Shockproof (1949) Movie Script
May I help you?
Jenny Marsh. First office to your left.
Sit down.
Now then, you understand
you're not permitted to drive a car.
You're not permitted
to drink alcoholic beverages.
You may not borrow money.
You may not carry a weapon.
You may purchase clothes and food,
but never on credit.
All purchases must be for cash.
- Did you read this?
- I've got it memorized.
Our objective
is the rehabilitation of the criminal.
We'll help you in every way
we can, but it's up to you.
I'll get you a job and a place to live.
You cannot leave that job.
You cannot change...
I can't change my employment
or my place of residence
without first obtaining the permission
of the Bureau of Paroles.
Well, you have got it memorized.
You may not enter into any contract
without the consent of your parole officer.
That's me.
You may not marry,
and you've got to change your brand of men.
- Who picks them for me? You?
- Don't worry.
You won't have any trouble
finding new friends,
but be sure they're friends this time.
On some of these matters,
when conditions justify it,
an exception can be made
by special permission
of the Chief Parole Officer.
However, no exception can be made
to the rule of not carrying a deadly weapon,
or to the rule of not marrying.
These are beyond our power to sanction.
You've got it all memorized, too,
haven't you?
Well, I say it at least once a day.
You can save it. I know it all.
I can't help that. I... You're on life parole.
Hello, Sam. This is Jenny Marsh.
Meet Mr. Brooks, our chief parole officer.
How do you do? Glad to be out?
Yes, sir.
Now then, you're on life parole.
That means you report to me every day.
- Every day?
- That's it.
Later, it'll be twice a week, then once a week.
How long does that go on?
Well, if you behave, you can get
your release in a couple of years.
Remember him?
If I try hard enough.
Well, try hard to forget. He's dead.
I mean dead as far as you're concerned.
He's got a bad reputation.
Yes, sir.
Now listen, this is important in your case.
You may not associate with
or correspond with
or make any contact with
any individual of known bad reputation,
or any present or former inmate
of a penal institution...
Harry Wesson was never in any...
I know all about Harry.
You don't have to tell me.
He's never landed in the pen,
but he's come close a dozen times.
Now, I'm telling you
he's the wrong sort for you.
And my orders are to stay away.
Disobeying my orders means
you break parole.
Breaking parole means you go back to jail.
Is that clear?
Yes, sir.
Well, you see, I'm the teacher.
You're the pupil.
Sure.
- I'm the one who gets spanked.
- Not in the modern educational system.
They don't spank kids anymore.
They just send them to jail.
Now look, take a little advice.
I think you'd be better off
dropping this bitterness
and forgetting the past.
You'll get over it if you get the breaks.
And I'm here to see that you get them.
You got cigarettes?
Do I have to change
my brand of cigarettes, too?
- All right, let's go.
- Go?
Yeah, I'll get you a place to live
not far from here.
The radio doesn't work, but it can be fixed.
And the room has morning sun.
Do you like it? $6 a week.
- Well, I...
- Yeah, she likes it.
- I pay the first week's rent in advance...
- Thank you.
...and you pay me back
out of your first week's salary.
The bathroom's down the hall,
two doors to the right.
- First week's salary? From what?
- Yeah, you've got a job.
Report there in the morning.
You get $21 a week.
Ask for Mr. Logan. He expects you.
- That landlady.
- Mrs. Terrence?
Yes. Does she know about me?
Don't worry, she won't spy on you.
- You got money for lunch and dinner?
- Yes, sir.
Okay, I'll drop by the office
and see how you're getting on.
- Well, lots of luck, Jenny. Take it easy.
- Thank you.
Just a moment. You can't see Jenny Marsh.
- I don't think I know you.
- I'm Jenny Marsh's parole officer.
If she sees you, she breaks parole.
I see. So that's the way it is.
That's the way it is. Now, get going!
- Harry.
- Jenny.
How did you learn this address?
What right have you to question me?
I meant what I said about not seeing him.
It's a violation of your parole.
Now, run along, Wesson. And stay away!
You can't tell me what to do.
I can do what I like and go where I like
and see any woman I happen to like.
You have no authority over me.
I have authority over you. Tell him to go.
Please, Harry, go.
All right, Jenny.
- How did he know where to find you?
- I don't know.
Well, what am I supposed to do? Hide?
Now, you better watch your step,
Miss Marsh.
All right, I'll stay away from him,
but you've got to help me.
Can you get me a room
and a job where he can't find me?
Maybe. Report in the morning.
Couldn't Monte
have met us somewhere else?
But he never leaves here.
He lives here, eats here,
sleeps here and works here.
But, Harry,
I'm not supposed to go into a place like this.
- I wish he could have met us outside.
- It won't take long. Come on.
- Well, Jenny Marsh.
- Hello, Monte.
Say, you're looking good, kid,
in spite of everything.
Thanks, Monte. I feel fine.
What's this emergency call about?
- You know, Jenny's on parole.
- Yeah, I know.
- For how long, Jenny?
- The book. Life parole.
She wants to be transferred
to San Francisco.
- Shadow too close here?
- That's putting it mildly.
- Who?
- Griff Marat.
He was my parole officer for two years.
Tough boy, but smart.
Say he's going to run
for the state legislature.
- What?
- Yeah.
They're talking about running him
for assemblyman in the 84th District.
They can run him for president
as far as I'm concerned.
Look, what are the possibilities
of a transfer for Jenny?
Tough.
Nothing is too difficult for you, Monte,
unless the price isn't right.
Well, sit down.
If the Parole Board in San Francisco
lands her a job and a room,
Los Angeles gives her the green light.
- Sounds simple.
- It isn't.
First, I've got to plant a family up there.
They ask for her to be transferred.
5,000 for the whole show.
Okay. When?
As of now,
you have cousins in San Francisco.
First cousins called Harris.
- Yeah?
- Will you come in for a minute, Griff?
Be right in.
Griff, how's Jenny Marsh coming along?
- Jenny Marsh? Okay.
- What's she doing?
She's going after a job on her own,
bookkeeping job.
Phoned me about it a few hours ago.
That girl's going places.
She sure is. Right back to prison. Today.
What do you mean? What happened?
She was picked up in a bookie raid.
A bookkeeping job.
Joe Wilson was picked up, too.
- Joe Wilson?
- Another one of your pupils.
- Where are they now?
- Next door.
- Mr. Marat, don't let them send me back.
- You're out of luck, Joe.
It'll mean 20 years. I can't take it.
Give me another chance, please.
I promise this time...
You got parole twice,
and this is your third violation.
And I'm through covering up for you.
Take him to headquarters.
Twenty years. Twenty years. I ain't going!
Joe Wilson's stuff.
They've taken him to the hospital,
but he won't live.
All right.
- What did the girl have to say?
- I don't know. I haven't talked to her yet.
She's still in there. Sprained her ankle.
Excuse me.
What have you got to say for yourself?
Look, I feel it's all my fault.
That's why I came along.
You're a fool, Wesson.
You know those places are raided
for parole violators.
Why did you take her there?
Did you get hurt?
- I sprained my ankle.
- Officer.
- Yes, sir.
- Take her down to Dr. Daniels.
- You wait here.
- Dr. Daniels?
You heard me.
This way, miss.
Hello. Give me Dr. Daniels, please.
Hello, Doc? This is Griff Marat.
I'm sending a girl named Jenny Marsh
down to your office.
Yeah, she's got a sprained ankle.
See what you can find out, will you?
How old is she, Griff?
Well, what does she look like?
Blonde?
Delicate features.
Brown eyes.
I see.
Well, she just saw a man
jump off the balcony.
She's pretty shaky and upset.
Ought to be easy to work on.
Okay.
Okay for sound?
- Echo.
- Okay for sound?
Yeah, okay here.
Now, play it cagey, Doc. This one's smart.
- What are you trying to prove?
- I'm not sure yet.
Maybe that the girl has character.
They all have when they're caught.
Never should have been paroled.
Over here.
- Can you make it?
- I think so. Take it easy.
It's her ankle, Doc.
- I'll be right outside.
- Take off your stocking.
So...
- I feel sick.
- Really hurt that bad?
I just saw a man jump off the balcony.
What did he do that for?
They were sending him back for good.
I guess if I had the nerve,
I'd do the same thing.
No, you wouldn't.
You wouldn't.
Well, you know,
you remind me of my daughter.
You even look like her.
Why, because we're both female?
That's about the only resemblance
between her and me.
- Is your mother still living?
- My mother? Yes.
- How long were you in prison?
- Five years.
Five years. Must have broken her heart.
She's still in the hospital
in the alcoholic ward.
- And your father?
- He was no good.
I guess like father, like daughter.
It's heredity.
- It's environment.
- It's a joke.
There were nine of us. I was the oldest.
Blew their noses for them, scrubbed them,
doctored them,
everybody living in the one room.
Swill pile, that's what it was.
- Where'd you get hurt?
- In a raid on a bookie joint.
I broke parole. That means I'm going back.
Don't you think you were pretty silly
to go to a bookie joint
when you were out on parole?
I went with a friend who had business there.
Fine friend. Got you in a big jam.
He's the one who didn't forget me
when they sent me to prison.
Love him?
He waited five years for me. For me.
A man with a college education,
nice manners, money,
everything I never had in a man before.
Put that in your test tube, Doc,
and what do you see?
- What does he do?
- Gambles in a refined sort of way.
- It feels better now.
- It'll be all right in a day or two.
- Officer.
- Yes, Doc?
- You can take her back now.
- Okay.
Doc, I just bought this outfit.
If your daughter wears a size 12,
she can have it.
I guess I won't be needing it anymore.
My feeling is that she's sensitive,
confused and angry.
But Griff's right. I don't think
Jenny Marsh is an habitual criminal.
Well, then,
you think she'll straighten out okay, Doc?
- I mean, if somebody gave her a break?
- I think so, Griff.
- You do?
- Yes, I'm sure of it.
Well, I still don't trust her, but go ahead.
She's your case.
Thanks, Sam. You'll see I'm right about her.
I don't say she's a hardened criminal.
- What is a criminal, Sam?
- Yeah, I've often wondered.
I see them every day, but I still don't know.
A criminal is somebody
who commits a crime.
Griff, she's in your office.
And, Griff, throw a scare into her.
Okay.
Thanks, Doc.
This'll help you know the score.
Twenty years later, a lifer.
She looks 60. She's 40.
Same girl 10 years later. Here's another one.
I've seen enough.
All right, you're sending me back,
but you don't have to torture me first.
Send me back and shut up!
Ask Wesson to come in.
Now, take it easy.
- Feel better?
- Thank you.
Sit down.
Maybe you've got something smart to say.
- Whatever you may think of me, Marat...
- Let's not go into that.
Well, as I said before, it's all my fault.
It would be unjust to make Jenny suffer
for my thoughtlessness.
Now, look here, Wesson.
I know you think you're pretty smart,
smarter than a dumb parole officer.
Well, maybe you are.
But you're up against an organization
that's too big for you.
- You can't beat the whole parole setup.
- I don't intend to try.
All right, if you care about Jenny
as much as you seem to,
you'll cooperate from now on,
or it's going to be just too bad.
- What am I expected to do?
- Leave her alone!
Has it occurred to you that you're making
the conditions unnecessarily difficult?
Jenny cares for me.
You're setting up a situation
full of hazards and temptations.
I'm aware of that.
But I think the hazards
will be greater if she sees you.
You'll invite her to break rules,
because you look on rules
as things invented for suckers.
You think the guy who gets away
with things is smart.
What if I do stay away?
She'll start seeing me again when she's free.
She'll be as badly off as ever
by your standards.
Well, I'm counting on her forgetting you.
I'm counting on her meeting some normal,
decent people.
And I'm counting on her
getting over a feeling of gratitude to you,
- of loyalty, of...
- You mean of love, don't you?
She didn't get over it in five years.
Then you can wait another couple of years.
I'll do everything I can
to get her released sooner.
Now, I'll give you three minutes
to say goodbye.
Then you go, and you don't see her
until I say so. Agreed?
Have we any choice?
- Agreed?
- Okay.
I'll be back in three minutes.
- How's your ankle, darling?
- It's all right.
When I was leaving the doctor's office,
I noticed the dictograph key was up.
She's really a psychiatrist. It's a parole trick.
Darling, I'll see you tomorrow night
about 7:00.
- Hello, Jenny.
- Why, hello.
- Almost missed you. Where are you going?
- Just to get a bite of dinner.
Great. Get in.
- Well, I...
- Come on, get in.
- It's better than eating alone, isn't it?
- Of course. Thanks.
When I laid out that $6 for your rent,
I thought you'd blown all your money
on that first outfit.
I didn't know you had a private gold mine.
- Like it?
- Yeah.
- I bought it today.
- Yeah, it's swell.
Harry's money?
Yes.
Well, I suppose there's no reason
why you shouldn't use
what's left of it as long as you have it.
I looked to see if there was a rule against it,
but there wasn't.
Look, if you'll just drop me
at a restaurant, I'II...
No, you're eating with me.
Do you often take parolees to dinner?
Are you married?
I'm Italian, over 21... What do you expect?
Well, how does Mrs. Marat feel
about this sort of homework?
- She encourages it.
- You're kidding.
Hello, Fred. Get in.
- You're right on time.
- Yeah.
Jenny, this is Fred Bauer. Jenny Marsh.
- How do you do, Miss Marsh?
- How do you do?
You didn't mention a chaperone.
I'm not a chaperone. I'm a dishwasher.
A dishwasher? At what restaurant?
No, we're not eating at a restaurant.
We're going to my house.
- Does Mrs. Marat expect us?
- Sure.
I see.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I brought Barry along for dinner, okay?
- Okay, get in.
- This is Tommy.
- Cut out the Tommy, can't you, Griff?
Sorry. This is Mr. Thomas Marat
and his friend Barry.
Miss Marsh, Mr. Bauer.
- How do you do?
- Hello.
Hi.
- Your son?
- Kid brother.
Say, Griff, I told Barry you handled
that killer Mike Cardoza,
and he said no.
You did, didn't you?
Wasn't he that killer, and you beat him up?
See? They give him all the killers.
We're playing Lowell High
next Saturday, semifinals.
- Can you come, Griff?
- Hey, why don't you sit back?
- You smell like a horse.
- Please, there's a lady present.
- Will you come Saturday, Griff?
- Sure.
- Who's going to win?
- We'll annihilate them.
Come on.
- Hi, Mom.
- Hi.
Hi.
Griff is bringing a lady and a man.
Yes, Tommy. Yes, Tommy, I know.
Brought a couple of friends home for dinner.
Jenny Marsh and Fred Bauer.
I don't see, Miss Marsh.
You will have to take my hand, please.
- Here, Mama.
- I'm sorry.
- How do you do, Mrs. Marat?
- How do you do, Miss Marsh?
Hey, Barry, watch this.
- Blonde or brunette, Mom?
- Brunette.
- Hey, you're wrong, Mom.
- Wrong?
She's never missed before.
She can tell by the voice and the handshake.
She's blonde, Mom, and how.
One mistake doesn't count.
Won't you come in, Miss Marsh?
I don't want to spoil your record, Mrs. Marat.
I think I should tell you I'm really a brunette.
Bleached.
Well, what do you know? Well,
how's it done? Well, what do they use?
It's a long story.
- Gosh, it looks good, doesn't it?
- Sure does.
Go get cleaned up, boys.
- Change your shirt, Tommy.
- Yeah, and hurry up.
I'm starving.
- Here, let me have your coat.
- Thank you.
Come on, Fred. You and I have work to do.
Griff is our cook these days.
- Griff?
- Yes, our part-time helper left.
Would you rather stay here?
I am going to the kitchen.
I'd like to help.
You have a nice big house here.
It's an old house. Tommy was born here.
How many of you are there living here?
Just Griff and Tommy and me now.
Now? Is somebody missing?
My husband died last year.
I miss him. I'm alone all day now.
What do I do?
If you bring me the radishes
from the refrigerator, I'll fix them.
- All right.
- Then you can set the table,
- if you don't mind.
- Yes, sure.
- Mrs. Marat is wonderful, isn't she?
- Yes, she's terrific.
Griff Marat has done a lot for me.
Are you an old friend?
I'd like you to know something, Jenny.
- Yes?
- I'm not exactly a friend of the family.
I'm one of his parolees.
Yes, I appreciate what he's doing,
bringing me here,
meeting his friends, like you and his family.
But I don't like pretending
to be something I'm not,
so I thought I'd tell you.
- What's the matter?
- I'm leaving.
- Why?
- I don't have to take this.
I wondered what it was all about.
Well, now I know.
It's part of the treatment,
the "be kind to jailbirds" system.
Show them a bit of home life.
Sweet influences for sick souls.
Well, I don't need your pity,
or your mother's, or anybody's.
My mother doesn't know about you
or about Bauer,
and she doesn't care.
Anybody I bring home is okay.
And that story about being married,
what was that for?
- Afraid I might make a pass at you?
- I always say that.
- To the female parolees?
- Sure, if I'm asked. Why not?
You didn't have to.
Believe me, it wasn't necessary.
I didn't think it was.
It's a regular procedure in the office.
- Regulation 86-B.
- Then they'd better fix the regulation.
It makes a liar out of you,
and a liar's a bad example
for the weak characters you deal with.
Look, Jenny, please try to get
that chip off your shoulder.
Come on, let's stop kidding each other.
I want to talk straight to you.
You're different, Jenny.
You have a promising life ahead of you
if you'II...
I know. If I keep away from Harry Wesson.
- Well, why can't you?
- It isn't complicated.
How would you feel if somebody
had waited five years just for you?
- Are you sure he did?
- Yes.
He's the only man
who was ever really kind to me.
He was patient and kind.
He taught me what fork to use,
how to dress correctly,
how to speak correctly.
Everything but how to think correctly.
You'd do a great deal for Harry Wesson,
wouldn't you?
- Yes, I'd do anything for him.
- You did. You even killed for him.
That's right. I did.
Thank you, Sam.
- Griff?
- Yeah.
- What about Jenny Marsh?
- Well, what about her?
You've been trying to land her a job
for more than a week.
I checked.
Four employers turned her down flat,
as soon as they learned she was a violator.
- Yeah, well, she's got a job.
- No kidding.
I had to find her one where Harry Wesson
couldn't get to her.
I found it.
She lives where she works,
eats there, sleeps there.
She gets 100 a month, one day off a week,
and she reports to me every day.
- What's the job?
- Taking care of a blind woman.
Take it easy.
- Hi. Home already? Have a good workout?
- Yeah.
- Where's everybody?
- Mom went to bed. She's tired.
Jenny's somewhere.
Okay, maestro.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- I thought this was your night at the Y.
- I was there.
Phoning somebody?
I phoned to see what time a movie went on.
Your mother said she wouldn't need me.
Why? Did you think
I was calling Harry Wesson?
I didn't think you were. I was just...
Is that why you got me this job here,
so you could spy on me?
I'm not spying on you, Jenny.
It's my job to check on you.
You're making it more than that
because of Harry.
- That's not true!
- Isn't it?
Okay, I admit that...
Because he loves me
and wants to be with me.
- What's wrong with that?
- He doesn't love anybody but himself.
He's done everything for me.
He gives you things with money
he never earned,
without denying himself anything.
You don't know what love is.
And you, teacher, do you know?
Well, not from experience,
but I've imagined it differently.
When you fall in love, really in love,
I think you'd know it for sure.
A man would feel, for the first time,
how wonderful life could be
when he has someone to share it with.
And he'd want to give her the good things
of life, not just the trimmings,
friends, home, children. And he'd think
of her before himself in everything,
her welfare, her future, her happiness.
And if she loved him, he'd be rich.
Most men don't think like that.
You only know Harry Wesson.
I'm sorry, Jenny.
I don't want to hurt you.
I know that, Griff.
Hey, what time does that movie go on?
- 8:24.
- Well, we'd better hurry.
Griff, can I come, too?
Come on.
Wow!
I still don't get it.
The guy was clear across the border.
They'd never have caught him.
So why'd he come back and give himself up?
Something about human nature, Tommy.
It happens all the time.
Men show up and confess to crimes
they committed five, 10, 20 years ago.
- No kidding?
- Sure.
All of a sudden they get a conscience.
Starts to get them down
and a kind of corrosion sets in.
Anybody want some ice cream or anything?
Ice cream? Silly question.
- Ice cream, Jenny?
- Yes, Griff. Sure.
I'll run over to the library
and change the book.
Don't hurry. It's nice here.
I can't take it much longer, Harry.
We can't live like this. I know I can't.
That's foolish. It's...
Please, Harry, it's driving me crazy.
They're so good to me, so kind.
I've got to get out of there.
What's bothering you? What happened?
Griff Marat's falling for me.
No kidding.
I've been around long enough
to know the signs.
It's no joke. I don't find it a bit funny.
I suppose it had to happen,
living in that house together for two months.
He even held my hand
in the movies the other night.
- My parole officer acting like...
- It's good. It's great. Encourage him.
It'll make things easier
till that transfer comes through.
Encourage? I don't understand.
Look, with him in love with you, baby,
we'll be able to handle him.
- Okay?
- Well, I...
And this is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"Give All to Love."
"Give all to love
Obey thy heart
"Friends, kindred..."
Hey, Mom, Jenny.
I wrote a little poem for school.
- Could I read it to you?
- Sure.
"'Little Purple Violets' by Thomas Marat.
"Little purple violets blowing in the breeze
Your beautiful fragrance puts me at ease
"Whether in a glade or in a bayou
"Their beauty and fragrance
reminds me of you"
- That's beautiful, Tommy.
- That's fine, Tommy. That's fine.
- Jenny, I dedicated it to you.
- Thank you, Tommy. I love it.
Won't your girlfriend... What's her name?
Mary? ...be jealous?
She's just a kid!
I see. Well,
you better practice your piano, Tommy.
- But I like to hear Jenny read.
- You like to hear Jenny read?
You like to help her wash dishes.
You like to help her shop...
And I like to hear you play the piano,
Tommy.
Do you?
I think he's falling in love with you, Jenny.
- I'm flattered.
- And so is Griff.
Sometimes blindness is not a handicap.
I know, and I think you know it, too, Jenny.
But I don't think Griff knows.
He's only a man.
- But it isn't possible.
- You know what's in your heart, Jenny.
Do what you think is right.
"Give all to love
Obey thy heart..."
- Griff!
- Yeah? Sorry I'm late.
It's all right. Your dinner's ready.
- Where are Mom and Tommy?
- They went to the concert.
That's right, I forgot.
Anything wrong, Griff?
If it's my hairdo, you're right. It's different.
- Do you like it?
- Yeah, I like it.
Better eat your dinner.
Shall I sit with you, or...
Yeah, would you? I hate to eat alone.
I could have waited and had dinner with you.
I wish I had.
Do you, Jenny?
- Do you like the music?
- Yeah, fine.
Nice music for dancing.
I used to love to dance.
Funny, I haven't thought
about it much lately.
- Do you like dancing, Griff?
- Yeah, but I'm afraid I'm not very good at it.
What's the matter?
Jenny, do you have relatives
in San Francisco?
What?
Cousins called Harris?
Why?
This came to the office a couple of days ago.
A request for a transfer to San Francisco.
What do you think?
Well, I... I don't know. I...
Maybe I don't want to go.
I don't think I want to be transferred.
- Why?
- Because I like my job.
I'm glad you do. Because this is a phony.
- What do you mean?
- It was arranged by Harry Wesson.
Did you know about it?
Well, a long time ago he did say something
about trying to arrange a transfer,
but I didn't know that he still...
You meant what you said, Jenny,
that you wouldn't have wanted to go?
That's right, Griff. I don't want to go.
- You do believe me, don't you?
- Okay, Jenny.
- I believe you.
- Thanks, Griff. I...
Good night.
Griff, Griff, a bad dream. Dream...
Hey there. Hey, hey.
Take it easy.
Easy does it.
- Griff, what happened?
- It's okay, Tommy.
She was just having a nightmare.
Better tell Mom it's all right,
or she'll be frightened. Hurry up.
It's okay. You're all right now.
Feel better?
- It was awful.
- Yeah, it must have been.
- I dreamed about you.
- Well, is that bad?
This was.
We were walking in a forest,
and you kept getting caught
in terrible steel traps.
- Oh, fine.
- And I kept warning you
and warning you, but you wouldn't listen.
Well, I hope you finally convinced me.
And you wouldn't let me go back.
- Back where?
- To prison.
No, sir, not a chance.
I'm sorry I woke up the whole house.
Well, everybody's entitled
to a little nightmare now and then.
You're sweet, Griff.
- Want a glass of milk?
- No, I'm fine now.
- I hope I'll be able to get back to sleep.
- Sure, you'll sleep all right.
You're a sweetheart, Griff.
I love you, Jenny.
I know I'm no great prize.
I don't make much money,
although I have hopes.
I'm just an everyday guy.
I don't care much about night clubs.
I'm not a very good dancer.
I guess I like mostly
what you might call simple things.
I can't offer you the expensive gowns,
the expensive times that Harry Wesson can.
But I do love you, Jenny.
Will you marry me, Jenny?
No, Griff,
you don't know what you're saying.
It's no good. It couldn't work.
- Is it still Harry Wesson?
- No, it's not that.
It's just you don't know me, Griff.
- You deserve better than me.
- I know what I want.
You know something? You're the first man
who ever asked me to marry him.
I know we can't get married
right away anyhow, until...
But you could say yes now, couldn't you?
Okay, Jenny, you think about it,
but you know how I feel.
- Yes, sir?
- You have a ticket for me.
- Harry Wesson. For Havana, Flight 615.
- Just a moment, please.
- Harry.
- Jenny.
I must speak to you.
I'm so glad I caught you.
- Mr. Wesson.
- Excuse me a moment. Yes?
Your ticket, sir. Flight 615.
- The limousine will leave in six minutes.
- Thank you.
Please don't go, Harry.
- It can't be helped.
- Then take me with you.
- What?
- I must get out of that house.
- I can't stay there.
- It's only for six weeks. You'll be all right.
This is the wrong time for you
to be going away for six weeks.
- Why, what happened?
- Griff proposed.
- He what?
- Last night. He wants me to marry him.
- I never dreamed he'd go that far.
- Parolees aren't allowed to marry.
If you marry, it means he's the one
who made you break the rules.
He didn't mean that.
He just wants me to say yes now,
and then after I'm off parole...
If you can get him to marry you now
and keep it secret, honey, it's sensational.
What are you talking about?
Look, he's got a blind mother
and a little brother who worships him.
And he needs that job
because he's got political ambitions.
Don't you see, Jenny?
Once you're married to him,
you can do anything,
and he won't dare give you away.
I can't do that, Harry.
The minute that marriage license
is in your pocket,
Griff Marat is where he belongs,
right behind the eight ball.
- I can't, Harry. I can't!
- Would passengers Duffy, Waterman
and Wesson please board the limousine?
Monte will know where I am.
The minute you're married,
get out of that house and wire me.
- Bye, darling.
- But... Harry.
Good afternoon, Bureau of Paroles.
Hello. Yeah, Mom.
When?
She just packed a few things and left.
She told me, Griff, about you and herself.
She said that she couldn't live here
with you,
and it wasn't fair to marry you, so...
Have you got any idea where she went?
Did she say anything to...
No. She just left, that's all.
But, Griff, there was something.
I don't know what it is.
It's something printed, I think.
It seems to be a leaflet of some sort.
It was on her bed.
I have the list of passengers of Flight 615.
There's a Mr. Harry Duffy,
Mr. Allen Waterman,
- J.J. Jennings...
- Jennings, a man or woman?
That was a man.
- Mr. Harry Wesson.
- Harry Wesson!
Yeah, I thought you were looking for a lady.
Yeah, that's right. Go on, please.
Any other woman?
Well, the only other woman
is Miss Mary Wilson.
- What did she look like?
- I remember her.
- She was very nervous, sort of worried.
- What did she look like?
Well, she had gray hair,
was about 65 years old, short and stout.
Attention, please.
Passengers on Flight 56 for Seattle,
Flight 56 is leaving from Gate 3.
Flight 56 for Seattle is leaving from Gate 3.
- Jenny!
- Griff.
Why are you running away from me?
Because I don't know what else to do!
- That's no answer.
- I'm just no good for you, Griff!
Don't say that.
Look, is it something I've done?
No, no. I can't explain it to you.
But being in your house, being with you, I...
You're going to marry me now, today.
- No, no.
- Why? Don't you want to marry me?
- You do love me, Jenny, don't you?
- I thought I didn't.
I was ready to leave. But, darling, it can't be.
No, we'll manage. It'll be all right.
We'll have to keep it a secret
till you get your release, but it'll work out.
But we'd be breaking the parole rule.
No, just bending it a little.
It'll ruin you if they find out,
your job, your career.
Nobody needs to know.
We just tell Mom maybe, that's all.
- But you do love me?
- Yes, yes, yes, yes.
We can get a plane right here
for Las Vegas and get married.
Parolees can't leave the state,
but you'll be in the custody
of a parole officer, so that makes it all right.
Griff. Griff.
For you two to stay apart
would have been wrong,
but we must trust nobody with this secret.
Griffin has much to lose if it is discovered,
his whole career.
But Jenny has more to lose, her whole life.
We must all be very careful.
God bless you.
- Hello.
- Hello, Jenny?
Yes, I'm home. Just got in.
Why didn't I hear from you?
Well, I... I couldn't. I...
Couldn't you get him to take the leap?
I thought you had him hooked when I left.
What happened?
You aren't alone. Just answer yes or no.
Can you meet me?
Well, yes, but...
Good, 5:00 at the library.
Fine. See you.
Harry, you shouldn't have come here.
You kept me waiting there for an hour.
For what reason?
Mrs. Marat isn't feeling well.
- But I...
- Yes?
- I did want to see you.
- Really?
Because I have something to tell you.
- But I...
- Relax.
- What are you afraid of?
- Please, Harry.
Griff is coming home.
He'll be here any minute.
You must go, Harry.
Jenny.
Who's there?
Is it Griff?
Who came in?
It's all right, Mom. It's just a friend of mine.
- Who's just a friend?
- Griff.
- Yes, Mom?
- Something's wrong, Griff.
Mom, go to your room, please.
Yes, Griff.
Griff!
You've had this coming for a long time.
Griff, don't!
Griff!
Hey, hey, it's all right. It's all right.
Now, look, I'm the one
who got the poke in the mouth.
Griff, I'm afraid. I'm afraid.
Don't worry, honey.
He won't bother you again.
Never again.
Good afternoon, Bureau of Paroles.
Mr. Marat?
- Hello?
- Hello, Mr. Marat.
- Yeah?
- This is Harry Wesson.
I have something to tell you about your wife.
Hello? Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Hello? Hello?
Hello. Hello, this is Griff Marat.
Send an ambulance right away
to 3039 Wilshire. Apartment 203.
Yeah, somebody shot Harry Wesson,
but he's still breathing.
Hurry it up, please.
Hello, Griff Marat again.
I think I know who did it.
Jenny Marsh, a parolee.
No, I'll bring her in.
- Griff!
- Yeah?
- Please come here.
- Where's Jenny?
She's up here.
- Jenny told me that...
- I know.
She told me the whole thing.
She told me what happened.
She wanted to turn herself in to the police,
but I made her wait for you.
Jenny shot that man
because she loved you...
She's a liar! I saw a letter she wrote,
and they used me, she and Wesson.
- She never loved me.
- No, no, no.
Griff! Griff!
I heard what you said, but it isn't true.
- Please!
- You're a liar and a cheat. You're no good.
I made a fool of myself over you,
and never again!
- Griff, please!
- Come on.
Griff, you must listen.
I don't care what happens to me,
but I want you to know the truth.
I went to Harry's apartment.
I wanted to tell him about us.
Jenny, come in.
I can't stay, Harry.
Mrs. Marat's waiting down the street.
I had to speak to you.
I'm sorry about what happened.
I hope he didn't hurt you.
What he did is nothing
to what I'll do to him.
Nobody pushes me around. Nobody.
Harry, you've always been very generous
and very kind,
and I know you'll understand...
Why didn't you get in touch with me
during the whole six weeks?
Well, it was pretty difficult. I...
Why'd you refuse to accept
that transfer to San Francisco?
I didn't refuse it.
They found out it was a false transfer.
- Who told them? You?
- No.
Harry,
- I've come to tell you something.
- You've fallen for him?
Yes. All the way.
So that's why you didn't get
in touch with me.
You just stayed here,
playing kissing games.
But you couldn't get him to marry you.
The day you left, Harry, I ran away.
I don't really think I knew why then.
I was just mixed up, and I had to get away.
But I know now.
You're my friend, Harry,
and I'm grateful to you.
- But I'm in love with Griff.
- In love.
You're not in love with that fool!
I've been happier than I ever was
in my whole life.
I didn't know I could be so happy.
I know you'll understand.
You've always been so sympathetic and...
Hello. Yes, Monte.
What's the date?
Thanks, Monte.
No, that's all I need.
So, I've come to ask you if you'll leave
me alone, Harry, and let me try to work...
Shut up.
All along I've had a hunch
there was something wrong.
Not hearing from you,
the way you acted at the airline office,
at his house, with him acting
like he owned you, like a husband.
And you didn't tell me yourself.
No, I had to get Monte
to check the marriage license bureaus.
It's in the record, baby. In the record.
You married him the same day I left.
You've been in love with him all the time.
I guess I have been.
Do you think I'm going to stand still
while you make a fool of yourself
over that Rover Boy,
and then take you back
when you come running to me again?
I won't be coming back, Harry.
You're so right, baby,
because you're not walking out on me.
Not for Griff Marat, not for him,
not for that fool!
I'm sorry, Harry.
I didn't want it this way, but that's it.
Do you think I give up this easily?
Do you think I'm going
to have people laughing at me?
I'll ruin him if it's the last thing I do.
You will not.
I'm just starting to see you as you really are.
You've always had to be the big shot,
the powerful one, handing out favors.
That's why you like doing things for me.
- You did all right.
- I didn't know any better then.
Do you think you can do better
with Griff Marat?
Griff is decent, and he's smart,
and he'll get places the right way.
And he's showed you up every time.
That's why you hate him. Not because of me.
- Shut up, Jenny!
- You shut up!
I'm thinking clearer these days.
You owe me five years, Harry.
I shot a man to save your life,
and I went to prison for it.
I didn't have sense enough then
to think it was wrong that you let me go,
but now I consider it a debt. We're even.
I'm through, Harry.
I'm no longer asking you to say goodbye.
I'm just saying it!
Well, before you say it,
I want you to listen to a little speech
- I've got for Griff Marat.
- What do you mean?
You and I had a deal, baby.
You were to marry him,
so you could be with me.
Remember? Well,
I'm going to tell him about that.
- He'll never believe you.
- Won't he?
"I love you, darling."
Please, Harry. Harry, please.
I'm sorry for what I said.
- Please, Harry, you can't!
- Can't I? Watch me.
Harry, I don't blame you, but...
Excuse me while I push Humpty Dumpty
off his wall.
Information, give me the number
of the Parole Division.
- Harry, no! No, you'll break his heart!
- That's the idea.
You catch on quick, Jenny.
Harry, please, I'll come back to you. I will.
- Just don't do that to him.
- Yes? 2230? Thank you.
Stop that.
- Put down that phone.
- Stop being melodramatic.
- Mr. Marat, please.
- I said put down that phone.
Would you like to speak to him yourself?
I'll tell him you're here.
Hello, Mr. Marat, this is Harry Wesson.
I have something to tell you about your wife.
That's what happened.
That's the truth, Griff.
I have no reason to lie to you now.
Maybe I'm no good, but I do love you.
Why did you do that? Where are we going?
Griff, please, why did you turn around?
Where are you going?
They're expecting me to bring you in.
If I can make it to San Diego
and the Mexican border
before the alarm goes out,
I can get you across before we're missed.
- No, Griff, you mustn't.
- Lf you're tried, it'll be a life sentence.
You haven't got a chance, Jenny.
They'll never believe you.
But you can't do this, Griff.
It means you're throwing away your job,
- your whole career...
- I'm not going to turn you in.
Griff.
Others have gotten away with it.
We'll be all right.
It's only 15 miles to the border,
but we're running out of gas.
- Can't we make it?
- Afraid we'll have to take a chance and stop.
- Fill her up, please. Hurry.
- Yes, sir.
... in this country today, announces that
she will marry the American industrialist...
And two hamburgers to go out, please.
- Want onions on them?
- Yeah, everything. Rush it.
Coming right up.
Harry Wesson, a gambler,
was shot this morning.
He named his assailant,
a woman called Jenny Marsh.
Although he's still alive,
doctors say he has little chance to recover.
This woman, who was a paroled murderess,
was being taken to the police
by her parole officer when both disappeared.
The police believe she murdered
the parole officer and is using his car.
The license number
of the parole officer's car is 1N 8881.
- Hey, Pop!
- What?
- Four hamburgers!
- Coming right up!
Griff.
Now for the sports roundup.
Jesse Hernandez will take on Art Palma
at New York's Madison Square Garden.
The winner will be the logical challenger
for the welterweight crown.
Tony Edwards...
- Come on, hurry up! The wedding is starting!
- Okay.
I'm still going to try for the border.
But, Griff, the alarm's out.
They'll be looking for us.
Not in this car.
They're not going to question
a honeymoon couple too closely.
I'll take a look around.
Mighty nice day for it.
Stolen car, and the crooks left the bride
and groom standing at the curb.
Nice way to begin a honeymoon, eh?
I'll say. This is a good one.
California license number 63 W348.
Hey!
That won't do you any good.
Anybody can tell from your face.
- Griff, we'll never get out of this.
- Yes, we will. Hold tight.
We've got to get rid of this car.
- But then what?
- The bus.
Yeah, put a slug right through him.
Some beautiful blonde, huh?
You'll have to change the color of your hair.
Jenny, let me in.
Say, it looks fine.
We've got to get out of here.
That landlady's been asking
too many questions.
- Maybe she's just curious.
- Well, we can't take any chances.
- Maybe I can pawn this.
- Pawn? Griff.
Get enough money for bus fare
to someplace else.
Got a nail file?
Thanks.
- No, Griff!
- I know what I'm doing.
The back is all scratched up.
Yeah? Well, it had something on it
I didn't like, anyway.
- Where'd you get this watch?
- It was given to me.
- I don't handle any hot goods.
- Look, I didn't steal it!
Okay, okay, don't get excited.
Wait a minute.
I want to see what the gold weighs.
Hello, operator? Get me the police.
Hello, Sarge? This is Sam Green.
There's a guy in here trying to pawn a watch.
I'm not sure,
but I think it's the guy in the paper.
You know, the lovers.
Well, hurry it up. I'm no hero.
Okay, I'll try to stall him.
- How much do you want for this?
- Well, it must have cost 200 bucks.
- I ought to get 100.
- You're crazy.
- I might give you 25.
- Give me the watch.
Take it easy. Take it easy.
I might go a little higher.
- Where'd you say you got this?
- I told you it was given to me.
What was on the back
that you scratched off?
I'm selling you the watch as is.
- Got anything else you want to sell?
- No.
- How about the ring?
- No.
- How much?
- How much do you want?
Look, give me 50 bucks,
and let's stop all this.
35 is more like it.
I don't want to sell it. Give me the watch.
Get your hands up! Get your hands up!
Hey, what is this?
I recognized you the minute you came in.
Don't try anything funny.
The police are on their way over.
Look, mister, you're wrong.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Look, you keep the watch. I found it.
- Just let me out of here.
- Don't move!
Stay where you are! I'm warning you!
You're this guy Marat,
the guy with the murderess!
- No, it's a basketball trophy.
- Get out of the way!
- How much you want for this?
- Get out of... You fool!
Stop him! Stop him!
Yeah, like I said, they can give you the book
for carrying a heater,
but a knife?
Even a woodcarver carries a knife.
Get it, Jack? Woodcarver.
Ain't answered me yet.
What racket you two in? Badger game?
With a smart-Iooking tomato like her,
it'd be a cinch.
Well, what's the matter?
You so hot you're scared to talk?
I ain't exactly cold myself.
- Have a little slug, baby?
- No, thanks.
I borrowed this on my last job.
Twenty-year-old whiskey.
I only go for the best.
Report tomorrow morning.
Gang number four.
- Name?
- Buddy Smith.
- Address?
- 1256 Emalita.
Social security number?
What's your social security number?
- Ain't you got a card?
- I forgot it.
- I didn't bring it.
- Sorry, bud.
Next. Name?
Griff, I'm so glad you're back.
There's nothing in this paper, either.
- We haven't been in for days.
- Good.
Griff, I never knew you could be so hungry.
I guess these aren't from the Waldorf,
but they're wonderful!
- Where did you get them?
- From a joint down the road.
I hope they didn't cost much.
We'll need money for dinner tonight.
How much have we left, darling?
Griff, we spent all our money yesterday.
You had only enough
for bus fare this morning.
- How did you get these?
- I borrowed them.
All right, I stole them.
What are we supposed to do, starve?
I stole them because there's no other way.
So eat them.
You haven't had anything all day, Jenny.
Eat.
- Please don't cry, Jenny. We have...
- I'm not crying.
It's just for you to have to steal, for you...
- How much is all this stuff worth?
- It cost you more than it's worth.
Jenny, there's a policeman watching us.
Let's go. I've had enough.
Hey, you! Wait a minute. Come here.
I've been watching you.
What's the idea of littering up the park
with your garbage?
You raised in a pig pen or something?
Coming in here
and throwing this trash all around.
I ought to run you in.
Now, clean up that mess.
What do you think this thing is for?
Decorations?
Now, tidy up everything so it's shipshape,
or so help me, I'll write you up both a ticket!
This is my wife.
How do?
There's an empty house right next
to where I live.
- The manager said you could have it.
- Fine.
- Keep the rain off you.
- It'll be fine.
Florrie, my wife.
Hey, Mr. And Mrs. Parker,
wasn't that the name?
- Yeah, that's right.
- Hi!
- How do you do?
- Hello.
Where you folks say you came from?
- Colorado.
- Montana.
Well, we just came down from Montana.
Originally, we're from Colorado.
Be back in a few minutes.
Show you where you work.
Go on in.
What's the matter with you, Jenny?
I told you it's Colorado. Colorado!
The last place, you said it was Montana.
Just before we got off the bus,
I told you Colorado.
- I couldn't remember.
- Well, I have to remember everything.
Fake names, fake social security numbers.
Remember to leave
before they get wise to me.
And you don't even remember
the name of a state.
I'm sorry, Griff. I made a mistake.
Well, we can't afford mistakes.
You know how much depends on it.
Now that guy probably suspects
something's phony.
It's no good, is it, Griff?
- Lf you just use your head.
- Yes, heads instead of hearts.
Forgive me, Jenny. I didn't mean it.
Griff, why do we quarrel like this?
Sometimes I start it, sometimes you.
We're not getting on with each other,
or with other people.
- What's happening to us, Griff?
- Nothing, honey.
We're under strain. I'm sorry I was irritable.
I... I don't know what's the matter with me.
- I'm just tired, I guess.
- That's not it.
We're both jumpy and cross
and all mixed up.
We're not ourselves.
We haven't had a happy moment since...
Four weeks of this life
would do it to anybody.
We're living like pigs.
Other people have been happy
in a house like this and doing work like this.
Then we'll be happy, too. We will.
I get 40 bucks a week on this job.
They won't catch up
with that phony social security number
for seven or eight weeks.
By that time, we'll have some money
to get a long way from here.
- Hey, Parker!
- That's for you, Mr. Parker.
Come on. The boss wants me
to show you where you work.
Yeah, coming.
Yeah, it's about time.
How do you like working here
after two weeks?
It's okay.
- You ever been in California?
- No.
My wife's brother lives there.
He owns his own house.
You know how he got the money
to pay for the house?
He turned in a crook and got the reward.
Maybe I'll live in California pretty soon.
I hear it's a pretty nice place.
- Your wife ever been in California?
- No.
My wife wants to live there.
I told her, get a crook, turn him in,
get a big reward,
you buy house, live in California, too.
She wants to be waitress
in drive-in restaurant.
Waitress! Your wife got ambition like that?
No.
- Hello, dearie.
- Hello.
Oh, dear! I broke them.
Put the things on top. I do that every time.
Thanks, dearie,
for picking up the paper for me.
First delivery we've had in a week.
Joe said he was going to give
that paperboy a piece of his mind.
Looks like everybody got a paper
on time today.
They can thank Joe for that.
You ought to subscribe.
Thanks, honey. Just put them on top here.
Yeah, that's it. The paper, too.
- Paper?
- Yeah, sure.
Joe always reads it after dinner.
Would you mind opening the door for me?
It isn't locked.
Thanks, honey.
Hello, darling.
I'm sorry I'm late, honey.
- I came through town.
- Griff...
Got something for you, Jenny.
A little present for my girl.
- Present?
- Go on, open it.
It's an awful little present, but...
Griff.
Hey, hey. Hey, now, it isn't that bad, is it?
You know what they say.
It's not the gift, it's the thought that counts.
Yes, Griff, that's what really counts.
Go right ahead. Don't let me stop you.
I'm just paying you back the eggs
I borrowed.
There's no hot water again.
I was going to wash my hair and...
Your hair's dyed, isn't it?
- Yes, you see, I...
- I can always tell dyed hair.
I noticed the first day you got here.
I bet you used to bleach it.
Now it's dyed back to its natural color, huh?
Yes.
That's Joe. He's home.
Wait till he sees there's no hot water.
He'll yell like a bull.
- Fixing to go someplace, dearie?
- No, I...
- Florrie!
- Yeah, what is it?
- There's no hot water!
- What did I tell you?
Yelling like a bull.
That heater, it's so corroded.
Once corrosion starts with those things,
they're finished.
- Florrie!
- All right, I'm coming!
- Come on, I'm hungry!
- Wait a minute.
- Jenny, tell me if there's...
- Corrosion.
- What?
- That's what'll happen to us.
What about it? Were you planning
to go somewhere without me?
- No...
- Be back in a minute.
- What's wrong?
- We're going back, Griff.
We're going to give ourselves up.
Don't talk that way.
It's those people that got you upset.
That frowsy dame with all her snooping.
I'm sorry you have to put up with it,
with a lot of things.
We'll get out of here.
We'll go someplace else.
We'd only have to run away again.
No, we'll run so far this time,
they'll stop looking for us.
Maybe they'll stop looking for us,
but we'll never stop running.
We're getting out of here.
Griff, it's too late.
He's already called the police.
- Police? He knows?
- Yes.
That's why she came over here.
To make sure.
- How did they find out?
- The newspaper. Pictures of us again.
- You saw it?
- Yes.
Well, then, why didn't you... Come on.
Let's hurry. It isn't too late yet.
It is, Griff, for me.
Jenny, please, you're all that matters to me.
You can't go back.
I've got to. It's no good this way.
What kind of life is this for you?
- We haven't got a chance, Jenny.
- Yes, we have.
A little chance, maybe, but at least a chance.
There's no happiness this way, darling.
We're breaking the rules.
That's not for you, Griff,
and it's not for me either, anymore.
It's better, Griff. Please, it's better.
Yes.
Let's go now. Right away.
We don't want to be caught.
We want to give ourselves up.
Wait.
My present.
Will you answer me, Joe?
Did you or did you not tell him?
Yes, I told him.
So, what did you tell him, exactly?
I told him if he didn't get us a new heater,
I was quitting the company.
Yeah? And he said...
You take it from there, Florrie. I'm tired.
Tired.
- Hey, Florrie!
- Yeah?
There's a picture of a dame
here in the paper.
Looks like that girl next door.
In the papers, they all look alike.
She's a nice kid.
For being married,
they sure are crazy about each other.
Come on, Joe, eat this mess.
The police are here, Mr. Wesson.
Well, here they are, Wesson.
All you have to do is identify her.
She gave herself up.
Well, just tell us if she shot you.
It was an accident.
An accident?
That isn't what you said in the report.
It was an accident, I tell you.
Well, I guess there's nothing more
for us to do.
- Come on, Mac.
- What about jumping parole?
She was with her parole officer, wasn't she?
- For two months?
- Yeah, for two months.
Thanks, Harry.
I'm a good enough gambler
to know when I've lost.
But it took a bullet to convince me.
- Nurse, do me a favor.
- Yes, Mr. Wesson.
Throw these people out of here.
Jenny Marsh. First office to your left.
Sit down.
Now then, you understand
you're not permitted to drive a car.
You're not permitted
to drink alcoholic beverages.
You may not borrow money.
You may not carry a weapon.
You may purchase clothes and food,
but never on credit.
All purchases must be for cash.
- Did you read this?
- I've got it memorized.
Our objective
is the rehabilitation of the criminal.
We'll help you in every way
we can, but it's up to you.
I'll get you a job and a place to live.
You cannot leave that job.
You cannot change...
I can't change my employment
or my place of residence
without first obtaining the permission
of the Bureau of Paroles.
Well, you have got it memorized.
You may not enter into any contract
without the consent of your parole officer.
That's me.
You may not marry,
and you've got to change your brand of men.
- Who picks them for me? You?
- Don't worry.
You won't have any trouble
finding new friends,
but be sure they're friends this time.
On some of these matters,
when conditions justify it,
an exception can be made
by special permission
of the Chief Parole Officer.
However, no exception can be made
to the rule of not carrying a deadly weapon,
or to the rule of not marrying.
These are beyond our power to sanction.
You've got it all memorized, too,
haven't you?
Well, I say it at least once a day.
You can save it. I know it all.
I can't help that. I... You're on life parole.
Hello, Sam. This is Jenny Marsh.
Meet Mr. Brooks, our chief parole officer.
How do you do? Glad to be out?
Yes, sir.
Now then, you're on life parole.
That means you report to me every day.
- Every day?
- That's it.
Later, it'll be twice a week, then once a week.
How long does that go on?
Well, if you behave, you can get
your release in a couple of years.
Remember him?
If I try hard enough.
Well, try hard to forget. He's dead.
I mean dead as far as you're concerned.
He's got a bad reputation.
Yes, sir.
Now listen, this is important in your case.
You may not associate with
or correspond with
or make any contact with
any individual of known bad reputation,
or any present or former inmate
of a penal institution...
Harry Wesson was never in any...
I know all about Harry.
You don't have to tell me.
He's never landed in the pen,
but he's come close a dozen times.
Now, I'm telling you
he's the wrong sort for you.
And my orders are to stay away.
Disobeying my orders means
you break parole.
Breaking parole means you go back to jail.
Is that clear?
Yes, sir.
Well, you see, I'm the teacher.
You're the pupil.
Sure.
- I'm the one who gets spanked.
- Not in the modern educational system.
They don't spank kids anymore.
They just send them to jail.
Now look, take a little advice.
I think you'd be better off
dropping this bitterness
and forgetting the past.
You'll get over it if you get the breaks.
And I'm here to see that you get them.
You got cigarettes?
Do I have to change
my brand of cigarettes, too?
- All right, let's go.
- Go?
Yeah, I'll get you a place to live
not far from here.
The radio doesn't work, but it can be fixed.
And the room has morning sun.
Do you like it? $6 a week.
- Well, I...
- Yeah, she likes it.
- I pay the first week's rent in advance...
- Thank you.
...and you pay me back
out of your first week's salary.
The bathroom's down the hall,
two doors to the right.
- First week's salary? From what?
- Yeah, you've got a job.
Report there in the morning.
You get $21 a week.
Ask for Mr. Logan. He expects you.
- That landlady.
- Mrs. Terrence?
Yes. Does she know about me?
Don't worry, she won't spy on you.
- You got money for lunch and dinner?
- Yes, sir.
Okay, I'll drop by the office
and see how you're getting on.
- Well, lots of luck, Jenny. Take it easy.
- Thank you.
Just a moment. You can't see Jenny Marsh.
- I don't think I know you.
- I'm Jenny Marsh's parole officer.
If she sees you, she breaks parole.
I see. So that's the way it is.
That's the way it is. Now, get going!
- Harry.
- Jenny.
How did you learn this address?
What right have you to question me?
I meant what I said about not seeing him.
It's a violation of your parole.
Now, run along, Wesson. And stay away!
You can't tell me what to do.
I can do what I like and go where I like
and see any woman I happen to like.
You have no authority over me.
I have authority over you. Tell him to go.
Please, Harry, go.
All right, Jenny.
- How did he know where to find you?
- I don't know.
Well, what am I supposed to do? Hide?
Now, you better watch your step,
Miss Marsh.
All right, I'll stay away from him,
but you've got to help me.
Can you get me a room
and a job where he can't find me?
Maybe. Report in the morning.
Couldn't Monte
have met us somewhere else?
But he never leaves here.
He lives here, eats here,
sleeps here and works here.
But, Harry,
I'm not supposed to go into a place like this.
- I wish he could have met us outside.
- It won't take long. Come on.
- Well, Jenny Marsh.
- Hello, Monte.
Say, you're looking good, kid,
in spite of everything.
Thanks, Monte. I feel fine.
What's this emergency call about?
- You know, Jenny's on parole.
- Yeah, I know.
- For how long, Jenny?
- The book. Life parole.
She wants to be transferred
to San Francisco.
- Shadow too close here?
- That's putting it mildly.
- Who?
- Griff Marat.
He was my parole officer for two years.
Tough boy, but smart.
Say he's going to run
for the state legislature.
- What?
- Yeah.
They're talking about running him
for assemblyman in the 84th District.
They can run him for president
as far as I'm concerned.
Look, what are the possibilities
of a transfer for Jenny?
Tough.
Nothing is too difficult for you, Monte,
unless the price isn't right.
Well, sit down.
If the Parole Board in San Francisco
lands her a job and a room,
Los Angeles gives her the green light.
- Sounds simple.
- It isn't.
First, I've got to plant a family up there.
They ask for her to be transferred.
5,000 for the whole show.
Okay. When?
As of now,
you have cousins in San Francisco.
First cousins called Harris.
- Yeah?
- Will you come in for a minute, Griff?
Be right in.
Griff, how's Jenny Marsh coming along?
- Jenny Marsh? Okay.
- What's she doing?
She's going after a job on her own,
bookkeeping job.
Phoned me about it a few hours ago.
That girl's going places.
She sure is. Right back to prison. Today.
What do you mean? What happened?
She was picked up in a bookie raid.
A bookkeeping job.
Joe Wilson was picked up, too.
- Joe Wilson?
- Another one of your pupils.
- Where are they now?
- Next door.
- Mr. Marat, don't let them send me back.
- You're out of luck, Joe.
It'll mean 20 years. I can't take it.
Give me another chance, please.
I promise this time...
You got parole twice,
and this is your third violation.
And I'm through covering up for you.
Take him to headquarters.
Twenty years. Twenty years. I ain't going!
Joe Wilson's stuff.
They've taken him to the hospital,
but he won't live.
All right.
- What did the girl have to say?
- I don't know. I haven't talked to her yet.
She's still in there. Sprained her ankle.
Excuse me.
What have you got to say for yourself?
Look, I feel it's all my fault.
That's why I came along.
You're a fool, Wesson.
You know those places are raided
for parole violators.
Why did you take her there?
Did you get hurt?
- I sprained my ankle.
- Officer.
- Yes, sir.
- Take her down to Dr. Daniels.
- You wait here.
- Dr. Daniels?
You heard me.
This way, miss.
Hello. Give me Dr. Daniels, please.
Hello, Doc? This is Griff Marat.
I'm sending a girl named Jenny Marsh
down to your office.
Yeah, she's got a sprained ankle.
See what you can find out, will you?
How old is she, Griff?
Well, what does she look like?
Blonde?
Delicate features.
Brown eyes.
I see.
Well, she just saw a man
jump off the balcony.
She's pretty shaky and upset.
Ought to be easy to work on.
Okay.
Okay for sound?
- Echo.
- Okay for sound?
Yeah, okay here.
Now, play it cagey, Doc. This one's smart.
- What are you trying to prove?
- I'm not sure yet.
Maybe that the girl has character.
They all have when they're caught.
Never should have been paroled.
Over here.
- Can you make it?
- I think so. Take it easy.
It's her ankle, Doc.
- I'll be right outside.
- Take off your stocking.
So...
- I feel sick.
- Really hurt that bad?
I just saw a man jump off the balcony.
What did he do that for?
They were sending him back for good.
I guess if I had the nerve,
I'd do the same thing.
No, you wouldn't.
You wouldn't.
Well, you know,
you remind me of my daughter.
You even look like her.
Why, because we're both female?
That's about the only resemblance
between her and me.
- Is your mother still living?
- My mother? Yes.
- How long were you in prison?
- Five years.
Five years. Must have broken her heart.
She's still in the hospital
in the alcoholic ward.
- And your father?
- He was no good.
I guess like father, like daughter.
It's heredity.
- It's environment.
- It's a joke.
There were nine of us. I was the oldest.
Blew their noses for them, scrubbed them,
doctored them,
everybody living in the one room.
Swill pile, that's what it was.
- Where'd you get hurt?
- In a raid on a bookie joint.
I broke parole. That means I'm going back.
Don't you think you were pretty silly
to go to a bookie joint
when you were out on parole?
I went with a friend who had business there.
Fine friend. Got you in a big jam.
He's the one who didn't forget me
when they sent me to prison.
Love him?
He waited five years for me. For me.
A man with a college education,
nice manners, money,
everything I never had in a man before.
Put that in your test tube, Doc,
and what do you see?
- What does he do?
- Gambles in a refined sort of way.
- It feels better now.
- It'll be all right in a day or two.
- Officer.
- Yes, Doc?
- You can take her back now.
- Okay.
Doc, I just bought this outfit.
If your daughter wears a size 12,
she can have it.
I guess I won't be needing it anymore.
My feeling is that she's sensitive,
confused and angry.
But Griff's right. I don't think
Jenny Marsh is an habitual criminal.
Well, then,
you think she'll straighten out okay, Doc?
- I mean, if somebody gave her a break?
- I think so, Griff.
- You do?
- Yes, I'm sure of it.
Well, I still don't trust her, but go ahead.
She's your case.
Thanks, Sam. You'll see I'm right about her.
I don't say she's a hardened criminal.
- What is a criminal, Sam?
- Yeah, I've often wondered.
I see them every day, but I still don't know.
A criminal is somebody
who commits a crime.
Griff, she's in your office.
And, Griff, throw a scare into her.
Okay.
Thanks, Doc.
This'll help you know the score.
Twenty years later, a lifer.
She looks 60. She's 40.
Same girl 10 years later. Here's another one.
I've seen enough.
All right, you're sending me back,
but you don't have to torture me first.
Send me back and shut up!
Ask Wesson to come in.
Now, take it easy.
- Feel better?
- Thank you.
Sit down.
Maybe you've got something smart to say.
- Whatever you may think of me, Marat...
- Let's not go into that.
Well, as I said before, it's all my fault.
It would be unjust to make Jenny suffer
for my thoughtlessness.
Now, look here, Wesson.
I know you think you're pretty smart,
smarter than a dumb parole officer.
Well, maybe you are.
But you're up against an organization
that's too big for you.
- You can't beat the whole parole setup.
- I don't intend to try.
All right, if you care about Jenny
as much as you seem to,
you'll cooperate from now on,
or it's going to be just too bad.
- What am I expected to do?
- Leave her alone!
Has it occurred to you that you're making
the conditions unnecessarily difficult?
Jenny cares for me.
You're setting up a situation
full of hazards and temptations.
I'm aware of that.
But I think the hazards
will be greater if she sees you.
You'll invite her to break rules,
because you look on rules
as things invented for suckers.
You think the guy who gets away
with things is smart.
What if I do stay away?
She'll start seeing me again when she's free.
She'll be as badly off as ever
by your standards.
Well, I'm counting on her forgetting you.
I'm counting on her meeting some normal,
decent people.
And I'm counting on her
getting over a feeling of gratitude to you,
- of loyalty, of...
- You mean of love, don't you?
She didn't get over it in five years.
Then you can wait another couple of years.
I'll do everything I can
to get her released sooner.
Now, I'll give you three minutes
to say goodbye.
Then you go, and you don't see her
until I say so. Agreed?
Have we any choice?
- Agreed?
- Okay.
I'll be back in three minutes.
- How's your ankle, darling?
- It's all right.
When I was leaving the doctor's office,
I noticed the dictograph key was up.
She's really a psychiatrist. It's a parole trick.
Darling, I'll see you tomorrow night
about 7:00.
- Hello, Jenny.
- Why, hello.
- Almost missed you. Where are you going?
- Just to get a bite of dinner.
Great. Get in.
- Well, I...
- Come on, get in.
- It's better than eating alone, isn't it?
- Of course. Thanks.
When I laid out that $6 for your rent,
I thought you'd blown all your money
on that first outfit.
I didn't know you had a private gold mine.
- Like it?
- Yeah.
- I bought it today.
- Yeah, it's swell.
Harry's money?
Yes.
Well, I suppose there's no reason
why you shouldn't use
what's left of it as long as you have it.
I looked to see if there was a rule against it,
but there wasn't.
Look, if you'll just drop me
at a restaurant, I'II...
No, you're eating with me.
Do you often take parolees to dinner?
Are you married?
I'm Italian, over 21... What do you expect?
Well, how does Mrs. Marat feel
about this sort of homework?
- She encourages it.
- You're kidding.
Hello, Fred. Get in.
- You're right on time.
- Yeah.
Jenny, this is Fred Bauer. Jenny Marsh.
- How do you do, Miss Marsh?
- How do you do?
You didn't mention a chaperone.
I'm not a chaperone. I'm a dishwasher.
A dishwasher? At what restaurant?
No, we're not eating at a restaurant.
We're going to my house.
- Does Mrs. Marat expect us?
- Sure.
I see.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I brought Barry along for dinner, okay?
- Okay, get in.
- This is Tommy.
- Cut out the Tommy, can't you, Griff?
Sorry. This is Mr. Thomas Marat
and his friend Barry.
Miss Marsh, Mr. Bauer.
- How do you do?
- Hello.
Hi.
- Your son?
- Kid brother.
Say, Griff, I told Barry you handled
that killer Mike Cardoza,
and he said no.
You did, didn't you?
Wasn't he that killer, and you beat him up?
See? They give him all the killers.
We're playing Lowell High
next Saturday, semifinals.
- Can you come, Griff?
- Hey, why don't you sit back?
- You smell like a horse.
- Please, there's a lady present.
- Will you come Saturday, Griff?
- Sure.
- Who's going to win?
- We'll annihilate them.
Come on.
- Hi, Mom.
- Hi.
Hi.
Griff is bringing a lady and a man.
Yes, Tommy. Yes, Tommy, I know.
Brought a couple of friends home for dinner.
Jenny Marsh and Fred Bauer.
I don't see, Miss Marsh.
You will have to take my hand, please.
- Here, Mama.
- I'm sorry.
- How do you do, Mrs. Marat?
- How do you do, Miss Marsh?
Hey, Barry, watch this.
- Blonde or brunette, Mom?
- Brunette.
- Hey, you're wrong, Mom.
- Wrong?
She's never missed before.
She can tell by the voice and the handshake.
She's blonde, Mom, and how.
One mistake doesn't count.
Won't you come in, Miss Marsh?
I don't want to spoil your record, Mrs. Marat.
I think I should tell you I'm really a brunette.
Bleached.
Well, what do you know? Well,
how's it done? Well, what do they use?
It's a long story.
- Gosh, it looks good, doesn't it?
- Sure does.
Go get cleaned up, boys.
- Change your shirt, Tommy.
- Yeah, and hurry up.
I'm starving.
- Here, let me have your coat.
- Thank you.
Come on, Fred. You and I have work to do.
Griff is our cook these days.
- Griff?
- Yes, our part-time helper left.
Would you rather stay here?
I am going to the kitchen.
I'd like to help.
You have a nice big house here.
It's an old house. Tommy was born here.
How many of you are there living here?
Just Griff and Tommy and me now.
Now? Is somebody missing?
My husband died last year.
I miss him. I'm alone all day now.
What do I do?
If you bring me the radishes
from the refrigerator, I'll fix them.
- All right.
- Then you can set the table,
- if you don't mind.
- Yes, sure.
- Mrs. Marat is wonderful, isn't she?
- Yes, she's terrific.
Griff Marat has done a lot for me.
Are you an old friend?
I'd like you to know something, Jenny.
- Yes?
- I'm not exactly a friend of the family.
I'm one of his parolees.
Yes, I appreciate what he's doing,
bringing me here,
meeting his friends, like you and his family.
But I don't like pretending
to be something I'm not,
so I thought I'd tell you.
- What's the matter?
- I'm leaving.
- Why?
- I don't have to take this.
I wondered what it was all about.
Well, now I know.
It's part of the treatment,
the "be kind to jailbirds" system.
Show them a bit of home life.
Sweet influences for sick souls.
Well, I don't need your pity,
or your mother's, or anybody's.
My mother doesn't know about you
or about Bauer,
and she doesn't care.
Anybody I bring home is okay.
And that story about being married,
what was that for?
- Afraid I might make a pass at you?
- I always say that.
- To the female parolees?
- Sure, if I'm asked. Why not?
You didn't have to.
Believe me, it wasn't necessary.
I didn't think it was.
It's a regular procedure in the office.
- Regulation 86-B.
- Then they'd better fix the regulation.
It makes a liar out of you,
and a liar's a bad example
for the weak characters you deal with.
Look, Jenny, please try to get
that chip off your shoulder.
Come on, let's stop kidding each other.
I want to talk straight to you.
You're different, Jenny.
You have a promising life ahead of you
if you'II...
I know. If I keep away from Harry Wesson.
- Well, why can't you?
- It isn't complicated.
How would you feel if somebody
had waited five years just for you?
- Are you sure he did?
- Yes.
He's the only man
who was ever really kind to me.
He was patient and kind.
He taught me what fork to use,
how to dress correctly,
how to speak correctly.
Everything but how to think correctly.
You'd do a great deal for Harry Wesson,
wouldn't you?
- Yes, I'd do anything for him.
- You did. You even killed for him.
That's right. I did.
Thank you, Sam.
- Griff?
- Yeah.
- What about Jenny Marsh?
- Well, what about her?
You've been trying to land her a job
for more than a week.
I checked.
Four employers turned her down flat,
as soon as they learned she was a violator.
- Yeah, well, she's got a job.
- No kidding.
I had to find her one where Harry Wesson
couldn't get to her.
I found it.
She lives where she works,
eats there, sleeps there.
She gets 100 a month, one day off a week,
and she reports to me every day.
- What's the job?
- Taking care of a blind woman.
Take it easy.
- Hi. Home already? Have a good workout?
- Yeah.
- Where's everybody?
- Mom went to bed. She's tired.
Jenny's somewhere.
Okay, maestro.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- I thought this was your night at the Y.
- I was there.
Phoning somebody?
I phoned to see what time a movie went on.
Your mother said she wouldn't need me.
Why? Did you think
I was calling Harry Wesson?
I didn't think you were. I was just...
Is that why you got me this job here,
so you could spy on me?
I'm not spying on you, Jenny.
It's my job to check on you.
You're making it more than that
because of Harry.
- That's not true!
- Isn't it?
Okay, I admit that...
Because he loves me
and wants to be with me.
- What's wrong with that?
- He doesn't love anybody but himself.
He's done everything for me.
He gives you things with money
he never earned,
without denying himself anything.
You don't know what love is.
And you, teacher, do you know?
Well, not from experience,
but I've imagined it differently.
When you fall in love, really in love,
I think you'd know it for sure.
A man would feel, for the first time,
how wonderful life could be
when he has someone to share it with.
And he'd want to give her the good things
of life, not just the trimmings,
friends, home, children. And he'd think
of her before himself in everything,
her welfare, her future, her happiness.
And if she loved him, he'd be rich.
Most men don't think like that.
You only know Harry Wesson.
I'm sorry, Jenny.
I don't want to hurt you.
I know that, Griff.
Hey, what time does that movie go on?
- 8:24.
- Well, we'd better hurry.
Griff, can I come, too?
Come on.
Wow!
I still don't get it.
The guy was clear across the border.
They'd never have caught him.
So why'd he come back and give himself up?
Something about human nature, Tommy.
It happens all the time.
Men show up and confess to crimes
they committed five, 10, 20 years ago.
- No kidding?
- Sure.
All of a sudden they get a conscience.
Starts to get them down
and a kind of corrosion sets in.
Anybody want some ice cream or anything?
Ice cream? Silly question.
- Ice cream, Jenny?
- Yes, Griff. Sure.
I'll run over to the library
and change the book.
Don't hurry. It's nice here.
I can't take it much longer, Harry.
We can't live like this. I know I can't.
That's foolish. It's...
Please, Harry, it's driving me crazy.
They're so good to me, so kind.
I've got to get out of there.
What's bothering you? What happened?
Griff Marat's falling for me.
No kidding.
I've been around long enough
to know the signs.
It's no joke. I don't find it a bit funny.
I suppose it had to happen,
living in that house together for two months.
He even held my hand
in the movies the other night.
- My parole officer acting like...
- It's good. It's great. Encourage him.
It'll make things easier
till that transfer comes through.
Encourage? I don't understand.
Look, with him in love with you, baby,
we'll be able to handle him.
- Okay?
- Well, I...
And this is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"Give All to Love."
"Give all to love
Obey thy heart
"Friends, kindred..."
Hey, Mom, Jenny.
I wrote a little poem for school.
- Could I read it to you?
- Sure.
"'Little Purple Violets' by Thomas Marat.
"Little purple violets blowing in the breeze
Your beautiful fragrance puts me at ease
"Whether in a glade or in a bayou
"Their beauty and fragrance
reminds me of you"
- That's beautiful, Tommy.
- That's fine, Tommy. That's fine.
- Jenny, I dedicated it to you.
- Thank you, Tommy. I love it.
Won't your girlfriend... What's her name?
Mary? ...be jealous?
She's just a kid!
I see. Well,
you better practice your piano, Tommy.
- But I like to hear Jenny read.
- You like to hear Jenny read?
You like to help her wash dishes.
You like to help her shop...
And I like to hear you play the piano,
Tommy.
Do you?
I think he's falling in love with you, Jenny.
- I'm flattered.
- And so is Griff.
Sometimes blindness is not a handicap.
I know, and I think you know it, too, Jenny.
But I don't think Griff knows.
He's only a man.
- But it isn't possible.
- You know what's in your heart, Jenny.
Do what you think is right.
"Give all to love
Obey thy heart..."
- Griff!
- Yeah? Sorry I'm late.
It's all right. Your dinner's ready.
- Where are Mom and Tommy?
- They went to the concert.
That's right, I forgot.
Anything wrong, Griff?
If it's my hairdo, you're right. It's different.
- Do you like it?
- Yeah, I like it.
Better eat your dinner.
Shall I sit with you, or...
Yeah, would you? I hate to eat alone.
I could have waited and had dinner with you.
I wish I had.
Do you, Jenny?
- Do you like the music?
- Yeah, fine.
Nice music for dancing.
I used to love to dance.
Funny, I haven't thought
about it much lately.
- Do you like dancing, Griff?
- Yeah, but I'm afraid I'm not very good at it.
What's the matter?
Jenny, do you have relatives
in San Francisco?
What?
Cousins called Harris?
Why?
This came to the office a couple of days ago.
A request for a transfer to San Francisco.
What do you think?
Well, I... I don't know. I...
Maybe I don't want to go.
I don't think I want to be transferred.
- Why?
- Because I like my job.
I'm glad you do. Because this is a phony.
- What do you mean?
- It was arranged by Harry Wesson.
Did you know about it?
Well, a long time ago he did say something
about trying to arrange a transfer,
but I didn't know that he still...
You meant what you said, Jenny,
that you wouldn't have wanted to go?
That's right, Griff. I don't want to go.
- You do believe me, don't you?
- Okay, Jenny.
- I believe you.
- Thanks, Griff. I...
Good night.
Griff, Griff, a bad dream. Dream...
Hey there. Hey, hey.
Take it easy.
Easy does it.
- Griff, what happened?
- It's okay, Tommy.
She was just having a nightmare.
Better tell Mom it's all right,
or she'll be frightened. Hurry up.
It's okay. You're all right now.
Feel better?
- It was awful.
- Yeah, it must have been.
- I dreamed about you.
- Well, is that bad?
This was.
We were walking in a forest,
and you kept getting caught
in terrible steel traps.
- Oh, fine.
- And I kept warning you
and warning you, but you wouldn't listen.
Well, I hope you finally convinced me.
And you wouldn't let me go back.
- Back where?
- To prison.
No, sir, not a chance.
I'm sorry I woke up the whole house.
Well, everybody's entitled
to a little nightmare now and then.
You're sweet, Griff.
- Want a glass of milk?
- No, I'm fine now.
- I hope I'll be able to get back to sleep.
- Sure, you'll sleep all right.
You're a sweetheart, Griff.
I love you, Jenny.
I know I'm no great prize.
I don't make much money,
although I have hopes.
I'm just an everyday guy.
I don't care much about night clubs.
I'm not a very good dancer.
I guess I like mostly
what you might call simple things.
I can't offer you the expensive gowns,
the expensive times that Harry Wesson can.
But I do love you, Jenny.
Will you marry me, Jenny?
No, Griff,
you don't know what you're saying.
It's no good. It couldn't work.
- Is it still Harry Wesson?
- No, it's not that.
It's just you don't know me, Griff.
- You deserve better than me.
- I know what I want.
You know something? You're the first man
who ever asked me to marry him.
I know we can't get married
right away anyhow, until...
But you could say yes now, couldn't you?
Okay, Jenny, you think about it,
but you know how I feel.
- Yes, sir?
- You have a ticket for me.
- Harry Wesson. For Havana, Flight 615.
- Just a moment, please.
- Harry.
- Jenny.
I must speak to you.
I'm so glad I caught you.
- Mr. Wesson.
- Excuse me a moment. Yes?
Your ticket, sir. Flight 615.
- The limousine will leave in six minutes.
- Thank you.
Please don't go, Harry.
- It can't be helped.
- Then take me with you.
- What?
- I must get out of that house.
- I can't stay there.
- It's only for six weeks. You'll be all right.
This is the wrong time for you
to be going away for six weeks.
- Why, what happened?
- Griff proposed.
- He what?
- Last night. He wants me to marry him.
- I never dreamed he'd go that far.
- Parolees aren't allowed to marry.
If you marry, it means he's the one
who made you break the rules.
He didn't mean that.
He just wants me to say yes now,
and then after I'm off parole...
If you can get him to marry you now
and keep it secret, honey, it's sensational.
What are you talking about?
Look, he's got a blind mother
and a little brother who worships him.
And he needs that job
because he's got political ambitions.
Don't you see, Jenny?
Once you're married to him,
you can do anything,
and he won't dare give you away.
I can't do that, Harry.
The minute that marriage license
is in your pocket,
Griff Marat is where he belongs,
right behind the eight ball.
- I can't, Harry. I can't!
- Would passengers Duffy, Waterman
and Wesson please board the limousine?
Monte will know where I am.
The minute you're married,
get out of that house and wire me.
- Bye, darling.
- But... Harry.
Good afternoon, Bureau of Paroles.
Hello. Yeah, Mom.
When?
She just packed a few things and left.
She told me, Griff, about you and herself.
She said that she couldn't live here
with you,
and it wasn't fair to marry you, so...
Have you got any idea where she went?
Did she say anything to...
No. She just left, that's all.
But, Griff, there was something.
I don't know what it is.
It's something printed, I think.
It seems to be a leaflet of some sort.
It was on her bed.
I have the list of passengers of Flight 615.
There's a Mr. Harry Duffy,
Mr. Allen Waterman,
- J.J. Jennings...
- Jennings, a man or woman?
That was a man.
- Mr. Harry Wesson.
- Harry Wesson!
Yeah, I thought you were looking for a lady.
Yeah, that's right. Go on, please.
Any other woman?
Well, the only other woman
is Miss Mary Wilson.
- What did she look like?
- I remember her.
- She was very nervous, sort of worried.
- What did she look like?
Well, she had gray hair,
was about 65 years old, short and stout.
Attention, please.
Passengers on Flight 56 for Seattle,
Flight 56 is leaving from Gate 3.
Flight 56 for Seattle is leaving from Gate 3.
- Jenny!
- Griff.
Why are you running away from me?
Because I don't know what else to do!
- That's no answer.
- I'm just no good for you, Griff!
Don't say that.
Look, is it something I've done?
No, no. I can't explain it to you.
But being in your house, being with you, I...
You're going to marry me now, today.
- No, no.
- Why? Don't you want to marry me?
- You do love me, Jenny, don't you?
- I thought I didn't.
I was ready to leave. But, darling, it can't be.
No, we'll manage. It'll be all right.
We'll have to keep it a secret
till you get your release, but it'll work out.
But we'd be breaking the parole rule.
No, just bending it a little.
It'll ruin you if they find out,
your job, your career.
Nobody needs to know.
We just tell Mom maybe, that's all.
- But you do love me?
- Yes, yes, yes, yes.
We can get a plane right here
for Las Vegas and get married.
Parolees can't leave the state,
but you'll be in the custody
of a parole officer, so that makes it all right.
Griff. Griff.
For you two to stay apart
would have been wrong,
but we must trust nobody with this secret.
Griffin has much to lose if it is discovered,
his whole career.
But Jenny has more to lose, her whole life.
We must all be very careful.
God bless you.
- Hello.
- Hello, Jenny?
Yes, I'm home. Just got in.
Why didn't I hear from you?
Well, I... I couldn't. I...
Couldn't you get him to take the leap?
I thought you had him hooked when I left.
What happened?
You aren't alone. Just answer yes or no.
Can you meet me?
Well, yes, but...
Good, 5:00 at the library.
Fine. See you.
Harry, you shouldn't have come here.
You kept me waiting there for an hour.
For what reason?
Mrs. Marat isn't feeling well.
- But I...
- Yes?
- I did want to see you.
- Really?
Because I have something to tell you.
- But I...
- Relax.
- What are you afraid of?
- Please, Harry.
Griff is coming home.
He'll be here any minute.
You must go, Harry.
Jenny.
Who's there?
Is it Griff?
Who came in?
It's all right, Mom. It's just a friend of mine.
- Who's just a friend?
- Griff.
- Yes, Mom?
- Something's wrong, Griff.
Mom, go to your room, please.
Yes, Griff.
Griff!
You've had this coming for a long time.
Griff, don't!
Griff!
Hey, hey, it's all right. It's all right.
Now, look, I'm the one
who got the poke in the mouth.
Griff, I'm afraid. I'm afraid.
Don't worry, honey.
He won't bother you again.
Never again.
Good afternoon, Bureau of Paroles.
Mr. Marat?
- Hello?
- Hello, Mr. Marat.
- Yeah?
- This is Harry Wesson.
I have something to tell you about your wife.
Hello? Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Hello? Hello?
Hello. Hello, this is Griff Marat.
Send an ambulance right away
to 3039 Wilshire. Apartment 203.
Yeah, somebody shot Harry Wesson,
but he's still breathing.
Hurry it up, please.
Hello, Griff Marat again.
I think I know who did it.
Jenny Marsh, a parolee.
No, I'll bring her in.
- Griff!
- Yeah?
- Please come here.
- Where's Jenny?
She's up here.
- Jenny told me that...
- I know.
She told me the whole thing.
She told me what happened.
She wanted to turn herself in to the police,
but I made her wait for you.
Jenny shot that man
because she loved you...
She's a liar! I saw a letter she wrote,
and they used me, she and Wesson.
- She never loved me.
- No, no, no.
Griff! Griff!
I heard what you said, but it isn't true.
- Please!
- You're a liar and a cheat. You're no good.
I made a fool of myself over you,
and never again!
- Griff, please!
- Come on.
Griff, you must listen.
I don't care what happens to me,
but I want you to know the truth.
I went to Harry's apartment.
I wanted to tell him about us.
Jenny, come in.
I can't stay, Harry.
Mrs. Marat's waiting down the street.
I had to speak to you.
I'm sorry about what happened.
I hope he didn't hurt you.
What he did is nothing
to what I'll do to him.
Nobody pushes me around. Nobody.
Harry, you've always been very generous
and very kind,
and I know you'll understand...
Why didn't you get in touch with me
during the whole six weeks?
Well, it was pretty difficult. I...
Why'd you refuse to accept
that transfer to San Francisco?
I didn't refuse it.
They found out it was a false transfer.
- Who told them? You?
- No.
Harry,
- I've come to tell you something.
- You've fallen for him?
Yes. All the way.
So that's why you didn't get
in touch with me.
You just stayed here,
playing kissing games.
But you couldn't get him to marry you.
The day you left, Harry, I ran away.
I don't really think I knew why then.
I was just mixed up, and I had to get away.
But I know now.
You're my friend, Harry,
and I'm grateful to you.
- But I'm in love with Griff.
- In love.
You're not in love with that fool!
I've been happier than I ever was
in my whole life.
I didn't know I could be so happy.
I know you'll understand.
You've always been so sympathetic and...
Hello. Yes, Monte.
What's the date?
Thanks, Monte.
No, that's all I need.
So, I've come to ask you if you'll leave
me alone, Harry, and let me try to work...
Shut up.
All along I've had a hunch
there was something wrong.
Not hearing from you,
the way you acted at the airline office,
at his house, with him acting
like he owned you, like a husband.
And you didn't tell me yourself.
No, I had to get Monte
to check the marriage license bureaus.
It's in the record, baby. In the record.
You married him the same day I left.
You've been in love with him all the time.
I guess I have been.
Do you think I'm going to stand still
while you make a fool of yourself
over that Rover Boy,
and then take you back
when you come running to me again?
I won't be coming back, Harry.
You're so right, baby,
because you're not walking out on me.
Not for Griff Marat, not for him,
not for that fool!
I'm sorry, Harry.
I didn't want it this way, but that's it.
Do you think I give up this easily?
Do you think I'm going
to have people laughing at me?
I'll ruin him if it's the last thing I do.
You will not.
I'm just starting to see you as you really are.
You've always had to be the big shot,
the powerful one, handing out favors.
That's why you like doing things for me.
- You did all right.
- I didn't know any better then.
Do you think you can do better
with Griff Marat?
Griff is decent, and he's smart,
and he'll get places the right way.
And he's showed you up every time.
That's why you hate him. Not because of me.
- Shut up, Jenny!
- You shut up!
I'm thinking clearer these days.
You owe me five years, Harry.
I shot a man to save your life,
and I went to prison for it.
I didn't have sense enough then
to think it was wrong that you let me go,
but now I consider it a debt. We're even.
I'm through, Harry.
I'm no longer asking you to say goodbye.
I'm just saying it!
Well, before you say it,
I want you to listen to a little speech
- I've got for Griff Marat.
- What do you mean?
You and I had a deal, baby.
You were to marry him,
so you could be with me.
Remember? Well,
I'm going to tell him about that.
- He'll never believe you.
- Won't he?
"I love you, darling."
Please, Harry. Harry, please.
I'm sorry for what I said.
- Please, Harry, you can't!
- Can't I? Watch me.
Harry, I don't blame you, but...
Excuse me while I push Humpty Dumpty
off his wall.
Information, give me the number
of the Parole Division.
- Harry, no! No, you'll break his heart!
- That's the idea.
You catch on quick, Jenny.
Harry, please, I'll come back to you. I will.
- Just don't do that to him.
- Yes? 2230? Thank you.
Stop that.
- Put down that phone.
- Stop being melodramatic.
- Mr. Marat, please.
- I said put down that phone.
Would you like to speak to him yourself?
I'll tell him you're here.
Hello, Mr. Marat, this is Harry Wesson.
I have something to tell you about your wife.
That's what happened.
That's the truth, Griff.
I have no reason to lie to you now.
Maybe I'm no good, but I do love you.
Why did you do that? Where are we going?
Griff, please, why did you turn around?
Where are you going?
They're expecting me to bring you in.
If I can make it to San Diego
and the Mexican border
before the alarm goes out,
I can get you across before we're missed.
- No, Griff, you mustn't.
- Lf you're tried, it'll be a life sentence.
You haven't got a chance, Jenny.
They'll never believe you.
But you can't do this, Griff.
It means you're throwing away your job,
- your whole career...
- I'm not going to turn you in.
Griff.
Others have gotten away with it.
We'll be all right.
It's only 15 miles to the border,
but we're running out of gas.
- Can't we make it?
- Afraid we'll have to take a chance and stop.
- Fill her up, please. Hurry.
- Yes, sir.
... in this country today, announces that
she will marry the American industrialist...
And two hamburgers to go out, please.
- Want onions on them?
- Yeah, everything. Rush it.
Coming right up.
Harry Wesson, a gambler,
was shot this morning.
He named his assailant,
a woman called Jenny Marsh.
Although he's still alive,
doctors say he has little chance to recover.
This woman, who was a paroled murderess,
was being taken to the police
by her parole officer when both disappeared.
The police believe she murdered
the parole officer and is using his car.
The license number
of the parole officer's car is 1N 8881.
- Hey, Pop!
- What?
- Four hamburgers!
- Coming right up!
Griff.
Now for the sports roundup.
Jesse Hernandez will take on Art Palma
at New York's Madison Square Garden.
The winner will be the logical challenger
for the welterweight crown.
Tony Edwards...
- Come on, hurry up! The wedding is starting!
- Okay.
I'm still going to try for the border.
But, Griff, the alarm's out.
They'll be looking for us.
Not in this car.
They're not going to question
a honeymoon couple too closely.
I'll take a look around.
Mighty nice day for it.
Stolen car, and the crooks left the bride
and groom standing at the curb.
Nice way to begin a honeymoon, eh?
I'll say. This is a good one.
California license number 63 W348.
Hey!
That won't do you any good.
Anybody can tell from your face.
- Griff, we'll never get out of this.
- Yes, we will. Hold tight.
We've got to get rid of this car.
- But then what?
- The bus.
Yeah, put a slug right through him.
Some beautiful blonde, huh?
You'll have to change the color of your hair.
Jenny, let me in.
Say, it looks fine.
We've got to get out of here.
That landlady's been asking
too many questions.
- Maybe she's just curious.
- Well, we can't take any chances.
- Maybe I can pawn this.
- Pawn? Griff.
Get enough money for bus fare
to someplace else.
Got a nail file?
Thanks.
- No, Griff!
- I know what I'm doing.
The back is all scratched up.
Yeah? Well, it had something on it
I didn't like, anyway.
- Where'd you get this watch?
- It was given to me.
- I don't handle any hot goods.
- Look, I didn't steal it!
Okay, okay, don't get excited.
Wait a minute.
I want to see what the gold weighs.
Hello, operator? Get me the police.
Hello, Sarge? This is Sam Green.
There's a guy in here trying to pawn a watch.
I'm not sure,
but I think it's the guy in the paper.
You know, the lovers.
Well, hurry it up. I'm no hero.
Okay, I'll try to stall him.
- How much do you want for this?
- Well, it must have cost 200 bucks.
- I ought to get 100.
- You're crazy.
- I might give you 25.
- Give me the watch.
Take it easy. Take it easy.
I might go a little higher.
- Where'd you say you got this?
- I told you it was given to me.
What was on the back
that you scratched off?
I'm selling you the watch as is.
- Got anything else you want to sell?
- No.
- How about the ring?
- No.
- How much?
- How much do you want?
Look, give me 50 bucks,
and let's stop all this.
35 is more like it.
I don't want to sell it. Give me the watch.
Get your hands up! Get your hands up!
Hey, what is this?
I recognized you the minute you came in.
Don't try anything funny.
The police are on their way over.
Look, mister, you're wrong.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Look, you keep the watch. I found it.
- Just let me out of here.
- Don't move!
Stay where you are! I'm warning you!
You're this guy Marat,
the guy with the murderess!
- No, it's a basketball trophy.
- Get out of the way!
- How much you want for this?
- Get out of... You fool!
Stop him! Stop him!
Yeah, like I said, they can give you the book
for carrying a heater,
but a knife?
Even a woodcarver carries a knife.
Get it, Jack? Woodcarver.
Ain't answered me yet.
What racket you two in? Badger game?
With a smart-Iooking tomato like her,
it'd be a cinch.
Well, what's the matter?
You so hot you're scared to talk?
I ain't exactly cold myself.
- Have a little slug, baby?
- No, thanks.
I borrowed this on my last job.
Twenty-year-old whiskey.
I only go for the best.
Report tomorrow morning.
Gang number four.
- Name?
- Buddy Smith.
- Address?
- 1256 Emalita.
Social security number?
What's your social security number?
- Ain't you got a card?
- I forgot it.
- I didn't bring it.
- Sorry, bud.
Next. Name?
Griff, I'm so glad you're back.
There's nothing in this paper, either.
- We haven't been in for days.
- Good.
Griff, I never knew you could be so hungry.
I guess these aren't from the Waldorf,
but they're wonderful!
- Where did you get them?
- From a joint down the road.
I hope they didn't cost much.
We'll need money for dinner tonight.
How much have we left, darling?
Griff, we spent all our money yesterday.
You had only enough
for bus fare this morning.
- How did you get these?
- I borrowed them.
All right, I stole them.
What are we supposed to do, starve?
I stole them because there's no other way.
So eat them.
You haven't had anything all day, Jenny.
Eat.
- Please don't cry, Jenny. We have...
- I'm not crying.
It's just for you to have to steal, for you...
- How much is all this stuff worth?
- It cost you more than it's worth.
Jenny, there's a policeman watching us.
Let's go. I've had enough.
Hey, you! Wait a minute. Come here.
I've been watching you.
What's the idea of littering up the park
with your garbage?
You raised in a pig pen or something?
Coming in here
and throwing this trash all around.
I ought to run you in.
Now, clean up that mess.
What do you think this thing is for?
Decorations?
Now, tidy up everything so it's shipshape,
or so help me, I'll write you up both a ticket!
This is my wife.
How do?
There's an empty house right next
to where I live.
- The manager said you could have it.
- Fine.
- Keep the rain off you.
- It'll be fine.
Florrie, my wife.
Hey, Mr. And Mrs. Parker,
wasn't that the name?
- Yeah, that's right.
- Hi!
- How do you do?
- Hello.
Where you folks say you came from?
- Colorado.
- Montana.
Well, we just came down from Montana.
Originally, we're from Colorado.
Be back in a few minutes.
Show you where you work.
Go on in.
What's the matter with you, Jenny?
I told you it's Colorado. Colorado!
The last place, you said it was Montana.
Just before we got off the bus,
I told you Colorado.
- I couldn't remember.
- Well, I have to remember everything.
Fake names, fake social security numbers.
Remember to leave
before they get wise to me.
And you don't even remember
the name of a state.
I'm sorry, Griff. I made a mistake.
Well, we can't afford mistakes.
You know how much depends on it.
Now that guy probably suspects
something's phony.
It's no good, is it, Griff?
- Lf you just use your head.
- Yes, heads instead of hearts.
Forgive me, Jenny. I didn't mean it.
Griff, why do we quarrel like this?
Sometimes I start it, sometimes you.
We're not getting on with each other,
or with other people.
- What's happening to us, Griff?
- Nothing, honey.
We're under strain. I'm sorry I was irritable.
I... I don't know what's the matter with me.
- I'm just tired, I guess.
- That's not it.
We're both jumpy and cross
and all mixed up.
We're not ourselves.
We haven't had a happy moment since...
Four weeks of this life
would do it to anybody.
We're living like pigs.
Other people have been happy
in a house like this and doing work like this.
Then we'll be happy, too. We will.
I get 40 bucks a week on this job.
They won't catch up
with that phony social security number
for seven or eight weeks.
By that time, we'll have some money
to get a long way from here.
- Hey, Parker!
- That's for you, Mr. Parker.
Come on. The boss wants me
to show you where you work.
Yeah, coming.
Yeah, it's about time.
How do you like working here
after two weeks?
It's okay.
- You ever been in California?
- No.
My wife's brother lives there.
He owns his own house.
You know how he got the money
to pay for the house?
He turned in a crook and got the reward.
Maybe I'll live in California pretty soon.
I hear it's a pretty nice place.
- Your wife ever been in California?
- No.
My wife wants to live there.
I told her, get a crook, turn him in,
get a big reward,
you buy house, live in California, too.
She wants to be waitress
in drive-in restaurant.
Waitress! Your wife got ambition like that?
No.
- Hello, dearie.
- Hello.
Oh, dear! I broke them.
Put the things on top. I do that every time.
Thanks, dearie,
for picking up the paper for me.
First delivery we've had in a week.
Joe said he was going to give
that paperboy a piece of his mind.
Looks like everybody got a paper
on time today.
They can thank Joe for that.
You ought to subscribe.
Thanks, honey. Just put them on top here.
Yeah, that's it. The paper, too.
- Paper?
- Yeah, sure.
Joe always reads it after dinner.
Would you mind opening the door for me?
It isn't locked.
Thanks, honey.
Hello, darling.
I'm sorry I'm late, honey.
- I came through town.
- Griff...
Got something for you, Jenny.
A little present for my girl.
- Present?
- Go on, open it.
It's an awful little present, but...
Griff.
Hey, hey. Hey, now, it isn't that bad, is it?
You know what they say.
It's not the gift, it's the thought that counts.
Yes, Griff, that's what really counts.
Go right ahead. Don't let me stop you.
I'm just paying you back the eggs
I borrowed.
There's no hot water again.
I was going to wash my hair and...
Your hair's dyed, isn't it?
- Yes, you see, I...
- I can always tell dyed hair.
I noticed the first day you got here.
I bet you used to bleach it.
Now it's dyed back to its natural color, huh?
Yes.
That's Joe. He's home.
Wait till he sees there's no hot water.
He'll yell like a bull.
- Fixing to go someplace, dearie?
- No, I...
- Florrie!
- Yeah, what is it?
- There's no hot water!
- What did I tell you?
Yelling like a bull.
That heater, it's so corroded.
Once corrosion starts with those things,
they're finished.
- Florrie!
- All right, I'm coming!
- Come on, I'm hungry!
- Wait a minute.
- Jenny, tell me if there's...
- Corrosion.
- What?
- That's what'll happen to us.
What about it? Were you planning
to go somewhere without me?
- No...
- Be back in a minute.
- What's wrong?
- We're going back, Griff.
We're going to give ourselves up.
Don't talk that way.
It's those people that got you upset.
That frowsy dame with all her snooping.
I'm sorry you have to put up with it,
with a lot of things.
We'll get out of here.
We'll go someplace else.
We'd only have to run away again.
No, we'll run so far this time,
they'll stop looking for us.
Maybe they'll stop looking for us,
but we'll never stop running.
We're getting out of here.
Griff, it's too late.
He's already called the police.
- Police? He knows?
- Yes.
That's why she came over here.
To make sure.
- How did they find out?
- The newspaper. Pictures of us again.
- You saw it?
- Yes.
Well, then, why didn't you... Come on.
Let's hurry. It isn't too late yet.
It is, Griff, for me.
Jenny, please, you're all that matters to me.
You can't go back.
I've got to. It's no good this way.
What kind of life is this for you?
- We haven't got a chance, Jenny.
- Yes, we have.
A little chance, maybe, but at least a chance.
There's no happiness this way, darling.
We're breaking the rules.
That's not for you, Griff,
and it's not for me either, anymore.
It's better, Griff. Please, it's better.
Yes.
Let's go now. Right away.
We don't want to be caught.
We want to give ourselves up.
Wait.
My present.
Will you answer me, Joe?
Did you or did you not tell him?
Yes, I told him.
So, what did you tell him, exactly?
I told him if he didn't get us a new heater,
I was quitting the company.
Yeah? And he said...
You take it from there, Florrie. I'm tired.
Tired.
- Hey, Florrie!
- Yeah?
There's a picture of a dame
here in the paper.
Looks like that girl next door.
In the papers, they all look alike.
She's a nice kid.
For being married,
they sure are crazy about each other.
Come on, Joe, eat this mess.
The police are here, Mr. Wesson.
Well, here they are, Wesson.
All you have to do is identify her.
She gave herself up.
Well, just tell us if she shot you.
It was an accident.
An accident?
That isn't what you said in the report.
It was an accident, I tell you.
Well, I guess there's nothing more
for us to do.
- Come on, Mac.
- What about jumping parole?
She was with her parole officer, wasn't she?
- For two months?
- Yeah, for two months.
Thanks, Harry.
I'm a good enough gambler
to know when I've lost.
But it took a bullet to convince me.
- Nurse, do me a favor.
- Yes, Mr. Wesson.
Throw these people out of here.