This is Boston, a thriving island.
Once isolated by water from
the rest of new england.
Today, home of a million people
and the business hub for
two million commuters
who daily cross the city's six
Bridges to get to their jobs.
This too is Boston,
an integral part of the city.
It is here in 1933,
the year of the great depression,
that we start our story.
Extra, extra!
Baby food.
Hey, put that back!
Hey, hey!
Hey, come on, come on, let's go!
Slow down, slow down,
you ain't going no place, take it easy.
- Okay, okay, oh boy.
- Come on, what are we going for,
that was a good one.
Hey, look, look, Jerry got some milk.
Come on, Jerry, come on, hurry up.
Come on.
- Come on.
- Get out, get out, crooks!
Get out, get out, quick!
- Here comes the screwball.
- Yeah.
- How about a kiss, Maggie?
- Mind you.
- Hey.
- Ah.
- You wanna kiss me, Jerry?
- Hey, how about that?
- J and j, Jerry and jerk.
- I'll marbleize you.
- I was kidding.
- You want to?
Oh, go lock yourself in the nuthouse.
Come on, shove off.
Man, oh, man.
- Boy's a rookie!
- He's a rookie!
Stop or I'll sh**t!
"Fortunately, the boy will live, but he
will never have children of his own."
Cops. They ought to lynch him.
"The public is entitled to
know what disciplinary action
will be taken against this
trigger-happy patrolman."
How did you get into this mess,
officer?
Three complaints the last
couple of nights, all stores,
breaking and entering.
So when I heard the crash
inside and saw the torn screen,
I busted in and went after them.
They looked like grown men to me.
I called to them to halt. They didn't.
I fired and hit the kid.
Anything else?
No, sir.
But if I have to go up before a trial
board for doing my job, captain Concannon,
I don't want to stay in the department.
Uh, that's pretty big talk for a cop
that's only been on the job three months.
Yes, sir, I know,
but I want to go on living too.
Cop on my beat needs eyes
in the back of his head.
I gotta sh**t first and
ask questions later.
What is your record for arrests,
Gallagher?
Thirteen: Four convictions,
two not guilty, seven pending.
- Married?
- Yes, sir.
Children?
No, sir.
Take three days off with pay.
Keep out of sight, give these
newspapers a chance to cool off.
That's all.
Why, yes, sir.
Uh, thank you, sir.
Hello, rookie, come on in.
You come around for me
to get your job back?
- You don't get fired for doing your job.
- You mean you're still working?
- Yep, still working.
- You must have connections.
I thought the newspapers
tied a can to your tail.
Sorry to disappoint you.
I'm not disappointed.
I ain't even sore at you, just myself.
I should've been over
that fence faster.
That's the trouble with running a g*ng,
you gotta be the last man to scram.
Stop bragging, junior.
Who's bragging? I ain't bragging.
Didn't you know I have a record?
Fruit snatching, truancy,
malicious mischief,
nothing you can't walk away from.
Maybe we can help you.
Maybe we can straighten you out.
Don't let's get sloppy and start
a big reform movement, Gallagher.
Just trying to make it easy on my foot,
'cause if you or your g*ng ever
get out of line on my beat,
I'll kick your rumps
right around the block.
Don't worry. You'll never catch
me pulling anything on your beat.
Don't stand there looking stupid,
come on in.
Andy Norris, hymie weiner,
skids radzievich, red Flanagan.
This is Eddie Gallagher,
the cop who shot me.
- Hi, fellas.
- He's not a bad guy.
A little sloppy but not bad.
Hey, gee thanks.
Tell them what I told you, Jerry.
About their rumps. See you soon.
Here comes the brain department,
Gallagher.
All right, officers,
let's get these people out of here.
- Yes, sir.
- Okay, folks, come on, folks, let's keep moving.
Come on, keep moving.
I said keep moving.
Say, I wonder how long it takes to
break into the brain department.
You never know, sometimes forever.
Okay, come on, hurry on home.
Hey.
Gee, thanks.
You put the arm on somebody for this?
Nope.
- All bought and paid for.
- Sucker.
Mm, swell.
I hear gittelson's jewelry
store got knocked over.
Don't you ever talk
about anything else?
Okay, let's talk about something else.
What do you know about baseball?
Not much.
What was the longest big
league game ever played?
That's easy.
1906, Philadelphia and Boston.
- Twenty-four innings.
- Wrong.
- Right.
- Wanna bet?
Sure, uh, two bits.
You were made for me, Gallagher.
1920, Dodgers and Boston, 26 innings.
Game called on account of darkness.
- You win, that's right.
- Naturally.
Have a hunk.
Would it mean anything to you
to bust that jewelry store job?
Every good one you break brings
promotion a little closer.
Go down to cherry hill and tip a guy
by the name of rusty Glen upside down,
maybe a couple of pawn tickets
will fall out of his pocket.
The rest of the stuff's up in his room,
under the mattress.
Only reason why I'm squealing,
that cherry hill g*ng shouldn't
pull jobs in our neighborhood,
maybe get one of us blamed.
But you didn't get the
information from me,
you figured it out for yourself, right?
No one will ever know
we talked about it.
You heard the defendant's father admit
he regards his son as incorrigible.
Yes, sir,
but I think Jerry will change.
He's promised me that,
if he's given the chance,
he'll go back to school again
and start behaving himself.
You intend to keep your
promise to this officer?
Sure.
That's all, officer.
In view of the recommendation of
the arresting officer in this case,
I'm placing the defendant
on probation for one year.
But if you come before me once again, son,
I'll send you to a school of correction
yes, sir.
That's all, court's adjourned.
You can go now, the probation officer
will be around to see you soon.
Hey, Gallagher.
Sure glad that's over with.
I hear rusty Glen hollered like
a stuck pig when you bagged him.
Never mind, you just start
thinking about your future.
Decide whether you're gonna get
smart or keep on being a sucker.
Gonna get smart, real smart.
I don't think we're
talking the same language.
When you get back to school,
learn a good trade,
- get yourself a good job.
- Swell, 12 bucks a week to start,
maybe a couple of bucks'
raise ever year or two.
I suppose stealing's better.
Don't knock it.
Prisons are loaded
with dummies like you.
You steal a thousand bucks
and serve five years for it,
that's two hundred a year,
four bucks a week, and no raises.
If you're caught.
Listen to me, you little idiot, I'm
gonna do my best to keep you straight,
only because there might be something
to you beside plain, fresh mouth.
But if you get out of line, I'll take
you in by the back of your pants.
Okay, okay.
Just don't get mad at me.
Then quit that bigshot talk.
I owe you for coming to court today.
- Forget it.
- Oh, no.
I always pay off,
nothing for nothing with me.
- That freight got jobbed Tuesday night...
- Shut up.
I don't want any more of that
kind of information from you.
Two guys made it,
Lenny Simmons and Johnny stark.
The stuff's in a warehouse
on commercial and Hanover.
I hear they're gonna move it today,
here comes your bus.
Get your hands up.
Get those sweaters up over
your heads and hold them there.
All right, back up inside, come on.
All right, give me the knife.
Give me the knife!
Come on, what's going on?
- Which would you have?
- Quarter.
- Come on, let's go.
- Let's go.
Come on, come on, let's go dice,
come on, Maggie, six dice, all red.
That's your point there, Jerry.
Let's go.
Will you beat it?
Let's go dice, six, big six.
Come on, Maggie.
- Six...
- Seven.
Ugh, Maggie, you're jinxing me,
will you beat it?
Come on, Maggie.
Here's your half.
He'll be sorry.
Hello, Gallagher.
Sit down,
just looking over your record.
Most unusual for a
patrolman to score so high.
Luck or information?
Information, mostly.
- The Florea boy?
- Yeah.
You've been to bat for him,
let's see, twice this past year.
- Yes, sir.
- Why?
Well, I guess I've been paying
off for the information.
Do you feel any sense of shame
about playing ball with a stoolie?
No, why should I?
Why shouldn't you?
Well, a cop's job is to detect
and apprehend criminals.
Where the information
comes from isn't important.
What counts is making the pinch,
supplying the evidence for the conviction.
That's it, son, that's it exactly,
but don't shortchange yourself
with just one stoolie.
You can't have too many.
There's just one other
thing I have to clear up.
Do you have any sense of
loyalty to this young florea?
Well, I like the kid,
if that's what you mean.
I feel kind of responsible for him,
too.
Because of me... because of my sh**ting
him, he'll never have any kids of his own.
More of a friend than a stoolie.
Jerry's been to the house.
You don't being an out-and-out
stoolie home to meet your wife.
Would you arrest him if you had to?
Yes, sir.
We'll find out.
Here's a warrant for his arrest.
Complaint comes from family welfare.
Statutory r*pe.
- Well, the kid didn't do it.
- The girl says he did.
I know the girl,
captain, she's no good.
Jerry wouldn't go anywhere near her.
We call that hearsay, not evidence.
Pick up the kid, bring him in,
let the courts figure it out.
Yes, sir.
No wisecracks, Gallagher,
I had to do this and help my old man...
Skip it.
What's this mean?
What?
Oh, I can't be responsible
for what a nutty dame says.
They throw the book at you
for this kind of stink.
The reformatory until you're 21.
You know me better than that, Gallagher, I
wouldn't mess with a screwball like Maggie.
Then you know who did.
So what?
So when we get downtown, talk up.
I'm no stoolie.
Wait a minute, giving you information
oh guys on the outside is one thing,
ratting on somebody in my own g*ng,
that's something else.
Stop sitting on your brains.
The rat's the guy that won't step
up and take you out of the trap.
There's always pressure on this
kind of thing from family welfare.
Are you gonna serve
time for somebody else?
I might.
But if I do,
I'll take care of him when I get out.
Then go back again for life.
Or to the chair.
You're a pretty nice guy, Gallagher.
You ought to learn to give up on me.
Come on, let's go downtown
and get this over with, huh?
You stupid little jerk.
You know, there are two things you
don't know much about, Gallagher.
- That's me and baseball.
- Me and baseball, yeah, come on.
Jerry florea took the rap
for a member of his g*ng.
The juvenile court
judge kept his promise.
Sent Jerry to the state
reformatory until he would be 21.
His removal from society attracted little
attention in the community he had left,
for the important news was the
sudden death of John dillinger,
public enemy no.
1, in a g*n duel with government agents.
And the birth of Patricia Gallagher
was important only to her parents.
During those same years,
ed Gallagher moved out of uniform
and into the brain department,
the bureau of criminal investigation.
The rank of sergeant brought a raise
in pay and the fulfillment of a dream:
To own their own home.
It's wonderful, isn't it?
Yeah, 250 payments and it'll be ours.
Look, Jack,
will you keep off the grass?
Hi, Jerry.
I thought I'd drive you back to Boston.
Thanks, ed...
oh, thank you for getting me the job.
Without it, no parole.
You'll make a swell elevator starter.
Oh, are you kidding? Watch this.
Number three, take it up.
Oh, it's a lady. Madam, the fancy buttercup
corporation is on the seventh floor,
thank you very much.
Hey, try this suit on for size.
Oh, if the guys in here could see this.
Getting presents from a cop,
they'll start believing in miracles.
Okay, climb into the miracle
and let's get out of here.
I'll be with you in a minute.
I brought a friend of yours along.
It's wonderful to see you again, Jerry.
It's nice to see you, Mrs. Gallagher.
I didn't expect such a
big welcome home party.
Well, this is only two thirds of the
family, wait until you see Patricia.
She must be pretty close to two by now.
In another few months.
Have you see my mother lately, ed?
Yeah, she's fine, your dad too.
They'll be glad to see you.
No, Mrs. Gallagher, they don't
want me within smelling distance.
When they see you, that will change.
Not a chance.
My old man drew me a
picture before I went away.
"All the time, you were a big disgrace.
You don't work at a pushcart,
you don't do nothing,
all you do is you steal and you fight."
I've always been the rotten
apple in the pushcart.
Now who's getting sloppy?
I'm not going home, ed.
Someday... someday when I'm real fat,
I'll drop in on him with
a lot of that green stuff.
Maybe then the old man will change
his mind about his lousy kid.
How you figuring on getting
that green stuff, Jerry?
Didn't I just graduate
from trade school?
Okay, okay, sir, it was a joke, joke.
You better keep your eye on the road,
officer, or you'll get a ticket.
Why don't you try the eight ball?
I searched for years for you
behind the eight ball, Norris.
Now I'm gonna pay you off.
Stop, stop, stop!
Ugh!
Skids!
Come on, take it easy.
Take it easy, boys.
Take it easy, take it easy.
Cops! Beat it!
I'll arrest him.
- Who walloped you, Norris?
- Nobody knows the guy, officer,
- he was new around here.
- Shut up. Who was it, Norris?
I never saw him before.
Do you know who the guy was, Angie?
Oh, he was, uh...
I'm talking to you, Angie.
Oh, I don't know the guy,
it's a new face.
He's not a regular customer.
Florea seemed to
prosper at his new job,
although 25 dollars a week wasn't very much
of what he would call, "that green stuff.”
But with a side business of
making book on the horses,
an elevator starter could do very well.
- Who is it?
- The glee club.
- Hi, Jerry.
- Hey.
Say, looks like you're making millions.
Come on, you can't make a
bundle out of two-buck bets.
It's better than coffee money.
All right, all right.
Now, how would you guys
like to cut up a big melon?
Thirty grand or more
in one big swallow.
- Now I may be punchy, but I ain't crazy.
- I know... sit down and cut the comedy.
How much cash can you get your hands on
in the next couple of days?
- Eight, maybe nine hundred.
- What about you?
About the same, I guess.
Mm.
Well, it's thirty-four hundred here,
we're gonna have about five grand.
Come onl
it's about five grand in all.
Now we're gonna have to get a couple of stooges
to help place the bets with the big books.
We're supposed to make this
melon betting the horses?
Just one horse,
and collect eight-to-one
for our five grand.
A fixed race?
That ain't our racket, Jerry.
Who says it was?
We're not gonna fix any race,
just the result...
and the mutuel payoff.
You're nuts!
You guys know how the betting rooms
get the results and the mutuel prices?
- Telephone.
- The service sells them the set
of the description of the races,
payoffs, changing odds, everything.
Mhm.
And, uh,
how does the service get the stuff?
From the track, I guess.
From outside the track
and I'm not guessing.
Two guys with a telescope describe the race from
the third floor apartment overlooking the track.
Then special announcers at
the wire service offices
- relay this stuff to rooms all over the country.
- So what?
So if the telescope boys phone
in what they're told to phone in,
we hame the winner of
the race and the mutuels
and collect eight to one or maybe
ten to one if we want to turn pig.
And the books don't get the
legitimate results until after
we've collected the cash and scrammed.
- Oh-ho!
- I'll take that ten-to-one and call me pig!
- Go get my watch.
- Okay, boss.
They're on the track.
Coming out at Suffolk, new line coming.
- On the track at Suffolk.
- $300 across on empire builder.
- Three hundred?
- Across.
Charlie.
Three bills across on empire builder.
Was it supposed to be a goodie?
For nine hundred skins, it better be.
Okay, take it.
Going to the post.
Okay... at the post at Suffolk.
- Hey, what...
- Behave yourselves and do as you're told.
You, sit down over there, sit down.
You're gonna read this race
the way I tell you, understand?
Yes, sure.
When I give you the okay, read off
the description the way it's written
and you better read it right,
pal, if you want to stay alive.
Yeah, sure.
There they go,
extravagant miss is going to the front.
Off at Suffolk, it's 33.
They're running at Suffolk at 33.
Around the first turn, extravagant
miss by a length, likely a length.
Al's girl ahead.
At the quarter, swanny gal by a length,
seesaw by a half,
empire builder by two,
and extravagant miss.
At the corner, swanny gal by a length,
seesaw by a half.
At the half, extravagant miss a nose,
al's girl a length.
At the half, swanny gal a half,
empire builder by one,
seesaw by two, and extravagant miss.
Into the stretch,
mighty like in front by two lengths,
al's girl by a half,
and seesaw on the outside.
In the stretch, empire builder
by one length, seesaw by a half,
extravagant miss by two,
and so lightly running fourth.
The winner will be next.
Al's girl by a half,
mighty like the winner by two lengths.
Empire builder wins it by a length.
Extravagant miss is second,
seesaw finishes third.
Winner closed at 11-1.
Empire builder wins it by a length,
extravagant miss is second,
seesaw finished third,
empire builder throws 11-1.
It's official, next post 307.
It's official next post...
A real goody goody.
All right, up with you, over there.
All right, each one in a closet.
All right, break it up,
break it up, back up, back up.
Easy does it now, easy.
- Is he hurt bad?
- Looks like it.
Hey, this guy's heeled.
Ow! Watch the arm.
Were you going some place special,
Jack?
Yeah,
I was gonna go visit my aunt Fanny.
There's a rumor going around that the big books
got clipped for a lot of that green stuff.
Over fifty grand.
I... I've heard about it.
Is that all?
You weren't tied in?
Look, ed. If a job is pulled outside of
Boston, where's the skin off your nose?
Not off mine, off yours.
Right now,
you're charged on three counts.
Possession of a g*n, burglary tools,
and violation of parole.
It's not the kind of trouble you
can blow away with your mouth.
That's the kind that can add
up to a big piece of your life.
Five or ten years, a guy my age could
serve that standing on one hand.
- Don't get cute!
- Then lay off the sermons!
Don't you know any other kind of gab?
Confession is good for the soul,
honesty is the best policy,
obey the law, keep to the right,
don't jaywalk, curb your dog.
Okay.
I told you a long time
ago to give up on me.
Can't rub out the spots.
I'm not even gonna try.
This washes us up.
Well... wait a minute, ed.
You just can't bust up a
friendship just like that.
Yeah.
Just like that.
As far as I'm concerned,
you're just another thief.
I'll put the pinch on you fast as I'd
spit the bad taste out of my mouth.
Yesterday,
December 7th, 1941,
a date which will live in infamy.
The united stated of America
was suddenly and deliberately att*cked
by naval and air forces
of the empire of Japan.
Did she go to sleep yet?
Mhm.
Clocked out before I finished
reading a whole page.
Just go away now, I smell of dishwater.
Oh, it's a wonderful smell.
Ed...
Thank you very much, sergeant.
A letter came from Jerry florea today.
Throw it in with the
rest of the garbage.
Oh, you never change, do you, honey?
Once a stubborn Mick,
always a stubborn Mick.
- Have it your way.
- Well, my way is to stand still and listen.
Your family must've come
from another part of Ireland.
Now, ed, don't joke about this.
All Jerry's asking for is a
chance to fight for his country.
You're going in, he's got as much
right to that as you have, doesn't he?
What kind of an army
does he think we have?
He's a convicted felon.
Well, he says it can be arranged, that
four prisoners have been accepted already.
It's done through the parole board,
see?
Maybe so, but I'm not buying any.
Now, who else can he ask for help?
His father's dead and his mother
wouldn't know how to help him.
Now...
now this could be the boy's salvation.
Maybe he can get straight with himself.
Oh, ed, break down a little.
Well,
what am I supposed to do about it?
Well,
you can talk to inspector concannon.
I know he'll help Jerry if you ask him.
Oh, you'll do it, won't you, honey?
Let me taste the dishwater.
I'll ask concannon.
When?
In the morning.
This is a great day for me,
ed, you showing up.
I never thought I'd ever see you again.
Sit down.
- How's the baby?
- Fine.
Good.
She must be going to school by now.
- Yeah, kindergarten.
- Kindergarten.
What's I'm trying to say is...
is I know what a wisecracking dope I was
the last time I saw you.
Forget it, it's past history.
Thanks.
I'm... I'm glad it's over.
You think you'll be able to help me to get
out of this mousetrap and into the army?
Is that why you want to join the army,
to get out of here?
Come on, ed,
you know me better than that.
Nah, this is straight stuff, no angles.
I really want you to believe that, ed.
I do.
But I... I can't swing it, Jerry.
You'll have to sit out the w*r.
How come?
My record's no worse than
a lot of guys they took.
One guy had still ten years to serve.
The guys they took were citizens,
born in this country or naturalized.
What am I supposed to be,
a pekingese or something?
You're an alien, Jerry.
A convict and an enemy alien.
What alien?
I was brought to this country
was I was one year old.
When my old man became a citizen,
that made me one too.
Your father never got past
taking out his first papers.
Concannon got your case history
from the immigration people.
Don't give me that, ed, I'm as much
a citizen as you or anybody else.
Take it easy.
I'm sorry things broke this way, Jerry.
You're sorry?
Sure, you're sorry, don't give me that.
This is your way of getting even
with me for the argument we had.
How long did it take you and
concannon to fix this lousy frame?
All right, florea,
let's get back to work.
- Take our hands off me, screw.
- Take it easy, Jerry.
- Come on.
- Take your hands off me!
Quit it, Jerry, don't!
- Good morning!
- Bye.
Bye, mommy.
Goodbye, honey.
- Good morning, Mrs. Gallagher.
- Good morning.
- Here's one from your mister.
- Oh, thank you.
I can't get up here more
than once a month...
Papa says if the landlord tries...
Believe me, when the w*r is
over and things are plentiful,
I ain't gonna patronize that
store in a million years.
It's been a long time, Jerry.
It certainly has.
When they told me I had a visitor,
I didn't believe them.
Outside of my lawyer, you're the first
one that's visited me in over two years.
Well, I meant to come up a dozen
times but I honestly couldn't make it.
When I get through working, the house
and Patricia keep me pretty busy.
- You're working?
- Part time, from nine to three.
What a grade-z dope I am,
Mrs. Gallagher.
I should've figured with ed in
the army and the prices going up.
If you need any money, I got a
little package of it on the outside.
You're welcome to any part of it.
Well, thanks, Jerry,
I know you mean that, but we're fine.
I get most of Ed's
paycheck every month.
I only took the job in the airplane
factory because workers are scarce,
everybody's needed.
Except me.
In... in his last letter,
ed said that he hoped you weren't
bitter about what had happened.
When you write ed, you tell him
I'm not bitter about a thing,
that I found out that he really made
a big pitch to get me in the army.
Now, why don't you write to him?
Suppose a general or somebody saw him getting
letters from a con, now what would that be?
Now, never mind the alibis,
you just start writing.
I'll leave Ed's overseas
address in the warden's office.
You know...
You and ed are about the
only good friends I got.
We like you, Jerry.
What's to like?
Like me is like liking a bad headache.
Have you, uh... have you
thought about the future, Jerry?
The future?
Well, after the w*r is
over and you're released?
Oh, I'm in pretty good shape.
I don't suppose you'd
want a suggestion.
If it isn't' a sermon.
No, no, not really, I... I just thought
you might find a nice girl and settle down.
Uh, marriage?
Well, to a woman,
settling down means marriage.
And kids.
Children can be adopted.
Not by an ex-con, Mrs. Gallagher.
Two things I can never be,
Mrs. Gallagher.
That's a father
and a citizen of my country.
The ugly-sounding name enemy alien was
forgotten with the signing of the armistice
and Jerry florea was
returned to society.
- Be seeing you soon, florea.
- You should live so long.
Ed Gallagher came back to
his job in June of 1946,
only to find that sympathy for
Jerry florea was a wasted sentiment.
In the short time since his
release from the state pen,
Jerry had been arrested six times
in towns and cities outside Boston.
Hope for Jerry's reformation
just wasn't in the cards.
In the next four years,
the onetime enemy alien
worked his way up to the
state as a public enemy
by way of bookmaking,
policy numbers, and slot machines.
But he stayed out of
Gallagher's territory,
confining his operations to
cities outside of Boston...
Springfield, worcester, fall river.
In those same four years, ed Gallagher, by
way of a stable of reliable stool pigeons
and a half dozen
departmental commendations,
worked his way up to lieutenant
of detectives at $6,200 a year.
Not as much as Jerry
florea made in a month.
The relationship between
Jerry and Gallagher continued
but only on a business basis.
Cop and stool pigeon.
And it still was nothing for nothing.
No different from
Gallagher's other stoolies,
Jerry delivered information only when
it was to his advantage to deliver.
Bang-bang.
Hi, ed.
I never met anybody so happy
to see me in my whole life.
How do you like the wardrobe?
Very elegant.
I got three more coming,
I get a special price.
By stealing the cloth for your tailor?
You're close.
He steals it.
It's a guy I served some time
with up in Springfield last year.
Oh, incidentally,
I can get you a top grade for a coat...
Minks, fox, anything you want.
Fifty or sixty percent off.
We're a cloth-coat family.
Sure.
How's Mrs. Gallagher and pat?
- Okay.
- You know, I haven't seen them in four years.
I got a lot of work piled up on my desk,
Jerry.
Oh, sure, sure, I understand.
Here's a list of Vic Martin's garages, you'll
find maybe 10, 12 hot cars in each joint.
I didn't know you went
sore on Vic Martin.
He turned big, started moving
into Springfield and worcester,
cutting into my slot machine business.
Oh, ed, can il...
can I give you a lift?
No, I got another stop to make first.
Ed, would it be okay if I stopped
over and saw Mrs. Gallagher and pat?
No.
No, it wouldn't be.
Doing business with you is one thing.
Tracking dirt into the house where my
daughter's growing up is something else.
Yes?
Father bonelli's here, sir.
Send him in, and hold all my calls.
Yes, sir.
Long time, father.
How have you been?
Life's been patient with me,
superintendent.
- Sit down.
- Thank you.
I wanted you to look
at the morning lineup.
We're equipped with television now.
We can show the rogues to all
the stations at the same time.
That's not the man I wanted you to see.
That's just another ordinary vagrant.
May the kind lord have mercy on him.
Did you ever see a lineup, father?
No.
Why would I watch the
misery of my fellow beings?
Lieutenant Gallagher
is conducting this one.
There's our boy.
First time he's been arrested
in Boston in 12 years.
What's your name?
Jerry florea.
Step forward.
How many times have you been arrested?
Lots of times, I don't keep count.
Shut up!
How many times have you been inside?
Um, one hitch at the reformatory,
two at the big house,
three at the county and city jails.
How many convictions?
Oh, about 11, I guess.
You got a bad memory. I make it 14.
Take a good look at this man,
he's an habitual criminal.
Since 1933, he's been arrested 37 times,
mostly outside of Boston.
He's served 14 years inside prisons,
he's been known to
specialize in armed robbery.
Here's his full record.
It'll take Gallagher a long
time to read that record.
It's that bad?
Florea is the living proof that
not everyone can be saved, father.
Now that's the kind of statement
I can't allow myself to believe.
Well, I guess that's the difference
between being a priest and a cop.
Next time you see Gallagher,
ask him his opinion.
He and his missus did everything
for florea except adopt him.
And now they've stopped trying?
It's no use trying
to do the impossible.
You're wrong, superintendent.
The boy isn't all bad.
Just yesterday he came to the church and
gave me a $500 donation for my parish poor.
And was with you from 4:00 until 4:30.
How did you know that?
Listen.
Does that bring you up to date, florea?
What am I supposed to
be charged with now?
What do you know about
this payroll job?
Just what it says in the papers.
Where were you when the heist
took place, between 4:00 and 4:30?
In the rectory of St. Charles church,
with father bonelli.
Before yesterday, when was the
last time you visited a church?
I don't remember.
Take him off.
George radzievich,
alias skids radzievich,
and red Flanagan...
Radzievich is one of florea's pals.
Gallagher rounded
'em all up and brought 'em in.
Nothin' but alibis.
How can you suspect Jerry when he was
with me at the time of the robbery?
He probably engineered the job,
imported hoodlums, used you as an alibi.
After all, father, $500 is a cheap enough
price to pay for a witness like you.
You think that's what happened?
Well, unfortunately,
thinking isn't evidence.
If it was,
we could keep our streets nice and clean
and our penitentiaries overflowing.
- An honest joint.
- You should know.
- That room free?
- Yes, sir.
Let's talk.
Thanks.
I've got an appointment uptown, ed.
To pay off your stickup boys?
You sound like you're gonna be nasty.
What's eating you?
That job was pulled in my district.
This is a big town, ed.
You can't be responsible
for everything that happens.
I have to be, especially when I'm
double-crossed by one of my so-called friends.
You know, this must be one of my
stupid days, but I don't get it.
I'm saying you double-crossed me.
I double-crossed you?
What kind of arithmetic is that?
You once promised me that you'd
never pull a job in my jurisdiction.
Now, wait a minute, ed.
You got it slightly cockeyed.
I promised, sure.
I promised you'd never catch me
pulling a job in your district.
Then you were in on this heist?
You asking me as a cop or a
"so-called friend"?
Cop, strictly cop.
I don't answer questions for cops.
You'll answer mine.
Sluggin'
me ain't gonna get you an answer.
I've been slugged by experts.
I'm father bonelli of St.
Charles parish, lieutenant.
May I come in?
No one I would rather see, father.
Come right in.
I'll only be a moment.
I watched the lineup this morning.
I'm returning this money.
Somebody's giving you a wrong slant,
father.
That money's clean.
I can't accept it.
Wait a minute, father.
Look, I know I've been a heel,
just like the record reads,
but now I'm finished.
I came to see you because, well,
because I want to start being decent.
Oh, you're too grown-up to
suddenly become a choir boy,
and I'm too impatient to stick
around and listen to you sing.
I remember when you
used to like my singing,
when it made you a big man
down in the police department.
Better look the merchandise
over before you buy it, father.
Here's a man who thinks he can
take decency like it was medicine.
Teaspoonful every few hours.
Will you excuse me now?
I have some sick calls to make.
Well, I guess I had you
figured all wrong, father.
I always thought a priest
gotta live by the big book.
I try to.
Then don't judge me.
Isn't that what the big book says?
I'm not judging you, son.
Then what does this mean?
You're gonna take a
cop's word for my guilt?
If they had any proof,
would they have released me?
Give us time, we'll hang it on you.
The lieutenant thinks I
used you for an alibi.
Did you?
Why would I put a priest
on that kind of a spot?
I could've used any one of a
dozen people to help fix an alibi.
It was just a coincidence then,
the time of the robbery
and your visit to me?
Yes.
We'd never met before, Jerry.
You'd never been to St. Charles before.
No, I hadn't.
He came to see you because
he's philanthropic,
something new in faith,
hope, and charity.
He had an angle, believe me, father.
He's right.
He's absolutely right.
I had an angle.
I gave you the five bills because
I wanted to get in good with you,
get you on my side.
I don't understand.
I wanted to get married.
But my girl won't say yes
unless you give me the okay.
You know, a church wedding
mass and all the trimmings.
Who's the girl?
Virginia Stewart.
Stewart, Virginia Stewart...
You married Virginia caso and
Steve Stewart nine years ago.
Steve was k*lled in Korea last year.
Oh, of course,
didn't I baptize their children?
Mm-hmm, three of 'em,
two boys and a girl.
Nicest kids in town.
Taking on a family is a
big responsibility, Jerry.
I like kids.
I always wanted a battalion of 'em.
And you're Sincere
about wanting to change,
to become decent?
All the way.
A man with a family has gotta
get decent and stay that way.
I'm buying a couple of
service stations around town
and I'll make my living, the hard way.
I'm delighted.
Then how about this, huh?
I don't know.
- Maybe someday when...
- Take it, father.
It's clean money, I'll underwrite it.
Are... are you kidding,
or is this on the level?
Two things this guy doesn't
know anything about, father:
Me and baseball.
Thank you, ed.
According to Jerry's scale of values,
he kept his word to father bonelli.
He shut down his rackets,
went into a legitimate business.
A man about to get married,
take on a family,
doesn't want to be known as an ex-con,
but getting rid of
the label costs money.
Pardons are expensive.
You're too little for long pants.
I'm not!
Isn't he too little, mom?
Oh, please, Teddy, be quiet.
I'm not too little, am I, mama?
No, no, you're a very big boy, Howard.
Now, Teddy, you take your brother and
sister and go on and take your seats
'cause the wedding's gonna
start in five minutes.
You're way littler than me.
No, no, he's just younger now.
Get going, huh?
Come on, darling.
Come on, kids.
Wait a minute.
Let's ask Jerry.
Howard says he's big
enough to wear long pants.
Ain't I, Jerry, ain't I?
Sure, sure, fellas,
would you give me a break?
Listen, you love me?
Mm-hmm.
Okay, family, let's get to your seats.
Come on, here we go.
Come on, guys, there you go.
That's right, papa, fix your tie.
Hey, not bad, Gallagher,
not bad at all.
When they get a look at me, son,
no one's gonna know you're in church.
I may wear this getup permanently.
Being in a lineup is a
lot easier than this.
Now, look, with your kind of memory,
when father bonelli asks you if
you take Virginia for your wife,
don't forget yourself
and give out with,
"I refuse to answer on the grounds it
might tend to incriminate and degrade me."
I haven't had to worry about
pinches or lineups for a solid year.
I know you haven't,
and I'm tickled about it.
You got the cleanest nose in town.
And the emptiest cash register.
You know,
that pardon took a pile of cabbage.
It's a great thing for
Virginia and the kids.
One more gimmick to go,
and in another month,
I'll be John q. Citizen
just like anybody else.
Well, we're on.
Ready, gentlemen.
Let's go.
Okay, warden.
This is a holdup.
Open up, don't give us any trouble.
Don't try it, I'll k*ll you quick.
Open up.
We'd better do it, Russell.
Please.
Please, Mr. Russell.
Stand back.
Everybody!
Away from the g*n rack.
On the floor, face down,
hands behind your back.
Burglar arm has been pulled at the
transcontinental armored car service.
All right.
Calling 1-a, 1-a.
1-a answering.
Transcontinental armored car service,
a*t*matic burglar alarm.
- On the way.
- 1-.
Attention all cars, to all cars,
cover your bridgehead locations.
Attention all cars,
cover your bridgehead locations.
To all cars, be on the lookout
for a truck or a large car.
Make and registration unknown.
Possibly both.
Containing five men, no descriptions.
Yes, sir, I'll be there in ten minutes.
Oh, ed, not again.
I have to meet concannon.
Um, I'll get your coat.
Uh, don't wait up for me, honey.
It's gonna be another late one.
The, uh,
transcontinental armored car outfit
is across the street from one of
your service stations, isn't it?
Yeah, why?
It was pulled a little while ago.
Two and a half million dollars' worth.
Wow!
Kinda lucky you were with me tonight,
even luckier than being with father bonelli
when that 300-grand heist was pulled.
I'll be seeing you.
Our roadblocks were set up within
six minutes after the alarm.
That means they still
might be inside the city.
Comb your districts
from cellar to rooftops,
and keep in mind, a truck or a
large car was used for the getaway.
Those sacks, fifty of 'em,
weighed over 400 pounds.
Talk to anybody you can,
find out who saw or heard what.
The rest of you get your squads moving.
No time off.
No leaves or absences.
Everybody works round the clock.
Get going.
Start with the boss cashier.
- Oh, hi, ed.
- Hi.
Rough night, huh?
Hey, did you see this?
Insurance companies offer 200
grand for the recovery of the loot.
Wow!
You in the market to earn it?
Me? I don't want no part of it.
Concannon had a couple of your
friends in the lineup this morning.
Who? Red and skids?
Who else?
I'll bet they're clean.
What makes you think so?
I don't know.
It's just easier to believe
in your friends than not to.
Like you and me, for instance.
Yeah, like you and me.
Nice, clear view you got from here.
A man could clock the coming
and going of every armored car.
All the building personnel.
Fellas in this caper used
surgical tubing for masks.
Ever hear of that gimmick before?
Playing mousie-mousie is a new
routine for you, ed, isn't it?
Look, if you've got anything on your mind,
why don't you say it without the detours, huh?
I've been doing a lot of
arithmetic since last night.
That 300-grand heist was a
rehearsal for this caper.
Whoever engineered that
one made a chunk of money,
enough to buy himself a pardon,
enough to buy a few
more service stations...
One of them across the street
from two and a half million bucks.
You think I engineered this job?
I know you did.
You must be blowing your stack, ed.
I was with you last night.
Remember?
You picked the wrong patsy.
I told you once I'd kick
your rump around the block.
Maybe it's not too late to start.
Well, you're gonna need your g*n, lieutenant,
'cause I'ma wrap this around your thick skull.
Sorry to butt in, lieutenant.
We'd like to keep him in one piece.
Attorney General's office,
state crime commission.
This is a city squeal.
Not exclusively, lieutenant.
We're stepping in at the
request of the governor.
All right, florea.
Let's go downtown to
the state building.
Hold it.
The chips are down now, Jerry.
Who are you gonna talk to,
the state cops or me?
Why don't you toss for me?
Okay, he's all yours.
I've been checking florea's
alibi with Mrs. Gallagher.
You could've checked it with me at my
office, that's what an office is for.
Well, I thought I'd catch
both of you at the same time.
Honey, have you got any coffee handy?
Percolator's on the stove.
- Would you like some, Mr. sanborn?
- No, thank you.
You showed bad taste bothering my wife,
sanborn.
That's a funny viewpoint for a cop.
You've probably questioned
a lot of wives in your time.
Okay, okay.
In going through florea's record,
your name keeps cropping up.
You've gone to bat for him 11 times.
Look, let's get something straight.
You're not questioning a witness.
You're a state detective
talking to a city detective.
If you're asking for cooperation,
you'll get it.
If you've come here for any
other purpose, make it clear now.
I thought I was clear enough.
This house you're living in,
it's worth about $25,000, I understand.
Better let those questions roll around
inside your head before you pop them.
Just struck me that a $25,000
house is pretty plush...
On a lieutenant's salary.
I paid $10,500 for this
house 14 years ago.
The mortgage will be paid
off in another six years.
It's in a good location,
it's increased in value.
I wouldn't sell it because we'd
have no other place to live.
My checking balance is $263.
I don't have any safe deposit boxes,
and I have no other
income except my salary.
I don't gamble, I drink some
beer and scotch whiskey off duty,
and the only woman in
my life is my wife.
And now you ask me one more
peep and I'll break your...
Ed!
Get out.
My job is to ask questions,
no different from your job.
So you come to my home to sniff around
for the stink of graft and corruption.
You think I'm corrupt, that I've
been taking money from Jerry florea.
Just a minute, I'm doing...
Go on, say it, say anything you want, so
I can kick your teeth down your throat.
Get out of this house, Mr. sanborn.
Now, right this second.
You consider lieutenant Gallagher a pretty
close friend, don't you, Mr. florea?
I refuse to answer on the grounds that it
might tend to degrade and incriminate me.
Is that going to be your reply
throughout this interrogation?
I refuse to answer, same grounds.
Bailiff.
I'm going to have you
cited for contempt.
Take this man to judge
Norris's courtroom.
Here's a list of the dates and places
where you allegedly appeared
on behalf of Jerry florea.
Please tell us if you so appeared.
Yes, but there was a good reason...
Just a minute, lieutenant.
You know very well how to confine
your answers to "yes" or "no."
Now, tell us if you so appeared.
Yes.
Now, in 1942, you tried to get
florea released from prison
- and into the army.
- Yes.
- You were also best man at his wedding.
- Yes.
And you appeared as a withess for
him when he applied for citizenship.
- Yes.
- In fact, lieutenant,
you are much more than mere friends,
practically brothers...
Or partners.
What's that crack mean?
I'm asking if you expect this jury to
believe this was all one-way traffic,
that florea didn't return these favors.
I have made better than
2,000 pinches in this job,
sent 700 or 800 thieves to the
pen and four K*llers to the chair.
I was able to do that by associating
with people like Jerry florea.
And in exchange for this information, you
gave florea a license to steal, is that it?
Maybe that's the way you'd
like to interpret it.
Yes or no, lieutenant?
I'll answer in my own way,
or there'll be no answer.
You're not gonna get yourself a
lot of headlines at my expense.
This isn't the back room
of some police station.
We'll conduct this hearing properly!
Any way you want,
but don't try to hang
a thief's tag on me.
I'll remind you again, lieutenant,
we will follow orderly procedure.
It seems to me the least I can
get in this room is the courtesy
of five minutes to explain
a cop's side of this deal.
The least you can do, lieutenant,
is to answer my questions properly.
Just a minute.
Let him explain, Mr. sherman.
All right, lieutenant, we'll listen.
Thanks.
I'm being painted as a horrible example
for doing my job as a cop.
Cops get paid for hanging around
criminals like Jerry florea.
If any of the 30 detectives in my
division spent most of their time
among respectable people,
I'd fire them.
I expect to find them among gangsters,
gunmen, and racketeers,
just as I'd expect to find
a doctor among sick people.
Haven't we wasted enough time?
You're not running this grand jury,
Mr. sherman.
Go on, lieutenant.
The prosecutor has
pointed the finger at me
because I went to bat for Jerry
florea on numerous occasions,
but nobody has asked me why I did.
Maybe it's not a very
pretty picture to give you.
Cops and stoolies
keeping steady company.
But there isn't a police department
anywhere, from Scotland yard down,
that could exist without stoolies.
They tell us who the criminals are,
where to find the evidence.
Cops pay for this information,
in cash or in favors.
A good detective doesn't knock his own
pigeon out of the box until he has to.
What about florea, lieutenant?
Have you knocked him out of the box?
Way out.
I feel as sure as you do that Jerry
florea engineered that robbery,
but the difference between us is
that I have to do something about it.
I prefer results to wishful thinking.
You can't produce when you're
glued to a withess chair.
You're unglued, lieutenant.
Why don't you go to work?
Thanks.
Oh, how you been, lieutenant?
- Okay.
- What can I do for you?
I'd like to throw a hypothetical
question at you and get some answers.
Why, sure, sit down.
That'll be all.
Quiz program?
Kind of.
An ex-convict, alien born, gets a
pardon and then becomes a citizen.
- Can you deport him?
- Well, not if the pardon is valid.
Suppose the pardon didn't
cover all his convictions.
Oh...
Well, how would you know
what the pardon covered?
I checked the records at the capitol.
How many convictions did he fail to
mention when he applied for citizenship?
Two: Petty larceny and statutory r*pe.
He got probation on one and served
a reformatory term on the other.
Why would he skip those two?
Probation beef was 18 years ago,
he probably forgot it.
The other?
Well, I don't think he wanted his wife and kids to
know he'd ever been mixed up in that kind of mess.
Well, he's in a mess now.
We can take away his
citizenship and deport him.
You're sure?
I can name you 50
racketeers we've unloaded.
You still want to keep
this hypothetical?
- For a day or two.
- I'll be right here.
Hey, what's the big...
Hello, Norris.
What did I do?
Somebody took a rap
for you 18 years ago,
so let's talk about it, inside.
You wanted to see me?
- My lawyer filed an appeal.
- I read about it.
He said we'll take it all the way up,
high as the supreme court if we have to.
He was quoted in the papers.
No point kidding you, ed.
I'm whistling to keep
from being scared.
I've never been this
scared in my whole life.
I don't mind another stretch,
even a long one.
But this is worse.
How can I ask Virginia and
the kids to go with me?
I don't know a soul over there.
I can't even speak the language!
That's your problem.
Look, ed,
I'm not looking for a pat on the head,
and I'm not finding fault with you.
When a guy I like blows
the whistle on me,
I gotta figure he thinks he's right
and he's doing what he has to do.
That's the way it is.
Sure, sure, I know,
but I'm hoping you still feel
friendly enough to give me an assist.
Like what?
My lawyer says the government needs both
cases of moral turpitude to deport me.
One isn't enough.
I know the law.
I've had guys out looking
all over for Andy Norris,
but he's blown town.
I want to make a deal.
He can't be tagged for
that old rap anymore.
The statute of limitation
expired a long time ago,
but his confession would wipe
out one of my convictions,
and that's what I wanted
to see you about, ed.
You're the only one that can help me.
The cops ought to be
able to dig up Norris.
I already did.
- You...
- And I've got his confession.
You've got it?
I've been...
Ed, I can't...
I just can't thank you enough.
You're a real life-saver. Thanks, ed.
Not yet.
What?
You get the confession
after you meet my price.
Nothing for nothing, Jerry.
Remember?
Sure.
That's the way we used to play it.
How much?
Two and a half million bucks
and the names of the hoods
you brought into town.
That's quite a squeeze
you got figured out.
You must feel very proud of yourself.
No, not proud.
Pretty miserable.
But I'm a cop, Jerry,
and you're a thief.
And if I say no,
yes.
Not much of a choice.
If I go along with you,
I get to stay in this country...
In a cell.
No.
No, thanks.
Well...
It's your boat ride.
There's no use arguing.
I'd like to unload florea as
much as you, but we can't.
Not by withholding evidence.
Don't slam the door on me.
Let's have one more crack at him.
For what?
With two and a half million bucks in his
kick, he'll let you talk yourself blue.
We'll never be able to break
the squeal any other way.
Well, you can't frame a man to do it.
Get me the federal da.
There's no legal grounds to deport him,
not with the Norris
confession in the records.
You'll have to take the squeeze off,
ed.
What about me and my family?
How do we stop the neighbors
from pointing the finger at us,
whispering that we've
been living off a graft?
I'm sorry.
Guess it's just one of the
hazards of being a cop.
Superintendent concannon.
Yeah.
I'm afraid I got some bad news for you.
Yeah.
The florea case.
Hey, kids!
Ginny!
Where is everybody?
In here.
Oh, it's great to be home.
That's the best dessert
I've had in weeks.
- Where are the kids?
- With father bonelli.
- Want me to go get 'em?
- No.
What'd you tell 'em about me,
why I wasn't home?
I didn't have a chance to tell 'em.
Their little friends took care of that.
"Your father's a gangster.
He's gonna be kicked out of the country.
”
Some friends.
They should've smacked 'em down.
It's not their problem.
You really don't care who you hurt.
It's more important to you to prove to the world
that Jerry florea is smarter than anyone else.
- Wait a...
- Then he can steal
two and a half million
dollars and get away with it.
You're going way overboard.
You know how I feel
about you and the kids.
Those are just words,
the kind I used to believe.
Hey.
What's this doing here?
I'm leaving.
What are you talkin' about?
There's not gonna be any more trouble,
it's over!
I got the cleanest nose in town!
Don't, Jerry.
That won't change things.
I don't want to see you again.
Ginny...
Don't walk out on me.
Please don't.
I have to.
I've had a lot of time
to think about us, Jerry.
About the past and the future,
our children's future.
I'm... I'm in the clear.
It's gonna be good for us.
And what about the gallaghers?
Is it gonna be good for them too?
They picked you up out of the gutter
and they tried to clean you up,
but you tracked dirt into their
house as well as your own.
We can't go on living together anymore.
Hello, ed, this is Jerry.
Don't hang up, this is important.
Will you just sit still and listen?
I'm gonna make you a big man.
Meet me at the corner of
forsyth and Hanover at...
Wait a minute.
At 11:30.
Yeah, 11:30.
Right.
You're all here?
Yeah, they're all here.
Gee, I'm glad you showed.
Hi, Jerry.
It's been a... long wait.
Quit your bellyachin',
I told you he'd show.
Where do we go for the money?
- It's right here.
- Right here!
Brother, you're the best!
They don't come any smarter.
I just won a popularity
contest for that at home.
Smartest thief outside of prison.
And the richest too.
What time is it, skids?
11 o'clock.
- Why?
- Will you excuse us?
- We've been friends for a long time, haven't we?
- Yeah, a long time.
I've done you a lot of favors.
Practically our meal ticket.
You figure maybe you owe me a favor.
Anything, jer, anything, anytime.
Then get out of town.
Sure, as soon as we split the package.
There's not gonna be any split.
The whole package is going back,
me with it.
If you want to leave your legs here,
just keep coming.
Jerry, you can't,
not with this kind of dough.
What's happened to you,
are you nuts or something?
You wouldn't understand.
I don't either.
You got 28 minutes to get out of town.
- And then you're gonna take the...
- You'll read about it in the papers.
You lousy stool pigeon.
You're all clean.
I'm taking the rap myself.
You got 27 minutes.
Back way, the back way!
You got here early.
I told you 11:30.
Those dopes wouldn't listen to me.
They could've gotten away.
Under the truck.
A phony gas t*nk, the money.
Made you a big man like I promised,
didn't I?
Wow, Ginny bawled me out
tonight for letting you down.
She was right.
But I was right too.
You can't rub out the spots.
You rubbed 'em out tonight.
I did?
Yeah.
Come on, ed.
Let's not get sloppy.
Ed...
Six Bridges to Cross (1955)
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