Original subtitles

(orchestral music)

- [Tod Voiceover] Phoenix is a big city,

and a lot of people live in it.

It's like cities all over the world I suppose,

people move by and around each other,

oblivious to each other.

Concerned only with their own lives,

and those close to them.

Strangers all.

And yet, you know those lines that start,

no man is an island?

Well, none of us is.

Because in ways too mysterious to understand,

one man's pain becomes our pain.

One man's laughter our laughter.

And sometimes out of the tragedy of a man's death,

there's something to enrich us all.

(gentle orchestral music)

Buzz and I get around.

We've met a lot of people whose lives have touched ours.

Happily or unhappily.

But I don't know when we were affected by anything

as by the agony of Davey Selman.

Because it touched on something deep and indefinable

in the spirit of all men.

Something basic in the root of all that is.

(orchestral music)

(lively music)

- Ready?

Just relax.

Have an easy eight hours.

They're all yours.

(whistle shrieking)

Okay fellas.

That's it.

You got the first day licked.

Have a nice weekend.

- Thanks for the break-in.

- Monday I start to crack down.

(lively music)

Lads.

- It takes us where we wanna go.

- You fellas live near the plant?

- We don't live anywhere yet,

we just got into town this morning.

- Mean you have no place to stay?

- We'll find something.

- There's a place next to mine

with a couple of vacancies in it.

Friend of mine owns it.

- Okay.

Just so as it's not the Ritz.

- Follow me.

You think your jalopy'll be able to keep up with me?

- If you won't be too hard on us.

(orchestral music)

- Well, what do you think?

- It's the Ritz.

- Thank you. - I'm uh.

I'm Buz Murdock, this is Tod Stiles.

And you?

- I get my laundry done every Friday.

(orchestral music)

- Hey Annie!

- Carl, you are in the wrong house.

- I'm moving out on you, Annie.

Davey and me are leaving you.

You've bullied us for the last time.

- Oh (chuckles).

- We'll take it.

- Now you treat my buddies good, Herman.

Don't skimp on the hot water.

These fellas are from Washington, big shots.

Government.

- We can't just barge in like this, Carl.

You're not expecting two freeloaders.

- Take my word, mama never cooks just enough,

she cooks too much.

(gentle music)

Annie, company.

- [Annie] Who, Carl dear?

- Two starving new hires from the plant.

Tod Stiles. - How do you do.

- And Buz Murdock.

- I'm Carl's mother. - How do you do.

- And his son's grandmother.

And the cook, and the cleaning woman, and the seamstress.

- We're not gonna be too much trouble, are we?

- Just try to get out of here.

- Hey, what's for dinner Annie?

- Roast chicken, go wash up.

Dinner will be ready in a minute.

- Come on, fellas.

- My pop's home.

That's his car.

Maybe when I get older I can take you for a ride some time.

- Maybe you'll want to take somebody else then.

Boys change their minds about girls a lot.

- Well, I wouldn't.

My pop didn't.

He knew my mom since she was nine and he was 10.

- And they got married?

- Sure.

And I've known you even longer than that.

I was eight when you moved around here.

- I was seven.

- You, you would never change your mind, would you?

- Never.

I hardly even talk to other boys, Davey.

- Oh, you can say hello to 'em if you want.

- All right.

- Hey buddy, let's go there.

It's chow time.

(door thuds)

- Oh hi, I'm Davey Selman.

- Tod Stiles, hi.

- Buz Murdock.

- Hi.

- When you get married and have your own house,

you can come home whenever you want,

where you can get away with it.

But in this house, it's my rules.

- [Davey] Okay, pop.

- [Annie] Supper!

Supper, children.

- Come on.

- Tod, will you sit here?

Buz, here please.

(gentle orchestral music)

(Annie speaking foreign language)

- Blessed art thou, our Lord, our God,

creator of the universe.

Who has sanctified us by thy commandments,

and commanded us to kindle the sabbath lights, amen.

- Perhaps one of our guests will say grace?

- Dear Lord.

We thank thee for good friendship and good food, amen.

(laughing)

- Oh Pop, you always tell that story.

- You know what he's hitting in the Little League?

Tell them.

- 380.

- Tell them what's going to happen

three weeks from tomorrow, Davey.

- I'm being bar mitzvahed.

- Well that's like confirmation, isn't it?

- That's right, it's the first step into manhood.

But it doesn't happen overnight.

You got special lessons for four years.

Study period three times a week with a rabbi.

It's a lot of preparation.

- Yeah, and it makes me miss batting practice.

(laughing)

- Don't worry.

Once you've been bar mitzvahed you'll be in the big league.

- Carl, we should go and let you get some sleep.

- Thanks for the visit, fellas.

- [Tod] How do we thank you?

- Go in the kitchen and wash the dishes.

- [Tod] Okay, you got a deal.

(laughing)

- No, I was just joking.

- (chuckles) I'm going for a paper, Annie.

Get ready for bed, son.

- Okay pop.

Goodnight Davey. - Goodnight.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

- Come back soon, boys.

- Thank you.

- Well thanks again.

- [Annie] Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Carl.

- Sleep well. - Goodnight.

- See you in the morning.

- [Buz] Hello, remember me?

- [Nancy] No.

- Well, not even my name?

- If I get curious I'll look at your mailbox.

- Well why don't we get to know each other, like, now?

- It's late, and I work tomorrow.

1/2 day, first 1/2.

- Well, what do you do the second 1/2?

- Sometimes I read mailboxes.

(door thuds)

- You got a light, man?

We're just a couple of grounded angels waitin' to take off.

Now you get the scene, man?

- My wallet's in my right back pocket, son,

you're welcome to all I have.

- This cat's magnanimous.

There's only four greens here.

Why, you lousy creep.

(screams)

(dramatic music)

- Help!

Help!

(thuds)

Davey!

Davey!

- Carl!

- I gave them my wallet.

What more.

What more could I do?

- Don't try to talk now.

- Davey.

Davey.

Take care of Annie.

(foreboding music)

- Oh, Carl!

Carl!

(Annie sobbing)

(dramatic music)

- All right folks, it's all over.

Let's clear the area.

(sirens blaring)

- You sure you know what you're doing?

- Well, I had a lot of Jewish friends when I was a kid,

and I know what they did when someone died.

You're supposed to cover all the mirrors because,

well, it's like,

if you look at yourself you're thinking of yourself,

and not life or death.

- I'm Rabbi Harris.

- Tod Stiles.

- How are you?

I'm Buz Murdock.

I'll go get Davey.

- Thank you.

- Davey.

The rabbi's here.

- Are you okay, Davey?

- [Davey] Yes.

- Your grandmother?

- The doctor gave her a sedative, she's sleeping.

- That's good.

Is there anyone I can call for you?

Any relatives?

- No, thank you.

- [Rabbi] What would you like me to do?

Is there anything special?

- No, thank you.

- I'm not gonna try and tell you that

a pain like this goes away soon.

But nothing's all black, even sorrow.

You know that, don't you Davey?

You remember some of the things we've talked about lately?

Some of the things we've studied?

They can come in handy now.

If you'll think about them.

I'll stop by in the morning and see Mrs. Selman

about the funeral arrangements.

- I can take care of it, you don't have to.

I know where the cemetery deed is.

Pop showed me everything.

- That's fine, Davey.

That's fine if you want to do it yourself.

- We have a car, Rabbi,

so we can drive Davey wherever he wants to go.

- I'll be at the temple tomorrow.

If you want me, Davey, say the word.

- Davey.

You can't reason it, you'll only tear your heart out trying.

A few years ago I lost my dad.

I loved him very much.

I was a pretty big grown-up guy.

But I mourned openly.

It didn't make me any less of a man to cry.

Sometimes--

- Come on Davey, why don't you get some sleep, huh.

- We'll stay here tonight, Davey.

- What for?

- In case you or your grandmother need anything.

- You don't have to bother about us.

- Friendship isn't a bother, Davey, it's a privilege.

We know you can handle things, but,

do us a favor, huh?

Make us feel useful.

(fist thudding) (groans)

It evens out.

The blessings, the afflictions.

- Tell that to the kid,

it'll sound like a lot of phony jazz.

Right now he's carrying the sky on his shoulders.

- I think we can help him share that load.

- [Buz] Oh sure, sure.

- What do you mean by that?

- There are some agonies you don't share,

they're like, private, you know?

They grind you into the ground,

and maybe you crawl, maybe you stand up.

But it's up to you, nobody else.

- I read it a little different.

In my book it says I'm my brother's keeper.

(door clicks)

- Here you go.

- Thanks.

(gentle orchestral music)

We're looking for Lieutenant Robak.

- [Lieutenant] Yeah.

- Lieutenant, this is is Davey Selman.

- Sit down, Davey.

How you feeling, son?

- Excuse me, but I'm not your son.

And I know you didn't invite me down here

to ask me how I feel.

- All right Davey.

Was there anyone you know who didn't like your father?

- Everybody liked him.

- Last night you were the first one

to reach your father, is that right?

- Yes.

- [Lieutenant] Did you see anyone else in the street?

Anyone running?

- No.

- What did your father say?

- He said, I gave them my wallet, what more could I do?

- Did you hear him say anything else?

Anything at all that might give us a lead?

- He said,

Davey, Davey, take care of Annie.

She's my grandmother.

- All right Davey, that's it.

Thank you very much for your help.

- You're welcome, Lieutenant.

I know you have to ask questions.

(gentle orchestral music)

- Is it all right if I come to the funeral tomorrow?

I mean, there isn't a law against Catholics, is there?

- Well if there was a law,

it's not like a police law, it's just religion.

- Religion is God.

- Who says?

Rabbis and priests, Rosie?

They don't really know.

- They do, Davey.

Rabbis and priests hear God's calling.

That's how they become holy men.

- Well, where they took my pop last night.

Will they take people who die?

- I think so.

- They wouldn't even let me say goodbye to him.

The ambulance just covered him up and took him away.

- Oh, Davey.

- He was just going out for a paper.

Wasn't even five minutes.

It just don't make sense.

- There are reasons.

Everything means something.

- What could it mean?

- I don't know.

But maybe if we think.

- You mean maybe if we let them think.

- Who?

- Your priest or my rabbi.

Think they know all the answers.

Ever seen how many books they have?

- They need books.

They have to study.

- They wouldn't have to study if they were so holy.

Know everything in the world

without looking at a single book.

Be able to make miracles and things.

Be able to bring my pop back.

- Only God can make people alive and dead.

- Why do you gotta keep bringing him into everything?

(dramatic music)

I didn't mean to get mad at you, Rosie.

- I know.

(orchestral music)

- There you are, Mrs. Selman.

- Oh.

That looks very nice.

Carl used to do this.

Every Sunday morning he brought in a tray.

He used to say, Annie.

He stopped calling me mama when he was 14.

Annie.

He used to say, on Sunday.

You are not a cook.

Or the cleaning woman, or the maid.

Sunday you are a lady.

I didn't argue.

(chuckles) I enjoyed it.

It seems like yesterday when Carl was a boy like Davey.

Years pass.

Boy grows into a man, he marries.

I came to live with Carl when his wife died.

Been a happy time.

Very happy time.

This is marvelous.

- Buz Murdock of the Waldorf.

- You couldn't get chef stripes in a skid row beanery.

- May he come to his place in peace.

(speaking foreign language)

Blessed art thou, oh Lord, our God, ruler of the universe.

The righteous judge.

Will you repeat the Kaddish after me, David?

(speaking foreign language)

David, the Kaddish.

We'll say the Mourner's Kaddish now.

Repeat after me.

(speaking foreign language)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(speaking foreign language)

(orchestral music)

- [Rosie] I looked for you every place in school, Davey.

Were you here all day?

- Lieutenant came last night.

He said they caught the two guys who killed my father.

I guess I should've been pleased or something.

But it didn't seem to make any difference.

I watched the trains all day.

Some of 'em are going to San Francisco.

You can get ships from there for India to South Seas.

Way around the other side of the world

where everything's different.

I wish I was in a land where the sky

was green and the trees were purple.

And people had rainbow skin.

I wish it were so different that I could forget this place,

and never remember it as long as I live.

- Maybe you wouldn't remember us.

But I.

We'd remember you.

Except for you, Rosie.

I'd never wanna forget you.

But.

There are other things.

I wanna forget the other things.

I wanna forget.

Come on Rosie, I'll walk you home.

(orchestral music)

- Why don't we go someplace with Davey over the weekend?

- I wonder what Nancy's doing tomorrow.

- Take him fishing, or hiking,

I think he'd get a kick out of it.

- Maybe she's got a girlfriend or something,

and the four of us could sorta live it up.

- I'm talking about going away for the weekend with Davey,

getting him out of the city--

- I know what you're talking about, and I don't like it.

Look, if you can't keep from poking your nose

in somebody else's life, at least don't drag me into it.

Just leave me out.

(orchestral music)

- I'm not gonna study.

You hear me Rabbi, I'm not gonna study.

- All right Davey, you don't have to.

- And I'm not gonna be bar mitzvahed.

What do you have to say now, Rabbi?

All right Davey, you don't have to?

God gives and God takes away, right Rabbi?

Well, I don't believe in God.

He let my father die.

I don't believe in him.

- Davey, come back! (dramatic music)

- I'm never coming back.

(horn blaring)

(brakes squealing)

Davey, please!

(orchestral music)

- Well, I guess we lost him.

- Let's try the next block.

- Look, let's call the police, huh?

- He's a little boy, we'll find him.

- Count me out.

- Okay, you're out.

- [Buz] You know what to say to a kid

with an emptiness in him a mile deep?

- No, I'll worry about that when the time comes.

- When the time comes, what are you gonna say,

hey look kid, believe in God, huh?

What are you gonna do, clobber him over the head

and take him back to his grandmother?

Do you think that's gonna solve anything?

- That's my problem, all right.

You go back home, relax, have a beer and enjoy life.

(orchestral music)

(knocking)

- A guy had to wait for you to look at his mailbox.

- I face the back.

You don't see much, but it's quiet.

- Well, the less you see, the less it gets to you.

You work tomorrow, huh?

- Half day on Saturday, remember?

- Yeah, first time.

- Taking letters, typing them, taking calls, ducking calls.

I give my boss that nice feeling

of being powerful and helpless all at the same time.

- Yeah (chuckles).

There's beer in the ice box.

- Oh.

Oh, thanks.

- Sometimes every little bit helps.

- Well, I'm not sure about this time.

You've got to make it yourself in this world,

that's the only way it's any good,

it's the only way it works.

(orchestral music)

(knocking)

- May I see Rosie, Mrs. Corbello?

- Come in, Davey, I'll get her.

- I'm going to Borneo.

- Yes, Davey.

- I'm gonna take a freight to San Francisco.

I'm going to sea.

- Are you gonna be a sailor?

- Something like a sailor.

Don't tell 'em where I went.

- I won't.

- We'll never see each other again, will we?

- No.

- Look Davey, why do you have to go?

- I have to.

I'm not gonna be bar mitzvahed.

I've even told the rabbi.

Well.

- Goodbye Davey.

- Goodbye.

You can have this.

So you won't forget me.

- That's you and your father.

Don't you want it?

- I got thousands of pictures of,

of me and my father in my head.

- I'll never like any boy as much as you.

- I'll never like any girl as much as you either.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(orchestral music)

- Hey, hey kid!

Whoa.

Out of the train.

Come on, what are you doing here?

Don't try that again, come on.

Boot it.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- [Buz] Hi.

- [Tod] Hi.

- [Buz] Find him?

- No.

- [Buz] Anyplace left to look?

- Yeah, one or two.

- Look, this whole thing.

I mean, the way I feel.

It's something I can't talk about,

but I'd like to see the kid back home too, so.

If it please the commodore, I'm coming aboard.

- Good show, Applegate.

(orchestral music)

Rose, have you seen Davey?

- No.

- Did you know he ran away?

- No.

- Well you're his girl, aren't you?

He wouldn't go away without telling you goodbye.

- I didn't see him.

- Did Davey tell you to say that?

- No, he didn't tell me.

- Then you did see him.

Otherwise you couldn't have talked to him.

- I didn't say I talked to him, you said that.

- Rosie, where is Davey?

- I don't know.

How can I tell you something I don't even know?

- Okay sweetie.

- Wait!

I did see Davey.

Last night.

He said he was going far away.

On the freights.

And then on the boat.

- Thanks, Rosie.

- I didn't know what was right.

To keep my promise, or tell the truth.

(orchestral music)

- Well, there's only one place you didn't check yesterday,

and we didn't hit today.

- You mean, there's an inch of real estate

we still haven't covered?

- Well, it's a different kind of real estate,

but maybe it's a crazy guess.

Let's try it.

- You wanna give it a try, Buz, go ahead.

I'll wait here.

(somber music)

(dramatic music)

(Davey grunts)

(heavy breathing)

(blows pounding)

(sobbing)

- Go ahead, take off, run.

Watch yourself stand in one place.

This patsy's not coming after you anymore.

- Why'd you have to come in the first place?

- What, do you think you got the market on misery?

You think you're the only kid that ever had it tough, huh?

Well let me tell you, I never had a father.

I don't even have any memories.

I was raised by strangers.

Sure, there were a lot of people around,

but I was always alone.

I remember one Sunday when I was shining shoes

and the rest of the kids were all dressed up,

going to church, and I hated them,

and I hated their parents, and I hated the whole world.

And I'll tell you something, would've hated God too, Davey,

except, well, I didn't believe in God anymore.

He was like, like Santa Claus.

Only for kids and fools.

That same night I was sitting on the roof

of the tenement where I lived, and there was no stars,

and there was no moon.

Only a red, red sky.

And I remember thinking.

I remember thinking that the sky was red maybe because

God was crying for me.

And all of a sudden I wasn't scared anymore.

And I didn't feel lost or alone.

And from that second on I've never felt alone.

Because I'm not.

Nobody is.

I'm going back to the car.

(orchestral music)

(somber music)

- Hear, oh Israel, the Lord, our God.

The Lord is one.

(singing in foreign language)

(speaking foreign language)

- [Tod Voiceover] Maybe it was a private agony, as Buz said.

But we had shared it with Davey Selman.

And we'd seen a boy start to become a man.

Building on solid foundation a rich heritage

and a faith in his creator.

There would still be moments of sadness.

But also pride.

Traces of grief.

But the promise of joys to come.

Because life contains all.

And there is a balance.

(dramatic music)

(lively orchestral music)

- [Announcer] This has been a Screen Gems film presentation

from Columbia Pictures.

Herbert B. Leonard, executive producer.