Sam's Son (1984)

Timothy Patrick Murphy: Gene Orowitz

Quotes 

• Gene Orowitz : [after their vehicles collide at the drive-in]  Aw, shit. Look at that fender!

  Gene Orowitz : Well, look what you did to my car! Why don't you look what you're doing?

  Robert Woods : Are you trying to say it was my fault?

  [he shoves Gene] 

  Gene Orowitz : Will you lay off?

  Robert Woods : [smiles]  Well, lookie here. Little Gene is bad. Come on, what are you going to do about it, huh?

  [shoves Gene again] 

  Gene Orowitz : Lay off!

  Robert Woods : [shoves Gene again]  What are you going to do about it?

  Cathy Stanton : [fearful]  Gene, get in the car, please.

  Robert Woods : That's right, Gene. You better get in that car before you get another set of bandages.

  Bonnie Barnes : [firmly]  Robert.

  Robert Woods : [annoyed]  What?

  Bonnie Barnes : Leave him alone.

  Robert Woods : I am not doing anything! He's the one looking so mean. In fact, I think he wants to fight. I told you. I'll give you two punches. Come on, give me your best shot.

  [Gene just stands there] 

  Robert Woods : Well, come on, jew boy, give me your best shot, huh?

  [Gene still does not move] 

  Robert Woods : Well, come on!

  [after a brief pause, Gene strikes Robert in the face sending him into a series of food trays, much to his and everyone else's shock, and he returns to his car] 

  Gene Orowitz : [to Cathy]  I'm sorry you had to see that.

  Cathy Stanton : [smiles]  It's perfectly all right with me.

  [they drive off while an injured Robert is seen struggling trying to get up] 

• Sam Orowitz : [Sam sits on the front steps, to cheer Gene up following the argument with Harriet, by taking off his hat, revealing his normal white hair]  Notice? My forehead's all white, again! Ho-ho!

  [knowing it did not help, he sighs] 

  Sam Orowitz : Look, son, I know how you feel.

  Gene Orowitz : No, you don't! You don't believe me. How can you know how I feel?

  Sam Orowitz : Gene, it's not that I don't believe you.

  Gene Orowitz : You're always telling me about stories in the Bible. Read the good book. You'll learn from it, then you tell something that happened in the Bible and they think you're crazy. Why bother reading something if you don't believe it, to begin with?

  Sam Orowitz : Gene, those things happened, a long, long time ago.

  Gene Orowitz : It's a long time ago to you. How do you know it's a long time to God?

  Sam Orowitz : I don't know. What I DO know is this: the school has got rules, just like that--what's his name, Collins told you, so, no matter what your mother and I feel, we can't change that. You gotta get your haircut or you can't compete, so you got to do it. Look, how you do know, I mean, for sure, but--I'll bet, tomorrow afternoon, haircut and all, you go out there and you throw that javelin and throw it like you never threw it before.

  Gene Orowitz : I won't.

  Sam Orowitz : How--how do you know?

  Gene Orowitz : [frustrated]  I know!

  Sam Orowitz : All right, all right. you know, but it still doesn't change the fact you got no choice.

  [he looks at his watch and puts his hat on] 

  Sam Orowitz : Well, I gotta get to work. Come on, I'll help you with the trash.

  [he and Gene walk to the back of the house to get the heavy trash cans] 

  Sam Orowitz : What's your mother throwing out, bricks? Here, you take this here.

  Gene Orowitz : I'll get them.

  [he lifts the heavy trash cans over his shoulder and carries them to the sidewalk, to Sam's shock and confusion] 

  Sam Orowitz : [to himself]  What the hell's going on here?

• Harriet Orowitz : I was never so embarrassed in all my life! I mean, even the principal couldn't believe that you would make up such a ridiculous story!

  Gene Orowitz : It's not ridiculous. I didn't make it up.

  Harriet Orowitz : Oh, well, God forgive us. He is crazy.

  Sam Orowitz : Oh, no, Harriet!

  Harriet Orowitz : What else would you call it? I mean, ask him. Ask him why he thinks he's getting stronger because his hair is getting longer. Is that what God said? Did God talk to you?

  Gene Orowitz : No. It was a feeling. It just came to me.

  Harriet Orowitz : It just came to you. Well, it just came to me that you will get your hair cut, tomorrow and that you'll ever bring up this--this Samson nonsense, again.

  [grabs Gene's arm] 

  Harriet Orowitz : Is that clear? Is--is that understood?

  Gene Orowitz : [annoyed]  Yes!

  [he gets up and walks outside] 

  Harriet Orowitz : And since you think you're so strong with that big head of hair yours, you can take out the trash tonight!

  [Sam gives Harriet a dirty look] 

  Harriet Orowitz : And don't look at me like that. I just want him to look normal.

• Gene Orowitz : [Gene enters Mr. Collins' office]  You wanted to see me, sir?

  Mr. Collins : [takes off his reading glasses]  Yes. Turn around.

  [Gene turns around and lowers his shirt collar slightly] 

  Mr. Collins : Take your hair out from under your collar.

  Gene Orowitz : [turns around]  Mr. Collins...

  Mr. Collins : Come on, come on!

  [Gene turns back around, but takes a breath and turns back around] 

  Gene Orowitz : Mr. Collins, I... .

  [Collins firmly signals him to turn back around, he sharply exhales and reveals a long pony tail from under his shirt collar, much to Collin's shock and amazement] 

  Mr. Collins : Good Lord. It's come to my attention that several of the teachers have asked you to get your hair cut, now, I see why.

  Mr. Collins : Yes, sir, but...

  Gene Orowitz : Orowitz, we have rules in this school and we all must follow them. Now, I want you to get your hair cut immediately. Off the collar.

  Mr. Collins : Sir, you don't understand.

  Mr. Collins : Oh? Really? I don't understand what?

  Mr. Collins : Well, it's just... it's kinda hard to explain.

  Mr. Collins : Oh, but it certainly can't have anything to do with you getting your hair cut.

  Mr. Collins : Oh, but it does. It's just... have you ever heard of Samson?

  Gene Orowitz : Samson? The biblical Samson?

  Gene Orowitz : [smiles]  Yes, sir.

  Mr. Collins : Oh, well, I certainly have indeed.

  Gene Orowitz : Well, I mean, this is a little crazy...

  Mr. Collins : No, no, no, Go ahead.

  Gene Orowitz : You see, I need my strength. I have a chance to go to college throwing a javelin and our first meet's tomorrow and if I get a haircut, I might lose my strength. It's been in the bible. It's happened and it's happening to me.

  Mr. Collins : Now, wait a minute. Let me get this straight. Now, you don't want to get your hair cut because you don't want to lose your strength?

  Gene Orowitz : Yes, sir.

  Mr. Collins : [laughs loudly]  That's the biggest crock of horse shit I've heard in this office! I've got to hand it to you, Orowitz. Acting crazy may get you by with your parents, but it won't work with me. Now, I know that you kids do "Oh, Mommy! Oh, Daddy! I'm having a nervous breakdown and all my teachers hate me. They're all against me!" That crap might work with your parents, but not with me. Now, I want you to get your hair cut tomorrow before that track meet or you don't compete! I will notify Coach Sutter.

  Gene Orowitz : Mr. Collins...

  Mr. Collins : That's all! End of dicussion.

  [notices Gene still standing there and smiles] 

  Mr. Collins : End of discussion.

  [a hurt Gene exits the office] 

• Gene Orowitz : You shouldn't be forced to do all that work. Why doesn't Art help?

  Sam Orowitz : He's non-union.

• Sam Orowitz : Everybody's got a Bob Woods in his life. Mine happens to be called Jake Bellow.

  Gene Orowitz : Your boss?

  Sam Orowitz : Yeah.

  Gene Orowitz : But he's five feet tall.

  Sam Orowitz : He's the boss. Now when he begins to ridicule me in front of the cashier and the ushers, I have to take it because I don't wanna lose my job. Believe me, it's no different than if he outweighed me by eighty pounds.

  [His voice begins to crack] 

  Sam Orowitz : I do know how you feel, and it stinks. It stinks to high heaven. So, so you see? We're in the same boat. The only difference is, you don't have a black forehead.

  [Gene begins to smile. Sam ruefully smiles back] 

  Sam Orowitz : Now come on, finish the sandwiches.

• Gene Orowitz : Mom says I'm just a dreamer. But I feel that... it's not just a dream.

  [Sam pauses thoughtfully] 

  Sam Orowitz : [cracked voice]  Dreams are not so bad after all. Sometimes dreams are all that's left to keep you going.

  [He drinks a clear soda and sighs deeply] 

• Sam Orowitz : You nervous?

  Gene Orowitz : I didn't think I would be. I've got a lot riding on this chance for being in California. Where the movies are made.

  Sam Orowitz : I know where they make the movies.

  Gene Orowitz : It's like a dream. I'll have the best throw of my life tomorrow. It's all the pressure.

  Sam Orowitz : Oh, I know. Why do you think I'm sitting here instead of snoring away upstairs?