Original subtitles

Now you're taking unfair advantage. You're using your position to make me

use up my time to defeat me. So what are you using to defeat me?

We're going to lose the tavern.

Save our tavern! Save our tavern!

Would you like to have it, Charlie?

A memento? Yes, I would.

Are you firing me?

Call it whatever you want. Well, you can't. I quit.

The study of law is something new and unfamiliar to most of you, unlike any

other schooling that you have ever known before.

And one day we'll all say, hey, look, we've come through the

first year.

You teach yourselves the law, but I train your minds.

You come in here with a scowl full of mush, and if you survive,

you leave thinking like a lawyer.

Miss Logan?

Miss Logan?

Oh, Miss Cornblue.

Is everything... Yes, fine.

Five o'clock.

You got that, now, you sure?

benevolent uncle, and I promise to pay for my nephew's college education if he

promises to give up wine, women, and song.

He does so.

Am I obligated to make good my promised pay?

Mr. Ford.

Hamer versus Sidway.

You, the uncle, do not have to pay because I, the nephew, gave up nothing

of value.

Your promise was gratuitous. You regard wine, women, and song as having no

value, Mr. Ford?

Not at all, sir. But value was not passed to the uncle.

Reach out. Miss, uh, Logan.

The contract imposed obligations on the nephew, which he had to meet.

So the uncle should meet his obligations and pay.

Mr. Bell.

I trust that missive pertains to our current discussions?

Oh, yes, sir.

Promises. May we all have the benefit of its contents, please?

Hot dogs, pickles, and relish.

Your version of wine, women, and song, Mr. Bell, eh?

It's for a surprise party, sir. You seem to have modified the conditions of this

assignment.

Very well. Continue, please.

Can the beneficiary of this surprise party hold you to a gratuitous promise?

Or is it gratuitous?

It would be a gift to him, sir, even though other people would be doing most

of the eating.

You, undoubtedly, Mr. Bell.

I am a guest, sir.

Are you obligated to bring food which you yourself would consume?

Yes, sir, because others are involved, partly in reliance on my promise, other

guests who are doing their share.

So, even if my promise is also beneficial to me, I must perform.

Very good, Mr. Bell.

Enjoy your party, Mr. Bell.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday, dear Ernie.

Where is he? Carol, you were supposed to have him out here.

Didn't you hear?

Hear what?

I sent Peterson over to the dorm.

We've been running around getting last-minute stuff. Carol, where is

Ernie?

In jail.

Jail, what?

All right, start from the top. What happened?

This morning, he got a registered letter.

Just like the one we got.

And Ludwig.

And Joseph from the tailor shop. And Andrea, too.

Anyway, when he got it, I thought he was going to go into shock. He turned beet

red and he started to swear.

And there, look what he did.

Boy, he must have gone nuts.

He was furious.

I've never seen him like that.

Then he ran out.

What did the letter say? Have you got it? He took it with him.

Oh, I have the one we got.

But, Carol, why was he arrested?

Assault and creating a disturbance.

But who? Where was this?

Some big company downtown.

The Wheeler Corporation.

Oh, yeah, that's it. He barged into some big shot's office and he started yelling

and screaming.

And then he started pushing around a vice president.

And then they called the cops.

We better do something about getting Ernie out.

You know, Ludwig and Andrea went down to make bail.

What does the letter say?

This is an eviction notice.

Do you want to throw Ernie out and tear down the tavern?

All of us, Mr. Hart.

They want to tear down the whole block.

It's got to be Ernie.

She sure isn't cooled off yet.

Ernie? What?

It's Hart. We're all out here.

Don't bother me.

I think you better talk to him alone.

What do you want?

I just heard, and I'm sorry.

Sorry? Damn it!

Where is that bank book?

Ernie, go off and let's talk.

Sure, talk, Hart. You're good at that. But your talk got me into this.

What do you mean? You know what I mean.

Hold back, you told me.

When they upped the rent on me the second time this year, hold back the

rent, you told me. It's a protest.

Hold on. I didn't tell you to do it. I just said it was a possibility.

So others had tried it, and it had worked. Yeah, well, it worked just great

for me.

I also said you had to put the rent into escrow and notify the Wheeler

Corporation by registered letter. Did you do that?

All right, all right. So it wasn't registered.

The most important thing I said was to get a lawyer.

What was I supposed to pay him with?

I got those new ovens, the freezers.

I'm in hock up to my ears for them.

Look, I'm sorry. I need cash, not sorry.

All I got left is what's in here, and I'm gonna have to use that to pay back

Ludwig and Andrea for putting on my bail.

Why they did, I'll never know.

I got them to go along with me. And the corn blues upstairs.

Organized the whole block.

Dragged them all down the rat hole with me. You're the lawyer, Hart. You should

have known better.

I'm a student, Ernie. A student. You should have... Don't yell at me! I'm not

yelling, and you're being unreasonable. Get out! Go on, get out and leave me

alone. Get out and stay out. Are you firing me?

Call it whatever you want.

Well, you can't. I quit.

And I know I shouldn't have lost my head, but he was being so irrational.

He was wild.

Yeah, we heard him. The whole block heard him. Can you blame him?

A powerful company like that, forcing them out into the street, the whole

block?

I'd like to march up to that company and just give them a piece of my mind. Easy,

Logie. Tossing bombs will get you a life sentence.

Yeah, don't blame Wheeler.

The corporation is just acting as an agent. They're only a middleman. Yeah,

for the university.

They own the land. Now they want to use it for a new athletic complex.

Yeah, but that was in the works a year ago.

They've already started clearing the land behind Ernie's.

In fact, I thought it was that block that the university wanted to use and

not Ernie's anyway.

Yeah, I read an article in the law school paper.

Maps, drawings.

I'm sure Mulberry Street was not included.

Well, whatever.

I'm gonna miss the place.

Me too.

You know the procedure, Mr. Hart.

You have to tell me why you wish to see Professor Kingsfield.

If I tell you, you'll tell him and he won't. And if you don't, he won't.

The precise manner of refusal is up to you.

And, of course, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me,

Charles. Just give me a chance to check it thoroughly.

Of course.

But they want to begin next month. No reason why they shouldn't, barring

complications.

See you at the meeting, Charles.

Thank you, Robert.

Mrs. Nottingham, no calls for the next 30 minutes. I don't wish to be

disturbed. Yes, sir. Oh, Professor Kingsfield, please.

Mr. Hart, is it? Yes, sir. I have to talk to you.

Imperatives are sadly overused these days.

Mr. Hart, I told you. Oh, it's important.

Mrs. Nottingham will make an appointment for you. Sir, it's an emergency.

First years always think so. That's one of the reasons you're here.

To distinguish between fact and illusion.

If I could just have five minutes of your time. Mr. Hart, three minutes.

Three minutes.

You are wasting some of your allotted time, Mr. Hart.

Yes, sir. I need your help, your advice.

I assume it's beyond the scope of the classroom?

Yes, sir.

I need the name of an attorney, a good attorney.

The local bar association is capable of giving you that kind of advice?

Yes, but not the kind of an attorney we need for this case, sir. We need someone

who is as strong and as important as our opponent.

We?

Our? It's for Ernie.

He owns a tavern.

He's in trouble. The university's going to tear the tavern down, the whole

block, to build... I'm quite aware of the university's plans, Mr. Hart.

And Ernie must have been aware of them also.

They've been public for almost a year.

He's only seeking legal aid now.

But they weren't going to tear down the buildings on Mulberry Street before.

Now, I don't know why they've changed, but he needs a lawyer to fight it.

I have no objection to making two or three recommendations, Mr. Hart. Oh,

thank you, sir.

However, to make your attorney fully cognizant of the facts, there are new

plans for the area, including Mulberry Street.

It will be needed for a large parking structure.

Parking structure? For cars?

Yes, the new gymnasium will hold thousands of people, many of them

alumni. They must not be inconvenienced.

But... But Ernie's, the bakery, the bookshop, just for cars?

Oh, we're going to fight that, sir. We're going to get a lawyer and fight

it. That is your privilege, Mr. Hart.

And it'll be most interesting to enter into an adversary relationship with one

of my students.

Adversary?

I am the counsel for the University Building Committee, Mr. Hart.

But, sir, I think we do have a case.

Well, can't you at least consider it?

Yes, sir.

Well, thank you very much for your time, sir.

Goodbye.

Another turndown, huh? That was the last Attorney Kingsfield recommended.

You can't blame him.

Ernie doesn't have much of a case.

Well, what's much? At least it's something.

Look, and if we dig, we can... You want us to dig, Hart? With Kingsfield on the

other side?

All we'll dig is our graves.

Hey, you guys aren't quitting.

Hart, you can't quit something you haven't started.

Don't waste any more time on this.

You play shining white knight for Ernie and your classwork's gonna suffer.

And ours, too. We need your outline.

Oh, that's fine. Great.

A bunch of true humanitarians. I mean, if a guy could be drawn to you, throw

him an anchor.

So the first time they raised the rent, it was bad enough.

But twice in one year?

Ernie, vodka on the rocks.

I just wasn't gonna hold still for that.

So you didn't pay.

But you did send a protest letter.

Registered?

Uh... What are we going over all this again for? I already told Hart.

Yeah, I know you did. You told him plenty.

Yeah, I suppose.

I didn't know what I was saying. I lost my head.

Well... We'll try to see you don't lose any more than that.

This is the same lease I have every year.

Nothing different.

Except they always raise the rent.

Gee, this lease expired two months ago.

I know, I know. I sent them a letter.

I wish to stay.

But I never hear from them.

And I have no new lease.

Now... I think it is maybe because they want to get me out.

You really think there's something you can do, Mr.

Bell?

Well, I don't know, but you can bet we'll do our best.

Ah, Simon, Mr.

Scornblow. Be gay.

All right. Thank you, Ludwig.

Such a nice walk we had today.

The school, the students.

We'll never find another place where we can walk like here.

Of course you will.

Here.

This is Mr.

Bell. He is a law student.

He and his friends are going to help us.

How kind of you.

You are?

Well, we're just kind of exploring right now, but we'll do our best.

And I'll let you know, okay? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, Mr. Bell.

Here.

Help yourself.

Thanks anyway, but it spoiled my dinner.

Bye.

I will get your bread, Mrs. Cornblue. It's still warm from the oven.

You have something left from yesterday, Ludwig?

Yesterday?

But it's stale.

Let's be honest, Ludwig. It's also cheaper.

A few pennies. That never worried you before?

We never had to worry about leaving before.

My pension is enough for the little apartment upstairs.

But somewhere else... Save the tavern. Sign the petition.

Excuse me, miss. Could I have one of those?

Of course you can. Here.

Clever. Think it'll help?

Can't hurt.

No?

Seems the only thing I'm good for anymore is shouting slogans and passing

out petitions. I appreciate it. Yeah, but do you approve of it?

I think sifting through these is likely to be more effective.

Yeah, but that's a long, tedious job, Hart. Tell me about it.

Where are you going to find the time?

Somewhere.

Anyway, thanks.

I'll see you later. Okay.

Bye-bye.

Save the tavern! Sign the petition!

How'd you do?

Just a rehash of what we already know. You?

Things don't look too good.

Well, Art can't say we didn't try.

Yes, damn it, we tried.

Can't do more than that.

Oh, hi, Pop.

Artie.

Hey, Jenna's on with Rick.

Kyle, I'll have it wrapped up for you in a minute, okay? No rush. We can sit and

visit for a while.

Oh, sorry, Pop. I can't right now.

I got to go down and see this lawyer.

Lawyer?

Yeah, I got a small problem.

Using lawyers for small problems is like watering plants.

Only makes them grow.

What's the problem?

Okay.

Pop, I didn't want to tell you this right off.

Not to lie.

Figured a way to go, anyway.

Ernie, right now, you look as if you're 15 again.

Trying to tell me you bashed into Carr.

I wish I was 15, Pop.

And I wish I was only into Carr.

Pop.

We're gonna lose the tavern.

At least that's the way it looks right now.

Of course, I'm gonna fight it. I mean, they can't just kick us out. No, Ernie.

Don't try to cover it up.

We are going to lose the tavern. That is what you said.

It's gonna be torn down.

The whole block is.

The whole block?

Don't we?

The cornblows?

They want us out in a couple of weeks.

They start wrecking by the end of the month.

What are you going to do about it?

Well, Pop, I'm trying to figure out a way to stop them, honest.

First, I've got to take care of this assault wraps. What are you waiting for?

Go.

Are you all right, Pop?

Yes, yes, yes.

You're wasting time. Go.

We'll talk about this some more when I get back.

You missed Kingsfield's class today.

Uh-huh. I brought you a copy of my notes.

Oh, thanks.

You missed class, Hart.

Kingsfield noticed. He called on you and you weren't there. I was here.

Hart, I know you think you're doing the right thing, but we're worried that

you're getting too carried away with the tavern. You're ignoring your work, and

now you're probably going to be blind enough to miss another one of

Kingsfield's classes.

You're slipping into the pit, old boy. No problem.

No problem, huh?

Adams v.

Linzell, 1818, the Court of Kings bench.

That is a landmark case.

You're talking about the mailbox rule?

It's the keystone to Ernie's case.

Look, he sent this letter of intent saying he wasn't going to pay the rent.

It's lucky he made a copy.

Now, notice is effective when properly dispatched. That means the mailbox is

enough. But do you have any witnesses?

Two, Ludwig and Andrea. They both read it. No way, Hart. This is not an

effective notice to renew.

I mean, what's Ernie trying to do here?

I mean, is he going to protest the conditions of the new lease?

Or is the rent too high and he doesn't want to know part of the new lease?

I thought it was perfectly clear.

Hart, you're too involved and too tired to think clearly about anything.

This is subject to interpretation. You know what interpretation means in court?

Years and money, lots of money.

Excuse me.

I've been in here forever. I have got to get out. Hart.

I just want to get out.

Hart.

Words, words, words, and learned opinions.

Well that goes to show you just what they're worth.

Hey Logan!

Yes, he did.

Where is he?

In back.

Hey.

Come on, Carol, get with it, huh?

Yeah.

Come on.

Hi, Hart.

You're pretty jammed.

Yeah, well, we'll make out.

Ernie, whatever you think I've done to you, whatever I have done to you, I'm

sorry.

It wasn't you, Hart.

You didn't do a thing.

It was me.

I was the one.

A real horse's bustle.

It wasn't your fault.

Don't ever think it was.

Thanks.

Besides, we'll figure out a way.

There's got to be a way out of this.

Ernie, that's just it. No.

I've figured, I've studied, I've read.

There is no way out.

They can't be stopped.

I just had to tell you.

Okay.

Have a beer.

I

don't

understand why I have to keep explaining it to you, Mr. Hart.

Professor Kingsfield will not see any student without an appointment.

It's important, Mrs. Nottingham. I have to see him now.

You're not going to see him. You know the rules.

Backwards, forwards, and upside down.

Mr. Hart.

Yes. Yes, Professor. No, no, no disturbance.

No, just Mr. Hart again.

Yes, I can take care of him.

I have to talk to you right now, Professor Kingsville.

I'm so sorry, Professor.

Yes, I'll handle him.

Yes.

Sir?

Oh, but... Yes, sir.

You may go in, Mr.

Hart.

Thank you.

No blare of trumpets, no roll of timpani, Mr. Hart.

That was the least I expected.

I just had to see you, Professor.

Again? You've already... Yes, and I'm very grateful for this second

opportunity.

Spare me your maundering, Mr. Hart, and at the very least show me the courtesy

of getting to the point.

Ernie's Tavern, sir.

I believe we've already discussed that, and I've given you what help I can.

And I'm very grateful, sir.

But dissatisfied.

Sir, Ernie's case, everybody's on the block. It's in the toilet.

Well, a very graphic description, Mr. Hart.

Well, there doesn't seem to be...

Another way out, so I thought I'd appeal to you.

On what basis?

Well, you're counsel for the building committee. They might listen to you.

About what?

About the real meaning of Ernie's Tavern.

It's just as much a part of this school as the library or the laboratories or

your classroom.

It's a place where we can breathe, relax, look around and see friends

instead of adversaries.

Meet instead of compete.

Just as you did once.

When you were us, sir, I worked at his tavern.

I've been over every single one of his tables with a wet rag at least a hundred

times, and I know them.

And there's one table, one particular table with initials carved in it.

C.W.K. I've seen it.

C.W.K. Charles W.

Kingsfield. And the date, 1931, which is when you graduated.

And that, you feel, is relevant?

That, I feel, is you, sir.

You carved your initials in that table because you wanted somebody to know that

you'd been there So Ernie's tavern had to mean something to you.

It was one place One thing that maybe you felt was bigger than you maybe the

only thing and the only time in your whole life Very presumptuous

observations to her

Sir, why

have you come here?

What are you really asking of me do I really have to tell you sir

Help us save Ernie's

Thank you for your time sir

Excuse me.

Ernie, got your dinner.

Thank you, Carol.

Ernie.

You don't remember me, do you?

Wait.

Wait, just a second.

So many students over the years.

Yes, but there's always something. The boy never leaves the man.

Razortongue. Razortongue Charles.

Charles... Kingsfield.

Kingsfield.

Nineteen... Thirty?

No, no. Thirty-one.

Those days, how we struggled.

We lived on pennies.

But you, it didn't make no difference to you. You worked, you studied.

And... How you argued cases with the other boys.

You cut them to ribbons with your sharp tongue.

Come in, Charlie.

Come in. We'll chat.

Razortongue. A good name for you.

I didn't appreciate it much at the time.

Oh, it was given in respect and admiration, Charles.

The years have treated you well. And you.

And the tavern, it's got a nice, warm, comfortable feeling.

A sense of permanence.

Permanence?

That's a funny word to use, Charles.

They're tearing the place down.

I know. I just found out.

It's only beginning to sink in.

I don't want to accept it.

This place, it's...

Well, it's been my whole life.

Something that would stay after me.

So, people would know there was an Ernie.

Ah, spilt milk.

Water over the dam.

We'll find another place, Ernie and I.

We'll make a bigger tavern, a better one. Take all these old things with us.

God knows we have enough to make it look the same.

You know, I have...

Never thrown anything out.

There, look.

This stove lid came from a stove that was here before I bought the place.

Why I saved it, I don't know.

Maybe because it was the last of that kind of stove.

1843.

The year it was made and the manufacturer's trademark.

When it was built, yes.

I told you it was old.

Would you like to have it, Charlie?

A memento?

Something to remind you of the old tavern?

Yes, I would.

Thank you.

It's yours.

Whatever happens to you, wherever you go, I wish you well, my friend.

And you, Charles.

And you.

Morning, Charles.

Good morning, Elizabeth.

Up early, I see.

How would you like to be one of his students today?

I wouldn't.

Is nothing happening?

Good morning, Professor.

It's a lovely day, Professor.

So bright.

So crisp.

Where did this come from?

A gift from a friend.

Why, it's an old stove lid.

Oh, this takes me back, way back.

When I was a child, my grandmother had a coal stove, and she used to make toast

on a lid just like this.

Are you quite through with your reminiscences?

Yes, sir.

We do have Geary's compendium of trademarks and hallmarks, do we not?

Compendium of... Yes, we do. I appreciate your confirmation.

Now I would appreciate the book.

The class would like to benefit from your intelligence.

It's Miraboo.

Come on. What? This is one day you are not going to miss class.

Hey, wait a minute.

No way, Harvey. You're in enough trouble already.

Well, take it easy.

Well, at least let me get dressed first.

Nope.

And showered and shaved.

If you can't make it on brains, maybe you'll make it on looks.

versus century trust morgan versus century trust 1912 the plaintiff no no

no 1910 1910 try to hide behind staggered today i wish i could hide i

swear i could see king still watching us from the dean's window last night well

he probably was at that meeting if i could see him he could see me well how

could he miss you very funny let's see you laugh when he dumps on us childish

infantile and puerile now display the was not only

outrageous, but an insult to the building committee and its members.

An undergraduate might be excused for such an excess.

But students at law are presumed to have acquired a certain degree of maturity.

There's no room in any legal controversy for emotional outbursts. They only serve

to obscure the issue and impede a settlement.

Details?

facts, reasoning, not temper tantrums.

I trust it will not be necessary to discuss this kind of behavior again.

Now, irrelevant issues.

Murdoch versus Kentucky Cyanide.

You seem to lack your usual fervor, Mr.

Hart?

Sorry, I'm not prepared.

For lack of time, Mr. Hart?

I had some important work to do.

Not connected with this class, obviously.

But perhaps our current assignments bore you, Mr. Hart.

Very well, you may forge ahead, explore new legal territory for us.

The state and private property...

Volume one, the first three chapters.

Read, analyze, and report back to us by next class.

Sir, you know why I'm unprepared.

I have another obligation.

Lighting matches and igniting bonfires?

You know what it is, sir.

Now, you're taking unfair advantage. You're using your position to make me

use up my time to defeat me.

If so, what are you using to defeat me?

Volume one, the first three chapters, Mr.

Hart.

Hey, wouldn't you get more work done back in your room?

The bed's too close to the desk.

I get the point.

Tough assignment, huh?

It's the pits.

Kingsfield really laid it on me today.

Three chapters from an area that we haven't even covered.

Cases that have precedents that go back forever.

Here. This will rev up your engine for you.

Well, this will just put me to sleep. Nah, nah. Just heat up your blood.

Salute.

Listen, I'll, uh...

Get out of your hair here in a minute. What's your story?

Oh, that's all right.

There's one thing I've learned to do. It's read and carry on a conversation at

the same time.

The words go from here to here, and the talk goes from here to here.

They never get crossed.

Boy, it's gonna be a job cleaning up this room.

Must have stuff laying around here from 50 years ago.

Hey, what happened to that old stove lid I wanted?

There you go, you can't fly on one wing.

You remember when you first walked in here looking for a job?

I lied to you about my experience.

Yeah, I got the idea when you kept pouring doubles into two different

glasses.

Yeah, we had some good time, Hart.

We'll have more.

Yeah, it's over.

That may not be so bad then.

A 10 bar for somebody else.

No responsibilities.

Yeah, it's a headache being the boss.

No, you were great.

Best boss I ever had.

You admitted me to the bar before graduation.

That's not very funny.

One thing you gotta promise me, Hart.

Stick to your studies.

Keep on grinding, huh?

I'm grinding, I'm grinding.

Yeah. Get yourself at the green, no matter what.

That piece of paper's your magic carpet. It'll fly you anywhere.

That's it.

That's it!

It's right here.

If it fits, if I can make it work.

Make what work?

Our case.

Kingsgill didn't realize what he was doing.

I'll see you later, Ernie.

Or did he?

Got to get organized. We've got a lot of work to do. So what else is new?

Well, we've all got to share it. We've all got to do our part. Part of what?

A coup to overthrow the university fiat.

He's turning us into communists.

Don't you know?

No. The way you came in, I thought you were... You mean you don't know?

Uh-uh.

Carol. Yeah?

You know anything about this?

Know about what?

Well, I got a telephone call a few minutes ago, and someone said to rush

right over. It was very important.

Just what happened to us.

Come downstairs right away.

Didn't it, Simon? Yes, yes.

Well, beats me.

I sure didn't call you.

Hi.

I think I found something.

Cart, look, I found it.

Yeah.

to Carver when he built the fireplace.

And you see what it says, Ernie?

1774. American Revolution?

George Washington slept here and all that? What, are you giving me a history

lesson now?

Ernie, listen.

This place was originally a house built in 1774. Then it was partially burned

down in the early 1800s. It was rebuilt and converted into a tavern in 1843.

How did you find out all this stuff? We researched it. We spent the entire

morning in that library.

We turned that place upside down.

They're still in shock.

Okay, okay. It's all very nice, but, uh, so what?

Ernie, you don't understand.

This building is historic.

Now a lawyer's got a case. He can go into that court and push to have this

place declared a state monument. Then nobody can ever tear it down.

Nobody. Nobody.

Not even the university?

Nobody. And they're not just gonna leave the tavern standing.

It'll have to...

probably assign us 100 extra cases. Why?

Well, we skipped class this morning, and now we just put the axe to his building

committee. Oh, I don't know.

You know, good lawyers win and lose gracefully, and he is a good lawyer.

Pip-pip.

Here we are.

the first years are hard years much more than we know with good

friends to love us we'll feel every blow stay up and do

all things and one day we'll all say