Heroes for Sale (1933) Movie Script

These three shell holes are 1 o feet apart.
Split up your men
and put some of them in each hole.
That's the heinie gun nest
in front of the holes?
Yep, then you fan out from the shell holes
and attack with grenades.
- Looks like suicide, doesn't it, sir?
- Suicide or not, it's orders.
- I don't like this.
- Neither do I.
- How many men shall I take?
- Nine or 1 o.
That's all I can afford to lose.
I'll go over this once more
to make sure everybody understands.
The object of this raid
is to take prisoners or a prisoner.
Preferably an officer.
Take these three men
and go into the nearest shell hole.
Yes, sir.
Wells, you take those three men
into the furthest shell hole.
It'll take you longest to reach your objective,
so we'll be waiting for your signal.
Tom will go with me
into the middle shell hole.
Two parties of four
will attack from the sides...
...while Holmes and I attack
from the center.
Remember, each man's life
depends on all of us.
If any one of us fails in his duty,
we'll probably all fail.
We leave in exactly 2o minutes.
- Heard from your mother lately, Tom?
- Got a letter yesterday.
I haven't heard from my folks
in over a month.
Mother wrote me she'd seen your dad
in the bank. Says he's looking swell.
You scared, Roger?
- Unofficially, yes.
- Me too.
Only you can make mine official.
All right, Roger. Come on.
- Come on.
- No! No!
You dirty, yellow son of a...
- Aah!
- Come on, Fritz.
All right, we're going places.
Roger...
Roger...
Take him in.
I'm gone.
More coffee, lieutenant?
Nobody will know
how you got back in one piece.
It took plenty of nerve, no fooling.
- Listen, I didn't do anything...
Never mind the old modesty.
This is too big to knock down.
But, really, I'm not entitled to...
- You're entitled to all decorations in the box.
And you'll get them.
- Attention.
- At ease.
I just heard about it. Congratulations.
Thanks, major.
There's your man and an officer too.
Now that the armistice has been signed,
there's been an exchange of prisoners.
You will be returned to your own lines.
That's good news, doctor.
You are in great pain. Hmm?
- Yes, sir.
- Naturally.
The x-ray shows you still have
steel splinters in your spinal column.
- Yes, sir.
- To remove them now...
...would be a dangerous
and a difficult operation.
You have not the strength.
We have not the facilities for doing it.
For some time,
this has helped you to endure your pain.
Morphine.
When you can no longer bear the pain,
take one of these.
That will be a godsend, doctor.
Goodbye, sir.
Hello, boys.
I brought you something to smoke.
Take a handful.
Much obliged, Major Winston.
Smoke, buddy?
What's the use
if you can't see the smoke?
Oh.
Here.
But didn't I hear them call you
Major Winston?
That's right.
I heard you were onboard.
I'm sure lucky
to have a chance of meeting you.
It must be great to be going home
with a Distinguished Service Cross.
Just lucky, that's all.
- Major.
- Yeah?
Have you got it on?
No, but I have it with me.
I used to think about getting one.
Let me sort of touch it, will you?
Sure.
Here.
Roger. Oh, Roger.
Roger.
Gee, I'm glad to see you.
Tom.
Tom, I can't believe...
You were killed.
I saw you die.
They had me out there
among the clouds...
...but I bounced back just to fool them.
And look at you, a major.
All covered with decorations.
Tom, come down in my stateroom.
We've got to have a talk. Now. Come.
And there... There I was...
...everybody making a hero of me.
I accepted it because...
Because I didn't have guts enough
to refuse it.
It went on and on.
The honors piled up.
And every one I got
made it more impossible to tell the truth.
I couldn't let go.
I'm not fooling myself.
I know that all my promotions
and decorations belong to you.
I know that I've stolen the credit
from a real hero.
Sometimes it almost drove me crazy
when I thought you were dead.
How do you suppose I feel now
knowing you're alive?
Under the same conditions...
...I probably would have done
just what you did.
And there's nothing we can do about it.
Nothing?
Unless you make me
the laughingstock of the world.
You know I wouldn't do that.
Besides, you're just the man for medals
and all that sort of thing.
You look the part.
I just don't.
- Oh, but, Tom, I've done you a terrible...
- Listen.
Listen, Roger.
I've been in the shadow of death
for so long...
...that nothing in life
seems very important anymore.
I hear he captured a whole
machine-gun nest single-handed.
You have to do that to get
the Distinguished Service Cross.
Yes, sir, Roger is a fine boy.
I always said so.
How do you do?
- Attention.
Attention, please. Please, everybody. Heh.
Mr. Roger will be right down, folks.
He wants to shake hands
with everyone, personally.
Here he comes now.
- Now, move right over there.
Hang on a minute.
About ready? Hold it, major, will you?
Just as you are.
Much obliged, major.
Now let's get one of you alone
at the bottom of the stairs.
Tom, I've got an extra blanket
for your bed.
Just a second, Ma.
What made you lock the door, dear?
Why, I'm so excited about getting home,
I guess I don't know what I'm doing.
It's just too wonderful.
Now, what are you crying for?
We're together again.
You look as if
you'd been through so much.
You look so tired.
I'll be all right.
A couple of weeks of your cooking
and I'll be as good as new.
- Tom, the old man's boiling.
- What have I done now?
Oh, these Brower notes,
you've got them all mixed up.
- The figures don't balance at all.
- I'm sorry.
Now, total them up again quick.
The old man's on the warpath. Hurry up.
Hey, Harry, what time is it?
Half past 1 o.
- Have you got it?
- An ounce.
- How much?
- Two hundred.
Two hundred?
You gave it to me for 1 oo last time.
Didn't you read about the narcotic squad
knocking off the big shipment in New York?
- It's awful scarce.
- I've only got 1 oo.
Sorry.
Well, give me half an ounce.
I can't cut it up. Full ounce or nothing.
Well, what am I gonna do?
You know I've got to have it.
You'll see me go crazy
for the want of a few dollars?
You're working in a bank, ain't you?
Well, in case you change your mind,
you know where to find me.
This came in from the Federal Reserve.
Check it and enter it.
All right.
What's the matter, Tom? Are you sick?
- Where's Tom Holmes?
- Why, he just stepped out, sir.
He's out.
And he can stay out
as far as I'm concerned.
He was shot up pretty bad. He's only been
out of the hospital for a few months.
You've gotta have patience.
I don't mind telling you
my patience is exhausted.
He just hasn't found his groove yet.
He'll do better.
He's worse now than when he started.
Everything in the past few days
has been wrong.
He's not worth his salt.
I'm going to get rid of him.
- Now, Dad, please...
- Are you running this bank or am I?
You fellows forget the war is over.
Time to quit beating the drum
and waving the flag.
I'm paying this man a salary
and I expect him to do a man's work.
Doctor, you've got to do
something for me.
I can't stand it.
Tom, I keep telling you
I can't do a thing...
...unless I report your case
to the authorities.
No, you can't do that.
Don't you understand? My mother...
I've got to make a report
of what I do with every grain.
But I tell you you've got to
give me some. You've got to!
I'd lose my license.
They could send me to the penitentiary.
Then there's nothing you can do for me?
Not unless I report the case.
All right, but it's not my fault.
It's not my fault if I steal,
if I kill somebody.
I tell you, I'm going crazy.
Three-one-oh, please.
This the First National?
This is Dr. Briggs.
I'd like to talk with Mr. Winston.
It's all here, Harry.
And a hundred-dollar bill all crumpled up.
Looks like it was tempted
to go see the world.
What's going on?
I don't know.
Mr. Winston said to count this quickly.
- Why, does he think Tom...?
- I don't know.
The place is in an uproar.
Tom's in there with him now.
I wonder if you realize what this does
to my standing in the community.
After 25 years of public confidence...
...I find myself with a drug addict
in my employ.
A drug addict
handling the depositors' money.
An employee of mine
with this loathsome, cowardly habit.
I can't understand it.
I know how carefully
your mother brought you up.
The sacrifices she made
sending you to school...
...fitting you for a good,
clean Christian life.
- This is a nice...
- Oh, wait a minute.
How do you think I started
taking that stuff, for fun or pleasure?
Well, I'll tell you how.
They gave it to me in a German hospital
to keep me from going mad with pain.
Pain, agony, continual torture.
Day after day,
like a million ants eating me alive.
You know what that means?
No, you don't.
Because when I was being blown to bits,
you were sitting here safe and comfortable.
And you're still sitting here in judgment.
- You just ask your son how I happened...
- Tom.
Calm down, Tom.
You're going to be all right.
We'll take care of you.
If you're gonna take care of me,
tell him the truth.
You turned yellow
and stayed in that shell hole.
I captured the German prisoner
and brought him to you.
Those decorations and honors you've got
belong to me...
...and how I paid for them
with my life's blood and a morphine habit.
Go on, tell him and blast some of that
self-satisfaction out of him.
Son...
...all that he said about your
decoration was a lie, wasn't it?
Poor boy. Ahem.
He's out of his head.
The ravings of a dope fiend.
I beg your pardon for asking, Roger.
I'm sorry for his mother.
There's only one merciful course to take.
Get Judge Gorham for me, please.
Well, I asked you. Go on.
- You ever see an angel?
No.
Did you ever know a guy
who had seen an angel?
No.
You're trying to tell me
the world ain't getting any better.
It's getting worse.
But why is it getting worse?
The burden of proof is on you, my friend.
- Why is it getting better?
- Look how much longer people live.
I admit that,
but that only prolongs their suffering.
Well, if you think life is so awful,
why don't you cut your throat?
Because I can't afford to buy a knife.
Oh, you are stupid, my friend.
That's why you can't accept
the doctrines of Communism...
...why you endure class servitude.
You are a fish, a timid little rabbit,
a slinking mouse afraid to fight.
And what have you to lose, I ask you?
Nothing but your chains.
Stop, don't start that again.
- Well, we were...
Go on, go on, get those dishes washed.
- Lenin once said...
- He ain't gonna say it here.
Now, you go on upstairs.
All you do is talk everybody
into a stomachache.
Don't stay up till all hours
burning up the electric light.
Oh.
They settle every problem in the world
four times a day.
It's a regular bureau of misinformation.
Do you want some more coffee, son?
- I thought it was tea.
- Well, we're famous for our coffee.
I was only kidding. It's great.
- Say, you're a new face around here.
- Just blew into town.
You don't have to eat and run.
Go in the reading room.
- Make yourself at home.
- Thanks.
If there's anything you wanna know here,
don't ask Pa, ask me.
Know where I could get
a good cheap room?
Pa and me rent rooms in our flat upstairs.
We got a nice empty now.
- Bedbugs?
- Only if you bring them.
- Could I see it?
- Why, sure. Come on.
Try and get paid for anything you sell.
Mm-hm.
This is a lovely room.
The man that had it, Mr. Costigan,
was with us for over five years.
- What made him leave?
- He didn't exactly leave.
One nice Sunday afternoon,
the police came along and took him.
Yes, our flat is large, seven rooms.
There's only two other boarders.
You won't feel cramped.
Sounds good. How much you asking?
Well, we don't want
any more police around here.
- Uh... You got references?
- No references.
- Folks?
- They're both dead.
- Oh, excuse me, I'm sorry.
- That's all right.
- You working?
- Looking for a job.
Mm-hm.
- Any money?
- A little.
Well, of course, I'm taking a chance,
but you look honest.
So did Mr. Costigan.
Oh, this is a lovely bed.
I gave $ 15 for the mattress alone.
It would be dark here
in the daytime, wouldn't it?
You're not supposed to be here.
You're to be out working.
Well, I don't know. I like a lot of sun.
Well, the park isn't far away.
Mary, you home?
I'm in here, Ruth.
She's roomed with us for over three years
and likes it.
Well, I think I'll look around
a little bit more. Maybe I can find...
Oh, excuse me, Mary.
I thought you were alone.
Well, I was showing this man
the room, but I don't think he likes it.
Well, who said I didn't like it?
- How much?
- Three dollars a week, payable in advance.
- When do you wanna move in?
- I'm in now.
It's lucky I haven't got a trunk.
Long as you two are under the same roof,
you might as well be introduced.
- Miss Ruth Loring, meet Mr?
- Tom Holmes.
Mr. Thomas Holmes.
I'm pleased to make your acquaintance.
Me too.
Well, I better get on downstairs
before Pa gives everything away.
Excuse me, I better go to bed now.
Good night.
Heh. There's a trick to it.
Here, let me help you.
- Oh, you have to tie it down.
- There. Sure.
- All the shades around here wanna stay up.
- So do I.
Won't you stay and talk for a minute?
I feel kind of lost in this new place.
Well, I'd like to.
- I've been working all day and I better go.
- Where do you work?
- In a laundry.
- That ought to be a nice clean job.
- Where do you work?
- I don't know yet, I'm looking for a job.
- Well, why don't you try the laundry?
- I think I will.
Sounds like we've got the Anvil Chorus
for neighbors.
That's only Mr. Brinker, the German fellow.
That's his room there.
- Well, why the noise?
- Oh, he invents things.
- What kind of things?
- I've never asked him.
He's a Red.
How about going down to the drugstore
and getting a drink?
- Oh, some other time.
- I meant now.
All right, I'll go.
I'll go if I can buy my own.
Don't worry about that.
I've got some money.
My friend...
...have you got a chisel?
Chisel? No.
I would sell my soul for a chisel.
That's the inventor.
- He's kind of cracked, isn't he?
- Yeah, a little bit.
I guess we're all kind of cracked
one way or another.
Maybe.
Funny, here I was down in the dumps,
disgusted with everything.
- And then you came along and...
- And what?
- Well, I'm a new man... just like that.
- Heh-heh-heh.
Tie a hook on that line and go fishing.
I will if you'll go with me.
Pop, what did you do with it?
- Well, I sold it.
Then give me the money.
Well, I didn't exactly get any money,
but Joe will pay us tomorrow, sure.
He said he would.
Now, Pop, giving away
the last can of coffee.
Tomorrow's Sunday,
the shops will be closed.
Oh. What am I gonna do with you?
Somebody will lend us some coffee, Mary,
or something.
Oh. I was telling Pop
it's lucky the counter's nailed down...
...or we'd all be eating off the floor.
You know, I think he's gonna like it here.
Mm-hm.
- How are you, Tom?
- Hi, Ed.
- How is it going? Good.
- Great.
- Hello, Tom. Get any new accounts today?
- Not today.
- Twenty, 58, 63, 15, right?
- Right.
The old man wants to see you right away.
That doesn't sound so good.
- Hello.
- Oh, hello.
- Where you going?
- The boss wants to see me.
- What's the matter?
- Your guess is as good as mine.
Well, good luck, dear.
Sit down.
- I wanna ask you a question, Holmes.
- Yes, sir.
You probably know
that business is falling off.
Just one of those temporary slumps,
I hope.
- Yes, sir.
- All our drivers...
...are losing trade.
AII, except you.
Your route has picked up 2o percent
in the last month.
How are you getting all this new business?
With a blackjack?
No, sir.
- With a merchandise order.
- Huh?
Every time
one of my regular customers...
...gives me a lead
where I can get a new account...
...then I give her
a dollar merchandise order.
You see, if Mrs. Jones gives me
the name of Mrs. Smith, I go to see her.
And if I can sell her
into doing business with us...
...why, then Mrs. Jones
gets a merchandise order.
- Then what?
- Well, then I start working on Mrs. Smith.
She's got friends and relations
and all that.
She sells me to Mrs. Brown
and then she gets an order.
It's kind of an endless chain.
Why, it's nothing but a new twist
on the old premium plan.
- But who pays for the merchandise orders?
- Oh, I do.
I've got a hardware store
on Archer Avenue...
...and a dry-goods store
over on Taft Street.
They print the merchandise orders
and exchange them for goods.
My increased commissions
more than cover...
I'll say they do. More than cover.
Holmes, where did you get this scheme?
Why, I don't know.
I was trying to think of a way to build up
my route and make a little extra.
I guess the idea just hit me.
Why didn't somebody else here
think of it? Why didn't I?
We'll start a regular merchandise
premium plan.
Give away dishes, vacuum cleaners,
maybe even cash bonuses...
...to our old customers
who get us new customers.
- It's marvelous.
- It seems to work out all right.
If I can keep that route of mine
going along...
Ha-ha. Here less than three months and
you figure out a business-builder like this?
Keep that route? Waste your ability
letting you drive a laundry truck?
Don't be silly.
Get Travis, Blake and all the other drivers
up here right away.
My boy, you're going to get
a real job around here.
Primping for Tom again, eh?
Trying to look pretty.
No, just trying to look less
like the family.
Oh.
- Pop.
- What's the matter now?
Where's the leg of veal
that was in the icebox?
Oh, was there a leg of veal in there?
Now, don't you start acting innocent.
What did you do with it?
Well, I... Well, Frank Martin, his wife...
Well, she's kind of sick and he ain't
exactly got a job, so I sold it to him.
Oh, Pop, for goodness' sake.
Oh, Mary, he'll pay us in a couple of days.
His wife is sick and...
Well, I'm sick too.
I'm sick of you trying to feed
everybody, free.
- Where's Ruth?
- Upstairs, if Pop hasn't given the flat away.
Well, come on.
I've got something great to tell you.
Yeah?
The idea came to me one day
when I was driving along.
Mr. Gibson's gonna make you
Blake's assistant?
- He's done it.
- He didn't raise your salary.
- He sure did.
- Tom, I'm so proud of you.
Oh, there's a catch in it somewhere.
Are you stupid enough to think
this Gibson...
...this dirty capitalist
is interested in your welfare?
He's proven it.
Everyone who works for him loves him.
And he loves all of you too.
Loves you because you're stupid and docile.
Because he can change your sweat
into money.
Because he can use you, exploit you.
All for the few stinking pennies
he pays you.
Max, you're crazy.
Working conditions are swell there.
You trying to tell me about laundries?
Listen, yungah, I used to be chief engineer
of the biggest laundry in Cleveland.
Long hours, short wages, steam,
sweat, consumption, slavery.
And you all love him.
Sheep!
When you get to be my age...
...you'll have a bomb in every pocket.
He's getting awful Red.
It won't be long before he puts a bomb
in the coffee urn.
Oh, forget that maniac.
You did a great thing.
We all ought to celebrate.
Let's get some chop suey.
- I'd love it.
- No, you kids go ahead.
- I haven't got a thing to wear.
- You have.
- What's the matter with your blue crepe?
- The hem.
- Well, go on, fix it, we'll wait.
- All right, it'll just take a few minutes.
Things have changed for me
in the last few months.
- I've got a good job.
- And a lot of good friends.
I've been awful lucky since I came here.
This old town
certainly looks different than it did.
You were kind of lonesome at first,
weren't you?
I guess I was.
And you're not anymore?
Ruth.
You all ready, Mary?
It'd take me all night to finish this hem.
You kids go on ahead.
I'll see you when you get back.
Oh, Mary, I'm so excited.
I actually tingle all over.
Oh, it's darling. It's beautiful, Mary.
I thought you'd like it.
Like it? Oh, Mary, I love it.
Oh, and it matches,
it just matches the bassinet.
What does Tom think about all this?
Oh, he's walking on air.
Come on,
and I'll show you them bassinet.
- Hmm.
- Why, hello, stranger.
- I must have $ 15oo at once.
- What for?
I've got it,
the greatest thing in the world.
Make me rich, make you rich,
if you help me.
Remember I used to be chief engineer
of a big laundry for years?
I know, but wait a minute.
Calm down. What's this all about?
My invention. I will revolutionize
the whole laundry business.
But I must have $ 15oo to patent it
before somebody steals it.
Well, why come to me?
You have a job, you work steady,
you save money.
- I haven't got any money.
- You have enough so I can get a patent.
You can take my machine to your boss.
He listens to you, trusts you.
Nobody listens to me.
I'm a Red, a radical. They say I'm crazy.
I don't blame them much.
Crazy or not, I graduated with honors
from the Berliner Technische Hochschule.
I am a great technician...
...and I have invented a combination
washing machine and mangle...
...which will increase production
a thousand percent.
I can help your employer.
Wait, I thought you hated
all employers and capitalists.
I despise them, I spit on them.
But I'm willing to get rich with them.
If you don't sit down,
you're gonna have a stroke.
A machine that will increase production?
- In two hours, it does a whole day's work.
- Gosh, what a kick.
Means more leisure,
more time at home with your family.
Oh, plenty of time home with the family.
- Sounds too good to be true.
- You see it with your own eyes.
Then you give me the money.
I'm paying for this furniture,
every penny I've got.
Give it all back. Get the money.
One chance in a hundred lifetimes.
Oh, what's all the excitement about? Heh.
Besides, Max,
here's the best reason in the world.
I need every penny I make.
I'm gonna have a baby.
We're going to have a baby.
What good is a baby?
Anybody can have a baby.
Yeah? Well, you just try it sometime.
Increase and multiply like rabbits.
Make more poor people for the rich
to prey upon, starve and exploit.
Max, you're daffy.
If everybody felt like that...
...there wouldn't be any people left,
only machines.
Wouldn't it be a better world?
I am giving birth to something
more important than millions of babies.
Well, don't deliver it around here
or we'll have to have the place fumigated.
It means more leisure and freedom.
You're not taking any chances.
I saw this thing work with my own eyes.
I put every cent I've got into it.
Well, Tom, if you got faith in it,
I guess I can gamble $2o.
All right, Bessie.
Would you take a dollar?
As much or as little as you like.
This is a community proposition.
Well, if it's good enough for you, pal,
I can go 15.
All right, Ed.
Ed Brady, $ 15.
Now, let me see if I've got all this.
The basic patent remains the property
of Brinker, the inventor...
...and Holmes, the promoter.
Mr. Gibson simply pays them a royalty
for the use of the machines.
That's right.
Say, Tom, it might be pretty cumbersome
having all these people...
...with 5-, 1 o-, 15-dollar interests
mixed up in the transaction.
Can I pay them back what they put in
with a hundred-percent dividend...
...and get their releases?
Well, I don't know.
I'll tell you in the morning.
- Fine.
- Is there anything else you want included?
- Not me.
- Yes, sir, one thing, very important.
These machines must not be used
to throw anybody out of work...
...or to cut salaries.
We're leasing them to you
for one purpose:
To increase production, making jobs easier
and to make our working hours shorter.
Heh-heh. You're a real humanitarian, Tom.
Well, how about it, Mr. Gibson?
Go ahead. Put it in the contract.
I'm with Tom 1 oo percent.
Mr. Gibson's in conference.
You can't go in there.
I don't wanna see Mr. Gibson,
I wanna see Tom Holmes.
Get over or I'll call the police.
You will get out of my way
or I'll sock you in the jaw.
Tom, come quick.
Ruth just went to the hospital.
- Gosh, when?
- Just a few minutes ago. Come on.
Hope it's a boy.
- I'll take anything I can get.
- Did you get our check?
- Ruth just went to the hospital.
Well, what has Ruth got to do with it?
Where is our check?
She's having a baby.
So much excitement for what?
The world is full of babies.
Even billy goats have babies.
Heh. Breakfast, Bill.
I wanna run my auto.
Well, you can do that all day.
Go on, Bill, get your breakfast.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye, dear.
I'll go.
Bill, come back here.
Where do you think you're going?
I wanna run my auto.
Now, don't you be a little monkey.
You come on and do as Mommy says.
Why can't I run my auto?
Now, I told you, honey, after breakfast.
Mr. Gibson's had a heart attack.
He's not?
Yeah, he's dead.
Oh.
It's childishly simply, L.M.
We replace these gears
with a centripetal cam.
Can't understand why Gibson didn't.
Neither can I.
Then we install a photoelectric cell,
which controls the whole thing.
It'll make the whole job automatic?
Absolutely.
How many employees
do you estimate we could drop?
Three-quarters
of your entire manual labor.
Cut our expenses almost to nothing.
That's what I've been telling you, L.M.
- It wouldn't cost much to install?
- Whatever it costs...
...you'll more than save
in your wages in the first year.
How long would it take
to install these machines?
Sixty days, maybe less.
Hop to it, Jim. Work night and day.
Never mind the expense.
Wait a minute. Give me a chance.
You made us raise the money ourselves
for the machine that starves us to death.
You've got your money back
with a profit, 1 oo percent.
What we got won't keep us a month
without our jobs.
I put up 1 o bucks and got 2o back
and lost a job that paid me 3o a week.
- Yeah, more leisure, more freedom.
- Pbbt.
Listen to me.
I put it in the agreement
that none of us were to lose our jobs.
- Oh, shut up. We got fired, ain't we?
- You're a liar.
Did you put in the agreement
how we're gonna eat?
Yeah, yeah.
I've been fighting the new bosses to show
them how they broke the agreement.
You sure must have been
tough with them.
You're still working, ain't you?
No, they fired me today.
- I keep telling you...
- That's just a bunk, trying to cover up.
- I'll bet you got a raise in salary.
Sure he did!
If you'd listen to me. We got a legal case.
You can take it into court.
Ah. Take it to court. That's great.
The lawyers get fat
while our children starve to death.
Why beat around the bush this way?
Why did we get fired?
What put us out of work?
The machines!
That's right, the machines did it.
The machines ruined us.
They grabbed our jobs away.
They wrecked our homes.
Are we gonna take it laying down?
No.
Please, wait a minute.
That's what I've been waiting to hear.
Smash the machines
that has been smashing you.
Come on, let's go. Come on.
That's not the way, men. You're crazy.
If you smash the machines,
they'll only build more.
- I've gotta stop them.
- No, Tom, you mustn't.
Tom, they'll kill you. Tom!
- Tom.
Mommy, Mommy.
Mommy.
- Mommy.
- Oh, Bill.
- You shouldn't have gotten out of bed.
- The noise woke me up.
I know, darling, I know.
But it's all over now.
Now be a good baby and go to sleep.
Michigan-3724.
What were all those men
saying to Daddy?
No more questions now, Bill.
Mind Mommy and go to sleep.
Hello, Mary, this is Ruth.
Come right over, will you? Yeah, hurry.
- Hey, wait a minute, fellas.
Quiet down.
Haven't you got any sense?
Riot guns will be there to meet you.
All you'll do is get these people arrested.
Oh, shut up.
We don't want no more of your advice.
Come on, fellows,
grab these bricks and bats.
Come on, let's go.
Stay with Bill till I get back.
- What's the matter?
- I'll tell you later.
What good will it do you?
They've got you licked before you start.
If you don't get shot,
they're a cinch to put you in the pen.
I'll give you exactly one minute
to break up and go home.
- What home?
- We ain't got no home.
Our homes,
that's what we're fighting about.
Yeah.
You see? You haven't got a chance.
Tom.
Tom. Aah!
Tom!
Tom. Tom.
No! No!
Tom!
That's my wife. Let me go, let me go.
No way, buddy, and that goes double.
Where's Mama? I want Mama.
Mama is...
She's gone away, Bill.
Why didn't she take me with her?
Well, she didn't have time, darling.
When is she coming back?
Soon, Bill. She'll be back soon.
Who's going to get me
my breakfast tomorrow? You?
No, Aunt Mary will.
She'll take care of you, Bill.
You mean just till my mama comes back?
Till your mama comes back.
I'll be lonesome without Mama.
Will you stay home and play with me?
Maybe, Bill.
Daddy, what are you crying for?
Come on, hurry up.
Daddy, stay here. Don't go away.
I want you to stay here.
Daddy, stay here. Don't go away.
I want you to stay here.
Now, now, Bill.
Bill, be a big man now.
Soldiers don't cry, no.
Tried and convicted of the serious
crime of leading a mob and inciting to riot.
A heinous attack on the stability
of organized society...
...resulting in the death
of four officers of the law.
Thomas Holmes...
...I hereby sentence you
to serve a term of five years...
...of hard labor in the state penitentiary.
Hello, Max.
Didn't I tell you I'd make you rich?
All right, you are rich.
Western Laundries installed it
in all their Kansas City and St. Louis plants.
We're getting $2ooo a month royalty,
and it's only just starting.
The rest of America
must wash their clothes too.
- More people out of jobs.
- What of it?
You fool, you idiot.
Why, you already have an income
of a thousand dollars a month.
Why, you can hire the best lawyers,
bribe everybody...
...buy your way out of here.
- I wouldn't touch that money.
- You...? You would refuse money?
Yeah.
Because it killed Ruth
and ruined all my friends.
There's blood on it.
I couldn't take a profit
on people starving to death.
You enjoy this prison?
You like to sit here and rot?
Blood on the money.
Who asks you what's on the money
when you spend it?
There's only one thing
important in the world.
To have money.
Without it, you are just garbage.
With it, you are a king.
And you used to hate the capitalists.
Naturally, that was before I had money.
You can keep my money
if you think so much of it.
Throw it away, give it away,
do anything you want.
I'll put it in the bank.
While you're recovering from your insanity,
it can be drawing interest.
Why, Tom.
Mary, how's Bill?
Oh, he's fine. You'd hardly know him.
He's a big boy now.
And how are you?
Oh, I'm all right. I never change much.
Hello, Dad.
Hello, Bill.
I'm awful glad you're home.
Me too.
Oh, gee.
Gee, you're big.
Sure. I licked Johnny Arnold,
and he weighs almost 8o pounds.
You did? Well, that's great.
Come on, sit down.
I can swim, too, real good.
If I stayed away longer,
you'd have forgotten me.
Oh, no. Aunt Mary talked to me
about you all the time.
There's a big map in my geography.
She used to show me
just what part of Alaska you were in.
I guess I wasn't very hard
to keep track of.
But why'd you stay away so long?
Well, Bill, Alaska is pretty far away.
You could have come home
once in a while.
It gets awful cold up there.
Sometimes, you get snowed in
and you can't get out for a year.
- I bet there's good ice skating.
- Oh, sure.
Do they have polar bears up there,
like I saw in the zoo?
Oh, lots of them.
- What grade are you in, Bill?
- High third.
Did you go hunting a lot?
Some.
- Can you ride a bicycle yet?
- I got a bicycle.
Gee, I'd like to go hunting.
Will you take me next time?
Well, I hope
I don't have to go up there anymore.
Come in.
Hello, Max.
- Well, well, well.
- So the prodigal has returned.
- Yes, I got out...
- Got back today.
- It looks good to see you once more.
Hah. Mary phoned me they expected you.
Hello, little Billy.
Go look out the window,
I wanna talk with Papa.
- That's a good boy.
Sit down.
No, I can't. I have a dinner engagement
at the University Club.
But this will welcome you home
better than I could.
Gee.
A lot of money, huh?
I guess now you can stand the blood on it.
Every month like clockwork
comes your check.
A little bit less now on account
of the Depression, but it will do.
There they are.
- What is it, Bill?
- Poor people.
Aunt Mary feeds them every night, free.
All that's left over.
You mean she gives good food away
to those tramps?
There you are, my friend.
That's some real good soup.
- There you are.
Here we go, a big one.
I'll have some soup, please.
Some soup.
You'll find salt and pepper down there.
- Glad to see you out again.
Thank you, Pop. God bless you.
- How's your husband?
Thanks very much.
All right. We're running out, Pop.
You better close up.
What, no more? Oh, that's too bad.
- Are you sure, Mary?
- There you... Yes, I'm sure, Pop.
Well, good evening, and how are you?
- You want stew?
- I'm sorry, folks, but there isn't any more.
I'm sure the Salvation Army
will take care of you.
Come back tomorrow.
- Good night. I'm sorry.
No more?
- No, there isn't any more.
One more.
I'm sorry. No, I'm...
Feed them once
and you have to feed them all the time.
Charity. Feeding a lot of lazy moochers.
- Were you ever hungry?
- Hmm?
Mary.
Gee, there's more and more people
every night.
There's over $5o, ooo in there
and more coming in every month.
I'm gonna turn the account over to you
first thing in the morning.
To me?
I may be insane to do this,
at least Max thinks so...
...but I want you to spend it all.
If anybody comes in here, feed them.
If they're hungry, don't ask any questions.
Just feed them.
Stay open 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
Oh.
- Oh, Tom, it's the most wonderful thing I...
This is ghastly.
With my brains, my intellect,
my imagination, I make you rich.
And now you throw that good money away
on those lazy moochers.
They're nothing of the sort.
They're honest people.
They paid for it
when they could afford it.
They can afford it now,
every last one of them.
Oh, charity.
It's like a snowball rolling down a hill.
It gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
The poor, the needy.
Cancer on civilization.
If I was running the world...
...I would kill everybody
that needed anything.
If you were running the world.
You know if there's a fellow around here
named Holmes?
Tom Holmes?
I'm Tom Holmes.
- Let's go upstairs.
- Oh, why?
You haven't done your homework yet.
Come on, I'll help you with your arithmetic.
- What's wrong?
- Not a thing.
We thought we'd drop in
and have a little talk.
We're from Red Squad.
Red Squad?
We have no Reds around here...
Nobody's saying a word to you, brother.
We know you just done five years
for leading a mob...
...so we're keeping an eye on you.
We wanna know what you're gonna do
now that you're out.
You live in the flat upstairs?
Yes, for the time being.
Gonna stay in town?
Why, sure.
Okay, but behave yourself and get a job.
The minute you get out of line
and start pulling any of that radical stuff...
...you know what's gonna happen to you,
don't you?
- Yeah.
- What for does he need a job?
He's my partner. He's a rich man.
I'm a rich man too.
Let us know when you're working
and where.
We'll drop in now and then
to see how you're getting along, you know.
Cossacks.
Positively an insult.
Swine.
Such a beautiful welcome home.
- Is your name Joe Bonocelli?
- Yeah. What do you want?
Come on, you're leaving town.
Joe! Joe!
Joe!
- Your name Antonio Magrustio?
- No.
Don't tell me it isn't, I know you.
- We're running all the Reds out of town.
- What's the matter? I don't do nothing.
What are you taking my friend for?
What's the matter?
- We'll take you along too.
- Oh, no.
Now, come on. Get in there.
Don't give me any argument.
I didn't have anything to do with that.
- You're a Red, ain't you?
No.
- I suppose our records are all wrong.
- Yes, they are.
- I was just...
- You're just leaving town, and in a hurry.
If you ain't out of here by morning...
...you ain't gonna be out of any place
for the next five years.
Gee, I wish you didn't have
to go away again, Daddy.
Me too, Bill.
Where you going?
What's the difference? I don't know.
I'll write you, Mary.
You're sure you won't take
any of that money for yourself?
- Just see that Bill is always taken care of.
- Well, you know I'll do that, Tom.
Can I kiss you goodbye, Tom?
I wish you would.
Couldn't you take me
with you this time, Daddy?
Come on, boys, keep moving here.
Come on, get out of here.
There's no jobs here, fellas.
Come on, don't gang up here.
Come on, hurry up.
Keep moving on down there, boys.
Come on, don't block this gate here.
There's no jobs here for you.
Come on, boys, move along.
Get in. Get up.
Come on, get up.
Get up.
- Who are you shoving?
- I don't wanna waste a bullet on you.
- No hobos or Reds allowed this state.
- Get out and stay out.
Who you calling Reds?
We're ex-service men.
Maybe, maybe you ain't.
Get going and do your explaining
when you cross the state line.
Go on.
Can we come in, buddy?
Well, we meet again.
Sure, come in, come in.
Close the door behind you.
How are you, Red?
Oh, swell.
Sure a tough night.
Yes, it isn't letting up at all.
This fire ain't so much now.
We used up all of our dry wood.
Hey, buddy, you got any grub with you?
Oh, sure.
Caviar and chicken under glass and...
- Roger.
- Tom, Tom Holmes.
Why, you dirty son of a...
What's the matter with you?
You gonna be hysterical?
Sit down.
Then the stock market crashed
and, well, we crashed with it.
And did you know that your father
was using the depositors' funds?
Sure.
I helped him do it.
It was just one of those things.
When you start, you can't stop.
It takes a lot of courage
to kill yourself like he did.
A lot more than I had.
How long did you serve?
Two years.
I topped you there, I got five.
For something I didn't do.
Tom, I... It was a terrible thing I did...
The way I...
The way the old man and I
made you suffer.
And all because of a medal
and a couple of lousy ribbons.
Funny, isn't it?
You started way up high
and I started pretty low.
And we end up here in the rain,
together.
Yeah.
What do you think of all this?
The country can't go on this way.
It's the end of America.
No.
It may be the end of us,
but it's not the end of America.
In a few years,
it'll go on bigger and stronger than ever.
You're the last guy in the world
I'd ever expect to find was an optimist.
That's not optimism,
just common horse sense.
You read President Roosevelt's
inaugural address?
Yeah.
He's right.
You know, it takes more than one sock
in the jaw to lick 12o million people.
Here's a bunch of them now, Ed.
Come out here, you guys.
Come on out of there
before I start whaling the tar out of you.
Come on, hurry up, hurry up.
- All right, line up out here. Come on.
- Come on, make it snappy.
These guys the bums
out of that boxcar, Ed?
Let me see, it was plenty dark in there.
No, they don't look like they got
gumption enough to fight.
Get over there.
Should we take them downtown?
Dave had the lantern in the boxcar.
It's too far. Besides, I'm tired.
- Come on, let's get going.
- All right, get out of here.
Get out of there. Go on.
Come on.
Get going. Get going.
In the car.
Go on, go on.
And keep on walking. And don't stop
if you know what's good for you.
Now where?
Well, anyhow,
we got something to be thankful for.
What?
It stopped raining.
Oh, plenty, yes. Plenty tonight.
Some nice stew.
You lads, a warm cup of coffee.
Oh, Mr. Talbot, I've been looking for you.
You go down there tomorrow,
there's a nice job for you.
When is Dad coming home?
I don't know, dear.
He's a wonderful man, isn't he?
The finest.
He lives for everyone but himself.
He's given everything.
Taken nothing.
You can always be proud of him, Bill.
When I grow up,
I want to be just like my dad.