M (1951)

Glenn Anders: Riggert

Photos 

Quotes 

• Charlie Marshall, crime boss : I'm glad you're here to defend me, Dan, Riggert just said that I'm the baby killer.

  Riggert : Oh I didn't mean you personally, boss.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : Make me a case, counselor, I'll need that glass. Make me a case.

  Dan Langley : Gentlemen of the jury, I'll be brief. I know we're all anxious to get away, I myself have a very important case waiting, a case of scotch. But believe me, gentlemen, this is the most important case since I went to the bar. Mr. Marshall here is not only my client, he's my friend, I've known him for years since he was a boy. He was a good boy, good to his mother. Gentlemen you have the faces of honest men, good judges of character, look at my client, you judge for yourselves whether he would be capable of these heinous crimes by simply asking yourselves, whether you, you for instance, would be capable of killing an innocent baby.

• Charlie Marshall, crime boss : You see, Riggert? The thought of these murders turns even Pottsy's stomach, imagine the feelings of the general public. Your average citizen isn't too concerned whether the police catch us or not, less the press stirs them up for political reasons, because in one way or another we service almost the entire community. But when it comes to catching a baby killer, they want action from their police department.

  Riggert : That's what I said, they're on the spot.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : So what do they do? The counselor here's told us what happened at Mick's. How's your floating craps game, Sutro?

  Sutro : Just floating, keeping its head above water but that's about all. A few of the boys got tabbed so they're laying low.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : That's what I thought, MacMahan?

  MacMahan : Same, or worse. Yeah you can't even show your face around the high schools these days.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : Pottsy?

  Pottsy : Where's the cops get the idea baby killers play slot machines?

  Riggert : Sure boss, it's the same as us, they've been tapping a lot of our bookies, cigar store, barbershop stuff.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : Riggert, excuse me, counselor.

  [points to stack of glasses] 

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : What do you think that means?

  Riggert : People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones? I don't know, boss.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : We're in a business with a take of millions, from Pottsy's slot machines to your wire service.

  [points to bottom row] 

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : These are the runners, the pickup men, they collect the first money.

  [points to second row] 

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : These are the drops, the district offices.

  [points to third row] 

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : This is the center, you boys.

  [points to top glass] 

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : This is me. We're on the top there. Riggert, you think everything is lovely just because we're not in front of the Grand Jury and your face isn't on the front pages.

  Riggert : Sure.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : Yeah sure, but look what happens on the top there when the bottom is knocked out!

  [swipes glasses off the counter] 

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : See what I mean? Clean up the mess, Counselor.

• Riggert : Who do we frame?

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : No frame, Riggert. This killer isn't going to stop just because they make an arrest. We've got to find him and stop him ourselves.

  Sutro : Oh, we ain't gonna help the cops, we're gonna BE the cops.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : We've got the organization to keep an eye on every child in this city. Our runners and pickup men are in the city all the time. We've got drops in candy stores, barber shops, newsstands, shoe shine parlors, even got our own radio system, our cabs the Ajax outfit. With their two-way system they cover this town.

  Pottsy : The way I see it, my boys are gonna be dishing out the third degree for a change. They're gonna like that.

  Sutro : A fine operation this is gonna be.

  Charlie Marshall, crime boss : That's right, a major operation: Operation M.

  Pottsy : M? I don't get it.

  Sutro : M for Murderer, dope.