Original subtitles

I can't stay.

You talk too much. Come on.

Listen, I have to get back to school by fourth.

I don't know if I'm ready. Ready, Schmitty. He loves you. He's gorgeous.

You're ready.

This is great.

This is a place where dreams can still come true.

This is America.

This isn't vandalism.

Somebody has meticulously blacked out specific passages.

I love you.

You've got big dreams.

You want fame.

Well, fame comes.

And right here is where you starve pain and sweat.

has decided to return to Earth.

Something goes seriously wrong with his navigational system and he lands right

here at the School of the Arts.

He's mastered the English language and he's desperate to communicate.

He's brought wonderful gifts from his planet.

Miracle medicines for every ailment.

Cars that run without fuel.

Chocolate desserts that aren't fattening.

Everyone he talks to speaks this strange language filled with it's like and for

sure and you know.

Whatever it is, it certainly isn't English.

So he thinks he's made a terrible mistake.

He packs up his gift and he goes back to his home, never to return again.

Now, I would never be one to use guilt as a motivating force in your education.

But if you don't want to take the risk of personally setting back civilization

on this planet 20 ,000 years.

I suggest you study your grammar tonight, yes?

You know, if I'd have written that down, I'd have gotten an A+. That's for sure,

you know.

Well, Danny, that would be plagiarism.

That's why I didn't write it down.

Ordinarily, you'd be stuck with the grades you've received, but in as much

promised a narration for the show, what is it Miss Grant's calling it?

First and foremost.

First and foremost.

Yes. Well... We promised a narration, and we're going to stick with it until

get it right. What do you mean, we, Kimo Sabe?

I mean, this time you're going to work in teams.

These are your assignment.

Julie and Jenny played, all right.

Yeah, Jenny.

Yeah. Come on, come on.

must have done some pretty awful things in some other lifetime.

Why is that?

Look, anybody who writes as good as you and ends up with somebody like me on

their English team, honey, you're paying some pretty heavy dues. Oh, we'll do

fine, I promise.

All right, you heard her promise? Yeah. Hey, why don't we get together this

afternoon and put together an outline?

Maybe start on a bibliography.

That's what I was just ready to say.

All right, so why don't we make it like around 5 o 'clock, right? 4 .30?

All right, if I'm a couple of minutes late, just wait for me, all right? Okay,

in the library.

Yeah! With all due respect, Mrs. Jarofsky, You're wrong.

I know you like to live dangerously, Martelli, but don't tempt me.

Beneath this Captain Kangaroo exterior beats the heart of a Bruce Lee.

A, I'm not wrong, and B, you are in an error, with all due respect, of course.

I don't think we're doing anyone any favors by whitewashing American history

this show.

No one is talking about a whitewash. A celebration is what we are after, and

frankly, I just don't see...

how one celebrates the Teapot Dome scandal.

We've got to show all sides of American history, the good, the bad, the ugly.

I'm sorry. I think it's time we took off our road -colored glasses and saw

ourselves as we really are.

What are you looking for?

I'm looking for the crowds. I thought maybe you were making a campaign speech.

Look, Mattel, do it my way.

You will see how well it will work. I guarantee it.

Do I have a choice?

Not to speak of.

Wait a minute. Let me get this straight.

You're asking me to write a show that celebrates democracy.

And you're giving me a royal order how to do it. Am I right? I think you're

finally getting the idea.

Julio! Coco!

Why are you so late?

Four encores. Four.

best man you're the best come on wait i really can't stay long okay

i can't stay you talk too much come on listen i have to get back to school by

foot i'm

glad you don't have much time if we only have a few minutes together it would be

a crime to waste any of it talking

You know, Julio, when I was a little girl, my mama said that she came into my

room one night.

She turned on my little lamp.

She sat on my bed and she sat me up.

And you know what she did?

What'd she do?

She warned me about boys like you.

I love it. What is it?

Well, I'm trying to figure out some hair for those children to wear in the deer

dance. What do you think? I think it's terrific.

Good. You have my narration yet?

I really did do the assignment, Miss Grant. I really, really did, but my dog

it.

Shame on you, Elizabeth.

It's the truth. Have a word of it.

Well, girl, what happened?

I sent them back to the drawing board.

I should have something readable by Friday.

Well, let me know as soon as you get something.

I've got to get started with that dance. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, somebody left

something.

Oh, oh, sorry.

Who are you talking to?

The book.

I hate it when books... You hate it when what?

Lydia, come look at this.

What do you make of it?

Whose book is it?

No name.

Could be anybody's. What do you make of it?

This isn't vandalism.

Somebody has marked out specific passages.

Why would a kid do that? It doesn't make sense.

I don't know. I don't have any answers.

This isn't just a damaged book.

This is desecration.

This is ideas strangled.

And that's a damned sin.

Dwight, it's easier to read without moving the lips. Really.

Trust me.

I have post -nasal drip.

I have to breathe through my mouth.

Then by all means, move the lips.

Sorry I asked.

So anyway, the pilot turns around, right, and sees these three naked

they're about to jump, so he turns around and says, Hey, how y 'all doing?

Yo, yo, yo, yo. That's not what the pilot said.

I didn't think so.

Julio, this is Leroy. Leroy, this is Julio. My man, how you doing?

Hey, I hear you're pretty fed there. I hear you're better.

I like it.

Anyway, so the pilot... Oh, I heard you was in a real show, too, man.

Unfortunately, a real show's closed.

We've only got three more nights.

Well, at least you got a shot. What's it like out there?

Up and down.

What's it like in here?

You really want to know?

Sure.

You got ten minutes?

I got ten hours.

Let's go.

Yo, anyway, so the pilot turns around, right? And he says to them... All right,

that's it. Okay, let's go again from the top.

Marguerite, would you cue up the music, please, and take these house lights out?

Give me the first light cue on set right now.

Concentrate, people.

Look at me.

Come on, Jenny. Whatever the explanation is, it's going to be all right.

Is it your book?

Why would you black out the page?

I don't understand.

I didn't black them out.

Was it another student?

Jenny, I have to know who did this.

It was my stepfather.

Why?

Why would he do that?

He believes that they're dangerous.

What?

He believes what are dangerous?

He believes the words.

are dangerous.

And it isn't only books.

It's music, television, film. He censors everything before he can get to her. I

mean everything.

I can understand it.

One of the reasons why I left home sweet home, to get away from people who think

they've got a lock on what's right and wrong. April 17, 1938.

Excuse me, Mr. Shroffke, did you say something?

The last time I heard a discussion like this was April 17, 1938 in Germany.

I remember the date.

It was my sister's birthday, and each of us kept trying to change the subject,

hoping the problem would just...

Go away.

It didn't.

Well, I'm going to say something.

I've got to say something.

Elizabeth, you know, this sounds like a family matter to me. I think you ought

to just keep your nose clean and stay out of it.

That may have been the wrong thing to say.

Why? It's what I do.

Like hell that's what you do.

Believe me, girl, if it were Leroy Johnson whose feet were glued to the

because of a problem at home, that home would be shaken right down to its

foundation, and you know it.

And that's the way it should be, because Leroy's special for you.

Just the way Martelli is special for you, Mr. Sharofsky. And, David, you'll

your special student. Well, don't you understand? I finally found mine.

And she needs me.

And I'm damned if I'm going to keep my nose clean and stay out of it.

There.

I said it.

Well, get down, girl. I'm glad you did.

I didn't know you had it in you.

I did.

Isn't something awful supposed to happen to you if you let yourself feel this

good? Now where'd you hear that?

Sunday school.

Come

on,

I'm walking.

I got some ideas I'm looking into, though.

You know Ms. Grant saw your show?

I know. She came backstage. She told me I was good.

Well, she told me something different.

Oh?

She told me that with the right training, that you could be better than

that you could be great.

I'll pass on great. Steady work in this boy's cabinet.

Why? I mean, why not go back to school and take a shot at something really

great? I'm too old to go back to school.

No such thing, Julio.

I don't have time.

You've got nothing but time.

I think you're scared.

I am not scared.

It's not such a crime.

And just what am I supposed to be so afraid of?

Maybe you're afraid that Miss Grant is right.

Maybe if you trained and became great, that they'd make you a star and put your

name up in light.

Why would I be afraid of that?

Because maybe you think the spotlight isn't a place for a good Puerto Rican

to be.

Maybe you're right.

I was hoping I was wrong.

Just remember, it's Lincoln Center. Not Romero Center.

Not Garcia Center.

Lincoln Center.

That's just the way it is.

Alright, that's the way it is, but that's not the way it has to be.

Mr. Swarovski, are you listening?

That was very nice.

Try it again, please.

Are we finished? I'm sorry.

I just did 16 measures of great balls of fire.

I don't believe I know that piece.

Best I can give you is a C plus.

Mr. Swarovski, I suppose I could be mistaken, but you don't really seem like

yourself today.

You're right, and I'm not hiding it very well, am I?

Best I could give you is a D minus.

You know what's happening in the English department?

Bits and pieces.

Jenny McClain, censorship, stepfather.

Rumor Control hasn't come out with a report yet, but I get the picture.

It upsets me.

Here I am lecturing you on how this show must celebrate all the freedoms we

have, and I turn around and find a student who is not even free to read a

of her choice.

So much for rose -colored glasses.

Clay, now I'll be listening.

Everybody knows.

I know.

I'm sorry, I didn't say that. I know, I know.

It happens.

People find out.

But there is so much more that they don't know.

Jenny, I'm going to jump right in, and if I'm out of line, you let me know.

The thing that's got us stumped is how such a creative and talented person

come out of an atmosphere that seems so...

Restricted. You mean censored.

Yeah.

I mean censored.

No. No, it's a fair question.

And it wasn't always like that.

When my father was around, we read everything.

We read to him, he read to us.

It didn't matter what it was. It was plays or novels, comics, everything.

Problem was, he wasn't around a lot.

And then he wasn't around at all.

He just took off.

I'm sorry.

When Mom met Richard, we were just a bunch of basket cases.

All that stuff about Alice doesn't live here anymore, it's not as easy as it

looks.

But Richard's there.

He's solid.

And what he's doing with the books is just his way of saying he cares.

I know it doesn't seem like that, but it is.

What about Jenny?

I don't know how to tell him to stop.

You know the book for next week?

He took it.

He didn't just black out the pages.

He took it.

He said that it had been banned once and should stay banned.

I want to read it.

Would you like for me to talk to him?

Would you?

I can try.

Thank you.

I owe you one.

Jenny, we owe each other.

All of us.

Mr. McLean? Yes.

Elizabeth Sherwood. Won't you come in?

Um, can I get you anything?

Coffee or tea?

No, thank you.

Won't you sit down?

I really don't know how to begin.

Well, then, let me help you out.

You feel that Jenny's future as a writer is being damaged by my screening

process.

Yes. Yes, I do.

I agree.

You do?

Yes, I do.

Well, I don't understand.

First of all, you assume that I endorse Jenny's wish to become a writer.

I don't.

Frankly, Miss Sherwood, I think she can do better.

Better?

As what?

As a musician.

And there are personal and family considerations that you couldn't

aware of.

Look, I don't mean for this to be an invasion of your family's privacy, Mr.

McLean.

It's just that Jenny is so very talented. She deserves every chance to

And she will. I guarantee it.

Tell me, Miss Sherwood, do you object to the screening process that protects

children from adult films?

No, of course not.

It's just a way to help a child grow up to be healthy and decent, wouldn't you

say?

No such system exists for books, does it, Miss Sherwood?

Mr. McClain, that isn't fair. You're talking about pornography.

I'm talking about ideas.

And ideas come from people, and people are fallible, and so are a lot of the

ideas they come up with.

Is there more?

Yes.

There's a great deal more.

I think I've disappointed you, Miss Sherwood.

I beg your pardon?

You expected to find a simple -minded man whom you could dazzle with all sorts

of logical arguments.

Instead, you find someone who has already thought through all the

then made his decision.

I met with you as a courtesy, Miss Sherwood, but I see no reason to waste

more of your time or mine.

Mr. McClain, is there anything I can say to change your mind?

I'm afraid not.

Miss Sherwood.

I, um... I know that this visit came out of a concern for Jenny.

Yes. Yes, it did.

Yes, and I really do appreciate that. Jenny is a lovely child.

That may be the one thing you didn't think of.

What's that?

Jenny.

She isn't a child anymore, Mr. McClain.

Good night, Michelle.

Good night.

He's joining the Navy?

I know, and that's exactly what I said, and I had that same look on my face.

But I don't understand why.

I don't know lots of reasons for the job. Oh, come on. I've seen those

commercials, too. But not once have I ever seen a guy in uniform tap dancing

across the deck of an aircraft carrier.

The guy's a dancer.

Is there trouble between you two?

No.

Everything's wonderful. I mean, it's better than wonderful.

So, Miss Grant says he's a good dancer, that if he trains, he'll be a great

dancer. He's, uh... He's Puerto Rican.

I'm thinking it. I might as well say it. So he's Puerto Rican. So you have

Puerto Rican. You really think there's prejudice?

Well, prejudice doesn't only have to come from the outside doors.

It comes from the inside, too.

I mean, when you hear from day one that you don't belong, you don't belong, you

don't belong, I mean, finally you believe it.

You know, Ms. Grant's right.

Julio could be great.

And she believes it, and I believe it.

But he doesn't believe it.

And if he needs to take the time to find out that he belongs...

Then he should take it now.

On a Navy base?

Well, Puerto Ricans are island people. They think better surrounded by water.

So tell the guy to buy a hot tub.

Well, you weren't kidding when you said you had something heavy to talk about.

Go on.

There's more?

Mm -hmm.

I think I filled up on the appetizer.

Okay.

I need a friend.

You got a friend.

Julio leaves in a week and a half.

Julio leaves in a week and a half.

And he loves me.

He loves you.

And I love him.

You love him.

And he wants me.

He wants you.

Julio leaves in a week and a half and he'll be gone a long time.

Julio leaves in a week and a half and...

I saw a movie like this the other night.

Only Julio's name was Fred and your name was Allison.

And Fred was going off to war.

And before he went off to war, he wanted to make love to her.

Are we talking about the same movie?

That's great. Why is it so great?

Oh, believe me, I wish I knew. But it's got to be great. I mean, it's been great

for billions and billions and billions of years.

If it wasn't great, they would have told us by now.

I'm not sure.

I know, I know.

Allison had her moment of doubt, too. Right before she jumped in with both

It looked great.

So now you've had your moment of doubt.

So? So? I hate to quote a beer commercial, but go for it.

I don't know if I'm ready. Ready, Schmitty!

He's gorgeous. You love him. He's gorgeous. He loves you. He's gorgeous.

ready. Oh, wait till I tell... Rented lips. Figure of speech.

I would never tell a single soul.

Wild horses. Dwight could not drag this secret from my lips.

You know, suddenly I'm famished.

It's the strangest thing.

One minute I'm full, and the next second... I'm not.

I'm afraid I didn't make much headway.

Thank you for trying.

But there is one person who could help you, if she's willing.

Who? You.

I don't know what I should do.

They're my parents. You could let them know how badly you want to be a writer.

But he doesn't understand how I feel. Jenny, I know how your stepfather feels

about it. And I know he's doing what he thinks is best for you.

But what you want is important too.

What you want for your life is the most important of all.

Trust yourself.

I'm sorry I'm late.

I had to talk my way out of a ticket.

But you don't drive.

No, but I do walk in these halls.

Right. Right.

Here,

I wrote a song.

You wrote a song for the show?

Hey, wipe that look off your face or I'll knock you upside your head.

When did you get a chance to do this?

A long time ago in Germany.

Wow, was it published?

No, it was confiscated.

Listen to it. If you like it, tell me. If you don't, lie.

Well, what do you think?

I give it a B.

Plus.

No lie.

So, the pilot gives the signal, and they pull their ripcords off, right? And

then they jump.

I don't get it.

Maybe he had to be there.

Why didn't they just land in Scarsdale? You know, joke of the century and you

don't get it.

I'll see you later, Buffalo Breath.

Hall Pass, what does this look like to you?

Hall Pass, thank you very much.

You're mad, aren't you?

Why would I be mad?

Maybe because Cook or Hernandez don't know when to push her and when to ease

sometimes.

Well, it's time to ease up.

I mean, I know she's in the middle of this thing with Julio, and she's trying

figure out what's right for her.

Well, I want to do what's right for me, too. It's the same thing.

She should know it's not so easy.

Jenny, nobody said it would be easy.

Taking what's yours is never easy.

You know how many dancers there are in my neighborhood?

One.

And you're looking at them.

So imagine, I walk to school every morning with a knot right in the pit of

stomach.

Afraid that somebody will make a crack in me or throw me a curve.

But I keep on walking, one foot in front of the other.

I pay them no mind because dancing is mine.

I mean, ain't nobody going to give it to me. I got to go out and get it.

But I take it and I hold on to it.

So I don't know whether it would be right for you to be a writer or not.

But I do know Sherwood well enough to know that if she say you're good, baby,

you're good.

So you take those words and plant them inside your head.

Hold on to them.

They'll be yours. They'll stay yours.

Where are you going?

Me and Coco got to go finish this tired narration.

You know, neither one of us is that good with words.

Could you use a rider?

Immensely.

So what kind of boat are you going to be on?

Lesson number one. It's not called a boat. It's called a ship.

Oh. A boat is something you get into if the ship is sinking.

Aye, aye.

Lesson number two.

What?

I love you.

Julio. Julio.

I'll be late. Coco.

What we talked about.

I need time.

I love you.

I gotta go.

Come on.

All right?

Come on!

Where are we going?

Just follow me. You'll see.

Jenny, what are we doing?

Jenny,

I don't have all day.

Look, Vermeer.

These are the books your stepfather... I did it.

Did what?

I decided that I needed these.

And that I was going to have these.

And that one day, I'm going to write these.

What's your stepfather going to say?

He's going to say, oh, no, you're not.

I'm going to say, oh, yes, I am.

And it's going to be a battle and a struggle.

But I'm going to win.

There may be a little pain on both sides of that.

I know.

That's why I have a favor to ask.

Would you read this?

What is it?

It's a letter to my stepfather.

To hold down some of that pain you were talking about.

Jenny, if this is personal, perhaps I shouldn't.

Sometimes when you're in the middle of something...

You can't really know if you said what you really wanted to say.

Please?

I'm here.

Well, come talk to me.

I think I'll stay where I am.

Is tonight our night?

I love you.

I love you.

Is tonight our night?

In my dreams, Julio, tonight is our night.

We are lovers.

We're together forever.

In my dreams.

Only in your dreams?

I need time.

Just like you need time.

I need to know that the time is right for me.

Coco, I understand.

About time.

You're your own person doing what you think is right.

I could say you should.

Your friends can say you should.

But only one person can say you will.

And that's you.

I do understand.

Really?

Just keep me in your dreams and I'll come back to you.

I don't misunderstand him. Why?

Because I might change my mind.

Dear Richard, there's so much I need to say.

Enough to fill a lifetime of books and plays and stories.

What I need to say to you is that I love you.

You've been a father and a friend.

And that's made me strong.

Strong enough to try to carve out something that's mine.

Something that says Jenny McLean.

Because of you, I have something to give to the people I love.

But it has to be the best that I can give.

So please understand that if I take a step, it's not a step away from you.

a step towards being me.

A me that I can be proud of.

And a me that you'll be proud of. I promise.

I love you.

Your daughter, Jenny.

Thank you.

How come you read it out loud?

Because writing that good deserves to be read out loud.

And because you deserve to hear how good it is.

Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Jenny McClain.

Armed with words of country fought and nation yet to be. A land of new

beginnings, a sentence to be free.

Pockets empty and cupboards bare, heart -spilling inspiration.

They forged the words that became our sacred declaration.

And filled it with a thought so dear, more dear than all their sixpence, and a

goal for one and all of us. A word called independence.

I can be anything if I just try.

If my dreams are strong enough, if I just work long enough, I can

be anything.

It's still true, though we may criticize it.

It's still true, don't you realize it.

This is the place where dreams can still come true.

right to be