Up in Central Park (1948)

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Up in Central Park (1948)

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In the 1870s as election time rolls around in New York City, the political organization Tammany Hall, led by its corrupt political boss, William Tweed, is once again working hard to re-elect its candidates, including the mayor, Joe Oakley, in order to continue its raids upon the coffers of the city and state. The lone voice against Tweed's organization is John Matthews, a young, naïve reporter for the New York Times . Meanwhile, Irish immigrants Timothy Moore and his singing daughter Rosie arrive in New York with stars in their eyes, only to be set upon immediately by Rogan, one of Tweed's men. After the illiterate Timothy votes twenty-three times for the Tammany ticket, he is rewarded with $50 and an invitation to Tweed's victory party. There, Rosie wanders upstairs, where she inadvertently overhears Tweed's latest plan to embezzle the city's monies through the unnecessary renovation of Central Park. Fearful that Rosie may know about his plan, Tweed appoints the guileless Timothy to the post of Park Superintendent. Later, John meets Timothy, and the new city official, not knowing that John is a reporter, tells him that some of the park's zoo animals are actually being raised for Tweed's consumption. After the story appears in the paper, Timothy is fired, but when Rosie asks the infatuated Tweed to give her father another chance, he agrees. John is also enraptured with Rosie, so he, in turn, offers Timothy a job with his paper. Once alone, John tries to convince Rosie of Tweed's dishonesty, but has little success. Rosie almost becomes aware of Tweed's true character later that night, however, when he makes numerous, lecherous advances toward her during dinner, but is interrupted by Timothy, who mistakenly believes that he was invited for supper as well. Rosie then arranges a meeting between John and Tweed. When the political boss offers to sponsor John's proposed novel if he agrees to quit his position at the New York Times , John refuses the bribe. Later, John discovers Timothy attending grammar school classes, and with the help of Miss Murch, a schoolteacher, the old man learns of Tweed's corruption. Timothy tries to tell Rosie about Tweed, but she refuses to listen, having become romantically involved with him even though he is married. With Tweed's help, Rosie auditions for an opera company, and though she is offered a role in an upcoming production, Tweed insists that she be cast in the current show. An upset Timothy then offers to help John gain evidence against Tweed by breaking into city hall and examining the city's financial records. They are caught when Oakley wanders into his office, but the drunken mayor is tricked into giving his copies of Tweed's financial dealings to the newspaperman. Their corruption exposed, Tweed and his associates quickly make plans to flee the country, but Tweed makes no apologizes to Rosie for his actions, stating his belief in the rights of the strong over the weak. After he leaves her, Rosie wanders through Central Park, where she is discovered by Timothy and John. She then asks her father's forgiveness and is reunited with John

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Up in Central Park (1948)

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Up in Central Park (1948)

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Up in Central Park (1948)

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