Born Reckless Page #4

---

You think somebody

turned you in, Big?

Sure, and I think I know who it is.

Yeah?

My bail bond's up tomorrow.

You know, Louis,

I'd like to see your old lady...

before I go away.

Sure, Big. Sure.

Hey, Sally,

bring me my benny and lid.

Come on.

I'll go along with you.

Hey, uh, Pete. Wait here.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

Okay.

- How's business?

- Oh, fine. Everything's going okay.

You be in the inspector's office at 9:00

in the morning and tell him what you know.

- Do you understand?

- All right, Good News.

- I'll be there.

- You'd better be.

What's the meeting for?

What's happening tonight?

Big Shot wants to tell us something

before he goes up the river tomorrow.

Well, what's he bothering about?

After tomorrow...

somebody else will be giving orders.

Not meaning yourself, old fellow?

And why not?

Big Shot will be up the river.

I'll be sending him cigarettes.

Thanks, Ritzy.

I might need 'em.

Oh, hello, Big Shot.

I was just talking about you.

How's the uptown joint going, Louis?

Great.

Full up every night.

- Fine. Get me a table, will you?

- Sure.

Call up to my place and have Bugs reserve

a table for Ritzy Reilly.

- Okay.

- I got a date with a little blonde.

One of those young things from upstate.

She thinks I'm going to marry her.

Well, that's good.

Yeah, that's good.

Yeah, table in the corner for Ritzy Reilly.

Yeah, Louis says it's okay.

It's a pip, ain't it?

She's up in her flat now packing.

I just left her at the door a moment ago

while I came up here.

Well, it's too bad we didn't get around

a little sooner.

I always like to take a look at the blondes

you travel around with.

What are you doin',

spillin' your guts to her?

- Shut up, Joe!

- No, Ritzy's too smart for that.

He knows enough not to take her down

to Atlantic City...

after that jam he got in with a little redhead

down there.

How did you beat that rap?

What are you guys doing,

giving me the third degree?

- How did you beat that rap?

- Oh, shut up.

How did you beat that rap?

She swore she was my niece.

That's how I beat it.

Brophy took her down to

the D.A.'s office, and she-

Oh, Brophy took her.

- Yeah.

- So that's how Brophy got ya.

Made you turn stool pigeon...

so you wouldn't have to serve a few months

in the can.

Double-crossed your own mob, huh?

Turned in Big to save

your own rotten hide.

Say, this room ain't big enough for both of us.

This town ain't big enough.

So if you ever bump into me,

you better see me first...

ya dirty, sneakin' rat!

That guy's getting high-hat ever since he got

that new joint uptown.

Scram, you guys!

Well, cheerio, Ritzy old boy.

So long, old fellow.

Well, you never can tell

when a pal's gonna turn you down.

No, you never can.

Give me a cigarette, will you?

No.

Well, that's that.

Wait a minute!

I got something to settle with you

before I go up the river.

Well, make it snappy, will ya?

I've got a date.

- The date'll have to wait.

- Not if I can help it.

Maybe you can't.

You ratted, didn't you?

What if I did?

You're so smart,

aren't you, Mr. Big Shot?

Well, when you'll be doing a stretch,

I'll be running around uptown...

doing plenty good for myself.

I don't need you anymore.

I was all washed up with you anyway.

I ain't goin' away leavin' a rat

runnin' around loose.

Just try and stop me.

And give my regards to the warden.

Go on.

Get in there.

Go on. Get in there,

you guys. Go on!

All right, Big, quick.

You didn't have to do that.

You go in too quick for that stuff.

I told you 20 times

you don't have to croak nobody.

It was comin' to him.

He didn't keep his nose clean.

Aw, I always liked that guy...

ever since we was kids.

- You didn't have to do that.

- I liked him too, Louis.

But you know what's got to happen to a guy

when he doesn't keep his nose clean.

Come on.

Let's go up and see Mama.

- Hello, "mamina. " How are you?

- Ooh!

Look who I brought here to see ya.

Hello, my baby. How are ya?

Look who's here.

- Hiya, Pop.

- Come on. Sit down here by the fire.

How are you?

Sit down, okay?

- Big's leaving town tomorrow for his health.

- Huh?

Your health not good?

The "rheumatiz," huh?

You know what's good for him?

You take the raw potato...

and put him in the back pocket.

In one month,

the rheumatiz, she's gone...

and the potato, she's a rock.

Tell me, Big.

Not the- cough?

Wait a minute.

I got just what you need.

Oh, I'll be all right, Pop.

- Too long I don't see you, "mamina. "

- Oh.

Too busy to kissing the hand

of the young girls.

- So you now kissing my hand.

- No, "mamina. "

- No.

- What time is it, Ma?

Why, it's...

9:
15.

- I thought it was more than that.

- Ah, here it is.

I got just the good thing

for the cough.

Grease of the goose.

I'll be all right, Pop.

"Be all right. All right. "

Everybody say "All right. "

Then they cough-

Then by and by, the croup come in.

You guys'll be here when I get back?

Sure.

Yeah. That's what I thought.

Didn't I see you two fellas

at the Yale-Princeton game?

No!

I thought I recognized the coats.

Hello, Louis.

- Hello, Good News. How are you?

- Hello.

- Have an apple.

- No, thanks. How are ya, Mrs. Beretti?

- Just dropped in to see the old folks.

- A cigar.

- A cigar, Mr. Brophy.

- Oh, thanks.

- One of Pop's best.

- You don't smoke 'em, do you?

You think I'm crazy?

Well, Good News, what's the big idea?

Oh, just passing by.

Just passing by.

- Good.

- You fellas been here long?

Oh, a half,

three quarters of an hour.

What time did they come in,

Mrs. Beretti?

- A quarter past 9:00.

- A quarter past 9:00?

- Sure.

- Are you sure?

Oh, sure I'm sure.

Didn't Luigi ask me the time,

and didn't I look at the clock?

Sure, I'm sure.

He asked you, did he?

You guys are gettin' to be

a couple of champion clock watchers.

- Well, what's the difference?

- Hello, Rose.

Hello, Mr. Brophy.

Hey, uh, we were just leavin'.

- Goin' our way?

- Yeah, sure.

Good-bye, Rose.

What's the good news

this time, Brophy?

Well, I got a shock for you guys.

Ritzy Reilly was plugged a few minutes ago...

in the back.

No!

Gee.

- He was my pal.

- Bumped off? That's tough.

One of the old mob too.

According to the clock

and Ma Beretti...

you guys were upstairs

when Ritzy was killed.

You know, someday,

you're gonna run out of alibis.

- Well, you don't ever think that I'd-

- You'd do anything.

But you're different, Louis.

Why, you got a great war record.

Your joint uptown,

it's making plenty of dough.

Why don't you shake this mob before they get you

in a jam that'll mean the chair?

I'm all through with that,

Good News.

Except Big. I'll never ditch a guy

I've been pals with all my life...

that I went to school with.

Ritzy went to school with him too, didn't he?

So did I.

You can't beat old John Law,

Louis, all your life.

Think that over.

He'll have plenty of time

to do his thinking...

up the river.

How's the old lady, Louis? Okay?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes