All language subtitles for The Miami Story (1954)

In the years following world war II...

organized crime in the United States grew to
such proportions that it scope was greater...

than the law enforcement
agencies that tried to fight it.

But finally, in the nation's capital...

the senate investigating committee
presented a new threat the gangland.

And panic began to
grip the overlords of threat.

They sought a new central
headquarters for their operations.

A city where they felt they could be safe.

They chose the Miami
area, a vacation wonderland.

A mecca for tourists, who
swelled the normal population of 600,000...

to more than
two million in the winter season.

A city where the tough honest police force...

was inadequate in size to protect
the tremendous overflow of people.

Then, out of sheer necessity,
a way was found to crush crime in Miami.

As senator George Smathers of
the state of Florida relates.

The organized crime
flourished in the Miami area at one time,

I am proud to say that
no vestige of it remains.

This picture ably shows
what a few courageous citizens...

honest politicians and
tough alert police agencies can do...

to rid their cities of ganglands influence.

The instrument and the method
may be different in each instance...

but the end result can always be the same.

This story of the world's
most powerful crime operation...

begins at the
Miami international airport at...

one of the landing platforms
for the Cuban American airline.

Flight 9, arriving from Havana, Cuba.
Flight 9, arriving from Havana, Cuba.

Passengers will use gate 15.

On Monterrey Island, which lies between
Miami City and Miami Beach in Biscayne Bay...

a regular monthly business
meeting had taken place the afternoon...

of the murders on the million
dollar estate of a man named Tony Brill.

- How old is she?
- 20 in June.

Comes from Milwaukee,
father sells vacuum cleaners.

Mother works as secretary of brewery.

- Kid's name is...
- I know her name.

Send her to Detroit, she
can work as a shill for Marshall

alright.

Teddy is seeing her too much,
his mind must be on business..

You worry about him like a father, why?

- A man needs somebody to fill his shoes.
- I wouldn't know.

I only have a maternal
instinct for a mink and sable.

What didn't we cover this afternoon?

Johnny Lopez's report
on the San Francisco area.

The bookie receipts
are 20% off from last month.

Maybe the pool in San Francisco
is a little too deep for Johnny.

And we didn't cover Moore's tab on...

slot machines in Vegas
but I hear it's alright though.

The overall picture is pretty good.

- How about you?
- Model agencies up 3%...

escort bureaus have slacked
off a bit but I'll get after them.

We interrupt this program to
bring you a special news bulletin.

- Honey I want to hear the news.
- You can read it in the paper.

One of the most
brazen murders in the history of...

crime took place tonight
at the Miami international airport.

Where two Cuban passengers aboard
a Cuban American airlines transport...

were shot to death as
they alighted from the plane.

All indications point to a
typical gangland killing.

Police starting an immediate investigation,
though so far there are no witnesses.

A statement is expected from
police chief Belman shortly.

We will report any new developments as they
occur, back to Ronnie Sharp and his music.

- Thank you Robert.
- Right Tony.

If there were trouble we
would've heard about on the radio.

There'll be no trouble.

He has medals from the army for his
marksmanship, did he ever show them to you?

No, he saves those for the younger girls.

Hiya Ted.

- See, there was no trouble.
- How was it Johnny.

Fine Ted, fine.

Ted, good boy.

- Bravo.
- Thanks Tony,

Everybody is having a
good time, meeting over already?

Oh, just a couple odds and ends to clean up.

I don't think Havana will
give us any more trouble.

Hold on to your job at the airport for a
couple of weeks, till the heat off then quit.

Oh yes Teddy, about this girl?

Haven't seen too much of her
and I don't have that kind of time.

Get rid of her.

I like that boy.

All that day, at Miami police
headquarters and into the night...

police chief Belman, capable
head of the Miami force, conducted...

his investigation into the murder
of the two Cubans at the airport.

Come in Max.

Everyone employed at
the airport is screened before he's hired.

- We double checked, nothing.
- Hiya Max.

- What about the rest of the passenger list?
- All clean, no records.

- Well, stay with it Simmons.
- Right chief.

- You got something Max?
- The answer from Cuba.

The two guys were Emilio
Canida and Pedro Gomez.

Muscle boys for the Cuban gambling syndicate.

Yeah?

Oh, they handle the bolita lottery in Havana.

Muscle job?

Maybe they're trying to
organize a bolita rack in Miami...

without asking Tony Brill's permission.

So you think this is Brill's town too?

Chief even that senate committee
couldn't hang anything on him.

Two million people soaking up the sun...

losing their money gambling at
night and everybody is happy.

Stores are making
money, the hotels are jammed.

Isn't there anybody besides me
who cares if this is Brill's town?

I'll stay with it chief.

Yeah.

As a result of the editorial by Charles
Earnshaw, a plan began to materialize.

For not all of Miami's
citizens were indifferent

to the hold the crime
had on their beautiful city.

In the study of the Earnshaw home, the first
meeting of the committee of five was held.

Each man had been chosen because
of his outstanding civic leadership.

Present besides Earnshaw were
Juan Stanza, Cuban importer and exporter.

Dennis Teller, owner of one of
Miami's large department stores.

Frank Alton, one of the
directors of bars association...

and Clifton Stanley of the hotel association.

Mr. Earnshaw, in theory your plan is good,
commendable, but how should I say it?

We are babies in the woods, what do
we know of dealing with criminals?

- What we don't know we can learn.
- That's theory too.

It's taken Tony Brill and his mob
years to establish their business.

- It would take us just as long to stop them.
- You say Brill has tremendous influence.

I think we have friends too Mr. Earnshaw.
We can fight influence with influence.

Well gentlemen, this isn't
a country club arrangement.

If our identities become known, it could
mean our lives or the lives of our families.

Whatever we do, we must use
great discretion, the utmost secrecy.

I'm a lawyer
Mr. Earnshaw, I believe only in facts.

And the fact is we have no direct
weapon with which to fight Brill.

Brill's weapons will be
brass knuckles and guns.

How do we fight those?

Since you brought up
the plan for this committee...

Mr. Earnshaw, I've given it considerable
thought, violence is Brill's weapon.

And we're not violent men.

But if it takes violence to fight violence...

then I think I know
where to secure such a weapon.

We'll listen to any suggestion.

Well, 12 years ago I saved a Chicago gangster
named Mick Flagg from the electric chair.

Flagg was one of the toughest
mobsters in Illinois, a hard man.

When he was arrested on a murder charge, the
court was inclined to throw the book at him.

But to me, certain elements
in the case didn't make sense.

I decided to defend Flagg because
I thought he was innocent and he was.

I won an acquittal for him.

But it was a close enough call
that he realized his position.

And he was smart enough
then to give up the rackets.

After the trial Mick Flagg disappeared.

I'm not sure that he's still alive.

But if he is and he can
be found, we'll have our weapon.

But to bring an
ex-gangster into our confidence...

The police wouldn't do such a
thing Mr. Teller, but we're not the police.

That's one advantage
we have in trying to stop Tony Brill.

Mr. Alton is right, this man Flagg
can teach us what we must know.

How do we find him?

A newspaper can do many things Mr. Earnshaw.

If it's possible at all, you can see that
we find this man or that he finds us.

Registered at a small beach hotel...

was the girl who had been on
the plane with the murdered Cubans.

Her name was Holly Abbott...

and the working of the committee
was to drastically alter her life.

But at the moment, all she was aware
of was that she lived in sheer terror...

fearing the same fate
as that of the two Cubans.

Others whose lives were to feel
the effect of the committee of five...

was an Indiana farmer who called
himself Mike Pierce and his son Gil.

You got him pop, you got him.
Hey rocket, wait for me.

Count fragile Clancy, why you always have to
get there first? Next time I'll beat to it.

When I'm older and have longer
legs, bet you don't beat me then.

You get better all the time kid,
you almost beat him that time.

- Sure.
- We'll get some beans off the west acre.

- They'll go good together.
- That was a heck of a shot.

You're really the greatest pop.

What do you need now Gil, eh?
Advance on your allowance?

Hey, hey you two guys,
cut it out, come on, stop. Take it easy.

Kids, stop it. Wait a minute, wait a minute.

- Gil, I thought Joey was your best friend?

Yeah? I'll sock him in the nose, that's what.

Take it easy both of you.
Now, what's this all about?

Get him out of here, get him out of here.

Alright Joey, maybe you better go.
Like get this straightened out.

You ain't going to get nothing
straightened out Mick Flagg.

You heard that Pa,
he says your name is Mick Flagg.

It's in the paper.

Pa, I called Joey a liar.

He is, isn't he? The paper is a liar too.

- Our name is Pierce, everybody knows that.
- Gil, listen...

That is your picture in the paper, ain't it?

Yes son, Gil...

Joey will tell all the other kids,
even if they don't see it in the paper.

I'm going into town,
you stay in the house son.

I wouldn't leave the house now for anything.

Why did you run it Harry?

We buy that Sunday supplement
from New York, just the way it is.

We don't even print it here.

You know what it's done to us? To me and Gil?

- I think I know.
- Why?

Why do they do it? What's the idea?

I'm a farmer now, they
can't hang me for that.

I can't tell you why Mike,
but it must be very important.

They wouldn't even turn it over
to police for a routine check.

I got an off the record note,
every editor in the country got it.

It was signed by Charles Earnshaw,
publisher of the Miami Daily Express.

Miami?

Know a man named Frank Alton?

Alton? Lawyer?

Yeah, years ago.

The letter from
Earnshaw authorized the editors...

to give you transportation and
expenses to go and see Alton in Miami.

From the trouble they went to
to find you, this must be something big.

That won't do Gil any good.

Take him with you, so he doesn't
have to face other kids here.

Sure.

- Only I have to face him.
- You'll go?

I don't know Harry.

And if I do I'll take Gil with me.

The next morning Mick Flagg and his
son Gil were on their way to Florida.

The boy was left with
friends who owned a citrus...

grove near Orlando and
Flagg continued on to Miami alone.

Fifty thousand dollars.

Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money Mr.
Flagg but we don't want you to turn us down.

You guys keep your identity
secret but I don't, is that it?

I'm supposed to be the
lone patsy in this setup.

No, never get a chance to
spend a dime of that fifty thousand.

The money will be placed
on deposit in your son's name.

- But we're not paying you to die.
- Maybe Brill won't know that.

Now this deal still boils down to
who gets killed first Tony Brill or me.

If that's the way you look
at it, we don't want you.

Look, Brill is not that inaccessible, any
police officer could shoot him down.

We want him alive in court, where we can
prove to him and the rest of his kind that...

the law is stronger than they are.

Grab him on a tax
charge, anything, you know better.

Brill is smarter than Capone was,
he doesn't leave any loose ends.

And as fast as our
chief of police Bellman shuts...

down one of Brill's places
he opens up somewhere else.

Belman said the only way we can
close up the entire R and I...

syndicate is to get the top man
Tony Brill, that's what he's waiting for.

I'm not going to make a
speech but you've been around.

Look Mick, you know as well as
I do what the mobs are doing today.

How they're corrupting school kids,
making them shills for all kinds of rackets.

Involving them in ways that
couldn't be printed in a newspaper.

- You got a lot of arguments.
- I've got one more.

12 years ago you were tried on a murder
charge because Tony Brill framed you.

When you find that out?

A lot has come out since Brill
and his mob moved into Miami.

Look, you can kick or gouge or
hit below the belt, anything.

Nobody will interfere.
Belman will back you up all the way.

Who's Brill's check man?

Check man.

When gambling syndicates take checks
at their tables they never endorse them...

- and cash them at out of state banks.
- Banks do business with these gamblers?

Yeah, the bank doesn't
know it but usually one of their...

cashiers is on the syndicates payroll.

Check men may carry as much as
a quarter million dollars in checks.

Very interesting.

You giving us a lesson or an answer?

You know what Brill did to me?

You know that newspaper story did to
my boy, is there any other answer?

You're going to arrange for a
talk with your police chief,

I'll find out who Brill's
check man is myself.

Thank you Mr. Flagg.

I'll take care of everything.

You'll have all the cash
you need to work with

and Mr. Staley will arrange
for your hotel suite.

- Ok.
- Mick...

thanks.

You saved my life once, maybe it's a good
thing you saved it for something like this.

I only hope I live long
enough to see how it all turns out.

And none of the hoods who
ever worked for Brill are jailed now?

Wait a minute.

Mott, Louie Mott.

He was a bookie for the Brill mob butt
they made him the goat in a big operation.

- He's the only one serving time.
- Spring him.

And make it seem like I'm
the one with the influence.

I want him to be more
scared of me than he is of a Brill.

- Louie will be all yours.
- Send him to my hotel.

Through the behind the scenes efforts of
the committee and police chief Belman...

Louie Mott was released
from jail on a trumped up parole.

You're out of jail Mott,
what are you worried about?

Mr. Flagg, I was paroled,
I never even applied for no parole.

I know how things are with you and Brill and
I need good men who hate Tony so you're out.

Please Mr. Flagg,
not so loud about me hating Brill.

Look Mott, I'll tell you once and that's all.

I'm moving in on the
R and I, Brill is finished.

- Finished?
- Yeah.

You want a good spot in my setup,
you tell me what I want to know.

Such as?

- Who's Brill's check man?
- Please Mr. Flagg, I ain't no pigeon, I...

- Get out, in an hour you'll be back in jail.
- Please Mr. Flagg please.

You mustn't say such things, not even joking.

Who is he?

Delacorte.

Kid Ted Delacorte is his name, he's
a killer Mr. Flagg, but you must never...

Nobody is going to hurt any of my boys Louie.
Tell me, Delacorte do the job at the airport?

I don't know, but it figures.
He does all of Brill's dirty work.

But if you ever found out that I was the one,
he'd step on me like I was a mosquito maybe.

You're through being a mosquito, here, get
yourself some clothes, expensive ones.

I want my boys to look good.

Kiddos, this reminds me of the days when...

Get yourself a room downstairs.
I'll call you when I need you.

Thanks Mr. Flagg, I'll be waiting.

Give me 857-891 please.

Hello Alton, Flagg.

Ok, I'm ready to let Brill know I'm in Miami.

Have Earnshaw on a story and hint
that I'm in back at that Cuban gang.

Yeah, I want to be tied up with those
two who were killed at the airport.

- He'll try to kill you too.
- He'll have to ask questions first.

Tell Estanza I want five
or six Cuban detectives...

good ones, who won't
be afraid to work with me.

Belman could give you the men.

No, the R and I probably has a tab
on every man on the Miami force.

Besides, I want real Cubans, Brill
must think that they're part of my mob.

Yeah.

Now look, Brill has a man
by the name of Delacorte.

Delacorte, tell chief Belman
I want a 24 hour tail on him.

Let me know the
minute he tries to leave town.

He's the check man.

I'm telling you Mr. Flagg, that
story in the paper this morning is...

going to get us both knocked off.

And two such knocked off
characters you'll never see.

You still living Louie.

I know, but they're liable
to scratch me the next race.

You know what happened to
me today? I run into Cully O'Brian...

he looks me right square in
the kisser and he says to me...

said, Louie he said, you out of jail.

Then he looks at my brand new
clothes and he says, say he said...

it seems that a guy can make more
dough in jail than he can on the outside.

Then, he didn't like the system, he said...

who does a guy have
to know to get into this jail?

I'm telling you Mr. Flagg,
I don't like it, Culley works for Brill.

- He's liable to tell Tony that I'm out.
- Yeah, good night Louie.

Oh but Mr. Flagg, I don't
want to stay in the room alone.

Talk to yourself Louie,
you can't get into trouble that way.

Yeah, I know but...

Stay right there Mr. Flagg.

No matter how much you take off
my gun will keep you covered nicely.

- Is supposed to be funny?
- It should be.

I've been sitting here for three hours
trying to think of something clever to say.

Now you said it, what do you want?

My name is Holly Abbott.

I saw that story in the paper this morning.

You wouldn't need that
gun to make me talk to you.

I'll keep it just the same.

Until I find out
whether that story is true or not.

You don't recognize my name?

- Should I?
- You should.

Gomez and Canida
were friends of mine in Havana.

You know lots of names, don't you kid? Maybe
taking a big chance spilling them to me.

Only if you're a phony, that's one
of the chances I'll have to take.

Either that's an act or you're not so tough.

It's an act, I could cry
like this whenever I want to.

What you want here?

I was with Gomez and Canida on the plane
the night they were killed at the airport.

I figured I was next, I thought if you were
really connected with them you'd help me.

- What you do in Havana?
- I dance at the El Columbo.

- What's the rest of it?
- I went to Cuba looking for my sister.

- You got to do better than that.
- Please believe me.

I've been trying to find her
for eight months, she just disappeared.

And then I found out she was in Havana.

So you latched on to a couple of
hoods like Gomez and Canida, eh?

I found out they know my sister but
that she left for a better job here.

When Gomez said he had to go to Miami he said
I could come along, he'd help me locate her.

He'd, he'd been trying to
date me for a long time.

- He thought this was it.
- And all he got was a slug in the head.

- You don't believe any of it, do you?
- No I don't.

If Tony Brill wants to find out what I'm
doing here tell him to ask me himself.

I didn't lie to you.

I'm not very good at shooting people...

so I took all the courage
I had to come up here tonight.

I won't bother you again.

- You ever do any gambling?
- I know my way around a crap table.

We're going to the Biscayne Club.

That's Tony Brill's main gambling
house, I might be recognized there.

Yeah.

They make a pass at you
I'll know you tell me the truth.

You don't want to go, clear out.

- I'll go.
- Where you staying?

Riviera Plaza.

We stop by there,
you can change that dress...

for something that'll
make them notice you, let's go.

Tony said you were here, this
Cora Gibson, she's going to work for you.

- Give her a rundown.
- Who sent you?

- Mr Lopez, he's a very good friend of mine.
- Ok, sit kid.

Lots girls work for me
honey, you just be one of them.

And don't think you'll get any
special treatment because of Lopez.

Oh I won't miss Abbott.

You have the looks, you have to be smart too.

- I graduated from high school.
- That's not what I mean honey.

You have to be smart about men.

Now, we'll give you leads on all
the rich ones you can handle.

Your job is to steer them to the
Biscayne Club for their gambling.

You'll get 1% of whatever the
sucker loses, do I make myself clear?

- Yes, I think so.
- Well, that's all.

I'll call you when I
have your first date ready.

- Lopez is waiting for you at the casino.
- I'm happy to have met you.

It's alright kid, it's mutual, now blow.

Can't Johnny dig them up any younger?
This one's practically middle-aged.

You know the young ones
bring in the biggest suckers?

Yeah, I wonder what kind of a
family a child like that comes from?

What's the difference?
You got them all stopped.

- You like them older like me, eh Teddy?
- Not all, just special ones.

I'm only special to Tony,
you forgetting that?

You know how Tony thinks
of me, like a son. We share things.

Maybe you share them in
college kid, but not in this league.

You saying that for my benefit or yours?

- Man killer and lady killer, eh kid?
- Tony hear you if you want to yell.

You're not going to
grow up at my expense kid.

Someday you may be top boy.
If I'm not too old, see me then.

You won't be too old.

The ultra smart Biscayne Club,
with its illegal backroom gambling...

was a spot where rich
vacationers could gather.

Each winter season...

the club showed a profit of well over three
million five hundred thousand dollars...

because the crooked tables
and dealers could control losses,

- Hi kid.
- Tony.

Robert and I were watching you
when you walked into the casino.

Just from the way you walked...

I bet him a dollar that Gwen didn't argue
too much about taking on Lopez's girl.

You didn't take much of
a chance for a dollar Tony.

- He's scared to bet me more than a dollar.
- Why shouldn't I be? You always win.

- He wins again the Gibson kids kind of work.
- Yeah, you see that.

Ah, this kid knows how to
handle women better than I do.

With me, Gwen would beef for
a week that the girl was too young.

But it's as I say, if they're
big enough to wear a fur coat...

for some rich sucker, they're old enough.

Catch me on the other side. Robert...

- Yes Tony.
- Be a good fella, take a look.

- See how things are going.
- Right Tony.

Now you walk through that casino
like you're a king or something.

College did you good Teddy. You know,
you're better than they are down there.

Don't you know you're better?

Well, nobody is better than
Tony Brill even if they think they are.

Little high up, high.

Every night new fools come in.
Always new faces, there's no end to them.

There's always been
gambling Tony, since the world began.

It's a good business.

- It will never end.
- I hope not.

Sure, why work for money
when people want to give it to you.

Tony Tony it's the girl who was
on the plane with the Cubans.

Where? Let me see.

Jimmy's table, the dark
haired one with the yellow dress.

Yeah.

More important, the guy
she's with is Mickey Flagg.

Flagg? The one was in the paper this morning?

Yeah.

The guy is not very smart coming here
if he's fronting for that Cuban mob.

The guy is very smart.

Why do you think he
comes here, eh? With that dame?

- To worry us Teddy, to show he's not afraid.
- Is supposed to bother us?

Well, we find out, eh?

Tell him I want to have
a drink with him up here.

Teddy, see that the boys take that
girl to my place, I'll be there later.

Cookie, give me my clothes
then blow, I'm going to have company.

Mr. Flagg, my regards for you from Mr. Brill.

He wants to know if you have
a drink with him in his office?

Sure, be like old times.

Use these kid, I'll be
back in a little while.

Mickey Flagg, my old friend
Mickey Flagg from Chicago.

Tony you haven't aged a day.

Wow, you shouldn't try to
bluff your old friend Mickey.

Take a look, all gray.

Nothing stands still, business
goes forward, people go backward.

Don't tell me, I remember.
Whiskey and plain water.

Unless maybe you like some of
those Cuban rum drinks now?

Whiskey.

You know, only today I
was thinking about you.

- I see something about you in the paper.
- Yeah, I saw that too.

I said to myself right away, that's baloney.

Mickey Flagg wouldn't let himself get
mixed up with us Cuban small fry.

If he wanted to get back in
the business he'd come to Tony.

- I've never been out of it.
- No?

- Well, how come I never hear about you?
- Maybe people hear too much about you.

Why not? I'm big business, I'm like
maybe the president of a big corporation.

Here, I pay my taxes.

The sunlight is on me, even when those
Washington committees want to look me over,

I'm in a sunlight.

Might be a good time to quit then.

Quit? Me? Why?

Tony I haven't wasted 12 years.

The Cuban syndicate is going to put the
R and I corporation out of business.

Oh?

You shouldn't try to bluff
your old friend Mickey.

It's not a bluff Tony, it's a
warning, from an old friend.

We're moving into Miami, we
got the influence, don't try to stop us.

- We got two of your boys already.
- So, you're two up on me.

You think those two bit bolita
pushers can shove Tony Brill around?

Come here, take a look.

I'm always in front, always.

I'm disappointed in you, I thought you
were over the way you did things in Chicago.

When I'm putting on a show for you,
it wouldn't be polite for you not to watch.

Get away from that, get
around the front of the desk.

The kid will get you first, he doesn't miss.

- Mickey, don't, don't, don't hit him again.
- Sure Tony.

I don't want to kill him.
I just want him to know I'm around.

Nobody ever lifted a
hand on me and lived Flagg.

You're Ok kid, I like you, you got guts
and you're ready to stand up for Tony.

I just didn't want you to think you're as
tough as Tony and his mob thinks you are.

We can play any way you want but we're moving
in and we're big, don't get in our way.

- I know I'm going to kill you sometime.
- Your face is pretty.

Could get to look like it
was caught in a meat grinder.

Night Tony.

Next time come around
on my place for a drink.

- Nice going lieutenant.
- Our car will be right behind you se�or.

Now you believe what I told you?

I know this much, you're
in this thing up to your ears.

I'm getting you an apartment adjoining mine.

- I might've guessed that.
- You weren't so coy with Gomez.

- I told you why.
- Your reason hasn't changed, has it?

You move tonight, it's the only way I
can think to keep you from getting killed.

What is this, a wake?

Take a look.

Where did you get this?

The boys in the parking lot
took it out of a girl's purse tonight.

This girl was with the
Cuban guys on the plane.

- What did you do with her?
- Never mind, who is she?

I sent this to my sister
a couple years ago Tony...

And tonight she was with the
guy I was telling you about.

- Mickey Flagg.
- She hasn't done anything to you Tony.

I just got a report...

that she checked in with Flagg at the
San Souci hotel, adjoining suites.

Flagg says he's going to put
the R and I out of business.

You know, we don't
like that kind of talk honey.

- It could be that she's not my sister.
- Her name is Holly Abbott.

Now, because she's your
sister we be nice for a little bit.

You go talk to her.

We want to know what Flagg is
going to do and how he expects to do it.

She don't tell you, we sweat it out
of her anyhow Sister or no sister.

You're a good girl Gwen, you
understand such things, eh?

- I understand Tony.
- We all going to be at my place tonight.

You come there and tell us
what your little sister has to say.

- Who is it?
- It's Gwen Holly.

Gwen. Oh Gwen.

- I've been looking so long.
- So as a sister, I'm a square.

Come in, come in.

- Is something up?
- A girl just went in.

I could hear it was her sister.

All right, you going to
be on duty much longer?

Two hours, my relief
will come then, sergeant Carillo.

Thanks Martinez.

And all they knew in Havana when I got
there was that you got a better job in Miami.

So here I am. Oh Gwen,

- Oh Gwen, it's wonderful to find you again.
- Yes Holly.

Say, what's with this next door
neighbor, this Flagg character?

- I didn't think you were the type.
- It's not what you thin, not at all.

I came to him because I
thought he could help me find you.

- How did you know about him?
- Look Holly, I know a lot of things.

Flagg is an atom bomb in this town
and he's going to blow up in your face.

Gwen?

They're going to kill him and they'll get
you too if you keep hanging around him.

Who are they? I've
almost been killed twice already.

Tonight and at the airport.

I'll give you all the protection you need
but just tell me, what's Flagg's pitch?

Exactly what does he expect to do in Miami?

I don't know a thing, except
that he has connections in Havana.

Well you were, there you should've known...

This new job you got, you're with Tony Brill.

- Look kid, don't go rocking the boat.
- Aren't you?

Look at me, I'm
rolling in dough, I'm lousy with it.

Come live with me and I'll
put you next to all the rich ones.

- Maybe you can even marry one.
- You are in with Brill.

You're in with him so deep you'd
sell me out to save your own skin.

- I'm trying to save yours you idiot.
- I'll save it my own way.

Don't give me that
holier than thou stuff Holly.

You could hoof, all I could do was
shake on top and wiggle on the...

bottom at crummy burlesque joints.

See the kind of clothes I wear now?
And you going to tell me I was wrong?

No Gwen, I was.

I shouldn't have tried to find you.

So she wasn't worth it after all.

- You're Mick Flagg?
- Yeah.

Yeah, I'm Flagg.

And since you're coming here is
Tony answer to what I told him tonight...

you can go back and tell him the
Biscayne Club will be closed down...

by the weekend unless he stays out of my way.

- Are you out of your mind.
- Just tell him, that's all.

- Holly...
- Goodbye Gwen.

You could have one of the rich ones.

You're as hard and
cold as she is, aren't you?

Big sister just told you there's no Santa
Claus and you're all beat up about it.

Relax, things will look a lot worse tomorrow.

For a dame like you they always do.

Get out.

Go ahead, get sore at me.
Better than feeling sorry for yourself.

Before he left the hotel...

Mick Flagg called an emergency meeting
with the committee at Earnshaw's home.

Then he gave
instructions to the Cuban officer...

lieutenant Martinez to maintain strict
guard over the girl while he was gone.

I said the Biscayne Club
would be shut down and it must be.

I don't care what connections Brill has.

I can raid him and close him up, but
it's up to you men to keep him closed.

When is it happen?

Keep your vice squad on
24 hour call and I'll let you know.

Gentlemen, if I'm right in
what I'm doing, you'll have...

Brill and the R and I
right where you want them.

In front of a grand jury.

Get a doctor up here quick.

Holly.

I'm sorry kid.

Lieutenant Martinez with a skull fracture
was the more seriously injured of the two.

Holly Abbott suffered a concussion...

but was able to talk later in her room
at the Jackson Memorial Hospital.

- Doc says you're going to be all right.
- What about lieutenant Martinez?

- He tried to help me.
- He'll live.

Can you talk a little?

Who did it?

I never saw them before.

They tried to ask me
some questions about you.

Well, I told them I didn't know anything.

They thought I was lying.

They beat me.

I can hang an assault and battery
on them but it wouldn't mean a thing.

No, that's not the answer.

- What questions did they ask you?
- So many.

What was in back of you?

How many men did you already have in Miami?

Mike...

my head hurts.

We better leave her now.

Can you stage that raid tonight?

I can have a squad in
their club in half an hour.

- Don't pull any punches.
- My pleasure.

That night just before
closing, the Miami police hit...

the Biscayne Club and pulled no punches.

- Yeah?
- This is Flagg.

You wouldn't listen to me
Tony, instead you had to take...

it out on a girl who wasn't bothering you.

Now I'm going to chase you out of Miami.

The Biscayne Club is being
smashed while I'm talking to you.

Flagg look, nobody pushes me around.

Flagg?

Get me my office.

This is police chief Belman,
anything I can do for you?

- Yeah, what do you want?
- It's me, Teddy.

- Tony, the club...
- Yeah, I know, I know.

- Flagg just called me.
- Then was Flagg.

He said he'd do it and they did.

Hey, you take the checks out, out of the
safe before those cops broke into my office?

Yeah.

Ok, tomorrow take them
out of town and cash them.

- Alright Tony.
- Now get on the phone.

I have to have a talk
with all the boys right away.

Where's my pants?

You think I'm a fool?

Of course they can't prove any
connection between the club and the R and I.

Nothing can be traced to me or the R and I.

How you think I stay out of
jail all these years, eh?

Just asking Tony, everybody makes mistakes.
And that might have been one of them.

And you punk, would know
when Tony Brill makes mistakes?

I talked to Gibbons this morning in
Washington, he's going to call me back.

Gibbons is a good attorney Tony, but
maybe there are some things he can't fix.

I pay him 200,000 a year to keep
me out of trouble, he's done all right.

He'll call in a couple of minutes,
tomorrow the club will be open again.

We'll see.

And you Teddy? You waiting to see
too, like these other knuckleheads?

You've always been right Tony,
I don't know why you shouldn't be now.

You see, brains and guts.

Not like...

Gibbons? Yeah Tony Brill.

Well, what about it? When you're going to get
these lunatics off my neck so we can open?

Mess? What kind of mess?

Listen Paul, I don't pay you
200 grand a year to give me alibi.

Bad news?

The heat is on up there in Washington,

he says the whole business
started down here in Florida.

Flagg was able to do all that?

It's not healthy Tony, not when he
could put the squeeze on that big.

Listen, you annoy me.

So now you all think poor Tony, you don't
know what to do with trouble when it comes.

Maybe Tony is getting too old, you're punks.

I do plenty of
checking on Mr. Mickey Flagg...

these last couple of days
and you know what I find?

He's a sucker for a belly punch.

You know what else?
I'm going to give it on him.

You know where?

A nice little town
where they grow lots of oranges.

Let me in Mr. Flagg, I tell you,
I'm so nervous I was shaking.

This is a day I'm not forgetting, this
shouldn't happened to a quarter horse.

I haven't got much time Louie.

Listen Mr. Flagg, I'm walking down the
street like a good law-abiding citizen...

just reading my racing sheet.

All of a sudden two cops
drive up in a squad car...

and the next thing you know I'm
getting a free ride down to headquarters.

Like maybe I wasn't using the
right kind of soap or something.

And he says to me, look
Louie, I want nothing from you...

but you tell the chief boss of yours
Flagg that if he's not down here within...

20 minutes I'm going
to take it out of your hide.

Mr. Flagg, I haven't got
much hide, so I'm telling you.

Belman is getting tough since he
closed up the Biscayne Club last night.

Ok Louie, you better stay in your room.

Don't worry, I'm through walking the streets.

I had to get you here
Flagg, couldn't take a chance...

in going up to your
place or using the phones.

Half the hotel switchboard
girls are on Brill's payroll.

Now he's got the whole town turned upside
down trying to pick up pieces of information.

- He's scared Belman, that's good.
- I had to get you fast.

Why?

One of my men
reported that Delacorte is leaving...

- with the syndicate checks this afternoon.
- That's what I've been waiting for.

His cars at the Norton
garage off Lincoln road.

- Norton garage off Lincoln road.
- Well watch yourself.

Yeah, I'll see you.

Hello Ted.

I didn't know you liked
practical jokes Flagg.

Oh I'm lots of laughs
when you get to know me.

The light changed.

Bear down on it.

All right, so we're playing
games, what do you want?

Been waiting a long time
to talk to you alone Teddy.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

Alone and with the clubs checks.

Keep moving, your tails are
in that sedan in back of you.

- Tails? There isn't anybody tailing me.
- You've got a lot to learn Teddy.

You don't think Tony
send you out with all those...

negotiable checks
without putting a tail on you?

Who do you think you're kidding Flagg?

- I'm big man with Tony.
- Nobody is big with Tony, take a look.

- Never seen those guys before in my life.
- Yeah, they've seen you.

That's what counts with your boss.

Get out on highway 27, I want to
get those eggheads out in the open.

Low, steady.

Back her up.

You boys wants see somebody?

- Ok buddy, so far you're giving the party.
- Won't be for long.

My friend and I want to be
alone, any objections boys?

He don't go no place without us.

So Tony doesn't put tails on you, hey kid?

I was hoping he'd do that, that's for
what some of you guys did to Holly Abbott.

Look Mac, we didn't hurt her bad.
The dame just wouldn't spill.

Why you.

- All right Teddy, now we can talk.
- Let's head back to town.

I heard you was smart Teddy, just how smart?

- Nothing I do gives me bad dreams.
- Smart enough.

These checks you're
carrying, how much they worth?

About 300,000, why?

How you like to keep a hundred grand of it?

- What?
- 100,000 in your pocket.

The rest we use to
start a bolita game in the state.

You handle bolita right I put you
in charge of everything in Florida.

You'll be top boy
Teddy, Brill will be out, you'll be in.

Just how much of this
am I supposed to swallow?

You better take a full dose of
it kid if you want to stay alive.

Remember I could've killed you once before.

I went to a lot of trouble to
recommend you to the Cuban boys.

They know you held a gun at the airport.

They wanted you knock out, but I
tell them you could be valuable to us.

The more valuable you are,
the longer you're going to be around.

How I know you can deliver all you say?

You knew it last night when the
cops closed up the Biscayne Club for me.

Tony wouldn't sit still for that,
he get to me, had me killed.

No, you're going to kill him first.

Kill him? You're crazy.

He trusts you kid, you
could walk right up to him.

Tony always said you could've
his spot when he was through.

This way you won't have to wait so long.

- He's given me a lot of breaks Flagg.
- I thought you never had bad dreams?

- I need gas.
- You stalling.

- I've to have time to think.
- All right, just long enough to get gas.

- Yes sir?
- Fill it up, ethyl.

This is the last thing I'll
say kid, you're smarter than Brill.

You can have anything you want or anyone.

- You're not giving me much choice.
- I'm glad you realized it Teddy.

If you can't beat him you join him.

The boys in Cuba be glad to
know what side you're on now.

What do you know about it?

Brill said he was going to slug you,
I didn't know it was going to be this way.

Where will they take him.

Could be any one of a dozen
places, I don't know, I swear.

Cashing those checks can
wait, first you're going to get Tony.

I want 85-8913.

Hello?

Hello Mickey.

Say, I read the papers about your kid.

I'm sorry, I mean it.

It's too bad.

Real bad, what do you want for him?

I want you should go home Mickey.

Go to Cuba maybe and take your gang with you.

And I want my club open right away.

You can have the club, I'll talk to Cuba,
tell them they have to lay off here.

Sure, you tell them good
Mickey and don't talk too long...

because sometimes I lose
patience even with my best friends.

Notify your dealers, the club
will open tomorrow night, Ill fix it

I'm glad we understand each other Mickey.

And Mickey, no tricks please.

Because if you do, well what
will happen? This will be too cruel.

Deal them up.

As soon as Flagg returned to town he
called an immediate session of the committee.

For the plan he had devised necessitated...

using many of the
facilities of the police department.

At the request of the police, the
local Miami television station WTVJ...

worked through the remainder of the night
with the department's electronics experts.

Since Flagg said he return the Biscayne
Club over to Tony Brill the next night.

Television cameras had
to be installed within eight hours...

behind air conditioning
vents in Brill's office.

These cameras were to televise on a closed
channel directly to police headquarters.

And as Mick Flagg had promised, the next
night the Biscayne Club reopened on schedule.

Just remember, always there is an ace.

You just have to know how
to shuffle the deck to get it, eh Tony?

Flagg thinks because
he closes the club he just...

walks into Miami and takes over everything.

We show him he's wrong.

You boys are happy again and
believe in your old friend Tony, eh?

Yeah, the club opened again tonight
Tony but you can't hold his kid forever.

I give him until tomorrow to make a deal...

he doesn't want this nice
kid to die, so he makes the deal.

I tell him he can come and pick up the boy
himself, nobody with him, no cops, no tricks.

He'll come but he'll never go back.

We maybe fix
Mickey Flagg so his kid is an orphan.

- You think he'll just walk into it?
- He's got to walk.

And now, we go to the
club and enjoy ourselves.

- Everything set?
- Cameras are working fine.

Good.

Was Holly able to get
in touch with her sister?

Yeah, Gwen is on her way
to the hospital now, I'll have to hurry.

- What about Delacorte?
- He went for what I told him.

But the gun I gave him has no serial number,
no record in the police files, he'll use it.

10 of the best detectives from upstate
are in the club now playing the game.

- Two squads will move in from outside.
- I guess that's all then.

- The others are here?
- Oh, yeah.

Hey, what if Gwen Abbott
doesn't tip where the boy is?

I'll call you from the hospital.

You said you had a lot
to talk over with me Holly.

I hope it means you've come to your senses.

That all you have to say
after what Brill's men did to me?

You walked into it yourself, I warned you.

I took a chance coming here.

And if all you wanted was to
show me your bruises, I'm leaving.

When did it happen?

When did you get like that?

- So long Holly.
- Wait a minute.

I didn't ask you to come
here to talk about me.

It's Mick Flagg's boy, where is he?

Who says I know anything about it?

Mick knows, he's coming here to see you.

Gwen, tell him where the boy is.

Get this through your head kid,
I'm nothing but a wheel in the R and I.

And wheels don't have a brain and they
don't have a heart, so you can stop trying.

- What she tell you Holly?
- Nothing.

Gwen, do it the only way you know.

Mick please.

You're her sister, I'll give you a break,
I'll give you a little break Gwen.

Tomorrow there won't be any more R and I...

before the night is over Brill and his
mob will be in jail where I put them.

The R and I is going to
go up in front of a grand jury.

Maybe you'd like that jury to know
you stopped my boy from being killed.

Maybe you'd like me to
think a little more kindly of a...

dame who owns a couple
of hundred other dames.

- I said owned them.
- Pal, you're blowing a fuse.

When I have to be, I'm deaf, dumb and blind.

You jerk.

- Get her out of here.
- You dumb jerk.

Get me police headquarters.

- Mick...
- I'll talk to you later kid.

Yeah Chief Belman.

- Belman speaking.
- Belman, this is Flagg.

Anything happened at the club yet?

No, nothing.

All right, when it does,
I want you to let Brill get away.

What?

You know what you're saying Flagg?

Look, I've stuck my chin out as far as it
goes for you guys, now it's your chance.

Gwen Abbott clammed up about the boy.

Ok, Brill said he'd kill the kid
if he had to and he'll do it.

I want you to let Brill get away
so he'll lead me to the boy.

After that I'll deliver him just where I said
I would, but first I want this one break.

All right Mick.

But if you let Brill get
away from you tonight...

the building is
going to cave in on all of us.

Yeah, sure.

Look, they got a couple of fast cars and
a motor launch out there at the club.

Cover all angles, I'm going
out there now and chief, thanks.

I don't get out of this, you'll
be on your own. Good luck baby.

Mr. Flagg?

- Yeah.
- Lieutenant Wood.

The chiefs explained the setup, this will
keep you briefed on what's happening.

- It's on a closed channel now.
- Ok lieutenant, thanks.

Look at that, it's just like
nothing happened, nothing.

See those tables, the
suckers are standing near 3 bit.

The less chance they got
the win the more they come.

You know what
I think? They don't like to win.

It's warm in here, hot, hot, hot.

Maybe the customers just
came for the air-conditioning.

Well, whatever they came for, get down
there make sure that everybody is happy.

- Sure Tony.
- We want happy losers.

Teddy, what is this?

Why haven't you left with the checks?

What are you trying
to do? Scare me for Halloween?

Something happened.

Now it's either that you die or I do.

Die? What kind of talk is that?

This kid jokes, put the gun away.

There's a new bandwagon out Tony, I'm on it.

What bandwagon? Look kid, you've
gone off your nut or something.

Leave the buzzer alone.
Flagg is in the driver's seat.

He asked me to go
along for a ride as top man.

Top man Tony, you get that?
I'm going to be the big boy in the state.

No more two bit trigger
jobs like knocking off those...

Cubans hood just because you ordered me to.

- Now I'll be giving the orders.
- All right, all right.

I promise you, never do you have to
knock off anybody else for me again.

Teddy please, in heaven's
name put the gun away.

Flagg is just hot air, hot air I tell you.

What do you want?
Name it, name it, name anything.

You can't give me a thing Tony.

- I got to kill you because I have to.
- But why?

Why? Look at me Teddy, look at me good.

So you want a piece of the club, you got it.

It's mine I give it to you.
You want to cut of the bookies...

you get it, all over the country.

- Teddy, Teddy, you're not listening to me.
- You're not big Tony.

You're not big at all, you're just like any
other punk that's going to be killed.

The slot machines,
I cut you in, big cut, big cut.

You want a percentage of the model agencies,
just ask me, ask me, I own everything.

Tony Brill is the R and I,
and he makes you now a full partner.

Now, now, I give it you on paper, Teddy.

Blanks, blanks...

Flagg gave it to me, we've been tricked.

Cops.

- Tony, what we going to do?
- What we do?

You do what you know how to do.

- You come with me, kill Flagg's kid.
- Sure Tony, sure.

Come on.

You hear something? Cut that thing off.

Yeah.

Maybe they're following us.

- Get into the island waterways.
- But we'll be trapped in there.

Maybe, maybe not.

Brill's houses is in there Mr. Flagg,
you think is where he's holding the boy?

No, he wouldn't take that kind of a chance.

They can out maneuver us
in these waterways Mr. Flagg.

Yeah, well they didn't
come in here for no reason.

Say Chief Belman told me Brill has a yacht.

Hey Tom, Monterrey island.

As soon as we finish our
business with Mr. Mickey Flagg's son...

then we go to south America.

Tony, I'm sorry about what
happened, you not sore?

No, I'm not sore.

I think maybe I'm a
little disappointed because...

you turned out to be a punk like
everybody else, now get to my yacht quick.

Teddy...

No, no don't, don't shoot,
don't shoot, I'm Tony Brill.

I said I'd kill you some time Flagg.

You all right pop, you all right?

The clock turned back
for Mick Flagg and his son.

The boy was happy that his
father was now a hero to the world.

There was however one difference.
Holly Abbott had come to visit Mick and Gil.

She never left.

And it was here on the Indiana farm...

that these three
found peace together as a family.