Original subtitles

My shot, man.

What I dreamt of all my life.

She's in everything.

I'm playing a dead body in the murder mystery. Cut it out, Doris. Yeah,

something pretty special here And you can bet your life it's me Bruno, I won't

forget my friend.

What about our rehearsal? Listen, I don't have time with this thing coming

You're gonna have to find somebody else. Good luck, Miss Diva.

I'm too short. I don't have cheekbones.

And some people in this school are so damn perfect.

And I can't hear... You can't handle it!

You've got big dreams.

You want fame.

Well, fame comes.

And right here is where you starve to death.

You sweat.

That wasn't my fault.

Why wasn't it?

You were all sweaty. I couldn't get a good grip.

Belle, bless you. I need it back.

I owe you one.

All right, class is missed. Hit the showers.

You'll get it. Don't worry about it.

Easy for you to say.

Can you give me any tips, helpful hints?

All right, all right. Don't be so easy on yourself, all right? And when you

a direction, just go with it all the way. Fair enough.

Anything else? No, I gotta meet Bruno for a phone call.

The truth.

I'm Ms. Hernandez, theatrical representative, and I was wondering if

time this afternoon to see her?

Oh, well, I'm not so sure she'll reach for the part. I just assumed you'd want

to see her.

Oh, of course I'm with the William Arness Agency.

I'm, uh... My name?

Rizzoli. Marty Rizzoli.

Oh, the reason you haven't heard of me is because I just transferred here from

.A., and I'm...

Semi -new to New York.

Hello?

Hello?

Guess we were cut off.

Oh, no.

I am so right for that part that it hurts.

I totally understand Angela.

I saw Kate walk six times and each time Angela had her big scene, I cried.

Can I say?

Life isn't fair.

It's their loss.

Look, why don't you come over to my house after school?

Leroy and I are working on a showcase.

The sound, it's where you are.

Okay.

Only if it's okay with Marty Roselli, he's my agent, and William Morris.

No problem.

It's a lot.

looks so evil. They got an unfair advantage. They're dancers.

Coco's got an unfair advantage in everything. You can't imitate Coco. You

do it your way.

Look at her.

She's in everything.

I'm playing a dead body in a murder mystery. Cut it out, Doris. So what if

got a few parts? It's just a coincidence.

You're very sweet and you're also very naive.

Coco's got what you call a halo effect.

Do you know what that is?

No, but I'm about to find out. It's when you do something really well that it

swaps over into everything else that you do.

It's like having a halo around you.

So I can't just be as good as Coco. I've got to be better.

And that's what I intend to do.

Had it easy long enough.

Well, I could play another two bars of the other riff and then wait.

I don't know.

Coco, what do you think?

I don't know. Whatever.

I get more enthusiasm from my 82 -year -old grandmother, and she's been dead

two years.

What is it? You're still on the audition?

I just can't take it.

Coco, could you at least try?

Look, this may just be a project to you, but this is my semester showcase.

It sounded very thirsty down here.

It's good timing, Poppy. We're taking a break anyway.

Well, how's it going?

That's Coco.

Hey, personally, I don't think Cakewalk's going to make a good flick

can you say that? With Charles McKay directing?

I mean, he's a genius.

Yeah, but he puts something closed in like that on screen, it dies.

Well, I'm sure he's aware of the problems and he'll fix them.

The most important thing is that Cakewalk has got heart.

Is this what he said?

Who? Kay.

Charles McKay?

I gave him a ride the other day. Real nice guy.

He said he puts a lot of stock into what regular people think about his movies.

Anyway, I told him I never saw Cakewalk, so he told me about it. He said I had a

real heart.

How much stock?

Huh? How much stock does he take in regular people's opinions? I mean,

take your idea about who to cast on the part of Angela?

Coco, he gave the man a ride in his cab.

He's not going to cast a second lead in his movie based on my pop's say -so. But

I know that.

But all I need is a chance to show him what I can do.

Mr. Martelli, all you'd have to do is tell him that, you know, a very talented

young actress would be perfect for the part, and then just leave the rest up to

me. I don't know. I feel kind of funny doing something like that.

Besides, there's a chance of me hooking up with him again.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I didn't think it would work.

You know Edelstein's Deli?

Well, when I took McCann to his office, he stopped off there for some Danish and

coffee.

He says he does it every morning.

Now, if you could happen to be there, say, 9 o 'clock in the morning, maybe

could introduce yourself.

That's a fantastic idea.

Coco,

where are you going?

We can practice this later. I've got to figure this out.

Oh, thank you, Mr.

Martelli.

She always like that?

Yeah.

Unfortunately.

Morning. Morning.

Two coffees, please.

Two coffees.

Oh, I'm for them, too. I'm for them, too.

All of them?

Uh -huh.

Oh, and one chest.

It's him.

Coco, you don't have to hide your face. He doesn't even know you.

I know what I'm doing.

Thank you.

Everybody step aside.

Make way for me. Give me room.

I think it's pretty.

I can see my name

You were right.

You should have hidden your face.

Fifteen coffees, an order of bacon, and two scrambled eggs.

Leave going.

Doris.

Yo, Doris.

Doris. If I wanted to watch Godzilla Eat Tokyo, I'd go to the movies.

Do I laugh when you're doing a warm -up routine?

No, that's the problem.

Never mind.

I want you to focus.

I want you to tell me what you see.

Lady Macbeth, okay?

You ready?

Ready.

Come, thick night, and pour thee in the dust of smoke of hell that my keen

knife... see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the

dark to cry, hold, hold.

That Lady Macbeth had some mouth.

Yeah, but what did my body say?

Did you see Lady Macbeth or just me?

Looked like Doris doing funny things with her body.

Why am I kidding myself?

I'm a round, soft -edged Jewish girl, not a murderous queen.

Even Coco looks more Scottish than I do.

Doris, you look fine.

I don't feel fine. I feel like a walking Twinkie. Family -sized falafel. How am

I supposed to be graceful with thunder thighs?

Doris.

What are you doing now?

I am throwing out everything that's fattened.

That won't help.

Why not?

That was my lunch.

We're not flaunting it. We're eating it. From this side of the table, it looks

like flaunting.

You mean three beef tacos, beans, and chocolate pudding for lunch?

Doris, you might be expecting too much. You think food's going to disappear?

What do you expect, the whole school to go on a diet because of you?

Why not? I go on fire drills with everyone else. The least they could do

on a diet with me.

It's too bad celery doesn't have a thousand calories and chocolate cake

Hey, now this one comes with two desserts.

Give me a break. I feel like a rabbit.

I need the extra energy for dance class stars, darling.

Yeah, I heard you guys really tore up in Delhi.

Where'd you hear that?

All over. But every time I heard it, it got more and more fantastic.

What really happened?

Nothing, except we acted like a bunch of fools.

Only some of us didn't have to act.

Mr. Naravich, this letter came for you, and it's marked urgent, so I thought I'd

better bring it to you.

There's no stamp on it.

It was delivered by a nice young man.

Thank you, Miss Burke. Oh, my pleasure.

Well, I'll be running along.

Enjoyed the show very much.

Not to mention the chutzpah.

Chutzpah. Guts.

If you can act, too.

Come to my office on Friday.

And read something for me.

Sincerely, Charles McKay.

It worked.

It actually worked.

All right.

How do you feel? I don't know.

Wonderful. Are you nervous?

No.

I had my shot, man.

That's what I dreamt of all my life.

Admittedly, you were wrong.

I wasn't wrong.

I said we acted like a bunch of fools.

How did I know that's what he was looking for?

Coco,

what about my showcase rehearsal?

Next week!

It has to be ready by next week.

Coco! Hey!

Coco!

Coco!

Coco! Here!

You've gotten salmon. I can't eat now. I'm too pumped up. You can have it. No,

no, no.

Look, you in a hurry. I need 30 seconds. Listen, can I wait?

You a bakery? I have to take a number? No, it can't wait.

Okay, 30 seconds.

All the rest of us, we screw up sometimes.

We think we want one thing, and then we think we want another thing.

But you never lose sight of it. How do you do that?

I don't know. I just do my thing.

Coco, we all do our thing, but you do everything right.

Call it a halo effect.

Halo effect?

I don't know. Maybe a lot of good things are happening right now.

But don't you ever get lost?

Sometimes.

But I usually go to Bruno. He manages to say something that puts me back in

focus.

Bruno.

Lots of times he really helps me.

Thank you for the 30 seconds.

Now go start the revolution.

Yeah.

Don't say I never did anything for you.

No potato chips?

I'm... Terribly sorry.

I've always been thoughtless like that. I beg your pardon.

No big deal.

I hope I'm not bothering you.

Of course not. I'm thrilled to death to see you.

I kind of need a favor from you.

And I know it'll mean using a lot of time after school. And I know that time

very important to you. And I don't want to impose.

No imposition, Coco.

Stop by after school and we'll see what we can work out. Okay?

Thank you.

Dynamite, meet your battery pocket floor.

Where were we?

You were saying how difficult it is to relieve tension in our artistic life.

I said that?

I know no shame.

Either you're in charge of your body or your body's in charge of you.

By telling that to the elephant man.

You've got to realign your priorities. You have to redefine Doris Schwartz.

For no face fact, I am never going to be a skinny nun.

I have certain appetite.

You're not dealing with it. You're feeling sorry for yourself again.

You may have noticed that I have not asked you for a single potato chip all

long. Good for you.

Is it okay if I lick out the inside of the bag when you're done?

Soak. Lie.

Boo.

Do you know what imaging is?

Yeah, the P. Isadora School of Drama.

Imagine your appetite, okay, as a terrible monster.

And imagine your willpower...

as a battalion of knights on white horses.

Imagine what?

Your willpower.

Bruno, we're talking about my body, not San Juan Hill. You're not helping.

Okay.

My hunger is a terrible, terrible monster.

And my willpower is a battalion of white knights.

Do they have horses?

Yes.

Now imagine that battalion attacking that monster over and over again, right?

Relentless. They never let up. It's a terrible battle. But they're winning.

They're driving the monster away. Are you imaging that?

I'm trying.

It's not easy.

You're not trying hard enough.

Bruno, it's skinny people who eat cheeseburgers for breakfast who say

like that. I am trying.

And I'm telling you, it's not easy.

My battalion... A battalion of white knights is about ready to go draft

-dodging. Now.

Oh, noice.

Oh.

Doris, you've got to think of those knights, Doris. They're fighting the

monsters. The monsters are losing.

The monster is faltering. The monster is retreating.

and you'll turn into a pillar of salt.

As long as I have the salt, can I have the pretzels?

You're not telling me I owe you people anything.

You owe me as much as I owe you.

Poor black girl from the ghetto.

I am touching upon something bigger and richer than the richest ladies living in

the tallest penthouses in the shiniest cities on earth.

I have my songs.

And I'm not just singing for the black people anymore. I'm singing for all the

races. And I don't just sing my songs.

They sing me.

That's it.

Applause, applause, applause.

I like it. It was good.

You really thought it was good?

Yes, I really thought it was good.

I felt like you rushed some of the moments at the time. But, um...

I put that down to nerves more than anything else.

Yeah, that makes sense.

You know, if this is just some kind of a classroom exercise, I don't know what

the nerves are all about anyway.

Oh, I'm not nervous.

Coco.

Well, maybe a little, but... That's just because me and Leroy, we're not really

talking.

How come?

Well, I was supposed to help him out on this project, and I've been

concentrating a lot on this, and...

And I think he's a bit envious.

Of a classroom exercise?

Leroy? Well, it doesn't take that much to get him mad.

And sometimes, being the new guy around here, I have to tread a little carefully

myself.

You see, I know how the school feels about you kids going out for

auditions.

Teachers read casting call notices, too.

Thank you for your help, Mr. Williams.

I'm touching upon something bigger and richer than the richest ladies living in

the tallest penthouses in the shiniest cities on earth. All right, Kirk, I'll

stop there.

Come, sit down.

How do you get to be so good and still not have an agent or any credits?

Well, I go to the School of the Arts, and that takes up a lot of my time.

Well, we've seen a lot of actresses, singers, dancers.

Some more talented than you, some less.

Does that mean that I got a shot?

Yes.

I'd say you definitely have a shot.

When will you be making your decision? I can come back. Well, I wish it was

strictly up to me, but I'm afraid it's not that simple.

You'll have to do a screen test.

Have to?

I'd love to.

Now, this isn't a tryout for one of your school plays, nor one of your movie

fantasies.

There are five girls set for this screen test.

If you want a chance, you're going to have to knock their socks off.

Do you understand?

I understand.

And I'll be ready.

Well, keep the script and leave a number and we'll let you know when it's all

set.

Okay.

Thank you.

Hope it happens for you.

If it does, it'll mean big changes in your life, like...

Quitting a school.

Moving out to the coast.

You are aware that she'll have to quit school?

I knew that.

Yes.

Leroy, knock it off. Would you stay with Doris?

Man, she's making me look bad. She ain't dragging on but low gear.

Will you hush?

Doris, honey, what is the problem? You do seem a little down today.

I'm just having a low energy day, Miss Grant.

It's okay if Leroy wants a new partner. Well, it's not okay with me. You two are

partners, and that's that.

Understand, Leroy?

Yeah. Good.

Now, sweetheart, why don't you go get some fruit juice or something?

What for?

So you can at least work up a sweat. That's what for, not scoot.

No!

What do you mean, no?

I'm just trying to help you get some quick energy.

I didn't realize that nutritional advice was part of this class.

Who's going to be my partner?

I am.

So zip up your lips and dance.

Six, seven, and a one.

How's it going, skinny?

Wonderful.

I just made a fool of myself in Miss Grant's class.

Do I care?

No.

Because I finally lost some weight.

Toss, don't you think you're going a little overboard with this diet stuff?

What diet?

Diets when you eat non -fattening foods.

I've been fasting for three days and taking these.

You mean you haven't eaten anything?

Look, I'm fine.

Just feeling a little lightheaded, that's all.

The important thing is that I lost four pounds. Count them.

Four. Come on, you should at least eat an apple or something. I got one in my

lock. I'm gonna go get it for you. No, no.

I have a plan, and I'm gonna stick to it.

I'll start working my way back to food in about two or three days.

Just got to steer clear of Miss Grant's class till then.

I'll be okay.

I'll be fine.

Here's the scene. Yeah, it would help if the rest of the play was attached.

You should have screamed, Blake, for cakewalk. How'd you get a hold of this?

Well, I have a friend on the crew that... Why don't you save the tap dance

level with me, Coco?

If it'll be too much trouble, I can... All I want is the truth, which you are

not giving me.

All right.

But if I would have come in here in the beginning... Is this why you've been

nutting your other commitments, girl?

Do you understand how important this is to me?

Yes.

As a matter of fact, I do.

Which is probably why I'm going to help you.

Why don't you come by after school and we'll see what we can accomplish.

And can we do that tomorrow morning, too?

Tomorrow morning?

Yeah, before school. I mean, I can get here by 6 .30. 6 .30? Coco, my heart

doesn't even start beating until 7.

Why don't we take it one step at a time, okay?

Now, you've got two minutes before your class starts.

Go. Get.

Okay.

you gotta get to?

Geometry, third floor. No way. I'll see you after school.

I can't. I have a rehearsal already.

Well, what about our rehearsal?

Oh, I totally forgot.

You forgot?

Coco, I have to be ready in three days.

Listen, I don't have time with this thing coming up. You're gonna have to

somebody else.

Somebody else?

Now?

Okay.

My mistake.

Good luck, Miss Diva.

On the whole, you did pretty well this time.

Although some of you might look up the word plagiarism for future reference.

Why don't you just tell us what it means?

It means, in general, I prefer to read what you think about your subject than

what Woody Allen thinks.

How come I got a B plus and a D minus?

The top grade is for grammar and spelling. The lower grade is for

I know, but what's wrong with the content of my cousin getting married?

All you talked about was the food.

I felt like I was reading an Italian restaurant review. I wanted to know what

happened at the wedding. My cousin got married. That's what always happens at

weddings.

I mean, how did the people feel? How did they act?

Not how the manicotti tasted or how the lasagna smelled or how moist the rum

cake was.

Doris, what do you think you're doing?

I just have to get a sip of water.

Doris, are you all right?

No.

I'm too short.

I don't have cheekbones.

I dance like a rock.

And some people in this school are so damn perfect.

And I can't handle it. I just can't handle it anymore.

Somebody get the school nurse. Hurry.

Move it.

Sorry.

She's been on this crash diet.

Oh, baby.

You'll do anything to get out of a snap quiz, won't you?

Hey, you'll either drink it or wear it.

How long?

I think about a week.

Fasting three days.

You know, you and I have had some go -rounds in class when I thought you were

being stubborn, argumentative, arrogant.

This is the first time I've ever known you to do anything boneheaded dumb.

Dumb?

Very.

It's always people like you who say things like that.

What do you mean, people like me?

You mean teachers?

Yes.

Then who?

People like me.

People are complete.

You're so great looking.

Stylish.

Put together.

Got a handle on everything.

Know what you're doing.

There isn't anything about you that's unfinished.

Just together.

You know all about life.

And I know I'll never be like that.

Never be a lady like you.

I'm a slump.

Doris, the truth is lump.

Your mother is coming to get you. You're supposed to stay here until she

arrives.

You know the difference between an adult and a kid?

When you come up against something that knocks you for a loop, you think maybe

it hurts so bad you'll never get up.

But we're older.

We've been knocked down enough by life to know that we

almost are.

And when we do, we're stronger than we were before.

And supposedly, the vindicated and together lady would

give her right arm to be just half as magical.

I heard about Dorit.

Is she okay?

Oh, yeah. They sent her home with her mother.

Where have you been all day?

In my room.

We're going to have to work on the song some other time, okay?

After the screen test.

Yeah.

Okay.

How do you feel?

And tingly inside.

Yeah. And I'm ready to blow them away, Bruno.

We're all rooting for you. Really?

Sure.

Is there something else?

If you get this thing, you'll have to move on and leave us behind.

Who said so?

Coco, you'll be a professional.

You won't have time for us anymore. You'll have to cut the ties to survive.

Bruno, I won't forget my friends.

What good would it do me to make it and not have anyone to share it with?

I don't know.

Maybe you should ask Leroy.

You been on the phone upstairs?

No, why?

Coco had her screen test this afternoon and I thought she might call.

Guess I thought wrong.

My mother took me to see Dr. Zolan.

I hate going to see Dr. Zolan. He's known me since I was a baby.

Still calls me Dodo.

How can you talk like that to a modern woman?

What did he say?

Well, he gave me a lecture on the five... Four?

Five basic food groups.

And then he gave me a diet that's just dripping with health.

And then he told me that I was anemic.

How can a person be pudgy and anemic?

Doris, you just have to be more sensible.

I mean, you can't go jump off the deep end because of some crazy fad diet.

Dr. Dolan told you to say that, didn't he?

No, Dr. Dolan didn't tell me to say anything.

It's like you're not telling me. What are we looking for in this junk?

Something that'll fit me. I sent all my fat clothes off to my aunt in Seattle by

freighter.

I'll be lucky if I get anything back by Christmas.

Not that Christmas is the highlight of the year around our place.

Hey, you guys, Coco's back. She's over in the dance room telling everybody

her screen test.

Sounds like it really went super.

Let's go see what happened.

Right behind you.

The hardest thing is what they call hitting your mark.

And if you're off for just a little bit, you have to do the whole thing over

again so it's right for the camera.

Why don't they move the camera? I mean, the actor is more important than the

camera, right?

Well, I'm not going to tell them how to do their job. I mean, not yet, anyway.

No, next week. Yeah, that's right. Next week.

It did go well, though, didn't it?

Yeah. I mean, it'll be a while before I hear anything, but whatever happens,

happens. I mean, I think I did okay.

Coco,

tell us what happened. We can't wait until lunch. Well, I'll tell you after

Reardon's class.

We're going to hold you to that.

Coco?

What?

I think you know what.

I'll be late for Reardon's class.

Yo, Leroy, I can help you with your showcase now.

Oh, Marguerite's helping me out now.

Doing a good job, too.

Good.

I'm glad.

Out, damn spot.

How'd I say?

One.

Two.

Well, then it's time to do it.

Hell is murky.

But, my Lord, by a soldier and a feared.

Need we fear? Who knows it?

When no one can call power on our account.

Who taught the old man to have so much blood in him?

Looks good. Looks very good.

More importantly, it was a heck of a lot better than the last time.

Why don't you tell me what you changed?

Well...

Last time you said it lacked substance.

Do I really talk like that?

Yeah, well, I started thinking about how guilty Lady Macbeth must have felt.

And then I started thinking about things that make me feel guilty.

I just use those feelings.

What sort of things, if it's not too personal?

The specifics aren't all that important.

No, no, no.

The specifics are important.

Because they're about me and Coco.

See, I can only look at things from inside me.

And sometimes from inside, the world doesn't seem all that fair.

Like, everything comes so easily together for Coco. The dancing, the

And I have to work at it.

I have to work at it all the time.

And I guess when that screen test thing came along, that was the final thing.

I really envied her.

And then I started to feel guilty about all the bad things I was thinking about

her.

Then I just took the guilt apart.

I stunk up the joint.

Everything I told you about the screen test was a lie.

I was terrible and it was my fault.

I got up there and choked.

And the harder I tried, the worse it got.

So as I said, I stunk up the joint.

So much for the halo effect.

Why didn't you tell us?

Because that screen test meant a lot to me.

And I know I have this image of being this perfect person.

That all these good things are going to come my way.

But I'm not magic all the time.

I'm just me.

And I don't know why I screwed up or why I lied.

But I was afraid that if...

Afraid that you weren't everything that everybody thought you were supposed to

be.

I'll make you a deal.

You be you and I'll be me.

And with any luck, we'll get back to being us.

You deserve a patent.

Some say you should be flattened. Oh, Manhattan, it's you or me.

You really needn't be combating while living in Manhattan.

Where else could this have happened?

Said Manhattan.

child.

Thank you.