Original subtitles

- Father, I did an awful thing.

And I'm sorry.

- Excuse me, Mr. Trask, but it's awful not to be loved.

It's the worst thing in the world.

Makes you, makes you mean and violent and cruel.

And that's the way Cal has always felt all his life.

You never gave him your love.

You never asked him for his.

Cal's going away, Mr. Trask.

But before he goes, well, you have to give him some sign that you love him

or else he'll never be a man.

He'll just keep on feeling guilty and alone unless you release him.

Please help him.

Please try.

Come on now. Talk to him before it's too late.

- I can't. I can't. Please try. Please try.

Can't leave.

Is there coffee around here?

I'll get you some in a little bit.

Is there anything to read around here?

- There's something in me.

Believe it was born in me and I, I couldn't help it, but that's not so.

A man has a choice.

You used to say that was where you were different from an animal.

See, I remember.

A man has a choice, and it's the choice is what makes him a man, see?

It's, see? I do remember.

- Look, I can't find any coffee.

- Get out!

- Look.

- Cal.

Do, do something for me.

- Yes.

- That woman.

The nurse.

Can't stand her. Get me another.

- What did he say?

- He said, "Don't get anybody else."

He said, "You stay with me. You take care of me."

- Oh.

- Side straddle hops.

Ready? Exercise.

One, two, three.

One!

- One, two, three. - Two!

- One, two, three. - Three!

- Ready. Hike!

- Band, mark time. March!

Left, left, left, right, left.

Left, left, left, right, left.

Left, left, left, right, left.

You've heard the best country and western,

brought to you by all the folks over at Wiggins Sell Barn.

- Stay tuned. - How you feeling?

- Oh, I'm feeling pretty good.

Right after this- - What time do you think you're gonna be through?

- He said in a couple more hours.

I don't know why it takes him so long every time.

- Well, aren't you supposed to be out there?

James Dean, movie star... Good night!

I'm gonna get killed leaning against this.

Was killed late yesterday afternoon.

Who'd he say?

- What? - Who'd he say died?

I wasn't listening.

Something about some movie star.

Listen.

Come on, Jimmy. Where you going?

Jimmy J.!

- Charlotte! Charlotte!

You got a dime? Give me a dime.

- What? - Come on. I need a dime.

- What's the matter?

I just heard something on the radio.

I can't believe it.

- What?

They're saying Jimmy Dean's been killed.

- James Dean? - Come on.

Give me a dime, will ya?

- I don't think I got any change, Jimmy.

- Eugene! Eugene, you got a dime?

- Give me a dime, will you? - Here. Take it.

What is it, Jimmy? Jimmy!

Eugene, get back in line.

- Who ya calling? - Billie Jean.

The line's busy.

- You promised me you wouldn't see her anymore.

- I wasn't seeing her, Charlotte. I was just calling her.

- Where you going? - The radio station.

- Hey, Jimmy. - Howdy, Jimmy.

- Hey, what's going on?

- Hey, Charlotte, what's the matter?

- James Dean is dead.

This KCON in the heart of ASTC.

And here's Tom with the morning news.

- New York, The French delegation walked out

of the United Nations General Assembly last night.

The walkout came after the UN decided by a one-vote margin

to take up the highly controversial issue of Algerian independence.

France bitterly opposed the move.

Denver, James Hagerty, White House Press Secretary,

says President Eisenhower had a restful night last night,

and his progress after his heart attack continues

to be satisfactory without complications.

Hollywood, rising young film star James Dean

was killed last night when his sports car collided

almost head-on with another car

at an intersection near Paso Robles, California.

He was 24 years old.

Turning to sports, the Dodgers won the third game

of the World Series yesterday, making it Yankees two games, Dodgers one.

We're supposed to have partly cloudy weather

through tomorrow, with a high this afternoon near 58.

No rain is forecast.

This is Tom Bonner, and we'll get back to the music now of Campus Capers.

- Jimmy! Hey!

Hey!

I've been looking all over for you!

I heard about it.

- So?

- You got two phone calls back at the dorm.

- I don't wanna hear about any phone calls right now.

All right, you hear me?

- Well, one was from your mama.

She said to tell ya that she's coming down here this afternoon

with your aunt and your little brother

on their way to see a show in Little Rock, and they want you to go

and to be sure and wear a tie.

And the other call's from Billie Jean Turner.

- Billie Jean?

- She's trying to get a hold of you.

- Hello.

No, this isn't Billie Jean.

It's Melba Lou.

Who's this? Oh, hello, Jimmy J.

I don't know if she can come to the phone.

She can't talk for cryin'.

Billie Jean!

I?

Oh, She knows all about it.

He uncle, who's just as crazy for movies as she is,

called up from Bakersfield.

Woke us up first thing this morning.

You know, I never did see that movie.

What was it called? Something about Eden.

Well, I seen a lot of pictures of him though.

Yeah, she must have over 200.

He's just as cute as a button.

Oh, I know. The phone's been busy.

I've been talkin' to some friends.

Oh, okay. All right.

Billie Jean!

What?

- I got Jimmy J. here on the phone.

Now do you or do you not wanna talk to him?

Oh, I want to.

- Jimmy, we haven't seen you in a long time.

You deserted us.

Oh, here she is. Okay.

Oh, my god, my, my god, my beans are boiling over.

- Hello, Jimmy.

Did you, did you hear what happened?

Yeah, you were the first one I tried to call when I found out.

Only one in this whole town.

Don't you talk forever. I'm expecting a call.

- What? No, I'm not all right at all.

Really, I'm about to fall to pieces.

Well, I just been lookin' at pictures of him, and, thinkin' about him.

And I've been trying to contact his spirit.

What?

Yeah.

Oh, yes. Oh, Jimmy, please come and get me.

This is "Monitor."

And now from Hollywood, a special report- - Yeah.

On the death of James Dean.

- Jimmy J., more news.

- Charlotte, switch it to NBC, 920 on the dial.

There's more news.

- Here's some napkins.

- They didn't have a grapette, honey, so I got orange crush.

- That's okay.

- Turn it up, will you, Charlotte?

Won't you turn it up, damn it?

He was an extreme individual, a nonconformist who believed-

- Barbecued beef, extra sauce. Coleslaw.

- Coleslaw. I had coleslaw.

- Barbecue ham. Jimmy.

Here's your barbecue ham, Jimmy.

But likable, lovable.

I can't tell which is coke and which is root beer.

However unusual he may have been,

no one will argue that his talent was not outstanding.

Hollywood will be talking about James Dean- - Is he alive or dead?

And what he was and what he could have been- - He's breathing.

- For a long time to come. - Here's your coke, Jimmy.

- Hanley, can you eat and drive at the same time?

Yep.

- I gotta go pick up Billie Jean, Charlotte.

- Billie Jean?

Yes, Pat, Billie Jean. Is that all right with you?

- It's all right with me if it's all right with Charlotte.

- Is it?

- Do you have to?

- Charlotte, she admired him every bit as much as I did, and you know that.

- Jimmy, he was only a movie star. It wasn't like-

- What the hell did you say?

- I said he was only a movie star,

and it wasn't like he knew him or anything.

- There's ice everywhere.

- Oh, what the hell?

- Goddamn. - Barbecued ham all over the car.

Shit. Look at that.

- Shoot. I just washed my hair last night.

- That's just the kind of thing Jimmy Dean would've done.

Hey! You sure made a mess of the interior of my car, roomie.

- I did? Well, I guess I couldn't help myself.

If you figure out why I did it, you let me know, all right?

- Did you promise Billie Jean you'd come by and pick her up?

- Charlotte, she's over there.

She's got nobody to talk to.

She's all upset. She's crying.

- Well, I don't care if you don't care,

'cause I don't consider her the least bit of competition.

I feel sorry for her with a reputation like that and a mama like that.

- I'm sorry about your car, Hanley.

- It's okay.

- Billie Jean?

- You can just turn right around and keep on goin'.

She's not goin' anywhere.

Mama!

- She is not goin' anywhere till she cleans up her room

and vacuums that house from top to bottom.

She was out last night till all hours with some boy I never even heard of.

Took a brand-new dress of mine without even asking.

Then she comes home looking like she's been mauled to death.

She's not goin' out when she can help me.

I don't care who died.

Mama! Jimmy!

- I've locked the door, and I've got the key.

- You let me out of here!

- Oh, you hush up.

- I'll call ya after a while.

Mama, you're a pissant!

- Don't you call me that.

A pissant!

Did you hear me? A me? pissant.

- You call me that one more time! Oh!

Pissant!

- Pissant! - Oh.

- When I see someone with a mama like that,

I thank my lucky stars that's not me.

- She had her when she was 13 years old.

- How do you know?

- I was at the glitterin' Jesus one night

and heard her tellin' some truckers about it.

They didn't believe she had a daughter 17 years old.

Where to now, Jimmy J.?

- Well, let's go to Palarm. - I feel like getting drunk.

- Yessiree!

- Jimmy, wait!

So what's happening?

- Sig Tau, Phi Lamb pledges are having

a beer-drinkin' contest this afternoon over at Doyne Hall.

How about selling us a couple of six-packs?

- You don't have I.D.?

- No. - Okay.

- I don't want beer. I want Old Crow.

- Jimmy J., did Eugene ever find you?

He was looking for you in the bookstore.

Eugene? No.

- Coach was looking for you too.

Hey, Jimmy, will you get me some cigarettes?

- Yeah.

- Charlotte, I don't see how you put up with him.

As sweet as he is, I couldn't do it.

I'm always nervous around him.

You never know what he's gonna do.

- He'll outgrow that.

But that's what I don't like about Billie Jean.

She just eggs that on.

- Can I help you?

Yeah, I got to get some coca-colas.

Give me about half dozen cokes, all right?

Some paper cups. And the cokes are real cold, yeah?

- They sure are.

- Okay, then give me about a half dozen cokes and some paper cups

and the Log Cabin Democrat and a pint of Old Crow.

-And one pint of Old Crow.

You old enough?

- John Law stays parked out there on that highway about 70% of the time

trying to catch my ass selling liquor to adolescents.

- Well, I'm not an adolescent.

- Show me the I.D. that says you're a man.

- I left it at school.

- Then I can't let you have the Old Crow.

You still want the cokes and the paper cups and the Log Cabin?

- Yeah, and give me two packs of Marlboros.

I shouldn't even let you have the cigarettes,

but you'll just get them somewheres else.

- How much I owe you?

2.25.

- Here's two dollars and 25 cents right there.

- Midnight, don't y'all come in here unless you got some cash.

I ain't giving you more credit.

- I got some cash, Mr. Thomas.

- Midnight just rollin' in money.

- I got a job at the rendering plant driving around,

picking up dead animals.

- Is that what I smell?

Get that rendering fat truck out from in front of my store.

What in the world do you mean? Good grief!

Bringing that thing in here smelling like that.

- Start the car, Hanley.

Open the door, Frank.

Come on. Open the door, Frank.

Come on, Hanley. Let's go!

Let's get out of here! Come on!

- Hey!

Officer Henson! Officer Henson!

- You stole that.

- Come on, Hanley! Can't you go any faster than this?

I'm driving as fast as I can.

- Oh, my god. - You're a thief!

Frank, he's a thief!

- Well, get down, Pat.

I don't want anybody to see us.

- Rum! Rum!

Three bottles of rum!

Hey, come on, Hanley!

Turn off the first road down to the river!

Let's go down to Toad Suck Ferry!

- Hey. You gonna ape face?

- I'm gonna pass out.

-All right, I'm up.

Little rummy-tummy there for you, honey?

Get me something to drink, will ya, Hanley?

- That's not enough. - I want more than that.

- Get some. - Jimmy.

- Oh, thank you, Hanley.

Here it is. They put it on the second page.

"Actor James Dean meets death in automobile crash."

-A lot of people say he was just an imitation Marlon Brando.

-A lot of people are jealous and full of shit, Pat.

- Everybody got a drink? - Yeah.

Yeah.

How many movies did he make?

- "East of Eden's" only one been released.

And then I read in the paper where "Rebel Without a Cause" is gonna be out

in Memphis in about a month.

And then they just finished making "Giant."

-Ah, you sure are making a big fuss about a neurotic movie star.

- You ever see the movie?

- No.

You saw it, didn't you, Pat?

- Yeah, I liked it.

- I loved it.

- Me too.

- I've seen it four times.

Changed my life, Frank.

Billie Jean's seen it 22 times.

- Jimmy, I don't see how a movie can change your life.

- Well, it did.

- Well, what's it about?

- Well, it comes from a book.

And, it's about two brothers.

One of them's good and one of them's bad.

Except the bad one isn't really bad.

They just don't understand him at all.

And, well, while I was watching the picture,

I realized that the whole thing is really about Cain and Abel.

You know, being your brother's keeper and all that.

'Cause the title comes from the Bible,

from the part, where after Cain kills his brother

and the Lord sends him away.

"Cain went out from the presence of the Lord,"

"dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden."

Now, what does all that have to do with him?

I don't know.

Jimmy?

Jimmy!

- Crazy.

I feel like someone I've known all my life has died,

and I never even met the man.

It's so dumb.

- I don't think so.

- You don't?

- No.

I remember how my father behaved when President Roosevelt died.

Oh, I must have been about, about nine years old.

He went into his room, closed the door and threw a chair against the wall.

Over and over he just kept throwing this chair against the wall.

And he never cried.

He just kept throwing this chair against the wall-

- Oh, I know. Believe me.

I could throw something too right now.

'Cause you know how I feel? I feel cheated.

I just feel cheated of all the great things

he would've done that I'm never gonna see.

Everything I've ever read about that man,

we were so alike in so many ways, it's incredible.

He was a basketball player. Grew up on a farm.

He never knew his mother. I never knew my father.

I'll tell you how dumb it is.

I was even thinking about going out for a play this year.

That's how dumb it is.

- Oh, I don't think that's- -And I wish that they'd just stop laughing,

'cause it's not nice to laugh at people.

- Jimmy, they're not laughing- - Yes, they are! They're laughing!

And why don't you just stop laughing?

Why don't you just stop laughing?

- Hey! What you kids doing down there?

- Here. Hide the rum. - Yeah.

We're just having a little picnic.

Just having a little wienie roast.

- Looks to me like you're trespassing.

- Mr. Phillips?

Who knows my name down there?

Oh, I'm Frank Martin, Mr. Phillips.

Pete Martin's boy.

- Yeah, Frank, I didn't recognize you.

My old eyes are goin'. How's your mother and dad?

Oh, well, they're fine.

They're both just real fine.

You want a cold beer, Mr. Phillips?

Sounds mighty good, Frank.

Sounds mighty good.

- We got some cold beer down here. Hanley, give me a beer.

Here you go. Open this bugger up for you.

Get this out.

- Ah! - There you are.

Wet your whistle.

It's good stuff.

We're just down here having a little picnic.

We're not trespassing anymore.

- I wish we had some wieners.

- Well, I got one, Pat. Abig, nice fat one.

- Did you buy some? Where'd you get some?

You're nasty!

- That's not nasty.

- You know that's nasty.

Frank, Hanley's being nasty again.

- Hey, Frank sure made old man Phillips happy with a single can of beer.

Don't you wish it took so little to make you happy?

- You laughin' at me?

- Hey, he wasn't laughing at you. Were you, Frank?

You weren't laughing at Jimmy J., were you?

- Shit!

- No, I wasn't laughing at you.

- Let's make a fire.

- Pass me the church key, Frank.

- Shit.

You gonna mix rum and coke and beer?

- Yep.

- Well, if you're gonna get sick- - I'm gonna have a good time doing it.

- Shit, the fire's hot!

What's he doing?

I can't tell. Can you see what he's doing?

Hey, Jimmy J.!

Jimmy J., what are you making?

Something out of mud.

- Mud? - We gotta watch the time.

I don't want to have to rush to get ready for tonight.

Oh.

Now, what in the world is that?

- What's it look like?

It looks like a man to me.

- I know. - I do too.

- It's Oscar. - I knew it.

- It's Academy award.

- This isn't Hollywood, Jimmy.

This is a sandbar on Toad Suck Ferry at the Arkansas River.

I think you've gone crazy.

- God, I'm so drunk I can't even feel my lips anymore.

- Billie Jean says we ought to try and get in touch with him.

What?

- Just as soon as this here dries we're gonna have ourselves a ceremony.

- I wish you had brought those wienies, Jimmy.

Just look at that fire going to waste and not a wienie in sight.

- I told you, Pat. You wanna see mine?

- No! I don't wanna see thing!

- Mine can be in sight in a jiffy.

- Don't take that thing out, don't!

Go get her, now! Get her good!

Go get her!

Let me get.

- Frank, help me!

- Charlotte. - Charlotte!

- That's not fair!

- Two against one. - No!

You leave me alone!

I gotta get ready to go to the Phi Sig dance!

Frank!

Frank, get her!

- Look.

- What's he doing?

- Beats the shit out of me.

- I think he's turning himself into one of those mud natives

we saw in the "National Geographic."

It has to do with funerals and grief.

- He's just doing it to be different.

It's time.

I gotta get back to the dorm.

- I gotta wash and set my hair.

- Pat, come on, please.

All right, everybody, let's join hands.

Form a circle of prayer.

Prayer? We're gonna say some prayer?

- Yeah.

"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power

"and the glory, forever and ever, amen."

Dear God, be with the loved ones

and the friends and the relatives of James Dean.

Give them strength and courage in this hour of need.

He will never die.

He is immortal.

Jimmy.

Jimmy, if you're with us, give us a sign now.

Give us a sign, Jimmy.

Give us a sign, Jimmy.

That's it.

- That old dog? - I swear to God, that's it.

- You are wrong! - I swear it is!

- It was chasing a rabbit. - That was a sign.

We gotta get back to town.

I gotta tell Billie Jean.

- Oh, my God. Look.

- Oh, that's real trouble. - Frank.

- Grab the stuff. - Here. Quick.

- Come on. - Move!

Move!

Come on!

Come on, Hanley.

Go!

Come on Hanley!

Let's wait for 'em to see us.

I hope you're sitting on something so you don't wreck the seats of my car.

- Shut up! Shut up!

Just drive slow. Don't make any dust.

Okay, where can we go now?

- For what?

For what? We gotta keep going.

He gave me a sign. I can't stop now.

Well, I can!

Frank and I are going to the Phi Sig dance.

Take me straight to the dormitory, please.

And stop looking at me like that.

Frank, make him stop looking at me like that!

Hey, Jimmy, will you stop looking at her like that?

Look! There they are!

They're right over there!

- Step on it, Hanley! Come on.

- We're gonna get caught. - Serves you right.

- Oh, shut up.

I think you're sick, and I think you're affected, and I think you're weird,

and I think Charlotte ought to have her head examined for going with you.

-And I think exactly the same thing.

You got that?

Ditto. You got that?

- It's always a shock when you find out that somebody you think understands

doesn't really understand anything at all.

How about your house, Charlotte?

Your mom and daddy still in Russellville.

We can hold the rest of the wake there.

- Well, you can't come in looking like that.

- Well, we'll just drop you off and go take a shower, all right?

Come on, Hanley. Let's get out of here.

Y'all come back just as soon as you can.

I think we ought to go back to Palarm before dark.

Don't you, Jimmy?

Don't you want some more to drink?

We can't go back there.

You get the police.

- My folks got a cabinet full.

And I know where they hide the key.

So just get cleaned up and get back here.

I'm gonna invite Billie Jean, Charlotte.

- Jimmy, I can't have Billie Jean in my mama's house.

Oh, all right. If she has to.

I guess she has to.

Just hurry back and I'll make some supper.

Great. I'm starving.

- Let's go.

Hanley?

Do you think I'm sick and affected and weird?

-A little bit.

Everybody is a little bit.

- Hanley! Jimmy J.!

- Oh, good night, it's my mama and my Aunt Ethel.

- Hanley, what are you doing? - Wait a minute.

- We been waiting for over half an hour.

- I told him this morning that you called.

- Hanley. Hanley. - Jimmy, I'm gonna park around the back.

- Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

- I'll be back. - Let me walk.

- Jimmy J.?

Howdy, Mama.

- What on earth have you been doing?

- Is that Jimmy J.?

- Howdy, Aunt Ethel. - Howdy.

- Is that you? What have you been doing?

You look like a pig.

Have you been taking classes to look like a pig?

Don't put your old dirty hands on my white suit.

I'm not gonna put my hands on your new white suit, Dickie.

- You better not.

- What are you all doing down here?

- I told Hanley to tell you to be ready to go with us.

We're driving over to Little Rock to see a show at the Robinson Auditorium.

If we don't leave now we're gonna be, stop that.

Jimmy, just go on. Get cleaned up.

- Mama, I can't go anywhere. Not tonight.

- What's the matter?

Jimmy J., have you been drinking?

- Have you? Have you been drinking?

- Just a little bit. That's all.

- Drunk pig.

Drunk pig! Drunk pig!

Drunk pig! Drunk pig!

- Shut up, Dickie.

Shut up, Dickie!

- Is that what we sent you to college to learn?

How to drink?

- No, ma'am, it's not.

- Yeah, to be a drunken mud pie?

- Oh, shut up, Dickie.

- Have you got any shorts underneath?

- Oh, stop. Now just calm down, Dickie.

Calm down.

I am very disappointed.

That hurts me, Jimmy J., that you've been drinking.

It doesn't surprise me. It just disappoints me.

- Well, somebody very close to me died last night, Mama.

- Who? Do I know them?

- No, ma'am, you don't.

- Well, who died? Who?

- Do ya? Do ya have any shorts on underneath that jacket?

Hush.

- James Dean died, Mama.

- Did I know him?

- No, ma'am, you didn't know him.

- You don't mean that actor James Dean, do you?

Well, we heard about that.

Heard it on the radio driving down here.

- That's exactly who I mean.

- Well, I'm very sorry when anybody dies.

But I don't understand for the life of me what that death,

clear across the country, has to do with you.

- No, ma'am, I know you don't.

- Son of a... Boys!

- Come back here! - Boys!

- Come here, I'm gonna pinch your damn head off!

- Mama! - Give me it!

- Jimmy, don't you touch him.

I've got you now, you little son of a bitch.

Come over here.

You crazy, dirty slob!

- Jimmy, you put him down.

Jimmy, stop that!

Mama! Look what he did to my new suit!

- Mama, look! - Oh, goodness. Oh!

We're gonna have to stop at a filling station and get you cleaned up.

Sister, see what you can do with him, will you?

Just look at you.

I'm just gonna pretend like this never happened.

I hope you're not starting to take after your father.

I look at you and I see him written all over you.

This is your allowance for this month.

I didn't mail it 'cause I knew we were coming down here.

I spent the whole morning baking a pound cake

and making a batch of cookies.

And I put the leather patches on the sleeves of this jacket.

I'll just lay it on the bench.

In the bottom of this sack is a jar of chili sauce from your grandmama.

I am not gonna tell her I caught you like this.

Oh, Jimmy J., why can't you be good?

- Good? Why can't I be good?

- That's right. Good.

- What do you mean by good? Little Dickie?

Is that what you mean by good?

- I have always taught you the difference between right and wrong.

- Mama, look at my new white suit.

- Oh, shush, Dickie.

- Right and wrong?

What the hell has that got to do with good. Mama?

- You are just being perverse, Jimmy J.

- I wanna know what you mean by good.

If I can't be it, I wanna know what that is.

Now, Mama, I want you to talk to me right now.

- You commie! You communist!

- Shut up!

- Now that is enough.

I think you better go get yourself some coffee.

Let's go, Ethel.

- You go to church in the mornin', and you ask the Lord to forgive you.

Move, Dickie.

- Jimmy, you need some help?

- I'm all right.

Just fine.

Thank you, Eugene.

Jimmy, I was looking for you all morning long right after band.

I even looked down in the bookstore.

I owe you a dime.

- Some old dime. I don't care.

What you fall into a mud hole?

You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, 'cause I really understand.

He's my favorite movie star too.

I was listening to the radio this afternoon,

and people all over the country are just going crazy 'cause he's dead.

They just can't believe it.

Somebody even tried to kill themselves 'cause of him.

Is there anything I can do?

- Have some cookies, Eugene.

- Gee, thanks, Jimmy.

Come on! Come on!

What the hell is going on here?

Sig Taus, Phi Lamb pledges are having a beer-drinking contest.

I think it's disgusting.

Sig taus are winning.

Shit from Greasy Valley's drunk 43 so far and no sign of letting up.

How crude.

- What the hell happened to you?

Put these in my room, will you, please?

I gotta call Billie Jean.

Billie Jean?

- Yeah, Billie Jean.

- Come on. Come on.

And bring me something to drink, will you?

You don't mean coffee.

I mean a drink drink. I'm not talking about beer.

I don't approve of alcohol, Jimmy.

Come on, Eugene.

There's gotta be bottles everywhere with the dance tonight.

I'll see what I can do.

Hello?

- Hi, it's me. Can you talk now?

- Yeah. She's taking a bath.

Where'd you go? I wanted to go so bad.

- We went down to the river, and I got drunk.

I got so drunk, I just acted crazy.

I did whatever I felt like, whatever come into my head.

Billie Jean, he gave me a sign.

- Well, what kind of sign?

I made an Academy Award out of mud.

- Oh, how wonderful.

-And I said, "Give me a sign, Jimmy.

Give me a sign, Jimmy."

And at that very same moment a dog started to bark.

- Oh, my God. I'm gettin' all goose bumps.

Listen, we got to get together,

'cause I said, "Give me a sign. Give me a sign," too.

And a dog started barking outside my window.

Now where are you?

- I'm at the dorm. Listen.

Charlotte Smith is having a wake at her house

just as soon as we can get there.

We? She said "we"?

Am I invited?

- Can you get out?

Yeah, if she gets her call.

- I'll see you in a half hour.

- Jimmy? - What?

- This has to be a very special night.

I have to think and give myself up to my own imagination.

See you later. Bye for now.

- Bye.

- Where's Jimmy J.? - He's down in the shower.

- B.O.'s got a bottle of gin.

Jimmy asked me to find him something to drink.

I brought you a coke.

We need a couple of cokes.

Go get us another one, Eugene.

Come on in, B.O.

- Let me out. - Let me out. Let me out.

How many did you drink?

- 49. I can't drink any more.

Well, you all right, Billy Bob?

Oh, hi, Coach.

Oh, my god. There's Coach Haynes.

Coach Haynes! Coach Haynes!

Push in. Push in.

- Yeah, who is it?

Coach Haynes. Jimmy J.?

- Damn.

He'll bust my tail off if he catches me with this gin.

- B.O.!

Jimmy J. Is down in the shower, Coach.

-Ah, I'll wait.

- Jimmy. - What?

Here. I brought your drink.

- What's that?

- It's hot black coffee, you don't need no more- - I don't want that.

- You need something to sober you up.

Hold out your hand or open your mouth.

- What is this?

- It's sen-sen. Coach Haynes is in your room.

- Hi, Coach. - Jimmy.

See you later, Jimmy, I'll be down in my room.

- Thanks for the coffee, Eugene.

- Hanley was telling me about this guy, this movie star.

What's his name? James what?

- Dean.

- Yeah. It's terrible.

Remember seeing this spread life.

Whatever.

That still doesn't excuse the way you behaved this morning,

running off the field like that without any explanation.

Now, what if everybody felt like

they could just run off the field like that?

We wouldn't have any team, would we?

You know what I'm saying?

- Yes, sir, I think I do.

- Now, you know I can't tolerate, I can't permit that kind of behavior,

particularly from somebody with leadership ability like you.

Well, it gives the others, well, not ideas, but,

Well, it gives the others the attitude that,

well, if he can act that way, I can act that way,

and that's not good for team spirit.

Now, on a team everybody has a job, and they do that job for the team.

And the team wins together.

Not one man, Jim, but the team.

Now, that's the way we won the war, and that's the way we keep the peace.

I'm gonna put you on probation.

You'll apologize to me in front of the team in the morning.

You'll run five extra laps for the next two weeks.

- Oh, shit.

Pat and Frank are down there talking to the police.

- That's another thing. The boys on my team don't cuss.

They don't cuss, and they don't drink, and they go to church.

- State Law, Hanley. - Jesus Christ.

What?

Jimmy!

Police are downstairs looking for you.

Frank told them it was you stole that rum.

- Son of a bitch. - Let's get out of here.

- Where y'all going? Can I come too?

Hello? Who's out there?

Billie Jean here?

Is that you, Jimmy J.?

- Yes, ma'am.

Oh. Billie Jean expecting you?

- Yes, ma'am. - Oh. Okay, come on in.

I want you to meet Mr. Brown.

Jimmy J. And Billie Jean are just exactly alike.

All they do is talk about movies

and movie stars till you think there's nothing else.

They go off to the movies.

They come back and act out the movies.

Life imitates art around here, let me tell you.

And today, this Jimmy Dean,

a sweet little thing you just want to hold and cuddle,

dyin' so tragic like that.

I thought Billie Jean was gonna follow suit.

She sure gave one of her better performances.

When her uncle called from Bakersfield,

she's standing right here on that phone.

She starts gaspin' for air like she's a fish out of water.

I was in the kitchen preparing the hors d'oeuvres

for this evening, and I hear this.

I said, "Billie Jean, what on earth? What on earth?"

I thought her uncle was dead.

So she drops the phone, leaves the receiver danglin', runs up the stairs,

gets to the top step, drops, kicks her feet, lays there a minute.

I threatened to call a doctor.

She gets up makin' awful kind of noises, runs into her room, slams the door,

won't talk to anybody unless the phone rings.

Where you going tonight?

I'm going to Charlotte Smith's house for supper.

- Charlotte Smith? - Yeah.

- I didn't know she knew Charlotte Smith.

- Oh, yeah.

- The girls' football queen last year.

- Yeah, and this year too.

Two years in a row. Some kind of record.

- When's homecoming this year?

-About three weeks, I think.

- Isn't that nice? - Yep.

- Smith.

Isn't he the state senator?

- Yeah, that's right. That's the one.

- Isn't this nice? Well, all right.

Well, now this pleases me to death.

You go right up there. Go get her now.

Isn't that nice?

He's a real fine boy.

I always told Billie Jean to run with the best.

So what they imitate the movies?

I did. Didn't you?

Heck, half the time I thought I was Betty Grable.

You remind me more of Jane Russell.

Mr. Brown.

- Billie Jean? It's Jimmy J.

- I don't know if I can stand it.

I just can't imagine livin' in a world without him.

- When did you do all this?

- Since the last time we talked.

I just couldn't stand my regular old room after he died.

My regular old room with the regular old me.

So I just let my imagination run wild.

And I read in a magazine how much Vampira loved him.

So I just did this.

- They're waiting for us down in the car.

Billie Jean.

- I even let my imagination go so far

as to think maybe they'd just go on waitin'.

And before we get to Charlotte's,

what happened between us, what she suspects, has happened already.

- Better not.

- Well, up above you say you better not,

but down below you're contradicting yourself.

- Billie Jean, your mama's downstairs.

- You're scared.

- I'm not scared. They're waiting for us.

- Well, I don't think James Dean would've pulled away.

But you never know.

No. No, he wouldn't.

Because he was bad too, like me.

He said that you have to experience everything in life,

because when you start saying no to life, life starts saying no right back.

Listen, if you're really serious, I'll leave that window open all night,

and you can come to me just like James Dean

come to Julie Harris in "East of Eden."

We can get down to brass tacks.

- Billie Jean, we better go now.

- Okay. Turn on the lights.

- Your mama's gonna have a fit when she sees what you done to this room.

- Hey, don't forget those bongo drums.

Act like nothing's unusual.

- Bye, mama. - Have a good time, honey.

Don't you misbehave at Charlotte Smith's.

- She didn't even look.

Look at that.

It's turnin' into Halloween.

It's not funny, Hanley.

You know these two, don't you?

Well, who's that back there? Oh, hi, Eugene.

Hi.

What's he doin' here?

- It's all right. - He wanted to come.

He understands about it.

Take one frankfurter, hollow it out and what have you got?

- Oh! - Hollow weenies!

Come on, Hanley, give me a coke bottle.

Where's that coke bottle?

I think you look divine.

Why, thank you. Thank you very much.

You couldn't be more welcome.

- Here you go. - What is this?

- Gin and coke. - Fabulous.

Gin tastes just like perfume smells.

Oh, lord, Hanley!

Well, how drunk are you?

Maybe I better drive.

- Nobody drives this car but me.

Hey, stop. Stop the car.

Let me out.

Look at all those lights!

Charlotte Smith understands nothing about anything.

You park the car, fellas.

Billie Jean, Jimmy, wait for us!

Hanley, come on. Hurry up, now!

I'm comin'.

I hope she made some supper.

- What'd y'all do that for?

Why'd you turn out all the lights?

Don't worry about it, Charlotte.

It's all right.

We're gonna have to have light.

I need some light to cook.

- I got to have somethin' to eat.

Why don't you light some candles?

Are candles all right?

Candles are okay, aren't they, Billie Jean?

Is that Billie Jean?

- Candles are not only okay, but candles are beautiful.

There should not be any electric light tonight.

I think electric lights disturb the spirits.

I think since the invention of electricity,

we've had less communication with the other world.

Now turn out the lights.

- Did you find the key? - What key?

The key to the liquor cabinet.

Oh, I made this bowl of punch.

- Punch? - I made exactly those things.

Oh, I can't remember their names,

That my sister served three weeks ago at her wedding.

There was champagne and cognac or Brandy or somethin'.

And you just pour it out again, and you float fruit on top.

Are you supposed to be somebody?

Don't you recognize her?

She's Vampira.

- Isn't that good?

But be careful. It's insidious.

Aren't you gonna have some, Eugene?

- French 75 is what it's called.

Come on, Eugene. Wet your whistle.

- I don't approve of alcohol.

- Put hair on your chest.

I already have hair on my chest.

- Turn 'em red. - No, thank you.

It'll lower your voice.

- My voice is just fine.

- Come on, Eugene. Have a sip right here.

- Just a sip. - Jimmy, I don't- - Come on, Eugene.

It's not gonna hurt you. Just take one little sip.

Come on.

Not bad, is it?

Pretty good, isn't it?

- Well, I'll just have half a drink.

- Yeah, I thought you would.

Now that's what I call punch!

- You know what I'd like to do?

I'd like to go to his funeral.

- Yeah, so would I.

Hey, maybe in the mornin' we can find out where it is

and when it is and how we might possibly get there.

- Hanley, we could use your car.

I'd help you pay for the gas.

I'd have to call home and ask.

- Hanley, you just help yourself. - I made more than enough.

- You know what I'd like to do?

I'd like to watch a television set.

Do you all got one of those?

- We got one just last week, but I'm not supposed to touch it,

'cause daddy's the only one who knows what knobs to turn.

- Where is it?

In the den.

- Well, I've watched it, and it's not nearly as good as the movies.

It's just this little ol' box with all this snow on it.

I wouldn't have one in the house.

We're going to have to move all furniture out of this living room.

- What?

- Well, if we're going to try and communicate with him,

we've got to simplify this room.

There're just too many things in it.

There should be only one chair in here. One chair for him.

Absolutely right, Billie Jean.

- We can't do that. My mama'll die!

Charlotte, don't worry about it.

I'll take the blame for it.

Well, just as long as we put everything back exactly like it was before.

- Come on, fellas. Give me a hand with this, will ya?

- When are we gonna get somethin' to eat?

We haven't had any supper.

Don't you have any hot dogs in this house?

- I'm makin' peanut butter and bacon sandwiches on the broiler.

- We don't have time for peanut butter and bacon sandwiches.

We don't have time for food.

When someone dies, their spirit is only earthbound for a very little while.

- You know what you need, Billie Jean, is one of those Ouija boards.

You can contact spirits real fast with one of those.

- We got one.

Brand-new! Cellophane's still around it.

-As much as I hate to admit that you had a good idea, that is a good idea.

Well, go get it, Charlotte.

- What's the matter, Charlotte?

- It's in the closet.

I can't reach and hold the candelabra too.

All right.

She sure is puttin' on a big show.

I wish you hadn't brought her.

What about this piano?

You want us to move the piano?

- Stop that.

- Stop what?

- Lookin' at her like that.

- Like what?

- Like there was somethin' between you.

Or about to be, and you know what somethin' I mean.

We'll be able to store it here, just down the hall.

What hall?

Come here, I'll show you.

- Charlotte?

Follow me.

- What is it?

- I'm no good, Charlotte.

- Have you?

- I just can't help it. I'm bad.

My mama says I'm just like my daddy was.

- You have, haven't you?

- But you're so good. So fine, so sweet.

Just everything a girl ought to be.

- Have you done it with Billie Jean?

Cross your heart and hope to die you never did it with her?

- I cross my heart and hope to die.

I never did it with Billie Jean, Charlotte.

- I believe you.

You can kiss me if you want to then.

What?

-Am I scary?

I'll bet I am sometimes, 'cause sometimes I scare myself.

The things I think of, the things I wanna do.

- You don't scare me at all.

- I don't?

- No.

You're just a normal boy who's goin' through a phase.

- Yeah.

- Stop that! I'm not Billie Jean.

Come on, give me a kiss.

No!

- Jimmy.

The room is ready. We must begin.

James Dean, are you in this room?

James Dean, are you in this room?

Together.

James Dean, are you in this room?

James Dean, are you in this room?

James Dean, are you...

- Yes.

You were pushin' it.

I was not.

Someone was pushin' it.

- No one was pushin' it, Hanley.

It's the second sign today.

The first sign was the dog barkin' down by the river.

And now he's in the room with us.

I felt him!

He's sittin' right there, right there in that chair.

Oh, you're just tryin' to scare us.

There's nothin' to be afraid of.

What is it? What do you feel?

It's colder right here. Here.

- My god, you're right. It is colder.

Charlotte, gimme your hand, it's colder.

Not me!

What did you feel at first? Tell me.

I felt his eyes.

I felt 'em burnin' a hole in the back of my head.

And then I began to get goose bumps all around my shoulders.

And then, I turned.

And as I turned real fast, I thought I saw those eyes.

No face, just eyes, for one mad second, then they faded away.

Well, what are you doin'?

- I thought these candles were dripless candles,

but just look at the carpet.

My mama's gonna snatch me bald-headed!

This is a Christmas present she'd been beggin' for for years!

It'll come off, Charlotte.

Get some of these ice cubes.

That ice is all melted.

- Never mind them.

Describe it to me again. What did you see?

- Well, you know how cats' eyes glow in the dark?

Like that.

Starin' at us, but like his eyes in the last scene from "East of Eden,"

when he begs his father to forgive him for all the bad things he's done.

I can't wait to see "Rebel Without a Cause,"

to see his eyes in that.

- Don't worry.

We're gonna be the first ones in line, just like before.

- Hey, Billie Jean. - Why don't we do somethin' else?

Somethin' a lot more fun, you know what I mean?

While Charlotte isn't lookin' or go somewhere else?

Hanley, you're not man enough for me.

We could all take turns.

Hey, Hanley, watch your step!

You're gross!

Maybe Eugene would like to put my dingus in his mouth.

- Cut it out. - Wanna have a picnic, Eugene?

- Come on, Hanley! - Leave me alone.

I got a hot dog for you, Eugene.

- Goddamn it! Cut it out!

What's the matter with you anyway?

What the hell you think you're doin'?

How can you act that way tonight?

Don't you know what's goin' on here?

You're actin' just like Pat and Frank!

I don't think you understand any more than they understand.

I think you ought to just go on down to Phi Sig dance with them.

They're all down there havin' a good time.

Just goin' on with it.

Just actin' like nothin' ever happened.

Actin' like this was like any other night.

Boy, I'd like to let them know what's goin' on.

What time is it, Hanley?

I don't know.

- I'll bet you the dance is over by now.

I'll bet you they're already parkin' down

by Criss-Cross Meadow over by the cemetery, neckin', pettin', carryin' on.

You wanna do somethin' fun?

I know what let's do.

Let's go down there and shake 'em up.

And I mean shake 'em up.

- It's just the kind of thing James Dean would've done.

- Well, if he's in the room, maybe he give me the idea.

Charlotte, where's your make-up kit?

Which make-up kit?

- Your make-up kit.

The one you use for your theater arts classes.

Where is it?

What do you want with my make-up kit, Jimmy?

- I wanna scare 'em. I wanna scare 'em good.

- I only found three flashlights. Is that enough?

- You got another one in your car, don't you, Hanley?

Yep.

- Y'all, this is just like the make-up they use on Broadway.

Did you find the spirit gum?

And there's clown white.

- Oh, could I have the white?

Okay.

And there's all kinds of hair and just everything.

- I'm perfect. I'm exactly who I want to be.

- Don't you want these vampire teeth?

Don't you want these fangs?

Well, they just tie it all together.

- No, I don't want any fangs.

- I wanna try. Give 'em to me.

Hey, Hanley.

I'll put your dingus in my mouth now.

- No, thank you very much.

- You look like Oedipus.

- Let me see.

I know who you are.

- So do I.

- Oh, my goodness, someone's here.

Doesn't look like Charlotte's home, Mama.

That's a strange car too.

- Oh, my goodness, it's my mom and my daddy,

and we haven't put the furniture back yet!

What are we gonna do?

There's somethin' wrong.

No, now calm down, Mama.

- There's nothin' wrong. - You be careful.

You stay here, and I'll go turn the lights on.

Be careful, Daddy.

Just stay right there and just calm down.

Nothin' wrong.

What the hell's goin' on here?

Last one's a rotten egg!

Get in that car! Watch out!

It's all right, Mama. It's all right.

Charlotte Sue, come back.

What in the hell is goin' on?

Let's get inside and see what... See what's wrong.

We scared the living daylights outta my mama.

- I was real proud of you, Charlotte.

Proud of me?

What are you doin' with my mama's silver candelabra?

- This is part of my getup.

Jimmy told me to take 'em. I'll bring 'em back.

Oh, my goodness. They'll call the police.

They'll think they've been robbed, Jimmy.

Stop that, Hanley. You'll get us killed.

Stop it!

- Oh, I don't care.

This is the darkest night of my life.

I might as well die too.

- Oh, my goodness!

Jimmy! Jimmy!

Stop it!

- Stop it, Jimmy J.!

Come on. That's not funny.

- Come on. Dim those lights!

Dim 'em! Come on!

Dim 'em.

- Our headlights are too bright, Dad.

Them folks want us to dim our lights, so dim 'em.

- I can't. The damn thing's still broke.

- Dim 'em!

Duck!

- Jesus Christ Almighty.

There wasn't nobody at all in that car, Dad.

That car was just as empty as it could be.

- Gimme some of that, will you, Hanley?

- Where did you get that thermos?

- In the kitchen.

- This is even better. It's not so sweet.

- It's cognac. - Good.

- Where did you get that? - Did you take that off the bar?

My daddy'll skin me alive! Now give that back.

- Charlotte! - Hey, no!

- Quiet everybody. We're almost there.

Hey, Hanley, I got an idea.

Listen, when we get there,

let's park on this side of the cemetery, all right?

-And walk through the graveyard?

- Why not?

- Yeah! Yeah, let's do.

Stay down, Charlotte.

Okay, close it, Hanley, quietly.

Perfect.

I never seen so many cars at Criss-Cross Meadow in my whole life.

Okay, look, I think we ought to split up,

and then attack all at once, then get back here quick,

before they know what hit 'em, all right?

- Okay. - Jimmy, I'm scared.

Well, then you come with me, all right?

Okay.

Everybody know what they're gonna do?

I know what I'm gonna do.

Okay, let's go. But stay low.

Y'all, this is spooky.

Shut up, Charlotte. Hey, get off my cape.

Oh, you shut up. I'm not on your cape.

Come on.

- I'm so proud of my little Patty-cakes.

Winnin' the Phi Sig Sweetheart, just like that.

- You knew it all the time, didn't you?

- I did not.

- You did too! - I did not.

- Oh, yes, you did.

- I just told those boys if they didn't choose you,

I was gonna beat the shit out of 'em.

- Frank, I love you.

- Oh, baby.

Hey, stay down.

- Hanley.

Hanley.

Stay real low on this one, all right? Real low.

Okay, let's go.

Eugene, gimme that other candelabra.

I'm gonna stay right here.

Hanley, keep goin'.

Hey, I think my Uncle Jack is buried here.

That's not funny.

Hanley, come on.

Don't. Stop.

Okay, listen.

I want Pat and Frank for turning us in.

For callin' me affected and weird.

- Okay, you ready? - Yeah.

- Let's go.

That was "I'm in the Jailhouse Now" by Webb Pierce.

And we played that for Jeff, Joy, Jason and Julianne.

This is "Makin' Believe" by Miss Kitty Wells.

Beverly this is from your old friend, Netto.

Watch that barbed wire on the fence.

Look at my skirt.

- Look out. - Oh, shit.

Ease up!

Be careful.

You're crushing my corsage.

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

How much further can I go?

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

You've gone as far as you can go.

Oh, come on.

Pat, Pat, it's okay.

It's all right. I got protection.

Yeah, protection from you is what I need.

Now, sit down.

It feels good, don't it?

My body says go. But my daddy says no.

- Don't. Stop it. - Your daddy ain't here.

- Oh, my god! - Oh!

Oh my God!

Hanley, let's get outta here. Eugene, come on!

Watch that wire.

Charlotte. What was that?

Look!

- It's Jimmy J. And them trying to scare us!

Come on, y'all. Let's go get 'em!

Come on. Let's go!

Hanley, come on, hurry up!

Eugene, come on, hurry up! Eugene, go!

Come on, let's go!

Jimmy!

- Oh, stop it!

Stop it!

I'm in a grave!

I'm in a grave!

- Hanley!

Jesus. What the hell you doin'?

What's goin' on out there?

- The cops are comin'. - Get the hell outta there.

- Come on. Hurry up.

- You hear me? Get outta there!

That grave was dug for ol' man Suggs.

- Jimmy!

- Oh, my god. Billie Jean.

- Jimmy!

Go, Bears, go! Go, Bears, go!

Go, Bears, go!

Go, Bears, go! Go, Bears, go!

Go, Bears, go! Go, Bears, go!

Go, Bears, go! Go, Bears, go!

- Jimmy.

- Charlotte, you sure look pretty up there.

- Don't tear the float, Jimmy.

- I got your letter.

- My mama made me write that letter, Jimmy.

- Didn't sound like you at all.

- Jimmy, get off the float. People are lookin'.

Please get off the float, Jimmy.

- Hey, listen, where you gonna be after the parade?

- I'm gonna be out at the game.

- Can I see you there?

Hey, please, Charlotte. Can I see you there?

- What are you lookin' at?

Don't look at me that way, Jimmy.

You're gonna make me cry.

- Oh, Charlotte.

- Jimmy J.?

Jimmy J.

Thought that was you.

- Yeah. - Hey!

- I thought you got kicked outta school!

- Serves you right!

- Hey, Pat.

- Frank, did you see that?

- Howdy. - Howdy.

- Is that your motorcycle?

- Yeah. You wanna see it?

I sure do.

- Come on.

Sold my war bonds to buy it.

It's a beauty.

- Yep.

-Aren't you gonna see the rest of the parade?

- No, I got to go see Billie Jean.

They're bringing her home today.

- How is she?

- Well, she got different degrees of burns all over her body.

But the problem is, she won't talk.

She hasn't said a word for three weeks since the night it happened.

- That's what I heard.

- I tried to go in to see her twice.

But they wouldn't let me.

They said it'd be better to wait.

Look, how's everything been with you? Okay?

- Pretty good.

- Good. - I'm on foot though.

My folks took my car away.

At least till the rest of the year.

- You still livin' at home?

- Nope. Not since last night.

- Comin' to the game?

- I don't know.

- Why don't you come by the room right before the game?

I got a bottle of gin.

I'm not gonna get a new roommate til I find out what's happenin' to you.

- I'll see you later, Hanley.

- Okay.

- Look at that. Isn't that somethin'?

It's gettin' clearer.

It's gettin' better.

You adjust with this knob right here.

- Oh, I'm so excited I can't stand it.

Jimmy J.

- Can I see her today?

- We're getting her situated in her room.

Got her a television set. First one on the block.

Thanks to Mr. Brown, it's Christmas in October.

Mr. Brown, will you take charge down here?

Has she said anything yet?

- No, she's just the same.

She won't talk. Called up the preacher.

He's comin' over this afternoon, see what he can do.

We may have to resort to shock treatments.

It just makes me sick.

Jimmy, see if you can get her to talk.

See if you can get her to say something.

Billie Jean, look who's here.

It's Jimmy J. He's come to visit you.

Guess what's come downstairs, honey? A television set!

First one on the block!

Oh, is that a band I hear?

Is that a band out there?

- Yes, ma'am. It's the homecomin' parade.

- Oh.

Mrs. Turner?

Could I visit with Billie Jean for just a minute?

- Oh, surely. I'll go downstairs.

I'm expectin' a call from the preacher.

- Well, it's so weird.

It's just like the last scene from "East of Eden."

I expected that nurse out there to start lookin' around,

askin' for somethin' to read.

I bought you every magazine I could find on him.

About his life, and, about his death.

Everything they're sayin' about him.

Some of 'em are even sayin' he's not dead,

that he's just, just hidin' out somewhere.

Well... A lot happened in the last three weeks. I tell you.

Let's see, my mother and stepfather had to come down

to jail that night to, bail me out for stealin' the rum.

And then they took me home with them,

and that's where I've been most of the time.

Oh, I, I went down to Little Rock to see you twice, you know.

But they wouldn't let me in.

They said it would be better to wait till you got home.

But I picked you some flowers.

You must've got the flowers.

You know what I did?

I sold my war bonds, bought myself a motorcycle.

It's right there.

Right, right, right under the tree right out there.

It's a...

I went to Memphis last night, Billie Jean.

I saw "Rebel Without a Cause" last night.

Billie Jean, he's even better than we ever thought he was.

I mean, I mean, I'm just gettin', look.

I'm just gettin' chill bumps just thinkin' about it.

I'm gonna tell you about it, all right?

I, could I tell you about it?

Okay, I'm, I'm gonna tell you about it.

But first, there's somethin', I got somethin' for you.

I wanna show you somethin' all right?

It's right here.

Look at that.

You know what?

I stole it for you.

I waited till everybody was gone from the front of the show,

and then I broke the glass and I stole it for you.

Can you see it pretty good?

See, that's him right there.

And, and, and the jacket and the pants and the boots just like these here.

The red jacket and the, and the, and the, and the boots.

They're just like the ones he wears in the movie.

Just exactly the same.

Now the movie is about juvenile delinquents.

Now, to start out with, his name in the movie is Jim.

Just like mine. Just like his in real life.

You think there's any meaning to that?

Well, the picture starts out with him drunk.

He's just as drunk as I can be sometimes.

And he's lyin' in the middle of the street,

and he's playin' with a little toy monkey.

Curlin' up around it like a baby.

He's coverin' it with a piece of paper like he's tryin' to keep it warm.

So they pick him up, and they take him down to the police station,

and they search him.

But he's ticklish, so he starts to laugh right there in the police station.

And then his parents come down to get him.

And right away you see what his problem is.

I mean, it's just like the night at Criss-Cross Meadow

when my mother and my stepfather come down to get me.

Billie Jean, so much of this movie is like my life, it's incredible.

I mean, his parents acted exactly the way mine acted.

And I felt like sayin' just like what he says in the movie.

He says, "You're tearin' me apart."

I know you've felt that way, haven't you?

There's a scene with a juvenile officer,

where he says somethin' that I've said a hundred times

if I've said it once.

He says that sometimes he just feels like hittin' something.

He says how he doesn't wanna be like his father and he,

and I saw it three times, Billie Jean,

just so I could memorize certain parts of it to tell you.

He says, "If only I could have one day when I wasn't all confused.

And when I wasn't ashamed of everything.

And when I felt like I belonged some place."

Now that was exactly word for word

what I said to you that first night that we met.

When we hitchhiked to Morrilton to see "East of Eden,"

you remember that?

Word for word, and Billie Jean, that's just the beginning.

I mean, scene after scene hit home.

There's a scene in the movie with a girl named Judy.

And he says to her that he never thought he'd live to see 18.

Now how many times have I said to you

that I never thought I'd live to see 21?

I just understood so much by just lookin' at it.

There's a guy in the movie named Plato.

Now, Plato's kinda, well, he's kinda in love with James Dean, you know.

Well, he's not really in love with him, he just, he likes him, you know.

He's, he likes him kinda the way Eugene likes me.

And kinda the way I like James Dean, you know.

And the movie ends with Plato gettin' killed.

And it's kinda James Dean's fault, see,

'cause James Dean talks him into givin' up, 'cause he's got this gun.

But the police just shoot him down without askin' any questions about it.

And, so, at the end of the picture,

James Dean is kinda responsible for Plato,

like the way I'm responsible for what happened to you.

I am.

I am, Billie Jean.

I truly am.

I don't have to tell you how sorry I am about it, but I want to.

And I have to.

I mean, I can't even sleep nights for thinkin' how it was my idea

to go down to Criss-Cross Meadow.

And it was my idea, Billie Jean.

Billie Jean, if you blame me for this,

I mean, if you're harborin' anything against me about this,

then I want you to tell me, all right?

And I want you to communicate it to me.

Because I wouldn't hurt you for anything in the whole world.

Because you were the only person in this whole town who understood me.

Who understood anything.

So if you blame me for this, you got to forgive me right now.

Because my plan is to go directly from this room to California.

I have to go, 'cause you see, I got to be where he was.

And I gotta talk to his friends about him.

And I gotta find out about him, 'cause, you see, I never had a hero before.

I mean, I never had anybody I looked up to.

Somebody I admired like I admire him,

someone who changed my life the way he changed my life.

Someone I never even met before!

So I gotta go there, and I gotta be there where he was.

And I gotta get it all right in my mind.

Don't you see, don't you see that?

I, Billie Jean, I wish you'd talk to me!

I wish, if you blame me, blame me for it,

that you'd forgive me for it, and that you'd tell me this.

That you would tell me this, 'cause,

'Cause if you don't talk, they're gonna,

they're gonna bring a preacher here,

and they're gonna send you down for shock treatments.

And I mean, that's what your mama said.

That's according to what she said.

Billie Jean, please talk to me.

Please just, please just don't keep accusin' me with your eyes like that!

I can't stand it! I'm not gonna forget about you!

I'm gonna write you letters. I'm gonna send you postcards.

I'm gonna tell you everything I find out about him!

- Stop it!

- Billie Jean. - I don't wanna know any more!

- Oh, yes, you do.

- I don't wanna hear any more! - Yes, you do now!

- No, I don't!

I want, I want you to break the mirrors!

- Break 'em with, break 'em now! - What?

- Break all of 'em! - What?

- Break, break all the mirrors in the room. Break 'em now!

-All right! All right, I'll break the mirrors.

- Hurry!

I'm scarred!

I'm scarred for life.

- Billie Jean, no, you're not.

Yes, I am! I'm scarred!

- No, you're not!

Now, I know how much you like to look at yourself.

They can do wonders for that kinda thing!

- You better get outta here before they send you down

to Little Rock for shock treatments!

- What's goin' on in here?

Jimmy J., what have you done to her?

- I got her to talk. Look at that.

She's talkin' Mrs. Turner. Right now, she's talkin'.

- Mama, I'm scarred!

I'm scarred for life!

- Oh, baby, don't cry. I can't stand it when you cry.

- Mama, please don't send me down to Little Rock for shock treatments.

- Did, did he tell you? Did you tell her that?

- Billie Jean? Billie Jean, I got to go now.

This whole thing is startin' to feel like a movie.

I mean, you know, my life does that to me sometimes.

Sometimes I feel like I'm movin' in a big, big movie.

This ain't no movie, Jimmy J.

- Oh, yeah?

Well, you're the first person who ever told me that!

You're the first one who said that you feel like that half the time.

Just like you're in a movie! Like nothin' is real.

But it's more real than anything else in the whole world!

- Get out! You can't stay here!

Will you leave her alone, please?

- That's exactly what I mean.

It's like the last scene of a movie, Billie Jean!

- Will you stop actin'? This isn't a movie!

- Billie Jean!

- Jimmy J.! Jimmy!

- Eugene! Get back in line!

-All right! All right!