- Lou Donelli: [threatening to dump Gargen's corpse in the laundry] I been thinking' about this boiler gag a long time - you gonna be the cleanest stiff in town.
- Ivy: [while leaning over to serve beer, Ivy notices Joe is eyeing her chest] Those kinda eyes call for a slap in the face, love.
- Joe Gargen: You gotta real nice pair of eyes yourself, honey.
- Ivy: [Ivy takes ahold of Joe's earlobe] They're kinda pointed, but not hairy. You must be the first wolf who ever shaved his ears.
- [Joe laughs]
- [Ed Haines and Joe Gargen can be seen in the hallway of their apartment]
- Joe Gargen: Cooking tires all day must have softened your brain, pal.
- Ed Haines: What do you mean?
- Joe Gargen: Well, you can't beat the kind of guys that run the loan shark rackets. The idea is to pay off and stay away from them.
- Ed Haines: We've paid 'em plenty. They've been getting away with everything but murder.
- Joe Gargen: And that's what'll happen to you next if you go ahead with that crazy idea of yours. Ed, my sister's too young to be a widow.
- Ed Haines: Look Joe, you're a nice guy, but don't try to run my life and I won't try and run yours.
- Joe Gargen: [resigned] Okay. If that's the way you want it.
- [Haines goes into his apartment while Gargen walks towards a staircase and descends it.]
- [Following Ed Haines' murder, Joe Gargen can be seen in the office of F.L. Rennick]
- F.L. Rennick: [rises from his desk] Well, that's just about it. The police are making a quiet investigation into the plant, but we're not disclosing that we suspect it was murder.
- Joe Gargen: I'll handle it my way. Alone.
- F.L. Rennick: I regret the circumstances that brought it about, but I'm glad you've changed your mind.
- Joe Gargen: My only picture is to dig up the guy who killed Ed.
- F.L. Rennick: It might be necessary to dig deep into the loan shark outfit to accomplish that.
- Joe Gargen: I can dig pretty good.
- F.L. Rennick: You let me know when you find out anything.
- Joe Gargen: Sure. I'll keep in touch with you.
- F.L. Rennick: My home phone is Republic 213-36. Can you remember that?
- Joe Gargen: Republic 213-36. I got it.
- F.L. Rennick: [approaches Gargen] What you're doing is not just important to you and me, Joe. It's important to a lot of people, a lot of wives and kids.
- Joe Gargen: [rises from his chair and looks at Rennick] What I'm doing is strictly between us. Nobody else hears. You understand? Nobody.
- F.L. Rennick: Certainly.
- Joe Gargen: Where do I start in the plant?
- F.L. Rennick: Handling crude rubber. When you're ready to move to another department, give me the word.
- [Rennick and Gargen shake hands]
- F.L. Rennick: Good luck.
- [Gargen returns the handshake. After that, he turns and exits the office.]
- [first lines]
- [Following the opening sequence, a man can be seen sitting in his office at a tire plant. After a few seconds, he stands up from his desk. This is F.L. Rennick. Sitting in a nearby chair is a Police Lieutenant]
- F.L. Rennick: But that beating last night was like all the rest. Three of our employees in the last month. There must be a way to stop this, Lieutenant.
- Lt. White: We can catch the goons in the act, Mr. Rennick. Or a victim could identify his assailant.
- F.L. Rennick: The goons are only hired help. I'm talking about getting the loan sharks themelves.
- Lt. White: Until your man Baski is able to talk, we're not even sure his beating's connected with the others.
- F.L. Rennick: Of course it is. The poor fellow was trying to get out of town, run away from them.
- [the sound of knocking can be heard on the office door]
- F.L. Rennick: Come in.
- [the door opens and another man enters. This is Charlie Thompson.]
- F.L. Rennick: Oh, Thompson. Lieutenant White from Police Headquarters.
- [Thompson and White shake hands]
- F.L. Rennick: Thompson's Baski's section boss.
- Lt. White: Thompson.
- Charlie Thompson: Lieutenant.
- F.L. Rennick: Thompson, do you happen to know if Baski was in debt to the loan sharks?
- Charlie Thompson: I couldn't say, Mr. Rennick. I try and talk the boys out of borrowing. But I couldn't say about Baski.
- F.L. Rennick: Does he hang around that saloon across the street?
- Charlie Thompson: Well, he's usually in for a beer after work.
- Lt. White: Ever see him gambling in the back room over there?
- Charlie Thompson: Lieutenant, I don't like to make trouble for anybody.
- F.L. Rennick: Okay, Thompson. That's all I wanted, thanks.
- [Thompson turns and leaves as Rennick returns to his desk]
- [Joe Gargen can be seen waiting to enter the office of F.L. Rennick. After a few seconds, the door opens and Rennick appears]
- F.L. Rennick: Come in, please.
- [Joe enters the office as Rennick looks at his secretary]
- F.L. Rennick: No calls for a few minutes, Ann.
- [Rennick enters his office as he closes the door behind him]
- F.L. Rennick: [shakes Gargen's hand] Glad to meet you.
- Joe Gargen: Likewise.
- [sitting in a nearby chair is a man in a suit. This is Mr. Howell]
- F.L. Rennick: This is Mr. Howell, the union representative.
- [Howell stands up]
- F.L. Rennick: Joe Gargen.
- Mr. Howell: [shake's Gargen's hand] How are you, Gargen?
- Joe Gargen: Hiya, Mr. Howell.
- F.L. Rennick: Sit down, Gargen.
- [Gargen sits down in another chair]
- F.L. Rennick: Ann has told me all about you. Where you came from, the work you've done, it fits what I've got in mind.
- Joe Gargen: [confused] I don't follow you.
- F.L. Rennick: You came from a tough neighborhood. Then you knocked around the country at different jobs. Truck driver, boss of a railway section gang, bouncer at a bar, manager of a gambling club at Las Vegas.
- Joe Gargen: There's nothing much you don't know, except my last job for the state.
- F.L. Rennick: I know about that, too. And it might even be a help.
- Joe Gargen: I don't get you.
- F.L. Rennick: This tire plant's a vital industry, Gargen. And we have a big problem. We've got to hold our workers, and we've got to keep employee morale up.
- Joe Gargen: Yes, I guess you're right.
- F.L. Rennick: We're having real trouble right now. A lot of our men are involved with loan sharks.
- Joe Gargen: Well, what has that got to do with me and a job, Mr. Rennick?
- F.L. Rennick: There may be some of our employees working for these money vultures, Gargen. I want to know who they are. Mr. Howell and the union officials do, too.
- Mr. Howell: You bet we do. Our people are suffering because a few rats may be among them. If there are, we want to know it.
- F.L. Rennick: Maybe you could discover who's behind this loan shark outfit. If we could learn that, we'd find a way to break them.
- Joe Gargen: [stands up] I'm sorry, that's out of my line. I just wanted an ordinary job. So long, gentlemen.
- [Gargen turns and exits the office]
- [Joe Gargen can be seen standing on a street corner. At some point, a car pulls up and F.L. Rennick sticks his head out the window]
- F.L. Rennick: Hello, Joe. What's up?
- Joe Gargen: I got a little news, but I couldn't give it to you on the phone.
- F.L. Rennick: You find something in the plant?
- Joe Gargen: I'm pretty sure I know who our boy is, but I can't prove it. I got an offer to join the sharks.
- F.L. Rennick: What do you think?
- Joe Gargen: I'm going to do it. I can't do any more in the plant. I'm sure I can peg our man through the outfit.
- F.L. Rennick: You find out who's running this thing and every plant in town will be indebted to you, Joe.
- Joe Gargen: I'll find out. But don't tip my play, not even to Ann.
- F.L. Rennick: No, of course not. You should be protected though. What about letting the police...
- Joe Gargen: No. I said I'd handle this alone.
- F.L. Rennick: Whatever you say, Joe.
- [Rennick drives off as Gargen heads down the street]
- [Joe Garden can be seen working with some machinery at the tire plant. As he's working, a man walks up to him. This is Paul Nelson]
- Paul Nelson: Gotta hand it to you, don't know how you did it. Took me a year to get this far. You made it in two months.
- Joe Gargen: It's all in having talent, my boy, and knowing the boss's secretary.
- [Joe Gargen and Ed Haines can be seen entering the bathroom of an apartment, where a man can be seen standing at the sink and washing. He appears bruised and hurt. This is Steve Casmer]
- Ed Haines: What happened, Steve?
- Steve Casmer: The money men. It was my turn.
- Ed Haines: Those dirty butchers, we've got to do something about this.
- Steve Casmer: I know what I'm doing, Netta and I are leaving town.
- Ed Haines: I didn't figure you for a guy that runs, Steve.
- Steve Casmer: This time they beat me, next time it might be Netta.
- [Ed looks at Joe]
- Ed Haines: Oh, this is Marty's brother, Joe Gargen.
- [Ed looks at Steve again]
- Ed Haines: Steve Casmer
- Joe Gargen: Hello, Steve.
- Steve Casmer: Hi.
- [Steve continues to rub his face as he exits the bathroom]
- [in an apartment, a bruised and exhausted man can be seen exiting a bathroom. This is Steve Casmer. Also present are two more men, Joe Gargen and Ed Haines]
- Joe Gargen: What is this routine about money men?
- Ed Haines: Loan sharks. They got half the guys at the plant on the hook.
- Steve Casmer: [sits down] Yeah, you get behind the interest payments and this is what happens to you.
- Joe Gargen: All you guys have got jobs. What do you go to those fellows for?
- Ed Haines: Some of us get in the hole gambling. Some guys got bills to pay. A lot of reasons, Joe.
- Joe Gargen: Why don't you go to banks, or legal loan companies?
- Steve Casmer: They want collateral, credit references. We're bum risks for legit outfits.
- Ed Haines: We've been chumps, Steve. It's time we started hitting back.
- Steve Casmer: Yeah? Like how?
- Ed Haines: Like getting a bunch of guys together and going to the cops. We can prove we've been paying illegal interests, that guys have been beaten up. We can make some kind of charge stick.
- Steve Casmer: [shakes his head] You can't get enough guys to do it.
- Ed Haines: I'll get 'em. And you'll be our proof, you and Baski. How about it, Steve?
- [Joe can be seen listening to this as Steve thinks about Ed's suggestion]
- Steve Casmer: Well... you get the others, I'll string along.
- Ed Haines: Now you're talking. We'll get Netta to put some ice packs on your face. You'll be okay.
- [Steve nods as Ed leaves the apartment, with Joe following]
- [at the tire plant, Joe Gargen can be seen working some machinery. As he's doing this, someone can be seen watching. This is Tubby. As Tubby watches, he notiches that Joe looks exhausted]
- Tubby: What's the matter, Joe? Haven't you learned to love our sweet odor yet?
- Joe Gargen: I smelled better stables.
- Tubby: Couple of more days and you'll think you're smelling violets.
- Joe Gargen: You told me that two days ago.
- Tubby: So, how did I know you were so sensitive?
- [Joe manages a smile as he and Tubby take hold of a machine and begin to drag it towards another location in the plant]
- [at the tire plant, Joe Gargen can be seen working with Tubby]
- Tubby: You know? When I first started working here, just walking out in the fresh air...
- Joe Gargen: [interjects] You told me about it.
- Tubby: How it made me sick and all the things that happened?
- [Joe gets slightly annoyed and walks towards another machine. Tubby watches this and laughs before following]
- [at the tire plant, Joe Gargen can be seen working with Tubby in front of a conveyor belt]
- Tubby: You'd never think those nice, round tires on your car had started out in a gooey mess like this. Would you, Joe?
- Joe Gargen: [annoyed] If you don't shut up, Tubby, I'll make a...
- [a whistle can be heard blowing]
- Tubby: Noon!
- Joe Gargen: Now I can grab a smoke.
- Tubby: You mean you ain't going to eat any lunch?
- Joe Gargen: Funny thing. I lost my appetite.
- [at the tire plant, Joe Gargen can be seen working with some machinery. As he's working, Charlie Thompson can be seen approaching]
- Joe Gargen: Well, how did we do on that dog in the fourth, Charlie?
- [Charlie makes a negative gesture with his hand before patting Joe on the shoulder]
- Charlie Thompson: But don't worry, fella. I'll get us even tomorrow. I got a horse than can't lose.
- [at the tire plant, Joe Gargen is currently working with some machinery while Paul Nelson is watching]
- Paul Nelson: Why don't you smarten up, Joe? If you're as serious about Ann as you claim, you...
- Joe Gargen: [interjecting] Why don't you lay off, Paul? Stop playing Mother Abbess.
- [Joe Gargen can be seen picking up a telephone and dialing a number. He is preparing to speak to Mr. Rennick. Unbeknownst to him, Lou Donelli is listening in from another room]
- Joe Gargen: Mr. Rennick? Gargen. Look, this thing has come to a head. The rats started smelling a mouse. I had to give Paul Nelson a little going over. Yeah, sure, but I'm going to try to wind up this thing tonight. I'm gonna take a stab at pressuring Phillips to take me to the head man. You better have Thompson picked up right away. Stay close to the phone. I'll give you a blast if I can make it.
- [as Joe continues talking, Donelli continues to listen in by way of a radio]
- Joe Gargen: Right. Bye.
- [Joe hangs up the telephone]
- [having given a report to Rennick, Joe Gargen can be seen hanging up a telephone. As he turns to leave, he stops when he sees Lou Donelli pointing a gun at him]
- Lou Donelli: You've been real sharp, peeper. But you never conned me for a minute.
- Joe Gargen: Yeah. You got less sawdust in your head than I figured.
- Lou Donelli: Come on, I'm gonna take you down and show you how the boilers work in the laundry. You never really inspected them.
- Joe Gargen: You better check with Phillips before you carry out any more of your stupid ideas, Donelli.
- Lou Donelli: Uh-uh. I've been thinking about this boiler gag for a long time. You're gonna be the cleanest stiff in town.
- [Donelli begins to head towards a door. After making a motion towards it, Gargen follows and the two of them exit the room]
- [Joe Gargen can be seen entering an office where a man is working at a desk. This is Walter Kerr. Joe approaches Walter and gives him some papers]
- Joe Gargen: Here's Norm's stop, Walter. He was the last man in.
- Walter Kerr: Oh, I'm all finished up for now. I'll carry him over on next week's.
- [Joe Gargen can be seen standing in front of a desk, where a man is seated. This is Walter Kerr. Kerr looks at a book before he hands it to Gargen, who proceeds to examine it]
- Walter Kerr: There's your laundry ledger.
- Joe Gargen: Hmm, not bad.
- [Gargen then turns his attention to something else on Kerr's desk]
- Joe Gargen: Where's the loan book?
- Walter Kerr: I told you, Mr. Gargen. You'll have to get Mr. Phillips to okay it. He says nobody sees the loan book but him.
- Joe Gargen: [smiles] Okay, Walter. I was just trying to wear you down.
- Walter Kerr: [nods and smiles] I'll see you next week.
- [while in an office, Joe Gargen can be seen sitting at a desk and speaking on a telephone]
- Joe Gargen: Vince? You better take a run over here right away, pal. I got something very important to talk about.
- [a brief silence follows as Joe listens to what's on the other end of the line]
- Joe Gargen: Uh-uh. Phones have ears, you know. This needs the personal touch.
- [Joe pauses again as he listens to what's on the other end of the line]
- Joe Gargen: Okay.
- [Joe nods and hangs up the telephone]
- [Joe Gargen can be seen entering his apartment. Upon arriving, he sits down on the sofa when Martha Haines enters the room]
- Martha Haines: Joe, where have you been? Ann phoned over an hour ago. What happened with Mr. Rennick?
- Joe Gargen: [shakes his head] It's no dice, Marty. He had a special job in mind, and I'm just an ordinary guy who wants to live a quiet life.
- Martha Haines: Well, I don't understand, didn't he...
- Joe Gargen: This is gonna be a bad luck town for me, kid. I better shove off while I'm still even.
- Martha Haines: Oh, don't talk to silly, Joe. Well, there are plenty of other jobs around. We just thought it'd be nice if you worked with Ed and the rest.
- Joe Gargen: [sarcastically] Yeah, it would've been real cozy.
- [in his apartment, Joe Gargen can be seen speaking with Martha Haines. As they are doing this, the telephone begins to ring. Martha walks over to answer it]
- Martha Haines: Hello? Yes.
- [as Martha listens to the person on the other end, she suddenly drops the telephone in a sense of shock. Joe notices this and walks over to her]
- Joe Gargen: What's the matter?
- [Martha feels herself being overtaken by emotion]
- Martha Haines: [voice breaking] Ed... Joe, Ed, he...
- [Martha breaks down and throws herself onto Joe, who embraces her in return]
- Martha Haines: [crying] Oh, Joe!
- [Joe continues to embrace Martha as he feels a sense of rage filling within him. With this, he's decided on which course of action he'll undertake]
- [last lines]
- [as the film nears its finish, Joe Gargen can be seen embracing Ann Nelson]
- Joe Gargen: Let's get out of here, some wiseguy's liable to start selling tickets to this performance.
- [Ann and Joe exit the theater together. As they head down the street, the words "The End" can be seen imposed on a marquee above the theater]
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