(thunder crashing)
(phonograph powers up)
(slow ragtime jazz playing)
(mechanical creaking)
(chimes tinkling)
(thunder crashes)
Trainer: Okay, okay.
Keep that shoulder up.
Don't drop that shoulder!
Okay, like that.
Work to the body.
All right.
Hook, hook it!
Yeah, into the ribs.
Yeah. Back up, back up.
Down, up.
Okay, okay, keep that shoulder up.
Well, don't drop that shoulder.
Okay, like that.
Okay.
Hook!
Get her in. Yeah,
Work on the body, that's right, yeah.
Hook into the ribs. All right, back up.
Back up. Down.
Up. Down. Gimme a right.
Right, right, right, right.
(boxer groans)
Yeah, right, right, right, right!
You missed a spot, tough guy.
Attaboy.
What the hell
Do you think you're doing?
Aw, come on, manny.
Can I borrow these gloves?
They belonged to killer kelsey.
Th-they could bring me luck.
For what?
So you can heat up on another poor schmuck
Who's late paying off his bookie?
I did my time for that.
I don't do that stuff no more!
Come on, manny.
For old times' sake.
What the hell do you care if I use these gloves or not.
I mean, you ain't doing nothing with them.
What I'm doing with them is keeping them!
You're just like all the rest of 'em.
Nobody will give tommy dunn a break.
Man, I put those gloves
On...
I could feel it...
It was like fire.
You know?
Like my hands were burning.
I had you figured for a bum.
I didn't know you were a nutcase.
You can't throw a hook,
You got a hitch when you deliver the right,
Even your footwork is lousy.
A mile away, I can see you got nothing.
Now get out of here and do what you get paid for.
Sweep the damn floor!
(coughing)
Hey, dunn.
Why don't you give it up man?
Because I'm still hoping to get a shot at you, cornelius.
Me?
Man, I wouldn't waste my time.
(laughs) you're a lost cause, dunn.
(laughs)
Good night, mr. King.
Ah, good night, kid.
Oh, kid, ah, before you go,
Ah, let's talk about your schedule.
Oh, yeah.
Manny: Okay, but first...
(cornelius laughs)
(laughing): I don't believe it.
¶ ¶
Dunn. Yeah?
I'm going home, now.
Make sure the towel money's in the box.
All of it.
I come up short again...
You're on the street.
Dunn?
Yeah, I hear ya.
Keep your nose clean.
(explosive pop)
¶ ¶
Manny.
Who's there?
Dunn...
...Is that you?
¶ ¶
What is it, man?
You on drugs or what?
(mumbling)
This is for calling me a bum.
This is for calling me... A nutcase.
(grunting)
This...
Is for the towel money.
(groans)
A lucky punch.
(coughing)
(moaning)
Smile.
Oh, what was that for? (giggles)
Oh, I'm making a sort of picture diary for lloyd.
A day in the life of curious goods.
Lloyd, lloyd.
Haven't heard much of him lately.
You still engaged?
Well, of course.
Why wouldn't we be?
Well, I don't know.
If my fiancée was living with two other men.
I don't know. Oh, yeah, well I think
Once he's seen that picture he won't be too worried.
Wait, wait, wait.
You missed my good side.
You don't have a good side. (whistles)
Oh, boy, oh, boy,
Oh, boy, oh, boy.
Ryan: What's up?
Do you want the good news or the bad news?
The good news, please.
Mrs. Manny king wants us to look at her husband's collection
Of boxing memorabilia.
Thinks we might be interested in buying.
She needs some cash to settle her husband's estate.
Yeah, there ought to be some stuff in there we can unload.
After all, curious goods, is curious goods.
And, uh, what's the bad news?
The reason she called us
Was that manny bought some stuff from your uncle lewis.
Like this,
Killer ken kelsey's boxing gloves,
Item 29764,
Sold to manny king.
Killer ken kelsey?
Yeah, he was a,
A welterweight boxing champ in the '40s.
In 1947, he was defending his title,
And he knocked his opponent out and...
He killed him.
Hence the nickname.
No, he had that nickname long before that.
This time he just lived up to it.
I was at that fight, that was,
That was really awful.
Kelsey hung up his gloves after that,
Some people said he went a little...
Strange.
Never threw another punch.
Well, where do we go to get this collection?
You mean, find the boxing gloves.
Manny's gym. 8th street.
Come on.
Man: Jab, jab, jab, jab.
Jab, jab.
Stick 'em, stick 'em.
I used to box back in high school.
That explains it.
Explains what?
The brain damage.
Why don't you
Take a few pictures of these oxen.
Really put lloyd's mind at ease, hmm?
(men whistling)
No sign of those gloves yet, huh?
Nada.
(woman groans)
Oh, my manny.
He was such a packrat.
I don't know the half of what he's got.
With all the time and money he spent on this stuff,
It's got to be worth something.
And this is everything, is it?
As far as I know.
Sadie,
Do you remember a pair of old boxing gloves
Belonged to ken kelsey? (chuckles)
Killer ken kelsey? Sure.
They gotta be around here someplace.
You can't miss them,
They got "killer" stamped right into the leather.
All this was for a museum, you know?
Manny wanted to start one.
The history of boxing.
Well, if you don't mind my asking,
How did your husband die?
He was beaten to death in an alley right around the corner
From here.
What about the police?
The police.
What do they know from nothing?
Haven't they got
Any leads? Oh,
Sure.
Only one set of footprints at the scene of the crime.
And they say manny tried to write something.
Two letters. T-o.
What could that mean?
Who knows?
Anyway, it won't bring manny back.
I don't want to talk about it anymore.
So, uh, what do you think?
Well, it's going to take some time
Cataloguing all of this.
We'd like to be thorough.
Stay as long as you need.
Man: Only one of a gorgeous guy like me?
Ooh-hoo! I have
To wait for the flash to recharge.
For me to recharge.
(micki laughs)
So, what's your name?
I'll send you one if they turn out.
Fans call me terrific, but you can call me tony.
Forget about him, doll.
Tony here is just a boy.
Why don't you take a picture of a real man?
The name's not "doll." it's micki.
That's all right. You're still a doll.
Hey, what say we go out for a bite to eat
After the fight tonight, just you, me and your camera?
We'll see what develops.
No, thanks.
Cornelius: Beat it, dunn.
Hey, why don't you mind
Your own business, man, get back in the ring?
I said beat it.
You're an awful big talker
Outside of the ring, cornelius.
You want to say that to me in the ring?
(laughs) don't make me laugh, man.
The day I waste
My time with a bum like you,
I'll be hanging up my gloves.
Thanks. Hmm.
Don't mention it.
The name's micki.
Uh... Cornelius.
Uh, kid cornelius.
(laughs) kid cornelius?
Does everybody here have a nickname?
Well, it's all part of the image.
You know, uh... (laughs)
Looks better on the fight bills than sammy.
(laughs) look, uh,
Don't let him get to you.
Manny just lets him hang around.
He does odd jobs.
So, he's not a fighter?
Well, he's been in the ring, but, uh,
He's had more losses than anybody in the city.
And what about you?
Well, I've had a few big fights.
I could have trained uptown,
But, I decided to stay down here with manny.
Well, look, kid, I...
Sam.
Thanks a lot.
Hey, just let me know
If he bothers you again, all right?
Okay. Sam?
Tony, how you doing?
Hey...
Are you gonna come inside and watch me fight?
Are you kidding?
I seen you fight, if that's what you call it.
No, man, I'm gonna stay here.
You'll never know what hit you, chump.
Ha, ha.
(laughs)
What are you laughing at?
(laughing)
(dunn laughing hysterically)
(dunn coughing)
Hey, guys, leave me alone, will you?
Got to pray.
(explosive pop)
(bell dings)
(indistinct, overlapping shouting)
(overlapping shouting)
(laughs, radio plays in the background)
So, this is the great art of boxing?
(laughs)
(overlapping shouting)
(audience booing)
(overlapping crowd chatter)
(booing)
Man: Yeah.
Yeah, that's a good one.
Man #2: Oh, that was just lucky. Come on.
(grunting)
(crowd shouting out)
(booing)
Man: Get him.
Get him!
(grunting)
Man: You hit him.
Referee: One,
Two, three,
Four, five,
Six,
Seven, eight, nine.
(overlapping shouting)
(grunting)
Man: Get him! Get him!
(grunts)
(overlapping crowd chatter)
Come on, come on.
(boos from the audience)
Man: Come on, get up!
(booing)
Referee: One,
Two, three,
Four, five,
He's wearing the killer gloves. Six,
Seven, eight. Jack: "t.O." tommy.
That's the clue manny was trying to leave.
Ten. You're out!
Man: Help!
I need some help.
He's dead out there.
Who's dead?
Man: Terrific tony.
He was in an argument with dunn
Just before a fight.
And now dunn has the gloves.
Too much of a coincidence for my liking.
But dunn never left the ring.
Sure split out of here in a hurry.
Maybe he put the gloves in his locker.
Wait here.
¶ ¶
Looking for something?
Uh... Yeah. No.
I mean, uh, no.
You always go breaking into people's lockers?
Look, it's not what you think.
No? Then, what is it?
Well, I gave my, uh, wallet to tommy, uh,
To hold and, uh, he said he put it in his locker.
Yeah, is that a fact? Yeah, yeah.
And he left in such a hurry... Mm-hmm.
...He must have forgot about it.
And what's this, then?
Ah, geez.
Thanks.
Go on.
Get out of here before you get into more trouble.
Okay, thanks.
Ryan: Damn, he's home.
Micki: This is exactly the type of neighborhood
Dunn would live in.
If he wasn't there, I could get us in easily enough.
We could be waiting all night for him to come out.
I've got an idea.
Hey, where are you going?
There are some things I can do that you two can't.
(line ringing)
Dunn: Hi.
Hi. Is this tommy dunn?
Yeah.
You might not remember me,
But I met you earlier today at the gym.
My name's micki.
The skirt with the camera.
That's right.
I just wanted to tell you
That I thought you fought a wonderful fight.
Uh, well, uh, it wasn't bad.
And I also wanted to apologize
For the way I acted this afternoon.
Yeah, well, uh, you win some, you lose some.
Well, look, um, I know it's late,
But if you're not doing anything,
I would really love to grab a cup of coffee.
Yeah?
Well, uh, why don't you come on over to my place?
Mm.
Um, I'd rather not.
At least not quite yet,
If you know what I mean.
Maybe later.
Yeah, sure, doll, whatever you say.
Uh, I was also wondering
If there's a place close to where you live.
Yeah, the olympus grill.
Corner of eighth and baylor.
Uh, how about 15 minutes?
I'll be there in five.
Five it is.
Hmm. She wants us to wait.
¶ ¶
What an unexpected surprise.
Me, too.
Bring your camera?
Max, some java.
And apple pie for two.
Max: Yeah, sure, tommy.
Micki.
Micki-- what is that?
You irish? With a name
Like that, you got to be.
And that hair...
My mother's irish, my father's english.
From way back.
In fact, I have a feeling my family must have
Landed with the pilgrims.
Strong hands.
And that's not all.
Ah.
You're pretty handy with that pick.
Yeah.
It was the last thing my old friend jimmy gave me
Before he went away.
Where'd he go?
Sing sing, three to eight.
This is disgusting.
The guy grades his pizzas.
(sighs)
Dunn: You gonna eat that?
Or are you gonna torture it for a while?
I guess I really wasn't very hungry.
What say we go back to my place
For a little bit of a nightcap?
You really pounded that guy good tonight.
I hope he wasn't hurt.
If he is, he is.
That's the breaks.
I like a man with confidence. Confidence?
Baby, you're looking at a guy that just can't lose.
At anything.
Max, the bill.
Max: Yo. Can I have some more coffee?
You can have some at my place.
Like I say,
I just can't lose.
Tommy, it's really getting late.
Let's not rush into anything.
Hey, doll.
You called me, you remember?
I got to work tomorrow morning really early.
You think I'm a sucker?
No, tommy, of course not.
Honest. I-I really wanted to talk to you.
You little tease.
Tommy, please, let go of my arm.
You're hurting me.
It's got to be around here somewhere.
(phone rings)
Hey.
Pick it up!
(phone ringing)
For god's sakes, pick it up!
(phone ringing)
(ringing continues)
You,
You guys had her set me up.
No, we wouldn't do that.
(phone ringing)
(grunting)
Okay, boy.
Now, it's just you,
And me.
(camera clicks)
That's it-- the light!
(camera clicks)
Ah! (camera clicks)
(grunting)
(screams)
(grunting)
(panting)
Ryan: Jack, you all right?
Jack: Yeah, yeah, I think so.
Just a little shaky is all.
Something attacked me.
I've got to get this film developed.
Micki, get in the car!
I didn't get the gloves.
Come on, let's get out of here.
You sure it wasn't just some guy
Dressed in black?
For heaven's sake, jack,
I think I know the difference between a man dressed
In black and a shadow.
My hand went right through it.
I know what I saw.
I hope these are worth it.
I had to trade in
My only copy of green lantern #3
To get these developed
In the middle of the night.
You're too kind.
Nice building. I don't understand-- it's not there.
Never mind, micki. It was a good idea.
No, no, I swear!
The flash must have washed it out completely.
Sure.
Wait a minute.
Look at this.
That must have been
The time the flash didn't work.
I think I know how this goes.
Look, when dunn wears those gloves,
His shadow splits off and goes after a victim.
But what the heck is this shadow?
Well, micki, we all have a dark side
To our personalities, but we keep it under control.
In dunn's case,
His dark side is unleashed.
The gloves release a shadow that's able
To kill anyone who's a threat to dunn.
Or anyone who's trying to steal the gloves.
And if there's another fight...
In order for him to win,
There has to be another murder.
Hey, man, how are you doing?
Okay-- you like that last night, davy?
Hey, frank, how you doing?
(laughing)
Ooh.
I wouldn't do that if I were you.
You know, you've been shooting your mouth off
A long time around here, corny.
It's about time somebody zipped it up for you.
Oh, yeah, and you're the man?
You know, I used to be afraid of you, man,
But no more.
Huh.
Why not you and me?
Right now, up there in that ring.
Dunn, you're a waste of breathing room.
What's the matter, man, can't take the heat?
No, man, it's the smell.
Now that he knows we're after them,
He's going to guard those gloves with his life.
I doubt he'll ever use them outside the ring.
Well, why don't we call the police then?
And tell them what,
The shadow's knocking people off?
It's just his word against ours.
All right, what, what now?
Any bright ideas?
I'm sorry, ryan, not this time.
Well, looks like the only way
We're going to be able to get the gloves
Is when he's in the ring fighting.
Ha! Damn it!
Not much chance of that. Damn it!
Dunn has killed manny,
And he's killed tony, and there isn't a way in hell
That you or I or anybody in this world
Is going to be able to prove it.
It's...
(laughing)
(grunts)
You got your wish, man!
Tonight, here and for real-- 8:00!
Man, I'll be there.
With my gloves on.
(scoffs) you better show.
What are you doing?
Nothing, I'm just giving dunn his big chance.
You can't fight him.
Why not?
Because somebody might get hurt.
Yeah, I'm going to wipe up the floor with him.
You don't understand.
Now, I know
That you guys think that dunn killed manny.
Well, so do I!
There's more to it than that.
There ain't no more to it than that, man.
Manny was like a father to me.
We're going to have to make sure that nobody gets hurt.
Killed, jack, killed.
(overlapping chatter)
Cornelius: All right!
Kid cornelius isn't going to call the match off.
He's out for blood.
Yeah, but the question is, whose?
Remember, ryan, don't be a hero.
Just wait for your opportunity.
I better set up the sun gun.
All right. Okeydokes.
Good luck. Thanks.
Well, tommy. Hmm?
You're crazy coming here alone after last night.
Maybe I am.
Maybe I know something.
What do you mean?
The gloves.
I know about them.
You know?
I saw you steal them.
I was in the back waiting for manny.
Oh, yeah, well, you know, manny give me the gloves.
Kind of my good luck.
Oh, yeah, sure he did.
Your friend, manny.
How about if I go find a cop
And let him decide, hmm?
With your record, who do you think he's going to believe?
What do you want from me?
That's better.
Let's talk about your career.
You get to keep the gloves.
I get to keep the money.
Well, 70%.
(chuckles)
We got a deal, haven't we?
Yeah, we got a deal.
Tell you what.
Wait for me outside.
Out in the parking lot.
Hmm, yeah, parking lot's fine.
No games, dunn.
I can find you anywhere.
Yeah, and I know where to find you, old man.
Tonight.
Think he bought it?
I'm afraid so.
Over there's about right, I think.
I don't like this. Well, neither do I.
But it's the best we've got.
Dunn is a real hothead.
He's bursting with rage.
We've got to use that against him.
I know, but, I'm just worried.
Well, so is dunn.
So don't worry too much.
Look, it's an old strategy
Isn't it?
Tie a goat to a peg, wait for a lion.
Yeah, I just don't want you to be the sacrificial lamb.
Hey, dunn.
See you in the parking lot, partner.
Corner man out.
(crowd shouting)
That's the way, yeah.
That's the way. Come on.
Yeah, yeah.
Get out there and fight.
Come on!
Micki, now!
That's it, it's gone.
(crowd booing)
What a cheap shot.
Micki, behind you!
(screaming)
No! (glass shattering)
Hey, dunn, dunn.
I'm over here, come on!
You'd rather fight girls, would you?
Co on let's see what you've got.
Yeah, come on, (engine starting)
Let's see what you've got, if you've got anything.
(crowd cheering)
That's it, yes...
Yes!
(crowd cheering)
(cheers, whistling)
Crowd: One, two,
Three, four,
Five...
Micki, you're a genius.
You did it!
Crowd: ...Nine, ten.
You're out!
(cheering)
You put the gloves in the vault, ryan, huh?
Yeah, yeah, while you were parking. Good.
You know, I think it all worked out pretty well.
Oh, you do,
Do you? I suppose this
Is some great triumph in your book?
What more do you want?
We got the gloves back.
We did what we could. Isn't that enough?
No, it is not!
That slime killed two people,
And nothing's going to happen to him!
Micki, the guy's got a perfect alibi.
What do you want us to do? Go up to the cops and tell them
That a shadow, uh, beat two
People to death?
Cops don't believe in magic.
(sighs, grunts)
I think what she's talking about is justice,
And what you're talking about is law.
The second oldest problem, ryan.
When your ideals outstrip the realities.
Well, what's the oldest?
(dog barking)
Ryan: Micki, you awake?
No.
You all right?
Yeah.
It's nothing.
Hey, you want some cocoa?
It's no trouble.
Not really.
Thanks, anyway.
I'll see you in the morning.
Yeah.
Okay, uh, good night.
Good night.
Come on.
Make me cut you.
Where's my gloves?
You know where they are?
All right,
We go get 'em.
You make one sound, hmm?
And I open you up.
Micki, is that you?
(dunn groans, micki whimpers)
Hold it!
Or she gets killed right here.
Okay, I'm holding.
Get the gloves.
They're locked up.
Unlock 'em. Now.
You want to see her bleed?
Hmm?
What are you guys...? Oh, my!
Who else is here?
Nobody, just us.
Anything you want, but just don't hurt her. Hurt her?
Oh... I'll hurt her to death.
Now, you... Move it.
The gloves. Sure, sure.
You try something...
Making some phone calls or anything,
And your girlfriend here is going to die very slowly.
I'm not his... Shh-shh-shh.
Okay, okay, I'm going. Okay?
Just ease up on her.
Try it.
Come on, old man.
Hey?
You want to try and take me?
You were a lot tougher in the gym, weren't you?
Turn around.
You've got no alibi for this, dunn.
You're hurting me!
For god's sake, man!
Shut up, the both of you!
Maybe I ought
To cut you both to make you shut up, hey? Hmm?
You think that's a good idea, hey, doll?
Hmm? No.
(chuckles)
Jack: Dunn!
That would be foolish.
Nobody can prove anything up till now.
You've got away with it.
You've outsmarted everybody.
But if you kill us, or you hurt us,
Then they're going to know, aren't they?
So why don't you just leave now?
And you'll be quite safe.
Because without the gloves,
I go back to being like I always been:
A nobody.
A bum, like this one here wouldn't even talk to.
Hey, doll,
Maybe I ought to slice you for that, too, huh?
Watch your pretty face
While I dig it in...
Huh? Stringing me along like that.
Making me think you liked me.
I swear! None of us meant to hurt you.
Don't you hand me that!
You're just like the rest of them.
Always stepping on me, keeping me down,
Keeping me from taking what should belong to me.
Dunn!
You want the gloves?
There's only one.
(grunting)
(groans)
Ryan: Come on, get up.
(groans)
Come on.
Come on, you old man, get up!
Ryan! Get up!
Come on. No!
No! (grunts)
(crying): Jack!
Why did you do that?!
I had, I had to do it
To save you. I had to put on the gloves.
Come on. Where are the gloves?
Here. (groans)
Come on, jack. Get up.
I didn't hit him that hard.
Jack: Ryan.
That was, without doubt,
The stupidest thing that you've ever done!
Those, those things were cursed.
Don't you know what that means?
Ryan: It was a calculated risk,
And it worked, hmm?
I mean, look, look, look.
I, I don't have the gloves on,
And nothing went wrong.
Jack, he's not breathing.
Oh, yeah, he's still alive.
You better call an ambulance.
(crying)
Sometimes you bring justice on yourself.
(entrance bell chimes)
Cornelius: Hey!
Where can I put this? Micki: Oh, hi.
Just put it over there.
Okay.
Any news on dunn yet?
Oh, yeah, the commission doctor came around.
What'd he say?
Well, it turns out
That dunn had scar tissue all around his brain,
You know from being beat up all those times.
Turns out
My fight had nothing to do with him being hurt.
You know, I thought it'd feel
Pretty good when I beat up on him.
You know, like, uh, I'd feel like...
Like I was doing something for manny.
Manny would've never had nothing to do with anything like this.
Hey, uh...
Hey, you ever, ah, figure out why he came over here?
No.
He just came in
And started shouting and...
All of a sudden, he collapsed.
Yeah, well...
Look, uh, I got to go, uh,
Get the rest of the boxes.
I got to get going.
I'm going to be running
The gym for a while for mrs. King.
You know, try to put something back in.
Like manny always said.
So, ryan,
Looks like you weren't responsible after all.
Maybe what happened to dunn wasn't your fault, ryan,
But for what happened to me,
I hold you entirely responsible.
(laughs)
Jack: Someday, ryan,
When you least expect it...
(clattering)