Johnny Allegro (1949)

George Raft: Johnny Allegro

Photos 

Quotes 

• 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] 

  Morgan Vallin : 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] 

  Morgan Vallin : 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 : 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.

• 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.