When Sam Jaffe visits Cobby at his club about getting the money for the caper, he tells Cobby about being on a date the night before with a drunk woman who blabbed about Emmerich being dead broke. My question is:What woman could've know that Emmerich was broke, not his wife or his side chick Marilyn Monroe who was being taken care of by Emmerich ?
shareI assumed it was Monroe's character. As far as characters shown in the film, it could not have been anyone else. There is no way to think that in 1950 they could have explicitly portrayed a character so frankly a prostitute, but Cobby was a bookie and had connections to Emmerich, so being a "business man" I would not put it past him to be a pimp as well. Unless it was a character we never saw, or a line put in in order to make the story work, then the viewer is left to assume it was Monroe.
Incidentally, as cringe inducingly awful an actress as Marylin Monroe was, she was actually ok in this film. It seems as though the more brief her parts were the better chance she had at seeming passable. It probably also helps this was so early in her career and maybe hadn't discovered pills and booze yet.
I assumed it was Monroe's character
I assumed it was another woman, a prostitute. I don't have the impression Angela even cared or knew about Emmerich's financial condition. People can figure out someone like him more easily than people suppose. The mystery woman may have heard from the merchants he owes money: jewelers, clothing stores, travel agents, any business catering to goods for Angela and his "way of living."
shareAt the end of Doc's first meeting with Emmerich, Doc indicates he needs money for living expenses. Emmerich says Cobby will take care of that. Cobby states he will, and also provide some phone numbers for him, and then all three characters laugh. The indications are that this is a list of prostitutes, or at very least escorts. Doc arranges a date with one. She gets too drunk to service Doc's sexual needs, but she provides valuable information that Emmerich is broke.
My sense is that Angela was once one of these girls, but was "promoted" by Emmerich to become his mistress. These girls are still part of her social circle, and she gossips. Perhaps Angela is aware of Emmerich's financial issues, from eavesdropping on his conversations with others. She could be milking him for what he's got left, and pondering her future.
The other possibility is that Emmerich still does "business" with the other girls. And confides in them about his problems.