Angels With Dirty Faces Page #7

but I haven't got any money.

Except this, and it's not mine.

- Say, where did you get ahold of that?

- Where did you?

Here, Rocky. Thanks, but I can't accept it.

What's the matter? You silly?

That ain't mine.

I know it isn't. That's why I can't take it.

What is this?

You flash this wad on me, then try to tell

me the dough is mine. What's it all about?

You've got a great poker face, Rocky.

But don't forget, I've known that face

for a long time.

I know you forced Frazier to get you

$ 100,000. Everybody knows it.

What's the difference

where the dough came from?

First place, Frazier owed it to me.

It's mine.

Second, it's a lot better you get

a chunk of it than him.

And suppose the dough is hot?

Nobody knows that but you and me.

That's just it.

Oh, come on. Don't be such an angel.

You want to get the center built?

Go get it started!

I don't want to build it

on rotten foundations.

Oh, don't be a sucker!

All right, Rocky.

Supposing I take the money.

And I kid myself it's a means to an end.

Well, it isn't. Never will be.

Inside the center, my boys will be clean,

and outside...

...they'd be surrounded by the same

rotten corruption and crime and criminals.

Yes, yourself included.

Criminals on all sides for my boys

to look up to and revere...

...and respect and admire and imitate.

What good is it to teach

that honesty is the best policy...

...when all around, they see

that dishonesty is a better policy?

The hoodlum and gangster is looked up to

with the same respect...

...as the successful businessman

or popular hero.

You, and the Fraziers

and the Keefers...

...and the rest of those rotten politicians

you've got in the palm of your hand.

Yes, and you've got my boys too.

Whatever I teach them,

you show me up.

You show them the easiest way.

The quickest way

is with a racket or a gun.

Well, it's so, ain't it?

Yes, it's so. God help us.

You see, Rocky...

...I thought I could solve

my problems and...

Problems with my boys,

which, after all, they are...

...from the bottom up.

But I can't do it.

- I've got to start from the top down.

- Yeah? How?

I'll tell you how.

I'm gonna use your kidnapping Frazier

as a crowbar...

...to pry open and uncover

this cesspool.

I'm gonna force the law,

corrupt or not...

...to bring to the light of day

this filthy affair.

Now, there's gonna be a lot of people

stepped on, Rocky...

...and if you happen to get in the way...

...l'll be sorry, but you'll be stepped on

just as hard.

All right, Jerry, go to it. But you've got

as much chance of getting an indictment...

...as I have of getting into

Bible Society.

You'll find nobody cares.

You'll find them laughing at you.

End up a lot of blind alleys.

But go ahead, kid.

And if I'm in your way, why,

keep on stepping just as hard.

For being honest

and for old times' sake.

Rocky, there's one favor I'm gonna

have to ask you.

Maybe I won't be able to return it.

Well, go ahead. Anything you say.

Soapy and those kids,

give them a break, will you?

Don't offer them any more money.

Don't encourage them to...

To admire you.

All right. I'll do that.

Sure, you will.

Father Connolly, I'd like to help you.

I really would.

But we can't get away with it.

The organization is too powerful to fight.

You know what you're asking of me?

Yes, Mr. White.

The other papers have gone to great lengths

to explain the risks to me.

You'll go into the fight personally?

Devote your full time to it?

Believe me when I say,

nothing would please me any more.

Very well, Father Connolly, I'm with you.

The press will back you to the limit.

Thank you, and I appreciate it.

Get me the inside

on Frazier and Keefer's bank accounts.

I don't care where you get the dope

but get it.

Pap, get me all the information you can

on Frazier before he got to town.

If he'd ever been mixed up with Sullivan.

The lid is off on expenses.

Jenkins, go back through the police files

and find out...

...how many of Keefer's men

have been sprung since Frazier moved in.

Why are you hounding Rocky?

Why are you trying to send him

to prison for life?

You can't do that to Rocky.

I won't let you.

It's not his fault, Father.

He was just a kid who made a mistake

and got sent to reform school.

They made a criminal out of him.

But he's not bad, not really bad.

You know that.

And whatever they've done to him,

no matter what he is now...

...no matter whether he's right or wrong...

...we both love him, Father.

Yes, Laury, we both love him.

I've loved him since we were kids,

We worked together, fought together.

Stole together.

Oh, I'm not blaming Rocky

for what he is today.

But for the grace of God,

there walk I.

I'd do anything for him, Laury...

...anything in the world to help him.

I'd give my life if I thought

it would do any good...

...but it wouldn't.

You see, Laury,

there's all those other kids...

...hundreds of them, in the streets

and bad environment...

...whom I don't want to see

grow up like Rocky did.

I can't sacrifice them for Rocky.

You see, Laury, they have lives too.

I can't throw them away.

I can't.

And the very fact that countless thousands

of you are listening in tonight...

... is proof to fling in the teeth

of these cynics and skeptics...

... that the public does care

and does propose to do something...

... about the appalling conditions

I have tried to describe tonight.

And do not doubt that our efforts so far

have not struck fear and panic...

... into the cesspool of official

and near-official corruption.

Yeah, I'm shaking like a leaf.

"This very afternoon, I was approached

with a sugarcoated proposition...

...a bribe offered me

by this corrupt officialdom.

$ 100,000 for the building and equipment

of a recreation center in my parish...

...if I would agree to refrain

from further attacks...

... if I would sabotage this campaign...

... if I would shut my eyes, stop my ears

and hold my tongue.

But the building of an isolated playground

to shield my boys from crime...

...is not rooting out the crime itself.

We must rid ourselves

of the criminal parasites that feed on us.

We must wipe out those

we have ignorantly elected...

... and those who manipulate this

diseased officialdom behind locked doors.

Tonight, we have in our power

to ask definitely...

... incriminating questions

of these officials.

And the power to demand

satisfactory answers.

What really is the truth in the case of

the racketeer and gunman Rocky Sullivan?

Why did the police release him so suddenly

with all the evidence they had against him?

Why did the notorious Mac Keefer

pay Sullivan $ 100,000 in cash...

... and what political sword does he hold

over the trembling hands...

... of district attorneys, judges

and police officials?

But tomorrow, the new grand jury will meet,

and these questions must be answered.

Therefore, I ask all of you

who are listening in..."

And you thought you could

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