Odds Against Tomorrow

You little pickaninny. You'll kill yourself flying like that. Yes, you are.

- Windy? - You bet.

- I thought you was deaf, pops. - I'm sorry, I didn't hear you speak.

Didn't say nothing.

Didn't you?

- Mr. David Burke. - 607, sir.

Excuse me.

- Floor, mister? - Six.

You hear that wind?

I'm going to get myself grounded out of the Air Force.

That's what I'm going to do.

Ain't going to fly this kind of crate anymore.

Can you blame me?

Right on time, Slater. Right on time.

All right, there, Yuley.

Come in.

Here, let me help you off with your things.

What are you doing with such a big old dog in New York?

I never had a wife.

Right on the button.

That's what I'm looking for. Someone serious, with a head for business.

All right, here. Come on over here. Up.

- Whiskey? - I don't mind.

- Straight or with water? - With water.

- I got ice, you want ice? - No, just water.

Make yourself comfortable, Slater. We got to talk.

Like the view?

You got a whole heap of it.

I used to be able to afford a little space inside, too.

We call this dump home, don't we, old boy?

Not bad.

Well, here's to our mutual benefit. May it be considerable!

I guess you know all you have to know about me, Slater.

I know something.

All right, you tell me what you know, go on.

You said you wanted to talk to me.

Since we knew a few people in common, I wanted to come and find out.

I mean the dirt.

I know you were on the police force...

had a session with the State Crime Committee...

and you got a year for contempt.

Because I wouldn't talk.

I was on the force 30 years. I had my own squad, and I knew everybody.

Everybody was my friend until they needed a patsy.

I know about you, Earle.

Two stretches:

One for assault with a deadly weapon, one for manslaughter.

- Every time you get a decent job... - Knock it off.

What's so big about you, Burke?

How come you make so much noise? You've been sniffing around...

trying to find a hole in the fence just like everybody else.

What makes you so big, you can call me up to this dump...

- and shoot off your mouth? - I got an idea, that's why.

How would you like to pick up $50,000, all in small bills, just for yourself?

How would you?

Hello. Johnny?

No. When?

Sure, that's fine.

Well?

- What would I have to do? - Just walk into a bank and take it.

Maybe you got me wrong, Burke.

I never stolen nothing in my life.

Except maybe a watermelon when I was a boy on the farm.

I don't want a Big Joe with more decorations than Dillinger.

I want a safe thing.

I want a man who needs some money to set himself up. I want a man with guts.

I want a serious guy in trouble.

And that's you. That's me. That's the both of us. This is a one-time job.

One roll of the dice, and then we're through forever.

Come on, Slater, what do you say?

- Who'd like to make themselves a fortune? - I would!

- Everybody stays off the car. Is it a deal? - Yes.

I'll watch them.

- And who'll watch you? - I don't know.

Six, please.

Do you hear that wind?

You sure we're going to make it?

Always made it before.

With my luck, daddy, this could be it.

- Maybe on the way down. - I'm walking down.

Shut up, you mutt.

- Johnny, come in. - Hello, Dave.

Scram. He'll get hair all over you. Take off.

- Here, let me help you. - I can't stay long.

Well, it takes some explaining.

- How about a drink? - No, thanks.

You got the floor.

Here. He keeps shedding.

All right, there. Come on, get up there.

- Those blue coats. - That's all right, don't worry about it.

You don't look like I could sell anything to you.

- You look like you have it all, right now. - Come on, fill me in, Dave.

- You're into Bacco for too much dough. - Now tell me something I don't know.

- You owe him about $6,000, right? - Wrong, $7,500.

It was $6,000 last week.

The horses are still running, and I'm still losing.

- And Bacco's willing to wait? - What's the pitch, Dave?

I know how you can pay it off.

And I know what's coming next.

The fix is in. It's a sure thing, right?

- Now, wait a minute. - No thanks, Davey boy.

I'll go down the drain on my own.

You're crazy.

All right, so I'm crazy.

You're counting your fingers and toes.

I'm talking about $50,000.

I'll take that drink.

- Straight. - Just tell me one thing, Johnny.

How come Bacco hasn't knocked your teeth in for not paying off?

'Cause I'm paying $100-a-week interest.

- Well, that can't leave you much. - Just my teeth.

- You ever going to pay it off? - If I can ever wear out this streak.

No use stopping now. I'm way past the life ropes. I'm praying for a miracle.

What do you mean, $50,000?

Just what I said, $50,000 to $75,000, like that.

- All in small bills. - And you need Johnny Ingram?

I'm just a bone picker in a four-man graveyard.

It's a bank job.

- Are we social climbing, David? - This is easy money.

- Man, you're drifting. - I'm serious.

That's not your line, Dave. That's the firing squad for you.

That's for junkies and joyboys. We're people.

Okay, what's my line?

- I'll forget you asked me. - You don't even want to hear?

I did all my dreaming on my mother's knee.

All right, forget it.

- You riding? - Downtown.

I'll ride along with you.

A man like you thinking thoughts like that. You're in trouble.

I've got to get out of this trap. They've kicked my head in.

- What can I do? - Find a hobby, man. Anything.

They sure changed your color when they rehabilitated you at Sing Sing.

$50,000 can change it back.

Come back here, you. Get back in here. You heard me.

Mind the store.

- How are those two little women of yours? - The kid's fine.

That ex-wife of mine, man, she's worse than Bacco.

If that alimony isn't there on the first, her lawyer's there on the second.

Thanks for the lift. If you change your mind...

I think I can get you the $7,500 right away to pay off Bacco.

I've got $500 on the nose of Lady Care today. I can't lose forever.

You'd be surprised.

Just tell me, how come it isn't safe to walk in the park at night in a big city like this?

It's these wild kids.

Well, if it isn't the old clam himself.

This fresh air will kill you, Coco.

I know it. But it's pigeon time for the little king.

What's this, a press interview or something?

Go on, talk to the old man if you want to. He wants to do you a favor.

"What's the matter with this Davey Burke," he says. "I want to pay him off."

- Hi, Dave. - Hello, Bacco.

Join me?

Want me to open up something for you, in the operation?

- I told you, whenever you're ready. - You're outside the law.

Well, a little inside, a little outside. More or less.

Everything is more or less. Just name it.

- A fellow by the name of Ingram owes you. - Sure.

A very entertaining boy at Connoy's place.

What time is it?

I'm on my way, stupid. Go back to sleep.

- What time? - 7:30.

- Why so early? - Burke is waiting.

Can you trust this Burke?

Not like I can trust you, but enough.

Come here, you big clown.

- Now you go back to sleep. - Let him wait.

I'm off to make my fortune.

What kind of a fortune?

Just one of those fortune fortunes. I told you about it.

Burke got hold of some kind of concession.

He's a friend of that Lefty Gowers, isn't he?

Yeah, he's the one who told Burke about me.

You knew Gowers in jail, didn't you?

No, at the Millionaires' Club. Where else?

- Earle, what does he want with you? - I'll tell you after I see the proposition.

Do you have to stay overnight? Or you just want to stay overnight?

I have to see the concession.

- You got enough money, sweetie? - Plenty.

How much is plenty?

About $15.

- You better take some more. - Burke is paying.

What do I care if he's paying?

You take some more and then if you feel like paying, you just pay.

You don't have to take this deal if you don't like it.

If this isn't what you want, you don't take it. There's no hurry.

There is a hurry.

I have to make it, Lorry, and I have to make it now.

It wasn't too bad when I was grubbing along by myself.

It was always too tough, too greedy, but now, because of you...

I have to make it on my own because of you, any way I can.

No, you don't. Not just any way. You mustn't even try.

I have to.

Earle, listen...

I have you, right? You have me.

What difference does it make where the money comes from?

They're not going to junk me like an old car.

Now, don't worry.

If it isn't all right, I won't do it.

It's about 100 miles up the Hudson. I've got it marked there. Melton.

Now watch the waiter.