Born on the Fourth of July

---

It was a long time ago.

Sometimes I can still

hear their voices

across Sally's woods.

There was Billy,

Steve, Tommy,

and the tall kid from

down the street... Joey.

Yeah, it was

Joey Walsh.

My best friend

was Timmy Burns

who lived two blocks

away from me.

We turned the woods

into a battlefield

and dreamed that someday

we would become men.

Did you hear it?

What?

Let's go, Timmy!

Let's go!

Come on, Major!

They've got to be

somewhere, Ronnie.

Watch out.

You've got to stay

in the ravine.

Shh.

Shh.

Go! Go! Go!

Look, there they are!

Wipe them out!

Aah!

Aah!

- Aah!

- Aah!

Aah!

- Aah!

- Aah!

You're dead,

and you know it!

No, I'm not!

Ronnie's dead!

No, I'm not!

No, I'm not!

Look at the mayor.

I wonder where your mom is.

Where is that woman?

Hey!

Hi.

3 O'clock,

4 o'clock rock

5, 6, 7 o'clock

8 o'clock rock

9, 10, 11 o'clock,

12 o'clock rock

We're gonna rock

around the clock tonight

Put your glad rags on

And join me, hon

We'll have some fun

when the clock strikes 1:00

We're gonna rock around

the clock tonight

Donna!

Donna,

come back here!

Get out of the way!

Hey, you boys! Stop that!

When the band slows down

We're gonna yell for more

We're gonna rock around

the clock tonight

Donna! Donna!

Stevie Boyer

just gave Mary Barnett a ring.

Can you believe it?

Over there.

O.K.

Come here,

come here.

What is this?

Is this

a firecracker?

What's wrong with you?

Hey!

Hey!

This is boring.

Yeah, square, man.

Look, Daddy,

the soldiers!

Happy birthday,

Ronnie Kovic.

For me?

Yes. Open it.

That's really

nice, Donna.

Say thank you,

Ronnie.

Thanks, Donna, but

you didn't have to.

Going to

the woods tonight?

They'll have

fireworks there.

Should be

a real blast.

Yeah, O.K.

What is it?

Open it.

Leave him alone.

Beautiful.

Hey, it's

the real thing, Ronnie.

Feel that.

Just like

Mickey Mantle, Ronnie.

Ain't he

a 4th of July firecracker

in that hat?

Yeah. He's my little

Yankee Doodle boy.

Hey, get it!

Get it!

Come on!

Let's go!

Did you like it?

I don't know.

I don't know.

Hey, look how many

push-ups I can do.

Wow! Yeah!

Yeah!

Come on, Ronnie!

Go, Ronnie, go!

Go, Ronnie!

You can do it!

Go!

Yes!

Yes! That's my boy!

That's my boy!

Yes!

Ronnie, you made it!

Yeah, all right!

Tommy! Ronnie!

Come on!

You're going to miss it!

Michelle! Barbara!

You've got to see this!

Not as a call

to bear arms,

though arms we need,

but a call

to bear the burden

of a long

twilight struggle,

a struggle against

the common enemies of man...

tyranny, poverty,

disease, and war itself.

You'll get a licking

if you're late!

In the long history

of the world,

only a few generations

have been granted the role

of defending freedom...

Look, President Kennedy,

Daddy.

That's right.

He's so handsome.

I do not shrink

from this responsibility,

I welcome it.

Let the word go forth

from this time and place

that the torch

has been passed

to a new generation

of Americans

born in this century.

Let every nation know

that we shall

pay any price,

bear any burden,

support any friend,

oppose any foe

to assure the survival

and the success

of liberty.

I had a dream, Ronnie,

the other night,

and you were speaking

to a large crowd

just like him.

Just like him.

And you were saying

great things.

And so,

my fellow Americans,

ask not what your country

can do for you,

ask what you can do

for your country.

Right! Right up!

Get out!

Got to get out!

You got to get out!

You got to get out!

Hit that switch!

Hit the switch!

All right,

hit the ropes!

Go, go, go!

Hand over hand over hand!

Get those legs

off those ropes!

Come on, ladies,

let's come down!

Let's come down!

That rope is like life!

You grab it

and hang onto it! Next!

I want you to kill!

You hear me?

Yes, sir!

Kill!

I want that

conference championship!

Do you want that conference

championship?

Yes, sir!

Get up! Heads!

Get them up!

Do you hear me?

Get your heads up, ladies!

Get your heads up!

I want that

conference championship!

If you want to win,

you got to suffer!

You want to be the best?

You got to pay the price

for victory,

and the price is sacrifice!

Susanne, no homework

at the table, please.

No, Tommy.

After supper.

Dad?

Yeah?

Can I come

with you?

There's the next

conference champion.

Sorry I'm late, Ma.

There's rice

on the stove

and fruit

in the icebox.

I can't.

It's on your diet,

right?

I got to drop 3 pounds

by Saturday.

Your brother's

a hard worker, Tommy,

'cause he wants

to be the best.

Win or lose... in school,

in sports, in life...

as long

as you do your best,

that's what matters

to God.

Win or lose,

we still love him.

Can I go

to my room?

Yeah, sure.

Thank you, God,

for this food.

In the name of the Father,

the Son, the Holy Ghost, amen.

Daddy, Jimmy

took my doll!

I'll get the doll.

I hate his guts!

Just go to bed.

I didn't take anything!

Where's

your sister's doll?

Jackie? Why

is Jackie not in bed?

Ronnie.

Where'd

you get this?

Why are you

in my room?

Don't change

the subject.

I don't allow Playboy magazine

in this house.

Stevie gave it to me.

You have filthy,

impure thoughts!

God's going

to punish you.

I haven't even looked

at it yet, all right?

Go to confession. I want you

to tell Father McKenna.

I don't want to see

this filthy magazine

in my house again.

Now, take this away!

What's going on?

Nothing.

What do you mean,

nothing?

Nothing, Dad. O.K.?

You're out of bounds, guys.

Back inside.

Come on, Kovic, back inside.

Come on, Kovic.

Go, Ronnie.

Kovic, back inside.

Come on, Kovic.

Back inside.

Let's go.

I want to see

some explosion!

Come on, Ronnie!

No messing around!

You're great, Ronnie!

You're great, Ronnie!

Stay with him!

Come on down!

All right!

O.K. Get off

the mat.

You're going

to get...

Get him! Get him!

Get him! Get him!

Reversal.

2 points!

All right!

Oh, yes, yes, yes,

yes, yes!

Ohh, you!

One, red!

You're both up.

All right, fresh start.

Fresh start.

Stand up.

Don't let him get you!

Don't

let him get you!

Pull him out!

All right!

Watch those legs.

Watch him!

Get him down!

Don't let him get the neck!

No! No!

No!

You can beat him,

Ronnie!

Come on! Come on!

Come on!

Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie!

Bridge! Bridge!

You can win!

Don't give up!

Aah!

Oh, no!

O.K., son?

Oh, no.

Come on. Get up.

Attention!

Forward march!

Left, left.

Left, right, left.

Seats!

Good morning.

I am Gunnery

Sergeant Hayes.

This is

Sergeant Bowers.

United States Marine Recruiting Station,

Levittown, New York.

We are here today

at the request of your principal

Mr Richards

and other members

of the faculty

to tell you a little bit

about the Marine Corps.

First off,

young men,

let's get

one thing straight.

Not everybody becomes

United States Marines.

We want the best,

and we'll accept nothing

but the best,

because there

is nothing prouder,

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