Lean on Me Page #9

Synopsis: An arrogant and unorthodox teacher returns as principal to the idyllic high school from which he had earlier been fired to find it a den of drug abuse, gang violence, and urban despair. Eventually his successful but unorthodox methods lead to a clash with city officials that threatens to undo all his efforts. Based on a true story.
Genre: Drama
Director(s): John G. Avildsen
Production: Warner Home Video
  3 wins & 4 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.4
Rotten Tomatoes:
69%
PG-13
Year:
1989
108 min
5,175 Views


Those kids have a light

in their eyes now

that was never,

never there before.

Thanks, boss.

You know, i'm always

trying to teach my kids

to stay out of jail.

Look at me.

You go on.

Do what you got to do.

He has failed

at his professional task.

We brought him in

to save our school

from a takeover

from the state.

That was the mandate

from our mayor.

But the test scores

on the practice exam

were 35% below passing.

Now, maybe

if we dump him now

and get a new principal

ourselves-

show the state

that we're doing something-

we can pre-empt

the takeover,

but only if we get him out

before those final

test scores come back.

After that,

it'll be too late.

This board won't

have any power.

It'll be nothing

but a rubber stamp.

Mrs. Arthur,

those are the facts.

I appreciate your personal

loyalty to mr. Clark,

but he has let

our children down,

and our loyalty

should be to them.

Our loyalty should be

to the man we hired.

Order! Order!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Napier:
Order,

ladies and gentlemen!

Order, please!

We cannot continue

this meeting

with this kind

of chaos! Please!

Sit down!

Come to order!

Dr. Napier,

dr. Napier,

i think you should

call the question now.

I cannot call

the question.

All points of view seem

to have been exhausted here.

No further purpose

will be served by this.

Why don't you have

someone on the board-

mr. Clark's students

have assembled outside

in an exercise of their

first amendment rights.

How many?

It looks like

all of them.

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

We're in a tough spot here.

I have to ask

your help, joe.

It's not for me.

It's for those kids.

They're very emotional.

They're all jacked up.

You have

to send them home.

I don't have to do nothing

but stay black and die.

For crying out loud.

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

People, before

this gets out of hand,

listen, for your own safety,

listen to me!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

All right, joe.

Let me put it this way.

First, i wanted you

to succeed.

Now, don't think that i

ever wanted anything else.

But you're a realist,

joe, just like me.

Think what

would happen

if there was a riot

and cops had to

clear that square.

I'd have law and order

on my side,

and the only people

who'd be hurt

would be your kids.

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Free mr. Clark!

Listen to me!

People, please!

You must all disperse

and return to your homes!

Your presence here

is helping no one.

Why don't you use your brains

and listen?

Free mr. Clark!

Thank you.

Listen up.

Settle down. Give her

a chance to talk.

She might actually

have something to say.

Chill. Settle down.

Let's listen to the old

loudmouthed wench.

Here you go,

barrett.

Here you go.

You can call me

what you want,

but the simple fact is

mr. Clark has broken the laws

of this state

and exposed you all

to grave danger.

His behavior

is irresponsible.

Chaining those doors

was a criminal act.

Why do you think

they call him "crazy joe"?

Because you don't

understand him.

Yeah.

That's right.

He chained

those doors

to keep out

the drug dealers.

You're twisting

the law.

The laws are made

to protect the people.

That's what

he's doing for us.

Yes!

The thing that

you don't understand

is that mr. Clark

believes in us.

He doesn't

believe in you!

You don't

take care

of your

responsibility!

Despite what he himself

may believe,

mr. Clark is not

eastside high!

Mr. Clark is not

only eastside high.

Mr. Clark is

like a father,

the only father

some of us know.

You don't

know a thing

about mr. Clark!

People!

People, just hear me!

The school board

is meeting right now,

and we will give you

what eastside high deserves-

a good principal.

We don't want

a good principal!

We want mr. Clark!

You may think you know

what you want,

but the question is

what is best for you,

for eastside high.

This thing's getting

out of hand.

Talk to them,

please.

...to see

that this gets resolved

so that you can

continue your education.

Free mr. Clark!

People! People...

yay!

All right!

I wonder why i can't get

this kind of turnout

for study hall.

All right, now.

Kids, this is

all very nice,

but now i'm going to insist

that you all go home

and let the laws

of the land prevail.

No!

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

Now, listen.

Listen.

If i've taught you

anything,

i have tried to give you

respect for the law.

Now, i want you all

to go home

in an orderly fashion!

No! No! No!

Your voices have been heard!

No! No! No!

I appreciate

your concern for me.

No! No! No!

But now is the time

to go home.

No! No! No!

Kids, listen. You're not

helping the matters any.

You're not helping

our cause

if you stay here.

No! No! No!

I thought i left you

in charge of these students.

You got to

read this.

Is this taking care

of your responsibility?

Read it!

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

Boss.

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

No! No! No!

Dr. Napier,

it is my duty-

it is my privilege

and my honor to report to you

that the students

of eastside high

have passed the minimum

basic skills test!

Mr. Mayor.

Boy:
Yeah!

All right!

Go get him!

Mr. Mayor,

on behalf of myself

and on behalf of the students

of eastside high,

you can tell the state

to go to hell.

I told you.

You should not

have brought him here...

joe louis clark

is not going anywhere.

Are you ready,

my ghosts?

Yes!

Let me hear it.

1, 2, 3!

Fair eastside

by thy side we'll stand?

And always praise thy name

to ever

lend our hearts and hands

congratulations.

Come on, son.

...thy fame

the honor

of old eastside high

brings forth our loyalty

so cheer for dear old

eastside high

lead on to victory

so cheer for dear old

eastside high

lead on to victory

lean on me

when you're not strong

and i'll be your friend?

I'll help you carry on

for i know

that it won't be long

till i'm gonna need

somebody to lean on

you just call on me, brother

call me

if you feel

you need a hand

'cause we all need

somebody

just to lean on

oh, i just might

have a problem

a problem

you'll understand

we all need somebody

to lean on

oh oh oh, yeah

listen, now

if there is a load

you have to bear

that you can't carry

just remember

i, i'm right

up the road

i'll share your load

if you just call on me

you have to call me

call me

whenever you're in trouble

call me

i'll understand

call me

we all have pain

call me

we all have sorrow

call me

hey hey hey

just lean on me

lean

lean on me

lean on

j-just lean on me

lean

lean on me

lean on me

just, just

lean on him?

Yes, yes, why?

Things are better

and we're finally

working together in unity

and you're soon to see

eastside high

as a better place to be

the students, the pupils

have morals and scruples

our learning ability

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Michael Schiffer

Michael Schiffer is an American screenwriter, video game writer and film producer. Schiffer is known for such films and video games as Colors, Lean on Me, Crimson Tide, The Four Feathers, The Peacemaker and Call of Duty. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "Lean on Me" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Jul 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/lean_on_me_12356>.

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