Johnny Allegro

Morgan Vallin:
Hello, Glenda.

Glenda Chapman:
Morgan.

Morgan Vallin:
Welcome home. [For the first time, he sees there's another man in the room]

Glenda Chapman:
Morgan, this is...

Morgan Vallin:
How chummy! You brought a friend with you. How hospitable.

Glenda Chapman:
I was just going to explain that.

Morgan Vallin:
Why trouble to explain? It's so touchingly natural.

Glenda Chapman:
This is Johnny Allegro.

Morgan Vallin:
You actually know his name! I'm Morgan Vallin. Always glad to meet any of Glenda's friends, though she doesn't usually bring them with her.

Glenda Chapman:
I had to bring him here, Morgan. He killed a detective for me so I could get here.

Morgan Vallin:
How adventurous! How romantic!

Glenda Chapman:
Morgan, don't be foolish.

Morgan Vallin:
Forgive me, Johnny whatever your name is. I want to thank you for any assistance you may have given my little wife.

Johnny Allegro:
Wife?

Morgan Vallin:
She forgot to tell you, of course. She usually does. Or were you afraid he might not have come here with you?

Glenda Chapman:
I told you why I brought him here. He had no other getaway. This is Johnny Rock. They want him for escaping a stretch at Sing Sing.

Morgan Vallin:
And what have you told him?

Glenda Chapman:
Nothing. He doesn't even know where he is.

Morgan Vallin:
And how did that minute mind of yours conclude that anyone could be of service to me with his pictures in all the papers, with a number across the front of them?

Johnny Allegro:
They took those a long time ago. I've changed a lot since then.

Morgan Vallin:
But your type never changes. Just looking at you makes one think of alley fighting, tommy guns.

Johnny Allegro:
Is that bad?

Morgan Vallin:
It's not for me. You see all this? [He gestures around the room at the paintings, sculptures, and mounted animal heads]

Johnny Allegro:
Nice museum.

Morgan Vallin:
You would call it that. But it's my library, my concert hall, my trophy room. Here I have the best the world has to offer, and I don't intend to let anything jeopardize it. I can permit only people around me of whose methods I am sure.

Morgan Vallin:
That bulge in your coat pocket - the gun with which you shot the detective, no doubt.

Johnny Allegro:
No doubt.

Morgan Vallin:
Give it to me. [Allegro gives the gun to Vallin]

Morgan Vallin:
Ugly, noisy, smelly. No skill needed. A stupid, dangerous toy. Any doddering fool without muscle or talent could fire that. [He picks up a bow and arrow] Now this - this is something different. Strength, skill, grace. A weapon for a man of culture.

Johnny Allegro:
In a tough spot, give me a trigger instead of a piece of string. [Vallin draws the bow and points it at Allegro]

Morgan Vallin:
You're in a tight spot now, or didn't you know it?

Johnny Allegro:
Maybe I'm not very bright.

Morgan Vallin:
Either you're a very brave man, or you underestimate me. And I will not be underestimated. Do you hear? [He fires the arrow and hits the mounted head of a ram on the far wall. The hit is directly between the eyes]

Johnny Allegro:
Not a bad shot.

Morgan Vallin:
Thank you. Would you care to demonstrate your skill with this thing? [He hands the gun back to him]

Johnny Allegro:
I couldn't match that with a shotgun. You win, Mr. Vallin.

Morgan Vallin:
Just get the feel of this bow. [He takes back the gun and gives Allegro the bow] Pull back on that string. Takes muscle to pull 70 pounds, doesn't it? That bow will outshoot anything but a high-powered rifle. An arrow from it is more deadly than a bullet. Why, I've killed antelope, wild boar, mountain lions...

Johnny Allegro:
Suppose a man wanted to commit suicide with a thing like this. How would he go about it?

Morgan Vallin:
You have a sense of humor. I like that. And it's not inconceivable that I might like you. You no doubt need some rest.

Johnny Allegro:
Sounds like a good idea. I could use a little sleep.

Morgan Vallin:
[Vallin speaks to the servant] Take the gentleman's things and show him up to the guest room.

Johnny Allegro:
Oh, I don't have any things. I didn't get a chance to pack.

Morgan Vallin:
Who knows? Perhaps you have enough. Maybe more than you need.

Johnny Allegro:
Good night. Good night, Mrs. Vallin.

Glenda Chapman:
Good night, Johnny. [Allegro leaves the room]

Morgan Vallin:
What's the matter, Glenda?

Glenda Chapman:
What about him?

Morgan Vallin:
Your anxiety betrays you.

Glenda Chapman:
Be yourself, Morgan. The audience is gone. All I say is he's quick and he's clever. He's a good man for us.

Morgan Vallin:
I make the decisions here.

Glenda Chapman:
Well, what are you going to do?

Morgan Vallin:
I'm going to hear the rest of my symphony.

Glenda Chapman:
I'm going to bed.

Morgan Vallin:
I must enjoy my favorite music alone?

Glenda Chapman:
What better company could you have, Morgan? Good night.

Morgan Vallin:
[Allegro puts crumpled newspapers just inside the door of his room, and he also turns off the lamps so the main switch can't turn them on. This is to give him a warning in case Vallin tries to come into the room. Vallin does try to come in, carrying a bow and arrow, and he makes noise walking on the newspapers] That's a smart trick, Mr. Allegro. [He flips the light switch, but the lights don't come on] And that's another smart trick. Are you there, John Allegro? Of course you are, and you know I'd use the sound of your voice to judge your position. Grudgingly, my respect for you mounts, Johnny. Good night. I'll see you in the morning.

Morgan Vallin:
We go in for the continental style here, Johnny. Help yourself.

Johnny Allegro:
Lobster for breakfast?

Morgan Vallin:
Had I known you were coming, I'd have arranged for coffee and donuts.

Johnny Allegro:
It's good enough for me.

Morgan Vallin:
How do you like our island? You were exploring it this morning. Or in your vernacular, casing the joint.

Johnny Allegro:
I took a walk around. I'd have a tough time finding it, even if I knew where it was.

Morgan Vallin:
Did you discover anything when you searched their boat?

Johnny Allegro:
Yeah. I'm being watched.

Morgan Vallin:
[Vallin tries to hide a grin] Well, I discovered that what Glenda says is true. You are Johnny Rock, there is a sentence hanging over you, and you shot a detective. The story's in all the papers.

Johnny Allegro:
Well, does that satisfy you?

Morgan Vallin:
We'll know better this afternoon.

Johnny Allegro:
What happens this afternoon?

Morgan Vallin:
We don't allow our guests to become bored, Johnny. And since Florida isn't too far, we're going to the races.

Johnny Allegro:
You should have let me brought my gun.

Morgan Vallin:
Don't improvise. You'll be told what to do.

Johnny Allegro:
[Seeing armed guards unloading heavy cases] Is that the dough that stocks the mutual windows?

Morgan Vallin:
Could be.

Glenda Chapman:
Underestimated Morgan, didn't you? And you know how it irks him to be underestimated.

Johnny Allegro:
No wonder. I've known a lot of smart guys, but that's genius.

Morgan Vallin:
Then perhaps you've changed your mind about the necessity for carrying a gun.

Johnny Allegro:
From now on, call me Robin Hood.

Morgan Vallin:
Well, you're hardly the type, but you're responding to treatment.

Morgan Vallin:
When did you happen to contract malaria, Johnny?

Johnny Allegro:
Down in the South Pacific, in the last war.

Morgan Vallin:
War hero, eh?

Johnny Allegro:
Nah. I was standing in a bar one night when a mosquito flew in and bit me.

Morgan Vallin:
Roy doesn't trust you, Johnny.

Johnny Allegro:
Roy doesn't?

Morgan Vallin:
Perhaps he doesn't like your face.

Johnny Allegro:
Maybe I don't like his.

Morgan Vallin:
I like this spirit of mutual distrust. It could relieve me of a lot of responsibility. But I don't trust you either. I don't mean to be offensive. It's simply my policy to distrust everyone. To me, suspicion is another word for caution.

Johnny Allegro:
Is that all you wanted to discuss with me?

Morgan Vallin:
Oh no. No. Sit down, Johnny. I'm a man who enjoys competition. For instance, that scene I interrupted when I came in. Competition is healthy in all fields - business, athletics, or women. In the latter category, especially now in our particular case, I have complete confidence because I have the advantage of knowing Glenda.

Johnny Allegro:
Then you can't lose.

Morgan Vallin:
I'm glad you see it that way, Johnny, because I must confess to a weakness. I'm a bad loser.

Johnny Allegro:
Is there anything else?

Morgan Vallin:
We'll consider the incident closed for the present. Why, it's only 10 o'clock. Would you like to hear some good music?

Johnny Allegro:
No, thanks. I think I could use a little fresh air. And besides, good music is wasted on me.

Pelham Vetch:
There seems to be some misunderstanding here. No, there is a stronger word. You know the word. Treason.

Morgan Vallin:
That's too strong a word. I resent it.

Pelham Vetch:
And for which there are stronger consequences, which you will resent even more.

Pelham Vetch:
Draw that bow, and we fire.

Morgan Vallin:
In either case, I'm as good as dead. But this arrow will take one of you with me. I'm just considering which one.

Pelham Vetch:
Do not be foolish. You may kill one of us, but not both of us. I'm not bluffing, Vallin, and you cannot distract me with those glances behind me.

Morgan Vallin:
Would it be possible that you are underestimating me?

Morgan Vallin:
That can't happen again, Johnny. I like this. It's a new experience. It's exhilarating, hunting man. Sooner or later, you'll give me another opening.

Johnny Allegro:
Why don't you give me a chance to fight back?

Morgan Vallin:
You, asking for a chance? A man who can perform miracles? A man who can kill a detective without a bullet? Perhaps you can perform the same magic on me.

Morgan Vallin:
I still have one more arrow. It's a silver one. Remember, Johnny? I can't miss with this one. I told you I was a bad loser.

Glenda Chapman:
Morgan, what are you doing?

Morgan Vallin:
You're just in time to say goodbye to your friend.

Glenda Chapman:
Why, Morgan? What happened?

Morgan Vallin:
Apparently you didn't find out all about him. You've been a gullible little fool. He's an informer working with the authorities. Well, what's your decision now?

Glenda Chapman:
There's only one to do, Morgan.

Morgan Vallin:
I told you, Mr. Allegro. I have the advantage of knowing Glenda.

Glenda Chapman:
Why not give him the chance you'd give any animal?

Morgan Vallin:
That's right, and you have an advantage over an animal. You can think. I'll give you a five second start. One. Two. Three. Four. [Glenda knocks the arrow out of his hand]