Ice Castles Page #2

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You should have seen me.

I walked on that rink

like I owned the place.

Took a few of my Nick old-patented

slap shots...

...and they just asked me to try out.

That's great.

When do you go?

In two weeks.

Whose car is that?

I don't know.

Do you want to do that? Play hockey?

Oh, hell yeah.

It's fun.

Come on, I'm only going

to be gone a few weeks.

What if you make it?

That's why I'm going.

I know I'm supposed to...

...go to college and I'm supposed to be

a doctor. I know I'm supposed to...

...get married and have kids.

I'm supposed to end up just like my folks.

Every time I start something...

...I see where it's going and I don't like it.

But that doesn't mean

that I don't love you.

Hey, Johnny Holiday just laid on you

another triple-golden sweep from...

...golden-weekend time at KXLA,

in Ames, Iowa.

It's 3:
11 on a Saturday afternoon.

Got a beautiful weekend going for us.

Where the hell have you kids been?

Nick's got a tryout with the Northstars.

You're kidding?

Hey, Nick, that's just your speed,

bumping into walls for a living, huh?

-Excuse me.

-Lexie, Deborah Machland.

She's a coach. She wants to train you.

I saw you at the regionals at Cedar Rapids.

I think you're wonderful.

You've a natural gift.

It'd be a shame not to let it take you

as far as you can go.

It's fantastic.

Hey, that's fantastic.

As far as you can go.

Well, how's the big "O"?

The big Olympics.

Daddy, I want to do this.

Daddy, I want to do this.

-Remember when we used to come here?

-I really do.

You and your mom and this damn pond.

She'd lean down and pull you around

on your skates, talking to you, left, right.

Now glide.

You looking down at the ice,

scared you'd fall.

Hell, it wouldn't have been very far,

you were only three feet tall.

This was her favorite place.

Hell, if you're not from around here

it all looks just white.

But she could see more than that.

Never had a chance to show you.

When you were old enough to remember

she couldn't come out here anymore.

And you thought you were born

in those damn things.

It struck me you ought to try and look

at this place, try to see it the way she did.

You see that rise over there?

You can hardly see it

except for that slight shadow line.

Then there's that hill over there

with all those different tones of white.

Then, when the ground fog comes...

...you can hardly tell where the fog starts...

...and the snow stops...

...and the sky begins.

Daddy.

What's so sad is that you

never really knew your mom.

We only talk about her

and you remember a kind of an image.

But that lady....

I'm not Mom, Dad.

Daddy?

It's like...

...I felt a power in me.

And the sound that crowd makes...

...I wanted that sound.

I hear you, babe.

You'd better get on back,

otherwise you're going to miss the bus.

I'll be along.

You'd better label everything in the kitchen

or I'm going to starve to death.

I think my daddy's growing up.

You're not queer, are you?

It's all right if you are, no law against it.

There was a girl here last year.

I never knew what a lesbian was

until one night while talking...

...she kissed me on the mouth.

To each his own,

but it kind of takes you by surprise.

Here's where we play.

Whatever you were doing, caught you!

I'll show you the rest of the jail.

Twenty-five girls live here on and off,

mostly off. You know?

Well, it's better

than reform school, almost.

-Parents get rid of you or you skate good?

-I skate good.

I was afraid of that. We've already heard

about you. This place has no secrets.

-The business is no secret.

-Business?

The amateur skating business.

You're in it now, so learn about it.

We know you haven't qualified

for a big competition...

...so Deborah's going to defy

the Amateur Skating Association...

...by taking in an older woman,

over the hill age-wise...

...and transform her into a world champ.

Maybe Olympics.

Right, Cinderella?

I hope they don't send the pumpkin.

I got you specialized time.

Had to call in a few debts to do it.

You'll get static from the girls at the dorm,

but don't worry.

-I don't mind taking the bad ice times.

-We need it.

You can't imagine

what you've gotten yourself into.

You have the raw talent,

but you're virtually untrained.

-I thought you said that Beulah's--

-Amateur talk.

We're talking about the Olympics.

I want you to know what we have to do.

It's never been done before,

and I'm unsure we'll be able to pull it off.

-How do your boots feel?

-I haven't fallen, yet.

You'll get used to them,

just like you got used to your new skates.

There are five girls

the judges have been watching...

...sit down, since the last Olympics.

So they're the ones

that everyone expects to win.

Even if you're as good as they are,

they'll win...

...because the judge'll think

you're a flash in the pan.

-But if I can't win--

-I didn't say that.

I just want you to know

what we're up against.

I don't know.

If you're not tough enough

you're never going to make it.

The pressure, the pace,

even the other girls are going to kill you.

All this takes a lot of time and money,

and I can't afford to waste my time.

There are sponsors that have put up

a lot of their money...

...behind my judgment.

And if I didn't believe in you,

we wouldn't be here.

The only question is:

How much do you want to win?

How much do you really want to win?

Move on him!

Come on, let's go! Go, go!

Back off!

Let him go!

Damn it!

Break it up!

Last few days of tryouts. How do you feel?

How should I feel? I feel good.

-Wait up for me, Al.

-We'll go get a beer.

If I were a pretty good shot...

...skate fast, and once in a while

score goals...

...I'd still be worried about someone

who could skate harder...

...shoot harder and is more suicidal.

There ain't nobody more suicidal than me.

I don't know why you want

to beat yourself to death playing hockey.

You even speak English, for Christ's sake.

-I didn't make the cut?

-What were you taking in college?

Premed someone told me.

You'll be on the other side

of the stitches in this game.

Well, am I cut or not?

What would a kid, smart,

not too ugly, want to play hockey for?

If I was smart, could have gone to college--

Goddamn it, don't give me that.

Am I cut or not?

You're going to Lincoln.

-What's Lincoln?

-It's one of our farm clubs.

You go down there and play

with some of those killers for a while.

That's great.

I'm going to Lincoln.

Where's Lincoln?

She's good.

She's a machine. Ever talk to her?

Ten minutes on, "How I got someone

to sharpen my skates."

Then she runs out

of interesting conversation.

-lsn't Annette supposed to win nationals?

-She's got it sewed up.

Fourth in the Olympics,

second in last year's worlds.

Number one, retired to make a mint

with lce Capades.

That would've meant number two,

a French girl, Ceceil something...

...but she got hurt, or so they say.

I think she went bonkers.

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