Original subtitles

[theme song]

[shoes squeaking]

[cheering]

Turn around, turn around, come on, move it move it.

No, no, no.

Bend down, pick it up.

Shoot it!

Come on, get it up.

No.

[interposing voices]

Get back, you guys, give him air.

Brian, Brian what's wrong?

[music playing]

Get an ambulance.

Cardiac insufficiency?

What does that mean?

In simple terms it means that your heart isn't

getting all the blood it needs.

What do you do about this cardiac whatever?

Depends on what causes the insufficiency,

treatment ranges from doing nothing to bypass surgery.

Bypass you mean like they did with Arthur Ashe?

Yeah.

Oh but not for you.

If you follow my instructions you should have

a nice healthy, normal life.

You scared me.

Do you know how many pro scouts been out there watching me

play?

I'm a sense first pick in the pro draft.

Not anymore you're not.

But you said--

I said you could lead a normal life, but not

as a pro basketball player.

Boy, oh boy, oh boy.

What's wrong?

This guy had five drunk driving

convictions in two years.

His lawyer's trying to get him off

says he has emotional problems.

So are you saying he doesn't have emotional problems?

No I'm saying that's no excuse for drunk driving.

I mean if he's got a problem he should have known

that after the first couple of tickets because any kind of man

at all he'd turn himself in.

Well everybody's not as strong as you are Mark.

That's true.

What'd they do to him?

They took his license away.

Can you believe that?

What would you do?

What would I do?

I'll tell you what I would do.

I would take his car away from him and make him take the bus

or walk.

Did you ever hear anybody getting

killed by a drunk walker?

You got a point.

[doors slam]

Why are we always assigned to places like this

Don't they ever need you in Hawaii?

Why do you want to go to Hawaii?

Hawaii, are you kidding?

It's heaven.

Mark, Hawaii is nice but believe me it isn't heaven.

You say you heard about this school from a friend?

That's right.

I don't see how that's possible.

Mrs. Tillman told me Mr Maxwell only quit a few hours ago.

Well, perhaps Mr Maxwell mentioned to my friend

he was thinking about quitting.

Oh.

Well, you understand this is mostly janitorial work.

Cleaning up, keeping the furnace going.

Repairing windows.

I'm afraid there's going to be a lot of that.

Why's that?

Two things I am fiercely opposed to.

Ignorance, and drugs.

They go together.

Tell me about it.

Mrs. Tillman started the school to help

those people whom the other schools never bothered

to teach to read, write.

Believe me, there are a lot of them out there.

One of the things I tell my pupils is no drugs.

I need all your brain if you're going to learn anything.

Of course, the steps on the toes of all of the drug dealers

this end of the city.

JONATHAN:

So they break your windows.

Yeah.

But my pupils do not do drugs.

It's a small price to pay.

Which reminds me, did this friend of yours

also tell you this job is only for one person?

Oh good, Jonathan here is--

Working next door at the settlement house.

But my friend Mark here is just a magician

at repairing windows.

OK.

Mrs. Tillman should be back in about half an hour.

She makes all the hiring decisions.

I'm sure there won't be any problem though.

Oh, I'm sure there won't be.

Listen, just because we lost Brian,

we don't quit playing basketball.

Do we Dennis?

When you get in the middle of this defense

you put your arms up.

You get out in somebody's face.

Now, listen if we're going to play ball, let's play ball.

Otherwise go on home!

All right?

All right, let's do it again.

Take it out back to center court.

I want to see some sweat on those foreheads!

Come on, come on, come on!

Now, stay out on him. No, no, no, no.

Stay out on him.

Wing it over there.

Wing it over there.

Good, good.

Now, bring it out.

Quick!

OK, cross this way, now back.

Not-- Hello Brian.

Now, OK bring it up.

Yep.

Can I talk to you a minute? JONATHAN:

Brian, I'm busy right now.

Now, take it back around quick!

That's right.

Now, move your feet!

Get down with it!

Get out of--

Now on the paint.

The man will hit that jump on you 60%.

You were never too busy when I was playing.

All right.

Take 5.

What is it Brian?

I've been trying to call you for a week.

Like I said Brian I've been busy.

Yeah, but I thought we were close.

You know, and like, right now I need somebody to talk to.

Brian, look, um, I am sorry about what happened to you.

I mean, I, I had a whole team set around you.

And now it's like starting from scratch.

Hey, is that all you care about?

Brian I am a coach.

You're damn right that's all I care about.

Wins and losses, they mean my job.

That's the real world, kid.

Now I got you on a full scholarship and you can't play.

That's one less man I can recruit.

You're right, that is what I care about.

Well, I apologize for not dying so you

get your scholarship back.

[music playing]

All right, let's go!

Who's there?

Oh, Brian.

Hi Mama.

Brian, what are you doing home so early?

Brian, what's wrong?

What's wrong, son?

I lost my scholarship.

What?

I lost it.

Oh, they can't take away your scholarship just because you

can't play basketball no more.

They can't get away with that.

We're going down there right now and straightening

this thing out.

Mama, they didn't take it away.

I quit.

Why?

Because I can't pass.

I was going to lose it anyway.

What do you mean you can't pass?

You got a B average.

Because somebody else took the test.

What?

Mama, got an A in French.

Do you ever hear me talking in French?

I never even been in the class.

How long has this been going on?

Ever since I started school.

But the day I found out, they won't do it anymore.

There's no way I can pass.

Oh Brian, now you don't know that.

Mama, I can't read.

[music playing]

That's a lie.

It's true.

Oh, dear God in heaven.

Ever since you was born I said to myself,

this boy is going to have an education.

He's gonna--

[crying]

I'm sorry Mama.

Hey, it'll be all right.

Hey, I'll get a job.

Hey, I'm still big stuff in this neighborhood.

It won't be tough finding work.

Wait and see.

Come on, move it!

[whistle blows]

Charging, no basket.

No way, man.

Ain't you got no eyes?

He was blocking.

He had position.

I said no basket.

Red team out.

I didn't charge.

Ask him.

You didn't only charge, you traveled.

Play the game.

Red team out!

Thanks.

I mean you look like--

Oh no.

[interposing voices]

You is really dressed up fine today.

You figured you'd run into old Tyrone, that it?

Hey well, how come they didn't have no teachers like this

when we was in school, man?

We was underprivileged.

Don't go hiding yourself behind those school books.

Why don't you pick up the ladies books.

Well look here.

We got ourselves a real live hero here

come to rescue this pretty fox.

What if I decide not to pick up the books?

What you gonna do about it, hero?

You don't want to know.

Oh, hey you hear that?

This here is John Wayne.

[laughter]

Well, it's 3 to one Duke.

You make your move.

3 to 2.

Well, lookie, lookie.

The big basketball star is here.

Hear you got a bad heart, brother.

You just better back off.

I've got plenty of heart for you Tyrone.

Now, get out of here.

Thanks again.

Here you go.

Thank you both.

It's our pleasure.

I'm afraid that's one of the drawbacks

of teaching at Miss Thomas's.

You're a teacher?

You hardly look like you're out of college yet.

I'm not, but I get college credit for doing this.

I am going to graduate this year though.

From State.

State? Really?

That's where I go.

Well, I mean, I used to.

I know.

You're Brian Baldwin.

I thought I recognized you.

I saw you take Tennessee apart.

Scored something like 38 points.

39.

School record.

Yeah, you know your stats miss--

Julie Reynolds.

Here's my friend at work.

Hey, nice job.

Yeah, it does look pretty good if I do say so myself.

Well, thanks again.

Both of you.

It was a pleasure,

[class bell rings]

Gotta go.

Julie.

Will you have dinner tonight?

You're just as fast off the court as you are on it.

If you don't want to--

Sounds good to me.

7:00, 7:30?

7:00.

See you then.

Hey, what kind of school is this?

Like the sign says, literacy.

Like little kids?

Not just kids, anybody that wants

to learn to read and write.

Come on in, I'll show you around.

Um, some other time.

I got to go.

I'll see you tonight.

[piano playing]

You have any idea what Sole Veronique is?

Huh?

The one right below the lemon chicken.

Yeah, I'm going to have a steak.

You're no help at all.

Brian, why did you leave school?

You were just getting ready to graduate, weren't you?

Yeah but, If I couldn't play basketball I,

I wasn't gonna stick around.

There are a lot more things in this world

than just basketball.

I've heard that before.

Well, it's true.

Have you folks decided?

Yeah, I'll have the Bill Marsala, a salad

with the house dressing.

Sir?

Steak, uh, medium rare.

Which steak Sir?

We have several on the menu.

Oh, which steak?

Let me see.

The stakes are on the other page, sir.

Oh, I know that.

Let me just take a look at that.

I can see why you were having such a problem.

They all look so good.

I heard the porterhouse is the best though.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

Porterhouse, medium rare.

Same salad.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

[music playing]

I'm sure you'll get along fine here at Sports Gear.

Having a major sports figure like yourself

as one of our sales representatives

is always good for our image.

You saying I got the job?

Oh, didn't I mention it?

It's in the bag.

Uh, there is one question though, uh, this heart thing.

How bad is it?

I mean, we don't want you keeling over on us.

Hey, no sweat Mr Weston.

Doctor said I'll be just fine as long as I don't try

to play any more basketball.

I can get you a letter if you need it.

Oh, sounds fine.

Sounds fine.

As soon as we get this, uh, aptitude test out of the way,

I'll take you up and introduce you to Mr Lee.

He's the head of sales.

Aptitude test?

Oh sure, it'll take you about 10 minutes.

Miss Mara will show you where you take it.

All right.

Um, you wouldn't mind if I go to the men's room first?

Down!

How you doing?

Jonathan, right?

Right.

It's a small world, isn't it?

Yeah.

Great, we're stuck.

ah, it'll start up again in a minute.

It figures.

This just ain't my day.

That bad, huh?

I just lost out on some kind of fine job.

And I had it too.

I was this close.

And?

Just lost out.

What was the problem?

Who knows.

Hey, why don't you check that emergency box?

There might be some instructions written in there to get us

out of here a little quicker.

What does it say?

It says read it yourself if you're in such a hurry.

Hey, look I'm sorry.

I guess I'm just a little upset about not getting the job.

It's all right, I understand.

It must be pretty frustrating not being able to read.

What?

Oh, come on Brian.

You're not the first person I ever met that couldn't read.

There's an awful lot of folks that can't, you know.

I never said I couldn't read.

Then go ahead and read it.

What's it to you anyway?

What do you care?

You just saved my skin the other day.

As far as I'm concerned, that makes you a friend.

Yeah?

Well, if you want to be a friend,

why don't you get this elevator moving?

Sure.

Amazing what you can accomplish

if you want it bad enough, huh?

[music playing]

Hey Brian.

Yeah, I heard you was back out on the street.

How's it going?

What do you want, Sticks?

Hey, I thought we might talk.

You know.

About what?

About Old times.

We've been buddies a long time, remember?

Look, I hear you're looking for work.

I could always use a good man in my business.

Dealing drugs?

Hey, don't knock it.

It buys all them nice toys.

It buys nothing, Sticks.

No hope, no class, no life.

You know, you talk real big for a man who ain't got squat.

I was just trying to help out an old buddy, man.

We were never buddies.

[music playing]

You forget a lot, Brian.

I forget nothing.

Hi.

Hi, come on in.

I'm just finishing up.

I can't read.

Do you want to learn?

What?

I said, do you want to learn?

Lady, I just told you I can't read, and all you got to say

is do I want to learn?

I mean, I'm a full grown man and I can't read.

Look at me.

What do you see?

I see a girl.

A girl I like.

And I just told her I can't read.

Well, look again.

In this room I'm a teacher.

And a damn good one.

If you want to learn, you came to the right place.

I mean, you be looking at me thinking, Oh boy, uh, what

an idiot.

Only when you talk like that.

Could they be private?

You know, like no kids around.

I could do that.

But I won't.

For you to come into my classroom

and learn alongside everybody else

is an important first step.

Takes a lot of courage.

The rest of the students already know this.

When they see you there right beside them,

they'll know you know it too.

But, to show you what a friend I am I'll bend the rule for you

just once.

Your first lesson will be private.

You mean, now?

Right now.

You are going to learn to read.

Then later you can take me out for dinner.

Yes ma'am.

Brian, how are you doing?

Just great man, I'm just great.

Hey, and you tell your friend I said thanks a lot.

For what?

He'll understand.

Oh, just don't shoot, don't shoot.

[ominous music playing]

Easy son.

Come on take it easy.

We've got you.

This one threw a rock through the window of the school.

Yeah, right next to the one I just put in.

Why'd you do it little brother?

I ain't your brother.

I ain't nobody's brother.

I'll tell you what you are.

Stoned.

That's what the kid is.

He's stoned.

How's Terry?

He's coming down.

His sister's with him.

What about his parents?

Still at work.

He'll be all right, she's been through it before.

It's hard to believe people deal to a kid that age.

Any age.

Did he say where he got it?

In this neighborhood it's somebody working for Sticks.

You can't live around here and not get into drugs sometime.

You live in this neighborhood, you're not into it.

Hey, I've been through it.

Me and my friend Cecil, we called him smoke

because you couldn't catch him.

In high school we was the, the dynamic duo.

Butch and Sundance.

I was good, he was better.

At one point we tried some dope after a game just to unwind.

I was lucky I didn't like it.

Smoke, he wasn't so lucky.

Where is he now?

He's dead.

He died of an overdose in his senior year.

Well, maybe you could do something

to help the rest of the kids in this neighborhood.

Like what?

Every kid around here wants to play basketball like you do.

They look up to you.

So?

So help them.

Work with them, coach them.

Let them know what drugs did to your friend Smoke,

what drugs will do to them.

What makes you think they'll listen?

If one of them listens, you could save one life.

How many people in this world can

say they saved a human life?

[music playing]

Think about it, Brian.

Yeah, I will.

I'll see you.

He's a nice kid.

I wish the boss could do something for him, you know?

Fix his heart or something.

Maybe the boss has something more

important in mind for Brian than just playing basketball.

Come here. Come here.

You got-- Come over here.

You got to keep yourself between the man in the basket.

You understand what I'm saying to you?

Oh now, come on.

We're going to try that one more time.

Put your hands up. Come on, let's hustle.

Let's go.

All right, you see how that works?

You see how that works? That's all right.

Now, come on you guys. Just gather around here.

Come on. All right, all right.

Hold on.

All right. All right.

You guys are looking good.

You guys are looking good.

It won't be long before we're ready to challenge

some other teams around this city.

[cheering]

Wait, but before we do, I have something

I want to talk about with you.

Now, you want to play basketball on my team,

you got to be clean.

[laughter]

Oh, come on.

You smell up under your arms, but I'm talking, I'm serious.

I no there's people telling you that dope

will help you play better, but I'm

telling you that they lying.

You want to get better?

You got to be clearheaded and straight.

Everything has got to be working.

Dope shuts part of you down.

So when them punk dealers come around,

I want you to tell them that Jonathan

and me, we're declaring this turf off limits to drugs.

All right? - OK.

- Yeah. - All right.

Come on.

All right, one, two, three clean.

Hey-- - Clean!

ALL: Clean!

All right, all right.

I'll tell you something, you make a great coach.

Uh-huh.

I'm serious.

You motivate those kids.

You know, if I were you, I'd think

about coaching as a profession.

Need a degree.

And I'm a long ways from that.

Maybe not as long as you think.

Julie tells me you learn pretty fast.

Oh, she did?

Mhm, she did.

You could save one life.

Nice shot brother.

Told you, I ain't your brother.

That's right, you did.

You could be a great one, Terry.

Yeah?

Yeah.

- Let me play on your team? - No.

Why not?

Because we have a clean team.

No drugs.

Hey man, I don't take no drugs.

That other day was the only time.

Hey, don't try to jive me little brother.

I live in this neighborhood too, remember?

All right.

I won't anymore if you let me play.

You've got to stop for yourself, not for me.

What do you need that crap for anyway?

You're an athlete, you got gifts, you got brains.

Use them.

You've been going to school?

No, school ain't for me, it's for the brainy ones like you.

Like me, huh?

Can you read?

Yeah, sure.

Well, I can't.

Bull.

I'm telling it.

Straight I'm learning though.

And I'm going to keep on learning.

We all got brains, we just have to use them.

I'll make you a deal, you stay clean, you play for my team.

And you go to school.

That's all?

Not quite.

There's something else I want from you.

What's that?

I want you to help me with my reading.

[music playing]

Deal?

Deal.

Hey Terry, what's shaking?

In the car.

Missed you kid.

I ain't seen you in a while.

Yeah, I've been busy.

Yeah, I know.

Busy bouncing that ball up and down, huh?

Yeah.

You know, hurts old Sticks when one of his dealers

stops dealing.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, I know.

Um, I don't want to no more.

All that money you made, you didn't like the money?

Yeah, the money was fine. but--

But what?

Look, I'm clean now.

I don't need it, so I don't need the money.

Sticks, I just don't want to deal anymore.

You don't?

No, I don't.

You hear that Tyrone?

He don't wanna work for me no more.

He wants to hang around the next big man, Brian.

What do you think about that Tyrone?

I think it looks bad, man.

When word gets out people are quitting on you man,

uh, I don't know.

You know, I think you're right.

So why don't we just take a little ride

and talk about this, huh?

[somber music]

[suspenseful music]

I'm going to get sticks.

I'm going to kill him for this.

Come on, Brian.

What's that going to accomplish?

I owe it to that kid.

You owe him more than that.

You owe the kids in this neighborhood more than that.

Look, you're doing your job now.

Let the cops take care of Sticks.

Well, they better do it fast.

Because if they don't he's mine.

Got any ideas?

Yeah.

Let's go shoot some pool.

[music playing]

Scratch.

Hey man, what you think you're doing?

I'm looking for Sticks.

You looking for trouble if you don't

put that ball where it belongs.

I said, I'm looking for Sticks.

I wanna make a buy.

You want to make a value deal with me?

I'm not talking a couple of nickel bags.

I want to see the top man.

Half a mil.

You give Sticks a message for me, OK?

Yeah.

Yeah, OK.

Tell him meet me tonight at the Candle

school school, 11:00.

We'll be inside, we'll deal there.

Why the school?

Because it's clean.

No narcs will be checking it out.

You don't deal with people you don't know.

If he doesn't deal with me, I go right to Cardelli.

To who?

You just tell Sticks what I said.

10:45, I didn't think they'd ever leave.

Well, the man wants to learn to read.

Let's go.

It's locked.

Why don't you go ahead and make the phone call.

All right.

Hey, you sure you know what you're doing Sticks?

I mean, this guy knows Cardelli, man.

I don't care who he knows.

Anybody dumb enough to walk around with half a mil on him

deserves my attention.

Yeah, yeah he's dumb.

He's dumb, but maybe he's setting you up, man.

What do you mean he's set me up?

You don't think I got any blow in this case do you?

Empty.

[laughs]

We gonna burn him Tyrone.

Hey Willie.

Yeah?

Look here, after Tyrone and I go inside you

and Coyote go around the back.

And I don't want any surprises.

JONATHAN:

Right, you got it.

Now, let's go do some business.

[laughter]

I'm sorry I did so lousy tonight.

I just can't seem to get my mind off of Terry.

I understand.

Look, why don't we stop and go get some pizza,

and take it back over to my place?

Sounds good.

Oh, wait a minute.

What's wrong?

I left all my test papers back at the school.

Can't you get them tomorrow?

They have to be graded before school tomorrow.

Come on then.

You're right on time.

Punctuality is my middle name.

Tyrone.

All right, let's make this quick.

Got the money?

Right on the desk.

Let's see.

You want to count it?

No, I trust you.

All right, let's see the stuff.

Right here.

Oh.

Must have picked up the wrong case.

[laughs] You, uh, have a good night now gentlemen.

Come on, they're getting away.

Mark.

Come on, the law isn't here yet.

It will be.

Man, I can't believe they was that dumb.

Hold it.

Well lookie here.

Brian and the Fox.

Early for school, aren't you brother?

Over there.

You're just in time.

That fool tried to kill me.

He's here with the other two.

They up in the classroom.

Open the briefcase.

Slow.

Sure.

It's full of money.

Brian and those other two, they thought I was a dealer.

Offered me all this money.

And I try to tell them--

Nobody here but a schoolteacher.

All right.

Move it, come on.

Let's go.

We found these three out back.

I tell you, this ain't my stuff.

It's those other dudes.

Save it, Sticks.

Read him his rights on the way down.

All right, come on, let's go.

Come on.

Move it, move.

All right, come on let's go.

Move it.

You all right?

Yeah, I'm just fine.

You realize you'll have to come down and make a statement?

We'd be happy to.

Stick's Henderson If convicted could

receive consecutive life sentences

that will total over 100 years.

We at the Tribune take our hats off to Brian Baldwin,

a young man who has become a bigger star off the basketball

court than he was on it.

He is an inspiration to this community.

[applause]

Uh, you know, uh, there's been a lot of things written

about me through the years.

But nothing that meant as much as this.

Not because of all the nice things

they said, but for the first time in my life

I can read it myself.

And I thank God for the school, and so should all of you.

[applause]

[interposing voices]

Mrs Baldwin.

Did you see Mark and Jonathan?

Uh, no.

Not a soul.

And I've been here for about 10 minutes

trying to get up the nerve to come in.

What?

I got a feeling I'm about to become your oldest pupil.

Don't worry about it.

I have a feeling your teacher may become

your future daughter-in-law.

[laughter]

[music playing]