All language subtitles for The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977) USA

The man is dead.

The Director
died this morning.

A coronary.

I'll be right there.

I know what to do
about the files.

NIXON: It is with a
profound sense of
personal loss

that I learned of the
death of J. Edgar Hoover.

This truly remarkable man

has served his country
for 48 years under
eight presidents.

As Director of the FBI
with unparalleled devotion
and ability

and dedication.

For 25 years, from
the time I came to Washington
as a freshman Congressman.

He's been one of my
closest, personal friends
and advisors.

And every American,
in my opinion

owes J. Edgar Hoover
a great debt.

For building the FBI

into the
finest law enforce...

You've been after
Hoover's ass for over
thirty years, Dave,

you're gonna miss him.

Sure. I'm going to
miss having my room searched,
my phone tapped.

[LAUGHS]

Boy, that city will have
something on everybody
in this town.

I wonder what's going
to happen to that
information now.

MAN: How many years
were you an agent?

DWIGHT: I quit after
almost 20 years.

Hoover shipped me
out to Detroit

because I got hot nuts
over a secretary.

Can you believe that?

You know how
Mr. Hoover was about
anything sexual.

Well, whatever is in that
file, I want to have it.

I'm not speaking
for myself alone.

There are a good
many others...

All of us are afraid now

that what he held
may fall into
Nixon's hands.

I guess Nixon's
been wanting to
get his hands

on the Bureau ever
since they turned him down
to be an agent years ago.

I'll see what I can do, sir.

We've waited a long time
for this to happen,
Mr. President.

NIXON:
Thanks to Mr. Hoover's files,

we're finally going to
pay back all those people

who've been
kicking us around.

And I'm particularly
interested to see
what Hoover had on us.

AIDE: He'll shred them
before he lets us get
our hands on them.

The President has to
move in physically

and simply take
possession of those files.

DWIGHT: If it wasn't for
the files, there might never
have been a J. Edgar Hoover

or an FBI as we know it.

Back after
World War One,

the Bureau of Investigation
was the most corrupt branch
in the Federal Government.

It was a nest of
strike breakers
and crooked appointees.

Mr. Hoover was just an
obscure clerk

in the
Alien Registration Section

who had a fixation
about Communists and radicals.

He started spying on them
on his own time.

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

[CROWD CHEERING]

DWIGHT: September 16th, 1920,

the J.P. Morgan Bank
on Wall street was bombed.

38 were killed.

The public demanded
something to be done
about these radicals.

And the only man who knew
anything about them
was J. Edgar Hoover.

He came up with the idea
of deporting all aliens
who were Communists.

But he wanted
to do it legally.

[ALL CLAMORING]

[SCREAMING]

We ought to put
all these Reds on a boat

and take it out to sea
and set fire to it.

Well, you're
Mr. Palmer's man,
aren't you?

You boys in Washington
sure threw us
a hot potato.

Why are these people
being held incommunicado?

Well, just take
a look at 'em.

Half of 'em
can't even talk.

We'll be well rid
of the lot.

HOOVER: It's the same thing
at the other
houses of detention.

Hundreds of persons
are being picked up

that don't belong
to any communist
organization.

Your people set it up.
We're just following
out orders.

I wrote those orders.
There was to be
no violence.

They resisted arrest
and they got
what was coming to 'em.

It was your job
to make the arrests,
not to mete out punishment.

You throw a lot of
weight around for such
a young fellow.

Are you familiar
with rule 22 of your
immigration regulations?

I thought we were
supposed to deport them,
not kiss their asses.

Every one of those aliens
has the right to legal
council before his hearing.

I want them given
that immediately.

You're a real
bleeding heart,
ain't you?

I'd like to make use
of your telephone
to call Washington.

You go ahead.
Ryan, show him
where the phone is.

For all the good
it'll do him.

Just get out of there, Edgar.
Nobody cares about it.

We're responsible.
I drew up the justification
for these raids.

But I relied on Rule 22.

Rule 22 has been suspended.

Attorney General Palmer
doesn't want these aliens
to have lawyers.

All these people
were picked up illegally.

We're kicking them
out of the country,
aren't we?

Let 'em complain
to their friends
back in Moscow.

[ALL CLAMORING]

Please, do you
speak English?

Anybody speak English?

You're stepping on
too many toes,
young fellow.

You're finished
in the Justice Department
I promise you that.

Coming?

I live with my father.

I knew we had
something in common.

I live with my mother.

Well, come on in,
Edgar.

Well, this is it.

Father's not here.
He's gone to visit
my sister in Mobile.

Sometimes it gets
a bit lonesome. But...

I see how it could.

Would you like to hear
a new piano piece?

Thank you very much.

Please, sit down.

Come on over and
have a seat by me.

Edgar.

What is it?

Edgar, you must think
me terribly forward.

You're a very pretty girl,

and I'm glad you like me.

I do.
You're so
very sweet.

Come on,
come sit down.

I want you to
stay with me?

That's okay.

I have to do everything,
but I understand.

I don't mind.

Who put you up to this? What?

Don't look so innocent. Am I being kidded?

I mean, why else
would a girl want me?

A girl like you.
Unless somebody paid her.

I like you, Edgar.

Is there a photographer
in the hall?

Are you joking?

You fool. Stop.

What are you looking for?
Are you crazy?

You know there's
nothing in there.

Stop!

Is it so little
you think of yourself?

Come in, Mr. Hoover.

Mr. Attorney General.

So you're the young man
that we have to thank
for the Palmer raid.

Unfortunately I drafted those
legal briefs that were
responsible for the arrests.

You're aware that I was a
outspoken opponent
of those raids.

And you defended
the conscientious objectors
during the war.

Yes.

Rather an odd choice
for an Attorney General,

but I imagine
President Coolidge
had his reasons.

Won't you sit down?

I expected this to be
a very brief meeting, sir.

You thought I'd be asking
for your resignation.

The Bureau of Investigation's
director, Mr. Burns,

was fired this morning.

I suppose this
Teapot Dome scandal
means the end of the Bureau.

On the contrary.

See, I waited for
over a month.

The problem was
that we had to
get a successor

who I could trust.

I have decided, young man,
that I want you to become

the acting director of the
Bureau of Investigation.

Say, by the way,
how old are you?29.

Oh, that's right.
Yeah, the Boy Scout.

Well, what do you say?
Do you want the job
or don't you?

I'll accept the job,
Mr. Stone, under
certain conditions.

What conditions?

Appointments to
the Bureau are to be
based on merit only.

Promotions will be given
with proven ability,

and the Bureau will be
responsible only to
the Attorney General.

Well, that's an innovation.

But it's the only way
I'd give it to you.

Well, now you can
go to work.

No, Sir.
I want it in writing.

In writing?

I want the Bureau staffed
with lawyers and accountants.

The highest caliber of men.

Is there anything else? No, Sir.

Not for now.

DWIGHT: My father was in
the Bureau of Investigation
under Burns,

attached to the
Oklahoma City field office.

When Mr. Hoover took over,

he summoned many
of the agents to Washington
to meet with him.

Among them my father
and another young agent
named Melvin Purvis.

HOOVER: We're no longer
going to be known as
the Bureau of Easy Virtue.

Tapping of telephones
will be forbidden.

I want investigators,
not eavesdroppers.

Drinking, non-payment of
debts, easy sexual practices

will lead to
summary dismissal.

Pretty impressive, huh?

He's just a clerk.

One of those night school
lawyers who joined Justice
to beat the draft.

I, uh, Bob

I understand he
wants to start a
crime laboratory and

put in a national
fingerprint file.

Now those aren't bad ideas.

Webb... I give him
six months.

Excuse me, sir. Shannahan.
Bureau of Investigation.

May I have a word
with you, please?

You guys don't carry
any guns, do you?

It's become open season
on FBI agents.

I am sick of the newspapers
and pulp magazines
glorifying these gunmen.

Making heroes
out of outlaws.

It's about time
to fight fire with fire.

You know something?

The press seems to enjoy
writing stories about these
bank robbers and killers.

They're supposed
to be colorful.

I think it's time
we acquired a little
color ourselves.

DWIGHT: Hoover brought in
Henry Suydam

to create a publicity image
for the Bureau.

You write a series
of articles for an
American Magazine.

Hard-hitting
crime-busting stories.

That'll excite the reader.

Where'd you get that
busted nose, Edgar?
In a fight?

He had a cyst removed
from his nose
when he was 11.

Well, we'll compromise.

You were hit in the snoot
by a pitched ball.

A few fibs can't hurt.

Look, I've never actually
arrested anyone.

I'm an attorney, not a cop.
An administrator.

You'd better start
thinking like
America's top cop.

"Top Cop"

has a nice ring to it.

I have a friend in New York,
a popular columnist named
Winchell, Walter Winchell.

I met him. He gave us
some good leads
in the Lindbergh ransom.

He's starting a nationwide
radio program shortly.

He might be very helpful.

Mr. and Mrs. United States,
hats oil to America's top cop,
J. Edgar Hoover.

Top cop Hoover, who wages
a never-ending war

in all 48 states
against that criminal army

that threatens each and
every man, woman and child
in this great country.

DWIGHT: When Roosevelt
was elected,

it seemed like Mr. Hoover,
a Republican appointee,
would be replaced.

Then in Kansas City,
police and

FBI men were escorting
gangster Frank Nash back to
Hot Springs, Arkansas when...

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

Police Chief Reed,
two detectives and
one FBI man were killed.

Two other FBI men
were wounded.

The nation's sympathy
went out to the Bureau,

and it saved
the Director's job.

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

Yeah. We carry guns now.

Don't shoot, G-man.
Don't shoot.

G-man. Machine Gun Kelly
has given us the hook
we've been looking for.

G-man, I want to see that
on the newsstands.

In the publications.
In the headlines.

WINCHELL: One after another,
public enemies,

Pretty Boy Floyd,
Baby Face Nelson, Ma Barker
and her son Fred Barker,

have been cut down
in their tracks by your agents

of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation.

Another feather in the
cap of bloodhound
John Edgar Hoover.

Real life "Dick Tracy" Hoover,

whose very name strikes
terror in the hearts of
the nation's underworld.

Purvis, how is it
in Chicago?

Record heat wave in the city.
23 deaths.

Mr. Dillinger will make it
an even 24.

Our informant called.
Ana Cumpanas.

She says she'll finger
Dillinger for us,

if we drop
deportation proceedings
against her.

They're going to
either the Marbro
or the Biograph Theater.

What's playing there?

You should be there, Edgar.

If he were to
get away again, Nanny,
it might prove embarrassing.

For the Bureau.

MAN: Dillinger!

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

I'm going to be
bigger than Hoover.

[SIREN BLARING]

Dillinger is dead.

How many bystanders?

Two. But they'll
be all right.

What about our informant,
Mrs. Cumpanas?

Keep her from talking
to the press
and deport her.

Yes, sir.

There's no romance
in a dead rat.

DWIGHT: After that, Hoover
always had a kind of
obsession about Dillinger.

He kept his death mask
in his outer office,
like a hunting trophy.

But he couldn't stand it
that he hadn't shot
Dillinger personally.

Purvis.

Particularly when Purvis
began getting his name
in the newspapers.

How do you do,
Mr. Hoover?Get in.

I see you and the press
have become fast friends.

You don't have to worry
about me anymore, Mr. Hoover.

I'm resigning.

I'm going on the radio
for Post Toasties.

I always kinda liked
Post Toasties.

You ought to try
the radio, Mr. Hoover.

I bet you'd sell
a lot of breakfast cereal.

I've been reading a good deal
of your publicity.

And I don't believe anybody is

doing more injury to
honest law enforcement
in this country,

than you are with your
publicity seeking feats.

A detective who
advertises his exploits

every opportunity he gets.

Who spends the public money

to get his name
spread all over
the pages of newspapers

in flaming headlines.

Senator.

How many actual men
have you arrested
in your career?

[CLEARS THROAT]

My duties here
in Washington keep me
out of the field.

You mean, America's "Top Cop"

hasn't even made one arrest
in his entire career.

I've got to make
a goddamn arrest.

And no small fish.
It has to look good.

This son of a bitch Purvis
is making a celebrity
out of himself,

while I'm supposed to be
a desk jockey.

How about
Alvin "Creepy" Karpis?
That big enough?

DWIGHT: Karpis, was the last
surviving member of the
Ma Barker gang.

Mr. Hoover wanted to
arrest him single-handed,

but everybody else
got into the act.

Let's go.

HOOVER: You're under
arrest, Karpis.

The man himself.

Give me your cuffs.

Handcuffs.

Well, who's got the cuffs?

Shit!

Sorry, Mr. Hoover.

What about this? Tie his hands with that.

[LAUGHING] Your boys are
pretty nervous, huh?

Probably worried about you.

Hey, where you going? Why?

'Cause, if it's the
federal post office building
you're looking for,

you're driving in the
wrong direction.

Are you lost,
young man? Yes, Sir.

Don't worry, I can
tell you where to go.

I was planning to rob it.

Now when you get
to the next corner
take a left.

Before my next arrest,
I promise you

I'll bring my own handcuffs
and a road map.

Mr. Hoover.

Before any more
photographs are taken,
you get a tie on.

DWIGHT:
Purvis' notoriety faded.

He opened up his own
detective agency,

but Hoover saw to it
that Purvis didn't keep
any important clients.

Kind of quietly put him
out of business, you see,
ruined him.

And finally Purvis broke.

Hello. You're there,
aren't you?

You're always there.

I know.

I hear the click.

I always hear the click.

I've got a message for you.

I want you to
give it to Hoover.

[GUN FIRES]

DWIGHT: Murder Inc.
boss Lepke was the
nation's number one fugitive.

Hoover warned the underworld

that every Italian gangster
would be fair game for the FBI
if he didn't get Lepke.

The syndicate itself ordered
Lepke to surrender to Hoover.

Hello, Edgar, we've been
waiting for you.

Uh, this is Mr. Hoover.

Edgar, meet
Louis Buchalter Lepke.

My pleasure, Mr. Hoover.

You wanna go through
the pockets now?

No need to search him.
He's not armed.

Would you wait
in the front seat
of my car, Mr. Lepke?

You bet, Walter.
Anything you say.

Don't worry, Edgar.
You'll get all
the credit.

Single-handed,
America's "Top Cop."

But don't forget
the deal.

You're going to take him
as a federal prisoner,

so he won't have to be handed
over to New York State
to face the chair.

His ass is going to burn
in Sing Sing.

Edgar.

You are one
son of a bitch.

DWIGHT: Thus when the books
and the movies started,

it was all
strictly controlled.

Nothing critical was
ever written about
the Bureau.

The bestselling books
that bore Hoover's name

were actually written
by employees of the
Crime Records Division.

federal employees
on the federal payroll.

So Hoover received
the author's royalties

for work that was done
by government employees
under government salary.

Edgar, you didn't
acquire this bird in a
pet shop, did you, dear?

You're right, Mother.

There's a prisoner
named Stroud allowed to
breed birds in his cell.

I paid him
five dollars for it.

Mmm-hmm.
Well, he belongs in a cell.

This particular canary
happens to be

an artificially
colored sparrow.

You've been taken
advantage of again son.
Gullible.

DWIGHT: After his mother died,
the Director was left alone.

Well, he had a maid,
of course, to look after him.

But for all
intents and purposes,
he lost his best friend.

HOOVER: I am not criticizing
the so-called glamour girl.

They're attractive
in their way but they
don't seem real or sincere.

And they certainly don't
live up to my expectations

of what a woman should be.

I've always held girls
and women on a pedestal.

Something to be looked up to.
Honored, worshipped.

If men would remember this
and keep them there,

their married life
would be a lot better.

I've had this idea
about women
all the days of my life.

ROOSEVELT: I'd like to
know more about this
German-American Bund.

Let's find out whether
they're just a bunch of

Lindbergh lovers

or whether they're
actual Nazi agents.

Well, that would entail
going underground,
planting informants.

Placing wiretaps.

I've been against wiretaps
ever since I took over
the Bureau.

Probably unconstitutional.

Well, let's not ask
Congress anything.

I've had enough trouble
with them as it is.

Well, we're already
breaking the law,

passing along
classified information
to British Intelligence,

so why don't we
just go right ahead?

We'll both
go to jail together.

All right, Edgar,

you've always wanted
to play a master spy.

Go to it. Mr. President, you wouldn't

uh, like to give me that
in writing, would you?

No, it's not for the record.
Just don't get caught

DWIGHT: This conversation
with Roosevelt was the only
authority Mr. Hoover ever had

to tap the phones
of American citizens,

burglarize their homes
and bug their bedrooms.

And he kept right on
doing it for the next
30 years.

Care to meet Ginger Rogers?
She's sitting over there.

Yeah, I know the lady.
I used to take her mother out.

So now we know, huh?It was purely a friendship,
that's all.

Oh, for a moment there
I though the boss
was slipping.

I can't tell you
how many times
I tried to introduce him

to a couple of
very agreeable
chorus girls.

Take a fling.
J. Edgar Hoover
won't catch you.

[ALL LAUGH]

Look, I don't fit in.
Take a look at this kisser.

Did you ever
see anybody look more
like a cop?

Or a hood.

HOOVER: All right,
I've heard enough.

You see, Edgar's in a
very delicate position.

I mean, he keeps himself
so busy at that Bureau

he hasn't got time
to consider marriage.

And a man in his position
can't very well afford to

uh, be caught
playing around, huh?

But if you don't
they'll get you for that.

You know, sort of
sly innuendos,
limp wrist stuff.

All right, all right,
stop razzing me.

RUNYON: I've never seen him
walk out this mad.

REYNOLDS: I don't think
he liked the subject matter
very much.

Come on, we were
just ribbing him.

He's right. Look what
women have done to us.

Taken all our dough.

Broken our hearts.

Maybe, uh,
maybe Edgar never
got started.

REYNOLDS: You don't,
you don't suppose...

What are you mugs saying?

You wouldn't pull
the same line of stuff
on Cardinal Spellman.

BENCHLEY: He's a priest.

What the hell, so is Edgar.
And we ordained him.

22 minutes
before air-time,
Mr. President.

And Mr. Hoover
is in the outer office.

I know you're hot
under the collar, Edgar.

I see I've been
preceded by the
liberal opposition.

I suppose you know
Mr. Earl Warren,

the Attorney General
of California.

How are you?

All right, Edgar,
speak your peace
and get it over with.

Well, I was wondering if
the Japanese are gonna
get their property back

when the war is over.

I think our first task
is to win the victory, Edgar.

It makes about as much
sense as rounding up
the Italian-Americans.

You're the last person
I would have expected
to object.

The only thing I object
to is stupidity.

Now they bombed
Pearl Harbor,

and you're letting
the Japs in Hawaii
go completely free.

What in the hell
are you arresting them
in California for?

Let's say we're just...
Guaranteeing their safety

by putting them where
they won't provoke violence.

Oh, that's a new twist.

Arresting the
perspective victim, huh?

Edgar realizes that
right must yield to the
necessities of war.

Mr. Lincoln was criticized
at one time.

And I suppose
I should be criticized
in my time, too.

We're going ahead
with this project, Edgar.

I trust you understand that.

I do now,
Mr. President.

Oh, and uh, be a good soldier
and stand silent.

Yes, Sir.

DWIGHT: My father had been
transferred to the
New York field office.

One night he and my mother
where on their way
to watch the fight

between Joe Louis
and Billy Cohn.

WEBB: Hold it!

FBI.

You'll be okay, Webb

I got an ambulance coining.
You'll be okay.

Mr. Hoover's
going to be embarrassed.

A lousy purse snatcher.

My kid wants to be a G-Man.

He'll be one.
He'll be one.

DWIGHT:
That's how my father died.

Shot down by a
purse snatcher who was
never caught.

The shape of crime
was changing in America.

The gangs, the bank robbers,
the kidnappers,

were giving way to
organized crime, which was
going underground.

Hiding its operations
behind legitimate
business fronts.

But crime on the streets
was beginning to grow.

Senseless violent crime,
that would some day

make people afraid to
leave their homes after dark.

INSTRUCTOR: Just a little bit.
Getting that arm straight.

Let's, uh, watch that
weak hand so we don't
get a hold through it.

Give it over.

Stroke that trigger twice.

[WHISTLE BLOWS AND GUNS FIRE]

Break up that wrist.

If you're satisfied
with your position
holster up.

You want an instructor
to take a look at it,
give a holler.

Holster up.

Pick up your brass box
take one step forward.

Come to a ready gun position.
Elbow on the hip...

DWIGHT: In 1951,
after graduating law school at
Southern Methodist University

I applied to join the Bureau.

It was something
I looked forward to
all my life.

I entered the
training program at
Quantico, Virginia.

And that's where I had
my first meeting
with Mr. Hoover.

Good afternoon, Mr. Hoover.
Dwight Webb,
Putnam, Texas, Sir.

Webb, Texas, huh?

You have a tendency
to five o'clock shadow.

Shave twice a day.Yes, Sir.

Orchids to Commie hunter
J. Edgar Hoover,

who leads the fight
against pinkos
and fellow travelers,

who would hand
our nation over to
Mr. Joseph Stalin.

And Mr. and Mrs. America

don't ever forget, that for
every one of those 850,000
Commie party members,

there are 10 Commies
working underground.

DWIGHT: The gangsters
were gone.

But now Mr. Hoover
had the Communist menace

to keep the FBI
up in the headlines.

And he used his stooges
in Congress to spread fear.

A fear that would dictate
American foreign policy
for the next 20 years.

MCCARTHY: ...issued
this warning.

There were still
eleven agents,

10 Communists,
and 11 sympathizers

and 24 suspects on that
State Department payroll.

And I ask you Senators,
how is this possible?

Who, who was
protecting these communists?

The big question is,
where McCarthy got that chart.

The suggestion is
you've been feeding him
confidential FBI files.

I wonder where they
got that idea?

The trouble with you is
you don't do your homework.

I tell you that there are
23 homosexuals
in the State Department.

Then you turn around
and announce to the
whole world it's 40.

Edgar, I, uh, I need 300
government security risks.
I promised to name them.

You pulled that figure
out of the hat.

I couldn't give you
three that would stick.

They don't have to stick.

You can go way back
to the '20s for the names.

Oh, shut up
and play cards Joe.

I'm generally well-liked.
People do like me.

But I don't understand
why they're so down
on me now.

You accused a man
of 20 years of treason.

Then offer to buy
him a drink.

And you're surprised
when he tries to
spit in your eye.

Edgar, sometimes
I have the feeling

that you're only using me
to get even with Truman,

because he didn't
give you the CIA.

If Truman won't
let me fight the
Communist menace overseas,

I still have the power
to weed out any
security risks

in his Executive Branch
right here at home.

Look, Joe, I'll give
you all the information
you need,

but for Christ's sake,
will you please get it right
for a change?

You know, some day
they're gonna get us.
Both of us.

You, not me.

I'm not gettable.

AGENT: Brunette's held up
in that house across
the street, Mr. Hoover.

Where's New York's finest?

Well, two of the
local detectives
tracked him down.

They're up at the cafe
having coffee.

That's why I don't allow
coffee breaks.

Let's grab 'em
before they get back, huh?

Well, shall I alert
the precinct first? Oh, the hell with that.

Brunette belongs to us,
not them.

But his wife's
in there, sir.

Well, If they want
to share the same fate
as Bonnie and Clyde,

we'll give them every chance.

Come on, Walter follow me.

I don't know what's keeping
the boys from the Mirror..

Oh, that's
tough luck, Walter.

Well, should I clear
the area first?

Get rid of that
red polka dot tie.
Only pimps wear those.

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Hoover's going
to get somebody
killed tonight.

Let's let them know
we're here.

What if he opens fire?

Brunette...this is
J. Edgar Hoover.

The hell it is.

We want you alive.

Now come on out
and send your wife out.

Why don't you come on in
and ask her to dance, Hoover?

Or don't you like girls?

Give 'em the teargas.

Another one.

HOOVER: Open fire.

We're coming out.

We're coming out.

[COUGHING]

She can't walk,
she's shot.

Somebody go in and get her.

[COUGHING]

AGENT: Get that dog
out of there.

Hoover, you asshole.
You shot my wife.

That asshole's Winchell,
I'm Hoover.

I hope you rot in hell
Mr. Hoover.

You big nelly,
faggot, queer.

Well, at least
she recognized you.

Yes, sir, can I get you
something, Mr. Hoover?

Did I ever give you a tip?

Well, uh, there's never
been a check, so there's
never been a tip,

but that's all right,
Mr. Hoover.

Go on, sit down, sit down.

Well, that's highly irregular.
I don't think I can.

Oh, it's all right.
Sit down.

Frank, you know
your daughter, Jodie?

The one that goes to
City College. Yes, Sir.

Well, tell her that
social club she joined is a
communist front organization.

I don't want my
favorite waiter's daughter
on the subversive list.

I understand, Sir.

And another thing uh,

your son, the one that
got that girl pregnant
in Jersey.

How'd that all
come out?

You know about that, too?

Uh-huh.

It's been taken care of.

Well fine, I'm glad
to hear it.

We checked her out.
Boy, she'd been around.

You know, a girl
tried to trap me once.

A girl by the name of
Carrie DeWitt.

Ah, she was
a beautiful girl.

She died in Memphis
a week ago.

Is your mother still alive?

Don't you know, Mr. Hoover?

My mother's been dead
for 17 years and I
miss her.

I'm sorry.

Do you know
Rudyard Kipling?

Look, I don't know
no Rudyard Kipling,
and I don't want to know him.

He was a novelist, a poet.

When I was a boy
my mother taught
me a verse.

"The Dirty Road."
I memorized it.

I used to say it for her
and it pleased her.

It pleased her
very much.

"If you can dream
and not make
dreams your master

"If you can think
and not make
thought your aim

"If you can meet
triumph with disaster

"and treat those two
imposters just the same

"If you can bear to hear
the words you've spoken.

"Twisted by knaves
to make a trap for fools

"or watch the thing that
you gave your life to broken.

"Then stop, build'em up
with worn out tools

"If you can force your heart
and nerve and sinew

"to serve your turn
long after they
are gone

"And so, hold on
when there is
nothing in you.

"Except the will that says:
'Hold on.'"

That's very nice,
Mr. Hoover. Uh...

If you can please
excuse me.

Bring me another one
of these, will you?

Yes, Sir.

Son of a bitch.

That son of a bitch.

He has no right
to cut people up like this.

[SOBBING]

DWIGHT: The only
serious threat
to Mr. Hoover's power

began with the election of
John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

No, Bobby, you wouldn't.

Besides, uh,
McNamara would take a
dim view

of you looking over
his shoulder.

[LAUGHS]

The problem is
I've got myself
a Cabinet and uh

I don't know
anyone in it.

Not, uh, close.

I got the feeling
you've discussed this
with dad.

Look, um...

I'm going to take
the rap for civil rights,

so I may as well
take all the credit.

I got to have you.

I need you there
more than anywhere else.

But it's dangerous, Jack.

There are a lot
of people saying
I'm not...

Qualified to, uh,
run the Justice Department.

And then there's Hoover.

You don't think
you can handle him?

Well, no one ever has.

Mr. Hoover is in
favor of your appointment.

That's a surprise.

Why? He was six years
younger than you when
he took over the Bureau.

You both got your start
uh, trying to

hunt Reds and uh

you made your names
trying to nab racketeers.

He had this thing
about Dillinger,
you got your Jimmy Hoffa.

Maybe, in fact,
you're too much alike.

I think Mr. Hoover
has me pegged
as an easy mark.

Bobby, you just have to
remind him

that you're his boss.

All right, now,

Mr. Attorney General.

Let's grab their balls
with both hands and go.

We'll make the announcement
at two o'clock.

There's, uh, gonna be
a lot of people

pissed off at
this appointment.

What's wrong with
giving a kid
a little legal experience

before he starts
practicing law.

Yes, Mr. Attorney General.

Yes, uh, who is this?

This is Mr. Hoover's
secretary.

Well, the next time
I call on this telephone

I want the Director
on the other end of the line.

So, put the telephone
on his desk

and tell Mr. Hoover
I want to see him.

What time will you be
coming by?

Tell, uh, Mr. Hoover
to come by my office.

I'm afraid he's in a meeting,
Mr. Kennedy.

I said now!

MAN: It's policy to go
to his office.

Well, that policy is being
changed as of today.

Tell the Director
I'm growing impatient.

Kennedy's office again.
He's still waiting.

I'll be in the
Attorney General's
conference room.

He'll be right over.

Looks like the
Attorney General has
passed the word.

What's your name? Collins, Sir.
Franklyn J. Collins.

How long have you been
with the Bureau? One year, seven months, Sir.

Send him a copy
of Masters of Deceit

transfer him to
Knoxville, Tennessee.

He'll have plenty of time
to improve his mind
down there.

...secret ambition is

to reappoint a
Supreme Court Justice.

Not a chance.

You, uh, hear that Edgar?

Mr. Hoover,
the Attorney General
would like you to join him

in Mr. Goldfarb's office.

He's giving me the runaround.
Walking me over
this whole building.

Now you keep out of this.
Let me handle it
in my own way.

Mr. Director.

Is it something urgent?

Well, I was, uh,
looking over the

employment statistics and uh

surprising how few Negroes
are on the payroll in the...

We have Negroes.

No, aside from your
five chauffeurs.

Well, you know
we don't recruit.

Well, I think we should uh,
be cognizant of the

outside criticism
of the Bureau.

Well, very few blacks apply.

And very few
can pass the exams.

Yes, well, I think
you can manage it

in the way that you
place some of the
few token Jews

that you have in
invisible positions

I know you'll manage this
task with all due speed.

Mr. Kennedy, we uh...

We hire on merit,
not race, creed or color.

But I'll do what I can. Yes, you uh...

Do what you can
and I'll do what I can.

You know what, uh,
puzzles the hell
out of me

is that every year, uh,
the crime rate goes up

and you get more money
and the Bureau gets bigger,

the Mafia seems to flourish
with all of that.

That word again. Mafia.

It's a myth.
A fiction for
mystery readers.

Oh, is that your
official position?

It doesn't exist?

There's organized crime,
but no national syndicate.

Besides, that's a problem
for local law enforcement,
not us.

Oh, yes, that's the uh,
the story about the
50 men on the case

for three years and they
come up with
one mob conviction.

Yes, that's
bad statistics.

You'd have these 50 men
out there arresting
car thieves

and bringing them back into...
It would look good on your
yearly report to Congress.

I'm not going to
subject my men to
that kind of corruption.

What are you uh...
What are you saying?

I don't understand.
I'm confused.

Are you acknowledging
the fact now that there is
a Mafia?

Cosa Nostra, or whatever
you want to call it.

Any investigative agency
that ever went after the mob
was contaminated by it.

There has never been
one case of bribery
in my Bureau.

And there never
will be as long
as I live.

Yes, I'm sure you do
a wonderful job
protecting the Bureau.

What I'm worrying about is
protecting the public.

If you're so hot
and bothered
about gangsters,

why are you doing
business with them?

What was that?

I'm referring
to Mr. Giancana.

Yes, well,
that matter is, uh, solved.

It's uh, the President
is not seeing
Mrs. Campbell at this time

and I, uh,
as far as I'm concerned...

I am not talking about
sharing a bed companion
with a gangster.

Or using the White House phone
to receive calls

from Mr. Giancana's residence.

I've already ironed that out
with the President.

Did you

personally uh,
tap those phones?

What concerns me now
is the CIA employing
Mr. Giancana

for the purpose of
assassinating Fidel Castro.

I don't believe that.

Check it out.

I... I will.

I don't supposed you'd mind
massive wiretaps surveillance

on the Mafia chiefs,
as you call them.

No.

Prepare the authorizations
on 'em.

Sign them.

Fine.

Oh. and I uh,
appreciate your walking
to my office.

Well, I needed the exercise.

Oh!

In that case I'll
be sure that I can

help you anyway I can
to fulfill that program
of exercise.

Rough? It was a pushover.

He was so shaken
by the Giancana connection,

that he went for the
wiretaps right away.

But he always had a
weakness for wiretapping.

Wait a minute,
wait a minute.

Do you know
I could smell it?

They were drinking
beer in there.

[RINGING]

Yes, Mr. Attorney General?

I just wanted to see
if you were there.

All right, Williams.
This is the FBI.

The money's on the way
from the bank.

Just relax.

Yeah, he's let most
of the passengers go.

He's keeping 17 hostages.

Yes, Sir.

Well, right now
I've convinced the hijacker

there's a malfunction
in the engine.

Does he buy it?

I got two guys
working on it.

Yeah, well stall him.
Give us time.

I don't know how long
I can make him believe it.

I'm with the Director now.

The Bureau's not going to
lift a hand to help TWA.

But, boss, you've forbidden
all the Bureau personnel
to ever fly TWA.

Isn't that enough?

The last time we helped
TWA with a hijacker,

son of a bitching pilot
called us trigger happy.

I gave Tildagast the chance
to fire that pilot.

And even dug up his
service record to prove he was
sick in the head.

No. TWA backed him up.

I'll talk with the Director.

Boss you know damn well
it's our responsibility.

Clyde, please don't
ruin my day.

Just get my agents
off the field.
That's it.

Hey, you aren't going to
believe this, but we just
got orders to pull out.

There must be
some mistake.

Yeah, the orders
are from up top,

just walk away,
like it isn't even
happening.

Uh, this is Webb,
you know, there is a
wild man in here.

He's got a gun
and a lot of helpless
people.

We'd like to go in
and take him.
Over.

Mr. Hoover says
vacate the field.
Move out.

Okay.

McCoy, wait a minute.
Let me tell you..

Wait for me
in Mr. Kennedy's
office.

Listen, I'm on my way
to the Attorney General.

I'm going to see to it
that our agents get
those people off that plane.

All right, go ahead.

This is Mr. McCoy.

Tell the men
the preceding orders.

Go in and get that plane.

Mr. McCoy, I'm sorry,

but we have orders
from the Director
to vacate the field.

Ed, this is Tolson.

It's all right, get those
people off the plane.

Yes, sir, Mr. Tolson.
Right away.

Okay, let's go.

I never knew you
to go against
him before.

Well, Edgar will calm down
by morning. I hope.

Well, he's tired
and irrational.
His time is past.

He ought to step down
before he tears down
everything he's built up.

[LAUGHING] And who's going
to replace him? You?

See the men
in the white coats.

Stay back.

Drop the bag.

Drop the bag.

Listen, Chief, I'm just here
to fix the hydraulic gear

so you can take
this plane off.
You know?

Isn't that the rest
of my money?

Well, I don't know anything
about that department chief,

I'm just here
to fix the plane.

Then get off.
Do you hear me? Get
off of my plane.

Yes.Do you hear me?

Yes, sir.Wait a minute.

Come on back. Just you.
Come on, come on.

Come on, get
your hands up.

For Christ's sake,
do as he says. Come on, come on.

Keep your hands
above your head.

See. I'll kill her.

Joe, let's get
the hell out of here.

Let the fucking police
and the FBI
handle this mess.

Don't move.

You're both FBI agents.

When we get this plane
up in the air,

I'm gonna have 'em crash
this mother into
the White House.

[LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY] Or the
Pentagon.

I'll be a national hero.

Take the hundred thousand
dollars they gave you.
Nobody's stopping you.

You're supposed to be...

[PASSENGERS SCREAMING]

I hear you did quite
a job out at the airport.

Sadist.
What I wouldn't do for a
Chesterfield.

Well, you know Mr. Hoover's
regulations. Only the boys are
allowed to smoke.

I'll bring you
a carton tonight.

About six o'clock?

Make it 8:30 or 9:00.
I've got to put in
two hours of free overtime.

Pick up the statistics.

How do we know Mr.
Hoover isn't listening
to us, right now?

We don't.

HOOVER: He brought Brumis
with him again.

He wants a Justice Department
employee to walk him.

Send him a memo that
bringing an animal
in the building

violates Section 201
Chapter 8.

What the hell does he
care about rules?

An Attorney General
who smokes marijuana
at parties.

Look what's going on
at Hickory Hill.

The drunken brawls. People
getting pushed in the pool
with their clothes on.

And those sex things.

He's got a helluva lot
of nerve coming over to
your field office on his own.

He's trying
to humiliate you.

It's an old Washington gag,
they're making it so rough,
you'll have to resign.

Resign? I can outwit him.

I've outwitted
six presidents.

You know, old Joe Kennedy
used to bring little
Bobby to see me.

He was eight years old.

He'd sit on my lap
and ask me if I
was packing a rod.

I was his idol.

Yes, Mr. Director.
Mr. Tolson.

Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Freeman.

I was up, uh reviewing the
field office and meeting all
the new faces.

If you want any
information about my men,
please get it from me.

Ah.

Do you mind walking
a few blocks? Not at all.

Got a matter to
discuss with you.

The taps on the
Bobby Baker case.

Can I be assured
this will come to fruition.

I would need written
authorization on Mr. Baker.

Yes. I'm also going to need
it on Martin Luther King.

Oh, I see. If I don't sign
both of them then
I don't get either.

Well, they're both
equally important.

You see Baker as a
possible criminal link to
Vice President Johnson.

I see Dr. King as
a possible link
to the Communists.

And I hope we're
both wrong.

Well the idea that Dr. King
is associated

with any fellow travelers
is absolutely ridiculous.

Oh, Mr. Kennedy. Yes?

If you want to go on
record saying that Dr. King
is betrothed

to subversive influences,
you go right ahead.

You're the Attorney General.
Not me.

No. Continue the, uh
surveillance.

I'll send the papers to
your office for your signature
immediately.

Yes, you do that.

Bobby, the
baby-faced bastard.

What? Bobby, the
baby-faced bastard.

[LAUGHS]

Well outside
of the wiretaps,

we're going to put mics
in every hotel room

that Martin Luther King
stays in.

We'll get enough dirt
on him to expose his
entire subversive movement.

That bastard's a degenerate
and I'm going to prove
it, Clyde.

My dear lady,
Martin Luther King,

is the biggest damn liar
in the United States.

May we quote you
on that?

I want you to quote me.
That's why I said it.

Kennedy revoked my White House
press credentials.
You know what that means.

Well, you can see,
I've got a pretty
heavy schedule here.

I've got a lot
of important people
to spy on.

You drop back
any time, Walter.

[FLY BUZZING]

There's a fly in here.

Bring in the fly swatter.

Excuse me, Mr. Hoover.

What's the matter?

The fly is on your
shoulder.

Well, hit it.

How hard?

Hard enough.

Welcome.

[MUMBLING]

Sorry the kids couldn't
wait up. School tomorrow.

Well, some agent wrote this
anonymous letter to the
Attorney General

complaining about Hoover.

And so I had to check
all the typewriters and find
out who the troublemaker was.

What'll happen to him?

Give him a letter of censure.
Then they'll transfer him
to Butte, Montana.

Ha, lovely.

Once he gets settled there
and he rents a house

and gets his kids
into school, they'll
transfer him to Seattle.

You know, they'll bicycle
him around until he resigns.

Can't you appeal to Mr.
Hoover as a human being?

Are you kidding?
There was this psych

they moved out
to the bricks,

because he gave Hoover a
bad tip on the stock market.

Mr. Hoover don't like
nobody but Tolson.

Then is it all worth it?

Well, you're working there,
aren't you, lady.

I mean, you
know, best pay and

retirement in the
government.

I guess I kind of admire
the old bastard,
still, you know.

He reminds me
of my father.

Let's go.

Too late to get
a babysitter?

It's raining,
we can stay here.

I have locks on the
doors. And the girls
never wake up.

Well, I'd just feel a
little bit better...

You're such a prude.

[LAUGHS]

I'm a G-Man, ain't I?
It comes natural.

My dinner.

Who's a prude?

Mr. Attorney General.

I dropped by
to express my sympathy.

I heard somebody stole Mr.
Hoover's Christmas tree lights
from outside his house.

I believe you had an
appointment tomorrow at...

I don't need an
appointment I'm his boss.

Is he alone?

Yes, but... Gentlemen.

HELEN: If you will just. [ROBERT SHUSHES]

Is this a habit?
A regular occurrence
in the afternoon.

Does he need a nap? No, sir.

It could be a while.

If and when the Director
ever wakes up.

Tell him I've sent
20 Justice Department lawyers

down to Jackson, Mississippi
to look into the voter
registration problem.

It should take some
load off the Bureau.

He's been working
awfully hard.

Yes, I'll so inform
Mr. Hoover.

Yes, do that.

And when you inform him,
tell him

it's the same young Turks
that made up my
"Get Hoffa" squad.

But don't tell him
I sat on his table.

He might get mad. Yes, sir.

Ma'am.

What I would like to
do is stick a naked lady on

the couch next to him
and watch his face when
he wakes up.

[BOTH LAUGH]

You got enough to hang
that Kennedy kid.
Edgar, why don't you use it?

Yes, sir?

Webb, uh,

that tie.

I'm pulling you out of
the field and putting you
in charge of the techs.

Sir, I'd go crazy sitting
out there all night
listening to bugs.

Who have I offended, sir?

I'm certain that you're aware

of how the Director frowns
on fraternization with female
employees

of the Bureau, and when
it's a married woman with

children, it's out of the
question.

Sir, Janice filed for divorce
before we ever met.

The Director does not impose
limitations on others that he
does not place upon himself.

Sir, I don't believe this
came directly from Mr. Hoover.

Perhaps that's because you
don't know Mr. Hoover.

In that case, sir, I
request to speak to him
personally.

I'm afraid the Director won't
be available for several
weeks.

The racing season is
open at Del Mar.

You know, I suggest that you
consider writing a mea culpa
letter of apology.

You write that letter, sir.
This was all your idea,
not Mr. Hoover's.

It has come to my
attention that you've been
operating a Bureau

vehicle for personal use.
Disciplinary action will
probably result in

three weeks suspension.

Without pay.

Yes, sir.

Honey, you can't believe what
they're doing to me.

Please, Dwight, two special
agents visited Charles.

And whatever they
said to him, he took

my two daughters out of
school this morning.

Oh, those sorry bastards.
Well, we'll fight 'em.

No! Look, we had fun,
we've been friends, okay.

Fine. I can't fight.

I don't know how to.
I just get hurt.

Still the same characteristic
hard-hitting style, Edgar? But
Dillinger?

I mean, aren't you reaching
back a little far?

Well, nostalgia goes over well
at dinner parties. It aids
the digestion.

Hey, my deepest sympathy

on the passing of the
ambassador.

He was always a great
fan of yours.

We had a weakness for
the same horses.

You going to stay on
here at Georgetown?

Well, all my friends
are here.

Well, if there's anything
we can do for you,
anything at all.

I don't think any
of my maids are suspected

Communists, but I do have
one unfulfilled desire.

So what's that?

I've always want to go
for a ride

in one of
your bullet-proof Cadillacs.

Bullet-proof. But it doesn't
sound any different.

Yes, Florence, you're looking
at an old confirmed
lace-curtain bachelor.

[LAUGHS] Everything they say
about me is true.

I'm stiff, smug,
and very self-satisfied.

[FLORENCE LAUGHS]

It's natural. A man who
spends his entire life prying

into other people's private
lives, should be jealous of
his own.

But just what is it?

That you're afraid that we
might find out about you.

You should be one of
my agents.

[LAUGHING] You don't allow
lady agents.

Either you have
no use for women or,

you're very much
afraid of them.

Florence, why are you
acting like this?

I believe you really like
to be Dillinger.

Like the good boy who's
envious of the bad boy.

Only you're afraid to
be bad.

The Dillinger's of this world
break all the rules and
they're adored.

The worse they are
the more fascinating
they are.

The women worship them.

Oh, I've read all the
reports about their sexual
exploits and

[STAMMERING] Well, it disgusts
me, that's all.

You know, you're kind of
a funny person, really.

Why can't you ever laugh
at yourself. Be silly.

And go out and
get into some mischief.

To tell you the truth,
I just wouldn't know how.

Oh, you've peeked through
enough keyholes to know the
facts of life by now.

You're making this very
difficult.

I know.

I'm offering my
services to you as a coach.

[LAUGHS]

Believe it or not,

I used to be quite a
gay young lassie before
I married Wallace.

I'm going to have to
go, Florence.

Why?

Well, my driver's out in
the car, he's waiting.

I don't want him to...

You mean you'd like to
try, but you can't stand
your driver knowing it.

There are no secrets in
Washington.

Oh, how they look forward
to those little

sexual tidbits I throw 'em.

I whet their appetite
for it.

They demean each other,
wallow in that filth.

I'm pleased to say I'm no
part of that.

You're a purveyor of it.

I understand you distribute
obscene material all over
Washington.

I've got to go, Florence.

MAN ON TAPE: The following
unedited material was recorded

at the Marriott Motor Lodge
Twin Bridges, suite number 12
on November 17th.

The voices are that of
Henry Parkland President of
the National Machinists' Union

and Virginia Eclair, a
campaign worker
who has a long record

of membership in Communist
front organizations.

[HENRY AND VIRGINIA SPEAKING
SOFTLY]

[PHONE RINGS]

VIRGINIA: Don't answer
the phone.

HENRY: Did you tell anybody
I was coming here? No.

Then why's the goddamn
phone ringing? I don't know.

Baby, I'm sorry I'm
so harsh with you...

[BOTH SPEAKING SOFTLY]

[HENRY AND VIRGINIA MOANING]

[TAPE STOPS]

[GUN FIRES]

[SIRENS BLARING]

Put me through to White
House extension 163

to Hickory Hill, please.

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes? This is Edgar Hoover.

Yes, Mr. Hoover?

I have some very bad
news for you.

Yes?

The President has been shot.

Is it serious?

I think so. I'm trying
to get the details.

I'll call you back when I
know more.

We have just arrived here
at Parkland Hospital.

Uh, it's hard to tell
what's really going on.

Yes? When? Uh huh.

He's gone.

Get me Hickory Hill again.

Why don't you let me
call him.

No matter what my differences
with the Attorney General,
it's my duty to inform him.

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes.

The President is dead.

[PHONE RINGING]

Now get that goddamn phone
back on my secretary's desk.

Mr. President, you should get
a kick out of this.

Some of your staunchest
congressional opponents of
your Vietnam policy,

compromised by young
war protestors,

and two of them...

Two of them young girls
in their early teens.

Are you sure you haven't
overlooked the amatory
adventures of

of the eager
Kennedy boys?

Here are the reports.

Fully illustrated.

Now, how do they get
away with that?

Well, nobody prints anything
bad about the Kennedys.

Oh.

I had that kind of
charm once.

I'm going to miss this

bedside reading
when you step down.

Are you trying to get
rid of me, Mr. President?

Isn't it about time?

You can have any
ambassadorship you want.

Over 70% of my top executives
are ready for retirement.

Well, once the ball starts
rolling, it won't be the
FBI as we know it.

No. No.

But general opinion

says you ought to go.

You know, when I took
over the Bureau they called
me "That Boy Scout."

Now they call me
"that senile old man."

Mr. President I thought
you wanted people

around you loyal enough
to kiss your ass

in Macy's window
at high noon.

And say it smells
like a rose?

Better to have you on
the inside of the tent
pissing out.

Then on the
outside pissing in.

I'll issue
a proclamation,

waiving the mandatory
retirement age in your case.

You know, Edgar, you're
going to be here after
we've long gone.

I'd better be. Someone
has to look after the files.

Send Mr. King in.

Well come in,
Mr. King.

Well, I see we've been
locking horns in the
newspapers lately.

I'm here to find out
why you have been tapping
my telephones.

A year ago you were
told some of your advisors

had communist connections,
but you wouldn't break with
them.

Would that account for your
planting microphones in hotel
rooms

I occupied during
my travels?

Oh, we've used the same
procedure on 14 others.

The Panthers, the Muslims,
the Klan.

Were you as free with
the recording of their
private activities?

What do you mean "free"?

I'm led to believe that
certain tapes were offered to
the newspapers

and played for the listening
pleasure of politicians
friendly to you.

And that these same tapes,
were used by you,

to stop certain guests from
attending my
Noble Prize banquet.

I really know nothing about
that.

I'm sure you're well aware
that one of these tapes
was mailed to my...

Mr. King.

I've retained complete control
of all the recordings
and transcripts.

You can rely on my
discretion.

Does that mean I don't
have to bother committing
suicide?

Like one of your anonymous
letters suggested.

I know nothing
about that either.

The damage is done,
Mr. Hoover.

But it might be
worthwhile for the
people to know

how America's number one
blackmailer operates.

Don't give me
all the credit.

I'd like you to
take a look at something.

The authorizations
for the wiretaps.

And you'll notice they're
signed by the Attorney General
of the United States.

Robert F. Kennedy.

Yeah, they're
genuine.

There's one covering SCLC
headquarters in Atlanta,
Georgia.

And another
one in New York, dated
10-10-63.

How did you get him
to sign these papers?

I only followed orders when
Bobby told me to wiretap
you and Malcolm X

and other members of your
movement.

You know, you're going
to have to take a
very firm stand against

Bobby on this.

Now who's going
to profit, Mr. King?

Your political enemies,
that's all.

The country has survived your
being in power over 40 years.

Well I guess we
just have to wait a
little bit longer.

That's right.

How much more time
have I got?

Oh, Mr. King.

Mr. King, I've

asked some of the newspaper
people to wait for you
in the outer office.

I'm sure you'll find something
very nice to say about
your FBI, won't you?

My meeting with Mr. Hoover
led to a clearer understanding
on both sides.

Again I would like to,

commend the FBI for solving
the murder of the three
young civil rights workers.

It renews my faith in
democracy.

Thank you.

Martin Luther King dedicated
his life to love and to
justice,

for his fellow human beings.

And he died because
of that effort.

In this difficult day, in this
difficult time for the
United States,

it is perhaps well to
ask, what kind of a nation

we are and what
direction we want
to move in.

For those of you
who are black,

considering the evidence there
evidently is,

that there were white people
who were responsible.

You can be filled
with bitterness, with hatred
and a desire for revenge.

We can move in that direction
as a country in great
polarization.

Black people among black.

White people among white,

with hatred toward
one another.

Or we can make an effort,
as Martin Luther King did,

to understand and to
comprehend

and to replace that violence,
that strain of bloodshed

that has spread
across our land, with an
effort to understand and love.

Let us dedicate ourselves to
what the Greeks wrote so
many years ago,

"To tame savageness
of man and make gentle
the life of this world."

Let us dedicate ourselves to
that and say a prayer

for our country and for
our people.

One of those men is
a pinhead. Get rid of
him.

Still have the touch,
boss.

ROBERT: I'm announcing, today,
my candidacy

for the President of the
United States.

I run to seek new policies.

Policies to end the, uh,
bloodshed in Vietnam and
in our cities.

Policies to close the gap
that now exists
between black and white,

between rich and poor.

Between young and old, in
this country and around the
rest of the world.

I do not lightly
dismiss the dangers

and difficulties of
challenging an incumbent
president.

But these are not ordinary
times.

At stake is not
simply the leadership
of our party,

or even our country.

It is the right to moral
leadership of this planet.

If I retire before the
democratic convention,

I'll be able
to name my own successor.

Kennedy wouldn't dare fire a
director that's only been in
for a couple of months.

That way we'd have our
own men on the inside,
at least.

I can't believe it has
to end this way.

Well, anyway now you'll be
able to build your own home
in La Jolla, near the track.

Oh, shut up, junior.

They haven't got us out yet.

[CROWD CHEERING]

So my thanks to all of you.
And it's on to Chicago.
Let's win there.

I don't care what you
say, boss, it doesn't look
like real grass to me.

Yeah, sure it does.

No, that looks
like real grass.

That looks like fake
grass.

Why don't you get a
new gardener?

Ah, he was awfully old.
I couldn't let him go.

Some of the agents came
up on their weekend off

and laid this down for me.

On their own time,
mind you.

They said it looks
exactly like grass.

Well, the Washington
Redskins play on it.

Yeah, but this is your
lawn, not a football field.

Still looks like grass.

And look at the weeds
growing up in it.

It's grass. Grass.

I'm thinking of doing my
whole backyard in this
stuff.

I can't. Don't you understand.
I need an additional source.

All right,
all right, you do that.

Hey, hey,
wait a minute.

Oh, that hits awfully close
to home, doesn't it?

Well, that ought to shake'em
up at Ninth and
Pennsylvania Avenue.

"What American Bureau Chief, a
national hero for decades,

"has been engaged in a
lifelong homosexual affair

"with a key member
of his staff?"

Did I spell
homosexual right?

Jesus Christ, Can
you have evidence for this?

Oh, Christ, there's been
speculation

about these guys for the
last 20 years.
They're always seen together.

At the race track,
the ball park.
At lunch, at dinner.

Christ, I couldn't spend
that much time with my wife.

Well, maybe you should
have dated Tolson.

Two confirmed bachelors.
Neither one very attractive.

What woman would
want them?

Hoover's married to the FBI.
A strange combination
of jealousy and devotion.

They were at George Washington
University at the same time

and they're never seen
with any girls.

Come on now,
let's bring it out
in the open.

And if Hoover wants
to deny that he's a fag,

why you'll
give him plenty of space,
won't ya?

[LAUGHS]

Did you read that bastard
Hindley's column?

Yes.

Why the hell didn't
you say so?

I didn't think it
worthy of comment.

I sent a couple of
agents over to Hindley's
office

to tell him to put
up or shut up.

He couldn't have anything.
They'll go on snickering

behind our backs like we're a
couple of old fairies.

It's the old communist smear.
But I know who's
in back of it.

They've been trying
to persecute me
since the Palmer raids.

Let it pass.

Hoover wouldn't dare show his
face around here. He hasn't
got the nerve.

I have to hand it
to the son of a bitch,

he's got the hide
of a bull elephant.

Hello, Captain.
What have you got
for me today?

I've got a surprise
for you, sir.

How are you,
Mr. Tolson?Fine thank you.

Bring me a menu please... Mr. Tolson will
have his usual.

Please, Joe.

Bring him a menu.

Boss, next month,
I don't think I feel
up to Miami this year.

Oh, you decrepit old bastard
you're going to go

if you have to go in a
wheelchair.

You're all that
stands between me and an
assassin's bullet.

Besides that I can't
pick winners without you.

In Mr. Hoover's eyes, the new
left was a Fifth Column
directed from Moscow.

We'd go to peace
demonstrations and
take photographs

and copy down license numbers,
and we'd open dossiers

on anybody whose name
we could get.

When Mr. Hoover went
before Congress,

we'd get orders to pull
out most of our wiretaps,

so we could testify that
there were less than a
hundred in operation.

Then the next day
we'd put all the taps
back in again.

What are you doing
here, Boss?

Inspection tour.

Anything cooking?No, nothing.

You know, if we told
anybody we spent $87,000

in the past 42 days
just to listen

in on a couple of
crazy Niggers and it's not

even admissible, cause we
don't even have a warrant.

We asked for a warrant
to put a tap on the
Cardone family

and the courts
turned us down.

Now, I know you want to
work your way back into

the good graces of the
Director.

So you want me to
place a suicide tap and

take full responsibility
in case it's discovered,
is that right?

No. Now you know we
lean more toward
electronic surveillance,

it keeps the telephone
company off our backs.

And you know it's just
as illegal.

I don't know what
you're worried about.

Back in New York I've
been burglarizing the
Socialist Workers' Party

every three weeks
for years. Relax.

What in the hell ever happened
to the Fourth Amendment?

Well, Mr. Hoover repealed
it years ago.

You put one bug into
their uh, telephone

instrument where it can
easily be found and then,

you plant a
couple of sophisticated

microphone devices
elsewhere in the house.

DWIGHT: I wasn't anxious,
to stick my neck out
with a suicide tap,

but I was glad to see
the Bureau was finally taking
some action against the Mob.

I suppose, in the back
of my mind, I should
have known,

I was being set up.

Yes.
He's inside the house
right now.

Aah!

You're going
to jail, G-Man.

[SCREAMS]

Fucking!

FBI!

Hey, what's new?

Huh, what's new?

You set me up,
that's what's new.

Don't you think you're being
a little paranoid?

Listen, I'm used to this
bicycle routine.

I've lived through the
suspension.
But what you don't like is

I keep sending letters to
Mr. Hoover, that's what.

Christ, you make him sound
like fucking
George Washington.

But Washington kept slaves
and mistresses.

Mr. Hoover would have had
him transferred.

I want to talk to
him about this personally,
you know.

Why don't you kiss his
ass and tell him

he saved America and
you hope he lives forever.

I want to tell him
how I felt last night

running down the street
like a common criminal. About
sending out phony letters

on a stolen letterhead to
discredit these
radical groups.

About these burglaries.
About giving aid
to terrorist groups.

I want to
tell him how I felt

breaking the bones of the
anti-war movement.

Yes, sir, I'm going to
talk to him about it.

Look, you're coming up
for retirement.

Now why don't you just
grab it and run.

I've given just as much
to the Bureau,

as you or Mr. Hoover,
and I think it's about

high time he knows what's
going on in the field.

What's happening
to the men and moral.

What's happened to the
goddamn country, if you want
to know, sir.

Right. Give my regards
to the Wizard of Oz, hmm?

ANNOUNCER: And they're off
and running...

Mr. Hoover, sir

Mr. Hoover?

Dwight Webb, sir. Why aren't you
in Detroit?

Sir, I flew down here
at own expense.

I've been requesting
an opportunity to speak
with you.

This is not the time
or the place.

Well, I don't think you
know what's going on.
What they're doing to me.

This is a breach of
discipline, you know that,
don't you?

Mr. Hoover, sir,
we're not only spying on
extremists,

now, sir, we're spying
on everyone.
Newsmen and reporters,

and, sir, our agents
are being encouraged

to entrap these radicals
by giving them explosives
and guns even.

I know all about you, Webb.

You're trying to sabotage
the Bureau

to satisfy your own
paranoid delusions.

[LAUGHS]

Well, they told me
you'd say that, but
I wouldn't buy it.

Get this man
out of here.

You don't have to bicycle
me around anymore,
I'm resigning.

And by tomorrow, or you
get a letter of dismissal
with prejudice.

Who the hell is winning
this race?

I don't know.
I wasn't looking.

DWIGHT: What a hypocritical
son of a bitch I was.

After a career of
tapping people's phones and
bugging their bedrooms.

Well, I just
tore up twenty years like
a ticket on the wrong horse.

What do you look so
unhappy about? You had the
last three winners.

Let me help you.

I don't feel good, boss. What's the matter, Clyde?

I've had indigestion all day,
you know. And then...

I've had a hard time
catching my breath.

Let me sit down, just a
minute.

Let's get him back inside.
Give us a hand here.

Come on, help me, help
me. See if we can
find a doctor.

[PROTESTERS CHANTING]

It's the goddamn
Russian Revolution.

I was in the Attorney
General's house back in
1920,

when they blew up
the place.

Seeing kids pee on
the lawn isn't going to
raise my blood pressure.

I feel it's anti-human
in this situation.

President Nixon thinks that
all these bombings and riots

are the work of the Cuban
government, the Egyptians and
the Soviets.

The President's called for a
meeting of all the National
Security Organizations.

CIA, NSA, BIA. And
three military
Counter-Intelligence Agencies.

All in the Oval Room.

You want me to eavesdrop
electronically on anybody

you think is a threat
to internal security.

Read the mail of American
citizens.

Break into the homes
of anybody you consider
disloyal.

And monitor all the activity
of the student political
groups.

Is that right?

Come on, Edgar, you've-been
doing this black bag stuff for
25 years now.

When did you get religion?

It's been 30 years.

But never on such a grand
scale.

And it was always
my idea, not the
administration's.

If you can do it,
why can't we all?

Because I have no
political ambitions.

And that's where we
differ, gentlemen.

Yes, but the nation's never
been threatened

by so many extremist elements
before in its history.

We don't want to stop
you, Edgar. We just want
to get in on it.

And run it, in what
we believe to be

the best interests of the
American way of life.

All of the intelligence
agencies working together

with the President in control.

But you're not cooperating,
Edgar.

You've broken off all direct
communication of the CIA.

When they had to break
into one of the embassies
here in Washington,

you sent your agents
to turn on their sirens
and drive off the CIA.

[ALL LAUGH]

You're the old master
at this, Edgar.

We'll ask you to draw
up guidelines.

Along with Mr. Houston.

Despite my objections
to the lifting of
investigative restraint,

the FBI is prepared
to follow the instructions of
the White House.

At your direction,
Mr. President.

But in writing.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

Good afternoon, Mr. Hoover.

I'll bug and burglarize
whoever I please.

I'll be damned if I'll let
somebody else do it.

Oh, you gotta watch
those guys
in the White House.

I don't
mean just Nixon,
all of them.

Self-appointed cop for
president.

That's right, junior.

I'm the only man that
ever held the job
or ever will.

A man doesn't have much
in the way of morality unless
he's scared of somebody.

And I gave them somebody
to be scared of.

At night they look under the
bed to see if I'm there.

They wonder how much
I know. It's good.

Holds them back.

Nixon's frustrated.

He's going to do something,
with or without you.

Whatever we say, what ever
we do, the next morning

it winds up in the
New York Times.

How are we going to
find the leak?

Hoover won't let us polygraph,
State Department employees.

What do you mean he
won't let us. Who the
hell is he?

He has to be told who's
president.

Yes, but he did implement
our request for 17
wiretaps.

Only so he could use
them against us.

Taps on our own staff and on
newsmen. He could blow us
out of the water with that.

He suckered us into it.

NIXON: You mean it was a trap?

Well, we can protect
our national security,

with or without
Mr. Hoover.

We don't need him
or the CIA.

We have our own people
who can be depended upon.

You can be certain they'll
be selected carefully

and paid through the Committee
to Reelect.

If Ellsberg can be a
hero for bending the law
a bit, why shouldn't we?

Sooner or later the old
man will hear about it and
raise holy hell.

Ah, shit, yes.

But now, what can we
do about getting those laws
back in?

I have people on the inside.

People who know that
Hoover can't live much longer.

They want to be on
the right team

when the time comes to pick
a new director.

Have they access? Opportunity's
no problem.

The question is, will they
have the balls to do it.

[ALL LAUGH]

Well, there'll be a certain
perverse satisfaction
of being the man

who robbed J. Edgar Hoover.

How the hell did we
get to be villains, Edgar?

Look at the Rosenbergs.
Oppenheimer.
Alger Hiss.

All of them made into martyrs
and suddenly we're some kind
of Gestapo.

Remember back when it was
good, favorable?
Why they couldn't get enough.

It's not the
same country.

I can get'em back.

I'm waiting for a big break.
Like the Dillenger case.

That'd turn it all around.

I know what
you're thinking.

Nixon's plumbers,
goddamn amateurs.

And they're getting
in deeper every minute.

Cubans being paid off with
campaign slush funds,

laundered through
Mexican covers.

Well, I've been careful
to keep clear of the
whole thing.

But I've recorded
every detail.

I'm just waiting
them out. What we don't have is time.

Junior, if I can't outlast
this shitty administration,

I just might take them
with me when I go.

McCoy.

Problems? The long arm of the
White House.

17 Kissinger wiretap
authorizations are missing
from the safe.

Did they get
every copy?

Everything that was
in there.

What about the logs you
were keeping.

I thought it was my
duty to turn them over
to Mr. Mardian.

The President's request.

Look, I'm sorry, Edgar,

I just couldn't allow you to
use those logs against the
White House.

How long have we been
together? 25?
30 years?

29.

29.

Yeah, they're right.
I'm getting old and sloppy.

It's time for you to
step down, Edgar.

For your good and the
sake of the Bureau.

Let go.

"To force your heart
and nerve and sinew

"To serve your turn
long after they are gone

"And so hold on, when
there is nothing in you,

"Except the will which says:

"'Hold on.'"

Hold on. Hold on.
Hold on.

Get Kedrow and Wilson in here
right now.

[KNOCKING AT DOOR]

Come in.

Yes, Mr. Hoover.

I want Assistant Director
McCoy's office emptied and
locked.

He's to have access to none
of his papers. He is retiring
as of tonight.

Now take care of that
right now.

Yes sir.

You wait.

It's been brought
to my personal attention that

the President has been
recording his private

conversations on
quarter-inch tape.

Secret Service is storing
them in Room 175 and a half

of the executive office
building.

Now I think we should have
access to those tapes,

in order to duplicate some
for, shall we say

historical accuracy?

Yes, Sir.

[GROANS]

[CRYING] So long, boss.

HINDLEY: Well, I wouldn't
waste any tears on Clyde.

He's got Hoover's house.
Half a million dollar estate.

Ha. That's sweet,
isn't it.

Well, Nixon may take
over the Bureau,

but he's not going to
get Hoover's P.F. files,
because they've got them

at the Washington field
office right now being
shredded.

Well, if you know
that, don't you think the
White House would know that?

Hey, wait a minute,
wait, relax.

You're not going
to get inside that building.

How are things at the
White House, gentlemen?

What brings you here, Webb?

Probably the same personal
files you're after.

You have no more
connection with the Bureau.

Now you get the hell
out of here.

Gentlemen, it might interest
you to know you're being
photographed

from across the
street, and this conversation
is being recorded.

You're on Candid Camera,
Mr. McCoy.

Who put you
up to this?

The Democratic National
Committee, who else?

Jesus. You'll be sorry
for this, Webb.

I promise you that.

Still Hoover's man, huh?

Mr. Tolson, sir,
my sympathies.

Webb, is it?

You're burning the
midnight oil, sir.

So to speak.

I suppose you lost all
respect for him?

Not all. He hurt
a lot of people.

But he controlled the
politicians and never
let the politicians

control the Bureau.The Bureau.

They'll get their coffee
breaks now. The ladies will
smoke and wear slacks.

And the boys will have
mustaches and sideburns.

A year from now there
won't be any FBI.

The way we know it.

Edgar took over
after the worst scandal,
in our history.

The Harding mess.

He managed to hush
everything up for
48 years.

Now it's all going to
come tumbling down.

FBI, CIA,

maybe even the
administration itself.

He isn't there
to cover for them,

manage their dirty linen.
Oh, they'll miss him
all right.

DWIGHT: Within two years of
the death of J. Edgar Hoover,

the Vice President was forced
to resign,

facing criminal indictment.

The closest aides to the
President of the United
States were dismissed

and indicted because
of alleged illegal activities.

Two Attorney Generals
were removed from office

and faced criminal
conspiracy charges.

And the President of the
United States resigned his
office for the

first time in history.

Under the threat of
impeachment.

The sources of information
that brought about this
upheaval

in government have never been
fully disclosed.

And some have been heard
to speculate

that if the hand of J. Edgar
Hoover

had reached back from beyond
the grave,

he couldn't have
done it any better himself.