The Harder They Fall Page #6

decides whether a fighter is fit.

If they passed him,

we're in the clear, right?

That's the accepted view.

It doesn't happen to be mine.

Doctor, will you do me a favour please?

Eddie Willis is inside. Would you tell

him we'd like to see him?

- Can't we wait at the hotel?

- We'll stay and show some respect.

- Frank, go get some coffee.

- Right.

How about sandwiches?

What's the matter with you?

Trying to make a picnic? Just coffee.

All right.

Eddie, this will look lousy if the

press says Brannen finished off Gus.

Make up a story

for the morning papers.

You mean something like, "Gus was a

formidable opponent...

...but when he faced

the wild man of the Andes...

...he gambled with his life."

- Wonderful.

- You want the commission to know that.

- Great! Exactly!

It sure is great.

How can you worry about the press when

Gus is lying with a tube in his head?

Eddie, how about a statement?

Toro fought clean.

It's just one of those things.

- Moreno ever kill in South America?

- No.

But you wrote that he sent

some fighters to the hospital.

- That was just press agent talk...

- Wait!

Let's not hide anything. Sure, Toro

sent some boys to the hospital.

Why not? He's tough. Anyone who enters

the ring with him takes a chance.

I want the whole world to know that.

Buddy Brannen too.

Will Toro take the title?

I'm serving notice on the New York

State Boxing Commission now.

We wanna win the championship, but we

don't want a repetition of tonight.

When he's had enough,

the referee should stop the fight.

- When will the fight be?

- We'll be ready in six weeks.

- How big of a gate do you expect?

- Come on, gentlemen.

Please, let's not discuss that here.

I'd give up our crack at the title

if I thought it could help Gus.

Dundee's always been a clean fighter,

a good family man.

He's been a credit to his profession.

And if there's a God in heaven, I'm

sure he'll be in Gus' corner tonight.

He died on the operating table.

Never came to.

- I heard it on the radio.

- Yeah. Rotten luck.

Gus was only 33 years old.

In most jobs he was just a kid.

In the fight game he's an old man.

Hello, this is 1104. Would

you send someone up for our bags?

Yes, we're checking out. Thank you.

- What do you mean we're checking out?

- We're going home.

- I can't go home now.

- I had a long talk with Art Leavitt.

I don't want to hear about Art Leavitt.

He told me enough in California.

You should've listened.

There's a lot of things I should and

shouldn't have done.

But how can you even think of staying?

I can't go back now. In six weeks

Toro fights Brannen in New York.

That's when I cash in.

If I walk now, Nick will cut me off.

You sound as if money

means everything.

You did okay with the money I sent.

Did anybody ask about the fur coat?

You said you were a press agent.

You didn't say a man had to die.

You talk as if I killed him.

I didn't say that.

If you stay you're like Nick.

Haven't I got enough trouble without

you giving me more?

- I don't know what's happened to you.

- Hello. No, I can't talk to you now.

You've been letting me have it.

Other men lose their jobs and

they get another job.

- Go back to the rewrite desk.

- I won't settle for that.

- Why won't you?

- I was there 20 years ago.

- It pays a living but you want more.

- Yes, and I'm getting it.

- But how are you getting it?

- Without it, you're a bum to people.

Would you take those

three bags, please?

Yeah. Okay, Nick, I'll be right over.

It's the first time the bum's

been happy.

Eddie, I talked to Brannen's manager

and closed the deal for the match.

Look at the paper. Look at that.

Now nobody can say, "That's

Toro the phoney" or "Toro the freak."

They're going to say,

"That's Toro the killer."

We're sitting on top of the whole fat

world and you got 10% / off the top.

And one more thing:

It couldn't happen to a better guy.

Hey, Eddie.

Here's a girl that wants to marry me.

It'll make your mother very happy.

Eddie, this is Shirley, a very

fine girl. This is Eddie, a fine man.

No, thank you.

- One more. One more.

- What round?

Quiet. May I have it quiet, please?

New York is proud and honoured to have

this heavyweight championship.

The whole world looks upon

you two fine athletes...

...to uphold the great American

tradition of sportsmanship.

I know from both of you boys'

past experiences...

...that you always give your all, and we

can expect a clean, honest contest...

...that will go down in the annals of

pugilism and be remembered.

Have them shake hands.

- Thanks, Joey.

- Okay, Eddie.

- Hey, Willis! Wait a minute.

- Wait downstairs, huh?

- I got a beef with you.

- What's bothering you?

You're planting phoney stories,

and I don't like it.

- What is it you don't like?

- Saying your big joker is a killer.

- All right, we'll talk in here.

- Leave him alone.

Go ahead, Eddie.

We're building up the gate,

what do you care what we say?

It's a question of personal pride.

How did I hurt your pride?

I'm the one that nailed Gus.

Murdered him for 15 rounds.

I don't know what held him up.

But when Gus left he was dead.

Your joker tapped him. I did the work

and he gets the glory. I don't like it.

I did you a grave injustice.

I never knew it meant so much to you.

When I butcher a guy, I want the world

to know, and they will with your boy.

You're to carry Toro for six rounds.

Don't ruin the film rights.

It's important money.

There's more at stake. I'll prove

that I'm the guy that put Dundee away.

I don't care what you do to Toro,

but use your head.

Don't do it until after six rounds.

That was the deal.

No deal, Nick. No deal.

I'm gonna butcher your guy.

You're the fixer. Let's see you

fix your way out of this.

What should I do? You knew eventually

Toro would have a real fight.

- Wait a minute.

- What?

Fix it so he doesn't

walk into a meat grinder.

I can't help it if this bum gets mad.

Don't blame me.

Stop saying it's not my problem.

I'll make it mine.

Toro's not your brother.

You're not responsible for him.

He believes in me.

So do I. That's why I hired you.

Make up your mind. You can't be two

people. Where do you stand?

I'm part of the deal, but

I don't want him butchered.

Fine. Here's something important.

The odds on Brannen are 5-to-1.

- That's bad. You have to build up Toro.

- Drop me at the corner.

We build up Toro stronger and the odds

on Brannen drop to about 9-to-5.

Then we put some big bets on

Brannen and we pick up a bundle.

- Hello, Beth.

- Hello, Eddie.

I just got in this morning.

Yes?

Do we have to stand in the hall?

I'm not a vacuum cleaner salesman.

I'm your husband. This is my home.

I live here.

I'm sorry. I'll be out of

your way in five minutes.

Beth, why can't we be

sensible and talk?

What's to talk about? What's different?

You're with the same outfit.

You still feel the same way

you did in Chicago?

Yes, Eddie, I do.

Well.

Eddie! Eddie, if you want Toro,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes