Original subtitles

[opening theme music playing]

-Bye, Lee. -Bye.

Take care of yourself, Lee.

-Bye. -Bye.

Bye.

I wonder where Mark and Jonathan are.

I mean, I thought sure they'd be here.

Well, you know, honey, they're busy.

They got other things to do.

You're not their only case, you know.

Bye.

See you.

Surprise!

Welcome home, sis.

Mark, Jonathan... I knew you guys were up to something.

Yeah, but you didn't know what. It was all Mark's idea.

What's Mark's idea?

Hey, don't look so surprised.

I do come up with one once in a while, you know.

Remember when you told me

you wanted to be part of the Save the Dolphin campaign?

-Yeah. -Mm.

What exactly was it you wanted to do?

Well, to help raise money and stuff for the boats they're sending out.

You know, to stop the deployment of nets.

[Mark] That's nice, but it's not good enough.

What do you mean not good enough?

Well, I mean, anybody can pass around a tin cup, you know.

They need people on the boats.

Look, this is Tracy Martin from Save the Dolphins.

I'll let her tell you what's going on.

Hi, Lee.

Mark here contacted us the other day.

We've already spoken to your doctor and he's given us atentative okay.

Okay for what?

If you're feeling up to it,

we're gonna fly you and your family to Seattle,

and from there, you'll board one of the Save the Dolphin boats.

And we'll make you an official member of the rescue team.

You're gonna do more than pass the hat, kiddo.

You're gonna find the dolphins in the sea.

I can't believe it. I just can't believe it.

I mean, everything I ever dreamed of, it's all coming true.

What a day. What a life.

Trawler dead ahead, trawler dead ahead!

Hit the boats!

Come on!

Honey, are you sure you're up to this now?

Mom, it's been four months.

And I've never felt better in my life, never.

The boats are so little. Are you sure they are safe?

Mom, they're fine.

Listen to me.

I'm doing something that I wanna do

more than anything else in the whole world.

I mean, what's the good of being alive if you're too afraid to really live?

Where's my scared little girl?

I am so proud of you.

-Let's go! -[Lee] I gotta go.

Come on, come on, let's go!

Come on, Jen, let's go.

And don't embarrass me by barfing on the boat.

[all] Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

-Save the dolphins! -Save the dolphins!

-Save the dolphins! -Save the dolphins!

Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

What do we do?

We can't deploy them. They're all under the rigging.

We don't wanna hurt anybody. Let's get out of here.

Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins! Save the dolphins!

They're leaving! We did it, we did it!

And we're not through.

I was talking with some of the guys

and they want me to go up to the state legislature

to talk to the whole state Senate and give a speech

for when the law to protect the dolphins and whales comes up for renewal.

You wanna go with me?

Yeah.

Why are you crying?

I don't know. I just feel so good.

Oh. [laughs heartily]

Dolphins. Look at them.

Oh, my God.

They're over there, too.

[dolphins squeaking]

It's like they knew we saved them and they're thanking us.

They do know.

And they are thanking us.

[Dr. Renne] Come in.

Hi, doc.

Oh, hi, Mark, Jonathan.

I had to come down and tell you this.

I talked to Lee on the phone last night.

You have never heard a kid so excited in your life.

She made me promise I'd come down and tell you about it.

She saved a dolphin.

The guys let her name it.

You know what she named it? Max!

They're gonna move it to some marine park--

What's wrong, doc?

I don't know what you mean, Mark.

Yes, you do.

Yes, you do.

It's Lee.

Mark, you know, I can only discuss Lee's case with her family.

She's not in remission anymore.

[breathing nervously]

The tests came back

and she's not in remission anymore. That's it, isn't it?

[sighs]

Her parents already know, I spoke to them this morning.

Oh, God.

We never should've set this thing up.

It's gonna take too much out of her.

She's gonna need all of her strength for more treatments, right?

[Dr. Renne] There's not gonna be any more treatments.

Look, I know how close the two of you have grown to her,

especially you, Mark.

We've done everything.

There's nothing more we can do for her

except try to make her comfortable.

I'm sorry.

-Hey, hey, hey. -Don't touch me, I'm fine.

I just-- I wanna be alone.

What are the police doing here? What's going on?

It's Bobby now. Damn it.

[Jim] He heard us talking about Lee

before we even had a chance to tell him.

How do you tell a ten-year-old?

He ran away.

I've called all over the place. I can't find him.

You know, I can't find him anywhere.

I don't blame him.

I feel like running away myself.

I know, Jim, he's just a little guy.

He couldn't have gotten far. The police will find him.

You don't know Bobby.

[exhales heavily]

I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

Stay here with Lisa, she's falling apart in there.

Jennifer's there with her now.

Why don't you stay here? I'll go look for Bobby.

I got neighbors out looking for him everywhere, too.

Look, why don't you stay here with Lisa? She needs you.

What about Lee?

I can't even talk to her.

Mark, please, would you?

Yeah. Yeah, sure.

Boss, I know you gave Mark the stuff for this assignment,

but I could sure use some help.

Thanks.

[motor revving]

Hey, Bobby.

Oh, no. How'd you know I'd get on this bus?

Me? I didn't know.

They didn't send you out looking for me?

-Who's "they"? -My parents.

No.

Well, you found me anyway. Just my cruddy luck.

Hey, how could I find you if I wasn't looking for you?

You do whatever you wanna do.

You mean, you don't care that I'm running away?

Last time I heard, it was a free country.

Why did God do it?

Still think God did this?

Yeah. If there is a God.

Let me ask you a question. You ever plant a garden?

Yeah, once.

Didn't some of the plants live and get tall?

Others didn't do so well and some of them even died.

Yeah.

Well, if plants could think, you'd be sort of like a God to them.

You give them life, give them water, you put them in the sunshine,

but you don't make any of them die, do you?

No.

Yeah, well, I think that's the way it is with God.

He gives us life and the Earth and the Sun.

And he loves us and he hopes the best for us.

But he doesn't live our lives for us.

And he doesn't send us disease and disasters just to prove a point.

Bobby, those things happen.

It's part of life.

Life isn't always easy, son.

I left because I didn't wanna see her die, Mr. Smith.

I know, pal.

I know.

Could you please take me home?

I'll take you home.

Where'd you find him?

On a bus, going nowhere.

How's Lee?

Well...

At least she's not in any pain, you know?

She has maybe a month.

I held her for a while, you know.

We both cried.

I don't know what else to do.

What's it like, Jon?

What?

Dying.

First you're scared.

Then you deny it, "It's not gonna happen to me."

Then you're angry, "It can't happen to me."

And then you accept it.

And finally, you're at peace.

Mark, a peace like you've never felt before.

I think I'll take a walk.

How's your mom?

She fell asleep.

You talked to Lee?

No.

I think she just wants to be alone.

Jennifer, you're gonna have to help her now.

But she's dying.

How can I help her?

Well, you remember what she told us?

About how the most important thing in her life was to make a difference.

A real difference.

It's too late now.

She's not even gonna get a chance.

Its not too late. She has a month.

Jennifer, it could be the most important month of her life,

but she's gonna need you.

To do what?

To convince her not to give up on her dream.

To make her go ahead with her talk to the Senate.

I can't do that.

Yes, you can.

You have to.

You're gonna have to be the big sister now.

[sighs]

[soft music playing on radio]

Lee.

Can we talk?

[sighs heavily]

Who are you, Joan Rivers?

I have a favor to ask.

You want my room when I'm dead, don't you?

That too.

I told you before, the bras don't fit.

I don't want you to quit.

I don't think I have much say in it anymore.

We have that meeting at the state capital.

You have to talk to the whole Senate, remember?

I don't think I'm gonna be around, Jen.

We could get them to hold a special session, then.

Mark could set it up just like he did with the TV station.

And you could talk to them.

You talk to them for me.

I can't do it like you can.

You're the smart one, not me.

Oh, you're not so bad for a brat.

I mean it, Lee, please.

This bill is important.

You're the one who said so.

What are you getting so mad at me for?

I'm not mad at you.

Oh, I'm not mad at you, sis.

I'm--

I'm mad at death.

I wish I could punch it right in the nose.

I wish to God I could.

And I don't want it to win. I want you to win.

I want you to get that bill passed.

So the things you really care about won't--

Won't die with me?

Yes.

Come here.

[sobbing]

I want you to have your wish.

I want you to make a difference.

I want you to be remembered.

Because you're the best.

You tell Mark, try and set it up.

The Bradley girls are gonna go get them.

Yes.

I'm sorry, but Senator Simpson's not even here.

Ma'am, please be honest with us on this one.

Are you just saying that because you know he won't see us?

Or is he somewhere in the city where we can find him?

Look, folks, I'm on your side.

So is Senator Simpson. He's all in favor of this bill.

But unfortunately, he's on vacation in Montana.

He's not due back for another ten days.

-If you'll just listen to me. -I'm listening.

Now, Fred, I want you to make sure that we nail that appropriations bill shut today.

Senator, will you support a special session of the committee?

No. Fred, I want you to make sure--

But, Senator, he girl and her family have come a long way just to be heard.

Well, they can be heard during the regular sessions in two months.

The dolphins will be safe until then.

The girl won't be alive by then.

Mr. Gordon,

I still don't know how you conned my secretary into letting you in here,

but I can tell you right now, it won't do you any good.

-Senator, it is so-- -I think that we need

to get government off the back of business.

And it's time we realize that the conservationists in this country

are trying to make capitalism an endangered species.

Listen, all the girl wants is a chance to talk to your committee.

She is dying.

And my heart goes out to her and her family.

And I would be delighted to have her and her family

as my guests on a special tour of the capitol if they'd like,

but calling the committee into special session, it's out of the question.

They didn't come here to have a tour of their government.

They came here to be part of it.

[indistinct chattering]

-How'd you make out? -Two noes, one yes.

That gives us three altogether.

We couldn't even get in the door to see anybody.

Well, there's still the chairman, Senator Arnold.

Nobody's seen him yet.

[Mark] That's because nobody can get in to see him.

You know, I think he knows we're here, he's dodging us or something.

Senator Arnold, Dave Kirkwood of The Chronicle.

Do you think the Governor is gonna veto your budget proposal?

Well, if he tries, I think he'll find I got me enough votes

in both houses to override.

Bobby...

I don't think he wants that kind of embarrassment.

Hal David, KFTZ.

Senator, the Speaker of the House has called you a petty tyrant

who views the Senate as his own private kingdom.

Well, [chuckles] I don't know about that, I...

I see myself as just a simple public servant.

Bobby Bradley, Meadows Elementary School Student Newsletter.

-I have a question, sir. -Now, that's what I like to see.

Our young people taking an interest in state government.

Probably from one of the school tours.

What was that question again, young fella?

Do you believe in God, sir?

[laughs heartily]

Out of the mouths of babes.

Well, I tell you, young fella,

that's the best question I ever heard up here.

And I think our constituents have a desire to know...

A right to know how their elected officials stand

on the great moral issues of the day.

Do you, sir? Do you believe in God?

I certainly do, my fine young fellow. I certainly do.

And, sir, isn't it true that there's, like, a little voice inside of us all?

And it's up to us whether we listen to that voice

and do the right thing or not?

Young man, I don't believe I've ever heard it

more beautifully put it in my entire life.

And I tell you what, you tell your teacher

to watch the six o'clock news tonight

because if I know anything about these boys, you're gonna be there

and me too, of course.

[all laughing heartily]

Then, sir, would you please call your committee into special session

so they can hear what my sister has to say?

Because she...

She's dying, sir.

And if you don't let her talk to you guys now,

she's not gonna be around when you're ready to listen.

-Well, son, I-- -Please, don't answer yet, sir.

Please, just take a second and listen to God

because he'll tell you what the right thing to do is.

I know he will.

Where's your sister now, son?

She's right down there.

That's my sister, sir. Her name's Lee.

Young lady.

How would two o'clock be?

It would be fine, Senator. It would be just fine.

I'm not gonna talk about any bill or politics,

because this is more important than that.

I told my sister the other day that this isn't my world anymore.

Because I'm leaving soon.

Too soon.

And I'm scared, you know?

I know maybe I shouldn't be and I wasn't for a while...

I was mad.

And that was a lot easier than this.

Because I'm scared.

So, I try and...

you know, like the song says, think of my favorite things.

And I think of sunsets.

And the wind in my hair.

Of the way the air smells in the morning

when there isn't any pollution

and you can smell the trees and the Earth.

You can smell life itself.

And the sea.

The mother of all life, the life of our planet.

That's what the sea is.

I know what it's like to feel like you're drowning,

to know you're dying.

And I know what it's like

to have to say goodbye to all the beauty of the Earth.

I know because I'm dying.

But you're not.

It's your world.

And my little sister's, and my brother's.

And I'm asking you, all of you,

to hold life very close, very dearly.

Because you don't know how awful it is

to lose it until you have to say goodbye.

Every day, we senselessly kill another piece of this Earth.

We all live our own separate little worlds,

concerned only with what's best for ourselves.

"I'll make my money now and to heck with what happens later.

Another endangered species disappears, so what?

I'm doing great.

I'm providing for my family."

But what would that legacy be to your family

when all the dolphins are gone,

and all the condors, and the oceans have died,

and the ozone layers are destroyed?

Is that the legacy you wanna leave?

I haven't made a will,

because I really don't have anything to leave anyone.

Except my room, and my sister's already got dibs on that.

So I leave to you the planet Earth.

I bequeath you the land,

and the skies,

and the seas,

and the heavens,

and the Earth and all the creatures that God created.

I give you life.

And I hope to God, who made it all,

that you don't waste it.

It's the dearest thing you've got.

It's everything.

[breathes deeply]

[applauding continues]

-Hi, kiddo. -Hi.

I just talked to Senator Arnold on the telephone.

He is sure there is enough votes to pass the bill.

-Ha-ha, you did it. -Oh, thank God.

Hey, what's this?

A Save the Dolphins poster, I just finished it.

Oh, it's great.

-I was just wishing... -What?

That I could see Max, the dolphin we saved.

And I could swim with him just once.

Wouldn't it be something to swim on a dolphin?

Then let's do it.

-Oh, sure. -No, I mean it.

Are you serious?

You bet I am.

I don't think it's gonna work with Max.

He isn't trained enough yet.

How about we try one of the other dolphins?

Max is the one she wants to swim with, Keith.

I'll give it another try.

[continues to splash the water]

[squeaks]

Lee, it's no use.

Are you sure you don't wanna go over to the other tank?

No, Max was the one whose life I helped--

It was a dumb idea. Let's just go home.

-Honey, we can go over to the other tank. -Please. I just wanna go home.

Look, I'm sorry it didn't work out.

Max.

You owe her this one.

I know you can hear me.

It's the little girl who saved your life.

It's about time you did something to pay her back.

[squeaks]

[squeaking]

Lee. Lee, come here.

Mark.

Looks like he remembered you.

[squeaks]

[door opens]

[footsteps approaching]

[sighs]

She's resting. [sighs]

I don't think she's in any pain.

She... She wants to see you, Mark.

-She wants to say goodbye. -[sobbing]

Hi, kiddo.

Mark.

Please don't cry.

Please.

I'm not afraid anymore.

[breathing heavily] I know it sounds crazy,

but when I swam with Max,

he talked to me.

Not with words.

It was so strange and so beautiful.

I could feel his thoughts.

He made me understand.

Life doesn't end.

It never ends.

[struggling for air]

Here.

What's this?

A poem.

I want you to read it when it's time.

Hey.

No tears, remember?

I can't help it.

I'm gonna...

I'm gonna miss you, kiddo.

I'll be here.

You know, I had this crazy dream that I died

and I came back as a dolphin.

Who knows?

Maybe my dream will come true.

Wouldn't that be something, Mark?

Yeah, kiddo.

It could happen, couldn't it?

All things are possible, right?

All things are possible.

[exhales]

[exhales]

I think I'll sleep now.

[breathes deeply]

[Mark] "Do not weep for me

For I have lived

I have flown With magic dolphins

Weightless beneath the sea

Do not weep for me For I have given

I have joined my hand With my fellow's hand

To leave the planet Better than I found it

Do not weep for me

Do not weep for me For I have loved

And been loved

By parents

Brothers, sisters

By those I loved Who loved me back

For I never knew a stranger Only friends

Do not weep for me

Do not

Weep for me

When you feel the ocean Spray upon your face

I am there

When your heart beats faster Than a dolphin's leaping grace

I am there

When you reach out To touch another's heart

As I now touch God's face

I am there

Do not weep for me

I am not gone

Lee."

[sobbing]

[Mark] I wish I could believe.

What?

That her dream would come true.

That all things are possible.

They are, Mark.

Believe me, they are.

Way to go, kiddo.

Way to go.

[Lee] When your heart beats faster At the dolphin's leaping grace

I am there

When you reach out To touch another's heart

As now I touch God's face

I am there

Do not weep for me

I am not gone...

[closing theme music playing]