Original subtitles

A man who has the courage to live his dreams and make them real.

Well, here's the way you had to pick the lock to get into this joint. I didn't

pick the lock.

I used a credit card.

You face it, Jesse.

Because he took us for a ride.

Don't give no sign it's there any longer goes on and on.

I just don't belong here.

She is marvelous, isn't she?

Mm -hmm.

No one in this school has a stronger voice.

Yeah.

And she's got the right feeling for the part.

And two... Miss Sherwood, how are you feeling?

Did the words kill me mean anything to you? Oh, I'm so sorry.

It's not for you to be sorry.

Dear and forth I ask the board for... Air conditioning, we get that.

A bottle.

Sealant pad that's been lying around for 40 years.

Sure would you look like a commercial for cold medicine.

Want a slug?

Here's a look at you, kid.

Poor baby.

Is there any word on my replacement?

He's on his way. But you don't have to stick around. I'll hold the port.

We'll get you chicken soup.

Excuse me. May I have your attention, please?

Miss Sherwood has gone home ill.

This class will be taught by a substitute.

A Mr. Quigley.

William Quigley. Is there an echo in here?

No echo, dear lady. You are lost. Looking at the real thing. Welcome

Quigley. Now, you'll be nice to Mr. Quigley. It's usually open season on

substitutes around here. The last one went home with a twitch. Don't worry

me. I've already got a twitch.

You've already got a twitch.

You're a panic.

Don Quixote, is that what you're studying?

That's what it says on the cover.

Mine has no... Get used to it. You got one of the good ones.

Well, we'll have to do something about that, won't we?

However, cover or no cover, what do you think, Mr., um... Velazquez.

Velazquez.

What do I think?

Well, I mean, that may have been one of the greatest books of all time, but to

tell you the truth, it really doesn't do it for me. I think it was all hype.

Yeah,

this crazy old man wakes up one day and decides he's gonna be a knight.

And runs around looking for some great enemy that didn't even exist.

There, you're wrong.

The great enemy did exist. He existed in Don Quixote's time and he exists now.

Then who is he?

The great enemy is anyone who stands in the way of purity, honor,

truth. I don't know.

I think we're talking about a nutcase here. This guy traveled all around the

country with some sword. Tilting at windmills. Yeah, I don't see what's so

about that. I don't either.

But isn't there something great about a man who is blind to the ugliness, the

pettiness, the imperfections of life, who sees a jackass as

a noble steed, a windmill as a giant, and a harlot as

a lady?

A man who has the courage to live his dreams and make them real.

Isn't that what all of you hope to do?

Tomorrow morning.

Any word from the Board of Education about my brass section?

Yes, and the word is no.

Mr. Derenforth, did the Board of Ed say anything about my new dance floor? Yes,

they did, Miss Grant. They only laughed.

No, not now.

Well, would you tell them for me that on this one I'm going to have the last

laugh?

Not any time.

Mr. Derenforth. No.

I haven't told you what I want.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Quigley. What can I do for you? It isn't what you can do for

me. It's what you can do for the school.

Mr. Derenforth, is now a good time to talk about my raise?

And what I have been trying to do, those books have been on requisition.

Requisition meaning no action.

That's not entirely true. They're sitting in a warehouse on 36th.

If my kids hurt and you don't care, then I don't care.

And they've got our name on them. Isn't that so, Mrs. Berg? Absolutely. And

they've been sitting down there for nine months.

Nine months? Well, then I'd say it's time to start delivering them. Don't you

think I have made phone calls? I filled out those requisitions personally. I

hand -signed them and everything. The only thing that's holding those books is

red tape.

Well, I think it's time that someone went down to the board and kicked some

butt.

Mrs. Berg, I'm shocked.

You're also without books.

What would you have me do? Go down there to the warehouse and steal them?

Are you sure this is okay, Mr. Quigley?

Well, you tell me. Look at the condition of these books compared to those relics

that we're using in the school.

That's not what I mean. I just kind of get the feeling that what we're doing

isn't quite legal, that's all. Well, what gave you that impression?

Well, maybe it's the way you had to pick the lock to get into this joint. I

didn't pick to lock.

I used a credit card.

Now, Jesse.

Jesse, this is not theft.

It's merely a way of avoiding red tape.

I wonder what the judge would say about that.

It's just that I don't want to wind up in jail, that's all.

Velazquez, have you ever considered there are some things worth going to

for?

How's it going?

Oh, slowly.

But we seem to be getting the job done.

You two, uh... You work here?

Officer.

If your concern is that my friend and I are stealing these books, let me put

your mind at rest. We are not.

You're not. We are not. We are simply taking what is ours, and I think that

requisition slip will bear me out.

This document is nine months old.

Don't we know it.

All right, Mr. Velasquez, into the truck.

Into the truck.

Start up the engine. Go on.

Sir, excuse me. Is this your signature here?

Don't I wish.

My... My signature is atrocious.

What's he doing?

Starting up the engine.

It's late.

He has school tomorrow.

We both do.

Stay here.

Who told you to start this up?

He did.

I'm hopping away, Sancho. We haven't got all night.

We're getting away.

to take these down to the mathematics class. I just took some books down

Oh, those were algebra. This is geometry.

Now, come on. We want to feed those hungry little minds, don't we?

Attaboy. I just took those books down to the civic class. Fine. Good.

Science, science. Here we go.

How are we doing on history, Mr.

Velasquez? Oh, they're almost ready to go, sir.

Good, good, good, man.

Nicole, would you run these down to the history class for me?

Oh.

Well, come on, how do you expect those hungry little minds to learn? English,

where are my English? Ah, here, here they are, here. Mr. Quigley. Ah, Mr.

Forrest. Good morning.

Ah, good morning.

Good morning. Uh, can you tell me where these books came from? Certainly.

The warehouse on 36th Street where they were being stored.

You actually went down there yourself?

Oh, yes, yes, yes.

You don't think that these books walked here by themselves, do you?

All right, here we go. Out of the way now.

I see.

We'll talk about this later.

It's hurting you.

It's nothing.

See, I just had something in my eye, but it's okay now.

You have a beautiful voice.

Yeah. Well, try telling them that.

Them?

The people who cast the parts for the show.

You know, the ones who make the decisions.

I guess I'm just not a leading lady.

Well, if they're thinking that,

They're making a terrible mistake.

How can you say that?

You don't know me.

To hear you sing is to know you.

I have to go.

Mendenhall, for the last time, a horse is a horse.

A jackass, on the other hand, is a cross between a horse and a mule.

What happens if you cross a mule and a jackass?

Nothing. They both just have fun.

So Don Quixote's this great knight, right?

And Sancho Ponce is his squire.

Oh, yeah, well, I know that. I'm playing Don Quixote, remember?

All right, so then you know the real meaning of the word squire. A squire is

someone who loves his master so much, you'll follow him into hell. Well, I

know if you're gonna go to hell by hanging around Quigley, but you may go

jail. Some things are worth going to jail for, man.

Jell -O, you call this Jell -O?

It's nothing but colored water.

And these sandwiches.

Soggy.

Probably been here for days. Hmm?

How dare you serve this swivel?

Swivel! I'm sorry, madam. Pardon me. I'm sure it's not your fault.

Mr. Quigley, would you mind telling me what's going on? Not at all, Mr.

Derenforth. We are striking back.

We are retaliating against the great enemy.

The great enemy?

I... I don't see any enemy.

That's the advantage he has over us.

He appears to be invisible, but he's not.

I see.

Um, where is he now? Right under our noses.

This is his handiwork. His handiwork? Are we talking about

this jello? Oh, I know it seems like a little thing to you, but is it?

Remember, Mr. D, food is fuel.

Food!

Now, identify it.

Strawberry, he fooled you too.

The great enemy.

He's not just my adversary, he's yours as well.

The time has come for us to defy him. And I say, the time is now.

Have we been dreaming?

Or is there something wrong with our lives?

Honesty has lost its meaning.

Only the heartless seem to survive.

Why do we turn and look away?

Deaf, dumb and blind.

Yes,

we are the one.

It's our quest to fight for honor.

And separate the right from the wrong.

We might lose all that's unjust.

We can achieve impossible dreams.

But if we wait too long, we'll lose everything.

Maybe I got a little carried away by this Jell -O thing.

William Quigley?

graduated with honors from Yale, fourth in a class of 900.

His thesis was on the continued inhumanity of man against man throughout

ages. A rather broad -based thesis, wouldn't you say?

There's more.

Arrested in 1968 for protesting against the Vietnam War outside the Democratic

National Convention in Chicago.

Marched with Dr.

King in Atlanta.

Led a party of dissidents to the steps of the Capitol in 1976 to protest

violations of human rights.

And now this last incident, the Jell -O.

On the personal side, he was married to the same woman for 30 years, no

children. His wife died about a year and a half ago. He went on sabbatical after

that and came back to teaching about three months ago. Mr. Derenforth, is

really necessary? I feel like we're dissecting this man.

On the contrary, Miss Grant, we're trying to put him back together.

By putting him under a microscope?

Doesn't seem fair.

Well, we are talking here about a man who thinks there's a plot afoot because

the strawberry jello is watery. It was raspberry and it was watery.

This is not funny.

If the board ever heard about his little escapade at 36th Street, they would

order a hearing.

Yes, Mr. Sharofsky, and I'm not sure they'd be wrong.

Well, there seems to be a question here.

Question?

Whether or not Mr. Quigley is mentally fit.

Try to stop me, will you?

All right, let him try.

I have faced a great enemy before, and I will face him again.

My loyal squire, I'm glad you're here together.

We will destroy our enemy. address. Hurry.

Are you all right? All right. Am I all right? Of course I'm all right. I'm more

than all right. I'm prepared to do battle.

The enemy is near. We cannot see him yet, but he is very near.

Listen.

Do you hear him?

Not really.

He's been here all the time, waiting, waiting for us.

Oh, no, Mr. Quigley.

Stand by, Sancho.

Ice, strike it low for right.

Sancho!

Mr. Quigley!

Mr. Quigley!

Mr.

Quigley, are you all right?

Sancho, I think I may be in for the fight of my life.

Um... Yes, can I help you?

Uh -huh. I was looking for Mrs. Berg, but, um... See, I need a pass to get out

of school Thursday.

Thursday? Well, all right.

Paper? Well, I'll tell you what. We'll just use the back of one of these IQ

tests. IQ test? Mm -hmm.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Wait a minute, sir.

Can I ask you something?

Who are you really?

You know, I've often asked myself that same question.

Did you ever notice that sometimes people don't seem to be who they really

I mean, it's like they're from another time or another place.

Like there's some magic about them.

Matter of fact, I have noticed that.

About you.

Really? Really.

Because, see... I kind of felt that way about you.

Perhaps we knew each other in another life.

Do you really think that's possible?

All things are possible.

I think that in a previous life you were a songbird.

Me? What else?

And that's why you must never even think about giving up.

Well, who said I was thinking about giving up?

Weren't you?

Maybe.

I mean, I just don't feel like singing anymore.

Is that a crime?

Is that a crime?

Would it be a crime if the sun never rose?

If the ocean stopped roaring?

If the stars never showed themselves in the night sky?

Yeah, I guess.

There you are.

Thank you.

Mr. Quigley.

Mr. Quigley, could we speak with you for a moment, please?

Well, does it have to be now?

I was really looking forward to shredding the rest of these IQ tests.

Yes, well, um...

It's the IQ tests that we wanted to talk about.

These people... I know who these three are. The Board of Education.

33 % of the students in this school score genius. And you administered their

tests. That's right. I did. And there's some thought that you tampered with

them. I did.

And I am tampering with them now.

Why? Because IQ tests are stupid.

Do you really think you have the right to decide that? How dare we? How dare

of us think that we can well determine just what this young man's potential

might be? Just how bright he is? Or this young lady?

Or this girl?

Or any of these people? Do we think that we can simply stick test papers under

their noses and evaluate them?

No!

They are not machines.

Automatons, they are human beings.

Human beings.

Mr. Quigley.

Why, for all we know, this child can go to the moon.

These children can go to the sun.

The stars.

Beyond. Mr. Quigley. Shh.

Listen.

Listen to this young man.

Can't you hear?

He's speaking from his very soul.

And do you know what he's saying?

What? He is saying there is music in him.

And sometimes when words fail him, he can speak through his violin.

And he's saying even though he doesn't understand life with all its

pain and all its pleasure, with all its beauty and all its ugliness.

Still, he loves it.

And through it all, he is saying, IQ tests are stupid!

I think

you

should try again. The part hasn't been cast yet.

I don't know. You have the voice for it. You seem like a burger.

Somebody else told him that.

Hi, Mr. Quigley.

Mr. Quigley?

Sir, couldn't you be going home?

Home?

Yes, sir. It's getting late.

Tomorrow's another day.

That's what Amy says.

She tells me that all the time.

Amy?

My wife.

Yeah, she says that I work too hard, take things too seriously.

You agree with that?

I don't know, sir.

I've never met her.

That's too bad.

You would have liked her.

She was...

She was.

Mr. Quigley, there you are.

Would you care to have dinner with me?

Dinner?

No, no.

I really couldn't do that, too.

Amy, she has dinner waiting for me every night when I...

I think it's just the same.

Uh -huh.

Well, it's, uh... It's really important that we talk.

See, after your... Your...

This afternoon, after that... I, uh...

I met with the board.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I don't envy you.

Well, we talked.

We talked a lot about you.

Well, now you really have my sympathy.

How boring for you.

We have a problem.

A big problem.

They've suspended you.

I'm sorry. I really am.

You're a wonderful teacher.

You have something that most of them don't have. You care.

No!

No!

No!

Mr. Quigley!

I will not just stand by and let this happen.

Mr. Velasquez, get the lights on before he hurts himself.

Never!

Never! The enemy has struck a blow. But they have not vanquished me. They will

never vanquish me. Because I fight for something that they

could never understand. Never!

Hey, hey, come over here, everybody. Over here, right now, right now.

What are you children doing just sitting around playing whatnot?

This is supposed to be a rehearsal.

We don't feel like rehearsing.

Not after what happened to Mr. Quigley.

Look, I feel the same way as you do about Mr. Quigley, but his methods were

a bit too harsh.

Miss Graham, what are you trying to say? That he was wrong for getting us our

books? For getting us to believe in ourselves?

Was he wrong for caring about us?

No, but just caring isn't good enough reason for you to just do what you

Even if your intentions are good.

Even so, it doesn't give anyone a right to put Mr. Quigley in a loony bin,

right? Yeah. That's right.

I guess loony bins have it.

He had a good effect on the students.

He gave them something to hope for, something to believe in.

In a way, he gave the teachers something to believe in, too. He showed us...

Well, he showed us.

Now, I'm going to miss him.

I know you all are, too.

I just think we ought to talk about it.

Mrs. Burke, I don't want to hear about it. I know all about it.

There's still no hot water, only now it's in both locker rooms.

And I know what you're all thinking.

If Quigley were here, we would have hot water. We'd have more than that. We'd

have a new boiler.

Do you know how many times I have asked for a new boiler? Do you?

Well, what would you have me do? Go out and steal one?

The next person who mentions Quigley is in trouble.

I am not William Quigley.

I am just plain old Bob Deerenforth. That's who I am.

And that's, whether you like it or not, all you're going to get.

The dark side of my life

The fear that no one knows

I carry with me

I bring this day to you

And deal with open arms.

With shelter and embrace.

Because if you believe in me, I know I must be one.

Believe in me.

Believe in me.

The times I've turned around.

You always stood your ground.

Your faith was always there.

The time that made you cry.

Why is it so hard for you to admit it?

Because I don't miss him.

I don't.

I don't even feel sorry for him.

He was full of it.

A dreamer. And he tried to make dreamers out the rest of us. And what's wrong

with that?

I'll tell you what's wrong with that.

It's got nothing to do with being in the real world.

It's make believe.

A shadow.

All I know is that I felt good when I was with him.

Yes.

Long did it last.

The man was crazy.

A crazy man who filled our heads with thoughts that had no business being

in the first place.

Face it, Jesse.

Because he took us for a ride.

Mr. Quigley, please.

Are you a relative?

No.

Well, friends aren't allowed to see him.

I'm not a friend.

Well, if you're not a relative and you're not a friend, what are you?

I guess you could say I'm his squire.

What do you say?

It's me, Jesse Velasquez.

From the School of the Arts.

I'm a student there.

I'm in your... I was in your class.

You taught English.

For God's sakes, Velasquez.

I know who you are.

I know where you're from.

I'm well aware of the fact that I'm an English teacher.

Yes. They just locked me up in here. They didn't give me a lobotomy.

So you're all right.

Well, that's a matter of opinion.

If you ask them out there, I really belong on this funny farm, and I'm not

all sure that they're wrong.

What are you talking about? You're fine.

Am I?

How many people do you know,

Velazquez?

Who am I? The way I do.

Let's face it, you just can't go around attacking ceiling fans and expect people

to look the other way.

Yeah, but you don't belong here.

Oh, that's where you're wrong.

This place was made for me.

Here you can do all the things that I do, and they give you lunch.

Okay, so you're a little eccentric.

There's a big difference between that and being crazy.

You better go, son.

Why?

Well, let's put it this way.

I'm glad you came.

But I'm sorry you're here.

You know, we miss you at school.

Everybody does.

It's not the same without you.

Ah, is it, Oak? I nearly leveled that place, didn't I?

Yeah.

Funny.

When someone comes to...

This place, people usually ask, you know, where are you?

And the response is, oh, he's in Bellevue for observation.

But they've got it wrong.

They think the doctors are observing the patients, but the truth is,

the patient who is observing the patient.

You follow me, Velazquez?

Not really.

Sitting here alone like this has forced me to take a hard look at myself.

And after that hard look, I have concluded that I'm a fake.

You're not a fake. Yes, I am. I am a great fake.

I am not the Pied Piper of Hamelin or Cyrano de Bergerac.

I am not Don Quixote.

I'm like that guy in The Music Man.

The Anvil salesman who took the whole town down the toilet by promising them a

marching band.

If you remember the rest of the play, that Anvil salesman eventually did

that marching band.

Yes, I know.

Do you see any marching band, Velazquez?

Help! Help!

I'm being abducted!

Help! It's all right. I've got it under control.

Just taking him for some shock treatment.

You could go to jail for this. Do you realize that?

Some things are worth going to jail for.

He's not taking me for shock treatments.

He's abducting me. What's the matter here? Are you all out of your minds?

Don't you realize that this man is abducting me? A couple of zaps, he'll be

right.

Well... Hey,

Jesse.

Jesse, take me back.

There's nothing for me here.

Don't be so sure, Mr. Quigley.

Hey, nice to see you, Mr. Quigley. Glad to have you back, Mr. Quigley. Mr.

Quigley, great. English hasn't been the same without you. I got the part. I'm

Aldonza. It's great to see you, Mr. Quigley. Welcome back. Mr.

Quigley, you are a sight for sight.

Mr. Quigley, did you hear? They're going to change the way they grade the IQ

test.

Welcome back.

Elizabeth Sherwood, thank you for my English book.

I did it! I fixed the boiler! Who needs the board when you've got Bob Deeren for

it?

I took a page out of your book, made a big stink, and now I've got my brass

section.

Brass section?

That's the spirit. That's the ticket. That's a brass band if I've ever heard

one.