Original subtitles

He's a first -year student, Elizabeth.

They're baby birds, and already he's gonna clip their wings?

Lydia, your baby birds want to be performers.

They're going to have to learn to deal with criticism.

Somebody, somebody, somebody, that's how you say it. Just maybe someday, I'm

gonna be a big star.

St. Clair, what you wanna fall?

I'm waiting for her, I gotta talk to her.

Yo, you're gonna have a long wait, cause she quit.

What do you mean she quit?

She quit school.

You got big dreams?

You want fame?

Well, fame comes.

And right here is where you start fame.

Yeah, I was totally humiliated. Yo, darling, you were in rare form, and I

rare form. Seriously?

Yep. You're not kidding me.

Hey, look, this is a tough crowd at this table.

Oh, yeah, if we liked it, it was good.

I know, we wouldn't lie about a thing like that. You know us two and Bud, man,

we were great. Good.

Chris, man, you were great up there. I mean, the way you got up there and sang

was great.

You really know how to work a room. Hey, hey, hey, Mouse.

Want to talk about working rooms?

Work this one.

You mean you're going to let me get up there and do a number?

No, no, no, no. I mean do a number on the tables.

The dirty dishes are piling up.

That's why I pay below the minimum wage for them.

Come on, come on, come on, come on.

Lovely, Lou. You bring new meaning to the word heartless.

What do you want from me?

Why don't you give Cleo a shot?

I can't. The kid's not ready.

I mean, she needs seasoning.

Hey, my clientele are very discriminated. You expect very

performers here at the lounge. How do you know she's not ready if you don't

her a chance?

I feel these things in my guts, kid.

Oh, well, yes, obviously this is a very difficult act to follow, Lou.

This song is great. I just twisted it.

Come on, baby. Try to shake it out. See if you can walk on it. Shake it out.

Shake it out.

Honey, Chris, take it to the nurse's office. This isn't serious, though. I'm

sure. I'll be all right for sure.

Have her put an ice bandage on. I'll be better by next week. Darling, let the

nurse take care of it. She'll let us know. Okay, I'll just go put some ice

on it.

Oh, people, we got trouble.

First year student's concert is in six days, and we just lost the lead dancer.

What about Cleo, Miss Grant?

Well, yeah, Miss Grant, what about me? I can do it. I know I can.

Oh, honey, you know, I think an advanced student would have trouble picking all

of this up in six days.

I put you in this class so you could see where you have to go to, but... Baby, I

just don't think you're ready yet. Miss Grant, I'm readier than you know.

And I can coach you, no problem.

Well, all right, okay, Cleo's shadow, okay.

All right, come on, we've got some work to do. Let's go.

Good class, huh?

Yeah, really good class.

See you around.

See you.

Did I miss something?

Was that code you two were talking?

No.

Jesse and I thought about it a lot, and we're going to date other people.

We're just going to be friends.

You and Jesse?

Mm -hmm.

Just friends?

Mm -hmm. You're kidding yourself, Chapman. It cannot happen.

It's impossible for a boy and a girl to be friends.

Oh, yeah? What about you and Doris? Yo, man, but we never went steady. And

besides, I've known her for years.

I can handle it.

As of right now, I am available to the entire female student body.

See, man, now I'm worried. Why? See, because now there ain't no one left for

Doris? Yeah, Miss Sherwood. Is there anything I can help you with?

Yes. Chris has to do some makeup work for English class. I was wondering if

have a job for him on the paper.

Oh, Miss Sherwood, no.

Oh, Mr. Donlan, yes.

No, actually, it's no.

You know, I mean, Tom's open. The paper's only been in operation for a

Everything's filled.

Will you try?

Why don't I try just a little harder?

Doris, um... Since I'm the faculty advisor and you're the editor...

Think we can work something out here, don't you?

Why, Miss Sherwood, I'm surprised at you.

Do I detect a little rank pulling?

You could say that, yes.

Well, ordinarily, it'd be you I'd fold, but I can't possibly help you. What

about drama critic?

That's Ron Klein.

He quit while you were at lunch yesterday.

He quit?

Just like that?

Boy, some people have no sense of responsibility.

Isn't it a shame?

Hey, it's no law.

The guy stunk.

He liked everything.

Glad to have you on board, Donovan.

What did you think of the chador?

Well, it wasn't bad.

It was a little rough around the edges.

A little rough?

I don't think I could have been worse if I were to dance on my crutches.

Don't hold back. Say what you feel.

So what did you think of the show?

Not bad.

Not that good.

Not that bad.

Yo, let's go get some pizza, man.

Danny, there's still a second act.

Oh.

So, Elizabeth, what do you think of the show?

I thought it was fine.

You know, we lost our lead dancer college just six days before we started.

Really?

Can't tell that to the ticket buyer.

I mean, if I put my hard -earned cash down, I don't want to hear any excuses.

On the other hand, six days is not a lot of time.

I think I'll go backstage and tell the kids what a wonderful job I think

doing.

You sure?

Can I talk to you for a minute?

Certainly, Craig.

Okay, all right.

Oh, well, I'd like to show.

You're the critic. You tell me.

I didn't like it.

I'm sure I don't know what to write.

Craig, just remember they're first -year students.

Try to be constructive.

Constructive?

Hmm.

Electric lipstick.

Girl with fame to make sparks.

Holly, what are you reading?

The personal ad from the school paper. Wait.

Wait, I have another one.

Senior with exceptionally developed... Please.

I just ate.

Nicole. Here. I have another one for you.

Gorgeous girl with fabulous figure.

Seek. Man of action.

You want to actually put that in there?

No, I just made it up.

Holly, with all the guys that are after you, you're going to advertise you are

asking for trouble. Nicole, just...

as a joke. Let's have a little fun.

You're sick!

Seeks man of action with a sensitive soul.

Trapped in a great body.

Very important.

Must be romantic, intelligent, and a good kisser.

Signed, Dangerous.

Do you think anyone like this actually exists?

Jesse?

to go warm up for class, so I'll see you over there.

Dwight, tell me I haven't missed the deadline for the personal ads. You

missed the deadline for the personal ads.

Wait a minute.

You're putting an ad in the personal column?

No, it's for a friend.

Right.

Dwight, not my ad.

Sure. Sure.

It'll be our little secret.

As editor for the personal column, I consider it an honor to accept your

Thanks, Dwight.

Why does she want to place an ad when she can have me?

I don't even believe this. I was so terrible. I was just...

Oh, please, Cleo, you wasn't terrible.

I wasn't even good.

I wasn't even half good. But you were good.

Look, Cleo, you had commitment.

Some of your moves were right on the money. What are you talking about? You

good. Yeah, but some of my moves were right on the money.

I don't understand why you're being so hard on yourself.

You only had six days to prepare.

I couldn't have did it in six days. I couldn't have did it in ten days.

You know what I mean? I couldn't have did it in a month. You over here

complaining.

Well, baby, don't do this to yourself. You were good. Believe me.

I feel good.

Thanks, Levi. You really made me feel a lot better.

He was all right.

You were good.

Thanks.

Bye, Chris.

Bye.

Hey.

What's she so happy about?

I just told her how terrific she was.

In the show?

Yeah, in the show.

You got a problem with that?

No, not really.

I know she wasn't that terrific, but she wasn't that bad either. I mean... Why

do I have to hurt her?

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Don't you think she'd want to know the truth, though?

Well, there's little truth and there's big truth. And if a little truth is

to hurt someone, why bother? I mean, that's the way I feel about it.

Here you go.

First year student concert smash hit.

Let me see that.

Chris, you told me you didn't like the show.

What's the big deal, Miss Sherwood?

I don't want to hurt nobody's feelings.

You hear constructive criticism every day in this school. You write what you

honestly think about what's good, about what's not so good, and how it can

improve. You think I can do that?

Yes, I do.

Here, file that.

Under balloon.

One per person, please.

One, Tony. Keep it real.

Don't get too crowded.

One at a time. Keep it slow.

Don't get too crazy. One at a time. One per person.

One per person and one at... Excuse me, Miss Grant.

Oh, no.

Good morning. What's the matter? Have you read Chris Dallin's review?

No, it came in right before the deadline.

First year student's concert starring Cleo Hewitt fails to impress.

The major disappointment of the evening was the dancing of the star. Miss Hewitt

could use a little more seasoning before attempting another leading role. Oh,

God. Miss Grant.

Holly, how could you do this?

Nicole, why are you so uptight?

Your name isn't on it. Who's going to know?

I'll know. It's degrading.

Don't be so sure.

You might get lucky.

I don't want to get lucky, Holly.

Check out that accent.

Just how long before we get the responses to that ad, Holly?

I'm really sorry about your review, but don't pay any attention to it. Everybody

bombs.

I guess they do.

Listen, Cleo, it's not like you're really a dancer anyway.

And if I were a singer, I'd probably have egg all over my face too.

Cleo.

Cleo!

Hey, don't you think you said enough?

You should talk.

Pull up, Eartha. Eartha, pull up.

Very nice, Cleo.

Pull up, Holly, honey. Up, up, up, up, up, up.

Change sides. Stay in it, Cleo. Pick it up.

There you go.

Pick it up, Cleo. Pick it up.

Listen, Miss Grant, you do not have to single me out by telling me that I'm

because I know that I'm not, okay?

Cleo, I am the teacher, you are in my class, and I'll tell you when you're

and I'll tell you when you're bad.

Honey, you can't let what one person says about you get you down.

And if somebody takes a swipe at you, you just work your little buns off until

you're happy with yourself.

Miss Grant, I don't know if I can.

Something troubling you, Mr. Donlon?

Since when has it been Mr. Donlon?

Since you appointed yourself critica absoluta.

Miss Grant, I really don't think what I said was that bad.

You singled that girl out.

But I had to. She was the lead.

Boy, this is really something, you know?

I didn't want to be no drama critic in the first place.

It was a lousy homework assignment.

I told Miss Sherwood I didn't want the job, but she kept saying, Chris, just

tell the truth. So I told the truth!

Miss Sherwood.

Yeah.

Now, wait a minute, Lydia.

I'll grant you that what happened is unfortunate.

Unfortunate? Why don't you try disastrous?

I mean, where did he get off making a headline out of Cleo Hewitt fails to

impress? I don't like the way Chris handled it any better than you do, but

has a right to his opinion.

Right? What right does he have to come down on those kids?

These are first -year students, Elizabeth.

They're baby birds, and already he's going to clip their wings?

Lydia, your baby birds want to be performers.

They're going to have to learn to deal with criticism.

Constructive criticism, yes. I'm sure Chris thought he was being constructive.

Then it falls on you, Elizabeth. You are the faculty advisor. You should have

stopped him.

Lydia, I will not impose censorship on the school paper.

We're not talking about censorship.

We're talking about discretion.

Well, then why don't we just bring back Ron Klein? He liked everything.

I was just about to suggest that.

Listen to this one.

Gorgeous girl with fabulous figure seeks a man of action with a sensitive soul.

Trapped in a great body, must be romantic, intelligent, and a good

Signed, Dangerous. I mean, that sounds just like you. How do you know I'm a

kisser? Well, you know the girls, man. They talk.

Hey, man, what kind of a nerd would place an ad in the personals? It is just

cool.

True.

Take a letter, Amitulo.

You gonna answer it?

Tired of being treated like just another hunk. That's good. And it's classy.

Underneath... All these muscles lie with the soul of a poet.

Show strength.

Dear Dangerous, I am a semi -attractive guy, also romantic

and intelligent, trapped in a semi -great body.

I would like to get together with you for the purpose of sharing our innermost

thoughts and feelings.

Signed, Hopeful.

Hey, Dwight. Hi, Holly.

Thanks. You too.

Please, God, let it be me.

Nicole.

Please, God, let it be me.

Ooh, but I don't want to open these, Holly.

Nicole, if you don't, I will.

Too dangerous.

Semi -attractive guy, also romantic and intelligent, trapped in a semi -grey

body.

I'd like to get together with you for the purpose of sharing our innermost

thoughts and feelings.

Signed, Hope.

Oh, he sounds sweet.

Sweet but risky.

This guy must be an exchange student.

Never.

You're dangerous. Tired of being treated like just another hunk.

Oh, Holly, this is the guy.

Beneath all these muscles lies the soul of a poet. A sign irresistible.

Oh, Holly, this is definitely the guy.

I want him.

Hey,

Leroy.

You seen Cleo?

What you want her for?

I'm waiting for her. I got to talk to her.

Yeah, well, you're going to have a long wait because she quit.

What do you mean she quit?

She quit school.

I know what you're doing, Miss Grant, and I think you're thinking.

Why do you say that, Christopher?

Don't you think a little criticism is good for you? Isn't it going to make you

better dancer?

You can keep me here all day. That's fine, because I can take it.

But don't pretend it has anything to do with my dancing.

All right, let's go again.

I've worked dances harder than that, Elizabeth.

Chris Donilon is not going to break.

That boy's tougher than you think he is. Lydia, we're not talking about the same

thing.

You were punishing him for writing that review.

Do you think that's being a responsible teacher?

Do you think it's being responsible to let him stay on the school paper?

I think he has the right to make some mistakes.

To learn. from them he has the right to make mistakes but he doesn't have the

right to hurt people not that way elizabeth that girl has feelings of

does aren't you forgetting chris has feelings too i have to meet

me friday night i hope i'm not making a mistake well you're gonna find out i

gotta tell you something i've been up nights trying to figure out who

is Look at these bags, man. I've got to find out whether I've still got my good

looks. What if she's not beautiful?

I mean, is beauty really so important, man? What if this girl got a great

personality?

One thing you've got to know about me, Amatulo, when it comes to women, I'm

shallow. Me too.

Look, what if that's her?

You know, forget the personality.

Buddy, buddy.

He wrote you another letter?

Irresistible wants to meet me Friday night at Lou's Lane.

Are you going?

Oh, Holly, I don't know. I've got to find out who this guy is. I mean, what

he turns out to be a dork?

Yeah, the average guy with a personality is likely to be a real lame -o.

As opposed to the average girl.

Right.

You've got to crack Mendenhall.

I want his name and I want it now. Who is irresistible?

You? I thought Holly was sending in the letters to the personal.

All right, well, who is it? Who is it? Come on.

I'm not at liberty to reveal that information.

All right, but if this guy turns out to be doofus, I'm holding you personally

responsible.

Dwight.

There was another letter we found hopeful, and the guy sounded really,

sweet. Oh.

In your case, I might make an exception.

It was... No.

No.

I can't.

My lips are sealed.

Help it.

Coward! Doris, whose side are you on anyway?

Why do I have to be on anybody's side? Why do I have to be... Hi, Chris.

You don't have to stop talking because I'm here.

We don't?

Hey, I didn't kick Cleo out of school, all right? No, you just opened up the

doors and pointed her in the right direction. Get out of my face, Johnson.

look, we don't have to act like Vikings, do we?

Sorry if the truth hurts, man, but that's the way it is. You got it.

The truth does hurt, Amatulo. That's exactly right.

Hey, it's all you tonight, Cleo. Knock him dead.

Looks like they're already dead.

Good evening, fun seekers.

Whose lanes?

Pleased to present the Eddie Fisher of the 80s, our very own Chris Donlan.

Let's hear it.

I'd like to do a particular favor to mine.

Waves of laughter, waves of pain.

I stumble blindly in a dream.

The brightness of my life is seen.

And there's nothing left.

Illusions hide through the

pages in my mind.

Hey, kid, what are you doing here so late?

You're supposed to be over at 8 o 'clock.

Uh, yeah, well, I'm waiting for somebody.

Yeah. Well, you hurry up and wait, because we've got to close up to play.

Quick.

Leo.

See you later.

Yeah, well, um...

I just want to say I'm sorry about tonight. I mean, with everybody walking

on you.

It's not your fault.

Well, maybe it is. I mean, it must have really hurt you inside.

I'll get over it.

Yeah, you'll get over it.

It just takes time, right?

Right.

Look, I'm sorry my review hurt you so much.

Well, yeah, I'll get over that, too.

You know, a lot of people got wrapped their first time out of the box.

Betty Davis, Fred Astaire, Katharine Hepburn.

And they all became stars.

Could happen to you.

My name is Cleo Hewitt.

And someday, just maybe someday, I'm going to be a big star.

It's a beating of the heart, and I hope they die inside.

They say the streets are paved with soul, but it's still a kind of cold

Stepping on the sidewalk, feet are stuck beneath the feet.

It's just a handful of turns, as I keep bound to me.

Though it's locked before in the room, and it takes more than a day.

I was up tonight, and the price is high. Somehow she can't help it.

Well, you're pretty good at feeling sorry for yourself, too.

Leroy, I thought you were my friend.

I am your friend.

That's why I wanted to tell you something, Cleo. I mean, you got talent,

we've all gone out of our way to give you special treatment that you really

don't even need.

And Darwin's been paying the price.

Where are you going?

To apologize to my friend.

Here you go, Schwartzy.

Am I in on time for the deadline?

Yeah, we're good.

My review.

How can you review something that isn't until tomorrow night?

That's not important.

What's important was that I loved it. It was great. I should have been there.

How can you love something that you haven't seen?

I don't know.

But he gave it a rave.

Just what they wanted to hear.

They?

Us, I guess.

You know, if I'd written a bad review, everyone would have said, well, it's

Mendenhall, what can you expect?

I might have been forgiven right away.

But with Donlon, I've no quarter.

He's marked for life.

I don't believe this, Twine, but I think you just had a very interesting

insight.

I mean, how can we know when we're good if we're afraid to know when we're bad?

That makes two.

Put it to bed.

Right, Chief?

I think Donovan's lost his mind.

You know, to make a positive review now is like a... A mockery. Exactly.

You know, first he buried Cleo. Now he's going to praise her?

I know, and she's not even in the show.

Exactly.

Hey, Schwartz, what's this?

Looks like the school paper to me. I take it you read it? How could you print

it?

You wanted a good review for your show, and you got one.

Yeah, we wanted it, but we wanted it last week that you went and would have

meant something.

You know, this is something Ron Klein would have done. I mean, the guy don't

the best taste in the world, but yet he never betrayed us. Chris didn't betray

us. If anything, we betrayed him.

And if you can't see that, you're a lot dumber than I am.

If anyone's dumb, it's been me.

Cleo, what are you doing here?

I got some work to do on my dance.

All right, Cleo.

I'm not sorry I told the truth.

I mean, I was truthful about my opinion.

I know now I could have been more careful in how I wrote my review, but I

just trying to do the right thing.

I wish people would understand that.

But you know, even with everything that's happened, I think you should

know that if I had to do it all over again...

Probably do it the same way.

Anyway, that's all I got to say.

Chris?

I think if I had to do it again, I might do it differently.

Where did he say he'd meet you?

Over by the pinball machine.

Oh,

be still, my heart.

I go to make perfection.

Wait a minute. Where are you going?

I don't want to miss the magical moment.

Day.

What about the minute long?

Hi. Hi.

Hey, Danny. How you doing? Good.

Yo, Nicole, what's up?

Yo, Jack.

Nothing much.

I didn't know you liked pinball.

I don't.

And what are you doing here?

Just hanging out.

But what about you? What are you doing?

Same thing.

Now that's what I call entertainment.

Let's give him a big hand before Carson takes him away.

You're irresistible.

You're dangerous.

Under what muscles lies the soul of a poet?

Gorgeous girl seeking man of action since when?

You decided we were just going to be friends.

I didn't decide that. You did.

Whoever did it was dumb.

Yes, it was, wasn't it?

We need another arrangement, Jesse.

All right.

How about there?

I think I got it.

I can date other women, but you have to remain true to me.

Try again.

I was kidding. I was kidding.

I was kidding. I was kidding.

waiting for.

Ladies and gentlemen, the kid who could be the next Jerry Vale, Christopher

Dahmer. Hey!

But I put this wing to bed.

Not anymore, Lou.

I'm going to be a big star.