Johnny O'Clock (1947)

Lee J. Cobb: Inspector Koch

Photos 

Quotes 

• Inspector Koch : In return for certain information...

  Johnny O'Clock : You'll do what?

  Inspector Koch : I'll give you a break.

  Johnny O'Clock : My arms or my legs?

• Inspector Koch : It's my opinion that you both had reasons to murder Blayden.

  Guido Marchettis : It's my opinion that you're whistling through your teeth.

• Inspector Koch : Where can I get in touch with you if I need you.

  Nancy Hobbs : I don't know. Here, I guess.

  Inspector Koch : Here?

  Nancy Hobbs : A room is a room.

  Inspector Koch : You're alright.

  Nancy Hobbs : Yeah. Hard as nails. Nothing ever moves me. Now get out of here and let me cry by myself.

• Slatternly Woman Tenant : [reading the police report lying on the table]  It says here she had poison in her stomach. What does that mean?

  Inspector Koch : It means you're a very nosy woman. Will you get out of here and let me work.

  Slatternly Woman Tenant : All right, handle it yourself then.

• Inspector Koch : There is nothing you have to say to me?

  Johnny O'Clock : Spiderman, spinning webs.

  Inspector Koch : I feel sorry for you.

• Inspector Koch : It says in my book that any confession obtained by so-called 'third degree' methods is not admissable in court.

  Johnny O'Clock : It's nice to know you can read.

• Inspector Koch : [scoffingly]  You're stupid. Smart boy. Stupid!

  Johnny O'Clock : Stupid? How much money have you got?

  Inspector Koch : How much time have you got to live?

• Inspector Koch : Koch is my name.

  Johnny O'Clock : How do you spell it: C, O, P?

• Inspector Koch : [at the front desk of the hotel]  Excuse me.

  Phil : [in dealing with other guests]  In a minute.

  Inspector Koch : Thank you.

  Phil : [a few seconds later in cleaning up the cigar ashes Koch has flicked onto the counter]  We have ashtrays.

  Inspector Koch : Oh, excuse me.

  Phil : [looking up to deal with Koch directly now]  We're all filled up.

  Inspector Koch : Oh, I imagine. Nice hotel.

  Phil : Thank you.

  Inspector Koch : Looking for a man. I think he lives here.

  Phil : [sarcastically]  You're not sure?

  Inspector Koch : His name is Johnny O'Clock.

  Phil : "Johnny O'Clock." That's a funny kind of name.

  Inspector Koch : Does he live here?

  Phil : [matter-of-factly shaking his head negatively]  Never heard of him.

  Inspector Koch : How about Joe Finch? Phil Briggs? George Baker?

  [Phil shakes his head negatively after each name] 

  Phil : I thought you were looking for one man.

  Inspector Koch : I am, he just has different names? Perhaps if I described him to you...

  Phil : [as he turns ready to walk away]  I'm sorry, I really haven't the time...

  Inspector Koch : [grabbing Phil's arm to bring him back]  Oh well...

  Inspector Koch : [flashing his police badge to Phil]  About six foot tall, dresses very well. Dapper you might say.

  Phil : [now cooperatively]  He's in fifteen fourteen.

  Inspector Koch : Thanks. You're very cooperative.

• [last lines] 

  Johnny O'Clock : [injured with a gunshot wound, pointing a gun at Koch, catching him by surprise as he enters the room]  Don't bother raising your hands. Just keep 'em at your sides.

  Inspector Koch : You're out of your mind.

  Johnny O'Clock : That's right... crazy. Crazy smart.

  Inspector Koch : Put that gun down.

  Johnny O'Clock : I tell you what you're gonna do, Koch. You're gonna walk me out the front door, past everybody. If they stop us, you'll tell 'em I gave myself up, you arrested me.

  Inspector Koch : You think I'd say that.

  Johnny O'Clock : Listen to me. I got a bullet in my gut, and fire in my brain. It wouldn't take much for me to let you have it right now.

  Nancy Hobbs : [desperately in hearing Johnny's words as she rushes to his side]  Johnny, you don't know what you're doing. You don't know what you're saying.

  Johnny O'Clock : All I know is in this gun.

  Inspector Koch : All I know is that I got to bring you in. When we get to the door, I'll tell 'em to shoot.

  Johnny O'Clock : All right, so they'll shoot...

  Nancy Hobbs : No! It's not all right, not for me, it isn't. Oh Johnny, give yourself up.

  Johnny O'Clock : Nancy, I haven't got a chance. All my life, this guy's been chasing me...

  Nancy Hobbs : Johnny, it's the pain. You're weak, you're hurt...

  Johnny O'Clock : [defiantly]  I know what I'm saying. He's been looking to get something on me. Now, he's got it. Even if I told the truth...

  Inspector Koch : [yelling back]  What is the truth.

  Johnny O'Clock : [about Marchettis' shooting]  It was self defense.

  Inspector Koch : His wife said you shot him in cold blood, for money.

  Johnny O'Clock : That's a lie!

  Inspector Koch : If it's a lie, it'll come out.

  Johnny O'Clock : In storybooks. This is too good a frame.

  Inspector Koch : Nobody's out to frame you, O'Clock.

  Inspector Koch : [to Nancy]  If you want him alive, tell him to drop that gun.

  Nancy Hobbs : [increasingly passionate as she goes on]  No. I don't want him alive. I want him dead. I want to cry for him. I haven't had enough tears, I want more. I want to be able to say, "Do you know who I'm crying for? Johnny O'Clock! Do you know who he was? The smartest man in the world." I know, because he told me so. "Johnny O'Clock's not a fool," he said. "No fool!" That's why he's dead... because he's no fool!

  [Nancy quickly turns to hide her head as she wants to cry in peace. After a long pause, Johnny throws the gun on the ground, it making a loud thud] 

  Nancy Hobbs : [running to Johnny's side to embrace him while Koch picks up the gun]  Johnny, Johnny...

  Johnny O'Clock : [matter-of-factly to Koch]  Well, it looks like it's going to be a hot day.

  Inspector Koch : Not too hot.

  Johnny O'Clock : Wanna bet?

  Inspector Koch : Bet? I'll lay ya odds.

  [Nancy and Koch support Johnny on either side as the three of them exit the room together]