Pickup on South Street

- What happened? - I'm not sure yet.

But I had it with me when I left. That I know.

You sure you took the right purse?

Well of course I'm sure.

You saw me put it in.

Look, I must have had my purse picked.

I'm sure of it.

Well, what'll I do, Joey? Should I go up and see him anyway?

No. Come back right away.

- She's scared. - She should be.

Did you get a good look at him? Yeah.

Don't lose her.

- Have a seat, Mr. Zara. - Thank you.

We don't often get a chance to cooperate with you people,

but if there's anything we can do, just name it.

I'm looking for a pickpocket. “What's his name?

Don't know. “We're in trouble.

He stole a wallet out of a woman's purse on the subway this morning.

- You know what he looks like? - Mm-hmm.

We're in business.

- So, the commies are mixed up in this. - Uh-huh.

She's been passing military information to the agents.

You know the man she was to pass the stuff to?

Nope. Got a line on everybody else in the picture except him.

He's Mr. big. Carts the stuff out of the country.

All we know is as soon as he gets his hands on that film,

he'll cross the ocean with it.

So, that's the way it happened.

It's just one of those tough breaks, Joey.

Hmm.

- Well, I'm sorry. - We've got to find him.

In New York? You're crazy.

We've got to find that film.

Film?

Yeah.

That's right.

That's what you were carrying in your wallet.

You know what was on that fim?

- A new patent for a chemical formula. - So?

Candy, it's the most important patent we've ever had.

- What are you getting so excited about? - Because we can't get another copy of it!

Joey, you're talking like it was hot.

How many times do I have to tell you? We're not criminals.

This is big business.

Cutthroat business.

And I'm in a spot.

Well, I told ya, I'm sorry it happened, but there's nothing I can do about it.

So you just tell your boss I had my bag picked.

Wait a minute. You're not walking out on me now.

Look, we made a deal. You promised me. No more deliveries after we broke up.

That's right. And you promised to make this last one for me.

Well, sure, I did, but I can't help it if some guy -

look, look. Wait a minute. Look, candy, you're a smart girl.

You can figure out a way to find him.

But I don't know anything about pickpockets.

Well, you've knocked around a lot.

- You know people who know people. - You gonna throw that in my face again?

Look, candy, you've got to help me.

You know what he looks like.

If I had your contacts, I wouldn't be begging like this.

Well... maybe I can get you a lead.

If you can find that pickpocket for me, I'll never bother you again. Never.

I promise you.

All right, Joey.

We have a thousand photos to go through,

and from here on in it's anybody's guess.

How long do you think it'll take?

Maybe the rest of the day. Maybe all night. Who knows?

Is there a faster method?

Well, there is one character who can help us out. Maybe.

Not exactly kosher.

- We're fighting time. - Well, no harm trying.

Maybe moe can speed this up a little.

Who's moe?

Hello, moe.

Who's the creep? What's he in for? He looks like a second-story cat thief.

I got a polka-dot job that was just made for your personality, tiger.

We gotta get quick action.

Everything around here is always an emergency.

Hey, this got something to do with homicide?

No.

I got no killers on my table.

I'm gonna stay in business long enough to feed this kitty.

- How's she doing? - Getting fat.

I got almost enough to buy the stone and the plot.

If you lost that kitty, it's Potter's field.

This I do not think is a very funny joke, captain tiger.

I just meant you ought to be careful how you carry your bankroll.

Look, tige, if - if I was to be buried in Potter's field...

It'd just about kill me.

I-1 got a hole picked out on long island. It's private.

You gotta be screened before they'll let them put you in there.

That's how exclusive it is.

- What's the score? - Don't know yet.

We're looking for a Cannon who binged a girl on the subway for a wallet.

Well, ain't he pigeonholed with the moll-buzzers?

No. And we haven't got time to go through all those files.

I thought maybe you knew of some first-rate grifters

who've been working the subway for the last 24 hours.

I happen to know a couple of live cannons

that's been playing the subway the last week.

Business has been dropping.

- You the victim's old man? - No, he's the big thumb.

Stripe job would give you more personality, mister.

- Did you get a good look at the grifter? - Yes. Uh, medium height -

medium.

Short, tall, light, dark, fat, skinny. Thousands of cannons look like that.

It's the technique.

Every one of them's got his own trademark.

Ah, look what that does for him, tiger.

- It's yours for a buck. - All right.

- Uh, tell me, mister, when'd this happen? - A couple of hours ago.

Was he standing to the left of her, the right of her or behind her?

Behind her. Then he moved around and faced her.

- Carrying a newspaper? - Yes.

Rolled up or folded?

Folded, I think.

What do you mean, you think?

What kind of a big thumb have we got here, tiger?

Listen, mister, you gotta be sure.

I tell you, all these cannons have their own way of doing things.

All right, all right. It was folded.

The top side, was it the front page or the classified ads?

- The classified. - Was he a southpaw?

No, he used his right hand. He held the paper in his left.

Did he hold it at an angle, like this?

Yes.

- Did you see him close the purse? - Yes.

Did he put the paper over it like this when he closed it?

Yes.

I and the violins were soft and sweet &

I and so was / j

- I know. - Mr. Zara, wait outside.

- Well, but - - It'll take me just a minute.

Moe, we gotta work fast.

Look, let's not go into that again.

Look, what do you want from me, tiger?

Do I personally raise the price

on hamburgers and pork and beans and frankfurters?

Is it my fault that the cost of living is going up?

These are the prices as of this morning.

When the cost of living goes up, my prices go up.

When the cost of living goes down, my prices go down.

In my book, the price on the board for a Cannon

is, uh... $50.

Fifty dollars? I told you before. We got no kitty.

And you're such a millionaire's salary you can afford to pay me for all my tips?

Thirty-five dollars.

Tell you what I'll do, tiger.

I'll give you the names of eight cannons that fit the job.

And I'll bet you $38.50 that one of them buzzed this moll's wallet.

I'll bet you 38.50 you're wrong.

Mr. Zara. Yes?

Skip McCoy.

For a three-time loser who's been out only a week,

he's begging for a fourth conviction.

Well, he's gotta live too.

There's one Cannon I'd like to see get the chair.

- That's the man. - We haven't even got a lead on him.

So you don't know, tiger.

Thought you knew everything about everybody.

Aw, he hasn't been out long enough to settle.

I know how he operates.

He's holed up somewhere.

A smart Cannon lives quietly,

don't advertise when he's just scored on a job.

Especially an ex-con like skip.

He always had a knack for living in out-of-way places -

places hard to find.

It's gonna be pretty hard to run him down, the places he picks.

Might take you almost a week to run him down.

What are you angling for, a side bet?

Well, every extra buck has a meaning all its own.

It just so happens I haven't got a red cent left.

Just so happens I know where he's shacked up.

- That's part of the bet. - Listen, tiger.

Do you realize that the cost of living has gone up 50%?

- Moe, I got no more time. - Then what are you stalling for?

- Why don't you make me a pitch? - Next time I'll give you odds - 2-to-1.

That's a promise? Yeah.

Well, all right, what are we standing here for, gibbling and gabbling?

Thanks, pal.

Well, hello, winoki, Mac.

- This a visit or a pickup? - Both. Tiger wants to see ya.

- You go with Mac. I'll stick around. - Sure.

Still hoarding all your loot, skip?

Take a look around. You're getting paid for it.

- You want a beer? - Sure, I'll have a beer.

- How's the whip? - You know the whip - always in the pink.

Yeah. I got no electricity here, but the beer's always cold.

- You want one, Mac? - Tiger's waiting.

Okay. Here's the opener. Come on. Let's go.

Oh, uh, winoki, just two things.

After you give my place the broom, leave it the way you found it, huh?

And when you got enough beer, lower my icebox back in the drink.

Come on, Mac.

He's here.

That's fast work. I hope he didn't throw that microfilm away.

How do you want to handle this?

He got me suspended twice for smacking him.