Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991) Movie Script
The reason for calling
this conference
at this particular moment
is that we are convinced
that we have overcome
a major financial crisis,
a crisis in severity
unparalleled in
the history of the world,
and that with
its relaxation,
confidence and hope have
reappeared in the world.
# Happy days are here again
# The skies above are clear again
All anybody
talked about back then
was the Great Depression,
how bad things were,
and how the good times had
to be just around the corner.
I must have worn out every corner
in Waycross, Georgia,
looking for those good times
before realizing
my destiny lay somewhere else,
anywhere else.
# Happy days are here again
# Your cares and troubles are gone
# There will be no more
from now on
# Happy days are here again
# The skies above are clear again
# Let us sing a song
of cheer again...
Ready, Sonora? You don't
want to be late for school.
Be right there.
- Arnette, where's your sister?
- She's comin', Aunt Helen.
Sonora, you better
quit lollygaggin'.
Sonora, what are ya doin'?
What have you done?
My God, girl!
What am I gonna do with you?
- I'll teach you.
- No, Aunt Helen!
You're gonna wear it,
and that's final.
No more back talk,
or I'll smack your face.
Get out of here.
I don't even want to look at you.
Come here, Lightning.
What's wrong?
Whoa. Easy.
Hold still.
Let me get...
There.
There you go.
That's better, huh, boy?
Isn't that sweet?
Nice haircut, Sonora.
Who cut it? A blind man
with a butcher knife?
That's the ugliest haircut I've seen.
Ugly. She should look in the mirror.
Come on, Lightning.
Where you taking him?
To the glue factory?
He's the best horse
in the county.
- I bet.
- Oh, yeah.
He is. Lightning can outrun
or outjump any horse around.
Can he jump that fence over there?
- He can jump twice that high.
- Prove it.
I would, but I don't want
to be late for school.
You're just a 'fraidy cat.
You're just scared.
Go on. Do it.
I dare you.
I double dare you.
Okay, you just watch.
I think my big mouth
just got us into trouble.
Come on, Lightning.
Come on.
Come on.
- Will she make it?
- She's gonna do it.
Come on, Lightning.
Ooh!
Let's get out of here!
Wait. Get back.
Help!
The noun
of the sentence is "boy. "
The verb of the sentence is...
You're late, Sonora.
I'm very sorry, Miss Simpson.
You're getting detention for this.
It's not my fault.
The cows got out, and I...
I don't want to hear any excuses.
Take your seat.
Yes, ma'am.
Moo!
Class!
Class! Quiet! Quiet!
Clarabelle, oh, my...
Sonora,
leave this room immediately.
Young lady, remove yourself.
You must leave.
Sonora Webster is officially
suspended from school
for one week.
I'm informing your aunt.
No one talks to her.
She's not here!
Two red ones
and a green one.
No, ma'am,
please, right here.
Sonora, tell your aunt
that blue thread she wanted
will be here
in a couple of days.
Okay, I will.
- Here you go, Arnette.
- Thank you.
Oh, Sonora. I'm goin' over
to see Sarah. I'll see you at home.
"Young girl...
... diving horses...
...willing to travel. "
Thank you, ma'am.
- You ready?
- Let's get.
What's going on?
What are you doing with Lightning?
- I sold him.
- No, you can't!
Why? Why are you doing this?
I didn't do anything wrong.
- You let the cows out.
- That was an accident.
You got suspended from school.
Since your mama and daddy died,
you've been nothing but trouble.
Lightning, wait! Let me go!
Sonora?
- What are you doing?
- Nothing.
Sonora, I took you and Arnette in
because you're
my sister's children.
But ever since you came here,
you've been nothing but a burden.
There's a depression going on,
there's extra mouths to feed...
So I've decided I'm going to
turn you over to the state.
The state?
They'll feed you and take care of you
until you come of age.
You're just gonna
kick me and Arnette out?
No, Arnette's gonna stay here with me.
It's just gonna be you.
You're goin' tomorrow, you hear?
Yes, ma'am.
Come on, now,
and help me with supper.
Everything you got. Ohh!
Ah!
Fight! Fight!
Fight! Fight!
Come on. I thought this
was going to be a friendly game.
You're hiding an ace in your hat,
and we're gonna find it.
You better say your prayers.
Looks like I was wrong.
Let him go.
I apologize.
You crumpled my hat.
But that's okay.
I like it like this.
I'll see you, fellas.
Get your balloons.
Balloon on a stick right here.
A nickel apiece.
Any color of the rainbow.
Ow! Son of a monkey.
Dern fire.
- Dang!
- Here. Let me help.
Never had a girl
spit on me before.
This'll take the sting out.
Mud'll keep it from blistering.
I guess selling hot dogs
can be a dangerous job.
This? This isn't my job.
This is temporary
until I get my act going.
- What kind of act?
- I'm not sure exactly.
I'm still experimenting,
but it will be death-defying.
It will definitely defy death.
- There you go. Feel better?
- Uh-huh.
Sure is a funny way
of cooking hot dogs.
It's my own invention.
Do you want one?
- I don't have any money.
- Well, that's okay.
It's on the house,
for fixing my finger.
I'm Clifford Henderson.
Sonora. Sonora Webster.
It's good to meet ya.
Would you know where I can
find a Dr. W.F. Carver?
Right through there,
across the fairgrounds.
Thank you.
Thanks for the hot dog.
Take care of that finger.
Thanks for spitting on me.
- That's the last thing I want to do.
- I got a show to run, Al.
- So I missed a couple.
- Couple? You missed three.
Chasing women and gambling
are more important than your job?
No, but it's a lot more fun.
Here, Dad,
add that to your profits.
Get out of here, son.
Load the truck.
Dr. Carver?
This is your lucky day.
You don't need this anymore.
I'm here to answer your ad.
Who are you?
Your new diving girl.
No, you're not.
- Why not?
- For one thing, I don't like you.
That's because
you don't know me.
Secondly,
you're interrupting my business.
Third and most important,
you're too young
and too puny to be a diving girl.
Well, sir, I don't know what
a diving girl does exactly,
but I can do it,
'cause I can do anything.
Good. You can
get out of here.
I am a very busy man.
I do not have time
to play with children.
Now, will you get off that chair?
Not until you give me a chance.
I only want a chance.
Let me explain something to you.
A diving girl has to be strong.
A diving girl
has to be brave, fearless,
a showman.
Now, there...
...is a diving girl.
You gotta have more...
You gotta have more
than what you got.
Well, I'll get it.
What's your name?
Sonora. Sonora Webster.
Let me tell you something.
Tell you what you do.
You go out that door,
cross the fairgrounds,
turn left at the gate,
keep walking
until you get
to the bus station.
I'm not gonna leave
until you give me a job.
Have a good trip.
Al?
- Dr. Carver sent me to see you.
- Oh, he did?
Yeah, I just had
a really nice talk with him,
and he thinks I'd make
a perfect diving girl.
- That's what he said, huh?
- Uh-huh.
And he said you're supposed
to explain the show to me.
Sure. Come on.
The show is real exciting.
And that's the tower.
Okay. Fine.
Thank you very much. Oh.
You dropped this.
So, now I'm a baby-sitter.
You're not afraid
of heights, are ya?
Who, me? No.
- How do you get the horses to jump?
- We train 'em.
- Don't they get scared?
- Nope.
If they show any fear,
we don't let them near the tower.
What do you do,
push them off?
No, they jump on their own.
And we don't use
any kind of devices, either.
- Do the horses ever get hurt?
- Nope, just the riders.
It's rough. You travel from
town to town, barely getting by.
The old man, he's tough.
He'll push you till you break.
Go back to wherever you came from.
You don't want to be a diving girl.
I have a glorious idea
for a new poster.
Full-length shot of me,
standing next to the horse,
and in the corner,
inside an oval frame,
a picture of my face.
- Smiling.
- I'll think about it, Marie.
I know it'd sell lots of tickets.
Maybe the Movietone people
will come by,
take a moving picture
of me diving.
- I'll think about it, Marie.
- Hi!
We're not buying pencils today,
thank you.
Did you miss your bus?
I told you I wasn't going
to leave until you gave me a job.
This young lady
wants to be a diving girl.
That's a wonderful idea.
She could bring glamour to the act.
- What you doin'?
- This way he gets used to my smell.
That's right.
Indians used to do that on the plains.
- Really?
- Hmm.
I thought I just made that up.
Can you handle a wheelbarrow?
Are you kidding?
I was born handling a wheelbarrow.
- Can you shovel manure?
- Manure happens to be my "speciality. "
I believe that.
What about your family?
- They lookin' for you?
- Nope.
I'm not gonna give you
a job as a diving girl.
But we're leaving
tomorrow for Virginia.
I could use a good stable hand.
You interested?
- Yeah! Let's go to Virginia.
- All right.
Virginia.
I couldn't believe my luck.
I'd never been
to another state before.
I was really seeing the world now,
even if my view was more where
we'd been than where we were goin'.
But I wasn't gonna complain.
I finally had a real job,
helping Dr. Carver with the horses
during the off-season
at the farm he rented.
I was gonna be staying in the
most beautiful house I'd ever seen.
Things were looking up.
From here on, my life
was gonna be just swell.
You wouldn't mind
giving me a hand, would you?
Come on.
We gotta get them horses ready.
Hurry up. Everybody's
a cow tail around here.
We got a lot of work to do.
Lord knows, we'll take the bunch.
It's okay.
I got everything under control.
Sonora!
Come get this horse, please.
Wash him down.
Make sure he's dry.
Think you can manage that?
Yoo-hoo! Hi, Al.
How ya doing?
Whoa, Red Lips.
- Easy, whoa!
- Hold him! Hold him!
Hold the horse.
Marie, come get this horse.
Get him in his stable.
Get him in there.
If you can't handle the animal,
don't go near him.
Nice horse, huh?
That horse is spooked.
Where'd ya get him?
I won him in a poker game.
Full house, queens over threes.
- Looks loco to me.
- All he needs is training.
Do what you want.
Just keep him away from people.
I don't want anybody hurt.
Come on.
Just one little bite. Come on.
Come on.
I better get to know these horses
if I'm gonna be a diving girl.
Think you can do it?
Sure, if Dr. Carver
gives me a chance.
He's not going to give you
a chance, unless...
If you rode up
on this horse, he might.
- We could train him.
- What are we waiting for?
No, not now. We'll go out
first thing in the morning.
- All right.
- The old man can't know.
- It'll be our secret.
- Okay.
Psst. Al, get up.
Al, we're supposed
to start training!
What?
Oh, right.
Give him some room.
- Easy, boy.
- Whoa.
Easy, boy.
Whoa, whoa. Whoa!
Good boy. Whoa.
What's this horse's name, anyway?
- I don't know.
- You don't know?
- He's gotta have a name.
- How about Clarence?
Clarence?
That's no name for a horse.
You're so smart, you pick it.
Lightning.
Stay behind.
Get your whip on the ground.
Stay behind him.
Come on. Go, go, go.
Come on.
Let him see the whip.
Come on.
Easy, boy.
Here, you take him.
Take that line.
What's your secret wish?
My secret wish.
Yeah, what did you
always want to be?
When I was a boy I wanted to be
a showman, just like my dad.
But not anymore.
What do you want to be now?
Anything but like him.
What's your secret wish?
To get to Atlantic City,
where all your dreams come true.
You believe that?
With all my heart.
It says so right here.
See?
It's the greatest showplace
in America.
And someday
I'm gonna be there.
What happened
to your parents?
Died.
They got the fever.
What about you?
Where's your mom?
- She's gone.
- Where?
I don't know.
She left a long time ago.
It was my dad.
She left because of him.
Now, just sit there.
- Don't rush it.
- You worry too much.
- Are you hurt?
- No, I'm fine.
He's got ticklish flanks.
You should never use your heels.
I figured that out
as I was flying through the air.
He's doing good, though.
So are you.
Come on. We got a lot of work to do
before the old man wakes up.
Nice and easy.
Good boy.
Do you like the movies?
Like them?
I'm gonna be in them someday.
How are you gonna do that?
Be discovered, of course.
Diving horses is great exposure.
You're pretty enough
to be in the movies.
You sure look nice tonight.
Thank you. Al's taking me
dancing at the Silver Palm.
- Dancing?
- Yes, Al's a terrific dancer.
Smooth as hot honey.
That's nice.
You poor thing.
Who does your hair?
Well, I do.
You should take extreme care
with your appearance.
Having no natural beauty of your own,
you really need to...
...help yourself.
Have a good night.
Don't tell me
how to run my business.
All I'm saying is you should
think about selling the show.
Running all over the country
for ten cents a ticket?
- Gravy, Al?
- Yeah, sure.
It's old and it's tired.
Times have changed.
It's 1932.
We got the Empire State Building,
airplanes crossing the ocean,
women are voting.
Is that too much gravy, Al?
This cowboy stuff is old-fashioned,
like that fringe jacket you wear.
That jacket is a gift
from Buffalo Bill Cody.
That's what I mean.
It's from another century.
Would you pass the peas, please?
Sonora, I see you
got your hair... done.
Did you do it yourself?
I walked down the road
to the Clip 'n' Curl.
Would you pass the peas?
Good pork chop, Marie.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
- I like your dress.
- Oh, you scared me.
Sorry.
It's a hot night, huh?
Good night to go swimming.
Who? You and Marie?
No, you and me.
No, thank you.
Come on.
I know the perfect place.
I'm not going swimming.
Hey.
Come here.
I gotta go. I'm sorry.
- Sonora, wait.
- Sorry.
- Sonora.
- Good night.
Roosevelt received
one of the largest demonstrations
ever accorded
a presidential candidate.
And now, let's return
to the Skylark Ballroom
with Walter Clegg
and his orchestra.
Don't drink out of the bottle.
You better watch yourself.
What's that supposed to mean?
She's young.
She don't know any better.
I don't want you
messing up her life.
I haven't done anything.
Keep it that way.
Hey!
What?
Put the milk away.
Nice day, huh?
Yeah, I suppose so.
Oh, my goodness.
Would you look at that?
What do you think you're doing?
Riding.
Don't suppose you know
anything about this.
I'm as surprised as you are.
All right. So you can ride.
I can dive, too,
if you'd give me a chance.
Don't be ridiculous.
She trained that horse.
She deserves a chance.
- Oh, you do, do you?
- Yeah.
- Can you make a moving mount?
- I've never tried.
If you can mount that horse
while he's moving,
I'll let you train to be a diving girl.
It beats shoveling manure.
Come on.
Reach out, touch the harness.
Get used to the rhythm.
When he passes, I want you to
grab ahold and pull yourself on.
Concentrate. Here he comes.
Get ready.
Whoa. Stay there. Don't move.
Just stay there.
Your nose may be broke.
Does it feel broken?
No. But I don't know what
a broken nose feels like.
That's enough.
Let's get you in the house.
Is that it?
You gonna quit?
Let me look at the nose.
Nose ain't broke. Do it right.
- What? She's not getting...
- Do it again.
- She's hurt. She needs to rest.
- Shut your gate.
Sonora, you don't have to do this.
It's all right. I can do it.
You don't get anything handed
to you in this world. You gotta earn it.
You gonna cry?
You gonna cry?
- I never cry.
- Good. Let's go.
Don't be in a hurry.
Just sense the horse's rhythm.
- Thattagirl.
- We did it, boy.
- We did it!
- All right. All right.
Okay. Good. Now you can train
to be a diving girl.
Come on down.
Go get cleaned up.
What the hell
were you trying to prove?
She did it, didn't she?
You push too hard.
Well, she didn't quit.
What? Like me?
Or like my mother?
No matter how hard anyone tries,
it's not good enough, is it?
Stupid old man.
Come on!
- Come on. Come on!
- Al!
Al? Al, wait.
Where are you going?
I should have left
a long time ago.
I can't keep fighting him.
He doesn't care about me.
He doesn't care about anybody.
The only thing he cares about
is his stupid show.
Please don't go.
I'm sorry.
Write me.
I promise.
Dear Sonora,
I hope you understand
why I had to leave.
I keep thinking about you.
I miss you.
Please write me.
- Is that the mail?
- Yeah.
Did I get anything?
Any letters?
Nope.
Get down.
I'll show you how it's done.
He's used to me.
I don't think you should ride.
- Don't tell me my business.
- She may have a point.
On the top of her head.
Get down.
Now, just watch.
You'll learn something.
Don't use your heels.
- Owww!
- She used her heels.
I hate that horse!
Is it as bad as it sounds?
Marie always did want
to be an actress.
Is she gonna be okay?
She's dislocated her shoulder.
Doctor's putting it in a sling.
I can't take any more of this.
Oh, Lord.
He says she's gonna be
stove-up for six weeks.
- Six weeks?
- Yeah.
We got a bookin'
in three days in North Carolina.
Gee, I wonder where you're
gonna find a diving girl.
Don't worry.
The tower's not as high as it looks.
Honest. I've been there.
- Hi, remember me?
- Yeah, hot dogs.
Not anymore.
My hot dog stand burned down.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
Dr. Carver gave me a job.
I'm your new groom.
- Oh, that's great.
- Hey!
- I heard you're diving today.
- My first time off the tower.
- Nervous?
- Who, me?
Nervous? Heck no!
Sonora?
- Sonora!
- Come in.
- You all right?
- I'm ready. I feel great.
Good. Good.
The bathing suit doesn't fit.
I look like a boy.
- You'll grow into it.
- What if it falls off?
We'll give refunds.
Now, remember, let's do it
just like we practiced.
- Keep your eye on the harness.
- Harness.
And don't forget to...
- Grip!
- ... grip!
And don't forget to put
your head to the side. Right?
All right.
You'll do fine.
- There is one thing.
- Yeah?
Do I have to bow?
I've never bowed before.
I'll feel stupid.
I don't care if you
fall on your head.
You will smile in front of
those people, and you will bow.
- But I just don't...
- Bow.
What if I can't do it?
What if I lose my nerve,
and I can't go through with it?
- You'll do it.
- But what if I can't?
- Will you hate me?
- Mm-hmm.
Oh.
If you feel nervous, look for me.
I'll be in front of the crowd. Okay?
Still don't want to bow.
Sonora...
...and her brave horse,
Lightning!
Sonora, ladies and gentlemen,
and her brave horse, Lightning!
Sonora, ladies and gentlemen.
Sonora!
We got a new diving girl.
And a new diving horse.
- Do we get to be on a poster?
- We'll get some new posters.
It'll be Marie and Sonora,
the diving girls.
I refuse to share billing
with a stable hand.
Marie, she made the dive.
She is not the star of the show. I am.
All right, you're the star.
But we got two diving girls.
Since I'm the star,
I would like more money
and a bigger dressing room.
There's a depression going on...
More money, my own dressing room,
and a better poster.
- Or I quit.
- I can't do that, Marie.
Well, then, I quit.
Marie, don't be stubborn.
You can't quit.
I am an actress,
not a circus performer!
I am going to New York City.
The next time you see me,
I'm gonna be a big star.
And you will still be
shoveling manure.
# I used to dream
# Of highways that seemed
# To lead to silver and gold
# But those old passions...
All that spring
we traveled from one fair to the next,
doing two or three shows a day.
Lightning got better
and better with each dive.
And I got to tell you,
I wasn't bad, either.
Everything was going great.
Except for one thing.
# Now and then it seems to me
# It weren't so bad
what you used to be
# Here and now
it seems so true
# This feeling blue
# Wishing
# Wishing it just weren't true
# My dreams are gone
# Yet I linger on
# As hope drifts into despair
# All around us
# The blues surround us
# Why, Lord, is life so unfair?
# Now and then
# It seems to me
# It weren't so bad
# What used to be
# Here and now
# Through and through
# This sinking down
# This feeling blue
# And I'm wishing
# Wishing it just weren't true #
What ya doing now?
Finishing that letter
to Franklin County.
He promised he'd write me.
Why doesn't he?
- Thanks for your time.
- It's nothing.
We'll see what we can do.
What if we can't book another show?
What are we gonna do?
That's why I'm driving
to Franklin County,
see if I can find work over there.
- What if there isn't?
- Well, I'm keeping the show open.
- I promise you that.
- And if he doesn't, I will.
All right, now, listen.
You keep them horses fed
and watered, ya hear? Very important.
Looks like we won't be back
before tomorrow morning.
- You don't have to worry.
- I know that.
Hey, Red Lips.
Lightning!
Oh, Lightning.
What's the matter?
Come on. Get up.
What's wrong?
Al.
What happened?
I don't know. He's awful sick.
Easy, boy. Easy.
What is it, Al?
What's wrong with him?
- Did Red Lips eat any of this?
- No, I don't think so.
- It's moldy. It's given him colic.
- What should we do?
Gotta get water and oil into him
and get him to his feet.
- Where's the tack trunk?
- In the barn.
It's gonna be okay, boy.
All right, now hold
this here while I pump.
That's it. Hold it there. Good.
All right. Come here.
Take this.
When I tell you to, pull.
All right, pull. Come on.
Pull! Come on, Lightning.
- Come on, boy.
- Come on!
- Whoa!
- That's it. That's it, boy.
Good boy, Lightning. Good boy.
Come on.
We gotta get him moving.
Come on, Lightning.
He's gonna be okay, isn't he?
Yeah, he's gonna be just fine.
Would somebody
please say something?
I thought you could use
a hand with the show.
Ain't no show.
So, why didn't you answer my letters?
I didn't get any letters.
I wrote you just about every day.
What did you say?
Stuff.
What kind of stuff?
You know, stuff.
Uh-oh.
I got here a telegram
from a John Slater from Atlantic City.
- Atlantic City?
- The Steel Pier.
He wants to negotiate a contract
with us for six months.
You did this, didn't you?
Someone once told me it's where
all your dreams come true.
You got us a contract
and didn't say anything?
Slater didn't promise anything.
He said he'd think about it.
What'd you tell him?
Told him the diving horse
show was an exciting act,
one of a kind, and that my
father was mean and stubborn.
That he was the greatest showman
on Earth.
# On the boardwalk in Atlantic City
# Life can be
peaches and cream
# Cinderella, you will find your fella
# Someone that you waited for
# In romantic, enchantic
Atlantic City
# Down by the old
New Jersey shore #
Yep.
You know, Sonora,
sometimes people make mistakes.
And it's hard to admit
when you have.
Dr. Carver, are you okay?
You look pale.
I'm fine.
You know, when Al left
and was gone all those months
and you didn't hear from him,
I did something that...
- Are you sure you're okay?
- I'm fine.
I think I'll pull over here
just to take a breather.
Why did we stop?
I thought I'd take a little breather.
Good, I'm hungry.
Why don't you rest,
and we'll set up a picnic.
Hey, Dad, when we
get to Atlantic City,
the first thing we gotta do
is buy you a new suit.
- Double-breasted?
- Yep.
With pinstripes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And now, as we've all read,
the book of God's word:
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
We now return the spirit
of our departed brother... "
I wasn't gonna give you top billing,
but your dad wouldn't have it
any other way.
- We get top billing?
- See for yourself.
- Al, that's me.
- It sure is.
That's me, and that's Lightning.
That guy that runs
the speedboats? Frenchy?
He was gonna throw this away.
Can you believe it?
Yeah, it's a piece of junk.
No, I'm gonna fix it up.
What are you gonna do with it?
I don't know.
I'll think of something.
Ladies and gentlemen,
presenting...
Ladies and gentlemen,
we now present
Carver's high-diving horse
and girl rider.
I was rehearsing.
- Ladies and gentlemen...
- Clifford...
I'm gonna bust your head.
I never introduced a show before.
Do you think I should
wear this suit tomorrow?
- I don't think it'll help.
- Come here, Clifford.
Ow! Ladies and gentlemen...
Stay here.
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing...
Sonora, there was a time
when I couldn't imagine
spending my life
with just one person.
And now I can't imagine
spending it without you.
I love you, Sonora. "
I thought I lost you.
What? What is it?
This is what you should wear.
Turn around.
Let's see how it looks.
Shoulders back.
Raise your arms a bit.
Higher. Higher!
- Whoa.
- Easy.
- Whoa.
- He's awful jittery.
He's not used to all the noise.
Maybe we should jump Lightning.
No, he's not well enough yet.
Whoa! Easy, boy.
Sonora? Sonora Webster?
I want you for my wife.
Will you marry me?
Take my hand in marriage
and make me a happy man.
What do you think
you're doing? You crazy?
Mm-hmm. About you.
I've never been so embarrassed
in my whole life.
All you have to do is say yes.
Yes, yes, yes!
It's just tin and glass.
When things get better,
I'll get you a real one.
Are you gonna marry me?
Yes or no?
Yes, yes, yes.
Yes!
Go on.
We got a show to do. Go on.
Oh, no!
Here, take him.
- Are you all right?
- Fine. Fine.
- Is Red Lips hurt?
- I don't think so.
Come on.
- Are you sure you're all right?
- It just stung.
When I hit the water,
I had my eyes open.
Clifford, is he okay?
He seems to be all right.
What about you?
Let's get you to the doctor.
I'm not bleeding.
No broken bones.
I'm fine. Don't worry.
Let's get him to the stables
and dry him off.
Excuse me,
but you will have to be still.
Sorry.
Al, what about Slater?
He was pretty concerned.
Tell him not to worry.
I just need a couple of days' rest.
Why didn't you see a doctor
right after your accident?
I got water in them.
They stung a little. That's all.
When you hit the water,
your eyes were open?
Yes.
It caused a slight hemorrhage.
Unattended, this hemorrhage
has continued for days.
The blood clotted
and detached the retina in both eyes.
What does that mean?
Her condition is permanent.
No, it's not.
I'm sorry.
Why are you sorry?
I'm gonna rest, and then
I'm gonna get back to work.
It's only temporary.
I'm not blind.
It's a real tough break.
Now, about the show.
This may be not the best time
to talk about this,
but business is business.
I got a lot of money in this show.
That diving tower wasn't cheap.
The publicity, I could...
Publicity! Come here!
I don't care about publicity!
What, are you crazy?
Look, I'm gonna give you a break.
I'm gonna let you close the show
for one week, but that's all.
There's no way I can find
and train a girl in a week.
You better come up with something, kid,
or I'm gonna take you to court
for breach of contract.
One, two, three,
four, five, six...
Ow!
One, two, three...
The blues are here,
right next to the greens.
All right?
- Blues, greens.
- Right.
I've been looking for you.
- I wanna show you something.
- What?
You know what that is? Death.
And do you know what I just did?
I defied it.
It's amazing, Clifford.
Swell, isn't it?
My very own death-defying act.
I'm very proud of you, Clifford.
I guess if you want something
bad enough, anything's possible.
Seen my shoes?
Yeah, you kicked them off
over by the sofa.
- I'll get 'em.
- I'll do it.
- They're right here.
- I'll do it.
Your lipstick's a little smeared.
Thank you.
What?
You got a little problem
with your socks.
- What's wrong with them?
- Well, one's red and one's green.
- I like it, though.
- It's the latest fashion.
It's all right. It's all right.
It's gonna be rough for a while,
but I'm gonna be here to help.
It's gonna take time to adjust.
If you want, we can move
the wedding back until you're ready.
- There's not gonna be a wedding.
- What?
I don't want you marrying me
'cause you feel sorry for me.
I'm marrying you because I love you.
I don't want that kind of love.
I don't want you cutting my food,
getting my socks,
cleaning up my messes.
As soon as my eyes clear up...
Your eyes are not gonna clear up.
Yes, they will.
It's only temporary.
- It's not temporary.
- It is. It is!
- Sonora...
- Let me go!
You've gotta accept this.
You're a human being,
and there are limitations.
You can't run away from it.
You can't hide from it,
and you can't change it. It simply is.
It's permanent.
I know.
Sonora, I'm real sorry
about what happened.
And when Al called
and told me you were hurt,
- I figured the movies had to wait.
- Marie!
- We're ready for you.
- Excuse me, honey.
- Here I am.
- How 'bout puttin' her on the horse?
No, just have me stand next to it.
- That's great.
- You used to be a diving girl.
- Why did you decide to come back?
- I love the audiences.
When Al called my mother,
she called the Astoria Studios,
where I was auditioning
for a movie.
How long you gonna be
in Atlantic City?
That's M-A-R-I-E.
Excuse me, sis. You're in the shot.
Could you move?
Sonora, what are you doin'?
- Al, I've been thinking.
- About what?
I'm going to dive again.
Honey, you can't.
It's impossible.
I can do it. I know I can.
Sonora, you've gotta be realistic.
With Lightning...
Al, he knows what I'm thinking.
And I know what he's thinking.
Absolutely not. It's too dangerous.
I have to do this.
Please, I need your help.
Here he comes.
Here he comes.
Here he comes again.
You okay?
Again.
Watch your step.
Again.
You can't let her do this.
Besides, you have Marie to do the show.
This has nothing to do
with your show.
Do you think she can do this?
Huh? Look me in the eye
and tell me she can do this.
- It's just what I thought.
- Come on.
Close out all other sounds
and listen to his hooves.
Don't go to the horse.
Let the horse come to you.
Let your hands
slide along his chest
and up his shoulder
to the harness.
When you feel the harness, grip.
Let the horse's momentum
pull you up.
- That's it!
- Ah!
You all right?
This isn't working.
I just need a little more time.
No, it's gotta stop.
I don't want you hurt.
- But, Al!
- Look, we tried. It didn't work.
This can't be done,
and it's gonna end right here.
You understand?
Yes.
Hi. Are you gonna be okay?
I gotta introduce the show.
I'm okay.
Ladies and gentlemen,
we now present
Carver's high-diving horse
and girl rider
in a daring 40-foot plunge
on horseback.
Marie, can I talk to you?
- What's going on?
- Thank you.
- Clifford!
- In a few moments,
you will witness
the courageous Marie
attempting this feat on the
bare back of her trusted steed.
Open this door!
It is the only act of its kind
anywhere in the world today,
an act in which
the safety of the rider
depends entirely on the intelligence
and skill of the horse.
It is an act in which
no electrical devices,
no mechanical apparatus,
no force of any kind,
and no cue of any sort
is used to persuade...
Hyah!
Ladies and gentlemen,
for the safety of our performers,
hold your applause...
I am proud to present
the most popular act
in the history of the Steel Pier.
Carver! What is going on here?
I don't know.
I'm gonna find out.
Mommy, there's a girl
climbing the tower!
Oh, no. Sonora!
These people didn't pay to see
a blind girl kill herself.
Sonora, don't!
Sonora, no!
- Carver!
- No, Sonora! No!
Did you see that?
She was wonderful!
Did you see that?
That last dive
began 11 years of diving blind,
and the audience never knew.
I had found my destiny,
not in faraway places,
but within myself.
I also found happiness with Al.
We were married that fall
and had a wonderful life together.
this conference
at this particular moment
is that we are convinced
that we have overcome
a major financial crisis,
a crisis in severity
unparalleled in
the history of the world,
and that with
its relaxation,
confidence and hope have
reappeared in the world.
# Happy days are here again
# The skies above are clear again
All anybody
talked about back then
was the Great Depression,
how bad things were,
and how the good times had
to be just around the corner.
I must have worn out every corner
in Waycross, Georgia,
looking for those good times
before realizing
my destiny lay somewhere else,
anywhere else.
# Happy days are here again
# Your cares and troubles are gone
# There will be no more
from now on
# Happy days are here again
# The skies above are clear again
# Let us sing a song
of cheer again...
Ready, Sonora? You don't
want to be late for school.
Be right there.
- Arnette, where's your sister?
- She's comin', Aunt Helen.
Sonora, you better
quit lollygaggin'.
Sonora, what are ya doin'?
What have you done?
My God, girl!
What am I gonna do with you?
- I'll teach you.
- No, Aunt Helen!
You're gonna wear it,
and that's final.
No more back talk,
or I'll smack your face.
Get out of here.
I don't even want to look at you.
Come here, Lightning.
What's wrong?
Whoa. Easy.
Hold still.
Let me get...
There.
There you go.
That's better, huh, boy?
Isn't that sweet?
Nice haircut, Sonora.
Who cut it? A blind man
with a butcher knife?
That's the ugliest haircut I've seen.
Ugly. She should look in the mirror.
Come on, Lightning.
Where you taking him?
To the glue factory?
He's the best horse
in the county.
- I bet.
- Oh, yeah.
He is. Lightning can outrun
or outjump any horse around.
Can he jump that fence over there?
- He can jump twice that high.
- Prove it.
I would, but I don't want
to be late for school.
You're just a 'fraidy cat.
You're just scared.
Go on. Do it.
I dare you.
I double dare you.
Okay, you just watch.
I think my big mouth
just got us into trouble.
Come on, Lightning.
Come on.
Come on.
- Will she make it?
- She's gonna do it.
Come on, Lightning.
Ooh!
Let's get out of here!
Wait. Get back.
Help!
The noun
of the sentence is "boy. "
The verb of the sentence is...
You're late, Sonora.
I'm very sorry, Miss Simpson.
You're getting detention for this.
It's not my fault.
The cows got out, and I...
I don't want to hear any excuses.
Take your seat.
Yes, ma'am.
Moo!
Class!
Class! Quiet! Quiet!
Clarabelle, oh, my...
Sonora,
leave this room immediately.
Young lady, remove yourself.
You must leave.
Sonora Webster is officially
suspended from school
for one week.
I'm informing your aunt.
No one talks to her.
She's not here!
Two red ones
and a green one.
No, ma'am,
please, right here.
Sonora, tell your aunt
that blue thread she wanted
will be here
in a couple of days.
Okay, I will.
- Here you go, Arnette.
- Thank you.
Oh, Sonora. I'm goin' over
to see Sarah. I'll see you at home.
"Young girl...
... diving horses...
...willing to travel. "
Thank you, ma'am.
- You ready?
- Let's get.
What's going on?
What are you doing with Lightning?
- I sold him.
- No, you can't!
Why? Why are you doing this?
I didn't do anything wrong.
- You let the cows out.
- That was an accident.
You got suspended from school.
Since your mama and daddy died,
you've been nothing but trouble.
Lightning, wait! Let me go!
Sonora?
- What are you doing?
- Nothing.
Sonora, I took you and Arnette in
because you're
my sister's children.
But ever since you came here,
you've been nothing but a burden.
There's a depression going on,
there's extra mouths to feed...
So I've decided I'm going to
turn you over to the state.
The state?
They'll feed you and take care of you
until you come of age.
You're just gonna
kick me and Arnette out?
No, Arnette's gonna stay here with me.
It's just gonna be you.
You're goin' tomorrow, you hear?
Yes, ma'am.
Come on, now,
and help me with supper.
Everything you got. Ohh!
Ah!
Fight! Fight!
Fight! Fight!
Come on. I thought this
was going to be a friendly game.
You're hiding an ace in your hat,
and we're gonna find it.
You better say your prayers.
Looks like I was wrong.
Let him go.
I apologize.
You crumpled my hat.
But that's okay.
I like it like this.
I'll see you, fellas.
Get your balloons.
Balloon on a stick right here.
A nickel apiece.
Any color of the rainbow.
Ow! Son of a monkey.
Dern fire.
- Dang!
- Here. Let me help.
Never had a girl
spit on me before.
This'll take the sting out.
Mud'll keep it from blistering.
I guess selling hot dogs
can be a dangerous job.
This? This isn't my job.
This is temporary
until I get my act going.
- What kind of act?
- I'm not sure exactly.
I'm still experimenting,
but it will be death-defying.
It will definitely defy death.
- There you go. Feel better?
- Uh-huh.
Sure is a funny way
of cooking hot dogs.
It's my own invention.
Do you want one?
- I don't have any money.
- Well, that's okay.
It's on the house,
for fixing my finger.
I'm Clifford Henderson.
Sonora. Sonora Webster.
It's good to meet ya.
Would you know where I can
find a Dr. W.F. Carver?
Right through there,
across the fairgrounds.
Thank you.
Thanks for the hot dog.
Take care of that finger.
Thanks for spitting on me.
- That's the last thing I want to do.
- I got a show to run, Al.
- So I missed a couple.
- Couple? You missed three.
Chasing women and gambling
are more important than your job?
No, but it's a lot more fun.
Here, Dad,
add that to your profits.
Get out of here, son.
Load the truck.
Dr. Carver?
This is your lucky day.
You don't need this anymore.
I'm here to answer your ad.
Who are you?
Your new diving girl.
No, you're not.
- Why not?
- For one thing, I don't like you.
That's because
you don't know me.
Secondly,
you're interrupting my business.
Third and most important,
you're too young
and too puny to be a diving girl.
Well, sir, I don't know what
a diving girl does exactly,
but I can do it,
'cause I can do anything.
Good. You can
get out of here.
I am a very busy man.
I do not have time
to play with children.
Now, will you get off that chair?
Not until you give me a chance.
I only want a chance.
Let me explain something to you.
A diving girl has to be strong.
A diving girl
has to be brave, fearless,
a showman.
Now, there...
...is a diving girl.
You gotta have more...
You gotta have more
than what you got.
Well, I'll get it.
What's your name?
Sonora. Sonora Webster.
Let me tell you something.
Tell you what you do.
You go out that door,
cross the fairgrounds,
turn left at the gate,
keep walking
until you get
to the bus station.
I'm not gonna leave
until you give me a job.
Have a good trip.
Al?
- Dr. Carver sent me to see you.
- Oh, he did?
Yeah, I just had
a really nice talk with him,
and he thinks I'd make
a perfect diving girl.
- That's what he said, huh?
- Uh-huh.
And he said you're supposed
to explain the show to me.
Sure. Come on.
The show is real exciting.
And that's the tower.
Okay. Fine.
Thank you very much. Oh.
You dropped this.
So, now I'm a baby-sitter.
You're not afraid
of heights, are ya?
Who, me? No.
- How do you get the horses to jump?
- We train 'em.
- Don't they get scared?
- Nope.
If they show any fear,
we don't let them near the tower.
What do you do,
push them off?
No, they jump on their own.
And we don't use
any kind of devices, either.
- Do the horses ever get hurt?
- Nope, just the riders.
It's rough. You travel from
town to town, barely getting by.
The old man, he's tough.
He'll push you till you break.
Go back to wherever you came from.
You don't want to be a diving girl.
I have a glorious idea
for a new poster.
Full-length shot of me,
standing next to the horse,
and in the corner,
inside an oval frame,
a picture of my face.
- Smiling.
- I'll think about it, Marie.
I know it'd sell lots of tickets.
Maybe the Movietone people
will come by,
take a moving picture
of me diving.
- I'll think about it, Marie.
- Hi!
We're not buying pencils today,
thank you.
Did you miss your bus?
I told you I wasn't going
to leave until you gave me a job.
This young lady
wants to be a diving girl.
That's a wonderful idea.
She could bring glamour to the act.
- What you doin'?
- This way he gets used to my smell.
That's right.
Indians used to do that on the plains.
- Really?
- Hmm.
I thought I just made that up.
Can you handle a wheelbarrow?
Are you kidding?
I was born handling a wheelbarrow.
- Can you shovel manure?
- Manure happens to be my "speciality. "
I believe that.
What about your family?
- They lookin' for you?
- Nope.
I'm not gonna give you
a job as a diving girl.
But we're leaving
tomorrow for Virginia.
I could use a good stable hand.
You interested?
- Yeah! Let's go to Virginia.
- All right.
Virginia.
I couldn't believe my luck.
I'd never been
to another state before.
I was really seeing the world now,
even if my view was more where
we'd been than where we were goin'.
But I wasn't gonna complain.
I finally had a real job,
helping Dr. Carver with the horses
during the off-season
at the farm he rented.
I was gonna be staying in the
most beautiful house I'd ever seen.
Things were looking up.
From here on, my life
was gonna be just swell.
You wouldn't mind
giving me a hand, would you?
Come on.
We gotta get them horses ready.
Hurry up. Everybody's
a cow tail around here.
We got a lot of work to do.
Lord knows, we'll take the bunch.
It's okay.
I got everything under control.
Sonora!
Come get this horse, please.
Wash him down.
Make sure he's dry.
Think you can manage that?
Yoo-hoo! Hi, Al.
How ya doing?
Whoa, Red Lips.
- Easy, whoa!
- Hold him! Hold him!
Hold the horse.
Marie, come get this horse.
Get him in his stable.
Get him in there.
If you can't handle the animal,
don't go near him.
Nice horse, huh?
That horse is spooked.
Where'd ya get him?
I won him in a poker game.
Full house, queens over threes.
- Looks loco to me.
- All he needs is training.
Do what you want.
Just keep him away from people.
I don't want anybody hurt.
Come on.
Just one little bite. Come on.
Come on.
I better get to know these horses
if I'm gonna be a diving girl.
Think you can do it?
Sure, if Dr. Carver
gives me a chance.
He's not going to give you
a chance, unless...
If you rode up
on this horse, he might.
- We could train him.
- What are we waiting for?
No, not now. We'll go out
first thing in the morning.
- All right.
- The old man can't know.
- It'll be our secret.
- Okay.
Psst. Al, get up.
Al, we're supposed
to start training!
What?
Oh, right.
Give him some room.
- Easy, boy.
- Whoa.
Easy, boy.
Whoa, whoa. Whoa!
Good boy. Whoa.
What's this horse's name, anyway?
- I don't know.
- You don't know?
- He's gotta have a name.
- How about Clarence?
Clarence?
That's no name for a horse.
You're so smart, you pick it.
Lightning.
Stay behind.
Get your whip on the ground.
Stay behind him.
Come on. Go, go, go.
Come on.
Let him see the whip.
Come on.
Easy, boy.
Here, you take him.
Take that line.
What's your secret wish?
My secret wish.
Yeah, what did you
always want to be?
When I was a boy I wanted to be
a showman, just like my dad.
But not anymore.
What do you want to be now?
Anything but like him.
What's your secret wish?
To get to Atlantic City,
where all your dreams come true.
You believe that?
With all my heart.
It says so right here.
See?
It's the greatest showplace
in America.
And someday
I'm gonna be there.
What happened
to your parents?
Died.
They got the fever.
What about you?
Where's your mom?
- She's gone.
- Where?
I don't know.
She left a long time ago.
It was my dad.
She left because of him.
Now, just sit there.
- Don't rush it.
- You worry too much.
- Are you hurt?
- No, I'm fine.
He's got ticklish flanks.
You should never use your heels.
I figured that out
as I was flying through the air.
He's doing good, though.
So are you.
Come on. We got a lot of work to do
before the old man wakes up.
Nice and easy.
Good boy.
Do you like the movies?
Like them?
I'm gonna be in them someday.
How are you gonna do that?
Be discovered, of course.
Diving horses is great exposure.
You're pretty enough
to be in the movies.
You sure look nice tonight.
Thank you. Al's taking me
dancing at the Silver Palm.
- Dancing?
- Yes, Al's a terrific dancer.
Smooth as hot honey.
That's nice.
You poor thing.
Who does your hair?
Well, I do.
You should take extreme care
with your appearance.
Having no natural beauty of your own,
you really need to...
...help yourself.
Have a good night.
Don't tell me
how to run my business.
All I'm saying is you should
think about selling the show.
Running all over the country
for ten cents a ticket?
- Gravy, Al?
- Yeah, sure.
It's old and it's tired.
Times have changed.
It's 1932.
We got the Empire State Building,
airplanes crossing the ocean,
women are voting.
Is that too much gravy, Al?
This cowboy stuff is old-fashioned,
like that fringe jacket you wear.
That jacket is a gift
from Buffalo Bill Cody.
That's what I mean.
It's from another century.
Would you pass the peas, please?
Sonora, I see you
got your hair... done.
Did you do it yourself?
I walked down the road
to the Clip 'n' Curl.
Would you pass the peas?
Good pork chop, Marie.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
- I like your dress.
- Oh, you scared me.
Sorry.
It's a hot night, huh?
Good night to go swimming.
Who? You and Marie?
No, you and me.
No, thank you.
Come on.
I know the perfect place.
I'm not going swimming.
Hey.
Come here.
I gotta go. I'm sorry.
- Sonora, wait.
- Sorry.
- Sonora.
- Good night.
Roosevelt received
one of the largest demonstrations
ever accorded
a presidential candidate.
And now, let's return
to the Skylark Ballroom
with Walter Clegg
and his orchestra.
Don't drink out of the bottle.
You better watch yourself.
What's that supposed to mean?
She's young.
She don't know any better.
I don't want you
messing up her life.
I haven't done anything.
Keep it that way.
Hey!
What?
Put the milk away.
Nice day, huh?
Yeah, I suppose so.
Oh, my goodness.
Would you look at that?
What do you think you're doing?
Riding.
Don't suppose you know
anything about this.
I'm as surprised as you are.
All right. So you can ride.
I can dive, too,
if you'd give me a chance.
Don't be ridiculous.
She trained that horse.
She deserves a chance.
- Oh, you do, do you?
- Yeah.
- Can you make a moving mount?
- I've never tried.
If you can mount that horse
while he's moving,
I'll let you train to be a diving girl.
It beats shoveling manure.
Come on.
Reach out, touch the harness.
Get used to the rhythm.
When he passes, I want you to
grab ahold and pull yourself on.
Concentrate. Here he comes.
Get ready.
Whoa. Stay there. Don't move.
Just stay there.
Your nose may be broke.
Does it feel broken?
No. But I don't know what
a broken nose feels like.
That's enough.
Let's get you in the house.
Is that it?
You gonna quit?
Let me look at the nose.
Nose ain't broke. Do it right.
- What? She's not getting...
- Do it again.
- She's hurt. She needs to rest.
- Shut your gate.
Sonora, you don't have to do this.
It's all right. I can do it.
You don't get anything handed
to you in this world. You gotta earn it.
You gonna cry?
You gonna cry?
- I never cry.
- Good. Let's go.
Don't be in a hurry.
Just sense the horse's rhythm.
- Thattagirl.
- We did it, boy.
- We did it!
- All right. All right.
Okay. Good. Now you can train
to be a diving girl.
Come on down.
Go get cleaned up.
What the hell
were you trying to prove?
She did it, didn't she?
You push too hard.
Well, she didn't quit.
What? Like me?
Or like my mother?
No matter how hard anyone tries,
it's not good enough, is it?
Stupid old man.
Come on!
- Come on. Come on!
- Al!
Al? Al, wait.
Where are you going?
I should have left
a long time ago.
I can't keep fighting him.
He doesn't care about me.
He doesn't care about anybody.
The only thing he cares about
is his stupid show.
Please don't go.
I'm sorry.
Write me.
I promise.
Dear Sonora,
I hope you understand
why I had to leave.
I keep thinking about you.
I miss you.
Please write me.
- Is that the mail?
- Yeah.
Did I get anything?
Any letters?
Nope.
Get down.
I'll show you how it's done.
He's used to me.
I don't think you should ride.
- Don't tell me my business.
- She may have a point.
On the top of her head.
Get down.
Now, just watch.
You'll learn something.
Don't use your heels.
- Owww!
- She used her heels.
I hate that horse!
Is it as bad as it sounds?
Marie always did want
to be an actress.
Is she gonna be okay?
She's dislocated her shoulder.
Doctor's putting it in a sling.
I can't take any more of this.
Oh, Lord.
He says she's gonna be
stove-up for six weeks.
- Six weeks?
- Yeah.
We got a bookin'
in three days in North Carolina.
Gee, I wonder where you're
gonna find a diving girl.
Don't worry.
The tower's not as high as it looks.
Honest. I've been there.
- Hi, remember me?
- Yeah, hot dogs.
Not anymore.
My hot dog stand burned down.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
Dr. Carver gave me a job.
I'm your new groom.
- Oh, that's great.
- Hey!
- I heard you're diving today.
- My first time off the tower.
- Nervous?
- Who, me?
Nervous? Heck no!
Sonora?
- Sonora!
- Come in.
- You all right?
- I'm ready. I feel great.
Good. Good.
The bathing suit doesn't fit.
I look like a boy.
- You'll grow into it.
- What if it falls off?
We'll give refunds.
Now, remember, let's do it
just like we practiced.
- Keep your eye on the harness.
- Harness.
And don't forget to...
- Grip!
- ... grip!
And don't forget to put
your head to the side. Right?
All right.
You'll do fine.
- There is one thing.
- Yeah?
Do I have to bow?
I've never bowed before.
I'll feel stupid.
I don't care if you
fall on your head.
You will smile in front of
those people, and you will bow.
- But I just don't...
- Bow.
What if I can't do it?
What if I lose my nerve,
and I can't go through with it?
- You'll do it.
- But what if I can't?
- Will you hate me?
- Mm-hmm.
Oh.
If you feel nervous, look for me.
I'll be in front of the crowd. Okay?
Still don't want to bow.
Sonora...
...and her brave horse,
Lightning!
Sonora, ladies and gentlemen,
and her brave horse, Lightning!
Sonora, ladies and gentlemen.
Sonora!
We got a new diving girl.
And a new diving horse.
- Do we get to be on a poster?
- We'll get some new posters.
It'll be Marie and Sonora,
the diving girls.
I refuse to share billing
with a stable hand.
Marie, she made the dive.
She is not the star of the show. I am.
All right, you're the star.
But we got two diving girls.
Since I'm the star,
I would like more money
and a bigger dressing room.
There's a depression going on...
More money, my own dressing room,
and a better poster.
- Or I quit.
- I can't do that, Marie.
Well, then, I quit.
Marie, don't be stubborn.
You can't quit.
I am an actress,
not a circus performer!
I am going to New York City.
The next time you see me,
I'm gonna be a big star.
And you will still be
shoveling manure.
# I used to dream
# Of highways that seemed
# To lead to silver and gold
# But those old passions...
All that spring
we traveled from one fair to the next,
doing two or three shows a day.
Lightning got better
and better with each dive.
And I got to tell you,
I wasn't bad, either.
Everything was going great.
Except for one thing.
# Now and then it seems to me
# It weren't so bad
what you used to be
# Here and now
it seems so true
# This feeling blue
# Wishing
# Wishing it just weren't true
# My dreams are gone
# Yet I linger on
# As hope drifts into despair
# All around us
# The blues surround us
# Why, Lord, is life so unfair?
# Now and then
# It seems to me
# It weren't so bad
# What used to be
# Here and now
# Through and through
# This sinking down
# This feeling blue
# And I'm wishing
# Wishing it just weren't true #
What ya doing now?
Finishing that letter
to Franklin County.
He promised he'd write me.
Why doesn't he?
- Thanks for your time.
- It's nothing.
We'll see what we can do.
What if we can't book another show?
What are we gonna do?
That's why I'm driving
to Franklin County,
see if I can find work over there.
- What if there isn't?
- Well, I'm keeping the show open.
- I promise you that.
- And if he doesn't, I will.
All right, now, listen.
You keep them horses fed
and watered, ya hear? Very important.
Looks like we won't be back
before tomorrow morning.
- You don't have to worry.
- I know that.
Hey, Red Lips.
Lightning!
Oh, Lightning.
What's the matter?
Come on. Get up.
What's wrong?
Al.
What happened?
I don't know. He's awful sick.
Easy, boy. Easy.
What is it, Al?
What's wrong with him?
- Did Red Lips eat any of this?
- No, I don't think so.
- It's moldy. It's given him colic.
- What should we do?
Gotta get water and oil into him
and get him to his feet.
- Where's the tack trunk?
- In the barn.
It's gonna be okay, boy.
All right, now hold
this here while I pump.
That's it. Hold it there. Good.
All right. Come here.
Take this.
When I tell you to, pull.
All right, pull. Come on.
Pull! Come on, Lightning.
- Come on, boy.
- Come on!
- Whoa!
- That's it. That's it, boy.
Good boy, Lightning. Good boy.
Come on.
We gotta get him moving.
Come on, Lightning.
He's gonna be okay, isn't he?
Yeah, he's gonna be just fine.
Would somebody
please say something?
I thought you could use
a hand with the show.
Ain't no show.
So, why didn't you answer my letters?
I didn't get any letters.
I wrote you just about every day.
What did you say?
Stuff.
What kind of stuff?
You know, stuff.
Uh-oh.
I got here a telegram
from a John Slater from Atlantic City.
- Atlantic City?
- The Steel Pier.
He wants to negotiate a contract
with us for six months.
You did this, didn't you?
Someone once told me it's where
all your dreams come true.
You got us a contract
and didn't say anything?
Slater didn't promise anything.
He said he'd think about it.
What'd you tell him?
Told him the diving horse
show was an exciting act,
one of a kind, and that my
father was mean and stubborn.
That he was the greatest showman
on Earth.
# On the boardwalk in Atlantic City
# Life can be
peaches and cream
# Cinderella, you will find your fella
# Someone that you waited for
# In romantic, enchantic
Atlantic City
# Down by the old
New Jersey shore #
Yep.
You know, Sonora,
sometimes people make mistakes.
And it's hard to admit
when you have.
Dr. Carver, are you okay?
You look pale.
I'm fine.
You know, when Al left
and was gone all those months
and you didn't hear from him,
I did something that...
- Are you sure you're okay?
- I'm fine.
I think I'll pull over here
just to take a breather.
Why did we stop?
I thought I'd take a little breather.
Good, I'm hungry.
Why don't you rest,
and we'll set up a picnic.
Hey, Dad, when we
get to Atlantic City,
the first thing we gotta do
is buy you a new suit.
- Double-breasted?
- Yep.
With pinstripes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And now, as we've all read,
the book of God's word:
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
We now return the spirit
of our departed brother... "
I wasn't gonna give you top billing,
but your dad wouldn't have it
any other way.
- We get top billing?
- See for yourself.
- Al, that's me.
- It sure is.
That's me, and that's Lightning.
That guy that runs
the speedboats? Frenchy?
He was gonna throw this away.
Can you believe it?
Yeah, it's a piece of junk.
No, I'm gonna fix it up.
What are you gonna do with it?
I don't know.
I'll think of something.
Ladies and gentlemen,
presenting...
Ladies and gentlemen,
we now present
Carver's high-diving horse
and girl rider.
I was rehearsing.
- Ladies and gentlemen...
- Clifford...
I'm gonna bust your head.
I never introduced a show before.
Do you think I should
wear this suit tomorrow?
- I don't think it'll help.
- Come here, Clifford.
Ow! Ladies and gentlemen...
Stay here.
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing...
Sonora, there was a time
when I couldn't imagine
spending my life
with just one person.
And now I can't imagine
spending it without you.
I love you, Sonora. "
I thought I lost you.
What? What is it?
This is what you should wear.
Turn around.
Let's see how it looks.
Shoulders back.
Raise your arms a bit.
Higher. Higher!
- Whoa.
- Easy.
- Whoa.
- He's awful jittery.
He's not used to all the noise.
Maybe we should jump Lightning.
No, he's not well enough yet.
Whoa! Easy, boy.
Sonora? Sonora Webster?
I want you for my wife.
Will you marry me?
Take my hand in marriage
and make me a happy man.
What do you think
you're doing? You crazy?
Mm-hmm. About you.
I've never been so embarrassed
in my whole life.
All you have to do is say yes.
Yes, yes, yes!
It's just tin and glass.
When things get better,
I'll get you a real one.
Are you gonna marry me?
Yes or no?
Yes, yes, yes.
Yes!
Go on.
We got a show to do. Go on.
Oh, no!
Here, take him.
- Are you all right?
- Fine. Fine.
- Is Red Lips hurt?
- I don't think so.
Come on.
- Are you sure you're all right?
- It just stung.
When I hit the water,
I had my eyes open.
Clifford, is he okay?
He seems to be all right.
What about you?
Let's get you to the doctor.
I'm not bleeding.
No broken bones.
I'm fine. Don't worry.
Let's get him to the stables
and dry him off.
Excuse me,
but you will have to be still.
Sorry.
Al, what about Slater?
He was pretty concerned.
Tell him not to worry.
I just need a couple of days' rest.
Why didn't you see a doctor
right after your accident?
I got water in them.
They stung a little. That's all.
When you hit the water,
your eyes were open?
Yes.
It caused a slight hemorrhage.
Unattended, this hemorrhage
has continued for days.
The blood clotted
and detached the retina in both eyes.
What does that mean?
Her condition is permanent.
No, it's not.
I'm sorry.
Why are you sorry?
I'm gonna rest, and then
I'm gonna get back to work.
It's only temporary.
I'm not blind.
It's a real tough break.
Now, about the show.
This may be not the best time
to talk about this,
but business is business.
I got a lot of money in this show.
That diving tower wasn't cheap.
The publicity, I could...
Publicity! Come here!
I don't care about publicity!
What, are you crazy?
Look, I'm gonna give you a break.
I'm gonna let you close the show
for one week, but that's all.
There's no way I can find
and train a girl in a week.
You better come up with something, kid,
or I'm gonna take you to court
for breach of contract.
One, two, three,
four, five, six...
Ow!
One, two, three...
The blues are here,
right next to the greens.
All right?
- Blues, greens.
- Right.
I've been looking for you.
- I wanna show you something.
- What?
You know what that is? Death.
And do you know what I just did?
I defied it.
It's amazing, Clifford.
Swell, isn't it?
My very own death-defying act.
I'm very proud of you, Clifford.
I guess if you want something
bad enough, anything's possible.
Seen my shoes?
Yeah, you kicked them off
over by the sofa.
- I'll get 'em.
- I'll do it.
- They're right here.
- I'll do it.
Your lipstick's a little smeared.
Thank you.
What?
You got a little problem
with your socks.
- What's wrong with them?
- Well, one's red and one's green.
- I like it, though.
- It's the latest fashion.
It's all right. It's all right.
It's gonna be rough for a while,
but I'm gonna be here to help.
It's gonna take time to adjust.
If you want, we can move
the wedding back until you're ready.
- There's not gonna be a wedding.
- What?
I don't want you marrying me
'cause you feel sorry for me.
I'm marrying you because I love you.
I don't want that kind of love.
I don't want you cutting my food,
getting my socks,
cleaning up my messes.
As soon as my eyes clear up...
Your eyes are not gonna clear up.
Yes, they will.
It's only temporary.
- It's not temporary.
- It is. It is!
- Sonora...
- Let me go!
You've gotta accept this.
You're a human being,
and there are limitations.
You can't run away from it.
You can't hide from it,
and you can't change it. It simply is.
It's permanent.
I know.
Sonora, I'm real sorry
about what happened.
And when Al called
and told me you were hurt,
- I figured the movies had to wait.
- Marie!
- We're ready for you.
- Excuse me, honey.
- Here I am.
- How 'bout puttin' her on the horse?
No, just have me stand next to it.
- That's great.
- You used to be a diving girl.
- Why did you decide to come back?
- I love the audiences.
When Al called my mother,
she called the Astoria Studios,
where I was auditioning
for a movie.
How long you gonna be
in Atlantic City?
That's M-A-R-I-E.
Excuse me, sis. You're in the shot.
Could you move?
Sonora, what are you doin'?
- Al, I've been thinking.
- About what?
I'm going to dive again.
Honey, you can't.
It's impossible.
I can do it. I know I can.
Sonora, you've gotta be realistic.
With Lightning...
Al, he knows what I'm thinking.
And I know what he's thinking.
Absolutely not. It's too dangerous.
I have to do this.
Please, I need your help.
Here he comes.
Here he comes.
Here he comes again.
You okay?
Again.
Watch your step.
Again.
You can't let her do this.
Besides, you have Marie to do the show.
This has nothing to do
with your show.
Do you think she can do this?
Huh? Look me in the eye
and tell me she can do this.
- It's just what I thought.
- Come on.
Close out all other sounds
and listen to his hooves.
Don't go to the horse.
Let the horse come to you.
Let your hands
slide along his chest
and up his shoulder
to the harness.
When you feel the harness, grip.
Let the horse's momentum
pull you up.
- That's it!
- Ah!
You all right?
This isn't working.
I just need a little more time.
No, it's gotta stop.
I don't want you hurt.
- But, Al!
- Look, we tried. It didn't work.
This can't be done,
and it's gonna end right here.
You understand?
Yes.
Hi. Are you gonna be okay?
I gotta introduce the show.
I'm okay.
Ladies and gentlemen,
we now present
Carver's high-diving horse
and girl rider
in a daring 40-foot plunge
on horseback.
Marie, can I talk to you?
- What's going on?
- Thank you.
- Clifford!
- In a few moments,
you will witness
the courageous Marie
attempting this feat on the
bare back of her trusted steed.
Open this door!
It is the only act of its kind
anywhere in the world today,
an act in which
the safety of the rider
depends entirely on the intelligence
and skill of the horse.
It is an act in which
no electrical devices,
no mechanical apparatus,
no force of any kind,
and no cue of any sort
is used to persuade...
Hyah!
Ladies and gentlemen,
for the safety of our performers,
hold your applause...
I am proud to present
the most popular act
in the history of the Steel Pier.
Carver! What is going on here?
I don't know.
I'm gonna find out.
Mommy, there's a girl
climbing the tower!
Oh, no. Sonora!
These people didn't pay to see
a blind girl kill herself.
Sonora, don't!
Sonora, no!
- Carver!
- No, Sonora! No!
Did you see that?
She was wonderful!
Did you see that?
That last dive
began 11 years of diving blind,
and the audience never knew.
I had found my destiny,
not in faraway places,
but within myself.
I also found happiness with Al.
We were married that fall
and had a wonderful life together.