Original subtitles

Bye.

Joe?

You know, one of these days you're going to fry yourself, Lisa.

Sleep well?

I always sleep well.

One last thing we have in common?

Oh, come on, I don't want to get into that. I do. I've got something I want to

discuss. Can I wait?

No.

Come on, I've got a lot of things to settle.

Besides, we sail for Europe tomorrow, remember, Lisa?

You sail for Europe tomorrow, Joe.

Meaning you don't?

Mm -hmm.

What's going on?

I mean, we fixed this weeks ago.

We're all set.

Besides, I need you to take care of the social stuff this trip.

When I finalize my branch operations in England and France... I'll be in Reno.

Reno? And I won't need you for any of the social stuff either.

Is this some kind of a joke?

I'm not laughing.

You could call our marriage a joke. Bad one, of course.

I've had enough, Joe.

I want to start a new life right now.

Okay, who is he?

Oh, you're so crude. You're still the small -time strikebreaker. There isn't

anybody, not yet. I just want to be free again.

You know, it's finished between us. Marina, you can't be serious.

Can't I?

Why not?

Okay.

Hi.

Okay.

You want a divorce?

What's the deal?

Never change. Your whole life's a business transaction.

And so is yours. Let's face it, baby.

What kind of a settlement are you looking for? Half.

Half? Half of what? Prison industry.

Or the equivalent in cash. What else?

You're crazy.

Why?

I helped you build your empire.

Without me, my inspiration, you'd still have one little plant that you

blackmailed from the owner, Duncan Baring, New Jersey.

Instead, you're worth millions.

You're out of your mind.

I mean, no court in the world would award you the kind of... You can't

let it go to court, Joe.

Oh? Imagine the effect on your position, your business, and your overseas branch

operations if those letters were read out, printed in the papers. Letters?

What letters?

The letters you wrote to your little friend Anna last year when she went to

visit her friends in Germany?

You really should have told her to burn them.

I don't just mean your clumsy protestations of eternal passion, but

account... Account?

What are you talking about?

Your mind's blanked out on that.

You detailed in writing your rise to fame and fortune, boasted how you lied,

cheated, blackmailed, strong -armed boy, you name it, you did it, and you wrote

about it as if you were proud of it. You looped the loop, honey.

Where'd you get them, I tell you? You got them, but how?

The safety deposit. No, how?

Check with Anna. You stupid broad.

You hold them.

You should have stayed a strikebreaker.

further tonight.

Lady of leisure.

It's time to wake up, baby.

What, Joe? What is it? My letters, that's what. Where are they?

Here. Where else?

I thought I told you to burn them.

I know you did, but I didn't want to.

And now my wife has them. On safe deposit.

That's ridiculous, Joe. She can't have. She's lying.

I can prove it. You can see for yourself.

I couldn't burn them, Jody. It meant too much to me.

But they were here.

Why don't you think back?

Who was here?

When? How?

Mr. Bristol hasn't arrived yet. The appointment was for 10 o 'clock.

It's 10 after now.

Then you're late, Mr. Duncan.

No, he is.

And the lights failed.

Yes, and a man and an electrician came up. To check the fuses?

Yes. When was this?

Well, pretty soon after I got back from Germany. Bringing all my letters with

you. Of course.

We'd only gone back to the apartment we had to get instead of this crummy dump.

But this is my place, Joe.

Okay.

This guy, this phony electrician.

He identified himself.

He even had a card from the landlord.

Oh, I bet.

And then what?

Well, then I had to go out.

Suddenly, unexpectedly?

Yes, as a matter of... God, that figures.

Why?

Well, I got a call from the DA's office, and they said they needed a temporary

stenographer. So you went.

Of course, I needed the... I needed the job.

This scam's going to get us into an awful lot of trouble. Well, did you get

job?

No.

When I got there, the lady supervisor said that the vacancy was filled

Of course.

And when you got back here...

Delightful repair to the nutrition.

Now where?

Yes.

I'm sorry, Joe. How could I know? By using your head.

That's how.

No.

I told him to come in.

Thank you, Mr. Brisson.

I've changed my mind, Duncan.

Now, any guy who can't change his mind against the odds has got to be a jerk,

right? I agree, Mr. Brisson. I've come to ask you to do just that.

About what?

About closing down Duncan Barron's, my plant.

Your plant?

Oh, no, no.

The facts, Duncan.

My plant.

Oh, it's a marginal operation.

I just can't bail it out any longer. You meant to close it down from the

beginning, didn't you? Buying me out, saying you'd keep it going with me as

manager. Now you close it.

You've ruined me and our town.

A workforce of 2 ,000 out.

Yes, but you have to blame my partner, don't you?

Partner? Yes, my wife, Lisa.

You see, the closure was her idea.

Brisson Industries takes a whopping paper loss.

No cutaway liabilities, cleaning up on taxes. Hersky, legal, perfect.

And all because your wife's so fit to remember that Lisa's grandfather was a

junk dealer and not a back bay aristocrat like Lisa likes to put on.

You dirty swindler.

Blame her.

You're in it together.

Oh, I know how you started, Brisson.

Blackmailing Angus Miller when you broke a strike for him way back.

From goon squad to president.

Well, I faced guns before, Duncan. Not this one.

Just sit very still.

Don't you allow it.

I mean, why lose your life just to satisfy an anger with the wrong person?

Don't give me that.

You've ruined me.

I have debts. My wife needs medical attention.

And our town needs that factory. So I'm trading my life for theirs.

But how would your going to the electric chair help you or them?

Now use your head, Howard. I have.

I've got insurance.

I'm going to kill you.

By the time you're found, I'll be driving out of town.

When I get to the parkway, I'll step on it.

Ten miles out, there's a curve, a deep ravine. I'll hit that at 70 miles an

hour.

Accidental death doubles the insurance.

So... My family will be taken care of, and without you to push it through, the

board won't close my plant.

So it's a good deal all the way around.

If you're going to fire a gun, Howard, it's best to release the safety catch.

Now, let's rework the deal, shall we?

If you're so anxious to kill someone, I have a very handsome proposition for

you, so listen carefully.

Now, my wife, her habits are very regular.

She values her appearance, her beauty sleep, right?

She goes to bed at half past eleven.

And she is asleep by midnight.

Hmm?

I accept your apology, Joe. Good.

I'm so glad you've seen it my way.

Me too.

I remember no publicity.

You come back here tomorrow night while I sail on the Queen Mary.

I heard you, Joe.

Next day I go to Reno.

At least I check into the hotel under an assumed name.

That's right.

We keep everything under wraps until I close my deals in England and in France.

And then you get 50 % of a very real 100%. And the letters?

Oh, well, we keep them in the safety deposit box until I come back.

And then we brand them together.

Good.

50%.

Dancing to the sounds of Henry Hall and his orchestra continues in the pink

ballroom. And first class passengers only are invited to the casino on deck

The time is 23 .15.

45 minutes.

Who is it?

Mrs. Preston?

Please, I must speak to you. Who are you?

Anna. Anna Kleider.

Why should I talk to you?

Look, I know it's late, but it's very important. It's about Joe's letter.

Please.

I'm just about to leave. I promise I won't keep you long.

i can give you five minutes

I find your proposition difficult to understand, Miss Clyburn. It's not.

I said I love Joe, but I'm letting him go.

It was wrong, our affair.

Don't you see?

So you're returning him to me?

No, not like that.

I didn't mean it to... But you want his letters back.

Yes.

And I promise I won't see him or contact him again.

So it's a deal.

No. What I've been trying to say is that I'm sorry for everything that has

happened.

But Joe's letters mean a great deal to me, Mrs. Pleasant.

And to me, Miss Clyburn.

I find your proposal quaint, Miss Kleiber.

Do you know why?

No.

Because I don't want my husband back.

You've wasted your time. I'm so sorry.

Joe means nothing to me.

But his letters, well, that's something quite else, you see.

Good night, Miss Kleiber.

I should take the subway at this time of night if I were you, Mr. Clyburn.

It's safer.

Yes, I'd like to make a ship to shore telephone call.

I'll put you through to the wireless room, sir.

Hello. Mrs. Brisson speaking.

Queen Mary calling.

What is it? What's happened?

Has something happened?

Lisa? Joe.

Relax, Lisa.

Nothing's happened. I just want to make sure that... I just want to speak to

you, that's all.

Oh.

How's this sleep?

I didn't expect to call so soon.

I know.

I just forgot to ask you where I get in touch with you in Reno.

Well... I don't know yet, do I?

Does it matter?

Of course. I mean, I gotta let you know when I... when I clinch my deals.

Okay. As soon as I'm settled, I'll... Cable. Oh, by the way, my darling,

be delighted to know that I've taken out $10 ,000 from the bank to cover my

expenses in Reno.

It's a little heavy, isn't it?

Oh, I've got a heap of things to buy. I...

What is it?

My name's Harrington.

I got a message for you from your wife.

My wife.

So that's why she wanted the 10 ,000.

I charge and I deliver.

Look, Mr. Harrington, I can pay you double.

Oh, Mr. Brisson, I've already been paid.