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Big Jim McLain (1952)
"Yes, Dan'I Webster's dead,
or at least theY buried him. "But everY time there's a thunderstorm around Marshfield, "theY saY You can hear his rolling voice in the hollows of the skY. "And theY saY that if You go to his grave and speak loud and clear, "'Dan'I! Dan'I Webster! ' "the ground'll begin to shiver and the trees begin to shake. "And after a while You'll hear a deep voice saYing, "'Neighbor! Neighbor, how stands the Union? ' "Then You better answer, 'The Union stands as she stood, "'oak-bottomed and coppersheathed, one and indivisible, ' "or he's liable to rear right out of the ground. " This is the hearing room of the House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities. We, the citizens of the United States of America, owe these, our elected representatives, a great debt. Undaunted bY the vicious campaign of slander launched against them as a whole and as individuals, theY have staunchlY continued their investigation pursuing their stated beliefs that anYone who continued to be a Communist after 1945 is guiltY of high treason. Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? I stand on my constitutional rights under the Fifth Amendment and refuse to answer the question on the grounds that I might incriminate myself. Permit me to ask you one further question. In the event of armed hostility between this government and that of Soviet Russia, would you, if called upon, willingly bear arms on behalf of the government of the United States? Same question, same answer. Eleven months. Eleven frustrating months we rang doorbells and shuffled through a million feet of dull documents and proved to anY intelligent person that these people were Communists, agents of the Kremlin, and theY all walk out free. MY fellow investigator, Mal Baxter. He hates these people. TheY had shot at him in Korea. Witness excused. The good Dr. Carter would go right back to his well-paid chair as a full professor of economics at the universitY, to contaminate more kids. I keep thinking that mug might be delivering a course of lectures to my kids one of these days. The doctor, remember. You'll get ulcers. That Barton. "Political beliefs are sacred," he says. He delivered 1,600 microfilms from the laboratory to a Comintern courier. Is that political beliefs? I just work here. That's wishful thinking. We can't give this fellow a subpoena. He left the country yesterday on a Polish freighter. I shouldn't have handed him that subpoena. I should have stuffed it down his throat with my hands still around it. It was just me and him and that subpoena on that dark porch. Who'd have known the difference if I'd have thrown him one left hook? Young, ain't he? We're off, Junior. Jim. Keep him from blowing his top. How you doing? I live here. The next daY was launched the investigation that made headlines, known as Operation Pineapple. Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? On your left you will see the island of Molokai, where the famous leper colony is located. In a few moments we will be approaching the island of Oahu on your right and you will see Diamond Head, the first landfall made by Captain Cook when he discovered the Islands. Beyond that, you will see Waikiki Beach, with the Royal Hawaiian, Surfrider and Moana Hotels. Excuse me, gentlemen. Phil Briggs, Honolulu Press Telegram. Mind telling me your names and the purpose of your visiting the Islands? My name's Wilson. This is Mr. Alcorn. We're here to make a survey for a chain of lingerie stores. Jim McLain, 6'4", looks just like the picture I dug out of the morgue. Who tipped you? We belong to the wire services. Got a query from our Washington office. The gossip in Washington is that your committee is setting up an investigating team out in the Islands. Well, we're here on a vacation. Overwork and all that, you know. Okay, I'll make a deal. You got anything worth printing, you give it to me first. It's a deal. See you. Okay. Phil Briggs. We found quarters, a duplex. Real swank, right on the beach. UsuallY, we work out of a $4 hotel room with a nice view of an alleY. Here's a complete list of all the names from the previous investigation. Memorize them. ChaunceY! I never would have married You if I'd known You were such a wild, impatient man. Light some place, will You? Now, put this oil on You. Sunburn on a honeYmoon. It ought to be grounds for divorce. Who do you think you're working for, Doctor Kinsey? Well, I gotta check the gadgets to see if they work. Besides, it proves it's really a honeymoon couple, not secret agents wiring us for sound. SundaY morning. Pearl Harbor. Before official sunrise. Mal wanted to visit his brother's old ship, USS Arizona. So we hooked a ride on the morning picket boat. It seemed strange saluting the quarterdeck, because it was hard to believe that we were standing on the topside fire control platform of the old Arizona, battle-torn, fire-swept and sunken though she is, USS Arizona is still carried on NavY lists as a fighting ship of the line. She is an everlasting memorial to the gallant men who died at their battle stations. And below these decks, she still carries a full complement of crew. 207 officers, 1590 bluejackets and Marines. TheY have been there since SundaY. SundaY, December 7, 1941. Chief Dan Liu. Tough, hard, competent copper. Runs a good force. The FBI makes up a rating chart on municipal police forces. Honolulu rates A-1. We hit some people with subpoenas, but mostlY unimportant members in the PartY. If theY were important, theY wouldn't be openlY known. But You never can tell when one of them will talk and point his finger at someone higher up. It seemed like a good idea to start checking through the doctors. When I got to the "G's," Dr. Merriam C. Gelster, I got luckY in more waYs than one. - Morning. - Good morning. I'm from the Downtown Credit Association. We're checking on the credit of a... Willie Nomaka. He gave your office as a reference. He's always paid our bills promptly. What's your home address on him? 477 Front Street. He applied for credit and you don't have his home address? Well, frankly, lady, he's a little late on a loan payment. Wrote us he was sick. Well, he is sick. He's made almost daily visits the last month. We get that stall from a lot of people. Just exactly what's wrong with him? I'm sorry, we're not permitted to give that information. Oh. - Well, thank you, anyway. - You're welcome. Oh, I know where I've seen you now. You swim at the Outrigger's Club. That's a poor subterfuge. You know very well I couldn't afford the Outrigger's Club. Are you asking me where I do swim? Just exactly. The public beach at the Point. Well, I have a little beach in front of my house. I wouldn't want you to think I was on the make or anything, but... You are, aren't you? Yes. I attend a course of lectures at the university on Saturdays. If you have a car, you could meet me on the makai side at noon. I have a car. Makai side, noon. It's a date. I should know your name. Marshall. Jim Marshall. Nancy Vallon. Mrs. - Mrs? - I'm a widow. Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I didn't... Of course you didn't. Saturday. - Good morning. - I'm a patient of a Dr. Neill of New York. Will you come in, sir? No. Ask Dr. Gelster to step out here. I can just barely recognize the name Dr. Neill. And I don't recognize his name at all. A courier from San Francisco last week advised you of my impending arrival. I haven't the faintest idea what you're speaking of. Let us dispense with the mumbo jumbo. We are proud to have you with us, Comrade. Your illustrious services in many parts of the world... Enough of that. And for security reasons, don't call me Comrade. I'm sorry. What is wrong with the Party in Hawaii? Wrong? Nothing. As ordered, all top echelons are underground. Of course, the United States government has indicted the known Party heads, who are merely window-dressing, anyway. But you knew that. Of course I knew. I'm not referring to anything so obvious. But what would cause the House of Representatives Committee to send another team of investigators here so soon after the last investigation? I'm sure I don't know. And not one that is just an open fact-fishing expedition. No, no. This one is important, because, for once, it is adequately financed, unfortunately. What are they looking for? I can't imagine. We must find out. What of a Party functionary called Nomaka? He has just been relieved as local Party treasurer. I had a report that he was talking in a strange manner. Well, he's a sick man, severe nervous trauma. Get rid of him. He's not dangerous. I'm treating him. I can assure you I have his psychic dependency. I can control the man. Get rid of him. Have him confined in an asylum. Give him an overdose of something. Don't bother me with the details, but get rid of him. I'll attend to it first thing tomorrow. Why not today? Very well. - Hello? - NancY, this is Dr. Gelster. Would You please look up Nomaka 's home address? Yes, of course, Doctor. - It's 477 Front Street. - Thank You. Good-bye, Doctor. As I was telling you before, nearly every union in the Islands is represented here, and we'll all be glad to cooperate. I'm sure your investigation will be a success. Thank you. That's all, men. Top labor leader Max VentabY, former Communist. Got hep to them after 10 Years. Started fighting back. IncidentallY, that's how he got that broken nose. Fighting Commies. The weekdaYs were real dull, but not the weekends. I want to ask you something. Ask. Why me? You'll have to explain that. Special job like you, no guys hanging around. A few have tried. I don't go out with men, I... Fine remark. I thought I qualified. You're different. Nobody noticed that before. You remind me of a tall, ugly fellow that didn't make it back to his carrier after a raid on Saipan. I'm sorry, Nancy. That you remind me? I'm not. For a long, long time, I thought I'd never want my heart to get that tangled with any man again. It hurts too much. I've changed my mind. I'm too old to believe in miracles. I never thought it could happen to anyone twice. And it did. I wonder if it's chemistry that makes two people understand each other without a word being said. Stop going to those lectures. Don't try to analyze it. - Okay. - Just let it be. - One thing, Jim. - Yes? Do you want to tell me why you lied to me? Credit Investigator for the Downtown Credit Association. Of course, they told me that you were an employee when I called. But you drive in a rented car and you're living from week to week in an expensive bungalow. It just doesn't fit with the job you claim. Now, those are facts, but more than fact, there's chemistry. I know you lied. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It won't make any difference. I don't make much money. Bum job, but it has to be done. But I never needed money before, but now, with a wife, - if I wanted to give her mink coats... - James McLain. I like that better than James Marshall. Are you proposing? Yes. May I plan the evening, Jim? I wanted to walk. I don't know why. It seemed better somehow. And if you don't mind a supposed hard-minded scientist going on this way, I want to go in. I feel so thankful. All the jillions of people in the world, and we two met. What odds against it? It shows there's a plan. So if you'll wait here, I want to go in and give thanks the lightning... The good lightning struck me. Hey. Why can't I go in? The same lightning struck me. Yeah, I'll send him over to Grey. Hey, gents! Ventaby! Hey, honey, come here. - This is Jim McLain and Mal Baxter. - Hi. - This is my wife. - How do you do? - How about bringing us out some coffee? - Sure. Say, I forgot to tell you guys something important. Remember the name I gave you of a guy that was Party treasurer when I was a member, Willie Nomaka? Yeah. Well, I've been seeing this guy lately in all the grog shops down on River Street. Boy, he's jugging it up good. You know, drinking's strictly against Party rules. When you got a big-wheel job, drunks is a very bad security risk. Anyway, I figure this guy's ready to crack. I've been through this. After a while, you get it through your skull that all this Party line is a lot of con, and, sort of in self-defense, you give the bug juice a whirl. If you could get this guy to talk, he'd give you a lot of names. Any idea how we could get in touch with him? Not exactly. He had a cover spot up on 16 River Street, but I don't think he lived there. Well, thanks. We'll see if we can find him, give him the once-over. I wonder where the house is. The odd numbers are on the other side. What's the matter with you? I told you to put the ashcans on the left. I can't keep opening the door every five... Well, you couldn't have come at a better time, mister. I haven't had a vacancy since I don't know when. I was looking for a fellow named Nomaka. He doesn't happen to be home? Now, wouldn't that beat you? This was his room. Four years he had it. Do you know his new address? The people I work for are a little anxious to get in touch with him. Oh, I'm afraid Mr. Nomaka won't be looking for work for quite a spell, poor man. If you ask me, he's had it. What happened to him? He's had a complete nervous breakdown, that's what. And no wonder. The way he's been the last couple of months, couldn't work, couldn't do anything. That's too bad. Not an hour ago his doctor himself was in this very room, packing all his stuff. Who's his doctor? He didn't say what his name was, but I can tell a nut doctor when I see one. I almost had to go to one myself once, about my ex-husband Joe. My third, that is. His folks said I drove him nuts. I think he had a head start. Sorry to hear it. That's all right. He wasn't up to specifications. Hey, is this where Willie Nomaka lives? - Yeah. - Here. I come for his trunk. Well, I don't know. You don't know what? There's the note. Where's the trunk? Listen. Watch how you talk to me in my own house. I ain't gonna talk to you at all. Where's the trunk? Doesn't cost anything to be polite. You're talking to a lady. You can say that again. You looking for a belt in the mouth? No, thanks. I can't use it. Well, then, keep your trap shut. Look, I ain't got all day. Where are you taking the trunk? I ought to know, to protect myself legal, in case Nomaka comes back and wants to know where it is. Hey, Ed, go look in that room. It must be in there. Hey! You ought to tell the lady where you're taking the trunk. Look, I told you not to mind my business. Now, make it so's I don't have to tell you again. You're pulling my shirt. Well, I may pull your ears off. This shirt cost four bucks. I don't know. I wonder, should I let them take it? After all, Nomaka wrote the note saying they could take it. I think you should let them have it. In there. Thanks, mister, for lowering the boom on that character, but I've been running a sailor's boarding house for 10 years, and none of these here apes scare me. I don't take any lip in my own house, either. I'll be seeing you. Why? Unfinished business. I don't let it go by when some joker slugs me when I ain't looking. You should keep looking. Say, how tall are you? 6'4". Seventy-six inches. That's a lot of man. I'd appreciate it if you'd call me at this number if you get any information on Nomaka. Anything you say, 76. Sure you don't want to rent that room? I'm already located. Everything's included. Laundry service, maid service, everything. Oh, I'm paid up at this other place. I wonder, does that wife of Nomaka's know he's sick? Wife? Well, he was married to some woman. Then they got a divorce. A couple of weeks ago he was on the long-distance phone, trying to call her on Molokai, the leper colony. Is she a leper? No, I think she's a nurse over there. Oh. Thanks for the information. So long. Drop in any time. Can I use your phone? It seems that mY tough opponent had a long police record, and while Chief Liu was questioning him about a certain market robberY, the entire contents of Nomaka 's trunk were microscopicallYphotographed. When theYpicked up their truck and left, naturallY, there was a tail on them. And the final destination of the trunk was the Okoli Malunu club, a new name for our list. The next daY was SundaY. While Mal was developing prints of our findings in the trunk, I took NancY to the Pali. She touted its beautY. I guess it was beautiful. I didn't look at it except as a background for her. No matter where she stood she was going to be the foreground. I've been thinking. That's a good idea. A girl studying to be a psychiatrist should think. Has anything come up in your investigation to prove one way or another about Gelster being a Communist? Not so far. Well, if he is, why? I don't know. I've been trying to analyze him. I think he has a frustration. Oh? He's a good boss, but you never have the feeling that you'd like to do something for him outside of the line of duty. You do and I'll beat his brains out. Don't be an ape. I mean he doesn't draw affection from people. In your case, he'd better not. Stop that! You know what I mean. If he asked me to do a favor, the only reason I'd do it is because I don't wanna lose my job. He doesn't attract people. In fact, he doesn't even have the quality of repelling people. That, at least, is an active emotion between individuals. He just is a neuter as a personality. I think he had to try and search for a cult of some kind. - Something to make him feel... - Look, baby, I don't know the "why." I've heard all the jive. This one's a Commie because Mama won't tuck him in at night, that one because girls wouldn't welcome him with open arms. I don't know the "why." The "what" I do know. It's like when I was wearing the uniform. I shot at the guy on the other side of the perimeter because he was the enemy. Hey, we'd better get out of here or I'll start talking politics. Hello, the house! Hi. Say, Jim, I've got something here I want you to take a look at. What? I haven't developed all the stuff yet, but there's something funny here. Ten policies, all made out to Juan Garcia. And on every one of them, the beneficiary's last name is a single letter. Yeah, that is strange. If a fellow was going to take $10,000 worth of insurance, generally, he'd take one policy, not 10. Well, we'd better check it. Yeah. At last, we had something to send to Washington, where theY went through the mill that grinds so verY small and not so verY slow. LowrY to McLain. Urgent. Examination, fraudulent insurance policies, establishes 10 secret Communist agents, gathered Honolulu. Objective unknown. Press investigation. Check the rest of that list at the sanatorium. Kalaupapa, a small, completelY isolated peninsula jutting out from the sheer cliffs of Molokai. Kalaupapa, the ancient leper colonY. LonelY, desolate, no bars, but escape-proof. I wasn't too happY about this angle of the investigation. FranklY, leprosY scared me. Scares most people, I guess. I still remember when we were kids and mY mother used to read the Bible to us. The chill that ran up and down backs when she said the ancient word "leper." - Mr. McLain? - Yes. I was sent to guide you to the hospital. Thank you. - Mrs. Nomaka? - Yes. I'm Jim McLain, the House Un-American Activities... Oh, yes, Dr. Peterson told me about you. I'd like to talk about Willie Nomaka. He's in trouble? Well, I don't know. He seems to have vanished. Willie was my husband. We've been divorced for some years. Please, sit down. Let me explain. After being a hard-working, dedicated Communist for almost 11 years, I came to my senses and recognized Communism for what it is. It's a vast conspiracy to enslave the common man. Excuse me. Are those the inmates' babies? Yes. They're taken from the mothers immediately on delivery, and brought here. That's tough. At least they may see them. It's much worse later. At six months of age, the babies are removed to the mainland. It may seem hard to the parents, but it's really much better for the babies. Let me resume. I left the Party, wrote a full account of my past activities and association to the FBI and came here. I thought, I suppose, that I might atone for the injury I had done humanity by helping these unfortunates. When I left the Party, I could not persuade Willie to accompany me. So, we separated. You haven't seen him since? Never. Last week he telephoned me. Radiophone, you know. The connection was bad. He made little sense. A few days later I received a most incoherent letter from him, in which he says he is returning to the religion of his childhood. I have it here. You will see, he accuses himself, using the Japanese word kYodai-goroshi, which is fratricide. A man who murders his brother. Yes, he calls himself that. He is obviously deranged. He has no brother. I know his family well, since infancy. He's an only child. Well, have you any idea what he meant by this? None. Did you answer his letter? No. Like any other who commits a crime against humanity, he will have to find his own way back into the community of men. I would not lift a hand to help any conspirator, any more than I would extend a helping hand to a... I was going to say leper, but that, of course, is ridiculous. Well, thank you, Mrs. Nomaka. I'm sorry I had to bother you. Oh, Mr. McLain... lf, in the course of your duty, you are forced to arrest Willie, please remember, he is suffering great torment of soul. I recognize his predicament as identical with my own in the past. I have no control over this, Mrs. Nomaka. I'm just an investigator. But if I see Willie, I'll tell him I met a splendid lady who wishes him well. Jim... This is the Reverend Ito. He says that our man, Nomaka, was here, all right. He was in a very disturbed state of mind. He came in, placed many prayer papers on the altar and kept raving about he'd murdered his brother. It was hard to tell whether or not he was stating the truth because the Reverend Father tried to question him, he screamed he had no brother and ran away. Well, was that the last he saw him? That's the last time he saw him. Thank you. Mal. The Chief wants to talk to you. 644 to No. 1. 644 to No. 1. Come in. Mal, in checking Dr. Gelster's phone bill we find toll charges to a Sanford Sanitarium. Your man Nomaka might be there. We checked it. He wasn't there, and they weren't cooperative. Take officer Jones with you this time. He has a search warrant. TheY'll cooperate. Right. 644 to No. 1. Check. Here 6-3-4-8. Come on, Jonesy. - Remember me? - Yeah. Well, I'm going to ask you just once more. Do you have a patient named Nomaka? No. Do you have that man? I've got a search warrant. Why, sure. We have this man. Calls himself Shige. These drunks always hide under a phony name. Here, follow me. This is the man, isn't it? Yeah, that's him. I don't get this character for a drunk. Looks more like he's on junk. He makes no sense. Nomaka, you're among friends. Where's your telephone? Give me the police department, Chief Liu. Hey, Jack, we'd just as soon have no trouble. We're in business, you know. You want to stay in business? - Yes, sir. - Cooperate. Hello, Chief. Yeah, we found him. Can you send an ambulance over to pick him up? All right. Thanks. We had Nomaka, but between nervous breakdown and the injections his comrades had given him, Nomaka was of no use to us. Say, by the way, I want you to meet Ed White. I've been trying to bring him along to take my place as business agent when I leave next month. I got a pretty good setup on the mainland, but I want to make sure I leave this outfit in the hands of guys that are on our team. See, there he is now. Hey, get out of the truck. You can't do it. The hiring hall sent me down here with a gang. Well, I'm sending you back. You're sending me back because you think I'm a Commie? I wouldn't send you back because you're a Commie. Then 80 jerks from here and there would get together and call a meeting about your civil rights. I won't even say you're a Commie. I'll just say you loose-Ioaded a sling a couple of months ago and a load of radar equipment was smashed. Accident. Well, I don't like accidents on my loading gang. So get out of the area. Maybe you'd like to make me. Cinch. Hey, mac. You ain't man enough to do it by yourself. Look, mister, if I belt you, you could sue the company. But if you want to come down to Joe's after dinner, we can talk about this thing a little more, and my time is my own. Hey, Whitey. McLain and Baxter, House Un-American Activities Committee. You fellows are doing a good job. Getting things pretty well cleaned up. Well, we'd like to get together with you and let you give us the lowdown on what's going on. Sure, you can have anything we got, hey, Max? Sure, anything. About the only tip I can give you are the names of some of these parliamentary pirates. Parliamentary pirates? Yeah, those talkative characters who babble for hours at a meeting so the decent guys go home before a vote's called. Come on in the office. Mr. McLain? My name is Henried, Robert Henried. - Mrs. Vallon. - How do you do, Mrs. Vallon? Mr. McLain, I'm a writer. I don't suppose you've ever read any of my works. I write mostly historical and research treatises. My purpose in coming here today is to give you some information on the Communist Party. I'll take a walk along the beach. Don't leave on my account, Mrs. Vallon. This information will become public knowledge within a very few days, just as soon as my next book reaches the stands. Won't you sit down? Thank you, no. I'm rather pressed for time. As a matter of fact, what I have to say will take just a very few minutes. Mr. McLain, 10 years ago I joined the Communist Party, merely to see it firsthand and observe its operation. When I found it unworkable, my scholar's interest stopped, but I maintained the contacts I had created during my time of study. As I told Stalin at our last meeting, the parallel between his organization and the Venetian dictatorships of the 16th century is most unusual. May I have a glass of that lemonade, please? You saw Stalin? Oh, my dear fellow, scads of times. As a matter of fact, our last conversation terminated in a rather frightful quarrel. You see, I had flown over in a new jet plane of my own design to demonstrate that his operation must fail for the same reason that Genghis Khan failed. This is excellent lemonade. May I pour you a glass, Mrs. Vallon? No, thanks. He's a very stubborn man, Stalin. Finally, I had to threaten him with my new secret weapon. You know, this lemonade tastes of lemons. I must say, I heartily approve of that. It's always a great mistake to use oranges when making lemonade. You say you threatened him? Oh, yes. He was frightfully upset, as a matter of fact. You see, my new secret weapon, well, it will make the atomic bomb an obsolete nothing. A mere child's plaything. It will, incidentally, eliminate any possibility of future wars. And I reveal this to you, Mr. McLain, only because you have a certain kind of face. You have a face that I can read like a book. It tells me that though you might do a stupid or thoughtless thing, you could never be mean enough to snitch about as important a thing as my secret weapon, if you first crossed your heart and took a Boy Scout's oath not to. How will it affect people? To my best judgment, my weapon, very likely, may destroy the entire human race, but, of course, one can't have everything, can one, young lady? Well, how does it work? Well, in its first phase it makes everybody look alike. Don't misunderstand me, Mrs. Vallon. I don't mean that everybody will look alike. I mean that all the men will look alike and all the women will look alike. And now that I have met you, Mrs. Vallon, I think it would be most advisable if the female half of the world's population looked exactly as you do. This will stop wars? Well, my dear fellow, how can you possibly fight with someone if he looks exactly as you do? Don't you think there might be the possibility that you'd be picking a fight with yourself? You follow my logic? Every interesting step of the way. This is really excellent lemonade. I must have the formula for this elixir. I'll pay you if you wish. I can very easily. My family's very well fixed, ever since my grandfather developed and patented air. Oh, that's very clever of your grandfather. Not at all. He was simply sagacious enough to see that all people must breathe. Yes, Mrs. Vallon, I have definitely decided that all the women must surely look like you. And so I hope you won't find it an imposition if I borrow your face as a model for the distaff side. Not at all, Mr. Henried. I'm very happy you feel this way. Thank you, my dear. And Mr. McLain, I hope you won't mind if I don't use your face as the model for the male half of the world's population. You're the right size, but your face... Well, it seems as if you've been struck a blow on your nose at one time or another and you've a slight scar over your left eye, and your face is just not suitable, I'm afraid. Yeah, that's too bad. When are you going to turn this thing loose, this secret weapon? Oh, well, I've not yet decided that, because, you see, there is one slight flaw in my secret weapon. If all men and women look exactly alike, how could husbands and wives recognize their rightful mates? Yes? I fear some enormous mistakes would be made. People going into wrong houses, husbands quarreling with the wrong wives. In short, an appalling amount of domestic discord. Well, you see my problem, Mrs. Vallon? Let us say, for instance, that you were married to Mr. McLain here, and I was married to your exact duplicate. Well, the possibilities are downright hideous. You see my problem, Mrs. Vallon? I certainly do. So, you've met our Mr. Henried. He's harmless. Let me talk to him. It's for you. Pardon me. Mr. Henried, we have a very important mission for you to perform. Thank you, Chief. Yes, I shall leave at once. Well, those people will get into trouble. The White House has another problem. That means I must fly to Washington at once in my new jet plane. But on second thought, I may just fly over without it. At this point, a certain investigator is entitled to something stronger than lemonade. And the investigator's girl. A great deal of our information comes from people we would never have found. TheY seek us out, theY tell us something for the good of their countrY. Come in. - Mr. Lexiter? - Yes. I'm Jim McLain. This is Mal Baxter. House Un-American Activities Committee investigators. - Oh, yes. - You wrote a letter to Washington? Yes. Gentlemen, this is Mrs. Lexiter. How do you do? Sit down, please, gentlemen. Mama, will you go in and bring out that newspaper, please? It's awfully hard on Mama. It's hard on me, too. Believe that, please. It seems so far back to think when we were first married, when we came away from Poland, the hard country. We came to New York. Mama was carrying the little baby in her arms then. In New York, we... I'm sorry, gentlemen, I'm just talking too much. Well, take your time, Mr. Lexiter. Gentlemen, I wrote you that letter because my son is a Communist. Our son, Papa. We came out here to the West Coast. In San Francisco, I worked on the docks. That was hard. But we were free and we lived. In high school, our boy was bright. A prize he got, up there on the stage with everybody looking at him. Mama cried. The prize was a trip to Russia. Other students went. Then came his letters from Russia. He wanted to stay there a while, another year more. He wanted to study. When he came back, he was different. Then I heard from the office where he was working that he'd been giving out information on the sailing and docking of ships. He was a Communist. I didn't argue with him. I showed him the door. Mr. McLain, I was raised in the land of the pogrom. I know how useless it is to try to reason with those heartless men. Men that have turned their backs on God. This was just before the war? Yes, sir. 1940. - You haven't seen him since? - No. After that I brought Mama over here, where we could retire on my pension, live free in the sun. Since then, we haven't seen him or heard from him. Well, thank you very much... But this... This, we have seen. That's why I wrote you the letter. - This is your son? - Yes. Now he calls himself White. He's probably ashamed of his real name. But that's all right, I'm ashamed of him. - Well, can we keep this paper? - Why, surely. Well, thanks a lot. I know how hard it was for you to... Mr. McLain, Mama and I are just living out here on our union pension, free and in the sun, and we... It was my duty. We appreciate what you've done. If I could only pick a fight with this real tough Ed White on my own time... That we can't do. Chief Liu put a 24-hour tail on Ed White. So then we tailed this mug to the Royal. He went in one door, came out the other, changed cabs three times. We stayed with him till he finally went to this warehouse. Since then we've taken pictures of everybody that went in or out. That's about it, Chief. Good job, Gallagher. Ed White led us to seven out of ten of the secret cell. We went to work on the missing three. Hello? Yes. Just a moment. For you! Female! Oh? As long as I'm spying, I'm going to listen. Or maybe I'm just jealous. Hello? Who? Remember me? Oh, I never forget a beautiful blonde. Bag, I'll bet. A certain gentleman with which I had a date was called away on very important business. So, I thought you'd jump at the chance to take me to the Royal for dinner. Well, thank you very much, but I can't make it. I have a date with a maiden aunt. I wouldn't want to hurt the old girl's feelings. Don't hurt my feelings, 76. I've got something for you about Nomaka. Well, I'll send a man over right away to pick it up. Nope, you gotta bribe me. Pick me up at my place. I'm sorry, Nancy. This woman has some information on Nomaka. You'll have to have dinner alone. Not necessarily. Just because I'm not dining with you doesn't mean I have to eat alone. Especially while you're out with a beautiful blonde. A bag. Oh, quick switch. Give me a description. Oh, she doesn't look like anything in particular. Listen to the trained investigator who remembers every detail. Now, just a minute. Suppose you come home late some night and give me some mysterious story about how you're on top-secret business and you can't tell me for security reasons. Oh, I don't think I'm going to like being married to an investigator. Me, I'm gonna like you being married to an investigator. Good-bye. Bye. I hope you appreciate the fact that I'm showing you the charm of our island. But since this is the first time you're over here, I thought I ought to show you how we kamaainas live. I want to show you, 76, it's just wonderful. You've shown me 18 saloons I couldn't possibly have found in Altoona, Pennsylvania or Lansing, Michigan. Now, how about giving me that letter? In due time, 76, in due time. Take it easy. Relax. You always get the job done better if you take it real slow and easy. You know, over here in Hawaii we do things much slower than they do on the mainland. What's that mean? Well, it's hard to say in English. It means to take it easy, never to get angry at anybody. Why don't you keep your big fat feet out of the aisle? So that's what it means. Easy living and good manners. Yeah, I see what you mean. Now, could we eat? Oh, not just yet. One more little drinkie and then I'll take you to a real quaint little restaurant. Don't worry. We'll get everything done. Just remember... Take it slow, take it easy. Oh, let's not order yet. Bring us another round. I'm hungry. Supposing we order now and eat after this round. Nope. I like to get a little glow before I eat. Okay. Why don't you stop playing games and give me that letter? Because I like playing games, old 76. And if I give you the letter, you might blow, and the deal was for a dinner. You think I'm a heel? Oh, 76, what I think about you has to be said in the dark. Give me a quarter. I gotta phone. Has the lady decided yet? On food? No. I don't think the lady's mind is on food. I think you're right. Shall I bring some more drinks? Not unless we have to. This is the most perfect evening I've had since my return from tour of duty in Guam. Really? I mean it. You're so lovely. No. You know, a guy gets pretty tired of brunettes. - You think so? - I know so. Well, hello, Jim. How do you do? Badly, thanks. As long as I introduced you two, which I'm beginning to think was a mistake, I'm entitled to make a speech. It concerns the Navy. When I was a Marine, the Navy kept putting me on boats and taking me places. My bunk was always too short. The Navy would take me to an island someplace, put me on a beach where a lot of angry people would start shooting at me. And when the shooting died down, the Navy would put me back on a boat where the bunk was too short, and take me to another island, where more people would shoot at me. Now, during this I became very annoyed with the Navy, but I kept my temper. I did not strike even one sailor. However, there is a limit to my patience. And if I have any more trouble with the Navy, you are nominated. Shall we dance? Oh, yes, let's. The music is divine. Hey, what's the idea of table hopping? When a gentleman's out with me, I don't go for no table hopping from him. You're my date tonight, and don't you forget it. You men are all alike. You see a good-Iooking dame and there you are. - Let's eat. - Let's have one more round. - Steak and potatoes. - Please? Sliced tomatoes. Listen, if I give you the letter now, can we have one more round? Yeah. Another round. Nomaka must have wrote it to these people in Japan, and they didn't live at that address, so it came back. - You opened this? - Well, sure. The postal authorities get very peevish about people opening other people's mail. There's a law. So? I'm a woman, and women are curious. Didn't do you much good. No. It's written in Japanese. So here you are. So, sure. So here I am. I knew it. It come to me just like a dream. I was just passing the buoy off of Diamond Head, and it come to me just like I was in a transom. And I says to myself, "She had that look in her eye." So I gives the rudder a full turn and brings my good old garbage scow back to the wharf. - Please, not so loud. - Blow, bud. I'll probably lose my contract. For 20 years, I've been living up to my contract. For 20 years I've been hauling Honolulu's garbage out to sea. My reputation, right down the drain. Go down the drain with it. It's like I was stabbed right through the heart. You maybe will be. You must keep quiet. Don't waste time. Call the bouncers. I want to fight. All right, I will. My name is McLain. I can explain this. Yeah, your name will be mud if you wanna step out in the parking lot with me. I don't. It's been delightful knowing you two lovebirds. Oh, yellow, huh? Very. Get him out of here. Well, at least I've still got one pleasure left in life. Don't twist that thumb so hard. You'll break it again. So long, 76. Why didn't you bring your friends over? They seemed charming. Yes, she's a Sunday School teacher, and he has something to do with transportation. As a hobby, he bites silver dollars in half. So nice that you could join us again for just a minute. I'm looking forward to seeing you again sometime. You know, Clint is one of the bright boys of Naval Intelligence. Expert on Asiatic languages. He reads, writes and speaks Japanese. And fifteen dialects of Chinese. Also Tibetan, Manchu, Siamese, and six or eight others which modesty forbids me to mention. Translate this. You bring it in to the office first thing in the morning, and I'll be glad to. Thank you. That I will. And I'll tell Admiral Clay that it's probably some clue to a naval sabotage, that you wanted me to wait until morning. Ouch. The music is divine. Shall we dance? Pretty smug, huh? Sure, I'm smug. The greatest girl in the world's stuck on me. Mr. McLain? I asked you to come out here today because I thought you could be of some assistance to us. Well, I had hopes it'd be the other way around. We're a security agency, Mr. McLain, and I think you've stumbled onto something that concerns us. This Nomaka was mixed up in a sabotage operation involving a U.S. Naval vessel. One of the crew members who was killed was a boyhood friend of Nomaka's, and they swore some brotherhood in a Shinto shrine. We know when, where, and how this sabotage occurred, but we don't know exactly how many others are involved in it. And, well, we're still working. Well, you wanted me to do something? Yes. This woman. This landlady. How well do you know her? Not well. Sir, if I may say so, I think McLain is being overly modest. When I observed them together, she seemed quite... Well, "taken" is the word. Do you think that you could worm your way into her confidence? I'm sure he could, sir. I wasn't addressing you, Commander. I'm sorry, sir. I only spoke because I am familiar with Jim's excessive modesty. Really, a certain type of woman has always found him most attractive. This is that type of woman. I see. Will you send Lieutenant Edwards in, please? Well, McLain? Well, I'll do anything I can, sir. Fine. Commander Grey will brief you in detail. Lieutenant Edwards, I'm assigning you to this case to assist McLain. Stay within our jurisdiction. Yes, sir. - Yes, Admiral? - Captain LeYton. In going through the report on the Nomaka case... I have visitors, sir. I'll be right in. If you gentlemen will excuse me. Excuse me. I'll get my desk cleaned off and be right with you. Now, this is the same envelope, but there's a dummy letter in it. You take it back to your innamorata and tell her to give it to anybody who asks for it. We'll have the house covered. Oh, wait. I suggest that you spend as much time as possible with the lady. You know, take her out to nightclubs and picture shows, that sort of thing. - You suggest that, huh? - Yes, I do. Well, my counter-suggestion is that you'd look real cute with a lump on your head. Oh, Jim. Jim, all kidding aside, this was a real find. If we can rouse Nomaka from his stupor long enough to interrogate him, we might have something big. Well, this Edwards, has he been assigned to me to help me, or as a watch dog? Oh, he'll help you out. Okay. - Hi, 76. - Hello. What're you doing in our neighborhood, huh? I wanna ask you to do me a little favor. Anything. I found out I couldn't use this letter. Will you give it to anybody who might call for it? Don't tell them I had it. Oh, sure, 76. But you better not come around no more. I got a new deal with Olaf. He's taking me along on all the scow trips. Guess he don't want to be Ionesome. No. I think he just wants to make sure you won't be. Will you do what I asked? Sure. But you better not come around here. I don't want to hurt Olaf's feelings. But don't get Olaf wrong. He's just a big overgrown kid. He loses his temper a lot, but he always apologizes. Where you going? I'm gonna save Olaf an apology. I got a phone call this morning. I don't know anything about it. Oh, I'm afraid this'll do it. That's it. - Well, answer the phone. - I'm winning. - I'll count your hand for you. - Oh, no. Hello? Oh, yes, Chief, he's here. Hello, Chief. What's the matter? Jim, what's the matter? Mal's dead. Hello, Jim. Sorry. After you've made your identification, I'd like to get some information for an obituary. You know, married, age, any kids, war record, that sort of thing. ObituarY! Name, so and so. Age, such and such. Does this tell us about a Young lawYer who went in the Marine Corps, who lost eight feet of intestines in Korea, gut-shot bY a grenade made in Czechoslovakia of scrap and bY machines that had been shipped from the States to somewhere in Western Europe and then transshipped behind the Iron Curtain? Does this give You a picture of a guY who let his own teeth go because his kid needed bands on hers? OkaY. Malcolm Baxter, 34, married, two children, ex-Marine. There's Your obituarY. Is that Mal Baxter? Yeah, that's Mal Baxter. I'm sorry, Jim. Yeah. What happened? Sergeant Campbell will give you the report. "The body of the deceased was discovered by Patrolman Gardner "of Sixth Precinct, this department. "The body was floating in a landlocked lagoon "behind the Halekulani Hotel. "The time was 0913. "The lungs were free of water, "which precludes the possibility of death by drowning. "The Medical Examiner requests "that the Detective Bureau, in its interrogation of relatives, "investigate the past cardiac history of the deceased, "as there is the possibility deceased suffered a heart attack while intoxicated "and fell into the lagoon." This was found on him. Did he have a heart condition? Yeah, he had a heart condition. He tried to keep quiet about it, but it finally got him in trouble. The Homicide Squad and I checked everY lead. There weren't manY. Three weeks. Night and daY. We came up with nothing. Sorry, baby. Now, don't tell me you were working late at the office. Just that. I walked 100 miles of waterfront asking guys if they knew guys. The French fries are all soggy. And I was so anxious to show you what a comfy housewife I'd be. You're comfy without French fries. Put them on, I'll eat them. Okoli Maluna club. Good food. And the securitY agencies had been listening to some verY interesting conversations. I didn't tell NancY we were on business. I wonder what he's coming here for? Probably just a coincidence. I am completely skeptical about coincidences. Could you pass the ketchup, please? Will you pass the ketchup, please? I said, the ketchup. Oh, certainly. Well, baby, I spend more time in Washington than anywhere else. It's crowded, but I think we can find a place. Do you mind living there? Home is where your heart is. That's from Swinburne, or somebody. I got orders. To go back? I guess this is just another blind alley. Washington ran all our findings through the sieve and decided it came to nothing. The Hawaiian investigation is being postponed indefinitely. But you thought you were doing so well. I talked like I was doing better than I really was, part of the act. Well? Well, do you want to come back with me, or would you rather wait around a few days and straighten out your personal affairs? I don't got no personal affairs but you. Then you'll leave with me? Good girl. Oh, I'm not being noble. I've seen those airline stewardesses. I don't want you traveling alone. Put your fingers in your ears. Close your eyes. Everybody gets vibrations. That character wasn't deaf. I like you. Well, I was in the hopes it was more than that. Love you? Of course, but that's different. I love you because your heart works, and I like you because your head works. Because you're sharp and clever and real competent in your job. You know, it's wonderful when a woman has love and all that, too, all rolled up together in the same guy. Let's get out of here. I'm having great difficulty keeping my hands off of you. Is that a threat, sir? Yes. I guess this is just another blind alleY. Washington ran all our findings through the sieve and decided it came to nothing, so the Hawaiian investigation has been postponed indefinitelY. That's splendid. I told you we were well covered, that they'd find nothing. Do not be more of a nuisance than necessary, Doctor. We are one step away from disaster. But I don't understand. ObviouslY, You do not understand. The most primitive of police tricks. And done in such a clumsY fashion. This McLain is an exceedingly competent operative. He had his reasons for doing this in such a manner. I wish I knew those reasons. Baxter. What had you to do with Baxter's death? He died almost immediately after the injection of sodium pentothal. You killed this Baxter? I injected 0.3 grams of sodium pentothal, then tried to interrogate him. A certain number of people are allergic to this dosage, and he must have been. Quiet. Now we come to the real stumbling block. This fool has committed a murder. No, no, wait. There might be other ways of phrasing it, Doctor, but you have committed a murder and put the Party in jeopardy. How was I to know that... Doctor, try and look a little less surprised and listen to me attentively. You will arrange a meeting of the Seventh Cell. Pay a great deal more attention than seems usual with you to security. That is all, Doctor. You may go. I far prefer to work with mercenaries. You recite the obvious. These domesticated Party members, these dedicated Communists, they make me sick. We need them until we take power, then liquidate. I'll report that you handled this matter with your usual finesse. A note of innuendo, my friend? I am not given to innuendo, friend. Hilda? Nobody gets down, you understand? Nobody but Mr. Sturak. If anybody gets curious, tell them it's a private party. Mr. Briggs. Hi. I didn't expect you home. I was just about to leave. Fix us a couple of drinks, will you, Nancy? Sit down. No, thanks. I've got a date. What'd you call me about? I want you to stay on tap. What's the pitch? Story breaking? Could be. Tell you all about it in a minute. Mr. Sturak. Gentlemen. - Hello. - Hello. - How are you? - How do you do? Edwin White, Comrade. Oh, yes, a rising young man in the labor union? - We have good reports of you. - Thank you, Comrade. You know our bacteriologist, Mortimer. And this is Whelan, Labor Relations Counselor for one of the bigger interests in the Islands. I'm well aware of your activities, Mr. Whelan. Thank you. Now, you will listen to me attentively. The Seventh Cell has been penetrated, how badly we do not know. The important thing now is that we take some constructive steps. You, my dear Doctor, are about to become a red herring. You will go to this Un-American Activities Committee investigator and confess to being a longtime Party member, disciplinary head of the top-secret Seventh Cell of Hawaii. But how will that help, Comrade? Since you persist in being so obtuse, I will blueprint Seventh Cell action from this moment. We have long had plans to create a paralysis of island shipping and communications. Word will come from our people when they intend to make their next move either in the Near or Far East. Where that move will be, I do not know, nor would I tell you if I did. When the word will come, I do not know, but two things I do know. The word will come, and when it comes, the un-expendable members of the Seventh Cell must be free to perform their functions. Now, these three un-expendable members are Whalen and White, who must cause enough dissension to cause a labor stoppage, one as a negotiator for the employers, the other among the negotiators for the unions. 35,000 tons of critical materials clear the Islands every day for the East. Every day we can stop that flow of materials is as effective as if our people were to put another division in the field. Dr. Mortimer and his rodents must also be protected from exposure. The creation of an epidemic in the harbor area is a must. The fear of infection will provide our people with a talking point during negotiations. Wages and hours are no longer adequate to that purpose. - What's happened? - A gathering of the group. This fellow Sturak is really telling them off. To sum up, Mortimer, Whalen and White must be protected at all costs. So, Doctor, you will inform on these other members of the Seventh Cell. They will, of course, be replaced, and meanwhile, the authorities will be happily deluded into believing that we have been rendered impotent. Is your text clear, Doctor? We're to be thrown to the wolves? A somewhat florid way of putting it, but true. No legal action can be taken against you. As for these other members against whom you inform, they will simply plead their constitutional rights. Well, we'd better alert Chief Liu. I'll take a couple of your men with me. And keep Nancy here, will you? Shove off. Get a hold of the Chief, tell him to roll. All right. This is the end of my professional career. Oh, don't take such a defeatist view, Doctor. We take care of our own. And so that all of you will be certain to remember that fact, I repeat, we take care of our own. House Un-American Activities Committee. I'm sorry, this is a private party. No trespassers. Knock it off. Drop that chain. You heard what the man said. Get over there and sit down. A final rehearsal, so that each man knows his course of action... Hey, here's that big cop. Everyone will remain completely silent. Any talking will be done through our attorneys. What are your intentions? I pretended like I wanted to make this pinch myself. That's unusual, of course, but that's what I kept pretending. The real reason was I wanted to hit you, one punch. Just one full-thrown right hand. But now I find I can't do it, because you're too small. That's the difference between you people and us, I guess. We don't hit the little guy. We believe in fair play and all that sort of thing. So you get a pass. I have subpoenas for everyone in this room. You're pretty tough when you're talking to some guy that's only half your size, ain't you? Keep your mouth shut. No, I won't. I've had a bellyful of this East Texas cotton-chopping jerk. Did you ever chop cotton? No, I'm from the country club set. That chopping cotton's for white trash and niggers. Chief, this man, he attacked us without provocation. Without provocation? We all have sufficient provocation to attack you, all Americans. - Dr. Gelster? - I demand medical attention. You'll receive that. An ambulance is on its way. Right now, I'm placing you under arrest for manslaughter. Take them away. That was a very stupid way for a cop to act. It sure was. How do you feel? Fine. Just fine. While I was getting patched up, Chief Liu had his three men in jail, indicted for murder. The following month, the House Committee on Un-American Activities opened its hearings in Honolulu. MYjob was done. I claim my rights under the Fifth Amendment and refuse to answer on the ground of possible self-incrimination. Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party? I stand under the privileges granted me by the Constitution of the United States and refuse to answer. I stand especially on the right granted me under that section of the Constitution known as the Fifth Amendment. Well, I got my men. You don't seem to be doing so well. I wonder how Mal would have felt about this Fifth Amendment? He died for it. There are a lot of wonderful things written into our Constitution that were meant for honest, decent citizens. I resent the fact that it can be used and abused by the very people that want to destroy it. So, theY walked out free again. We built a case and proved to anY intelligent person that these people are Communists, enemY agents, and theY walk out free. Sometimes, I wonder whY I staY on this job. You been waiting long? You're not late. I'm early. I wanted to be sure to be here when you arrived. I knew how badly you would feel and I didn't want you to be alone. I wanted so much to be able to help, even in a little way. You just keep looking at me like that for the next hundred years and you'll help in a real big way. Company, halt! Company, forward march! - Showman, P.W. - Yo. - Gross, E.K. - Yo. - Donahue, J.J. - Here. - Lastworth, E.T. - Here. - Cohen, L.K. - Yo. - Grant, J.E. - Yo. - Brie, J. - Here. - Fellowes, R. - Here. - St. John, M. - Yo. Neighbor, how stands the Union now? There stands the Union, Mr. Webster. There stands our Union, sir. |
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