Gentleman Jim

Hey, make up your mind. Do

you want to bet or don't you?

Shut up. You want the

cops to hear you, you mug?

Go on, you four-flusher.

Is this as close to the

place as you can take us?

Yeah, and this is too close for me.

It wouldn't look very good

in the newspapers, Charlie,

if I was caught breaking the state laws.

Which way do we go?

Right down that street, sir. Just

follow the crowd. You can't miss it.

Come on.

- Come on here, boy.

- Show them what you got.

There he is.

- Show 'em what you got.

- Come on, Mauler.

Hey, Mauler. Are you coming out,

or you gonna change your mind?

The admission is $2, mister.

What do you mean $2? It's supposed to be $1.

I haven't got time to argue. This

is a big fight. Get out of line.

Well, how do you like these guys?

What do they think this is, the opera?

What are we gonna do? Come on, let's go home.

No, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

How much money have you got?

- I have $1.30, I guess.

- All right, give me your $1.

- What're you gonna do, Jim?

- Wait right here.

- Here you are. Where's Callahan?

- Inside.

- Hey, Callahan.

- Yeah.

I wanna tip you off to something.

You see that guy over there?

- The tall fellow with no hat?

- Yeah.

Well, he's just had his pockets

picked, and he's boiling.

He says he's gonna get the cops.

You better do something about

it if you don't wanna be raided.

- Thanks.

- Quick.

Come on, get in there.

Wait a minute, wait a

minute. I didn't do anything.

Cut it out, cut it out.

Get out of there.

- What happened?

- You're in, aren't you? Come on.

Hey, Walter. Look up on the hill there.

- Do you know who that is?

- No. Who?

That's Judge Geary. He's one

of the directors of the bank.

Yeah? Let's go and stand there.

Maybe we'll get a chance to meet him.

Come on.

Come on, get this thing

started, looks like rain.

Now, Hoghead, I'm warning you. You

won't get one cent for this fight

if you choke him, bite him or

stick your thumb in his eye.

- You understand?

- Oh, yeah?

And you.

If you get your finger in his

mouth, it's your own fault.

Are you ready?

Come on. Come on, now.

Are you ready?

That a boy.

Now, fight like gentlemen.

I think I like Hoghead.

I don't know. That Mauler

looks awful big to me.

It's an outrage. That's what

it is, a scandalous outrage.

I don't know what San Francisco's coming to.

A decent, sport-minded man

can't even go to a dog fight

without being humiliated

by these crazy state laws.

Then why don't you change the laws, Judge?

Because you big, muscle-bound

tramps from the Barbary Coast

have killed the fight game.

But mark my words, all of you,

there'll be some changes made in this town.

How do you mean, Judge?

The Olympic Club, young fellow.

It stands for good, clean sport,

and if we can't go to see fights,

then by Godfrey we'll put them on ourselves.

Do you mean with paid

fighters, professionals?

No.

We brought a great instructor

from England, Harry Watson,

who taught the Prince of Wales.

We'll take in a few clean-cut

boys from good families,

and if we can't make you

fighters into gentlemen,

we'll try to make some

gentlemen into fighters.

Hey, listen.

Do you know what the Mauler told me

about you coming over in the wagon?

He said you were a big yellow bag of wind,

he could lick you anytime,

any place, anywhere.

- Oh, he did, huh?

- Yeah, but don't tell him I told you.

Stand back, fellas. Give him some room now.

Let's have plenty of room.

That's it. All right, boys.

Come on now, get in there and fight.

Hey, hey, Jim.

If the bank hears about this,

we'll lose our jobs, sure.

Hey. Hey, Jim.

- Did you see what I just saw?

- Yeah.

- Judge Geary, wasn't it?

- Yeah.

Gee, we're gonna get fired sure, I know it.

Looks like it.

Walter, there's only one thing to be done.

We gotta beat him to the punch.

We gotta send in our resignations.

All right, Jim, but... Gee,

do you think we ought to do it?

Sure. I've made up my mind.

To the President, Comstock Bank.

Dear Mr. Mclnnes...

So old Judge Kinsey, the toughest

man on the California bench,

took one look at me in that mob

and nearly dropped his gavel.

"By gad, sir!" he barks.

"You, a supreme court justice,

caught at a prize fight. "

Well, I can already see

the newspaper headlines.

I stood there like a chicken-thief

with a hen in each pocket.

I couldn't even open my mouth,

when all at once this young

fellow... What's his name?

- Corbett. James Corbett.

- Yeah.

Well, Corbett steps up and says,

"Your Honor, there's been

a very serious mistake.

"Judge Geary, here, is the director

of the bank in which I'm employed. "

Now Corbett says, "We were all

three down on Pacific Street

"looking at a piece of property

the bank is interested in.

"We happened to see this crowd, and

so we walked over to investigate.

"Naturally, we had no idea that

there was a prize fight going on.

"Why, people in our position would never

dream of being seen in such company. "

Says Corbett.

- So old Judge Kinsey let

you go, eh? - Scot- free.

Apologized all over the place

and gave everybody else 30 days.

You sent for me, Mr. Mclnnes?

But I want to give you this...

Yes, Corbett. I understand

you already know Judge Geary.

Yes, sir. We've met.

You did the bank a great

service last night, young man.

That was quick thinking.

We like a man who can make

good, fast decisions on his feet.

Well, I don't know about the bank,

but you certainly saved my skin.

How long have you been with

us, Corbett? Three years?

Four, sir.

Well, it's about time we

raised your salary, anyhow.

Starting next week, it'll be $12.50 a week.

- Well, what happened, Jim? Are we fired?

- Fired? I should say not.

He wouldn't accept my

resignation. He tore it up.

- I got a raise.

- A raise?

$2.50 a week.

- Are you kidding?

- Kidding?

Well, what about me? I was there, too.

But you didn't talk up. Always

remember that, Walter, my boy.

That's the guy they pay off

on, the guy who talks up.

Why don't you go in there

and assert yourself? Go on.

Oh, I... I gotta go to lunch.

If you'd like to come over here, Miss Ware...

- Good morning, Miss Ware.

- Good morning.

- How would you like this, large bills?

- No. All in silver, please.

Well, it's gonna make a

pretty big stack of cartwheels.

Do you think you can

carry them all by yourself?

I should have brought a handbag.

Father's in a big poker game

over at the Olympic Club,

and they won't play with

anything else but silver.

- Oh, I see. Did you say the Olympic Club?

- Yes.

Well, it happens to be just my lunchtime.

I'll be very happy to carry

this over for you, if you like.

Oh, I think I could take it if

I had something to carry it in.

But thank you, anyway,

- Mr. Corbett.

- Oh, no trouble at all, Miss Ware.

I'll have my assistant, Mr.

Lowrie, put it in a bag for you.

- You don't mind, do you, Walter?

- No, no.

I'll be just one minute.

- Hello, Miss Ware.

- Hello.

- Gee, it sure is a beautiful day, isn't it?

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