Original subtitles

BERT LEONARD: Ladies and gentlemen,

you are about to see the Naked City.

I'm Bert Leonard, the producer.

As you see, we're flying over an island.

A city, a particular city.

And this is a story of a number of people,

and a story also of the city itself.

It was not photographed in a studio.

Quite the contrary.

The actors played out their roles in the streets,

in the apartment houses,

in the skyscrapers of New York itself.

These are the buildings in their naked stone.

The people without make-up.

There's a pulse to a city, and it never stops beating.

Well, let's begin our story this way.

A cold February night has worked its way toward dawn.

Now, it is 6:00.

This is the face of New York when it awakens.

Can't sleep nights, lie awake and toss, stomach tied in knots.

Arturo Gutierrez, age fifteen.

Birthplace, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Accomplishments, none.

Except knowing how to turn in a bed

with six brothers and sisters without awakening them.

A warehouse is a lonely place.

A watchman waits out the long hours listening for all kinds of sounds.

Mostly for the sound of the 6:00 relief.

There are many ways to come by a gun.

Buy one and obtain the necessary permit.

Join the army.

Or brain a watchman on his way home to sleep.

It's five minutes to seven now, time to face the new day.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

BERT: Arturo Gutierrez is not a bad boy. He's a poor boy.

A hungry boy.

Possibly even an impatient boy.

But mostly, he's a divided boy.

Like this morning's breakfast. One quart of milk divided seven ways.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Arturo!

Ten minutes I've been waiting down there!

Got to thinking.

Maybe the kid don't want in.

After all that talking he did about needing some money.

-You know? -Okay, okay. I'm here.

You see me, don't you? I'm here.

Sure.

Now we do it, huh?

-This morning? -You chicken?

No.

BERT: It's seven now, and a force has been set in motion.

A cause gone looking for an effect.

Two boys and a gun, heading downtown.

It's also 7:00 on Long Island,

in the two-bedroom tract house where patrolman,

or should I say Detective Third Grade James Halloran

of the New York City Police Department,

lives with his wife and five-year-old daughter.

Ah.

-Boy, that tastes almost like fresh. -It is.

What? With the way oranges cost today?

-They had a special. -Ah.

Coffee's up. Debbie's up.

-Yeah, I heard her. She's sick. -Yeah, you're late.

Hey, honey. You excited about today?

Boy, you know. I wouldn't want this to get around, but

I got a good case of the butterflies. You know?

JANET: Jim! You'd think you had all day. Today of all days.

Front and center, honey, front and center.

JANET: Guess what I have?

Oh, uh...

-Tennessee walking horse. -Oh, darling, try!

It's a box, Daddy!

Ah, just try to surprise anybody in this house.

Well, let's see.

Oh, honey! Mmm.

Oh, I just didn't want you to wear that old felt thing you wore last spring.

I cleaned all those spots off with lighter fluid.

Oh, let's forget that now.

-Like it? -I love it!

No.

-There! -[BOTH CHUCKLING]

You know, I don't think that's regulation.

Well, maybe not, but it's becoming.

See, I don't know, honey. You know my, uh... My first day in plainclothes.

Maybe I better look plain, don't you think?

Jumping Jehosaphat, it's almost eight. I've got to get out of here.

[GIGGLING]

What time will you be home for supper?

Well, I don't know what shift I'll be on.

-Bye-bye, squirmy. -Bye-bye.

-Goodbye, Mr. Halloran. -Well, goodbye, Mrs. Halloran.

-Well, I'll give you a call if I can. -Right.

-And give me a call. Bye, Daddy. -Bye.

BERT: How lonesome you can get among people.

Standing face to face with them and yet,

further away than if they were on the planet Jupiter.

And, yet, how close. How crowded.

The 65th Precinct Station is located in midtown Manhattan.

A shabby building on a shabby street.

Now, after 14 months as a patrolman,

James Halloran will report to his Squad Commander for assignment as a detective.

MAN: Come in.

Well, you're pretty enough, Halloran. Come on in. Shut the door.

How does it feel?

The suit, I mean.

Oh, uh...

Well, loose, sir.

I remember I felt the same way.

-Thanks, sir. -You uh...

-You get used to the feel of a uniform, don't you? -Oh, yes, sir.

I'm assigning you to Lieutenant Muldoon.

I guess I don't have to tell you much about Dan, do I?

-No, sir. -Well, Dan is a legend.

You stick close to him.

If even a little of what he's got rubs off on you,

you'll be a credit to the force, Halloran.

And to yourself, as a man.

So, good luck.

Well, thank you, sir.

-And by the way... -Yes, sir?

That's a fine looking hat you're wearing.

Oh.

Well, thank you, sir.

[PIGEON COOING]

Lt. Muldoon, sir?

They told me downstairs I'd find you here.

I'm Halloran, sir.

-Halloran, huh? -Yes, sir.

Well, Halloran, you can make yourself useful.

Take this over to the faucet there and fetch our feathered friends

something to wet their bills.

Yes, sir.

[WATER SPLASHING]

Well, my wife, rest her soul, always said

it'd be a better world, if there were more pigeons in it.

You guess why she said that?

No, no, I'm afraid not, sir.

I'll show you.

See, two eggs.

One is always a male.

The other, always a female.

That's handy, sir.

One of nature's tidier arrangements.

MAN: [ON PA] Lieutenant Muldoon?

Lieutenant, this is Newman.

Yes, Charlie.

CHARLIE: We got the human fly here now,

along with an amazing collection of equipment.

Crowbar, pipe-cutters, a knotted rope at least 75 feet long.

-Hacksaws. -What's the rascal got to say for himself?

He says he found the tools.

You taking him into the line-up this morning?

No, no, we'll want to hear what nice stories he can tell us

about all those loft jobs. Hold him for tomorrow.

Check.

[CHUCKLES] Human fly.

Pigeons are a lot less trouble than people, aren't they, sir?

You don't like people?

No, it's not that, sir. I...

Well, I suppose I met a few I haven't taken kindly to.

In Korea or New York?

You knew I was in Korea, sir?

Lad, I even know the maiden name of your good mother.

Captain Donahue gave me your file.

Oh.

Well, sir, Korea seems like a long time ago.

A marine, he... He wasn't supposed to have any personal feelings.

You think a police officer is any different?

Yes, sir, I do.

I think we've got to have feelings.

Det. Halloran, did you ever band a homing pigeon?

No, sir.

When we have more time, I'll show you.

Yes, sir.

BERT: As a former delivery boy in the midtown area,

Lefty knows the ins and outs of Columbus Circle.

For example, that shop across the street.

Little man inside is too cheap to hire help.

All by himself in there. Goes to lunch early. At eleven.

MAN: Get your early morning paper!

Get your morning paper here!

The early morning paper!

BERT: In another 60 seconds, the shopkeeper would step to the door

and pull down the blinds to show he's closed.

Like this.

SHOPKEEPER: What do you want?

No. No!

[GROANS]

[CAR HONKING]

Hey, Lefty.

Come on!

[POLICEMAN WHISTLING]

[POLICEMAN WHISTLING]

[POLICEMAN WHISTLING]

BERT: This was a Signal 30.

All cars to proceed to Columbus Circle.

A sports exposition is in full swing at the Coliseum.

The suspects have just entered the building.

They are armed and dangerous.

Move cautiously.

[POLICE SIREN WAILING]

[PANTING]

[DINGING]

All right. Keep your hands down.

Right over here. Come on, snap it.

Arturo, here.

If they try anything, kill them.

Take... Take whatever you want.

Go ahead, fellas, take it. Only...

-Only please don't... -We just killed a cop.

You kill a cop, a clerk's easy.

We go to the stairs.

We go down. We walk out on 60.

Then, we get in a cab, all of us.

We stick close, see, real close.

Anybody tries to break away...

Well, that's it.

All right. We go now.

All right, that side.

You see a cop, give it to him!

Here, take her with you. She's your ticket out of here.

All right, on the floor, Daddy-o.

You too.

Now listen to me lads.

It's a lost game. Every exit is blocked.

We have men on every floor, men on the roof, in the streets.

By the elevators, fire escapes, escalators.

So, come on out now, with your hands up, and nobody's gonna hurt you.

Hey, copper!

Hey, you with the horn!

-Are you ready, lad? -Yeah.

Are you!

Halloran.

You'll not be wanting an inspector's funeral now, would you?

Take it easy, lad. Take it easy.

What are you thinking?

You think you'll make it home tonight?

Lieutenant, this is Tad Johnson,

chief of the Burns Security personnel here at the Coliseum.

Detective Halloran, Mr. Johnson.

We've cleared the floor. All but two people.

Sylvia Simkins and Ned Harris.

That gives our pair of rascals two aces back-to-back, I'd say.

Headquarters ordered me in, Dan, in case you'd be needing me.

All right, Mac.

In case we need any fancy shooting, I'll pass the word.

-Who are they? -Oh, lads, just lads, Mac.

From the description, about sixteen.

I hope you won't need me, Dan.

Oh, no more than I, Mac.

All right now, lads. You keep this up, someone's sure to be killed.

And then we'll have to send you up to Sing Sing.

Up there they'll strap you in the chair. Think how your mothers will feel

with that disgrace on their poor souls.

We already killed one cop.

What's a few more?

The officer you shot is in Rosehill Hospital.

He's out of danger and resting easy.

LEFTY: Yeah, sure, sure!

Believe me, lad. Take my word for it.

Keep your stations, men.

The officer just fired at, are you all right?

He never touched me.

[SIREN WAILING]

I'm... I'm so frightened.

Me too.

You're so young.

No.

Now, I'm old.

In just one little morning, I am old.

Listen.

I go speak with Lefty.

When I am in front of him, you run.

Out that aisle.

You keep low and you run fast.

He'll kill me.

No, I won't let him.

No, Lefty!

Get up.

Come on, let them see ya.

Look at him.

See this man?

Everybody see this man?

All right, I'm going out by the stairs.

With this guy.

Anybody gets in my way, I'm spreading him all over the floor.

Hold your fire!

A kid like that doesn't deserve a break, Dan. Let me pick him off!

Sir, I think I can make it down the escalator and come up the back stairs.

Get him as he tries to go down.

Or McGregor here could try to get him from the top.

What would you do if you were Mrs. Harris right now?

Sir, if we could set off the sprinkling system there, by the back steps.

Could you get those gadgets going without flooding the whole floor?

Yeah. We have a relay system here.

We can set off a pattern of four in that area.

Let me shoot him off, Dan.

Might as well put a bullet in Harris' heart.

That's all that boy needs to hear, is one gun shot.

All right, go ahead. Keep under cover.

If it's okay with you, sir, I'll try and grab him as soon as the spray lets go.

Halloran.

-Yes, sir? -Be careful.

Right.

Dan, the girl says this one helped her get away.

I like that, lad. We'll not forget it when the time comes.

New?

Yes, sir, it's never been out of the box, until today.

Janet gave it to me this morning.

She's not gonna like this very much.

Well, cheer up, my fine detective friend. A hat's a lot like a man.

It has to be beat up around the edges a little, before it has any character.

Coming?

BERT: It is six in the evening now.

Twelve hours since our story began.

And this is the look of the city at day's end.

A question.

Do people make the city?

Or does the city make its people?

To one man and his family, this day has been kind.

The sunset is bright and promising.

To the mother of Arturo Gutierrez, and to the father,

the sunset is dark and foreboding.

Their boy has played out a part of his destiny from dawn to dusk.

A lifetime brought to its meridian in half a day.

Where it will lead him now depends on tomorrow.

And the tomorrow after that.

There are eight million stories in the Naked City.

This has been one of them.