Original subtitles

[theme music]

NARRATOR: This is a story of violence, of violence born

of the uncontrolled passions of adolescent youth

and nurtured by this generation of parents, those who

in their own smug little world of selfish interests

and confused ideas of parental supervision

refuse to believe today's glaring headlines,

but it has happened.

Only the people and places have been given other names.

[gavel banging]

Remain seated and come to order.

Court is now in session.

The Honorable Raymond Clara, judge presiding.

Will you approach the bench, please?

It's always difficult for an old friend who sit in judgment

of an old friend, but law is law and it must be administered

to one as to another.

It now comes to light the both of you over the past 18 years

have proven yourselves utterly incompetent in the most

important responsibility given to a man and his wife.

I refer to the bringing up children in your own home.

In all fairness to the society which you so miserably failed

and in justice to this child, I must deny your request.

JANE [VOICEOVER]: How am I to blame?

Where could I have failed?

I remember I gave her everything she ever wanted.

Everything.

Hi, Mom.

Got time to talk a minute?

It's rather important.

Good gracious, no.

I'm an hour late already.

Charity first and all that sort of thing, you know.

Besides, what can be so important in your young life

as to warrant my attention so drastically?

Well, it's been a long time since we've

had a heart-to-heart talk. -There.

There.

It can wait.

Besides, what can be more important than our charities,

so many children and needy families.

We're so busy this time of the year

and it's very, very important.

I guess you're right, mother.

Of course, I am.

Thank you, darling.

Tell you a secret.

I think I like it down at the club

so much because I keep getting such nice flattery.

The girls are always saying, my, my.

How young and pretty you look and you

with an 18-year-old daughter.

But you are pretty, Mother.

Oh, go along, will you?

But it does sound good.

Got a date tonight?

Well, sort of.

Oh, you pretty one, of course, you do.

But then what night lately haven't you?

If you come in as late as you have been,

do be careful and not make any noise.

Dad?

Oh, don't get me wrong.

He hasn't complained or said anything.

But the poor man works so hard.

That newspaper will be the death of him.

Do be a dear and take care when you come in.

He needs what little rest he can get.

Thank goodness you're not one of those character types

that your father's paper is always printing about.

Need some mad money or is he a gentleman?

I have enough, Mother.

Don't be silly.

There's never enough.

You left the amount blank again.

I could be mean and fill it in for a fortune.

You could, but you won't.

Let me know how much you make it out for so

that I can keep my bank balance straight.

All right, Mother.

Will you be using my car again tonight?

If you don't mind, dear.

You can use mine.

Now, I'll tell you a secret.

There are times I like yours better.

Tonight is one of those times.

Phil, this is Paula.

Is everything ready?

Good.

George and Gerry show yet?

Stop worrying.

They'll get to you.

I'll be along as soon as I can dress.

Mother just this minute left.

Will he pull through, Doc?

He hasn't regained consciousness

and it's top heavy odds he ever will.

Pretty bad, huh?

Pretty bad.

These fool kids, when will they learn?

These aren't kids, these are morons.

Hi, Barney, Lieutenant, Tom, Doctor.

Another one, huh?

Pretty bad one this time.

How about it, Doc?

Pretty bad.

I'll get back to you later if there's any change.

Anything I can pint?

You heard the doctor.

Nothing.

Suppose it's the same gang?

Chances are.

If only he comes to, then we'll be--

Well, if it is the same gang, it brings their record to 17.

And the last seven of them have been gas stations.

Looks like they'll make a specialty of gas

stations for a while now.

If they do, we may be ready for them.

How do you mean?

All gas stations open after 10:00 PM will be warned to have

two men on duty at all times.

One of those men could be a policeman.

Lieutenant?

I left Dr. Ryan in charge.

The man was lucky.

He'll pull through.

Hi, chief.

Oh, hello, Barney.

You look tired.

Oh, I'm tired, but no more than you.

Yeah, I am tired.

Too much to newspapers these days.

Haven't seen my daughter, Paula, in a week.

I ran into her up in school earlier this week.

Gee, she gets more beautiful every day.

Like I said, I wouldn't know.

One of these days I'm going to take a day off,

maybe get to know her again.

What happened down at the hospital?

Well, the gas station attendant pulled through.

Going to spend a couple weeks in the hospital, but he'll live.

How much could you tell?

It's the same gang, four of them.

Wore masks, Levi's, leather jackets, and gloves

with a handful of guns.

Same bunch.

Probably the same clues, none.

No fingerprints, '55 Sedan, license unknown,

masks, caps covering their hair, same old routine.

Well, our little gang has one thing in their favor.

Yeah?

What's that?

They haven't killed anyone, yet.

That's not their fault. They haven't tried hard enough.

Just give you a little more time.

It's too bad we can't do anything about giving

them a little more time.

However, they happen to be news.

You stick with the police department.

See this thing through.

You're the boss, Chief.

Ain't love something.

Well, what is this?

Johnny who are they?

Don't ask so many questions.

You might find the answers.

Gerry, be careful.

That's a beautiful sweater.

Take it off.

What you talking about?

You ain't got stuffing in your ears.

Take that sweater off.

By what right do you think--

Shut up and do like she says.

Do what they say, Shirley.

They've got guns.

Yeah, Shirley, we've got guns.

You're very observant for a pretty boy.

For god's sake, Shirl, take the sweater off.

Give it to her.

Now, buster, it's your turn.

Step out.

Turn around.

Put your hands out in front of you.

Lean forward and put your hands on the car door.

Come on.

Come on.

We haven't got all night.

You've seen this done before.

A lousy 11 bucks.

You characters ought to learn to carry more to dough.

You can stand up now.

Well, maybe he's got more to offer than his money.

What are you getting at?

Big.

Strong.

A little pretty maybe, but--

Yeah.

Under conventional circumstances,

he could be very interesting.

Why wait for conventional circumstances?

You've got a point there.

What about her?

Oh, tie her up and toss her in the back of this heap.

Tie her up?

You heard me.

Sure I heard you, but maybe you'd like to tell me

what I use to tie her up with.

Use her skirt.

That looks strong enough.

Tear it up and use it.

You heard her, girl.

Get a move on.

Now, back to you, handsome.

Look, you have my money, You have my watch.

You have my ring.

What more do you want?

Toss her in the back of the seat.

OK.

But do you mind telling me where we're going?

Someplace where it's safe.

Just follow us.

[screaming]

Good morning, dear.

Good morning, darling.

Don't tell me that's all you're going to have breakfast again.

I'll get something else later.

You won't forget about the party tonight.

What party?

See, I knew you wouldn't remember when I told you.

It's Paula's birthday party.

Oh, I did forget.

Well, it's impossible for me.

I've got a newspaper to get out.

With these young hoodlums running rampage

through the town, I'm kept pretty much on the go,

especially at night.

That's when they work.

Who knows when or where they'll strike again.

Sometimes you sound more like a policeman than a newspaper man.

Sometimes there isn't much difference.

Oh, that is too bad.

I can't be here either.

She's having a pajama party this year.

What in the world is a pajama party?

Oh, they all sit around, play games dressed in their pajamas.

The boys too?

Of course, not, silly.

No boys invited.

Oh.

I see.

We're having our charity bazaar tonight

and I'm the duly elected chairman

of the sales committee.

I've just got to be there.

Well, Paul is old enough to take care of herself now.

I'll get a little gift this afternoon

and have one of the boys from the office drop by with it

tonight. -Oh, she'll like that.

Paula is such an understanding child.

See you when I can.

Happy birthday, darling.

Thanks, Mom.

You were out late again last night.

A little.

I can tell.

Your eyes don't sparkle the way they should.

Do you feel ill?

No, just a little tired.

A good breakfast will fix you up.

What would like to have this morning?

Please don't bother.

I'm just not hungry.

Now.

Now.

Mother knows best.

You're a growing girl.

You need your vitamins, strength.

Now you just sit there and I'll get you something.

It will only take a minute.

It's all ready.

You have plenty of time before school.

Paula.

What in the world brings you down here?

Hi, Dad.

It's been so long since I've seen you

I thought I'd drop in today.

It's my birthday, you know.

Happy birthday.

Gee, honey, I'm sorry I can't be at your party tonight.

But you know how busy I am.

I understand, Dad.

Then you wouldn't look good in an all-girl pajama party,

now would you?

Well, this certainly is a surprise.

I thought it would be.

Why aren't you in school?

No classes till 1:30 and extra-long lunch hour.

Oh, I see.

Ah, have they got a line on the girls that did this yet?

Now, don't you bother your pretty

little head about such things.

That's your dad's department.

It could be very important to me.

How do you mean?

Well, I'm up for president of the student body this year

and this type of thing you call juvenile delinquency

could help me if I knew more about it and how to prevent it.

If you knew how to prevent it, you'll

go down in history as the greatest person of our time.

But your interest is commendable.

I figure it this way, Dad, you're on the inside.

You know the real low down almost as soon as it happens.

Guess you're right about that, but what is it

you want me to do?

That's easy.

As soon as anything happens, you tell me.

Everything?

Everything.

That's a large order.

So what.

It's not too big for you.

I hardly catch you at home anymore

so I'll have to see you here.

Well, if it'll help you to be president, I'll do it.

Dad, you're a peach.

Now, anything new on last night's bunch?

Have you read the paper?

Yes.

Then you have the story.

Honest?

Honest.

What are the police doing about this whole thing?

Either the girls have no previous record

or they're from out of town.

It's Lieutenant Holmes' theory that they

were from out of town.

The boy couldn't identify any of them

from the police picture files and there it will stay

until something else turns up.

What about the gas station affairs.

Is there anything new on that?

Nothing you could call new.

Four young boys.

Holmes is putting a policeman in mechanics clothes

with each gas station staying open after 10:00 at night.

If the gang tries another gas station heist,

they'll be all through.

Well, that's interesting enough for a starter.

Bye.

I'm calling off the gas station jobs.

Oh, we can't call off Clanton's.

We already have.

But why?

We could have more of a ball at Clanton's

than all the rest put together.

Maybe it'd be a little too much excitement even for us.

The cops have pulled a sneak.

They'll be waiting for us.

So what?

How can the cops know we picked Clanton's?

I'll explain later.

The main thing is they know.

Puts an end to our gas station jobs for a while.

We'll have to think up something else.

I'd I think to think up something

to get back at Principal Bates.

She have you on the carpet again?

Yeah.

The old witch.

What you do this time?

Practically nothing.

Nothing for them to get so hep up about.

Just that math.

Teacher flunked me again, so I told her off.

I'd like to get even with all them.

Maybe you'll get the chance some time.

We'll have to go over to Sheila's tomorrow

and get last week's loot.

Hey, how come we don't use your car on our jobs?

How come your mother's all the time?

My car would be spotted a mile away.

Let's get in.

[door buzzer rings]

You kids have been lucky.

So what?

Maybe we're just a little smart.

Just be careful you don't get too smart for your own good.

Help yourselves if you want any.

I'll get them.

What have you got this time, more junk?

We've never brought you junk yet.

Couldn't get back half of what I paid you for that last mess.

Yeah?

Losing your money get you a setup like this?

Just as I thought, junk.

Those are real diamonds.

I them appraised.

Appraised?

Well, that was kind of foolish, wasn't it?

You could be caught if they were traced.

What do you take me for, a stoop?

Jimmy the fence looked them over.

He offered me $200 for the bracelet alone.

$500 for the lot.

I think we'll take our business to Jimmy.

Go ahead.

Come on, gang.

Sheila doesn't want to be bothered with us anymore.

I've got enough on all of you to hang you a dozen times.

That goes double.

$750.

That's a deal.

You're a bunch of blackmailers.

Oh, not that big yet, but give us a chance.

We're still growing.

Did you really see Jimmy this time?

What difference does it make?

We got what we wanted.

I'm not interested in the money.

There's plenty of that at home.

It's the principle of the thing.

I don't want anyone getting the idea they

can put something over on me.

Sheila will take our eye teeth and then try to steal the rest.

It's the thrill that gets me, the thrill of the chase maybe.

$750.

You think you're pretty smart, don't you?

I don't think, I know.

That's why I'm leader of this pack.

You're a punk or you wouldn't be

tied up in this small-time, penny-ante business.

You got better ideas?

Maybe.

Speak your piece.

You girls take the bottle into the bedroom for a while.

I want to talk to Paula privately.

And close the door.

Start talking.

What do you think about school?

What are you driving at?

I've got a connection that doesn't like schools.

Most kids don't.

We're not talking kid talk.

It's worth a lot of money to a certain organization

if certain damages are reported.

I don't get it.

You don't have to.

All you have to know is, if you can wreck a few school rooms,

you can make yourself and your pack a loaded of dough.

How much dough?

More than you could use.

Besides you've always said the money means nothing to you.

Why would anyone pay just to have schools wrecked?

That's none of your business or mine.

I have the connection and besides

they'll be a great thrill behind this move.

And don't worry if a few flags get destroyed in the process.

Let's just say it's part of a well-organized forum plan.

I don't understand.

You don't have to.

All you have to do is what you're told.

How soon do we move?

Just as soon as you can.

But be careful you're not caught.

You're no good to me in the clink.

We won't get caught.

I don't know how you can be so sure.

It's easy.

Sheila talks too much.

Well, all she did was say that you're the right guy

and that I should meet you and as pretty as you are,

I'm glad I came.

I don't need her to pick my friends for me.

I'm sure you don't.

I'm pretty particular.

Well, I'm sure you are.

I've played it alone for a long time

and that's how I plan to keep it.

Maybe I should look for my new company elsewhere.

No.

You're here now.

You might as well stay.

OK.

Since I'm now an invited guest, you don't won't mind

my giving you a birthday gift.

Hm.

[knock on door]

Yeah?

I'd like to speak to Miss Parkins.

Paula?

Yes.

What about?

I don't think that's any of your affair.

Why you--

It's all right, Manny.

He's from my dad's office.

Fine way to greet a guest who bears gifts, a mud butler.

Don't pay Manny a second thought.

He's seen to many gangster movies.

He's really very nice once you get know him.

That brings up the point.

Do many people stick around long enough

to get to know him that well?

May I come in?

Sure, if you want to.

I see the party's formal dress.

It's a pajama party.

Yeah, I can see that, but mixed crowd, huh?

Well, gang, I want you to meet my father's

star reporter, Barney Stetson.

Hi, gang.

Look, don't let me interrupt anything.

Birthdays are just like Christmas.

They only come once a year.

Got kinda cold in here all of a sudden.

Don't let it worry you.

That's a cute pair.

They have their points.

Oh, almost forgot the reason for my visit.

Your father is going to be very late tonight

and asked me to drop this off for you.

Poor Dad.

Works so hard.

Thanks for bringing it.

Aren't you going to open it?

Later.

I know what it is.

Dad gets me the same present every birthday, a new watch.

And Mom, come look.

Oh, never mind, Paula.

I saw the new convertible when I came in.

It never changes.

Mom and Dad haven't been to my birthday parties in years,

but always the same presents.

Mom sneaks out and takes my old car

in for a trade then has a new one delivered secretly

and takes a cab to her club.

Funny, a like her sedan better.

Let's have some more music.

Ain't you seen enough, sob sister?

Maybe you've seen enough to know you ain't wanted.

Knock it off, Manny.

I don't like this guy's looks.

Then why don't you change them, Manny.

Maybe that's a good idea.

What about I should change your looks, sob sister?

Maybe you'd like that, huh?

How old are you, punk?

Over 21.

Well, that's old enough.

He asked for that.

You're in bad company, Paula.

But I don't want to sound like I'm telling you your business.

Then don't try.

Oh.

M-m, what hit me?

The train?

Why that dirty sob sister.

I'll take care of him.

Haven't you had enough for one night?

Good night, boys.

The party's over.

But the night's just beginning.

This is something I've been waiting

for for a long, long time.

We'll get it done as quickly as possible.

We'll get in, get the job done, and get out.

I'm going to smash everything in this joint.

Let's do it quick and get out of here.

I hate you.

I wish this was your scrawny neck.

I'll hate you till the day I die.

You've all got guns.

Get them into action.

They're shooting back.

What did you expect them to do, throw powder puffs?

Our ammunition can't last forever.

How many have you all got?

All I have is what's in my gun.

All I've got left is in my guns.

I got 10 shells in my pocket, then puff.

We'll have to beat it to the car.

I've got a dozen boxes under the back seat.

Lay it into them fast, then we'll beat it.

Look at them jump just like rabbits.

It-- it ain't supposed to be this way.

Dirty-- Got him.

Now, save the rest of your ammo and let's get out of here.

Where do we go from here?

Sheila's.

She got us into this message and she can get us out.

From now on, we've got to keep on the move.

[knock on door]

[door buzzer rings]

-Who is it? -Paula.

What do you want?

Stop talking so much and open the door.

What's up?

The cops are after us.

Get out of here.

You're in this as deep as we are.

Who you think you're kidding?

Get out of here.

We're staying.

What kind of jerks are you anyway

leading the cops to my door?

We lost them.

Now, come on.

We want that payoff.

For what?

We wrecked the school like you wanted.

Job completed and job to be paid for by you.

You're out of your minds.

Are we?

Well, how do I know you wrecked the school?

How?

Take our word for it tonight, then read about in the papers

tomorrow.

Oh, it'll be in the papers all right.

Headlines this time.

Now we want our money.

Yeah, we want some clothes too.

These things are a dead giveaway.

You'll get nothing from me.

OK.

Let's see how long you stay after I call the cops.

Keep away from that phone.

I killed a policeman tonight.

A cop?

Yeah, a cop.

Well, I may have been bluffing before,

but I'm not bluffing now.

I'm calling the police.

Gotta move fast.

Get a change of clothes.

See what Sheila's got.

She's awfully young.

Do you know her?

No, but I've seen dozens like her.

Lieutenant, there's another one upstairs.

What's wrong?

Just a cramp, I guess.

Now, what will we do?

We can't use mother's car.

We'll have to get another.

But gee, when the cops find your car,

they're going to trace it to your mother and then to you.

There's nothing we can do about it now.

We'll just have to clear out, out of the country.

Sheila kept quite a stack of bills in her place.

More cramps?

Yeah.

Seems to be getting worse.

Maybe something you ate at the party.

Or drank.

Hey, pull up, you two.

Kids with guns.

Yeah.

One of them was killed instantly.

The other one is pretty badly shaken up.

Has her father been informed?

Yeah.

Right after the accident.

Oh, here he comes now.

I wouldn't go in there just now if I were you, Carl.

Paula, is she--

She's all right.

Can't say the same for her girlfriend though.

That plate glass window made quite a mess.

Have you reached the verdict yet?

We have your honor.

What is that verdict?

We the jury find the defendant guilty.

Will the defendant please rise.

You have been found guilty of murder

in the first degree as charged.

[bangs gavel]

Paula Parkins, you have had all that money can give you,

but that wasn't enough.

You became a thrill seeker with an overinflated ego.

This thrill seeking became the one great thing in your life,

piling one thrill on another until with every increasing

intensity, you became much like the drug addict

with his continual increases of dosage,

until the climax, a murder.

To kill for the love of killing.

To kill for a thrill.

The thrill seeker comes from all walks of life, the rich

as well as the poor.

It comes from the home, a home where the parents are too

busy in their own affairs to take time to teach

their children the importance of self restraint, self

discipline, politeness, courtesy,

the love for the mother and the father,

the church, and their country.

It all adds up to that one great essential of living,

self respect and regard for the property

and feelings of others.

Through this utter disregard for life itself that the thrill

seeker finds his eventual end, a prisoner of the State,

standing in a courtroom, convicted

of murder in the first degree.

Because of your youth, Paula Parkins, it's impossible for me

to give you the sentence you so rightly deserve.

You are hereby remanded to the proper institution

until you become 21 years of age.

At which time, you will be transferred to the State

penitentiary for women where you will spend

the rest of your natural life.

I don't think I could drink another cup.

It passes the time.

It's all my fault. If only I hadn't

thought more of my outside interests than I did of Paula.

It's a strong, hard lesson we've been taught.

It's no more your fault than it is mine.

We're certainly a fine pair of parents.

We still have each other.

That's some comfort.

It all seems like such a bad dream.

Ever since I can remember, we've given Paula everything,

everything but real love.

A new dress instead of a caress, a new car

instead of a heart-to-heart talk, a new watch.

It does no good to look back.

It can only be more of a hurt.

We must now look forward using the past only as a pattern

of judgment for the future.

Paula's lesson to us was strong.

Her child will profit by our mistakes.

How do you feel, darling?

I don't want my baby in a place like this.

I don't.

I don't feel so well.

Everything keeps going around.

We'll see Judge Clara.

We'll take care of everything, if only we knew who--

Everything will be all right.

That's all now.

It's time you were leaving.

Rest easy, now.

It'll be all right.

We'll see you when it's all over.

So what?

The baby, a girl, is well and healthy.

My daughter, how is she?

She died.

Some people think newspapers exaggerate juvenile crime

or that it's confined mostly to large cities.

This is far from being the case.

From coast to coast in small communities

as well as the larger cities, juvenile delinquency

is on the rise.

No child is inherently bad.

He's made what he is by his upbringing

and the surroundings.

Thus apparent that something has gone wrong

with the environment, a great many of these children

or we wouldn't have this present delinquency problem.

Adults create the world children live in and in this process,

parents play the key role.

When children grow up among adults who refuse to recognize

anything that is fine and good or worthy of respect,

it's no wonder that many of these children

fail to develop high moral standards

or to distinguish right from wrong.

Their attitude is summed up in two callous words, so what.

Juvenile delinquency is always rooted in adult delinquency.

And only through general acceptance

of higher moral values can we hope to solve the problem.

The easiest way to bring this about

is through a return to religion.

If all people would join this back-to-God movement

and train their children to respect the Ten Commandments

or other moral laws laid down by all the great religions,

we would soon bring delinquency under control.

But the time has come that we must impose sterner penalties

and restrictions against the young law breakers,

to protect the law abiding.

His mere youth is no excuse for letting him remain at large.

Some young criminals are just as vicious and dangerous as older

criminals and law breakers.

No young offenders should be released in the custody

of his parents unless an investigation

show the parents are capable of controlling his behavior.

If they are not, a supervision should be entrusted

to a more responsible agency.

And in making parents financially liable for property

damage caused by their children could be especially

helpful against the wave of vandalism which has been

sweeping across our country.

With this responsibility, we're sure that parents would keep

a closer eye on the kind of fun their children are having and

that the old-fashioned woodshed would receive more use

and vandalism would decline.

Some parents refuse to recognize the moral obligation

to the child they bring into the world.

When that is the case, we must take

stronger measures to make them realize their responsibilities.

So you see I cannot possibly grant

your request for the adoption of the child of your daughter.

The child must remain a ward of the State until such time

as a suitable family can be found.

At that time, the child will be granted to this worthy family,

to be brought up in the world as it should know the world.

For you, Jane Parkins, and for you, Carl Parkins,

I can only feel the deepest of sorrow.

[baby crying]