You've been nice to me. You took a rap that I couldn't afford to take. It would have put me out of business. And I'd hate to see someone like you banging his head against a stone wall. Now the liquor business is gonna grow big and it's gonna grow fast. So get in line, buster. Hack drivers are a dime a dozen.
Eddie But you gotta know people.
Eddie It takes money.
Oh, I can get it - if you start small.
Eddie Tell me, what's in this for you? What's your take?
Nuthin'. That story about the guy in the cell was a sad one. I'd hate to have somebody tell me that about you.
Eddie Why?
I once knew a soldier like you who went to France. He never came back. I never got over it. That's why.
Eddie Is that all of it?
If you don't like that story, I'll try to think of another one.
Eddie That'll do for now.
[about Jean]
What's this kid got on you?
Eddie Oh, I don't know. Whatever it takes to get a guy like me, she's got.
Does she know about this?
Eddie No, I'm gonna tell her after the show.
You might be movin' too fast, Eddie. Sometimes you get over these things and you're sorry.
Eddie I don't think I'll ever get over this one.
You're battin' out of your league, buster. You're used to traveling around with - dames like me. You sure got it bad. Suppose she turns you down.
Eddie Turn me down? Why should she turn me down?
Suppose you tell me about that later.
Jean They seemed to like me, didn't they?
Eddie You're stallin' me, Jean.
Jean You've been awfully good to me.
Eddie I improve with age. You want the Brooklyn Bridge, all you gotta do is ask for it. If I can't buy it, I'll steal it. Well?
Jean Eddie, I don't know.
Eddie Whaddya mean, you don't know?
Jean I haven't had time to think about it.
Eddie You've had plenty of time. I didn't have to tell you the way I felt about you. You must have seen it in a million ways.
Jean I have.
Eddie Well?
Jean I don't know, Eddie, I just don't know.
Eddie But don't you know the way you feel about me, whether you like me or whether you don't?
Jean Oh, I do like you, but...I just can't tell you.
Eddie I know what's botherin' you. Maybe Panama was right. Maybe you and me don't play in the same league. Yeah, that's it. You don't like the racket I'm in. You don't like the people I know or the things I do. It's not me, it's what I stand for, am I right?
Jean Why I...
Eddie Yeah, I am right. Well, I'm not gonna let this stand between you and me, not the way I feel about you. I'll get out. A few more years in this business, I'll have enough dough...so we can settle down and forget all this. How does that sound to ya?
Jean Why, it sounds all right.
[about Lloyd and Jean]
I'll lay ya eight to five right now - that's kid's gonna move in on your gal.
Eddie I hope you know what you're talkin' about.
Sure I do. Listen Eddie, I'm tryin' to steer you right. Listen, gals like her go for guys like that, you know, with all that Joe College stuff. He's gonna take her to football games, fraternity dances, all that rah-rah stuff. A kid like him can't miss.
Calm down, Eddie. Maybe George is right. If he is, there's nothing you can do about it.
Eddie Shudd-up. I trust my friends. [Eddie leaves]
You know, he's a sucker. I don't trust mine.
It's mutual, chump. They don't trust you either.
[about Lloyd]
This guy's got enough on us to...
Eddie He won't talk.
He better not. [to Lloyd] Now listen, Harvard. You came into this racket with your eyes open. You learned a lot and you know a lot. If any of it gets out, you go out with your eyes open, only this time, they'll have pennies on them. All right, now scram, get out of here, go on home and chase ambulances.
Eddie, I'm gonna tell you something you won't like. Jean's quit the club, gave her notice.
Eddie Quit, what for?
Do I have to draw you a diagram?
Eddie Now look, you're tryin' to say somethin'. Get it off your chest and say it.
Eddie Well, now you're bein' full of news. Sure she is, with me.
Eddie, this is gonna be kinda hard to take and I don't want ya to get mad. Jean was never in love with you. She went hook, line, and sinker for that Lloyd guy the minute she saw him. And she's been seeing him every time your back was turned. I tried to give you the steer, but I guess I didn't get it over. Everybody knew it but you. Now look, Eddie, as far as Jean is concerned, you've been...
Eddie Shudd-up.
Lloyd The days of the rackets are over.
Eddie Don't you kid yourself about that. They'll always be guys tryin' to get up there quick - and I'm one of 'em. Oh, I know you take your job very seriously and I want to give you some good advice. I see by the papers that the district attorney's office is building up a case against our old friend George.
Lloyd It's already built up.
Eddie You remember what George said about what would happen if you talked?
Lloyd I remember.
Eddie So does he.
Eddie Yeah sure, it's his duty. It's George's duty to stop him. I'd do the same thing in George's place.
Jean Eddie, please, for my sake...
Eddie The same old story, the same old story. Any time she wants anything, she comes to me. I suppose that's all I ever meant to you anyway...Maybe a patsy once but never twice.
Well, I don't see how it's gonna do any harm to talk to George.
Eddie Talk? There's only one language George understands. And do you think I'm gonna walk into an ambush just because that big, dumb, good-lookin' husband of hers doesn't know enough to keep his trap shut? You're crazy. No dice, Jean, no dice.
Look Eddie, you've got to do something for them. She's got something to look forward to.
Eddie So have I.
Eddie I'll be up there again.
Eddie, you're kidding yourself. The race is over. We're both finished out of the money.
Eddie Maybe for you, but not for me.
It's over for all of us: you, me, and George. Eddie, something new is happening, something you don't understand.
Eddie I came up here to talk to you about Lloyd.
There ain't nothin' to talk about.
Eddie I think there is.
Get him out of here, Lefty....
Eddie Now wait a minute, George, you know that if you get rid of Lloyd, there'll always be somebody to take his place, you know that.
I'll worry about that when it happens.
Eddie But they got a kid.
Oh. Still carrying a torch for that dame, huh?
Eddie I suppose I am.
Then what are ya beefin' about? I'm doin' ya a favor by knockin' 'em off. I want him to keep his mouth shut.
Eddie But he can't. Look George, there's a new kind of setup you don't understand. Guys don't go around tearing things apart like we used to. People try to build things up and that's what Lloyd's tryin' to do. In this new setup, well, you and me just don't belong, that's all.
Maybe you don't. I do all right, anytime, anyplace.
