'G' Men

Gentlemen, 1949 marks

the 25th anniversary...

...of the FBI as it exists today.

Like many another success story,

this one had humble beginnings.

The first G-men worked under

staggering disadvantages.

Do you realize that not many years ago,

a fleeing kidnapper or bank robber...

...could take one step across a state line

and thumb his nose at us?

Often when we made an arrest

we had to walk...

...into a rain of hoodlum

machine-gun fire...

...though we were forbidden by law

to carry a revolver.

But, gentlemen, the bureau

did have as weapons...

...truth, drive and vitality.

Even before the government armed us

with guns and laws...

...G- men became a dreaded

underworld whisper.

I'm going to take you back

to those days...

...and show you a motion picture

about a man named "Brick" Davis.

It's the daddy of all FBI pictures.

It's the first one that called us G-men.

The cars are old, you won't see

women wearing the new look...

...but you will see something

that the bureau has never forgotten.

That while times change

and habits change and styles change...

...one thing is constant:

The man who want to get more

out of life than he puts into it...

...the hoodlum...

...he's the same today as he was then.

He is still a public enemy.

All right, Vince.

Now, ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

you must know what justice can mean...

...to a man who is defenseless

because he is poor.

How would you feel if

a huge corporation bulldozed you...

...into selling your life's work...

...an invention that has made

them millions, and selling it for what?

A paltry $5000.

I ask you, ladies and gentlemen,

to look upon my client.

A man who has stood silently

at a workbench for years...

...planning, working,

striving to create...

- Are you Davis?

- Yeah, come in.

Glad to meet you.

My name is Joseph Kratz.

- Oh, yes. Sixth Ward.

- Oh, you know me, eh?

- Heard of you. Sit down.

- Thanks.

Got a good case for you, Davis. One that'll

make you a lot of friends if you take it.

That's fine. What do you get out of it?

Me? Nothing. A friend of mine's

in jail on a bum rap.

- I want you to defend him.

- What'd he do?

Why, he got drunk last night

and beat up his old lady.

- His mother?

- Yeah.

- Nice fella.

- Well, you know how things like that are.

- They book him on assault and battery?

- They're gonna hook him on the Sullivan Act.

The sap was carrying a gun

and beat her with the butt of it.

- Accidentally?

- Yeah, accidental.

But if she kicks off, he's up for murder.

Do you think I'd defend

a guy like that?

- Why not?

- I'd rather beat his brains out.

I don't want the case, Kratz.

It smells.

Now, wait a minute, just a minute,

Davis, before you turn this down.

There are a lot of boys around my ward

who'll play ball with you if you take it.

You don't want a lawyer, Kratz,

you want a crook.

Take your dirty work to somebody else.

Now, don't pull any of that

honest lawyer stuff on me.

"Big Shot" McKay

didn't pick you out of the gutter...

...and send you through college

for nothing.

- Out.

- All right, all right.

When you change your mind,

let me know.

Call me up. You'll never get anywhere

playing shyster for that rat.

Hey!

- Eddie!

- Yeah, Eddie.

That's a swell way

to treat a customer.

Just a greaseball!

Well, if it isn't old man

Department of Justice himself.

- When'd you get here?

- Flew up this morning.

- Business?

- Yeah.

Sit down. Park yourself.

Well, well. What, no brass button,

no badge? What is this?

Nobody has any time to polish them.

Too busy going around with

a big badge frightening people.

What a lawyer. A year out of school,

you're using the same argument.

And it's still good.

What's the use of going to law school...

...if you're gonna throw it over

and play cops and robbers.

If you had gone into practice,

you'd be at the top now...

...instead of flatfooting around.

Law's a great game.

Maybe so. But you sure look funny

sitting behind a desk.

I suppose I have to entertain

while you're here.

Not for a couple of days. I have

an appointment with a chap named Durfee.

- After that, okay.

- That's swell.

I'll try to clean up most of my work.

I think I can get a whole day off.

Are you getting much business?

Business is terrific.

I have to throw half of it out.

What's the use of kidding, Brick?

Kidding?

You ought to keep your law books

dusted off.

Old eagle-eye.

- Things are pretty tough, aren't they?

- Yeah.

But only because

I don't wanna be a shyster.

Which means blackmailing

and ambulance chasing.

I've been in too many back alleys as a kid

to wanna go back.

You've gotta have a West Side office

to get decent business.

And I've got the East Side and...

The elevated.

I wish you were in the department.

You'd make a good G-man.

- You starting that again?

- Yeah. What's more, you'd like it.

You'd be out seeing some action...

...instead of sitting in a law office

getting fat between the ears.

It's a great department, Brick.

A great bunch of fellas.

When they tackle a job,

they stick to it till it's finished...

...and no fat-faced politician standing

around telling them what to do.

I brought a department report along

and an application I want you to read.

Now, think it over, mule. I have

to shove along. I'll see you Thursday.

All right, Eddie, I'll be here.

- Well, I'm out.

- Same here.

- Let you two guys fight it out.

- Check.

Well, 200.

- Two more.

- You're called.

Ace full.

The guy's right,

the gardenia does bring him luck.

This keeps up, I'll believe it.

- Who is it?

- Durfee.

Hello, Leggett.

- Hello, fellas.

- Hello. What's eating you?

The heat's on me.

Will you lend me some dough?

- Dough? You wouldn't try to rib us?

- No, on the level.

How about that counterfeit

you been printing?

- I haven't got any.

- What?

A government guy tailing me

for the post-office job wrecked the plant.

- I've gotta get across the state line.

- Tough break.

- Okay, Dan?

- Yeah.

- Let us know when you're light.

- Thanks.

- I'll pay you back, double. So long.

- Don't forget that.

- No, I won't.

- Deal me out.

It's a tough break.

He ought to get himself an arsenal

and stick around.

Why, those government guys

don't even carry rods.

You're under arrest, Durfee.

Kill the lights.

Give me a reacher.

- What's the matter?

- Copper's got him.

Louie.

- How are you, Mr. Davis?

- Is Mr. McKay in?

- He's in his office, sir.

- Thank you.

Yeah, come in.

Oh, hello, Brick.

- Busy, Mac?

- No, come on in.

Well, sit down.

- Have a cigar?

- No, thanks.

Where have you been

keeping yourself?

I've been sticking

pretty close to the office.

- Much business?

- No, no.

Well, come on, kid, spill it.

What's on your chest?

- I wanna talk some things over with you.

- Go ahead, shoot.

Tell me, Mac, how much

did you spend on me?

- I mean, education and everything?

- About 20 grand. Why?

That's an awful lot of dough.

Chicken feed when you like a guy.

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