Man of the World

Well, well, well!

Jimmie powers. You old son of a gun.

I'm afraid there must be some mistake.

You trying to kid me, jimmie? What do you know? He's trying to kid me.

L-let me get this straight. You mean to tell me you're not jimmie powers?

I'm afraid that's exactly what I mean to tell you.

Well, I've heard everything.

Say, if you aren't jimmie powers, I'll... I'll eat your hat.

Well, in that event, I suppose I really owe it to you to make assurance doubly sure.

Hmm.

Hmm.

Oh, as I thought.

I am not Mr. jimmie, uh, uh... What was it, uh... powers at all.

Well, I'll be whatever it is. Of course, now, I might be mistaken.

Perhaps I should take up the habit of carrying my birth certificate around with me.

Come on, Joe. I told you not to take that last double Bronx.

If you gentlemen will excuse me.

Please convey my compliments, to Mr., uh, uh, uh, what's-his-name,

and tell him that I don't really resemble him on purpose.

Good day, gentlemen.

Oh, come on, Joe.

I never heard of anything like it before.

Jimmie powers. And he says he ain't.

You could be mistaken, couldn't ya? No, I couldn't.

Why, he was the managing editor of that newspaper back in Springfield.

I used to... six years ago.

I used to run into him every day.

And then he got into some kind of a jam and...

Just disappeared. What kind of a jam?

Well, the way I got it was that he... he was playing nature's nobleman to somebody or other...

That fell down on him, and so he took the rap and said nothing.

Maybe he was trying to high-hat you just now.

Not the jimmie powers I used to know.

Why, he was the most promising newspaperman in the country.

Oh, what of it? It's no skin off your back, is it?

Uh, Mr. Taylor, please. Michael Trevor calling.

Mr. Taylor said you were to come right up. Room 309, sir.

Thank you.

How are you, Mr. Trevor? Glad to see you. How are you, Mr. Taylor?

Come on in. Sit down. Thank you. Well, it's nice to see you again.

I tried to call you up myself, but I didn't know where to get hold of you.

I guess I was a little tight that day I met you at the ritz. Oh.

I kind of forgot to get your phone number.

Well, I got yours. So, here we are.

Yep. Here we are. Have a drink?

Oh, thank you, no.

I, uh... I had a purpose in phoning you this morning, Mr. Taylor.

Aside from my desire to see you again, of course. Glad you did.

I'll try to be as brief as possible.

I don't know if you know very much about me. Oh, sure, I do. You're just being modest.

Oh, thank you. I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Trevor.

Yeah? They tell me you're over here writing a great novel.

Well, all I know is that some four years ago I quit being a newspaperman in America.

Now I'm over here to see if I can really write.

You've been in Paris four years? Mmm.

I wish I could stay over here four years. Hmm. I've only been here a week.

For the most part, we have a very nice crowd of Americans living here in Paris permanently.

Paris is certainly a liberal education. Isn't it?

I thought I'd seen a lot, but let me tell you. These frenchmen...

Uh, French. And how!

Unfortunately, there are a few Americans living in this town who are not exactly all they might be.

Frankly, there's only a handful, but they're what I've come to see you about.

There was a little redhead at the folies-bergere the other night. And let me tell you...

Ah, yes. I know. I know.

Now, uh, these fellows I'm talking about, Mr. Taylor,

live by their wits... and by other people's lack of them.

I ran into one of them last night.

He helps get out a weekly paper here, printed in english.

No good here. Me, I didn't come to Paris to read.

Uh, this paper isn't circulated much in Paris.

It's meant chiefly for American consumption.

This fellow was drunk, and he talked too much.

Much too much.

Among other things, he showed me a copy of an item they're going to run in their next week's issue.

I... put it in my pocket when he wasn't looking.

Well, fine. Just leave it here, and I'll read it.

Well, I think you had better read it right away.

It's, uh... it's about you. About me?

Mmm. Well, what's it say?

Well...

Shall I read it to you? Sure.

It says,

"tis a pity that some of our compatriots are so naive and lacking in worldly knowledge.

"Surely Mr. Harold Taylor, the soft coal baron of stratford, Pennsylvania,

"could not have been aware of the identity of the very blonde and very beautiful young woman...

With whom he seemed to be on such intimate terms at zelli's the other morning at 4:00."

Uh...

"With whom he seemed to be on such intimate terms at zelli's the other morning at 4:00.

"Those in the know were forced to smile broadly...

"As this strangely assorted couple left the restaurant...

"Arm in arm.

Watch your step, Harry boy."

We, uh, got so well acquainted that day at the ritz, Mr. Taylor,

that I thought I'd take the Liberty of bringing this item to you.

You could do those of us living here a great service.

We know who gets out this sheet. And what we would like you to do...

Is to take this item to the police and get the whole gang arrested.

Arrested? Exactly.

You're a man of the world, and you know that the kind of fellow back of a thing like that...

Can't last 10 minutes if the police are put on his trail. Police?

You could put him where he belongs:: Behind the bars.

Say. Just a minute.

If I... if I go to the police, it'll get in the papers, won't it?

Probably. Well, that's something I don't want any part of.

Ah, but, Mr. Taylor... I can't afford to have this item get back to America.

And I... I can't afford to let it be known that I had it stopped.

Well, I'm sorry.

It's always the same old thing. Every time we get something on this fellow that could send him to jail,

the victim is unwilling to prosecute.

I'd like to help you out, but... but I can't.

I suppose not.

Well, I'm sorry I wasted your time, Mr. Taylor.

I'll say good day. Good-bye.

Oh. Oh, just a minute. Uh, wait a minute.

How would I go about getting this fella not to print this little item?

Well, I don't know.

I don't suppose it would be very difficult. You think not?

It would be worth something to me not to have it appear.

Say, I wonder if you'd do me a favor?

Most certainly. If I can. How about, uh, you seeing this fellow for me?

My seeing him? Yes. He'd probably listen to you, where he wouldn't to me.

Chances are he'd try to hold me up for more.

Of course, uh, I'd be prepared to pay something for it.

Pay him, of course. Oh. Oh. I didn't mean, uh...

Say, you'd be doing me an awful service if you'd help me out on this.

Well, I'll certainly be glad to do anything I can. Ah.

Suppose a couple of thousand? Uh...

Wait a minute. Comment?

Don't pull up your flag. Comment?

Why do I always have to get chauffeurs who don't speak english?

There. Now maybe he'll get the idea I want him to wait.

Don't you want to come in a minute, frank?

Not a chance. If I'm going to get back here and take you to dinner by 7:00 and then catch that train for London,

I've got to get home and pack and send a couple of wires. There it goes again.

There what goes again? Business.

Oh, Mary. I know you have to go, frank,

but it's that kind of thing that keeps me from making up my mind.

I don't want to... to get engaged to a man who thinks of nothing but business all the time.

Oh, Mary, if you'd only say you'll marry me, I'd cut out business...

If you wanted me to. That's just it.

I don't want you to stop doing the things you want to do, just on account of me.

What do you want me to do?

I wish I knew.

I was only fooling, frank. I'm not really mad.

I wish you'd blow a whistle from now on when you're fooling. I never can tell.

I never want you to be able to tell.

We seem to be causing a traffic jam.

They can work up a tra... traffic jam in this town with just one car.

7.00. Don't forget. I won't.

The hotel Henri quatre. And whatever the French is for "try and get me there alive."

I can't tell you how much obliged I am to you, Mr. Trevor.

I'll see that he gets this.

I think I can guarantee you this is the last you'll hear of the matter.

From what they say of this fellow, he seems to be living from hand to mouth,

so I'm sure your donation will be more than enough to shut him up.

That's great. Of course, I would have rather had you bring charges against him.

Oh, no, no. No, no. That's out of the question.

Well, I suppose so. I wish you'd have dinner with me some night before I go.

Oh, thank you. I don't get out very much, but if I do get the chance...

Uh... oh. Excuse me.

That's all right, Mary. Come right in. This is a friend of mine.

A real good friend of mind. Mr. Trevor. Mr. Trevor, this is my niece Mary. Mary Kendall.

How do you do, Mr. Trevor? How do you do?

Been shopping? A little.

Uh, where's frank? Mean to tell me he's left you alone for five minutes?

Received a wire to come to London tonight. He's going to meet that Dutch inventor tomorrow.

I wish you could meet frank. He's a fine boy. He and Mary are going...

Uncle Harry has the soul of a matchmaker, Mr. Trevor.

Just because frank and I grew up together and are fond of each other...

Well, in my time, you didn't need much more than to grow up together and be fond of each other.

Wait till you meet him, Mr. Trevor. He's got the stuff, that kid.

He's going to be one of the richest men in the state before he's through. I'm sure Mr. Trevor isn't interested...

You're right. I... I guess I do talk a little too much.

I'm afraid I'll have to be running along now. I wish you'd wait and have a drink.

Oh, thank you. Some other time perhaps. Say, wait. Uh...

I'll bet you know all the places in Paris.

Where's a good place to have dinner? Oh, uncle Harry.

Oh, it's a pleasure, miss Kendall.

Well, let's see. There's ciro's of course, but all Americans go there.

Yes. We did. Uh, have you tried, uh, the paradis d'azur?

Paradis d'azur? "Blue heaven"? Yes.

Oh. Good orchestra? Excellent.

We'll try it tonight. Thank you.

Good-bye, miss Kendall. Good-bye, Mr. Trevor.

Good-bye, Mr. Taylor. Good-bye. And thanks a thousand.

Uh, two thousand.

That's one swell guy, that fellow. Is he?

I'll say so.

He did me a big favor.

I'd certainly like to do something for him sometime. Some business deal?

Well, yes and no.

He's a writer living in Paris. I'd like to live in Paris.

Me too. Of course, a fellow would have to watch his step, but...

I'll bet it'd be a lot of fun once you got to know the place.

How do you like my new hat? Oh, it's a humdinger.

Why don't you come along to dinner with me and frank tonight? No, no. I have a business meeting.

I hope this business meeting breaks up before daylight.

Do you know what time the elevator man told me you got in last night?

There's a fortune waiting for any elevator man who can't tell time.

Bonsoir, Marie. Bonsoir, monsieur Trevor.