Original subtitles

You've got big dreams.

You want fame.

Fame comes.

And right here is where you start paying in sweat.

Right. That's what I call A -plus for everybody.

A -plus. I heard about those things. It's like an upside -down V with a line

the middle. Well, get on out of here before I change my mind. Class

That was terrific.

You want to have some lunch?

Yeah, but you know what, girl? I need your advice about something.

Well, you know,

I haven't been able to make up my mind yet about that part -time job.

Oh, the one where you're teaching... Teaching the cheerleaders dancing, yeah.

I mean, if I didn't need the money, I just didn't forget it, but... How can I

help?

Well, you know, you're really always so good at analyzing problems, looking at

it on both sides, and coming up with a logical solution.

What are you doing?

Looking for a quarter.

Looking for a quarter for what?

Had you take the job, sales are done. Elizabeth.

Good luck.

After scrutinizing the pros and cons of your situation, Miss Grant, it is my...

learn his opinion that you should take the job.

Well, Dr. Sherwood, thank you so much. I knew you'd have the right advice.

Give me back my quarter and we'll have some lunch.

Come on, girl.

Well, if you're here to check out the action, the really good lookers don't

here till around 7 .30.

Thanks for the hint, my telly, but I just found who I was looking for.

Hello, Leo.

Oh, Benjamin.

There you are. Sit, sit.

Thanks, Leo. I was planning on that.

Can I get you gentlemen anything?

Two espressos, please.

Well, I'm upset. Quite upset.

You don't like espresso?

Benjamin, this is serious. As of this minute, we have no entertainment for the

benefit dinner.

What happened to Joel Grey?

I thought Nathan was in charge of that.

It seems that putting Nathan in charge of entertainment and getting

entertainment are two different things.

Well, Leo, I'm concerned, of course, but how can I help? How can you help? How

can you help? I asked you first.

The man is the maven of music at the world -famous School for the Arts. Leo,

most of the students at the Infinite School of the Arts dream of a job off,

off Broadway.

You've got lots of heart, lots of talent, but name value, I'm sorry.

Forget name value. We're down to the wire on this, Ben.

A talented Jewish youngster from your school.

Some music.

Excuse me. I know this is probably none of my business, but I heard you mention

music, and I guess music is my business, so... You're not one of those

California -friendly waiters, are you? This is Bruno Martelli, one of my former

students. Bruno, this is Leo Finkelstein. Oh, pleasure.

Are you a producer, Mr. Finkelstein? No, I'm a furrier, but I'm producing a

benefit dinner for a group that I belong to.

Leo spent World War II in Bergen -Belsen. He belongs to a group called

Survivors. And our benefit dinner is not going to survive without some

entertainment to best.

You know, this really sounds like a worthy cause. I'd be glad to help in any

way.

Your name again?

It's Martelli, Bruno Martelli.

Thank you anyway, Mr. Martelli, but I think not. Not so fast, Leo.

It's a generous offer, Bruno, and I for one thank you.

See you at the auditions.

I'll be there.

I've got to go back to work.

He's a very fine musician.

This is a Jewish benefit.

He's Italian.

If he were willing to contribute a million dollars, would you turn it down?

he willing? Yes.

Able? I don't believe so. What he can contribute is music.

Benjamin, a Leo Finkelstein cannot deliver a Bruno Martelli to a Jewish

You're being prejudiced.

I am being kosher.

Very impressive.

From the looks of this, you're more than qualified.

Job's yours if you want it.

Then let's just say that I'll take it.

Fair enough.

You know, it's an hour a day every afternoon.

That's not going to interfere with your school schedule? No, no, not at all.

Matter of fact, I can start today.

Fine.

Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll go break the news.

Coach, I want to talk to you about this... Oh, you're not Coach Axler.

Sorry to disappoint you. Hey, far from it.

I'm sure he'll be back in a minute.

Do you mind if I wait?

No, of course not.

I wanted to talk to Coach about this lady that's been hanging around his

Oh? Yeah, Coach is always looking for championship material.

And this lady, she sure looks like a champion.

Why, sir, you are far too bold.

Just calling him as I see it.

S .T. Gray.

Lydia Grant.

Sometimes I play basketball.

Yeah, so I noticed.

And you?

I'm a dancer.

Your coach just hired me to teach your cheerleaders.

Our what?

Your cheerleaders.

Lydia, we're the Lancers.

We don't have cheerleaders.

Oh, there you are.

I take it you two have met.

Mr. Axler, Mr. Gray here informs me that you don't have any cheerleaders.

Well, not officially. Why?

Well, then who am I supposed to be teaching dancing to?

To the players, of course.

Are you kidding? The players?

Oh, I don't think so.

We are going to take dance lessons? That's ridiculous.

Hey, I'll tell you what's ridiculous.

Missing the playoffs by one lousy game last season. Now that's ridiculous.

This year, we're going to have an edge. Dance class is an edge?

I'm sorry, coach. It's just dumb.

Now, wait a minute now. What's so dumb about it? It has nothing to do with

basketball. Well, dance is all about movement and the body. Isn't that what

basketball is all about?

Bingo. Well, you can count me out.

Oh, I bet I could coach you into my dance class.

I bet you can't. Well, my money's on the lady.

And try this on for size.

You miss one dance class, you're on report.

You miss two, you're on suspension.

If you miss three, you'll be doing public service commercials for the

Public service commercials don't pay.

I know. See you at practice.

Well, I guess you weren't that round.

What can I say? I guess I'm some kind of fighter.

Not a lover?

Is there a law that says you can't be both?

No, ma 'am.

Miss Schwartz.

What's the big deal, Amadou?

Oh, I said one. It's tough to find ice cubes in Italy because they lost the

recipe.

I'm warning you, darling.

Come on, he's right.

You know, ethnic humor is too easy.

Nephite, you're... Yeah, I'm what?

Well, I was going to say you're better than that, but that would be fibbing.

really?

And who was it in Miss Sherwood's class that took the cheapest shot in history,

Doris? Well, that was different.

How is it different, Schwartz?

What did you say?

Well, I asked him if he'd heard the one about the alligators in Florida who walk

around with little Jews on their shirts.

Hi.

Was there something you wanted, Mr. Sharofsky?

No.

Never mind.

Still different.

Well, did you take the job?

Congratulate me. I am now the dance teacher for 12 professional basketball

players. Basketball? basketball players.

Well, there is this one in particular, if you get my meaning.

This is getting interesting.

It certainly is.

Do I have to say it?

Fish. Well, his name is S .T.

Honey, don't ask. S .T. Gray.

And he is gorgeous.

And I don't like him.

Say what?

You heard me. I said I don't like him. I'm not saying that I'm not attracted to

the man.

I am, but I don't know. We don't have anything in common. He hates dancing and

he comes on so strong.

But there's something about him.

I don't know what it is. It's... Animal magnetism.

Excuse me, Mrs. Burr.

I couldn't help but overhear what you were saying.

And what you're talking about is definitely animal magnetism. You think

I haven't been chairperson of the Pet Orphans League for 12 years without

learning a thing or three about animals.

You betcha.

Well, so what do you think I ought to do about it? Oh, just enjoy it.

I look on it as nature's way of saying hi.

Mrs. Bird, I mean, there's no way I can get out of it, huh? Not unless you're

willing to have him altered.

Afternoon, ladies. Oh, Mr. Morlock, there's something you ought to know

already know about it, and the answer is never mind.

Our insurance rates here are already sky high. I'm not going to let you drive

them up any higher by conducting extracurricular dance classes on the

grounds. But I don't think you... No.

There's no ifs, ands, no's, or but I's about it. The answer's no. That's my

final word on the subject.

Mr. Morlock, I'm surprised at you.

Oh, no, you're not.

I always just assumed you were a Lancers fan, but I guess not.

What Lancers? The basketball Lancers? What have they got to do with this?

That's who's taking Lydia's class.

Miss Sherwood, give me credit for some intelligence. I happen to know that a

professional basketball team has better things to do with their time than to

come in here and play leapfrog to the beat.

Now, I actually know... Looking for the dance class.

Hi, teach.

Hi.

You're Kevin Taylor.

Give this man his varsity letter.

Kevin, we're going to be right down the hall, the second door on your left,

okay? I'll be there in just a minute.

Won't I, Mr. Morlock?

Dismissed. That's an order.

Must land toe, ball, heel. Toe, ball, heel.

That is going to add five years to your jumping career.

Landing properly in jeté. All right, now let's jeté together.

Jive.

Jeté, not jive.

Say jeté.

Jeté. Thank you.

I thought you were the one who said every muscle in your body was in shape.

Well, every muscle that I knew I had.

It was brand new on the scene.

Let it go, let it go.

How's that?

Better.

Look, fellas, I think that's enough for the day, okay?

Come on.

Same time tomorrow, okay?

All right.

Report him. He's not going to show up.

Then who might we be talking about?

S .T.

Look, I know the guy. He just doesn't go for this scene.

What makes you think I care whether he shows up or not?

Are you saying you don't?

Let's just say that I guess I was hoping.

Well, you're a grown -up lady.

I got to figure you know what you're doing.

screen i hate you can hold something back from us oh really since when well

since you've been coaching the lancers oh and where did you pick up that

wonderful bit of news there can be no secret from room of control that's right

mean it's better for inquiring mind like ours well and so if i am teaching the

lanterns so what about it well they're bad that's what that my dear is a matter

of opinion what's it like working with it's like really tired

Don't really. They're way out of shape.

You have to forgive me, but I'm not really that interested in basketball.

Maybe you're not interested in basketball, but it seems like basketball

interested in you. Isn't that F .P. Gray?

Sure is.

All right.

What's up, S .P.? I'm Danielle Latula, man.

How you doing? All right. Leroy Johnson. How you doing? All right.

Liddy, could I speak to you for just a second?

It'll only take a second.

Uh, fellas, uh, help me find that tape in there. Um, we're gonna fly, okay? Uh

-huh.

Warm up, honey.

You're about 12 hours late for class, Mr. Gray.

Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, I have this problem.

Look, I am not a counselor.

I'm a dance teacher.

I have an excuse.

I'm not interested.

Billy, I have a hard time believing that.

You have a hard time with a lot of things, Mr. Gray. Have dinner with me.

timing, for instance.

Sometimes the only thing that works is a full court press.

Well, why don't you just press your way right on out of here?

You know what? I think I might be a little bit crazy about you.

You're a little bit crazy, all right. What's more, I think you like me a

bit, too.

Some of us work for a living.

Am I right?

Not in this lifetime.

So how come you don't put me on a report?

Hey, you tell us and we'll both know.

You're looking at a mean diva who's about to put you through some moves. Did

find that tape?

I put it in the machine. Then let's have some rolls. Come on, people, let's go.

Hit it.

Well, I ain't gonna be your queen.

I got one more thing to say to you, baby, before I get up and I leave.

And there's no good reason for the dirty...

who sings like an angel, and Miss Laird who looks like one. Not an easy choice.

You've been here before, Mr. Sharofsky. It's on these decisions that mothers are

kissed and cats are kicked.

True enough, Mattelli, but this one's a toughie.

The role dictates a beautiful young lady visiting the city for the first time

who so disarmingly harms a young man that he can't do anything right for two

acts.

That sounds like a job for the heartbreak kid.

Beg your pardon?

But then along comes act three, and to prove her love to young Charles, she

sings the most beautiful song he's ever heard, and he falls for what he has

heard.

That's Schwartz to a T.

Thanks for all your help.

Well, ladies, the decision has been made.

Now, you all auditioned brilliantly.

You're all marvelous, talented artists.

Mr. Swarovski, I don't mean to be rude.

But if a decision has been made, do you think you could tell us what that

decision is?

Miss Holly Laird. Thank you. Get admitted.

Congratulations.

You don't mean that.

Break a leg.

That you do mean.

Oh, Miss Schwartz.

I hope you understand the reason for my decision.

Oh, I understand.

I know you're hurting now, but I have an offer that may prove to be the silver

lining around the cloud.

You see, I belong to a group of survivors of the Holocaust.

Mr. Swarovski, no disrespect intended, sir, but I have another class. Please

me finish, Mr. Schwartz.

You've been selected by me from all of the talent at this school to create a

special evening for some wonderful people and to help honor the memory of

who have paid the ultimate price for their heritage.

Now, what do you think of that?

I think it stinks.

First you tell me that I'm not pretty enough for your show.

And then you tell me that I'm perfect for a survivor's show.

What does that say about me?

A Jew.

I'll tell you something else, Mr. Swarovski. All the stuff about being

and a community of man. I'm not buying it.

Holly Laird got the part because she's prettier than I am.

We live in a world where Gentile is prettier than Jewish.

I've accepted that in a lot of places.

Don't ask me to accept it here.

Has he asked you out?

He asked me out to dinner. What'd you tell him?

I told him no.

What'd you want to tell him?

There you are, Miss Grant.

A gentleman left it for you.

I think he was a basketball person.

Was he a cute basketball person?

Don't talk.

Thank you, Mrs. Burke. You're welcome.

Word has it that your tape machine met with an untimely end. Please accept this

as a token of my affection and admiration.

S .T.

He does have a way about him, doesn't he?

Hello, School of the Arts. Mrs. Berg speaking.

Yes. Why, yes, he's standing right here at the cubbies.

The male cubbies, that's what we... Never mind.

Mr. Sharofsky, it's for you. A Mr.

Egelstein.

Hello,

Leo.

No.

No, I have not forgotten.

Hey, calm down, Leo.

Yes, I know. Time is short.

Einstein proved that.

That's a joke, Leo.

As a matter of fact, I found a lovely young singer for the benefit, Doris

Schwartz.

Yes, I said Schwartz.

Well, I'm still working out the details, but not to worry. She's going to be

there. She's going to be great. And as we say in the business, no problem.

Right.

Ciao.

Mrs. Berg.

Would you be so kind as to look up Doris Schwartz's telephone number for me,

please? Mr. Sharofsky, is everything okay?

I'm afraid our Doris may be a very troubled young lady.

But I just heard you tell your Mr.

Finkelstein that she was great.

I suppose I did, didn't I?

I'm sorry, Mr.

Sharofsky, but sometimes you are just downright scatterbrained.

Here's the number.

Thank you, Mrs. Doris.

You scared me.

Didn't mean to.

What am I going to do with you?

I can't send you to the principal's office.

I can't send a note home to your mother.

I suppose you can put me on report.

Is that what you want?

I've already told you what I want.

I want to get to know you, and I want you to get to know me.

Why do you cut my glasses?

Did you get the tape machine I sent you? Yes, I got the tape machine. Thank you

very much.

Why do you cut my glasses?

I have my reasons.

Well, tell me. Tell me the reasons.

And you say you want me to get to know you.

I'll listen.

I want to listen.

I will.

I really will.

But not now. Why not now?

Because you and I have more important affairs to deal with.

I must say, I'm really surprised.

I didn't know it had affected Doris quite as much as it has.

Let me ask you something, Mr.

Shrofsky.

You think I'm Jewish, don't you?

What, aren't you?

No, I'm Italian.

A Gentile Italian.

When I married Mr.

Schwartz, his mother refused to have anything to do with me.

As a matter of fact, his parents set shiver for us.

That means mourning for the dead, doesn't it?

Try some crumb cake.

Well, she's only seen Doris about three times.

She's never sent her birthday card.

Or a Hanukkah present?

Doris used to write her letters.

She used to say, all I want is a grandmother.

That woman never, ever answered her.

Mrs. Schwartz, I've known Doris for almost three years, and I never saw the

of her.

Jack's mother suffered a stroke a couple of weeks ago.

Jack's been a wreck about it.

I can only imagine the feelings that Doris must have.

On the one hand, she can't very well love a woman who's never even

her existence. But on the other hand, it is her grandmother.

And I know she wants to try to connect us one more time.

As far as Judaism and Jews and how she feels about it.

What's she to think, Mr. Sharofsky?

When a Jew talks about persecution, he talks about it from experience.

Well, Doris and I have had that experience, too. Do you understand that?

I don't like it.

But I understand.

Well, I didn't mean to burden you with all of this.

Oh, Mr.

Sharofsky, trying to help Doris is never a burden.

Well, I had to go out with you eventually. I mean, come on, anybody

for this, please.

I learned that dealing with the referees.

There's a close call in the first quarter. You just yell and scream and

on. Does it ever make them change the call?

Never. But comes the fourth quarter, they remember all that carrying on, and

they just might be a little hesitant about making a call that way.

It's called intimidation.

Uh -uh, no. You can't have that. You've been bad. Is that bad bad or good bad?

I don't know.

A little of both, I guess.

That's fair enough.

You know, I don't know why you don't just give up. You know, I'm going to get

you. Hey, lady, that's the whole idea.

I mean, in my dance class.

I mean, if you quit all this silliness, you'd save both of us a lot of time and

energy. Me?

S .T.? A quitter? Oh, you know what I mean.

You mean you want to see some of my moves? Is that right?

That's exactly right. Well, why don't you just say so?

I don't know what was so urgent that you had to take me away from my Shabbos

meal, Benjamin, but it must be something important.

Well, Leo, relax.

Have some espresso.

I didn't come here for coffee, Benjamin.

What's wrong?

Is it about our girl singer?

Well, now that you mention it, yes.

It is about our girl singer.

She's now a boy piano player.

A boy piano player? I don't understand.

You promised me a girl singer, a Jewish girl singer.

And that's what we advertised. Now, why can't you deliver?

I can't deliver because some things are more important than this benefit.

A young lady has denied her heritage for so long that she makes cheap jokes

about it without even realizing what she is doing.

That's something that I cannot let happen.

Now, you worry about your benefit?

And I'll worry about my friend Dara Schwartz.

Yeah, well, it had to be done.

He just never showed up.

Yeah, right.

Well, I'm sorry to bother you with this.

Thanks, coach. Good night.

Was that what I think it was?

I put him on report.

ST? That's the one.

the one that said I might as well go on and get it over with.

No, we're going on report. That's pretty heavy -duty stuff.

Well, if you haven't noticed, I consider my dance class pretty heavy -duty

stuff, too.

Yeah, I know, but it's just the fine and everything.

The fine?

What fine?

You don't know about the fine?

How much of a fine?

Ten thousand dollars. Ten thousand... Oh, my God.

What have I done?

Look, I'm not a ref, but I'd have to call that a personal foul.

Good afternoon, Mrs. Burns.

Frankly, I'm disappointed.

What? Smooth move.

What?

I just heard about it on the radio at lunch.

What? Heard about what?

S .T. Graves on report.

Maybe suspension and a rumor is that you're responsible for it. You heard

on the news?

What would that be on the news?

You jeopardize a team like the Lancers, lady. It's news.

Oh, my goodness.

What am I going to do? Well, if I were you, I'd keep a low profile very low.

Oh, come on. Why are you all making this such a big old deal? I mean, it's just

a sport, a game.

Lawn tennis is a sport.

Monopoly is a game.

Basketball is a three -dimensional metaphor for life itself. That's why

such a big old deal.

I don't understand why you have to pick today of all days to go on a shopping

spree for bathing suits.

I told you already, Doris, I read the ads, and Bamberger's Westbury is having

this terrific preseason sale, and it's this weekend only.

Mother Summer is not for three months.

Well, I want to be prepared.

This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Bamberger's is real close

to a Mercedes.

How'd you know that?

Well, I know what the shopping center is.

Then I looked up the address of the old age home phone book.

Why'd you look up the address?

I don't know.

Look, Doris, we're talking about a woman that I haven't seen in nearly 18 years,

and you barely know.

This whole situation almost ruined my marriage. And it put a terrible strain

every single holiday that ever rolled around.

And if you think I haven't thought about what it's done to you, too, well, then

you're sadly mistaken.

So?

So the point is, the woman is dying.

And this is our one last chance to let her make peace.

I don't care if she gets any peace.

All I can think of is what she put you through and what she put me through.

She doesn't deserve peace.

You don't mean that.

Yeah, I do.

I really think I do.

I know you think you're right.

And if I have to choose sides, I'm behind you 110%, you know that.

But you've got to understand something.

She thinks she's right.

It's always the way.

Someone has to be the first to say, forgive me.

I forgive you.

There's still...

Some time left.

Let's try to love one another.

I never claimed to be a cheap date.

Yeah, but $10 ,000.

S .T., I swear, I didn't know about it. Honest, I didn't even know there was a

fine. You gotta believe me.

Self -honor.

Well, I guess we're gonna put a major league cramp in our style, huh?

No.

This might... What is this?

A contract?

Yep, for my services as a basketball player.

In Atlanta?

S .T., how can they do that?

You see the part that says, in exchange for the amount of? That's how.

When do you have to leave?

A couple of days.

You know, I didn't get a chance to spend enough time with you.

Really get to know me.

But I think I'm going to miss you.

I'm going to miss you too.

But you know, the way I figured it, S .T. Gray, you owe me.

The woman cost me $10 ,000 and I still owe her. That's right. You owe me an

explanation. Now, you said there was a really good reason why you could never

drag yourself to my dance class. Well, before you get out of this city of New

York, I want you to tell me what happened. I'll tell you. I'll tell you.

you ever heard of Joetta Flanders?

Yeah. Joetta Flanders was the first black dancer with the New York City

She was one of my heroes.

She was my mother.

Oh. Yeah, oh.

And from the day I learned to walk, I was given dance classes, ballet, jazz,

tap, you name it, I learned it.

Were you any good at it? Hey, unfortunately, I was better than good

trying.

I guess it was from what I inherited from my mother. I could do it all.

But what? You didn't like it? You didn't want to do it?

Hey, I wanted to be an athlete, basketball, football, baseball, but I

Because every day after school, she dragged me to a different dance class.

I remember this one class of Madame Debord's.

I'm in the mirror with tights on, doing plies.

I could see the guys out the window playing basketball.

I wanted to be out there so bad that I hurt. How old were you when you started?

Fifteen. She was a strong lady, what can I say?

Well, S .T., well, always bad days are behind you now.

Hey, maybe on the calendar, but not up here. Those memories are still fresh.

So maybe someday I'll be able to get back to all that, but not right now, not

yet.

And knowing you, half of you saying, get out the violin, that's a nice story.

Another half is saying, please.

Well, which half is right?

I'll show you, but this is a once in a lifetime offer.

I'll take it.

¶¶ Hey! Hey!

Hey,

can I skip class now? Skip class? Baby, you can teach class.

Maybe someday.

Oh, S .T.

I'm really going to miss you.

Okay, back.

Hi, Leo.

Remember my telly that Dennis introduced you to?

Well, he knows the number and is prepared to send it. So you'll introduce

a Bruce Martin?

The hell I will. I've been bullied by you long enough.

The same prejudices that you are so quick to point out in others you don't

see in yourself.

It's about time that you saw it and saw it for what it was.

I was kidding.

I don't think you were.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the benefit performance for

the survivors of Bergen -Belsen.

For those of you who do not know, my name is Benjamin Chorowski.

And though I myself was lucky enough to escape the horrors of the camps, I lost

my entire family and remain dedicated to the phrase...

Never again.

Some of you will recognize the song you're about to hear.

At the camps, when the trains would pull up to let out their human cargo, this

was a song that would greet them.

It was a secret song of solidarity.

The prisoners would sing this song as a sign to all, a call for the courage and

strength they would still need in the days ahead.

Tonight, I've asked a young friend of mine from the School of the Arts to sing

it for us.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Bruno Martelli.

You must never think that hope has gone away Though the darkened

heavens hide the blue of day As mountains we stand

at the borders of truth Let the fires whisper, let the storm break

through A child will stand where tears once touched

the land

A flame will burn in the secret hearts of men, an everlasting

light of love.

May you go from strength

to strength.

Some might call me saying we are here.

Every heart is reaching out to every heart.

As the night ends, yet another day will start.

My child will look back where kids once touched the land.

Let me go first.

That way you can have the last word.

And I need more of that from you.

My thoughts are so jumbled.

I know that I feel really good.

I feel like something inside me opened up.

And it's because of you.

Even though I fought against you the whole way.

Thanks for looking out for me.

I need more people like you on my side.

I'll always be on your side, Doris.

There's something else you don't know.

I went to see your grandmother today.

How did you know that?

I saw it on your face, and I heard it in your voice. You don't have to tell me

anymore. I think I know the rest.

Now, let me get this straight. You will need a substitute teacher for your

classes Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Is that right? That's right.

All right.

Are you okay?

Oh, I am better than okay. I'm just...

in a little vacation.

Vacation? I thought you were low on funds.

One round trip ticket to Atlanta.

Let's see, it's an early 4th of July present.

4th of July? Wait a minute.

What's in Atlanta?

Fireworks, baby.

Fireworks.