All language subtitles for A Stranger in Town (Rowland, 1943)

The honorable
court is now adjourned

until Thursday the 10th day
of December at 12 o'clock.

- Good afternoon.

- The front two and the
spare are all right,

but the left rear one is
causing me great anxiety.

- Switched mine.

If I don't get another year out of them

I shall be very disappointed.

- You know, that grandson of mine

is a most unusual infant.

At five weeks, he holds up
his head without support.

Here, I'll show you a snapshot.

Goodbye, Grant.

Have a good vacation.

- Happy holiday, Josephus.

- Thank you, gentlemen, thank you.

- Mr. Justice?

- Well?

- Could we have a word
with you, Justice Grant?

Just a few questions.

- I stopped answering
questions when court recessed

about three minutes ago.

- Well, what do you know about that?

- Come in, come in.

Well, gentlemen?

- Justice Grant, we understand
you declined to preside

at the Danville investigation.

There's some speculation
as to your reasons.

- Well, there needn't be.

I've had a long, hard year.

I'm tired. I'm going hunting.

Miss Gilbert, would you
put this in my bag, please?

- The Gazette referred to you last week

as the terrible-tempered Justice Grant.

How do you feel about that?

- I'm flattered.

And this too, Miss Gilbert.

- Where are you going for your hunting?

- Where there are plenty
of ducks and no reporters.

- When are you leaving?

- A moment after you do.

- Good day, sir.

- Mmm.

Miss Gilbert, what is this nonsense?

What is this resignation mean?

- I think it's obvious, sir.

- If it were obvious, I wouldn't
ask the question, would I?

- Justice Grant, I've been
with you for two years,

and not once during that time have you

expressed satisfaction with my work.

- Miss Gilbert, you can
learn more law here in a week

than you can anywhere else in a year.

That's all that should interest you.

I don't feel that I have
to constantly remind you

that you're a brilliant young woman

and that you have a fine future.

Now, if there isn't
anything else, can I go?

- You wanted to look over the
Hayland trial opinion, sir.

They won't be back from the
printer 'till next week.

- Oh yes, they'll need some revision.

But I don't want to hang around here.

- Perhaps I can bring them
up to you at Crownport, sir.

- That'd be fine.

No, no, no, no. You need a vacation, too.

From me.

- I don't mind at all.

- Miss Gilbert, are you heaping
coals of fire on my head?

- I wouldn't dream of it, sir.

Oh, I'll wire you before I come.

- Thank you. Miss Gilbert?
- Yes, sir?

- No one must know
where I'm going, no one.

I want to get away from the courtrooms,

investigations, lawyers,
black robes, everything.

Everything but ducks.

Hundreds and hundreds of beautiful ducks.

- Hey, you!

Wait a minute.

I'm Oren Todds, game inspector.

Let's see your license.

Yeah, just like I thought.

Stranger in town, ain't ya?

This license ain't legal.

- Well, I just bought it
yesterday at the state capitol.

- Yeah, I know mister,
but this is Crownport,

and you gotta have a
Crownport stamp on there.

- Well, I didn't know that.

I'll get one tomorrow.

- Oh, well it ain't gonna
do you any good today.

You know, I could haul you into court

and let the judge slap a fine on ya.

For the same wear and tear on my tires,

suppose I sell you one right here.

It'll only cost ya five bucks.

You know, the five bucks
is just for the stamp.

I usually get a little
something for my trouble, too.

Well, you don't understand.

I'm giving you a break, brother.

- There, I never pay off
twice, brother. Come on.

- Well, look, let me explain it to ya.

- Your honor, it's not as though my client

were trying to evade his
financial obligations.

Tom Cooney has been a
member of this community

for many years.

In all that time, his honesty
and his responsibility

has never been questioned.

Now he intends to make good the payments

on these plows, but he's
been sick, unable to work.

Now, if the court could
just grant him an extension.

The law doesn't
recognize good intentions.

I shouldn't have to remind
you of that, Mr. Adams.

You're supposed to be a lawyer.

- But your honor, am I not justified

in asking the court's
indulgence in this case?

If you take Tom Cooney's
farm tools away from him,

you'll take away his only
means of earning a living.

- Mr. Adams, this is a court of law,

not an employment agency.

Tom Cooney signed an
agreement with Vincent Blaxton

of the Crownport Auto and Supply Company.

This agreement stated
if he missed a payment

on those plows, Mr. Blaxton
could take them back.

Is that right, Mr. Cooney?

- Well, er, yes, your honor, but--

- All right, counselor,
judgment against Thomas Cooney.

- But it, it was just one payment.

If you give me a chance to--

I don't care whether you
say it's fair or not.

It ain't!

Get him out of here.

- Come on, Tom. This isn't gonna help.

- I know it ain't gonna help!

Nothing's gonna help in a town like this.

Officer.

- Come on.
- Let go of me.

- Come on.

Looks like you just lost
yourself another vote, fella.

Come on.

- It ain't right. I know it ain't right.

Crownport versus
Joe Grant. Step up, Joe Grant.

- Name?

- Joe Grant.

- Hmm, shooting ducks
without a Crownport permit.

- I didn't get a chance to shoot.

- You were going to.

- Of course I was, you fool.

That's why I bought a state license.

- We also require a
Crownport license, Mr. Grant,

and ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Hundred dollars or 30 days.

- Which one of you gentlemen do I pay?

- The clerk.

- Should've bought it from
me in the first place,

saved yourself a lot of dough.

- I assume that this $100 will permit me

to resume my hunting without
further interference?

- Your assumption is wrong.

You still need a Crownport stamp,

and an officer enforcing the law

is not interfering, Mr. Grant.

As a judge, I advise you to
be careful of your words.

Next case.

- Crownport versus Bert
Line. Step up Bert Line.

- Hi, Tom.

I'm sorry it turned out that way.

- Guess that's the only
way it coulda turned out.

- No, I thought we had a chance,

but I guess I shoulda known.

What are you gonna do now?

- Farm's no good to me
without tools to work it.

Guess I'll lose it.

Bank'll start yelling for
its money pretty soon.

You know, Bill, sometimes it's just more

than a man can stand.

I gotta think of something to do.

If I could only-- - Yeah,
I know, Tom. I know.

Look, why don't you come
by the office later on

and we'll talk about it, huh?

Hello, boys.

Shave, Homer.

- I hear poor Tom Cooney lost his case.

- Yeah, he'll probably
lose his farm now, too.

It's a shame.

You know,
Homer, that's what I like

about the fellas around your shop,

they enjoy the good things of life.

Like a guy who can't meet his mortgage

or a poor farmer getting
ripped out of his plow.

- Maybe if Cooney had a real sharp lawyer.

- Maybe if we had a bank that would extend

an honest man credit or a judge that would

give him a break.

- Talk like that isn't gonna
get you any votes, Adams.

- If I could afford a 50 cent
cigar, I could get yours.

- Just a shave.
- Sure, mister.

Stranger in town?

- Uh.
- Aiming to stay long?

- Long enough to get a shave.

- Great little town, isn't it, old timer?

Yeah, Judge Harkley really
gave you a welcome, didn't he?

And our constable, Oren
Todds, that's Homer's cousin.

Oh, he's all law and order.

Regular minute man, isn't he, Homer?

Er, how many minutes did it take

before he tried to shake you down?

- It's a shame.

Ever notice how a fella
who can't make a living

in a town always tries to run it down?

- You know Mr. er, Grant, isn't it?

- Yes.

- Mr. Grant, might be fun to bust up

one of the constable's little rackets.

How 'bout being a guinea pig?

Let me turn this into a test case.

- Mister, there ain't a
case this ambulance chaser

wouldn't take if there was two bucks

and a vote in it for him.

- Howdy boys.

- How do, Mr. Mayor.

- Much of a wait, Homer?

- With you in a minute, Mr. Mayor.

- Hello there, my worthy opponent.

I'm sorry about Tom Cooney.

I hope he doesn't go to pieces over this.

- Well, he's really got
something to go to pieces over.

- You know, it's a funny
thing about some fellas.

No matter where you put 'em,
everything goes wrong for 'em.

- Hiya Tom, you looking for me?

I'll be with you in a minute.

- Yeah, I-- Look, Mr. Mayor, I--

- If there's anything I can do for you,

if you need a little
ready cash or something--

- I don't want charity.

- They can't change the law, Tom.

- You're the mayor.

- But I'm not a nursemaid
to every man in town

who can't take care of himself.

- All right, Cooney, that's
enough. Now, beat it.

- Keep your hands off of me.

- Let him alone, Blaxton.

- Bill, Bill, this is all my fault.

- I wish you hadn't had to do that, Vinny.

- Aw, he's had it coming
to him for a long time.

- That boy is turning
into an awful radical.

You could tell that by the speech he made

accepting the nomination.

- That kind of talk is never gonna make

a mayor or Crownport.

- It's too bad.

Nothing I'd like better than
to see some bright, young fella

come along who could take my place.

But Bill Adams?

- It'll take a man to fill
your shoes, Mr. Mayor.

- Ned Darrow dropped in this morning.

Said to give you his regards.

- What's my bill?

- Just a shave?
- Yes.

- Fifty cents.

Hey, mister, I said 50
cents, not a quarter.

Guess you made a mistake, friend.

- No, you made the mistake, friend.

- You picked the wrong
customer that time, Homer.

- First fella in 10 years
ever flipped it back on me.

- Come on in, old timer.

- Thank you.

- Well, you interested in boats?

- Yes.

- That's a rather interesting model.

She's the Columbia.

A square-rigged foremaster.

- Nice work.
- Mmm.

Oh, and here's a nice one.

This is a Barquentine,
foremast square-rigged,

the other mast, fore- and aft-rigged.

Rather unusual.

- For sale?

- Oh, no, no, no.

No, they're not that good.

It's only a hobby, just for fun.

- I see you're running for mayor.

- Yeah.

- Sort of a hobby, too, just for fun?

- No, not quite.

Mayor Connison, you saw
him in the barber shop,

well he and his boys have
been running this town

for a long time.

Make it pretty tough for anybody

who comes up against 'em.

- Yes, I gathered as much.

- Well, a lot of people have
been getting tired of it.

I haven't much time, myself.

The army's gonna grab me
in a couple of months.

But, I thought I might at
least get the ball rolling

and, for once, give him a fight.

- But not too much of a fight.

- Something you wanted to
see me about, Mr. Grant?

- In the barbershop, Mr.
Adams, you mentioned the fact

that you might like to make
a test case of my fine.

Were you serious?

- Yes, yes I think you've got a case.

- You do? How would you go about it?

- Well, we'd--

- Of course, the law requires
a stamp. I didn't have one.

- No, no, but I think I
could work out an appeal.

- An appeal? On what grounds?

Was the fine illegal?

- Oh, no, no, they had
a right to fine you.

- The fact that I was
unfamiliar with the law?

- No, that's no excuse, obviously.

- Obviously.

Then what would you base
your appeal on, Mr. Adams?

The fact that it's Tuesday
and the sun is shining?

- Look, I haven't had much
time to give it thought.

But I can figure out an angle.

There must be one lying around somewhere.

- Oh yes, I'm sure there is.

In the meanwhile, you
can always make a living

as a carpenter.

- Hiya, Bill. Oh, you're busy?

- No Charlie, come on in.

Mr. Grant, Charlie Craig,
my campaign manager.

- How do you do, sir?
- Hi.

- Any new votes, Charlie?

- About enough to fill a dog's ear.

Say, I just heard about Tom Cooney.

- Yeah, he's taking it pretty hard.

- I signed the same kind of note he did,

so it don't look so good for
that tractor of mine, either.

You couldn't get me a
couple weeks' postponement,

could ya?

- I'll try, Charlie, but there's no use

appealing to Blaxton,
not with the way he's got

his business set up.

- His hopping on my tail wouldn't burn me

if I hadn't had so much
trouble with that tractor.

Every time I needed a spare part

I had to send for it, myself.

Blaxton never carried 'em in stock.

- Did Blaxton promise you such service?

- Well, no, there's
nothing in the contract

about providing service.

- Has Blaxton lived up to
all his legal obligations

as seller of the tractor?

- Well, sir, you sound like a
lawyer, yourself, Mr. Grant.

- Yes, well, I was about 20 years ago.

- Well maybe you could give
Bill here a pointer or two.

Anyway, I'm glad to have met you.

Be seeing you, Mr. Mayor, I'm going out

and see if I can't agitate
a few votes for ya.

- Well, Mr. Grant, since you
have some knowledge of the law,

you've probably decided

there's nothing much I can do for you.

- Well, what about Craig?

What are you gonna do about him?

- What can I do for him?

With Harkley on the bench,

you saw what happened to Tom Cooney.

- You can't blame that on Judge Harkley.

You went into that
courtroom without a defense,

that's why you got whipped.

- Well, then, I guess
I'll get whipped again.

- I guess you will.

You're not much of a
fighter, are you Mr. Adams?

Except in barbershop brawls.

- Oh, stop it.

You can't fight brass
knuckles with spit balls.

The trick in this town is
either to play the game

their way, and I haven't
the stomach for that,

or to be as smart as they are.

- The trick, Mr. Adams, is to be smarter.

- Well, does that wind up your business

or are you going to stay and
give me the first five lessons

in how to win friends
and influence judges?

- No, Mr. Adams, I'm not.

Those lessons have been
written and very well written

in books like this, and all the others.

And somewhere in one of
them, there's a lesson

mentioning that in any
transaction between a seller and

a buyer, there are laws
governing the behavior

of both parties.

But I doubt if you can keep
afloat long enough to find it.

You know, Mr. Adams, I've
seen you in action now,

as a lawyer, as a candidate for mayor,

and as a shipbuilder.

And if you'll take my advice,
you'll stick to shipbuilding.

There's a great future in it, for lawyers.

- Excuse me, sir, for
breaking in like this,

but I think I found it.

- Yes, yes, that covers it.

- You said you hadn't
practiced law for 20 years.

Imagine remembering a thing like that.

- Have you had dinner, Mr. Adams?

- No thanks, not hungry.

I think this'll cover it.

It should work, but I've been
battered down by those guys

so often I guess I haven't
too much confidence.

- How long have you lived
in Crownport, Mr. Adams?

- Twenty-eight years with time off

for college and law school.

- Mm-hmm. Never established
residence in any other state?

- No.
- You're sure of that?

- Well, of course.

Well, we went to Mexico for a few months

when I was seven, but--

- Did you file an income
tax return for 1939 and -40?

- Why, sure.

I didn't pay anything in
1940. I didn't earn enough.

But I filed a return.

- And your figures were honest, correct,

and would bear investigation?

- What? Why, of course they were.

- Oh, you're getting nervous, Mr. Adams.

- I'm not nervous, I'm merely--

- Yes, yes you are. You're flustered.

You're raising your voice.

- Well, why shouldn't I raise my voice?

You've as good as accused me
of falsifying my income taxes.

- I've accused you of nothing, Mr. Adams.

- Now look, I don't know
what you have on there,

but I want to tell you--
- Here, take a look.

It's, er,

it's an old trick that
Justice Brandeis used to play.

I read about it in Collier's once.

You see, it's an
unfortunate fact, Mr. Adams,

that every man, even you
and I, has done something

that he doesn't want
anybody to know about.

Now if you can make him
think that you're holding

in your hand, the skeleton in his closet--

- You've got him.

- Well, let's say at least
you've got him squirming,

nervous, worried, as you were.

But if that man happens to have
a really guilty conscience.

- Your full name is Vincent Z. Blaxton?

- Yes.

- Tell me, Mr. Blaxton,
what does the Z stand for?

- Do I have to answer that, your honor?

- What can be your objection?

Surely you have nothing to hide.

- Well, the Z,

well the Z stands for Zephyr.

It's a family name.

- Zephyr?

Means a little wind, I believe?

- Quiet.

- Mr. Blaxton, you're
the owner and manager

of the Crownport Auto and Supply Company?

- Yes.

- The, er, the sole owner?

- Why sure, of course.

- No silent partners?

- No.

Well, of course there are people--

- Then you're not the sole owner?

- I didn't say that. I just said--

- It seems very strange to me, Mr. Blaxton

you don't know whether you
own your own business or not.

- I object.

That question is irrelevant, immaterial,

and calculated to confuse the witness.

- Objection sustained.

Counselor will restrict
himself to the facts

bearing on this case.

- Mr. Blaxton, your company sells mostly

used cars and tractors in this town.

Almost a monopoly, isn't it?

- I do the most business
because I sell my stock

at the lowest prices.

That's not monopoly.

That's,

that's the American way of life.

- Now tell me, Mr. Blaxton,

carry spare parts for your customers?

- Sure.

- Hmm.

Do you have in stock, at this moment,

piston rings for the 1938
tractors you sold in this town?

- Mmm.
- Well, Mr. Blaxton?

- Well no, I don't.

- Oh, then you don't
carry all the spare parts

your customers might need?

Well I can always
get 'em if they need 'em.

Yes, but sometimes
your customers have to wait.

- Sure, it takes two weeks.

If I ain't got 'em, how can they have 'em?

- An intelligent answer, Mr.
Blaxton, and an honest one.

And one which will require
the court to enter judgment

against you in this case.

- Will counselor explain that statement?

- Certainly, your honor.

Motor vehicle laws, 1919,
chapter 174, section 52.

The sale of any automobile or
any other automotive vehicle

is void unless the dealer
carries, in stock at all times

and on demand, parts that
may be needed to repair

the particular make of vehicle.

- Will you let me see that reference?

Counselor would seem to be correct.

- You put it over, Bill.

Say, this will take
care of Tom Cooney, too.

- You're telling me!

- Oh, er, Mr. Grant!

Hi, I thought you were going hunting.

- Well, all the ducks are inside today.

I see you winged a couple, yourself.

- Oh, of course it's nothing really big.

Oh, who am I kidding?

I'm so tickled I feel like a combination

of Superman and a member
of the Supreme Court.

Really, I don't know how
to thank you, Mr. Grant.

- Oh, no need to, my boy.

First time I've enjoyed
a courtroom in years.

- Bill! Hey!

Thank you, fellas.

You know what this stuff is?

No, Mr. Grant, he wouldn't.

William, this is American money.

Good, old folding money.

You know what you can do with this stuff?

You can buy things that
you need. You get it?

- Yeah, but what I don't
get is where you got it.

- Well, seeing Blaxton get trimmed

warmed some hearts and unloosed
a couple of purse strings.

The boys have kicked in
for your campaign fund.

You know what we're gonna do
with this beautiful stuff?

We're gonna get some posters
printed, great big ones,

the kind that look ya
right, straight in the eye

and follow ya around.

- Why get frightened?

So Adams does win one rotten, little case.

- Do you know what that case cost me?

- You can afford it.

- If it had happened
to your hotel, Roscoe,

you'd scream like a stuck pig.

- Stop it, stop it.

Seriously, Jim, you don't see
Adams as real competition?

- Well, as things stand now, no.

But if a lot of people
start thinking of Bill Adams

as the people's champion, well.

- Jim, there was nothing else I could do.

I can give you boys the
edge when it's a question

of interpretation.

But not when the law's right
there in black and white.

- Oh, I'm not blaming you, judge.

It's just something to start
thinking about, that's all.

- You think we'll have trouble?

- Well, now look boys, on second thought,

we may be getting all
steamed up for nothing.

- Yeah, but suppose he
opens a lot of old cases

like Tom Cooney's?

- I think you've got
something there, Zephyr.

We'll just have to show
the boy that he's wrong.

- Miss Gilbert?
- No.

- Miss Gilbert?
- Yes.

- That's better. That's much better.

I'm Bill Adams. Mr. Grant
asked me to meet you.

- Yes, I know.

- Here, let me take that.
The car's over here.

- Oh!

- Er, is it,

do you think we should try
to scoop some of that up?

No, I guess not, huh?

Well, er, everything
seems to be under control.

- Would it be all right with you

if we went to your car now?

- The car? Oh no, no, yes.

Right here.

Er, sorry to get off to such a bad start.

I'm not always so clumsy.

- Oh! My hat.

- Don't worry, we'll, we'll get it.

Er, how long have you
worked for Mr. Grant?

Hmm?

- Two years.

- Quite a character, isn't he?

- Quite.

- You know, I, I was very
surprised when he told me

his secretary was coming down.

I had an idea the old boy was retired.

- The old boy is far from retired.

Where is he now, Mr. Adams?

- He went over to Wellbridge this morning

to do some hunting.

He ought to be back soon.

I was going to drive you around the town,

but, er, I guess you want
to get cleaned up now.

- Yes, I think I will.

- I'll take you straight to the hotel.

- You are running for mayor?

- Mm-hmm. Surprised?

- That's putting it
very mildly, Mr. Adams.

- Well, make the most of it, lady,

because that's likely
to be the only surprise

you'll get in this town.

- Who's the girl with Adams?

- Don't know. What
difference does it make?

- I'd like a room, please, by the day.

- No baggage?

- Well, she's just here--

- I don't register women
without baggage in my hotel.

Henry, show this lady out.

- But you don't understand.

- Yes, I do.

- Why, you.

- Please, Mr. Adams. Let me explain.

I've only got--
- Come on, sister, beat it.

- Take your hands off her.

- Oh, yeah?

- Nice work, pal.

I tell you, you can't do this!

- No thanks from the thief, mister.

- Oh, but officer.

Hey, officer!

Hey, sergeant.

Sergeant, I want to use that phone.

- Will you please keep quiet, your honor?

- I'm just trying to get
us outta here, you know.

- Why didn't you think of
that before you got us in?

- Look, I'm very sorry this happened,

but it isn't my fault.

- I suppose I started the fight.

- You sure did all
right once it got going.

Ho, ho, ho, what a gal. And what a wallop.

Yeah, Miss G, you're really some scrapper.

- Say, Roscoe Swade asked
me to call you, judge.

We've got Bill Adams in here with a dame,

assault and battery.

How long do you want us to hold him here?

- Oh, just let them stew
for a while, sergeant.

Adams will probably want
to get in touch with me.

Yeah.

Oh, oh he does, huh?

Well, I'm out of town. You
can't reach me anywhere.

That's right. Overnight.

- Will you have the chef
prepare a couple of these

for tomorrow night's dinner?

And I'll have my key, please.

- Yes, sir.

- What room did you put Miss Gilbert in?

- Gilbert?

There's no Miss Gilbert registered.

- Well, that's strange.

- Anything wrong, Mr. Grant?

- Why yes, I was expecting
my secretary today.

Mr. Adams was to have met her.

- Your secretary?
- Yes.

Miss Gilbert, Miss Lucy Gilbert.

Have you heard from her?

- No, no, not exactly.

Well, that is, she was
here, but-- - Where is she?

- Well, Mr. Grant, you see, we, er,

we had a little trouble.

- Where is she?

- She's with Adams in the County Jail.

- Well, you get them
out of there, and fast.

- Yes, sir. Yes, sir, right away.

- Bertie, get me Judge Harkley, quick.

- Yes, sir.

- Come in?

- Good evening, Mr. Grant.

- Well, good evening, Miss Gilbert.

I'm sorry I couldn't
meet you at the station.

- So am I, sir.

- However, Mr. Adams seems to
have made your introduction

to Crownport quite spectacular.

- Well, if it amuses you both, of course,

it was quite worthwhile.

- I'm sorry. Sit down, Miss Gilbert.

You, er, you seem tired.

What, what happened?

- Well, when I said the boys

were playing with brass
knuckles, I wasn't kidding.

Look, I win a case from Blaxton.

That makes a good impression around town,

so I walk into Swade's hotel.

Roscoe says something, provokes a fight,

and I land in jail.

That's the way Crownport's run, Mr. Grant.

I hope the fact that
Miss Gilbert was involved

won't upset you.

- The fact that Miss Gilbert was involved

upsets me a great deal.

It strikes me that Swade,
Connison, and company

have just been a little too high-handed.

- Well, you can't fight
the City Hall, sir.

- As candidate for mayor,

that's what you're doing, isn't it?

- Well, I suppose I am,
but boys are starting

to play rough.

- Well, of course, if they play too rough,

you can always go back
to your shipbuilding.

- Yes, I guess I could.

But right now I'm going to
go home and get some sleep.

Miss Gilbert and I have
a date in court tomorrow.

Good night, Miss Gilbert.

Don't hold me against
Crownport. Good night, sir.

- Your notes, perhaps
you'd like to go over them.

- I gather somehow that
you're not very much

drawn to Mr. Adams.

- My personal reactions to
him aren't important, sir.

- Well, I wouldn't be too hasty.

- He attracts too much trouble.

- He certainly does. His
whole approach is wrong.

He shuts his eyes and wades in and slugs.

But he has good stuff.

- Do you think it wise to get
involved with his problems?

After all, you are on your vacation.

- Oh, I'm not involved,

I'm just trying to give the boy a push.

Come in.

- May I turn your bed down, sir?

- Oh, yes, yes, certainly.

- Good night, Mr. Grant.

- Good night.

Oh.

- Oh, I'm all right.

- Good night, Miss Gilbert.

Kind of skimpy, isn't it?

- They just ain't long
enough, none of 'em.

I keep a'tellin' Mr. Swade.

Well, there, that'll have to do.

Good night, sir. Hope you rest well.

- Thank you.

Wrong number.

- Mr. Adams, wake up. This is Mr. Grant.

- What?

Wait a minute.

Yeah?

You want me to what?

- I said, get into your
clothes, get two yardsticks.

Yardsticks.

Come right over here and
register for the night

at the hotel.

I'll tell you all about
it when you get here,

but get here.

- Right.

- Hello, Roscoe.

Give me a single room,
next to Mr. Grant's.

I'll pay in advance.

- Four-thirteen.

- What's the matter, Roscoe?

You don't seem at all happy to see me.

I, er, brought my luggage, too.

- Why should he sleep
here with yardsticks?

He's got a place of his own.

- Hello, get me Miss
Gilbert's room, please.

- When do we start?

- Why should he want to talk to her

in the middle of the night?

I don't know.

- It's Grant.

Yes, Mr. Grant?

Yes, sir.

Right away.

He wants the bellboy right away.

He wants to send something
to Miss Gilbert's room.

- They're up to something,
I know they are.

Henry.

- Take this yardstick to Miss Gilbert.

- Yes, sir.

Oh, Mr. Swade said with his compliments.

- My compliments to Mr.
Swade. I don't eat fruit.

- Thanks.

- Oh, well, wait a minute, miss.

I got a bowl of fruit for ya.

Mr. Swade said, with his compliments.

- My compliments to Mr. Swade.

Tell him I've lost my appetite.

- I couldn't see nothin'.
They blacked out the rooms.

- Number please.

Now she's calling Grant.

Yes, Miss Gilbert?

Seven and a half.

Same here. The others?

Two and a half.

That does it.

- Maybe it's a code.

- Oh, don't worry Roscoe, I'll be back.

Swade's Hotel? Give me Mr. Grant's room.

Mr. Grant?

You were absolutely
right, it's nine and two.

Yeah, I'll be back in a minute.

Oh, er, I think Mr. Swade's gonna be

a little sorry tomorrow that he's bringing

those charges against us.

- Good afternoon, Miss Gilbert, Mr. Grant.

You're looking very
beautiful, Miss Gilbert.

- Really? I didn't sleep at all.

- Probably nervous exhaustion,

due to the unfortunate experience
you underwent yesterday.

Ever spent any time in jail, Mr. Swade?

- Ever been sued for
false arrest, Mr. Swade?

- Miss Gilbert, I've
made up my mind to drop

the complaint against you.

- Well, what about the
complaint against Mr. Adams?

He spent a few hours in jail, too.

- You've got nobody but yourself to thank.

You started this, hitting Henry.

I'll forget you hit me.

- He didn't hit you. I did.

- Well, I'll forget that, too, but--

- But six hours in jail is
something I won't forget,

Mr. Swade.

I think $5,000 damages will
be about right, counselor,

don't you?

- Well, I had thought of 10, but, er--

- No, I think five is enough.

Oh, don't worry, Mr. Swade.

I'll see that the money
goes to a good cause.

I'll invest it in war bonds.

Court is now in session.

Judge Harkley presiding.

Case of Swade versus Gilbert and Adams.

- Judge, I move you
throw my complaint out.

- Your complaint against Miss Gilbert?

- Yes, Adams, too. We
settled it by ourselves.

- Both of them, huh?
- Yeah.

- Well.

Case of Swade versus Gilbert
and Adams, dismissed.

- You can thank Miss Gilbert
for getting you off so easy.

- Thank you, Lucy.

Oh, er, Roscoe.

Just a minute, Roscoe,
we're not quite through yet.

Joe, serve the papers on Mr. Swade.

- Roscoe Swade?

- What are you talking about?

I figured if I dropped
my suit against you,

you'd drop yours against me.

- Relax, Roscoe, this is another suit.

Your honor, I find that in
the management of his hotel,

Mr. Swade is in some violation
of several important laws.

- Oh, what are the charges?

- I brought the evidence
with me, your honor.

The hotel laws of this
state, 1909, section 52.

All sheets provided in all
hotels, hostelries, inns,

or lodging houses shall be a
minimum of nine feet in length.

Seven-and-a-half feet, your honor.

All pillowcases shall be
a minimum of three feet.

Two-and-a-half feet, your honor.

There should be a minimum
distance between all twin beds

of two feet.

Now the beds in my room at the Swade Hotel

were scarcely half a
foot apart, your honor.

I couldn't bring them in
evidence, but I have witnesses

who can testify as to my veracity.

- Let me see this reference.

- Certainly.

- You'll be sorry for
this. You wait and see.

- Will the court warn the defendant

that threats and intimidation
are punishable by law?

- Quiet, Mr. Swade.

And don't you tell me how to run my court.

The law provides a fine of $50.

- For each offense.

- Are you prepared to face these charges

at the present time?

- Yes.

- Do you plead guilty?

- Yes.

- Then pay the clerk.

- Nice work, counselor.

- Half hour recess.

- Well, this couldn't by any chance

be a little gift from Mr. Swade?

- I thought we might end
our celebration in style.

What vintage is that, miss?

- California, 1938.

- Here, I'll do it, miss.

You can tell I'm an amateur.
The bottle resents me.

- Well, it popped, anyway.

Thank you.

- To the next mayor of Crownport.

- Yes, who's learned to use
his head and his law books.

- To my rooting section.

- I think you're on the
right track, counselor.

You keep the Connison's
busy on the little things

and they won't have time
for the bigger ones.

- Neither will I.

- Well, I think I'd like
to do a little hunting

in the morning, if you can
keep your life fairly quiet

for one day.

- Oh, I'll try.

Lucy might keep an eye on me. That'd help.

- I'll be responsible for him, sir.

- Starting with breakfast.

I think Lucy would probably
like some more coffee.

- Yes, I would.

- It'll just keep you awake.

Well, good night.
- Good night.

- Good night, sir.

- More coffee?

- I suppose you're a wonderful dancer.

- Fair.

- I'm awful.

- Good, that'll make me feel superior.

May I have this dance, Mr. Adams?

- Charmed.

Hey, I'm not so bad, am I?

- You're fine.

- I guess the trouble was,

I just never liked to dance before.

- Neither did I.

- You know, Lucy, Crownport's
not such a bad little town.

It's got a lot of nice people in it.

You've just seen the worst side of it.

- Like you?

- No, but what I mean, Lucy, is,

well, can you see yourself
living in a town like Crownport?

No, pretty dull, I guess, huh?

- Very.

Practically nothing's happened
to me since I met you.

- Yes.

No, but seriously,
sometimes I have whole days

of peace and quiet.

We've been together for several hours

and nothing very spectacular's happened.

Not near enough has happened.

Let's get outta here.

Sorry.

- Sometimes you have whole
days of peace and quiet?

Good night, Mr. Adams.

- Oh, that date for
breakfast still stands.

- Good night, Bill.

- Morning, Herbert.

- Well, goodbye Mr. Adams.

- Oh, no.

Oh, no, Mr. Grant said you
were to look after me today.

And what he says, goes.
He's your boss, you know.

- Well, I've had breakfast with you.

- Oh, yes, but I need much
more looking after than that.

Much more.

What the?

- Wait Bill!

Hey!

- I've been trying to find you. Look.

- Hey, what's going on here?

What do you think you're doing?

- You're being evicted.
Here's your notice.

Come on, boys. Don't take all day.

Okay, boss.

- Because of the lumber I keep around,

the place has attracted termites.

How do you like that?

- It's fantastic.

- Look, look, can't you just wait

until I call Ridges and
get this thing fixed up?

- Sure, you can call
him at Swade's office,

but it won't do you no good, pal.

He signed the notice, himself.

Okay, fellas, lift it.

- Yeah, but, at least you
can leave my stuff here

until I can get another office.

- Sorry, orders.

- Well, what difference
does it make to you?

Oh, boy.

- Where's your telephone?

- Right over there.
- Thanks.

- Listen, will you stop
reading me the constitution?

I'm just following orders.

- All I'm asking you to do is--

Hello? Hello, is this
the Andrews Building?

Give me the superintendent, please.

Miss Gilbert!

Miss Gilbert!

- I've been looking for you, Mr. Grant.

They're evicting Bill.

- Evicting Bill? Well, what happened?

- Something about termites.

- Here, just drop my things
at the hotel, will you?

Now, tell me.

Who's responsible for this?

- Seems that Roscoe Swade
has a pal named Hart Ridges.

Happens to be my landlord.

Also happens to be one of Connison's boys.

So Roscoe gives Hart a call and here I am.

Don't worry, though,
I'll get another office.

Hello, hello. This is William Adams.

Yes, I want to rent an office.

What?

Oh, no vacancies.

- Can't we do something, Mr. Grant?

Wait a minute. Be careful with those!

- No vacancies at all, huh?

I see.

Not an office in town. Not even a loft.

Oh, those boys think of everything.

- Connison? Are you sure?

- Who else? It's too
clever for anybody else.

- Who's Bill Adams?

- Do you mean Mayor Adams?

- I'm Bill Adams. What do you want?

- Electric company. Got
orders to discontinue service.

- Efficient, aren't they?

You'll find the box in the back.

- Okay, thanks.

- What's the matter, Mr. Mayor?
Can't you pay your bills?

- You shut your mouth,
or I'll shut it for you.

- Oh, no, no, Tom, no.

That's what they want us
to do, so let's not do it.

- Why not use my sitting room
as temporary headquarters?

- Oh, well, that's awfully
nice of you Mr. Grant,

but I couldn't--
- Why not, Bill?

- You're not going to let them

put you out of business, are you?

- Where's Bill Adams?

- Mr. Mayor, you got more company.

Hey, why don't you
bring out a couple more chairs?

- I'm Adams. What do you want?

- Compliments of the mayor.

He thought you might need some help.

- Well you send my compliments
right back to the mayor

and tell him that--

You tell Mayor Connison I'm
staying right where I am,

out on the street, and before I'm through,

I'll have him out here with me.

- Aw, get a soap box.

- You bet I'll get a soap box.

And if Connison wants to know what I mean,

tell him to come down here and I'll try

explaining it to him personally.

Ladies and gentlemen, please.

Please, just give me a few minutes

until I get my new office set up.

- William, you mean
right here on the street?

- Sure, why not?

We'll hang my shingle on that lamppost.

- You won't be here two hours.

- I know that, sir.

But this time, Connison's gone too far.

He's giving me more publicity
than I ever dreamed of.

I may be here only an hour,
but it'll be a good one.

- I'll get you an office,
now keep out of trouble.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

- Now, is this about right for the desk?

- Oh, no, I think it
should be catty-corner.

- Uh-oh, here, let me take those.

- Watch this.

Excuse me!

- Who threw that?

- Tom Cooney.

- I'll get him.

- Taking volunteers?

- Thanks, friend.

- Bill, Bill, stop this.

- How is he, nurse?

- He's coming along all right.

- Can we see him now?

- I think so.

- You fellas wait. We'll be right out.

- That'll do it, Mr. Grant.

- Thank you.

Where's Mr. Adams?

- How do you feel, Mr. Grant?

- You better take it easy for a while.

- No, no, I'm all right.

Where are Mr. Adams and my secretary?

- Well, he's in jail and
she's trying to get him out.

- Oh, Lucy.

- Did the doctor say you could get up?

- Oh, yes, I'm fine. Where's Bill?

- Still in jail. I've tried everything.

They're holding him for a
$15,000 bail. Inciting to riot.

- This is outrageous. We'll
have to find Judge Harkley.

- We've tried to.

- And he couldn't be found, as usual.

- You can find him at Connison's rally,

about an hour from now,

up on the platform
shootin' his big mouth off.

- No, we'll find him before then.

- It's no use, Mr. Grant.
They got us all sewed up.

They always do.

- Yes, but they took one
stitch too many this time.

They always do that, too. Come on.

- Do you think you should?

- I've got to get the boy out of jail.

- I'm glad you feel that way, sir.

- Yes, well let's not keep
Judge Harkley waiting, huh?

- I want to talk to you, Mr. Harkley.

- Sorry, I haven't any
time to give you right now.

- I'm afraid you'll have to find time.

- See here, you.

- Judge Harkley, acting
on my rights as a citizen,

I demand that you swear
out warrants for the arrest

of Ridges, Swade, Blaxton,
and Mayor Connison.

- You're crazy. On what charges?

- Conspiracy, abuse of public
office, inciting to riot.

I suggest that you come
to the jail with us now

and release Mr. Adams
and sign those warrants.

We'll need a couple more warrants, too,

for some hoodlums.

I have their names.

- You are crazy.

You can't push your way into my house

and order me around.

Do you realize I can have you arrested

for disturbing the peace?

All of you?

- Let's just postpone that, judge.

Ladies and gentlemen, will you excuse us

for just a minute?

Ladies and gentlemen, I
have persuaded Judge Harkley

to change his mind.

He has kindly consented
to release your candidate

in time for the rally tonight.

- Can I describe to Bill
how you got him out?

- Oh, that's not necessary.

- What's the deal, Mr. Grant?

You know something about him?

- No, on the contrary. He
knows something about me.

- Ladies and gentlemen,
I mean, my friends,

for a long time I've been
hoping a man would come along,

a young man, because like I always say,

the future of our great country
belongs to the young folks

who could take over and give us old folks

a chance to sit back and take things easy.

Well, this year I said to myself, Jim,

maybe this Bill Adams is the fella.

But he dashed my hopes
and prayers to the ground.

I saw that he's not the
man we've been waiting for.

That he's nothing but an
agitator, a troublemaker,

stirring up neighbors against each other.

He said he'd be here
tonight. I wish he was.

I hoped that when I got up to talk,

he'd be here on the platform
with me to debate with me

the issues so close to our hearts.

Bill Adams, if you think you're
gonna break up this rally,

you're crazy.

Did you let him out?

- Er, Mr. Mayor, I, er
well Chief Perkins here,

he's got a warrant for your arrest.

- And for the arrest of
Blaxton, Ridges, and Swade.

- Take your hands off me.

- Jim, I couldn't help it.

Honestly, you just better come along.

- Attention, please.
Quiet, quiet everybody.

My friends, I never
thought he'd dare do this,

but you can see for yourselves now,

to what lengths this radical will go

to sabotage a peaceful
meeting of the people.

But I'm calling his bluff.

I'm going to make him bring out
the witnesses to prove this.

As mayor of this town,
I got a right to call

a special hearing and I do,
so the issues will be clear

when you go to the polls to vote tomorrow.

You'll be sorry you ever started this.

- You better remain with us, Mr. Harkley.

We wouldn't want you to
prejudice the mayor's testimony.

Any place there, folks.

Find a seat and sit down.

- That Adams, he's just bluffing.

He ain't got a thing on the mayor.

- No?

- Find a seat and sit down.

- Mr. Grant, I still don't understand.

- Order, order. This
hearing will come to order.

- Judge Harkley, my friends,
I'm not on trial here.

Bill Adams has made
accusations against me.

He's had a warrant
sworn out for my arrest.

This is a hearing to show
you that he has no proof

of anything he says.

But he's trying by a cheap
trick to win an election

he can't win by fair play.

- Judge Harkley.

- Mr. Mayor, you'll have
to moderate your tone.

This is very irregular.

Step one side
and clear the aisle, please.

- Mr. Connison, it's true
that you are not formally

on trial here.

You asked for this hearing,

you demanded by what
right we had you arrested.

We're here to tell you, and to accuse you

of conspiring against men
who honestly oppose you

of inciting a riot with reckless disregard

for human safety, of abusing
the office to which you

have been elected by
the people of this town,

and these accusations we
are prepared to prove.

- I'd hate to see the old
boy get himself involved

like this.

- Don't worry about the
old boy now, darling.

- Mr. Mayor, Mr. Grant
has obtained confessions

from these men.

They have told Mr. Grant
that, acting on your orders,

they started the riot this morning

in order to make possible
Mr. Adams' arrest.

They have sworn to these facts.

Because of this, Mr. Grant,
was able to demand a warrant

for your arrest.

- Mr. Grant swore out a
warrant for my arrest?

A man who doesn't even live in our town.

A meddling old fool who
does nothing but shoot ducks

and start trouble.

- Jim, don't say that.

- I'll say anything I please.

I demand to know who this man
is. Who is this Joe Grant?

- Jim, do yourself a favor. Don't ask.

- That's all right, Judge Harkley.

Mr. Connison, it's not Joe Grant.

It's John Josephus Grant.

Where you from, Grant?

- Washington, D.C.

- Jim, please, no more
questions. Mr. Grant--

- Shut up.

I'll ask all the questions I please.

By what right, and what
do you do, Mr. Grant?

- Mr. Connison, I am a judge,

an associate justice of the Supreme Court

of the United States.

Mr. Connison, you have asked by what right

I've interfered in this situation.

Do you still want an answer?

- Er, Justice Grant, would you care to?

- No, no, no thank you.

- Bill, Bill!

- Just throw some water on him, Lucy.

He'll be all right.

Your honor.

Mayor Connison, it's only
right that you should know

why I, a stranger, have become
involved in your affairs.

Believe me, it's not
because I am a justice

of the Supreme Court.

It's because, like all of you here,

I am a citizen of this country.

That is no little honor.

Men have fought revolutions,
have died to be called citizen.

And as citizens, we carry
a burning responsibility.

It means that, when we
elect men to public office,

we cannot do it as
lightly as we flip a coin.

It means that after we've elected them,

we can't sit back and
say, our job is done.

What they do now doesn't concern us.

That philosophy of indifference
is what the enemies

of decent government want.

If we allow them to have their way

to grow strong and vicious,
then the heroic struggle

which welded thousands
of lovely towns like this

into a great nation means nothing.

Then we're not citizens. We're traitors.

The great liberties by which we live

have been bought with blood.

The kind of government we get

is the kind of government we want.

Government of the people, by the people,

and for the people can mean
any kind of government.

It's our duty to make
it mean only one kind,

uncorrupted, free, united.

I believe, Mayor Connison, that
I've answered your question.

- Now, as soon as court adjourns,

I'll meet you back here in my chambers.

- What's the matter, Mr.
Justice? You seem nervous.

- Oh, no, no, not at all.

How 'bout you, Mayor
Adams? Have you the ring?

Ah.

- Do you know your lines, sir?

- Well, I ought to.

I stayed up half the night learning them.

- Hello there, Grant.

I'm glad to see you.

- Thank you.

- You're looking fine, Josephus.

How was the hunting?

- Oh, best I ever had.

- I'd bet money on it.