwen.
The girls.
Did it ever occur to you I might go out
and find myself an attractive young man?
"Ho, ho, ho," yourself.
I wouldn't laugh if I were you.
You may not suspect it,
but I'm still attractive to some.
Now, listen, don't you go around
being attractive to anybody but me.
Don't you forget that I'm still
the headman around here, too.
We're gonna change those tickets
for tomorrow night.
And you and I are going out together.
How's that?
- Tomorrow night?
- Yes.
- Yes?
- Mr Gardiner's here.
Oh, yes. That's that lawyer.
Let him have $9,000.
I'll step you around this town
like you've never been stepped before.
We'll have dinner at the St Regis,
go to a nice snappy show,
then to a nightclub, sit and listen
to the soft music, and who knows?
I might break down and dance with you.
All right. That's good. And I'll postpone
the whole thing until tomorrow night.
Are you happy now?
No.
Poor kid, you have been neglected,
haven't you?
I don't care, darling. I love you anyway.
- Yes?
- Mr Sampson.
All right. Send him in.
- Sampson, what is it?
- Here's the data on the Clyde deal.
Good. I'll take this with me.
Tell Clyde I'll see him tomorrow.
- I'm sick and tired of this delay.
- I'm afraid he's been stalling.
Exactly. This deal should have been closed
weeks ago.
- Tell him to keep tomorrow open.
- He says he can't in the daytime.
How about his nights?
Too busy running around?
Tell him to come sign this thing
tomorrow night, or this whole deal is off.
I'm sick of these people dilly-dallying.
Can't make up their minds.
- Everybody in?
- I guess so.
- Where's Charlie?
- Charlie's upstairs, sore as a pup.
He's out 14 cents and he can't find it.
- Good night.
- Good night.
What's keeping you?
Charlie again.
Say, Matt, you haven't done anything
about what you saw today, have you?
Cluett? No, not yet.
But I'd like to take a crack
at that stiff-necked horse collar.
Don't be silly.
Can you imagine that guy?
He was kissing her.
You've got me worried, dear.
- Promise me you won't butt in.
- Okay, honey.
But just the same, I'd like
to take a crack at that...
- I'll wait for you upstairs.
- All right, dear.
Where you been?
Where do you think I've been?
I took the baby for a stroll in the park.
What's the matter, Charlie?
I'm 14 cents out and it took me half an hour
to find the mistake.
And me with a date, too.
Ah, once when your accounts checked.
Listen, wise guy, I'm setting friend
time clock for exactly 9:00
so no squawks out of you guys
in the morning.
Say, don't annoy me.
I got troubles of my own.
- Are the payrolls ready for tomorrow?
- Yes, sir.
Let me see your cashbook, will you?
- Now?
- Yes, now.
All right, sir.
That's all right.
Seems to me you're carrying too much cash.
- Driver.
- Yes?
- Have you the correct time?
- 12:05.
Thanks.
- What's this?
- My apartment.
I knew I couldn't trust you.
- You told me you were taking me home.
- Come on up for just a few minutes.
- We'll have just one drink and then we'll go.
- I know the answer to that one.
I think you'd better take me home.
What's the matter? Afraid papa will spank?
No, I'm afraid papa isn't
that much interested.
He's too busy rushing off to Philadelphia
to make stuffy old speeches
at stuffy old bankers' meetings.
Too busy closing big, important...
- I think I will have a drink.
- Good for you. Come on.
There ought to be a Congressional medal
for men like you.
America's comfort to misunderstood wives.
I never thought I'd find myself in that crowd.
You're not so badly off.
There's something worse
than being a misunderstood wife.
- What is that, Mr Bones?
- A misunderstood bachelor.
And now, fair woman,
I have you in my power.
I'm not afraid of you.
You haven't got a moustache.
I'll grow a moustache
by the time you get out of here.
Why, Matt.
What are you doing here?
Well, the butler said I could stay.
I told him it was important.
- Oh, yes?
- He's not here.
He left at 9:00.
He said you gave him the night off.
What do you want?
I thought I'd like to have
a little talk with you.
I'm listening.
It's funny, now that I'm here,
I don't know just how to go about it.
You see, I kind of expected
to find you here alone.
Do you mind stepping outside? We can...
Anything you have to say,
say it in the morning.
Oh, no, Mr Cluett.
If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not wait.
It's about you and Mrs Dickson.
- About me...
- Why, Matt, what are you talking about?
I know I got a lot of nerve butting in,
but I couldn't help it.
I wanted to stop you from doing something
you'd be sorry for.
I'm not interested in what you think.
You've no right to do it to him.
Why don't you think it over?
- It'll only get you in trouble.
- I'm not interested in your opinion.
Then maybe you'll understand,
Mrs Dickson.
He's crazy about you.
Nobody knows it better than you.
- If he ever found out, i'd kill him.
- You're mistaken about the whole thing.
There isn't anything wrong.
- Mr Cluett and I simply...
- Phyllis, you don't have to explain.
- You mind your own business.
- This is my business.
Mr Dickson's like a father to me.
What's he ever done to you to deserve this?
That'll be just about enough.
Now, you get out of here.
Well, I guess I have said enough.
- I'm just wasting my breath talking to you.
- You're right for the first time. Now, get out.
I'm appealing to you, Mrs Dickson.
Think what you're doing to him.
You're passing up the whitest man on earth
for a dirty, no-good...
Cyril.
Now, get out of here.
Wait a minute, Matt. I'll go with you.
But you needn't go on account of this idiot.
You better carry that around with you
all the time. You're going to need it.
- What do you say, Doc?
- I'd say about eight or nine hours.
Well, you'd better call the coroner.
Say, fellas, I was the first one to see him.
I was coming down the steps
and there was the watchman
lying dead at my feet.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
Do you see that clock?
Right there, that's where the bullet hit it.
Well, when I saw that,
you coulve knocked me over with a pin.
- Was there much blood?
- Blood?
- Come on over, fellows, I'll show you.
- Get back.
I don't want nothing touched down here
till we get through.
- Oscar, what's the matter?
- Say, listen, I was the first one to see it.
I was coming down the steps and there was
the watchman lying dead at my feet.
- No kidding?
- No kidding.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
- Where's Matt?
- Matt?
He'll have a tough time
thinking up a wisecrack for this one.
The detective's got Matt upstairs
in Sampson's office.
- Say, did Matt do it?
- Don't look at me, I don't know.
He was acting kind of funny yesterday,
didn't you notice?
- Yes, he did.
- I noticed it, too.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
Come on, tell the truth.
What'd you do with the money?
I didn't do it. I told you all I know.
You turned off the burglar alarm,
you set the time clock,
came back at 12:00 and emptied the boxes.
- I wasn't anywhere near here!
- Sit down.
When the watchman surprised you,
you shot him. Where's the gun?
- I haven't got one.
- But you used to carry one.
Pardon me,
but I'd like to use my office for a while.
You use some other office.
Come on, open up.
- What's the matter here?
- Gonna open today?
Of course. Come on, open this door.
- Shall we let the people come in?
- Of course, let them in. You're late now.
Hurry up. Open the rest of the doors.
Mr Dickson, they're going to arrest Matt.
They think he did it.
- Where is he now?
- In Mr Sampson's office.
Don't you worry about it.
- Then you did it alone!
- What's the matter? What's going on here?
This is ridiculous. You can't hold this boy
on a vague suspicion.
- I'm afraid I must, Mr Dickson.
- Why pick on him?
It's an inside job, that's a cinch.
Whoever did it
had a pretty good picture of the layout.
- Brown is in charge of the vaults, isn't he?
- Yes.
The burglar alarm was turned off.
The time clock was set for 12:00.
- What more do you want?
- Somebody else coulve done it.
- He admits setting it himself.
- I did, for 9:00 this morning.
- Then who changed it?
- I don't know!
Wait a minute.
What time did you say this thing happened?
The clock opposite the vault
was stopped by a bullet at 12:09.
If the boy proves an alibi, he's all right,
isn't he?
- If he can do it, yes.
- He certainly can.
Matt, all you got to do is tell them
where you were last night
between 12:00 and 12:30
and everything will be all right.
I already told him, I was home.
- There you are.
- That's what he says.
I got a man from headquarters
checking up on it now.
Good. Nothing to worry about.
As soon as the report comes in,
you'll be released.
Listen, don't talk so loud.
Take it easy. Coast a little.
What do you think?
There was that poor watchman
lying on the floor right in front of me.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
- You don't say. Dead?
- Dead. He was lifeless.
You know, I was the first one to see him.
I was coming down the steps,
and there was the watchman
lying on the floor right in front of me, dead.
You coulve knocked me over...
Yeah, I coulve knocked you over
with a pin.
Yeah, you coulve knocked...
- Hello, Mayme, this is Gerda again.
- Almonds to you.
Say, listen, I just heard something
that'll make your head swim.
Listen to this,
the bank was robbed last night.
Yeah, over $100,000.
Who did it?
I don't know who did it,
but the chief teller's in an awful jam.
Call me up later.
I'm going to call up Lou now.
Hello, Lou? Did you hear what happened
over at the Union National Bank?
Wait a minute, Lou. Hello.
Yes, sir, I'm trying to get them.
Yes, Lou, listen.
It was robbed of over $200,000.
Can you beat that?
- Stole over $250,000. Can you beat that?
- You can't laugh that off.
I thought the Union National
was pretty solid.
I did, too. But $500,000 is a lot of money.
I wouldn't be surprised
if they had to close their doors.
Oh, good gracious.
- Sammy, are you sure about that?
- Yes, sir.
The messenger boy just told me,
that Mr Dickson took all the money himself.
And it was more than a million dollars.
- More than a million dollars?
- Cross my heart.
And I sure hopes that man
gets a long time in jail, too.
Never mind my shoes, Sam.
I always said the Union National
was a phoney bank.
Union National?
- You had money in that bank, too?
- Yes. Something wrong?
Mon Dieu! Run, run.
- You're telling me!
- You are a poor man.
I got it from the best authority.
Dickson got away with several million.
That's the end of the Union National Bank.
That's the trouble nowadays.
You don't know who to trust.
Is there something wrong
with Union National Bank?
Brother, that ain't the half of it.
If you have money in there, kiss it goodbye.
- No, you're kidding.
- No, I'm not.
Holy smoke.
Got any friends?
You better call them up, too.
That's a good idea.
I have friends of my own.
- Can you imagine that?
- What bank did you say that was?
Union National Bank. They're broke.
Haven't got a dime.
Jack, go to the Union National Bank
and take your money out.
Don't ask me how I know.
I tell you it's on the rocks.
You'd better tell your friends, too.
Better give your men some time off
to get their money out.
Tell Mrs Hardy to tell everyone
in the apartment house.
All right. I'll get it or bust a few noses.
I'll get right down there if I have to fly.
Run down there
and get your money at once.
Hello, dear. Have you heard the news?
Please hurry. Just now.
Union National is sunk.
We should have put it in the vault.
Call the Kincaids and tell them about it.
I don't know what's wrong.
I wouldn't trust anybody.
Everybody's taking their money out.
Union National's broke.
Holy John Judas Priest.
Our money's all gone.
It hasn't a chance.
Okay, honey, I'll go right down.
You better hurry up, too.
If you don't hurry...
Don't lose a moment.
What'll we do?
I'm going right down.
Why take any chances?
Mother just told me.
I just heard it.
Bank's broke.
Hurry up.
- Closing your account?
- Yes, sir. I'm closing it.
I wouldn't leave a nickel in this bank.
It's getting so a guy's money ain't safe
unless it's in his sock.
- They're a bunch of crooks.
- You said it.
Say, did I know the bank
was gonna go mechuleh?
What am I, a fortune teller?
Oh, my goodness!
- What's the matter, lady?
- Oh, mister, I gotta.
- Well, they only sign slips here.
- Give me your pen, please.
Could you loan me that pen of yours?
I'm in an awful hurry.
I'll need some more money.
All the depositors are withdrawing.
I know. I'll get you some.
All I know is the bank's been robbed
and a murder's been committed.
The way I see it, Brown here looks guilty.
He didn't have any more
to do with it than you did.
Maybe. But I'm taking no chances.
- Kis got a record.
- So have you, so have I, so has everybody.
What difference does that make?
You can't pin crimes on people
just because...
- Mr Dickson, can I see you for a minute?
- No, I'm busy.
But it's important.
Looks like there's a run on the bank.
- What, a run?
- The lobby's half-filled now.
What are you talking about?
Look.
They've been coming in all morning.
I've called for extra police.
Send down to the vaults.
Have our reserve cash sent up.
We haven't much on hand.
I hope we don't have to close.
Our reputation wouldn't be worth a nickel.
It's just a flurry. They've heard
about the robbery and panicked.
Have our available securities
turned into cash.
Wait. Have my personal stuff
turned into cash, too.
Tell the boys anyone caught
arguing with a depositor will be fired.
- We want to talk to you.
- About?
We'll discuss that in the boardroom.
We got a check on Brown's alibi.
You want to hear it?
All right. Be with you in a minute, Clark.
No need to worry, son. All you got to do
is answer their questions, that's all.
- So you were home last night?
- Yes.
What time did you get there?
About 11:00.
- 11:00? Are you sure of that?
- Yes.
All right, Kelly.
Do you know this young man,
Mrs Halligan?
Sure I do.
He has the best room in me house,
the one with the fancy wallpaper.
Did you happen to be awake
when he came in last night?
Yes, sir. I was having me hot mustard bath.
- What time was it?
- For the rheumatism, you know.
- What time was it, Mrs Halligan?
- It was late, I know.
The Dooley sisters was already in.
They work at the show, you know.
What time was it?
- What time did Matt Brown get in?
- Now let me see.
Half an hour after the Dooley sisters,
and the Dooley sisters...
I don't care about them.
What time did he get in?
That's just what I'm trying to tell you, sir.
- It was half an hour after the Dooley sisters.
- Was it 12:00?
- No, it wasn't 12:00 'cause the Dooley...
- Was it 1:00?
- Yes, I guess it was 1:00, 'cause...
- It couldn't have been earlier?
- No, it wasn't earlier because...
- Yes, I know.
Because the Dooley sisters weren't in yet.
No, 'cause me clock struck 4:00
and when it strikes 4:00, it's 1:00.
- There you are.
- She doesn't know what she's saying.
Who don't know?
Listen here, young man, nobody ever
called me a liar yet and got away with it.
That's all, Mrs Halligan. Thanks.
For two nickels I'd knock his block off.
I never told a lie in me life.
- Is this true, Matt?
- Of course it's true, and he knows it.
If you don't tell the truth, I can't help you.
Where were you last night?
She was right. I didn't get in till after 1:00.
But I wasn't here, Mr Dickson, honest.
- Then where were you?
- Wait.
You realise you're being charged
with murder. It's serious, son.
Come on, I know you didn't do it,
but you got to make them believe it.
Come on, tell me the truth.
Where were you last night?
I can't tell you.
Listen, if I get them out of the room,
will you tell me?
No, I won't.
- You're protecting somebody.
- No, I'm not.
It doesn't matter who it is.
It can't be as important as this.
Now, tell me. Where were you last night?
Come on, don't be a fool.
Matt, you trust me, don't you?
What a day, Mayme.
Everybody's coming in
to draw their money out.
Gee, Mayme, I wonder what started it.
Where's our protection?
That's what I want to know.
How do we know
who we're giving our money to?
We're a lot of suckers, that's what we are.
- Outrageous. Positively outrageous.
- It's worse than that, lady. It's lousy.
It's his life insurance money, you know.
But the policeman told me it was all right.
- I hope so.
- So do I.
Come on, what are you fellows gaping at?
Come on, go to work. Go on, hurry up.
Pay these people their money.
What's the matter?
Can't you see this line waiting?
Go ahead. Hurry up.
All right, don't argue with him.
Give it to him.
Go on, it's all right. It's enough, too.
- You have enough money here?
- I don't know, sir.
Sure, you're fine, you've got plenty.
- Whose window is this?
- Mat's.
Oscar, come here, take this one.
Bring up some money here.
Come on, folks. Stand in line here.
- Where were you?
- Checking up on this account.
Never mind that. Go on. Pay them
what they want. Hurry up. Snap into it.
Look at them, Mr Dickson.
They're going crazy.
Did you cash the securities? Mine, too?
Yes, but when the cash runs out,
they'll mob us.
The fools,
they're making it worse for themselves.
Somebody starts a rumour
and they lose their heads.
- What'll we do?
- I'll talk to them.
Tell the boys to stall as much as possible
and to forget what I said.
Tell them to verify every signature.
Take your time, folks. Don't get excited.
Everybody stay in line.
You'll all be taken care of.
Don't worry about anything.
Where's my money?
Now, listen, everybody. Listen to me.
Your money is safe.
This bank is in excellent condition.
If you've heard any report to the contrary,
it's based on malicious rumour.
Yeah, maybe.
That's a lot of hooey.
- You'll get your money.
- We want it now. We don't want speeches.
Listen to me, now. It takes time.
I've got seven paying tellers
working just as fast as they can.
If you'll all calm down,
I'll make arrangements to keep the doors
open till 4:00
and you'll all be paid today.
We can't keep open until 4:00.
We haven't cash enough to last an hour.
- Don't you think I know it?
- They're still waiting for you.
Gentlemen, we got one more hour to go.
That means we'll be forced
to shut the doors.
I've worked 25 years, night and day,
to keep this bank alive.
You made money out of it. Will you help?
What do you mean?
Among you,
you have a million dollars in city banks.
Get that money here
and I'll stop this run in five minutes.
Sounds simple,
but why should we jeopardize our fortunes?
I have everything I own in it.
- It's your bank as well, isn't it?
- Since when?
The way you've ignored us,
you wouldn't think so.
You wouldn't listen to us.
Your depositors were the first ones
to pounce on you.
If they're your friends,
why don't you get them to help?
They've gone crazy.
You can't reason with a mob.
You can't reason with anyone
when you're in a jam.
We urged you to keep liquid but you didn't.
You preached about faith and other rubbish.
Now you want help.
You want us to throw cash
into a bank you will break.
There's one way you can get it,
option your stock to us and resign.
So that's it?
You've waited long for this, haven't you?
Well, I won't resign, now or ever.
- You have no choice.
- No? I'll shut the bank first.
- You can't do that.
- I can't? Wait and see.
If that run isn't over very soon,
I'll shut the doors.
That means the bank examiners
will step in tomorrow.
We'll be forced to liquidate. I'll insist on it.
The depositors will be paid
100 cents on the dollar.
You can have whatever's left
but there won't be enough left
to pay your next month's garage bill.
- Mr Dickson!
- Get all the big bills in the place.
Get them changed. Get only ones and fives.
Give them to the tellers.
Tell them to take their time.
Stall. Count and re-count the money.
I hate to do this, but I need time to get help.
I know where I can get real cash.
Snap into it, Sampson.
We'll lick this thing yet.
Bring your book. I want some numbers.
Get Parker at the Union,
Read at the Exchange,
Winslow and old man Harris
at the Home Mortgage.
- Snap into it, Helen, quick as you can.
- Yes, sir.
Look at the mob. They're going crazy.
This run isn't doing
the reputation of this bank any good.
My dear friends...
How much longer
is this Dickson going to hold out?
You know Dickson. He'll shut the doors
before he gives up control.
Let him. I'm sick and tired
of hearing about him.
Let him run the bank.
I don't want any part of it.
- My dear friends...
- Shut up!
Stall!
Is this your signature?
Certainly it's my signature.
You've seen it often enough.
I'm sorry, but I'll have to verify it.
Hello, Parker. Listen.
I need $1 million in cash,
and I've got to have it quick.
What? No, tomorrow is no good.
I need it now.
Of course it's safe. The bank's
in excellent condition. You know that.
- Chief's car outside?
- Yes, sir.
Okay.
Come on, son. Let's go.
My love.
Don't cry, honey.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Sorry, sister.
What'd you find out, Mike?
I tailed the cashier like you told me.
You're right. There's something screwy.
Never mind all that. What did you find out?
He left here an hour ago
and went down to Dude Finlay's joint.
- Dude Finlay's?
- Yes, sir.
He stayed about half an hour, and then
came right back here. He's in his office now.
That's when I must have seen that guy.
Did you say Dude Finlay?
Yes, why?
Why, he was in the bank yesterday.
He was here?
He came to see Mr Cluett.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, sir.
Who was with him?
Two other men.
They all went in Mr Cluet's office.
Now we're beginning to get somewhere.
Kelly, you stay here with Brown.
Tim, you and Mike come with me.
We're going down to Cluet's office.
Kelly, call me up in Cluet's office
in about five minutes.
What'll I say?
I don't care what you say.
Sing Mother Machree if you want to,
but call me up.
Quiet down. Take it easy, folks.
Everything'll be all right.
But you said it was safe.
It's his life insurance money.
Please, I'll go to the old ladies' home
if you don't do something.
Take it easy. Be quiet. Everything'll
be all right. Open up here, folks.
All right, folks, please.
Good heavens, man,
you're taking no chances.
No, I'm perfectly willing to sign
everything over to you.
What more do you want? I need action.
I got to have it within the next half-hour.
Yes, sure. The board of directors
turned me down, but you know why.
Listen, Read,
it wouldn't mean
a drop in the bucket to you.
I see.
Ask me for a favour sometime, will you?
I hope you don't mind me
asking you a few questions, Mr Cluett.
Why, of course, yes.
Just what would you like to know,
Inspector?
Where were you at 12:00 last night?
That's very simple. I was home.
That is simple, isn't it?
I assume you can prove that if necessary.
Yes, of course. There was someone with me.
A lady.
Looks like you're going to have
no trouble at all.
What was the lady's name?
If you don't mind, I'd rather not say,
unless it becomes absolutely essential.
You see, she's married.
- You understand.
- Why, of course.
Pardon me.
Hello. Who?
- Yes, he's here. It's for you, Inspector.
- Thanks.
Somebody must be in good humour.
He was humming Mother Machree.
It's one the boys form headquarters.
He always sings Mother Machree
whenever he's got good news.
Looks like this case will be settled
in no time.
Yeah, Kelly.
Dude Finlay?
Where you got him?
I ain't got nobody here. I'm with Brown.
Didn't you tell me to call you
in five minutes?
Sure. Take him right down to headquarters.
Yeah.
What?
You don't mean Cyril Cluett, the cashier?
Yeah?
Did Dude Finlay tell you that?
What?
Dude Finlay? Sure, I got him here.
For a minute, I didn't catch on.
Yeah.
We got him right here now.
Okay, Kelly. Good work. Looks like a...
Get him!
There he goes!
He must be here. There's only one door.
All right. Find him.
- What's that noise?
- Sounded like a locker.
A locker? Search every one of them.
He must be in one.
Stand back, Inspector, or I'll shoot you.
Drop that gun.
All right, Jack.
Don't be a fool. This is only going
to make it worse for you.
Stand back, Inspector.
Let me out of here or I'll shoot you.
Let me see it!
It's only his finger. Get me a towel.
Now, take it easy, buddy.
All we want to do is talk to you.
You can't do a thing?
You're up to your neck?
All right.
You were right, Mr Dickson.
Brown didn't have anything to do it.
Here's your man.
You must be crazy.
I've known this man for years.
He's just confessed. He's mixed up
with the toughest gangsters in town.
Confessed? Heavens' name!
What's got into you?
I don't know.
It's all been like a crazy nightmare.
You're not a thief. How did you get
mixed up with these people?
Gambling. I owed them a lot of money.
- Last week I lost over $50,000.
- $50,000.
But I didn't kill that man last night.
Honest I didn't.
Yesterday they came to collect it.
I begged them to wait. I wanted time
to think, but they wouldn't listen.
They threatened to kill me if I didn't pay.
I was desperate. I didn't know what to do.
Then they suggested
I help them rob the bank.
All I had to was turn off the alarm
and fix the time clock.
It all sounded so easy.
It seemed like a way out.
I didn't know anybody
was going to be killed.
Why were you at Finlay's this morning?
I went to there to get my keys back.
Why didn't you come to me?
I'd have helped you out.
I was crazy, I tell you, Mr Dickson.
I didn't know what I was doing.
I wandered around in a daze.
All I could think of
was that they were going to kill me.
But you'll stand by me,
won't you, Mr Dickson?
You won't go back on me now, will you?
I'll die if they send me to prison.
Don't forget
there's a dead watchman downstairs.
I didn't kill him. I was home
in my apartment last night, I can prove it.
Claims he was there with a married woman.
Doesn't want to mention her name.
He won't believe me,
but it's the truth, honest.
I was in my apartment last night.
Ask your wife. She...
My wife?
What's she got to do with you?
No wonder he didn't want
to mention her name.
What was my wife doing in your apartment?
Nothing, Mr Dickson.
Don't pay attention to me. I don't know...
You just mentioned her name.
What was she doing in your apartment?
Well, she just came up for a drink.
- Just for a few...
- You're lying!
Don't worry, Mr Dickson.
We'll find out if he's telling the truth.
We'll have a man check up on it right away.
No one check up on anybody.
I'll do all the checking up. Wait a minute.
- Helen.
- Sir?
Get Mrs Dickson on the phone.
Listen, dear. I want to ask you something.
I know it's a silly thing for me to ask you,
but I want you to tell me the truth.
Where were you last night?
Last night?
Why, last night...
Listen, dear.
Now, tell me the truth about this.
Were you in Cluet's apartment?
In Cluet's apartment?
Well, dear, you see, I...
She wasn't to blame, Mr Dickson.
It wasn't her fault, honest it wasn't.
- I begged her to come up. She didn't...
- Get out!
All right. Let's go.
Clark, you're insane to wait.
Let's get some money here
and stop this run.
If we close,
our stock won't be worth a nickel.
- My dear friends...
- I'll lay you 10-to-1 Dickson won't give in.
Maybe they're right, Clark.
All right. I'll go and have a talk with him.
Dickson, I'd like to talk with you
about the bank.
The bank? All right,
do anything you want with it.
Now you're talking sense.
We'll draw up an option on your stock.
Say $80 a share. How's that?
Eighty dollars? That's fine.
Anything you say.
Good. I'll draw it up at once.
You want the rest of those numbers,
Mr Dickson?
Numbers?
No, never mind.
What's he doing? Is he getting any help?
Something's happened.
He isn't trying any more.
They must've turned him down.
He's called the biggest people in town.
Sure, they'd turn him down. He ought
to have known that. I'll talk to him.
We haven't got much time.
We got to do something or it'll be too late.
- Where were you last night?
- You're not giving up, are you?
- Were you in Cluet's apartment?
- I'll explain later.
You're losing your bank.
You know what that means?
- Was Mrs Dickson there?
- Don't let them lick you.
Even if some big shots turned you down,
you've got other friends.
Guys who are in business because of you.
- All you got to do is...
- Wait a minute.
Answer my question.
Was Mrs Dickson there?
She was, wasn't she?
How long has this been going on?
I don't know what you're talking about.
All I know is you're losing your bank...
Please, Matt.
- Did you talk to him?
- Yeah.
I got an idea. Come on.
Let's get to a telephone.
A 30-day option on 10,000 shares
of stock in this company,
now registered
in the name of Thomas A. Dickson.
Get that to me in triplicate
just as fast as you can.
There's no more money.
You'll have to go to the next window.
No more money?
What do you mean, there's no more money?
Go to the next window. They'll pay you...
That's all there is.
Are you sure he's in here?
Yes, ma'am, he must be. He hasn't come out.
I've got to get in there.
Can't you find me a key?
Yes, I think there's one
right here in the drawer.
Tom, darling.
I came to explain about last night.
Cyril Cluett doesn't mean
anything to me, Tom.
I went out with him last night
simply because...
Well, I'd begun to feel
that I didn't have any part in your life,
that I was an outsider.
Tom, all we did was to go to the theatre
and then we went back to his apartment
afterwards for a drink. That's all it was.
I didn't do anything wrong, Tom.
I couldn't do anything wrong.
I love you too much, you know that.
Here, here.
Dickson's in a jam. The run's getting worse.
The big guys have the screws on.
He came through for you 100 times.
If friends don't help him, who will?
There's Mr Jones!
Any bank that Tom Dickson has
anything to do with is all right.
I'm putting my money in here.
Why should you be afraid?
Tom Dickson is all right.
He's perfectly square.
I'm putting my money in this bank.
I know what I'm doing.
Open up. I want to put money in here.
I don't want to take any out.
Certainly, Mr Jones. Charlie!
They're starting to come in already.
Yeah. Listen.
Get all the money you can,
and bring it here. Step on it.
- Who's this?
- Hello, Mr Dunkirk?
- Williams.
- Mr Williams... I'll speak to both of them.
Dickson's in a jam. The run's getting worse.
Those big guys got the screws on him.
You two have to help him.
If friends don't help him, who will?
He came through for you 100 times.
They're coming in already.
Get all the money you can
and bring it down here right away.
Both of you, step on it!
If it's all right for me,
it's all right for everybody.
I'm going to make a deposit.
What's the matter with you?
I want to make a deposit.
$4,600 for Rico Mazzetti.
He's the best man in the world.
No matter what you think about me
there's something far more important:
those people down there.
The bank, Tom, you can't give that up.
Mr Dickson! Come here a minute.
Look at this.
Something wonderful has happened.
People are making deposits.
You won't believe it until you see it.
You've got to come out.
Tom Dickson is a friend of mine.
I'll put money in his bank anytime.
Anybody who takes money
out of this bank is crazy.
I'm going to put a lot of money in here.
I've got some money to deposit.
I haven't got much, but here it is.
I'd give Tom Dickson all my money anytime!
- Come out here and look at this.
- We've been waiting...
You know what you can do with that.
Look at this,
a demonstration of faith worth more
than all the collateral in the world.
Come on, it'll do your heart good.
They're shoving their hard-earned money
across the counter
with a 10-to-1 chance against them.
You want to stay with this bank,
get real money over here now.
That's enough for me.
I'm ashamed of myself.
I'll have $100,000 here in five minutes.
- Now you're talking, Ames.
- I'm sold.
- Schultz?
- This is your bank, and I'm with you.
- Ives?
- My dear friends,
that's what I've been trying to say
all afternoon.
Clark, you can do twice as much
as any of them. How about you?
I don't agree with you, but if everyone
is going crazy, I'll go crazy, too.
This is Ben Schultz.
Send $100,000 cash
to the Union National now.
Send all available cash
to the Union National.
Currency. Small denominations.
In 10s and 20s. Yeah.
Say, I want $150,000 over here right away.
I am in my right mind.
No, not $150.
Say, listen, you guys, $150,000!
Yes!
That's the trouble with people nowadays.
They hear a crazy rumour,
and right away they lose their heads.
Not me. You didn't see me
draw my money out, did you?
Good morning.
Union National Bank. Just a minute.
9:00 and all is lousy.
Where's Matt?
Ten-to-one he'll have a crack
about the run yesterday.
It's a cinch bet. I wouldn't take it.
If he pulls a gag about the run,
we'll murder the guy.
I suppose you guys
had a good run for your money...
- Good morning, Mr Gardiner.
- Good morning.
Good morning, Mr Dickson.
My wife is much better this morning.
Well, that's too bad. Mine's all right, too.
Carter!
- Morning, Mr Dickson.
- Morning.
- Well, got your uniform?
- Yes, sir.
Looks good. How much did it cost?
I don't know. Mr Sampson bought it for me.
Well, I guess
I'll have to see Sampson myself.
- Good morning, Helen.
- Good morning.
Say, I know what's the matter with you.
Matt!
I want you both to take the day off.
Go downtown, get a licence,
and get married.
- Well, I...
- I don't want to hear it.
If you don't get married,
I'll fire the both of you.
Helen, while you're downtown,
stop in and make reservations
for the bridal suite on the Berengaria,
sailing next week.
- Gee, thanks...
- No. It's not for you.
You're only going to get married.
Mrs Dickson and I
are going on the honeymoon.
Come on, slave.
Just a minute.
Come on, Oscar. What are we waiting for?
- What's the matter? Can't you find it?
- Sneak up on it, boy.
- Oscar, come on.
- Say, if it had lipstick on it, he'd find it.
Almonds to you. Almonds.
Not almonds.
9:00 and all is lousy.
I have to spend half my life
waiting for these time clocks to open.
Say, where's Matt?
Probably upstairs thinking up
that daily joke.
That guy kills me with his wisecracks.
Say, when he comes in,
let's put on frozen faces.
Let's smile.
Here he comes.
How you doing, slaves?
- Hello, Matt.
- How are you, Matt?
Did you fellows ever hear the story
of the pawnbroker with the glass eye?
No, Matt. What is the story about
the pawnbroker with his glass eye?
Well, I'll tell you.
A fellow went into this shop
to pawn his watch.
The pawnbroker said,
"I'll give you $50 for it
"if you can tell me which is my glass eye. "
The fellow says, "All right,
"I'll do that.
"It's the right one. "
The pawnbroker says, "That's correct.
"How did you know it was the right one?"
The fellow says, "Well, it's got
more sympathy than the other. "
Sympathy. You know, the right one
had more sympathy than the other.
What's the matter?
Can't you get this thing open?
Six reasons why banks fail.
I love your jokes, Matt. So entertaining.
Let me get to the point of this story.
- Very funny man.
- Great audience, you guys.
Come on, white collars. The day's started.
You're carrying too much money, Hank.
Better turn some in tonight.
- Okay, Matt.
- How are you fixed?
I'm okay, Matt.
- You got enough?
- I'll be all right.
Matt, I'll need some money
for those Manville payrolls.
- How much?
- About $24,000.
It was more than that last week.
Well, here's $25,000.
Say, do me a favour, will you, Charlie?
- Yeah.
- Let me have $10.
Ten bucks?
Say, if I had $10, I'd quit.
- Charlie.
- Yeah?
I'll pay you back on Saturday.
On the level, I will.
Now, give me $10, will you?
I got to get it back in my account.
If Helen finds out...
Baby, I can't give you anything but love.
Listen, Charlie, I'll give you an IOU.
I'll give you a note, a mortgage...
It's a matter of life and death.
Whose death?
I'll be yours
if you don't kick in with that $10.
Say, pal, did you ever hear of a depression?
Nerts!
Come over and see us sometime.
I'm not asking you to pay off the French
war debt. I'm only asking you for $10.
That mug reminds me
of the guy with his second dollar.
What did he do with his first one?
He bought himself a pocketbook.
- Hello, Helen.
- Matt, come here.
- What?
- Come here.
Hey, look out. Somebody's liable to see us.
Is that so?
Look who's here.
Hey, Jim.
Five ill winds.
And blowing no good
for the old man, either.
The four-and-a-half horsemen.
What are they doing here?
There's no board meeting today.
Search me.
- Mr Dickson in yet?
- Not yet, Mr Clark.
Tell him we're waiting for him
in the board room.
- And tell him not to delay.
- Yes, sir.
Looks like trouble for your boss.
Takes more than two tons of directors
to make trouble for my boss.
Says you.
I've sent for the cashier, gentlemen.
He has a list of the loans
that Dickson made last month.
As I told you,
it's time we did something about it.
Mr Clark's right. Dickson will ruin this bank
if we don't stop him.
Looks to me like we're in hot water already.
Gentlemen, I was just wondering...
I think you're panic-stricken about nothing.
- Dickson's all right.
- Is he?
We carry more unsecured paper
than any other institution in the city.
- We're fools to tolerate it.
- That's what I say.
And the only way to end it
is to get Dickson out.
- Don't make me laugh.
- Dickson doesn't have to go,
but he must agree to this merger
with the New York Trust.
What good will that do?
I'll take control away from him.
We'll put someone else in charge,
call in all doubtful loans
and be on safe ground again.
- It just occurred to me...
- You're wasting your time.
Dickson will never stand for it.
He will if I have anything to say about it.
- Come in, Cluett.
- Here's the list.
- Thank you.
- Anything else?
No, nothing.
Look at this. Just look at this.
It's outrageous.
Henry Moore: $36,000.
Manny Goldberg: $8,500.
Tony Consero: $55,000.
Joseph McDonald: $18,000.
Alvin Jones: $66,000
to a hotel that's on its last legs.
People can get loans here
who couldn't borrow 5 cents anywhere else.
And on what? "Hunches," he calls it.
Someday he'll get a hunch
and give the bank away.
He's almost done that already.
Matt Brown is an example of that.
Breaks into Dickson's house, holds him up,
and next day has a job here.
As far as I'm concerned...
A boy who should be in jail,
handling the bank's cash.
What did you do with it?
- With what?
- The $10.
- Ten dollars.
- Yes.
A friend of mine...
Yeah, really, his mother was terribly sick
- and she was dying, would you believe it?
- No.
- You think I'm lying?
- Yes.
All right, I'm lying.
Don't forget you called me a liar.
Honey, why don't we get married?
Then you can handle it all.
- Say, Matt, did you hear the news?
- No.
Well, pardon me.
All the big shots are in a huddle.
It looks like Dickson's out on his ear.
- You're kidding.
- I'm not kidding.
- Everyone knows. Ask her.
- I haven't heard about it.
Everybody's talking about it.
If that's on the level,
there goes my assistant cashier's job.
I just thought I'd drop by
and cheer you up a bit.
I'll be seeing you, Matt, in the bread line.
That ham I had this morning...
Gentlemen, let's get organised
before Dickson gets here.
- Schultz, can I count on you?
- Absolutely.
- What about you, Ames?
- That's how I feel about it.
Ives, how about you?
- Well, the way I look at it...
- All right. O'Brien?
You've got an awful fight on your hands.
That's all I've got to say.
Gentlemen, I think that it's time
that we do fight.
- Hello, Gardiner.
- Good morning.
You're on time this morning. It's about time.
- Good morning, Mr Dickson.
- John, how's your wife this morning?
- Much better this morning, thank you.
- Got a handkerchief?
Excuse me.
Wait a minute.
How do you feel this morning?
- I'm feeling fine this morning.
- That makes it unanimous.
- I feel all right, too.
- Thank you.
- Carter!
- Yes, sir?
You know the rules about smoking.
Thank you, sir.
Oh, Matt.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
- Hello, Tom.
- You here again? What do you want?
The same as anybody
wants from you, money.
- I told you I wasn't interested in that deal.
- But I want to know why.
- Wait a minute. Where's your uniform?
- I haven't any.
- You haven't got a uniform?
- No, sir.
You gotta have a uniform.
How much does one cost?
I don't know.
Tell Mr Sampson I sent you.
Gotta have a uniform.
I never had trouble
borrowing from you before.
When I was broke, you gave me all I wanted.
- Now I come to you with a swell deal...
- I don't like your crowd.
You can have all the credit you want.
For that deal, not a cent.
- But listen...
- Good morning, Mrs Pembroke.
- Get my letter?
- Yes, thank you.
- Hello, Helen.
- Good morning.
You're becoming more beautiful every day.
What do we do about it?
I don't know.
Guess we'll just have to sacrifice the bank,
that's all.
When are you and Matt
going to get married?
- Well, I...
- Stalling, eh?
Anything new?
The directors are waiting for you
in the boardroom.
Directors?
Long faces?
Longer.
And I haven't got any new stories
for them this morning, either.
- Mr Dickson.
- Mrs Pembroke.
I spoke to Mr Schaffer at the Guaranty.
He'll take care of your mortgage.
Mrs Dickson's on the phone.
You'd better hurry over there.
He's waiting for you.
Hello, dear. Yeah.
Where are you?
Sure. Come on down, right away.
Yes, of course I remember. It's tonight.
See what a social hound I'm becoming?
All right. Goodbye, dear.
But, Mr Dickson, I thought you were
taking care of the mortgage.
I only want $10,000,
the property is worth $60,000.
Mr Schaffer will take care of you.
He'll give you $15,000 or $20,000.
Better hurry now. Goodbye.
Good luck to you.
If Mrs Dickson comes in, tell her
to see Cluett if she needs any money.
What's the idea of turning her down?
Sounded like a safe investment.
She's a widow.
I don't like to take mortgages from widows.
Well, why not?
- If she can't pay, I'll have to foreclose.
- Yeah, sure.
"Yeah, sure. "
Make that uniform blue.
Yes, sir.
One, two, three, four, five.
Seven more and you'd have a jury.
Well, it's a nice morning, gentlemen.
How about two foursomes of golf, huh?
I say, that...
You know I found out something
about hitting a golf ball.
Hit it with the left hand,
and from the inside out.
- It's the only way...
- We'd like to have a little
of your very valuable time here at the bank
this morning, if you don't mind.
You would?
All right.
If it's more important than golf, go ahead.
What's on your mind?
- The cheque is no good.
- What?
The cheque is no good.
The man has no account here.
- Holy mackerel! I've been robbed.
- I'm sorry, madam.
So am I. And don't call me madam.
Yes, ma'am,
you can deposit your money here.
- Is it safe?
- Absolutely.
- It's his life insurance money.
- That's all right.
You come with me and I'll show you
where to deposit your money.
There he is.
Good morning, gentlemen.
- Who do you want to see?
- You.
Yeah, we want to talk to you
about a big deal.
Oh, yes?
Well, come right this way.
Hey, Pat, come here. Look!
That's Dude Finlay.
I've seen his picture in the papers.
- I wonder what he's doing with Mr Cluett.
- I'm scared.
He's one of the toughest gangsters in town.
Gentlemen, you're only wasting your time.
There'll be no merger.
Why should I turn this bank over
to anybody else?
I've worked 25 years to build it up
and now you ask me
to dump it into somebody's lap.
Nothing doing.
You could make a handsome profit
on your stock.
I'm not interested in profits.
I'm interested in the bank.
The depositors are my friends.
They need my protection.
I won't walk out on them.
How are you protecting your depositors?
By making a lot of idiotic loans?
Take it easy, Clark.
- My dear friends...
- It's all right.
Let him speak his piece. I like it. Go on.
All right, I'll speak my piece.
Dickson, you've got to change your policy.
What's the matter with my policy?
How many losses has this bank taken
in the last 25 years?
I'll tell you, not a single one.
- What's wrong with that kind of banking?
- Pure luck.
Conditions have changed.
These are precarious times.
Banks today have got to be careful.
And you've been more liberal than ever.
Yes, and I'll continue to be liberal.
The trouble with this country is
there's too much hoarded cash.
Idle money is no good to industry.
Where's all the money today? In the banks,
vaults, socks,
old tin cans buried in the ground.
We've got to get the money in circulation
before you'll get this country
back to prosperity.
Who are we going to give it to?
Men like Jones?
Last week you made him an extra loan
of $50,000. Is that intelligent banking?
Can't pay his bills.
How do you expect him to pay us?
That's a fair question, Schultz.
Let's see how bad a risk Jones is.
What's his history?
He's been a successful businessman
for 35 years.
Two years ago, business started falling off.
Today, Jones needs money.
And if he doesn't get it,
he goes into bankruptcy
and throws 900 men out of work.
Answer: unemployment.
It also means his creditors aren't paid.
They're in trouble.
They go to the banks and are turned down.
More bankruptcies.
It's a vicious circle, my friends,
and the only place to cure it
is right here at the source.
Help Jones and you help the whole circle.
When Jones comes to me,
I ask myself two questions,
first, is he honest? Yes.
Second, is he as good a businessman
as he was before?
And the answer is, he's better.
He is not only older and wiser
but his present trouble
has taught him precaution.
In my estimation, gentlemen,
Jones is no risk.
Neither are the thousands of other Joneses
across the country.
It's they who made this nation
the richest in the world
and it's up to the banks
to give them a break.
Disraeli said,
"Security is the prosperity of a nation. "
Disraeli didn't say anything of the kind.
He should have.
It's as true now as it was then.
But let's get the right kind of security.
Not stocks and bonds
that zigzag up and down.
Not collateral on paper, but character.
Character. That's your idea.
It's Alexander Hamilton's idea.
The finest banking mind of this country.
Those were his exact words, gentlemen,
"Character is the only thing
you can bank on
"and it's the only thing that'll
pull this country out of the doldrums. "
You know what we do to welchers, Cluett,
don't you?
I know, Dude.
I must have been crazy.
I lost my head completely.
That's your funeral.
We've got $50,000 coming to us.
- I haven't got it.
- Then what did you want to gamble for?
If you'd have beat us out of $50,000,
you'd have been paid.
Well, we want our dough.
- I'm sorry, Dude, but I...
- That don't do us any good.
After all, you can't take blood from a stone.
We can take blood from anything
if it's coming to us.
Perhaps if you'll wait a little while
- I might be able...
- We've waited long enough.
Nix. Lay off.
What's the use of getting excited, Cluett?
It ought to be easy for you
to lay your mitts on that kind of dough.
There's plenty of it in this bank
laying around loose.
Good Heavens, man!
- You're not suggesting that I...
- Why not?
- I couldn't do that.
- You don't have to do nothing.
What do you mean?
All you gotta do is fix a few things for us
and we'll do the rest, see?
No. No, I couldn't.
I couldn't do anything like it.
All right.
- Good morning, Helen.
- Good morning.
Is that busy husband of mine busy?
He's at a board meeting.
Board meeting?
That means hours, I suppose.
I'm afraid so.
Helen, did you ever try
competing with a bank?
No.
Take my word for it, and don't try it.
It's useless.
If it were another woman,
I could handle her,
but after all, you can't scratch
a bank's eyes out, now, can you?
Hardly.
Oh, well, I guess
the only other thing for me to do
is go out and buy myself
a few sticks of dynamite.
When he comes out, tell him I'll be back.
He hasn't gotten rid of me.
All right.
Dude,
there's not any chance of my
becoming involved in this, is there?
You? No, you'll be all right
so long as you establish an alibi for tonight.
- I know, but...
- Be sure to be with somebody responsible
in case any questions are asked.
Understand?
But, Dude, listen.
Couldn't we make this some other time?
Listen, buddy, you're getting by pretty easy.
Quit squawking.
Hello, Phyllis.
This won't do. Not during business hours.
I needed a... Want one?
Heavens, no!
Do you mind putting up with me
until the financial genius
gets through geniusing?
No. Of course not, not at all.
Here.
Why, what is the matter with you?
You're trembling.
Am I?
Why, I don't know any reason
why I should be,
- unless, of course, it's you.
- Me?
Being alone with you has always
done this to me. You know that.
For a celebrated bounder,
that is an awful admission.
Besides, I didn't know that any female
could do this to you.
You can. You always could.
Liar! You're just suffering
from lack of sleep.
Here, now.
Now, don't you go to work on me, too.
I'm getting tired of this.
Besides, it's beginning to affect your looks.
The running around. Not the work.
You better start reforming, Cyril.
If I thought you were the slightest bit
interested, I would.
Not bad, not bad at all.
Do you know something?
- I've always been curious about your line.
- Line?
Or whatever it is that makes you
such a riot with women.
Come on, Cyril. Try a little of it out on me.
I haven't had any first-class blarney
thrown at me since the day I was married.
But, you see, it isn't blarney
where you're concerned.
Now, let me see. What comes next?
Oh, yes, I know.
"What are you doing tonight, Phyllis?"
- Tonight?
- Doesn't that come next?
Yes, it does.
What are you doing tonight, Phyllis?
See, we're getting along famously.
Most of the depositors I know personally.
I've seen them grow up.
I knew their parents before them.
I know, that's all very well,
but you're taking too many chances.
In these times, a bank should keep liquid
in case of emergency.
I know what you mean.
You want me to hang on to our cash.
I don't believe in it. The law demands
that I carry a certain legal reserve, and I do.
The rest of our money is out working,
to help industry and business.
Meanwhile, you're jeopardizing
the safety of the bank.
Well, we won't stand for it.
You'll have to stand for it.
But my dear friends...
You're forcing us to take action against you.
Go ahead, take all the action you want.
I'm running this bank my way.
Get that clear!
Gentlemen, you'll notice that Mr Dickson
refuses to consider our wishes.
He refuses an offer to merge
with the New York Trust,
the only thing that'll put this bank
on safe ground.
He insists upon running a bank
on so flimsy a thing as faith.
You said it. That's the only thing
that means anything to me.
Before I take a man into this bank
and extend credit to anyone,
I satisfy myself on one thing,
do I believe in him?
So far, my judgement has been right, 100%.
When I start going wrong,
you won't have to take any action.
I'll turn the bank over to you,
and then you can merge all you want to.
I won't be the fellow to run it then.
Good day, gentlemen.
- Helen, tell Matt I want to see him.
- Yes, sir.
And after dinner we could go...
No, I think I've done enough experimenting
for one day.
Congratulations, Cyril.
You've convinced me
that you're a philanderer
of the very first order.
- I shall recommend you highly.
- Please don't laugh at me, Phyllis.
- I must see you tonight.
- Tonight? Never.
Tonight I have reserved
for a very special occasion.
Believe it or not,
it's our wedding anniversary.
Tom doesn't probably even remember it.
But then, they never do, do they?
- No...
- But I've planned a party for him,
a real old-fashioned surprise party:
caps, bells, whistles, and everything.
I'm really terribly excited about it.
I've been planning it for months.
Well...
Well, what?
- Well, aren't you going to invite me?
- You?
No can do. It's all set.
Just a few of Tom's closest friends.
Phyllis, if you don't invite me,
I'm coming anyway.
Don't be silly, Cyril.
These are respectable people.
- They'd probably bore you to death.
- No, they won't, not when you're there.
Please, come on, be a sport. Please ask me.
- Why are you so anxious?
- Don't you know?
No.
- I want to be near you.
- What?
- I've been crazy about you for years.
- Wait a minute.
I've always loved you,
long before you married Tom.
- Why, Cyril, you're insane.
- No, I'm not.
I deliberately avoided you.
I was afraid of making a fool of myself.
But I won't stand it any longer.
Please forgive me, Phyllis.
I lost my head for a moment,
but I couldn't help it.
Please stop apologising.
You're making it far too important.
Hi, Matt.
Matt, where have you been?
Mr Dickson wants to see you right away.
Hurry up.
I heard the merger isn't going through.
Isn't that grand?
Yeah, swell.
Well, Matt, get ready for the big moment.
Starting tomorrow,
you become assistant cashier.
How's that?
It's all right. Thanks.
What's more, keep up the good work,
and who knows,
someday you'll be the fellow
sitting behind that desk.
Not a bad thought, eh?
What's the matter?
You don't seem very excited about it.
Sure, I think it's swell.
Come on, show a little enthusiasm.
What's the matter? You sick or something?
Go on, fake it, even if it isn't real.
I'm sorry, Mr Dickson.
It's just kind of sudden, that's all.
Sure, I'm excited. I think it's great. Only...
You've done so much for me already,
I'll never be able to thank you enough.
Forget it. You came through, didn't you?
That's all I wanted.
Lot of them didn't think you would.
You don't know how much satisfaction
it's been to me.
It's been swell.
When are you and Helen
going to get married?
Well, I...
I suppose you want me
to fix that up for you, too?
Well, look who's here. Hello, darling.
Hello, darling.
Well, if this isn't a red-letter day
for Tom Dickson.
First I trample on the board of directors,
then I promote Matt to assistant cashier,
and to complete the day,
I've a visit from my sweet,
lovely, gorgeous wife.
What a man!
It's amazing that your sweet, lovely,
gorgeous wife can ever get to see you.
That has the earmarks...
Are you still here? Go on, go to work.
What do you think I pay you for?
What happened? What did he say?
Did you get the job?
Yeah.
What's the matter, Matt?
I thought you'd be thrilled to death.
Come here.
A few minutes ago I was in Clue's office,
and Mrs Dickson was there.
- Well?
- He was making love to her.
- Matt, you must be mistaken.
- I tell you, I saw them.
- In Clue's office?
- Yes, right in his office, the rat.
I'd like to take a crack at that guy.
Wait a minute. Don't go away.
Yes, George.
Yeah, sure.
That's for tonight?
Yes, certainly I'll be there. Yes.
We'll go down together
and have dinner in Philadelphia.
That's right.
Just as soon as the bank closes.
Right. Bye.
Sir?
I'm going to Philadelphia
when the bank closes.
- Make all the arrangements, will you?
- Yes, sir.
What's the matter, dear?
What have I done now?
Nothing.
I thought you were going out
with me tonight.
I did have a date with you tonight, didn't I?
Yes.
I'm terribly sorry. I'd forgotten all about it.
I'm so sorry.
You simply cannot go to Philadelphia
tonight, that's all there is to it.
- I've got to go. It's an important...
- I don't care if it's important or not.
You said you were going out with me.
If you hadn't promised so faithfully,
I wouldn't have planned the whole thing.
It's not so terribly important.
We can go to the theatre anytime.
- The theatre?
- That's what was your plan, wasn't it?
Yes, of course.
You can take some of the girls.
Take Mildred, or Gwen.
The girls.
Did it ever occur to you I might go out
and find myself an attractive young man?
"Ho, ho, ho," yourself.
I wouldn't laugh if I were you.
You may not suspect it,
but I'm still attractive to some.
Now, listen, don't you go around
being attractive to anybody but me.
Don't you forget that I'm still
the headman around here, too.
We're gonna change those tickets
for tomorrow night.
And you and I are going out together.
How's that?
- Tomorrow night?
- Yes.
- Yes?
- Mr Gardiner's here.
Oh, yes. That's that lawyer.
Let him have $9,000.
I'll step you around this town
like you've never been stepped before.
We'll have dinner at the St Regis,
go to a nice snappy show,
then to a nightclub, sit and listen
to the soft music, and who knows?
I might break down and dance with you.
All right. That's good. And I'll postpone
the whole thing until tomorrow night.
Are you happy now?
No.
Poor kid, you have been neglected,
haven't you?
I don't care, darling. I love you anyway.
- Yes?
- Mr Sampson.
All right. Send him in.
- Sampson, what is it?
- Here's the data on the Clyde deal.
Good. I'll take this with me.
Tell Clyde I'll see him tomorrow.
- I'm sick and tired of this delay.
- I'm afraid he's been stalling.
Exactly. This deal should have been closed
weeks ago.
- Tell him to keep tomorrow open.
- He says he can't in the daytime.
How about his nights?
Too busy running around?
Tell him to come sign this thing
tomorrow night, or this whole deal is off.
I'm sick of these people dilly-dallying.
Can't make up their minds.
- Everybody in?
- I guess so.
- Where's Charlie?
- Charlie's upstairs, sore as a pup.
He's out 14 cents and he can't find it.
- Good night.
- Good night.
What's keeping you?
Charlie again.
Say, Matt, you haven't done anything
about what you saw today, have you?
Cluett? No, not yet.
But I'd like to take a crack
at that stiff-necked horse collar.
Don't be silly.
Can you imagine that guy?
He was kissing her.
You've got me worried, dear.
- Promise me you won't butt in.
- Okay, honey.
But just the same, I'd like
to take a crack at that...
- I'll wait for you upstairs.
- All right, dear.
Where you been?
Where do you think I've been?
I took the baby for a stroll in the park.
What's the matter, Charlie?
I'm 14 cents out and it took me half an hour
to find the mistake.
And me with a date, too.
Ah, once when your accounts checked.
Listen, wise guy, I'm setting friend
time clock for exactly 9:00
so no squawks out of you guys
in the morning.
Say, don't annoy me.
I got troubles of my own.
- Are the payrolls ready for tomorrow?
- Yes, sir.
Let me see your cashbook, will you?
- Now?
- Yes, now.
All right, sir.
That's all right.
Seems to me you're carrying too much cash.
- Driver.
- Yes?
- Have you the correct time?
- 12:05.
Thanks.
- What's this?
- My apartment.
I knew I couldn't trust you.
- You told me you were taking me home.
- Come on up for just a few minutes.
- We'll have just one drink and then we'll go.
- I know the answer to that one.
I think you'd better take me home.
What's the matter? Afraid papa will spank?
No, I'm afraid papa isn't
that much interested.
He's too busy rushing off to Philadelphia
to make stuffy old speeches
at stuffy old bankers' meetings.
Too busy closing big, important...
- I think I will have a drink.
- Good for you. Come on.
There ought to be a Congressional medal
for men like you.
America's comfort to misunderstood wives.
I never thought I'd find myself in that crowd.
You're not so badly off.
There's something worse
than being a misunderstood wife.
- What is that, Mr Bones?
- A misunderstood bachelor.
And now, fair woman,
I have you in my power.
I'm not afraid of you.
You haven't got a moustache.
I'll grow a moustache
by the time you get out of here.
Why, Matt.
What are you doing here?
Well, the butler said I could stay.
I told him it was important.
- Oh, yes?
- He's not here.
He left at 9:00.
He said you gave him the night off.
What do you want?
I thought I'd like to have
a little talk with you.
I'm listening.
It's funny, now that I'm here,
I don't know just how to go about it.
You see, I kind of expected
to find you here alone.
Do you mind stepping outside? We can...
Anything you have to say,
say it in the morning.
Oh, no, Mr Cluett.
If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not wait.
It's about you and Mrs Dickson.
- About me...
- Why, Matt, what are you talking about?
I know I got a lot of nerve butting in,
but I couldn't help it.
I wanted to stop you from doing something
you'd be sorry for.
I'm not interested in what you think.
You've no right to do it to him.
Why don't you think it over?
- It'll only get you in trouble.
- I'm not interested in your opinion.
Then maybe you'll understand,
Mrs Dickson.
He's crazy about you.
Nobody knows it better than you.
- If he ever found out, i'd kill him.
- You're mistaken about the whole thing.
There isn't anything wrong.
- Mr Cluett and I simply...
- Phyllis, you don't have to explain.
- You mind your own business.
- This is my business.
Mr Dickson's like a father to me.
What's he ever done to you to deserve this?
That'll be just about enough.
Now, you get out of here.
Well, I guess I have said enough.
- I'm just wasting my breath talking to you.
- You're right for the first time. Now, get out.
I'm appealing to you, Mrs Dickson.
Think what you're doing to him.
You're passing up the whitest man on earth
for a dirty, no-good...
Cyril.
Now, get out of here.
Wait a minute, Matt. I'll go with you.
But you needn't go on account of this idiot.
You better carry that around with you
all the time. You're going to need it.
- What do you say, Doc?
- I'd say about eight or nine hours.
Well, you'd better call the coroner.
Say, fellas, I was the first one to see him.
I was coming down the steps
and there was the watchman
lying dead at my feet.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
Do you see that clock?
Right there, that's where the bullet hit it.
Well, when I saw that,
you coulve knocked me over with a pin.
- Was there much blood?
- Blood?
- Come on over, fellows, I'll show you.
- Get back.
I don't want nothing touched down here
till we get through.
- Oscar, what's the matter?
- Say, listen, I was the first one to see it.
I was coming down the steps and there was
the watchman lying dead at my feet.
- No kidding?
- No kidding.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
- Where's Matt?
- Matt?
He'll have a tough time
thinking up a wisecrack for this one.
The detective's got Matt upstairs
in Sampson's office.
- Say, did Matt do it?
- Don't look at me, I don't know.
He was acting kind of funny yesterday,
didn't you notice?
- Yes, he did.
- I noticed it, too.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
Come on, tell the truth.
What'd you do with the money?
I didn't do it. I told you all I know.
You turned off the burglar alarm,
you set the time clock,
came back at 12:00 and emptied the boxes.
- I wasn't anywhere near here!
- Sit down.
When the watchman surprised you,
you shot him. Where's the gun?
- I haven't got one.
- But you used to carry one.
Pardon me,
but I'd like to use my office for a while.
You use some other office.
Come on, open up.
- What's the matter here?
- Gonna open today?
Of course. Come on, open this door.
- Shall we let the people come in?
- Of course, let them in. You're late now.
Hurry up. Open the rest of the doors.
Mr Dickson, they're going to arrest Matt.
They think he did it.
- Where is he now?
- In Mr Sampson's office.
Don't you worry about it.
- Then you did it alone!
- What's the matter? What's going on here?
This is ridiculous. You can't hold this boy
on a vague suspicion.
- I'm afraid I must, Mr Dickson.
- Why pick on him?
It's an inside job, that's a cinch.
Whoever did it
had a pretty good picture of the layout.
- Brown is in charge of the vaults, isn't he?
- Yes.
The burglar alarm was turned off.
The time clock was set for 12:00.
- What more do you want?
- Somebody else coulve done it.
- He admits setting it himself.
- I did, for 9:00 this morning.
- Then who changed it?
- I don't know!
Wait a minute.
What time did you say this thing happened?
The clock opposite the vault
was stopped by a bullet at 12:09.
If the boy proves an alibi, he's all right,
isn't he?
- If he can do it, yes.
- He certainly can.
Matt, all you got to do is tell them
where you were last night
between 12:00 and 12:30
and everything will be all right.
I already told him, I was home.
- There you are.
- That's what he says.
I got a man from headquarters
checking up on it now.
Good. Nothing to worry about.
As soon as the report comes in,
you'll be released.
Listen, don't talk so loud.
Take it easy. Coast a little.
What do you think?
There was that poor watchman
lying on the floor right in front of me.
You coulve knocked me over with a pin.
- You don't say. Dead?
- Dead. He was lifeless.
You know, I was the first one to see him.
I was coming down the steps,
and there was the watchman
lying on the floor right in front of me, dead.
You coulve knocked me over...
Yeah, I coulve knocked you over
with a pin.
Yeah, you coulve knocked...
- Hello, Mayme, this is Gerda again.
- Almonds to you.
Say, listen, I just heard something
that'll make your head swim.
Listen to this,
the bank was robbed last night.
Yeah, over $100,000.
Who did it?
I don't know who did it,
but the chief teller's in an awful jam.
Call me up later.
I'm going to call up Lou now.
Hello, Lou? Did you hear what happened
over at the Union National Bank?
Wait a minute, Lou. Hello.
Yes, sir, I'm trying to get them.
Yes, Lou, listen.
It was robbed of over $200,000.
Can you beat that?
- Stole over $250,000. Can you beat that?
- You can't laugh that off.
I thought the Union National
was pretty solid.
I did, too. But $500,000 is a lot of money.
I wouldn't be surprised
if they had to close their doors.
Oh, good gracious.
- Sammy, are you sure about that?
- Yes, sir.
The messenger boy just told me,
that Mr Dickson took all the money himself.
And it was more than a million dollars.
- More than a million dollars?
- Cross my heart.
And I sure hopes that man
gets a long time in jail, too.
Never mind my shoes, Sam.
I always said the Union National
was a phoney bank.
Union National?
- You had money in that bank, too?
- Yes. Something wrong?
Mon Dieu! Run, run.
- You're telling me!
- You are a poor man.
I got it from the best authority.
Dickson got away with several million.
That's the end of the Union National Bank.
That's the trouble nowadays.
You don't know who to trust.
Is there something wrong
with Union National Bank?
Brother, that ain't the half of it.
If you have money in there, kiss it goodbye.
- No, you're kidding.
- No, I'm not.
Holy smoke.
Got any friends?
You better call them up, too.
That's a good idea.
I have friends of my own.
- Can you imagine that?
- What bank did you say that was?
Union National Bank. They're broke.
Haven't got a dime.
Jack, go to the Union National Bank
and take your money out.
Don't ask me how I know.
I tell you it's on the rocks.
You'd better tell your friends, too.
Better give your men some time off
to get their money out.
Tell Mrs Hardy to tell everyone
in the apartment house.
All right. I'll get it or bust a few noses.
I'll get right down there if I have to fly.
Run down there
and get your money at once.
Hello, dear. Have you heard the news?
Please hurry. Just now.
Union National is sunk.
We should have put it in the vault.
Call the Kincaids and tell them about it.
I don't know what's wrong.
I wouldn't trust anybody.
Everybody's taking their money out.
Union National's broke.
Holy John Judas Priest.
Our money's all gone.
It hasn't a chance.
Okay, honey, I'll go right down.
You better hurry up, too.
If you don't hurry...
Don't lose a moment.
What'll we do?
I'm going right down.
Why take any chances?
Mother just told me.
I just heard it.
Bank's broke.
Hurry up.
- Closing your account?
- Yes, sir. I'm closing it.
I wouldn't leave a nickel in this bank.
It's getting so a guy's money ain't safe
unless it's in his sock.
- They're a bunch of crooks.
- You said it.
Say, did I know the bank
was gonna go mechuleh?
What am I, a fortune teller?
Oh, my goodness!
- What's the matter, lady?
- Oh, mister, I gotta.
- Well, they only sign slips here.
- Give me your pen, please.
Could you loan me that pen of yours?
I'm in an awful hurry.
I'll need some more money.
All the depositors are withdrawing.
I know. I'll get you some.
All I know is the bank's been robbed
and a murder's been committed.
The way I see it, Brown here looks guilty.
He didn't have any more
to do with it than you did.
Maybe. But I'm taking no chances.
- Kis got a record.
- So have you, so have I, so has everybody.
What difference does that make?
You can't pin crimes on people
just because...
- Mr Dickson, can I see you for a minute?
- No, I'm busy.
But it's important.
Looks like there's a run on the bank.
- What, a run?
- The lobby's half-filled now.
What are you talking about?
Look.
They've been coming in all morning.
I've called for extra police.
Send down to the vaults.
Have our reserve cash sent up.
We haven't much on hand.
I hope we don't have to close.
Our reputation wouldn't be worth a nickel.
It's just a flurry. They've heard
about the robbery and panicked.
Have our available securities
turned into cash.
Wait. Have my personal stuff
turned into cash, too.
Tell the boys anyone caught
arguing with a depositor will be fired.
- We want to talk to you.
- About?
We'll discuss that in the boardroom.
We got a check on Brown's alibi.
You want to hear it?
All right. Be with you in a minute, Clark.
No need to worry, son. All you got to do
is answer their questions, that's all.
- So you were home last night?
- Yes.
What time did you get there?
About 11:00.
- 11:00? Are you sure of that?
- Yes.
All right, Kelly.
Do you know this young man,
Mrs Halligan?
Sure I do.
He has the best room in me house,
the one with the fancy wallpaper.
Did you happen to be awake
when he came in last night?
Yes, sir. I was having me hot mustard bath.
- What time was it?
- For the rheumatism, you know.
- What time was it, Mrs Halligan?
- It was late, I know.
The Dooley sisters was already in.
They work at the show, you know.
What time was it?
- What time did Matt Brown get in?
- Now let me see.
Half an hour after the Dooley sisters,
and the Dooley sisters...
I don't care about them.
What time did he get in?
That's just what I'm trying to tell you, sir.
- It was half an hour after the Dooley sisters.
- Was it 12:00?
- No, it wasn't 12:00 'cause the Dooley...
- Was it 1:00?
- Yes, I guess it was 1:00, 'cause...
- It couldn't have been earlier?
- No, it wasn't earlier because...
- Yes, I know.
Because the Dooley sisters weren't in yet.
No, 'cause me clock struck 4:00
and when it strikes 4:00, it's 1:00.
- There you are.
- She doesn't know what she's saying.
Who don't know?
Listen here, young man, nobody ever
called me a liar yet and got away with it.
That's all, Mrs Halligan. Thanks.
For two nickels I'd knock his block off.
I never told a lie in me life.
- Is this true, Matt?
- Of course it's true, and he knows it.
If you don't tell the truth, I can't help you.
Where were you last night?
She was right. I didn't get in till after 1:00.
But I wasn't here, Mr Dickson, honest.
- Then where were you?
- Wait.
You realise you're being charged
with murder. It's serious, son.
Come on, I know you didn't do it,
but you got to make them believe it.
Come on, tell me the truth.
Where were you last night?
I can't tell you.
Listen, if I get them out of the room,
will you tell me?
No, I won't.
- You're protecting somebody.
- No, I'm not.
It doesn't matter who it is.
It can't be as important as this.
Now, tell me. Where were you last night?
Come on, don't be a fool.
Matt, you trust me, don't you?
What a day, Mayme.
Everybody's coming in
to draw their money out.
Gee, Mayme, I wonder what started it.
Where's our protection?
That's what I want to know.
How do we know
who we're giving our money to?
We're a lot of suckers, that's what we are.
- Outrageous. Positively outrageous.
- It's worse than that, lady. It's lousy.
It's his life insurance money, you know.
But the policeman told me it was all right.
- I hope so.
- So do I.
Come on, what are you fellows gaping at?
Come on, go to work. Go on, hurry up.
Pay these people their money.
What's the matter?
Can't you see this line waiting?
Go ahead. Hurry up.
All right, don't argue with him.
Give it to him.
Go on, it's all right. It's enough, too.
- You have enough money here?
- I don't know, sir.
Sure, you're fine, you've got plenty.
- Whose window is this?
- Mat's.
Oscar, come here, take this one.
Bring up some money here.
Come on, folks. Stand in line here.
- Where were you?
- Checking up on this account.
Never mind that. Go on. Pay them
what they want. Hurry up. Snap into it.
Look at them, Mr Dickson.
They're going crazy.
Did you cash the securities? Mine, too?
Yes, but when the cash runs out,
they'll mob us.
The fools,
they're making it worse for themselves.
Somebody starts a rumour
and they lose their heads.
- What'll we do?
- I'll talk to them.
Tell the boys to stall as much as possible
and to forget what I said.
Tell them to verify every signature.
Take your time, folks. Don't get excited.
Everybody stay in line.
You'll all be taken care of.
Don't worry about anything.
Where's my money?
Now, listen, everybody. Listen to me.
Your money is safe.
This bank is in excellent condition.
If you've heard any report to the contrary,
it's based on malicious rumour.
Yeah, maybe.
That's a lot of hooey.
- You'll get your money.
- We want it now. We don't want speeches.
Listen to me, now. It takes time.
I've got seven paying tellers
working just as fast as they can.
If you'll all calm down,
I'll make arrangements to keep the doors
open till 4:00
and you'll all be paid today.
We can't keep open until 4:00.
We haven't cash enough to last an hour.
- Don't you think I know it?
- They're still waiting for you.
Gentlemen, we got one more hour to go.
That means we'll be forced
to shut the doors.
I've worked 25 years, night and day,
to keep this bank alive.
You made money out of it. Will you help?
What do you mean?
Among you,
you have a million dollars in city banks.
Get that money here
and I'll stop this run in five minutes.
Sounds simple,
but why should we jeopardize our fortunes?
I have everything I own in it.
- It's your bank as well, isn't it?
- Since when?
The way you've ignored us,
you wouldn't think so.
You wouldn't listen to us.
Your depositors were the first ones
to pounce on you.
If they're your friends,
why don't you get them to help?
They've gone crazy.
You can't reason with a mob.
You can't reason with anyone
when you're in a jam.
We urged you to keep liquid but you didn't.
You preached about faith and other rubbish.
Now you want help.
You want us to throw cash
into a bank you will break.
There's one way you can get it,
option your stock to us and resign.
So that's it?
You've waited long for this, haven't you?
Well, I won't resign, now or ever.
- You have no choice.
- No? I'll shut the bank first.
- You can't do that.
- I can't? Wait and see.
If that run isn't over very soon,
I'll shut the doors.
That means the bank examiners
will step in tomorrow.
We'll be forced to liquidate. I'll insist on it.
The depositors will be paid
100 cents on the dollar.
You can have whatever's left
but there won't be enough left
to pay your next month's garage bill.
- Mr Dickson!
- Get all the big bills in the place.
Get them changed. Get only ones and fives.
Give them to the tellers.
Tell them to take their time.
Stall. Count and re-count the money.
I hate to do this, but I need time to get help.
I know where I can get real cash.
Snap into it, Sampson.
We'll lick this thing yet.
Bring your book. I want some numbers.
Get Parker at the Union,
Read at the Exchange,
Winslow and old man Harris
at the Home Mortgage.
- Snap into it, Helen, quick as you can.
- Yes, sir.
Look at the mob. They're going crazy.
This run isn't doing
the reputation of this bank any good.
My dear friends...
How much longer
is this Dickson going to hold out?
You know Dickson. He'll shut the doors
before he gives up control.
Let him. I'm sick and tired
of hearing about him.
Let him run the bank.
I don't want any part of it.
- My dear friends...
- Shut up!
Stall!
Is this your signature?
Certainly it's my signature.
You've seen it often enough.
I'm sorry, but I'll have to verify it.
Hello, Parker. Listen.
I need $1 million in cash,
and I've got to have it quick.
What? No, tomorrow is no good.
I need it now.
Of course it's safe. The bank's
in excellent condition. You know that.
- Chief's car outside?
- Yes, sir.
Okay.
Come on, son. Let's go.
My love.
Don't cry, honey.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Sorry, sister.
What'd you find out, Mike?
I tailed the cashier like you told me.
You're right. There's something screwy.
Never mind all that. What did you find out?
He left here an hour ago
and went down to Dude Finlay's joint.
- Dude Finlay's?
- Yes, sir.
He stayed about half an hour, and then
came right back here. He's in his office now.
That's when I must have seen that guy.
Did you say Dude Finlay?
Yes, why?
Why, he was in the bank yesterday.
He was here?
He came to see Mr Cluett.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, sir.
Who was with him?
Two other men.
They all went in Mr Cluet's office.
Now we're beginning to get somewhere.
Kelly, you stay here with Brown.
Tim, you and Mike come with me.
We're going down to Cluet's office.
Kelly, call me up in Cluet's office
in about five minutes.
What'll I say?
I don't care what you say.
Sing Mother Machree if you want to,
but call me up.
Quiet down. Take it easy, folks.
Everything'll be all right.
But you said it was safe.
It's his life insurance money.
Please, I'll go to the old ladies' home
if you don't do something.
Take it easy. Be quiet. Everything'll
be all right. Open up here, folks.
All right, folks, please.
Good heavens, man,
you're taking no chances.
No, I'm perfectly willing to sign
everything over to you.
What more do you want? I need action.
I got to have it within the next half-hour.
Yes, sure. The board of directors
turned me down, but you know why.
Listen, Read,
it wouldn't mean
a drop in the bucket to you.
I see.
Ask me for a favour sometime, will you?
I hope you don't mind me
asking you a few questions, Mr Cluett.
Why, of course, yes.
Just what would you like to know,
Inspector?
Where were you at 12:00 last night?
That's very simple. I was home.
That is simple, isn't it?
I assume you can prove that if necessary.
Yes, of course. There was someone with me.
A lady.
Looks like you're going to have
no trouble at all.
What was the lady's name?
If you don't mind, I'd rather not say,
unless it becomes absolutely essential.
You see, she's married.
- You understand.
- Why, of course.
Pardon me.
Hello. Who?
- Yes, he's here. It's for you, Inspector.
- Thanks.
Somebody must be in good humour.
He was humming Mother Machree.
It's one the boys form headquarters.
He always sings Mother Machree
whenever he's got good news.
Looks like this case will be settled
in no time.
Yeah, Kelly.
Dude Finlay?
Where you got him?
I ain't got nobody here. I'm with Brown.
Didn't you tell me to call you
in five minutes?
Sure. Take him right down to headquarters.
Yeah.
What?
You don't mean Cyril Cluett, the cashier?
Yeah?
Did Dude Finlay tell you that?
What?
Dude Finlay? Sure, I got him here.
For a minute, I didn't catch on.
Yeah.
We got him right here now.
Okay, Kelly. Good work. Looks like a...
Get him!
There he goes!
He must be here. There's only one door.
All right. Find him.
- What's that noise?
- Sounded like a locker.
A locker? Search every one of them.
He must be in one.
Stand back, Inspector, or I'll shoot you.
Drop that gun.
All right, Jack.
Don't be a fool. This is only going
to make it worse for you.
Stand back, Inspector.
Let me out of here or I'll shoot you.
Let me see it!
It's only his finger. Get me a towel.
Now, take it easy, buddy.
All we want to do is talk to you.
You can't do a thing?
You're up to your neck?
All right.
You were right, Mr Dickson.
Brown didn't have anything to do it.
Here's your man.
You must be crazy.
I've known this man for years.
He's just confessed. He's mixed up
with the toughest gangsters in town.
Confessed? Heavens' name!
What's got into you?
I don't know.
It's all been like a crazy nightmare.
You're not a thief. How did you get
mixed up with these people?
Gambling. I owed them a lot of money.
- Last week I lost over $50,000.
- $50,000.
But I didn't kill that man last night.
Honest I didn't.
Yesterday they came to collect it.
I begged them to wait. I wanted time
to think, but they wouldn't listen.
They threatened to kill me if I didn't pay.
I was desperate. I didn't know what to do.
Then they suggested
I help them rob the bank.
All I had to was turn off the alarm
and fix the time clock.
It all sounded so easy.
It seemed like a way out.
I didn't know anybody
was going to be killed.
Why were you at Finlay's this morning?
I went to there to get my keys back.
Why didn't you come to me?
I'd have helped you out.
I was crazy, I tell you, Mr Dickson.
I didn't know what I was doing.
I wandered around in a daze.
All I could think of
was that they were going to kill me.
But you'll stand by me,
won't you, Mr Dickson?
You won't go back on me now, will you?
I'll die if they send me to prison.
Don't forget
there's a dead watchman downstairs.
I didn't kill him. I was home
in my apartment last night, I can prove it.
Claims he was there with a married woman.
Doesn't want to mention her name.
He won't believe me,
but it's the truth, honest.
I was in my apartment last night.
Ask your wife. She...
My wife?
What's she got to do with you?
No wonder he didn't want
to mention her name.
What was my wife doing in your apartment?
Nothing, Mr Dickson.
Don't pay attention to me. I don't know...
You just mentioned her name.
What was she doing in your apartment?
Well, she just came up for a drink.
- Just for a few...
- You're lying!
Don't worry, Mr Dickson.
We'll find out if he's telling the truth.
We'll have a man check up on it right away.
No one check up on anybody.
I'll do all the checking up. Wait a minute.
- Helen.
- Sir?
Get Mrs Dickson on the phone.
Listen, dear. I want to ask you something.
I know it's a silly thing for me to ask you,
but I want you to tell me the truth.
Where were you last night?
Last night?
Why, last night...
Listen, dear.
Now, tell me the truth about this.
Were you in Cluet's apartment?
In Cluet's apartment?
Well, dear, you see, I...
She wasn't to blame, Mr Dickson.
It wasn't her fault, honest it wasn't.
- I begged her to come up. She didn't...
- Get out!
All right. Let's go.
Clark, you're insane to wait.
Let's get some money here
and stop this run.
If we close,
our stock won't be worth a nickel.
- My dear friends...
- I'll lay you 10-to-1 Dickson won't give in.
Maybe they're right, Clark.
All right. I'll go and have a talk with him.
Dickson, I'd like to talk with you
about the bank.
The bank? All right,
do anything you want with it.
Now you're talking sense.
We'll draw up an option on your stock.
Say $80 a share. How's that?
Eighty dollars? That's fine.
Anything you say.
Good. I'll draw it up at once.
You want the rest of those numbers,
Mr Dickson?
Numbers?
No, never mind.
What's he doing? Is he getting any help?
Something's happened.
He isn't trying any more.
They must've turned him down.
He's called the biggest people in town.
Sure, they'd turn him down. He ought
to have known that. I'll talk to him.
We haven't got much time.
We got to do something or it'll be too late.
- Where were you last night?
- You're not giving up, are you?
- Were you in Cluet's apartment?
- I'll explain later.
You're losing your bank.
You know what that means?
- Was Mrs Dickson there?
- Don't let them lick you.
Even if some big shots turned you down,
you've got other friends.
Guys who are in business because of you.
- All you got to do is...
- Wait a minute.
Answer my question.
Was Mrs Dickson there?
She was, wasn't she?
How long has this been going on?
I don't know what you're talking about.
All I know is you're losing your bank...
Please, Matt.
- Did you talk to him?
- Yeah.
I got an idea. Come on.
Let's get to a telephone.
A 30-day option on 10,000 shares
of stock in this company,
now registered
in the name of Thomas A. Dickson.
Get that to me in triplicate
just as fast as you can.
There's no more money.
You'll have to go to the next window.
No more money?
What do you mean, there's no more money?
Go to the next window. They'll pay you...
That's all there is.
Are you sure he's in here?
Yes, ma'am, he must be. He hasn't come out.
I've got to get in there.
Can't you find me a key?
Yes, I think there's one
right here in the drawer.
Tom, darling.
I came to explain about last night.
Cyril Cluett doesn't mean
anything to me, Tom.
I went out with him last night
simply because...
Well, I'd begun to feel
that I didn't have any part in your life,
that I was an outsider.
Tom, all we did was to go to the theatre
and then we went back to his apartment
afterwards for a drink. That's all it was.
I didn't do anything wrong, Tom.
I couldn't do anything wrong.
I love you too much, you know that.
Here, here.
Dickson's in a jam. The run's getting worse.
The big guys have the screws on.
He came through for you 100 times.
If friends don't help him, who will?
There's Mr Jones!
Any bank that Tom Dickson has
anything to do with is all right.
I'm putting my money in here.
Why should you be afraid?
Tom Dickson is all right.
He's perfectly square.
I'm putting my money in this bank.
I know what I'm doing.
Open up. I want to put money in here.
I don't want to take any out.
Certainly, Mr Jones. Charlie!
They're starting to come in already.
Yeah. Listen.
Get all the money you can,
and bring it here. Step on it.
- Who's this?
- Hello, Mr Dunkirk?
- Williams.
- Mr Williams... I'll speak to both of them.
Dickson's in a jam. The run's getting worse.
Those big guys got the screws on him.
You two have to help him.
If friends don't help him, who will?
He came through for you 100 times.
They're coming in already.
Get all the money you can
and bring it down here right away.
Both of you, step on it!
If it's all right for me,
it's all right for everybody.
I'm going to make a deposit.
What's the matter with you?
I want to make a deposit.
$4,600 for Rico Mazzetti.
He's the best man in the world.
No matter what you think about me
there's something far more important:
those people down there.
The bank, Tom, you can't give that up.
Mr Dickson! Come here a minute.
Look at this.
Something wonderful has happened.
People are making deposits.
You won't believe it until you see it.
You've got to come out.
Tom Dickson is a friend of mine.
I'll put money in his bank anytime.
Anybody who takes money
out of this bank is crazy.
I'm going to put a lot of money in here.
I've got some money to deposit.
I haven't got much, but here it is.
I'd give Tom Dickson all my money anytime!
- Come out here and look at this.
- We've been waiting...
You know what you can do with that.
Look at this,
a demonstration of faith worth more
than all the collateral in the world.
Come on, it'll do your heart good.
They're shoving their hard-earned money
across the counter
with a 10-to-1 chance against them.
You want to stay with this bank,
get real money over here now.
That's enough for me.
I'm ashamed of myself.
I'll have $100,000 here in five minutes.
- Now you're talking, Ames.
- I'm sold.
- Schultz?
- This is your bank, and I'm with you.
- Ives?
- My dear friends,
that's what I've been trying to say
all afternoon.
Clark, you can do twice as much
as any of them. How about you?
I don't agree with you, but if everyone
is going crazy, I'll go crazy, too.
This is Ben Schultz.
Send $100,000 cash
to the Union National now.
Send all available cash
to the Union National.
Currency. Small denominations.
In 10s and 20s. Yeah.
Say, I want $150,000 over here right away.
I am in my right mind.
No, not $150.
Say, listen, you guys, $150,000!
Yes!
That's the trouble with people nowadays.
They hear a crazy rumour,
and right away they lose their heads.
Not me. You didn't see me
draw my money out, did you?
Good morning.
Union National Bank. Just a minute.
9:00 and all is lousy.
Where's Matt?
Ten-to-one he'll have a crack
about the run yesterday.
It's a cinch bet. I wouldn't take it.
If he pulls a gag about the run,
we'll murder the guy.
I suppose you guys
had a good run for your money...
- Good morning, Mr Gardiner.
- Good morning.
Good morning, Mr Dickson.
My wife is much better this morning.
Well, that's too bad. Mine's all right, too.
Carter!
- Morning, Mr Dickson.
- Morning.
- Well, got your uniform?
- Yes, sir.
Looks good. How much did it cost?
I don't know. Mr Sampson bought it for me.
Well, I guess
I'll have to see Sampson myself.
- Good morning, Helen.
- Good morning.
Say, I know what's the matter with you.
Matt!
I want you both to take the day off.
Go downtown, get a licence,
and get married.
- Well, I...
- I don't want to hear it.
If you don't get married,
I'll fire the both of you.
Helen, while you're downtown,
stop in and make reservations
for the bridal suite on the Berengaria,
sailing next week.
- Gee, thanks...
- No. It's not for you.
You're only going to get married.
Mrs Dickson and I
are going on the honeymoon.
Come on, slave.