Finger Man

- It was early dawn on the day before Christmas.

The city was still asleep.

That is, most of the city was still asleep.

Others were already up and about their business.

The story you're about to see is true.

I know, it happened to me.

I can't tell you where or when it happened.

There are still people around,

people who never forget,

and i'd like to keep on living.

My name? Let's just say it's Casey Martin.

What's the matter?

Out.

I'll drive him around till he wakes up.

See you tonight at Louie's place.

I didn't know it yet,

but this was going to be my big day,

my big opportunity; my Christmas present.

December 24th, a day i'll never forget.

Take it easy, will ya Jack?

Excuse me, miss.

Joe, help him out.

How many times i gotta tell you, Casey?

You don't start fights in here.

Oh, shut up, Louie.

Shut up, he said.

Try to bust the joint up and tells me to shut up.

Come on, come on. Alright.

Merry Christmas.

What's merry about it?

You know, the trouble with you

is you know too much about psychiatry.

You have to!

Otherwise you develop little mental blocks and things.

Here comes a couple of live ones.

What is it, what do you want?

What do you want?

You.

Why?

Tell you all about it, come on.

Land of the free!

Too free for some of us.

When the boys from

the Treasury Department pick you up,

believe me, it's no ordinary two bit pinch.

When the government steps in, you're in trouble.

Real trouble.

I had that all gone feeling

right in the middle of my stomach.

The feeling that the roof had caved in

and there wasn't much use of trying to dig my way out.

What is this?

- You're Casey Martin? - That's right.

- How much time have you served Mr. Martin?

Nine years, why?

Sit down.

I asked you to sit down, Mr. Martin.

Leavenworth: three years, three months.

Back again two years, six months.

Atlanta, four years.

Now you're out two weeks and you're in trouble again.

What do you mean?

Well, a four time loser can spend

the rest of his life in prison, Mr. Martin.

What are you driving at?

So?

That your brand?

I mix 'em up.

Oh?

Why?

We found this package

at the spot where a truck was hijacked.

Well?

- We found your fingerprints on the package.

That's a lie.

Send in Mr. Sears.

Do you recognize this man Mr. Sears?

Take off your hat.

He's one of them.

Thank you, you can go.

Well, that's it Mr. Martin.

What do you intend doing about it?

What can i do?

After a man reaches a certain age,

there's only one way he can

break loose from the underworld.

He's got to blast himself loose with a big bang.

Make a big move, burn all his bridges;

turn his life upside down if necessary.

What do you mean?

We want you to work with us.

You've been in trouble all your life.

We're offering you a chance to break clean.

What are you talking about?

- We're giving you an opportunity to get yourself killed.

Look, you know the mobs, how they operate.

One strong, ruthless man can tie a syndicate together.

He pushes the buttons and pulls the strings

and all over the nation,

his vicious rackets are set in motion.

He's a dictator.

We are after one of those dictators.

We want him bad.

Who?

Dutch Becker.

Good luck.

- Put the finger on him and you're a free man.

You're kidding.

Am i?

Listen mister,

I spent two extra years in stir

because i wouldn't tell him who my partner was.

I was brought up that way.

I don't intend to change now.

- Look, you know Dutch Becker as well as i do.

He has no conscience, he has no soul.

It makes no difference to him

if he destroys an individual or a family or a nation.

And enough men like Becker could destroy a nation.

You picked me up on a meatball charge.

Why don't you pick him up?

Because he is too smart.

We can't prove a thing, yet.

His lawyers would have him out in 10 minutes.

That's your problem.

Yes, and that's a big one.

Nine states big.

We know that Becker is operating in at least nine states.

California, Oregon, New York, New Jersey,

lllinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Arizona, and Nevada.

He gets his cut out of everything rotten that's sold.

We want him.

Let me show you something.

Here's a girl, 17.

Dead before she even started to live.

Sixteen, twenty.

There's a girl, nineteen.

They found her in a trunk.

She wanted to go home to her family,

but the boys couldn't see it her way.

The hospitals, jails, asylums, and morgues

are full of human beings who were destroyed

by men like Dutch Becker.

You seen your sister lately?

Lucille? No, why?

Just wondered.

- A man ought to keep in closer touch with his family.

I haven't been around, remember?

Yeah, we know.

You can go now, Casey.

Think it over: the rest of your life in jail is a long time.

Let us know what to decide,

we'll give you four hours.

You're getting a break, Casey.

Don't throw it away.

Call getting myself killed a break?

- Drop over and see your sister, Casey.

She won't be there tomorrow.

Why?

Just drop over and see her.

She might help you make up your mind.

- it isn't often anyone gets a break like that.

I was offered a clean bill of health,

my freedom, a new start.

All i had to do was put the finger on Dutch Becker.

I'd been around long enough to know

all there is to know about Dutch Becker.

He was one of the biggest gamblers in the country.

He was the kingpin in a nationwide illegal alcohol ring.

He employed beautiful girls as escorts,

hostesses, shills, and bee girls

in his clubs and gambling houses.

If they crossed him,

they weren't very pretty to look at when he paid them,

and he always did.

This was the man they wanted me to double cross.

I hadn't seen Lucille for a long time,

but i remember that she loved the bottle.

She loved the bottle more than life.

Maybe she was on it again.

Hi honey.

Casey?

Yeah.

Are you really Casey?

Yeah, I'm Casey.

Oh!

I'm so glad to see ya.

I'm so glad!

Gee Junie, you've grown up.

How's you rmommy?

I think she's sleeping.

She's sick, Casey.

I've been trying to help her, but,

I'm scared Casey.

All right, sweetheart.

All right, okay.

Junie,

Junie,