Original subtitles

Delman has taste.

So have I, right now in my mouth.

His arrest, then for dessert, Ballantine.

Where's Saperstein?

First street on the right behind that building.

Beat, huh?

Dead.

You're running yourself into the ground.

Listen, for over a year now, day and night, I've been sitting in hot alleys

between garbage pales while Dandy Delman has been sipping wine and fancy bistros.

Freezing my butt sitting in cars watching a

window while he's holding hands with $200 broads.

Then I began to figure out he was more than a nickel and dime shake-up artist.

Just don't try and do it alone, okay?

Fifteen years since I broke the Valpone case.

Fifteen long years waiting for another turn at bat.

Move back, Crocker.

I'm gonna take a wide swing.

You be careful.

Hello?

Who is this?

Who are you?

Crocker, Saperstein.

Mr. Wilson?

I called you this morning.

Mr. Miller.

Good to see you. Come on in.

You know, I think you're gonna like this collection.

Available units.

We have a homicide at Viceroy Hotel, 18th and Park, in a tree sparkling.

Name is Kenneth Wilson.

He's in from out of town.

First time here.

Makes an appointment to show his jewelry.

Gets killed.

You know, there's a hell of a way to be introduced to a city.

You got any ideas, Zachary?

Delman.

Delman.

Stavros.

You see who checked out today.

Names, addresses, get Saperstein to cover the lobby.

And outside, pass Delman's description around to the men.

Here, someone must have seen him.

Just remind them.

And keep knocking on doors.

Her 38 makes a lot of noise.

What car was Delman driving?

Blue car, dental license number 0-8-3-F-E-M.

Yes, sir.

Was he now?

I thought it might have been one of those little jobs.

You know, the kind you lose in a crowd. What happened?

We lost him.

Well, that part I already guessed.

What I don't know is why.

I mean, did a truck get in your way, Crocker?

I didn't hear about any earthquakes in midtown today.

I blew it, Lieutenant.

He left the building and I followed him.

A delivery truck got in my way.

By the time Saperstein and Crocker got around, he was gone.

Hey, look, Paul, if it was anybody else, I'd fall down laughing at that story.

After I took his shield.

So, according to Crocker, his disappearing act started at 3-15.

This victim was shot at 3-25.

In city traffic, it takes 10 minutes to get from the stakeout to this hotel,

where a jewelry salesman is hit by a buyer named Mr.

Miller, according to what the operator wrote down. Right?

Anybody buy the coincidence?

Said it's unanimous.

I stake out Delman's apartment.

Hey, Paul.

Delman went to Valentine with the stuff.

I know it.

Oh, yeah?

So, what are you gonna do?

Gonna go kick a door down?

Look, I blow it, I'll fix it.

Call a judge, get a warrant, huh?

I'll meet you at Valentine's.

Oh, the... A warrant?

On what grounds?

You think an ex-con is in bed with one of the biggest jewel merchants in town?

A man with impeccable credentials?

An influential client?

You're gonna tell that to a judge?

Don't tell me what we suspect.

Tell me what we know.

They'll be together.

Delman is there now.

So?

Who says he was here?

You gotta find witnesses, show mugshots,

tie the car to the building.

The work is here, Paul, not there.

You know something?

You want this one so bad you're trying to pray it at the place.

Think. Delman needs Valentine's protection.

If we can split him, Delman will come apart at the seams.

So?

We lean on Delman?

No.

If we convince Valentine, we're gonna hang this murder on him.

My boy said that.

Is Mr. Ballentine in?

Who shall I say is calling?

Are you ready?

He's the bunny.

Oh, and his brother Bugs.

Classy journey, man.

You have to be a nurse before you will pay when you come in here.

Oh, yeah.

Uh, Mr. Ballentine, the, uh, police.

We're sorry, gentlemen.

We jumped your early warning system.

What do you want this time?

Well, I'm still trying to put you away, Mr. Ballentine.

Lieutenant Kojak,

only last week my attorney said one more of these

visits and I can charge you with harassment.

Oh, well, this time I come recommended.

By whom? Uh, Mr. Wilson,

a Joel merchant.

He ain't just died.

The job that Delman just pulled at the Viceroy Hotel.

Do you understand any of all this?

You killed a man today.

Hear what I say?

You are a principal in a murder case.

You must forgive him, Ballentine.

You know, murder always gets a little angry.

He has this distorted sense of values.

He doesn't think a life for a bag of jewels is a fair trade, silly boy.

You know I don't touch illegal merchandise,

so get out of here.

Uh, let's lay it out, shall we, Mr.

Ballentine? Park Avenue, posh, splendid.

But scrape off the glitter, and what have we got here?

We got a sewer, baby,

where scum like Delman float in because you can tip them when salesmen are in town,

where they stay.

Uh, Junior, I can call his lawyer.

I won't be threatened by you, Kojak, or that hysterical subordinate of yours.

Mr. Ballentine, this palatial splendor you hide behind

doesn't cover the fact that you make the market for junkies, for muggers,

for kids looking for the easy way.

You dig, baby?

So, if you see those jewels,

you'll let us know, won't you, Mr.

Ballentine? I'd like to wrap this up quickly and put you away.

There are other more pressing matters.

When I go to sleep tonight,

I'm gonna see that salesman's face,

and your face,

and Delman's face.

I'm gonna see all those faces every night I go to sleep,

as long as you're walking around free.

Can Zachary be bought?

He doesn't want money.

No, any man that doesn't want money is a dangerous man.

Look, Ballentine,

I didn't think we'd get involved in murder.

You were too busy thinking about the money you were going to make.

Well, keep thinking about it.

It has a calming effect.

Oh!

Call one of your contacts.

Arrange to dispose of Mr. Delman.

Give it a week or two.

Unless, of course, the police get too close to him before that.

Paul?

Going out?

I'm going to my sister's.

I could stay.

What did you do today?

I answered the phone four times.

Nobody was on the line.

Yeah, well, I'll call a phone company about that again.

What else did you do?

I went to the beauty parlor.

Uh, got anything to eat?

I could make you something.

Any mail?

A card from Steve.

You want me to read it?

It's from Singapore.

Zachary there?

Yeah, let me have Crocker.

Having a wonderful time. The jail is great.

He's seeing a lot.

Yeah, for a homosexual pot smoker.

He's a sensitive boy.

He's trying to find himself. He just got into some trouble.

Crocker, anything new?

No, I've got every street contact I ever made out looking.

Yeah, I'll be here for a while yet.

Tell me something.

Why do you get all dolled up like that to go to your sister's house?

You gonna have me followed?

Oh, Paul.

Why do we stay together?

I killed a man today, Carrie.

I didn't pull the trigger, but I'm responsible.

Failed with my son.

My only son.

Failing at my job.

I guess you're only allowed so many failures in one lifetime.

Hey, man, what do you think you're doing?

What is this?

What are you looking for?

The gun.

Where's the gun?

What gun?

The jewels.

I know what diamonds.

Hey, this isn't my place. Would you get out of here?

Last, but not least, Valentine.

Would you look at this mess?

Would you look at the hotel room you left?

They can't get the blood out of the rug.

Oh, I know.

What hotel room, huh?

Oh.

Is this a private party or can the riff-raff join in?

Lieutenant, he's trying to crash me into something.

Well, why don't you, uh, why don't you file a complaint?

Police brutality or something.

Look at this joint, will you?

I left the window open.

Everything blew over.

Ah, I have figures.

Are you finished with your questions, Mr. Delman?

I need a few more minutes with him.

Would you get him out of here?

Oh, you see my pre... Oh, but that is...

Darling, does it hurt?

Now, anything we can do to relieve your anxiety?

He's off the wall, I swear.

Well, relax.

He'll only break your neck.

Now, if Ballantine gets his hands on you, you're gonna stop a bullet.

I don't know any Ballantine!

You better start thinking, baby, because he knows you,

and you can pin a murder rap on him and you know it.

I can see the goose bumps on you from here.

Why don't you make it easy on yourself?

Because it's either him or us.

Would you take Mr. Delman downtown to safer quarters?

And if he refuses to cooperate,

I want you to pin a target on his, uh, on his back and send him off.

All right, come on. Get your stuff.

Where'd you sleep last?

I found him, didn't I?

Sure you did.

Now, what the hell's the matter with you?

I mean, you bust into this joint, you tear it all apart.

You know that downtown is watching you.

You put me on this Ballantine case because you know I'm the man to handle it.

Now, let me handle it.

Yeah, I didn't put you on Ballantine.

I put you on a third-rate punk with big ideas.

I didn't know it led to Ballantine.

Hey, uh, Paul.

Come on, will you? We gotta start putting things into focus.

You know, when you start doing it for the job

instead of trying to impress the brass downtown, I'll put you on bigger things.

You want me out of it?

You're in and you're staying.

Just relax, okay?

I'll go back to the hotel and see if I can find a witness.

Hey, I got three men on it already, okay?

So just take the rest of the day off and, uh, and you look beat.

I'm okay.

You'll be better than Mara.

Yes, sir.

Hello?

Who is this?

Please, stop doing this.

Someone called the police?

You worried?

About what?

People next door said a speeding car just missed you.

It was a blue Lincoln.

You got a good memory for somebody that almost got killed.

Yeah, well, I went right up to it. That's why.

What did he stop for?

He was talking to another guy.

Uh, I saw him give the guy something.

What?

A case.

What did you do then?

Well, the car that almost hit me kept going.

The other guy was looking at the case.

He stuffed it under the seat.

I told him his friend was nuts, so I was swearing I... I guess I shook him up.

He gave me a five-dollar bill and took off.

Yeah, that's a guy that almost hit me.

This is the one that gave me the money.

Arnold, you're about to become famous.

Let's go see the lieutenant.

Uh...

I never got sideswiped by a car.

I never saw two guys.

Now, what are these pictures for?

Arnold, the man that gave you that five dollars made a bad mistake.

Sooner or later, he's gonna realize that and come back here.

You got a kid?

Yeah.

What would you tell him to do?

Be a man.

Alive or dead?

I could take you in.

Yeah, but you won't,

because you wouldn't want your kid dead either.

So I'll let you know.

Yes.

Did you find the boy? - Yeah.

Only Zachary found him first.

I see.

Well, I suppose we have no other choice.

I got an insurance company here and I've added a jewelry salesman's list.

I know, sir.

That it's not coming back just the way Mr. Ballantyne plays it safe.

Um... Who made out that he thought on what we found at that girl's apartment?

The poet?

I did.

Now, where does it say that the investigating officer broke up the place?

Hey, look, lieutenant, he's a good cop and always was.

I guess he's just pressing a little bit since he's back from exile, that's all.

Oh.

Anybody else want to comment from the locker room?

Carrie.

Can we talk?

Sure, hey, you look great.

Police officers should never lie.

So what's the few years between friends? Right in there.

Uh, you make out the report.

Well, you're gonna have to tell me what to say.

I say, you say what Stavros said or he said it neither.

I'm more poetic, okay?

Not exactly an executive sweep, but it's home.

You're all alike, aren't you?

This really is your home.

Look, you want to talk?

The door's closed.

Carrie, my love, I want to listen.

He's not himself lately, Theo.

He doesn't sleep.

He walks the house half the night.

Why did they do it to him, Theo?

He made such a good start.

He's a good cop, Carrie.

So they reprimanded him for excessive pressure,

for interrogating some hood nobody ever heard of before or since.

Yeah, he got a bad break.

Theo, take him off duty for a little while.

You mean hit him in the face again?

Now that he's back where he belongs.

He's a 55-year-old disappointed man who's playing catch-up with his career.

Carrie, how is it between you two?

I never loved anybody but him.

I still don't.

But living with someone can make you feel very alone.

So you still have a boyfriend?

No.

Just someone I meet now and then who says nice things to me.

Can you understand that?

Hey, Carrie, whether I can or not,

I'm a friend.

Greetings.

I got home early for dinner for a change.

I had to go out.

At this hour?

Where's your rubber hose and the light bulb to hang over my head?

You're never home.

I'm home every time you call.

Don't you think I know it's you checking up on me?

If you don't trust me, stay home.

Watch me.

I killed a man, Carrie.

I never made that mistake before.

People do good things. They do bad things.

Sometimes it's fair and sometimes it isn't, but you can't let it wreck what's left.

What happened?

I mean, everything was so bright.

You, me, cute little boy.

Let it ring.

Why don't you want me to answer it?

This is the first time we've talked in years.

Who do you think it is?

All right, answer it.

Zachary here.

I'm not saying you're right, but I think I'm being watched.

You stay right there.

Well, they're closing the store.

Look, you better send a police car.

I'll go downtown and tell them what I know.

Where do you live?

Just around the corner, 323 Mason, fourth floor.

All right, you go there. I'll pick you up.

All right, I got to make a delivery first.

I'll meet you there.

Please.

Wait, Paul, I'm sorry.

The boy's in trouble, Carrie.

So are we.

No, no, no.

We're going to roll back a lot of years with this one.

The wind has shifted. I can feel it.

Oh, this is the case that's going to do it for me.

And the brass downtown.

They're going to have to eat crow.

The police.

Make sure there's a full description of the car on the wire.

I'd start distributing copies to your tarry shop as of now.

Yes, sir.

He was asking for his friend Detective Zachary.

Why? He saw Riggs and Delman meet after the robbery.

And he left the kid alone?

Hey, what's going on?

He said he phoned you just before it happened.

It beat me by minutes.

Minutes?

You almost got him killed?

Why don't you phone for you in the area?

No sob-sister review board is gonna tell me I brow-beat a kid.

Okay?

Okay, it stinks.

First you go too far and work over a hood.

Then you go too far and let a witness drift around without protection.

How good a witness is the boy?

Positive I.D.

How positive?

Dr. Johnson, please report to room 415.

Where's the rest?

Ballantine wasn't there. I didn't show his picture.

Hey, Paul, where's the collection you laid out for him? 10, 15 photos.

I mean, what, he picked these out of a set of two?

Is that how you did it?

He gave a description. This was just confirmation.

That's the way I saw it.

You're beautiful.

You put suspects in a fuller line-up, only you don't put anybody else.

You know, the courts require a choice

of at least six pictures for each identification.

You ruined them as a witness.

I found one witness, I'll find another.

Paul, I told you to take the rest of the day off yesterday.

Did you do it?

I found the boy. That's what I did.

Okay, I want you to go downtown.

I want you to check in with the police searching.

You sound like a drum the whole world is beating on.

Okay, I'll go home.

After you get a checkup.

What's the matter?

Did you ever see a tired cop before?

You want me to take you down myself?

I just got a sick feeling.

You'd have done five years if it hadn't been for me.

Ah, take it easy.

Don't I always help when you call?

I'm calling again.

Yeah, it figures.

You've been hitting every guy on the street.

Why should I be left out?

A car hit a kid on a bike and ran.

Figures to be a blue Buick with a white top

should have a red paint on the front fender right side.

You can't take it to a legit body shop

because he knows we've got a bulletin out on him.

Find out where he took it.

Get in touch with me.

You know where.

I was just giving an invoice.

How long does it take to cover 200 body shops?

Do it faster.

Oh, hi, Frank.

Oh.

I got a feeling you need an audience for another speech.

Yeah, I've got a speech for you.

Delman's girlfriend got over a panic

after a lawyer calmed her down with talk of a big settlement.

She just filed this complaint against us.

And don't tell me why no one wrote up what Zachary did to that apartment.

I'm fed up with Zachary and this squad beholding his hand.

Frank, I thought we had a deal.

I mean, I do all the yelling you handle with quiet dignity.

The man is too erratic, Theo.

We can't be trusted. - Now, get him out of here.

Frank, he's too far into the Ballantine case.

We can't be the only one to follow it through.

Oh, okay.

So we go into court with the case, huh?

And the judge says, uh, where is the officer assigned to this case, fellas?

And you, the captain, says,

well, Your Honor, he was taken off because we think he's unstable.

And Mr. Ballantine's lawyer falls off his jail after.

You make it sound so logical.

He'll even be more logical.

Come on, Frank. An officer files things in his head.

He doesn't even remember until they pop up.

You know that.

A face, a street, a name, a number,

zap-a-dap-a-doo like that.

I pull him now and who knows what arm we do to our investigation.

Where is he now? - Downtown.

I sent him in for a checkup.

I'm just covering, Captain.

I want to make sure it isn't anything else.

What else?

I don't know what else.

That's why I sent him downtown.

Frank, we're going around in circles.

You know that? Call downtown.

Keep a man on a case who's a candidate for a rubber gun squad.

I'm sorry, Theo.

I don't see it.

You know something, Frank?

Take a look at the people we have working for us

on the streets, stoolies, hookers, cons, like that.

Let's at least give a cop who's pressing too hard

the same chance to help us hang this case together. Right?

No, I'm not yelling at you.

This is Lieutenant Kojak Manhattan South.

Hey, I'm calling about one of my men,

Detective Paul Zachary.

Are you sure?

Okay, thanks.

He never shown.

Theo.

I'm being as quiet

and as dignified as possible.

Get him the hell out of action now!

Where'd he go?

He's in trouble, isn't he?

Ah, I think so.

Why, Theo?

He loved the department.

He loved me.

Which of us hurt him more?

Carrie, I've got a cop who's running around like crazy,

who happens to be your husband,

who's torn around inside and we're trying to place blame.

He got a phone call

from an informer, I think, a cab driver.

Crocker.

Yeah, he's with a finger.

Possibly a cabbie.

You get Saperstein and anybody else off duty.

Yeah, um, keep it unofficial.

Carrie.

You know, there's something eating at him.

You know, he never breaks orders.

Well, anyway, if he calls, let me know at once, okay?

Theo, he knows there's another man.

He's always known, but he covers it.

You don't have to tell me this.

Hello?

Kojak.

Where?

No, not do anything.

I said nothing!

Relocated.

What's he doing?

He's doing his job like a machine that can't stop.

Theo.

Don't you be too hard on him.

All the rest of us have done enough of that.

Hey, baby.

Don't bargain with me, Hickman.

Look, you can't threaten me.

I know my rights.

How much?

Why don't you ask that salesman in the morgue?

Or maybe that kid laying on the hospital.

Okay, okay.

The cause in Astoria.

Can you read the writing? Barely.

Thanks.

You lean hard.

They play hard.

You play hard.

You play hard.

Give you anything?

Nothing.

Now would you hold out?

On my own department?

Never.

Never?

I sent you downtown yesterday for a checkup.

The streets are full of blood, and you want me to say ah.

Paul.

The captain wants you off duty.

What about Delman and Ballantyne?

Where does he want them?

Report to medical. Don't take your gun.

We'll talk later.

You know why the captain is doing this, don't you?

Orders from downtown.

They know I'm about to make a headline.

The brass can't stand the idea of a cop using

excessive pressure to do something good.

Yeah.

Great.

I was writing you a letter.

If anybody calls, I'm sleeping.

I've been doing a lot of thinking, Paul.

Where's my street index? - In the desk.

What's he doing?

What do you mean nothing?

No, I don't want you to break it off.

He probably made you within two blocks.

So you stay with him. You be smarter.

Let him stall.

While he's stalling, we can be thinking.

You know how to do that?

You know that thing on top of your neck?

You press your nose and the light goes on.

And you root off the red-nosed reindeer.

This place is not exactly shows.

Would you get in touch with me?

You got it.

Is that Ross? - Yes, sir.

What's with the car? They did the bicycle.

Well, it's just not that easy, Luther.

Yeah, I know.

It's not that easy. It was that easy.

We'd have the girls do it.

Oh, what timing.

Now, sure, but it's time, please.

Cut across there, double back,

and I can lose him in the market area.

Paul, I love you, Paul.

I guess that's why I'm still here.

Maybe it's better to say it than write it.

They took away my service weapon.

I sound like a little boy.

Well, maybe I am.

But there's a lot of that in every cop I know.

They want to fight the dragon.

They want to do some good.

A lot of good I've done.

What...

What were you saying?

I want to try again.

I can't do anything about your job, but I can do something about me.

I am 55 years old, and they still got my hands tied.

The world is going to hell in a handbasket out there,

and they won't let me do anything about it.

If I didn't have this gun that they don't know about, I'd be helpless.

Why don't they take the guns away from the hoods?

Hoods go out and kill a guy.

He's out on bail on an hour. Junkies push.

They never even come to trial.

You can't do it all alone.

Delman killed a man.

I know it.

The department knows it.

And they let him go, huh?

No proof.

Well, the proof is out there.

And they send me for a checkup.

You know, those guys out there,

they got me covered like I'm Al Capone.

Why don't you let me do my job?

Oh, no, they don't hear me.

Nobody hears me.

I am trying to tell you I'm sorry.

Why don't you hear me?

A million doors out there, 10 million windows.

I wonder how much crime is going on behind how many of them.

I'm out there too, Paul.

Every time it happens, I let it happen.

I let that salesman get killed.

I let him cripple a boy.

A boy.

Steve's age.

It's on my head.

And it's crushing me.

All right.

So your job is your life.

But you're off duty now.

I saw a newsreel once.

Allied troops went into this town.

It was a concentration camp.

And the soldiers ran right to the gates.

All these prisoners were crying.

The soldiers figured they were crying for joy.

And then an emaciated old man cried out in anger.

Why didn't you come sooner?

Lieutenant Kojak, hurry.

Delman's still inside.

Zachary lost us.

I think he knows where the car is and he's going for it.

If he doesn't come here for Delman first.

1975 Monte Carlo.

Green.

Registration 214.

Where's Saperstein?

He went for coffee.

...when it passed five minutes from 326 Granite Street.

Granite Street. Around the corner from Zachary's.

That's how we did it. Well, I'll leave it to a smart cop.

We'll head toward the bridge.

Relati was tailing them up there before he lost them.

Maybe that's where the repair shop is, huh?

You, call Central.

Put out a pickup. Don't forget the stolen vehicle.

Yeah.

The car's ready.

Yeah, everything.

You'll kill me.

I'll go get lost someplace.

I know what I'm doing.

Suppose you don't get them.

They're smart.

I'm smarter.

Don't get any ideas about changing sides.

I'd have to kill you.

Line of duty.

Get out of here.

And tell him you're coming right over.

All right.

Okay.

Come on.

Yeah.

I'm coming over.

No.

Nobody else.

I'm coming alone.

Anybody around? - Nobody.

The door was wide open.

Hey, what's going on here?

Give him a peek.

Are you the head artista out here?

Yeah.

Well, tell us about the blue Buick you just fixed,

or we'll add five to ten for aiding and abetting your today's losses.

Whatever you're thinking, I'm thinking a kill on you if you try it.

Just look.

One.

In your pocket.

Go on.

Take it.

Take anyone.

Think about it.

Nobody knows.

I'll even show you how to hide the funds.

Well?

Well, what do you say?

An eye for an eye.

Now.

Pick him up.

Wrap.

Pull.

Put it down.

Would you look at this place, Valentine?

You are in trouble.

Murder one, attempted murder,

dealing with stolen property,

and on top of all that,

you're a dirty housekeeper.

If they were stolen, I don't know how they were obtained.

I'm sure.

Would you escort these untidy fellows down to the offices, please?

You! Also, please.

And book them on dirty housekeeping.

You all right?

Well, now at least you have a reason to go downtown for a checkup, right?

Come on, get in there.

Let's go.

On V.R. I finally busted me another big one.

Sure you did.

Hey, uh, I'll take that, okay?

You're not gonna send me out on the street without a weapon.

I mean, do you know what's going on out there?

Hey, Paul, you're going to the hospital.

They're gonna ask you to stand on a table to take your clothes off.

I mean, what do you want the gun for, to keep the nurses away?

Talk to the boy, Paul. He's out of danger.

Oh, thanks, yeah.

Did you get his shield?

Frank.

What's he talking about?

Paul, you did us a day's work.

Uh, you're wounded.

You want to stand around here and bleed on a sidewalk?

He's talking about my shield.

Well, nobody's gonna steal my shield.

Relax. Your friends are worried about you.

You look like you've been through a war.

Only a flesh wound.

I'll be back on the duty roster any time you need me, Captain.

Yeah, even if I have to crawl.

Paul, sure you will.