Scarlet Street

Well boys, I hate to break up a good party...

but you can't keep a woman waiting, can you?

- You know how it is, boys.

- Yes we do, Mr. Hogarth.

- That's right, JJ.

- I'll say you can't, JJ.

I see you can all understand, all right.

Well believe you me, boys,

I've had the time of my life tonight.

And speaking of time, I have here

a 14-karat 17-jewel timepiece.

And that's only right, because

the man I'm giving it to

is a 14-karat 17-jewel cashier.

- Hear hear!

- Hear hear!

Pass it along to him, boys.

- That's a beautiful watch, JJ.

- It's wonderful!

Chris.

Read what's engraved inside, Chris.

To my friend Christopher Cross...

...in token of 25 years of faithful service,...

...from JJ Hogarth, 1909-1934.

Speech! Speech!

- Speak up, Chris, speak up.

- Come on, Chris, speech!

Well I...

...I hardly know what to say, JJ.

This...why, it's beautiful.

I never expected to own a watch like this.

No sir, I...

Well...all I can say is that

we've got the best boss in New York.

Good going, friend.

Congratulations, old boy, congratulations!

Good boy, good boy!

Thank you, Chris.

Thank you, my old friend.

- God bless you.

- Thank you.

- Have a smoke before I go.

- Well, I...don't usually, JJ.

Go ahead and try it.

It's made special for me.

A dollar apiece.

- Here, Charlie.

- Oh, thanks.

Thank you.

You're not supersticious, are you, Chris?

No, no, no sir, no sir.

Now don't break up a good party,

just because I've got to go.

Everything is charged to JJ.

That's very nice of you, boss.

You can drink all you want...

only don't come in late Monday

morning with a hangover!

Good night, boys.

Good night!

- Aren't you a lucky dog.

- I'll treasure this for the rest of my life.

I'll bet you will.

Hey fellas, look!

Look, come here!

Hurry!

Get a load of that dame.

That's JJ's wife?

The boss is stepping out!

- Say, if I had the dough he's got, I'd step out too.

- Must be a load of laundry tonight!

There's nothing like the smell of spring.

Which way do you go, Chris?

I guess I'll take the East Side subway.

It gets me to Brooklyn a little quicker.

Hey, you haven't got an umbrella!

No, I'll take you to your bus.

- No, it's out of your way.

- I don't mind walking.

The fresh air, the spring.

I'm a little drunk.

Never mind, I'll catch the next one.

You go on over to the subway.

No, I don't mind waiting,

I feel kind of lonely tonight.

Say, Charlie...

You suppose JJ is running around

with that young lady?

It looks that way.

- I wonder what it's like.

- What, Chris?

To be loved by a young girl like that.

You know, nobody ever looked at me like that,

not even when I was young.

Yes, when we're young we have

dreams that never pan out...

but we go on dreaming.

When I was young, I wanted to be an artist.

I dreamt I was going to be a

great painter someday.

So I'm a cashier.

- Do you still paint?

- Yes, every Sunday.

That's one way to kill time.

You know, Sunday is the one day

of the week I don't like.

I never know what to do with myself.

- Why don't you come over tomorrow and see me?

- Thanks, Chris, I'll do that.

- Good night, Chris.

- Good night, Charlie. See you tomorrow.

Good night.

- It stopped raining.

- Yeah, half an hour ago.

Which way is it to the East Side subway?

Around the corner, past the "L",

- four blocks.

- Thank you, Officer.

I guess I got turned around.

These streets are all mixed up in Greenwich Village.

- Yeah.

Is he hurt?

- I'll go call a policeman.

- No, wait...wait!

Officer!

Officer!

- Where did they go?

- In that direction.

- What does he look like?

- I don't know.

- I didn't see his face.

- He took 15 dollars.

He didn't believe it was all

I had, so he began pushing me around...

and this gentleman ran in

and knocked him down.

That's right, Officer, he was right there.

I couldn't hold him, he got up and ran.

Wait here.

Come on, let's get out of here.

But we have to wait for the officer.

I don't want to get my name

in the newspaper, do you?

- The newspaper?

- Sure.

We'll have to go down to the

station house and make a complaint.

And every time they make an arrest,

they send a detective to your house...

...for weeks. Oh, it's a nuisance.

- Won't you take me home?

- Why, yes...

Well, sure...that is...if you think that...

Well, here's where I live.

I'm sorry I can't ask you to come up.

I share my apartment with another girl, Millie.

Good night, and thanks for everything.

Don't you...

don't you want a cup of coffee?

All right.

- Hello, Kitty.

- Hello, Tiny.

- Oh, this is Mr...

- Cross.

- Glad to know you, Mr. Cross.

- How do you do.

You seen Johnny?

No, not since he left here.

- Two coffees, please.

- I think I changed my mind.

I could stand a drink--a Rum Collins.

- One Rum Collins?

- Yes, yes.

Oh come on, keep me company.

Well, you see I've already had

a good deal of champagne...

- You want champagne?

- No, no...

Make mine the same.

You know, ever since I first saw you

I was wondering what your name was.

- Kitty.

- It's really--

Katherine, Katherine March.

My friends call me Kitty.

What do your friends call you?

Chris.

Chris Cross.

Chris Cross!

Yes, the boys tease me about it, but

I don't mind.

Why are you looking at me?

Is my face dirty?

It's beautiful.

I'll bet it is.

Gee, I'm a sight!

Thank you, sir.

Cheers, Chris.

Miss March...

Kitty.

Yes, Miss--I mean...

Kitty...

Well, look...Kitty,...

since I'm old enough to be your father...

You're not so old.

You don't think so?

You're not a boy, you're just...

...mature.

I like mature people.

Well, what I wanted to say was...

you shouldn't be alone in the

street so late at night.

I was coming home from work.

You work this late?

What do you do?

Guess.

- You're an actress!

- Oh, you are clever!

Now that you know all about me,

tell me about yourself.

- What do you do?

- I?

- Well, you see...

- Don't tell me.

- You work in a bank?

- No.

Well let's see, Greenwich Village

is full of artists...

I meet you in Greenwich Village...

You must be an artist. Right?

Well, I...

- Yes, yes, I paint.

- Of course, you're a painter.

I love paintings.

To think I took you for a cashier.

Well...

You know those art galleries

on Fifth Avenue?

The prices they charge!

I saw one little picture

that cost 50,000 dollars.

They called it a...

- Seesan.

- Cezanne.

He was a great French painter.

I'd like to own that painting.

You would?

For 50,000 dollars?

Well, you can't put any price

on masterpieces like that.

They're worth...well...

Whatever you can afford to pay for them.

You know what, Chris, I bet I saw some of

your pictures there and didn't know it.

Next time I'll look for your name.

No, no, no...

I don't sell my pictures.

Not in New York, you mean?

- No, I...

- I know.

I bet you sell your pictures in Europe,

France or some place like that.

You can tell I don't know much about painting.

I bet you get as much for

your pictures in France

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes