The Beast of the City (1932)

Walter Huston: Jim Fitzpatrick

Photos 

Quotes 

• Abe Gorman : But chief I forgot to tell you about...

  Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Yes you forgot to tell me about hitting an officer over the head. You forgot to tell me about shooting a little girl down in the gutter. You forgot to tell me about killing one of the finest white men that ever lived!

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : [enters jail cell full of yelling prisoners who suddenly go quiet]  Well, sounds like the inside of a bird store. Lot of fine brave boys aren't you? Come on, why don't you keep it up? Teacher's lookin' at you. That why? It'd be different if you were hidin' behind an alley door wouldn't it? It'd be different if you had that shot of hop handy so you could pump yourself full of enough guts to shoot somebody in the back . Take away your guns and your hop and you're nothing but crawling yellow maggots.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Say that's mighty white of you guys.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : I hate Belmonte and that crowd because they're behind everything in this town that's rotten. I mean to wipe 'em out if it takes hot lead.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Well what else can you do? What do you expect me to do with gunmen, dope peddlers, and sneak thieves? Kiss 'em on the forehead or slap 'em on the wrist?

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : He'd make a good dick, if he ever puts his mind to it!

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : [to his brother Ed]  Pay a little more attention to your job, that's all. What do you do with your money anyway? You haven't got any expense living with us. You still running around with a lot of dames? Hey now, get wise to yourself and grow up.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : I know how to make those lice talk.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Hey, I wanna' talk to you. Heard about Belmonte last night, didn't you?

  Det. Ed Fitzpatrick : Yeah, but I can't get all steamed up about it. Dopey and his mob had it coming to them.

  Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : What kind of talk is that?

  Det. Ed Fitzpatrick : English, teacher, English. Shouldn't break our hearts because three or four heels get half-soled.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : [Addressing the assembled policeman, upon his being appointed the new Chief of Police]  We're going to start with a clean slate, see? I don't know a thing about any of you. Good or bad, efficient or inefficient. I'm not upsetting any apple cart. Every man keeps the job he's got now until he proves to me he's worth a better one or he has no right on the force at all. I'm not fighting you and you're not fighting me. We're going to fight together. Now this town has become about as rotten as an open grave. Only some of you have got so used to it you don't have to hold your noses anymore. Well, we're going to clean it up, understand? We're going to knock over every speakeasy, hook shop, wheel joint and gin mill from South Canal to North Haven. We're going to keep pulling in every monkey until they get so tired of it they'll all want to lie in the tanks or leave town. Leave the country - not the town, but the country! Each one of you is going to handle your own precinct in your own way. You know more about conditions there than anybody else. What I want is results! If I don't get results there's going to be a shake-up like the inside of a cement mixer. I'll get results if I have to put a patrolman at the head of the vice squad and precinct captains back to teaching rookies drill. All right now, go out and get to work. You'll get official confirmation on all orders before the day's up.

  Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : [the assembled policeman start to applaud loudly, but Jim waves them to be silent]  No, no... never mind those open hands. Close them up into fists, and use them!

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Well, I guess you'll have to - start moving right away. You don't mind, do you dear?

  Mary Fitzpatrick : Mama goes where Papa goes.

  Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : You're swell, Mary. Kinda makes a guy want to go on.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : What are you tryin' to make - a sissy out of me?

• Det. Ed Fitzpatrick : Say, where's the cripple?

  Mickey Fitzpatrick : Right here!

  Det. Ed Fitzpatrick : Hi Jim.

  Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Kid... how are ya?

  Mickey Fitzpatrick : Daddy's shot. Isn't it swell!

  Mary Fitzpatrick : Why, Mickey, how do you say such a thing!

  Mickey Fitzpatrick : Well, it is swell, isn't it?

• Det. Ed Fitzpatrick : Well, you big baboon, they couldn't keep you off the front page if they put you in a straight jacket. Been kinda insulting you, haven't they?

  Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Mary's been reading me a lot of hot air.

  Det. Ed Fitzpatrick : Aw, it's not a lot of hot air. It's hysteria! Your names being flung around headquarters like a pass to a speakeasy.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : Where have you been keeping yourself lately? Busy?

  Det. Ed Fitzpatrick : Yeah, I've been real busy these days - junkie investigation.

• Capt. Jim Fitzpatrick : I've just given Ed the Bartman assignment, he needs bucking up!