The Cat's-Paw Page #10

Synopsis: A naive missionary brought up in China returns to America to seek a wife. Corrupt politicians enlist him to run for mayor as a dummy candidate with no chance of winning.
Genre: Comedy
Director(s): Sam Taylor, Harold Lloyd
Production: Fox Film Corporation
 
IMDB:
6.9
NOT RATED
Year:
1934
102 min
96 Views


and it's kind of got you...

off your nut

and I don't blame you...

but what you want to do

is ridiculous!

Sure, we know every grafter,

every gangster in this town.

Know 'em like a book,

and we'd like to get...

the goods on 'em

just as much as you.

Why, there's a hundred murders,

robberies...

every crime encountered

we ain't ever solved...

though we know

these fellas did them...

but we ain't got nothing on 'em.

You'll arrest them all...

with or without evidence.

But, Mr. Mayor, if I did that...

Don't worry.

I'll take the responsibility.

But it won't do no good!

Morgan will have them

all out in no time!

Arrest Morgan, too.

Arrest Morgan?!

Say, now listen, Cobby,

even so...

we'd be up to our necks

in writs of habeas corpus.

Sure, you couldn't hold him

in jail 20 minutes.

Pardon me?

You couldn't keep him in jail,

don't you understand?

You're not to put them in jail.

Sure, you just said

to arrest them.

Yes... and deliver them...

to the great cellar

of Tien Wang.

Where?

The basement below

the antique store...

of Tien Wang in Chinatown.

Hold them there

with an armed guard.

Say, you have gone nuts!

Well, of all the crazy...

Did you ever hear

the story of Fu Wong?

No! I suppose

he was Ling Po's grandfather.

When Fu Wong was about

to be executed...

by the wicked mandarin Li...

he took the city

with sudden onslaught...

and for 48 hours,

he ruled supreme.

During that time...

he cleansed

the wicked city of Gang Wo...

where he seized every cruel

and dishonest official...

and cut off their heads.

Sure, son, that's a nice story,

but let's...

Then he gave himself up

to the emperor...

and although honored

for his noble deed...

was himself executed...

because the law had been broken.

Say, listen, son,

we ain't got time...

to read the history of China!

Tien Wang

has in his possession...

the very sword used

in beheading those bandits.

Think of that!

I'm thinking of your crazy idea

of rounding up these gangsters.

What are you gonna do with them?

What do you want 'em

in the cellar for?

You leave that to me.

What do you got in mind, son?

Now, remember,

you ain't in China.

Now, if you don't wish

to carry out my orders...

you may resign.

Well, I'll stand by you, son,

but I wish you'd tell me.

And you?

All right, I'll round 'em up

for you, but...

Then do so.

Say, son, you ain't

gonna do anything...

Well, come on, Pat,

let's shoot the peace.

And of all

the cockeyed ideas...

I'll have to strike suddenly

and all at one time.

Say, at 7:
00.

Yes,

and you'll have to work fast.

Say, what was that story...

about the guy

who cut off their heads?

Ah, a lot of hooey to me.

You don't suppose that...

No, of course not.

But still...

He's full of

those Chinese ideas.

Oh, but he wouldn't.

Now, don't worry, Pat.

I suppose it's all right.

Now, don't worry, I tell you.

Don't worry.

But do you suppose

he's really got...

the sword of that Chinese guy?

Pack up, boys. We're moving.

Pete, take 'em all.

On your feet, mugs.

You're going for a ride.

Hey, boys.

Ed, take care of 'em.

All right, you boys,

the mayor's giving a party...

and you're all invited!

We're in for it!

Must be a parade.

Hello, Gil. Just have time

for a cup of coffee.

No, you haven't. Come on!

I got a perfect alibi.

Come on, Eddie.

Gonna take a little ride.

Wait a minute, Merv.

- Come on.

- What's it all about?

Search me. Just got orders

to run you all in.

10 cents for the shoe shine,

please, boss.

Oh, yes. Yes, of course.

OK!

I don't belong to this gang!

Come on, Joey.

You're pinched.

Huh? What for?

Search me. Mayor's orders.

Oh, give me a chance

to get my hair cut.

Come on. Never mind the...

What the...?!

Say, youse ain't got nothin'

on me!

Well, put something on

and come along.

Now, wait a minute!

Wait a minute!

You want me to come clean,

don't you?

Hey, stop that!

Listen here, where are we going?

What's the idea?

Hey, why the ice wagon?

We haven't got enough patrols

for this roundup.

Hey!

By the way, you can't hold us!

I tell you, I don't know...

anything more about it

than you do.

What kind of a joint is this?

What are you doing,

holding a convention, Jake?

Bah.

I guess they moved the jail

to Chinatown.

Hey, mister, I don't belong

to this here gang.

Hey!

Come on!

What are you fighting for,

you sap?

They can't hold us.

Oh, what are we gonna do,

play a game or something?

Yeah. The idea of this game

is "Try and get out."

- Oh, yeah?

- Yeah!

Some of Mad Cobb's

little playmates, huh?

Yeah. Sort of

a Chinese chain gang.

Must be a sightseein' tour

of Chinatown.

Oh, Jake!

Boy, what a mob.

How's it coming?

Right on schedule.

Ain't missed a one.

- Got 'em all in the cellar?

- Yeah.

- Disarmed?

- Yeah.

- Where's the mayor?

- Down with 'em.

- What's he doing?

- I don't know!

Well, why don't you find out?

He won't let me down.

He won't even talk to me.

Pat, we never should have

let him do this.

Don't I know it.

Listen, Jake, you're me boss.

Give me the word

and I'll call it off.

I can't, Pat.

I can't call it off now.

Promised the darn fool

I'd stick with him.

And I've gotta stick.

What an idiot

I've turned out to be.

Well, I'm off to get Morgan.

Yeah.

What's the idea of

bringing us down here for?

No time for riddles.

Come on.

Say, I know this joint.

That Chink friend of the mayor.

Say, Mayo, what are you trying

to pull around here?

- What's your gag?

- My gag?

It ain't mine, brother.

Ask the mayor.

Where is he?

Down the cellar

with every crook in Stockport.

Say, he can't get away

with this!

He's... he's gone nuts!

That's just what I'm afraid of.

You mean...

He keeps jabbering about

bandits in China.

And now he won't talk to nobody

but them Chinks in the cellar.

Is that big Chink

with the sword down there?

It's full of Chinks.

Come on, Strozzi,

down the cellar.

- I won't go!

- Come on.

You can't do this to me,

I tell ya!

I'll... I'll phone Morgan!

You won't have to.

He'll be here.

You... you pinched Morgan?!

What's he saying?

Who do you think I am, a Chink?

Go on, get down there.

All right, all right, I'm going!

Hey, listen, Cobb...

What are you trying

to get away with...

What's the idea of

this Chink stuff, you mug?

What did you tell that guy?

Hey, wait a minute.

You gorillas can't muscle me

around like this.

Let go of me!

Morgan'll have youse deported!

Ow!

This is an outrage.

I'm going to see

the district attorney.

He's r-right over t-there.

Ha ha!

Why, you can't hold me, Shigley.

I'll be out of here

in a half hour...

on a writ of habeas corpus.

You know that.

Maybe, but you'll have

to write it in Chinese.

Bah! What's the matter

with you, Mayo?

You losing your mind?

That's just what I'm doing.

Well, you better find it and

you better find it right away.

If I only knew what that guy

was gonna do down that cellar.

Pat! That story...

Do you remember?

The Chink

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Clarence Budington Kelland

Clarence Budington "Bud" Kelland (July 11, 1881 – February 18, 1964) was an American writer. He once described himself as "the best second-rate writer in America".Although largely forgotten now, Kelland had a long career as a writer of fiction and short stories, stretching from 1913 to 1960. He was published in many magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post and The American Magazine. A prolific writer, his output included sixty novels and some two hundred short stories. His best known juvenile works were the Mark Tidd series and the Catty Atkins series, while his best known adult work was the Scattergood Baines series. Other notable adult books by Kelland include Conflict (1920), Rhoda Fair (1925), Hard Money (1930), Arizona (1939), and Dangerous Angel (1953). Kelland was the "literary idol" of the teenaged John O'Hara. He was referred to in a 1995 installment of Harlan Ellison's television commentary, Harlan Ellison's Watching for the program Sci-Fi Buzz, wherein Ellison laments what he perceives as a prevailing cultural illiteracyKelland's work resulted in some thirty Hollywood movies, including Speak Easily (1932) starring Buster Keaton. Opera Hat, a serial from The American Magazine, was the basis for the film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) starring Gary Cooper. Opera Hat later was turned into the short-lived television series Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1969–70), and the movie Mr. Deeds (2002). One of Kelland's best-known characters was featured in the Scattergood Baines series of six films from 1941 to 1943, starring Guy Kibbee. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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