The Roaring Twenties Page #9

...for music by Don McNeil

and his orchestra.

That's right, George, you didn't get me.

Take your hand off that heater, Lefty.

The only thing saving your neck is

I can't prove you dealt me a second.

If I ever find out, I got one in

here with your name on it.

Remember that.

Well, good night, folks, and come again.

Don't forget, next Friday night

we're gonna give away a Shetland pony.

Good night, folks.

- I paid off for Danny.

- Yeah, I know. I heard it on the radio.

Sit down.

You know, I think I'll take Jean home.

Jean's gone.

She said she'd wait here for me.

Eddie, I'll tell you something

you won't like.

Jean's quit the club. Gave her notice.

Quit? What for?

Do I have to draw you a diagram?

Now, look, if you're trying to say

something, get it off your chest and say it.

Jean's in love.

Now you're being full of news.

Sure she is. With me.

Eddie, this is gonna be

kind of hard to take...

...and I don't want you to get mad.

Jean was never in love with you.

She went hook, line and sinker

for that Lloyd guy the minute she saw him.

And she's been seeing him every time

your back was turned.

I tried to give you the steer,

but I guess I didn't get it over.

Everybody knew it but you.

Look, Eddie, as far as Jean

is concerned, you've been...

Shut up!

Okay.

- Lloyd, did you hear about Danny?

- Yes, I did.

All the more reason

you should leave that club.

- I quit.

- Did you see Eddie?

He didn't show up.

We'll go back and wait for him.

- Cab, Mr. Bartlett?

- Yeah, please.

Never mind.

I'll walk.

Beat it.

Beat it.

- Eddie, listen to me...

- What are you trying to prove?

Nothing, kid.

Nothing.

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

Does Eddie know that Jean walked out?

I don't think so.

Suppose you tell him.

- Here he is.

- Hey, look...

...how's that booze

I've been peddling? Any good?

- Better than most.

- All right, let's sample a bottle.

No, make it two.

One for you and one for me.

Who can tell? I might like it.

Hey. Come here.

1929. As the dizzy decade nears its end...

...the country is stock-market crazy.

The great and the humble,

the rich man and the working man...

...the housewife and the shopgirl

all take their daily flier in the market...

...and no one seems to lose.

Then, like a bombshell,

comes that never-to-be-forgotten...

...Black Tuesday, October 29th.

Confusion spreads through the canyons

of New York City's financial district.

And men stare wild-eyed

at the spectacle of complete ruin.

More than 16.5 million shares change hands

in a single day of frenzied selling.

The paper fortunes built up

over the past few years...

...crumble into nothing

before this disaster...

...which is to touch every man, woman

and child in America.

Hey, boys!

- Now what do you want?

- I need 200,000 to cover your account.

- I gave you 200 grand.

- I need it again. I'll give you an hour.

- Lf you don't have it, I'll have to sell you out.

- All right, I'll get it.

There you are. That's five more.

You must be sneaking lessons

on the side.

- What, are you still around?

- George, I've got no time to waste.

I need 200 grand.

Yeah? What am I

supposed to do about it?

Will you put away that thing?

Look, I'll sell you 40 percent

of my cab company for 200,000.

I don't want 40 percent of anything.

- That's a lot of cabs, chief.

- Over 6000.

I'll tell you what. I'll give you

250 grand for the whole company.

Are you nuts? Those guys from Chicago

offered me two million three months ago.

Okay, then. Sell it to them.

But I can't get to them.

I need the money now.

You heard my offer: 250 grand.

Take it or leave it.

I'll take it.

Okay, it's a deal.

I'll tell you what I'm gonna do

for you, Eddie.

I ain't gonna take all your cabs away.

What's the hitch?

I'm gonna leave you one, just one...

...because you're going to need it, pal.

First to feel the effects of the economic

disaster which sweeps the country...

...are the nightclubs, the speakeasies,

and the bootleggers who serve them.

With the falling off of profits

in the illegal liquor industry...

...the mobsters have difficulty

in paying protection.

And the number of raids, arrests

and convictions double and quadruple.

Then in the depth of the economic despair

that has gripped the country...

...Franklin Delano Roosevelt

is elected president...

...partially on the basis of his promise

to end Prohibition.

In New York City, thousands of jubilant

citizens march in a great beer parade...

...and shortly, 3.2 beer becomes legal.

Finally comes the national

referendum on repeal.

Tired of years of violence, corruption,

and loss of personal liberty...

...Americans go to the polls

and overwhelmingly rout the dry forces.

After 13 years, Prohibition is dead...

...leaving in its wake a criminal element

used to wealth and power...

...but unable, for the most part,

to cope with the new determination...

...by an aroused public that

law and order should once more reign.

- Taxi.

- Hey, taxi.

- Where to, lady?

- 331 Quigley Place, Forest Hills.

331 Quigley Place, Forest Hills.

Eddie.

Yeah, I heard.

331 Quigley Place, Forest Hills.

Eddie, it's me, Jean.

- How are you?

- Fine.

How have you been getting along?

I eat.

- How's Panama?

- All right.

Where is she now?

She's around.

Lloyd's been doing pretty well.

He's with the district attorney's office.

So I've been reading in the papers.

He should do all right in that job.

I don't suppose you knew,

but we have a baby now.

A boy. He's over 4.

We'd better hide this sleigh someplace

or the kid's gonna want to go for a ride.

- Just put it behind the sofa.

- Over here?

- Let me take your coat.

- No, thanks. I can stay only a minute.

- How about some coffee?

- No, I don't care for anything, honestly.

- Hello, Mommy!

- Hello, darling.

- You been a good boy today?

- I just killed three Indians.

Stick them up, mister.

You got me, pal. You got me.

Bobby, this is Mr. Bartlett,

a friend of mine and your dad's.

Hello. Can you shoot a gun?

Yeah, I can, but I haven't done it lately.

Come over someday,

and shoot Indians with me.

It's a date.

It's Daddy!

- Hello, Daddy!

- Hello there, Buffalo Bill.

How's my cowboy today?

- Fine. How about the funny papers?

- Oh, sure.

- Here they are.

- Thank you.

Why, Eddie.

Well, this is a surprise.

- It's nice to see you.

- Hi.

- Hello, dear.

- Hello.

Well, you're looking great.

Thanks. I drove Jean out from town,

with her Christmas shopping.

- Well, good.

- It was good to see you. I guess I'll be going.

- Won't you stay for dinner?

- No, I can't. I've got a date.

Oh, come on, Eddie. It'll be fun.

We could talk over old times.

No, I... Really, I got to get back to town.

Oh, that's too bad.

Some other time, maybe.

- Yeah. We'll do it some other time.

- Oh, Eddie...

If there's anything I can do...

Oh, there's... I'm not looking

for any favors from nobody.

I just ran into a streak of bad luck,

that's all. I'll be up there on top again.

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