Don't Make a Scene: Breaking Away

The Story: The late publication, Premiere Magazine, used to run a feature—"Classic Scene"—which was simply true to its title. They would run the transcript of a classic movie scene—just the words...and any necessary stage direction (which was rare) and just lay it out line by line.

All well and good...if you just wanted to read the script. But, film is a visual medium (if it wasn't, it would be called "radio"), and so when I started this iteration of the blog, I thought I'd carry on the tradition, the genesis of our Sunday "Don't Make a Scene" feature.

And here's another of the scenes "Premiere" featured, from the Best Picture Oscar nominee Breaking Away. But, I didn't copy the text from the magazine, I'm taking it from the script dated August 12, 1978, which was purchased under its working title "Bambino" (and which DID win the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for its author, Steve Tesich). Tesich based the movie on the 1962 Phi Kappa Psi "Little 500" bicycle race, whose team was "anchored" by Dave Blase—you'll notice that's the name of the family in the script before it was changed to "Stohler" (which was the surname of the team manager). Blase rode 139 of the 200 laps and hero-worshiped the Italian racing team.

The scene is enlivened by the playing of Paul Dooley, who was a favorite character actor of Robert Altman's, by Barbara Barrie (who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for her performance), and the eternally enthusiastic playing of Dennis Christopher.

If you've never seen Breaking Away, check it out. It's a good, funny movie...and gave early breaks to the actors portraying Stohler's "townie friends" played by newcomers Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, and Jackie Earle Haley.

 

The Set-Up: "He was as normal as pumpkin pie. And now, look at him." Dave Stohler (Dennis Christopher), 19, has taken a year off after high school before going to college. In that time, he's been hanging with his best buddies...and pursuing his dream of bicycle racing like his heroes, the Italian racing team. But, he might be off a gear or two, as he's begun to act Italian, causing some confusion to the neighborhood and to his parents: (Barbara Barrie, Paul Dooley), but especially his father.

Action!

REVISED - "BAMBINO" - 8/12/78 11 _ X l f T. BLASE STOHLER HOUSE - DAY 10  

MR. BLASE STOHLER is sitting at a kitchen table. MRS. BLASE STOHLER is boiling water. Mr. Blase does not look happy. He's got a flyswatter in his hand. He sees a fly. Whack. He hits it. 

He misses. 

MR. STOHLER It's that cologne he wears. 

MRS. STOHLER It's called...Neapolitan Sunset, it's called. 

MR. STOHLER Well, it smells like fruit punch to me and it attracts flies. 

Mrs. Stohler comes over and pours some hot water into his cup. She takes a package of Sanka from her apron pocket and puts it in the saucer. 

MRS. STOHLER There. 

Mrs. Stohler looks at the table. 

MR. STOHLER This is it? 

MRS. STOHLER You have to watch your diet. 

MR. STOHLER Diet, if anybody found out I was on the diet they'd laugh me out of town. A diet. 

MRS. STOHLER You know what the doctor said. 

MRS. STOHLER At your age... 

MR. STOHLER At my age—

MR. STOHLER What the hell do you mean at my age. 

MR. STOHLER Goddamn see-through coffee.

MRS. STOHLER He says you have a bad heart. 

MR. STOHLER Yeah, but it's got nothing to do with my age. 

MR. STOHLER It's our son that's ruining my heart, Evelyn. 

MR. STOHLER What's he going to do? 

MR. STOHLER He wanted a year with those bums so I gave him a year. 

MRS. STOHLER It hasn't been a year yet. 

MR. STOHLER But, Evelyn. Look what's happened to him. He's turned into a ity; 

MR. STOHLER It was funny at first but it's not funny anymore. Ciao, Papa. Ciao, Mama. Arrivaderchie. That's ity talk. 

MR. STOHLER I used to think it was funny at first. It's not funny anymore.

MRS. STOHLER It's just hero worship. He says the Italians are the best bike racers in the world and he...  

MR. STOHLER This is America, Evelyn. Only paper boys ride bikes and they earn money doing it. 

MRS. STOHLER Re did win his bicycle and he was quite sickly 'til he started racing around...

MRS. STOHLER ...on that bike and in three years he's... 

MR. STOHLER (INTERRUPTS) So now his body's fine but his mind is gone.

MR. STOHLER He used to be a smart kid. 

MR. STOHLER I thought he was going to go to college. 

MRS. STOHLER I thought you didn't want him to go to college. 

MR. STOHLER Why should he go to college? I didn't go to college. When I was nineteen I was working in the quarries ten hours a day. 

MRS. STOHLER But most of the quarries have shut down closed.

MR. STOHLER Yeah, well, let him find another job. 

MRS. STOHLER But there aren't any jobs. Jobs aren't that easy to find.

MR. STOHLER Let him look at least. Let him come home tired from looking. 

MR. STOHLER He's never tired. He's never miserable.

MRS. STOHLER He's young. 

MR. STOHLER When I was young I was tired and miserable. 

MR. STOHLER I had my own place at seventeen. 

MRS. STOHLER He says Italian families stay together, 

MR. STOHLER BUT EVELYN, WE ARE NOT ITALIAN! 

MRS. STOHLER I know, I know. 

MRS. STOHLER It's just that 

MRS. STOHLER I come from a big family myself. . .

MRS. STOHLER and it really was kind of nice... (smiles, half EMBARRASSED) He thinks we should have another kid. 

MR. STOHLER What? 

Dave enters carrying his trophy. 

DAVE Ah, buon giorno, Papa. 

MR. STOHLER I'm your goddamned father, not papa. 

DAVE Buon giorno, Mama. 

MR. STOHLER She's your goddamn mother. 

MR. STOHLER Whatcha do -- win again? 

Dave opens the fridge and takes out a hunk of cheese and a hunk of salami and starts eating. 

Mr. Stohler looks at him like a wolf and then he looks at half a grapefruit in front of him. He finds it unbearable to watch him chew.

DAVE Yes, the victory ...she was easy. 

DAVE But the promoter...'fondatore' 

DAVE ...He says the Italian team...it will come maybe soon...

DAVE and I will race with the best...ITALIANO. 

DAVE Like the nightingale they sing, like the eagles they fly. 

Mr. Stohler can't bear to watch him eat. He's starved. 

MR. STOHLER Speaking of flies...there's a helluva lot of flies following you into the house. 

DAVE Do you know Fly in Italian is 'mosca.' 

MR. STOHLER Well Do you know in English it's a pest. 

MR. STOHLER And speaking of pests... 

Mrs. Stohler senses an argument. 

MRS. STOHLER It's a nice trophy isn't it, dear? 

MR. STOHLER Yeah, 

MR. STOHLER so what. 

MR. STOHLER I've lived fifty years without ever getting a trophy. 

DAVE You never got trophy, Papa? 

MR. STOHLER No, never, and what's more... 

Dave interrupts. 

DAVE Here, Papa. I give you. 

DAVE You are 'Numero Uno.' King Papa. 

Dave hands him the trophy. 

Mr. Stohler is stunned. He takes it.

Before he can even think to give it back Dave kisses him on both cheeks. 

MR. STOHLER Don't do that! How many times... 

DAVE Now I have to go and take a shower. (starts to leave AND PAUSES) Such a big house and so few people. I wish I had plenty of fratelly and sorelly to greet me when I come home and to wave when I go. 

Dave leaves. 

Mrs. Stohler sighs. She too would like a big family. 

Mr. Stohler is holding the trophy and looking at it. 

Neapolitan music is heard coming from Dave's room. 

Mr. Stohler has had it. 

MR. STOHLER There'-s that ity music again. 

MR. STOHLER I'm going to have it out with him now. 

He goes to Dave's room carrying the trophy with him.

Mrs. Stohler follows him a few steps and stops. She waits... listening. 

She is apprehensive.

She wants to follow and help Dave out

but she stays behind wringing her hands. 

Mr. Stohler reappears looking quite stunned.

He's holding the trophy in one hand along his side. 

MRS. STOHLER What's the matter? 

MR. STOHLER HE'S SHAVING! 

MRS. STOHLER Well, so what? 

MR. STOHLER His legs, Evelyn. 

MR. STOHLER He's shaving his legs. I saw him. His legs. 

 

Breaking Away

Words by Steve Tesich

Pictures by Matthew F. Leonetti and Peter Yates

Breaking Away is available on DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.