Original subtitles

? What would you do if I sang out of tune? ?

? Would you stand up and walk out on me? ?

? Lend me your ears, and I'll sing you a song ?

? I will try not to sing out of key, yeah ?

? Oh, baby, I get by ? ? By with a little help from my friends ?

? All I need is my buddies ?

? High with a little help from my friends ?

? I'm sayin' I'm gonna get higher ? ?Try with a little help from my friends ?

- ? Whoa-oa-oa-oa, yeah ? - ? Ooh, ooh, ooh ?

In 1972, the war was still raging in Vietnam.

[ Gunfire ]

Politicians kept talking,

soldiers kept dying, and no one seemed to know why.

But maybe because the war had gone on too long,

or maybe because it had caused too much pain,

whatever the reason,

most of us managed to keep it at a distance...

And go on with our everyday, normal lives.

Oh, come on, Wayne. You know this one.

"Obsequious."

"A," toxic. "B," easily upset.

"C," fawning.

"D," ambitious.

My brother, for example,

was studying for his college entrance exams.

Ow!

What's the matter?

I just cut my nose with this paper clip!

Well, "studying" may have been an overstatement.

Wayne, you have to concentrate,

or you're never gonna be ready for your S.A.T.S.

Well, I don't know why I have to take them.

I already took them once.

I know, honey, but you just need to do a little bit better.

You know, I don't see what the big deal about college is, anyway.

It's not like if I don't go,

I'm gonna get drafted or something.

Luckily, Wayne's draft lottery number was 312.

Unfortunately, that was also his first S.A.T. Score.

"Obsequious" means...

fawning.

- Okay, okay. - Okay?

Okay.

I hope this doesn't get infected.

The thing is, the guy wasn't a total idiot.

So, "obsequious" is...

He was just... Unconscious.

Fawning!

Great. Break my concentration.

But no matter how much of a problem the S.A.T.S were...

"Lugubrious."

Wayne had an even bigger problem,

a problem of cosmic proportions...

"D," sympathetic.

Ow!

A problem that could block the sun.

Wayne? What are you doing?

What? What'd I do now?

I told you, the shingles have to overlap.

They are overlapped.

And it's supposed to be two nails in every shingle.

How many nails you got in there?

About two.

Pay attention, will you?

Whatever you say, Dad.

As Wayne inched his way towards graduation,

Dad worried about everything he did.

And his worries came out as complaints.

Hey! Wayne!

Oops.

Unfortunately, the more Dad complained,

the worse Wayne did.

It was almost as if Wayne thought

he was expected to screw up.

I don't believe it.

Dad, I know what I'm doing, okay?

Then do it. Use your head, will you?

Whatever you say, Dad.

But even though the problem seemed clear enough...

Look, Wayne, Dad's just tryin' to help.

He cares about you. That's why he does this.

For some reason,

the solution just wasn't that simple.

Butthead.

Butt breath.

Ironically, while the long arm of the future

was reaching out for Wayne...

Arnold... Arnold... Arnold.

The long arm of my guidance counselor

was reaching out for me.

Are you related to Wayne Arnold?

No. [ Chuckles ]

Very well, then.

What do you plan to do with your life?

My life?

- All of it? - Yes.

What are you interested in?

Well...

Let's see.

There were cars, girls, sports, and girls.

I like to read a lot.

Oh. Anything in particular?

Well...

Let's see.

There were books about cars, girls, sports, and girls.

I like the classics.

In that case, you should start thinking

about what college you want to go to.

Really?

You have a chance to really do something with your life.

You should start thinking about the future.

And faced with that mature logic,

there was only one thing to say.

Do I need a hall pass to get back into class?

Thanks.

Okay, so I wasn't exactly panicked about my plans.

Hey, I was 16 years old.

To me, the future...

Was someone else's worry.

Jerk!

Wayne.

Hey, look! It's butthead.

Yeah. It's butthead.

That was Wayne's friend wart.

They were two pea-heads in a pod.

What are you doing here?

We're getting an award

for being the top students in our class.

Yeah. We're valedorians.

[ Chuckles ]

Arnold! Wirtschafter!

Get over here.

Wayne, what's going on?

None of your business.

Yeah, none of your business.

What'd you do? Murder someone?

[ Chuckles sarcastically ]

You're next.

We just skipped school.

That's all.

Hmm.

You skipped school?

I didn't say anything.

He didn't have to. The principal called.

Honey, how could you skip school?

Well, we didn't skip.

I mean, we were gonna go,

but then we just didn't go at the last minute.

Well, where did you go?

Nowhere.

We didn't do anything.

Could've done that at school.

Honey, this is going to go on your permanent record.

[ Chuckles ] So?

So, suppose you don't get into college.

What are you gonna do then?

I don't know.

I'll work at Norcom.

[ Scoffs ] Fat chance.

What do you mean? Dad did it.

Wayne, first I went to college.

Then I went into the marines.

And then I went to work at Norcom.

So I'll just get there a little faster.

But if my brother was looking for a free lunch...

You wouldn't get in the front gate.

Seemed the kitchen was closed.

Well, thanks for your support, Dad.

I really appreciate it.

Wayne... Go into your room, and study for your S.A.T.S.

No, thanks.

And there it was... a classic power struggle,

a standoff between generations.

Son...

[ Music plays on television ]

Now!

Not that the outcome was really in doubt.

Still, it was becoming clear to me

that in the war between Dad and Wayne,

the casualties were beginning to mount.

What are you doing?

I'm bowling.

You want me to ask you some questions or something?

Buzz off.

I don't even know why I'm bothering with this stuff.

I mean... I mean, look at this word...

"phlegmatic."

Do you know what "phlegmatic" means?

"Calm."

"Calm"... can you believe that?

I mean, it doesn't even sound like "calm."

"Phlegmatic."

Sounds like when your nose is stuffed up

and you have a cold and you're phlegmatic.

Yeah, you're right.

Shut up, will you?!

And why can't people just say they're calm?

Why do they have to say they're phlegmatic?

They're just jerks.

Yeah.

Anyway, you have a few more days.

Yeah. You're right.

I've got to be more phlegmatic.

Yeah.

But I guess we both knew...

What am I gonna do?

Somehow, this problem went deeper than phlegm.

Jack?!

Is Wayne home yet?

Not yet!

Oh, he was so nervous this morning.

Hope he remembers what "obsequious" means.

I hope he remembered his pencil.

By that Saturday,

I guess we were all feeling a little tense.

I know I was.

[ Sighs ]

You know, Dad,

Wayne really studied like crazy for those S.A.T.S.

About time.

Well, what I'm saying is,

sometimes, he just has trouble getting it.

What are you talking about?

Wayne's a smart kid, if he stopped acting so dumb.

Well, yeah, but what I'm saying is that...

look, a lot of kids don't do that well in high school.

I didn't do that well, myself.

There's a chance for Wayne to turn things around.

But it seemed to me that Dad was missing the point here.

But what if he can't?

[ Sighs ]

You know, Wayne had a lot of trouble taking his first step.

Took him a long time to do it.

But when he finally did it,

he didn't just take a step... he ran across the room.

Then he fell on his butt.

But he got back up again.

And for the first time in a long time,

I could see how much Dad was rooting for Wayne,

how proud he was of him.

[ Horn plays "Dixie" ]

[ Brakes squeal ]

And at that moment, I actually had the feeling

everything was gonna be all right.

Hey, Dad!

How was the test? Was it tough?

Well, um...

About the test...

we didn't take it.

What do you mean, you didn't take it?

Well, we did something a little better.

A lot better.

What'd you do?

Well, we've been thinking.

Yeah, we were thinking.

And why spend four years in a college

when there's a much better way to get a career?

Wayne, what did you do?!

Well, we talked it over, and...

we joined the army!

[ Laughing ]

This can't be happening.

Even so, it had.

My mother's worst nightmare was coming true.

Honey, you are just in high school.

Mom, we're 18 years old.

And, besides, the sergeant really liked us.

Yeah. He said we were special.

Yeah.

It was unbelievable.

My brother had joined the army.

You guys are kidding, right?

No, butthead.

Which left only one sane, reasonable response.

How did you come up

with such a dumb, stupid, idiotic idea?!

Well, actually, it was my idea.

And you listened to him? That's real bright.

Thanks!

Dad, listen, you know, it's not as dumb as it sounds.

I mean, if you just think about it, it makes sense!

The pay is good.

And, besides, they'll teach us to be anything we want...

mechanics, uh, engineers, uh...

Topographical specialists.

Yeah!

Wart?

Go home.

I asked him to stay for dinner.

Goodbye, wart.

And with those social pleasantries out of the way...

Nice seeing you, folks.

It was time for the family to talk Turkey.

Jack... We can't let this happen.

[ Sighs ] You didn't take your physical yet, right?

No, but, you know, that's just...

he's not in the army.

Tomorrow, you'll go down there

and tell them you changed your mind.

No, you don't understand...

you don't understand.

They're gonna send you off to Vietnam!

They're gonna pack you up and ship you out so fast,

your head's gonna spin!

That's not what the sergeant said.

The sergeant said that...

what's the matter with you?! They'll tell you anything!

- Well, you went to Korea. - That was different.

Why? What was different about it?

Because you're a young, dumb kid!

Well, you were a young, dumb kid, too.

Wayne! Listen to me!

You're not going.

Whatever you say, Dad.

And with that...

So ended my brother's brief career in the military.

For the next few days,

things pretty much went back to normal.

Normal for Wayne, anyway.

At school, he and wart

continued to pursue their stellar academic careers,

while at home, he and Dad settled back

into the same old father-son routine.

Wayne? Wayne!

What?

In a way, it was almost... Reassuring.

Hey.

Hey. What's going on?

Well, I was cleaning out my room,

and I thought maybe you'd want to buy some of this stuff...

5 bucks each.

Hey. That's my football.

Oh.

Well, that I'll sell you for $2. [ Chuckles ]

I'm not gonna pay you to get my own stuff back.

Fine. Take it all.

Take whatever you want.

What's going on?

I, uh...

I'm going down to take my physical now.

What?

Wayne, you can't do this.

Hey, it's my life.

Wayne!

Yeah, but... You told Dad that you...

well, I had to get him off my back.

Told Dad what?

'Course, I knew I should keep my mouth shut.

Still, brotherly confidentiality was one thing.

He's going in to take his physical.

The army was quite another.

What are you talking about?

You heard him.

Unhunh.

And, suddenly, war had broken out again.

I thought we said you weren't gonna do that.

No, Dad. You said I wasn't gonna do it.

Wayne... You're not going anywhere.

Oh, yes, I am, Dad.

And this time, you're not gonna stop me.

Fine.

But if you go down there,

don't expect me to get you out of this.

Maybe Dad was bluffing, maybe not.

In any event...

Bye, Dad.

This time, Wayne didn't blink.

I'm going with him, Dad.

[ Door closes ]

I'm not sure why I went along.

Maybe I thought I could help.

Maybe I just didn't want him to go there alone.

Well...

[ Parking brake clicks ]

[ Breathes deeply ]

This is it.

Yeah.

Look, um...

I'm not gonna be around to take care of you anymore.

Well, see, the thing is...

Even when I'm not around, I'm gonna be around.

I mean, I want you to have fun. I mean, get into trouble.

Just don't be...

Obsequious...

Or... Phlegmatic, and... and...

When you think of me, don't be lugubrious.

Let's face it... the guy was no orator.

I won't.

I'd better get in there.

I knew there was something I should say,

some way to tell him all the things I was feeling.

Good luck.

[ Car door closes ]

I guess I just didn't say it very well.

That afternoon, I thought about all the times

that Wayne and I had had...

When growing up was still a game...

And life was what we made it.

I thought about how we'd played at war,

afternoons in Harper's woods...

And how every night, we shared a room...

And how much I would miss him.

I guess I wasn't the only one.

He still in there?

Yeah.

Takes a while.

[ Sighs ]

Kevin, uh... Let me have a minute, okay?

How did it go?

You know.

Yeah.

I remember my physical. It's a real pain in the rear.

Is that what you came down to talk to me about?

Nah, I guess not.

Wayne... You know I'm against this.

I haven't prepared you for it.

- Dad... - Let me... let me finish.

I haven't prepared you for anything.

You've been looking for my help.

I don't know where I've been.

I, uh...

I wanted so much more for you.

I wanted...

I failed my physical.

I've got psoriasis.

They're afraid my back would really peel in a jungle.

Psoriasis.

Can you believe that?

I couldn't even do this right.

It's okay.

I just didn't know what else to do.

? May God's blessing keep you always ?

Love is never simple...

Not for fathers and sons.

We spend our lives full of hope and expectations,

and most of the time...

We're bound to fail.

But that afternoon,

as I watched my father sheltering his son

against a future that was so unsure...

All I knew was...

They didn't want to let each other down anymore.

Name?

David Wirtschafter.

Go on.

? May you grow up to be righteous ?

? May you grow up to be true ?

Hey, butthead.

Hey, you take care of yourself.

You take care of yourself, man.

And don't take any crud from anyone.

I won't.

Wish you were coming with me.

? Stand upright and be strong ?

A few days later, wart left for basic training.

He spent two months at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

? Forever young ?

And then David Wirtschafter was shipped to Vietnam.

? Forever young ?

A big goofy kid...

Who didn't know what his future would be.

? Forever young ?

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