The Damned Don't Cry Page #4

I was hoping

you'd have dinner with me tonight.

I'm sorry, Marty.

But I have a date.

Out-of-town buyer?

- What about tomorrow?

- Tomorrow night, I'm busy.

Grady got me a new account.

Another one? How wonderful.

That makes four of them.

If you're not careful, Marty,

you're gonna wind up a rich man.

Just makes it more difficult to see you.

Here, zip me up, will you?

Couldn't you break the date for tonight?

I'd love to, Marty, but it's impossible.

He's a big chain-store buyer,

one of our most important customers.

- It's been such a long time.

- Whose fault is that?

If you'd quit that stupid job

at Tuttle and Wagner...

we'd have a chance to see each other

once in a while.

It's not as easy as that.

I've been there for 12 years.

It's like home to me.

Home? How do you know

they won't throw you out on your pants...

- when you get so old you can't count.

- They don't operate that way.

If a man does his job,

he can stay there for good.

Marty, you're future lies

with Grady and the boys.

If you have any doubts,

check your bankbook.

I appreciate the money...

but I just wish

I was getting it some other way.

Sure.

I wish I never had to see

another out-of-town buyer.

- Hi, Grady.

- Hi, Ethel.

Sorry I have to rush right off.

This ain't no social call.

Just came to pick up Marty.

- We're going to a meeting.

- But I'm due back at Malloy's tonight.

Malloy will be there, too.

- What kind of a meeting?

- Business. Big business.

Like an invitation to the Governor's

mansion from the Guv himself.

- Coming?

- Sure he is.

If you like, I'll come along, too.

Now wait a minute.

George didn't tell me to bring you.

This George,

did he tell you not to bring me?

Why should he?

He doesn't even know you're alive.

Okay, let's prove to him I am.

But what about your date?

Where your interests are concerned,

my date can go to the movies.

George wants to see Marty, not you.

All right, let's leave it up to Marty.

If he wants me to go along, fine. If not...

I'd like to have her along, Grady.

That's what I figured.

- Hi, Robert.

- Good evening, sir.

Where's Mr. Castleman?

He's in the library

with the other gentlemen.

- Tell him we're here.

- Yes, sir.

That's what they call an Etruscan.

- A what?

- An Etruscan.

It comes from over there in Italy.

It refers to an early art period.

Etruria was an ancient country

with a highly-developed civilization...

Iocated in part

of what is now known as Italy.

That's what I said.

George has got stuff

from all over the world.

This is Marty Blackford.

George Castleman.

I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Blackford.

- I hope it's been favorable.

- lf it weren't, you wouldn't be here.

This is Miss Whitehead.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

I don't believe I've heard anything

about you, Miss Whitehead.

Ethel is Marty's friend.

He don't go anywhere without her.

I wonder if Marty's friend

would release him long enough...

for a short business session.

I don't mind, as long as it's short

and he's in good company.

Would you take Mr. Blackford

into the library...

and introduce him to the gentlemen there?

Sure thing.

I must say, I admire

your choice of friends, Miss Whitehead.

I like men with brains.

It's a quality that isn't offensive

in women, either.

Will you come this way, please?

Is this where you entertain your guests?

When I have guests.

- Could I get you a drink?

- No, thanks.

I hope you'll be able amuse yourself

while Mr. Blackford and I are in the library.

- I'll try and find something.

- I wish I knew what to suggest.

You might invite me into the library.

There's one thing I never do

in the presence of women:

discuss business.

That should leave you plenty of room

for other interests.

I have no other interests.

Here's George.

You met everyone?

Quite a while ago, some of them.

I'm handling their books.

What you mean is,

you've been handling George's books.

Have you met Nick Prenta?

He's our West Coast man.

Nick, this is Martin Blackford.

- You're the bookkeeper?

- Mr. Blackford's the accountant.

What's the difference?

You'll find out,

especially with that set of books you keep.

All right, boys, find a seat.

Over here, Mr. Blackford.

Come on, Marty.

Sit down, Nick.

I had a very special reason for having you

here tonight to meet Mr. Blackford.

As you know, we've expanded

much faster in the past few years...

than we ever expected.

But most of you are still running

your territories like a country store.

And your accounts show it.

I told you at the conference in Hot Springs.

Particularly you, Nick. I told you...

I'm always touched

when you single me out, George.

Try to be less touched and more attentive.

I told you then that if we adopted

regular, streamlined business methods...

we could function as profitably...

and with as little interference,

as any nationally-known organization.

I also told you that the cheap,

front page, hoodlum tactics...

of the '20s and '30s could finish us.

Just as they finished

Lepke, Schultz, and Capone.

Most of you seem to have understood this.

- But I haven't. Is that what you mean?

- That's exactly what I mean.

I handed you two

of the biggest racetracks in the country...

the bookie franchise,

and the slot machine concession...

the biggest gambling house in the West.

Enough to satisfy anyone.

The way I got it figured, a guy

who's satisfied is a guy standing still.

You're not standing still.

You're moving backwards.

Don't look that way from where I sit.

It's where I sit that counts.

From where I sit, I don't like what I see.

I don't like the way your returns

have been falling off...

and your expenses going up.

You know how it is, George.

Sometimes, a customer

has a lucky streak at the wheel.

Sometimes, the fix is big.

The boys have been asking

for a bigger cut lately.

- And you've paid them?

- What else?

Then why string microphones

and plant that bug in your house?

You know something?

I planted one on them.

What are you worried about?

Everything's under control.

Sure. Perfect control.

That's why those cheap hoods

took a potshot at you.

- They'll be taken care of.

- You'll take care of nobody!

That stuff is out. You're not running

a shooting gallery out there.

If you've got a beef, settle it over a table.

I don't sit down at any table

with those hopped-up hoods.

Now, you listen to me,

you stupid showoff.

You're gonna do as you're told.

Get the spotlight off us...

stop getting on the front pages

with every thrill-happy dame in town...

and stop shooting off your big mouth.

This is a legitimate business

we're operating...

not a three-ring circus.

In that connection, I'm setting up

a central overall accounting system...

that will enable us, at any given moment...

to get a clear picture

of our financial operations.

Are you listening, Mr. Blackford?

Yes, of course, Mr. Castleman.

Fine, because this concerns you.

Good evening.

He's a nice-looking boy, isn't he?

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