Original subtitles

(upbeat big band jazz music)

- Well we stay on Poland Avenue,

that takes us into South Avenue,

then we cross the Mahoning onto Wood Street

and that's where the arena's supposed to be.

- And Johnny Copa.

Look, if this guy's so important,

how come you never mentioned him before?

- It's been a lot of years, you know,

ten, eleven.

- Well I hope it's worth it.

You know Youngstown is not exactly on our course.

- Look, if somebody said to you you could take a detour,

to see Caesar or Napoleon, wouldn't you take that detour?

Caesar, Napoleon, those are the big guys you met,

in books.

Me, I met my own kings face to face in the back allies.

Who's Napoleon compared to Tony Gardello?

The first guy to close both my eyes with one punch.

(laughs)

Who's Caesar compared to Flip Mahoney?

The guy that knocked out my baby teeth.

Those were the kings.

My kings.

Those were the tough guys that,

that walked down the streets like dinosaurs.

But compared to Johnny Copa, they were nothing,

nowhere, he'd put 'em all down.

Says in the paper here that Johnny fights this Friday,

and that's something I gotta see.

(violin music)

Yeah?

That's him!

That's Johnny alright, oh boy,

wait till you see him in action!

- I'll get the tickets.

- It's like lightning coming out of the ground.

Boom!

He's got a left hook (grunts)

never quits, no matter where you move,

it's right in your eye, and a right cross,

just like the A train coming in 125th Street.

- He's a ham and egger.

He's a bush-faced bum.

- You got a big mouth.

- Big mouth, big money, they're a matched set.

I say Copa's a bag of oats, what do you say?

- I say he's a giant killer.

- [Poochy] Yeah?

- Yeah!

- Like, for how much?

- How much you got on you?

- Now wait a minute--

- Come on, just count it, count it.

- You said yourself you haven't seen him in ten years.

- Look, will you just give me what you got?

- Hundred dollars.

- That's a hundred and thirty, okay?

- Do you wanna see the fight?

That means we gotta buy tickets.

Now, the fight's Friday, that means

we gotta get a room and meals for two days.

- Johnny'll put us up and he'll

get us free tickets to the fight

and we have a job in Kinsman,

so don't worry, we'll make out.

Okay, here's mine, where's yours, big mouth?

I take Johnny, you take the other guy,

even money.

- Well, wait a minute, who's gonna hold the money?

See, you got a problem that insoluble,

so you keep your hundred and thirty dollars

and we'll keep our hundred and thirty--

- No, wait a minute, I got an idea.

We'll go to the post office and make out a money order

with my name and yours big mouth,

that way the cashier will have to

have both of us endorse it.

- Bright, real bright.

So, uh, see you at the post office, huh?

Downtown.

(dramatic music)

- Fastest money we ever made.

- Maybe.

- What do you mean, Todd, this guy is great!

Wait till you see both fists, vom!

(lively violin music)

You know the first time I met Johnny,

I was nine years old, it was on 12th Street,

over on the east side, and I hear this voice

that says, hey Jackson, you wanna fight?

I turn around, and this kid's standing there,

he's older than I am, a little kid

that looks sort of like he's missed lunch.

And he's got these four scuffed up boxing gloves

and they're hanging there with strings,

and I say,

yeah, I haven't had a fight all day long,

so I said, great.

So I follow him up the alley,

into this lot which is next to the icehouse

and right there he's got a boxing ring

with sticks and strings and he's got

an old laundry bag with sand in it

with hollows where he was punching,

and he's got a skip rope and an old beat up alarm clock,

and, you know, it's real business like,

so he let's me choose the gloves,

and I check his gloves for rocks,

and I don't figure no rocks,

anyway,

we get in the ring, and he sets the alarm for three minutes,

calls time and we square off.

Well, he dances towards me and all of a sudden

I get a mouthful of leather and he drops me quick.

But real class, I mean like, like

the Marquess of Queensbury, he steps back,

and he starts counting, one, two, three,

well I keep coming at him, I'm mad,

but I can't take him apart

because I can't lay a glove on him.

So he starts putting combinations together,

and the last thing I remember, he's counting to ten,

and I wake up and I discover I'm drinking--

(police whistle)

Oh!

He's on the side of the angels, that Johnny Copa.

When he was sixteen, he was Golden Gloves champ

then he turned pro, he was a real comer.

He was just beautiful to watch.

Like juice, something off a high-tension wire.

He went on tour, and then every once in a while

I'd get a letter from him, from Memphis,

New Orleans, Chicago.

He went straight up to first division, the big time.

You know how it is when somebody you know

has got it made and you haven't?

You let go of them, and,

sort of leaves you behind, so,

well Johnny and I, we lost touch.

But our money's on a good boy, Todd.

The best I ever knew.

- Well if he was good enough to take you, tiger,

I guess he could take this Otto-whatever-his-name-was

on the poster.

Okay?

- Okay.

(camera snaps)

- [Photographer] There, that wraps it up!

Okay, honey, let's go!

- Good luck, Otto.

- Yeah!

- Look for us in the morning paper, champ.

- Okay, chopper, it's not all flashbulbs

and beauty contest winners, let's mix it up a little, huh?

- [Ref] Time!

Alright, alright.

(punches landing)

(excited yelling from crowd)

- I tell ya, isn't that the fellow on the poster, that Otto?

- Pot shotter.

Johnny'll bury him.

- Well, just explain to me

what this fellow's doing on the floor,

you know, tell me again what a bum Otto is.

Tell me that all he's got is a rockabye punch

and a head like a hammer.

- You just explained it.

Strictly no class, come on.

Is Johnny Copa around?

- Well you don't see him here, do you?

- No, I don't see him here,

all I see around here is hamburger.

I should've known better, he wouldn't work out

in a dump like this.

Come one, let's go Todd.

- You know, he didn't mean that the way it sounded.

- The way it sounded will get him thrown outta here.

- See, he's an old fighter.

You know what I mean.

- He don't look so old to me.

- Inside, he's all busted up.

Punchy.

Actually, it's a very sad case,

see, he used to work out with Johnny Copa,

now all he wants outta life is one last word

with his old pal, get the picture?

- Well why didn't he say so?

You get more with a carrot than you get with a club.

Copa's over at the Crown hotel.

- Thanks.

- Copa done that to him?

- Oh yeah, y'know, Copa's a real eggbeater.

I feel sorry for Otto.

Voom!

(dramatic music)

Thanks!

- Are you sure he said the Crown hotel?

- That's what he said.

- Well I don't get it, Johnny

always travels first cabin.

There must be a convention in town

and I guess it's all he could get.

(slow music)

(knocks)

(knocks)

- Yeah?

- Is Johnny around?

- Yeah?

- No, you see, that's a question,

you answer questions with answers,

not another question.

- Who wants him?

- I'd like to surprise him.

- He don't surprise easy.

- Well look, can we come in?

I mean, I'm an old pal of Johnny's

from ten years ago, maybe more,

12th Street on the east side.

- He's sleeping.

You wanna wake him up, okay with me.

(door closes)

- Look, maybe he's tired, I guess I'll just

sorta let him wake up on his own time.

Besides, my buddy and I here, we're,

we're in no rush, right Todd?

- Yeah.

Are you his manager?

- Trainer.

- Hey listen, does he need his sleep,

or can I wake him now?

- Kid.

I pick up a hundred bucks a go and per diem.

I wrap his hands, I rub him down,

I hand him his water bottle, I stitch him

when he gets cut, his nursemaid I ain't,

and I ain't paid for the big decisions,

like should you, or shouldn't you,

wake him up?

What do I care?

Go ahead and clobber him with an ax if you feel like it.

- How'd you like to stop cutting paper dolls,

get off the floor, and say what you just said again?

- There's no percentage in it.

(door opens)

- Hi, Scully!

Is he awake yet?

- Ring the bell, he'll come out fighting.

- [Susan] I got the job.

- For two days they'd hire ya?

- Well they need extra girls. No wonder,

I don't think Johnny's gonna like

the costume they want me to wear,

but it's dark in there, it's only for two days.

They expect a lot of extra business

with the fight Friday night.

They're hiring an extra bartender and...

Hi!

- Hi.

- Are you from the newspapers?

Johnny would love to be interviewed.

- Oh, no, no, I'm an old friend of Johnny's.

- Well, what are you waiting for?

- Well I'd like to surprise him.

- Wait right there!

- The shoe people give out a pretty good catalog, too.

They use heavier paper than the travel people.

- [Johnny] Who'd you say is out there?

- [Susan] I don't know.

- [Johnny] Who's hungry out there?

Wait a minute I'll, who are they?

- [Susan] I don't know.

(sighs)

- Hey, hey Johnny!

It's uh, it's been a long time, Johnny!

- Buzz?

- Buzz Murdoch?

- Yeah.

(claps back)

- [Buzz] Hey!

- Hey!

(both greeting each other jovially)

- [Johnny] Kid, you're a sight for sore eyes!

- So are you, Johnny.

- You know, it's like a day, it's just like this morning

and then nothing's changed.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- (Gasps) Suze, Suze, I want you to meet

the greatest kid in the world.

My old friend, Buzz Murdoch.

Oh, what do you say, kid, huh?

Huh, isn't that right, Buzz?

- Those were the days, Johnny.

- Yeah!

Yeah...

Yeah.

Those were the days.

- Hey, Johnny.

Johnny, I'd like you to meet my friend, Todd.

- Hi, kid.

- Hello, Johnny.

- Hey, hey, do you remember how mama used to

grow the oregano right out the kitchen window, huh?

Hey, we're gonna have a celebration!

We'll find us a little joint and

we'll fix us up a big bowl of rigatoni, okay?

Scully!

You know where we can find a place like that?

- This ain't Palermo, Johnny.

- Yeah, yeah, so, so?

- So I've been here before with Nick Bastoni.

Nick went nuts here looking for

a good plate of spaghetti.

- How you like that, of all the lousy breaks.

- Hey Johnny, I don't believe him.

I don't know where you got this character,

but I know where he belongs, in the closet,

not in your corner.

- Scully?

- Yeah, Scully!

- The kid don't like me.

But neither does dogs.

It's one of them chemical things.

Who needs dogs?

- Look, Johnny, come on, let's get outta here, man.

Come on, be my guest, we'll find you that spaghetti dinner

just like mama made, you and, and?

- Susan.

- Buzz.

- Change of plans, Johnny.

We're your guest!

Room and board until after the fight Friday night,

we move out.

We're very large in every department

except the treasury.

- That figures.

- We bet it all on Johnny.

The whole bundle.

- You bet on Johnny?

(laughs)

Yeah, the second time around I see it all right.

Everything except the wings!

Pigeon, written all over ya!

How much you go for?

- How bad do you need this bottle holder, Johnny?

- They gave him to me out in New York,

he's on tour all the way to Omaha.

- Look, kid, I've seen stables of

pugs like you come and go.

Now if I feel like laughing at you

because you've got the brains of an ape,

and I've seen smarter apes, I'm gonna laugh, see?

- Leave him alone, Scully, he's my buddy.

- Then get him off my back!

I already got enough misery playing nursemaid to you!

Where's it say in my contract that I gotta

stand still for deadbeats out of your past?

Tell him what kind of a tour we're on.

Tell him, champ!

From tank town to tank town, a bum of the month campaign.

Only who's the bum of the month?

Not the local boy, no sirree!

The great Johnny Copa, he's the boy in the icebox!

He's the boy with his kisser in the razza.

He brings his name to town.

And his carcass.

And he goes in fighting.

Only he's got no stuff no more.

He's all outta juice, but he goes in there

and he gets killed, and the local pride and joy,

who's looking for a pay night and buildup,

he's got it tailor made with Johnny.

Johnny, the opponent, not a tanker,

just a broken down has-been who don't know he's through.

That's what your old pal is kid,

just an opponent, something to bleed a little,

something to knock down.

A piece of meat!

- Johnny, tell him to shut up!

- How 'bout it, Johnny?

I'm going out for a steak.

(door shuts)

(sighs)

- Um...

Well, you bet, you um...

You bet your dough, so you had a right to know.

How much money did you put down?

- Just a hundred and thirty dollars.

- If I had it, I'd give it to you, I'd...

I'd peel it right off, and I'd give it to you.

- Johnny, Johnny, listen to me,

you gotta talk to me, Johnny,

Johnny you gotta tell me.

Johnny, it wasn't that long ago you were the greatest.

What happened, Johnny, what happened?

- Well, I uh...

I uh...

I can't sweep no more.

I can't sweep no more.

- Johnny, what you got, a guy never loses.

I don't care if the roof falls in.

Johnny, you remember that night at St. Nick's?

What was that welters name?

Georgie--

- Uh, Schultz.

- Right, Georgie Schultz.

Remember it was around the fourth round,

and he kept hitting you on the inside

with those short rights?

And you let him get you on the ropes, you remember?

Johnny, he hit you with everything he had,

but I saw it in his eyes, I saw the expression,

he knew it, he knew he didn't have

what it takes to beat Johnny Copa.

You remember?

He couldn't get inside you Johnny, where you live.

He couldn't hit that extra place.

And you remember, you came off the ropes,

and he was through.

- Yeah.

- Well, that's it, Johnny.

A guy's gotta be born with that,

it's a will, not a won't.

- Yeah.

- You gotta have that extra juice.

And you got it, you still got it.

- Yeah, I, I uh, caught too many...

You know, like Scully says,

a guy can get used to anything

if he hangs around long enough.

So I hang around.

I got no complaints, guy, I got no complaints.

- What about all the plans, Johnny?

What about all the dreams you used to tell me about?

- Yeah, I, I've never been in this town before,

y'know, Scully, he says at night

the sky is all lit up, shadows in the clouds,

he says it's from the steel mills.

He says that the clouds act like mirrors, y'know?

Scully says as long as they're at it,

they should make a steel fighter.

No, I don't know, I, uh,

I think even steel comes apart,

a little at a time.

I guess, I guess you might lose

a little part in Chicago, and then

another piece in Birmingham, and you run outta oil

in Memphis, you lose another part in Duluth,

and...

after a while, you begin to forget

where you lost it all.

What gym,

what ring,

what shower,

you forget what fighter took it away from you,

who you gave it to.

And you don't smell flowers no more, just wet leather.

And you got no more steel left.

Ah, I gotta tell Scully, that's a stinking idea.

Steel fighter. (laughs)

(door shuts)

- [Susan] Johnny.

I'll be late. (kisses)

- Where are you going?

- I've got a job, just until we leave on Saturday.

- Honey, I told ya, I don't want you working,

now, I got enough.

- I pay my own way, Johnny.

(sighs)

- When'll you be back?

- Late.

- Well, what kind of a job did you get?

- Waitress, drinks.

- Oh, boy.

Where?

- The Red Pony.

- The Red Pony, what kind of a joint's the Red Pony?

- It's not a joint, it's the best club in town.

- Suze, what--

(grunts disgustedly)

- They keep the lights down low,

they've got a family trade.

- Family trade.

I'll bet.

- I'd walk on nails to stay with you, Johnny.

Bye.

- Buzz, why don't we cut out, too?

We could go right on to Kinsman.

- What if ten years from now,

I found you on your knees someplace?

You think I could say, okay, ol' buddy,

how does the ditchwater taste, and just push on?

Nah.

Okay, Johnny.

So you've been busted up in a thousand towns.

But you're still in one piece.

And you're still Johnny Copa.

And you're still alive, and there's still tomorrow.

Which is a lot more than a lot of

other people can say that are gonna die today.

Now, the jury's out on you,

like it's out on all of us, every day.

So here's what you're gonna do,

you're gonna go in that ring Friday night.

And you're gonna knock that Otto loser

right out of his socks.

And you're gonna walk away a whole man,

a proud man, a winner.

And you're gonna wipe out all those bad times

with one great last time.

And you're gonna quit, you're gonna quit the ring.

- Yeah, yeah, but, how do I make beans?

- There are millions of ways to make beans, Johnny,

all over the country!

We do it!

We roam around, we get jobs, we're not bums,

we got money in the bank, but we can whistle with anybody!

- Ah kid, I'm just a flat nose with nothing but my fists.

- Johnny, what do you think I am?

Johnny, you're not that much older than me,

will you stop talking like an old man?

Stop it!

- I, I can't hardly write.

- Forget it!

- I ain't read a book since sixth grade.

Now, what do you want me to do?

What do you think I could get?

Shoveling dirt?

Yeah.

Maybe diving for pearls in some

some greasy spoon for thirty a week

and a fried dinner?

Me, who's made five thousand in one night?

Lots and lots of nights?

(slaps back)

Now, I,

I don't know who's holding the money

you guys bet on me, but if I were you,

I'd find him and I'd hold him up against the wall

and get my money back.

He had no business taking it from you.

Well, kid, it was good seeing you again.

- Johnny, we're not leaving town

until we find out how it goes for you.

- Well (sighs)

How can it go, I mean, they tell me where to go

and what night's pay night,

and how much of the take is mine,

and I go to the ring and I go, what's the beef?

I mean, somebody's gotta be an opponent.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(cars honking repeatedly)

(crowd cheering)

(upbeat music)

(crowd sings "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow")

(cheering loudly)

(upbeat music)

- The boys left, and Scully ain't back yet, it,

it got lonely.

- See, it's dark in here, like I said.

Nobody's watching my legs, they're all watching Otto.

Why don't you go back and get your rest?

- I, I told ya you don't gotta work.

As long as I can, as long as I can lift my fists,

you don't gotta push drinks.

- How old do you think he is?

- Alright, so I'll buy a ring.

All right, Sue, how about then?

I'll buy a ring and we'll see a preacher, huh?

And then maybe we'll stop with these lousy dives.

- Johnny, let's not go into that again,

you know all it takes to keep me in.

Just a couple of bus tickets.

(sighs)

- He, he's what's good, that boy.

You know, like a winner.

I bet he even sleeps like a winner,

he doesn't even turn over at night.

- How 'bout it, Johnny?

Just two bus tickets.

- To where?

There's no Madison Square in Arkansas.

Who's looking for me there? Who needs me?

- You and me, Johnny, you and me!

(sighs)

- I seen you working worse, worse joints than this,

yeah, up in Albany you know, they,

like you say, it's a nice family trade here.

- Johnny!

This time of year the peach trees

are like, like powder puffs,

and the basset are fat and friendly,

and I'd like you to see it that way the first time, Johnny,

what the spring does to it.

Johnny.

- I'll walk over and pick you up.

What time you off?

- Two o' clock.

- Don't ever leave me, Sue, huh?

- I don't have the sense, Johnny.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- [Poochy] This is a private game.

- We don't wanna play.

- Look, Todd, I don't go along with this.

- Ringside, after the fight, that's when we get together.

- We looked up Johnny Copa.

- Nowhere, huh?

So now you wanna call off the bet.

- No, we figure you're gonna call off the bet.

- Now wait a minute.

I said it right out, didn't I?

He's a ham and egger, didn't I say that, Mace?

He's a push-faced bum, those were my very words.

But wolf here, he wasn't buying.

All he had to do was pass.

All he had to do was admit that he's a stable-worn--

- Shut up.

- Who asked you to lay your money out?

- I wouldn't take the hundred and thirty,

not if you stuffed it in my pocket.

I want the two hundred sixty, all of it,

Friday night, when Johnny paves

that local bum of yours into the canvas.

Let's get outta here.

- Hear that, he said it again!

- You cut out, we've had enough

stuff from you punks already.

- Sign the money order.

- Out in the alley, okay you guys?

Outside, nothing gets broken, huh?

- Throw him out.

- Now wait a minute.

I may not agree with calling a bet off,

but the first guy that touches him,

that's the guy I put in the corner pocket.

(wood smashing)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(grunts)

- Nah, I don't want you to get hurt any more, kid.

Why don't you get your friend up off the floor

and clear out, huh?

See you Friday night after the fight, wolf.

And bring another pen!

One that writes under canvas. (laughs)

- Get your shirt off so I can look at those ribs.

Know what the trouble with the world is?

Too many amateurs.

Guys like Otto Zimsky.

Amateurs can kill ya, and drag you down.

Time was, Johnny could have clobbered this guy

with a backhand.

Next.

- I thought this was your first tour with Johnny?

- I seen him fight in the old days.

I ain't forgot how he was.

Guy that clobbered you must have

been wearing one of them big rings.

Could be he cracked a rib.

Okay,

breathe deep, and hold till I say.

- You don't figure, Scully?

- Sure.

- Work your hands like a doctor.

Doesn't go with the rest of you.

- Okay, let it out easy.

Since I'm old enough to stand up, I wanna be a doc.

But I'm stupid.

Who needs a stupid doc?

But I got good hands, like you say.

So, what do I do?

I patch fighters.

Okay, you'll live.

What do you want from my life?

I should look at Johnny and cry real tears, maybe?

Would that make me a great guy?

I gotta keep separate, see.

I can't think about things.

You see a cut on your fighter,

it's just a cut, it's not the fighter.

Otherwise it wouldn't work.

You couldn't stay the distance.

Like Johnny, to me Johnny's a tour,

a hundred a go and per diem, like I told you.

You think I didn't try to tell him

he was all washed up?

But it wouldn't work, he don't listen,

not to me, not even to the girl.

- Who is she?

- Just a girl, that's all.

She follows him around, stays down the hall

every cheap dump we check into,

pays her own way, asks nothing,

takes nothing, just waits around.

Waiting to pick up whatever's left of him

when he can't stand up no more.

Her folks got a broken down farm

somewhere in Arkansas.

To hear her tell it,

you'd think it was the near side of paradise.

I dunno.

Maybe for Johnny and her it would be.

But

he don't listen.

I don't think he hears so good anymore.

(dramatic orchestral music)

Now, how about we all get some sleep?

- Scully?

- Yeah?

- How about letting me work the corner

with you Friday night?

- Why?

- Well, the way I see it, he needs a win.

He needs a referee to hold up his hand.

So that he can hold up his head again,

so that he can get a clear view on things.

That way maybe I can convince him to quit the ring.

- Kid, stop dreaming.

Johnny couldn't win if he went up against

his local bull with a shotgun.

He just ain't got it no more.

- All I know is I gotta be in that corner Friday night.

- Okay, okay.

Don't say I didn't tell you.

(audience shouting)

- All right now, fellas, you had your instructions

by the Boxing Commission this afternoon.

I want you to defend yourself at all times,

in the event of a knockdown, I want the fighter

that scores the knockdown to go

to the neutral corner furthest from him.

Now I want you to shake hands, now.

Come out fighting at the bell and

let's have a good, clean fight.

- Go Johnny, go.

(bell rings)

(loud shouting)

- All right, Johnny!

- Come on, Johnny.

(gavel pounding against floor)

(bell ringing)

- Johnny.

Johnny.

Can you hear me, Johnny?

(gasping)

- Can you hear me Johnny?

- Yeah, maybe.

- Johnny, Johnny, listen to me.

You're not in Youngstown, not tonight Johnny.

We're on 12th Street, Johnny, on 12th Street,

just you and me.

And we're heading up the alley to the icehouse.

The icehouse, Johnny.

That's right, just you and me.

You're a sweet punching machine, Johnny.

Both hands, everything on the inside,

straight in the heart, Johnny.

Remember?

- Yeah.

- Remember?

- Yeah.

(buzzer sounds)

- [Announcer] Ten seconds.

- That's it, Johnny, straight in the heart,

on the inside.

Punch!

(bell rings)

(bell ringing)

- Oh, Johnny, the combinations are working great.

Both hands.

- Buzz, I don't think I can do it.

- What are you talking about, Johnny?

You got him going, he's talking to himself.

(buzzer sounds)

- [Announcer] Ten seconds!

(sighs)

- Got him talking to himself, and he's got a round left.

(bell rings)

- Stay away from him, Johnny, stay away from him!

Don't trade punches with him.

Stay away from him, Johnny!

(crowd screams loudly)

(gavel pounding against floor)

- Johnny!

Johnny, it's Georgie Schultz at St. Nick's!

He ain't got the stuff to beat you, Johnny!

It's Georgie Schultz!

(crowd screams)

(crowd dies down)

(gavel pounding on floor) - [Referee] Three

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine.

You're out!

- Yowwee, you did it, Johnny!

You did it!

- [Scully] Yay, baby!

Yeah!

You did it!

(bell ringing)

- And the winner, by a knockout,

in two minutes and fifteen seconds,

out the third round, Johnny Copa!

(applause)

- I signed it before the ref even started the count.

Listen, you guys have some inside info or something?

- Hey baby, did you see me in there, baby?

Did you see me in there? Huh?

(laughs)

- [Johnny] Ah, baby, how about that?

- Hey, did you see that last one, Scully?

I almost drilled him in half.

You know, I coulda took him in the second,

in the first round, you know,

but why make a nice boy look bad

in front of his own hometown, huh?

- You really did, you really did it.

Hey, listen, Johnny, why don't you get in the shower,

and we'll take the whole gang out for a feed, huh?

Hey, listen did the pooch come through?

- Yeah.

- Look at that.

Two hundred and sixty, Johnny!

That'll be enough to take you out on the town, huh?

- Yeah!

- Hey, Johnny, tomorrow we wire New York.

And we tell 'em, send another boy

for the rest of this tour.

And then you come with us, Todd and I,

and we'll get you a job, and you can forget

this fight racket once and for all.

- Wh-What are you talking about?

Quit the ring?

(laughs) Buzz, you gotta be kidding, boy,

I'm a winner!

Don't that mean nothing to you?

Do you know how long it's been since

I've been a winner?

I was great out there tonight,

listen, I won big!

Why, I was great!

What's our next go, Scully?

- Pittsburgh

- Pittsburgh!

Pittsburgh's a great fight town, great fight town!

Listen, I'm on my way back, boy!

- Johnny, wait a minute,

Johnny, you didn't win anything tonight.

You were fighting on my muscle,

flying on my wings.

- What's the matter with you, boy?

That was me in the ring there getting hit.

Me, not you.

- Johnny, wait a minute, you beat a green kid.

Somebody who couldn't make the preliminaries in New York.

(scoffs)

Johnny, I'll tell you something,

he could have beat you.

That's right, Johnny, I held you up.

Johnny, your legs are gone, your style is gone,

your reflexes are shot and your punch is nothing.

You outgutted him, that's all, that's right,

and because I was screaming in your ear.

Okay, you go to Pittsburgh,

and you climb in that ring, and I'll tell you

where your comeback's gonna end up,

in ward 8, in a wheelchair,

with a shawl around your neck

and a blanket around your legs,

and some, some charity nurse feeding you soup.

Because your brains are so beat up

you can't remember how to chew your own food anymore.

- Yeah, oh, Buzz, you're just like all the rest.

You won money tonight on Johnny Copa.

Everybody wins money on Johnny Copa.

Let me give you a hot tip, kid.

You double your bet in Pittsburgh.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Here Johnny, here's the money.

You keep it.

You're gonna need it.

(slaps arm)

- Hey!

- Scully, um, tell him to wait a minute, will you?

Ask them if they can run me back to the hotel.

- What's this for the hotel?

- Johnny.

When I first met you, I didn't

know much about fighting, did I?

I didn't know what an opponent was,

just something on a card, somebody to be knocked on,

and, um...

When I found out that that's what you were,

I didn't mind.

I'd rather love an opponent than a winner

because, well, there aren't that many winners,

and they don't need the help the rest of us need.

Non-winners.

And, um...

I said to myself,

I'll help this one.

As long as he wants me, I'll help this one.

I even let myself believe that,

that you'd come home with me, down to Arkansas,

and marry me and let me have the kids I want.

But Johnny,

you're not an opponent anymore.

You're the one who wants to knock the others down,

except that you're not, you're gonna knock yourself down.

You're gonna be your own killer and finish yourself,

just like that boy said.

I guess I just,

I just don't have the courage I thought I did.

I guess I love you too much.

I just can't stay any longer and

see this happen to you.

I'm sorry!

- Sue!

Sue!

- Sorry, honey.

- Bye, Scully.

- [Johnny] Sue!

Scully!

Scully,

you think that bus station,

the one next to the hotel, is still open?

- If it ain't, we'll open it!

This has been a Screen Gems film presentation

from Columbia Pictures,

Herbert B. Leonard, executive producer.