Original subtitles

I want you to meet Lewis Washington.

He's a friend of mine.

I've given you more time than anybody else in this class, and you still

turned in a term paper.

Take that bird's death.

The hardest one of all.

No,

but who are you to give us advice? I mean, you're not a real ass. Thank you.

done was come prepared.

You think you can walk in here whenever you feel like it? Since when's life the

answer to you?

Since Miss Grant left and put me in charge of the class.

And since the bell rang five minutes ago making you late.

Where is she? She went up to the office to a meeting. Yeah, and she left us in

the hands of Mr.

Tenderness over here.

When you're late, you're late. I missed my train, okay?

Hey, that's no excuse.

You should have given yourself more time.

You knew when you were supposed to be here. Being late shows disrespect to all

the other dancers in the class. You should talk, right?

How many times have you heard Ms. Grant give me this lecture?

Well, I just wanted to see what it was like from the other side.

Or everybody in your start position.

Same thing we did yesterday.

And five, six, five, six, seven, eight.

Rockin' after midnight.

We'll be rocking after midnight.

After

midnight.

It's time to rock. Woo!

Let me rock you, rock you, rock you after midnight.

Bye.

Let me rock you into love. I know you'll give me lots and lots of good, good

loving, baby.

After midnight, baby.

thing over again.

Hey, I think we're getting pretty good.

What matters is what Miss Grant thinks.

I think it's a terrific idea.

Good. I'm glad you agree.

A number with your kids is what we're looking for. Well, how could we say no

the Actors Fund benefit?

You couldn't.

You wouldn't.

Now, about the use of the school auditorium. You need to use the

too.

Didn't I mention that to you earlier?

No.

Oh, boy.

Well, I'm sure we can work something out. Let me check the date. It's really

going to be fabulous. There'll be stars all over the place.

As a matter of fact, I'm going to be the master of ceremonies.

Oh, that's very nice.

I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just have to ask.

Aren't you Mr.

Hurry Scurry?

Yes, my dear.

Tis I.

Oh, would you?

I'd be more than pleased.

You wouldn't be as nervous as I am if you drank Pittman's decaffeinated

It keeps you so calm.

Nervous like I am. Oh, my.

Oh, would you?

Oh, yes, my dear. I'd certainly be happy. Your name? Oh, yes, that would be

nice.

No, no, I mean your name.

Oh, Mrs. Berg.

Gertrude. Oh, Gertrude.

Berg.

I, um, I played the part of Mr. Harry Scurry on Pittman's coffee commercials.

Uh -huh.

I know that.

I just figured you didn't want to be recognized.

I mean, if I were you, I certainly wouldn't want to be.

All those people hassling you, that's what I mean.

Oh. I can't tell you what this means to me.

Well, of course, I could, but... Well, why don't you? I would love to hear it.

don't hear it often enough. It gives me such great satisfaction.

I see a small boy taking a drink from that fountain.

A small boy? How small?

Well, about ten.

No, I didn't see anything. Not just now, anyway. I beg your pardon?

Oh, no, I was just talking to myself.

Am I going to be talking to myself if I bring up the subject of your term paper?

Mr. Johnson.

This is far more serious than I think you realize.

We'll discuss it after six period.

You get to talk, I get to listen.

I don't think that's much of a discussion.

I'll save two seats for every kid who performs. That way they can bring their

parents or their agents.

Our students don't have agents.

Maybe that's why they're not working.

I'm going to take you everywhere I go.

Oh, David,

come here. There's someone I want you to meet.

is... Whoa, don't tell me.

Cliff Armbruster, right? That's right.

The power of the two.

No, no, no, much more than that. See, if I remember correctly, you were a child

actor on radio, won Most Promising New Actor in 54 for your performance on

Broadway in Thunder and Laughter, did a few films, last five or six years,

mostly commercials, in particular, Pittman's Coffee.

How's that?

Well, I'm impressed.

You really do know a lot about me. Yeah, well, I'm kind of a nut for TV trivia.

One of the names of Lassie's masters who played Tom Corbett's Space Cadet. I

know them all. I've won a lot of money off you. You're an easy win.

I'm glad to hear that.

Mr. Armbruster, I'm going to go back to work now, but I'm going to work on our

presentation right away. Two weeks, right?

That's right.

It's not a piece of cake, but I think we'll be ready.

That's the old showbiz spirit.

How you talk.

Ciao. Bye.

Mr. Armbruster, you can call me Cliff.

Here, isn't that better?

Yeah, Cliff.

Look, as long as you're here anyway, would you mind stopping by a drama

maybe giving a little talk?

Oh, I'd love to. Name the time.

How about next period?

I'll meet you around the corner about a quarter to three.

Down. You're not supposed to be here.

What are you doing in this school?

I'm going to dance.

You're doing what?

What?

Very special guest with us today. Someone I'm sure you've seen many, many

on television.

Drink Pittman's decaffeinated coffee.

Oh, drink Pittman's. It makes you so calm. Not nervous like me.

Sit down.

I'm glad to see everybody recognizes our guest, Mr. Cliff Armbruster.

Cheers.

Thank you. Thank you. Very nice.

Matter of fact, it's wonderful.

And you.

You're very good. What's your name?

Danny Amatullo, star of tomorrow.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

He's right.

A lot of you aren't going to make it until you start thinking the way that

does.

I am going to be a star.

But in this school, we're taught to become fine actors.

There are a lot of fine actors at the unemployment office.

As a matter of fact, you can go down there any time and see them, and it

cost you a dime. The difference is...

What you have up here and in here.

And maybe having a relative in the business. Brumching.

How did you get started?

Well, I really didn't start working steady until about six years ago when I

myself a good commercial agent.

But commercials don't offer much challenge for an actor, do they? No.

They offer money.

Brumching.

So what's your name?

I asked you a question. Answer it.

Lewis Washington.

Well, Mr. Lewis Washington, where'd you get the knife?

What knife?

Oh, that knife.

Well, did you steal it? I didn't steal nothing.

I paid for it myself.

What would you need with a big sticker like this one?

For protection.

You try dashing on 153rd Street and see what happens to you.

I have tried it.

So, why do you want to learn how to dance?

I know how to dance.

But I want to learn how to dance better.

How'd you learn how to do that?

You ever heard of Sandman Washington?

He was a tap dancer.

Used to pour sand on the floor and do a sort of soft shoe.

Yeah, I remember. I think he's dead now.

No, he ain't.

How you know?

He's my father.

For real?

What's he doing now?

Nothing. Just sits in the living room and watches TV.

He used to take me out on the street every afternoon and have me dance.

He'd say that the rich kids could get it from school, one, two, three.

But the poor kids had to dance from soul.

I gotta tell you, kid, he taught you real well.

All I know is tap.

And there ain't no call for that no more.

I want you to teach me the other kind of dancing.

Why?

So I can make my dad proud.

First of all, I don't have time. Second of all, your dad should be proud with

the routines that you already do.

But he hates tap dancing.

He says he ain't dead, but he might as well be.

He says he's sorry he ever learned how to tap dance.

Oh, I gotta go now, kid. You take care of yourself.

Hey, how come you're not in school?

I told you, dancing comes first.

You ought to be in school.

It needs some work here and there, but it's really pretty good.

Really pretty good?

From you, that's a rave. When do we start?

Start what?

Bruno, go back ten seconds ago.

When I was playing the song, did you notice lips were not moving?

There are no words to the song.

So write them.

Hey, look, I'm not like the rest of the people in the school.

No king -size ego talking here, but I know what I do well, and I know what

people do better.

You do lyrics better.

I don't write lyrics for other people's music.

Well, just because you haven't done it before doesn't mean you can't start.

And you're perfectly capable.

I know I'm perfectly capable. It just is a time factor and... Look, most people

are reluctant to take a chance to stretch like this.

I knew I came to the right person.

I think you should be very proud of yourself.

I know I am.

Here.

to the ship.

Scotty, I'm waiting.

Leroy, you are this close to being thrown out of school, and I'm afraid

nothing more I can do to prevent it.

I'm not even sure I want to anymore.

Sit down, Mr. Johnson.

We're not finished yet.

No, you're not finished.

I am. You just said so.

Leroy, don't you even want to try?

I tried, damn it.

I tried.

I've given you more time than anybody else in this class, and you still

turned in a term paper. Without it, you don't get a grade.

And without a grade... I don't know what to write about.

I sit there, I look at a blank piece of paper, I get so mad.

You got a better idea?

Write about someone you know.

Someone who interests you. Put down what you think, what you feel about that

person. I can't. Leroy, don't try to climb a mountain.

Just a very small hill.

One page.

Just write one good page. Let that be your goal. Then worry about the page

that and the page after that.

You make it sound so easy.

You make it sound so impossible.

It isn't.

I'll try.

Making no promises.

And I'll try.

Look, kid, I have to finish an essay.

If I don't, I'm going to get kicked out of here on my...

Is

Samuel Washington really your father?

I told you he was, didn't I?

Where is he now?

At home.

Don't worry.

You don't have to call him. I'm leaving.

No, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

You want me to teach you how to dance, right?

Well, you know you can't get something in this world for nothing, don't you?

I do.

Well, what's the something you want to give me in exchange for teaching you?

I don't know. I ain't got nothing.

Oh, yes, you do.

And thank you for the money.

Now the double -triple time step separated the men from the boys.

And what'll I do with the buggy ride?

And what'll I do with the buggy ride?

You know, I saw Ginger Jack Wiggins do that at the Hoofer's Club when I was a

kid.

Yeah, that's where you could watch and learn.

You know, too bad it's gone.

Just like everything else.

Hey, where did you first start dancing?

Probably in my crib.

He danced at the Apollo Theater.

I got a chance to work in the chorus when I was 15.

Lied about my age.

Who taught you?

Taught myself.

The Club Harlem, Apollo Theater.

Sandman was a headliner in Vegas.

It was a lounge act.

And it was a long time ago.

Hey, why aren't you dancing now?

Because nobody's asking.

If anything in this world is history.

Top dancing, is it?

Hey, I bet you if you go downtown... If you want to be a dancer, now that's your

problem.

But you take my word for it.

It's a dead end too.

How about the fan specialty? When did you start that?

I don't want to talk about it anymore.

Hey, man, it's not for me.

It's for my English teacher.

Then you tell this to your English teacher.

It's a lie.

They lied to me.

A dream that never was.

And by the time I woke up and saw it, it was too late for me.

Ain't too late for you.

Ain't too late for my boy there.

That's what you need to hear.

A dream that never was.

It ain't true.

You know it ain't true.

Although Stravinsky once said that he felt greater freedom with the seven

scale, he did eventually adapt to the 12 -tone method.

Although it didn't happen until well after the end... Mr. Martelli?

Would you share the information in the copious notes you have been taking?

I don't think they make much sense to anybody else.

Why not let us be the judge of that?

I can't even read them. Now, Mr. Matawi, perhaps you would stand for us as well?

If you please.

Love isn't always happy dreams.

Love isn't always what it seems.

But if that's so, then come what may, I know I'll love you till time slips away.

This is a love poem to a young lady?

No.

A love poem to a young man?

I'm writing a lyric.

Your music?

Someone else's.

Writing lyrics in classical theory class is wrong.

Writing lyrics to music composed by someone else is a long shot.

Writing lyrics that corny is unforgivable.

Into Leroy.

Make that cross.

Leroy, could you do it a little more fully, please, so I can really see

happening? Thank you.

You concentrate.

Come on downstage, Daryl and Derek and Eartha.

People, watch your spacing. This is a blocking rehearsal.

Leroy, what are you doing? You just threw Joanie into the wings.

You didn't even see. You were supposed to throw her to this side of the stage.

If you can't concentrate on what's going on in here, why don't you just leave

the stage?

Sorry, Miss Graham.

People, we have less than a week to put this number together, and we're nowhere

near ready.

I'm going to have to ask all of you to give me time after school to rehearse.

Now, if that's a great hardship for anyone, I will gladly let you out of

number.

Is that clear?

Is that clear, Leroy?

Um, yeah.

So you do the whole last half of this number on point?

Miss Grant, what are you talking about? I don't even do ballet.

And you don't listen either.

Leroy, most of this number is right in your hands, honey. What am I going to

I wish you would take this seriously.

This is the Actors Fund benefit, people. Every pro in the business will be there

contributing their time and their effort to raise money to help take care of

their own.

I think they deserve to get 110%, don't you?

Yeah. Okay, well, stay with me, people. Let's go again. From the top of Leroy's

vocal, everyone in place, please.

The number looks great, kids. Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.

Why did you tell them that?

I just thought I'd give them a little encouragement. You can't keep putting

down all the time. I know that.

Yeah, but they don't. You know, they're going to get enough rejection when they

get out of this school.

Now's the time for them to have some great expectations.

All right, let's... Leroy, Leroy, where is...

hard to write lyrics for somebody else's music, especially when you're doing it

alone. Now you know. I've been saying that all along, and now you're saying

can do better.

Well, you can do better. You're getting ahead of it.

I see what the problem is.

You need feedback.

This is not a true collaboration.

Listen, Lincoln, please free me.

I'm going to come over to your house tonight, and we're really going to blitz

this thing.

In a melody this good deserves lyrics just as classy.

Doris, why don't you go take a break? I told you.

I already know my limits.

But you don't know mine.

So when I asked Leroy who that kid was, you know what he said? He told me to

mind my own business.

Can you believe that?

So then the father turns to him and says, at least pick a profession so I'll

know what kind of work you're out of.

But a thing like that couldn't happen to us because we're actors, right?

Right. Wrong.

It's probably going to happen.

You know, nobody's giving you any guarantee of success, not even if you're

good an actor as, say, as I am.

Connections, that's the name of the game.

All right, so you're my connection, so how about you set me up with one of

commercials? Wait, wait, wait.

That's the right idea.

Acting is a lot of things.

You have to learn the techniques of survival.

You have to learn the ways to make shortcuts.

Seems to me you've made a lot of shortcuts.

Hey, Coco, lighten up.

No, no, no, no, no.

What do you mean?

You sold yourself to the highest bidder.

I mean, give me a break. You know, you sound like a soap opera. No, I mean, if

all you do are commercials, I mean, what kind of real acting is that?

I know it's a dirty business, but somebody has to do it. Yeah, me. Send

do it.

So who are you to give us advice if you're not even a real actor?

Hey, she's an airhead. Don't listen to a word she says, all right?

All

right.

Just like Sandman.

You sure you ain't the one just like Sandman?

What do you mean?

You're thinking of giving up just like he's done.

Listen, kid, you don't understand.

It don't have nothing to do with... Don't... Tell me you don't want to learn

this.

Why don't you try that little step with me?

Okay. Five, six, seven, eight.

Not bad.

Now you show me something.

Okay.

Try this.

Now let me see how good you are. Do a witness.

Okay. Five, six, seven, eight.

Did I leave anything

out? No, man, you ain't leaving nothing out at all.

Ms. Sherwood, Ms. Grant, I want you to meet Louis Washington.

He's a friend of mine.

You know, there's only so many inches in a foot, so many ounces in a pound.

Did you hear what I just said?

No.

A lot of weight that's a miracle time in the kitchen, eh?

What are you doing?

We will serve no words before their time.

It's just a little rewrite, actually.

Words, mostly.

Think of it as a springboard.

Jumping off place.

Yeah, it's funny. I've been looking for a jumping off place. I'm going.

You're looking at a dream, and it seems so far away.

So you hide your hopes inside your heart, waiting for a brighter day.

I know just what you feel.

You don't know where to start.

Once you've made it past your fear, you're past...

Take that first step.

The hardest one of all.

It only looks easy to you.

Stumble and fall. Take that first step.

Let your heart...

Just where that step will lead.

A thousand choices call you.

Which one's the one you need?

There is no certain answer.

All we can do is try.

We're gambling, we're together beginning.

There's not one of my words left here. You rewrote me completely.

Martelli, welcome to the NFL.

Five, six, seven, eight, and six, six, six, six.

Hold it, people, hold it, hold it, hold it, okay?

Take a little break, okay?

Wait a minute, honey, I didn't mean fall out now. We are still working here.

Ain't nobody doubting that.

Miss Crack, we have a break because we are played out.

Oh, you children of time.

You've been working us real hard.

Girl, you don't know what hard is. If you're ever lucky enough to get into a

professional dance ensemble, you're going to look back on this as a

And I forgot to bring my camera.

Well, don't forget to take a shower. Go on, y 'all.

Leroy, come here.

What is wrong with you?

What are you talking about?

Miss Sherwood tells me you have not turned in your paper yet.

Now, you know that she will fail you if you don't do your work. She has no

choice. And that means that all your good work in here is just going right

the drain.

Now, what's wrong? What's the matter?

Well, if a dancer like Sandman Washington can't make it, what kind of

I have?

Million to one?

No, billion to one.

But there is that one.

And whether or not you have guts enough to stick it out, well, that remains to

be seen.

You just, uh, try to find someplace to seat yourself.

Well, did Mr. Reardon say he was going to meet me here?

Uh, Miss Hernandez, I can't tell you that.

Uh, that would be confidential information.

Besides, he didn't tell me.

I'm sure he'll be right along.

Mrs. Berg lied to you.

Why'd she lie?

Because I asked her to.

You're not here to see Mr. Reardon.

I'd like you to listen to me.

I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth,

foregone all custom of exercises.

And indeed, it goes so heavenly with my disposition that this goodly frame the

earth seems to me a sterile promontory.

What a piece of work is man.

How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties.

In form and moving, how express and admirable.

In action, how like an angel.

In apprehension, how like a god.

The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals.

And yet to me, what is this quintessence of dust?

Man delights, not me.

Nor woman neither

Nice

I'm glad you feel that way

You know

What you said to me in the cafeteria yesterday was chiefly responsible for my

trying.

What I was trying to say... No, no. A lot of what you said was absolutely

correct.

A lot of these old actors' muscles needed work.

You know, what you saw me do up there just now wasn't easy. It took a lot of

work on my part.

Well, the work worked.

Yeah, now, if I may, I'd like to say something to you.

I'm no Lawrence Olivier. I'm not a great actor. I'm just an honest craftsman. I

work hard at what I have to do.

My skills, at whatever level they are, sent two kids through college.

I have a son who's a veterinarian in Minnesota, and I have another who owns a

dental lab just outside of Columbus, Ohio.

My silly portrayal of Mr. Hurry Scurry...

enabled me to pay the doctor bills during my wife's final illness.

My average talent did some very good things for some very deserving people.

My average talent and my very average life don't deserve

the judgment you gave them.

Thanks for listening.

No, Coco, leave the door open a little bit next time. Let some doubt

in.

Doubt usually carries a little compassion in its back pocket.

I sent Lewis to the market, Leroy.

He ain't here.

That's okay. I want to talk to you.

Come on in.

More questions for your school paper?

No, I finished it.

I figured you might want to help me out with the title.

Why?

Because it's about you.

I was gonna call a dancer.

But you're not.

Not anymore.

I mean, once you was up there with the best of them.

But when you gave up, you lost everything.

Including the right to call yourself a dancer.

And that respect that you're looking for, I think that's something inside of

you.

I mean, something that a kid can look up to with so much pride.

That the only thing he wants to be in the whole world is a dancer.

Just like his dad.

My English teacher didn't say I had to have a title for this.

But it sure would have been nice.

Okay. Gotta go to the benefit tonight.

I wish you were gonna be there.

Me too.

Knock him dead.

Count on it.

Okay, I just stopped by to wish you all good luck. I know you're going to be

terrific. Thank you. Break a leg, Mr. Armbruster.

Oh, my. I certainly hope not.

Well, there are two presentations before we go on, so y 'all can still keep...

Oh, Leroy.

Hey, there's someone outside who wants to talk to you.

Yeah. He said you promised they could watch from the wings.

Hey.

Oh, looks like I have to rewrite my essay.

I guess so. Sorry. My pleasure.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, that moment you've been waiting for.

The students of the School of the Arts and their dance instructor, Lydia Grant,

proudly present a classic of song and dance.

Dude.

Everyone.

In the rain.

Thank you.