The Legend of Bagger Vance Page #5

---

You know I can't quit.

I know.

Just making sure you know it too.

I can't stand it!

Man alive! The fairway!

Hello, Bagger.|Hello, Mr. Bagger Vance!

I want a good explanation. What in|God's green earth are you telling him?

I'd be appreciative if we talk|about this later. Right now I'm busy.

You have done a hell of a job so far.

Let me talk to him. Mr. Vance, what|the judge is trying to determine is...

...your strategy for helping poor|Mr. Junuh find his game, because...

...you seem to know as much about|caddying as I do driving a locomotive.

You all want to know my strategy?

Right now my player|is a little confused.

See, he still think he Rannulph Junuh.

He is Rannulph Junuh, you damn twit!

Well, he is and he ain't.

Thank you.

Anybody drinking?|Here, I'm gonna get a drink.

It'll come.

I had me a uncle named Rufus.

- Stupid.|- Lost his right arm in a cotton gin.

Learned how to do everything|with his left arm.

He was changing the wheel on a wagon.|Axle chopped of his left arm.

So he did everything with...

...his teeth.|- Was a mistake.

He said things to Mr. Johnny|he shouldn't.

Mr. Johnny knocked out his teeth.

"Savannah's own."

He learned how to do|everything with his feet.

Until he got this fungus.|It grew all up the...

- Stop it!|- It's about overcoming adversity.

Listen, you want to talk to me|about my grip, fine.

Talk about my swing, fine.

Don't want to hear about fungus?

He became a dancer.

He made a fortune. Was the most|amazing thing to see...

...this armless, toothless man|sliding across the stage...

...to the music of Bessie Smith|and the Duke.

I don't care if I'm 12 strokes back.|I just don't.

You don't even want to win?

It's just a game, Bagger.

Yes, sir. You said it yourself now.|"Just a game."

So maybe there's something else|that's riling you.

Maybe you thought you'd just|sashay onto that green...

...and the old hero of Savannah|just reappear all by itself.

Don't work that way, is all.

The Junuh you was...

...you ain't never gonna be again.

Ever. That's all I'm saying.

You don't know a thing about me.

I know you'll look pretty foolish|out there with...

...two different shoes on your feet.|- Oh, Jesus.

You got an answer for everything,|don't you, Bagger.

Let me tell you.|There's no difference...

...between winning and losing,|and anything in between.

What's lost is lost.

A man lives, a man dies.

In the end it all turns out the same.|You're alone.

And that's all you'll ever be.

That a fact? Alone?

So a soul is born with everything|the Lord give it...

...things don't go it's way,|so it gives up, and the Lord takes...

...everything back?|- Right.

And then the soul dies alone.

That pretty much what you said?

- That's right.|- That's a sad story, Mr. Junuh.

- Yes, it is.|- That's the dumbest thing I heard...

...any fool say. Ever.

You got yourself|a hard eye there, Mr. Junuh.

Soul is born with everything,|then it dies, and the good Lord...

You a funny man, Mr. Junuh!

So, what I hear, Bob's waiting|to make his move.

Doesn't want to peak early.

You think Walter doesn't know?|He's keeping pace with Bobby.

When Bobby kicks his game into gear...

...he's in for a big surprise.

What about Junuh?

What about him, son?

There's still three rounds to go.|That's 54 holes.

All he's got to do is pick up one|stroke every four holes and he wins!

It's possible!

It's possible, son,|but not very likely.

Junuh has shown no signs of|getting his game together.

He's playing Bobby Jones|and Walter Hagen.

What do you know?|You can't even get a decent job!

Hardy! Hardy Greaves,|come back here!

Let him go, Ida.

Been a hard time for the boy.

There something you wanted|to tell me?

Well, I'm trying to think of|how to say it, Junuh.

There is a purpose to this visit...

...and that's to apologize.

I'm not an apologetic woman, it takes|me longer to organize my thoughts.

I want to seem properly contrite for|having gotten you into this match...

...but not seem what I did was|ill-intentioned, since it wasn't.

What exactly are you apologizing for?

For publicly humiliating you.

That'd be a good thing|to apologize for.

However, I think that...

Basically, what I'm trying|to say is...

...that I'm sorry.

But it's not my fault.

You're the one to blame.

That's one hell of an apology, Adele.

I'd stop the tournament in a flash,|if I could. I truly, truly would.

Because I know it's|just gonna get worse.

The way you're playing,|you're destroying...

...any chance Jones and Hagen|have of doing well.

And your supporters? Every man,|woman, and child in Savannah...

...are so demoralized that they|can barely hold down their lunches.

So, you want my apology or not?

No.

Well...

That's the Junuh I know.|Just full of little surprises.

What was it, Adele?

What did you like about us?

I liked the way we danced.

What's your problem?

And they looked at me like|I was stupid or crazy, or something.

I told them you could beat Jones|and Hagen, being 12 strokes behind.

I told them, all you had to do|was pick up one stroke...

...every four holes of the next|54 holes, right?

Yeah, right.

Who do you think was telling me|you were hopeless?

My own father, who says he was|a good friend of yours...

...till you lost your mind in the war.|- He's right.

You can't win?

He was a good friend of mine.

He's sweeping streets, Junuh.

In the middle of Savannah,|where everybody can see him.

Me, my friends and everybody.

You feeling sorry because|your daddy sweeps streets?

He ain't the only man who can't|get work. Wilbur's dad can't neither.

But he says he'd rather do nothing|than something beneath his dignity.

Grow up, Hardy.

It ain't time for me to grow up.

Your dad's sweeping because|he took every dime he had...

...and used it to pay|every man and woman he owed...

...instead of declaring bankruptcy|like everyone, including Wilbur's dad.

Which is why he's able to sit|all day on his "dignity".

Your daddy stared adversity in the eye|and he beat it back with a broom.

You really love this game, don't you?

The greatest game there is.

You really think so?

Ask anybody. It's fun, it's hard...

...and you stand on the green grass,|and it's just you and the ball.

There ain't nobody|to beat up on but yourself.

Just like Mr. Nunan keeps hitting|himself with the club when he's angry.

He's broken his toe three times|on account of it.

It's the only game you can|call penalty on yourself.

If you're honest,|which most people are.

There just ain't|no other game like it.

You better get going.

In case you didn't see that, Bobby,|I'll show you where it's at...

...when your shot catches up to it.

Oh, yes, greatest game there is.|Right, Hardy?

- Yes sir.|- The greatest game there will ever be.

- Just you and the ball.|- All by your lonesome.

I think it's time.

- Time for what?|- Time for you to see the field.

The field?

I see it, 445 yards long, it's got|a little red flag at the end...

...it's 12 strokes ahead.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes