Original subtitles

[theme music]

- Hey, Arv. - Hey, Dennis.

Oh, don't look at Pauline Scott.

Got it. You owe her money, right?

No, I like her.

Oh, not bad, Arv. You know her?

Well, we met last night at this Ingmar Bergman film.

We just talked for a minute, but she's very bright

especially when it comes to movies.

Arvid, don't be so shy. Go talk to her.

Okay, but I've gotta do this with style and sophistication.

Right. I'll handle this.

- Hey, you! - Okay.

Yeah, you! Come on.

My friend here wants to talk to you.

- Beat it. - Dennis?

Go ahead, Arvid, talk to her.

[chuckles]

[gibberish]

Hi. How did you enjoy the Bergman film last night?

Great. "The Virgin Spring" is one of my favorite films.

Yeah, I'm waiting for the sequel. "Get Lucky Summer."

[laughing]

Anyway, Arvid is a real genius when it comes to films.

You oughta hear him talk in our, uh, film society screenings.

- "Film society screenings?" - Uh-huh.

Really? I didn't know there was a film society at Fillmore.

Oh, De-Dennis is just--

Just, uh, the projectionist.

Uh, Arvid here is the president.

I'm impressed.

And I'd love to join. When is your next meeting?

- Tuesday. - So soon?

- Yes, Tuesday. - Alright, we're cool.

Great. I'll see you then.

Ciao.

- Uh, ciao. - Ciao.

Film club? Tuesday?

Arvid, I just did you a huge favor.

Tuesday could be your lucky day. Don't blow it, pal.

[instrumental music]

[sighs]

[instrumental music]

Arvid's got the hots for some new girl

who's a real film buff.

'So he told her that he's president'

of our film society.

- Oh, no. - Arvid.

What a scam. Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.

Yeah, Arvid, I don't wanna be used.

- Yeah. - Huh, what a creep!

Dirt bag.

Now, wait a second. Let's not be too hard on Arvid.

Well, I think, it's kinda sweet and romantic what you're doing.

Yeah, I mean, maybe she's right.

And besides, a film society

might give us an opportunity to see some films

that we haven't had a chance to see.

You know, maybe we could show some Indian films.

Sure we could, "Broken Arrow"

"Son Of Paleface," "Harry And Tonto."

No, I was thinking more of "Pather Panchali"

uh, "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne."

Uh, yeah, me, too.

Good morning, everyone.

- Morning. - Good morning.

- Hey, Mr. Moore. - Wait a minute.

We have to get a faculty sponsor for the club, don't we?

Oh, yeah, what about Mr. Moore?

Oh, oh, oh, oh, hold it.

[chuckles] Look.

I'm already sponsor for your Radio Club.

Uh, I'm a part-time faculty advisor for the newspaper

and I seem to get continually drafted

into directing these musical productions.

So you'll have to find somebody else for this thing, okay?

But the film society meeting has to be on Tuesday.

- Yeah. - We need a sponsor fast.

- 'Yeah.' - Film society, huh?

- 'Yeah!' - 'You've got it.'

Okay, everybody, remember, we elect Arvid president.

- Terrific. - Great, great, great.

And remember to act like we've been meeting

like this for a while.

Wait, wait, wait. How do we do that?

- Yeah. - Uh, talk film talk.

Words like, um, "Oeuvre," "Auteur," "Film Noir"

oh, and, uh, "Hollywood Hack" is always good.

- Shh, shh. - Here she comes. Here she..

Ahem. So, uh, Eric..

What do you think of Fellini's "Louvre?"

Uh, I think that's between him and Mrs. Fellini, huh?

- Hey, Arvid. - Pauline, hi.

This is so exciting. I've been looking forward to it all day.

I-I can't wait to see what he is gonna do.

What we're gonna do. I'm gonna do. I'm the president.

I know. Shouldn't you be up on stage?

Oh, yeah, right.

Hi, Arvid.

Hi, Mr. Moore.

Can I help you?

Uh, I just wanted to, um

check the podium.

Solid.

If you need anything else, I'll just be down

in the audience there.

[sighs]

I always like to let him start the meetings.

You know, politics.

Well, I guess, we might as well get started.

So I'd like to begin by welcoming you all

to the first meeting of Fillmore's new film society.

New? I thought you said--

We-we had to dissolve the old one.

I guess the first order of business

should be electing a new president.

- I thought you were president. - I am.

I just like to, well, you know, let them

reelect me every so often.

It's, uh, just a formality.

Any nominations? Anybody want the job?

- I'll do it. - Janice! Shh!

No, Janice has a right to run

for president of the film society.

Oh, forget it, um, I thought you meant

president of the United States.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Okay, um, anybody else?

I rise to nominate a man

whose passion for film, though recent, is second to none.

A man who has written over 400 letters

protesting the use of colorization.

A man who puts the film in Fillmore.

Your very own Arvid Engen.

- I second! - Arvid!

- 'Hey, Arvid.' - 'Arvid, Arvid.'

- Arvid. - Okay.

Any other nominations?

I guess you're it then, Arvid. Congratulations.

If you'd like to take the podium..

- 'Whoo!' - Alright, Arvid!

[indistinct chatter]

- We love ya. - 'Yay, Arvid!'

Thank you. Thanks.

- Thank you! - Great.

Thanks.

Well, I see a lot of new faces out there.

So why don't we welcome our new members?

Will all those attending for the first time

please stand up?

[yawning]

Oh.

'May I extend a hearty'

film-society welcome to you, Pauline.

Uh, as your president, let me assure you

that I'm always here for you.

- 'Aw..' - 'Ooh..'

Uh, order, order, order.

Okay, okay.

My first official act as president will be to..

...ask Mr. Moore what my first official act should be.

Well, it is a film society.

Choose a film to show.

[mumbles] Obviously.

But what film? Any suggestions?

Well, um, how about "Citizen Kane?"

- There you go. - That's a good idea, Arvid.

"Citizen Kane?" Not that again.

Yeah, not that old chestnut, uh..

Come on, guys, something we can really sink our teeth into.

Uh, how about "Birth Of A Nation?"

I've never seen anything by D.W. Griffith.

- Perfect, Arvid. - Sure, I would.

[scoffs] That old hack? Come on, guys.

- How about "Body Heat?" - 'Yes.'

- 'Ooh.' - "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne."

- "Hell Cats Of The Navy." - You know..

I would like to see the original "Breathless."

- Alright. - "Breathless."

It's a good idea.

Uh, Godard was on the cutting edge

of the French New Wave and "Breathless"

is a watershed film in cinematic history.

- Great! Terrific idea, Simone. - Alright.

"Breathless?" This is your idea of a serious film society?

Yeah, come on, Simone. Get with the program.

You know, you're walking on thin ice with me.

Uh, Pauline, do you have a suggestion?

Why not something really challenging?

Like Wajda Hog's "Warsaw Dreams."

- Say what? - What?

Uh, it's a Polish film from the '50s. Yeah.

Uh, I've heard of it, but I've never seen it.

They say it's brilliant.

Heavily influenced by the early German expressionist

but also informed by Italian neorealism.

Right, "Warsaw Dreams" is exactly the kind of film

I want for this society.

Bravo!

Yeah, bravo!

- Oh, bravo. - Bravo, bravo.

I'm just saying it's an extremely obscure film

and I wouldn't have the first idea where to find a print.

Ex-excuse me, Mr. Moore, I'm the president.

Uh, let me worry about it, okay?

You have my personal guarantee.

[instrumental music]

I called three video stores

and two foreign film distributors.

Nobody has any Wajda Zog films.

Tell me about it. I have been all over the city.

Everybody's heard of "Warsaw Dreams," nobody has seen it.

In fact, most people said if I find it, send 'em a copy.

Dennis, what am I gonna do?

[sighs]

- Smile. - "Smile."

Uh, my-my-my world as I know is finished

and you're tellin' me to..

- Hi. - Hi, Arvid.

You're getting famous. The man who found "Warsaw Dreams."

- Oh-ho-ho. - It's quite an accomplishment.

Oh, it's-it's nothing really.

In fact, it's really nothing.

- Something wrong? - No, no.

I just, uh.. But if something were to go..

I mean, would you.. If something.. Uh..

I just don't want you to feel let down

if it's a to-total disaster.

Are you trying to tell me something?

I guess I'm trying to tell you that no matter what happens

with "Warsaw Dreams," I still like you

and respect you and-and wanna date you.

Whatever.

- Arvid, mornin'. - Good morning.

Hi. Did you, uh, see "The Times" movie listings this morning?

- Uh-huh. - Uh-huh.

"Friday noon at Fillmore High School, of all places

a screening of Wajda Zog's lost masterpiece "Warsaw Dreams."

Pretty exciting, huh?

I'm so proud if you.

Yeah, congratulations.

With all this publicity, it's gonna be a sell-out.

Very good work, Arvid.

[chuckles]

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

Mr. Moore, can I talk to you about "Warsaw Dreams?"

Sure. Listen, where did you find it?

- I didn't. - Well, I think..

- What? - I can't find the film.

What do you mean you can't find the film?

- Well, I-I-- - There is no film?

Not one copy in the entire city.

- Dennis told me you had it. - I know.

And someday when I have a car, I hope to run him over.

But we-we put up posters, we sold tickets

I, I-I notified the newspapers.

- I-I invited Rex Reed. - Oh, I know. I-I know.

This is gonna be really embarrassing for you, Mr. Moore.

I-I-I'm sorry, I really am.

No. I think it's gonna be far more embarrassing for you.

Well, you are the president of the film club.

I'm simply the former faculty advisor.

Oh..

Now you were doing this

just to impress Pauline, right?

How did you know?

Arvid, uh, eh..

- You saw the movie "Ten?" - Yeah.

You remember Dudley Moore goes to a dentist

and ends up suffering through a root canal

just to find out where Bo Derek is going on her honeymoon?

I would never underestimate

what a man will go through for a woman.

[chuckles] I-I'm, I'm sorry, Mr. Moore.

Mm. So am I, Arvid.

I think your idea of a film club was a good one.

Mm, too bad it's gonna come crashing down

before even it gets started.

Not necessarily.

What?

[instrumental music]

We have two days left.

If you all work together

'maybe you can pull Arvid out of this mess.'

Well, if we can't find it, what are we supposed to do?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Look, you are the IHP.

You're research rats, right?

Janice, you can start at the library.

Look up, y-you know, all Polish magazines, newspapers.

Find out everything you can about this director Zog.

Um, I know you read Russian. Do you read Polish?

I'll learn it tonight.

I guess I could give the Polish Embassy a call.

I'll hit the Museum of Modern Arts.

[indistinct chatter]

No, nothing. Huh, we looked everywhere.

Yeah, we found all kinds of raves about "Warsaw Dreams"

but no one could tell us who the distributor was.

- What? - Yeah, sorry, Arvid.

- Sorry, man. - I know, really sorry, Arvid.

Thanks. Thank you.

Hey, plenty of time, plenty of time.

We don't actually have to have the film

in our hands till tomorrow.

Dennis, I don't wanna talk to you

for the next 20 years.

- Janice, did you find anything? - Sorry, Arvid.

I need at least the weekend to learn Polish.

- All those Zs are tough. - I understand.

But I photocopied this for you from "The Who's Who."

"Wajda Zog left his native Poland in 1965

"to try his luck in Hollywood.

"After being fired from the set of "The Munsters"

"for coming to blows over grave differences

"with Al Grandpa Lewis..

"...he left Hollywood.

He was last known living in New York."

Great news, huh?

Huh. There's ten million people living in New York.

Arvid, wake up. How many Zogs can there be?

- How do I know? - One.

"Zog's Fine Tailoring."

I am Wajda Zog.

Uh, no, no, no. We're looking for Wajda Zog, the filmmaker.

Oh, film-schmil, making movies, making suits.

It is all the same. It's all in the cut.

Anyway, what I can do for you?

We're looking for a copy of "Warsaw Dreams"

for our film society.

Ah, yes, "Dreams."

My greatest triumph.

Film critics went crazy nuts over it.

Film students sent me papers about its symbolism.

Universities wanted me to lecture.

Mamie Van Doren kissed me. Oh!

It was something, let me tell you.

Uh, i-it sounds fantastic.

- Do you have a copy? - No, I never made it.

- What? - What?

It doesn't exist.

It was only a little bit of film and a lot of talk.

I mentioned it once to some snot-nosed young critic

Rex Reed.

I was trying to raise money to finish it.

Next thing I know, he writes about it in some film journal.

Pretty soon it snowballed, everybody's talking.

Turned out to be the best movie I never made.

Alright, wait a minute, do you have anything

anything at all of what you shot?

Uh, bits and pieces.

I told you it's an unfinished movie.

No, wait, I do have a completed "Munsters"

that's not too shabby, if you like.

But I'm not responsible for the grandpa scenes.

Listen, we'll take it, uh, the-the movie.

- "The-The Munsters." - Right.

Take it, borrow it, burn it.

- We got it. We got it! - Wai-wai-wait.

We got what? It's an unfinished film.

Oh, Arvid, who cares as long as

it is "Warsaw Dreams" by Wajda Zog?

[instrumental music]

[indistinct chatter]

- Nice suit. - Oh, thanks.

Closeout sale at Zog's. Better hurry down.

Ah..

Uh, looks like we're gonna have a full house.

Yeah, uh, Mr. Moore, we did tell you

that this film is unfinished.

Look, nobody's gonna hold you responsible

for shooting the film. You're just screening it, okay?

Write it up. No pun intended.

Uh..

A-a-attention, your attention, please.

Uh, the film is about to begin.

If, if you could be-be seated, please.

Um, a-as Mr. Zog

explained to me personally

uh, "Warsaw Dreams" is a story of a Polish game-show host

and his fiancee, a driving instructor

whose new student is Death.

[chuckles]

'Uh, uh, by the way, there are also'

a couple of cans of crab meat in the film

that not even Mr. Zog could explain.

But, uh, if you do enjoy seafood

then this, of course, would be..

Why-why don't we just let the film speak for itself?

Den-Dennis, would you just run the film on? Thank you.

[applauding]

[whirring]

[speaking in foreign language]

[speaking in foreign language]

[applauding]

Augusta.

[instrumental music]

[speaking in foreign language]

[speaking in foreign language]

[speaking in foreign language]

[grunts]

[speaking in foreign language]

[piano music]

[speaking in foreign language]

[applauding]

[chuckles]

Uh, uh, thank you for coming.

(Arvid) Uh..

- That was a critic. - 'Now..'

Look at the bright side, Arvid.

At least Rex Reed didn't show up.

Mr. Moore, the film society is a disaster.

Oh, come on, Arvid, it's off to a shaky start

but, uh, at least it's a start, hm?

Stay in focus.

Can you believe these cretins?

Walking out of a, of a Wajda Zog film.

I mean, these people are filmic morons.

I know, I mean, I loved

the symbolism of Death as a driving student.

- Great. - I didn't quite get the ending.

Oh, well, that was, you, uh..

What that was all about was

uh, the..

Whew, that Zog, whoo, what a giant. He's..

Arvid, I'm sorry everyone took a hike.

Well, at least you stayed.

That's what's important.

Well, I stayed because you stayed.

Well, I stayed because you..

Wai-wait a minute. Did you like the movie?

Did you?

Only if you did.

Well..

I'm not really as much of a film freak as you are.

I mean, you're so smart about films.

I wanted to impress you.

I hope you don't hate me.

[chuckles] Hate you?

Look, I know less about films than you do!

I-I just did all of this to impress you!

You know what I hate? I hate "Warsaw Dreams!"

- Me, too. - Oh! Oh..

Uh, maybe giving your girlfriend crab meat means you're engaged.

[laughing] So what do you like?

Oh, "Dumbo."

- I love "Dumbo." - Really?

- Let's go rent it. - Okay.

Remember that part when "Dumbo" is in the tree with the crows?

Oh, I love that part.

Oh, and when the zookeeper takes mommy elephant away.

- I cried. - Oh..

Remember that cute little mouse? What was his name?

Uh-uh, Timothy. I named my blanky after him.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

Hey, Arvid.

I hope you're not mad at me about getting you involved

in that whole film society thing.

Man, things are working out great for me and Pauline.

In fact, Dennis, just to show you there's no hard feelings

I set you up with her friend, Tiffany.

Wow, great! She's cute?

[sighs] Cute is for children. Tiffany is beautiful.

And she is into adventures, thrills, excitement.

She even flies her own airplane.

Really? When do I get to meet her?

Saturday at the airport.

Huh, great! Thanks, Arv.

Gee, you're a good friend, Arvid.

[chuckles] No, I'm not, I told her he was president

of the sky-diving club. Makes his first jump tomorrow.

[laughs]

[theme music]

[music continues]