The Sting (1973)

Dana Elcar: F.B.I. Agent Polk

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Quotes 

• [Polk greets Snyder] 

  FBI Agent Polk : Sit down and shut up, will ya? Try not to live up to all my expectations.

• FBI Agent Polk : We've got a tip that Gondorff is gonna run a con on the South Side here. All you've got to do is tell us when he's gonna play his chump. We come in at the sting, make the pinch, and you walk out free as a bird.

  Johnny Hooker : No.

  FBI Agent Polk : You want to spend the next 20 years in a federal penitentiary, starting tonight?

  Johnny Hooker : I'll make parole.

  FBI Agent Polk : Like hell. You won't even get a review.

  Johnny Hooker : I'll chance it.

  FBI Agent Polk : Okay. If that's the way you want it. We might even provide you with a little company on your way up the river. That wife of Luther Coleman's, Snyder, what was her name?

  Lieutenant William Snyder : Alva.

  FBI Agent Polk : Alva. That's it. Alva Coleman. Pretty fair grifter in her time. Snyder's given us quite a folder on her. Nothing major by itself, but, uh, put 'em all together, it could add up to a lot of years.

  Johnny Hooker : You stink, mister.

  FBI Agent Polk : Don't be a sap. It's not her I want. If you're too dumb to save yourself, there's no sense dragging her down with you. It's over, Hooker. You can save me a lot of trouble. But I'm gonna get Henry Gondorff whether you help me out or not.

  Johnny Hooker : Will you wait 'til the chump is played?

  FBI Agent Polk : Hell, yes. We don't care about the mark. He deserves what he gets.

  Johnny Hooker : I mean completely played. You come in before we beat him, and I'll kill him.

  FBI Agent Polk : All right, Hooker. But you try to take it on the lam, and we'll shoot you down on sight.

  Johnny Hooker : As long as I get to finish the play.

• FBI Agent Polk : We want to talk to you about Henry Gondorff.

  Johnny Hooker : Yeah? I don't think I know him.

  FBI Agent Polk : Well, give yourself a couple of seconds. You wouldn't want to lie to me. Lieutenant Snyder here says you've done a lot of confidence work in his town.

  Johnny Hooker : Oh, yeah? Lieutenant Snyder doesn't know shit. You ain't got nothing on me.

• FBI Agent Polk : We've been told you know a hustle artist named Johnny Hooker. You know him or don't you?

  Lieutenant William Snyder : Yeah, but I don't know where he is.

  FBI Agent Polk : Well, we do. He's chumming around with a big C named Henry Gondorff. Ring any bells?

  Lieutenant William Snyder : Sure, every Bunco man in the country knows Gondorff.

  FBI Agent Polk : Well, there's word he's gonna run a con on the South Side here. We've got a year-old Florida warrant on him, but it's a thin beef. He can beat it in court unless we catch him cold. All we want you to do is pick up Hooker for us.

  Lieutenant William Snyder : Why don't you pick him up yourself?

  FBI Agent Polk : Because if word gets out that the feds are in on it, Gondorff will fold up the whole thing.

  Lieutenant William Snyder : Wouldn't that be too bad? Then you'd have to move out of this nice office you got here.

  FBI Agent Polk : Don't crack wise with me, flatfoot. I spent too much time in dumps like this eating Gondorff's dust while you guys in the Bunco squad get rich tipping him off! That's not gonna happen this time. We're not gonna tell the police we're here. You keep your mouth shut and do a job, there'll be some reward bucks in it for you. And you better take it, 'cause I make you work for us without it.

  Lieutenant William Snyder : What the hell good is Hooker to you?

  FBI Agent Polk : He's gonna set up Gondorff for us.

  Lieutenant William Snyder : He'll never do it.

  FBI Agent Polk : I think he will.

• FBI Agent Polk : Okay, Henry, all clear.

  Henry Gondorff : It's a nice con, Hickey. I thought you were the feds myself when you came in.

  FBI Agent Polk : No trouble, Henry. Snyder went for it all the way. You should have seen the rag he lit under Lonnegan!