Alan and Naomi (1992)

[bunniefuu]

[jazz music plays]

[jazz music continues]

[boy 1] Come on, Alan.

[chatter]

[boy 2] Whoa!

Come on, Alan.

[boy 1] Whoa!

[boy 2] You're our best player!

[music continues]

[boy 1] Come on, Alan!

Whoa!

[chatter]

Hit the glove, baby.

[chatter]

Hey, hey, cab!

[honking]

[engine humming]

[dog barks]

[indistinct chatter]

Nothin' that can
save you now, Silverman.

[coughs up and spits]

[boy 1] Whoa!

Look at that thing go!

[glass crashing]

Yahoo!

Beautiful foul.
It went right into the window.

-What a genius.
-I'm tired of playin' ball.

-Game's over.
-Like hell! We didn't get

-our last fix.
-That's it, guys!

-Game's over. We won.
-Oh, so what? Big deal.

We won the last
three games in a row.

Shut up, milquetoast.
We won by five runs.

One, two, three, four, five.

Eat that with your
pickled herring.

Hey, cut that out.
He can count to five.

You know, I saw a circus once.
Ones that could count to six.

Shut your freakin' mouth, Kelly.
[scoffs]

You and Silverman,
what a pair! Jew lover!

[scoffs]
Kelly's a Jew lover!

[grunts]
Let go of me.

Cut it out, Silverman.
He could pulverize you.

Nighty-night, Condello.
Don't wet your bed.

Up yours!

[dog barks]

Damn it, Shaun.
Why did you stop me?

'Cause you're an idiot!

[jazz music continues]

-Shaun?
-Yeah?

-Thanks.
-You're welcome. No charge.

Hey, Shaun, I'll race you
to the second floor.

-Come on, skinny.
-You're a loser, Kelly.

-Screwball!
-Jerk!

-[running]
-[Alan] Ouch!

[dog barking]

[footsteps on stairs]

-Screwball.
-Jerk.

What?
What?

-G'night, Jew!
-G'night, Catholic

Hey, you kids! What's the matter
with you? It's not your floor!

Get outta here!

[whispers] Jesus Christ...
What?

[sighs] Al Silverman
breaks Ruth's record.

-[feet stomping]
-The Yankee fans go wild.

[paper ripping]

[baby crying]

[paper ripping continues]

[baby crying]

[thud]

-It's okay. I live here.
-[screams] Mama! Mama!

Ils sont en bas!
Mama! Mama!

[baby cries]

-Are you sure you won't stay?
-Oh, dear, it looks delicious.

-I am honored, but I cannot...
-[door creaks]

-Please.
-Oh, oh...

Hi, Mrs. Liebman.

Alan, you're late
for dinner again.

Your father is home already.
You with your baseball game.

Mom, stick ball.

Stick ball, stick ball. Even
sounds like a game for hoodlums.

-Go change for dinner.
-I'm leaving you, Ruthie.

-Oh, I wish you'd stay.
-I'm leaving you, too.

-Why don't you stay?
-You have a family.

-You have a supper.
-Take something with you.

-I'll give you such a punch.
-Oh, don't you dare.

Goodbye, sweetie.
Thank you for...

Call you later. All right. Alan,
say goodbye to Mrs. Liebman.

-She's leaving.
-Goodbye to Mrs. Liebman.

-She's leaving.
-[Ruth sighs]

Goodbye, Alan.

-[door closes]
-Wish you g'night.

[dog barks]

[engine cranking]

[dog howls]

Wanna say that again, Condello?

[dog howls]

-What is this?
-Mom!

Charles Atlas, huh? Alan,
what do you want with muscles?

A muscle is just a...
muscle, huh?

Character should be strong.
Look at President Roosevelt,

for goodness sake.
He's a giant among men,

yet he's in a wheelchair,
shriveled from the waist down.

Oh, thanks, Mom.
Now, I feel a whole lot better.

Come into dinner. Oh, and your
father's upset about the w*r,

so...

[radio announcer] What began
on D-Day as a mighty thrust

into the soft underbelly
of n*zi-occupied Europe

has slowed to a crawl
in the fields and hedge

rows of France.

Only George Patton and his
third army continue to move

at top speed towards
the German border.

[Sol] Things are bad, Alan.
Eisenhower isn't thinking.

-He advanced too fast.
-[Alan] Sorry, I'm late, Pa.

-Hey, Ma, what's for dinner?
-Soup, chicken

and whatever else I give you.

I'd eat bread and water if only
we could win this w*r already.

[draws curtains]

Tomorrow night, [lips smacking]
bread and water.

Dinner's on the table.
Let's eat.

[music playing]

[music continues]

[radio plays] ♪ With a flavor
that's just right♪

♪ It's delicious
and nutritious♪

♪ Bite-size
and ready to eat♪

♪ Take a tip from Tom
Go and tell your mom♪

♪ Shredded Ralston'’s
can't be beat♪

Atomic Ralston'’s space shooters
bring you another episode...

in the mystery of...

[Ruth]
Alan, turn off the radio.

-Why?
-I have something to say.

I don't want to be
interrupted until I'm finished.

What is it, Ruth?
Problems with the super again?

No, no, it's nothing like that.
Look, Sol, you got your coffee.

Alan, there's your milk.

We have marble cake,
day old, but it's good.

[sirens wailing]

I am going to talk
and you are going to listen.

Dessert in the living room?
To listen?

Yes, but you have to let me
finish to the end!

You haven't said anything.
If you begin, then maybe

we can let you finish.

[Ruth] Oh, all right. Now you
both know Mrs. Kirschenbaum,

and her daughter, Naomi.
Living across the way

-with Mrs. Liebman?
-[Alan] The crazy girl?

Who are you, Dr. Freud?
She's not crazy!

They went through plenty.
That child, Naomi...

her father was k*lled
by the Nazis right in front

of her eyes.
And then, for two years--

All right, Ruth, we know what
kinda ugly things the Nazis do.

Her and her mother,
hiding out until Mrs. Liebman

-could bring them over here.
-[Alan] All the guys say

-she's crazy.
-She is not crazy

and don't you ever let me
hear you call her that again!

[dog barking]

She just... you know,
she needs help. A lot of help.

I think it was a mistake
to bring her here

to a mixed neighborhood.
I mean, I'm sorry, Sol,

this is not
a very good neighborhood.

Who said it was? I wish
we could afford better.

Sol, I am not blaming you!
What is it? You of all...

Well, forgive me
for just working

in the Department of Records.

I'm sorry I'm not
Mayor LaGuardia.

-Alan, where are you going?
-I gotta do my homework.

Sit. Hear me out.

[radio announcement continues]

Now, before this girl
can go to school again,

the doctor says
she has to learn to trust again.

This girl need friends.
Nice children.

-Children her own age.
-No!

-[Ruth] Alan, have I asked you?
-Yes! And she's a crazy girl

-and I won't!
-Alan, don't take

that tone with your mother.

[Ruth] Alan, it's nothing.
It's simple.

You just go over once
a day after school.

An hour, half hour.
You go over and you just sit.

I won't! I can't!
I'd miss stick ball.

Again with the...
stick ball!

[Alan] Mom, do you know how many
of the guys call me sissy?

If they found out I was hanging
out with some crazy girl...

I mean... [inhales sharply]

I've got one friend
on this whole block

and, and he'd
quit on me if he found out.

[Sol] Alan, let's talk
about this.

I won't! And that's final!

-[Ruth] Alan?
-[door slams]

[dog barks]

[knock, knock]

[door opens]

[footsteps approaching]

[door closes]

-[Sol] Alan.
-It's not fair.

You can't make me do this.

Alan, we can't make you do this,
you're right. It isn't fair.

[dog barking]

And, besides,
this thing is very delicate,

like a surgical operation.

Who would use a surgeon
who hates what he's doing, hm?

He could cut off your nose,
your ears, even your whole head!

Brrr! Zoop!
Like that.

But...

Allow me one but?

[bed creaks]

In our life...

[loud exhale]

Alan, sometimes
when we're young,

sometimes
when we're old, in our life...

once or twice, we're called upon
to do something that we can't do

and we don't wanna do...

And we won't do.

But, we do it.

Well, I won't.

[exhales sharply] Alan,
you've asked me more than once,

"How can God allow the Nazis?"

It's like asking,
"Why do people die?"

You say you don't believe
in God.

Well, sometimes God...
finds you...

when you least expect it.

I won't ask you to do
anything you can't do.

Just... think about it,
that's all I ask.

Why does it have to be me?

Maybe because you're
one of the lucky ones.

[knock, knock]

[Ruth] Enough philosophy. I have
to tell Mrs. Liebman something.

[Sol] Tell her... we'll have
an answer for her tomorrow.

[bed creaks]

[footsteps approaching]

I hope you know
what you're doing.

If I knew what I was doing,
I'd be President Roosevelt.

Then again, Roosevelt
has a very smart wife.

She says, "“President, darling,
maybe, you should do this.

President, darling,
maybe you should do that."

She doesn't
put a g*n to his head.

Fine, you become president,
I'll put my g*n away.

In the meantime,
I still don't have an answer.

[piano music plays]

[music continues]

[crickets chirping]

[Shaun] Hey, Al!

What we gotta do is bring
the outfielder further in, see?

That way we can catch
Condello's old blooper shots.

I call it The Kelly Shift. Hey,
Silverman, are you listening?

-Hmm?
-What do ya think of the plan,

-for crying out loud?
-[Alan] The plan?

The Kelly Shift.

Listen, Shaun,
I forgot to tell you...

-I can't play in the game today.
-What?

-Why not?
-Well, I, I got an errand to do.

Who's gonna catch
all my pop shots?

You could get Tony.

It's only for today.

What's the big deal, errand?
Can't you do it after the game?

Get outta here!

No, I gotta do it by four.
Then I got homework after.

[scoffs]

Terrific!
You wanna be first in class.

That's one of the
worst things about you.

You know I care if I'm first.
Wait! One of the worst?

What else?

Huh?

Come on, what else
is bad about me?

Well, some of the guys
think you're yellow.

I don't, but they do.

Who cares? What're you gonna do,
beat 'em up?

Tit for tat...
what's wrong with me?

You? Nothing. You're a saint.

Saint Shaun.

[Shaun] Cut the bullshit,
I mean the truth!

I really wanna know.
It won't hurt me.

[school bell rings]

-I swear.
-Hey, what's wrong with me?

Nothing.

Come on!

Well... maybe
you're a little prejudiced.

-Me?
-Yeah, like against girls

and stuff. Like all those dirty
jokes you tell about them.

That's something
wrong with me?

Wow, wow! Sweetie-sweet, you got
a girlfriend or something?

Are you kidding?

Better not.

[Shaun] I ain't hangin' around
with no sissies,

that's for sure!

[cello playing]

[cello playing continues]

Oh, hello.
[chuckles]

[speaking Jewish]

You are such a good boy.
You're a kind boy.

I can't say enough... [sobs]
from my heart. Thank you.

An apple? A pear? A banana?

-Huh?
-No, really, Mrs. Liebman.

Maybe I'll be hungry
another time.

[mutters in Jewish]

Alan, this is Mrs. Kirschenbaum,
Naomi's mother.

This is the boy.

Merci. Merci bien,Alan.
Merci,Alan.

[speaks French]

Firstly, Alan, [chuckles]
I want you should understand

That... in Switzerland,

after they got away
from the Nazis,

Naomi was very sick...
but she got better. Much better.

She studied at home,
by herself.

She's very,
very smart girl.

Now, however...
[breathes heavily]

she's somewhere else
most of the time.

And we want
that she should wake up from it.

Thank God, God, God.

[Mrs. Liebman] You understand?
Now, come.

Hm? Here.
Come with me.

[music resumes]

[Mrs. Liebman]
It's important, dear, that, uh,

you shouldn't move too quickly.
You shouldn't get too close.

You shouldn't make loud noises,
because it frightens her.

Yeah?
You understand?

[paper ripping]

[metal clanks]

[paper ripping continues]

[music keeps playing]

[paper ripping continues]

I don't blame you
for not looking at me.

I think I scared you pretty bad
in the hallway yesterday.

Most people don't think
I look that scary.

In fact, I wish I did.

But, I mean,
not, not in the stairwell,

when girls are
on the floor and all.

[paper rips]

[Alan] I hear
your name's Naomi.

Mine's Alan...

Alan Drucker Silverman.

Actually, I've never told
anyone my middle name before.

I always thought
they might laugh...

[birds chirping]

But, you don't laugh.

It's my mother's maiden name.

It's German.

I mean, I mean,
the good Germans...

Not the Gestapo Germans.
The Jewish Germans.

It means "printer" in German.

You know, like someone
who prints paper.

Not unlike the paper
you're tearing right there.

[paper rips]

Which, I mean... it's fine
that you're tearin' paper.

It, it looks very...
relaxing.

[ripping continues]

[stick ball bat tapping]

[boys playing outside]

[chair scraping]

[chair creaks]

[boys play and dog barks]

Good grief.

[Alan] Well, if you don't even
speak any English...

Your mother doesn't.

If you don't understand English,
we're really in trouble.

I don't speak
a single word of French.

Well, maybe one...

Bonjour?
Uh, Eiffel tower?

Uh...

Can-can in g*y Paree?

[taps feet]

Ooh-la-la?

Poodle?

[distant chatter continues]

[sigh]

[boys cheering]

[paper ripping]

[birds chirping]

[paper ripping]

[paper ripping continues]

[rips aggressively]

[screaming]

Mama!

Mama!

Mama!

Mama!
[Naomi pants]

Naomi, Naomi...
[speaking in French]

[continues panting]

[door opens]

[slams shut]

[rushing footsteps]

[door opens and slams shut]

[thump, thump]

[Alan] Don't even think about
making me go back there.

I have never been so
embarrassed in my full,

whole, entire lifetime.
I'm not going back!

You wouldn't believe
how awful it was!

I'm not going back!

-Alan...
-What happened?

-What went on over there?
-I'm not going back!

That's final!

Totally, fully,
completely final.

[clock ticking]

[children playing outside]

[orchestra music]

[children laughing]

[music and g*nshots]

[cartoon character hollers]

[expl*si*n]

[children laugh]

[commotion]

[character hollers]

[orchestra music plays]

[cheering and applause]

[indistinct whispers]

[drum roll and trumpet call]

Cut it out, Shaun Kelly,
or I'll call the usher.

[giggles]

[narrator]
...on the march...

I was just seeing if you had a
head attached to all that hair.

[mutters unintelligibly]

If you don't like it,
then go sit somewhere else.

It's a free country.
We can sit anywhere we want!

Right. Then why
don't you sit in my lap?

[giggles]

-[thud]
-[screams]

[narrator] ...bring back
the tide of the allied

invasion force
on the western front.

[booing, narration continues]

In the general's own words,
"it's been a long, hard road,

-but this is the payoff."
-[drum roll]

Now the hopes
of these German families

for Deutschland'’s thousand-year
Reich, lie in ruins.

Starvation and suffering
have replaced the glorious dream

-of Adolph Hitler.
-[drum roll]

[boy] Come on, let's play
some ball. Come on!

[Alan] I was supposed
to play stick ball with 'em.

[cheering]

But they got a guy who's
a better player than I am...

to take my place.

[paper ripping]

It's just for the day, though.

[more cheering]

[exhales]

I sure hope he strikes that.

[paper ripping]

I wasn't gonna come here today.

I didn't wanna come.

But, um...

last night I had
this dream about you.

[birds chirping]

[paper ripping]

And even though...

I don't know what kind of...
horrible things happened to you

in real life...

in the dream...
it was so sad.

[thump]

[paper ripping]

[exhales and chair creaks]

And, um,

when I woke up this morning,
I thought that...

if anything that terrible
would've happened to me...

I sure would hope someone
would give me another chance.

[paper ripping]

[lands with a thud]

[papers rustling]

[more ripping]

[birds chirping]

[distant bells chiming]

[birds chirping]

[softly] ♪ Frère Jacques,
Frère Jacques♪

♪ Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?♪

♪ Sonnez les matines,
sonnez les matines♪

♪ Ding dong ding,
ding dong ding♪

♪ Frère Jacques,
Frère Jacques♪

♪ Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?♪

♪ Sonnez les matines,
sonnez les matines♪

♪ Ding dong ding,
ding dong ding♪

[crickets chirping]

[piano music playing]

[music continues]

[crickets chirping]

[metal box scraping]

[box closes]

[window slides open]

[crickets chirping]

[music continues]

[window slides and clicks]

Hey, Alan,
where are your manners?

Aren't you gonna introduce me?

[Alan's voice] Naomi, this is
my friend from Texas,

Wrangler Jack.

[dog barks]

Well...

she's the quiet type.

[paper ripping]

Now, listen here.

If, if Alan... ever bothers you,

well, just come to me,

'cause I'm the roughest,
toughest hombrein New York.

And...

I'm here to protect you...

and your little doll.

[paper ripping]

If you don't mind, we'll just
sit here and watch

you tear paper.
And if you need help...

while...

we're rip snortin',
rootin', tootin'...

[distant sirens]

...expert paper rippers.

Yes, sir...

[jazz music plays]

So what's it gonna be? You
gonna play in the game today,

-or what?
-We have a test.

A test?

That's on Monday.

We could play a whole
world series by Monday.

Don't tell me you're thinkin'
about missin' another game?

That'd be the
fourth one this week.

[distant train horn]

I can't help it, Shaun.

-I, uh...
-Right. I know, I know.

You got an errand.

Look, Al,
what's gotten into you?

I'm talkin' about
stick ball, okay?

Stick ball!

Somethin's bothering you.

What is it?

You can't tell me?

What's the deal then?

Is it Condello?

You know I'll take
care of him for you.

Oh, yeah, you did a great
job of that yesterday. [laughs]

I don't need you
to fight my battles for me.

What then?

I can't tell you.

Look, if you don't wanna be on
the team, just say the word.

I can get Tony Ferrara
to take your place.

-Are you kiddin'?
-Huh?

Of course, I wanna
be on the team.

Well, if you're gonna
be on it...

Be on it.

[door opens]

[approaching footsteps]

[thud]

Can't I take a day off?

I mean, I think I deserve one,
once in a million years.

So, you may, but you could
at least let us know about it

first, yes? Across the way,
they were waiting

for you as usual.

If I'd told you,
you wouldn't let me go.

And you would've started in on,
on how lucky I am

that I wasn't born
in Berlin, Germany,

-right next to Heinrich Himmler!
-[slams pot]

I'm sorry. That was
a stupid thing to say.

-I didn't mean it.
-[pot slams]

[pot slams]

We have to hear him, Ruth.
We've put too much pressure.

[pots clanking]

[door slams]

All right.

So, you took the afternoon off
and you didn't tell us.

Terrible! Ten years in the clink
on water and stale bread.

Are you turning this
into a joke, Sol?

We can't tell him
that if he takes a day off

someone may lose a battle.

He's not a soldier, right, Alan?

He's just Alan,
plain and simple.

Taking a day off
is his constitutional right.

-Fine.
-[plates clattering]

[thud]

And what, may I ask, was our
upstanding American citizen

-doing?
-I was playing stick ball, okay?

It's a Miracle I haven't already
been thrown off the team!

I've missed
every game this week!

[Ruth] He's your son,
say something.

He may be his father's son, but
he's got his mother's temper!

-Look how you two battle!
-[dog barks]

General Eisenhower himself
would think twice

before locking horns
with you two Silvermans.

-[thud]
-[bird chirping]

Alan...

[refrigerator door
opens and closes]

Listen to your father.

You're much more
than a stick ball player.

If you were only a stick ball
player, I wouldn't even bother.

But you're a person, a mensch.

I hate being a mensch.

I don't wanna be a mensch.

Do you know what it's like
with a crazy girl?

You can't even get mad at her.
You're not allowed

because she's crazy!

And you feel crazy, too,
because you do crazy things

to keep her
from being crazy!

And it doesn't work!

Nothing works!

Alan...

You are my son,
and I am your father.

And as your father, I forgive
you ten times over for playing

stick ball.

So...

I hope that, as my son,

you'll forgive me... five times
over for telling you now

that I expect you to eat the
cold chicken your mother left

for you in the refrigerator,
brush your teeth...

then go to Naomi.

[slow music plays]

[crickets chirping]

[music continues]

[paper ripping]

Alan...

I understand.

[baby crying]

Please...

[airplane flying overhead]

["Frere Jacques" plays on piano]

Jacques?

[thud]

Why you so sad?

Pourquoi?

Please, Jacques,
do not be crying.

Do not cry
because of me.

[Alan] I'm not crying. Just lost
my head for a minute.

[Naomi] You are so silly,
Monsieur Jacques.

[Alan] I like the way you
say my name, Miss.

It makes me seem a lot
nicer than I really am.

Oh, no, no.

You are a
very nice person.

[Naomi] Very, very nice.

I'm, I'm really happy to know
that you speak English.

Yeah, I have to take
English for a time.

But she is still
not very excellent.

Oh, no, she, she is.
She's, she's good. [chuckles]

The only place they wouldn't
understand you is Texas

But you can learn that easy.

All you have
to know is "howdy do".

How-dee-doo.

Now, all you need is
a ten-gallon hat, Naomi.

Naomi?

There is
no Naomi.

Who is that?

There is... only me.

I'm, I'm sorry.

I didn't... I didn't mean
to say Naomi.

-I meant...
-Non!

Non, n'approche pas!
N'approche pas!

[Alan] May I ask what
your name is?

["Frere Jacques" plays on piano]

I am... Yvette.

[sighs] That's a beautiful name.

So pretty.

You will come
tomorrow, Jacques? Oui?

[Alan] Yeah, sure.

A bunch of buffalo
couldn't stop me from comin'.

Booffalow?

What is booffalow?

[music continues]

And these booffalow...
they are here? In the city?

Not since I came to town.

[Ruth] Sophie Liebman,
I don't know how she does it.

She's having a hard enough time
making ends-- what?

She's gonna be fine.
I'm bleeding to death here!

Oh, stop it. What a baby.
It's nothing.

You do my hair, we have
to call an ambulance.

-Would you keep your head still?
-[Alan] Mom, Dad!

[door closes]

You won't believe it!
She talked to me!

It was just to my dummy,
but she talked! [laughter]

-All right, all right!
-Put me down or I'll snip

-those ears off!
-[laughter]

-Good boy! Oh, congratulations.
-Oh, I told you! I told you!

-I told you if you just waited.
-And I told him. I told him!

I knew he could do it. What did
you say? How did you do it?

-What did she say?
-I forgot.

What do you mean, you forgot?
You did it with the doll?

[laughter]
What did the doll say?

-[shutters roll]
-Soleil!

[distant bells chime]

Did you know that they used
to call me Juggling Jack?

Wanna find out why?

Uh, yeah.

Why not?

Oh...

[bird sings]

Jacques...

Catch.

[thud]

[band music plays]

[music continues]

[crash]

[band music still playing]

[mimics airplane flying]

[whoosh]

[buzzing]

[Alan] Hey, what do you say
we get... [breathless]

we get together
a game of stick ball?

-[Shaun] You? Stick ball?
-[Alan] Hey, I can play today.

Just not on the
weekdays anymore.

What? Why not?

-What's goin' on?
-[Alan] It's that errand.

It's kind of a permanent
errand on weekdays.

But on Saturdays
I can do whatever I want.

Anyway, it's a family secret.

Is your father
a drunk or something?

My father?

I don't think he's ever drunk
anything in his life.

Except for maybe
on Passover.

-What's Passover?
-Oh, it's a holiday that takes

place around Easter.
It's for the ancient Hebrews

who escaped from Egypt.

I go to my grandparents' house.

[Shaun]
My grandfather's in Ireland.

I've never seen him.

Well, maybe sometime you could
come with me and visit mine.

You'd like him.
He tells great stories.

Yeah, maybe.
Maybe I will.

-So what's this big secret?
-What?

Your mystery errand?

I can't tell you.

I would if I could, Shaun.

[birds cawing]

What's wrong?

[music plays]

[jazz music plays]

[loud footsteps]

-[Shaun] Hey, look!
-[Alan] What?

[Shaun] There she is...
Crazy Cat.

[dog barking]

[Alan] Hey, uh, Shaun,
what do you say we go fly

-some more planes?
-Jacques?

Are you there?

Hello... Jacques?

That's weird. She always
runs away from me.

Have you been fighting
today, zebooffalow?

[whispers] She's crazy.

Jacques,you will
visit me today? Oui?

You will visit Yvette?

Oh, yeah. Sure.
Anytime.

[Mrs. Liebman]
Naomi! Come inside!

Hey! Please!
S'il vous plaît.

M-my friend.

[baby crying]

[door slams]

-[curtains drawn roughly]
-[radio playing music]

[slams door]

[locks door]

[knock, knock]

-[Sol] Alan?
-Leave me alone.

-[Sol] Alan, what is so wrong?
-Nothing. Leave me alone.

[Sol] That's some nothing.

[Sol] But since you
say it's nothing, I'm relieved.

Because there is something that
I have to talk to you about.

[stomp]

[Alan] What?

Your mother's afraid to ask you
to do a certain something.

She's afraid
of your explosions.

I don't explode!

Yeah, I'm glad you've
inherited your mother's temper.

It's good. It's healthy.
Like an apple a day,

it keeps the doctor away.
And once in a while,

everyone else as well.
[chuckles]

So what was the certain
something you wanted

-to talk to me about?
-Ah, yes, the something.

Alan, [clears throat]
there's this doctor,

and the doctor
sees Naomi once a week.

They discuss how
she's coming along,

what should
be done next...

That sort of thing,
you know?

[Alan] No. I mean,
I, I didn't know.

Well, um, anyway,
they've discussed this business

of your puppet
talking to her doll.

It's a dummy,
not a puppet.

Forgive me, I'm a dummy
when it comes to dummies.

Anyway, they've all agreed,

and the doctor said herself
that you did a terrific job!

Naomi trusts you now.

That's, uh, that's terrific.

The word "terrific,"
Mrs. Liebman told your mother,

is exactly the word
the doctor used.

What comes after terrific,
however, is this...

[bird chirps]

Naomi must not get
too dependent on that doll.

She can't use
that doll as a crutch.

You understand?

[Alan] I thought it was supposed
to be so terrific.

Absolutely...
As a first step.

But now she's got to take
another step,

and you have to help.
You have to begin to talk

to her. The person...
Naomi Kirshenbaum.

-Direct.
-I can't, Dad.

She, she won't talk
without her doll. I've tried it.

-[Sol] You have to try again.
-Oh, sure, so I have to do

everything! They should pay me
instead of that doctor.

[Sol] Alan,
that's not you talking!

I'm doing all the work!

That doctor's doing plenty
of work, believe me.

And in case you want to know,
it's for free. And if the doctor

says you stop with the dummy,
then you stop with the dummy,

-already!
-She's scared to death

without her doll!
You should see her, Dad!

I can't do it!
Let the doctor do it!

Let the doctor
risk losing friends!

Let the doctor
miss stick ball!

What is this?
The fourth of July?

Such a tummel!

I wish I had
never met Naomi.

-Alan!
-I wish I had never met her!

[door slams]

[pipe music playing]

[paper ripping]

[bird chirping]

[distant siren]

Yvette...

I can't see you,

But, I can feel you
with my cowboy heart.

[ripping continues]

Please come out,
Yvette.

Once again, I have to apologize
for my clumsy friend, Alan.

When he told me that...
[sighs]

That he pretended not to
know you on the staircase

yesterday, and...

that, that he let his friend...

make fun of you right
in front of your own eyes...

[bird chirps]

I almost rode off into
the sunset in shame.

[chirping continues]

Naomi,

I'm so sorry.
I didn't mean to hurt you.

I wouldn't hurt you
for the world.

[bird chirps]

[bed creaks]

Naomi is disappeared.

[whimpers]

She is disappeared.

There is no Naomi.

There is only me.

[Naomi] Yvette.

Naomi... please,
talk to me, Naomi.

[voice breaks]
There is no Naomi. [sniffs]

[Alan whispers] Naomi, please.

No!

[sobbing]
Mama! Mama! Mama!

[softly] Please, let me.

[speaking French]

[Naomi] Mama.

[sobs quietly]

Yvette?

Ouù estYvette?

Ouù est-tu?

[sniffs]

She's right here,
Naomi.

Don't worry, she's okay.

Jack's taking
good care of her.

Naomi...

[weeps softly]

I'm sorry I hurt you.

I'll never do it again.

I promise, Naomi.

[sniffs]

I wanna help you,
not hurt you.

You're my friend,
Naomi.

My very
special friend.

Now, please, Naomi...

Let me help you.

[Alan] Can you hear me,
Naomi?

Naomi?

Naomi.

Oui...Alan.

[sniffs]

[violins play]

[Naomi whispers] Oui...Alan.

[sizzling]

[birds chirping]

[Ruth] Sol, are you cooking
those eggs or hatching them?

Masterpieces
can't be rushed, Ruth.

Just watch, Alan. When he's
finally finished, he'll tell us

his omelet is too gorgeous
to eat! Then we'll

all have to ooh and ah until
we're finally allowed to take

-our first bite.
-Ma, do you ever think we could

-adopt Naomi?
-What a question!

She already has a mother.
What does she need

with two mothers?
Well, she doesn't have a father,

and she could use a super-duper
mother and father like you two.

Sol, are you
hearing this?

All of a sudden
we're super-duper.

So, what else is new?

That boy... sometimes he is such
a pain in the tuchis.

-Sometimes... [laughs]
-[lips smacking]

What's the
surprise, huh?

He's his father's son.

-[door buzzer]
-Oh.

They're here already.
How do I look?

How do you look?
You look like a boy.

Pop, umm, don't talk
about the w*r.

And Mom, remember,
anything you do,

don't get
too close to her.

And don't make any
hysterical, loud noises.

And don't make any fast,
sudden, harsh movements.

Well, so much
for my super-duper.

-Hello, sweetie.
-Hello, Mrs. Liebman.

-[chuckles with glee]
-Hello.

Mmmm...
Is this Sol's cooking?

-Hi, Naomi.
-Hi.

-Hello, Ruthie.
-Welcome, Naomi.

I'm Alan's mother.

Oh... [speaks French]

Breakfast will be ready
in just a moment.

All right? Alan, would you show
Naomi around the house?

[speaks French]

[blows kisses]

[bird chirps]

It's a good house. I mean,
it's not great, but it's okay.

My mom's always cleaning
everything, so it looks better

than it really is.

Nice house.

You wanna
see my room, hmm?

-I would like.
-Come on, I'll show you

all my stuff.

[bird chirping]

[click]

[big band music]

[thump, metal clanks]

I'm very sorry.

[Alan] It's okay,
don't worry about it.

Now, I see what you see.

[music continues]

-[Naomi] May I?
-[Alan] Sure.

I built it.

Yeah, it flies.

Oh, sure.

Yeah.

It's nice.

I'll take you
flying sometime.

Oh, really?

Ooh.

It's very nice.

Oh, what's this?

It's a trumpet.

Trumpet.

[blowing air]

It doesn't work.

[trumpet note]

[chuckles]

[blowing air]

It doesn't work.

You like it?

It's nice.

It's yours.
You can have it.

Oh, no. No, no.
It's too nice. I cannot.

No, I want you
to have it.

[music continues]

Thank you very much.

[knock, knock]

[Sol] Alan? Aren't you
going to introduce us?

Uh, this is my father.

And this is my very quiet mother
whom you've met already.

-Naomi, welcome to our home.
-[whispers] It's a pleasure

to have you.

Naomi, if you're hungry,
please come... yes, come...

Come for some omelets.
Today's turned out so lovely,

it's almost too gorgeous to eat.

[whistles]

Let's go fly planes.

Okay, but I've got to be
back at school by five...

to help Mrs. Landley
with something.

What something?

Oh, nothing much.
Just an errand.

That's you,
Secret Silverman.

Everything's always gotta
be a big secret to you.

If I had a secret like that,
I would tell you.

That's what best friends
are for.

You know, go on to Mrs. Landley.

I don't feel like
flying planes, anyway.

Shaun!

[crickets chirping]

[air raid sirens]

-[screams] No! Mama!
-Naomi,

-it's only an air raid drill!
-[screaming]

[dog barking]

[sirens continue]

[Alan] If I don't turn out
the light,

-we could all get arrested.
-[speaking French]

[Alan] Naomi,
listen to the radio.

Hello, America.

Yes, it's true.

All the light bulbs in New York
City have been eaten up.

The notorious light bulb
monster strikes again.

Mr. Monster, will you
please tell us a few words

to our terrified audience?

[monster voice]
Yes, I love those light bulbs.

Crunchy, crispy, hundred watt
glass potatoes with ketchup.

[snarls, munches]

[Mrs. Liebman] Naomi, hey.
You don't have to be afraid.

[monster voice] And now,
for some headlights,

with salt and pepper!

And I love
your street lights!

Oh, they're like lollipops.

Cherry lollipops!

Lemon lollipops!
And lime lollipops!

[laughing]
Wunderbar!

[sirens]

[monster voice] Oh,
I think I'm going to throw up!

Uh-oh!

Here comes all the lights!

[screams]

[laughing, clapping]

[gags]

[giggles]

Alan,
you are a screwball.

Listen. Don't forget,
I want you to call just as soon

-as you get there.
-There's no telephone there.

It's just a big field.

Thank you,
Charles Lindbergh.

Then go and find a pharmacy,
maybe, or a candy store.

Okay, okay.

All right.

Say goodbye
to Mrs. Liebman.

[speaking French]

And don't you dare let her out
of your sight for one minute.

Trust me.

Make sure you're back
by 4:30 on the dot.

Have a wonderful
time, huh?

[band music playing]

[engine humming]

[indistinct chatter]

[music continues]

[doors open with a bang]

[Alan]
Well, this is it.

It's not really
an airport anymore.

But it's still
my favorite place.

[pigeons cooing]

But...
where are the planes?

Uh, well,
they're all gone.

But this used to be
the biggest airport

-in New York.
-[wings fluttering]

[Alan] ...two, three, four,

-five, six...
-My finger is so tired.

You're doing great.

...seven, eight, nine... 700.

[speaking French]

Alan, look, Alan,
I am faster.

Alan!

[laughing]

You should give it a name.

Like what?

Sorry.

Umm, Oiseau Jaune.

Okay, what
does that mean?

Hmm... yellow bird.

-Yellow?
-Yes, call it

-The Yellow Bird.
-All right, but Shaun...

Well, I don't care.
I just won't tell him.

Shaun?

Your friend on the stairs?

Here comes Crazy Cat.

[birds cawing]

Oh, Alan, I don't care.

I don't care.

You know, he...

he says things,
but he doesn't mean 'em.

He really is a great guy.

I am crazy, you know.

No, you're not.
There's nothing wrong with ya.

No...

I k*lled my father, you know?

[thud]

I thought he was
k*lled by the Nazis.

[Naomi] No, I helped them,
you see?

I k*lled him with the maps!

You see? The maps!

He said we had
to tear up all the maps.

For the soldiers...
[sobs]

the resistance soldiers...

My father made all the maps.

Maps of the sewers.

[Alan] Naomi, it's okay.

[crashing noises]

[stomp, crash]

My father!

My father!

[Alan] Naomi, it wasn't
your fault, it was the n*zi's.

Look...

My hands are clean.

My dress is clean.

And he's dead.

That's all.

[speaking French]

Don't be afraid
anymore, Naomi.

No one's
going to hurt you.

Don't be afraid,
all right?

Okay?

Okay.

[thud]

-[door creaks]
-Shaun, I need to talk to you.

Talk?
I ought to beat your brains out.

For crying out loud, Shaun,
just listen for a minute.

Let me explain.

Okay, Silverman,
you've got one minute.

My parents
made me do it, Shaun.

There's something
wrong with her.

Are you kidding?

You pretended
not to know her.

You said your errand
wasn't important.

Why didn't you trust me?

I don't know.

I guess
I was afraid.

I was afraid you
wouldn't like me anymore

Because... every guy who
hangs out with a girl,

you call 'em a sissy.

And this isn't just any girl.

This is a girl we made fun of.

This is crazy cat.

Shaun,
don't you understand?

What's with you,
Silverman?

She seemed crazy, that's all.

And don't you know
when I'm kidding?

Besides, you could've told me
what was wrong with her,

but, no, you had to lie.

You're right.

I was wrong.

And I'm really
sorry, Shaun.

Well, I'm not.

I'm glad
I found out about you.

Look, from now on, I'm gonna
stay outta your way, okay?

But just stay the hell
outta mine. And don't worry.

I never called her
Crazy Cat to no one else.

I just said that to you
because I thought...

I thought I could say anything
to you because we were like...

like brothers almost.
Well, I was wrong.

So just stay outta my way
and I'll stay outta yours.

Okay? Deal.

[indistinct chatter]

[knock, knock]

Hey, Mr. Glum face.

Wonderful news.

The doctor says Naomi can
start school on Monday.

-You're kidding.
-No.

[laughing]

She's so happy.
Such good news.

Is she in all my classes?

Sure! Sure!

The principal we
went to see twice.

Everything is prepared, ya.

You should be proud.
Yes, it's because of you,

your help. Yes.

[sighs]

God sees everything.

Your name will be inscribed
in the book of life.

I believe. I believe.
I believe.

[commotion]

Good morning,
Mrs. Landley.

This is Naomi Kirshenbaum.

[bell rings]

[Mrs. Landley]
People.

People!

We have a new member
in our class today.

She's a wonderful girl
from Paris, France.

Her name is Naomi.

I may mispronounce this...

Naomi Kirshenbaum, right?

Now, class, let's give
Naomi a big welcome

In her native tongue.

Bienvenue,Naomi.

[class]
Bienvenue,Naomi.

Again, class.

[class]
Bienvenue,Naomi.

[Mrs. Landley] Now, class,
where were we yesterday?

Let me think.

Voila.

I am finished.

Now, I read
yours first, okay?

Thank you.

Alan, you're writing
looks like a dizzy spider

crawled through some ink
and jumped on your page.

I have an "unshal"...

Unusual.

-"Ununshual"...
-Unusual.

...unusual neighbor.

Alan, you write about me
for the assignment?

Her name is
Naomi Cherrytree.

You are very crazy.

She is short and fat...
has purple hair.

-Curly, pur...
-Purple hair.

Purple hair,
curly polka-dot ears.

And she never
needs to worry

about a costume
for Halloween.

You are a cabbage.
A silly American cabbage.

-Oh, no.
-Read, Cabbage.

I first meet Alan Silverman
in the hallway.

I was so afraid
of him very much

because he carries a stick.

I am afraid of sticks.

I am afraid much times.

But I am now his friend
and I am now not afraid anymore.

In France is a word...
ami du core.

De couer.
Ami de couer.

-Ami de couer.
-Couer.

A good friend.

A friend from the heart.

This is beautiful, Naomi.

Read, Cabbage.

If I had a brother, I would
like he should be like Alan.

Because a brother
should be kind and funny.

Alan is very good
at many things.

Oh, but this is nothing.

What is best...
Alan makes me laugh

when I am crying
inside myself.

Alan is very like my father.

And he brings
my hope back to me.

That is the end of my essay.

You're terrible,
Cabbage.

I write nice...
What I feel.

Well, this is just
my silly version.

I'll write
a good one tonight.

Poodle brain.

Poodle?

You said poodle?

That's funny.

This was a word
you said the first day

you came into our house.

It was?

Oh, yeah.

Umm... poodle...
Eiffel tower...

Can-can
in g*y Paree.

-I didn't know you heard me.
-Of course.

I have much
excellent ears.

But... my favorite
is how you sing to me.

You liked my singing?

"Frère Jacques"
was my favorite song.

My father sings to me.

He had a soft
voice like you.

A sweet voice.

He would rock me
and sing to me...

[softly] ♪ Frère Jacques,
Frère Jacques♪

And I was safe.

[whispers] I was safe.

-[boy] Hubba, hubba!
-[Alan] Go jump in the lake.

[Naomi] What means, hubba hubba?

[Alan] Well, it means, you
know... it means you're pretty.

[boy] Hey! What do you know?
Sweetheart, Jews!

Hey, Yids, I hear
you two are married.

Is that right,
Silverman?

Kissy, kissy.

I hear you heres you do all
kinds of dirty things.

No wonder Hitler wants to wipe
you off the face of the earth.

[shouting]

[Alan] Run, Naomi!

Run!

[smack]

[screams]

[Shaun] Condello,
watch the birdie!

[smack]

[Condello] Hey, stop it!
I didn't mean nothin'!

I didn't mean nothin'!

[door slams]

[bell rings]

I guess I do need you
to help me fight my battles.

Well, we're a good team, Al.

You can't go home like that.

You're all covered with blood.

Lose any teeth?

No.

Jeez, it's pourin'
out of your nose.

Listen, my mother's not home.

We can go to my house and get
you cleaned up there,

-if you want.
-What about school?

Well, you've
got a good excuse,

And I really don't care.

Slow up.

I gotta carry
all these books.

All you have
to do is bleed.

Here's your hat.

Hey, what's that
behind your ear?

I thought you said
you didn't lose any teeth.

I didn't. It's not mine.
[chuckles]

[dog barking]

I'm sorry
about the shirt, Mom.

Another shirt, we can get.

Another tooth, that other
boy will never grow.

[chuckling]

If somebody called me
a dirty Jew, I'd give them

-a smack and I mean a smack!
-Give him a smack!

[lips smacking]

Can I go see Naomi?
I'm worried about her.

Naomi,
she's in school, no?

Well, while we were fighting,
I thought she came back here.

Oy, gevalt.
I was just in the apartment.

-She's not there.
-Go check again.

I'll call the school.

[siren]

We've checked out
every possible lead so far.

We'll keep on searching
until it gets dark,

but then I'm afraid
the best we can do is to stop

and start again
in the morning.

[man] Officer, you couldn't send
a few more men?

-A child is missing!
-[Alan] I have an idea.

Remember that time I took
Naomi to the Holmes airport?

Yeah. Could be.

-Tell the cop over there.
-You think I should?

-Of course, idiot!
-Officer, I know Naomi, and I

took her to the Holmes Airport
once. She might be there.

Well, let's go check it out.
We'll getta holda Patt

and you do
whatever you have to do.

[music plays]

[dog barking]

[speaks quietly]

I hope you had
better luck than we did.

We looked at the whole airport.
We saw nothing out there.

[speaking indistinctly]

All right.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Alan, the best thing for you
is to get some sleep.

It's almost 11:00
and your friend, Shauny,

should get some sleep, too.

I'm not going anywhere
until we find Naomi.

Me, neither.

It could be all night.
It could be days.

We have no idea
where she is.

I'm gonna go
get a flashlight.

[clank]

[squeak]

[music still playing]

[groaning]

[squeaky voice]

Shaun, see what you can do.

Mrs. Kirschenbaum...

[Ruth]
Alan, go ahead.

Say something.
Talk to her.

Hey, Naomi.

I'm okay now.

It was just
a little fight we had.

There's nothing
to be afraid of.

Come on, Naomi.
[crying]

[Sol] Come here, Naomi.

Come here, Naomi.

Come here, sweetheart.

It's gonna be all right.

Alan...

[birds chirping]

Here, take these flowers.

We're friends of Naomi
and we'd like to say hello.

Come on, say hi to Naomi.

Listen for a minute,
Alan.

You're not God. You're Alan,
and you've done all you can.

But, this isn't the end.

[Sol] Someday, you'll see
I'm right.

Someday this w*r
will be over.

Someday Hitler
will be dead.

But Naomi will be alive
and well and happy.

She needs more time.

I don't understand.

It's not fair. Why did this
have to happen to her?

What happens in this world
isn't caused by you or by me.

And it's not always fair.

Wait for me.

[piano music plays]

[music builds]

["On The Wings of Forever"
plays]

♪ Don't be afraid
I want to be your friend♪

♪ How can I show you ♪

♪ Help you understand♪

♪ I'm not here to hurt you ♪

♪ And my love
will not desert you ♪

♪ Take my hand ♪

♪ And on the wings of forever ♪

♪ We can fly away♪

♪ Leave the darkness
behind us ♪

♪ Find a brighter day♪

♪ Even time cannot bind us♪

♪ Yesterday can't even
find us ♪

♪ On the wings of forever ♪

♪ We can fly♪

♪ Love freely given
never fades away ♪

♪ Once it's been given,
it is here to stay ♪

♪ My love for you
is never dyin' ♪

♪ You have taught me
to keep tryin' every day ♪

♪ And on the
wings of forever ♪

♪ We can fly away ♪

♪ Leave the darkness
behind us♪

♪ Find a brighter day♪

♪ Even time cannot bind us♪

♪ Yesterday can't even
find us♪

♪ On the wings of forever

♪ We can fly♪

♪ You are stronger than I am♪

♪ But together
we'll keep climbin'♪

♪ On the wings of forever♪

♪ We can fly♪

♪ We can fly♪