Angels Over Broadway

Synopsis: Charles Engle has been caught embezzling. He writes a suicide note, and goes out wandering on the town. Small-time hustler Bill O'Brian sees him give a couple of big tips, figures he's rich, and plans to take him over to a big-time card game and fleece him. He enlists Nina Barone to help get Engle to the game. She goes along, but is more interested in O'Brien than in his schemes. Meanwhile, a perpetually drunk and none too successful playwright, Gene Gibbons, finds the suicide note. He cooks up a scheme (with the reluctant aid of O'Brien) to get the money Engle needs to pay back his employer and save his life.
Director(s): Ben Hecht, Lee Garmes (co-director)
Production: Columbia Pictures
 
IMDB:
6.7
Rotten Tomatoes:
60%
PASSED
Year:
1940
79 min
237 Views


Go on, soak them.

The wetter they get, the better I like it.

Theres no money under those umbrellas.

Lot of goops crawling around in the rain.

Thats a laugh.

I aint even got an umbrella.

Seven bucks...

...The Last of the Mohicans.

Looks like I gotta promote something.

Look at her gol

Come on, baby, roll them outl

Thats what this town is...

...a dice game.

Come on, you seven. Rain me a seven.

Dont get any sevens holding out a tin cup.

There must be a seven

rolling for me somewhere.

You found out.

Yes, we found out.

$3,000 stolen by my friend.

My old friend...

...a man l took off the streets

when he didnt have a job.

What are you going to do?

Go on, call the police.

Remember when you came to me and said,

Hopper, she loves me.

This beautiful woman loves me...

...and were gonna get married.

Shut up.

Dont talk about her.

Did you ever ask me up to your house

after you got married?

No, not once.

You were ashamed of me in front of her.

l wasnt good enough for her.

Then comes the laugh.

You werent good enough, either.

But Hoppers money,

that was plenty good enough.

The money that the fat man made

by working hard, night and day.

That was fine for her.

She didnt mind stealing this money, huh?

She didnt steal anything, it was me.

Look at him, he still loves her.

Answer me, you still love her?

She gave the money to Mr. Morgan,

didnt she?

Thats what you stole money for,

so she should give it to the man she loves.

Heres his announcement.

We are pleased to announce the opening

of Dan Morgans beauty parlor...

...March 30.

Youre going to see her tonight again,

free this time, shouldnt cost me anything.

Youre going to tell her

that Hopper wants his $3,000 back.

Youll tell her

that if Hopper dont get it back...

...hell call the police to send his partner

and his partners wife to jail.

Both together.

l got the right. l got the evidence.

Thats all.

Tomorrow morning at 6:00,

lll be sitting in my office...

...and youll bring me the money from her.

Tell her Hopper isnt at her feet crying...

...but standing up

with a policeman beside him...

...waiting to arrest you and her together.

6:
00 in my office.

$3,000.

-Where to, mister?

-Uptown.

-$5, got anything smaller?

-Thats all right, keep the change.

Check your things, sir?

Coat, please.

Excuse me.

Cigarettes?

-$20. Just a moment, lll get your change.

-Never mind, keep the change.

Gee, thanks.

-Have you any reservations?

-No.

Emil...

...find a good table for this gentleman.

Right this way, sir.

Have a good time, sir.

Wasnt that the strangest thing?

$20, without even giving me a second look.

l thought he was some sort of a tramp.

Just goes to show

you cant trust your eyes in this town.

-Do you know him, Vincent?

-No, l never saw him before.

But l knew he was somebody

the way he looked at me.

Hello. Sunset Hotel? Room 1007, please.

Bill OBrien calling.

Hello, Dutch? Bill OBrien.

lm over at the Pigeon Club

taking in the sights...

...and l ran into something

that l thought might be of interest to us.

An out-of-town job

came snow-shoeing in here a while ago...

...and throwing money around

like birdseed.

Never saw him before, strictly a hick.

Say, l wouldnt fool a pal like you, Dutch.

l tell you this is a blue plate special.

l thought ld bring him over

for a little get together...

...on the same percentage as last time.

Bill OBrien, what about him?

Nice guy, chief.

Hes got a room down the hall.

He used to be a bellhop at the St. Martin,

got a lot on the ball.

Okay, chief, 12:
00 at the Sunset.

Excuse me, are you Mr. White?

No.

Thats very funny,

l could have sworn you were Mr. White.

-Do you mind if l sit down a moment?

-No.

lm not intruding, l hope.

They have a nice show here.

Very artistic, isnt it?

lm not trying to pull anything, really.

lll be frank, l knew you werent Mr. White.

ln fact, there is no Mr. White.

lts just a name l made up.

lm really looking for Mr. Hugo.

He puts on the show here,

engages all the talent.

l knew Mr. Hugo some time ago,

being in one of his units.

No use waiting in the lobby,

he never comes out.

As for hanging out, you know how they are

if you dont have an escort.

They dont care about your feelings.

My name is Nina Barona. lm a Russian.

But this season everything is Latin,

completely Latin.

Hello, how are you? Glad to see you again.

Pardon me, wont you?

Dont tell me

you dont remember me, Nina.

l think you have a slight advantage

over me.

lts Nina Barona, isnt it? Russian?

l never forget a face

if its beautiful enough.

Bill OBrien is the name,

in case your memory is playing tricks.

l hope you dont mind

my barging in on you.

lm on the town with nothing to do

but throw money away.

Have fun and make friends.

Thats my motto.

Waiter.

-Yes, sir?

-Check.

Honey, l cant see,

please make him sit down.

-Sit down, old boy.

-Sit down, we cant see.

One moment and lll leave you

to your tawdry revels.

Very sad.

Venus was never an epileptic.

l leave you heroes at your periscopes.

That was Eugene Gibbons, the playwright.

Really? Do you know him?

Sure, known him for years. Nice guy, too.

Too bad about his last show.

l read about it. No good was it?

Three years ago, the white hope

of the theater. Today, a mug.

Thats New York for you.

Put you on the Christmas tree

and then the alley.

Here we are.

How long are you gonna be in town?

Not very long.

Heres hoping you enjoy your brief stay.

Gene! So good to see you.

My beautiful.

lm so sorry l didnt get to see your play.

l heard it was charming.

Do come around sometime, Gene.

lm giving a little party Saturday--

Put your scissors away, Delilah,

my hairs all cut.

ls this stylish fellow my successor?

-Gene, youre drunk.

-Darling.

You understate the case by three bottles

and a thousand tears.

Avaunt.

What is the idea

of giving me a midgets coat?

Or is the management

handing out straitjackets...

...as it should?

Sorry, Mr. Gibbons, we have a new boy.

Just a second, please.

Mr. Gibbons coat, Frank, that brown one.

To whom it may concern.

lm in receipt of a communication.

This is to inform the police

that l have ended my own life.

-Vincent!

-Yes, Mr. Gibbons?

-Whose mantle is this?

-l dont know his name, sir.

Hes a stranger who came in a while ago.

A stranger out of the night.

Where is he roosting?

You can find anything you want

in New York...

...if you know where to look for it.

Romance. Adventure.

l know that goes on where youre from.

But in New York,

its with an all-star cast and a fast show.

Seven million people all on one skyrocket,

thats New York.

What do you say

we slip out and have a look?

Thanks.

Thanks very much,

but l have another engagement.

Come on, its early yet.

Your engagement will keep.

Lets have a little fun first,

what do you say?

Mr. Engle, l believe?

Yes.

How do you do?

My name is Gene Gibbons...

...the distinguished playwright.

l am glad to see you, Gene.

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Ben Hecht

Ben Hecht (1894–1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist and novelist. A journalist in his youth, he went on to write thirty-five books and some of the most entertaining screenplays and plays in America. He received screen credits, alone or in collaboration, for the stories or screenplays of some seventy films. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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