Original subtitles

Chances are

you've never heard of Preston Thomas Tucker...

dreamer,

inventor,

visionary,

a man ahead of his time.

Pretty, isn't it?

Mr. Tucker's car has everything...

pop-out safety windows, rear motor.

Oh, but I'm getting ahead of my story.

The first time he ever saw an automobile,

he was just a young boy.

In his excitement,

he found the wheels passing over his feet.

The muddy road was soft.

He wasn't hurt.

That was the first view of the machine

that was to mold his thoughts and actions

most of his life.

Determined to learn how cars were made,

he went to Detroit,

where he met Vera Fuqua.

They were married,

and, wasting no time, began a family.

He never lost sight of his dream

to design and manufacture

the finest automobile ever made.

He spent every minute he could

at the Indianapolis Speedway,

teaming up with Harry Miller,

one of the greatest designers of racing cars

who ever lived.

In 1936, Mr. Tucker saw the war clouds

looming on the horizon

and began working

on a high-speed combat car.

It was bulletproof, had air conditioning,

and mounted a power-operated gun turret.

The combat car was turned down by the military.

It had one drawback, they said.

It was too fast.

The War Department's policy then was

no combat car should go over 35 miles an hour.

His gun turret, however,

was immediately put into service.

Who knows how many brave Americans

owe their lives to Tucker's turret?

Where were they built?

In the most practical place Tucker imagined...

the barn by his Michigan home

where he and his family lived.

Oh, my God.

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Come on out, girl.

What's this?

Did you put this in my car?

No.

Did you? What is this thing?

Open it.

What is it?

My friends, you are in for one doozie.

What can I call this?

It's history in the making.

Is there anything you want to explain

about the dogs?

Oh... well, I traded the old Packard for them.

One dozen trained dogs.

What will we do with a dozen dogs?

It was a great trade.

Are you dying to know what's in here?

Huh? No?

- Yes. - Yes.

You're dying, huh?

Gallup took a poll

about what Americans want when the war's over.

87 of Americans said

the first thing they want is a new car.

Which would the public rather buy?

The same old models made

before the war or...

the car of tomorrow...

today.

- Ooh! - Whoa!

Looks like he's going 90 mph standing still.

Know who's going to build these cars? We are.

We'll put the Big Three out of business.

Who will we sell them to? Buck Rogers?

Under the hood, we've got luggage.

Engine's in the rear where it ought to be.

Look at this. Individual torque converters.

You're crazy!

You'd have to have wheel tracks 70 inches wide.

Dinner's ready!

All right. Let's go!

How many?

Everybody.

How about the U.S. Army?

You boys hungry?

Oh, Millie! Millie!

And our best dog food, huh?

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger...

How much you going to tell him?

Everything.

Coming through. Got dirty dishes.

They'll fall on you.

Don't trip!

The fenders... Light.

Who's this guy, Karatz?

He's a business man.

I met him on the train.

Finance.

Finance?

Come here, Junior.

Who's that?

The man I've been talking about.

Abe Karatz.

Good luck, honey.

We'll be in the den.

Look at him.

Yeah. He's scary.

He's not scary.

He's from New York.

Abe.

I appreciate your coming.

How long between trains?

You like living in the middle of nowhere?

You want coffee at 2 a.m., you'd die first.

Yeah, or make one.

Who wants coffee at 2 a.m.?

You chew the fat with the waitress.

Here you look around,

there's nothing but scenery.

We're stuck with that.

How do you like your coffee?

In the city.

Double fives again,

and he does it.

Cars?

You brought me here for cars?

Does that look like a car to you?

That is a gold mine I'm handing you

on a silver platter.

Forget it.

You got no chance.

How can you say that?

You haven't even heard my ideas.

Ideas?

Einstein's in the idea business,

making numbers so high

only dogs hear them.

But what's it cost him?

Paper, pencils.

To manufacture a car,

you need millions of dollars.

Well, that is what Wall Street is for...

to float stock issues, Abe.

Who are you?

What do you know?

Any experience on Wall Street?

It's revolutionary.

This is how cars are going to be made.

Abe, and with your connections...

I don't have connections.

I have connections with connections.

Speaking for them, myself, and God...

Him, too... forget about it.

You got no chance.

Well, think about it.

Drive safely.

Yes, sir.

Preston?

Preston?

Pile in, cutie.

Who wants ice cream?

Let's go to Doc's!

Everybody!

Man your positions.

See if we can break our record time.

Hurry up! Come on!

I've got my position.

It was pathetic how he loved the idea.

Embarrassing to see a man like that

trying so hard to play my harp strings.

I'm going to make him sweat a while first.

Watch this baby accelerate!

- Whoa! - Whoa!

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Sounds like Tucker again.

Yep! That's him. Let's go!

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Where's that tiger

Where's that tiger

Here's that tiger

Where's that tiger

Here's that tiger

Where's that tiger

Here's that tiger

Do do do do do do do do

Do do do do deedle da da dum

Da da da deedle da da da

Deedle da da dum...

Who wants ice cream?

How you doing, Doc?

Ok, if you don't include everything.

How about sodas all around?

Triple scoops tonight.

Triple scoops.

Chocolate, pistachio, strawberry.

You can mix them all up, OK?

Strawberry soda.

Hey, uh...

ain't those prefab houses something?

How do you know they're any good?

They're not even built yet.

It says so in the magazine.

Johnny, stop.

Yuck! He spilled it.

Noble, stop eating my sundae.

Stop it, Johnny.

Hey, does anybody want strawberry?

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Working with a writer,

Tucker got an article about the car published

in pic magazine.

But nobody, not even Tucker,

was prepared for what happened.

Within a week,

150,000 letters poured in

from all over the country.

"I want a Tucker."

"Where can I buy a Tucker?"

"Can I get a dealership?"

Overnight, the nation had gone Tucker crazy.

Just because Tucker builds a car

doesn't mean he can mass produce it.

So... what do we need to make this work?

Well, we need a car.

A car we got.

A working prototype?

Says so in the magazine.

We, uh, also will have to have

some big Detroit names

for the board... the prospectus.

Like who?

Well, there was a fellow,

vice president at Ford many years,

Robert Bennington.

He's president at Plymouth right now,

but he's being kicked upstairs.

We might get him.

Will he want a say in running things?

A say?

Bennington will run the company.

Tucker may not go for that.

People don't buy stock.

They buy people they can trust

or believe they can.

If what's-his-name...

Tucker.

If Tucker's going to be a pain in the ass...

Don't worry. He's a good man.

What else do we need?

We need a factory, hmm?

You get Bennington, whatever it takes.

I'll get the factory.

Thank you.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Norfolk, Virginia.

Norfolk, Virginia.

Omaha, Nebraska.

Omaha, Nebraska.

Wow. Look.

Here... here's one from Anchorage, Alaska.

Oh! That's the first one from there.

Abe should have been here an hour ago.

You know the trains now, darling.

They're always late.

Who's that?

Could I have a few moments with you?

I'm waiting for somebody.

Five minutes.

Bye, daddy!

What for?

To sell you something, sir.

What?

Me.

All right. Five minutes.

Thank you. I'm Alex Tremulis, sir.

I'll be getting out of the Air Force

in a few weeks.

Before that, I studied automotive engineering.

Since I saw that article about your car,

it's been driving me crazy.

I made some 3-D perspective drawings.

If you wouldn't mind, sir,

taking a look at them.

What you did with the streamlining

was fantastic.

But if we took that one step further,

if we applied real aerodynamics,

like a rocketship

to a family car...

You changed my doors.

Yes, sir.

You only have 31 inches headroom.

An average-size person needs 36.

But every time you open the door,

they hit the curb.

I made them open up like an airplane.

Time's up, kid.

Two more minutes, sir.

Want a job? You got it.

In the design department?

Kid, you are the design department.

Ahh.

Abe! Did you find it?

Tucker.

I have a lot to tell you.

It was a good meeting.

Jimmy!

Hello.

Jimmy Sakiyama,

Abe Karatz, my partner.

Hi. Nice to meet you.

How do you do?

Tell Eddie we'll be in the dining room.

You bet.

Hey, didn't they put the Japs

in camp someplace?

He's not a Jap.

He's an engineer.

He's still a Jap.

Jimmy and me, we've been together 15 years.

He's in my custody to work.

But his parents, his 12-year-old sister,

they're in a relocation camp in Colorado,

if that makes you feel better.

Meshugana.

Hi there, Mr. Karatz.

How are you?

Which leaves three war surplus plants.

It's a long shot.

Everybody's trying to get them,

but it's worth a try.

One of them is perfect.

Nice, little.

The other is too big.

Costs twice as much to retool.

We could swing it if we had to.

What's the third?

Ah, impossible.

The Dodge plant

where they made the B-29s in Chicago.

Hmm. What's wrong with that?

For one thing,

it covers 475 acres with 16 buildings.

One of them is 73 acres long.

One building...

the biggest building in the world under one roof.

It's perfect.

You'll love it in Chicago.

Listen, they've got a department store...

one of the biggest in the world.

Oh, everybody shops there.

You'll love it.

Fantastic!

Oh!

I can build everything I ever dreamed of

in this plant, Abe...

sports cars, family cars, convertibles, trucks,

even airplanes!

Just talk the government into giving it to us.

Did you reach them?

Yep. We finally got our meeting

with the War Assets Administration in Washington.

Monday. 3:00.

Oh, that's no good.

What?

It's got to be lunch someplace.

Do you realize the trouble I went through?

With roast beef.

Rare. Very rare.

Every 25 seconds

somebody is killed or crippled

in an automobile accident.

Now 60 of all nighttime accidents

happen on the curb

because there's a blind spot

between the time the wheel's turned

and the time your headlights get where you're going.

When you turn a Tucker wheel,

you also turn the fenders and the headlights.

You see where you're going before you get there.

This woman was thrown

through the windshield of her car.

Tucker windshields pop out.

And to make sure nobody's face gets cut,

we have shatterproof glass.

We also have seat belts.

Now, why?

Tell me why, gentlemen,

has the Big Three in Detroit

been allowed to make billions of dollars

without spending one dime on safety?

What I know, what you know,

what the public knows...

is that they don't give a damn about people.

All they care about is profits.

Let me tell you something,

and I mean this from the bottom of my heart,

the entire automobile industry

is guilty of criminal negligence.

And if it were up to me,

they'd be tried and convicted of manslaughter.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you for the time you've given me.

Congratulations.

They hate you like poison, and so do I.

Why did I let you talk me into...

Oscar Beasley,

special assistant to the administrator.

Could you be in my office tomorrow afternoon?

Well, uh... uh, sure.

Good. See you there.

Mr. Beasley.

They loved it.

Would they want to see us again if they didn't?

You're talking logic. This is Washington.

Why see us again?

Politics!

We're being set up for something, believe me.

We got no chance.

How could we kid ourselves

into thinking anyone would give us a loan?

All we've got are debts and more debts.

How does he do it, the genius you married?

No matter how much he makes,

he spends twice as much.

Hello?

Where the hell were you?

How did it go?

They were eating out of my hand.

I could've asked for California

and gotten Arkansas to boot.

Darling, I'm so sorry.

It's not dead yet.

Completely. Got another meeting tomorrow.

What does Abe think?

What does he know?

Did you get the loan?

They'll think it over.

You're a worse liar than I am.

Can you please come home soon, Preston?

Please?

I will, doll.

I love you.

I love you, too.

I'll see you soon, sweetheart.

Bye.

Mr. Tucker,

in brief, the committee has voted

to give you the plant in Chicago,

provided that you have certified assets

of no less than $ 15 million.

And to qualify as a legal manufacturing company,

you'll be required to produce at least 50 cars

one year after taking possession.

Is that satisfactory?

W-well I, uh...

sure, I mean, uh...

fine.

Papers will be ready for signature

5:00 tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you.

Abe, why don't we let Mr. Beasley

get back to work?

- Yippee! - Hyah!

Klondike 436.

Go ahead. I'll hold on.

Preston Tucker.

United Auto Workers told Roosevelt

if he wants the labor vote,

he's got to give the plant to a car company.

Why not Ford, General Motors?

They don't want it.

How can nobody want a plant like that?

Everybody wants it, but you're the only lunatic

dumb enough to make cars there.

Yeah, he's right here.

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold on.

When can you get the car to New York?

I got the best press agent in the business.

To kick off the stock sale,

he wants to unveil the car with enough razzmatazz

to make investors beg to buy those shares.

You hear that?

You bet I did!

We got it!

The biggest damn plant in the world!

Oh, that's wonderful!

All we need now is $ 15 million and a car.

That's it.

You love me?

I love ya!

See you.

All right.

We need a car?

Let's celebrate. Have a drink.

Do we have a car?

Well, no, it's not a matter of...

Frank, I'll call you back.

You all right, Abe?

Huh?

Anything else you want to tell me?

I don't have a dime to build it with, uh...

You all right? Huh?

Oh!

$50,000 for one car?

It's a prototype. Hand-built, don't forget.

How much you need to get started?

Forget the $50,000.

To get started?

At least 10.

I'll give you 6.

If it turns out you're right,

we could sell dealerships now, which sounds crazy.

Why would anybody pay money for a car

that isn't even in existence yet?

I'm sitting here writing a check in my handwriting

calling them crazy?

One thing...

we need it absolutely in 60 days.

Absolutely. Any problem?

Problems?

It's impossible.

60 days?

Or never.

Why?

We haven't sold enough stock to buy a dead herring.

But the letters, all the excitement...

Some people buy cars. Some people buy stock.

No major investor will consider us.

But why 60 days?

Because in 60 days... June 1 st...

we take possession of the plant.

And not until that day,

will the mystery car,

the car of the century, be unveiled.

Uh, Uncle Abe.

Yeah.

I wondered why you do that with your nose?

What with my nose?

Move it like a rabbit.

OK, everybody upstairs.

Oh, murder.

Students to the grindstone.

Bye.

Goodbye.

Do I do that?

You don't do that with your nose.

Mr. Tucker, sir, it takes Ford nine months

to go from model to prototype.

Call every pitman we know in Indy.

Carrigan, Milton, maybe Tully.

All right. Have them here by tomorrow.

Buy clay. We got to start on that model.

What about steel? Enough left from the turrets?

Just about.

There are 24 hours in every day.

Is there anybody in this room

who can tell me we can't do it?

We can't do it!

Except you.

Better get with it.

We can't do it!

We can't do it!

Um, Dad, I've, uh... thought...

Mr. Tucker?

Excuse me, son.

About college.

Hmm.

Dad, I've been trying to talk to you,

and each time I try and bring it up...

Look.

What's this?

It's the answer from Notre Dame.

I got accepted.

But look...

Hey! Congratulations!

I don't want to go!

Look, l... I want to learn

everything about cars from you.

I don't want to become president or something.

Who wants you to become president?

I thought you did.

The two crummiest things a person can be

are lawyers or politicians.

Why would I want you to be president?

Most of them are both.

So it's OK.

Sure. You can stay with me.

I'm going to depend on you.

They won't sell clay.

Can't build models without it.

Can't build prototypes without a model.

Take it easy, kid. Life's full of surprises.

Doug!

Chris!

Want you to meet Alex,

Head of the Design Department.

These are the best bodyknockers in the business.

They'll go from your sketch straight to metal.

How's this for a frame?

It's OK for a start.

Face this now, Prez.

You got engine problems.

I should talk you out of building one from scratch.

You couldn't, once he's made his mind up.

The rear engine's the heart.

Just work the damn thing out.

You can do it, Eddie.

You can do it, Eddie.

I'm offering you the opportunity of a lifetime...

a new car dealership.

The most revolutionary car

in automotive history.

Sir?

I'll be right with you.

It's got safety features,

torque converters on every wheel...

double torque converters won't work.

We need a transmission.

Why the hell won't they?

We don't have time to work it out.

You remember the cord 18 transaxle?

That's the only transmission I can think of.

Yeah, if you could find one.

What choice do I have?

But only for now.

The minute we finish that show,

we'll build the car we advertised.

$ 7,500.

I never thought I'd live to see the day.

I didn't make the fenders move with the wheels

like you wanted to, sir.

Why the hell not?

Hmm?

Remember Frank Lockhard when he drove the Stutz?

At high speeds they acted like rudders.

It was very dangerous.

So I made the middle light

turn with the wheels,

and it works fine.

And it's safe.

You ever do something I told you not to,

so help me...

I'll give you a raise.

Hey!

No reverse!

Can we fix it?

Not by Monday.

You'll get it.

Junior, give me a hand here.

All right, we'll get it.

Push!

Abe, I still don't like this idea.

We've got to do it, Tucker.

We need Detroit experience,

or we won't sell any stock.

As long as he doesn't try to run the company.

Mr. Tucker.

I've always admired innovative men

who are willing to take risks.

I myself introduced nylon seat covers in our new line.

Ah...

So, when do I get to see the car?

Soon, Mr. Bennington.

The car has to be shown

in less than a week, doesn't it?

The piston load during compression

is three times normal family cars.

It needs a 24-volt battery to start,

which don't exist.

How many volts in those? Six.

Use two truck batteries. They're 12.

That's 24.

What do you think

of these pictures in these brochures?

I want to talk about that.

That board of directors

they stuck me with...

I don't know if Bennington's an undertaker

or one of the stiffs he embalmed.

Preston.

How many years of testing?

15?

I've been thinking about that car

longer than 15 years.

Thinking's not exactly testing.

It's advertising.

You're not supposed to believe it.

If you're selling candy,

what do you advertise, rotting teeth?

Uh.

You caught me, didn't you?

Uh-huh. Don't you give me that crooked little smile

you stole from Clark Gable.

What? I didn't steal that from Clark Gable!

I've caught you practicing.

You thought I wasn't looking.

Oh, now, this smile here. See?

This is my downfall.

The real you.

The canary who ate the cat.

That smile made you do that?

Every time.

You know what this smile makes me want to do?

Punch you.

Let's stick with the canary.

Mr. Bennington, members of the board,

we have one major problem.

Yes, Mr. Tucker?

Just what sort of problem is that?

Well...

they're putting the squeeze on.

Detroit.

We can't buy clay. We can't buy steel.

We can't buy anything.

That doesn't surprise me.

So I'm meeting with Senator Ferguson.

We'll straighten this thing out eyeball to eyeball.

Wait.

You wait.

We'll nip this in the bud.

You think a smile will make him forget

he's a senator from Detroit?

We're making cars in Chicago.

He's my senator, too, don't forget.

The senator will see you now.

Very good.

This way?

Right through that door.

Senator.

Preston Tucker.

Mr. Tucker.

A.H. Karatz.

K-A-R-A-T-Z, huh?

Huh?

Sit down, gentlemen. Sit down.

Let's get to the point.

I know you're a powerful man in Washington.

Oh.

I also know that your main job is...

Limo's here, Senator.

Well, I'm sorry, gentlemen.

It was just getting interesting.

My plans changed on me since we made this appointment,

as they do every two seconds.

I'm not going to be able to... Alice?

Did you take care of...

First thing in the morning.

Huh? Walk me to the car?

Good day.

Senator, don't forget the 4:00 meeting.

Got it.

Senator?

Just bring everything to the plane.

You, uh... you like Jack Benny?

Senator!

He's my favorite.

Tickets.

Oh, thank you.

"Problems are just opportunities in work clothes."

That's a quote from my friend Henry J. Kaiser.

Karatz.

Afternoon, Senator.

Get that thing we talked about?

Got a phone call.

Call Tim. Tell him I told you, huh?

In Washington,

did you meet Harry Macdonald, head of S.E.C.?

Not yet.

Local boy, good man, loyal.

Who's your favorite comedian, Mr. Tucker?

That's how you keep that figure.

That's one way, Senator.

Quite an idea of yours...

selling dealerships for cars that don't exist.

You remember that song?

Music goes round and round

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

And it comes out here

The Big Three should be indicted for manslaughter, huh?

Funny line.

What was that all about?

Did he say anything? What did he say?

He said stay out of the car business,

or we cut your nuggies off.

All right. Now what?

I can't give you a fuel injection.

No fuel injection?

You want the car on time,

the only hope we got is twin carburetors.

Oh!

God damn it!

Where is my car?

What's left of it, anything?

Hi, Abe.

Vera, how are you?

Great. Come on in.

Uncle Abe! Uncle Abe!

Wha...

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

My goodness.

Whoa, look what I have for you.

It's from Chicago.

For me?

I hope you like it.

Oh, I love it, Uncle Abe.

Is it all right?

What do I know about ladies' dresses?

Can I try it on?

Well, well, well.

Oh!

Oh!

You got me.

Here's a present for you, Noble.

Something for you.

Well, tell me gently.

Do we have a car?

Well...

we've got something.

Does it look like the car in the ads?

Looks like it.

So why are you worried?

All they have to do is see it.

Here's your martini, Abe.

A drink. Come.

To the car.

- To the car. - To the car.

Whoo.

Don't you just love it?

Thank you, Uncle Abe.

You're welcome.

Thanks. Don't you just love it?

It's beautiful, sweetie.

Dad!

Where's dad?

You better get out there.

Oil's leaking from the rear main seal.

We just blew a head gasket.

The whole thing's falling apart.

What's going on? I leave for one minute.

Where's Eddie?

Eddie!

What is it?

It's just what we expected.

What the hell was that?

Hey, are you OK?

Are you all right?

You're OK?

We could've gotten killed.

Totalled the suspension.

You're all right. All right.

With all that weight. Dutch. Where's Dutch?

We need four new arms

machined from solid stock.

No sweat.

What the hell's happening to you?

That kid nearly got his brains splattered.

You don't even notice.

For what? That pile of junk?

That's all it is... a pile of junk.

Aah!

Listen to me. You listening? Carefully?

We're going to build that car,

the one we dreamed of,

exactly the way we want it.

Feeling better? That's what I came down for...

to cheer you up.

I'm fine.

Cheerful?

I'm plenty cheerful.

Too cheerful.

You think that's cheerful...

watching me lose my mind?

Know what's even more cheerful?

Having ringside seats

at your own crucifixion,

which I might have in Chicago.

How's it going?

This is Frank the press agent.

Abe. He thinks "Frank the press agent" is one word.

Frank. Please.

These are the security guards?

Three shifts round the clock.

Absolutely nobody gets near this car.

I told them.

Ooh! Frank.

Naughty, naughty.

No, no. Down, down. Now, move that.

This is Stan.

He's making a promotional film about you.

Nice to meet you.

It's a puff kind of a promo film...

Sales meetings, dealerships, things like that.

If you have any family albums,

uh, snapshots...

Home movies?

You just shut up.

Home movies, anything like that we could use.

What's the point?

Selling stock.

Selling stock in my family?

We're not just selling cars. We're selling you...

which includes your family.

That newsreel of you in the White House?

You think the President's yelling,

"Get me Tucker!"?

You can't buy publicity like that.

You did.

Yeah. For money.

Sure.

Nothing you say makes sense.

How come I always know what you mean?

Because you talk worse than me the same language.

Mr. Tucker.

Some shots looking up at the sign.

Dignified,

serious,

confident...

a regular captain of industry.

Broadcasting live from the Tucker auto plant.

The largest parking lot in the world, completely filled.

People coming here from everywhere...

Washington, D.C., New York.

They're here with their families,

all looking very excited

about seeing the innovations

they've heard so much about

in the Tucker automobile.

300 people were invited,

and over 1,000 have shown up.

Since 13, when he was office boy

for the Vice President of Cadillac,

Preston Tucker's been identified...

Noble, you sit here.

What did you get me into?

The biggest day in automotive history.

I didn't expect this.

Wait and see. Wait and see.

OK, push it.

Aahh...

How much longer? We're an hour late already.

The damn wheels are locked.

Ohh!

Come on. Let's try rocking it.

Come on, Jimmy.

OK. Try the other way. Rock it, now.

Come on. Rock it.

Nah, Junior, you got to go underneath.

Eddie, get that socket.

Eddie!

Having a little trouble back there, seems like.

Been up all night, poor bastards,

trying to hold that pile of junk together.

It won't even back up. No kidding.

No reverse.

Jack it up! Get in there.

Would you like to help me out?

Let me know what goes on.

We want the car!

We want the car!

Let's go! Come on!

What's going on?

Who knows? The board's getting impatient.

Senator Ferguson.

Preston, get this thing started now!

Do something. Stall. Anything.

Bennington is going crazy.

Signal when ready from that corner.

That corner?

Yeah.

Take out some weight!

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm Preston Tucker.

Sorry for the delay.

Perhaps this will perk you up... the Tuckerettes!

What are Tuckerettes?

They're girls.

Girls!

The back tires can't move

with all that weight on the rear wheels.

Try this for a brace.

Let's hear it for the Tuckerettes!

OK, Junior. Tell your dad. Let's go.

We're set!

Aren't they lovely creatures?

Dad!

Back here!

Back here!

Dad, we got it. We're set.

And now,

ladies and gentlemen,

the history-making moment you've all been waiting for.

OK, come on, let's push, guys.

Hold it, Eddie!

We got a leak again.

Tell your dad to hold it. Hold it.

Dad! Dad! Dad, hold it!

Hold it. Stop.

But first, you don't mind

if I introduce my family, do you?

My lovely wife Vera.

My daughter Marilyn Lee.

Isn't she lovely?

Junior, get the soldering iron.

My eldest son is backstage.

Asleep in the car?

Ladies and gentlemen,

the car everyone calls the Tucker...

let's go.

But first...

Dad!

Dad!

We're set.

Does anybody want to see the car?

Hold it.

Fire!

Get the fire extinguishers.

But first...

I'd like to show you the cars many features.

Ladies, the Detroit-mobile.

You're standing on my foot.

You're on my foot.

Because of the revolutionary Tucker rear engine...

Stop. There's no more fire there.

What took you so long?

Drive your Tucker to the dumbest mechanic

anywhere in the world,

and he'll be able to remove the engine

and replace it within 20 minutes.

Didn't you tell him we're not doing that?

Let's hear it for the Tuckerettes.

Come on!

Boo!

We want the car!

We want the car!

Come on, Tucker.

We want the car.

We want the car.

We want the car.

We want the car.

We want the car.

We want the car.

...that dreams can come true.

Ladies and gentlemen,

don't let a Tucker pass you by.

Ladies...

Whoa.

That's pretty good.

Get up here. Come on. Sweetie.

Come on!

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

my love,

my inspiration,

my wife...

Vera.

Yeah! Yeah!

I usually don't take a bath till Saturday.

We are pleased to say this newly christened car

gets over 20 miles per gallon,

is capable of 130 miles per hour,

and hasn't even been opened up yet.

The car features seat belts, a rear motor,

and has a sponge-rubber crash panel.

Buy a Tucker.

Don't let the future pass you by.

This man Tucker is a loose cannon.

He just doesn't understand

how a corporation runs.

He's not much of an engineer either.

If we don't watch out,

we'll never build those cars in time.

Why don't we let him go off

on a nice long publicity tour?

Not a bad idea.

All right.

Preston, I'd like you to meet Mrs. Mellon.

Preston Tucker.

Mr. Preston Tucker,

the key to our fair city

and this beautiful plaque

to commemorate your achievements.

The Tuckers are here.

Sir.

Wow.

This is it... Chicago.

This has got to be 100 stories high.

This way, ma'am.

Well,

how do you like it, huh?

I got a real buy on it.

Hello, Millie.

How are you, darling?

Hi, Millie.

In here, the kitchen.

You got an elevator

goes up and down.

Strap-work ceilings. Beautiful.

That's why I got it so cheap,

from a vaudeville family.

Uh... very wealthy,

but, uh...

midgets.

I want to buy a steel plant.

We need one.

I'll check with Beasley at War Assets

and see if we can't find another plant.

How do you get one?

They go to the highest bidder.

May I?

That's a hell of a lighter.

Here are the new specs from Mr. Bennington.

64 inches high instead of 56.

And the wheel track...

Who are you exactly?

I'm from Engineering upstairs.

Take a look at what we've done.

God damn it!

Damn it!

Hey, what's the matter?

Hey, this is better.

The engine definitely can't go in the rear.

No rear engine?

No rear engine?

We can't get it to work.

No rear engine!

We represent Mr. Tucker.

This is very important.

I'm sorry. You can't see him.

He went out.

Next time Bennington goes out,

tell him to take his body with him.

Mrs. Tucker.

Well, well...

what a nice surprise.

I'm, uh...

l-I'm really delighted to see you.

Uh, but, um...

would you be good enough to give my wife a call?

Mrs. Bennington has complete charge

of our social visits.

There's nothing social about this visit.

Sit down, gentlemen.

We can skip the minuet.

What is this?

And this?

And this?

And this is ridiculous.

Ha ha ha.

I admire this very much

when the little woman takes a keen interest

in her husband's business affairs.

Why did you change the design of my husband's car?

And the colors.

Waltz blue came from the color

of one of my dresses.

Mrs. Tucker,

your husband's fantasy of a rear-engine car,

well,

it just doesn't work, that's all.

There's very little likelihood it'll ever work.

I'm really sorry about that.

What about this?

Preston promised his car would sell for $ 1,000.

In this memo, you've doubled the price.

Uh...

my wife and I

would like to have you as our guest for dinner.

I'll buy my own dinner, Benny.

Answer the question. Why?

Steel.

We just can't get any of it.

It's costing us twice as much as the Big Three.

Oh, really, Mrs. Tucker,

I don't mean to be rude,

but we're in the middle

of a rather crucial meeting.

When you're riding in a Tucker

Doo-doo-do

When you're riding in a Tucker

Doo-doo-do

When you're riding in a Tucker

Ooh-ah

The car of tomorrow

The car of tomorrow

The car of tomorrow

Today

The car of tomorrow

Today

Hi, folks.

I'm Preston Tucker.

It's not polite to blow your own horn...

so I'll let the soundman do it for me.

But seriously...

who wrote this?

I'll think of my own stuff to say.

Phone for Mr. Tucker.

I'll call them back.

It's your wife.

She says it's important.

All right.

We can do better than this.

Hey, doll.

Get back here right away.

Dad, Bennington's changed the designs

to a standard front-mounted engine.

He's changed the whole body and everything.

Don't worry. It's all right.

If Bennington keeps tooling up

for his 1940 Plymouth version he's building,

it'll cost millions for us to retool.

We have to sell stock.

Otherwise, there won't be a car to ruin.

When I get home,

I'll send him back to the mortuary.

Bennington says we'll have to double the price

because we're being charged double for steel.

Turn that down!

And, Preston, no waltz blue.

What?

Our color.

Doll, I'm on my way back.

All right.

The rear engine is out.

Your own engineers admit that 589 engine

is a failure.

The chair recognizes no further discussion.

Who made him the chair?

Also denied

and eliminated from any further discussion

are disc brakes,

fuel injection,

hydraulic valve lifters,

seat belts...

Seat belts?

How can you object to seat belts?

Our marketing department

says they imply the cars are unsafe.

If one person is killed in a Tucker

because of some safety feature you eliminated...

May I remind you,

you have no voice in policy matters.

I'm in complete charge of this company.

What company? My company?

Ha ha ha.

I think you'll find it stated unequivocally

in my contract.

Is that true?

We needed his name to sell the stock.

We needed a man with experience

to run things, but...

to run things, but...

Tucker, I give you my word,

I swear to God,

I didn't know that was in his contract.

You can't have Falstaff

and have him thin, Mr. Tucker.

What does that mean?

Well...

little boats should be kept near the shore.

He talks like a fortune cookie.

This is my company.

That means seat belts,

disc brakes,

fuel injection, and a rear engine.

We'll see about that, Mr. Tucker.

That son of a bitch isn't getting my company!

That son of a bitch isn't getting my company!

Daddy.

Forgive me, sweetie.

Hello.

Hold on.

Dad, it's for you.

He says he's Howard Hughes.

Hello.

Is this some kind of...

I'll be right there.

Well, I'll be.

Hi.

Howard Hughes.

What do you think of it, kid?

It's big.

That's what they tell me.

Here, do you like pistachio nuts?

Lawyers.

All they can think about

is whether it will fly or not.

Who cares whether it flies?

That's not the point.

And...

Spruce Goose.

Why do they call it that?

That seem funny to you?

I can't tell anymore.

People.

Did I change, or...

did the cosmic sense of humor?

I used to laugh when they did.

This...

prick...

Homer Ferguson.

He's after me, too.

Subpoenaed me for a congressional investigation

which either I show up for,

in person,

or he's going to send me to jail.

I'm already in jail.

Steel.

That's what I called you about.

There's a helicopter plant

in, uh, Syracuse,

called the Air-Cooled Motor Company.

And they're not connected to any government agency,

so...

the politicians can't screw you out of it.

Well, this helicopter company

has all the steel you need.

And they're on their ass financially, so...

if you hurry up,

they're ready to deal.

And they...

they make a really fine aluminum engine.

But listen, now.

For God's sake, now,

you don't...

I wonder...

I wonder how they get the blood off.

Well, what do you think, Jimmy?

It's a helicopter engine.

It needs to be converted

from air-cooled to water.

But as a starting point, maybe.

It's small, which is good. Simple.

I'll work on the drawings.

Oh, time. Time.

Fighting Bennington would take years.

Meanwhile, he's retooling his car as fast as possible.

We'll have to build this engine right here

out of Bennington's sight.

The Senate War Investigating Committee

has subpoenaed aircraft designer Howard Hughes.

The committee will investigate charges...

We need a new cam shaft.

Intake manifold's going to have to be reworked.

Excuse me, but in a helicopter,

doesn't the engine stand straight up?

If we lay our sideways,

we'll need an oil pan down there.

Ha ha ha!

OK, whatever we do

has got to fit into the Franklin assembly line.

That's it, gentlemen.

Hey, come on! Eddie, come on.

We only got till tomorrow

to get this thing together.

Click it over.

Get another battery.

Yay!

Hey, hey!

Got it!

Go ahead! Go ahead!

There he goes!

Woo-hoo!

Just like a swan.

I want it smooth like a swan.

Get out of here!

You're in the shot!

Go, Eddie!

Woo!

Sounds mighty nice.

Hey, Eddie!

Yeah?

We can drive in relays.

24 hours without a stop and push her!

Push her to the limit!

Go!

I hope it holds up.

Good. Good.

It's neat.

Having fun?

Yeah.

What have we got now?

171/2 hours.

To go?

God damn!

All right, all right. Stay with him.

Charlie? Homer.

That son a bitch Tucker built the damn thing.

Well, not everything he advertised, not yet.

But enough to cost billions

just to keep up with him.

I'll take care of him.

We did it!

Hey, Eddie!

Oh, my God!

Hold the camera!

Eddie!

Eddie, are you all right?

Get an ambulance quick!

All right. Now, watch out.

Watch it. Hold it up. Watch yourself.

You OK?

Blah.

Yeah.

Clocked out just like we said.

Look at that thing.

I can't believe it.

I bet you 2 bucks it still runs.

Go ahead. Start it up. Let's see.

Aah!

Hoo-hoo!

Told ya.

Woo!

All right!

Woo!

It's a hell of a car.

It's one hell of a damn car!

That's a hell of a ride there, partner.

You got it, didn't you?

Yeah, we got it!

You look like you didn't get it!

We got it.

We got it, right?

We didn't get it.

That's right.

We're going to go back to the original drawings.

Keep everything the same...

the rear engine, et cetera,

except for these numbers...

13...

Tucker, what is going on?

I see you've resumed production

on your rear-engine car.

By whose authority are you doing this?

That's the car you signed for,

that's the car we're making.

If you think you'll get away with this...

"Little ships fine," Confucius say.

"Rowboats long in tooth make big noise,

go nowhere."

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Mr. Tucker, you're going to hear from my attorney.

You can count on that.

Good morning, sir.

Nothing can stop us now.

"You'll hear from my attorney."

This beautiful shot of the grill.

Now watch this beauty shot of the side.

Wait till you see this attendant.

He's much better than that fat guy was.

Wait till you see this shot.

It's great.

He puts down the rag, throws it down.

I took out kicking the tire.

This is the best. Watch.

Aw! Aw!

Look at his eyes.

Now watch.

Here, I don't know.

What about a close-up?

Why did you leave the tire out?

The finger. Do we need it?

Not the finger, but the tire.

Abe, I want you to see this.

Stan's promo film. It's great.

Come here. Shh. Come here.

All right! All right!

Turn it off. I'll see the end later.

What?

Did you like it when he went...

Yes.

What's all this cloak and dagger business now?

Your office is wired.

The board room,

the whole plant, even washrooms.

Ever since you road-tested the new car,

40 G-men have followed you around the clock.

You made the car too good.

The whole idea is building a better mousetrap.

Not if you're the mouse.

What are you talking about?

We did it. We won.

In 2 weeks, 100 cars will come out a day.

Frank the press agent says in two weeks

you'll be dead and buried by the Big Three.

Here.

It's my resignation.

Take it.

You're bailing out, is that it?

Captains go down with their ships,

not businessmen.

Look me in the eye.

You're too good a salesman

not to look a customer in the eyes.

You think I'm playing games?

You're trying some double-whammy hustle backwards! Why?

I have to say it?

Yeah. Let's start from there.

OK.

I did three years in the pen

for bank fraud.

So what?

So they'll use it against you.

What, you think because of this piece of paper,

they're not going to?

Leave me alone, will you?

The whole 10 years since I've been in the pen,

it never bothered me for two seconds I'm an ex-con.

Why should it?

Who cared?

But for you and Vera and the kids to know...

I'm ashamed.

Abe, come on.

When I was a little kid,

maybe 5 years old in the old country,

my mother would warn me,

"Don't get too close to people.

You'll catch their dreams."

Years later, I realized I misunderstood her.

Germs, she said, not dreams.

"You'll catch their germs."

I want you to know something, Tucker.

I went into business with you to make money.

That's all.

How was I to know...

if I got too close, I'd catch your dreams?

Here.

If you want to know how they'll finish you off,

listen to Drew Pearson tomorrow night on the radio.

Noble, bring it in!

Noble, bring it in!

Don't yell.

Good evening. This is Drew Pearson.

The hottest news in Washington today

is about Preston Tucker,

that promotion happy self-styled genius

and revolutionary auto maker.

- Yay! - Yay!

For several months,

he has been under investigation

by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

They're ready to blow the lid off

one of the slickest multimillion dollar frauds

ever perpetrated on the American people.

Not only does the car

have none of the futuristic features advertised,

but it was put together

from parts found in city dumps.

Local wags, having dubbed it the Tin Goose,

find it particularly amusing

that Mr. Tucker's car of tomorrow

can't even back up.

Bull!

Nor can Mr. Tucker at this point.

Senator Homer Ferguson

will spearhead a congressional probe

to find out exactly what happened

to the $ 26 million Tucker raised.

One thing for certain...

he didn't spend it making cars.

The rumor around Capitol Hill this week...

They can't say that.

We'll kill 'em.

Are you going to let them say that, pop?

Who do they think they're dealing with,

some cream puff?

They don't know it,

but they just opened Aunt Dora's box.

We love you, daddy.

But it's Pandora's box.

Oh, no.

Good morning, Miss Yanpaulski.

When did they take the files, last night?

The S.E.C.?

Nobody touched anything here.

I called all the departments myself.

Get me the editor on the phone.

Can you believe that?

Nice day.

You come back here!

You can't go in there!

We're from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We have a court order

confiscating all files,

letters, accounting books.

If you simply cooperate,

we'll work quickly.

That's quite a newspaper, mister.

It's the only one that prints the news

before it happens.

So, speaking for myself

and the other members of the board,

we hereby submit our resignations,

effective immediately.

What about the dealers

filing suit against you?

What about the district attorney

confiscating the company's assets?

Ladies and gentlemen, please.

Address questions to Mr. Bennington.

How long will the plant stay open?

The plant is officially closed.

Hey, hey.

Hey, hey!

It's dad!

Yeah.

Let's see your driver's license.

Swell. Where's the girls, huh?

It comes alone.

Hold that.

Ohh.

This is a great interior.

In a week

we could push a button

and produce 100 cars a day.

Well, tell me something.

If 50 cars are ready by June 1 st,

they can't take the plant?

Not according to the contract.

How many cars are ready right now?

47.

We only need three more?

Who's going to do it, though?

We've worked for free before.

Assemble three cars in four weeks? Ha!

Can anybody look me in the eye

and say we can't?

We can't do it.

Except you.

- Will you grow a beard?

Who's he talking to, me?

Yeah, you.

You'd look old enough for a department head.

Ha ha ha.

Hello.

Who's this? You?

Abe?

Tucker, don't go home.

The police are waiting there to arrest you.

Don't go home?

This you won't believe...

outside the police station,

maybe there's 50, 100 reporters,

photographers, newsreels even.

They're going to drag you out in leg irons.

You're kidding.

Get out!

Go somewhere they can't find you.

They want headlines.

I'll give them a beaut!

Dad, what are you doing?

I'm going home.

One of you fellows have a light?

Where did he go?

I don't know.

We lost him.

All right! All right!

Back off! Back off!

Pipe down!

Quiet!

Thank you.

Now, what is going on here?

Ask these officers about

the 100 mile-an-hour chase

I gave them in this poor wreck.

Want to cuff me, boys?

Get in there!

In the local news,

Preston Tucker goes on trial this morning

in the same courthouse Al Capone was convicted.

Tucker has been charged

with 25 counts of mail fraud,

five counts of S.E.C. Violations,

and one count of conspiracy to defraud.

If convicted, Tucker, who is out on $ 25,000 bail,

faces a maximum sentence of 155 years in prison

plus a $60,000 fine.

Be seated.

And regarding his revolutionary designs,

we'll prove Mr. Tucker only designed

an elaborate scheme to defraud.

He only wanted the public's money for nothing,

and that's exactly what the public got... nothing.

The government has said

Mr. Tucker's purpose was to con the public

into believing a great car was coming.

His real purpose was to lie

and get money.

You all right, mommy?

It's very hot in here.

Your father might say it's not the heat,

it's the humility.

The Tucker Corporation was started in good faith.

The defendant intended to mass produce cars.

His failure to do so

was caused by a lack of adequate financing

due to serious outside interference.

I wouldn't put $ 7,500 down

on a car dealership

without a guaranteed supply of cars.

They were going to produce 1,000 cars a day.

I run a service station

and sell some used cars.

Do you see the person

who sold you that dealership?

Him.

Let the record state

that the witness identified Mr. Abe Karatz.

Did he disclose he'd served

three years for bank fraud?

Objection. Guilt by association.

Overruled.

Is it not true you were convicted in June of 1935

of conspiring to embezzle funds,

and you served three years

in a federal penitentiary?

That's true.

Tell me, as a convicted felon,

do you expect one person in this entire courtroom

to believe what you say?

One.

A well-run corporation doesn't waste money

to research innovations,

unless, of course,

keeping up with the competition

demands it.

Here is a man, Mr. Tucker,

who had the responsibility

for forming a well-run corporation.

He has the largest factory in the world,

containing two foundries, a dozen tool and die shops,

every piece of equipment ever made.

Can you suggest why he'd choose

to build his engine in a barn?

Objection!

Sustained.

Which had so little equipment...

Please confine your remarks

to questioning the witness.

This trial's bought and paid for...

a Christmas present Detroit gave itself.

I'll be lucky to get 15 years.

He hasn't proven anything yet.

Not legally.

He has if they think he has.

I'm an investigating accountant for the S.E.C.

What was the amount the Tucker Corporation paid

for the prototype engine and transmission

which was built entirely from parts found in junk yards?

$223,000.

What?

That's a lie.

Who received this money?

Ypsilanti Machine and Tool Company.

Ypsilanti Machine and Tool Company.

Can you describe their factory?

What factory?

It's a barn.

I can't believe they'd forge sets of books.

I've got every receipt, invoice,

check, bank statement.

Shh.

Everything to prove what we spent,

which is nowhere near what they said.

Why would they do that

knowing we can prove otherwise?

People believe the newspapers,

however unbelievable.

If headlines say I'm a crook,

me and the car are finished.

That's the whole idea, right?

I'll bring every paper from the files.

If they make headlines with lies,

you'll make bigger headlines with truth.

I couldn't sleep.

Good.

We could use some help.

The evidence suggests Mr. Tucker diverted

for his own personal use

over a million dollars

of the stockholders' money.

I have a copy of The Detroit News

with a story about the S.E.C. Investigation

of the Tucker Corporation,

which contains a number of specific details

which seem to be verbatim

from the S.E. C report admitted as evidence.

How did The Detroit News get this information?

I have no idea.

Mr. Blue, I have here a deposition

from one Susan McNamara.

I believe she's your private secretary,

in which she states

she saw you hand a copy of the report

to the writer of that article.

Furthermore, you instructed her

to supply him with an office

in a federal building

in which to write that article.

Now, why, ladies and gentlemen,

would the S.E.C. Release

information about Mr. Tucker,

which may or may not be true,

when it is against S.E.C. Policy to do so?

The S.E.C. Isn't on trial.

If the S.E.C. Can release information

for the purpose of slandering Mr. Tucker's name,

then lie about it, like Mr. Blue did...

Mr. Kirby!

Then we can't believe Mr. Tucker stole money.

You know that's not permissible.

Ladies and gentlemen, I remind you

the statements of the attorneys

are not evidence.

Mr. Kerner,

any further witnesses?

The prosecution rests.

Number three.

Number three.

And that makes number 50.

- Yay! - Yay!

- Yay! - Yay!

Whoo!

I'm so proud of you.

Whoo!

Hey!

We did it!

A week before deadline.

It's a real beauty.

Tomorrow, it's our turn at bat.

We'll chop them up like cat food.

We've subpoenaed Ferguson, his wife,

everybody we need to prove who started this thing,

why, and how.

I want all 50 of these cars

lined up in front

at the courthouse tomorrow morning.

- Yay! - Yay!

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Where are they? Where are the cars?

We can't wait any longer.

Any comment about the news?

What news?

Didn't you read the paper? Here.

"Led by Senator Homer Ferguson,

a special commission

appointed by President Truman

ordered the War Assets Administration

to evict the Tucker Corporation

from the former aircraft factory

and give it to the Lustron Corporation

for the development of prefab housing."

Hey, dad!

Come on!

Around the corner! Around the corner!

Come on. Hurry up. Hurry up.

Around the corner, OK? Hurry up.

Hey!

Hey, hey, hey.

They're digging up every street in town.

We had to go plumb to China and back.

I don't get it. This is the 24th.

I thought we had till the first.

We had till they dropped the other shoe.

It's my choice.

I won't let you...

They had no right to take that plant.

Forget the plant.

The Tucker car is dead. That's politics.

I won't let you cut your own throat.

You don't understand how powerful the forces are

that are working against us here.

I won't let you do it.

Tucker, look at me.

Preston, if you're not careful,

you're going to spend 20 years in prison.

We will be developing prefab houses.

Good to see you, Senator Ferguson.

These will be for people with low income.

I never thought I'd see a politician

with his hands in his own pockets.

The defense has chosen not to call any witnesses

because we feel the prosecution has failed

to make its case.

And in addition, your honor,

the defendant would like

to beg the court's permission

to make the closing statements himself

in the feeling that perhaps only he

can put this trial in its proper perspective.

No objection.

Well, permission granted.

But if anything you say is unacceptable

in a court of law, I'll stop you.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you, Senator.

Tell them an honest attempt means not guilty.

The prosecution...

claims that I never had any intention

of building any cars,

that all I wanted was to take the money and run.

If you decide that they're right,

well, I'm guilty.

But according to the law,

if I tried to make the cars,

even if they weren't any good,

even if I didn't make any...

but if you believe that I tried,

well, then, I'm not guilty.

It's not against the law to be stupid,

which I was, building that prototype.

What nobody has said is that after the prototype,

I built the car that I said I would.

There are 50 of them parked on Adam Street.

All you have to do is see them,

and the trial's over. OK, your honor?

Objection. Inadmissible evidence.

Sustained.

Please allow the jury to look out the window.

Objection.

You can see them from here.

This whole thing's about whether I intended

to build the cars.

Will the defendant abstain from this flagrant...

Mr. Tucker!

Bailiffs, restrain the defendant.

Wha... why did l...

Let the man speak!

Let's hear the rest of it!

If this behavior continues,

I may have to declare this a mistrial.

I will not tolerate one more outburst

of any kind from anybody in this courtroom!

I'm sorry.

You have one minute, Mr. Tucker.

Thank you, Your Honor.

When I was a boy I used to, uh...

I used to read all about Edison

and the Wright brothers,

Mr. Ford...

they were my heroes.

Rags to riches,

that's not just the name of a book,

that's what this country was all about.

We invented the free enterprise system

where anybody, no matter who he was,

where he came from, what class he belonged to,

if he came up with a better idea

about anything,

there's no limit to how far he could go.

I grew up a generation too late, I guess,

because now the way the system works,

the crackpot who comes up with some crazy idea

that everybody laughs at,

that later turns out to revolutionize the world,

he's squashed from above.

The bureaucrats would rather kill a new idea

than let it rock the boat.

Today, Benjamin Franklin would be arrested

for sailing a kite without a license.

It's true.

We're all puffed up with ourselves now

'cause we invented the bomb.

Dropped the...

Beat the daylights out of the Japanese, the Nazis.

But if big business

closes the door on the little guy

with a new idea,

we're closing the door on progress

and sabotaging everything we fought for,

everything that the country stands for.

We're going to find ourselves

at the bottom of the heap,

having no idea how we got there,

buying radios and cars from our former enemies.

I don't believe that's going to happen.

I can't believe it because...

if I stop believing in the common horse sense

of the American people,

there'd be no way

I could get out of bed in the morning.

Thank you.

Why did I let you do that?

Be seated.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defendant please rise.

We, the jurors...

find the defendant...

Preston Tucker...

Not guilty.

How about all of you

take a ride in one of those Tucker cars

that don't exist?

Look.

They love the cars, the people.

Drives me crazy.

The Tucker Motor Company's dead.

They'll never be made.

We made them.

50 cars.

Well, what's the difference,

50 or 50 million?

That's only machinery.

It's the idea that counts, Abe...

and the dream.

What are you up to now?

If I could figure out

how to make these kerosene refrigerators cheap enough

so poor people could afford them.

Big enough for two bottles of milk.

That's all.

So their kids won't have to get rickets, see?

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger

Hold that tiger