“Hey, word's all over town that you made Kristo turn tail.”
Por qué es buena
Town gossip turns one small win into legend, and the idiom makes it sound effortless.
Registro
Informal
Úsala tú
Word's all over town that you turned down the offer.
00:00 / 02:12
00:00 / 02:12
Harry Buys The Strangler, Explained
Night and the City · 1950
Capítulo 14 de 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.
Qué aprendes en este capítulo
Puntos de enseñanza
Repasa justo después de verMi nivel2/8
A1–C2 es la escala MCER. Las tarjetas por encima del nivel elegido se atenúan y la reproducción no se pausa en ellas.
Puntos de lengua
Toca una tarjeta para saltar a ese momentoFrases de oro
Una gran frase en sí misma: por qué y cómo usarla“Why, that clown isn't fit to breathe the same air as Nikolas!”
Por qué es buena
The insult is so wildly exaggerated that contempt turns almost comic.
Registro
Informal
Úsala tú
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.”
Por qué es buena
It grants a favour in words and refuses it in the same breath, which is how real bargaining sounds.
Registro
Neutral
Úsala tú
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.”
Por qué es buena
A one-step-forward, two-steps-back detail sets loud courage against visible fear, and the picture is the punchline.
Registro
Informal
Úsala tú
I saw the champion square up, and your friend turned white and took two steps back.
Siguiente · 15once and for allLa escena: The Strangler Crashes Harry's GymIdeas clave
Lo que te llevas- 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.
Preguntas frecuentes
La pregunta, luego la fraseWhy 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.