Roadblock (1951) Movie Script
Head for the street.
- Listen mister, I'm...
- Keep walking.
Get in.
Behind the wheel.
Start moving.
- I didn't see a thing back there.
- No?
- I wouldn't be no witness to anything.
- Turn right.
Pull over.
Give me the keys.
- I know what you're thinking.
- Do you?
You shot a man, only one
guy in the world who saw you.
That would be you.
- I'm a stranger, I don't even know you.
- It's too bad we had to get acquainted.
Listen mister, I know how you feel.
I'm not kind of a guy to go running
to the cops, I'm on the I am myself.
- I swear it, I can prove it.
- There isn't time.
- A bank heist, I got the dough.
- Hot money?
Sure it's hot, that would prove I
wouldn't go to the cops, would it?
A hundred Gs, that's
what I got, very good.
- Give you a big fat hunk of it.
- Where is it?
- Not far from here, about ten minutes.
- You're lying.
- I ain't lying.
- You get a bullet right between your eyes.
My uncle's grave.
He was always good at keeping money,
so I thought I'd let him keep mine safe.
Like I said, I buried it good.
No ghost.
Meet Harry Miller, the guy
I shot for your benefit.
He's my partner.
Our insurance company covers
the bank you stuck up in LA.
We didn't want you particularly,
we wanted the money.
That's nice to know.
You ever need any insurance, look us up.
- A hundred Gs, I guess that's it.
- Nice, nice night's work Harry.
What's next?
You grab the first plane
to the coast with the dough.
I'll book this guy and
clear up the other details.
I'll see you in a few days.
There you are Mrs Johnson, thank you.
I've a reservation for Los Angeles.
- Ah, what's the name please?
- Joseph Peters.
Oh yes Mr. Peters, that's
a reservation for one.
- There you are Mr. Peters, pleasant flight.
- Thanks.
Announcing the arrival of United Airlines
flight number 22 from Denver at Gate 7.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm not.
Will passenger Michael Joyce come to
American Airlines ticket office please.
Passenger Michael Joyce come to
American Airlines ticket office please.
TWA flight 3 from New York
now arriving at Gate 2.
Yes ma'am?
I'm Mrs Joseph Peters, my
husband is flying to Los Angeles.
Well, that's right, on flight 21.
I wasn't going with him
but we changed our plans.
He's sitting right over there.
Don't tell me you
haven't any space left?
- Yes, we have a seat for you Mrs Peters.
- Thanks.
And, can we take advantage of the first
week reduced fares for husbands and wives?
Certainly can.
That will be 70.64.
Alright.
Your attention please.
TWA flight 21 for Kansas
City and Los Angeles.
Now boarding passengers at Gate 3.
- You need anything?
- No, thanks.
- Well hello?
- Hello.
- Thought I'd lost you.
- I didn't know you were trying to.
Tell me, what was with that Double O...
treatment you were giving
me back in the waiting room?
- What treatment?
- A big smile, then the ice.
- Your name please?
- Joseph Peters.
Mrs Joseph Peters.
Hey, what's with this Mrs Peters?
You know you can't get away with it.
- What's your name?
- Diane Morley.
- Real or phony?
- What are you? A Cop?
- Yes, sort of, I'm an insurance detective.
- Maybe I picked on the wrong guy.
- Yeah, maybe you did. -
Fasten your seat-belts please.
- Now look Sister.
- I'm not your sister.
I'm your wife, till we get to Los
Angeles, fasten your seat-belt.
You played me for a soft touch, why?
What nonsense, this
isn't costing you a dime.
Keep talking.
- Certainly ask a lot of questions.
- Part of my job.
You must've an angle, what is it?
I simply wanted to get to the coast and
didn't have enough money to get there.
Except by bus.
I happen to be a girl who likes
to travel first cabin so I.
So you moved in on me.
- Is that make me poison?
- I don't like chiselers.
Look mister...
Just because I was smart enough to bought
a plane ticket half fare I'm a chiseller?
In my league, you are.
Your attention please. In
the interests of safety...
we are making an unscheduled
landing at Cassville Missouri.
There is no cause for
alarm, the field is clear.
But there will be a delay in the
flight until the storm is passed.
Accommodations have been
arranged for you in a local hotel.
You will find your baggage
there waiting for you, thank you.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Peters, room 6.
There's your key.
I definitely said we
wanted two bedrooms.
Pal, with the place crowded with plane
passengers, you're lucky to get one.
This is a suite.
What's the matter? You
and the missus fighting?
Not yet.
- Can I open a window or something?
- No. No thanks.
This archway could use a door.
Look, don't complain, it's
your idea about being my wife.
I'll match you for the bed.
- Maybe we can use it in shifts.
- Don't be funny.
Alright. I'll match you.
My bed.
- There's only one blanket.
- Phone and get another one.
But there isn't any phone.
It's a flight of stairs.
There isn't another
blanket in the house.
For the blanket.
Alright, you match me.
Would you mind, turning your back?
- Don't you trust me?
- Should I?
- Think it will be safe there?
- Positive.
Honest Joe Peters.
- What's wrong with being honest?
- Not a thing.
I bet all the finance companies
have two gold stars after your name.
I pay as I go for everything.
Someday you're going to want
something nice and expensive.
Which you can't afford
on a detective's salary.
Like what?
Like me.
Good night.
Good night.
They tell me downstairs we'll
be able to take off by noon.
I bet that makes you happy.
Could be.
Want some more coffee?
And a cigarette.
What makes you the way you are?
What makes anybody the way they are?
You tell me.
The way they got started maybe.
I'd a lot of jobs.
Modeling, clerking, secretarial work.
I've tried hard but it is no go.
That make a chiseller out of you?
Must've been something else.
Whenever I got a job there
was always a man who...
wasn't interested in my working ability.
- I can understand that.
- Really?
Really? Coming from
you that's a compliment.
Might be, then what?
- Then I met a fella.
- Another one?
Yes, from Texas.
I fell in love with him,
but he couldn't marry me.
Wife object?
- He wasn't married except to his family.
- Where is he now?
Went back to Texas.
I hear from him once in a
while, he's still single.
He claims he never got
me out of his system.
- Bitter about it, eh?
- Not anymore.
What you going to do out on the coast?
I'll take my chances.
I'm in fear of being
kicked around Honest Joe.
I'm going to start out with
silver fox and go on from there.
- Then ermine, sable?
- Everything.
You know what everything is?
- What?
- Money.
- Happiness doesn't count, eh?
- Can happiness buy money?
Oh, you're all wrong babe.
Doesn't a guy like you ever
dream and want fine things?
- Sure, everybody does.
- And what happens?
- I wake up, the feeling passes.
- Then you're stupid.
What are you dreaming about now?
It takes two.
Yeah. I just found out.
You're a nice guy Honest Joe, but
you're not in the right league.
I'm aiming to the World Series.
To the World Series.
When do I see you again?
- You don't.
- Why?
I told you.
- Oh, I don't believe you.
- You got to.
I'm on a rocket to the moon, I
don't want anything holding me back.
You still haven't told me
what you going to do out here.
Don't worry about me Honest Joe. I got
connections in this town, good ones.
Very touching, who's the babe?
- Oh Harry, how's everything?
- Don't change the subject, who is she?
Oh, she's a little girl I was
marooned with on the way back.
- Nice marooning.
- Yeah.
Hi you Mary.
- Let me do the talking.
- Ok.
Good morning boss.
Good morning Joe, glad to see you back. I
told Harry but I guess I'd better tell you.
Swell job you did with that bank robber.
Yes, I was rather brilliant myself.
Yes sir, one hundred percent
recovery, is worth a pat on the back.
Tell me, is it worth a week off? To go
up to our cabin to do a little hunting.
- I might've known.
- We need a little fresh air and exercise.
We lived in some awful dives chasing
that guy from California to Ohio.
Cabin would be nice.
Ok, take a week off, beginning Monday.
Yes?
We just got a flash from Police
Headquarters Mr. Thompson.
There's been a robbery at Brissard Furs.
- Another one?
- Yeah, last night.
Ok, we'll get right on it.
Sorry boys.
- It was a quick hunting trip.
- Yeah, we now trap furs.
I'll go over to the
Brissards with you myself.
That place is been robbed
three times in a year.
Three times in one year, three times.
I unlocked the door this
morning and this is what I find.
- Three times in one year, I get robbed.
- We know all that Mr. Brissard.
What are these?
Oh, a couple of cheap skins
they dropped in their rush.
What gets me though is how they
got in here and blew that safe.
This place is burglar-alarmed
from top to bottom.
Any idea what the loss is?
Fifty to 75 thousand, I don't know yet.
You better have a
look at your inventory.
I've been listening to
excuses for a month now.
In another 30 days we
pay out 68,000 dollars.
- Whole thing smells of Kendall Webb.
- The police don't think so.
They questioned Webb
and a lot of his boys.
Sure, but they're the
original alibi kids.
Kendall Webb is in this Brissard
deal clear up to his ears.
- Alright, let's prove it then.
- Any suggestions?
I'm only the General Manager here, you
fellas are supposed to be detectives.
But here is a tip for what it's worth.
Webb spends at least three nights a
week in a place called Larry's Club.
That I know, but it is one catch, I can't
afford to drink there on my pay check.
Put it on the expense account
but let me have some action.
There's Mr Webb now with his new
girl, quite a dish, ain't she?
Yeah.
So swell of you to make
my dreams come true.
I'd always read
in tales of old...
That many charms
were made of gold.
I never knew the
charms could be...
Designed of human personality.
So swell of you to make my
moonlit night shine brighter...
And make my days of
happiness carefree.
We pledged our love
and took a vow...
And yet I'll never
know just how...
Somebody knew I love you too.
So swell of you.
- Match you to see whether you talk to me.
- Who you match for the silver foxes?
Believe it or not, I bought them
myself, with my hard-earned money.
- Hard earned?
- Easy on the sarcasm Honest Joe.
I have a perfectly
legitimate job, modeling.
- What are you doing?
- I'm a fur fancier.
I just wanted to make sure you
bought them from a reputable firm.
- Did I?
- Yeap.
But you're running around
with a very disreputable guy.
- Mister Webb?
- The biggest racketeer in town.
- I like his type.
- What's wrong with mine?
I tried to explain, it's no good with
us Joe, we're not on the same team.
You never make the World Series.
- What you want me to do? Rob a bank?
- You know how?
- Run back to your playmate.
- Not while you're mad.
Joe...
Takes two.
Does alright for himself, doesn't he?
Good evening Mr. Webb, I'm Joe Peters.
This Terry Miller, we're
from the Southwest Indemnity.
- Oh, I have all the insurance I need.
- It's about a fur robbery.
Take it easy.
Don't you know you can get in to trouble
forcing your way into people's homes?
- You fellas have more nerve than real cops.
- Thanks.
- A celebration?
- Pre Christmas, for two and private.
We want to talk to you about that
building you own over on Wilshire.
The one you rent to the
Brissard Fur Company.
You looking for something?
Kenny darling, I wanted you to be
the first to see it, how you like it?
Not bad, not bad at all.
You know this gentleman?
- No, should I?
- No.
They are insurance investigators.
Better show them the
sales slip for your coat.
- I think, they think I stole it.
- Sure.
It will change their minds.
When people infer I'm
dishonest hurts my feelings.
Don't get us wrong Mr. Webb.
Just because I own the building,
doesn't make me liable for everything.
- It's a nice coat miss.
- It sure is mister.
Doesn't take much to make
a girl happy, does it?
Not much.
See you soon Mr. Webb, thank
you for the cooperation.
Smart cookie, he paid
real dough for that coat.
Imagine, he must've all that Brissard
stuff stashed away on ice somewhere.
- Hey, I'm talking to you.
- What?
Webb, remember? The fur robbery.
Can't you keep your mind off that
girl long enough to earn a living?
I wasn't thinking about her.
So you weren't. Come on, we'll
talk about at the office tomorrow.
How did you get in?
Detectives get most anything they want,
when it comes to passkeys, that is.
Oh, it's only a few days to Christmas,
I thought you ought to have a tree.
Old American custom.
Thanks.
I didn't get you anything else.
- You know why?
- Why?
Nothing would be good enough.
You're wrong Joe, anything
would've been good enough.
Nice little place.
I'm going to have a lot better.
- We're not getting anywhere, are we?
- We never have.
What you expect me to do?
I haven't any real
money, I never will have.
I can earn my keep. I can
look at myself in the mirror.
When you look in the mirror, what
do you tell yourself you want?
You.
I want you so bad, I
can't think straight.
You're what I want for Christmas,
day after the 4th of July.
Saturday nights, all the days there are.
And I want you Joe.
But not as an insurance
Cop making 350 a month.
What do you want?
- A pair of shoes.
- We don't have your size.
- Nine and a half.
- I've said we don't have your size.
Empty. What? Are they all empty?
- You looking for trouble?
- Look, all I want is a pair of shoes.
Tell you what I'll do, I'll
take a pair of shoes any size.
What's the trouble?
Funny man, insists on
buying a pair of shoes.
Hello Mr. Peters. Go on back inside.
- Well, I never expected to see you here.
- Why not?
This where you collect
for all your rackets.
Smart man, trying to collect a
little something for yourself?
Oh, I already have.
Facts on the life of Kendall Webb.
How he got himself a penthouse, money to
buy mink coats and everything else he wants.
He's gotten away with everything
from income tax evasion to murder.
Then he winds up a man of distinction
with a pretty wife in Las Vegas, a...
dummy shoe store and
property all over the place.
Well? Why you wasting your time?
If you really had anything you wouldn't
sit there talking, you'd take me in.
Let's say I don't have anything,
let's just say I'm close.
Close enough to offer you a trade.
You fascinate me.
Look, I can keep on the way I'm going
and eventually have you in a lock up.
You engineered the Brissard Fur
robbery, but that's only part of it.
Assuming you're right,
where is the trade come in?
You got something I want.
An effective organization,
men all over the country.
- When you say jump, they jump.
- You put it very well.
Supposing you knew someone
who had inside information.
On the movement of money from
local banks to Federal Reserve.
Currency shipments.
Like this million and a quarter.
All old bills, hard to trace.
- What you trying to sell?
- Million and a quarter.
Why?
Because I want a hunk for
myself, a big hunk, a third.
- Why?
- So I can give away mink coats.
- What do you think it will get you?
- The same as gets you.
- You know, I think you're on the level.
- Don't worry, I'm on the level.
You know, it took a reform school and
several jails to build my character.
You, you've probably
been square all your life.
Now suddenly you decide to steal.
Just goes to show you,
you can't trust anybody.
Webb, you want to make
a speech or a deal?
- What kind of a deal?
- Knocking over a railway mail car.
- Mail robbery is a 25 year rap, straight.
- That is if you get caught.
If you know how to do it, you won't.
If you know every mile of the route, how
many men are aboard, how to get inside.
- Are you interested?
- Very.
We don't have your size.
Where is Mr Webb tonight?
Gone up to Las Vegas this
afternoon to visit his family.
Seems like most everybody
goes home for Christmas Eve.
Seems like.
I've been watching the clock all evening.
Can't wait to get home and decorate the tree.
Now, those two kids of mine.
Will they be goggle eyed when
they go downstairs in the morning.
I'm telling you, there's nothing
like kids at Christmas time.
You'll find out when you
have a couple of your own.
Merry Christmas.
Come in.
- You alone?
- Yeah, just me and my bottle, come on in.
- Drinking alone isn't good for you.
- You just finding that out?
Just.
- I had to see you.
- What about?
About us.
I just realized tonight
I'm crazy about you.
I'm crazy about you too.
But my pay check is only
350 a month, remember?
- I'm going to fix that.
- Stop it Joe.
Why should I? That's what you want.
You wrong, I want you just as you are.
What about Webb?
- What about him?
- He can't have us both.
- Want to know something?
- What?
I don't need Webb's permission
to marry you or anybody.
- No?
- No.
Now, kiss me and tell me how much rent
we can afford out of your 350 a month.
- So you want pull out of our little deal?
- That's what I said.
Ok, you're out, we'll
go ahead without you.
Why don't you talk sense.
I said the caper is off.
My company insures that money.
All at once, you're a
company man, honest Joe.
Look Webb, I said the deal is off.
Oh no.
Who trying to fool
Joe, besides yourself?
You think she's going to be
happy with that bag of peanuts...
you pick up for a monthly pay check?
Is Diane been talking to you?
You're suspicious of her even
before you marry her, that's bad.
Look Joe, I'll put you right.
I haven't seen or talked to her.
Since you took advantage of the holiday
spirit while I was gone to talk to her...
You making a lot of conversation,
I got an appointment.
Yes, I know. City Hall,
in a couple of hours.
- You know everything, don't you?
- Well, you have a file on me.
Is there any harm in my keeping track of
you? Sit down, I'll tell you some more.
I hate to see you make
a chump of yourself Joe.
You cooked up a foolproof job and came
to me with it for a very good reason.
You wanted Diane but you
didn't have her kind of money.
Now, you think you can
have her without the money.
It won't work Joe, you think it will.
And maybe she thinks
so now, but it won't.
It'll last a couple of months maybe.
Then she'll start thinking
about the nicer things.
The things she had,
that you can't give her.
What are you going to do then?
That's my problem.
There won't be any problem
when you have important money.
You know, once a girl gets the feel of mink
around her shoulders, she doesn't forget it.
Even if she's in love
and tries awfully hard.
Think it over.
Someday you going to want
something nice and expensive.
You can't afford on
a detective's salary.
You know, once a girl gets the feel of mink
around her shoulders, she doesn't forget it.
Even if she's in love
and tries awfully hard.
How many men do you figure
will take for the job?
Five, you got that many you can trust?
- I can find them.
- How about the getaway?
Let's have some secrets from each other.
Such as who my men are
and what happens to them.
Then if anybody asks you
anything, you just don't know.
- I don't like secrets.
- I do.
- From here on, I'll take over.
- Not yet.
Here is a note with the serial numbers
of the mailbags with the money in them.
Save looking round.
The train leaves Los
Angeles on the 14th, 5 PM.
Well, I guess that
takes care of everything.
All except one little detail, my share.
I want you to mail it to me,
Parcel post. No return address.
North Creek, California,
general delivery.
You want me to put that
kind of money in the mail?
- Somebody will steal it.
- Nobody ever steals from the mail.
Hardly ever.
- Who takes you so sure I'll send it to you?
- You'll send it to me alright.
I can tell that by
looking at my file on you.
Put the money in this portable fire
pump, mail it to me in a carton.
- General delivery, North Creek, California?
- That will reach me.
Just a minute Joe.
Give my best to Diane, North
Creek sounds great for a honeymoon.
There you are Caleb.
Well, well, well Joe Peters,
married, I can't believe it.
- And this is your little bride?
- That's right.
And you're on your
honeymoon, Oh, I'm so happy.
So are we.
- You be staying in the cabin, won't you?
- Just for tonight.
Tomorrow, we're riding up into the
black country, going to really rough it.
Well, that's just fine. I
hope you'll like it dearie.
I'm sure I will.
Well, take plenty of warm clothes,
it's awful cold in the mountains.
- Who gets cold on a honeymoon?
- Oh Mr. Peters.
You know what day this is?
It's 13th, why?
It's our anniversary,
we've been married a week.
Want to know something?
- What?
- I like it.
Something wrong?
No, no, I was just thinking we got to ride
down to the store tomorrow for supplies.
Thinking of supplies when
you're kissing your bride.
That mean the honeymoon is over.
It will never be over for us baby.
Blue jeans, four dollars.
Two cartons of cigarettes,
three dollars and 30 cents.
- Now, that be all?
- You better ask him.
Anything else Mr. Peters?
- Mr Peters, is there anything else?
- No, I think everything is on the list.
You know, when it comes to toy
trains men are just like little boys.
Turn the switch, make it run.
Ok.
We going somewhere?
Not until we take off for
the mountains in the morning.
Why you keep looking at the
clock? You're actually jumping.
What is it?
Ok, you might as well know.
Webb and I are in on a big deal.
We'll be rich for life
if it comes off tonight.
You and Webb?
You said you wanted me and a
lot of money, now you have both.
I don't need both now.
- Call it off Joe please.
- It's too late.
Except to hope that nothing goes wrong.
If something does?
They won't suspect me, I'm up
in the mountains on my honeymoon.
Honeymoon is over before it started.
Oh relax baby.
- In a few days we'll have so much money...
- Who cares about money?
We interrupt our program of recorded
music now to bring you a newsflash.
Bandits held up a train in the mountains near
Saint Louis Obispo shortly after midnight.
The heavily armed desperadoes
dynamited the mail car...
and escaped with three
sacks of registered mail.
It was the most daring train
hold up in California history.
Henry Star, a railway mail
clerk was seriously injured.
The bandits made a clean get...
A million and a quarter, cold cash.
A third of it's ours.
You hear what I said?
I heard.
It's all over now,
nothing to worry about.
No, nothing.
- Everything went fine.
- Yeah.
As soon as the money gets
here, we'll go back to town.
I'll keep my job for a while, say,
six months, until the heat is off.
Stash the money here.
- You find anything Saunders?
- Yes sir.
- The explosive they used was QXG.
- That could be a lead.
- Check with War Surplus.
- Yes sir.
This outfit wasn't looking for love letters
they knew just what pouches to go for.
Yeah.
Egan talking, I want a report on every
person who knew anything at all about
the routing of that money shipment.
Now, that shall includes,
bank clerks, postal clerks,
armored-car crews and insurance people.
Yes sir.
Ok Harry, I'll be back as soon as I can.
Yeah.
There's been a hold up, a big one.
A hold-up?
Yes, 5 guys knocked off a train carrying
a money shipment insured by our firm.
- Over a million dollars.
- I heard that on the radio, didn't you?
We weren't packing a
radio in the mountains.
Honey, we've got to get
back to LA right away.
If any mail or packages come, would
you save them for me Mrs McDonald?
Oh. Something did come.
I clean forgot about it.
A package.
Say, those truck drivers don't
care what they do with the mail.
Oh, don't worry, it's probably
a fire extinguisher I ordered.
Oh, you better open it and
see if anything is broken.
Not a dent, not a dent to it.
- Now, if you want to leave it here.
- No. We got to get back to the cabin to...
pack and lock up anyway.
- Put Jackson on that right away.
- Right.
- Hi Saunders.
- Hi you, married man.
- Welcome home.
- Good to see you Harry.
- Joe.
- Hello Egan.
- Well, ready to go back to work.
- No, wait a minute, not so fast.
You know, 28 people knew about
the movement of that money.
Including you.
- Ok, Ok, put away the hose, I'll talk.
- No, you don't have to, listen to this.
You and your wife arrived at North
Creek at 5 PM Saturday January the 6th.
You bought food and supplies.
You stayed all night in your cabin, then
up the mountain first thing next morning.
You came back to North Creek
for supplies on the 14th.
Then you went back
up in the mountains...
and stayed, until you got
Harry's message this morning.
But minutes before you left. You
picked up a Parcel Post package.
A fire-extinguisher mailed
to you from Los Angeles.
The old gal at the store
didn't miss a thing, did she?
You went back to the cabin, locked up
and arrived here at 2 PM, which is now.
Wait a minute, you left out something.
We stopped at Maricopa for a sandwich.
- We missed that.
- Joe, this is murder.
The postal clerk who was injured when the
mail coach was dynamited died this morning.
That's rough, I didn't know.
What's broken on the case so far?
Not much, a farmer heard a low flying
plane about the time of the hold-up.
We located the field where it took off.
- They made their getaway by air, eh?
- Yeap, an amphibian.
The hull and the wing floats
left marks on the grass.
From the measurements it was a Republic
Seebee, now, that's a 4-place ship.
But it could carry 6 on a pinch.
A pilot and the five guys that stuck
up the train, that's pretty clever.
That means they landed on
water, we'll never get them.
Not necessarily, you see?
Excuse me, Egan talking.
Nothing doing on that
amphibian from Lake Tahoe Ray.
The same goes for San Francisco, Portland
and Seattle. How are you doing down south?
Yeah, we drew a blank in the San Diego and
Lake area, San Pedro is still wide open.
It's just possible we may score there.
You might just as well open up Partos.
The specimens of grass recover
from the undercarriage...
of your plane matched
the growth on that field.
Now, there's no doubt
that you landed there.
Alright, so I put the plane
down at Santa Margarita...
but I don't know anything
about any stick up..
Nobody said you did, we're
interested in your 5 passengers.
A fella comes up to me last week
and wanted to charter my plane.
- I got to eat so I don't ask questions.
- Ever seen the man before?
I don't pay too much attention to him because
I'm looking at what he had in his hands.
Nice new C notes.
And I'm listening to what he says about
how there's more where those came from.
You're probably remember him if you
ever you saw him again though, eh?
I guess maybe I would.
The other 4 characters maybe not, because
I don't get a good look at them in the dark.
Anyway, they pile in and I take off.
Pretty soon there is a light below so
I set her down in the channel, then...
a fishing boat comes up alongside.
Then one of the characters hands me an
envelope with the rest of the money in it.
They get into a row boat, I go home.
- What was the name of that fishing boat?
- I don't know.
- What's the matter? You
near-sighted? - No, was too dark.
It wasn't too dark to see the face of the
guy who gave you the money though, was it?
Maybe it was.
Maybe you can pick up his
picture for us later, eh?
Maybe.
We're getting warm.
- Hello handsome.
- Hi.
- What's happening?
- Nothing yet.
I'm not sure Webb covered
his tracks well enough.
You told me yourself the police
have never pinned anything on him.
It's always a first time.
What's this?
Fellow wants to marry me.
- What?
- The one who couldn't before, from Texas.
Now he can.
How do you feel about it now?
When I'm with you I can't even
remember what he looks like.
- Hello?
- Is that you Joe?
Say, I've been trying to
get hold of you all day.
I just got in.
I called you at the hotel but they said
you'd check out so I called you here.
- Can we talk?
- Yeah, I think we'd better.
My government friends just picked up
your pilot, a guy by the name of Partos.
Partos? He has been singing?
Some, about how he was hired
for the job by strangers.
How much more can he tell them?
Not much.
- I'm pretty sure that's all he knows.
- Well, I hope you're right.
I'll stick by him just in case,
they're showing him pictures tonight.
What's going on?
Too much.
Look, we've been here all night, how many
more of these pictures do I have to look at?
Only six or eight hundred
more, come on, come on.
I never saw that kisser before.
No.
No.
Hold it.
Yeah.
That could be the guy.
Matt De Vita.
Well, we're dealing with
a really big time operator.
Saunders, put this on the wire-photo to all
Federal, State and Law Enforcement Agencies.
Right.
- Hello?
- Webb, it's me Joe.
They've picked up De Vita,
things don't look too good.
De Vita won't talk.
They're going to be tough on him.
Oh, that's fine.
Ah, when people get tough with
De Vita he really clams up.
I hope they push him around good.
Nothing closes De Vita's mouth
faster than a little mauling.
Ok.
There is no reason for you to
be so difficult Mr. De Vita.
You've been identified. You took
a plane ride and a boat ride.
- So do lots of people, everybody travels.
- Well, you're going to travel some more.
- You don't say?
- Let me have him for a minute.
Look, De Vita.
My company is on the
hook for a lot of dough.
You could be a big help to us.
But if you think you going
to make monkeys out of us...
- Easy.
- What do you mean take it easy?
I'll make this baby
sing, loud and clear.
- You want more?
- I'll take all you got.
It's only one way to handle
these babies I'm telling you.
Relax.
Get back to the office.
Bring the boss up to date,
I'll take care of this end.
Alright.
Go ahead, handle him with kid's gloves.
I still think my way is better.
I thought he was an easy going guy.
He was.
Until he got married.
Hello darling.
This isn't your darling.
- Oh Mr. Miller?
- Sorry I scared you.
Joe ought to be here in a
moment, would you like a drink?
No thanks.
The apartment is in
a mess, we're moving.
- Too expensive?
- Yes.
Well, it won't be, not if we
nail down that mail car mob.
Joe's part of the
reward won't be peanuts.
Go right on packing, don't mind me.
Why you looking at me like that?
- It bother you?
- Yes, it gives me the jitters.
- Why should you have the jitters?
- What is this? The third degree?
Oh, I'm sorry. I guess
it's the business I'm in.
Makes us all nervous, even Joe.
Have you noticed how
nervous he is lately?
As nervous as you are.
- The way things look to me...
- How do they look to you Harry?
- I said, how do they look to you?
- Better.
After you left, well Egan
and I had kind of a wild idea.
Like what?
We thought maybe our friend Kendall
Webb could be mixed up in this.
You know, De Vita is one of his boys.
- You think it's an angle?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, might be, I'll follow through on.
- Good.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Why did Harry come here?
It doesn't make sense.
I don't know, he was needling
me from the moment he came in.
It's not like Harry,
unless he had a reason.
- Wonder how much he knows.
- Are you worried?
It'll be alright honey.
I'll fix it so it'll be alright.
Get your coat, we're going up
to the mountains, for the money.
- Hello?
- Webb?
Yes.
- Got to see you right away.
- What's happened?
Plenty, De Vita spilled his guts. You
better decide on the next move, fast.
I don't know what you're doing
but I'm getting out of here now.
You better see me before you go.
Why should I?
I've got a plan will clear us both up.
- How?
- I can't talk now.
Meet me in half an hour in Mulholland
Glade, just west of Beverley Glen.
I don't see how?
You will when I tell you
what I've got in mind.
You want to stay out of jail long enough to
enjoy any of that money, you better be there.
- What you looking at?
- Your bags, are all packed.
I guess you didn't believe me when I
told you I had a plan to clear us both.
- I might not like the plan.
- If you don't?
- Being packed saves a lot of time.
- You're not going anywhere, Webb.
- No?
- No.
You make it sound like I
haven't very much of a future.
- Number please.
- Western Union please.
- I'd like to send a straight wire.
- To whom is the message going?
Mrs Kendall Webb.
Care of Club El Chico,
Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sending Parcel.
Put contents, in safe deposit box.
Love. Sign Kenny.
Z. 5. 8. 4.
No, the rest are too burned.
For the amount of ash in Webb's
car must've been loaded with money.
Z584, the first three numbers
check, can you make out the series?
- Series, 1935 Z.
- On the nose.
Tallies exactly with the currency
shipment list from the bank.
- Same money alright.
- How much richer does that make us?
How do I know? If you can
add up ashes, you tell me.
Then we're really stuck.
So are we, for years, we tried
to pin something on Kendall Webb.
And when we find burned money is his car
and it all ties up to a mail hold-up...
and a homicide, we can't
indict him for murder.
- Because he's already dead.
- What's next Egan?
A social call to Mr
Webb's widow in Las Vegas.
Do you mind if we take
a look too Mrs Webb?
Don't tell me you're saving
all of this for a rainy day.
Come on.
The serials matched on 400,000
dollars in Webb's safety deposit box.
De Vita and his four boys got
$50,000 a piece, which we got back.
Then Webb mailed his
wife a hundred thousand.
On the burnt stuff, how much is
Saunders think the government may honor?
- About a hundred thousand.
- Yeah?
About two thirds recovered.
Well, I guess I ought to be happy.
- Are you?
- I am not.
Maybe the currency burnt in Webb's car
didn't account for all the missing cash.
Maybe someone got his hands on,
say 400,000 of it, is holding out.
How's that Harry?
I said. Maybe Webb didn't have
all the missing money in his car.
That's what I've thought you said.
Got any ideas about where the rest is?
- Some.
- Dig it up and I'll buy you a necktie.
- Let's go have a drink.
- You don't drink in the daytime.
- Today is an exception, a celebration.
- What are we celebrating?
I'll tell you when we get there.
- Hi you Mike.
- Hello Harry, hello Joe.
- A couple of the usual.
- Very well.
- How is the insurance business?
- Looking up.
Ok Harry, what's on your mind?
- There you are.
- Thanks Mike.
- Well, here's to it, whatever it is.
- To it.
- How do you say goodbye to an old friend?
- Why, you going somewhere?
- No, you are.
- Yeah?
You want to know where you
slipped? You're entitled to know.
My first lead was Egan mentioning that new
fire extinguisher you had mailed to you.
I bought a new one for
the cabin last summer.
Was Ok in September when
we were up there fishing.
Handy thing to ship stuff in a
fire-extinguisher, can hold a lot of money.
Like four hundred thousand dollars.
- You crazy Harry.
- There are a lot pieces and they all fit.
Like the day you came back in Egan's office
for instance, 5 guys and a pilot, you said.
You knew that Webb had assigned
five guys to the job, we didn't.
- I still say you crazy.
- You must've killed Webb to finger him.
Burned money would close out the
case and leave you in the clear.
I brought you here like
this to say goodbye.
Because, I owe you that much.
You're under arrest Joe, let's
keep the whole thing nice.
Go to the cops, then to your
new apartment for a look around.
Diane isn't in this, she
had nothing to do with it.
I didn't say she did, won't
be any charge against her.
Just so we get the missing money.
You ready?
Hey, what goes on?
- What he hit me with?
- A beer bottle.
- Hey, I thought you two were friends.
- We were.
Hello?
This is Joe. Now listen
and get this straight.
Call a cab the minute I hang up.
Don't try to pack a thing,
just bring the money.
Meet me at the lumber yard
at the corner of 3rd and Main.
- You get it?
- Yes.
I'll be there, are you alright Joe?
Would you mind telling
me where we're going?
Mexico, if we have any luck.
Egan talking, Western Federal Division.
Set up a general
roadblock covering all...
transportation embarkation
points, air, rail, bus and water.
We want Joe Peters for murder and
robbery of the United States Mail.
Peters is driving a black
1950, Plymouth sedan.
License number 1X1...
Attention all cars, be on the look
out for a 1950 black Plymouth sedan.
California License number 1X1853.
Driver of car is Joe Peters,
plan A now in operation.
Plan A covers every main traffic
artery leading out of Los Angeles.
This roadblock at Malibu cuts off
the coast highway to the north.
If he tries the San Fernando valley up
north, they'll cut him off at Tarzana.
If he's heading east, he'll
be stopped by a roadblock here.
Well, it's a cinch he'll
never get out of town.
- Car 49 calling headquarters.
- Go ahead, 49.
Black Plymouth sedan,
license number 1X1853.
Headed east on Hearst Street near
Figueroa. Man driving with woman passenger.
- Diane with him.
- Attention all cars. Attention all cars.
Black Plymouth sedan,
California license 1X1853.
1X1853, driven by Joe Peters.
Reported headed east on 3rd near
Figueroa. Move in on that area.
That puts him here.
He could be trying for
the coast highway south...
or he may take a stab
east through Pasadena.
No, he won't make it.
He's trapped in this area.
Come on.
Where is this highway take us?
This no highway, this is
a Los Angeles riverbed.
How do we get out?
There is a cut off up
ahead, leads to Glendale.
- Car 21 calling headquarters.
- Come in 21.
The black Plymouth sedan wanted
in connection with Plan A...
just drove down the 6th Street
ramp to the Los Angeles riverbed.
And is heading west, we are
blocking 6th Street ramp.
There only four entrances to the
riverbed, he'll never get out.
Really trapped himself now.
Attention Plan A cars.
Cover all ramps to
Los Angeles riverbed...
from Aliso Street west,
station men at all bridges.
There is where we leave the river.
- Why are we stopping?
- This as far as you go.
- I'm staying.
- You going to Texas.
- But Joe.
- Don't argue, get out.
Get out.
Joe...
Alright Joe.
- I'll take the gun.
- You take nothing.
You haven't got a chance, you've been in
this business long enough to know that.
- I'm getting out of here.
- Give me the gun.
Hello honey.
- Haven't you left for Texas yet?
- I'll match you to see whether I stay.
- Listen mister, I'm...
- Keep walking.
Get in.
Behind the wheel.
Start moving.
- I didn't see a thing back there.
- No?
- I wouldn't be no witness to anything.
- Turn right.
Pull over.
Give me the keys.
- I know what you're thinking.
- Do you?
You shot a man, only one
guy in the world who saw you.
That would be you.
- I'm a stranger, I don't even know you.
- It's too bad we had to get acquainted.
Listen mister, I know how you feel.
I'm not kind of a guy to go running
to the cops, I'm on the I am myself.
- I swear it, I can prove it.
- There isn't time.
- A bank heist, I got the dough.
- Hot money?
Sure it's hot, that would prove I
wouldn't go to the cops, would it?
A hundred Gs, that's
what I got, very good.
- Give you a big fat hunk of it.
- Where is it?
- Not far from here, about ten minutes.
- You're lying.
- I ain't lying.
- You get a bullet right between your eyes.
My uncle's grave.
He was always good at keeping money,
so I thought I'd let him keep mine safe.
Like I said, I buried it good.
No ghost.
Meet Harry Miller, the guy
I shot for your benefit.
He's my partner.
Our insurance company covers
the bank you stuck up in LA.
We didn't want you particularly,
we wanted the money.
That's nice to know.
You ever need any insurance, look us up.
- A hundred Gs, I guess that's it.
- Nice, nice night's work Harry.
What's next?
You grab the first plane
to the coast with the dough.
I'll book this guy and
clear up the other details.
I'll see you in a few days.
There you are Mrs Johnson, thank you.
I've a reservation for Los Angeles.
- Ah, what's the name please?
- Joseph Peters.
Oh yes Mr. Peters, that's
a reservation for one.
- There you are Mr. Peters, pleasant flight.
- Thanks.
Announcing the arrival of United Airlines
flight number 22 from Denver at Gate 7.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm not.
Will passenger Michael Joyce come to
American Airlines ticket office please.
Passenger Michael Joyce come to
American Airlines ticket office please.
TWA flight 3 from New York
now arriving at Gate 2.
Yes ma'am?
I'm Mrs Joseph Peters, my
husband is flying to Los Angeles.
Well, that's right, on flight 21.
I wasn't going with him
but we changed our plans.
He's sitting right over there.
Don't tell me you
haven't any space left?
- Yes, we have a seat for you Mrs Peters.
- Thanks.
And, can we take advantage of the first
week reduced fares for husbands and wives?
Certainly can.
That will be 70.64.
Alright.
Your attention please.
TWA flight 21 for Kansas
City and Los Angeles.
Now boarding passengers at Gate 3.
- You need anything?
- No, thanks.
- Well hello?
- Hello.
- Thought I'd lost you.
- I didn't know you were trying to.
Tell me, what was with that Double O...
treatment you were giving
me back in the waiting room?
- What treatment?
- A big smile, then the ice.
- Your name please?
- Joseph Peters.
Mrs Joseph Peters.
Hey, what's with this Mrs Peters?
You know you can't get away with it.
- What's your name?
- Diane Morley.
- Real or phony?
- What are you? A Cop?
- Yes, sort of, I'm an insurance detective.
- Maybe I picked on the wrong guy.
- Yeah, maybe you did. -
Fasten your seat-belts please.
- Now look Sister.
- I'm not your sister.
I'm your wife, till we get to Los
Angeles, fasten your seat-belt.
You played me for a soft touch, why?
What nonsense, this
isn't costing you a dime.
Keep talking.
- Certainly ask a lot of questions.
- Part of my job.
You must've an angle, what is it?
I simply wanted to get to the coast and
didn't have enough money to get there.
Except by bus.
I happen to be a girl who likes
to travel first cabin so I.
So you moved in on me.
- Is that make me poison?
- I don't like chiselers.
Look mister...
Just because I was smart enough to bought
a plane ticket half fare I'm a chiseller?
In my league, you are.
Your attention please. In
the interests of safety...
we are making an unscheduled
landing at Cassville Missouri.
There is no cause for
alarm, the field is clear.
But there will be a delay in the
flight until the storm is passed.
Accommodations have been
arranged for you in a local hotel.
You will find your baggage
there waiting for you, thank you.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Peters, room 6.
There's your key.
I definitely said we
wanted two bedrooms.
Pal, with the place crowded with plane
passengers, you're lucky to get one.
This is a suite.
What's the matter? You
and the missus fighting?
Not yet.
- Can I open a window or something?
- No. No thanks.
This archway could use a door.
Look, don't complain, it's
your idea about being my wife.
I'll match you for the bed.
- Maybe we can use it in shifts.
- Don't be funny.
Alright. I'll match you.
My bed.
- There's only one blanket.
- Phone and get another one.
But there isn't any phone.
It's a flight of stairs.
There isn't another
blanket in the house.
For the blanket.
Alright, you match me.
Would you mind, turning your back?
- Don't you trust me?
- Should I?
- Think it will be safe there?
- Positive.
Honest Joe Peters.
- What's wrong with being honest?
- Not a thing.
I bet all the finance companies
have two gold stars after your name.
I pay as I go for everything.
Someday you're going to want
something nice and expensive.
Which you can't afford
on a detective's salary.
Like what?
Like me.
Good night.
Good night.
They tell me downstairs we'll
be able to take off by noon.
I bet that makes you happy.
Could be.
Want some more coffee?
And a cigarette.
What makes you the way you are?
What makes anybody the way they are?
You tell me.
The way they got started maybe.
I'd a lot of jobs.
Modeling, clerking, secretarial work.
I've tried hard but it is no go.
That make a chiseller out of you?
Must've been something else.
Whenever I got a job there
was always a man who...
wasn't interested in my working ability.
- I can understand that.
- Really?
Really? Coming from
you that's a compliment.
Might be, then what?
- Then I met a fella.
- Another one?
Yes, from Texas.
I fell in love with him,
but he couldn't marry me.
Wife object?
- He wasn't married except to his family.
- Where is he now?
Went back to Texas.
I hear from him once in a
while, he's still single.
He claims he never got
me out of his system.
- Bitter about it, eh?
- Not anymore.
What you going to do out on the coast?
I'll take my chances.
I'm in fear of being
kicked around Honest Joe.
I'm going to start out with
silver fox and go on from there.
- Then ermine, sable?
- Everything.
You know what everything is?
- What?
- Money.
- Happiness doesn't count, eh?
- Can happiness buy money?
Oh, you're all wrong babe.
Doesn't a guy like you ever
dream and want fine things?
- Sure, everybody does.
- And what happens?
- I wake up, the feeling passes.
- Then you're stupid.
What are you dreaming about now?
It takes two.
Yeah. I just found out.
You're a nice guy Honest Joe, but
you're not in the right league.
I'm aiming to the World Series.
To the World Series.
When do I see you again?
- You don't.
- Why?
I told you.
- Oh, I don't believe you.
- You got to.
I'm on a rocket to the moon, I
don't want anything holding me back.
You still haven't told me
what you going to do out here.
Don't worry about me Honest Joe. I got
connections in this town, good ones.
Very touching, who's the babe?
- Oh Harry, how's everything?
- Don't change the subject, who is she?
Oh, she's a little girl I was
marooned with on the way back.
- Nice marooning.
- Yeah.
Hi you Mary.
- Let me do the talking.
- Ok.
Good morning boss.
Good morning Joe, glad to see you back. I
told Harry but I guess I'd better tell you.
Swell job you did with that bank robber.
Yes, I was rather brilliant myself.
Yes sir, one hundred percent
recovery, is worth a pat on the back.
Tell me, is it worth a week off? To go
up to our cabin to do a little hunting.
- I might've known.
- We need a little fresh air and exercise.
We lived in some awful dives chasing
that guy from California to Ohio.
Cabin would be nice.
Ok, take a week off, beginning Monday.
Yes?
We just got a flash from Police
Headquarters Mr. Thompson.
There's been a robbery at Brissard Furs.
- Another one?
- Yeah, last night.
Ok, we'll get right on it.
Sorry boys.
- It was a quick hunting trip.
- Yeah, we now trap furs.
I'll go over to the
Brissards with you myself.
That place is been robbed
three times in a year.
Three times in one year, three times.
I unlocked the door this
morning and this is what I find.
- Three times in one year, I get robbed.
- We know all that Mr. Brissard.
What are these?
Oh, a couple of cheap skins
they dropped in their rush.
What gets me though is how they
got in here and blew that safe.
This place is burglar-alarmed
from top to bottom.
Any idea what the loss is?
Fifty to 75 thousand, I don't know yet.
You better have a
look at your inventory.
I've been listening to
excuses for a month now.
In another 30 days we
pay out 68,000 dollars.
- Whole thing smells of Kendall Webb.
- The police don't think so.
They questioned Webb
and a lot of his boys.
Sure, but they're the
original alibi kids.
Kendall Webb is in this Brissard
deal clear up to his ears.
- Alright, let's prove it then.
- Any suggestions?
I'm only the General Manager here, you
fellas are supposed to be detectives.
But here is a tip for what it's worth.
Webb spends at least three nights a
week in a place called Larry's Club.
That I know, but it is one catch, I can't
afford to drink there on my pay check.
Put it on the expense account
but let me have some action.
There's Mr Webb now with his new
girl, quite a dish, ain't she?
Yeah.
So swell of you to make
my dreams come true.
I'd always read
in tales of old...
That many charms
were made of gold.
I never knew the
charms could be...
Designed of human personality.
So swell of you to make my
moonlit night shine brighter...
And make my days of
happiness carefree.
We pledged our love
and took a vow...
And yet I'll never
know just how...
Somebody knew I love you too.
So swell of you.
- Match you to see whether you talk to me.
- Who you match for the silver foxes?
Believe it or not, I bought them
myself, with my hard-earned money.
- Hard earned?
- Easy on the sarcasm Honest Joe.
I have a perfectly
legitimate job, modeling.
- What are you doing?
- I'm a fur fancier.
I just wanted to make sure you
bought them from a reputable firm.
- Did I?
- Yeap.
But you're running around
with a very disreputable guy.
- Mister Webb?
- The biggest racketeer in town.
- I like his type.
- What's wrong with mine?
I tried to explain, it's no good with
us Joe, we're not on the same team.
You never make the World Series.
- What you want me to do? Rob a bank?
- You know how?
- Run back to your playmate.
- Not while you're mad.
Joe...
Takes two.
Does alright for himself, doesn't he?
Good evening Mr. Webb, I'm Joe Peters.
This Terry Miller, we're
from the Southwest Indemnity.
- Oh, I have all the insurance I need.
- It's about a fur robbery.
Take it easy.
Don't you know you can get in to trouble
forcing your way into people's homes?
- You fellas have more nerve than real cops.
- Thanks.
- A celebration?
- Pre Christmas, for two and private.
We want to talk to you about that
building you own over on Wilshire.
The one you rent to the
Brissard Fur Company.
You looking for something?
Kenny darling, I wanted you to be
the first to see it, how you like it?
Not bad, not bad at all.
You know this gentleman?
- No, should I?
- No.
They are insurance investigators.
Better show them the
sales slip for your coat.
- I think, they think I stole it.
- Sure.
It will change their minds.
When people infer I'm
dishonest hurts my feelings.
Don't get us wrong Mr. Webb.
Just because I own the building,
doesn't make me liable for everything.
- It's a nice coat miss.
- It sure is mister.
Doesn't take much to make
a girl happy, does it?
Not much.
See you soon Mr. Webb, thank
you for the cooperation.
Smart cookie, he paid
real dough for that coat.
Imagine, he must've all that Brissard
stuff stashed away on ice somewhere.
- Hey, I'm talking to you.
- What?
Webb, remember? The fur robbery.
Can't you keep your mind off that
girl long enough to earn a living?
I wasn't thinking about her.
So you weren't. Come on, we'll
talk about at the office tomorrow.
How did you get in?
Detectives get most anything they want,
when it comes to passkeys, that is.
Oh, it's only a few days to Christmas,
I thought you ought to have a tree.
Old American custom.
Thanks.
I didn't get you anything else.
- You know why?
- Why?
Nothing would be good enough.
You're wrong Joe, anything
would've been good enough.
Nice little place.
I'm going to have a lot better.
- We're not getting anywhere, are we?
- We never have.
What you expect me to do?
I haven't any real
money, I never will have.
I can earn my keep. I can
look at myself in the mirror.
When you look in the mirror, what
do you tell yourself you want?
You.
I want you so bad, I
can't think straight.
You're what I want for Christmas,
day after the 4th of July.
Saturday nights, all the days there are.
And I want you Joe.
But not as an insurance
Cop making 350 a month.
What do you want?
- A pair of shoes.
- We don't have your size.
- Nine and a half.
- I've said we don't have your size.
Empty. What? Are they all empty?
- You looking for trouble?
- Look, all I want is a pair of shoes.
Tell you what I'll do, I'll
take a pair of shoes any size.
What's the trouble?
Funny man, insists on
buying a pair of shoes.
Hello Mr. Peters. Go on back inside.
- Well, I never expected to see you here.
- Why not?
This where you collect
for all your rackets.
Smart man, trying to collect a
little something for yourself?
Oh, I already have.
Facts on the life of Kendall Webb.
How he got himself a penthouse, money to
buy mink coats and everything else he wants.
He's gotten away with everything
from income tax evasion to murder.
Then he winds up a man of distinction
with a pretty wife in Las Vegas, a...
dummy shoe store and
property all over the place.
Well? Why you wasting your time?
If you really had anything you wouldn't
sit there talking, you'd take me in.
Let's say I don't have anything,
let's just say I'm close.
Close enough to offer you a trade.
You fascinate me.
Look, I can keep on the way I'm going
and eventually have you in a lock up.
You engineered the Brissard Fur
robbery, but that's only part of it.
Assuming you're right,
where is the trade come in?
You got something I want.
An effective organization,
men all over the country.
- When you say jump, they jump.
- You put it very well.
Supposing you knew someone
who had inside information.
On the movement of money from
local banks to Federal Reserve.
Currency shipments.
Like this million and a quarter.
All old bills, hard to trace.
- What you trying to sell?
- Million and a quarter.
Why?
Because I want a hunk for
myself, a big hunk, a third.
- Why?
- So I can give away mink coats.
- What do you think it will get you?
- The same as gets you.
- You know, I think you're on the level.
- Don't worry, I'm on the level.
You know, it took a reform school and
several jails to build my character.
You, you've probably
been square all your life.
Now suddenly you decide to steal.
Just goes to show you,
you can't trust anybody.
Webb, you want to make
a speech or a deal?
- What kind of a deal?
- Knocking over a railway mail car.
- Mail robbery is a 25 year rap, straight.
- That is if you get caught.
If you know how to do it, you won't.
If you know every mile of the route, how
many men are aboard, how to get inside.
- Are you interested?
- Very.
We don't have your size.
Where is Mr Webb tonight?
Gone up to Las Vegas this
afternoon to visit his family.
Seems like most everybody
goes home for Christmas Eve.
Seems like.
I've been watching the clock all evening.
Can't wait to get home and decorate the tree.
Now, those two kids of mine.
Will they be goggle eyed when
they go downstairs in the morning.
I'm telling you, there's nothing
like kids at Christmas time.
You'll find out when you
have a couple of your own.
Merry Christmas.
Come in.
- You alone?
- Yeah, just me and my bottle, come on in.
- Drinking alone isn't good for you.
- You just finding that out?
Just.
- I had to see you.
- What about?
About us.
I just realized tonight
I'm crazy about you.
I'm crazy about you too.
But my pay check is only
350 a month, remember?
- I'm going to fix that.
- Stop it Joe.
Why should I? That's what you want.
You wrong, I want you just as you are.
What about Webb?
- What about him?
- He can't have us both.
- Want to know something?
- What?
I don't need Webb's permission
to marry you or anybody.
- No?
- No.
Now, kiss me and tell me how much rent
we can afford out of your 350 a month.
- So you want pull out of our little deal?
- That's what I said.
Ok, you're out, we'll
go ahead without you.
Why don't you talk sense.
I said the caper is off.
My company insures that money.
All at once, you're a
company man, honest Joe.
Look Webb, I said the deal is off.
Oh no.
Who trying to fool
Joe, besides yourself?
You think she's going to be
happy with that bag of peanuts...
you pick up for a monthly pay check?
Is Diane been talking to you?
You're suspicious of her even
before you marry her, that's bad.
Look Joe, I'll put you right.
I haven't seen or talked to her.
Since you took advantage of the holiday
spirit while I was gone to talk to her...
You making a lot of conversation,
I got an appointment.
Yes, I know. City Hall,
in a couple of hours.
- You know everything, don't you?
- Well, you have a file on me.
Is there any harm in my keeping track of
you? Sit down, I'll tell you some more.
I hate to see you make
a chump of yourself Joe.
You cooked up a foolproof job and came
to me with it for a very good reason.
You wanted Diane but you
didn't have her kind of money.
Now, you think you can
have her without the money.
It won't work Joe, you think it will.
And maybe she thinks
so now, but it won't.
It'll last a couple of months maybe.
Then she'll start thinking
about the nicer things.
The things she had,
that you can't give her.
What are you going to do then?
That's my problem.
There won't be any problem
when you have important money.
You know, once a girl gets the feel of mink
around her shoulders, she doesn't forget it.
Even if she's in love
and tries awfully hard.
Think it over.
Someday you going to want
something nice and expensive.
You can't afford on
a detective's salary.
You know, once a girl gets the feel of mink
around her shoulders, she doesn't forget it.
Even if she's in love
and tries awfully hard.
How many men do you figure
will take for the job?
Five, you got that many you can trust?
- I can find them.
- How about the getaway?
Let's have some secrets from each other.
Such as who my men are
and what happens to them.
Then if anybody asks you
anything, you just don't know.
- I don't like secrets.
- I do.
- From here on, I'll take over.
- Not yet.
Here is a note with the serial numbers
of the mailbags with the money in them.
Save looking round.
The train leaves Los
Angeles on the 14th, 5 PM.
Well, I guess that
takes care of everything.
All except one little detail, my share.
I want you to mail it to me,
Parcel post. No return address.
North Creek, California,
general delivery.
You want me to put that
kind of money in the mail?
- Somebody will steal it.
- Nobody ever steals from the mail.
Hardly ever.
- Who takes you so sure I'll send it to you?
- You'll send it to me alright.
I can tell that by
looking at my file on you.
Put the money in this portable fire
pump, mail it to me in a carton.
- General delivery, North Creek, California?
- That will reach me.
Just a minute Joe.
Give my best to Diane, North
Creek sounds great for a honeymoon.
There you are Caleb.
Well, well, well Joe Peters,
married, I can't believe it.
- And this is your little bride?
- That's right.
And you're on your
honeymoon, Oh, I'm so happy.
So are we.
- You be staying in the cabin, won't you?
- Just for tonight.
Tomorrow, we're riding up into the
black country, going to really rough it.
Well, that's just fine. I
hope you'll like it dearie.
I'm sure I will.
Well, take plenty of warm clothes,
it's awful cold in the mountains.
- Who gets cold on a honeymoon?
- Oh Mr. Peters.
You know what day this is?
It's 13th, why?
It's our anniversary,
we've been married a week.
Want to know something?
- What?
- I like it.
Something wrong?
No, no, I was just thinking we got to ride
down to the store tomorrow for supplies.
Thinking of supplies when
you're kissing your bride.
That mean the honeymoon is over.
It will never be over for us baby.
Blue jeans, four dollars.
Two cartons of cigarettes,
three dollars and 30 cents.
- Now, that be all?
- You better ask him.
Anything else Mr. Peters?
- Mr Peters, is there anything else?
- No, I think everything is on the list.
You know, when it comes to toy
trains men are just like little boys.
Turn the switch, make it run.
Ok.
We going somewhere?
Not until we take off for
the mountains in the morning.
Why you keep looking at the
clock? You're actually jumping.
What is it?
Ok, you might as well know.
Webb and I are in on a big deal.
We'll be rich for life
if it comes off tonight.
You and Webb?
You said you wanted me and a
lot of money, now you have both.
I don't need both now.
- Call it off Joe please.
- It's too late.
Except to hope that nothing goes wrong.
If something does?
They won't suspect me, I'm up
in the mountains on my honeymoon.
Honeymoon is over before it started.
Oh relax baby.
- In a few days we'll have so much money...
- Who cares about money?
We interrupt our program of recorded
music now to bring you a newsflash.
Bandits held up a train in the mountains near
Saint Louis Obispo shortly after midnight.
The heavily armed desperadoes
dynamited the mail car...
and escaped with three
sacks of registered mail.
It was the most daring train
hold up in California history.
Henry Star, a railway mail
clerk was seriously injured.
The bandits made a clean get...
A million and a quarter, cold cash.
A third of it's ours.
You hear what I said?
I heard.
It's all over now,
nothing to worry about.
No, nothing.
- Everything went fine.
- Yeah.
As soon as the money gets
here, we'll go back to town.
I'll keep my job for a while, say,
six months, until the heat is off.
Stash the money here.
- You find anything Saunders?
- Yes sir.
- The explosive they used was QXG.
- That could be a lead.
- Check with War Surplus.
- Yes sir.
This outfit wasn't looking for love letters
they knew just what pouches to go for.
Yeah.
Egan talking, I want a report on every
person who knew anything at all about
the routing of that money shipment.
Now, that shall includes,
bank clerks, postal clerks,
armored-car crews and insurance people.
Yes sir.
Ok Harry, I'll be back as soon as I can.
Yeah.
There's been a hold up, a big one.
A hold-up?
Yes, 5 guys knocked off a train carrying
a money shipment insured by our firm.
- Over a million dollars.
- I heard that on the radio, didn't you?
We weren't packing a
radio in the mountains.
Honey, we've got to get
back to LA right away.
If any mail or packages come, would
you save them for me Mrs McDonald?
Oh. Something did come.
I clean forgot about it.
A package.
Say, those truck drivers don't
care what they do with the mail.
Oh, don't worry, it's probably
a fire extinguisher I ordered.
Oh, you better open it and
see if anything is broken.
Not a dent, not a dent to it.
- Now, if you want to leave it here.
- No. We got to get back to the cabin to...
pack and lock up anyway.
- Put Jackson on that right away.
- Right.
- Hi Saunders.
- Hi you, married man.
- Welcome home.
- Good to see you Harry.
- Joe.
- Hello Egan.
- Well, ready to go back to work.
- No, wait a minute, not so fast.
You know, 28 people knew about
the movement of that money.
Including you.
- Ok, Ok, put away the hose, I'll talk.
- No, you don't have to, listen to this.
You and your wife arrived at North
Creek at 5 PM Saturday January the 6th.
You bought food and supplies.
You stayed all night in your cabin, then
up the mountain first thing next morning.
You came back to North Creek
for supplies on the 14th.
Then you went back
up in the mountains...
and stayed, until you got
Harry's message this morning.
But minutes before you left. You
picked up a Parcel Post package.
A fire-extinguisher mailed
to you from Los Angeles.
The old gal at the store
didn't miss a thing, did she?
You went back to the cabin, locked up
and arrived here at 2 PM, which is now.
Wait a minute, you left out something.
We stopped at Maricopa for a sandwich.
- We missed that.
- Joe, this is murder.
The postal clerk who was injured when the
mail coach was dynamited died this morning.
That's rough, I didn't know.
What's broken on the case so far?
Not much, a farmer heard a low flying
plane about the time of the hold-up.
We located the field where it took off.
- They made their getaway by air, eh?
- Yeap, an amphibian.
The hull and the wing floats
left marks on the grass.
From the measurements it was a Republic
Seebee, now, that's a 4-place ship.
But it could carry 6 on a pinch.
A pilot and the five guys that stuck
up the train, that's pretty clever.
That means they landed on
water, we'll never get them.
Not necessarily, you see?
Excuse me, Egan talking.
Nothing doing on that
amphibian from Lake Tahoe Ray.
The same goes for San Francisco, Portland
and Seattle. How are you doing down south?
Yeah, we drew a blank in the San Diego and
Lake area, San Pedro is still wide open.
It's just possible we may score there.
You might just as well open up Partos.
The specimens of grass recover
from the undercarriage...
of your plane matched
the growth on that field.
Now, there's no doubt
that you landed there.
Alright, so I put the plane
down at Santa Margarita...
but I don't know anything
about any stick up..
Nobody said you did, we're
interested in your 5 passengers.
A fella comes up to me last week
and wanted to charter my plane.
- I got to eat so I don't ask questions.
- Ever seen the man before?
I don't pay too much attention to him because
I'm looking at what he had in his hands.
Nice new C notes.
And I'm listening to what he says about
how there's more where those came from.
You're probably remember him if you
ever you saw him again though, eh?
I guess maybe I would.
The other 4 characters maybe not, because
I don't get a good look at them in the dark.
Anyway, they pile in and I take off.
Pretty soon there is a light below so
I set her down in the channel, then...
a fishing boat comes up alongside.
Then one of the characters hands me an
envelope with the rest of the money in it.
They get into a row boat, I go home.
- What was the name of that fishing boat?
- I don't know.
- What's the matter? You
near-sighted? - No, was too dark.
It wasn't too dark to see the face of the
guy who gave you the money though, was it?
Maybe it was.
Maybe you can pick up his
picture for us later, eh?
Maybe.
We're getting warm.
- Hello handsome.
- Hi.
- What's happening?
- Nothing yet.
I'm not sure Webb covered
his tracks well enough.
You told me yourself the police
have never pinned anything on him.
It's always a first time.
What's this?
Fellow wants to marry me.
- What?
- The one who couldn't before, from Texas.
Now he can.
How do you feel about it now?
When I'm with you I can't even
remember what he looks like.
- Hello?
- Is that you Joe?
Say, I've been trying to
get hold of you all day.
I just got in.
I called you at the hotel but they said
you'd check out so I called you here.
- Can we talk?
- Yeah, I think we'd better.
My government friends just picked up
your pilot, a guy by the name of Partos.
Partos? He has been singing?
Some, about how he was hired
for the job by strangers.
How much more can he tell them?
Not much.
- I'm pretty sure that's all he knows.
- Well, I hope you're right.
I'll stick by him just in case,
they're showing him pictures tonight.
What's going on?
Too much.
Look, we've been here all night, how many
more of these pictures do I have to look at?
Only six or eight hundred
more, come on, come on.
I never saw that kisser before.
No.
No.
Hold it.
Yeah.
That could be the guy.
Matt De Vita.
Well, we're dealing with
a really big time operator.
Saunders, put this on the wire-photo to all
Federal, State and Law Enforcement Agencies.
Right.
- Hello?
- Webb, it's me Joe.
They've picked up De Vita,
things don't look too good.
De Vita won't talk.
They're going to be tough on him.
Oh, that's fine.
Ah, when people get tough with
De Vita he really clams up.
I hope they push him around good.
Nothing closes De Vita's mouth
faster than a little mauling.
Ok.
There is no reason for you to
be so difficult Mr. De Vita.
You've been identified. You took
a plane ride and a boat ride.
- So do lots of people, everybody travels.
- Well, you're going to travel some more.
- You don't say?
- Let me have him for a minute.
Look, De Vita.
My company is on the
hook for a lot of dough.
You could be a big help to us.
But if you think you going
to make monkeys out of us...
- Easy.
- What do you mean take it easy?
I'll make this baby
sing, loud and clear.
- You want more?
- I'll take all you got.
It's only one way to handle
these babies I'm telling you.
Relax.
Get back to the office.
Bring the boss up to date,
I'll take care of this end.
Alright.
Go ahead, handle him with kid's gloves.
I still think my way is better.
I thought he was an easy going guy.
He was.
Until he got married.
Hello darling.
This isn't your darling.
- Oh Mr. Miller?
- Sorry I scared you.
Joe ought to be here in a
moment, would you like a drink?
No thanks.
The apartment is in
a mess, we're moving.
- Too expensive?
- Yes.
Well, it won't be, not if we
nail down that mail car mob.
Joe's part of the
reward won't be peanuts.
Go right on packing, don't mind me.
Why you looking at me like that?
- It bother you?
- Yes, it gives me the jitters.
- Why should you have the jitters?
- What is this? The third degree?
Oh, I'm sorry. I guess
it's the business I'm in.
Makes us all nervous, even Joe.
Have you noticed how
nervous he is lately?
As nervous as you are.
- The way things look to me...
- How do they look to you Harry?
- I said, how do they look to you?
- Better.
After you left, well Egan
and I had kind of a wild idea.
Like what?
We thought maybe our friend Kendall
Webb could be mixed up in this.
You know, De Vita is one of his boys.
- You think it's an angle?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, might be, I'll follow through on.
- Good.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Why did Harry come here?
It doesn't make sense.
I don't know, he was needling
me from the moment he came in.
It's not like Harry,
unless he had a reason.
- Wonder how much he knows.
- Are you worried?
It'll be alright honey.
I'll fix it so it'll be alright.
Get your coat, we're going up
to the mountains, for the money.
- Hello?
- Webb?
Yes.
- Got to see you right away.
- What's happened?
Plenty, De Vita spilled his guts. You
better decide on the next move, fast.
I don't know what you're doing
but I'm getting out of here now.
You better see me before you go.
Why should I?
I've got a plan will clear us both up.
- How?
- I can't talk now.
Meet me in half an hour in Mulholland
Glade, just west of Beverley Glen.
I don't see how?
You will when I tell you
what I've got in mind.
You want to stay out of jail long enough to
enjoy any of that money, you better be there.
- What you looking at?
- Your bags, are all packed.
I guess you didn't believe me when I
told you I had a plan to clear us both.
- I might not like the plan.
- If you don't?
- Being packed saves a lot of time.
- You're not going anywhere, Webb.
- No?
- No.
You make it sound like I
haven't very much of a future.
- Number please.
- Western Union please.
- I'd like to send a straight wire.
- To whom is the message going?
Mrs Kendall Webb.
Care of Club El Chico,
Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sending Parcel.
Put contents, in safe deposit box.
Love. Sign Kenny.
Z. 5. 8. 4.
No, the rest are too burned.
For the amount of ash in Webb's
car must've been loaded with money.
Z584, the first three numbers
check, can you make out the series?
- Series, 1935 Z.
- On the nose.
Tallies exactly with the currency
shipment list from the bank.
- Same money alright.
- How much richer does that make us?
How do I know? If you can
add up ashes, you tell me.
Then we're really stuck.
So are we, for years, we tried
to pin something on Kendall Webb.
And when we find burned money is his car
and it all ties up to a mail hold-up...
and a homicide, we can't
indict him for murder.
- Because he's already dead.
- What's next Egan?
A social call to Mr
Webb's widow in Las Vegas.
Do you mind if we take
a look too Mrs Webb?
Don't tell me you're saving
all of this for a rainy day.
Come on.
The serials matched on 400,000
dollars in Webb's safety deposit box.
De Vita and his four boys got
$50,000 a piece, which we got back.
Then Webb mailed his
wife a hundred thousand.
On the burnt stuff, how much is
Saunders think the government may honor?
- About a hundred thousand.
- Yeah?
About two thirds recovered.
Well, I guess I ought to be happy.
- Are you?
- I am not.
Maybe the currency burnt in Webb's car
didn't account for all the missing cash.
Maybe someone got his hands on,
say 400,000 of it, is holding out.
How's that Harry?
I said. Maybe Webb didn't have
all the missing money in his car.
That's what I've thought you said.
Got any ideas about where the rest is?
- Some.
- Dig it up and I'll buy you a necktie.
- Let's go have a drink.
- You don't drink in the daytime.
- Today is an exception, a celebration.
- What are we celebrating?
I'll tell you when we get there.
- Hi you Mike.
- Hello Harry, hello Joe.
- A couple of the usual.
- Very well.
- How is the insurance business?
- Looking up.
Ok Harry, what's on your mind?
- There you are.
- Thanks Mike.
- Well, here's to it, whatever it is.
- To it.
- How do you say goodbye to an old friend?
- Why, you going somewhere?
- No, you are.
- Yeah?
You want to know where you
slipped? You're entitled to know.
My first lead was Egan mentioning that new
fire extinguisher you had mailed to you.
I bought a new one for
the cabin last summer.
Was Ok in September when
we were up there fishing.
Handy thing to ship stuff in a
fire-extinguisher, can hold a lot of money.
Like four hundred thousand dollars.
- You crazy Harry.
- There are a lot pieces and they all fit.
Like the day you came back in Egan's office
for instance, 5 guys and a pilot, you said.
You knew that Webb had assigned
five guys to the job, we didn't.
- I still say you crazy.
- You must've killed Webb to finger him.
Burned money would close out the
case and leave you in the clear.
I brought you here like
this to say goodbye.
Because, I owe you that much.
You're under arrest Joe, let's
keep the whole thing nice.
Go to the cops, then to your
new apartment for a look around.
Diane isn't in this, she
had nothing to do with it.
I didn't say she did, won't
be any charge against her.
Just so we get the missing money.
You ready?
Hey, what goes on?
- What he hit me with?
- A beer bottle.
- Hey, I thought you two were friends.
- We were.
Hello?
This is Joe. Now listen
and get this straight.
Call a cab the minute I hang up.
Don't try to pack a thing,
just bring the money.
Meet me at the lumber yard
at the corner of 3rd and Main.
- You get it?
- Yes.
I'll be there, are you alright Joe?
Would you mind telling
me where we're going?
Mexico, if we have any luck.
Egan talking, Western Federal Division.
Set up a general
roadblock covering all...
transportation embarkation
points, air, rail, bus and water.
We want Joe Peters for murder and
robbery of the United States Mail.
Peters is driving a black
1950, Plymouth sedan.
License number 1X1...
Attention all cars, be on the look
out for a 1950 black Plymouth sedan.
California License number 1X1853.
Driver of car is Joe Peters,
plan A now in operation.
Plan A covers every main traffic
artery leading out of Los Angeles.
This roadblock at Malibu cuts off
the coast highway to the north.
If he tries the San Fernando valley up
north, they'll cut him off at Tarzana.
If he's heading east, he'll
be stopped by a roadblock here.
Well, it's a cinch he'll
never get out of town.
- Car 49 calling headquarters.
- Go ahead, 49.
Black Plymouth sedan,
license number 1X1853.
Headed east on Hearst Street near
Figueroa. Man driving with woman passenger.
- Diane with him.
- Attention all cars. Attention all cars.
Black Plymouth sedan,
California license 1X1853.
1X1853, driven by Joe Peters.
Reported headed east on 3rd near
Figueroa. Move in on that area.
That puts him here.
He could be trying for
the coast highway south...
or he may take a stab
east through Pasadena.
No, he won't make it.
He's trapped in this area.
Come on.
Where is this highway take us?
This no highway, this is
a Los Angeles riverbed.
How do we get out?
There is a cut off up
ahead, leads to Glendale.
- Car 21 calling headquarters.
- Come in 21.
The black Plymouth sedan wanted
in connection with Plan A...
just drove down the 6th Street
ramp to the Los Angeles riverbed.
And is heading west, we are
blocking 6th Street ramp.
There only four entrances to the
riverbed, he'll never get out.
Really trapped himself now.
Attention Plan A cars.
Cover all ramps to
Los Angeles riverbed...
from Aliso Street west,
station men at all bridges.
There is where we leave the river.
- Why are we stopping?
- This as far as you go.
- I'm staying.
- You going to Texas.
- But Joe.
- Don't argue, get out.
Get out.
Joe...
Alright Joe.
- I'll take the gun.
- You take nothing.
You haven't got a chance, you've been in
this business long enough to know that.
- I'm getting out of here.
- Give me the gun.
Hello honey.
- Haven't you left for Texas yet?
- I'll match you to see whether I stay.