Storm Warning Page #7

Synopsis: En route to a job, New York based model Marsha Mitchell decides to stop for less than 24 hours in the southern American town of Rock Point to visit her sister, Lucy Rice, who she has not seen in two years, and meet Lucy's husband, Hank Rice, for the first time. Upon arriving in Rock Point, Marsha witnesses a Ku Klux Klan slaying of who she would later learn is Walter Adams, an out of town reporter who was going to write an exposé on the Klan. Marsha even saw two of the men's faces after they removed their hoods, but they didn't see Marsha. Upon later arriving at Lucy's house, Marsha is shocked to see that Hank was one of the Klansmen committing the murder, he being a Klansman of which Lucy is unaware. Marsha decides to confront Hank and Lucy about what she saw. Meanwhile, county prosecutor Burt Rainey knows that the Klan committed the murder, everyone in town is aware that the Klan committed the murder, but Rainey knows that no one will come forward to implicate the Klan for what they
Genre: Drama, Film-Noir
Director(s): Stuart Heisler
Production: WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES
 
IMDB:
7.2
APPROVED
Year:
1951
93 min
99 Views


She told you everything she knows.

Stop trying to put words in her mouth.

You were close enough

to see them, all right.

It was dark

and there were no streetlights.

You're lying. You know you are lying.

Ive told you everything.

Everything I saw and heard.

This is no third degree.

What are you trying to pull?

How do you like them apples?

Come, come, boys. Let's have it.

Stand up. Up, up.

All right, Chuck, read it out.

The verdict of this jury

is that Walter Adams

was killed by assailant

or assailants unknown.

The verdict says

"Assailant or assailants unknown!"

The verdict was

"Assailant or assailants unknown!"

The verdict was

"Assailant or assailants unknown!"

Thank you, that was wonderful!

Marsha.

I told you, didn't I?

Get that rope.

There's another way out.

Go down the stairs.

Well, I was out in front for a while.

And then, bang, there I was flat on my can.

Walters, the Huckleheimer.

Which is the way out, please?

- This way.

- Right through that door.

The same door

they dragged Adams through

when they yanked him

out of that cell last night.

Oh, don't let it worry you.

You didn't see anything.

You didn't hear anything.

So you didn't say anything.

It didn't happen.

- Im sorry, I...

- Of course, you're sorry.

But you couldn't help it.

After all Adams is dead,

the case is closed.

Why get yourself involved?

Hear that yelling out there?

That's the Klan.

They've just found out that law and order

can't touch them.

You did that when you let them

off the hook.

They're running wild.

They're gonna rip up the old laws

and make new ones.

They're gonna do every rotten thing

they can think of doing.

Burt, don't get yourself in an uproar.

Yeah, you're right.

What am I talking to her for?

Her sister's married to Hank Rice.

Hank Rice works for Charlie Barr,

and she's human just like everyone else.

Now, you're gonna remember this day

for an awfully long time.

Now, beat it.

"The verdict of this jury,

"Walter Adams killed by assailant

or assailants unknown."

Come on! Drink up, everybody. Look.

Im gonna pay for it myself right here.

Come on!

Ill do it straight.

They're getting wild, Lucy.

- Why can't you talk to Hank? After all...

- He won't hurt anything, Mr. Athens.

They're just having a little fun.

That stuff they're drinking,

who's gonna pay for it?

- lf they break something...

- Well, you're the only one who can stop it.

Why don't you send them home?

"The verdict of this jury,

"Walter Adams killed by assailant

or assailants unknown."

Marsha.

Where have you been?

We've been looking all over for you.

I went to the house

and didn't have a key, so I couldn't get in.

Give me the key.

Im gonna pack my things

and catch that bus and get out of here.

Well, we just want you to know

that we're so grateful.

Now, don't thank me for what Ive done.

I feel dirty enough as it is.

Marsha, please don't talk like that.

Whatever you did

was for me and for Hank.

Not for Hank.

What are you working at a joint

like this for?

And why are you working anyway?

Go get the key, baby. Go on, get the key.

What's the matter, Mr. Hauser?

Look.

What's the matter?

Didn't you like what the jury said?

The man asked you something,

Mr. Hauser.

- You didn't like it?

- Im not proud of what I did.

I think it was all a disgrace.

My part included.

Now, I think maybe

you got a point there, Mr. Hauser.

Yeah, I was just saying to myself,

I says, "Now, somebody is getting away

with something," I said.

Yeah! And that's terrible.

- That's a disgrace.

- Leave him alone!

Let go of me!

- Let go of me!

- Don't hurt me, duchess, I bruise easy.

- Let go, I said! Let go!

- Go ahead, I like it.

Let go of me.

Boys, you know who this is?

Its my sister-in-law.

This here's a lady...

Hank! Stop being a show-off.

Oh, it's all right, hon. Its a compliment.

That's her business. She's a model.

Besides, she came butting into it.

We were just having some fun

with this little jerk here.

- Don't be a big bully.

- Oh, what's the matter?

- A few laughs never hurt nobody, queenie.

- It isn't funny.

A bunch of hoodlums ganging up

on one man.

That seems to be the favorite sport

in this town.

- Oh, where do you get that stuff?

- Hank.

Get through with it. Let Mr. Hauser go.

Well, who's stopping him?

Come on, you guys,

get out of the way there!

- Thank you, miss.

- Open up!

Come on, what's the matter?

Don't you know nothing?

Come on, let him through!

The boys are just having

a little harmless fun, Miss Mitchell.

Is this what you call harmless?

You got us wrong.

We're not as bad as people say.

No, you're worse. Give me the key, Lucy.

Like I said,

the Klan does a lot of good around here.

Ive seen what the Klan does.

Marsha.

Don't rock the boat.

What are you telling me that for, Mr. Barr?

You know I wouldn't want to do nothing.

So long as she's in town, we're not safe.

Don't set her off.

- What would I do?

- So long as you get it straight.

Well, you know

I wouldn't want to start nothing.

You want us to pick you up

for the meeting?

No, no.

Frank and a couple of guys

will come by after me.

Hey, give me another shot

of that there wide-eye, huh?

Hey, don't kill it.

Dead soldier. Just like Adams, dead.

"Assailant or assailants unknown."

I thought you were downtown.

What are you doing here?

I live here. This here is my home.

Man's got a right to come home, ain't he?

Look, Im trying to get packed

and get dressed, do you mind?

Go on. Go right ahead.

Don't mind me.

Ive seen girls before.

I bet you sure do look good

in a bathing suit.

Would you...

Would you hand me my jacket, please?

You know, they say

that a girl's figure's her fortune.

You sure got your money invested

in the right places.

Let's get something straight.

Itll save us both a lot of trouble in case

we should ever run into each other again,

which I promise you, I shall try to avoid.

I think you're a stupid, vicious ape.

Now, get out of my way.

You hadn't ought to talk to me like that.

You know?

You hadn't ought to.

Just so you know,

if you hadn't been married to my sister

Id have turned you over to the police

so fast that it'd have curled your hair.

And the fact that I haven't

doesn't mean

that Im growing fond of you.

So we can both stop being polite

to each other right now.

Why don't you like me?

Im not a bad guy.

I made a mistake,

but I ain't never done nothing to you.

Makes a guy kind of sore.

Im just trying to be friendly

and you turn around and act like...

Why don't you ever look at me

when Im talking to you?

You act like Im not even here.

Im just trying to be friendly.

A guy ought to be friendly

with his wife's sister.

You ought to be nice to me,

specially when I like you so much.

Its sure nice perfume you got on.

Its pretty.

Just like everything about you is pretty.

Style, that's what you got.

I could tell that the minute I seen you.

Even the way you walk.

Everything.

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Daniel Fuchs

Daniel Fuchs (June 25, 1909 – July 26, 1993) was an American screenwriter, fiction writer, and essayist. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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