Original subtitles

I don't look like a dancer. I don't move like a dancer. I don't even talk like a

dancer. You know what the real problem is here? You're a friend of mine. And it

just about kills Tinkerbell there to even think about helping out a friend of

mine. I was just trying to help.

Do me a favor and don't.

You better keep that

wheelchair of yours off short piers and get it equipped with pontoons. Because

if I'm ever standing in back of you, I'm not sure honestly what I'll do.

Beautiful. You all are really learning the art of improvisation. I'm so proud.

You're really relating to each other.

Don't hit the showers. You deserve it.

Well, so what do you think?

Well, you know, it's not exactly my area, you know what I mean? Oh, dance is

everybody's area. It's a universal language.

Yeah, well, I guess I'm just deaf and dumb.

Don't.

Why did you really ask me down here, Miss Grant?

Mr. Morlock, I was hoping that maybe if you came to one of our classes and you

saw how hard we work, that you and I could understand each other better and

fighting like a couple of pole cats.

Miss Grant, my job's to run this school and try to teach a little math and

science. It'll be a cold day in Hades if I understand why a bunch of pity -pat

people want to parade around in tutus pretending to be butterflies and swans

with unemployment running 9 % out there.

Well, thank you, Mr. Morlock, for keeping such an open mind.

Well, Miss Grant, since you're so all -fired interested in us understanding

other, please remind me the last time you boogied down the hall to take in one

of my science classes. Your science classes? Oh, there you are, Mr. Morlock.

There's a telephone call for you. Not now, Mrs. Berg. I'm on a roll. Well, I'm

sorry, sir, but it's a long -distance call. A Mr.

Carl Rogers.

Lefty Rogers?

He just said Carl.

Well, that's lefty, that old horse -eyed son of a gun.

Now, there's an example of someone who devoted his life to a pastime that's

worthy of a real man.

And what might that be?

He's a baseball player.

Oh, what a contribution to society.

One of the best pitchers in the history of the game.

Ever.

Hey, what do you... You don't mind, do you, Martelli?

I only own the place.

Please, on the house.

You know something, Martelli?

You were right about this Christmas.

It's good.

Well, you know, I never say I told you so. But you told me so.

I know, I know.

Give me a break.

What's wrong? You got something against gorgeous men?

No, no. The keyboard guy from the other group is going to help me with my

singing.

When?

After hours.

Oh, and you really thought he was going to concentrate on your voice?

Don't be such a cynic.

Where's Martelli?

Cynical. Darling, in my house, the tooth fairy is a gay orthodontist.

Well, you can't expect them to turn down money like that. That's a lot of money.

I don't expect them to turn it down.

I was just counting on some help, that's all.

I'll help you. I don't want your help.

Holly Laird won.

My self -esteem, zero.

Bruno is a terrific vocal coach. I know that.

It's just you guys have known each other for years.

Sometimes breaking into that circle can be kind of tough. It's not your fault.

It's just something that happens over a long period of time.

And I wanted... A vocal coach who hasn't coached me and Coco and half the other

kids in school.

Exactly.

I'm going to go get at the table.

Two express. I'll hold the check.

You know, I really thought we were friends.

What makes you think we're not friends?

Well, a friend would have called me up and said, Hey, Schwartz, get right down

here. We got a piano player. Makes Tom Selleck look like Mr. Potato Head. Get

your buns down to Caruso and embarrass yourself.

But did such a call come?

It started tonight, Doris. Will you please relax?

Malhotov, we're friends again.

His name is Billy Christensen.

So he'll convert.

Doris, I gotta warn you. Things get a little complicated with Billy.

Married? No.

Spoken for?

No.

He likes girls.

Yeah, he loves girls.

A match made in heaven.

You and Billy?

He likes girls?

Holly needs a vocal coach. Holly needs a girl.

Watch me work.

What are you

looking at?

The force of nature.

Huh? Hurricane Schwartz.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Lefty?

Hey, Red Dog.

Toledo, Ohio.

Bottom of the ninth, us against the Mudhens.

This is one at first and a three and two count.

Harris, sit back.

It's an inside curve.

Harris gets a piece of it. Pounds it into the dirt. Rogers jumps on the ball.

Fires to second for the out. Second fires to first. In time for the double

That's all she wrote sports fans.

He was safe by three feet. What a rotten call.

Red Dog, you haven't changed.

Neither one of us has.

Well, we're both still liars. What the hell are you? Pretty good. Pretty good.

You heard about the... About the elbow?

Yeah, I read about it.

Major's lost the best day ever had.

Listen, Rick, I thought I'd buy us a couple of steaks to tell you a story.

You might even help me out on something. Sounds good to me.

Good. Then meet me over at the dugout, say, around 7?

The dugout?

Yeah. Is that okay?

Oh, yeah, yeah. You know, it's just I haven't been there since I quit playing.

Well, it hasn't changed much.

Seven o 'clock. Seven o 'clock.

Chris Conner, Nito Day, Peggy Lee, and BB King.

Not BB King. I told you to pick up something by Morgana King. Oh. Well, I

of wondered about that when I looked at his picture.

Anyway, you listened.

I listened.

And?

And they do more than just sing words. They sing the thoughts.

Which is what I told you.

Which is what you told me.

Now, here's some more people you ought to hear.

Now, you won't find them in a regular store. A lot of their stuff isn't in

release anymore.

I haven't heard of any of these people.

Fair is fair. They haven't heard of you either.

Okay. This is going to take me some time, though. I don't know if I can get

here tonight.

You're going to be here tomorrow night, though, right?

I want a nightly option, but so far it looks good.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay.

What was that for?

changed all that much.

A couple new faces, but everything's pretty much the same.

Just like the game.

To the game. The game.

Listen, Red, I've got a chance at some work, and I think I might be in the

market for some coaching.

I knew it.

I knew this was going to happen. Listen, nothing.

would make me prouder than to be able to offer you a coaching job.

But this school where I'm at now, they don't have an athletic program of any

kind. I'm ashamed to say it, but there's no sports, none at all.

I know that.

Mr. Rogers, I'm sorry to bother you, but there's this gentleman at the bar who's

just dying to get your autograph.

Sure thing.

He says it for his son.

What's his name?

His name's Leonard.

aren't you?

Why, yes.

Matter of fact, I am.

I had you for science, too, about eight years ago.

Staten Island.

Nice to see you again.

Must be nice getting asked for your autograph.

It is.

But it doesn't happen much anymore.

That's why I need that school of yours.

I don't follow.

Look, Quentin, I've been getting some offers to do television. You know,

commercials, endorsements, even some variety stuff.

Now, I know they've got ways to make you look good, but that's not my style.

I want to know what I'm doing when they've got me up there singing and

Singing and dancing?

Sure.

I cut a demo a couple years ago, but that was still a couple years ago.

That's where your school comes in.

I thought maybe you could hook me up with, say, a dance teacher or a drama

coach.

I teach science.

Come on.

You're the vice principal. Don't tell me you're not plugged in to all those

departments. You must be.

Oh, nurse.

More.

You didn't tell her yet, did you?

Holly?

No.

You think that was fair?

You want to talk about fair?

You want to talk about feeling sorry for yourself?

You know how sometimes things just work perfect?

I mean, there's a chemistry there. He knows exactly what I'm trying to

accomplish and how to help me get there.

Can we talk about something else?

Like reality?

I know it probably won't stay like this, but it's just so nice to have it start

out halfway decent.

Well, what's up for the next chapter?

With any luck, you'll ask me out.

Why wait for him to ask you out?

Because that's the way these things are done.

Who said so? The whole civilized world.

You know, you guys burn me up.

Excuse me, persons.

You know, you're always talking about equal this and equal that, right?

Especially this one. And I ain't got no beef with that.

But how come every time it comes for you guys to make the first move, I wind up

getting the elections?

I mean, I don't understand that.

He's right, you know.

I guess he's allowed.

I'm going to do it.

I'll ask Billy out. I mean, what could happen? He could say no. He could love

it. I know I did.

Okay, I'll bite.

Who asked you out?

You want to know?

Yeah. Nancy Greco in the third grade. Well, she had a body like a fourth

It was amazing. She had a thin waist.

Not interested.

Miss Grant?

Mr. Morlock, I am merely taking you at your word. Now, you were the one that

said you're not interested in any singing or dancing or any of that stuff.

Or didn't I hear you correctly?

Miss Grant, I'm disappointed.

Truly, I am.

Well, silly me.

I was hoping that you could look past our petty differences and try to help a

fellow artist like my friend Lefty.

Please, fellow artist.

All right, okay.

Let's say potential artist.

Mr. Morlock, what do you think Billy Martin would say if I showed up at

Stadium and introduced myself to him as a potential shortstop?

Well, that's an absurd example.

He's a professional.

Well, so am I. And what I do is teach these kids who have a real potential at

putting a career together, not coaching somebody who's out to grab a beer

commercial.

Between you and Billy Martin, I think I bet on you.

I thought I told you to wait in the office.

That Mrs. Burr tossed me out.

I thought I was underput.

Mr. Rogers, I hope you understand that what I was saying has nothing to do with

you personally. I understand that.

You said what you said because you care about what you do.

I wouldn't be looking for help from anyone who didn't feel like that.

Now, you're wasting your time, Lefty. You know what the real problem is here?

You're a friend of mine. And it just about kills Tinkerbell there to even

about helping out a friend of mine. That is a terrible thing to say.

Well, it must be an even worse thing to have to admit. Excuse me. I have to go

teach a class.

Anyone home?

Who isn't home?

Hi.

Hi. Oh, why didn't you come in?

I am.

I told Billy I'd meet him here at five.

Well, you're a little early.

Well, you can probably tell I like the taste of thin.

Oh, I kind of guessed at it, but then again, I'm incredibly perceptive.

How'd you like to go out with me tomorrow night?

Wait, don't answer that, because I don't really want to go out with you tomorrow

night. I mean, you're a wonderful guy and everything, but I really just kind

wanted to rehearse it on you to see if I could really do it.

Do what?

Ask a guy out.

See, I've never done it before, and I thought I'd try it out on you.

It's kind of like going off a high dive for the first time. You don't have to

take that first step.

The rest of it's a breeze.

So, how'd you like to go out with me tomorrow night?

See, it's a piece of cake.

Look, this is probably none of my business.

That's never stopped me before, so would you mind telling me who this is

supposed to be about?

Hey, Martelli, you want to give me a hand up here?

Chair's on top of the stairs. You want to get inside before somebody rips it

off?

Hi, sports fans.

Billy, what happened? Are you okay?

That's two questions.

What happened to me happened a long time ago, and there's nothing anyone can do

about it.

And I'll be okay just as soon as Martelli gets my chair inside and I get

negotiating these illegal steps.

You know, they have this item on the market. It only goes back about three

million years. They call it a ramp.

So then you've seen them.

Yeah, look, the management about that.

You don't know what to say.

You're in shock, but you don't want to say that because that would sound cruel

and you wouldn't want that.

You're angry at me because you think I should have said something earlier.

I'm not so sure you're right about that part.

Let me hang up my coat.

I can do it. I'm perfectly capable of doing it, Holly. Thank you very much.

Billy, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?

I hope you say yes.

She was using me to rehearse before, and I hate to think that all that time and

energy went for nothing.

You rehearsed.

Was that hard to ask me out?

It's not you.

It's not you. It would have been just as hard...

To ask Charlie Brown or Howdy Doody or James Watt.

I tell you what.

We'll keep working on the singing and everything, just like we've been doing.

But let's put the date thing on the back burner.

I don't think I'd give you a yes on that.

Why not?

Because I'm not so sure you want me to say yes.

my idea to put me in his dance number. No, it was not. Danny. It wasn't my

that Leroy Johnson got the flu. No, it was not. Daniel. You know, I don't look

like a dancer. I don't move like a dancer.

I don't even talk like a dancer. You know, until two weeks ago, I thought a

pirouette would serve as a line.

Mr. Amatulo, I was just about to tell you how nicely I think you're coming

in this number.

Which is?

Well, you know, a Morlock's talking about that baseball player, Rogers.

Well, look, he's trying to brush up on this stuff, so why don't we see if he's

any good and give him a shot at it?

What do you say?

I say shut up and dance. Hey, but if he's any good? I don't care if he dances

like Fred or stands and sings like Pavarotti.

He's not earned a place here, and you have.

His curveball made me 50 bucks on the playoffs, Miss Grant.

Well, good. You can take that money and buy yourself a pair of tights.

You're about an hour early, aren't you?

Oh, I was looking for someplace quiet.

Well, you found it.

Do you need to be alone?

I'm not sure.

Would you like me to leave?

No.

Could I offer you half an exhaled tank?

Maybe it would help to talk about it.

See, there's this guy.

There's this guy.

Such a simple declarative sentence.

But it sure seems to be the start of a lot of extremely complicated stories,

doesn't it?

Well, this one gets pretty complicated pretty quick.

It's not as if anyone said it would be easy.

But you're bending over backwards to make it even harder.

Harder for who, Holly?

I'm just trying to build a character.

Of course she's got character, no question about it.

But you can get around her. And how am I supposed to do that?

Sweet talker.

You're good at that.

No, I'm not good at that.

Besides, I'd see through it in a second.

I'm not talking about lying, Holly.

I'm just talking about...

Creating a good atmosphere where he might let his guard down a little and

communicate.

Suppose he says no?

That's the chance you take.

Kind of like the first time my pop ever took me to the horse races, right?

He let me pick the horses in the first three races, right? Me, pick the horses,

okay? All the horses I picked won first place, right? I'm standing there

wondering why everybody doesn't make their living at the horse races.

So what happened?

Fourth race.

Fifth race. Sixth race. So you're just going to give up on the whole thing? Is

that it?

Quinn, why is it so important to you whether or not I can convince your Miss

Grant to give me a hand?

First of all, she's anything but my Miss Grant.

And secondly, because a lot of people at that school have certain preconceptions

about ex -jocks and what we're all about.

You could help change all that.

It sounds to me like there's a lot of misunderstanding on both sides.

You know, what bothers me most is when I think about how I reacted, I came off

like a prejudiced person, and I don't think I am.

It's not the same prejudice that blacks or Jews or other minorities get, but it

is a way of thinking about the disabled that just doesn't give us the same shot

as other people get.

Okay, all right, fine.

Fair enough.

But don't drive her away from you.

Help her understand.

She's never gonna understand.

You gotta realize her world is that school, period.

No. Her world is performing.

And if you can get her to understand just how much alike the performer and

athlete really are, we'll be over the hump.

Okay. I'll hang in there.

Well, I'll give it a shot if you think I should.

Look, I'm only doing this for you.

I think it's a lost cause myself.

Uh, what kind of grade did I give you back in Staten Island?

See?

Some things never change.

Good night, Mrs. Berg.

For some, yes.

For others, fat chance.

Mrs. Berg, have I done something to make you angry?

Say, rather, disappointed.

Well, how have I disappointed you, Mrs. Burns?

It was the summer of 1980.

What was?

National League playoffs against the Mets.

My Mets.

It's the bottom of the ninth.

Two out.

And a count of three and oh.

Mr. Morlock's friend is on the mound.

He takes his stretch.

Checks the bases.

Then burns an inside curve. Strike one!

Second pitch is a swing and a miss for a full count of

three and two.

Then that man broke my heart with a fastball clocked at 104

miles an hour. Strike three!

It's all over.

Wasn't that what he was supposed to do?

He knocked the Mets out of the playoffs.

Mrs. Berg, I'm sorry. Truly, I am.

But I still don't understand why you're mad at me.

Because you're putting him in your show.

No, I'm not.

Then what is he doing in the auditorium rehearsing with your dancers?

Rehearsing?

Driving me wild

This is your time, but don't wait too late.

what it says.

Therefore, be advised that members of the National Grant Committee will be

attending your showcase production on the 19th. Why?

Because I invited them, that's why.

But you know that Leroy Johnson is out with the flu.

Yes, I'd heard that.

Well, then you must also know that I put Danny Amatulo in the role.

Interesting choice.

Well, I thought I'd give the boy a chance to grow.

You know, stretch.

But it's not the sort of thing he's going to do well in front of an overly

critical audience.

May I remind you that you have at your disposal a man who, if given just a

smidgen of help, could save the day for all of us. A man who could have that

committee just begging us to accept their money.

Carl Rogers.

My thoughts per se... Oh, Mr. Morla! You know, it would be beneath me.

To mention the wide range of possibilities as regards the recipients

grant dollars.

Now, you see there?

Grant. Even the name fits.

Maybe a brand new dance floor sounds good to you. Or perhaps some

lockers with real doors on the front of them. Ooh, Quentin Morlock. That's

blackmail. No.

It's just hardball.

Give it some thought.

Mr. Morlock, are you aware of the fact that your friend paid each one of my

dancers $10 to stay after school to help him put a routine together?

No, I didn't know that.

But we are trying to turn out professionals, aren't we?

Seems to me he was just trying to speed up the process.

Not now, Mrs. Berg.

She says she's going to take me out of the show, and that's definite.

She's not the type to go back on her word.

Maybe I should fake an injury or something.

And you're not the type to chicken out.

I don't know, man. I've been talking to some of the dancers, and they said that

guy's pretty good.

So are you.

Yeah.

No, you're all right, Martelli.

I'm trying to make me feel better and all.

Put it there, man. I'm glad to have you as a friend.

Hey, I'm too low. Yo. Free food. Sit. Rest it, Dawes. Please, please.

Thank you.

Here.

Why not just use it? It might be messy.

Holly, I usually don't eat out of a trough. Oh, and you look so cute dressed

like an Italian tablecloth.

Who's got the dressing?

Oh, I do.

Oh, dear.

Uh, here.

Here. I've got some.

I've got four for you.

What? Oh, oh.

Um, I'll get you another one. Don't bother. No, I'll be fine. Just the way I

like it.

Then by all means, help yourself.

I was just trying to help.

Do me a favor and don't. I'm 23 years old, Holly. I don't need a damn

babysitter.

I'm sorry you're disabled.

I really am.

What Holly did was klutzy.

Very well -meaning, but klutzy.

What you did, on the other hand, was done intentionally to be cruel.

So from me to you, please know this.

You better keep that wheelchair of yours off short piers and get it equipped

with pontoons, because if I'm ever standing in back of you, I'm not sure

honestly what I'd do.

Just another pretty face.

Thanks a lot.

Hey, come on. That was a joke.

I didn't get it.

I know.

That's okay.

You don't have to explain stuff to people who really care about you.

Meaning?

Meaning, if this thing with Billy works for you, that's terrific.

If it doesn't, that's okay, too.

Because a bunch of us have gotten to know the person inside.

And we think that person is pretty special.

Everybody thinks that things are different for me.

They just assume that I'm going to make the easy choices. Just because... Go

ahead and say it.

Just because you're pretty.

It's really not fair, you know.

Yeah, I've had similar thoughts.

I don't want everything to be cute and pretty all the time.

I want them to mean something.

You know, I don't care if Billy's in a wheelchair. It really doesn't matter to

me.

Well, if it doesn't matter, if it really doesn't matter, then you just

got to ask yourself one very simple question.

Are you trying to prove something?

To yourself, to us, to everyone?

Like?

Like would you be trying so hard to stick with this guy if he wasn't in a

wheelchair?

Come on.

Let's go home.

Yes, you'll get it. You'll get it. Hey, I'll be here in a minute.

I'm over here in a minute.

I think I pulled something, Miss Grant.

It better not be my leg, Amitula. No, seriously, I think I sprained something.

Danny, I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you're really hurting.

And you're out of the show, no questions asked.

But I want to hear it from you and know you're being straight with me.

I ain't hurt.

I just don't think I ought to be in the show.

And why not?

Because there's going to be a lot of important people there.

And because I hear I'm not as good as the guy I want to be in the show.

And because of you and Morlock and that baseball player where y 'all want to see

who's the most stubborn, I don't feel it's right for you to put me in the

middle.

So there.

This bird is going to kill me.

Hi there.

Hi yourself.

What are you doing out here?

Mr. Caruso is bringing some of my stuff around in his car. He's going to help me

get it over to Queens.

Why Queens?

Bigger club, better offer.

That's nice.

I'm real happy for you.

That's a lie.

Yes. You know, I was giving you a hard time about treating me like you would

anyone else.

Last night, your buddy Doris did just that.

I wasn't thrilled about it.

I deserved it.

But she made me realize I've been using that wheelchair like a sign.

Handicapped.

And I'm not.

What do you mean you're not?

I'm a piano player. It doesn't walk so good.

Where's the handicap in that?

Hey, Billy.

I, um...

Parked a couple doors down.

Do you want us to get the chair? I'll walk it.

You know the synthesizer inside.

Press memory.

All for Holly.

QV flat.

Look like playtime is over.

All my innocence is gone.

I looked over my shoulder.

And saw part of me move on.

Comes a time.

Well...

Get the most out of yourself.

Thank you.

Not too far to Queens, is it?

It's practically next door.