You Can't Win (2026) Movie Script
1
[screaming]
[screaming]
[yelling]
[screaming]
[groans, yelling]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[muttering]
[coughs]
What for this?
Medicine.
What for medicine?
Make you sleep.
What for sleep?
What for sleeping?
I think maybe steal your money?
[Chinese]
How come
you need money?
I come your store,
I look and I see.
Luc zhe...
Luc zhe...
No. No no no...
No no no, no luc zhe.
No luc zhe. Him no good.
Me good man.
Me have plenty China friend.
Good friends.
[Chinese]
Chew Chee.
Chew Chee?
Him good friend.
I help him.
I have a China letter
in my, in my pocket. See?
Check my pockets.
In this pocket.
My pocket.
China letter.
[reads - Chinese]
Chew Chee!
Letter say...
...you good man.
What for you good man?
What for, huh?
There comes a feeling
of helplessness...
When the prison gates
swallow you up.
Cut you off from the sunshine,
from the flowers of the world.
That feeling soon wears away...
If you got the guts.
Mother's dead?
What is dead?
A man can get ahead by honest
work, John.
You know that, don't you?
So you come to see about
a job, huh?
It's about time
you thought of that.
Instead of laying around,reading
eating up your father's money.
You know when I was your age...
I had four jobs.
At the same time.
And you can too
if you got the gizzard.
Have you got the gizzard?
Yes, sir.
Do you know what a front is?
No sir.
You're the front.
You see that door over there?
Yes, sir.
Never go in there.
You stand here.
In case someone wants a cigar.
And you look out that window.
And if you see anything queer
or you see a new copper
on the beat, I want you
to knock...
...right here on this wall,
like so.
[knocks 4 times]
[knocks 4 times]
Better check for dogs.
Hey. I want you to go out front,
look at the sidewalk. Then
go back to the front door.
All right?
We have a mutual friend,
Mrs. Alexander?
She speaks very highly of you.
The name's Older,
Fremont Older.
I'm the editor for the San
Francisco Call.
Maybe we could help each other.
If the bulls catch us
you let me do the talking. Okay.
I'll tell em'
who we are, where we're going.
You just listen.
You never tell 'em your
real name.
Just clam up kid, tell 'em
you're not comfortable
saying anything unless you
got a lawyer, right?
Now they might slug you,
but don't talk.
That's your only salvation.
Damn, I wish that stool pigeon
moon weren't so bright.
[groans]
I want to come in.
I'm ready.
No. Prowlers they, uh,
work better alone.
Okay?
Less confusion.
[gunshot]
Smiler...
Where are you going, son?
I'm going to see my father.
Let go of me! Let go of me!
[massive door closing]
Did you make a statement?
Did you tell them
you two were making the house?
I didn't say anything.
Well that's good.
You do the right thing
you got a family...
and you do the wrong thing
you're alone.
You understand me, kid?
Think so?
Now Smiler,
He was your friend, wasn't he?
He had what you call... quality.
He had character.
He had...
see...
he did wrong things,
but he did them
in the right way,
at the right time.
And any friend of Smiler's...
Is a friend to the Johnsons.
You heard of the Johnson family?
Oh, well,
the Johnsons are everywhere,
right they're on a road,
wherever ye go...
they'll take care of ye.
I think you might want to stick
with the Johnsons.
I think you might find a home
with the Johnsons.
You understand?
[screaming]
Please.
You're going to tell me
all about that robbery
young man?
-Oh...
[screams]
[footsteps]
[train whistle]
These are the names
and addresses of
about 50 people
that carry burglary insurance.
Tells us where they live,
tells us they have valuables,
tells us they are careless.
It also tells us
in a showdown, they will give up
their valuables
without a murmur.
I want to know about
dogs, kids, servants,
sick people.
But don't ask a question
in the neighborhood.
You never scrape acquaintance
with the nurse girl
to ask questions.
All you got to do is walk by
and look.
Sanc, I don't know how
to thank you.
Get yourself a newspaper,
get a book,
read where you can get a good
look at the house
and its occupants.
Look at the porches especially,
hmm?
It's a good time of the year
for a supper sneak.
It's dark when they're dining.
[baby cries]
[faint piano music]
[woman singing]
[baby cries]
[piano music, woman singing]
[clock chimes]
[family eats dinner, laughter]
Come and sit down.
(woman's voice)
John?
(woman's voice)
What's the matter?
(woman's voice)
[train rolling)]
Buy anything you like.
(Sanc)
Of course you want clothes
(Sanc)
that won't detain
the eye for a second.
(Sanc)
Expensive as you like.
(Sanc)
But neutral.
(Sanc)
Be positive in yourself.
(Sanc)
But no positive clothes.
(Sanc)
Understand?
(Sanc)
[footsteps]
[glass breaks]
[faint conversation]
If I'm grabbed with this stuff,
I'll rot in jail
before I put a finger on you.
And if you get grabbed
and you try to get a light jolt
by turning me in.
You're wrong.
I'll throw it all in the river
and you rot in jail.
Are we square?
Yes, ma'am.
We're square.
Feel free to enjoy the house.
(Mary)
Oh! Come here, come here.
(Sanc)
[woman giggling]
Have fun kid.
(Sanc)
No no no.
(Mary)
I'm not done with him yet.
Okay? Don't drag him in there.
We've got some time.
Tiger milk.
To Smiler.
(Mary)
Want you
to get us a couple of guns.
38's.
All right.
No off caliber,
no strange makes.
I want the same kind
that everybody else has.
No problem.
I'll go to the hardware store.
Kid.
These aren't the good old days
when any maniac would rush
into a hardware store with money
and then kill a man
a block away.
Well then I'll go to
the hock shop.
The hock shop man...
The hock shop man not only
notes the the number
off every gun but
usually puts a mark on it
for future reference.
The hock shop man is the
hangman's handmaiden.
Where should I go then?
You go to Chinatown.
Chinese are safe to do
any kind of business
with buying or selling.
Chinese do not talk.
And the guns come from
such devious routes,
the numbers long
since lost.
Tell 'em your a yeggman.
George!
I got somebody that wants to
say hello.
You remember me?
Yeah.
I remember you, young fella.
Grown some.
(George)
You gathered any wisdom?
(George)
I like to think so.
(Jack)
Well,
First, you might be doing
a lot of legwork.
You're going to be going to
get me some supplies.
You're going to be going
to get me some rail tables
You're going to get me some
guide books-
Dynamite?
No. That's later.
Gonna talk about that.
I'm going to need you to survey
some spots for me.
No problem.
And one very important thing...
It's probably
the most important.
The getaway.
No spot is fat enough to take
unless... you got the
getaway in place.
You learned a little something?
I've been paying attention.
That's good.
Don't let it go to your head.
Now, ye might be a good snapper
up of small things.
Tapper of tills...
But... dynamite.
And when I'm thrashing
out the soup
you're not careful,
we're both dead.
[dogs bark]
I am extracting...
(George)
the explosive oil
(George)
of nitroglycerin...
(George)
from this here
(George)
stick of dynamite.
(George)
Fairly simple procedure.
Home recipe.
But it's a dangerous procedure.
You know, I was an apprentice
for a village blacksmith
when I was your age.
Worked for starvation wages so
I could learn about
safes and locks.
And, of course,
when I joined the army
I certainly learned about
the disruptive force
of the powder.
See the thing is, if you
if you drop a stick of dynamite,
it won't blow.
But if you drop this,
it'll blow.
Yeah, that's how I got
this bum foot
you know. Lost my toes.
Look out.
Jesus, George...
Oh, look at this.
Look at this it's stickers.
Stickers...
Peddle these at 60, 80%.
And it'll never be traced.
The government
stands the loss for these.
Yes, yes, yes
I'm strong for the government.
Do you mind if I ask
you a few questions
Mr. Black?
I'm familiar with your charges,
and I'm curious
if you feel you are
in the wrong?
You knew
you were breaking the law,
and yet for years
you kept on doing it. Why?
So all the years of punishment
have not persuaded you
to change your ways?
Has it not been harsh enough?
They got you good.
(Jack)
Beat you up real good.
(Jack)
Why don't you,umm...
(Jack)
take the bench?
(Jack)
Bench.
(Jack)
You don't speak any English?
(Jack)
Sleep.
Sleep.
(Jack)
Here, let me...
Sleep.
[train whistle]
Chugga chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga
chugga chugga
chugga- choo choo.
Choo choo... All aboard.
(Jack)
Chew Chee .
chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga chugga chugga
Choo choooooo!
[chinese]
Fo che? Fo che?
Fo che.
(Chew Chee)
[screaming outside cell]
Luc zhe.
Pig fucker.
Pig?
No, no.
(Jack)
Family.
What is family?
Family?
Ga tae.
Ga tae.
Chew Chee...
Your family.
(Jack)
Ga tae.
(Jack)
Hop on down, you two.
(guard)
Next.
Next two.
[gunshot]
[gunshots]
My lines had been cast...
(Jack)
tho I had cast them myself,
(Jack)
amongst crooked people.
(Jack)
I had not spent one hour
(Jack)
in the presence
of an honest person.
(Jack)
Citizens were to be robbed.
(Jack)
Police were to be avoided.
(Jack)
Hated.
(Jack)
Thieves
(Jack)
were to be cultivated
and protected.
(Jack)
This was the atmosphere
(Jack)
I breathed.
(Jack)
If you live with wolves,
(Jack)
you will learn to howl.
(Jack)
I'm too hungry... i'm too hungry
(woman's voice)
You okay?
Get away from me.
All right, well...
what are you doing down there?
You alright?
You okay.
Hey, hey!
[screaming]
What are you doing?
Come on.
(crying)
Are you hungry?
Want some food?
I'm too hungry...
I'm too hungry to even
kill myself.
What's your name?
(woman)
Pick one.
Any one will do.
That's what I usually say.
What do you say?
I just say something
new every time.
What is it this time?
Annie.
Jack.
Stay with me, Jack.
It makes sense.
We both lead complicated lives.
Normal men and women
walking on the streets
don't understand us.
Every morning,
(Sanc)
I want you to go into a good
hotel and pay for the room
for the night. Register
from out of town.
When you get the key,
go back to your own room
and make a duplicate of it.
Mark the duplicate
so you can identify it and plant
somewhere.
Most of the best places
are using the spring locks now
you can't do anything
without a key.
In the afternoon
you go back to the hotel,
tell the clerk
you've been called out of town,
and ask for your money back.
Usually he'll give it to you.
In a week
you'll have the keys
to half a dozen
transient rooms
in the best hotels,
and maybe
we can get some real money.
Evenings are your own affair.
Gentlemen.
Detective.
Is this your room?
Yes it is, of course.
Where are you from?
Spokane, Washington.
Got in this morning, 9:15.
You did...
What's your name?
Charlie Rice.
James. Brown.
What do you do for a living?
I'm a butcher.
[punches]
Sanctimonius!
(Jack)
[detective screaming]
Sanctimonius!
Sanctimonious.
Sanc, wait- Sanc!
(Jack)
[gunshot]
I got something soft for you.
(man's voice)
You can't go wrong.
(man's voice)
Storekeeper here in Chinatown
(man's voice)
sold her this hop.
(man's voice)
He sleeps on top of it.
(man's voice)
Chloroform him.
(woman's voice)
That's easy.
(woman's voice)
I'll get you the chloroform.
(woman's voice)
All you gotta do is
(man's voice)
go in there and get it.
(man's voice)
[screaming]
[screaming]
What for you good man?
What for, huh...?
I come here
to steal your money. I-
I try
No can do.
You catch me.
Look at me.
Look at me.
You good man...
Or bad man?
Maybe me
good man, maybe me bad man.
I don't know...
Oh. Oh...
[cleaver chops]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
You go.
[Chinese]
You go!
My letter?
-No letter.
Oh.
I'm sorry.
[train sounds]
Don't you know that hop heads
(George)
will rave about every place
in the world being so sweet
(George)
and so beautiful
and so wonderful and easy...
(George)
and rosy...
(George)
soon as they get a few of those
pills and then about
(George)
everything's so beautiful. You
stay away from them kid.
(George)
I lied to you...
(Jack)
when, umm...
(Jack)
when I told you
my father was dead.
(Jack)
You know, the last thing
he said to me?
Well, Jack...
You'll be what you'll be.
And I can't help or
hinder you.
It seems like the right thing
to say.
[train whistle]
[men yelling, talking]
Son of a bitch.
(man's voice)
...right and tight...
(man's voice)
The stool pigeon is the
coming race.
(man's voice)
aahhh... you, gay cats,
dingbats,
you wangs...
[yells]
Jungle buzzards.
All whipped
beyond resistance
by the mysterious... and
irresistible
craving for alky-hol.
Yeah,
What do you say about
that there?
What you say about it?
(George)
Jamaican ginger fiend...
(George)
Drink yourself purple...
(George)
die under the sidewalk.
[bottle breaks
[yelling]
[screaming]
...who the fuck is that?
(man yelling)
[drilling sounds]
Easy.
Here kid...
take this head of cabbage while
I get the horses.
Right there...
(George)
[horse whinnies]
[gunshot]
[gunshot]
Ours is a crooked business.
(Sanc)
We must not allow ourselves
(Sanc)
to think crooked.
(Sanc)
We must think straight.
(Sanc)
Clearly,
(Sanc)
logically.
(Sanc)
Or we are lost, kid.
(Sanc)
Of course we will lose anyway
(Sanc)
sooner or later.
(Sanc)
Let's not hasten the day
(Sanc)
with loose and careless
thinking.
(Sanc)
Do you have any family?
(Jack)
I mean, people.
(Jack)
There's only ghosts
in my head.
(Jack)
[man snoring]
[snoring stops]
Go back to sleep.
My mother died before
(Jack)
I got very well
acquainted with her.
(Jack)
I don't remember being shocked
(Jack)
or pained when she was buried.
(Jack)
Saw my father crying.
(Jack)
And I tried to cry.
(Jack)
Because it was expected of me.
(Jack)
What was your dad like?
(woman's voice)
Silent.
A little boy without a mother
is a fit problem
for any father's mind.
My father was a...
thoughtful man.
There is no substitute
for a home and for a mother.
Why are you here?
(Jack)
I can't sleep.
(woman's voice)
That's not what I meant.
I mean, here.
Why are you working here?
Men we meet here
don't lie to us or deceive us
like they do out on the world.
They just...
come in
and look us over
like the butcher used
to look at fat hogs in the fall.
We know what they come for.
They know, we know. So...
there's no lying and deception
and promising a job.
[knocking on door]
[bang on door]
[bang on door]
[bang on door]
They took the payroll...
(man yelling)
Who is it?
They took the payroll, you're
money's gone.
(man yelling)
Sir, we want you to explain
your presence here.
(man's voice)
Your business,
(man's voice)
who you are.
(man's voice)
What do you do for a living?
(man's voice)
Where are you from?
(man's voice)
Is this the man?
Is this him?
Jeb!
Go get some rope.
You give me the money.
And you can go free.
[Jack growls]
Draw a map.
50-50.
[paper crumpling]
[Jack spits]
[Jack spits]
It seems to me...
(Older)
that in order to address
(Older)
the corrupt individual.
(Older)
We must first
(Older)
study ourselves.
(Older)
[whip crack]
And learn more about the evil
(Older)
that is within us
(Older)
before we set out after
the other fellow.
(Older)
[whip crack]
[whip crack]
[whip crack]
Do you... have any red licorice?
This aint no candy store.
-No?
-No.
I got no money.
(screaming)
You stay the fuck down.
Where's the goddamn morphine?
Alright now hear you go...
Don't you move!
If you could tell others
(Older)
what you've been through,
what you've endured,
(Older)
that would help me...
(Older)
open eyes and affect reform.
(Older)
I'm an old friend of Judge Dunn.
(Older)
I have many friends
in the district
(Older)
attorney's office.
(Older)
Perhaps I could help you by
(Older)
getting your sentence reduced.
(Older)
Have you ever written down
(Older)
any of your thoughts?
(Older)
I would be interested
(Older)
in reading your views.
(Older)
And I don't think
(Older)
I'd be the only one.
(Older)
And I have no illusions
(Older)
that if I were to help you,
that you wouldn't let me down.
(Older)
I've helped hundreds of people
(Older)
and all but 1 or 2 have
failed me.
(Older)
Good day, Mr. Black
(Older)
Goodnight Jack.
(man's voice)
Jack.
(man's voice)
Just show me some life,
(man's voice)
and then we'll go easy on you.
(man's voice)
Good boy.
(man's voice)
Don't do that.
(man's voice)
My name is Mrs.
(woman's voice)
Alexander.
(woman's voice)
I work for the Salvation Army.
(woman's voice)
I'm here passing out books
to inmates with longer
(woman's voice)
sentences.
(woman's voice)
Do you read?
Do you read?
Are you a ghost?
I'm a widow.
My husband was shot in
cold blood in a robbery...
for a broken watch.
The love I felt for my husband
was equal to the hatred
that I felt
for his murderers.
And my love for my husband
was infinite.
Things have been done to you.
Terrible things.
And they must have been
very painful.
And you
have the right to that pain.
But hate....
will destroy you.
I believe
that people who have been
brutalized
can be turned around
by kindness.
I have seen
miraculous transformations.
Take my advice, kid.
(George)
You got to be careful with
your gun.
(George)
It's a good servant
(George)
but you don't want
to let it become your master.
(George)
Or it'll hang ye.
(George)
It'll hang ye.
(George)
Packed one for 30 years.
(George)
Every time I used it
(George)
I've been wrong.
(George)
Except maybe this last time.
(George)
This last time I was right.
(George)
Mary.
Oh, Mary.
Did you get my letter?
Poor George,
I thought you were in Pocatello.
You must be mistaken, mister.
I don't know you.
And you don't know me.
Mary-
You're mistaken.
My name is not Mary,
and I don't know you.
And I've never
been to Pocatello in my life.
Mary, just-
No.
Alright Miss.
I must be mistaken.
We've been too far apart
too long.
I'm sorry
that I wasn't there with you
when you were sick.
And you needed me.
But I guess it's good
you died
without knowing what I did
with my life.
[knocking on window]
I'm a hop fiend.
I have a 25 year habit.
If I can't kick it on my own
I'm going to take this pistol...
And I'm going to shoot myself.
I think you're just downhearted.
Downhearted?!
[clock chimes, ticks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[bangs head on wall]
[bangs head on wall]
You are a burglar.
(Jack)
You go to the kitchen window.
(Jack)
You go to perform
a very delicate operation,
(Jack)
taking a pane of glass
out piece by piece.
(Jack)
You reach your hand in,
(Jack)
you release the catch.
(Jack)
You raise the window
(Jack)
up slowly, noiselessly.
Inside you see bottles, boxes,
can opener, corkscrew,
toothbrush.
These items you remove
one at a time.
Place them outside,
below the window.
If you manage to get in
without disturbing the dishes
or the pans,
you open the kitchen door.
That's going to be your getaway
in case anything causes you
to hurry out of that house.
Now it's very dark in the house.
But you light no matches.
Nor do you use a flashlight.
Years of this work
has developed.
a... a cat like sense in you.
You can sense an object in
front of you without seeing it.
Without feeling it. You...
you feel your way
to the dining room.
Sit down on a chair.
You remove your shoes
one at a time,
place them in your back
pocket, heels up.
Because you're not staying
downstairs.
We're going upstairs
where the sleepers are...
where the valuables are.
Takes you about 25 minutes
to get up those stairs
and they creak.
You have to find solid places
to put your weight.
And you know the creaking won't
wake the sleeping people
but you don't know yet
whether or not they are asleep.
They should be lying awake
in bed
they'll know what
that creaking meant.
And then you might get shot.
But now you're at the bedroom
door.
It's latched,
but it's not locked.
That's good.
So you push the door open
an inch
and you can hear the
regular up and down
breathing of the healthy sleeper
So you wait there a long time,
maybe seven minutes,
with your hand on a doorknob.
You're just listening.
There are two sleepers in the
room, one of them is snoring,
and you
wish he would not snore.
Might wake up
the other person. Might wake up
himself.
Snorers do wake themselves.
[applause]
How do you feel?
The lawyers have been through it
they only need a few changes.
You're doing good.
You didn't let me down.
[phone rings]
Main library.
This is he.
[garbled voice]
I'm...
I'm sorry I can't do that.
...come right now.
(voice on phone)
I can't do that.
I'm sorry.
[screaming]
[screaming]
[yelling]
[screaming]
[groans, yelling]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[muttering]
[coughs]
What for this?
Medicine.
What for medicine?
Make you sleep.
What for sleep?
What for sleeping?
I think maybe steal your money?
[Chinese]
How come
you need money?
I come your store,
I look and I see.
Luc zhe...
Luc zhe...
No. No no no...
No no no, no luc zhe.
No luc zhe. Him no good.
Me good man.
Me have plenty China friend.
Good friends.
[Chinese]
Chew Chee.
Chew Chee?
Him good friend.
I help him.
I have a China letter
in my, in my pocket. See?
Check my pockets.
In this pocket.
My pocket.
China letter.
[reads - Chinese]
Chew Chee!
Letter say...
...you good man.
What for you good man?
What for, huh?
There comes a feeling
of helplessness...
When the prison gates
swallow you up.
Cut you off from the sunshine,
from the flowers of the world.
That feeling soon wears away...
If you got the guts.
Mother's dead?
What is dead?
A man can get ahead by honest
work, John.
You know that, don't you?
So you come to see about
a job, huh?
It's about time
you thought of that.
Instead of laying around,reading
eating up your father's money.
You know when I was your age...
I had four jobs.
At the same time.
And you can too
if you got the gizzard.
Have you got the gizzard?
Yes, sir.
Do you know what a front is?
No sir.
You're the front.
You see that door over there?
Yes, sir.
Never go in there.
You stand here.
In case someone wants a cigar.
And you look out that window.
And if you see anything queer
or you see a new copper
on the beat, I want you
to knock...
...right here on this wall,
like so.
[knocks 4 times]
[knocks 4 times]
Better check for dogs.
Hey. I want you to go out front,
look at the sidewalk. Then
go back to the front door.
All right?
We have a mutual friend,
Mrs. Alexander?
She speaks very highly of you.
The name's Older,
Fremont Older.
I'm the editor for the San
Francisco Call.
Maybe we could help each other.
If the bulls catch us
you let me do the talking. Okay.
I'll tell em'
who we are, where we're going.
You just listen.
You never tell 'em your
real name.
Just clam up kid, tell 'em
you're not comfortable
saying anything unless you
got a lawyer, right?
Now they might slug you,
but don't talk.
That's your only salvation.
Damn, I wish that stool pigeon
moon weren't so bright.
[groans]
I want to come in.
I'm ready.
No. Prowlers they, uh,
work better alone.
Okay?
Less confusion.
[gunshot]
Smiler...
Where are you going, son?
I'm going to see my father.
Let go of me! Let go of me!
[massive door closing]
Did you make a statement?
Did you tell them
you two were making the house?
I didn't say anything.
Well that's good.
You do the right thing
you got a family...
and you do the wrong thing
you're alone.
You understand me, kid?
Think so?
Now Smiler,
He was your friend, wasn't he?
He had what you call... quality.
He had character.
He had...
see...
he did wrong things,
but he did them
in the right way,
at the right time.
And any friend of Smiler's...
Is a friend to the Johnsons.
You heard of the Johnson family?
Oh, well,
the Johnsons are everywhere,
right they're on a road,
wherever ye go...
they'll take care of ye.
I think you might want to stick
with the Johnsons.
I think you might find a home
with the Johnsons.
You understand?
[screaming]
Please.
You're going to tell me
all about that robbery
young man?
-Oh...
[screams]
[footsteps]
[train whistle]
These are the names
and addresses of
about 50 people
that carry burglary insurance.
Tells us where they live,
tells us they have valuables,
tells us they are careless.
It also tells us
in a showdown, they will give up
their valuables
without a murmur.
I want to know about
dogs, kids, servants,
sick people.
But don't ask a question
in the neighborhood.
You never scrape acquaintance
with the nurse girl
to ask questions.
All you got to do is walk by
and look.
Sanc, I don't know how
to thank you.
Get yourself a newspaper,
get a book,
read where you can get a good
look at the house
and its occupants.
Look at the porches especially,
hmm?
It's a good time of the year
for a supper sneak.
It's dark when they're dining.
[baby cries]
[faint piano music]
[woman singing]
[baby cries]
[piano music, woman singing]
[clock chimes]
[family eats dinner, laughter]
Come and sit down.
(woman's voice)
John?
(woman's voice)
What's the matter?
(woman's voice)
[train rolling)]
Buy anything you like.
(Sanc)
Of course you want clothes
(Sanc)
that won't detain
the eye for a second.
(Sanc)
Expensive as you like.
(Sanc)
But neutral.
(Sanc)
Be positive in yourself.
(Sanc)
But no positive clothes.
(Sanc)
Understand?
(Sanc)
[footsteps]
[glass breaks]
[faint conversation]
If I'm grabbed with this stuff,
I'll rot in jail
before I put a finger on you.
And if you get grabbed
and you try to get a light jolt
by turning me in.
You're wrong.
I'll throw it all in the river
and you rot in jail.
Are we square?
Yes, ma'am.
We're square.
Feel free to enjoy the house.
(Mary)
Oh! Come here, come here.
(Sanc)
[woman giggling]
Have fun kid.
(Sanc)
No no no.
(Mary)
I'm not done with him yet.
Okay? Don't drag him in there.
We've got some time.
Tiger milk.
To Smiler.
(Mary)
Want you
to get us a couple of guns.
38's.
All right.
No off caliber,
no strange makes.
I want the same kind
that everybody else has.
No problem.
I'll go to the hardware store.
Kid.
These aren't the good old days
when any maniac would rush
into a hardware store with money
and then kill a man
a block away.
Well then I'll go to
the hock shop.
The hock shop man...
The hock shop man not only
notes the the number
off every gun but
usually puts a mark on it
for future reference.
The hock shop man is the
hangman's handmaiden.
Where should I go then?
You go to Chinatown.
Chinese are safe to do
any kind of business
with buying or selling.
Chinese do not talk.
And the guns come from
such devious routes,
the numbers long
since lost.
Tell 'em your a yeggman.
George!
I got somebody that wants to
say hello.
You remember me?
Yeah.
I remember you, young fella.
Grown some.
(George)
You gathered any wisdom?
(George)
I like to think so.
(Jack)
Well,
First, you might be doing
a lot of legwork.
You're going to be going to
get me some supplies.
You're going to be going
to get me some rail tables
You're going to get me some
guide books-
Dynamite?
No. That's later.
Gonna talk about that.
I'm going to need you to survey
some spots for me.
No problem.
And one very important thing...
It's probably
the most important.
The getaway.
No spot is fat enough to take
unless... you got the
getaway in place.
You learned a little something?
I've been paying attention.
That's good.
Don't let it go to your head.
Now, ye might be a good snapper
up of small things.
Tapper of tills...
But... dynamite.
And when I'm thrashing
out the soup
you're not careful,
we're both dead.
[dogs bark]
I am extracting...
(George)
the explosive oil
(George)
of nitroglycerin...
(George)
from this here
(George)
stick of dynamite.
(George)
Fairly simple procedure.
Home recipe.
But it's a dangerous procedure.
You know, I was an apprentice
for a village blacksmith
when I was your age.
Worked for starvation wages so
I could learn about
safes and locks.
And, of course,
when I joined the army
I certainly learned about
the disruptive force
of the powder.
See the thing is, if you
if you drop a stick of dynamite,
it won't blow.
But if you drop this,
it'll blow.
Yeah, that's how I got
this bum foot
you know. Lost my toes.
Look out.
Jesus, George...
Oh, look at this.
Look at this it's stickers.
Stickers...
Peddle these at 60, 80%.
And it'll never be traced.
The government
stands the loss for these.
Yes, yes, yes
I'm strong for the government.
Do you mind if I ask
you a few questions
Mr. Black?
I'm familiar with your charges,
and I'm curious
if you feel you are
in the wrong?
You knew
you were breaking the law,
and yet for years
you kept on doing it. Why?
So all the years of punishment
have not persuaded you
to change your ways?
Has it not been harsh enough?
They got you good.
(Jack)
Beat you up real good.
(Jack)
Why don't you,umm...
(Jack)
take the bench?
(Jack)
Bench.
(Jack)
You don't speak any English?
(Jack)
Sleep.
Sleep.
(Jack)
Here, let me...
Sleep.
[train whistle]
Chugga chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga
chugga chugga
chugga- choo choo.
Choo choo... All aboard.
(Jack)
Chew Chee .
chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga chugga
chugga chugga chugga chugga
Choo choooooo!
[chinese]
Fo che? Fo che?
Fo che.
(Chew Chee)
[screaming outside cell]
Luc zhe.
Pig fucker.
Pig?
No, no.
(Jack)
Family.
What is family?
Family?
Ga tae.
Ga tae.
Chew Chee...
Your family.
(Jack)
Ga tae.
(Jack)
Hop on down, you two.
(guard)
Next.
Next two.
[gunshot]
[gunshots]
My lines had been cast...
(Jack)
tho I had cast them myself,
(Jack)
amongst crooked people.
(Jack)
I had not spent one hour
(Jack)
in the presence
of an honest person.
(Jack)
Citizens were to be robbed.
(Jack)
Police were to be avoided.
(Jack)
Hated.
(Jack)
Thieves
(Jack)
were to be cultivated
and protected.
(Jack)
This was the atmosphere
(Jack)
I breathed.
(Jack)
If you live with wolves,
(Jack)
you will learn to howl.
(Jack)
I'm too hungry... i'm too hungry
(woman's voice)
You okay?
Get away from me.
All right, well...
what are you doing down there?
You alright?
You okay.
Hey, hey!
[screaming]
What are you doing?
Come on.
(crying)
Are you hungry?
Want some food?
I'm too hungry...
I'm too hungry to even
kill myself.
What's your name?
(woman)
Pick one.
Any one will do.
That's what I usually say.
What do you say?
I just say something
new every time.
What is it this time?
Annie.
Jack.
Stay with me, Jack.
It makes sense.
We both lead complicated lives.
Normal men and women
walking on the streets
don't understand us.
Every morning,
(Sanc)
I want you to go into a good
hotel and pay for the room
for the night. Register
from out of town.
When you get the key,
go back to your own room
and make a duplicate of it.
Mark the duplicate
so you can identify it and plant
somewhere.
Most of the best places
are using the spring locks now
you can't do anything
without a key.
In the afternoon
you go back to the hotel,
tell the clerk
you've been called out of town,
and ask for your money back.
Usually he'll give it to you.
In a week
you'll have the keys
to half a dozen
transient rooms
in the best hotels,
and maybe
we can get some real money.
Evenings are your own affair.
Gentlemen.
Detective.
Is this your room?
Yes it is, of course.
Where are you from?
Spokane, Washington.
Got in this morning, 9:15.
You did...
What's your name?
Charlie Rice.
James. Brown.
What do you do for a living?
I'm a butcher.
[punches]
Sanctimonius!
(Jack)
[detective screaming]
Sanctimonius!
Sanctimonious.
Sanc, wait- Sanc!
(Jack)
[gunshot]
I got something soft for you.
(man's voice)
You can't go wrong.
(man's voice)
Storekeeper here in Chinatown
(man's voice)
sold her this hop.
(man's voice)
He sleeps on top of it.
(man's voice)
Chloroform him.
(woman's voice)
That's easy.
(woman's voice)
I'll get you the chloroform.
(woman's voice)
All you gotta do is
(man's voice)
go in there and get it.
(man's voice)
[screaming]
[screaming]
What for you good man?
What for, huh...?
I come here
to steal your money. I-
I try
No can do.
You catch me.
Look at me.
Look at me.
You good man...
Or bad man?
Maybe me
good man, maybe me bad man.
I don't know...
Oh. Oh...
[cleaver chops]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
You go.
[Chinese]
You go!
My letter?
-No letter.
Oh.
I'm sorry.
[train sounds]
Don't you know that hop heads
(George)
will rave about every place
in the world being so sweet
(George)
and so beautiful
and so wonderful and easy...
(George)
and rosy...
(George)
soon as they get a few of those
pills and then about
(George)
everything's so beautiful. You
stay away from them kid.
(George)
I lied to you...
(Jack)
when, umm...
(Jack)
when I told you
my father was dead.
(Jack)
You know, the last thing
he said to me?
Well, Jack...
You'll be what you'll be.
And I can't help or
hinder you.
It seems like the right thing
to say.
[train whistle]
[men yelling, talking]
Son of a bitch.
(man's voice)
...right and tight...
(man's voice)
The stool pigeon is the
coming race.
(man's voice)
aahhh... you, gay cats,
dingbats,
you wangs...
[yells]
Jungle buzzards.
All whipped
beyond resistance
by the mysterious... and
irresistible
craving for alky-hol.
Yeah,
What do you say about
that there?
What you say about it?
(George)
Jamaican ginger fiend...
(George)
Drink yourself purple...
(George)
die under the sidewalk.
[bottle breaks
[yelling]
[screaming]
...who the fuck is that?
(man yelling)
[drilling sounds]
Easy.
Here kid...
take this head of cabbage while
I get the horses.
Right there...
(George)
[horse whinnies]
[gunshot]
[gunshot]
Ours is a crooked business.
(Sanc)
We must not allow ourselves
(Sanc)
to think crooked.
(Sanc)
We must think straight.
(Sanc)
Clearly,
(Sanc)
logically.
(Sanc)
Or we are lost, kid.
(Sanc)
Of course we will lose anyway
(Sanc)
sooner or later.
(Sanc)
Let's not hasten the day
(Sanc)
with loose and careless
thinking.
(Sanc)
Do you have any family?
(Jack)
I mean, people.
(Jack)
There's only ghosts
in my head.
(Jack)
[man snoring]
[snoring stops]
Go back to sleep.
My mother died before
(Jack)
I got very well
acquainted with her.
(Jack)
I don't remember being shocked
(Jack)
or pained when she was buried.
(Jack)
Saw my father crying.
(Jack)
And I tried to cry.
(Jack)
Because it was expected of me.
(Jack)
What was your dad like?
(woman's voice)
Silent.
A little boy without a mother
is a fit problem
for any father's mind.
My father was a...
thoughtful man.
There is no substitute
for a home and for a mother.
Why are you here?
(Jack)
I can't sleep.
(woman's voice)
That's not what I meant.
I mean, here.
Why are you working here?
Men we meet here
don't lie to us or deceive us
like they do out on the world.
They just...
come in
and look us over
like the butcher used
to look at fat hogs in the fall.
We know what they come for.
They know, we know. So...
there's no lying and deception
and promising a job.
[knocking on door]
[bang on door]
[bang on door]
[bang on door]
They took the payroll...
(man yelling)
Who is it?
They took the payroll, you're
money's gone.
(man yelling)
Sir, we want you to explain
your presence here.
(man's voice)
Your business,
(man's voice)
who you are.
(man's voice)
What do you do for a living?
(man's voice)
Where are you from?
(man's voice)
Is this the man?
Is this him?
Jeb!
Go get some rope.
You give me the money.
And you can go free.
[Jack growls]
Draw a map.
50-50.
[paper crumpling]
[Jack spits]
[Jack spits]
It seems to me...
(Older)
that in order to address
(Older)
the corrupt individual.
(Older)
We must first
(Older)
study ourselves.
(Older)
[whip crack]
And learn more about the evil
(Older)
that is within us
(Older)
before we set out after
the other fellow.
(Older)
[whip crack]
[whip crack]
[whip crack]
Do you... have any red licorice?
This aint no candy store.
-No?
-No.
I got no money.
(screaming)
You stay the fuck down.
Where's the goddamn morphine?
Alright now hear you go...
Don't you move!
If you could tell others
(Older)
what you've been through,
what you've endured,
(Older)
that would help me...
(Older)
open eyes and affect reform.
(Older)
I'm an old friend of Judge Dunn.
(Older)
I have many friends
in the district
(Older)
attorney's office.
(Older)
Perhaps I could help you by
(Older)
getting your sentence reduced.
(Older)
Have you ever written down
(Older)
any of your thoughts?
(Older)
I would be interested
(Older)
in reading your views.
(Older)
And I don't think
(Older)
I'd be the only one.
(Older)
And I have no illusions
(Older)
that if I were to help you,
that you wouldn't let me down.
(Older)
I've helped hundreds of people
(Older)
and all but 1 or 2 have
failed me.
(Older)
Good day, Mr. Black
(Older)
Goodnight Jack.
(man's voice)
Jack.
(man's voice)
Just show me some life,
(man's voice)
and then we'll go easy on you.
(man's voice)
Good boy.
(man's voice)
Don't do that.
(man's voice)
My name is Mrs.
(woman's voice)
Alexander.
(woman's voice)
I work for the Salvation Army.
(woman's voice)
I'm here passing out books
to inmates with longer
(woman's voice)
sentences.
(woman's voice)
Do you read?
Do you read?
Are you a ghost?
I'm a widow.
My husband was shot in
cold blood in a robbery...
for a broken watch.
The love I felt for my husband
was equal to the hatred
that I felt
for his murderers.
And my love for my husband
was infinite.
Things have been done to you.
Terrible things.
And they must have been
very painful.
And you
have the right to that pain.
But hate....
will destroy you.
I believe
that people who have been
brutalized
can be turned around
by kindness.
I have seen
miraculous transformations.
Take my advice, kid.
(George)
You got to be careful with
your gun.
(George)
It's a good servant
(George)
but you don't want
to let it become your master.
(George)
Or it'll hang ye.
(George)
It'll hang ye.
(George)
Packed one for 30 years.
(George)
Every time I used it
(George)
I've been wrong.
(George)
Except maybe this last time.
(George)
This last time I was right.
(George)
Mary.
Oh, Mary.
Did you get my letter?
Poor George,
I thought you were in Pocatello.
You must be mistaken, mister.
I don't know you.
And you don't know me.
Mary-
You're mistaken.
My name is not Mary,
and I don't know you.
And I've never
been to Pocatello in my life.
Mary, just-
No.
Alright Miss.
I must be mistaken.
We've been too far apart
too long.
I'm sorry
that I wasn't there with you
when you were sick.
And you needed me.
But I guess it's good
you died
without knowing what I did
with my life.
[knocking on window]
I'm a hop fiend.
I have a 25 year habit.
If I can't kick it on my own
I'm going to take this pistol...
And I'm going to shoot myself.
I think you're just downhearted.
Downhearted?!
[clock chimes, ticks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[radiator knocks]
[bangs head on wall]
[bangs head on wall]
You are a burglar.
(Jack)
You go to the kitchen window.
(Jack)
You go to perform
a very delicate operation,
(Jack)
taking a pane of glass
out piece by piece.
(Jack)
You reach your hand in,
(Jack)
you release the catch.
(Jack)
You raise the window
(Jack)
up slowly, noiselessly.
Inside you see bottles, boxes,
can opener, corkscrew,
toothbrush.
These items you remove
one at a time.
Place them outside,
below the window.
If you manage to get in
without disturbing the dishes
or the pans,
you open the kitchen door.
That's going to be your getaway
in case anything causes you
to hurry out of that house.
Now it's very dark in the house.
But you light no matches.
Nor do you use a flashlight.
Years of this work
has developed.
a... a cat like sense in you.
You can sense an object in
front of you without seeing it.
Without feeling it. You...
you feel your way
to the dining room.
Sit down on a chair.
You remove your shoes
one at a time,
place them in your back
pocket, heels up.
Because you're not staying
downstairs.
We're going upstairs
where the sleepers are...
where the valuables are.
Takes you about 25 minutes
to get up those stairs
and they creak.
You have to find solid places
to put your weight.
And you know the creaking won't
wake the sleeping people
but you don't know yet
whether or not they are asleep.
They should be lying awake
in bed
they'll know what
that creaking meant.
And then you might get shot.
But now you're at the bedroom
door.
It's latched,
but it's not locked.
That's good.
So you push the door open
an inch
and you can hear the
regular up and down
breathing of the healthy sleeper
So you wait there a long time,
maybe seven minutes,
with your hand on a doorknob.
You're just listening.
There are two sleepers in the
room, one of them is snoring,
and you
wish he would not snore.
Might wake up
the other person. Might wake up
himself.
Snorers do wake themselves.
[applause]
How do you feel?
The lawyers have been through it
they only need a few changes.
You're doing good.
You didn't let me down.
[phone rings]
Main library.
This is he.
[garbled voice]
I'm...
I'm sorry I can't do that.
...come right now.
(voice on phone)
I can't do that.
I'm sorry.