The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951) Movie Script
1
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[GENTLE MUSIC]
NARRATOR: More than half the people of the USA
live in small towns, places no larger than ours,
Eaton Falls, New Hampshire.
With most of us here in Eaton Falls,
our ties are so strong we just
couldn't be happy livin' any place else.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
But you never know how tightly chained you
are to a town until real trouble sets in.
Like that morning last fall when our whistle didn't blow.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Why, as long as anyone could remember,
that whistle marked the beginning
and end of every working day.
It was our curfew and our fire alarm.
Why, we even set our clocks by it.
Well, we soon found out why the whistle was silent.
The old Granite State Shoe Company had closed down.
Closed down for good.
And that meant a lotta folks had lost their jobs.
Therefore, the court directs the sheriff
of Rockingham County to sell the said property
of the Granite State Shoe Company at public auction.
This is now up for sale.
What am I offered?
I knew this would happen when
those strangers bought the plant.
What do they care about us?
How can you keep 'em from carrying off the machines?
Now they can open some place with cheap labor and no union.
Sold one time.
Sold two times.
Sold three times.
And sold to the First National Bank.
NARRATOR: That whistle had become a kind of symbol,
I guess you'd call it, that everybody in town went by.
So, it was shifted over to the only place left going,
Doubleday Plastics. [WHISTLE BLOWING]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
About 20 years ago, Dan Doubleday took over the empty
textile mill for his new up and coming business;
turning out buttons, combs,
toothbrush handles and a lot of other fancy things.
Nobody knew what moving that whistle was going to mean.
It was just the beginning to what
you might call a drama of real life.
And before it was over, every single person
in Eaton Falls was a part of it.
Especially Brad, Brad Adams, Chief of Machine Maintenance
and President of the Plastics Workers Union.
It began the last day of October, Halloween.
Kinda funny that it should be Halloween.
Good morning, boys.
Brad.
- Good morning, sir.
- Good morning, Mr. Doubleday.
- Mornin', Miss Russell.
Sit down.
Brad, I want the union to know what we're up against.
The company's headed for trouble.
Miss Russell's just made up our quarterly statement.
Business is way off.
If this nose dive keeps up, we're going to bust wider
than the Granite State Shoe Company.
Why, what's happened?
Every customer I talk with says the same thing,
our prices are too high.
And they can't come down until we lower our costs.
We can do that by junking our old equipment,
installing new molding machines,
high speed, semi-automatic.
Take a look, Brad.
[BELL CHIMING]
They'll boost production 30%.
DAN: Don't know yet when we get delivery.
But once they're here, we can meet competition.
Abbie, Bill, come here.
Ah, gee, this is terrific, Mr. Doubleday.
The fellas in the shop are really gonna go for this layout.
There's a catch to it, Brad.
One man has to operate two machines.
It means laying off half the men
in the molding department.
Hawkins and I have discussed
every conceivable plan with the engineers.
This is the only way we can stay in business.
[FIGURINES CLACKING]
What happens to these men?
Who's gonna pay their bills, feed their kids?
Brad, I don't like this any better than you do,
but we either install modern electric saving equipment
or our competitors put us outta business.
I can't buck the future, neither can you.
But junking half the workers along with the old machines?
Bill, this layoff won't last forever.
If we're able to get new business,
new business means more production
and the men'll be hired back.
It's just a matter of time.
But time is one thing you can't pay back, Mr. Doubleday.
If you lay these men off even
for a few months they're sunk.
And with so many out of work,
somebody's bound to get the bright idea to lower wages.
[DWIGHT SCOFFS]
It's happened before, Mr. Hawkins.
Not in my company, you know that.
Won't you try to convince the
men that we've got to do this?
I can't very well convince them
if I'm not convinced myself.
Local 145 is supposed to protect all of its workers.
The union can't oppose new equipment.
Read your contract.
I don't have to read it, I know it by heart.
We don't have to argue with you.
- We can go right ahead-
- Oh, now, Hawkins.
Only a scab would be run two machines for ya.
Easy, Brad.
Do you think for one minute that I'd hire scabs?
You wouldn't want to, Mr. Doubleday,
but you might have to.
Think what would happen to us.
Why, this layoff would split the union wide open.
It could break us.
Which is better, half of 'em working
or the whole company bankrupt and everybody out of a job?
Well, you'll have to figure other ways to cut your prices.
Go without your profits for a while.
You can stand the loss better than the men can.
Our profits have gone right back into the business,
and we've borrowed money besides.
Look here, Brad.
If the union will go along, you'll see more money
and more jobs for everybody in town.
That's a theory, Mr. Doubleday.
And I won't let my men lose their jobs to prove a theory.
[CHILDREN YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
Mary, can you spare Jean for a little bit?
I got some new ideas we wanna work on at the shop.
Sure.
Ted, will you tell your sister there's a tall,
skinny, ugly looking ghost waiting for her.
TED: Okay, Eddie.
Look, Brad, if costs have to come down,
let the union find ways.
We're not dopes.
There's not a single thing about running
that plant that our people don't know.
Suppose that 200 of us come up
with ideas for saving a buck a week.
[CHILDREN TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
JEAN: Eddie.
[METAL CLANKING]
I've come to your rescue.
Hey, my hair!
What's the matter with your hair?
It's beautiful. [CHILDREN LAUGHING]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Now, the trouble with the Doubleday products
are they all lack imagination.
Hey, lift up.
Can't get much eye appeal outta combs and toothbrushes.
Put your arm up.
Yeah.
That's pretty.
Now stay just like that.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
Products oughta be jazzed up a little bit more,
made a lot more dramatic.
What Doubleday really needs is a high power idea man.
That's me.
Jean, couldn't you look more tropical?
You know, gentle waves lapping at the rocks.
You're in Bermuda. [JEAN SIGHS]
Bermuda my foot, I'm in Eaton Falls
and there's a draft in here.
Now, can't you hurry?
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Hey, that's it.
[EDDIE WHISTLING]
Hawkins is right, you know?
We can't stop 'em from bringing in that new stuff.
Nobody wants to.
But he can't make one man run two machines.
As a matter of fact there's even gotta
be an agreement before we work one.
Mr. Doubleday should know what would happen
to this town if he laid off half his men.
Oh, I asked him to forget layoffs
if we could show him other ways of cutting cost.
What'd he say?
He'd give me Hawkins' job if we could figure
how to save 2,500 bucks a week.
2,500?
Ah, the old man's got his troubles, Joe.
You know, the Gibson Company is our biggest customer,
takes more than half our output.
They're not renewing their contract.
Why, what happened?
Our prices.
Doubleday and the sales manager
are flying to Cleveland tonight.
Wish him luck.
He's one of the first guys to be laid off.
You got a good union fighting for you now.
You know who this is?
Could be my grownup daughter.
You know, Mary and I are wondering whether
we'll wind up with a Thomas Edison,
Irving Berlin or a Fire Chief for a son-in-law.
You'll get 'em all, and an industrial designer besides.
Doubleday's plastic mermaids.
[BAR PATRONS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Management, that's just a fancy name for bosses,
and you can't change a boss anymore
than you can change a mule.
There's nothing wrong with us trying to help him.
Look, Doubleday's out for every penny he can get.
Just what do you think the union's for?
To look out for the workers,
get 'em fair pay, decent working conditions, job security.
Then what business have you got asking us
to worry about Doubleday's headaches?
Because if he can't compete with other outfits,
we're all washed up.
Hawkins is getting a good,
fat salary to look after those problems.
If the factory don't make money that's his hard luck.
You wouldn't last 10 minutes in a real union town.
I was a boy scout once, but I grew up fast.
Nah, don't tell me about management.
Pretty?
A fink in Seattle gave me that back in '45.
That was a real fish fry.
It started over layoffs.
MAN: Brad says he won't stand for none here.
I say Brad Adams ain't got it in him.
Everybody knows he and old man Doubleday are palsy walsy.
That stuff don't go.
Maybe we oughta run you
for union president at the next election.
Yeah.
Say, no kidding.
You've made a lot of friends since you've been around here.
You could sure dish it out to Doubleday okay.
There's one thing for sure,
you wouldn't catch me kowtowing to him.
And I'll tell you something else.
A labor leader don't belong in fancy pants at a gab fest.
The company'll walk all over us
if we just sit around and talk.
Labor's gotta fight for every inch it gets.
Fight or you don't eat.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
The new equipment should be ready in a few weeks.
I'm going to tell Gibson that
we'll cut our prices beginning tomorrow.
And gamble on the union going along with you?
We've never had labor trouble
and I doubt we're going to now,
provided we can keep Hawkins quiet.
He hates unions and he doesn't care who knows it,
but Brad sees what we're up against.
He's asked everyone for suggestions on cutting costs.
Well, you can't blame him for fighting layoffs.
We don't want them either.
[DOORBELL BUZZING]
There's George now.
Good luck, darling.
I know everything's going to work out just as you want.
[DAN CHUCKLING]
- Good night, sweet.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[LIGHT CHURCH ORGAN MUSIC]
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[MUFFLED TALKING]
DWIGHT: Hey, fellas!
The new machines are here.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Take a gander at the babies
that are gonna put half of us on the bread line.
Starvation Annie's, I call 'em.
You mean one guy's gotta handle both of them?
Brad says never.
- Got the bugs out yet?
- I think so.
Okay, get 'em started.
[STEAM HISSING]
Hey, Joe.
[TOOLS CLANKING]
Start number two.
Watch this.
Nothing to it.
Try it, Joe.
No thanks, Mr. Hawkins.
That's right, Joe.
You're trying to get him to set a precedent.
The union hasn't accepted these new machines yet.
Read your contract.
I'm making this a grievance.
It's under protest, go ahead.
Well, what are you waiting for?
Okay, Joe.
Start it.
You're kiddin', aren't you, Mr. Hawkins?
Mind your own business.
Go find Brad.
He's the man to decide.
Operate that machine, London, or draw your pay.
Okay, boys.
Let's walk.
Come on, Joe.
BILL: You men, stay on your machines!
Ah, come on, let's walk.
What's the matter, fellas?
Joe's been fired.
Are we gonna lay down and walk all over us?
Wait a minute, Brad's the head of Local 145.
Pull that switch.
Come on, let's go.
- Come on, let's walk.
Yeah, we're walking.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Hey, boys, they fired Joe London, we're walking.
You stay here, Joe.
[MUFFLED TALKING] [MACHINES HISSING]
Hey, fellas, come here.
They fired Joe London, we're all walking out.
- You with me?
- Hawkins.
I'm going down to spread the message about what's-
- Go.
- Goin' on around here.
We're walking.
- Why?
Ask Al, he'll tell you what's going on.
AL: They fired Joe London, we're walking out.
We're walking, are you coming with us or not?
- What?
- They fired Joe.
Told everyone to pull their keys and walk.
- I ain't walking-
- It's unavailable.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Hey, Bob, come here.
We're walking out, they fired Joe London.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Hawkins fired him for not running the new machine.
Are you with me?
- Yeah!
- All right, let's walk.
- Come on!
- Walk.
- Walk!
- Walk!
- Walk!
WORKERS: Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.
- Let's go!
- Walk, walk, walk, walk!
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Walk, walk!
- You got no right
to simply walk out.
- Walk, walk, walk.
- Come on back, you fools.
- Walk, walk, walk.
- Go back to your machines.
- Walk, walk, walk.
- Come on! - Walk, walk, walk, walk.
- What's wrong with you?
[CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]
BRAD: Hey, what's happening here?
Oh, Hawkins fired me for refusing
to work with them Starvation Annie's.
- Fired you?
- Yeah.
Well, I'll talk to Mr. Hawkins.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
Why are the rest of you fellas off the job?
Huh?
They wouldn't listen.
AL: I told 'em I'd take full responsibility.
- Al's right!
- No, no, he isn't.
- Are you crazy?
- It's the only way.
Walk and call a strike.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
No, you listen, you'll wreck us.
This is just what Hawkins wants.
What are we, a sewing circle?
We're not moving.
If you stay out you'll break your contract
and the union won't be able to do a thing about it.
Come on, get back to your jobs.
Come on, fellas.
- Come on, boys.
I'll take care of this.
I'll talk to Hawkins.
- Come on.
- That's it, fellas.
You're chicken if you go back to work.
Stay here!
Quit acting like a hothead.
Grow up, Al.
I want Joe London hired back.
Nothing doing, he disobeyed orders.
The walkout's a violation of the union contract.
It was a misunderstanding.
They're all back now.
I've got the right to fire every one of 'em.
You better not try it, Mr. Hawkins.
Let's stop kidding each other.
Kidding?
Four new machines will be ready next week.
One man'll work two of 'em.
That's final.
Are you sure it's final?
Okay, Mr. Hawkins, you want a fight you'll get it.
A good one.
- Yeah?
Why don't you and your union get wise to yourselves?
I've been in touch with Mrs. Doubleday's lawyer, Dunbar.
He wants the old lady to sell the plant.
Kit and caboodle.
If you fellas don't get in line I'll recommend it too.
I've got a buyer.
Is that a threat?
Whoever buys can close the plant, wait till you're all
down and out and then rehire on their own terms.
Think it over, Adams.
I don't have to think it over.
But Helen, as your lawyer,
I must urge you to sell the plant.
Put the money into a trust fund
that will provide you with a comfortable income.
No, Horace.
I might if someone in town could buy it,
but we know that people from outside
aren't interested in Eaton Falls.
I am.
Good for you, Mrs. Doubleday.
I'm not worried about the future.
With the money due to the bank
and serious labor trouble on our hands,
a strike mostly likely.
This meeting was to discuss
the appointment of a new president.
Well, since you insist on holding on to the company,
I guess Dwight Hawkins would be the logical candidate.
He'll keep a firm hand on the labor force.
I've worked closely with him
for a long time, Mrs. Doubleday.
You couldn't make a better choice.
My choice for president is Brad Adams.
Adams?
Well, you can't be serious.
Well, the union would like him of course,
but he's completely unqualified;
no managerial experience, no knowledge of finance.
It's impossible.
He'll need help, certainty.
But he has you to guide him with finances.
However, as you say, we do have a labor problem,
and Brad is better equipped to
handle that than anyone else.
I think my husband would have agreed with me too.
Mrs. Russell, would you ask Mr. Adams to come in?
He's in the library.
Helen, I want it clearly understood
this is entirely on your own responsibility.
Naturally, Horace.
Good morning, Mrs. Doubleday.
- You've met Mr. Dunbar.
- Yes.
Sit down.
Brad, I'd like you to be
the new president of Doubleday Plastics.
President?
Oh, Mrs. Doubleday, I...
You really think that I'm qualified to run your business?
You can learn and you're the one man the union trusts.
You're putting me on the spot.
How can I switch sides when I'm just getting ready
to negotiate on the new equipment?
It's either you or Dwight Hawkins.
Hawkins?
I want you because we need someone
who understands our labor problem.
But it may look as though I've sold out.
And without the respect of the workers,
I wouldn't be any use to the company.
Well, will you give me 24 hours, Mrs. Doubleday?
I'd like to talk it over with the union.
HELEN: Certainly, Brad.
Well, now's your chance to be the kind of management
that labor says it wants.
You need to get some sleep.
I'll be expected to do a lot of entertaining.
We can get a new car now.
Oh, Brad, Brad, you know that beautiful old house
out on the edge of the river?
It could be bought for practically nothing.
Just wait a minute.
Not so fast.
- Oh, why not?
Oh, darling, I feel wonderful.
Well, I'm scared stiff.
That doesn't sound like you.
Holy smokes, sweetheart.
The head of Local 145 stepping into the boss' shoes.
If I have to do something that's good for the company,
the union'll say I've sold out.
If I make a decision the boys would cheer about,
Hawkins, Russell and Dunbar'll say the union's
got me in its here pocket.
[BRAD SIGHS]
Look, I'm not worried about this one one bit.
Not one single bit. [GENTLE MUSIC]
Does Mrs. Doubleday think we'll take
the layoff if you're head of the company?
I hope not.
I've already told her that Joe has to be hired back.
Thanks.
She won't have no picnic.
Right now you've got a lot of friends,
and some of 'em just ain't happy
unless they're battling with bosses.
Don't make much difference to them
whether the name's Adams or Hawkins.
Oh, Brad, you've gotta take it.
Doesn't he, fellas?
Labor to management's a big jump,
but I think you can make it.
BRAD: You can't blame me for wanting to try it.
I'm for it.
Second the motion.
Oh, can't you just see him sitting
there behind old Dan's desk?
Right now I can hear Dan sayin',
That old lady of mine, that Helen,
by golly for 35 years she made me a mighty clever wife.
Now who'd of thought she'd make a downside smarter widow?
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
- Oh, congratulations.
- Hi.
Thank you.
Hello, sweetheart, how are ya?
Bye.
- Bye.
Hey, Al, I uh-
After the whistle blows, mister.
I got no time to talk to the boss outside of hours.
Oh, Al, let's forget about what happened-
I'm forgetting nothing.
In this game, you pick sides early
and play on your own team.
Anybody who changes is a traitor.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SOMBER MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Make way for the finishing department.
[FISTS KNOCKING]
- Honker down.
This curves right now ain't doin' it.
Sit down.
EDDIE: Morning', Chief.
[WORKERS APPLAUDING] [BRAD CHUCKLING]
ABBIE: Brad, we all chipped in
and bought something we think you'll need.
[BRIEFCASE CLICKING]
Just like Mr. Doubleday's.
Oh, read what it says, Brad.
"To Brad Adams, from his devoted friends in Local 145."
[BRAD CHUCKLING] [WORKERS APPLAUDING]
- Speech, speech.
- Speech.
- Speech.
- Speech.
Thank you, Abbie.
All of you, thanks very much.
I never thought I'd have a job that needed one of these.
Oh, all big shots carry 'em.
You can bring your lunch in it.
It looks better than a dinner pale.
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
Meet the Local's new president, Brad.
BRAD: Bill, congratulations.
- Thanks.
- He beat Al Webster
by a landslide.
- Oh, yeah he did.
I'm gonna need a lot of help on this job, Bill.
I wanna form a labor management committee.
You'll get the pick of the union.
- Thanks.
- You sure will.
Hey, Brad.
Are you gonna use the briefcase
for other things besides sandwiches?
Yeah, a couple of blackjacks.
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
I may need 'em to beat a new contract
out of the Gibson Company tomorrow.
'Atta boy, Chief.
Go get 'em.
- Thanks, Bill.
- Good look, Brad.
- Come on, everybody.
We'll all be rooting for you.
- Congratulations, Brad.
- Abbie, thanks.
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
Good morning.
- Mr. Adams.
Uh, the name's still Brad.
Hey, why don't you sit down?
[PAPER RUSTLING]
This the report?
Financial statements.
They're a little technical.
BRAD: Thank you.
Morning.
I thought you'd like to put your initials on a few things.
[PAPERS RUSTLING]
Hi.
These are discharge notices.
Sure.
Some of the men in the molding department.
Six new machines are ready, so three men have to go.
Those men are staying and I'm hiring Joe London back.
You think you can run this plant with men standing around
getting paid for doing nothing?
BRAD: There are other ways of cutting costs.
Did you look these over?
Those dopey things?
Soap's being wasted in the lavatories.
Remove the pay stations so the girls
won't fiddle away time on the telephone.
Some of them are very good.
How about this one?
Grind scrap at the machines.
A conveyor belt to the finishing department.
What of it?
Shows that everyone wants to help.
Have you forgotten?
You're not in Local 145 anymore.
Meaning what?
That being the patsy to a bunch of union men
is no way to run a business.
Before you fire me, buster, I quit.
I got myself a good job with a real company yesterday.
That suits me fine.
Your check will be mailed to you.
Have your fling, union boy.
It won't last long.
[DOOR SLAMMING]
[PAPER CRINKLING]
You'll never find anybody to fill his shoes.
WOMAN: Yes, Mr. Adams?
- Get me Jim Brewster.
- Certainly.
How do we stand with the bank?
We owe them $150,000.
- 150,000?
- For the new machines,
plus interest at 4%.
A payment of 25,000 is due next month.
If not met, the entire amount becomes payable at once.
What do you suggest?
Try to get an extension at the bank.
[FIST KNOCKING]
- Congratulations, Brad.
- Thanks, Jim.
- You wanted to see me?
- Yeah.
Hawkins just resigned.
- Well, that was quick.
- Hey, Jim,
you've always been a very good foreman.
How'd you like to be our new production manager?
Me take Hawkins' job?
- Well-
- Okay, sit down.
We got a lotta work to do.
You know, Glenn Sewell, the fella that
put Martin Plastics on the map?
Well, I heard of him.
Well, Mrs. Doubleday suggested him for sales manager.
Glenn Sewell?
He's tops, but you can't get him.
He wouldn't work for a small outfit.
I hired him last night by phone.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Now, I've cut the price to the bone, Mr. Gibson.
You can't get a better finish at double the price.
MR. GIBSON: Can you tell me which one
of these your company made?
[PLASTIC CLINKING]
No.
Why should we pay Doubleday
more than we do other manufacturers?
Would you if you were in my place?
No.
We're assembling television sets.
I can buy these for less money
than it would cost you to make 'em.
Adams, I'll tell you just what I told Dan Doubleday.
Get your new equipment operating efficiently.
When your prices are down,
we'll be able to do business again.
[CAR HORN HONKING]
- Hello, Brad.
- How do you do?
[BRIEFCASE CLICKING]
BANKER: That's just like Dan's.
Oh, yes, the union gave it to me.
That's as of the 30th.
Sales still falling.
Costs up.
Did you renew the Gibson account?
No, sir, but we'll get somebody else.
We've got to.
I'll be frank, sir.
We can't make the payment next month
and still meet our payroll.
So, you want an extension?
Yes, sir.
I'd like not to make any payments
for the next three months.
Well, after all, the bank's money is safe.
The way I understand it,
the machines are worth a lot more than the loan.
I wish it were that simple, but it isn't.
BRAD: No?
The money your company borrowed belongs to our depositors.
If Doubleday should do a Granite State,
the people in this town would start
drawing out their savings.
Business would drop to nothing
and every merchant would go broke.
Would you extend the loan
if a man with more experience was in charge?
[CHAIR CREAKING]
We'll go along with you for 90 days.
Thank you. [LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
If we don't start showing a profit by then, I'll resign.
Sure glad you're here, Mr. Sewell.
I found out at the Gibson Company that I'm no salesman.
Selling can be an easy game,
unless the other fellow rings the doorbell when you do,
and offers the lady a brush at half your price.
When I called you I didn't know this company
would be fighting for its life.
I hope you won't regret coming with us.
Right now we have no business.
Give me a quality product at a competitive price
and I'll sell more than you can produce.
These high speed machines will take care of that.
We've only got six of 'em.
It may be spring before they're all here.
That's not too far away.
A lot of Fridays between now and spring.
And every Friday a payroll comes due.
This is what I'm counting on. [PAPER CRINKLING]
An invitation, a bid and a big order.
Buttons for Navy uniforms.
Doesn't take a sales manager to sell to the Navy.
You're a low bidder or you're sunk.
We'll be the low bidder.
That's all there is to it.
Well, we can't make these buttons
for less than 45 cents a thousand.
- Are you sure, Jim?
- I am.
MISS RUSSELL: 44.98 to be exact.
And if you bid more than 47 you won't get it.
[CAR HORN HONKING]
[BRIEFCASE CLICKING]
Is that the correct time up there?
We're opening our bids by it.
Some outfits here I never expected.
Look at 'em sweat it out.
They trimming their bid?
Probably.
Is 47 as low as we can go?
Can you knock off another penny?
Not and pay off the bank loan.
But you wanna get the plant running.
Okay, make it 46.
[PAPERS CRINKLING]
Here we go.
Make it 45.
[PAPERS CRINKLING]
[BELL DINGING]
MAN: Bid opening for invitation 102S-7842,
plastic buttons.
Hench and Lee, 48.
Philadelphia Plastics, 48.
Maybe I didn't have to take off that last one.
Hutchins, 47.
Doubleday, 45.
[PAPER RIPPING]
Maryland, 46.5.
How long does this last?
MAN: Northern Industrial Chemical, 44.3
[SOMBER MUSIC]
GLENN: Let's go.
MAN: Ajax, 45.
[PLANE ENGINE ROARING]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[PROPELLER CLANKING]
[PLANE ENGINE SPUTTERING]
[WIND WHISTLING]
Hello, Ruth.
Hello, Mr. Sewell, how are you?
[PLANE ENGINE SPUTTERING]
Look what I'm driving.
Are you crazy, we can't afford a new car.
Our car's in the garage getting a new clutch.
They let me borrow this to meet you.
I'm sorry.
[CAR DOOR SLAMMING]
Guess you didn't get the Navy contracts?
Let me off at the office.
I've got a lot of work to do.
Not tonight.
You promised to go to the Granite State benefit.
- I'll have to skip it.
- You can't!
Everybody's expecting you. [CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]
[PEOPLE TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
[SOFT MUSIC] [CROWD APPLAUDING]
Every other day
I'm in love with you
Every other day, it's true
I'm so completely sold on you
Every other night
You're my only dream
Every other night I seem to figure us a team
And on the days that fall between
There's nothing much to do
But think what fun to be the one
Who's dreamed about by you
Starting from today
If you give the cue
Every single other day I'll stay here with you
[CROWD APPLAUDING]
[DRUMS ROLLING]
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
- Okay!
Pick a partner and swing her away
To stay in your seats is a crime
So, ask her politely and then hold her tightly
And all have a heck of a time
[UPBEAT MUSIC] [CROWD APPLAUDING]
Get down with me, folks.
Get your longways sets in order.
[UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES]
Right hand to your own and left to your other
Just balance, fall, fall in line
Your left hand lady with the left hand round
And now your own with the right hand round
Join your hands across the floor
And dance forward and light once more
Now swing your own and dance to the fiddle
And take the ladies down the middle
Down the middle, go two by two
And bring her right back home with you
[UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES]
And now you're back as you were before
You can't stop, go right and left four
Right and left, go right and left four
Right and left from shore to shore
Now, turn right back and toss her forward
And right and left back home once more
Right hand to your own and left to your other
Just balance, fall, fall in line
Your left hand lady with the left hand round
And now your own with a right hand round
Join your hands across the floor
And dance forward and light once more
Now swing your own and dance to the fiddle
And take your ladies down the middle
Down the middle, go two by two
And bring her right back home with you
[CROWD APPLAUDING]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
Think we sang all right?
Oh, I don't know, I got sorta scared the last minute.
Oh, me too.
Hey, I almost forgot.
What?
Here. [JEAN GASPS]
What's the occasion?
Oh, just 'cause I love you.
J.L.
You like it?
[LIPS SMACKING]
I was wondering what the consumer reaction
was gonna be like.
[EDDIE SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
DAN: If this nosedive keeps up,
we're going to bust wider
than the Granite State Shoe Company.
Our prices are too high and they can't come down
until we lower our costs.
This is the only way we can stay in business.
I can't buck the future, neither can you.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[PLASTIC THUDDING]
Cut prices, cut costs, cut, cut, cut.
[PLASTIC SNAPPING]
Brad? [HEELS CLICKING]
Brad, darling.
Come on, fella, you need some sleep.
Joe, our ideas, they're not enough.
I know.
You're up against it.
Things look different I guess when you're on
the other side of the fence.
A lot of people are gonna get hurt.
I've been thinking about you and Mary.
It's not your fault.
Last hired, first fired, that's labor's rule.
Oh, no, Joe.
Brad, there must be some other way.
No.
Old Dan was right.
Brad's gotta layoff half the molders, don't you?
Worse than that, Joe.
The warehouse is jammed with stuff that we can't sell.
We're losing money in everything that we make.
I've gotta close down the plant and layoff everybody.
Everybody?
- Everybody.
- For how long?
For as long as it takes to turn our inventory into cash
so that we make the payment on the loan.
To get delivery on the rest of the new machines,
and they're held up for motors,
probably for a couple of months.
Then we've gotta get enough new business
to take care of our costs and meet the payroll.
You can't buck the future.
You've got to become a part of it.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
Send them in.
Hello, Chief.
The job seems to be agreeing with you.
- Sit down.
- Abbie, Pete.
What's the news, Chief?
Everyone here?
Yeah, I think so.
The management regrets to advise you that
because of critical business conditions,
all manufacturing activities are being suspended
for an indefinite period.
The plant will reopen as soon as the new machines ordered
for the molding department are delivered and installed.
This drastic action is necessary
to protect not only the future of the company,
but also the welfare of its employees.
[HAND SLAMMING]
- That's a lotta hooey.
Bill.
Mr. Doubleday only wanted to layoff half of us.
You come along and throw us all out.
Either we close down temporarily or for good.
IKE: Why didn't you tell us this before?
I made this decision at three o'clock this morning.
Let's get outta here.
I'm sure glad I don't have to live
with your conscience, Mr. Adams.
[DOOR SLAMMING]
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
This is how Brad gives us a vote of confidence.
First Granite State, now Doubleday.
What do you say, Joe, Brad Adams still your best friend?
He's a prince, ain't he?
[GATE CLANKING]
Bradford Adams, your hero.
I just hope the credit company don't carry off
my new Chevy before I can crash it into Brad's rear end.
When all our bellies are empty,
Brad'll have one man run three machines.
Well, they wouldn't listen to me.
I guess they see now Brad's just out to make a fast buck.
Why don't the union do something before it's too late?
You know if we stick together,
Brad's racket'll blow up in his face.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[STAIRS THUDDING]
[LIGHT PIANO MUSIC]
How's it going?
Eddie, you'll have to look for another artist.
EDDIE: Why, don't I pay you enough?
No, I'm serious.
With Pop laid off, Mom and I have to find jobs.
Ah, don't be silly.
It's not gonna be for long.
We can't wait, honest.
On the 15th, there's a payment for the house.
Next, the oil burner and on the
first, Pop's life insurance.
Ah, if we could only hit the market with these babies.
A cigarette lighter in every lamp's a wonderful idea.
EDDIE: Yeah, kinda corny though.
Doubleday's plastic mermaids.
Now, that's really a hot number.
JEAN: Look, if you don't start doing something
about selling these things, I will.
We will never have that fortune you're always talking about
unless we cash in on our creations.
Ah, if you'd only run off a few thousand mermaids
we coulda been out on the road now selling 'em.
Might've helped some.
Here.
[EDDIE SIGHS]
[LIGHTER CLICKS]
How many box tops do you have to send in for one of these?
Oh, I'm sorry you don't like it.
If Doubleday had anything half as good as this
the town wouldn't be in the dumps now.
Oh, Eddie, I didn't say that.
Oh, I think it's swell.
Premium houses'll really go for it.
For prizes on giveaway programs.
Well, that's not much of a compliment.
Hey, hey, what's this?
Oh, nothing special.
BRAD: No, what's it for?
- Hey, Ruthie?
- Hm?
- Got a pie?
- I got a cake.
How many pieces you want?
- Uh, seven.
- Seven.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven pieces.
Exactly equal and cut clean.
Cutter, huh?
A cutter that cuts clean.
It's funny, I've been thinking about a cutter myself.
You have?
The trick is to be able to sell your stuff
for less than the other fellas.
Let me sleep on it tonight.
I'll talk to you about it in the morning, huh?
Okay.
I tell you what.
Get ahold of Jim Brewster and Ike Pinkery.
Tell 'em to meet us at your
shop first thing in the morning,
say seven o'clock.
Seven o'clock.
See you then.
Night, Ruthie.
- Bye.
Thanks a lot.
Morning, fellas.
Before I explain why I asked you here,
I want you all to give me your word that you won't talk.
Certainly.
I don't want any false hopes to build up
around town and then bust 'em.
Well, I'll go along.
No one's ever been able to find a way
to trim these sprues automatically, have they?
We still have to do it by hand.
[SCISSORS CLICKING]
Every company has tried to dope out an automatic cutter.
Uh huh, so did we, but with a traveling slicer.
Eddie's pie cutter started me thinking.
I wonder what would happen if we built
the cutter right into the mold.
You know, a contraption like
that gives me a mighty poisonous idea.
What do you mean, Ike?
I'll tell you.
It could send every girl in the finishing department
to the county poor house.
That's where you're wrong, Ike.
We'll be able to turn out stuff faster
and cheaper than anyone else.
[PAPER RUSTLING]
Television parts, for instance.
Ike.
- Yeah?
We'd get enough new business for a second shift,
and that'll mean everybody works.
Automatic cutter, huh?
That'll take a mighty doing.
But good seed usually sprouts a rich harvest.
Yeah.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
You don't need the money.
Four, long.
Two of your are right, gentlemen.
I'm gonna need one bet.
- You're on.
- One bet here.
[DICE RATTLING]
Four or an eight, four or an eight.
[MUFFLED TALKING]
This brew gets worse and worse.
Sure, it's absorbing your personality.
With no paychecks to feed your kids, you crack wise.
Paycheck, paycheck, you sound like my old lady.
Yeah, can't blame her for throwing you out,
losing all your unemployment dough on the whores.
Want your puss slapped too?
I, uh, I see it's about time for Doubleday's to open up.
No kidding.
How do you know?
Just by looking at the two of you.
You've touched bottom.
So has the rest of the town.
Now, all Brad's gotta do is go to the union
and say take it or leave it.
That guy's not gonna tell us where to get off.
That's the beer talking.
When Brad blows the whistle,
you and all the others'll come on the run.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[MACHINE SQUEAKING]
Give me the thickness gauge.
Oh, what's the hitch, what's the hitch?
She's off three thousandths of an inch.
Open it up, Eddie.
[EDDIE GROANING]
You don't think we oughta try the jukes, huh?
No, you'd smash the plate.
You know, sometimes I think we got a big,
fat goose egg here.
Here.
Tighten that lower bolt.
All right, Eddie, close it up.
[EDDIE GROANING]
[MACHINE SQUEAKING]
It seems to do it.
All right, Eddie, turn it on.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
All right, keep your fingers crossed.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[MACHINE CLANKING] [PLASTIC KNOBS CLINKING]
EDDIE: There's still something wrong.
It's not cutting clean.
Well, at least it doesn't jam anymore.
Let's pull the mold up out again.
By morning, we're gonna have this last bug licked.
Morning?
A lotta folks are climbing outta bed
and thinking it's that now.
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
EDDIE: South End, have to go.
Somebody else trying to collect his insurance.
Three of 'em landed in the county jail
this week for trying that.
Yeah, I tell ya we're in a race with the devil.
And if folks don't start drawing wages pretty soon,
old Lucifer is going to take over this town.
Well, I'm hungry.
Let's get some breakfast.
After that, Brad, we'll help you find that confounded bug.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[TRUCK ENGINE RUMBLING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Those are the very terms you told Mr. Doubleday
the union would never agree to.
Yes, you've heard it before,
but you do it this way or the plant folds for good.
What about those men who will still be on the streets?
The other half?
- Unemployment money
doesn't exactly nourish the soul.
We've found that out.
- Abbie, if the union will
agree to one man at two machines,
I hope, and it's still just a hope,
that it won't be long before
everyone's back on the payroll.
Yeah, it's just a matter of time.
We've heard that one too.
Bill, the people in this town are so badly off,
they'd take any offer that's made to them.
Why don't you admit it?
I don't know what you're aiming at,
but you haven't been able to bust the union yet.
You think I've been trying to?
Well, do you?
I took this job with the union's blessing.
And what said then still goes.
I want a company where the workers
will prosper with the management.
What you don't know is that I promised myself I'd quit
if I couldn't find a way to keep the other half working.
If I don't succeed I'll be without a job too.
Our policy is still the one you set.
One man to a machine.
Brad, we can't talk for the union.
There has to be a vote.
What are you grinning at?
[PLASTIC KNOBS CLINKING]
Every one clean as a pickerel's tooth.
JIM: How do you like 'em, Brad?
[BRAD GASPS]
We did it, huh?
[MEN CHUCKLING]
We finally did it!
We licked it!
Well, [NOSE HONKING].
Well, I guess I oughta treat you guys to something special.
A honeymoon in Bermuda.
You're entitled to it.
I'll settle for a ride down
to Portsmouth and a lobster dinner.
Okay, Ike.
I'd just like a long, cool glass of beer.
Anything you want, boys.
[PLASTIC KNOBS CLINKING]
Anything you want.
We have all our new equipment
and the union's voting next Sunday.
I like your plan, Brad.
Now it's up to Mr. Sewell.
Does that mean you approve?
Of course it does.
Got a whole new line of merchandise for you to sell,
TV parts, bushings, channel selectors.
I want orders for a million of
these units before we reopen,
and that may be next Monday.
Now, wait a minute.
Look what we're able to sell 'em for.
But a million?
It'll take me a month to see enough customers
to ring up that much business.
Mr. Sewell, wouldn't it be easier
to find us one big customer?
You wanted a quality product
for a competitive price, didn't you?
Now you've got it.
Very few outfits'll buy in the millions.
I could put in a call for Ted Wagner in St. Louis.
He's the head of the National Company.
Get to St Louis as fast as you can.
These prices are sure on the low side.
How can you do it?
It's still a secret.
Has to be until we find out about the patents.
But you can't promise deliveries
until you hear from the union.
Will you please let me do the worrying?
I want an order for one million units
before we reopen next Monday.
I'll try to catch the last plane.
If it should take Sewell a month,
you stand to lose the plant, your home, everything.
And if he's successful.
Well, that's another story.
But I want you to realize, Mrs. Doubleday,
just how a big a gamble you're letting me take.
How soon can you start deliveries?
10 days.
We're way behind, Philco, DuMont, RCA,
must be six million units on order there.
Oh, excuse me, Dad.
The production chief wants to see you for a minute.
We have a new plant, but it'll be months
before we can get in the equipment.
I'll be right back.
All right.
How long are you staying in town?
Long enough to get that business.
I think you should try to buyout Doubleday Plastics.
What on earth would we do with a factory in New Hampshire?
They're installing a lot of new molding machines.
We could rip them out and put them in our new factory.
I'd rather give them our business.
Their prices are just about
what it costs us to manufacture.
You know why?
These things weren't cut by hand.
MR. WAGNER: You mean an automatic cutter?
Absolutely.
Look here, smooth.
MR. WAGNER: We've spent a fortune trying
to develop something like that.
Mr. Wagner, I'm sure we could buy Doubledays.
Patents, new machines, everything.
They'd be fools to sell.
I understand the new management
is causing a lot of unhappiness around town.
The lawyers have always been after Mrs. Doubleday to sell.
MR. WAGNER: If they'd rather sell than have our business,
I'll make them a good offer.
Let me go up there and scout around.
I'd like you stall off Sewell on our orders for a few days.
Be just as well if no one got wind of our plans,
especially about taking away the machines.
I couldn't take an offer like this to Mrs. Doubleday.
It'd be different if the plant were on the market.
I remember not so long ago
you were urging her to get rid of the place.
Yes, but that's when we seemed to be facing difficulties.
The Boston Trust Company seems to think you still are.
[HORACE CHUCKLING]
Their money's on deposit.
Just waiting for the due date.
HAWKINS: But your labor troubles are still with you.
Well, that's why we put Adams in there.
You know that if anyone can handle a union, he's the boy.
Then, we can't get together?
No, Dwight.
Certainly not with an offer like this.
You know, Dunbar's a cagey old cuss.
He wouldn't go to Mrs. Doubleday with such an offer.
Bet he had her on the phone
before I was outta the building.
Don't misjudge Yankee shrewdness, Dwight.
You may find you can't pay what he'll want.
I'm prepared to raise my offer.
Just to be working with you again is worth something.
You don't fool me, Dwight.
Why after all these months of complete silence
you suddenly come back?
You guess.
[LIGHT PIANO MUSIC]
- Good morning, Horace.
- Good morning, Helen.
- Good morning, Miss Russell.
- Good morning.
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
Helen, I'm rather pleased with myself,
and I want you to know how helpful Miss Russell's been.
Dwight Hawkins came into my office this morning.
$400,000 he'll give us.
That's more than double his first offer.
Good heavens, Horace.
Who's putting up all that money?
Well, I haven't asked him.
But I checked, the cash is in Boston.
It's yours when we sign.
I presume Dwight Hawkins will be in charge of the plant?
- Probably.
- Uh, if the sale goes through
he wants me to continue as treasurer.
Until Brad comes to me and admits failure-
Helen, if you have any further labor trouble,
you won't get enough for the plant to pay your debts.
You may thank Mr. Hawkins,
but tell him I don't care to sell.
Well, I'll tell him you need more time to consider.
You know, your predators to force you to sell.
Horace, if this is a bonafide offer,
a few days delay won't make any difference.
I have complete confidence in Brad.
- Mr. Hawkins.
- Hello, Al.
Your message sorta surprised me.
Brought you some news.
I hope it's good.
We've got enough of the other kind.
I came up here with the dough to buyout Doubleday.
Very interesting.
When we take over the plant and we're going to,
there'll be jobs for everyone.
So, lets you and me start off by understanding each other.
How do you mean?
Old lady Doubleday thinks
the union will do whatever Brad says.
She won't sell until she finds out differently.
You oughta know how to handle this situation.
You want all the men back on the job.
I'm in a position to do it
if the union turns down Brad's proposition.
There's not much time.
We're voting Sunday afternoon.
That's why I'd like you to get busy.
200 signatures demanding that.
Mrs. Doubleday sell her business.
And I'd wager that there's not one
of these people who knows what he's signing.
Who originated this petition?
Look here, Sewell.
Tell Wagner that National either signs now
or we're going after someone else.
I don't care how much business he's talking about,
it'll be no good to us unless we get it now.
Well, you're darn tooting I'm impatient.
Okay, so long and good luck to you.
- Brad?
- Yeah?
Could you take an hour to go over these
with me at the house?
The contractor wants to start working the 15th.
The 15th?
You'll have to put him off a little longer.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Look who's coming.
[CAR HORNS HONKING]
Our ex-boss, Mr. Bradford Adams.
Let's give it to 'em.
Come on, boys.
[WORKERS YELLING]
- Would you look at that.
What do you say, Jack, 5% of his windshield off.
How's that pretty boy?
Can you see us out here in the front line-
How's that big fat paycheck?
[WORKERS YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
What's the matter, can't you take it anymore?
Come on back here.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Tonight's the most important meeting we've ever had,
but a lot of 'em won't go.
Crap game means more to them then the voting.
People are saying things can't be any worse,
why worry about who's boss?
Mary, what do you say to our packing up
and moving to where I can get steady work?
Joe!
Good jobs are going begging
in places like Pittsburgh, Detroit, Los Angeles.
Leave Eaton Falls and all our friends?
Take the kids out of school?
We wouldn't be happy living anywhere else.
That's just why we don't want
an outsider running Doubledays.
Most folks here are like us, natives,
they own property, have mortgages.
Let's admit it, we're tied to this town.
We can't escape, we're prisoners.
I keep asking myself why Hawkins wants the plant.
One thing I'm sure of,
if he gets it he'll make us work at his terms.
He'll move the machinery to some town
that's worse off than ours.
If the union votes yes,
half of you will still be outta work.
Vote no, the old lady'll have to sell,
then we know we'll go back.
- All right.
- Yeah.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[MEN TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Come on, all of you, you'll be late for the meeting.
MAN: Get away, you're a jinx.
Just started, come on, let's go.
Outta here, Joe, before you're throwed out.
Look, we got a good union.
This is our last chance to have good management.
MAN: What do we care?
Bosses are all alike.
Ah, come on up and vote.
You'll be playing with bottle caps.
That unemployment money can't last much longer.
MAN: Mr. Hawkins is gonna see us through.
Aw, look, fellas. [BOTTLE SHATTERING]
Are you all right, Joe?
Yeah. [DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Now, why'd you have to hit him?
[MEN TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[WATERFALL SPLASHING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[UNION WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
You might say history is repeating itself.
We've gotten together today
to deal with another Benedict Arnold.
And the funny thing is he's got the same initials, B.A.,
Brad Adams is a traitor of Eaton Falls.
He's right! [UNION WORKERS CHEERING]
Order, order, order, order!
This is before the union is to hear the report
of the executive committee and vote on it.
- Go ahead, Al.
- I demand the point
of personal privilege.
And I'm gonna keep it anyway. [UNION WORKERS LAUGHING]
Is there anyone who hasn't heard Brad Adams say no layoffs?
That he'd fight and die to keep one man to a machine?
He's right! [UNION WORKERS YELLING]
All right, all right.
What'd he do?
What'd he do?
- He sold us out!
That's right. [UNION WORKERS YELLING]
Order, order!
Quiet, quiet!
A speaker's out of order and a sergeant in arms
will remove that man from this meeting.
Nobody's removing anybody until I'm finished.
What'd he do?
He sells out.
And with the blood money, he buys himself a new house.
He's gotta live in style while the rest of us starve!
That's right! [UNION WORKERS YELLING]
We're all starving!
Who's working, no one!
- Shut up, you guys, shut up.
- And you know it!
- You're crazy.
That's not so.
They've given us the house and once more,
Brad cut his salary the day the plant closed.
We gotta stick together.
Either none of us goes back or we all go back!
- Right.
- Right.
Wait a minute!
I say let Doubleday make jobs
and pay half of us out of its profits.
Isn't it better for half of us
to have a job then for all of us to starve?
[UNION WORKERS YELLING]
Folks, folks, Brad's doing all he can
to take everybody back.
[UNION WORKERS YELLING]
When he took this job, we all gave him a present.
And it said, "to Brad Adams,
from his devoted friends in 145."
[UNION SOLDIERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Tell us what Brad's been giving you, junior.
- I'll knock your teeth out-
- Hey, hey, hey.
[UNION SOLDIERS YELLING]
Well, we're supposed to vote.
That's what the meeting is for.
[UNION SOLDIERS YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
[HAND THUDDING]
Quiet, please, quiet, quiet.
I'm sorry to say that brother Joe London
has met with a serious accident.
[UNION WORKERS GASPING]
- What's happened?
Nobody knows yet.
He was taken out of the river below the falls.
I guess we're ready for the vote.
No, we aren't.
I say let's postpone the meeting till next week.
Then we can vote on Mr. Hawkins's proposition.
I say we vote now.
We know Hawkins isn't buying the place because he loves us.
BILL: The chair recognizes Brother Ike.
[UNION WORKERS APPLAUDING]
In case some of these Johnny-come-lately's don't know it,
I was the first person of this Local.
Yes sir, some of us old timers went up to Boston
to get the charter from the International.
AL: Ah, sit down, you old goat.
Just a minute, squirt.
Now, I've been around a good bit.
And I generally size up the bait before hooking on,
and I'm holding with Brad because he's just doing
what old Dan woulda had to do anyhow.
- Oh, that's telling, Ike.
- Talking about right here.
Let's vote. [UNION WORKERS APPLAUDING]
Hold it.
It's been moved and seconded.
All those in favor of going back to work,
signify by saying aye.
UNION WORKERS: Aye!
- Oppose?
- No!
The aye's have it.
Yeah, well just try and make it stick!
[UNION WORKERS BOOING]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DOOR THUDDING]
Al Webster says that the whole thing
is just a stunt to make labor look bad.
Anything to say?
How about you, Dr. Payson?
I have a statement to make.
The death of Joe London is needless, tragic waste.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Tell your readers that the same violence
and confusion that killed Joe London can destroy this town.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
So far, only one we can prosecute
is the fella who threw the bottle.
I'd better have a squad of men outside
the factory just in case there's trouble.
Thanks, Captain, I'd rather you didn't.
I'll call you if we need help.
Okay, we can get here in a jiffy.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[HEELS CLICKING]
You've sent for me?
Yes, I did.
Have you seen Dwight Hawkins lately?
My personal life is none of your business.
Mr. Hawkins happens to be a very dear friend of mine.
I understand he's trying to buy this place.
Well that's no secret.
He's dealing legitimately with Mrs. Doubleday's lawyer.
BRAD: You'd like him to get it, wouldn't you?
Yes, certainly.
I've even urged Mrs. Doubleday to sell.
- Why does he want it?
- Ask him.
I don't need to.
He's production manager for National Company.
[NEWSPAPER THUDDING]
They were ready to give us a big order
until he came into the picture.
I know nothing about any order.
But you do know that he's here in town organizing
a campaign against me, don't you?
And he's trying to corrupt the union.
I hold your friend Hawkins
responsible for Joe London's death.
Don't you dare say that!
You've wrecked this town.
And unless Mrs. Doubleday sells she'll be penniless.
I'm quitting.
I'm doing just what Dwight did, union boy.
Only now, you've had your fling and it didn't last long.
Did it?
[DOOR SLAMMING]
[ROTARY PHONE CLICKING]
Operator, long distance please.
I wanna talk to Mr. Ted Wagner,
President of the National Company in St. Louis.
[UNION WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
[DOG BARKING]
[CAR HORN HONKING]
What do you say, Bill?
I never crashed a picket line in my life and I never will.
But this ain't picketing, it's wildcatting.
They're a bunch of goons trying to wreck their own union.
- Let's go.
- Come on!
Duck down and hold tight.
Hey, wait, wait.
IKE: This is no ride for a lady.
[SIREN WAILING] [CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]
[BARRELS THUDDING]
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Mr. Wagner?
This is Brad Adams speaking, Doubleday Plastics.
You better send for your production manager
before he gets run outta town.
Yes, I mean Hawkins.
This company is not for sale, Wagner.
No, not at any price.
No!
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
AL: You can all go home now.
We've been home long enough.
Why can't we work?
Why?
[PIPE HISSING]
You see why.
They brought in scabs.
- That's a lie!
- Yeah?
Who do you suppose is running those machines?
Who, the president of our union, that's who!
What's the matter with you people?
Look, we voted didn't we?
Are you gonna let this hooligan wreck our union?
Nobody's going to work until
the old lady gets rid of your hero.
Webster, I know all the words
and if I wasn't a lady you'd be hearing them now.
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Who?
Yes, it is, Mr. Wagner.
I told Sewell to call on other customers.
Yes, those prices still stand,
but we'll have to have a deposit.
Yes, I'd be glad to.
Just a moment.
All right, what's your order?
You will give us the whole lot?
Yes, at the price that Sewell quoted.
Will you send us a check for 30% with the order?
All right, thank you, Mr. Wagner.
Goodbye. [PHONE CLICKING]
Yahoo!
National Company,
six million TV channel selectors.
R-U-S-H, rush!
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Get me Mrs. Doubleday.
Get me my wife and I wanna see everyone, everybody!
Isn't there a man here with guts enough to follow me?
Come on! [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[WORKERS YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
[PHONE RINGING]
Mrs. Doubleday, I wanna read you something.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
ABBIE: Come on, let's start our jobs.
Come on.
- Good to see you.
- Hey, same here.
Yes, Ruth.
Of course it's true, darling!
Yes, they're coming in now.
So long.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Come on in, everybody.
Come on.
BRAD: Quiet, listen, listen, everybody.
Everybody's here.
- And we're all ready
to go back to work again.
Everybody?
You don't mean that do you?
All those you need on the new machines.
Are you willing to go to work in a night shift, Abbie?
- What?
- We're working at night?
The layoffs are over.
There will be jobs for everybody.
Starting right now, Doubleday Plastics
will work around the clock.
Three shifts! [WORKERS CHEERING]
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
BILL: Eight million?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
NARRATOR: Well, that's what happened in our town,
and it's happened in a lot of other towns too.
With us here in Eaton Falls, thank the good lord,
it turned out just fine.
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[GENTLE MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[GENTLE MUSIC]
NARRATOR: More than half the people of the USA
live in small towns, places no larger than ours,
Eaton Falls, New Hampshire.
With most of us here in Eaton Falls,
our ties are so strong we just
couldn't be happy livin' any place else.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
But you never know how tightly chained you
are to a town until real trouble sets in.
Like that morning last fall when our whistle didn't blow.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Why, as long as anyone could remember,
that whistle marked the beginning
and end of every working day.
It was our curfew and our fire alarm.
Why, we even set our clocks by it.
Well, we soon found out why the whistle was silent.
The old Granite State Shoe Company had closed down.
Closed down for good.
And that meant a lotta folks had lost their jobs.
Therefore, the court directs the sheriff
of Rockingham County to sell the said property
of the Granite State Shoe Company at public auction.
This is now up for sale.
What am I offered?
I knew this would happen when
those strangers bought the plant.
What do they care about us?
How can you keep 'em from carrying off the machines?
Now they can open some place with cheap labor and no union.
Sold one time.
Sold two times.
Sold three times.
And sold to the First National Bank.
NARRATOR: That whistle had become a kind of symbol,
I guess you'd call it, that everybody in town went by.
So, it was shifted over to the only place left going,
Doubleday Plastics. [WHISTLE BLOWING]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
About 20 years ago, Dan Doubleday took over the empty
textile mill for his new up and coming business;
turning out buttons, combs,
toothbrush handles and a lot of other fancy things.
Nobody knew what moving that whistle was going to mean.
It was just the beginning to what
you might call a drama of real life.
And before it was over, every single person
in Eaton Falls was a part of it.
Especially Brad, Brad Adams, Chief of Machine Maintenance
and President of the Plastics Workers Union.
It began the last day of October, Halloween.
Kinda funny that it should be Halloween.
Good morning, boys.
Brad.
- Good morning, sir.
- Good morning, Mr. Doubleday.
- Mornin', Miss Russell.
Sit down.
Brad, I want the union to know what we're up against.
The company's headed for trouble.
Miss Russell's just made up our quarterly statement.
Business is way off.
If this nose dive keeps up, we're going to bust wider
than the Granite State Shoe Company.
Why, what's happened?
Every customer I talk with says the same thing,
our prices are too high.
And they can't come down until we lower our costs.
We can do that by junking our old equipment,
installing new molding machines,
high speed, semi-automatic.
Take a look, Brad.
[BELL CHIMING]
They'll boost production 30%.
DAN: Don't know yet when we get delivery.
But once they're here, we can meet competition.
Abbie, Bill, come here.
Ah, gee, this is terrific, Mr. Doubleday.
The fellas in the shop are really gonna go for this layout.
There's a catch to it, Brad.
One man has to operate two machines.
It means laying off half the men
in the molding department.
Hawkins and I have discussed
every conceivable plan with the engineers.
This is the only way we can stay in business.
[FIGURINES CLACKING]
What happens to these men?
Who's gonna pay their bills, feed their kids?
Brad, I don't like this any better than you do,
but we either install modern electric saving equipment
or our competitors put us outta business.
I can't buck the future, neither can you.
But junking half the workers along with the old machines?
Bill, this layoff won't last forever.
If we're able to get new business,
new business means more production
and the men'll be hired back.
It's just a matter of time.
But time is one thing you can't pay back, Mr. Doubleday.
If you lay these men off even
for a few months they're sunk.
And with so many out of work,
somebody's bound to get the bright idea to lower wages.
[DWIGHT SCOFFS]
It's happened before, Mr. Hawkins.
Not in my company, you know that.
Won't you try to convince the
men that we've got to do this?
I can't very well convince them
if I'm not convinced myself.
Local 145 is supposed to protect all of its workers.
The union can't oppose new equipment.
Read your contract.
I don't have to read it, I know it by heart.
We don't have to argue with you.
- We can go right ahead-
- Oh, now, Hawkins.
Only a scab would be run two machines for ya.
Easy, Brad.
Do you think for one minute that I'd hire scabs?
You wouldn't want to, Mr. Doubleday,
but you might have to.
Think what would happen to us.
Why, this layoff would split the union wide open.
It could break us.
Which is better, half of 'em working
or the whole company bankrupt and everybody out of a job?
Well, you'll have to figure other ways to cut your prices.
Go without your profits for a while.
You can stand the loss better than the men can.
Our profits have gone right back into the business,
and we've borrowed money besides.
Look here, Brad.
If the union will go along, you'll see more money
and more jobs for everybody in town.
That's a theory, Mr. Doubleday.
And I won't let my men lose their jobs to prove a theory.
[CHILDREN YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
Mary, can you spare Jean for a little bit?
I got some new ideas we wanna work on at the shop.
Sure.
Ted, will you tell your sister there's a tall,
skinny, ugly looking ghost waiting for her.
TED: Okay, Eddie.
Look, Brad, if costs have to come down,
let the union find ways.
We're not dopes.
There's not a single thing about running
that plant that our people don't know.
Suppose that 200 of us come up
with ideas for saving a buck a week.
[CHILDREN TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
JEAN: Eddie.
[METAL CLANKING]
I've come to your rescue.
Hey, my hair!
What's the matter with your hair?
It's beautiful. [CHILDREN LAUGHING]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Now, the trouble with the Doubleday products
are they all lack imagination.
Hey, lift up.
Can't get much eye appeal outta combs and toothbrushes.
Put your arm up.
Yeah.
That's pretty.
Now stay just like that.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
Products oughta be jazzed up a little bit more,
made a lot more dramatic.
What Doubleday really needs is a high power idea man.
That's me.
Jean, couldn't you look more tropical?
You know, gentle waves lapping at the rocks.
You're in Bermuda. [JEAN SIGHS]
Bermuda my foot, I'm in Eaton Falls
and there's a draft in here.
Now, can't you hurry?
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Hey, that's it.
[EDDIE WHISTLING]
Hawkins is right, you know?
We can't stop 'em from bringing in that new stuff.
Nobody wants to.
But he can't make one man run two machines.
As a matter of fact there's even gotta
be an agreement before we work one.
Mr. Doubleday should know what would happen
to this town if he laid off half his men.
Oh, I asked him to forget layoffs
if we could show him other ways of cutting cost.
What'd he say?
He'd give me Hawkins' job if we could figure
how to save 2,500 bucks a week.
2,500?
Ah, the old man's got his troubles, Joe.
You know, the Gibson Company is our biggest customer,
takes more than half our output.
They're not renewing their contract.
Why, what happened?
Our prices.
Doubleday and the sales manager
are flying to Cleveland tonight.
Wish him luck.
He's one of the first guys to be laid off.
You got a good union fighting for you now.
You know who this is?
Could be my grownup daughter.
You know, Mary and I are wondering whether
we'll wind up with a Thomas Edison,
Irving Berlin or a Fire Chief for a son-in-law.
You'll get 'em all, and an industrial designer besides.
Doubleday's plastic mermaids.
[BAR PATRONS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Management, that's just a fancy name for bosses,
and you can't change a boss anymore
than you can change a mule.
There's nothing wrong with us trying to help him.
Look, Doubleday's out for every penny he can get.
Just what do you think the union's for?
To look out for the workers,
get 'em fair pay, decent working conditions, job security.
Then what business have you got asking us
to worry about Doubleday's headaches?
Because if he can't compete with other outfits,
we're all washed up.
Hawkins is getting a good,
fat salary to look after those problems.
If the factory don't make money that's his hard luck.
You wouldn't last 10 minutes in a real union town.
I was a boy scout once, but I grew up fast.
Nah, don't tell me about management.
Pretty?
A fink in Seattle gave me that back in '45.
That was a real fish fry.
It started over layoffs.
MAN: Brad says he won't stand for none here.
I say Brad Adams ain't got it in him.
Everybody knows he and old man Doubleday are palsy walsy.
That stuff don't go.
Maybe we oughta run you
for union president at the next election.
Yeah.
Say, no kidding.
You've made a lot of friends since you've been around here.
You could sure dish it out to Doubleday okay.
There's one thing for sure,
you wouldn't catch me kowtowing to him.
And I'll tell you something else.
A labor leader don't belong in fancy pants at a gab fest.
The company'll walk all over us
if we just sit around and talk.
Labor's gotta fight for every inch it gets.
Fight or you don't eat.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
The new equipment should be ready in a few weeks.
I'm going to tell Gibson that
we'll cut our prices beginning tomorrow.
And gamble on the union going along with you?
We've never had labor trouble
and I doubt we're going to now,
provided we can keep Hawkins quiet.
He hates unions and he doesn't care who knows it,
but Brad sees what we're up against.
He's asked everyone for suggestions on cutting costs.
Well, you can't blame him for fighting layoffs.
We don't want them either.
[DOORBELL BUZZING]
There's George now.
Good luck, darling.
I know everything's going to work out just as you want.
[DAN CHUCKLING]
- Good night, sweet.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[LIGHT CHURCH ORGAN MUSIC]
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[MUFFLED TALKING]
DWIGHT: Hey, fellas!
The new machines are here.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Take a gander at the babies
that are gonna put half of us on the bread line.
Starvation Annie's, I call 'em.
You mean one guy's gotta handle both of them?
Brad says never.
- Got the bugs out yet?
- I think so.
Okay, get 'em started.
[STEAM HISSING]
Hey, Joe.
[TOOLS CLANKING]
Start number two.
Watch this.
Nothing to it.
Try it, Joe.
No thanks, Mr. Hawkins.
That's right, Joe.
You're trying to get him to set a precedent.
The union hasn't accepted these new machines yet.
Read your contract.
I'm making this a grievance.
It's under protest, go ahead.
Well, what are you waiting for?
Okay, Joe.
Start it.
You're kiddin', aren't you, Mr. Hawkins?
Mind your own business.
Go find Brad.
He's the man to decide.
Operate that machine, London, or draw your pay.
Okay, boys.
Let's walk.
Come on, Joe.
BILL: You men, stay on your machines!
Ah, come on, let's walk.
What's the matter, fellas?
Joe's been fired.
Are we gonna lay down and walk all over us?
Wait a minute, Brad's the head of Local 145.
Pull that switch.
Come on, let's go.
- Come on, let's walk.
Yeah, we're walking.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Hey, boys, they fired Joe London, we're walking.
You stay here, Joe.
[MUFFLED TALKING] [MACHINES HISSING]
Hey, fellas, come here.
They fired Joe London, we're all walking out.
- You with me?
- Hawkins.
I'm going down to spread the message about what's-
- Go.
- Goin' on around here.
We're walking.
- Why?
Ask Al, he'll tell you what's going on.
AL: They fired Joe London, we're walking out.
We're walking, are you coming with us or not?
- What?
- They fired Joe.
Told everyone to pull their keys and walk.
- I ain't walking-
- It's unavailable.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Hey, Bob, come here.
We're walking out, they fired Joe London.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Hawkins fired him for not running the new machine.
Are you with me?
- Yeah!
- All right, let's walk.
- Come on!
- Walk.
- Walk!
- Walk!
- Walk!
WORKERS: Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.
- Let's go!
- Walk, walk, walk, walk!
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Walk, walk!
- You got no right
to simply walk out.
- Walk, walk, walk.
- Come on back, you fools.
- Walk, walk, walk.
- Go back to your machines.
- Walk, walk, walk.
- Come on! - Walk, walk, walk, walk.
- What's wrong with you?
[CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]
BRAD: Hey, what's happening here?
Oh, Hawkins fired me for refusing
to work with them Starvation Annie's.
- Fired you?
- Yeah.
Well, I'll talk to Mr. Hawkins.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
Why are the rest of you fellas off the job?
Huh?
They wouldn't listen.
AL: I told 'em I'd take full responsibility.
- Al's right!
- No, no, he isn't.
- Are you crazy?
- It's the only way.
Walk and call a strike.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
No, you listen, you'll wreck us.
This is just what Hawkins wants.
What are we, a sewing circle?
We're not moving.
If you stay out you'll break your contract
and the union won't be able to do a thing about it.
Come on, get back to your jobs.
Come on, fellas.
- Come on, boys.
I'll take care of this.
I'll talk to Hawkins.
- Come on.
- That's it, fellas.
You're chicken if you go back to work.
Stay here!
Quit acting like a hothead.
Grow up, Al.
I want Joe London hired back.
Nothing doing, he disobeyed orders.
The walkout's a violation of the union contract.
It was a misunderstanding.
They're all back now.
I've got the right to fire every one of 'em.
You better not try it, Mr. Hawkins.
Let's stop kidding each other.
Kidding?
Four new machines will be ready next week.
One man'll work two of 'em.
That's final.
Are you sure it's final?
Okay, Mr. Hawkins, you want a fight you'll get it.
A good one.
- Yeah?
Why don't you and your union get wise to yourselves?
I've been in touch with Mrs. Doubleday's lawyer, Dunbar.
He wants the old lady to sell the plant.
Kit and caboodle.
If you fellas don't get in line I'll recommend it too.
I've got a buyer.
Is that a threat?
Whoever buys can close the plant, wait till you're all
down and out and then rehire on their own terms.
Think it over, Adams.
I don't have to think it over.
But Helen, as your lawyer,
I must urge you to sell the plant.
Put the money into a trust fund
that will provide you with a comfortable income.
No, Horace.
I might if someone in town could buy it,
but we know that people from outside
aren't interested in Eaton Falls.
I am.
Good for you, Mrs. Doubleday.
I'm not worried about the future.
With the money due to the bank
and serious labor trouble on our hands,
a strike mostly likely.
This meeting was to discuss
the appointment of a new president.
Well, since you insist on holding on to the company,
I guess Dwight Hawkins would be the logical candidate.
He'll keep a firm hand on the labor force.
I've worked closely with him
for a long time, Mrs. Doubleday.
You couldn't make a better choice.
My choice for president is Brad Adams.
Adams?
Well, you can't be serious.
Well, the union would like him of course,
but he's completely unqualified;
no managerial experience, no knowledge of finance.
It's impossible.
He'll need help, certainty.
But he has you to guide him with finances.
However, as you say, we do have a labor problem,
and Brad is better equipped to
handle that than anyone else.
I think my husband would have agreed with me too.
Mrs. Russell, would you ask Mr. Adams to come in?
He's in the library.
Helen, I want it clearly understood
this is entirely on your own responsibility.
Naturally, Horace.
Good morning, Mrs. Doubleday.
- You've met Mr. Dunbar.
- Yes.
Sit down.
Brad, I'd like you to be
the new president of Doubleday Plastics.
President?
Oh, Mrs. Doubleday, I...
You really think that I'm qualified to run your business?
You can learn and you're the one man the union trusts.
You're putting me on the spot.
How can I switch sides when I'm just getting ready
to negotiate on the new equipment?
It's either you or Dwight Hawkins.
Hawkins?
I want you because we need someone
who understands our labor problem.
But it may look as though I've sold out.
And without the respect of the workers,
I wouldn't be any use to the company.
Well, will you give me 24 hours, Mrs. Doubleday?
I'd like to talk it over with the union.
HELEN: Certainly, Brad.
Well, now's your chance to be the kind of management
that labor says it wants.
You need to get some sleep.
I'll be expected to do a lot of entertaining.
We can get a new car now.
Oh, Brad, Brad, you know that beautiful old house
out on the edge of the river?
It could be bought for practically nothing.
Just wait a minute.
Not so fast.
- Oh, why not?
Oh, darling, I feel wonderful.
Well, I'm scared stiff.
That doesn't sound like you.
Holy smokes, sweetheart.
The head of Local 145 stepping into the boss' shoes.
If I have to do something that's good for the company,
the union'll say I've sold out.
If I make a decision the boys would cheer about,
Hawkins, Russell and Dunbar'll say the union's
got me in its here pocket.
[BRAD SIGHS]
Look, I'm not worried about this one one bit.
Not one single bit. [GENTLE MUSIC]
Does Mrs. Doubleday think we'll take
the layoff if you're head of the company?
I hope not.
I've already told her that Joe has to be hired back.
Thanks.
She won't have no picnic.
Right now you've got a lot of friends,
and some of 'em just ain't happy
unless they're battling with bosses.
Don't make much difference to them
whether the name's Adams or Hawkins.
Oh, Brad, you've gotta take it.
Doesn't he, fellas?
Labor to management's a big jump,
but I think you can make it.
BRAD: You can't blame me for wanting to try it.
I'm for it.
Second the motion.
Oh, can't you just see him sitting
there behind old Dan's desk?
Right now I can hear Dan sayin',
That old lady of mine, that Helen,
by golly for 35 years she made me a mighty clever wife.
Now who'd of thought she'd make a downside smarter widow?
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
- Oh, congratulations.
- Hi.
Thank you.
Hello, sweetheart, how are ya?
Bye.
- Bye.
Hey, Al, I uh-
After the whistle blows, mister.
I got no time to talk to the boss outside of hours.
Oh, Al, let's forget about what happened-
I'm forgetting nothing.
In this game, you pick sides early
and play on your own team.
Anybody who changes is a traitor.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SOMBER MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Make way for the finishing department.
[FISTS KNOCKING]
- Honker down.
This curves right now ain't doin' it.
Sit down.
EDDIE: Morning', Chief.
[WORKERS APPLAUDING] [BRAD CHUCKLING]
ABBIE: Brad, we all chipped in
and bought something we think you'll need.
[BRIEFCASE CLICKING]
Just like Mr. Doubleday's.
Oh, read what it says, Brad.
"To Brad Adams, from his devoted friends in Local 145."
[BRAD CHUCKLING] [WORKERS APPLAUDING]
- Speech, speech.
- Speech.
- Speech.
- Speech.
Thank you, Abbie.
All of you, thanks very much.
I never thought I'd have a job that needed one of these.
Oh, all big shots carry 'em.
You can bring your lunch in it.
It looks better than a dinner pale.
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
Meet the Local's new president, Brad.
BRAD: Bill, congratulations.
- Thanks.
- He beat Al Webster
by a landslide.
- Oh, yeah he did.
I'm gonna need a lot of help on this job, Bill.
I wanna form a labor management committee.
You'll get the pick of the union.
- Thanks.
- You sure will.
Hey, Brad.
Are you gonna use the briefcase
for other things besides sandwiches?
Yeah, a couple of blackjacks.
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
I may need 'em to beat a new contract
out of the Gibson Company tomorrow.
'Atta boy, Chief.
Go get 'em.
- Thanks, Bill.
- Good look, Brad.
- Come on, everybody.
We'll all be rooting for you.
- Congratulations, Brad.
- Abbie, thanks.
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
Good morning.
- Mr. Adams.
Uh, the name's still Brad.
Hey, why don't you sit down?
[PAPER RUSTLING]
This the report?
Financial statements.
They're a little technical.
BRAD: Thank you.
Morning.
I thought you'd like to put your initials on a few things.
[PAPERS RUSTLING]
Hi.
These are discharge notices.
Sure.
Some of the men in the molding department.
Six new machines are ready, so three men have to go.
Those men are staying and I'm hiring Joe London back.
You think you can run this plant with men standing around
getting paid for doing nothing?
BRAD: There are other ways of cutting costs.
Did you look these over?
Those dopey things?
Soap's being wasted in the lavatories.
Remove the pay stations so the girls
won't fiddle away time on the telephone.
Some of them are very good.
How about this one?
Grind scrap at the machines.
A conveyor belt to the finishing department.
What of it?
Shows that everyone wants to help.
Have you forgotten?
You're not in Local 145 anymore.
Meaning what?
That being the patsy to a bunch of union men
is no way to run a business.
Before you fire me, buster, I quit.
I got myself a good job with a real company yesterday.
That suits me fine.
Your check will be mailed to you.
Have your fling, union boy.
It won't last long.
[DOOR SLAMMING]
[PAPER CRINKLING]
You'll never find anybody to fill his shoes.
WOMAN: Yes, Mr. Adams?
- Get me Jim Brewster.
- Certainly.
How do we stand with the bank?
We owe them $150,000.
- 150,000?
- For the new machines,
plus interest at 4%.
A payment of 25,000 is due next month.
If not met, the entire amount becomes payable at once.
What do you suggest?
Try to get an extension at the bank.
[FIST KNOCKING]
- Congratulations, Brad.
- Thanks, Jim.
- You wanted to see me?
- Yeah.
Hawkins just resigned.
- Well, that was quick.
- Hey, Jim,
you've always been a very good foreman.
How'd you like to be our new production manager?
Me take Hawkins' job?
- Well-
- Okay, sit down.
We got a lotta work to do.
You know, Glenn Sewell, the fella that
put Martin Plastics on the map?
Well, I heard of him.
Well, Mrs. Doubleday suggested him for sales manager.
Glenn Sewell?
He's tops, but you can't get him.
He wouldn't work for a small outfit.
I hired him last night by phone.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Now, I've cut the price to the bone, Mr. Gibson.
You can't get a better finish at double the price.
MR. GIBSON: Can you tell me which one
of these your company made?
[PLASTIC CLINKING]
No.
Why should we pay Doubleday
more than we do other manufacturers?
Would you if you were in my place?
No.
We're assembling television sets.
I can buy these for less money
than it would cost you to make 'em.
Adams, I'll tell you just what I told Dan Doubleday.
Get your new equipment operating efficiently.
When your prices are down,
we'll be able to do business again.
[CAR HORN HONKING]
- Hello, Brad.
- How do you do?
[BRIEFCASE CLICKING]
BANKER: That's just like Dan's.
Oh, yes, the union gave it to me.
That's as of the 30th.
Sales still falling.
Costs up.
Did you renew the Gibson account?
No, sir, but we'll get somebody else.
We've got to.
I'll be frank, sir.
We can't make the payment next month
and still meet our payroll.
So, you want an extension?
Yes, sir.
I'd like not to make any payments
for the next three months.
Well, after all, the bank's money is safe.
The way I understand it,
the machines are worth a lot more than the loan.
I wish it were that simple, but it isn't.
BRAD: No?
The money your company borrowed belongs to our depositors.
If Doubleday should do a Granite State,
the people in this town would start
drawing out their savings.
Business would drop to nothing
and every merchant would go broke.
Would you extend the loan
if a man with more experience was in charge?
[CHAIR CREAKING]
We'll go along with you for 90 days.
Thank you. [LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
If we don't start showing a profit by then, I'll resign.
Sure glad you're here, Mr. Sewell.
I found out at the Gibson Company that I'm no salesman.
Selling can be an easy game,
unless the other fellow rings the doorbell when you do,
and offers the lady a brush at half your price.
When I called you I didn't know this company
would be fighting for its life.
I hope you won't regret coming with us.
Right now we have no business.
Give me a quality product at a competitive price
and I'll sell more than you can produce.
These high speed machines will take care of that.
We've only got six of 'em.
It may be spring before they're all here.
That's not too far away.
A lot of Fridays between now and spring.
And every Friday a payroll comes due.
This is what I'm counting on. [PAPER CRINKLING]
An invitation, a bid and a big order.
Buttons for Navy uniforms.
Doesn't take a sales manager to sell to the Navy.
You're a low bidder or you're sunk.
We'll be the low bidder.
That's all there is to it.
Well, we can't make these buttons
for less than 45 cents a thousand.
- Are you sure, Jim?
- I am.
MISS RUSSELL: 44.98 to be exact.
And if you bid more than 47 you won't get it.
[CAR HORN HONKING]
[BRIEFCASE CLICKING]
Is that the correct time up there?
We're opening our bids by it.
Some outfits here I never expected.
Look at 'em sweat it out.
They trimming their bid?
Probably.
Is 47 as low as we can go?
Can you knock off another penny?
Not and pay off the bank loan.
But you wanna get the plant running.
Okay, make it 46.
[PAPERS CRINKLING]
Here we go.
Make it 45.
[PAPERS CRINKLING]
[BELL DINGING]
MAN: Bid opening for invitation 102S-7842,
plastic buttons.
Hench and Lee, 48.
Philadelphia Plastics, 48.
Maybe I didn't have to take off that last one.
Hutchins, 47.
Doubleday, 45.
[PAPER RIPPING]
Maryland, 46.5.
How long does this last?
MAN: Northern Industrial Chemical, 44.3
[SOMBER MUSIC]
GLENN: Let's go.
MAN: Ajax, 45.
[PLANE ENGINE ROARING]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[PROPELLER CLANKING]
[PLANE ENGINE SPUTTERING]
[WIND WHISTLING]
Hello, Ruth.
Hello, Mr. Sewell, how are you?
[PLANE ENGINE SPUTTERING]
Look what I'm driving.
Are you crazy, we can't afford a new car.
Our car's in the garage getting a new clutch.
They let me borrow this to meet you.
I'm sorry.
[CAR DOOR SLAMMING]
Guess you didn't get the Navy contracts?
Let me off at the office.
I've got a lot of work to do.
Not tonight.
You promised to go to the Granite State benefit.
- I'll have to skip it.
- You can't!
Everybody's expecting you. [CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]
[PEOPLE TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
[SOFT MUSIC] [CROWD APPLAUDING]
Every other day
I'm in love with you
Every other day, it's true
I'm so completely sold on you
Every other night
You're my only dream
Every other night I seem to figure us a team
And on the days that fall between
There's nothing much to do
But think what fun to be the one
Who's dreamed about by you
Starting from today
If you give the cue
Every single other day I'll stay here with you
[CROWD APPLAUDING]
[DRUMS ROLLING]
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
- Okay!
Pick a partner and swing her away
To stay in your seats is a crime
So, ask her politely and then hold her tightly
And all have a heck of a time
[UPBEAT MUSIC] [CROWD APPLAUDING]
Get down with me, folks.
Get your longways sets in order.
[UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES]
Right hand to your own and left to your other
Just balance, fall, fall in line
Your left hand lady with the left hand round
And now your own with the right hand round
Join your hands across the floor
And dance forward and light once more
Now swing your own and dance to the fiddle
And take the ladies down the middle
Down the middle, go two by two
And bring her right back home with you
[UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES]
And now you're back as you were before
You can't stop, go right and left four
Right and left, go right and left four
Right and left from shore to shore
Now, turn right back and toss her forward
And right and left back home once more
Right hand to your own and left to your other
Just balance, fall, fall in line
Your left hand lady with the left hand round
And now your own with a right hand round
Join your hands across the floor
And dance forward and light once more
Now swing your own and dance to the fiddle
And take your ladies down the middle
Down the middle, go two by two
And bring her right back home with you
[CROWD APPLAUDING]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
Think we sang all right?
Oh, I don't know, I got sorta scared the last minute.
Oh, me too.
Hey, I almost forgot.
What?
Here. [JEAN GASPS]
What's the occasion?
Oh, just 'cause I love you.
J.L.
You like it?
[LIPS SMACKING]
I was wondering what the consumer reaction
was gonna be like.
[EDDIE SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
DAN: If this nosedive keeps up,
we're going to bust wider
than the Granite State Shoe Company.
Our prices are too high and they can't come down
until we lower our costs.
This is the only way we can stay in business.
I can't buck the future, neither can you.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[PLASTIC THUDDING]
Cut prices, cut costs, cut, cut, cut.
[PLASTIC SNAPPING]
Brad? [HEELS CLICKING]
Brad, darling.
Come on, fella, you need some sleep.
Joe, our ideas, they're not enough.
I know.
You're up against it.
Things look different I guess when you're on
the other side of the fence.
A lot of people are gonna get hurt.
I've been thinking about you and Mary.
It's not your fault.
Last hired, first fired, that's labor's rule.
Oh, no, Joe.
Brad, there must be some other way.
No.
Old Dan was right.
Brad's gotta layoff half the molders, don't you?
Worse than that, Joe.
The warehouse is jammed with stuff that we can't sell.
We're losing money in everything that we make.
I've gotta close down the plant and layoff everybody.
Everybody?
- Everybody.
- For how long?
For as long as it takes to turn our inventory into cash
so that we make the payment on the loan.
To get delivery on the rest of the new machines,
and they're held up for motors,
probably for a couple of months.
Then we've gotta get enough new business
to take care of our costs and meet the payroll.
You can't buck the future.
You've got to become a part of it.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
Send them in.
Hello, Chief.
The job seems to be agreeing with you.
- Sit down.
- Abbie, Pete.
What's the news, Chief?
Everyone here?
Yeah, I think so.
The management regrets to advise you that
because of critical business conditions,
all manufacturing activities are being suspended
for an indefinite period.
The plant will reopen as soon as the new machines ordered
for the molding department are delivered and installed.
This drastic action is necessary
to protect not only the future of the company,
but also the welfare of its employees.
[HAND SLAMMING]
- That's a lotta hooey.
Bill.
Mr. Doubleday only wanted to layoff half of us.
You come along and throw us all out.
Either we close down temporarily or for good.
IKE: Why didn't you tell us this before?
I made this decision at three o'clock this morning.
Let's get outta here.
I'm sure glad I don't have to live
with your conscience, Mr. Adams.
[DOOR SLAMMING]
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
This is how Brad gives us a vote of confidence.
First Granite State, now Doubleday.
What do you say, Joe, Brad Adams still your best friend?
He's a prince, ain't he?
[GATE CLANKING]
Bradford Adams, your hero.
I just hope the credit company don't carry off
my new Chevy before I can crash it into Brad's rear end.
When all our bellies are empty,
Brad'll have one man run three machines.
Well, they wouldn't listen to me.
I guess they see now Brad's just out to make a fast buck.
Why don't the union do something before it's too late?
You know if we stick together,
Brad's racket'll blow up in his face.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[STAIRS THUDDING]
[LIGHT PIANO MUSIC]
How's it going?
Eddie, you'll have to look for another artist.
EDDIE: Why, don't I pay you enough?
No, I'm serious.
With Pop laid off, Mom and I have to find jobs.
Ah, don't be silly.
It's not gonna be for long.
We can't wait, honest.
On the 15th, there's a payment for the house.
Next, the oil burner and on the
first, Pop's life insurance.
Ah, if we could only hit the market with these babies.
A cigarette lighter in every lamp's a wonderful idea.
EDDIE: Yeah, kinda corny though.
Doubleday's plastic mermaids.
Now, that's really a hot number.
JEAN: Look, if you don't start doing something
about selling these things, I will.
We will never have that fortune you're always talking about
unless we cash in on our creations.
Ah, if you'd only run off a few thousand mermaids
we coulda been out on the road now selling 'em.
Might've helped some.
Here.
[EDDIE SIGHS]
[LIGHTER CLICKS]
How many box tops do you have to send in for one of these?
Oh, I'm sorry you don't like it.
If Doubleday had anything half as good as this
the town wouldn't be in the dumps now.
Oh, Eddie, I didn't say that.
Oh, I think it's swell.
Premium houses'll really go for it.
For prizes on giveaway programs.
Well, that's not much of a compliment.
Hey, hey, what's this?
Oh, nothing special.
BRAD: No, what's it for?
- Hey, Ruthie?
- Hm?
- Got a pie?
- I got a cake.
How many pieces you want?
- Uh, seven.
- Seven.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven pieces.
Exactly equal and cut clean.
Cutter, huh?
A cutter that cuts clean.
It's funny, I've been thinking about a cutter myself.
You have?
The trick is to be able to sell your stuff
for less than the other fellas.
Let me sleep on it tonight.
I'll talk to you about it in the morning, huh?
Okay.
I tell you what.
Get ahold of Jim Brewster and Ike Pinkery.
Tell 'em to meet us at your
shop first thing in the morning,
say seven o'clock.
Seven o'clock.
See you then.
Night, Ruthie.
- Bye.
Thanks a lot.
Morning, fellas.
Before I explain why I asked you here,
I want you all to give me your word that you won't talk.
Certainly.
I don't want any false hopes to build up
around town and then bust 'em.
Well, I'll go along.
No one's ever been able to find a way
to trim these sprues automatically, have they?
We still have to do it by hand.
[SCISSORS CLICKING]
Every company has tried to dope out an automatic cutter.
Uh huh, so did we, but with a traveling slicer.
Eddie's pie cutter started me thinking.
I wonder what would happen if we built
the cutter right into the mold.
You know, a contraption like
that gives me a mighty poisonous idea.
What do you mean, Ike?
I'll tell you.
It could send every girl in the finishing department
to the county poor house.
That's where you're wrong, Ike.
We'll be able to turn out stuff faster
and cheaper than anyone else.
[PAPER RUSTLING]
Television parts, for instance.
Ike.
- Yeah?
We'd get enough new business for a second shift,
and that'll mean everybody works.
Automatic cutter, huh?
That'll take a mighty doing.
But good seed usually sprouts a rich harvest.
Yeah.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
You don't need the money.
Four, long.
Two of your are right, gentlemen.
I'm gonna need one bet.
- You're on.
- One bet here.
[DICE RATTLING]
Four or an eight, four or an eight.
[MUFFLED TALKING]
This brew gets worse and worse.
Sure, it's absorbing your personality.
With no paychecks to feed your kids, you crack wise.
Paycheck, paycheck, you sound like my old lady.
Yeah, can't blame her for throwing you out,
losing all your unemployment dough on the whores.
Want your puss slapped too?
I, uh, I see it's about time for Doubleday's to open up.
No kidding.
How do you know?
Just by looking at the two of you.
You've touched bottom.
So has the rest of the town.
Now, all Brad's gotta do is go to the union
and say take it or leave it.
That guy's not gonna tell us where to get off.
That's the beer talking.
When Brad blows the whistle,
you and all the others'll come on the run.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[MACHINE SQUEAKING]
Give me the thickness gauge.
Oh, what's the hitch, what's the hitch?
She's off three thousandths of an inch.
Open it up, Eddie.
[EDDIE GROANING]
You don't think we oughta try the jukes, huh?
No, you'd smash the plate.
You know, sometimes I think we got a big,
fat goose egg here.
Here.
Tighten that lower bolt.
All right, Eddie, close it up.
[EDDIE GROANING]
[MACHINE SQUEAKING]
It seems to do it.
All right, Eddie, turn it on.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
All right, keep your fingers crossed.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[MACHINE CLANKING] [PLASTIC KNOBS CLINKING]
EDDIE: There's still something wrong.
It's not cutting clean.
Well, at least it doesn't jam anymore.
Let's pull the mold up out again.
By morning, we're gonna have this last bug licked.
Morning?
A lotta folks are climbing outta bed
and thinking it's that now.
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
EDDIE: South End, have to go.
Somebody else trying to collect his insurance.
Three of 'em landed in the county jail
this week for trying that.
Yeah, I tell ya we're in a race with the devil.
And if folks don't start drawing wages pretty soon,
old Lucifer is going to take over this town.
Well, I'm hungry.
Let's get some breakfast.
After that, Brad, we'll help you find that confounded bug.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[TRUCK ENGINE RUMBLING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Those are the very terms you told Mr. Doubleday
the union would never agree to.
Yes, you've heard it before,
but you do it this way or the plant folds for good.
What about those men who will still be on the streets?
The other half?
- Unemployment money
doesn't exactly nourish the soul.
We've found that out.
- Abbie, if the union will
agree to one man at two machines,
I hope, and it's still just a hope,
that it won't be long before
everyone's back on the payroll.
Yeah, it's just a matter of time.
We've heard that one too.
Bill, the people in this town are so badly off,
they'd take any offer that's made to them.
Why don't you admit it?
I don't know what you're aiming at,
but you haven't been able to bust the union yet.
You think I've been trying to?
Well, do you?
I took this job with the union's blessing.
And what said then still goes.
I want a company where the workers
will prosper with the management.
What you don't know is that I promised myself I'd quit
if I couldn't find a way to keep the other half working.
If I don't succeed I'll be without a job too.
Our policy is still the one you set.
One man to a machine.
Brad, we can't talk for the union.
There has to be a vote.
What are you grinning at?
[PLASTIC KNOBS CLINKING]
Every one clean as a pickerel's tooth.
JIM: How do you like 'em, Brad?
[BRAD GASPS]
We did it, huh?
[MEN CHUCKLING]
We finally did it!
We licked it!
Well, [NOSE HONKING].
Well, I guess I oughta treat you guys to something special.
A honeymoon in Bermuda.
You're entitled to it.
I'll settle for a ride down
to Portsmouth and a lobster dinner.
Okay, Ike.
I'd just like a long, cool glass of beer.
Anything you want, boys.
[PLASTIC KNOBS CLINKING]
Anything you want.
We have all our new equipment
and the union's voting next Sunday.
I like your plan, Brad.
Now it's up to Mr. Sewell.
Does that mean you approve?
Of course it does.
Got a whole new line of merchandise for you to sell,
TV parts, bushings, channel selectors.
I want orders for a million of
these units before we reopen,
and that may be next Monday.
Now, wait a minute.
Look what we're able to sell 'em for.
But a million?
It'll take me a month to see enough customers
to ring up that much business.
Mr. Sewell, wouldn't it be easier
to find us one big customer?
You wanted a quality product
for a competitive price, didn't you?
Now you've got it.
Very few outfits'll buy in the millions.
I could put in a call for Ted Wagner in St. Louis.
He's the head of the National Company.
Get to St Louis as fast as you can.
These prices are sure on the low side.
How can you do it?
It's still a secret.
Has to be until we find out about the patents.
But you can't promise deliveries
until you hear from the union.
Will you please let me do the worrying?
I want an order for one million units
before we reopen next Monday.
I'll try to catch the last plane.
If it should take Sewell a month,
you stand to lose the plant, your home, everything.
And if he's successful.
Well, that's another story.
But I want you to realize, Mrs. Doubleday,
just how a big a gamble you're letting me take.
How soon can you start deliveries?
10 days.
We're way behind, Philco, DuMont, RCA,
must be six million units on order there.
Oh, excuse me, Dad.
The production chief wants to see you for a minute.
We have a new plant, but it'll be months
before we can get in the equipment.
I'll be right back.
All right.
How long are you staying in town?
Long enough to get that business.
I think you should try to buyout Doubleday Plastics.
What on earth would we do with a factory in New Hampshire?
They're installing a lot of new molding machines.
We could rip them out and put them in our new factory.
I'd rather give them our business.
Their prices are just about
what it costs us to manufacture.
You know why?
These things weren't cut by hand.
MR. WAGNER: You mean an automatic cutter?
Absolutely.
Look here, smooth.
MR. WAGNER: We've spent a fortune trying
to develop something like that.
Mr. Wagner, I'm sure we could buy Doubledays.
Patents, new machines, everything.
They'd be fools to sell.
I understand the new management
is causing a lot of unhappiness around town.
The lawyers have always been after Mrs. Doubleday to sell.
MR. WAGNER: If they'd rather sell than have our business,
I'll make them a good offer.
Let me go up there and scout around.
I'd like you stall off Sewell on our orders for a few days.
Be just as well if no one got wind of our plans,
especially about taking away the machines.
I couldn't take an offer like this to Mrs. Doubleday.
It'd be different if the plant were on the market.
I remember not so long ago
you were urging her to get rid of the place.
Yes, but that's when we seemed to be facing difficulties.
The Boston Trust Company seems to think you still are.
[HORACE CHUCKLING]
Their money's on deposit.
Just waiting for the due date.
HAWKINS: But your labor troubles are still with you.
Well, that's why we put Adams in there.
You know that if anyone can handle a union, he's the boy.
Then, we can't get together?
No, Dwight.
Certainly not with an offer like this.
You know, Dunbar's a cagey old cuss.
He wouldn't go to Mrs. Doubleday with such an offer.
Bet he had her on the phone
before I was outta the building.
Don't misjudge Yankee shrewdness, Dwight.
You may find you can't pay what he'll want.
I'm prepared to raise my offer.
Just to be working with you again is worth something.
You don't fool me, Dwight.
Why after all these months of complete silence
you suddenly come back?
You guess.
[LIGHT PIANO MUSIC]
- Good morning, Horace.
- Good morning, Helen.
- Good morning, Miss Russell.
- Good morning.
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
Helen, I'm rather pleased with myself,
and I want you to know how helpful Miss Russell's been.
Dwight Hawkins came into my office this morning.
$400,000 he'll give us.
That's more than double his first offer.
Good heavens, Horace.
Who's putting up all that money?
Well, I haven't asked him.
But I checked, the cash is in Boston.
It's yours when we sign.
I presume Dwight Hawkins will be in charge of the plant?
- Probably.
- Uh, if the sale goes through
he wants me to continue as treasurer.
Until Brad comes to me and admits failure-
Helen, if you have any further labor trouble,
you won't get enough for the plant to pay your debts.
You may thank Mr. Hawkins,
but tell him I don't care to sell.
Well, I'll tell him you need more time to consider.
You know, your predators to force you to sell.
Horace, if this is a bonafide offer,
a few days delay won't make any difference.
I have complete confidence in Brad.
- Mr. Hawkins.
- Hello, Al.
Your message sorta surprised me.
Brought you some news.
I hope it's good.
We've got enough of the other kind.
I came up here with the dough to buyout Doubleday.
Very interesting.
When we take over the plant and we're going to,
there'll be jobs for everyone.
So, lets you and me start off by understanding each other.
How do you mean?
Old lady Doubleday thinks
the union will do whatever Brad says.
She won't sell until she finds out differently.
You oughta know how to handle this situation.
You want all the men back on the job.
I'm in a position to do it
if the union turns down Brad's proposition.
There's not much time.
We're voting Sunday afternoon.
That's why I'd like you to get busy.
200 signatures demanding that.
Mrs. Doubleday sell her business.
And I'd wager that there's not one
of these people who knows what he's signing.
Who originated this petition?
Look here, Sewell.
Tell Wagner that National either signs now
or we're going after someone else.
I don't care how much business he's talking about,
it'll be no good to us unless we get it now.
Well, you're darn tooting I'm impatient.
Okay, so long and good luck to you.
- Brad?
- Yeah?
Could you take an hour to go over these
with me at the house?
The contractor wants to start working the 15th.
The 15th?
You'll have to put him off a little longer.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Look who's coming.
[CAR HORNS HONKING]
Our ex-boss, Mr. Bradford Adams.
Let's give it to 'em.
Come on, boys.
[WORKERS YELLING]
- Would you look at that.
What do you say, Jack, 5% of his windshield off.
How's that pretty boy?
Can you see us out here in the front line-
How's that big fat paycheck?
[WORKERS YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
What's the matter, can't you take it anymore?
Come on back here.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Tonight's the most important meeting we've ever had,
but a lot of 'em won't go.
Crap game means more to them then the voting.
People are saying things can't be any worse,
why worry about who's boss?
Mary, what do you say to our packing up
and moving to where I can get steady work?
Joe!
Good jobs are going begging
in places like Pittsburgh, Detroit, Los Angeles.
Leave Eaton Falls and all our friends?
Take the kids out of school?
We wouldn't be happy living anywhere else.
That's just why we don't want
an outsider running Doubledays.
Most folks here are like us, natives,
they own property, have mortgages.
Let's admit it, we're tied to this town.
We can't escape, we're prisoners.
I keep asking myself why Hawkins wants the plant.
One thing I'm sure of,
if he gets it he'll make us work at his terms.
He'll move the machinery to some town
that's worse off than ours.
If the union votes yes,
half of you will still be outta work.
Vote no, the old lady'll have to sell,
then we know we'll go back.
- All right.
- Yeah.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[MEN TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Come on, all of you, you'll be late for the meeting.
MAN: Get away, you're a jinx.
Just started, come on, let's go.
Outta here, Joe, before you're throwed out.
Look, we got a good union.
This is our last chance to have good management.
MAN: What do we care?
Bosses are all alike.
Ah, come on up and vote.
You'll be playing with bottle caps.
That unemployment money can't last much longer.
MAN: Mr. Hawkins is gonna see us through.
Aw, look, fellas. [BOTTLE SHATTERING]
Are you all right, Joe?
Yeah. [DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Now, why'd you have to hit him?
[MEN TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[WATERFALL SPLASHING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[UNION WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
You might say history is repeating itself.
We've gotten together today
to deal with another Benedict Arnold.
And the funny thing is he's got the same initials, B.A.,
Brad Adams is a traitor of Eaton Falls.
He's right! [UNION WORKERS CHEERING]
Order, order, order, order!
This is before the union is to hear the report
of the executive committee and vote on it.
- Go ahead, Al.
- I demand the point
of personal privilege.
And I'm gonna keep it anyway. [UNION WORKERS LAUGHING]
Is there anyone who hasn't heard Brad Adams say no layoffs?
That he'd fight and die to keep one man to a machine?
He's right! [UNION WORKERS YELLING]
All right, all right.
What'd he do?
What'd he do?
- He sold us out!
That's right. [UNION WORKERS YELLING]
Order, order!
Quiet, quiet!
A speaker's out of order and a sergeant in arms
will remove that man from this meeting.
Nobody's removing anybody until I'm finished.
What'd he do?
He sells out.
And with the blood money, he buys himself a new house.
He's gotta live in style while the rest of us starve!
That's right! [UNION WORKERS YELLING]
We're all starving!
Who's working, no one!
- Shut up, you guys, shut up.
- And you know it!
- You're crazy.
That's not so.
They've given us the house and once more,
Brad cut his salary the day the plant closed.
We gotta stick together.
Either none of us goes back or we all go back!
- Right.
- Right.
Wait a minute!
I say let Doubleday make jobs
and pay half of us out of its profits.
Isn't it better for half of us
to have a job then for all of us to starve?
[UNION WORKERS YELLING]
Folks, folks, Brad's doing all he can
to take everybody back.
[UNION WORKERS YELLING]
When he took this job, we all gave him a present.
And it said, "to Brad Adams,
from his devoted friends in 145."
[UNION SOLDIERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Tell us what Brad's been giving you, junior.
- I'll knock your teeth out-
- Hey, hey, hey.
[UNION SOLDIERS YELLING]
Well, we're supposed to vote.
That's what the meeting is for.
[UNION SOLDIERS YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
[HAND THUDDING]
Quiet, please, quiet, quiet.
I'm sorry to say that brother Joe London
has met with a serious accident.
[UNION WORKERS GASPING]
- What's happened?
Nobody knows yet.
He was taken out of the river below the falls.
I guess we're ready for the vote.
No, we aren't.
I say let's postpone the meeting till next week.
Then we can vote on Mr. Hawkins's proposition.
I say we vote now.
We know Hawkins isn't buying the place because he loves us.
BILL: The chair recognizes Brother Ike.
[UNION WORKERS APPLAUDING]
In case some of these Johnny-come-lately's don't know it,
I was the first person of this Local.
Yes sir, some of us old timers went up to Boston
to get the charter from the International.
AL: Ah, sit down, you old goat.
Just a minute, squirt.
Now, I've been around a good bit.
And I generally size up the bait before hooking on,
and I'm holding with Brad because he's just doing
what old Dan woulda had to do anyhow.
- Oh, that's telling, Ike.
- Talking about right here.
Let's vote. [UNION WORKERS APPLAUDING]
Hold it.
It's been moved and seconded.
All those in favor of going back to work,
signify by saying aye.
UNION WORKERS: Aye!
- Oppose?
- No!
The aye's have it.
Yeah, well just try and make it stick!
[UNION WORKERS BOOING]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DOOR THUDDING]
Al Webster says that the whole thing
is just a stunt to make labor look bad.
Anything to say?
How about you, Dr. Payson?
I have a statement to make.
The death of Joe London is needless, tragic waste.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Tell your readers that the same violence
and confusion that killed Joe London can destroy this town.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
So far, only one we can prosecute
is the fella who threw the bottle.
I'd better have a squad of men outside
the factory just in case there's trouble.
Thanks, Captain, I'd rather you didn't.
I'll call you if we need help.
Okay, we can get here in a jiffy.
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[HEELS CLICKING]
You've sent for me?
Yes, I did.
Have you seen Dwight Hawkins lately?
My personal life is none of your business.
Mr. Hawkins happens to be a very dear friend of mine.
I understand he's trying to buy this place.
Well that's no secret.
He's dealing legitimately with Mrs. Doubleday's lawyer.
BRAD: You'd like him to get it, wouldn't you?
Yes, certainly.
I've even urged Mrs. Doubleday to sell.
- Why does he want it?
- Ask him.
I don't need to.
He's production manager for National Company.
[NEWSPAPER THUDDING]
They were ready to give us a big order
until he came into the picture.
I know nothing about any order.
But you do know that he's here in town organizing
a campaign against me, don't you?
And he's trying to corrupt the union.
I hold your friend Hawkins
responsible for Joe London's death.
Don't you dare say that!
You've wrecked this town.
And unless Mrs. Doubleday sells she'll be penniless.
I'm quitting.
I'm doing just what Dwight did, union boy.
Only now, you've had your fling and it didn't last long.
Did it?
[DOOR SLAMMING]
[ROTARY PHONE CLICKING]
Operator, long distance please.
I wanna talk to Mr. Ted Wagner,
President of the National Company in St. Louis.
[UNION WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
[DOG BARKING]
[CAR HORN HONKING]
What do you say, Bill?
I never crashed a picket line in my life and I never will.
But this ain't picketing, it's wildcatting.
They're a bunch of goons trying to wreck their own union.
- Let's go.
- Come on!
Duck down and hold tight.
Hey, wait, wait.
IKE: This is no ride for a lady.
[SIREN WAILING] [CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]
[BARRELS THUDDING]
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Mr. Wagner?
This is Brad Adams speaking, Doubleday Plastics.
You better send for your production manager
before he gets run outta town.
Yes, I mean Hawkins.
This company is not for sale, Wagner.
No, not at any price.
No!
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
AL: You can all go home now.
We've been home long enough.
Why can't we work?
Why?
[PIPE HISSING]
You see why.
They brought in scabs.
- That's a lie!
- Yeah?
Who do you suppose is running those machines?
Who, the president of our union, that's who!
What's the matter with you people?
Look, we voted didn't we?
Are you gonna let this hooligan wreck our union?
Nobody's going to work until
the old lady gets rid of your hero.
Webster, I know all the words
and if I wasn't a lady you'd be hearing them now.
[WORKERS LAUGHING]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Who?
Yes, it is, Mr. Wagner.
I told Sewell to call on other customers.
Yes, those prices still stand,
but we'll have to have a deposit.
Yes, I'd be glad to.
Just a moment.
All right, what's your order?
You will give us the whole lot?
Yes, at the price that Sewell quoted.
Will you send us a check for 30% with the order?
All right, thank you, Mr. Wagner.
Goodbye. [PHONE CLICKING]
Yahoo!
National Company,
six million TV channel selectors.
R-U-S-H, rush!
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Get me Mrs. Doubleday.
Get me my wife and I wanna see everyone, everybody!
Isn't there a man here with guts enough to follow me?
Come on! [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[WORKERS YELLING OVER EACH OTHER]
[PHONE RINGING]
Mrs. Doubleday, I wanna read you something.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
ABBIE: Come on, let's start our jobs.
Come on.
- Good to see you.
- Hey, same here.
Yes, Ruth.
Of course it's true, darling!
Yes, they're coming in now.
So long.
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
Come on in, everybody.
Come on.
BRAD: Quiet, listen, listen, everybody.
Everybody's here.
- And we're all ready
to go back to work again.
Everybody?
You don't mean that do you?
All those you need on the new machines.
Are you willing to go to work in a night shift, Abbie?
- What?
- We're working at night?
The layoffs are over.
There will be jobs for everybody.
Starting right now, Doubleday Plastics
will work around the clock.
Three shifts! [WORKERS CHEERING]
[WORKERS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER]
BILL: Eight million?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[LIGHT MUSIC]
NARRATOR: Well, that's what happened in our town,
and it's happened in a lot of other towns too.
With us here in Eaton Falls, thank the good lord,
it turned out just fine.
[WHISTLE BLOWING]
[LIGHT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[GENTLE MUSIC]