J. Edgar: The Most Powerful Man in the World Page #6

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we began cultivating the one thing

criminals couldn't fight...

with all the guns in the world.

Gentlemen, please leave this room.

Clear all these tables. Time to go, now.

Where can we smoke, sir?

Not my concern. Out of my sight.

- Mr. Osborne, tell us what you need.

- Uh, bright lights, a microscope...

measuring instruments,

magnifying glasses. A, uh, projector.

You have the full resources of the Bureau.

Don't be shy.

Paper samples from

every regional manufacturer.

Mr. Osborne, this is Mr. Tolson.

Supply Mr. Osborne whatever he needs...

to conclude without a doubt that

these letters came from the same author.

Hmm?

Gentlemen, please. Thank you.

- Should we tell the attorney general?

- So he can say no a third time?

- Just post a sign, like this one.

- What would you like it to say, "keep out"?

"The Bureau of Investigations

Technical Laboratory."

Have it carved and nailed to the wall.

If he wants it gone, he'll have to tear it out.

Lt's time we at least have one thing

the bad guys don't.

Decorating skills?

Science, Clyde. Science.

Uh, the ink is different,

but the handwriting is a match.

Whoever Mr. Condon is corresponding with

is the person who wrote the original note.

Or Condon wrote all the notes himself.

Lindbergh is planning on using

Condon to deliver the ransom.

- May have already happened.

- Call the Internal Revenue Service.

Get them to Lindbergh's home.

I insist that all those bills be marked.

Yes, sir.

Ls that all, Mr. Hoover?

I have a 2:
30 p.m. class to teach.

No, you don't.

Consider your pay doubled.

You work for your country now,

Mr. Osborne. Congratulations.

Doctor!

Have you gotted the money?

I can't bring the

money till I see the baby.

I promise you there's no police.

Lt's too dangerous.

Stop! Stop this now!

No one's gonna harm you.

If they catch me, they will.

No, they only want the child.

They'll give me 30 years if I'm caught.

They could burn me.

No. No.

I didn't do it.

I'm only the messenger.

Eh!

What if the baby is dead?

Would I burn if the baby is dead?

Why would we be meeting

if the baby was dead?

Place another ad in the paper

when you have the money.

So if a ransom had to be paid,

we needed those bills traced.

We brought in the IRS, and, for his

own good, we had to force his hand.

I thought gold notes were going

out of circulation, Mr. Irey.

That's our hope.

It'll make these bills more identifiable.

I have no need for the money.

I just want my son.

This isn't just about your son,

Mr. Lindbergh.

If these kidnappers go free,

then no child in this country will be safe.

That's why I've assembled a 26-man team,

headed by Special Agent Sisk here.

And if they find out you're involved,

I may never see my son again.

Mr. Lindbergh, sir,

we will not pursue a single lead...

until your child is safe

in his mother's arms.

You have my word, sir.

The kidnapping of

Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr., was a tragedy...

not only to Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh,

but to the nation.

His abduction from his Hopewell home

was a challenge to America.

This ladder, the only clue

to the kidnapping, was homemade.

Let the developments in the Lindbergh

case start a new drive...

to wipe out the stain,

not only of that wanton kidnapping...

but of all kidnapping and crimes.

Hey, doctor!

Give your word not to open for six hours.

Thank you.

I talked him out of 20,000 dollars.

I'd prefer him happy than save the money.

I don't want to upset him.

Where is the baby?

I promised not to open this for six hours.

You gave your word, I did not.

"The boy is on boat Nelly.

Lt is a small boat, 28 feet long.

Two persons are on the boat.

They are innocent.

You'll find the boat between Horseneck's

Beach and Gay Head near Elizabeth Island."

That's Nantucket, right?

What was in the boat?

There was no boat.

Lindbergh didn't trust us.

He wanted to do things his way.

And who can blame him?

No one respected us at that time.

Mr. Hoover, we've been calling.

Edgar.

Time to go, Agent Garrison. Right now.

The Attorney General has authorized

your wiretaps.

Very good, Miss Gandy.

Edgar, are you sure about this?

Once you do this, Edgar, it's done.

When I prove myself correct, we will have

saved this country another revolution.

History will remember that, Clyde.

But if you are wrong...

history will remember it as an

illegal move over a petty grudge.

Do you consider our reputation petty,

Mr. Tolson?

- No, I...

- Then order the wires.

- Can we discuss this over dinner?

- After you've ordered the wires.

Yes, sir.

The director's on his way.

- Ahem.

- After you.

Wait, please.

Harvey's Restaurant, sir?

- No, to the White House.

We were in the midst

of a Great Depression...

and breaths away from

history's worst war.

We needed more power to protect,

but, as with every new president...

this Bureau's future and my very job

was being drawn into question.

- The president is ready to see you now.

- Alrighty.

Come in. Have a seat, Mr. Hoover.

Lt's the same dance each time.

They make me wait.

They imagine I'm sweating, that they're

gonna show me who's boss, I play along.

Thank you.

And then did you show him

the transcript?

No. He didn't want to read it.

That was unique.

He wanted me to tell him about it.

What, how you came across it?

No, I explained to him up front

we never expected to find Mrs. Roosevelt...

in the bedroom of

a known communist agitator...

much less having what sounded like

an intimate moment.

That I needed his advice

on how to proceed.

I wanted to let him know he had an ally.

Before he had a chance

to ask you to resign.

Exactly.

When I was finished,

he simply pushed the file aside...

as if he was unconcerned with it.

Clyde, the President of the United States

is afraid.

What, he's afraid of you?

Of a potential invasion from abroad.

We'll have two glasses

of your finest champagne.

Of course, Mr. Hoover.

Ahem.

- You're drinking now?

We're celebrating, Clyde,

we're celebrating.

You know I feel I could trust you

with anything, right?

Well, I'd like to think so.

The president signed a secret order...

granting me increased power

of surveillance...

secret surveillance of communists

and radicals, without warrant.

Ls that legal?

Sometimes you need

to bend the rules a little...

in order to keep

your country safe, right?

And to make sure I hadn't heard it wrong, I

clarified this with Secretary of State Hull.

And he said, and I quote, "You go ahead

and investigate those cocksuckers."

- Vulgar.

- Hmm, agreed.

Clyde...

I've been meaning

to ask you something.

Feel free.

I need someone who understands

what's at stake here...

you understand?

Someone who I can trust...

an associate director of the Bureau.

I know you've only been in your

current position for, what, 12 months now.

Oh, almost 18 now, sir.

You're missing my point, Clyde.

I want you to be my number-two man.

I'm not much for the spotlight, Edgar.

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