Johnny Allegro (1949)

Nina Foch: Glenda Chapman

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 : 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.

• 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 : 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]