Shockproof

Synopsis: Jenny Marsh, still dangerously attractive after 5 years in prison for killing a man in defense of her shady lover Harry, clashes at first with parole officer Griff Marat, who's determined to make Jenny go straight. For lack of other prospects Griff finds Jenny a job in his own home, and his objectivity about her wavers, while Jenny continues to meet Harry secretly. However, when Jenny transfers her affections from Harry to Griff, the situation becomes even more dangerous...
Director(s): Douglas Sirk
Production: Columbia Pictures
 
IMDB:
6.6
Rotten Tomatoes:
89%
APPROVED
Year:
1949
79 min
93 Views


May I help you?

Jenny Marsh. First office to your left.

Sit down.

Now then, you understand

you're not permitted to drive a car.

You're not permitted

to drink alcoholic beverages.

You may not borrow money.

You may not carry a weapon.

You may purchase clothes and food,

but never on credit.

All purchases must be for cash.

- Did you read this?

- I've got it memorized.

Our objective

is the rehabilitation of the criminal.

We'll help you in every way

we can, but it's up to you.

I'll get you a job and a place to live.

You cannot leave that job.

You cannot change...

I can't change my employment

or my place of residence

without first obtaining the permission

of the Bureau of Paroles.

Well, you have got it memorized.

You may not enter into any contract

without the consent of your parole officer.

That's me.

You may not marry,

and you've got to change your brand of men.

- Who picks them for me? You?

- Don't worry.

You won't have any trouble

finding new friends,

but be sure they're friends this time.

On some of these matters,

when conditions justify it,

an exception can be made

by special permission

of the Chief Parole Officer.

However, no exception can be made

to the rule of not carrying a deadly weapon,

or to the rule of not marrying.

These are beyond our power to sanction.

You've got it all memorized, too,

haven't you?

Well, I say it at least once a day.

You can save it. I know it all.

I can't help that. I... You're on life parole.

Hello, Sam. This is Jenny Marsh.

Meet Mr. Brooks, our chief parole officer.

How do you do? Glad to be out?

Yes, sir.

Now then, you're on life parole.

That means you report to me every day.

- Every day?

- That's it.

Later, it'll be twice a week, then once a week.

How long does that go on?

Well, if you behave, you can get

your release in a couple of years.

Remember him?

If I try hard enough.

Well, try hard to forget. He's dead.

I mean dead as far as you're concerned.

He's got a bad reputation.

Yes, sir.

Now listen, this is important in your case.

You may not associate with

or correspond with

or make any contact with

any individual of known bad reputation,

or any present or former inmate

of a penal institution...

Harry Wesson was never in any...

I know all about Harry.

You don't have to tell me.

He's never landed in the pen,

but he's come close a dozen times.

Now, I'm telling you

he's the wrong sort for you.

And my orders are to stay away.

Disobeying my orders means

you break parole.

Breaking parole means you go back to jail.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Well, you see, I'm the teacher.

You're the pupil.

Sure.

- I'm the one who gets spanked.

- Not in the modern educational system.

They don't spank kids anymore.

They just send them to jail.

Now look, take a little advice.

I think you'd be better off

dropping this bitterness

and forgetting the past.

You'll get over it if you get the breaks.

And I'm here to see that you get them.

You got cigarettes?

Do I have to change

my brand of cigarettes, too?

- All right, let's go.

- Go?

Yeah, I'll get you a place to live

not far from here.

The radio doesn't work, but it can be fixed.

And the room has morning sun.

Do you like it? $6 a week.

- Well, I...

- Yeah, she likes it.

- I pay the first week's rent in advance...

- Thank you.

...and you pay me back

out of your first week's salary.

The bathroom's down the hall,

two doors to the right.

- First week's salary? From what?

- Yeah, you've got a job.

Report there in the morning.

You get $21 a week.

Ask for Mr. Logan. He expects you.

- That landlady.

- Mrs. Terrence?

Yes. Does she know about me?

Don't worry, she won't spy on you.

- You got money for lunch and dinner?

- Yes, sir.

Okay, I'll drop by the office

and see how you're getting on.

- Well, lots of luck, Jenny. Take it easy.

- Thank you.

Just a moment. You can't see Jenny Marsh.

- I don't think I know you.

- I'm Jenny Marsh's parole officer.

If she sees you, she breaks parole.

I see. So that's the way it is.

That's the way it is. Now, get going!

- Harry.

- Jenny.

How did you learn this address?

What right have you to question me?

I meant what I said about not seeing him.

It's a violation of your parole.

Now, run along, Wesson. And stay away!

You can't tell me what to do.

I can do what I like and go where I like

and see any woman I happen to like.

You have no authority over me.

I have authority over you. Tell him to go.

Please, Harry, go.

All right, Jenny.

- How did he know where to find you?

- I don't know.

Well, what am I supposed to do? Hide?

Now, you better watch your step,

Miss Marsh.

All right, I'll stay away from him,

but you've got to help me.

Can you get me a room

and a job where he can't find me?

Maybe. Report in the morning.

Couldn't Monte

have met us somewhere else?

But he never leaves here.

He lives here, eats here,

sleeps here and works here.

But, Harry,

I'm not supposed to go into a place like this.

- I wish he could have met us outside.

- It won't take long. Come on.

- Well, Jenny Marsh.

- Hello, Monte.

Say, you're looking good, kid,

in spite of everything.

Thanks, Monte. I feel fine.

What's this emergency call about?

- You know, Jenny's on parole.

- Yeah, I know.

- For how long, Jenny?

- The book. Life parole.

She wants to be transferred

to San Francisco.

- Shadow too close here?

- That's putting it mildly.

- Who?

- Griff Marat.

He was my parole officer for two years.

Tough boy, but smart.

Say he's going to run

for the state legislature.

- What?

- Yeah.

They're talking about running him

for assemblyman in the 84th District.

They can run him for president

as far as I'm concerned.

Look, what are the possibilities

of a transfer for Jenny?

Tough.

Nothing is too difficult for you, Monte,

unless the price isn't right.

Well, sit down.

If the Parole Board in San Francisco

lands her a job and a room,

Los Angeles gives her the green light.

- Sounds simple.

- It isn't.

First, I've got to plant a family up there.

They ask for her to be transferred.

5,000 for the whole show.

Okay. When?

As of now,

you have cousins in San Francisco.

First cousins called Harris.

- Yeah?

- Will you come in for a minute, Griff?

Be right in.

Griff, how's Jenny Marsh coming along?

- Jenny Marsh? Okay.

- What's she doing?

She's going after a job on her own,

bookkeeping job.

Phoned me about it a few hours ago.

That girl's going places.

She sure is. Right back to prison. Today.

What do you mean? What happened?

She was picked up in a bookie raid.

A bookkeeping job.

Joe Wilson was picked up, too.

- Joe Wilson?

- Another one of your pupils.

- Where are they now?

- Next door.

- Mr. Marat, don't let them send me back.

- You're out of luck, Joe.

It'll mean 20 years. I can't take it.

Give me another chance, please.

I promise this time...

You got parole twice,

and this is your third violation.

And I'm through covering up for you.

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Helen Deutsch

Helen Deutsch (21 March 1906 – 15 March 1992) was an American screenwriter, journalist and songwriter. Deutsch was born in New York City and graduated from Barnard College. She began her career by managing the Provincetown Players. She then wrote theatre reviews for the New York Herald-Tribune and the New York Times as well as working in the press department of the Theatre Guild. Her first screenplay was for The Seventh Cross (1944). She adapted Enid Bagnold's novel, National Velvet into a screenplay which became a famous film (1944) starring Elizabeth Taylor. After writing a few films (Golden Earrings (1947), The Loves of Carmen (1948) and Shockproof (1949) ) for Paramount and Columbia Pictures, she spent the greater part of her career working for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and wrote the screenplays for such films as King Solomon's Mines (1950), Kim (1950), It's a Big Country (1951), Plymouth Adventure (1952), Lili (1953), Flame and the Flesh (1954), The Glass Slipper (1955), I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), Forever, Darling (1956) and The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). Her last screenplay was for 20th Century Fox's Valley of the Dolls (1967). more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "Shockproof" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/shockproof_18020>.

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