Original subtitles

Here we are, face to face. Open

to find.

We're two of a kind.

Make it a go.

Make it grow. Together, we're going to find our way.

Together, taking the time each day.

To learn all about those things you just can't buy.

Two silver spoons together.

You and me together.

Peter's face left.

Swings wide.

Two second, one second. He puts up a sky hook from 40 feet.

Hey! And hits the spectator in the head.

Alfonso, I know every time we get together to study, we never actually

But I have to finish with supporting all the president's men.

Where are you with Moby Dick?

Rick Bruce Jenner, a big Olympic champion, is going to be at this house

minute. I just can't concentrate on a book about a big white fish with an

attitude problem.

Mrs. Slimline thinks you have an attitude problem.

If your book report isn't in by tomorrow, it will seriously affect your

grade.

Why is a stupid book report so important?

That talent contest is what's important.

Do you know who's going to be in the audience?

Freddie's mother's cousin's sister -in -law's husband.

And he's an agent, all the way from Hollywood.

Freddie says he represents Charles.

You know, coochie -coochie.

Do you know what I just wrote?

At the height of the Watergate scandal, President Nixon proclaimed, I am not a

coochie -coochie.

You're not Bruce Jenner. And you're not Mary Lou Retton.

Well?

What do you think?

Well? Looks feasibly athletic.

I'm sure Mr. Jenner will be proud to lend his name to this equipment.

Oh, I hope so. I'm real happy with the way it came out.

Come on, Desk. Give it a whirl. I can't get an adequate bounce in wingtips.

Don't be so stodgy all your life. Come on.

Up, down. Let's go. Hey!

How's that feel, huh?

Now I know what it feels like to be popcorn.

Come here.

Hey, give me a hand with these.

Watch this.

Let's see here.

What are you doing?

Bruce Shannon's going to be here any minute. Well, so what? If he does come

he'll just see how much fun any toys exercise stuff is.

Okay, now let's see.

Okay.

Give me a hand up here. Push him here.

Oh, that's good. All right.

Okay. Okay.

This is great.

I like the trampolines on the ceiling.

Nice shoes.

Yours, too.

Okay, I've about had it.

There we go.

What's going on up there?

Wait. Nick, wait a minute. Wait nothing.

Alfonso's supposed to be doing his book report, not listening to some wretched

clatter. Yeah, but...

by double lube.

I've had it with you, flippancy boy. Come over here. Let me tell you a little

thing.

In the six months you have been in my charge, I've received, I don't know, how

many notices from your teachers.

Alfonso doesn't pay attention.

Alfonso doesn't do his homework.

Alfonso hasn't read the required material.

What gets me is these are the same teachers who tell you, if you don't have

anything nice to say, don't say law.

Makes Alfonso a dull dude.

Oh, yeah.

Well, all play and no work make Alfonso a dancing dunce.

Look, I wish I'd shown Rick my latest move for the school talent contest.

You'd better start concentrating more on your studies than on some talent

contest, pal.

But I can be a great dancer.

Do you know what an average dancer earns?

Bupkis.

I have a hunch this bupkis There's even less than diddly squat.

You're a stuffins, man.

You come from a tradition of accomplishment and academic excellence.

What about Uncle Moe?

He's the exception that proves the rule.

Now get to work. Okay, okay. And show a little enthusiasm.

Listen, work hard, and when Bruce Jenner gets here, we'll take a little break,

okay?

Kate's your Bruce Jenner. Break time!

Edward Stratton III.

He likes to hang out.

Nice to meet you. Oh, thank you. Nice to meet you.

Are you stuck?

Yes, I am.

Boy, is my face red.

I'll say.

Oh, thank you. I appreciate it.

I think I'll read the directions first.

Oh, Bruce Jenner, I'd like you to meet Dexter Stuffins.

Not Dexter. The Barefoot Breeze Stuffins.

You've heard of me?

Actually, my triumphs on the Harvard track team were insignificant.

But what an honor to be known by a world -class athlete like yourself.

Actually, I mentioned your nickname to Bruce in the car.

Oh.

Hi, I'm Rich Stratton. Nice to meet you, Rick. Same here, Mr. Jenner.

I'm glad to see you stay in shape after the Olympics.

I mean, you didn't flab out.

Well, I still throw an occasional javelin or two.

Speaking of javelins, my name is Alfonso Spears, Mr. James.

Hey, how come you're not wearing your gold medal?

Oh, come on, Alfonso. He wouldn't wear a medal like that all the time.

Well, actually, I did for a couple of years.

But you see, every time I'd go to the beach, I'd get this big white circle

there on my chest.

You believe these kids. They've been so excited ever since I told them you were

coming.

Yeah, you didn't bring the medal, did you?

Took a shot.

Those 67 Olympics must have been real exciting.

Well, they were, but give me a break, Alfonso. It was 76, not 67.

Oh.

I could have sworn I read it was 67.

Well, I think Bruce would know, Alfonso.

May I have your autograph, please?

Sure. Now, is it Richard or Rick? To Rick.

My best pal in the whole world. The inspiration for all my victories.

A great human being.

How about best wishes?

I'll take it.

Well, we'd love to spend all day aimlessly chit -chatting, but we've got

to dinner, guys. Yeah.

Come, Bruce.

See you later.

Aren't you guys going to come with us?

Nah. They don't want us around while they're buttering you up.

Kids.

Alfonso, come over here a minute.

I don't want any fooling around.

I want that report by tomorrow morning or else you won't be able to compete in

that talent contest.

Comprende?

What a crap.

Aren't you worried about your book report?

I'll finish it somehow.

It's just that I can't get into it right now.

Look, do you want to talk about it?

When I read Moby Dick, I'll give you some help.

Do you think I need help?

Well, sometimes when I'm stuck on something, it helps to talk her over

somebody. Who says I need your help?

I can do this report myself.

I know you can do it yourself. Then why did you offer?

I don't know.

Especially now.

It's because you think I'm stupid, isn't it?

I don't understand this conversation.

Maybe I'm so stupid you can't even understand me.

What's with all this stupid stuff?

I think you're one of the smartest guys I know. That's not funny.

Why are you so mad? I said you were smart.

I know what you really think. You don't have to lie to me.

Alfonso, I just... I don't need...

Hey, son.

Where's Alfonso? Dexter's waiting for him outside.

He went home.

Ah.

Hey, Dex, we're home already.

Okay, thanks, Apple. Good night.

Good night.

Wait, wait, wait.

Dexter, here's Alfonso's book.

Watch out for the fountain.

Hey, good news, John. Bruce Jenner likes our home fitness concept. He's going to

come over and test out all the equipment. If it meets with his

put his name on it.

Uh -huh.

I'll try to control your enthusiasm.

Something bothering you?

Alfonso got mad at me for something I said.

What'd you say?

He said he was smart.

Ah.

I'll tell you, Dad.

Sometimes you try to be nice, and you end up with... bupkis.

Well, maybe it was the way you said it.

You remember when I wore that sweater with the pheasant on the front and you

said to me, nice sweater.

But, Dan, I didn't say you're smart.

I said you're smart.

And I really think he is smart.

I don't know what happened. He just got mad and stormed out.

Well, you know, Dexter's been driving him pretty hard lately.

Today in the car, he said to me, Edward, that boy is an academic disaster.

I just can't concentrate.

I offered him a schoolwork, but he wouldn't let me.

I don't know what to do.

Well, you know, sometimes all you can do for a friend is understand what he's

going through.

I think Alfonso is probably just going through that rebellious stage, seeking

his own identity.

Away from Dexter.

You're right.

Good night, son.

Where are you going?

Well, I thought I'd grab a sandwich. Maybe catch some TV.

Forget it. It's bedtime.

Yeah, but Dad, I'm in that rebellious age.

Seeking my own identity.

Seek it in bed.

Good night.

Good night, son.

I was just outside watching Bruce testing your equipment.

Oh, yeah? He showed me how to shot put.

Oh, how'd you do, Riff?

Well, I... I didn't throw it real straight.

You know that cement statue of the lady holding the basket?

Yeah.

Now it looks like the lady panhandling.

Hi. Better get to school now.

Guess Alphonse is not coming by this morning.

Oh, no, he'll be here any minute.

He's finishing his reports.

Edward, I took to heart what you said to me on the way home last night.

Instead of railing at the lad, I controlled my temper. I reasoned with

It worked much better.

He stayed up very late last night, and he's using this morning to make his

absolutely perfect.

I'm glad to hear that, Dick.

Boy,

Bruce can really throw that discus.

A headless panhandler.

Hi, Alfonso.

Hi. Sorry I got so mad last night.

It's okay, you big jerk face.

I knew you'd understand.

Horse breath.

I hate sticky sentimentality.

I do, too, buffalo brain.

Better get to school.

Yeah. See you. Bye.

Oh, hold a minute.

I believe you've forgotten something.

Forgotten something?

Oh, yeah.

Goodbye.

The report.

May I see it?

Don't you trust me? Of course I trust you. Give me the report.

This is it.

One page.

was short.

Even though Lincoln wrote that address in the back of an envelope while riding

on a bouncing train, his handwriting had to be better than this.

Let's hope the content is acceptable.

Moby Dick saw a very good book.

No, that Moby Dick was a good book.

You have saw.

Moby Dick was a very good book about a sea captain named Ahab who saw this.

Large white whale he had to catch, which is sort of like the battle between dab

and goob.

No, that should be the battle between bad and good.

Well, that's a very good point.

That's what this book is about.

This paper is a closer.

Now, Dex. No, no, no, no. Don't defend him, Edward. You're always defending

He can't go on like this.

When are you going to grow up?

When are you going to grow up?

You've shown an utter lack of discipline.

I did the best I could.

Lytton, you can't enter that talent contest.

No way.

Please don't do that to me, Uncle Dexter.

I wanted to write a good book report, but I just couldn't.

I don't know what's the matter with me.

I get so frustrated, I just have to give up.

I couldn't even read the book.

The words get all mixed up.

I couldn't do it. I just couldn't.

I'm stupid.

I can't do anything right.

All I can do right is dance.

School problem.

I understand.

If you found the equipment satisfactory, we have the contracts for you to sign.

Yeah, please, here, sit here.

Is this Alfonso's paper? Yes.

Do you mind if I take a look at it? It's a trifle embarrassing.

Has your nephew ever been tested for a learning disability?

Oh, no, no, no, I don't think that's the problem.

Although when he breakdances, he does do a lot of spinning in his head.

Well, I can't say for sure, but there are certain signs here.

Look at how his handwriting is all cramped.

His B's and D's are mixed up.

Look at this E. It's backwards.

And you remember yesterday when he reversed 76 and 67?

All that is nothing more than a lack of concentration.

Well, I can't be positive.

But it looks like to me Alfonso may have dyslexia.

Dyslexia? Isn't that where you can't read?

Yeah, well, you see everything backwards.

No, it's not exactly like that.

Oh, no.

This can't be happening.

If he can't read, he'll never accomplish anything.

He'll end up being one of those poor, desperate people who live their lives

of shopping carts.

Or he may win a gold medal at the Olympics.

You had dyslexia? Well, I am dyslexic.

You never really outgrow it.

With a lot of hard work, you can overcome it. Then there's hope?

Of course.

If I could get Alfonso to put as much energy into his studies as he does into

his dancing.

Alfonso's good at dancing.

He's radical.

Well, then I would encourage him to do more.

It'll give him that self -confidence and success that he needs to feel good

about himself.

I mean, that's what sports did for me.

I guess we'll go to school now.

Alfonso, come here a minute.

What did I do now?

Nothing.

Listen, Alfonso, there may be a reason why you haven't been able to concentrate

on your schoolwork.

Mr. Dennis seems to think you might have a learning disability.

It's called dyslexia.

You mean there's something wrong with my brain?

No.

No, your brain works fine.

And your eyes work fine.

But it seems like somewhere along the line, the word seems to get all mixed

Yeah, exactly.

You know how I know that?

How? I've got the same problem.

Mr. Jenner's life turned out pretty good.

Well, there's a lot better examples than me. People like Thomas Edison, Albert

Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Hans Christian Andersen.

Wow.

And I thought I was just stupid.

How do you fix it, Mr. Jenner?

First, you get some special help at school.

But it's going to be tough, Alfonso. Tougher than your dancing, because your

dancing comes natural to you. Just like sports did for me.

And you get the cheer of the crowd. You get encouragement from your friends.

But when you're working on your reading and writing, there's no cheering crowds

when you finish a paragraph.

You have to find all that strength from down deep inside.

Well, if dyslexia is good enough for you, it's good enough for me.

Thanks, Mr. Cheney. All right.

If you three can proceed without me, I'm going to take Alfonso to his guidance

counselor. Uh, Ruth, thank you very much, my friend.

Hey, uh, Dex, are you forgetting something?

Talent counselor?

You got it, Alfonso. If you don't, you know who's going to win?

Bernice Broder playing wake me up before you go -go using spoons and water

glasses.

Alfonso, I hereby rescind my former edict.

You can go to the talent contest.

Come on, let's give them two.

See you later. Bye.

to find our way together taking the

time to stay to learn all about those things you

just