Original subtitles

Come on. Come on, don't make me beg for it.

I'm not making you beg. Can't we just hold each other tonight, please?

What is it with this hold me crap you always come up with, huh?

I just don't feel like it tonight, that's all. I love you.

Ha! You sure have a strange way of showing it, lady.

No wonder your husband took a walk and kept on going.

Hey, what's the matter? Don't you know I care about your mother?

There's only one thing you care about.

Hey, your old man didn't do a too great a job of keeping her happy now, did he?

You leave my father out of this.

I could be very nice to you.

Leave me alone.

Come on. Just give me half a chance.

Be a sport.

Sport?

Yeah.

Get out of here.

I'm not getting out of here until I get what I want.

My fifth merits proposal this week.

Oh, yeah?

What does she look like?

Actually, not bad.

And she comes complete with matching collar and cuffs.

That's a little more than I wanted to see, thanks.

Hey, you asked.

It's happening, Jack.

We're moving up in the ratings war.

KJCM is now number five in the market and your show is number one in its time slot.

I like that.

Enough to take a few chances?

Chances?

Sometimes when I'm with her, I forget what she is.

I forget what I forced her to become.

But then we all select what we choose to remember and what we wish to forget.

Don't you think?

Yes, sir.

We have an assignation tonight.

Yes, Mr. Gaddis.

Have the car ready at noon.

We're going to lunch.

Then I'm taking her shopping for something special.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Emile.

We got to open up the format.

We got to expand on the show's initial premise.

It's getting stale.

For whom is it getting stale?

For me.

Look, we got to grab the audience and we got to throw them something.

Something that will force them to think.

To make them feel like they're making changes.

Like they're giving something back to the city.

Just what do you have in mind, Jack?

Lunch.

Turn around.

Like this.

With the necklace.

Gold.

And this one.

Shoes are all wrong.

Give me another pair.

Yes, Mr. Gaddis.

It's beautiful.

Just like you are.

Just like you.

You know, I'd like to ask Kristen to come along tonight.

I think it would enhance the experience.

For whom would it enhance the experience?

For all of us, but mostly for me.

Well, then do with me what you will.

Look, I know we've been through all this before,

but why don't you let me play a little music kind of show?

You know, little 50s, little 60s, little stones.

You know, the early stuff.

Jack, what is this with you?

Some repressed childhood fantasy of yours?

Have I inadvertently unleashed a monster upon the populace of San Francisco?

Come on, loosen up.

Loosen up?

Jack, KJCM has one of the most eclectic and progressive formats in the city, right?

If you say so.

It does.

Okay, great.

And it didn't happen because I was lucky enough to hire some good DJs.

It happened because I know more about music than they do.

Just because I don't think that music is appropriate for your show

does not mean that I'm tight.

You? Not tight?

No.

What are we talking about here, Jack?

You see that kid?

That's our show right there.

That kid's waiting.

Waiting for what?

For his life to start happening.

Ten bucks says in the next five minutes that kid

is either going to sell some dope or his body

or snatch some old lady's purse just so he can make it through the day.

How do you know that?

Is that a question? Look at it.

That's our show.

Jack, I'm the one who called about that pervert who

used to expose himself to me every morning, remember?

You mean the one I told you to ask to come a

little closer so you'd get a better look at him?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah? So what happened?

He turned out to be not such a bad guy after all.

Really?

That's right. In fact, when I got to know him

better, Jack, I found out we had a lot in common.

We're getting married next week.

Well, groovis maximus.

And don't forget to send me an invitation to the wedding.

Denise, I've always liked that name.

It's really Dee Dee, but he doesn't like me to use it.

He thinks it sounds too ordinary.

Gaddis is like that. He likes to mold the world to his own image.

How long have you been with him?

Six months. Seems like forever.

Have you thought about what will happen when he no longer has any use for you?

You're not the first.

And you won't be the last.

And our next midnight caller is...

Harry Callahan?

That's right, punk.

And now you have to ask yourself, do I feel lucky?

Well, do you, punk?

Yeah, Harry, I feel lucky.

Well, that had to happen sooner or later, folks. You heard it here.

That was San Francisco's own Harry Callahan.

Darling, I'd like you to meet some very dear friends of mine.

Gentlemen, this is my companion, Miss Denise Azzaro.

Do with her what you will.

Well, it's been fun here on the Midnight

Caller, but all good things must come to an end.

This is your host, Jack Killian on KJCM Radio.

We'll be back Monday night, midnight to three, with a very special show.

But until then, good night, America, wherever you are.

It's all right now. They're gone.

You'll be safe.

I'm here.

Here, take this.

Leave us alone?

I think I should stay with her.

I said leave. Now.

Now.

Why'd you let them do this to me?

The game just got out of control.

The game?

It happened.

I thought you loved me.

I thought you cared about me.

Too.

You should know that by now.

But love isn't free.

Everything has its price.

Look, I've suffered too, just like you.

For how long?

Forever.

And how long is forever?

Kristen.

Kristen, I've been telling you.

Nothing.

Nothing.

I hope you tell me the truth.

For goodness sake.

Well, I tell you what, spending my one night off going to an art exhibit

ain't exactly my idea of a good time.

Well, Jack, we have to do these things from time to time.

I mean, it comes with the territory.

You have a profile now.

You're a leading man.

And by the way, Jack, leading men don't smoke anymore.

It's very old way.

Give me a break. I'm trying to quit.

Here's Devin King, the owner of San Francisco's KJCM radio.

And Jack Killian, the controversial host of KJCM's Midnight College show.

What the hell is that?

Yeah, this is gonna be fun.

This is gonna be a lot of fun.

You're gonna have a wonderful time.

Oh, yeah. I'm sure I will.

There are a lot of very important people here for you to meet.

Oh, yeah? Like who?

Like Joe Montana.

Where? What?

Just kidding. It's the mayor.

Smile.

Wave.

Wave.

I'm waving.

Good.

There's something I'm dying to know.

What's that?

Is it true what they say about Killian?

What do they say about Killian?

Not only that.

Well, you can't say I don't take you to some interesting places,

although most of the trash here leaves a lot to be desired.

We've got some of San Francisco's leading lights here tonight.

You know who that is?

That is the man behind the voice, the Nighthawk, Jack Killian.

The guy on the radio?

The man on the radio.

No, not the guy on the radio.

The man on the radio.

Jack.

How's the show doing?

No complaints.

Good. Good.

We're big fans of yours.

Oh, glad to hear it.

Hope you keep listening.

Hey, all right.

Hey, call me Gattis.

Mr. Gattis?

And what's your daughter's name?

This isn't my daughter.

Things are not what they appear to be here.

That's good.

Because otherwise,

you might be in trouble.

You know what I mean?

It was nice meeting you.

Oh, delighted. Yeah, great.

Come on.

You know something, Jack?

I think that you need to

cultivate your social skills.

What does it matter with my social skills?

You don't have any social skills.

No offense.

No.

No, no offense.

All right.

There it is.

Carmen's Hideaway and Social Club.

OLE.

Through these doors,

I pass some of the biggest names

in sports, politics, journalism,

law enforcement,

and of course the respective groupies.

So how come your picture isn't on the wall, Jack?

Because I'm not a showbiz kind of guy.

Don't tell me.

That's Carmen.

Yeah, that's Carmen.

It's a great way of bringing our story to the audience.

We've got to hit them right between the eyes.

What's going on?

It's dangerous, Jack.

So what?

I don't know.

Devin, look.

We've got to start putting our money where our mouth is.

Wait.

I'll be right back.

Come on.

I want you to meet a friend of mine.

Charlie Larson.

This is my boss, Devin King.

Charlie Larson.

Pleased to meet you.

Hello.

Hi.

How'd you ever hook up with a lowlife like Kelly?

Oh, it wasn't easy.

But as you get older, you learn to lower your standards.

Ain't that the truth.

Jack was telling me about the idea for a runaway show.

I think it's great.

I grew up on the streets.

I know what that's all about.

Anything I can do to help a kid without a home, I do.

Buck stops here.

Listen, Jack.

Give me a call.

I'll set you up on anything you need.

Just let me know.

Nice meeting you.

My class.

Hey, Charlie.

Where's, uh, where's Carmen at?

Vegas.

He's great.

He gives a big hunk of his income to a shelter for runaway kids.

Really?

Couldn't be very much.

You ever hear of Larson Foods?

The Charlie Larson?

Poultry magnet.

Charlie Larson.

Gotcha.

We see them every day on the streets of our American cities.

They're young and they're faceless.

And they hover like ghosts in a holding pattern over our American urban landscape.

Looking for a place to sleep.

Something to eat.

Looking for someone or something to connect with.

But we never really look at them.

Is that because we're afraid they might remind us of our own children?

Of what they might have become but for the grace of God?

Or the roll of the dice?

The answer is yes.

And the problem is they are our children.

They're runaways.

They live in a twilight world of desperation and squalor.

They are kids who have been robbed of their most precious possessions.

Their youth and their innocence.

Tonight on the Midnight Caller we'll be talking to kids who have fallen between

the cracks in the social programs that provide some form of salvation for runaways.

They will tell you their stories, their dreams, and their hopes for the future.

And by the end of the show tonight I want something better for these kids.

I want someone in this city of ours to reach out to them and say, simply, we care.

I want you, the listeners, to tell them we will not abandon you.

We will not give you back to the streets.

And by the end of the show tonight I want a new beginning for these kids.

Let's not leave it to the other guy this time.

Why don't we call this patron saint of lost souls and tell him

that life in the big city doesn't have to be quite so dreary.

And our first call is from fashionable Pacific Heights and it's Teresa calling.

What can we tell you, Teresa?

Well, it's all the way around, Jack. It's what I can tell you.

Oh yeah, what's that?

Just that I'm a runaway. I'm 16 years old.

And my life is everything I want it to be.

I live in a beautiful home and have beautiful clothes.

And someone that cares about me very much.

I sleep in a clean bed covered with the finest Italian linens.

I eat in the best restaurants in town.

And I shop in the most expensive stores.

I have it all.

I found the American Dream and it works.

But what does it cost you, Teresa? What's the price tag read on your American Dream?

Where can I buy it?

Give me a second here.

My name's Mike. I'm from San Francisco and I've

been living on the streets for about 18 months now.

And I think I deserve something a little better than this.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Choices, Chris. Choices.

Sixteen.

How long has it been since you brought me home?

Um, about four months.

Um, I stayed in San Francisco.

Zoe?

Zoe?

Thank you, San Francisco, and goodnight, America, wherever you are.

Bingo.

You don't understand.

I love you.

You, you, you.

Everything is for you.

And when I ask you to do these things for me, it isn't

because I need the money, because obviously I don't.

It's just that as we grow older, our lives get more complex.

Like the facets of a jewel, they expand and multiply.

Surely you can understand that.

When children cry, they cry because they feel as if their entire world is

breaking apart like a thousand pieces of glass shattering all around them.

But we're not children anymore.

And when we hurl an object against the window, we do it for a reason.

We do it because it makes us feel good.

We do it because when the glass breaks, it applauds us.

Gentlemen, this is my companion, Miss Denise Azzaro.

Do with her what you will.

It's all right. Now they're gone.

You'll be safe.

I'm here.

I'm here.

How are you?

State and local codes prohibit an individual

from acting as a surrogate agency for minors.

KJCM could be slapped with an injunction

against broadcasting on this issue, or worse.

Look, Barry, I know our methods may have been

unorthodox, but we acted in a very responsible way.

I mean, we thoroughly checked the references of the

people that were interested in helping these runaways.

Look, we didn't exactly place these kids in foster homes. All

we did was we got them a job and a temporary place to sleep.

We're not running an adoption agency here.

We're just turning up the heat a little bit.

And if we don't do that, then we're part of the problem, not the solution.

Look, this is a question of the law, not

morality. And this is a nation of laws, not men.

Devon, we can play ping-pong with this thing for a while, but in the end, a big,

fat legal bill will be all you'll have to show for your humanitarian effort.

Our advice to you is back off.

No, we're not backing off.

And Jack's going back on the air again tonight. Same

time, same place, same show, and the same message.

Mr. Killian?

Hi.

Hi.

I'm sorry to bother you.

No, that's cool. You're not bothering me.

We met before, right?

Yes, at that art gallery.

Right, right, yeah. You were with that guy.

You know, I've been listening to your show, the one on runaways. It's great.

Thanks. We'll do another one tonight, if you're up, tune in.

I will. I will.

Is there something I can do for you?

Yes.

Well, I'm here. You want to tell me about it?

An autograph? Could I get your autograph?

Sure, yeah.

What's your name?

Denise. D.D.

D.D.? Like, as in D.D. Diner, like that, like the song?

Yeah, I guess. Short for Denise, but I don't like to be called Denise.

Did you call the show the other night?

No.

Are you sure?

Yes, I'm sure.

Okay.

Thanks for the autograph.

Sure.

Keep up the good work.

I will.

Our next call is from Jody. What can we do for you, Jody?

If, uh, if you were in a relationship with someone that you thought loved you,

but it turned out that that person was only using you...

Jody, if that's your name, and if it's not, I,

uh, I understand, but I'm a little confused.

What exactly is your question? Is it, uh, it's got something

to do with our show here tonight, or is it something else?

No, it's not about something else. It's about everything.

About love, and fear, and not knowing what to do.

Who are you talking to?

No one. Myself, I was singing.

A love song?

Yes, a love song. I was singing it for you.

Before you, there was another girl. Her name was Elizabeth.

She disappeared last spring. When I asked

Gattis what had become of her, he just laughed.

Disappeared?

Yeah.

Then I found this the night those men hurt you.

It's Gattis' diary.

He sold it to another man like a used car.

He knows I've turned you against him, doesn't he?

Goodbye, Arne.

And there's only one thing left to do.

Destroy him before he destroys us.

There's a man on the radio. Jeff Killian?

Yeah.

I saw him yesterday.

He can help us, I know it.

You think they have my diary?

All right, listen to me very carefully. Just stay

with them. Do not let them out of your sight.

Mom, it's me, Dee Dee.

He's gone. He won't be back.

I didn't know, I swear. You've got to believe me.

Give me another chance.

That's all I'm asking.

Come home, please.

I love you, baby.

Mr. Killian?

Yeah?

I need to speak to you.

Have a seat.

Is this for real?

I'm afraid so.

Gattis.

And you played referee for this degenerate's playtime, or what?

Yeah.

But I'm finished with playing referee.

How'd you know where to find me?

You're becoming a landmark in San Francisco, Mr. Killian.

And I'm not exactly a tourist.

This is the girl we're talking about.

I know this girl. What, she calls herself Dee Dee or Jodi or Teresa?

Which one is it?

Dee Dee.

Dee Dee.

Now, we can turn this over to the police.

They might be able to get a conviction on this guy

for pandering and corrupting the morals of a minor.

And we can put her on a bus and send her home if she wants to go home.

She does. She's ready.

Where is she?

At my apartment.

Does this guy Gattis, does he know where she is?

No.

All right, wait here.

She's alone. I could go in and take her.

I thought I told you not to let them out of your sight.

It wasn't my fault. Kristen left.

I had to make a choice.

All right, fine.

Sam Eck?

Carl, it's Jack. I need something.

Jack, you always need something. What's so special about this something?

I'm serious.

Since when?

Carl, look, I gotta talk to you now. It's important.

Where are you?

Give me 20 minutes.

Okay, you got it.

Come on.

They're cops.

We've been betrayed, Emil.

But they're only men.

Just like us.

Jack Killian.

Let's go.

Let's go.

You holding, John?

Not tonight.

Now you walk.

Good evening.

Have a lovely day.

Listen up, St. Francis.

Your friend's life is turning into a carpet stain.

And we got the girl.

So switch off the mic.

Show's over.

Come on out, Jack.

Hey, Jack, come on out.

Time to take your bow.

Jack!

Jack!

In the dark night of the American dream,

we are all prisoners of the pictures in our minds.

Sometimes,

in the name of love, we commit the greatest crimes of all.

But we must never forget

that the human heart is as fragile as a child's dream in autumn.

To crush those autumnal dreams

is to don the mantle of the oppressor.

If we allow this to happen,

then our future and our very souls

will be taken from us.

Never to be returned.

This is your host Jack Killian on KJCM radio 98.3 on your FM dial.

And...

goodnight, America.

Wherever you are.