Fourteen Hours (1951) Movie Script
Geez.
Dunnigan, Traffic "A."
There's a jumper on the ledge-
Hotel Rodney.
Fifteen- 16 floors, I think.
Yes, sir!
S- S- Stay away from me,
or I'll jump.
Operator!
- Good morning.
- This is the waiter in 1505.
- I'll connect you with Room Service.
- No, no!
I don't want a waiter.
I am a waiter. There's a man.
- What room is it? What floor?
- I don't know exactly.
It's two, three floors from the top.
I couldn't tell.
- Get Mr. Regan.
- Well, I'll get Mr. Harris!
Would you get Mr. Harris?
Oh, excuse me, Mr. Harris. There's a man-
- What room is it?
- 1505.
- Answer that call. Don't get excited. And get Mr. Regan.
- Yes. Yes, sir.
- Look, sister, tell Emergency when they come it's 1505.
- Yes, sir.
No, Mr. Regan, they're not,
b- but they're on their way.
Yes, sir.
So what is it, advertising?
- Could be.
- It could.
You come in from there.
You'll have to come in from there.
The police will be here in a minute.
If those cops come near me...
I'll jump.
I'd make a grab for him,
but he's too fast.
- Officer, can't you grab him?
- Well, I don't know.
- This is the worst possible thing to happen to the hotel.
- Be careful.
He says he'll jump
if the police come near him.
Give me your tie.
Your tie.
- Who is he?
- Oh, I-I-
- Well, check the registration!
- Yes, sir.
That's a pretty dangerous thing
you're doing, kid.
You might fall off and hurt somebody.
I live on this floor.
I heard the racket, so-
They tell me in there
you don't go much for cops.
Sometimes I feel the same way.
But if you stay out there much longer, kid,
the joint's gonna be creepin' with cops.
Well, they may be a little sore
about this happening on St. Pat's Day.
It's their big day.
They got their buttons polished and-
Listen, I could sneak you down the hall
into my room before they get up here.
We could order some breakfast,
and then we-
Quiet.
- Okay, let's clear the room, bud.
- I'm the manager, Mr. Regan.
Okay, okay. Get some keys.
Open up these connecting doors.
Go on upstairs, see if we can drop a loop on him.
- Okay.
- Just a minute. Who's Deputy Chief Moksar?
I am. Hey, hey. Stay away from there.
Get away from the window.
Yeah?
I'll have him off in a minute.
No. I don't want
any brain specialists underfoot.
Okay. Send them around.
Make 'em happy.
Look, kid.
I'm gonna level with you.
I'm a cop, but I don't shoot anybody.
I'm on traffic detail.
I was tagging a car downstairs
when I saw you out here.
I don't know from nothin' about
what you think you're doin' or why...
but you look like a nice kid to me.
I hate to see you make a bad mistake.
You oughta come in and think it over.
The longer you stay out here,
the rougher it's gonna be.
Your room is knee-deep in brass now,
and in another five minutes-
- What are you supposed to be?
- We found out he checked in last night.
William E. Cook, Philadelphia.
Mr. Harris checked the Philadelphia directory,
and there's no William E. -
Okay, okay. Go on out there,
keep an eye on him.
Well, what did you find out?
What did he say?
Well, I- Nothin' yet,
but I think I got him goin'.
Maybe if we could find out who he is,
we'd find out what's eatin' him.
Maybe he was in the army.
If we could get his prints- maybe in
the bathroom-we could check the files.
Who are you? What's your beat?
Traffic "A." Dunnigan, sir.
I put in the call.
Okay, Dunnigan.
Go see about your traffic.
Get away from me, or I'll jump!
- Did he jump yet?
- You goin' down?
Sure. Sure. I mean, yes, sir.
Hello, Joe.
Where you been? All right.
I want a couple of fingerprint men
up here right away.
Looks like he used a phony name.
I wanna get a line on him.
All right.
- What did you find?
- Two shirts.
- Hello. Give me the desk.
- Come out of there.
I'm holding this bathroom
for fingerprints.
I'm saving the trunks for the police.
You'll have to talk to the manager.
This is the manager.
This is Mr. Regan. Give me the desk.
Oh, excuse me, Mr. Regan.
Just a minute. Here's the desk.
Get 'em out of here.
They can't look.
Oh, boy, boy. Will you get
my bags from 702, please?
Sorry, mister. I'm in a hurry.
- I want to see the manager!
- I'm sorry, but Mr. Regan just-
Excuse me. Yes?
Are they kidding?
If he jumps from that high up,
he'll go through this thing like a bullet.
- Give him something to shoot at anyway.
- Yeah.
Go on. Go ahead.
Come on then. Keep it going!
Hey, look out! He jumped!
He's gonna land on top of you!
- He sure picked himself a good spot for it.
- He sure did.
No way to get at him.
The balcony's in the way. He'd see me
before I could get set to drop a loop on him.
Here. You better stand by,
and make sure that he doesn't see you.
I'm sorry about this, folks.
I'll see if I can get your room changed.
All right.
- Take these doctors right up.
- Yes, sir.
Follow me, please.
- Careful.
- NBC.
Go ahead.
- That's no good!
- What's the matter?
- It's the wrong color. It's out of date.
- Look, mister-
Get a new card, you-
If they don't jump the first hour,
they don't jump.
Well, that's what they say.
- Hey, is it slowing up down here?
- Yes, sir.
You better get down there
and give the boys a hand with that traffic.
Romp on those cabbies.
Take it easy, junior.
That isn't gonna get you anyplace.
Save it for New Year's.
- Officer!
- Yeah?
Are we going to be able
to get through?
I've got an important appointment.
I'm late now.
They expect you today, dear,
you'd better walk.
Take it easy. That's it.
- There you are.
- Thank you.
It's all right.
Look at him.
Just like a bug takin' a walk.
Yeah. If I had my M2,
I could knock him off from here clean.
- Get back in your cabs.
- What do you want us to do about it, go straight up?
Keep your hair on and lay off the horns.
You'll never get through.
- If we get a chance, we'll back 'em out.
- Okay, okay!
I should've listened to my old lady
and stood in bed. Who's St. Patrick?
Is this a gag or something?
A guy trying to get a seat for the parade?
It's no gag.
He threatened to jump.
That's a crime, knocking yourself off.
They could throw you in jail.
- What's the matter? Beef with his old lady?
- Nuts, huh?
He's just a kid. Maybe he's a loopy,
but he didn't look like it to me.
- You seen him close up? You was up there?
- Yeah.
- The cop says he was up there with the guy.
- Hey, what did he say?
He said he was gonna jump
and he didn't want to talk to anybody.
Ah, let him. Who cares?
Think of how many guys gets killed in wars.
Nobody stands around watchin' 'em.
Any guy's nuts enough, let him.
He's better off.
Everybody's better off.
I figured on a good day today.
Did you hear this guy?
Here's a guy want tojump down-
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Why don't you people go to work?
Haven't any of you got jobs?
Oh, come on!
We better hurry. We're late now.
Twice already this week
I've been late...
and I don't want any additional
difficulty with Mr. Reisman.
- Come on.
- What if he should jump?
What if we left now,
and he really jumped?
We would still be late to Mr. Reisman.
The important thing with Mr. Reisman
is punctuality.
With him, punctuality is a principle.
Gee, he doesn't look very old.
I wonder what-
what kind of trouble he's in...
what made him so bitter.
Maybe-
Maybe someone was cruel to him...
or maybe he's just lonely.
I suppose you could decide to kill yourself
if you were just lonely enough.
Oh, come on. Let's go!
I- No, I can't.
I wish I could help him.
It's the worst thing in the world
to be lonely.
There must be hundreds of people
like that in New York-
lonely and desperate.
Why don't the police do something?
I heard they can't get hold of him.
Every time they get close,
he says he'll jump.
Excuse me.
I was speaking to my friend.
- She left. She had to go to work.
- Oh.
Well, would you like a mint?
Cinnamon flavor.
No, thank you.
I don't think we're acquainted.
If you're upset about anything,
I'd like to help you.
I'd like to talk to you.
Where's the cop?
- Cop?
- Yeah. The one that was up here first.
Which one?
I don't want to talk to anybody else.
Will you come in
if we let you talk to him?
I'll have him up here right away.
- Do you know who he means?
- The flatfoot that boxed the report and came up.
- Let's get him.
- What's he want to talk to him for?
What does it matter
as long as he talks?
If he'll unload his troubles on somebody,
we've got a chance to get him in.
Maybe our only chance.
Let's get him.
- What was his name?
- I don't know, Chief.
Find out. Check. See who boxed in.
Get him up here on the double.
- All right.
- He's probably working the street.
- You get a description on the air?
- Sure. I sent it downstairs.
All right.
Hey, fella.
We'll have your friend
up here in a minute.
He appears to be about 23 years of age.
He's wearing neatly pressed gray flannels
and a white shirt.
He has brown eyes, wavy brown hair.
He's about five feet, nine inches tall
and weighs about 155 pounds.
This is extremely important.
If you recognize this man,
call Spring-7-3-100.
From your description, that's
Charlie Dunnigan, all right. Traffic "A."
Okay. Moksar wants him right away.
Find him and get him up there.
- Right. You men know him?
- Yes, sir. We'll get him.
This is George Putnam speaking,
ladies and gentlemen.
The speed with which this crowd
has gathered is absolutely amazing.
People on all sides of us-
thousands of them.
It's impossible to estimate from our point
of vantage down here on the street...
exactly how many people are here...
galvanized, held spellbound
by the breathtaking spectacle...
of a young, unidentified man
perched on a ledge...
15 stories above the street.
I'm gonna turn you over to Bob Roberts now,
who's at a window across the street.
How does it look from up there, Bob?
There's not much happening right now.
There seems to be some sort of delay.
The man we have just identified for you
as... Deputy Chief Moksar...
comes to the window at intervals,
says something...
but, of course, from this distance,
we can't tell what he says.
The boy appears cool and detached,
just waiting.
He's thinking about something.
Perhaps reviewing his life.
At moments he teeters precariously
on the edge of this ledge...
calmly looking down
into the abyss below.
- What is he thinking?
- Miss Kelly, will you turn that off, please?
- Yes.
- Try Mr. Fuller again.
Can he somehow be persuaded
that his life is not entirely worthless?
Considering the shortness of time...
perhaps we should proceed
without him.
- Mrs. Fuller?
- Yes?
I've worked out
the disposition of the children...
with Mr. Fuller's attorney.
Let's run through it once
while we wait.
"The above entitled action,
having been brought on by plaintiff...
forjudgment of divorce"-
- Stay here, folks. Clear one side, please.
- The chief said-
Hold that elevator!
Moksar's been waitin' on you.
Wait a minute here.
Where are you going?
I'm the Reverend Dr. J.C. Parkinson,
the boy's pastor.
His parents have requested me to-
What church do you represent,
Doctor?
I work in faith and magnetism.
I saved 17 souls last year.
- Souls respond scientifically to prayer.
- That's fine. I know.
You better keep going here.
We're busy here.
Come back another day.
Good-bye.
So, right away I hear his voice,
I know something's screwy, see?
I figure he's up to something,
so I open the door careful, and I make a grab-
All right.
Clear it here, fellas. Clear it.
Hey, fella. What are you,
this joker's father or something?
- What'd you say to him?
- I don't know, Chief. I don't remember.
- First thing that came into my mind.
- Okay, okay.
Whatever you did, do it again.
Let's get him in off there. Come on.
Sorry, Chief, but I don't know
what you want me to do.
You got to him. He loves ya.
He won't talk to anybody else.
He doesn't like me. He doesn't like
these big brain specialists, so you're it.
- I'm puttin' it up to you.
- Look, this is a little out of my line.
- I don't know anything about loopies.
- That's in your favor.
Just be natural with him.
We tried to be, but we're doctors...
and he's probably had
a bad experience with doctors.
He smelled us coming.
Just talk to him.
- What do I say?
- It doesn't matter. Anything.
Anything to sublimate his drive.
Easy, Doc. I took a little French,
but I didn't keep up with it.
Sorry. Break his stride,
spoil the momentum he's building up.
If you can make him talk,
he'll feel better and loosen up.
Is he a real loopy or is it an act?
Let's say he has a problem.
We can be sure of that
even if we don't know what it is.
And it seems enormous to him,
bigger than it is.
He's out there considering what seems to him
to be the only possible solution.
Come on.
How you doin', kid?
How you feel?
I-
I'm... holding up the parade, I guess.
Don't worry about that.
I... feel better now.
I- I can breathe better.
Swell!
It's gonna be a great parade.
You buy a shamrock?
Uh-
Are you Irish?
I mean, uh, Irish derivation.
I don't need any signs, huh?
Well, you don't have to be a harp
to wear green today. Everybody does it.
It's one of those things. Everybody gets
into the act. You feel good about it.
Hey, suppose I get the hotel
to fix us up a room on the backside...
and we can sit out like this
and see the parade.
How 'bout that?
N- No, I-
I've got to think this through.
Maybe I can help you.
I- I've got to think this through first...
b- by myself.
I'm s-sorry
about holding up the parade.
Most of'em must be watching me.
They're all watching you.
What was it you wanted
to talk to me about, kid?
You asked for me to come back, didn't you?
You sent for me.
Why? Why'd you do that?
Everybody lies to me.
If you mean I didn't give you any bull,
that's okay. I appreciate that.
I'm not gonna try
and feed you any now either.
I haven't got the right kind
of kisser for it.
I'll tell you this-
I don't like it up here.
I'm on the spot
with the chief inside already.
I don't think
he likes a flatfoot musclin'in.
But you sent for me,
and I'm on orders.
I wanna help you. I think you oughta
tell me what it's all about though.
If it's a girl,
I can tell you all about a gal-
If you have to march or anything,
it's all right.
No, forget it.
I'd just as soon be up here with you.
- Cigarette?
- No, thanks.
Could I have a glass of water, please?
Sure thing. Anything you like.
Just speak up.
Uh, not too much ice in it.
They always put
too much ice in it in hotels.
It's bad for your digestion.
Sit tight. I'll be right back.
- Keep him busy.
- He wants a drink of ice water.
Water.
If I can con him in closer, as he reaches
for the glass, I can make a grab for him.
- He'd yank you, then both of you'd go over.
- Not if somebody hung on to me.
He'd yank us all.
I don't mind losing you, but I don't want a whole
daisy chain of cops sailing out that window.
Why not put a rope on Dunnigan's leg,
then put beef on the rope into the hall...
just in case he gets a chance
to make a grab?
Okay. Get the rope.
Hey, where's that water?
Go on out there and stall
while I get you rigged up.
Hey, hey!
What do you think you're doin'?
Chief, I'd like to string up
this microphone by the window.
I want to catch that conversation
out on that ledge.
Get that screwball out of here, will ya?
- Get that gear out!
- Anything on those prints yet?
- Not a thing yet.
- What are they doing, playing poker or something?
Put some heat on 'em!
Come on, Barney.
What are you doin', bakin' a cake?
I sent down for some ice, kid.
I knew you wanted a little ice.
- Never mind.
- Ah, just take a second. Sit tight.
It just takes a little while.
I'll be right back.
That's fine.
Keep it up.
Just don't press him quite so hard.
If anything annoys him, skip it.
Keep talking.
He's beginning to relax.
I think he's getting a bang out of it,
big-shottin' it out there.
Whatever his problem is,
it paralyzed him.
He felt he couldn't do anything,
couldn't move.
Now he's out there. He's free.
He's got a choice.
He can jump at any moment or not jump.
He likes that feeling.
He feels important. He's a great guy.
- You see him teetering? Phew! Scares the living-
- You're all set, Dunnigan.
Here.
Come on. Come on, come on.
Give us a little more slack here.!
All right. That's it.
Now take a good bite on that.
Hey, Dunnigan. Does this guy go for dames?
If he does, I got an idea.
What are you talking to him about,
Dunnigan?
You think he's gonna jump this year,
or you think it's an act?
Look, you guys. If I get a chance,
I'm gonna make a grab for him.
- Keep your hands out of your pockets.
- Come on.
You get a hold of him, hang on. We'll pull
you back. You'll only fall a couple of stories.
Dunnigan.
- What's that?
- Stimulant.
It may pick him up a little,
raise his spirits.
It's worth a try anyway.
Here you are, kid.
Not much ice, like you said.
Sorry it took so long,
but you know how hotels are.
They make a big production
out of everything.
You gonna try to grab me?
I thought we were
gettin' to know each other a little.
Just don't try and grab me.
- You might fall.
- Okay.
Give it to me with your left hand.
Okay.
Did the doctors put somethin' in it?
I don't think they'd do a thing like that.
I tell you what I'll do.
We'll give it the Dunnigan test.
What's that?
Anything I can drink
is all right for babies.
Nothin' happens. Okay?
Uh, well, put it down
and push it along.
- I'll pick it up.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
- Okay.
Take it easy, kid. Sit tight.
What's the idea?
What do you think you're doing?
It's no go. I can't crack him.
Get back out there and stall him.
We just got a report on him. We're gonna get
his family here, see what they can do with him.
His name is Robert Cosick.
C- O-S-I-C-K.
Whatever kind of name that is.
Try it out on him for size.
His father and mother are divorced.
He may not want to talk about that,
but see what you can find out.
Look, I-I-
Okay. What did you say
his first name was?
- Robert.
- Robert.
Keep that on.
You may get a chance to be a hero.
- What about that stuff I drank in that water?
- Won't hurt you.
Hi.
You want another one?
No.
Could I have a cigarette now?
Sure thing, Robert.
Here you are.
- Left hand, right?
- Why did you call me that?
Robert? I thought that'd
be all right with you by now.
We're gettin' acquainted.
Have a cigarette.
How did they find out?
Police routine. They had to check around,
but they found out.
They got a pretty good line on you.
You're gettin' to be famous.
- It's none of their business.
- They're just trying to help.
It's none of their business!
I don't want everybody crowding me.
I don't like to be bothered!
Cigarette, kid?
Put 'em down.
I don't smoke much usually.
I try to take good care of myself.
Good idea.
Everybody oughta
take good care of themselves.
My father drinks too much.
Uh-huh. Hold it. Here he comes.
They talked to the bond house
downtown where his old man works.
He's a salesman, but he's out somewhere.
They can't locate him.
- Get a pickup on him.
- I did. Oh, Mrs. Cosick lives with her sister in Jersey.
They can't reach her either.
Somebody thinks she went shopping.
Give this dope to those radio bums.
Give 'em something useful to do.
Maybe somebody'll be listening.
Well, go on!
Hello. Listen, get a 24
out on Paul Cosick.
If you have any information concerning
the whereabouts of these people...
please call this station
or the police immediately.
I'll repeat the names.
The father is Paul E. Cosick...
the mother Mrs. Christine Hill Cosick.
This is an urgent appeal.
The most amazing, heroic thing so far...
is that this man, Charles Dunnigan,
is a traffic cop-
just one of New York's average,
hard-working traffic cops.
He seems to be winning Robert's confidence
where everyone else has failed.
Hey, that must be the cop
that was down here!
All right. Everybody grab his own.
- Who's got pastrami?
- On what?
- Who gave me a buck?
- I gave you a buck.
- Here's your change. What'd you have?
- Coffee, no sugar, no cream.
Okay, all them are black coffees
with the "X."
- Where's my change?
- You get change?
Listen. How 'bout a pool?
A buck a throw.
Like it is, the cops got us froze.
Nobody makes nothin'
workin' out of this stand today.
With some dough up, somebody gets a pot.
What do you say?
- What's the matter with that?
- It stinks.
No! Listen, see?
Everybody puts a buck in and takes
a slip of paper with a different time.
The guy that gets closest to the time
this joker jumps, that guy gets the pot.
You know what I mean?
Look, here's the slips of paper.
You loan me your hat, huh?
Now, I'll mark it off.
You guys give me a buck apiece.
And we'll have this pool.
- Okay? Two.
Traffic has been cleared sufficiently.
The annual St. Patrick's Day
parade will be held.
This is the big day
for New York's finest.
There's still no word
from Robert's parents.
Who came in that car?
I don't know.
I'd like to talk to her
before you let her see him.
- Why?
- She might upset him. You never can tell.
Sure. While you psychoanalyze her,
he dives.
Tell Dunnigan the kid's mother's here.
Hello. Hello. Mrs. Cosick's in the hotel.
Keep this line open, will you?
Hold the line open.
Where is he? I'm his mother.
Mrs. Cosick, this is important.
Your son may be acting.
We don't know.
- He may jump at any moment.
- Please, let me see him!
- Wait. Please.
- Bobby!
Bobby.!
- Mrs. Cosick.
- Oh, I knew something was wrong!
- He hasn't written me in six months.
- Yes.
I didn't know where he was.
I wasn't even sure he was in New York until-
- Don't.
- I'm his mother.! Please.!
Don't let her talk to me.
- Please let me see him!
- Let her go.
Bobby! Bobby!
Oh.
Bobby? Bobby, it's Mother. Wait.
Why don't you talk to your mother
for a minute?
She's worried about you.
Bobby.
Bobby, look at me.
What's the matter?
Look at me, son.
What do you want to talk about?
I haven't got much time now.
Oh, please come in.
Please come in.
Nothing is this bad.
I know you haven't been happy,
but, oh, Bobby baby-
Mother! Don't call me that!
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
But please come in now.
I want to talk to you.
I love you, Robert.
Don't do this.
I know you don't want
to do this to me.
Robert, you love me, don't you?
I haven't done anything, have I?
You haven't done anything.
Well, then...
what is it?
Are you in some sort of trouble?
Do you need money?
You haven't been eating right.
You'rejust upset.
You've seen your father, Robert.
Oh, nothing is really this bad, is it?
Robert!
Wh-What are you gonna do?
I don't know.
I haven't made up my mind yet.
Please, go away now.
Robert, come in here!
Would you like
to take a vacation with me, son?
We could go somewhere
on the beach.
We could go to Sea Bright.
You used to like Sea Bright.
- Then we could forget all about this.
- I can't come in now.
Oh, you can come in now
if you want to!
Oh, it's- it's easy, Robert.
Just take a step over here.
I said go away!
I've talked to you! Now go away!
I can't stand everybody crowding me...
trying to make me do things.
I've got to make up my own mind.
Take her away now!
Take her away from here!
Oh, Robert.!
Oh, Robert.!
- You ought to lie down for a while.
- Oh, let me see him!
The commissioner.
Yes, sir.
Deputy Chief Moksar. Emergency.
I don't know what more
we can do, sir.
Yes, sir.
We can't rig any kind of a net
without him seeing it.
Yes, sir.
Has he ever done
anything like this before?
No. I don't think so.
He's always been nervous.
He was in the hospital
when he was away at school...
but he- he wasn't sick.
He was just nervous.
- Why? I don't know.
- Why won't he talk to you?
Well, he's not himself.
You think he's busted up about a girl
or something like that?
I beg your pardon.
Can I get through, please?
- All right. Back.
- I'm the boy's father.
Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Cosick.
Go right in.
I'm his father.
I don't know if there's anything that-
- Hello, Chris.
- Oh, Paul, you're shameless!
We're doing all we can! Please, Paul,
at this late date, this is indecent!
You think you can do anything with him?
You wanna talk-
- Haven't you done enough damage?
- Chris, for the love of-
Okay, okay, okay. Now, listen, both of you.
I got enough on my hands.
I'm trying to talk your kid out of takin' a dive.
No wonder he's cuckoo.
You wanna put on the gloves, do it outside.
Both of you. Get 'em outside in the hall.
After 15 years of neglect and selfish
unconcern, to come back here!
- If there's anybody to blame, you're to blame!
- Okay, nobody's to blame!
- You want to talk to him?
- If you think it'll do any good, but he's closer to his mother.
I've had the whole burden. If you'd been
able to give him any kind of a living!
- If you'd been able to make him any kind of a home!
- Chris, shut up!
- How did you feel-
- Let's get these characters out of here!
Look, I almost had him
a couple of times.
I- I know I can con him in...
if I can just get my hands
on what's botherin' him.
Do you know what's botherin' him?
You're his father.
I don't know.
I don't know him very well.
I hardly recognized him
when I saw him on television.
- I was in a bar downtown.
- Where else?
- Pipe down, will ya?
- I'd like to talk to him.
Yeah, I'd like to talk to him.
Ask him, will ya?
I wanted to see him,
but I didn't think he wanted to see me.
Oh, this is ridiculous!
Let me go! Let me go! Bobby!
Bobby!
Bobby.
Bobby,
I won't let the doctors touch you.
I won't let them do anything to you.
I know what Virginia thinks,
but Virginia is wrong.
You're not sick.
Don't listen to her, Bobby.
You don't have to do
anything you don't-
Keep her away from here, will ya?
- Hey, ask him if he'll see his old man.
- Yeah, but she just-
Go ahead out there.
Take up that slack in the rope.
My father's in there.
He's no good.
He wants to see you, Robert, but he's afraid
you got something against him.
You got nothing against him, have ya?
Who's Virginia?
I don't know.
I don't know anybody by that name.
How long since you saw your father, kid?
Hey, can I have a cigarette?
Sure.
I don't see him much anymore.
They fought all the time.
It was his fault. He's no good.
Look, this is none of my business...
so don't get sore.
I'm just a guy here talkin'.
But I have to call 'em as I see 'em.
You're sure you're not just
taking your mother's word for that?
For what?
Uh, about your father being no good.
Maybe you'd like him
if you gave him a chance.
Why don't you talk to him
and give him a chance?
Why don't you talk to him?
Look, Mrs. Cosick,
we've got a room down the hall.
- Why don't you go down there and rest?
- No, I wanna stay here.
He feels worthless, empty.
We can be sure of that.
It starts early, usually...
something that happens
between children and parents.
So you may be the key.
We don't know.
We can't know until we can get him in
and have time to help him.
Just do the best you can.
I can't stand looking down very well.
Well, then don't look down.
Try to be casual.
Look, Robert...
you don't have to talk to your father
any longer than you want to.
Anytime you want to break it off,
just yell like before.
Okay?
Okay.
Good. Good.
Robert, I want to help you if I can.
I've meant to look you up, Robert.
I wanted to talk to you.
I know this isn't a very good place...
but let me say a few things.
I- I've got so much that-
Now, look, I'm not gonna ask you
to tell me why you're doing this...
if you don't want to.
I understand. It's- It's difficult.
Things are difficult.
It's been difficult for me too.
Why-
Why did it turn out like this?
What happened?
Don't you want to talk to me?
I don't care.
I just don't know you very well.
I tried to tell you, Chief.
She hit him with somebody named Virginia.
He turned white as a duck.
I said, "Who's Virginia?"
and he clammed up.
I figured there's a girl
mixed up in it someplace.
- He know anything about her?
- I didn't get a chance to ask him.
- See what you get out of her.
- Yeah.
- All right, back up, fellas.
- Let 'em through.
Come on. Beat it, you guys.
- Gerry. Mrs. Cosick.
- Oh.
- Mrs. Cosick, we understand- - Beat it, you
guys. Can't you see that she's nervous and upset?
Now, leave her alone.
- Are these men reporters?
- We'll get rid of them.
No, please, I'd like to talk to them.
- Just let me rest a bit.
- Of course, Mrs. Cosick.
Robert, I know I've made
a lot of mistakes...
but I loved Chris-
I loved your mother. You know that.
You knew she was a very beautiful girl,
Robert, before she had all that trouble.
I don't know, really, what happened.
You know what I'm trying
to tell you, Robert?
No.
Well...
everything was good for a while.
You were hardly 10 then.
I used to take you to the office
on Saturday sometimes.
You liked to play in the office.
We weren't very busy then.
Girls in the office used to
make a big fuss over you.
And I took you out of school once.
You remember?
No, I suppose not.
But, anyway,
I took you up to the Polo Grounds...
for the opening game of the season.
I wrote the excuse myself.
I said,
"Please excuse my son at 1:00 today.
He has to go to a ball game with me. "
Then she-
your mother hit the ceiling.
I thought first it was missing school...
but it was the money for the tickets.
I suppose she was right.
But I'm working
on my own time now- selling.
I can knock off any afternoon I want to.
I could get a pair of tickets
for the opening game this year...
if you'd like to go.
You're afraid to look down,
aren't you?
I- I haven't seen a ball game
in maybe six years.
I'd like to go.
Robert.
Are you trying to punish me?
Chief.
Commissioner's on his way over.
Would you like another mint?
Thank you.
Gee, I- I wish
I could do something.
That's a wonderful attitude.
I respect that.
You know,
most of these people don't care.
Look, my philosophy is...
no matter how horrible anything is...
there's always something-
something good in it.
W- Well, I mean, like...
you come to work at 8:00 every morning,
I go to work at 8:30.
I-
I could have gone on for a long time,
except for this...
and missed you by a half an hour
all the time.
Uh, have you ever been to Lewisohn Stadium
to the concerts on Sunday?
Oh, it's beautiful.
Stars out, people listening.
No, I-I've never been.
But it sounds beautiful.
I'll take you.
Uh, I'll take you this Sunday,
if you'd like to go.
Well, I- I would like to.
And I appreciate the sincerity
of your invitation.
But we've just met.
I don't even know your name.
Okay, let's keep it clear, now.
Let's go back, folks.
All the way back.
My name's Daniel! Daniel!
Two bells. I'm dead.
- Who's got three?
- I got three.
Hey! I don't like this.
Let's call it off.
What for? Listen, 12 bucks for somebody,
tax-free. That's a good deal.
- What do you wanna call it off for?
- Ah, it stinks.
- Hey, we get separated, we settle up at the garage.
- Yeah.
All right, take 'em up.
Did you get anything?
- Will you let me have a go at her?
- How is she?
She's fine. She's down the hall
in 1510 talking to the reporters.
- Chief, please let me-
- Okay, okay!
- What goes with her anyway?
- She's a case, just like the boy.
I've been a good mother.
I've done everything I could for him.
Do you know of any serious love affair
that could account for it?
Everyone thought it was too bad.
I know they did.
We didn't have much money.
Of course, I was only 18 when he was born.
- I did have to give up my music, any thought of a career.
- You were a singer?
My teacher said I would have been
a concert pianist if I'd kept on.
And it was obvious what people
thought after Bobby was born.
- I'm gonna go down and get some man-on-the-street
stuff. - It wasn't true. I wanted him.
It was a great blessing.
His father never understood.
Our lady protests too much.
Please let me talk to him. Let me go to him.
I'd never forgive myself-
Oh, I'd kill myself
if anything happened to him.
If he doesn't hurry up,
he's gonna miss the evening editions.
They always die
for the morning papers.
Look, it's his mother.
If she gets hysterical, get a shot of it.
I tried to make his father see
that Bobby was very sensitive...
but he couldn't face the responsibility.
His mother got hysterical.
He refused to talk to her.
She obviously blames herself
for something.
I don't know
what you can make out of it.
Must I put up with this?
- You'd think they'd let me alone.
- Boys, that's enough. Break it up.
Let's go, I said! You, come on.
Everybody. Attaboy. Come on. Out.
- You. Attaboy.
- I'd like to be with him! I have to go!
- Wait a minute!
- Well-
Who is this Virginia you've been
talking about? Who is she?
I'm under the care of these doctors.
I don't-
You've just been transferred, lady.
You're under my care now.
I want to know about this girl.
Who is she? Is she his girl or something?
Oh, please let me alone!
I'm his mother!
Don't you think I feel anything?
I don't think you feel anything
but sorry for yourself.
Look, I've been out there all day now
hanging on by the seat of my pants.
I don't know what's wrong with your kid.
I don't know why I care, but I do.
I'm gonna do everything I can
to get him back in.
I'm sorry, but if there's any chance he has
a girl that might help get him back in...
I'm gonna find out about her
even if I have to be a little rough on you.
Why did she leave him?
Why?
Give me another chance, Robert.
I'm your father.
I was wrong to leave.
Of course I was wrong.
I didn't want to hurt you, but I just
couldn't stand the bickering...
the constant carping and complaining.
It got so I couldn't go home.
I hated the sight of her,
the sound of her voice-
Oh, I-
I didn't mean to say that.
If you ever say that again...
i- if you ever so much as touch her...
I'll kill you.
I'm sorry, Robert.
Really. I'm sorry.
- Did you find out anything?
- The girl's name is Virginia Foster.
They were kids in school together,
they were engaged, but it's busted up.
- Where is she now?
- She lives with her family in Connecticut. Stamford.
Take us a couple of hours
to get her down here, even if we find her.
- What's the difference?
- Okay, okay. We might as well give it a try.
I'll put the pickup on her. You get out there
and keep your friend busy.
- We're gonna drop a man in a rig and try to grab him.
- If he sees that, he'll dive.
See the commissioner about it.
- How'd you do?
- I got a line on the girl they're sending for.
- How is he?
- He's getting pretty confused.
You know what they're trying to do?
They're crazy!
I tried to talk them out of it.
Keep him from looking up.
That's all you can do.
Hi. How are ya?
You want a cigarette, kid?
No.
That looked like a pretty good thing
you had with Virginia, kid.
Why'd you throw her over?
She's probably been worried about you.
It wasn't any good.
It wasn't any good.
Why not?
It just wasn't-
Why can't they leave me alone?
Why did they have to go and find out about her?
I didn't want her to know.
Can't they stop torturing me?
Okay down here. Now, easy does it.
Here we go.
Shall we continue, Mrs. Fuller?
"It is further ordered,
judged and decreed...
"that the plaintiff have custody,
control and supervision...
"of the infant issue
of the marriage herein dissolved.
Thomas Edward Fuller and Louise Ann Fuller,
except as provided herein below. "
Uh, Mr. Fuller?
Okay.
- Mrs. Fuller?
- What?
We would like to establish agreement
on each paragraph as we go.
Do you have any comment?
Yes. I don't understand it.
It's too complicated.
"Issue. One issue. Both issue. "
You make it sound dirty.
They're children.
Why don't you say "children"?
I don't want to do it now anyway.
- Mrs. Fuller, isn't this a bit late-
- Wait a minute!
Ann, do you really mean that?
Are you serious?
- Yes.
- Mrs. Fuller, may I ask-
I told you, it's too complicated!
Custody hereinafter provided-
I- I can't remember who's plaintiff
or who's defendant.
- It'd be more trouble than being married!
- Oh, Ann-
If you had been on time
it would have been all right.
I wanted to do it, but I got tired
of waiting and thinking.
I'm sorry. I got mixed up
in that traffic jam.
Ann, we can make it work again.
Let's try.
Oh, Ann!
Keep it coming.
Now, look, don't throw until you
clear the bottom of this balcony...
so that you don't get your rope fouled.
Understand? All right.
- Keep it coming.
- Keep 'em going.
Look, kid- Robert-
Virginia was just trying to help you.
- Don't you understand that-
- Hey, mac.! Look out.!
- They're gonna get you!
- Look out, mac.!
Get away from me!
- Get away from me!
- Pull him up! Pull him up!
Pull him up.
You're nothin' but a stinkin' cop!
- You knew they were gonna do that. You were in on it.!
- Shut up!
Who do you think you're yelling at?
Who do you think you are?
You open your trap to me like that once more,
and I'll come over there and push you off.
You realize
he was risking his neck for you?
You realize half the police force in New York
is climbin' around on this hotel...
holding their breath
to see what you're gonna do?
You realize how much this city has paid
for this phony Dutch act of yours?
"I'm gonna jump. I'm not gonna jump.
Don't anybody touch me.
Give me a glass of water. "
Okay, kid, if you're gonna jump,
go ahead.! Jump.!
I got a bellyful of you. I don't know why
I bothered with you in the first place.
Go on.! Jump.!
Wait a minute.
I'm sorry.
I appreciate what you're trying to do.
I'm sorry.
I- I could never talk to anybody
the way I've been able to talk to you.
I could never talk to my father
the way I've talked to you.
I- I'm sorry.
I'm mixed up.
Don't you see your mother gave you
a wrong steer about your father, kid?
Don't you see he's really a good joe...
and he likes you?
I guess so. I-
I don't know.
I just don't know what to do.
He's right here. Why don't you
tell him you were wrong?
Why don't you?
Okay.
It's all right, Robert.
I understand.
I guess we both understand each other
a little better now.
Don't we?
Yes.
It doesn't matter anyway.
Why don't you come on in
a little while?
Tell you what I'll do.
I'll make a deal with you.
You've been out here
a long time now...
and it's pretty hot.
You're tired,
and you haven't had anything to eat.
I- I'll make a deal with you.
If you wanna come in and take a shower,
think things over...
I'll clear everybody out of the room,
give you the key and you can lock yourself in.
And if you wanna come back out here...
okay, that'll be your own decision.
How do I know that you'd do it?
Really?
Because I say so.
You got my word for it.
You'd didn't tell me
they were gonna try to grab me.
No, I didn't.
But I think that's a little bit different.
Don't you, kid?
You didn't ask me to promise
I wouldn't let 'em try to grab you.
Anyway, I couldn't have stopped 'em
if I'd wanted to.
This is just between us.
If I say so,
you've got my word for it.
All right.
Give me a couple of minutes
to clear out the room.
Come on.! Everybody out.!
You jokers, come on out!
Everybody clear the room!
Shh, shh, shh. Don't-
Let's go.
Everybody clear the room. Come on.
Let's clear the room.
Everybody out.
Who's got the key? Where's the key?
Okay. Okay, here's the key.
Now, the connecting doors are locked.
Just give me a couple seconds to get out.
I'll guard the door and see nobody
busts in till you get it locked.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
Kneel and pray, my boy.!
Kneel and pray! Be washed-
- Where did you come from?
- I'm the boy's pastor, I tell you.
Hey, Chief!
Robert? Robert, I-
I'm sorry. I didn't-
It was a mistake.
I don't know where he came from.
Kid.
Where did he come from?
Who let him in?
He had one leg on the floor.
I'm ready with the bracelets.
Why wasn't somebody watching the door?
We almost had him.
He'll never believe me now,
no matter what I say to him.
Okay, check in.
You got any other ideas?
The girl.
Have we got anything on the girl?
No. If your captain gives you any trouble,
tell him to call me.
Yeah, he's still out there.
Yeah, I know.
What?
Well, where is she now?
- Can I get a Bayside number on this thing?
- Hold on. Yeah.
- That's the operator. Where's the chief?
- He's in there. Thanks.
Uh, Bayside-9-9-9-7-0.
Bayside-9-9-9-7-0.
Just a minute, sir.
Helen? I'm gonna be a little late.
Yeah.
Yeah. Are the kids there?
Is Harry okay?
I don't know. I still have to check in.
- Hey. We got the girl.
- Wait a minute. What?
We got the girl. They're flying her down.
You'd better stick around.
Helen- I'll explain when I see ya.
No, no, it's-
It's okay. Go ahead without me.
Save me a piece of liver.
Darkness has transformed
this entire scene into-
Well, it's a strange, fantastic sight.
Many of these people
have been waiting here all day, and even now-
Wait just a minute.
They're bringing someone now.
Turn those off!
Who turned that light on?
Well, turn it off!
What? She's on the way up, huh?
Good.
Moksar.
I'd like to talk to her first.
- Virginia?
- Yes.
Virginia, this is Dr. Straus.
We'd like to talk to you a minute
about Robert.
Give me a rewrite. She's in the hotel now.
Virginia.
You were engaged.
Why did you break it off?
I didn't. He did.
He did? Why?
Well, he- he just said
that he couldn't, that-
that he'd make me unhappy,
it would be better-
- Did you have a fight?
- No, but he'd get mad.
- What about?
- Whenever I tried to help him.
Oh, he'd get in an argument and lose his job
and get sick- really sick.
- I tried to get him to see a doctor, but-
- And he'd get mad about that?
- Yes, even-
- Do you think you know what's wrong with him?
We want you to talk to him, but first
we've got to be sure that you understand.
- Oh, I couldn't. I can't.
- Don't you want to help him?
- Oh, yes, I-
- We've failed.
The least you can do for him is to try
to make him see that he's important to you.
But what can I say?
We've pieced together
a little bit about him today.
Not everything. And it's complicated.
Partly, we're guessing.
But it's an old pattern. It's been going on
as long as there have been families.
His mother didn't want him, really.
But she couldn't admit,
even to herself...
that he'd spoiled her beautiful dream
of fame and fortune, a great career.
So she babied him...
and she couldn't admit,
again even to herself...
that she blamed her husband
for trapping her.
So she blamed him for everything else...
and she got back at him
by teaching Robert to hate him.
All children-boys-
are in love with their mothers
romantically.
They get over it,
tend a little more toward their fathers.
Robert didn't. He couldn't.
He hated his father.
That bothered him.
He knew it was wrong.
So he began to hate himself.
Everything proved that he was right-
every time he lost a job.
The army said he was no good-
that made it official.
Do you love him?
- Yes.
- Then tell him so.
Make him believe it.
Help us to get him in.
Then- It won't be easy...
but then we'll do everything possible
to try to straighten him out.
He wants to love you...
but he feels unworthy.
He's afraid to.
Come on.
Virginia!
It's all right, Mrs. Cosick.
Take it easy.
Robert.
Robert?
I told you, I-This doesn't have
anything to do with her.
- I want to keep her out of it.
- Robert-
I don't want her to see me.
Robert...
I love you.
I need you and I want you.
That's all. I won't ask you to do
anything you don't want to do.
Chief.
They got the net down there.
Where do you want it?
How big is it?
Keep it out of his sight-
close to the building on the way in.
Bring it up the elevator. We'll work it
with rope from the 13th floor.
Yes, sir.
Hug the building. Up the elevator-
13th floor. Stand by for Moksar.
- W-What are they doing?
- Nothing, Robert.
All right, here you go.
Watch it.
Robert, don't you love me?
I thought you loved me.
I kept the poem you wrote me
in your last letter...
when you went away.
I didn't quite understand it, but-
but it was beautiful.
I know it by heart.
I do.
"You are gone, Virginia...
"and I remember the empty doorway...
"the soft, dark shadows
that said good night...
"the anguish heavy on my shoulders.
"I look at the awkward hands
that cannot touch your beauty.
"I hear the silent footsteps of ending...
"in the silent street.
"Forgive me, Virginia.
I am empty. "
Go on. Finish it.
Oh, no, Robert.
No, I- I didn't mean- Don't.
"I have tasted the wind.
I have tasted the earth.
"There's nothing in between...
"nothing but...
"empty anger below...
"no goal but the...
restless lanterns of the dead. "
Kneel and pray! Kneel and pray!
Be washed in the blood of the lamb!
The sins are on your soul!
Kneel and pray!
Kneel and pray!
The sins are on your soul!
Kneel and pray!
The following halfhour has been
relinquished by the sponsors of Mystery Street...
the R. and J. Mancrieff Company...
manufacturers
of Miss America bobby pins...
Stimulo, the brush of beauty...
and Fashionette,
the crowning glory for your hair.
All commercial announcements
will be omitted.
It is now 8:00 p. m.
- Here.
- What's the idea?
It was your idea. You won it.
You got closest to the time.
What time? Okay, I got 8:00.
Now it's 8:00.
But the idea was the guy who got
closest to the time he jumped...
takes the dough.
He ain't jumped. So no dough, huh?
Go on, take it. It's yours, dope.
Hi! Gee, I've been looking
all over for you.
And... I-I wanted to tell you...
my name's Daniel Klempner.
Uh, nobody but my mother
calls me that though.
In the stockroom where I work
they call me Danny.
Well-
Well, gee, what's the matter?
I- I guess I'm just hungry.
I went away for a while,
but I didn't eat anything.
I forgot to.
Aw, we'll get you something to eat.
Sergeant.
We need about 10 minutes to get
the net up and, bingo, we got him.
- Can you keep him busy that long? Are you okay?
- I'm okay.
- Maybe the doc better give you something.
- I'm okay!
Look, kid, what is it? What's the trouble?
Why can't you tell me?
What is it?
I don't know.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I- I couldn't breathe if I came in.
We're ready here, Chief.
Okay. Here we go.
Can't say I blame you.
I don't go too much for doctors myself,
usually. But these guys are okay.
They know
it's been pretty rough on you...
your family busting up the way it did.
That can be pretty rough on a guy.
It mixes him up.
They figure you just added it all up wrong
and got the wrong answer.
It's not as bad as you think it is.
For instance, you're mixed up
about Virginia, I guess.
Okay, maybe you want to marry her,
only you don't want to.
You can't, only you think you should.
Or somethin'.
Well, that's a tough one.
That could happen to anybody.
But it's like they say about streetcars-
there'll be another one along any minute.
You know how many girls called up the hotel
here today and said they'd marry you?
H- How many?
A lot.
About 10, I think they told me.
They're crazy.
Ten-
Ten good reasons.
You should have 10 good reasons
for anything.
That's a rule.
I'd really like to come in...
but I can't.
Why not?
I- I just...
can't now.
You know, a-after this.
I might, though,
if you could give me 10 good reasons.
But you can't.
Life stinks, and you know it.
It's a rat race.
It's a rat race. It- It's a rat race.
Sure, but there's a lot in it-
there's a lot in it that's okay.
What?
Well, maybe I should get a preacher
or somebody like that to explain it to you.
No.
Y- You explain it to me yourself.
Well, I'm not so sure I can, kid. I-
I just never counted it all up, I guess.
- What are they doing down there?
- Oh, I don't know.
W- What are they doing?
What's happening?
They're just bullin' around.
You know how cops are.
Don't worry about them.
They're waiting for me to jump.
Everybody's waiting for me to jump.
Could be.
I'll make you a bet.
You come on in, and you'll hear cheering
like DiMaggio belted one into the stands.
If they weren't waiting for me to jump,
they'd go home.
Yeah, sure.
A lot of jerks'll look at anything.
Don't look at me.
I agree with you. It's a rat race.
A man washing a window,
making cigars-
everybody wants to see
what's gonna happen.
Hey, tie that line off on the radiator.
- What's holding us up?
- Our line got fouled up, Chief. We're all clear now.
- Okay, take it up.
- Yes, sir.
Jumpin'offbig buildings
don't buy any potatoes.
You don't get anything out of this racket
you don't put into it.
I get tired some days.
My back's been troubling me too
a little lately.
But I forget about it when I get out of the suit
and get a couple beers in me.
That's one of the things that's okay-
a beer now and then.
I get a kick out of
that first swallow when I'm dry.
I- I could never understand...
how anybody could drink beer.
My wife used to feel
the same way you do.
I showed her somethin'- put a little salt in it.
She drinks it all the time now.
Is she beautiful?
Well...
she's not a Park Avenue
photographer's model.
No, I-I don't suppose
you'd say she's beautiful.
She oughta had her teeth fixed
when she was a kid...
but they didn't know much
about that in those days.
She's taken on a little around the hips
since the two kids...
but that's to be expected-
that's natural.
We kid her a lot about goin' to one
of those rub-and-punch parlors...
on Fifth Avenue
and gettin'the whole works-
you know,
mud on the chin and everything.
But it's just kiddin'. It's too expensive.
But we have a lot oflaughs.
Maybe I could explain better how I feel...
if I'd read more books
or gone to church more.
Helen's more for that. That's natural.
Easters, I like it. You know, the family,
we sorta make a thing of it.
Last Easter, though...
I was down on the avenue
jockeying for top hats.
We may get to go this year.
Sundays, usually
I just sit around on my fat.
Why don't you come out this Sunday and
meet my wife? We'll eat. She's a good cook.
Then after we could
go over to Sheepshead...
and fish for floppers off the pier.
W- What are, uh, flop-
I never heard of floppers.
Oh. Flounders.
We call 'em floppers.
You know, flat, white on one side.
How about it? How 'bout comin' out?
- No.
- Why not?
- I can't tell you.
- Oh, why not?
I- I can't tell you. I-
Y- You're trying to trick me.
Keep it coming. Keep it coming.
All I know is that
sometimes you can sleep it off.
Why can't you tell me?
Wouldn't you like to go fishing with me?
- Yes.
- We could have a good time.
This Sunday?
Well, sure. You pick it. Any Sunday.
Hey, lookit! I'm jumpin'!
The net! Pull the net!
Hey! Gil! Come here and give me a hand!
He's on the net!
Let me get around.
Gil! Hold my legs so I can get him in here!
That's it! Pull him over!
Come on!
Get some sheets!
Doctor. Doctor, is he-Will he-
He's all right, Virginia.
He's exhausted and suffering from shock,
but he's all right.
No. No, I mean-What I mean is, later,
will it just happen again?
The doc here doesn't think so.
We've all got to help him, Virginia.
It'll take time and patience,
but he wants to live.
So the worst is really over.
Right now he needs some rest,
and so do you.
We're not gonna move him tonight.
We've got everything we need here.
We'll move him in the morning.
- Yes, sir.
- You're gonna keep an eye on him.
You need some rest, Dunnigan.
Go to bed.
You've done a good day's work.
- Clear away.
- Watch the stretcher. Watch the stretcher.
Oh. Thanks.
I- I left my traffic book somewhere.
Oh, yeah. I got it, Dunnigan. Here.
Come on! The show's over, folks! Go home
and take care of your own kids! Let's go!
Right on in. Feed it in.
Daddy! Daddy!
Let's go see your mommy.
Dunnigan, Traffic "A."
There's a jumper on the ledge-
Hotel Rodney.
Fifteen- 16 floors, I think.
Yes, sir!
S- S- Stay away from me,
or I'll jump.
Operator!
- Good morning.
- This is the waiter in 1505.
- I'll connect you with Room Service.
- No, no!
I don't want a waiter.
I am a waiter. There's a man.
- What room is it? What floor?
- I don't know exactly.
It's two, three floors from the top.
I couldn't tell.
- Get Mr. Regan.
- Well, I'll get Mr. Harris!
Would you get Mr. Harris?
Oh, excuse me, Mr. Harris. There's a man-
- What room is it?
- 1505.
- Answer that call. Don't get excited. And get Mr. Regan.
- Yes. Yes, sir.
- Look, sister, tell Emergency when they come it's 1505.
- Yes, sir.
No, Mr. Regan, they're not,
b- but they're on their way.
Yes, sir.
So what is it, advertising?
- Could be.
- It could.
You come in from there.
You'll have to come in from there.
The police will be here in a minute.
If those cops come near me...
I'll jump.
I'd make a grab for him,
but he's too fast.
- Officer, can't you grab him?
- Well, I don't know.
- This is the worst possible thing to happen to the hotel.
- Be careful.
He says he'll jump
if the police come near him.
Give me your tie.
Your tie.
- Who is he?
- Oh, I-I-
- Well, check the registration!
- Yes, sir.
That's a pretty dangerous thing
you're doing, kid.
You might fall off and hurt somebody.
I live on this floor.
I heard the racket, so-
They tell me in there
you don't go much for cops.
Sometimes I feel the same way.
But if you stay out there much longer, kid,
the joint's gonna be creepin' with cops.
Well, they may be a little sore
about this happening on St. Pat's Day.
It's their big day.
They got their buttons polished and-
Listen, I could sneak you down the hall
into my room before they get up here.
We could order some breakfast,
and then we-
Quiet.
- Okay, let's clear the room, bud.
- I'm the manager, Mr. Regan.
Okay, okay. Get some keys.
Open up these connecting doors.
Go on upstairs, see if we can drop a loop on him.
- Okay.
- Just a minute. Who's Deputy Chief Moksar?
I am. Hey, hey. Stay away from there.
Get away from the window.
Yeah?
I'll have him off in a minute.
No. I don't want
any brain specialists underfoot.
Okay. Send them around.
Make 'em happy.
Look, kid.
I'm gonna level with you.
I'm a cop, but I don't shoot anybody.
I'm on traffic detail.
I was tagging a car downstairs
when I saw you out here.
I don't know from nothin' about
what you think you're doin' or why...
but you look like a nice kid to me.
I hate to see you make a bad mistake.
You oughta come in and think it over.
The longer you stay out here,
the rougher it's gonna be.
Your room is knee-deep in brass now,
and in another five minutes-
- What are you supposed to be?
- We found out he checked in last night.
William E. Cook, Philadelphia.
Mr. Harris checked the Philadelphia directory,
and there's no William E. -
Okay, okay. Go on out there,
keep an eye on him.
Well, what did you find out?
What did he say?
Well, I- Nothin' yet,
but I think I got him goin'.
Maybe if we could find out who he is,
we'd find out what's eatin' him.
Maybe he was in the army.
If we could get his prints- maybe in
the bathroom-we could check the files.
Who are you? What's your beat?
Traffic "A." Dunnigan, sir.
I put in the call.
Okay, Dunnigan.
Go see about your traffic.
Get away from me, or I'll jump!
- Did he jump yet?
- You goin' down?
Sure. Sure. I mean, yes, sir.
Hello, Joe.
Where you been? All right.
I want a couple of fingerprint men
up here right away.
Looks like he used a phony name.
I wanna get a line on him.
All right.
- What did you find?
- Two shirts.
- Hello. Give me the desk.
- Come out of there.
I'm holding this bathroom
for fingerprints.
I'm saving the trunks for the police.
You'll have to talk to the manager.
This is the manager.
This is Mr. Regan. Give me the desk.
Oh, excuse me, Mr. Regan.
Just a minute. Here's the desk.
Get 'em out of here.
They can't look.
Oh, boy, boy. Will you get
my bags from 702, please?
Sorry, mister. I'm in a hurry.
- I want to see the manager!
- I'm sorry, but Mr. Regan just-
Excuse me. Yes?
Are they kidding?
If he jumps from that high up,
he'll go through this thing like a bullet.
- Give him something to shoot at anyway.
- Yeah.
Go on. Go ahead.
Come on then. Keep it going!
Hey, look out! He jumped!
He's gonna land on top of you!
- He sure picked himself a good spot for it.
- He sure did.
No way to get at him.
The balcony's in the way. He'd see me
before I could get set to drop a loop on him.
Here. You better stand by,
and make sure that he doesn't see you.
I'm sorry about this, folks.
I'll see if I can get your room changed.
All right.
- Take these doctors right up.
- Yes, sir.
Follow me, please.
- Careful.
- NBC.
Go ahead.
- That's no good!
- What's the matter?
- It's the wrong color. It's out of date.
- Look, mister-
Get a new card, you-
If they don't jump the first hour,
they don't jump.
Well, that's what they say.
- Hey, is it slowing up down here?
- Yes, sir.
You better get down there
and give the boys a hand with that traffic.
Romp on those cabbies.
Take it easy, junior.
That isn't gonna get you anyplace.
Save it for New Year's.
- Officer!
- Yeah?
Are we going to be able
to get through?
I've got an important appointment.
I'm late now.
They expect you today, dear,
you'd better walk.
Take it easy. That's it.
- There you are.
- Thank you.
It's all right.
Look at him.
Just like a bug takin' a walk.
Yeah. If I had my M2,
I could knock him off from here clean.
- Get back in your cabs.
- What do you want us to do about it, go straight up?
Keep your hair on and lay off the horns.
You'll never get through.
- If we get a chance, we'll back 'em out.
- Okay, okay!
I should've listened to my old lady
and stood in bed. Who's St. Patrick?
Is this a gag or something?
A guy trying to get a seat for the parade?
It's no gag.
He threatened to jump.
That's a crime, knocking yourself off.
They could throw you in jail.
- What's the matter? Beef with his old lady?
- Nuts, huh?
He's just a kid. Maybe he's a loopy,
but he didn't look like it to me.
- You seen him close up? You was up there?
- Yeah.
- The cop says he was up there with the guy.
- Hey, what did he say?
He said he was gonna jump
and he didn't want to talk to anybody.
Ah, let him. Who cares?
Think of how many guys gets killed in wars.
Nobody stands around watchin' 'em.
Any guy's nuts enough, let him.
He's better off.
Everybody's better off.
I figured on a good day today.
Did you hear this guy?
Here's a guy want tojump down-
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Why don't you people go to work?
Haven't any of you got jobs?
Oh, come on!
We better hurry. We're late now.
Twice already this week
I've been late...
and I don't want any additional
difficulty with Mr. Reisman.
- Come on.
- What if he should jump?
What if we left now,
and he really jumped?
We would still be late to Mr. Reisman.
The important thing with Mr. Reisman
is punctuality.
With him, punctuality is a principle.
Gee, he doesn't look very old.
I wonder what-
what kind of trouble he's in...
what made him so bitter.
Maybe-
Maybe someone was cruel to him...
or maybe he's just lonely.
I suppose you could decide to kill yourself
if you were just lonely enough.
Oh, come on. Let's go!
I- No, I can't.
I wish I could help him.
It's the worst thing in the world
to be lonely.
There must be hundreds of people
like that in New York-
lonely and desperate.
Why don't the police do something?
I heard they can't get hold of him.
Every time they get close,
he says he'll jump.
Excuse me.
I was speaking to my friend.
- She left. She had to go to work.
- Oh.
Well, would you like a mint?
Cinnamon flavor.
No, thank you.
I don't think we're acquainted.
If you're upset about anything,
I'd like to help you.
I'd like to talk to you.
Where's the cop?
- Cop?
- Yeah. The one that was up here first.
Which one?
I don't want to talk to anybody else.
Will you come in
if we let you talk to him?
I'll have him up here right away.
- Do you know who he means?
- The flatfoot that boxed the report and came up.
- Let's get him.
- What's he want to talk to him for?
What does it matter
as long as he talks?
If he'll unload his troubles on somebody,
we've got a chance to get him in.
Maybe our only chance.
Let's get him.
- What was his name?
- I don't know, Chief.
Find out. Check. See who boxed in.
Get him up here on the double.
- All right.
- He's probably working the street.
- You get a description on the air?
- Sure. I sent it downstairs.
All right.
Hey, fella.
We'll have your friend
up here in a minute.
He appears to be about 23 years of age.
He's wearing neatly pressed gray flannels
and a white shirt.
He has brown eyes, wavy brown hair.
He's about five feet, nine inches tall
and weighs about 155 pounds.
This is extremely important.
If you recognize this man,
call Spring-7-3-100.
From your description, that's
Charlie Dunnigan, all right. Traffic "A."
Okay. Moksar wants him right away.
Find him and get him up there.
- Right. You men know him?
- Yes, sir. We'll get him.
This is George Putnam speaking,
ladies and gentlemen.
The speed with which this crowd
has gathered is absolutely amazing.
People on all sides of us-
thousands of them.
It's impossible to estimate from our point
of vantage down here on the street...
exactly how many people are here...
galvanized, held spellbound
by the breathtaking spectacle...
of a young, unidentified man
perched on a ledge...
15 stories above the street.
I'm gonna turn you over to Bob Roberts now,
who's at a window across the street.
How does it look from up there, Bob?
There's not much happening right now.
There seems to be some sort of delay.
The man we have just identified for you
as... Deputy Chief Moksar...
comes to the window at intervals,
says something...
but, of course, from this distance,
we can't tell what he says.
The boy appears cool and detached,
just waiting.
He's thinking about something.
Perhaps reviewing his life.
At moments he teeters precariously
on the edge of this ledge...
calmly looking down
into the abyss below.
- What is he thinking?
- Miss Kelly, will you turn that off, please?
- Yes.
- Try Mr. Fuller again.
Can he somehow be persuaded
that his life is not entirely worthless?
Considering the shortness of time...
perhaps we should proceed
without him.
- Mrs. Fuller?
- Yes?
I've worked out
the disposition of the children...
with Mr. Fuller's attorney.
Let's run through it once
while we wait.
"The above entitled action,
having been brought on by plaintiff...
forjudgment of divorce"-
- Stay here, folks. Clear one side, please.
- The chief said-
Hold that elevator!
Moksar's been waitin' on you.
Wait a minute here.
Where are you going?
I'm the Reverend Dr. J.C. Parkinson,
the boy's pastor.
His parents have requested me to-
What church do you represent,
Doctor?
I work in faith and magnetism.
I saved 17 souls last year.
- Souls respond scientifically to prayer.
- That's fine. I know.
You better keep going here.
We're busy here.
Come back another day.
Good-bye.
So, right away I hear his voice,
I know something's screwy, see?
I figure he's up to something,
so I open the door careful, and I make a grab-
All right.
Clear it here, fellas. Clear it.
Hey, fella. What are you,
this joker's father or something?
- What'd you say to him?
- I don't know, Chief. I don't remember.
- First thing that came into my mind.
- Okay, okay.
Whatever you did, do it again.
Let's get him in off there. Come on.
Sorry, Chief, but I don't know
what you want me to do.
You got to him. He loves ya.
He won't talk to anybody else.
He doesn't like me. He doesn't like
these big brain specialists, so you're it.
- I'm puttin' it up to you.
- Look, this is a little out of my line.
- I don't know anything about loopies.
- That's in your favor.
Just be natural with him.
We tried to be, but we're doctors...
and he's probably had
a bad experience with doctors.
He smelled us coming.
Just talk to him.
- What do I say?
- It doesn't matter. Anything.
Anything to sublimate his drive.
Easy, Doc. I took a little French,
but I didn't keep up with it.
Sorry. Break his stride,
spoil the momentum he's building up.
If you can make him talk,
he'll feel better and loosen up.
Is he a real loopy or is it an act?
Let's say he has a problem.
We can be sure of that
even if we don't know what it is.
And it seems enormous to him,
bigger than it is.
He's out there considering what seems to him
to be the only possible solution.
Come on.
How you doin', kid?
How you feel?
I-
I'm... holding up the parade, I guess.
Don't worry about that.
I... feel better now.
I- I can breathe better.
Swell!
It's gonna be a great parade.
You buy a shamrock?
Uh-
Are you Irish?
I mean, uh, Irish derivation.
I don't need any signs, huh?
Well, you don't have to be a harp
to wear green today. Everybody does it.
It's one of those things. Everybody gets
into the act. You feel good about it.
Hey, suppose I get the hotel
to fix us up a room on the backside...
and we can sit out like this
and see the parade.
How 'bout that?
N- No, I-
I've got to think this through.
Maybe I can help you.
I- I've got to think this through first...
b- by myself.
I'm s-sorry
about holding up the parade.
Most of'em must be watching me.
They're all watching you.
What was it you wanted
to talk to me about, kid?
You asked for me to come back, didn't you?
You sent for me.
Why? Why'd you do that?
Everybody lies to me.
If you mean I didn't give you any bull,
that's okay. I appreciate that.
I'm not gonna try
and feed you any now either.
I haven't got the right kind
of kisser for it.
I'll tell you this-
I don't like it up here.
I'm on the spot
with the chief inside already.
I don't think
he likes a flatfoot musclin'in.
But you sent for me,
and I'm on orders.
I wanna help you. I think you oughta
tell me what it's all about though.
If it's a girl,
I can tell you all about a gal-
If you have to march or anything,
it's all right.
No, forget it.
I'd just as soon be up here with you.
- Cigarette?
- No, thanks.
Could I have a glass of water, please?
Sure thing. Anything you like.
Just speak up.
Uh, not too much ice in it.
They always put
too much ice in it in hotels.
It's bad for your digestion.
Sit tight. I'll be right back.
- Keep him busy.
- He wants a drink of ice water.
Water.
If I can con him in closer, as he reaches
for the glass, I can make a grab for him.
- He'd yank you, then both of you'd go over.
- Not if somebody hung on to me.
He'd yank us all.
I don't mind losing you, but I don't want a whole
daisy chain of cops sailing out that window.
Why not put a rope on Dunnigan's leg,
then put beef on the rope into the hall...
just in case he gets a chance
to make a grab?
Okay. Get the rope.
Hey, where's that water?
Go on out there and stall
while I get you rigged up.
Hey, hey!
What do you think you're doin'?
Chief, I'd like to string up
this microphone by the window.
I want to catch that conversation
out on that ledge.
Get that screwball out of here, will ya?
- Get that gear out!
- Anything on those prints yet?
- Not a thing yet.
- What are they doing, playing poker or something?
Put some heat on 'em!
Come on, Barney.
What are you doin', bakin' a cake?
I sent down for some ice, kid.
I knew you wanted a little ice.
- Never mind.
- Ah, just take a second. Sit tight.
It just takes a little while.
I'll be right back.
That's fine.
Keep it up.
Just don't press him quite so hard.
If anything annoys him, skip it.
Keep talking.
He's beginning to relax.
I think he's getting a bang out of it,
big-shottin' it out there.
Whatever his problem is,
it paralyzed him.
He felt he couldn't do anything,
couldn't move.
Now he's out there. He's free.
He's got a choice.
He can jump at any moment or not jump.
He likes that feeling.
He feels important. He's a great guy.
- You see him teetering? Phew! Scares the living-
- You're all set, Dunnigan.
Here.
Come on. Come on, come on.
Give us a little more slack here.!
All right. That's it.
Now take a good bite on that.
Hey, Dunnigan. Does this guy go for dames?
If he does, I got an idea.
What are you talking to him about,
Dunnigan?
You think he's gonna jump this year,
or you think it's an act?
Look, you guys. If I get a chance,
I'm gonna make a grab for him.
- Keep your hands out of your pockets.
- Come on.
You get a hold of him, hang on. We'll pull
you back. You'll only fall a couple of stories.
Dunnigan.
- What's that?
- Stimulant.
It may pick him up a little,
raise his spirits.
It's worth a try anyway.
Here you are, kid.
Not much ice, like you said.
Sorry it took so long,
but you know how hotels are.
They make a big production
out of everything.
You gonna try to grab me?
I thought we were
gettin' to know each other a little.
Just don't try and grab me.
- You might fall.
- Okay.
Give it to me with your left hand.
Okay.
Did the doctors put somethin' in it?
I don't think they'd do a thing like that.
I tell you what I'll do.
We'll give it the Dunnigan test.
What's that?
Anything I can drink
is all right for babies.
Nothin' happens. Okay?
Uh, well, put it down
and push it along.
- I'll pick it up.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
- Okay.
Take it easy, kid. Sit tight.
What's the idea?
What do you think you're doing?
It's no go. I can't crack him.
Get back out there and stall him.
We just got a report on him. We're gonna get
his family here, see what they can do with him.
His name is Robert Cosick.
C- O-S-I-C-K.
Whatever kind of name that is.
Try it out on him for size.
His father and mother are divorced.
He may not want to talk about that,
but see what you can find out.
Look, I-I-
Okay. What did you say
his first name was?
- Robert.
- Robert.
Keep that on.
You may get a chance to be a hero.
- What about that stuff I drank in that water?
- Won't hurt you.
Hi.
You want another one?
No.
Could I have a cigarette now?
Sure thing, Robert.
Here you are.
- Left hand, right?
- Why did you call me that?
Robert? I thought that'd
be all right with you by now.
We're gettin' acquainted.
Have a cigarette.
How did they find out?
Police routine. They had to check around,
but they found out.
They got a pretty good line on you.
You're gettin' to be famous.
- It's none of their business.
- They're just trying to help.
It's none of their business!
I don't want everybody crowding me.
I don't like to be bothered!
Cigarette, kid?
Put 'em down.
I don't smoke much usually.
I try to take good care of myself.
Good idea.
Everybody oughta
take good care of themselves.
My father drinks too much.
Uh-huh. Hold it. Here he comes.
They talked to the bond house
downtown where his old man works.
He's a salesman, but he's out somewhere.
They can't locate him.
- Get a pickup on him.
- I did. Oh, Mrs. Cosick lives with her sister in Jersey.
They can't reach her either.
Somebody thinks she went shopping.
Give this dope to those radio bums.
Give 'em something useful to do.
Maybe somebody'll be listening.
Well, go on!
Hello. Listen, get a 24
out on Paul Cosick.
If you have any information concerning
the whereabouts of these people...
please call this station
or the police immediately.
I'll repeat the names.
The father is Paul E. Cosick...
the mother Mrs. Christine Hill Cosick.
This is an urgent appeal.
The most amazing, heroic thing so far...
is that this man, Charles Dunnigan,
is a traffic cop-
just one of New York's average,
hard-working traffic cops.
He seems to be winning Robert's confidence
where everyone else has failed.
Hey, that must be the cop
that was down here!
All right. Everybody grab his own.
- Who's got pastrami?
- On what?
- Who gave me a buck?
- I gave you a buck.
- Here's your change. What'd you have?
- Coffee, no sugar, no cream.
Okay, all them are black coffees
with the "X."
- Where's my change?
- You get change?
Listen. How 'bout a pool?
A buck a throw.
Like it is, the cops got us froze.
Nobody makes nothin'
workin' out of this stand today.
With some dough up, somebody gets a pot.
What do you say?
- What's the matter with that?
- It stinks.
No! Listen, see?
Everybody puts a buck in and takes
a slip of paper with a different time.
The guy that gets closest to the time
this joker jumps, that guy gets the pot.
You know what I mean?
Look, here's the slips of paper.
You loan me your hat, huh?
Now, I'll mark it off.
You guys give me a buck apiece.
And we'll have this pool.
- Okay? Two.
Traffic has been cleared sufficiently.
The annual St. Patrick's Day
parade will be held.
This is the big day
for New York's finest.
There's still no word
from Robert's parents.
Who came in that car?
I don't know.
I'd like to talk to her
before you let her see him.
- Why?
- She might upset him. You never can tell.
Sure. While you psychoanalyze her,
he dives.
Tell Dunnigan the kid's mother's here.
Hello. Hello. Mrs. Cosick's in the hotel.
Keep this line open, will you?
Hold the line open.
Where is he? I'm his mother.
Mrs. Cosick, this is important.
Your son may be acting.
We don't know.
- He may jump at any moment.
- Please, let me see him!
- Wait. Please.
- Bobby!
Bobby.!
- Mrs. Cosick.
- Oh, I knew something was wrong!
- He hasn't written me in six months.
- Yes.
I didn't know where he was.
I wasn't even sure he was in New York until-
- Don't.
- I'm his mother.! Please.!
Don't let her talk to me.
- Please let me see him!
- Let her go.
Bobby! Bobby!
Oh.
Bobby? Bobby, it's Mother. Wait.
Why don't you talk to your mother
for a minute?
She's worried about you.
Bobby.
Bobby, look at me.
What's the matter?
Look at me, son.
What do you want to talk about?
I haven't got much time now.
Oh, please come in.
Please come in.
Nothing is this bad.
I know you haven't been happy,
but, oh, Bobby baby-
Mother! Don't call me that!
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
But please come in now.
I want to talk to you.
I love you, Robert.
Don't do this.
I know you don't want
to do this to me.
Robert, you love me, don't you?
I haven't done anything, have I?
You haven't done anything.
Well, then...
what is it?
Are you in some sort of trouble?
Do you need money?
You haven't been eating right.
You'rejust upset.
You've seen your father, Robert.
Oh, nothing is really this bad, is it?
Robert!
Wh-What are you gonna do?
I don't know.
I haven't made up my mind yet.
Please, go away now.
Robert, come in here!
Would you like
to take a vacation with me, son?
We could go somewhere
on the beach.
We could go to Sea Bright.
You used to like Sea Bright.
- Then we could forget all about this.
- I can't come in now.
Oh, you can come in now
if you want to!
Oh, it's- it's easy, Robert.
Just take a step over here.
I said go away!
I've talked to you! Now go away!
I can't stand everybody crowding me...
trying to make me do things.
I've got to make up my own mind.
Take her away now!
Take her away from here!
Oh, Robert.!
Oh, Robert.!
- You ought to lie down for a while.
- Oh, let me see him!
The commissioner.
Yes, sir.
Deputy Chief Moksar. Emergency.
I don't know what more
we can do, sir.
Yes, sir.
We can't rig any kind of a net
without him seeing it.
Yes, sir.
Has he ever done
anything like this before?
No. I don't think so.
He's always been nervous.
He was in the hospital
when he was away at school...
but he- he wasn't sick.
He was just nervous.
- Why? I don't know.
- Why won't he talk to you?
Well, he's not himself.
You think he's busted up about a girl
or something like that?
I beg your pardon.
Can I get through, please?
- All right. Back.
- I'm the boy's father.
Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Cosick.
Go right in.
I'm his father.
I don't know if there's anything that-
- Hello, Chris.
- Oh, Paul, you're shameless!
We're doing all we can! Please, Paul,
at this late date, this is indecent!
You think you can do anything with him?
You wanna talk-
- Haven't you done enough damage?
- Chris, for the love of-
Okay, okay, okay. Now, listen, both of you.
I got enough on my hands.
I'm trying to talk your kid out of takin' a dive.
No wonder he's cuckoo.
You wanna put on the gloves, do it outside.
Both of you. Get 'em outside in the hall.
After 15 years of neglect and selfish
unconcern, to come back here!
- If there's anybody to blame, you're to blame!
- Okay, nobody's to blame!
- You want to talk to him?
- If you think it'll do any good, but he's closer to his mother.
I've had the whole burden. If you'd been
able to give him any kind of a living!
- If you'd been able to make him any kind of a home!
- Chris, shut up!
- How did you feel-
- Let's get these characters out of here!
Look, I almost had him
a couple of times.
I- I know I can con him in...
if I can just get my hands
on what's botherin' him.
Do you know what's botherin' him?
You're his father.
I don't know.
I don't know him very well.
I hardly recognized him
when I saw him on television.
- I was in a bar downtown.
- Where else?
- Pipe down, will ya?
- I'd like to talk to him.
Yeah, I'd like to talk to him.
Ask him, will ya?
I wanted to see him,
but I didn't think he wanted to see me.
Oh, this is ridiculous!
Let me go! Let me go! Bobby!
Bobby!
Bobby.
Bobby,
I won't let the doctors touch you.
I won't let them do anything to you.
I know what Virginia thinks,
but Virginia is wrong.
You're not sick.
Don't listen to her, Bobby.
You don't have to do
anything you don't-
Keep her away from here, will ya?
- Hey, ask him if he'll see his old man.
- Yeah, but she just-
Go ahead out there.
Take up that slack in the rope.
My father's in there.
He's no good.
He wants to see you, Robert, but he's afraid
you got something against him.
You got nothing against him, have ya?
Who's Virginia?
I don't know.
I don't know anybody by that name.
How long since you saw your father, kid?
Hey, can I have a cigarette?
Sure.
I don't see him much anymore.
They fought all the time.
It was his fault. He's no good.
Look, this is none of my business...
so don't get sore.
I'm just a guy here talkin'.
But I have to call 'em as I see 'em.
You're sure you're not just
taking your mother's word for that?
For what?
Uh, about your father being no good.
Maybe you'd like him
if you gave him a chance.
Why don't you talk to him
and give him a chance?
Why don't you talk to him?
Look, Mrs. Cosick,
we've got a room down the hall.
- Why don't you go down there and rest?
- No, I wanna stay here.
He feels worthless, empty.
We can be sure of that.
It starts early, usually...
something that happens
between children and parents.
So you may be the key.
We don't know.
We can't know until we can get him in
and have time to help him.
Just do the best you can.
I can't stand looking down very well.
Well, then don't look down.
Try to be casual.
Look, Robert...
you don't have to talk to your father
any longer than you want to.
Anytime you want to break it off,
just yell like before.
Okay?
Okay.
Good. Good.
Robert, I want to help you if I can.
I've meant to look you up, Robert.
I wanted to talk to you.
I know this isn't a very good place...
but let me say a few things.
I- I've got so much that-
Now, look, I'm not gonna ask you
to tell me why you're doing this...
if you don't want to.
I understand. It's- It's difficult.
Things are difficult.
It's been difficult for me too.
Why-
Why did it turn out like this?
What happened?
Don't you want to talk to me?
I don't care.
I just don't know you very well.
I tried to tell you, Chief.
She hit him with somebody named Virginia.
He turned white as a duck.
I said, "Who's Virginia?"
and he clammed up.
I figured there's a girl
mixed up in it someplace.
- He know anything about her?
- I didn't get a chance to ask him.
- See what you get out of her.
- Yeah.
- All right, back up, fellas.
- Let 'em through.
Come on. Beat it, you guys.
- Gerry. Mrs. Cosick.
- Oh.
- Mrs. Cosick, we understand- - Beat it, you
guys. Can't you see that she's nervous and upset?
Now, leave her alone.
- Are these men reporters?
- We'll get rid of them.
No, please, I'd like to talk to them.
- Just let me rest a bit.
- Of course, Mrs. Cosick.
Robert, I know I've made
a lot of mistakes...
but I loved Chris-
I loved your mother. You know that.
You knew she was a very beautiful girl,
Robert, before she had all that trouble.
I don't know, really, what happened.
You know what I'm trying
to tell you, Robert?
No.
Well...
everything was good for a while.
You were hardly 10 then.
I used to take you to the office
on Saturday sometimes.
You liked to play in the office.
We weren't very busy then.
Girls in the office used to
make a big fuss over you.
And I took you out of school once.
You remember?
No, I suppose not.
But, anyway,
I took you up to the Polo Grounds...
for the opening game of the season.
I wrote the excuse myself.
I said,
"Please excuse my son at 1:00 today.
He has to go to a ball game with me. "
Then she-
your mother hit the ceiling.
I thought first it was missing school...
but it was the money for the tickets.
I suppose she was right.
But I'm working
on my own time now- selling.
I can knock off any afternoon I want to.
I could get a pair of tickets
for the opening game this year...
if you'd like to go.
You're afraid to look down,
aren't you?
I- I haven't seen a ball game
in maybe six years.
I'd like to go.
Robert.
Are you trying to punish me?
Chief.
Commissioner's on his way over.
Would you like another mint?
Thank you.
Gee, I- I wish
I could do something.
That's a wonderful attitude.
I respect that.
You know,
most of these people don't care.
Look, my philosophy is...
no matter how horrible anything is...
there's always something-
something good in it.
W- Well, I mean, like...
you come to work at 8:00 every morning,
I go to work at 8:30.
I-
I could have gone on for a long time,
except for this...
and missed you by a half an hour
all the time.
Uh, have you ever been to Lewisohn Stadium
to the concerts on Sunday?
Oh, it's beautiful.
Stars out, people listening.
No, I-I've never been.
But it sounds beautiful.
I'll take you.
Uh, I'll take you this Sunday,
if you'd like to go.
Well, I- I would like to.
And I appreciate the sincerity
of your invitation.
But we've just met.
I don't even know your name.
Okay, let's keep it clear, now.
Let's go back, folks.
All the way back.
My name's Daniel! Daniel!
Two bells. I'm dead.
- Who's got three?
- I got three.
Hey! I don't like this.
Let's call it off.
What for? Listen, 12 bucks for somebody,
tax-free. That's a good deal.
- What do you wanna call it off for?
- Ah, it stinks.
- Hey, we get separated, we settle up at the garage.
- Yeah.
All right, take 'em up.
Did you get anything?
- Will you let me have a go at her?
- How is she?
She's fine. She's down the hall
in 1510 talking to the reporters.
- Chief, please let me-
- Okay, okay!
- What goes with her anyway?
- She's a case, just like the boy.
I've been a good mother.
I've done everything I could for him.
Do you know of any serious love affair
that could account for it?
Everyone thought it was too bad.
I know they did.
We didn't have much money.
Of course, I was only 18 when he was born.
- I did have to give up my music, any thought of a career.
- You were a singer?
My teacher said I would have been
a concert pianist if I'd kept on.
And it was obvious what people
thought after Bobby was born.
- I'm gonna go down and get some man-on-the-street
stuff. - It wasn't true. I wanted him.
It was a great blessing.
His father never understood.
Our lady protests too much.
Please let me talk to him. Let me go to him.
I'd never forgive myself-
Oh, I'd kill myself
if anything happened to him.
If he doesn't hurry up,
he's gonna miss the evening editions.
They always die
for the morning papers.
Look, it's his mother.
If she gets hysterical, get a shot of it.
I tried to make his father see
that Bobby was very sensitive...
but he couldn't face the responsibility.
His mother got hysterical.
He refused to talk to her.
She obviously blames herself
for something.
I don't know
what you can make out of it.
Must I put up with this?
- You'd think they'd let me alone.
- Boys, that's enough. Break it up.
Let's go, I said! You, come on.
Everybody. Attaboy. Come on. Out.
- You. Attaboy.
- I'd like to be with him! I have to go!
- Wait a minute!
- Well-
Who is this Virginia you've been
talking about? Who is she?
I'm under the care of these doctors.
I don't-
You've just been transferred, lady.
You're under my care now.
I want to know about this girl.
Who is she? Is she his girl or something?
Oh, please let me alone!
I'm his mother!
Don't you think I feel anything?
I don't think you feel anything
but sorry for yourself.
Look, I've been out there all day now
hanging on by the seat of my pants.
I don't know what's wrong with your kid.
I don't know why I care, but I do.
I'm gonna do everything I can
to get him back in.
I'm sorry, but if there's any chance he has
a girl that might help get him back in...
I'm gonna find out about her
even if I have to be a little rough on you.
Why did she leave him?
Why?
Give me another chance, Robert.
I'm your father.
I was wrong to leave.
Of course I was wrong.
I didn't want to hurt you, but I just
couldn't stand the bickering...
the constant carping and complaining.
It got so I couldn't go home.
I hated the sight of her,
the sound of her voice-
Oh, I-
I didn't mean to say that.
If you ever say that again...
i- if you ever so much as touch her...
I'll kill you.
I'm sorry, Robert.
Really. I'm sorry.
- Did you find out anything?
- The girl's name is Virginia Foster.
They were kids in school together,
they were engaged, but it's busted up.
- Where is she now?
- She lives with her family in Connecticut. Stamford.
Take us a couple of hours
to get her down here, even if we find her.
- What's the difference?
- Okay, okay. We might as well give it a try.
I'll put the pickup on her. You get out there
and keep your friend busy.
- We're gonna drop a man in a rig and try to grab him.
- If he sees that, he'll dive.
See the commissioner about it.
- How'd you do?
- I got a line on the girl they're sending for.
- How is he?
- He's getting pretty confused.
You know what they're trying to do?
They're crazy!
I tried to talk them out of it.
Keep him from looking up.
That's all you can do.
Hi. How are ya?
You want a cigarette, kid?
No.
That looked like a pretty good thing
you had with Virginia, kid.
Why'd you throw her over?
She's probably been worried about you.
It wasn't any good.
It wasn't any good.
Why not?
It just wasn't-
Why can't they leave me alone?
Why did they have to go and find out about her?
I didn't want her to know.
Can't they stop torturing me?
Okay down here. Now, easy does it.
Here we go.
Shall we continue, Mrs. Fuller?
"It is further ordered,
judged and decreed...
"that the plaintiff have custody,
control and supervision...
"of the infant issue
of the marriage herein dissolved.
Thomas Edward Fuller and Louise Ann Fuller,
except as provided herein below. "
Uh, Mr. Fuller?
Okay.
- Mrs. Fuller?
- What?
We would like to establish agreement
on each paragraph as we go.
Do you have any comment?
Yes. I don't understand it.
It's too complicated.
"Issue. One issue. Both issue. "
You make it sound dirty.
They're children.
Why don't you say "children"?
I don't want to do it now anyway.
- Mrs. Fuller, isn't this a bit late-
- Wait a minute!
Ann, do you really mean that?
Are you serious?
- Yes.
- Mrs. Fuller, may I ask-
I told you, it's too complicated!
Custody hereinafter provided-
I- I can't remember who's plaintiff
or who's defendant.
- It'd be more trouble than being married!
- Oh, Ann-
If you had been on time
it would have been all right.
I wanted to do it, but I got tired
of waiting and thinking.
I'm sorry. I got mixed up
in that traffic jam.
Ann, we can make it work again.
Let's try.
Oh, Ann!
Keep it coming.
Now, look, don't throw until you
clear the bottom of this balcony...
so that you don't get your rope fouled.
Understand? All right.
- Keep it coming.
- Keep 'em going.
Look, kid- Robert-
Virginia was just trying to help you.
- Don't you understand that-
- Hey, mac.! Look out.!
- They're gonna get you!
- Look out, mac.!
Get away from me!
- Get away from me!
- Pull him up! Pull him up!
Pull him up.
You're nothin' but a stinkin' cop!
- You knew they were gonna do that. You were in on it.!
- Shut up!
Who do you think you're yelling at?
Who do you think you are?
You open your trap to me like that once more,
and I'll come over there and push you off.
You realize
he was risking his neck for you?
You realize half the police force in New York
is climbin' around on this hotel...
holding their breath
to see what you're gonna do?
You realize how much this city has paid
for this phony Dutch act of yours?
"I'm gonna jump. I'm not gonna jump.
Don't anybody touch me.
Give me a glass of water. "
Okay, kid, if you're gonna jump,
go ahead.! Jump.!
I got a bellyful of you. I don't know why
I bothered with you in the first place.
Go on.! Jump.!
Wait a minute.
I'm sorry.
I appreciate what you're trying to do.
I'm sorry.
I- I could never talk to anybody
the way I've been able to talk to you.
I could never talk to my father
the way I've talked to you.
I- I'm sorry.
I'm mixed up.
Don't you see your mother gave you
a wrong steer about your father, kid?
Don't you see he's really a good joe...
and he likes you?
I guess so. I-
I don't know.
I just don't know what to do.
He's right here. Why don't you
tell him you were wrong?
Why don't you?
Okay.
It's all right, Robert.
I understand.
I guess we both understand each other
a little better now.
Don't we?
Yes.
It doesn't matter anyway.
Why don't you come on in
a little while?
Tell you what I'll do.
I'll make a deal with you.
You've been out here
a long time now...
and it's pretty hot.
You're tired,
and you haven't had anything to eat.
I- I'll make a deal with you.
If you wanna come in and take a shower,
think things over...
I'll clear everybody out of the room,
give you the key and you can lock yourself in.
And if you wanna come back out here...
okay, that'll be your own decision.
How do I know that you'd do it?
Really?
Because I say so.
You got my word for it.
You'd didn't tell me
they were gonna try to grab me.
No, I didn't.
But I think that's a little bit different.
Don't you, kid?
You didn't ask me to promise
I wouldn't let 'em try to grab you.
Anyway, I couldn't have stopped 'em
if I'd wanted to.
This is just between us.
If I say so,
you've got my word for it.
All right.
Give me a couple of minutes
to clear out the room.
Come on.! Everybody out.!
You jokers, come on out!
Everybody clear the room!
Shh, shh, shh. Don't-
Let's go.
Everybody clear the room. Come on.
Let's clear the room.
Everybody out.
Who's got the key? Where's the key?
Okay. Okay, here's the key.
Now, the connecting doors are locked.
Just give me a couple seconds to get out.
I'll guard the door and see nobody
busts in till you get it locked.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
Kneel and pray, my boy.!
Kneel and pray! Be washed-
- Where did you come from?
- I'm the boy's pastor, I tell you.
Hey, Chief!
Robert? Robert, I-
I'm sorry. I didn't-
It was a mistake.
I don't know where he came from.
Kid.
Where did he come from?
Who let him in?
He had one leg on the floor.
I'm ready with the bracelets.
Why wasn't somebody watching the door?
We almost had him.
He'll never believe me now,
no matter what I say to him.
Okay, check in.
You got any other ideas?
The girl.
Have we got anything on the girl?
No. If your captain gives you any trouble,
tell him to call me.
Yeah, he's still out there.
Yeah, I know.
What?
Well, where is she now?
- Can I get a Bayside number on this thing?
- Hold on. Yeah.
- That's the operator. Where's the chief?
- He's in there. Thanks.
Uh, Bayside-9-9-9-7-0.
Bayside-9-9-9-7-0.
Just a minute, sir.
Helen? I'm gonna be a little late.
Yeah.
Yeah. Are the kids there?
Is Harry okay?
I don't know. I still have to check in.
- Hey. We got the girl.
- Wait a minute. What?
We got the girl. They're flying her down.
You'd better stick around.
Helen- I'll explain when I see ya.
No, no, it's-
It's okay. Go ahead without me.
Save me a piece of liver.
Darkness has transformed
this entire scene into-
Well, it's a strange, fantastic sight.
Many of these people
have been waiting here all day, and even now-
Wait just a minute.
They're bringing someone now.
Turn those off!
Who turned that light on?
Well, turn it off!
What? She's on the way up, huh?
Good.
Moksar.
I'd like to talk to her first.
- Virginia?
- Yes.
Virginia, this is Dr. Straus.
We'd like to talk to you a minute
about Robert.
Give me a rewrite. She's in the hotel now.
Virginia.
You were engaged.
Why did you break it off?
I didn't. He did.
He did? Why?
Well, he- he just said
that he couldn't, that-
that he'd make me unhappy,
it would be better-
- Did you have a fight?
- No, but he'd get mad.
- What about?
- Whenever I tried to help him.
Oh, he'd get in an argument and lose his job
and get sick- really sick.
- I tried to get him to see a doctor, but-
- And he'd get mad about that?
- Yes, even-
- Do you think you know what's wrong with him?
We want you to talk to him, but first
we've got to be sure that you understand.
- Oh, I couldn't. I can't.
- Don't you want to help him?
- Oh, yes, I-
- We've failed.
The least you can do for him is to try
to make him see that he's important to you.
But what can I say?
We've pieced together
a little bit about him today.
Not everything. And it's complicated.
Partly, we're guessing.
But it's an old pattern. It's been going on
as long as there have been families.
His mother didn't want him, really.
But she couldn't admit,
even to herself...
that he'd spoiled her beautiful dream
of fame and fortune, a great career.
So she babied him...
and she couldn't admit,
again even to herself...
that she blamed her husband
for trapping her.
So she blamed him for everything else...
and she got back at him
by teaching Robert to hate him.
All children-boys-
are in love with their mothers
romantically.
They get over it,
tend a little more toward their fathers.
Robert didn't. He couldn't.
He hated his father.
That bothered him.
He knew it was wrong.
So he began to hate himself.
Everything proved that he was right-
every time he lost a job.
The army said he was no good-
that made it official.
Do you love him?
- Yes.
- Then tell him so.
Make him believe it.
Help us to get him in.
Then- It won't be easy...
but then we'll do everything possible
to try to straighten him out.
He wants to love you...
but he feels unworthy.
He's afraid to.
Come on.
Virginia!
It's all right, Mrs. Cosick.
Take it easy.
Robert.
Robert?
I told you, I-This doesn't have
anything to do with her.
- I want to keep her out of it.
- Robert-
I don't want her to see me.
Robert...
I love you.
I need you and I want you.
That's all. I won't ask you to do
anything you don't want to do.
Chief.
They got the net down there.
Where do you want it?
How big is it?
Keep it out of his sight-
close to the building on the way in.
Bring it up the elevator. We'll work it
with rope from the 13th floor.
Yes, sir.
Hug the building. Up the elevator-
13th floor. Stand by for Moksar.
- W-What are they doing?
- Nothing, Robert.
All right, here you go.
Watch it.
Robert, don't you love me?
I thought you loved me.
I kept the poem you wrote me
in your last letter...
when you went away.
I didn't quite understand it, but-
but it was beautiful.
I know it by heart.
I do.
"You are gone, Virginia...
"and I remember the empty doorway...
"the soft, dark shadows
that said good night...
"the anguish heavy on my shoulders.
"I look at the awkward hands
that cannot touch your beauty.
"I hear the silent footsteps of ending...
"in the silent street.
"Forgive me, Virginia.
I am empty. "
Go on. Finish it.
Oh, no, Robert.
No, I- I didn't mean- Don't.
"I have tasted the wind.
I have tasted the earth.
"There's nothing in between...
"nothing but...
"empty anger below...
"no goal but the...
restless lanterns of the dead. "
Kneel and pray! Kneel and pray!
Be washed in the blood of the lamb!
The sins are on your soul!
Kneel and pray!
Kneel and pray!
The sins are on your soul!
Kneel and pray!
The following halfhour has been
relinquished by the sponsors of Mystery Street...
the R. and J. Mancrieff Company...
manufacturers
of Miss America bobby pins...
Stimulo, the brush of beauty...
and Fashionette,
the crowning glory for your hair.
All commercial announcements
will be omitted.
It is now 8:00 p. m.
- Here.
- What's the idea?
It was your idea. You won it.
You got closest to the time.
What time? Okay, I got 8:00.
Now it's 8:00.
But the idea was the guy who got
closest to the time he jumped...
takes the dough.
He ain't jumped. So no dough, huh?
Go on, take it. It's yours, dope.
Hi! Gee, I've been looking
all over for you.
And... I-I wanted to tell you...
my name's Daniel Klempner.
Uh, nobody but my mother
calls me that though.
In the stockroom where I work
they call me Danny.
Well-
Well, gee, what's the matter?
I- I guess I'm just hungry.
I went away for a while,
but I didn't eat anything.
I forgot to.
Aw, we'll get you something to eat.
Sergeant.
We need about 10 minutes to get
the net up and, bingo, we got him.
- Can you keep him busy that long? Are you okay?
- I'm okay.
- Maybe the doc better give you something.
- I'm okay!
Look, kid, what is it? What's the trouble?
Why can't you tell me?
What is it?
I don't know.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I- I couldn't breathe if I came in.
We're ready here, Chief.
Okay. Here we go.
Can't say I blame you.
I don't go too much for doctors myself,
usually. But these guys are okay.
They know
it's been pretty rough on you...
your family busting up the way it did.
That can be pretty rough on a guy.
It mixes him up.
They figure you just added it all up wrong
and got the wrong answer.
It's not as bad as you think it is.
For instance, you're mixed up
about Virginia, I guess.
Okay, maybe you want to marry her,
only you don't want to.
You can't, only you think you should.
Or somethin'.
Well, that's a tough one.
That could happen to anybody.
But it's like they say about streetcars-
there'll be another one along any minute.
You know how many girls called up the hotel
here today and said they'd marry you?
H- How many?
A lot.
About 10, I think they told me.
They're crazy.
Ten-
Ten good reasons.
You should have 10 good reasons
for anything.
That's a rule.
I'd really like to come in...
but I can't.
Why not?
I- I just...
can't now.
You know, a-after this.
I might, though,
if you could give me 10 good reasons.
But you can't.
Life stinks, and you know it.
It's a rat race.
It's a rat race. It- It's a rat race.
Sure, but there's a lot in it-
there's a lot in it that's okay.
What?
Well, maybe I should get a preacher
or somebody like that to explain it to you.
No.
Y- You explain it to me yourself.
Well, I'm not so sure I can, kid. I-
I just never counted it all up, I guess.
- What are they doing down there?
- Oh, I don't know.
W- What are they doing?
What's happening?
They're just bullin' around.
You know how cops are.
Don't worry about them.
They're waiting for me to jump.
Everybody's waiting for me to jump.
Could be.
I'll make you a bet.
You come on in, and you'll hear cheering
like DiMaggio belted one into the stands.
If they weren't waiting for me to jump,
they'd go home.
Yeah, sure.
A lot of jerks'll look at anything.
Don't look at me.
I agree with you. It's a rat race.
A man washing a window,
making cigars-
everybody wants to see
what's gonna happen.
Hey, tie that line off on the radiator.
- What's holding us up?
- Our line got fouled up, Chief. We're all clear now.
- Okay, take it up.
- Yes, sir.
Jumpin'offbig buildings
don't buy any potatoes.
You don't get anything out of this racket
you don't put into it.
I get tired some days.
My back's been troubling me too
a little lately.
But I forget about it when I get out of the suit
and get a couple beers in me.
That's one of the things that's okay-
a beer now and then.
I get a kick out of
that first swallow when I'm dry.
I- I could never understand...
how anybody could drink beer.
My wife used to feel
the same way you do.
I showed her somethin'- put a little salt in it.
She drinks it all the time now.
Is she beautiful?
Well...
she's not a Park Avenue
photographer's model.
No, I-I don't suppose
you'd say she's beautiful.
She oughta had her teeth fixed
when she was a kid...
but they didn't know much
about that in those days.
She's taken on a little around the hips
since the two kids...
but that's to be expected-
that's natural.
We kid her a lot about goin' to one
of those rub-and-punch parlors...
on Fifth Avenue
and gettin'the whole works-
you know,
mud on the chin and everything.
But it's just kiddin'. It's too expensive.
But we have a lot oflaughs.
Maybe I could explain better how I feel...
if I'd read more books
or gone to church more.
Helen's more for that. That's natural.
Easters, I like it. You know, the family,
we sorta make a thing of it.
Last Easter, though...
I was down on the avenue
jockeying for top hats.
We may get to go this year.
Sundays, usually
I just sit around on my fat.
Why don't you come out this Sunday and
meet my wife? We'll eat. She's a good cook.
Then after we could
go over to Sheepshead...
and fish for floppers off the pier.
W- What are, uh, flop-
I never heard of floppers.
Oh. Flounders.
We call 'em floppers.
You know, flat, white on one side.
How about it? How 'bout comin' out?
- No.
- Why not?
- I can't tell you.
- Oh, why not?
I- I can't tell you. I-
Y- You're trying to trick me.
Keep it coming. Keep it coming.
All I know is that
sometimes you can sleep it off.
Why can't you tell me?
Wouldn't you like to go fishing with me?
- Yes.
- We could have a good time.
This Sunday?
Well, sure. You pick it. Any Sunday.
Hey, lookit! I'm jumpin'!
The net! Pull the net!
Hey! Gil! Come here and give me a hand!
He's on the net!
Let me get around.
Gil! Hold my legs so I can get him in here!
That's it! Pull him over!
Come on!
Get some sheets!
Doctor. Doctor, is he-Will he-
He's all right, Virginia.
He's exhausted and suffering from shock,
but he's all right.
No. No, I mean-What I mean is, later,
will it just happen again?
The doc here doesn't think so.
We've all got to help him, Virginia.
It'll take time and patience,
but he wants to live.
So the worst is really over.
Right now he needs some rest,
and so do you.
We're not gonna move him tonight.
We've got everything we need here.
We'll move him in the morning.
- Yes, sir.
- You're gonna keep an eye on him.
You need some rest, Dunnigan.
Go to bed.
You've done a good day's work.
- Clear away.
- Watch the stretcher. Watch the stretcher.
Oh. Thanks.
I- I left my traffic book somewhere.
Oh, yeah. I got it, Dunnigan. Here.
Come on! The show's over, folks! Go home
and take care of your own kids! Let's go!
Right on in. Feed it in.
Daddy! Daddy!
Let's go see your mommy.