Original subtitles

Look, we compete in this school. We compete for the best dance spots.

We compete for the best roles.

That's what we do here. I mean, if you can't get your stuff together by

yourself, then that's tough tamales, baby.

I'm so damn scared.

I don't want any of this to change.

I don't want to grow up.

got big dreams.

Good morning.

Possible, not likely.

My, aren't we a bear this morning?

Yes, I'm a bear this morning, and what you're trying to do is not going to

Yes.

Captain Hamill.

This warms the air before it hits the lungs.

The way this place is in the morning before the furnace kicks in, you're

really... Mr. Murlock, is that how you start out every day?

Exercising? Not exercising.

Criticizing. Finding something else to knock about our school.

The furnace doesn't suit you. The subject matter bothers you. And the

needs improving according to your microchip of a brain.

Why don't you simply remove yourself from all this anguish and buzz off?

Don't be angry with me.

Your advice comes a little late.

Mr. Morlock, Bruno Martelli was Mr.

Swarovski's very favorite student.

And when he had to leave school, it hurt Mr.

Swarovski a lot.

But he's trying.

He really is.

He's making the effort.

He's also making enemies.

All right, class, hold. Class dismissed. Mr. Donlan, could I speak to you for

one moment, please?

I, uh, hope this isn't gonna take too long. My next class is way up on the

floor.

I see.

Well, this won't take but a minute.

It's about the dance schools listed on your resume. Now, I know there are

hundreds and hundreds of schools in this area, but usually I recognize one or

two of them, but... Not on yours.

You don't recognize any of these schools?

Nada.

Madame Cherie Dupont School of Dance and Fine Arts.

Never heard of her?

What, you calling me a liar or something?

Is that what you're doing? Because, I mean, nobody calls me a liar. You got

that? And you got that tone of voice from a bad Travolta movie and it's going

get you kicked out of here on your can if you don't knock it off as of now.

Now, regardless of what your classical training may or may not be, I think your

technique is weak.

Sometimes when I see you coming across the floor, it's as if you're just

it up as you're going along, watching the other dancers.

That's not so.

Well, that's what I see, Christopher. Whether it's so or not, that's what I

It makes me think I've assigned you to the wrong class period.

Maybe you'd be better in the third period group.

You know what they call the third period group? The shuffling buffaloes.

That isn't very nice.

Is it accurate?

Whatever. Look, I think the only thing to do... Give me ten days.

What? Two weeks.

Wait, wait, wait.

I don't even know what we're talking about here, and already you've raised

bidding. Just give me that much time to get my classical stuff together.

All I got to do is brush up a little bit. I swear, in a couple, three weeks,

that's all I need. Wait, wait, wait. What happened to ten days?

Well, ten school days is two weeks.

Mr. Donovan, if you were as fast on your feet as you are when you're wheeling

and dealing, you and I would get along just great.

All right.

Two weeks from today.

Get cracking.

You watch.

I'll get so good at that stuff, Baryshnikov will turn in his jockstrap.

Mr. Donovan, it's called a dance belt.

I knew that.

I knew that. Everybody knows that.

That one's free.

I'm not waiting for the phone.

Bruno, hi.

It's me.

It's about 11 o 'clock.

I'm trying to reach you for a couple of days.

Call me when you can.

I could really eat the sound of your voice.

Bye.

30 seconds.

Meter's running.

You have rehearsal in one of the music cubicles between 11 .10 and noon today?

Yeah. I would like to sit in and listen and watch you walk.

What? You heard me.

Yeah, but why?

Because you've got one of the best pop voices in the class, and I thought maybe

I could pick up something from you.

I figure I might as well be up front about it.

Look, you and me have pretty different voices, so I don't think we'll be

any of the same material.

And when it comes to vocal quality and that kind of stuff, I don't think you

learn very much. That's okay. I don't care about vocal quality.

Why do you want to sit in on my session?

I'm more interested in seeing how you phrase and sell the lyric.

Vocal quality doesn't matter that much.

They can protect you like mad in a recording studio.

You know, echoes and stuff.

If you don't care about quality, then why are you at school?

So I can be a star.

You haven't answered my question yet.

You haven't asked it.

I need somebody to help me out with this classical crush.

You want I to coach you?

Yeah.

Why should we?

Look, we compete in this school.

We compete for the best dance spots.

We compete for the best roles.

That's what we do here. I mean, if you can't get your stuff together by

yourself, then that's tough tamales, baby.

That's the way it is.

No free rides.

I got that.

So, uh, how about I make you guys a little deal?

What kind of deal?

Well, uh, you help me out with the classical end of things, and I'll give

some pointers on some modern jazzy kind of things, huh?

What do you think?

Right.

I don't think so.

I'm sure you're a very nice young man, but I need someone a little higher on

ladder. Manager, I want someone like that. Sure thing. I'll be right back.

I'm Caruso. What can I do for you?

How do you do, sir? My name is Sharofsky.

Okay.

It's about to help one to turn in the window. I'm interested in it.

Oh, well, Mr.

Sharofsky, look, I admire the industry, but look,

my waiters, they don't have pimples. They don't have to think too long to

remember what it's like.

You don't fit the profile.

You catch my drift?

But you don't catch mine.

Let me ask you three questions.

The job is for a waiter or something like that.

Yeah. And it pays something in the neighborhood of the minimum wage per

Uh, in the neighborhood, yeah.

And that synthesizer is not used during the daytime?

No.

Then take down your sign, Mr. Caruso. Have I got a guy for you.

Talking to you.

You hear me?

I said I'm talking to you.

Nah, you ain't talking.

You signifying toughness with a butt full of attitude, a thimble full of

a mouth in the mouth and nothing to back it with.

Figure I played it wrong with you yesterday.

Figure asking around here is the wrong thing to do.

Figure I ought to be telling, not asking.

Is that what you figured?

Yeah, it is.

What you figured with?

Well, uh, this is the wrong place.

Where's the right place?

Okay, Caruso's here.

Let's talk.

Mr. Caruso, this is the young man I was telling you about last night. Bruno

Martelli, Don Caruso. Bruno, how are you? Pleasure. You know, I suddenly

realized something.

Martelli, Caruso, two Italian names.

How about that?

Two Italians at Greenwich Village.

Who'd ever believe it?

Look, I haven't got all day. Did you explain the deal to the kid?

I thought I'd leave that to you.

Okay. It's $1 .50 an hour.

Weekdays, noon to 8.

Weekends, 7 at night till 3 in the morning. One meal a night, whatever's on

special. Tips are yours.

Take it or leave it.

I don't mean to seem ungracious, and I know I have to get a job. Shut up,

Martelli. The fringe benefit. Tell him.

Come here, kid.

Here.

Take a look.

Fridays and Saturdays, we've got a group.

But if you can handle your customers and still find time to do whatever you do

up there, that's okay with me.

If I wanted to come in here in practice before you opened up the store, would

that be all right?

Well, sure.

Why not?

When do I start?

All right, class, hold it, hold it.

All right, there's good news and there's bad news.

The good news is that nobody got struck down by lightning during that exercise.

And the bad news is that both of you deserve to be. Now, what is going on

you two? What's happening?

I don't know, Miss Greta. Maybe it's a virus or something.

Yes, there's something going around, I guess.

Well, maybe I need to give you two hall passes and let you all go down and see

the nurse, huh?

No, you don't have to do that.

That's not a good idea. That's a bad idea. Yeah. See, moving around like

it raises your body temperature.

And that's like a fever, you know?

And that it... It burns out all the germs.

It does.

It does?

Sure. Everybody knows that. Come on.

Well, you think you all are up to doing it again? Or do I need to call somebody

at Medicare first?

What's this gizmo here?

I'm just making the final hookup. Please don't touch it.

What do I look like?

Mr. Morlock, Mrs. Berg has told me what you're up to. Talk about a prejudicial

phrase. What I'm up to is saving this school a bundle of money by using

equipment that was rotting away in that storeroom downstairs.

Now, why is that such a terrible thing to do?

Loudspeakers are regimentation. Now, wait a minute.

There's a system of speakers that's already up.

If we tap into that, we can make announcements any time we want to in any

combinations of classrooms that we choose.

Oh, but that's my job. I always make the announcements.

Please.

We can also listen in on the classes whenever we want to.

Which is exactly why the damn thing was put in the storeroom in the first place.

I'm afraid I don't understand.

We don't listen in on classes in this school.

Why not? It's a classroom. It's not a confessional.

Ready to go.

The relationship between a teacher and a student is a very delicate one.

Knee -jerk liberal pep.

Good day, everyone.

It's a beautiful fall day out there. I don't know what you people are doing

inside. Why, school's in session, Mr. Swarovski. A technicality.

Who dragged that out?

Three guesses.

Oh, no, we can't have that.

Ready when you are.

Hey, this is not a town meeting.

There's going to be one vote cast, and that's mine, and I say we give this

a try.

When? Now.

How long is it going to take you people to realize that there's a new day

dawning here, and that day's mine?

I've heard of property rights, but owning a day?

That's a whole new concept.

Well, the concept that I'm trying to establish as politely as I can.

is that I'm in charge and there's no debate on this issue. How about debating

whether you're a jerk or a moron?

That kind of infantile sarcasm doesn't even deserve a reply.

Good, I don't want to talk to you anyway.

I'm attempting to establish a sense of efficiency in this school.

You're attempting to turn our students into robots.

Just the kind of overstatement I might expect from a woman.

What?

The man proves the theory of evolution.

He's a talking ape.

Well, I'll tell you one thing. The kids would be better off if they were robots.

Robots come in on time and they don't give you a lot of lip.

Robots do what...

do what they're supposed to do and they keep on doing it until they're told to

do something else.

What you people don't comprehend is that kids want to be told what's what and

what's not.

Kids want to be programmed. They don't want to make decisions.

Dwight, give it a test run next period.

We already did give it a test run.

Far beyond where the horizon lies, where the horizon lies.

Didn't hear you knock, man.

How could you? This place is soundproof.

Hey, that sounded terrific.

Don't listen to a word they tell you.

Kamatula, what do you want?

We're trying to get some work done here. I'm making a Bruno list.

A what?

You know, we're all going to go down to where he's working Friday night. You

know, make the owner think he's the biggest draw since Lady Godiva. Give him

little job security.

You know, Miss Grant's going, Miss Sherwood, Sharofsky. All right, pull me

All right.

Would I be intruding? No, not at all. The more the merrier. I want that place

be wall -to -wall bodies.

Pass.

You're kidding.

No, I'm not kidding. I gotta go to temple.

You turning into a Jewish nun or something? Hey, look, forget it, will

I just have some other stuff to do, okay? I gotta get this into the

before the next bell rings. I'll see you later.

It was good, Holly.

Bye.

What's the problem?

I don't know, but that ain't Doris Schwartz for sure.

I've been thinking.

Trouble.

I owe you an apology.

You have been thinking.

I don't blame you for not helping me out with the classical stuff.

Good.

Like you said, it's a competitive racket.

You got that right.

And I can see that me being in the class threatens you.

And I can't really expect you to. Excuse me.

Did I hear the word threatened?

Yeah.

I'm threatened by you?

Well, I figure you must be.

Otherwise, you'd help me out.

You see, you not helping me out is kind of like admitting I do sort of challenge

you. Kind of a compliment, actually.

All right. Next week, every morning, 7 a .m., you and me in here.

Seven o 'clock. I don't throw up until eight.

You got two seconds.

You got one second.

Okay.

Okay.

Seven.

Okay, people, let's get seated and ready to accomplish something.

We've got a ton of work to... Today's

thought is from the Scottish poet Wayne Firth, who said...

Dinner loan your love, lest you'll be losing on the interest.

Those interested in signing up to be hall monitors this year should

contact Dwight Mendenhall.

Mr. Morlock is interested in talking to students interested in starting a

hydraulics club.

lost anything, please bring it to the office.

I believe that means if you found anything that's lost, bring it to the

Of course, if you found it, it's not really lost.

Today in history, Sir Arthur Fleming discovered penicillin on his moldy

bread.

This End this morning's announcements.

Oh, dear.

Oh, my.

Oh, dear. Kafka made me think.

Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Oh,

dear.

Did I find the best member or did I not?

Bragging, Vince, you've been bragging.

Come on, let's find the table.

I love this place.

It's never usually this crowded. It's going to be like this every Friday

man. We're going to have this place packed.

You've been talking to Doris too long.

Speaking of whom, where is she?

Doris is in here right now.

How come?

Look, why don't we play something?

Come on. Why don't we play something?

Music is right.

so much.

Good night.

This

place

is a place where people

when it's warm, and they play chess in here when it's not so warm.

My place is not a Vegas lounging place or a flashy dancing disco.

Cruz, I know I've got to... Quiet!

Now listen.

That is the attraction of Caruso's.

The illness.

It's a place for listening and thinking, not noise and boops and grunts.

All right.

You promise it'll never happen again?

No.

I'd like to promise you, but I can't hustle you.

The people that came in here are my friends. When it comes to music, they

hold back. They never will.

I can't promise it won't happen again.

Well...

Maybe this whole deal.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.

Oh, I mean, you've got your music.

Got my place.

Maybe it's not such a good idea to hook up together, huh?

What is he telling me?

I'm telling you that...

I'll pay you through the end of the week.

But I think tonight is your last night.

How's it going, Red?

Great.

Liar.

Come on, why don't you take a hike? I'm working here.

Hey, you may be working there, but you're not working too hot here.

Do you have someplace to go or something to do?

Well, yeah, I have a friend who's been acting a little weird, and I'm a little

worried about her, and she's in the library, and that's why I'm here.

Your friend is fine. My friend's a liar.

You hear Miss Graham's gonna give that Dunlin kid another test this afternoon

that classical junk?

Not my table.

Yeah.

Well, you know this friend I'm talking about, right?

Well, if, uh... If she knew about a kid having a test like that, she'd be down

there trying to pump him up.

And she'd be telling the teacher to have a heart. She'd be trying to make

everyone have a nice, happy ending.

Tell your friend from me that she's a jerk.

Mr. Donlon, I think it's time for us to go. You ready?

Okay.

that for? It wasn't finished yet.

I know your routine wasn't finished, Christopher, but you are.

For right now, anyway.

Oh, Miss Grant.

Sweetheart, I know you've worked very hard. I can see your improvement. I

that's great. It's terrific.

And maybe next semester there might be a chance I could move you back to the

first period class, but as far as where you're at right now... I'm in with the

shuffling buffaloes.

Well, as far as your classical dance is concerned, that's Correct, yeah.

Just because you're a teacher doesn't mean you're always right, you know?

I know that.

See, uh, you don't know me.

But I'm gonna be back in this first period class way before next semester.

Way before.

You're a real fighter, huh?

Yeah. Well, that's good.

Good for you.

And you fight me, boy. You show me.

That's the only way we're going to keep learning in here, and that's what this

place is all about.

Well?

Close, but no cigar.

What? You said I was better.

They're not better enough.

Oh, man, Miss Grant is out of her mind.

I'm not letting her get away with this.

Leroy, she's the dance teacher.

Where are you going?

Straighten out. That's where I'm going. Would you wait a minute?

Here we go again, Red. What's the matter?

Nothing. You know, you're sitting on your duff like this when all this

going on.

Come on, level with me.

Danny, I'm all screwed up inside, and it's just real hard to talk about.

All right, then.

How about I take you to the movies?

They got three stooges at the Waverly, and I bet you, you couldn't mope through

that.

I think it's about even money.

Miss Grant, you can't do what you're doing.

I'm packing to go home. Why can't I do that?

I'm talking about Chris. You can't just kick him out of first period.

Hey, watch this.

He's out.

I'm serious, Miss Grant. You did it. You can undo it. Take him back.

No, he's not good enough.

We'll make him good enough.

We? We will make him good enough.

Excuse me, did I hear that right?

I mean, did I catch that correctly? We will make him better?

Miss Grant, you gotta know I've been working with him every day before

Yeah, I know that.

And even you told him he was getting better.

Yeah, I did. He is getting better.

Well, I put in too much time and sweat and trouble to let you just flunk out

very first pupil I ever had in my life.

I'm too good a teacher for that.

He's not good enough, Leroy. I'm sorry.

I'm telling you he will be. Says who?

Says me.

And you'll be responsible?

Yes. You will be responsible?

I told you yes. Well, tell me again.

I will be responsible.

Tell me one more time.

I will be responsible.

Okay.

I guess all that talking I've been doing, if you're starting to do some

huh?

Yeah.

I promise I'll be responsible.

Okay.

Um, I got some stuff to do in the kitchen, and then you and Meal said a

All right, we're closed for the evening.

Oh, cute. Very cute. Hey, hey, you have the right to remain silent. You don't

have the right to leave.

Come on.

I'll get you for this.

Look who I brought.

Yeah, she looks real happy about it. Yeah, we got this person in trouble.

tell anybody in the school what the beef is.

Since you're not in school, and I know damn straight she needs someone to talk

to about this, I figured out I'd bring the mountain to Muhammad Ali. Something

like that.

You know?

If Doris was a bridge, she'd be condemned.

But seriously, folks, I have to go because that's the way it is.

It's a long train ride back to the Bronx.

This person here, she needs some caring for.

And that's the name of that room.

Hey, did I sound like Robert Blake?

No.

Any of what Amatula said true?

Some.

I just have a lot of things on my mind and I gotta work them out.

You pregnant?

No, I am not pregnant.

Damn it, I'm gonna die.

No, no, not like that.

There's nothing wrong with me.

Since then, all this stuff started happening.

Your dad dying.

Julie getting married and not coming back.

The school, all the new people coming.

That's a very magical place to me.

When I went to school in Jackson Heights, I was just plain old dumpy

personality. I was gonna get a date for Schwartz.

But when I came to our school, I was Doris who could dance, Doris who could

sing, Doris who had something that was very special and all her own.

And I never wanted any of that to change.

And all the crap came down.

You left school.

And I really miss you.

And I just kept feeling worse and worse.

Thinking that none of this is going to stay the same.

People are going to change and move on and all of this is going to end.

And I'm going to have to grow up.

I'm not going to be able to act silly and crazy.

And I'm so damn scared.

I don't want any of this to change.

I don't want to grow up.

I think they give you a choice.

It's not an elective.

I've been breathing so much into a brown paper bag, my parents think I'm a glue

freak.

Look, you know, this is partly my fault.

How?

At the preparations for the memorial service to my pop, I wanted to ask you

sing.

My pop always loved your voice.

I decided against it.

I figured you wouldn't be able to handle it. You'd just break down and cry.

Maybe I should have asked you anyway.

Maybe you should have.

And maybe I should have cried.

Once in a while, I stop and I smile

and think about the times we shared.

If something goes wrong, be very low,

because I know that you are there.

Once in a while.

I think of your smile and all the memories we've known.

They're not gonna end.

I'm telling you, friend, neither one of us could ever be alone.

The laughter in your eyes looks certain.

Every day you reassured me

When no one else leaves

Once

in a while Though it's not my style I wonder

what my life would be without you

I'd only get through.

Cause you taught me to.

And there's no way I could doubt.

It will be.

Hey, Martelli.

Now, that kind of music's not so bad.

I'll see you tomorrow night.

I'll be here.

Come here to the Staten Island Ferry?

Agreed. Ride the ferry until we're freezing to death?

Agreed. Then we'll go to Chinatown and we'll eat hacked chicken with malty

flavors until we can't speak.

Sounds like a plan.

Wait, wait, wait a minute. Wait a second.

Then what happens?

Well, by that time the sun will be coming up.

Won't you see what the morning brings?