Night and the City

'Night and the city.

'The night is tonight, tomorrow night, or any night.

'The city is London.'

Mary?

Mary?

You won't find any money there, Harry.

What do you mean, spying on me?

I, uh...

I was just looking for a cigarette.

Mmh.

Would I steal from you? What makes you think I'd...?

Who are you running away from now?

Running? Me? You know me better than that.

Three days and three nights and not a word from you.

Oh, I've been very busy.

For all I knew, you were lying in the gutter with a knife in your back.

Lying in the gutter?

Now, look, sweetheart, I'll tell you what happened.

- I was in Birmingham. - Birmingham?

Yes! There's a fellow up there starting a new greyhound track

and he wants me for a partner.

It's a chance of a lifetime. I'll be in on the ground floor.

I only expected to be gone for a day, but when I saw that layout, I stayed over.

And when you see...

Look, honey. Look, here's the plan.

How much?

How much?

Look, Harry, we've been through this a thousand times. How much?

Well...

Well, all right.

For our share, it's only £300.

- £300 and it's a life of ease and plenty. - No!

You've got the money. You've got it right here.

Sure. Sure I've got it. But not for any greyhound track.

- Last month... - But this is different, Mary, this can't lose!

Oh, Harry, why can't you ever grow up?

Harry... you've got to get hold of yourself.

You can't go on forever, always running, always in a sweat.

Do you think I enjoy working night after night at The Silver Fox?

Getting drunks drunker?

But I'm sticking it out, waiting for the day we can marry.

Lead decent, normal lives.

Remember them, Harry?

Nice people. Nice to know and be with.

Remember the plans they used to make?

The kind of life they were going to live?

I just wanna be somebody.

I've got to hurry, Harry.

You'd better hurry too.

Nosseross is angry with you.

Let him wait.

Him and his big, fat belly.

I'm not leaving here.

You mean you're afraid to leave.

How much?

I paid him everything but five pounds.

He's the one that put up the money for the football pool.

Wait here.

Come in!

- Adam! - Open the windows!

Don't tell me you tried cooking spaghetti again.

Yes, with the usual disastrous results.

Mary, get that siphon bottle there, quickly!

- The soda? - Yes, hurry, hurry!

- Here... - Oh!

Don't just stand there, woman. Squirt! Squirt!

There.

You're just in time to enjoy the most heavenly spaghetti dinner.

Ah, thanks, but I've just had breakfast, unfortunately.

I admit, it does look a little overdone.

Oh, well, try again next week.

Probably starve doing it, but I'll master it in the end, I promise.

That's the thing that keeps us apart, you know.

Your spaghetti?

Yes, in a way.

When I'm having my spaghetti, you're looking for your morning toast.

Do you think we might ever arrange our day to meet around tea time?

Come on, sit down.

Oh, here, let me get these hideous little monsters out of the way.

- Oh, I think he's cute. - She.

Well, she's cute.

The shops tell me it's the best-selling design I've given them so far.

Discouraging.

- You're probably pleased as punch. - Of course.

Sit down and really be comfortable.

Thanks, Adam, but I've got to get on to work.

- I've come to ask for a favour. - Name it.

Could you let me have three pounds until tomorrow?

Help yourself. Punch the night bell.

The old lady of Threadneedle Street is well-stocked and quite generous.

It does look like the Bank of England.

Well, it should. I spent half my youth reproducing it.

- It's very good! - Of course.

Wonderful!

You're very clever, Adam.

I am about unimportant things.

Help yourself.

Thanks, Adam. I, um... I happen to need this right now for...

Well, I didn't expect them to deliver the...

Sure.

Harry's back.

- You knew that, didn't you? - These walls... Just one big, happy family.

He gets so excited, almost like a child.

But Adam, one has to fight not to get pulled in by his excitement.

His ideas always have so much imagination.

I know. Harry's an artist without an art.

What does that mean?

Well, that's something that can make a man very unhappy, Mary.

Groping for the right lever, the means with which to express himself.

Yes, he is that, isn't he?

I like that, Adam.

- It's a very nice thought. - Yes, but it can be dangerous.

Oh, no, you don't. Not again.

Every time you talk, you mix me up so, I can't think straight for a week.

- Thanks, Adam. - Anything. Anytime.

- Aye aye, Harry. - Evening, Maggie.

Can't win, boys.

Evening, boys.

How's Fabian's Stocks And Shares, Harry?

Never mind!

When are you going to open up your Paris office, Harry?

- Evening, Molly! Evening, Molly, my dear! - Hello, Harry!

How are you?

Well, you're sober. Trade must be slow.

Slow? Disintegrating!

Here, you need a fresh carnation.

- Thanks, Molly. Put it on my account. - That's all right. I'll trust you.

There you are, Bert.

- Bless you, half a crown! - Don't mention it.

To work for my husband you must start off on the right foot.

You must understand the rules. What he'll stand for and what he won't.

First... no stealing from the gentlemen while you're in the club.

Outside, it's none of his business, but in here we take it from them legitimate

and no complaints later.

Remember...

if a gentleman wants to dance, or if he wants you to sit with him,

your time costs anything from a quid up, but don't harp on money. Be subtle.

Whatever he gives you, take it first, look disappointed afterwards.

If a man offers you a Turkish cigarette, tell him you only smoke Virginian.

If he's smoking Virginian, then you smoke Turkish.

Oh, yes, chocolates. Fancy boxes, we sell at two pounds.

Isn't two quid a bit steep for a box of chocolates?

They're hand-dipped, dearie.

When the night's out, I'll buy them back from you

for a third of what the gentleman paid.

Evening, Phil.

Well, need any help with that stuff?

- Where have you been, dear boy? - Well, I've been...

Been having a pleasant holiday at Cannes?

Or spending the weekend at Windsor Castle?

- I've been ill. - Oh!

Poor boy's been ill.

I've read all about it in The Times.

Mr Fabian, it is reported, is suffering from

a highly enflamed imagination,

coupled by delusions of grandeur.

Well, where's he been?

Now, now, now, Helen. Mustn't be unkind.

The dear boy's been at death's door.

Well, I'm glad to see you're fully recovered.

- We were worried about him, weren't we? - Indeed we were.

It's getting late.

Time for 'dear boy' to get dressed... and hop it.

- Hop it! - Take care of yourself, dear boy!

Hey, Harry. Three live ones. What's it worth to you?

- Depends on how much you know. - Depends on how much you'll go.

From Chicago. Men's clothing business.

One of them, the half-pint,

kept on talking about a friend of his called Lamont he must write to.

This here Lamont's in the motor supply business

in something he called The Loop.

- Good evening, sir. - Good evening.

- The usual? - If you please.

- It's good to have you back in London, sir. - Thank you, Charles.

Good evening.

Uh-oh.

I beg your pardon, does this wallet belong to one of you gentlemen?

- Why, no, it doesn't. - No.

- Good evening, Mr Fabian. - Good evening, Emile.

Someone must have dropped this. Soon come running for it, no doubt.

Thank you, Mr Fabian.

Happened to me once back in the States.

Travelling from New York to San Francisco.

Changed trains in Chicago, you know.

Darned if I don't lose my wallet.

Luckily I knew a chap in The Loop - motor supplies. Fella named Lamont.

- Lamont? Did you say Lamont? - Yes.

- You mean Stubby Lamont? - Why, yes?

Well, what do you know? We were just talking about him!

- No! - Oh, wait till I tell Stubby!

- Yes, just wait! - It's like meeting someone from home.

That's quite a coincidence.

- Yes! Here, have a cigarette. - Yes, have a cigarette.

No, thank you, gentlemen, thank you very much.

- Been in London long? - Uh... just two days.

- On business? - Well, you know...

Yes, I know.

I'm sure your business will be a great success. Good night, gentlemen.

- Good night. - Good night.

Say, er... You boys surely don't plan to spend the entire evening here?