“Hey, word's all over town that you made Kristo turn tail.”
Why it's great
Town gossip turns one small win into legend, and the idiom makes it sound effortless.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
Word's all over town that you turned down the offer.
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Harry Buys The Strangler, Explained
Night and the City · 1950
Chapter 14 of 19 · 2'12"
At the bar Harry buys Mickey Beer a drink and brags that the whole town says he made Kristo turn tail. Then he gets to business: he wants The Strangler, and the price climbs from fifty to "200 quid." Beer sees how badly Harry needs him, and Harry pays without much of a fight.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:04–1:14
You Made Kristo Turn Tail
70s - 1:28–2:11
The Strangler Threatens Nikolas
42s
Harry Buys The Strangler, explained
What happens
Harry meets Mickey Beer in a bar and buys him drinks. Word is all over town that Harry made Kristo turn tail, and Harry enjoys the credit. He wants The Strangler for his show, so he offers Beer a little business; Beer knows he is desperate and asks for 200 pounds, and Harry agrees.
What's really going on
The bar is Harry's stage, and for a few minutes he is the man he wants to be. He buys Beer's drinks and claims, "word's all over town that you made Kristo turn tail," as if the rumour were a fact he had earned. Beer is smarter than he looks: he never argues, he just asks about The Strangler and quietly reports who pays what, then says, "You really need The Strangler, don't you?" Once Beer names his price, Harry stops being the man in charge and starts bargaining. When The Strangler himself shows up, Harry's boasting runs straight into a threat about Nikolas, and he warns Beer, "Don't look surprised at anything that happens."
Key lines & what they mean
- “Hey, word's all over town that you made Kristo turn tail.”
- Beer's greeting turns gossip into a compliment: everyone believes Harry drove Kristo off.
- “Why, that clown isn't fit to breathe the same air as Nikolas!”
- Praise of Nikolas turns into contempt for The Strangler, calling him unworthy of the same ring.
- “No, no, no, no. I'd do it to oblige you, Beer, but Gregorius wouldn't let The Strangler within ten feet of him.”
- Harry refuses but keeps it polite: he would help as a favour, except Gregorius will not allow it.
- “I saw Nikolas take one step toward him, your boy turned white and took two steps back.”
- Harry mocks The Strangler's courage: he backed away the moment Nikolas came near him.
Theme
- Money — The whole meeting is a transaction: Harry needs a name to sell tickets, and Beer sets the price.
- Ambition — Harry's need to be the man who beat Kristo makes him pay far more than he planned.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level2/8
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“Why, that clown isn't fit to breathe the same air as Nikolas!”
Why it's great
The insult is so wildly exaggerated that contempt turns almost comic.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
That rookie isn't fit to breathe the same air as her.
“No, no, no, no. I'd do it to oblige you, Beer, but Gregorius wouldn't let The Strangler within ten feet of him.”
Why it's great
It grants a favour in words and refuses it in the same breath, which is how real bargaining sounds.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
I'd do it to oblige you, but my boss would never agree.
“I saw Nikolas take one step toward him, your boy turned white and took two steps back.”
Why it's great
A one-step-forward, two-steps-back detail sets loud courage against visible fear, and the picture is the punchline.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
I saw the champion square up, and your friend turned white and took two steps back.
Up next · 15once and for allThe scene: The Strangler Crashes Harry's GymTakeaways
What you walk away with- Flattery opens the deal before any price is named.
- Beer reads Harry's need and doubles the fee on the spot.
- The Strangler's boasts collapse the moment they are tested.
- Harry's real problem is an old man who will never agree.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhy does Harry buy Beer drinks?
He wants The Strangler for his wrestling show, and Beer manages him. Buying drinks is how Harry opens the negotiation.
Why does the price rise from fifty to 200 pounds?
Beer realises how much Harry needs the fighter. He points out that Harry is not in a cushy spot and raises the fee until Harry agrees.
Why does Harry refuse to let The Strangler fight Nikolas?
Gregorius controls the gym and would never allow it. Harry says he would oblige Beer, but Gregorius will not let The Strangler near him.
What does "turn tail" mean?
It means to turn around and run away. Beer uses it to flatter Harry, claiming the whole town says he made Kristo run.
Does Beer believe Harry beat Kristo?
Not really. He repeats the rumour because it costs nothing, then shows he has already worked out how badly Harry needs his fighter.