The Paper Chase Page #4

without the ability

to analyze...

that vast mass of facts

between your ears.

Did you hear me, Brooks?

Yes, sir.

Could you give me

the hypothetical again?

I didn't understand it.

Mr. Ford...

do you know

the difference between...

a condition on a promise

and a promise?

It's a very

difficult concept.

A very difficult point

in the law.

You just shouldn't have

raised your hand in class.

I thought he was going

to ask me the facts.

I couldn't hold the

hypothetical in my mind.

It's like my mind

was outside his...

watching myself unable

to bring it together.

People laughed,

didn't they?

I didn't hear anybody

laughing at you.

I heard people laughing.

Hey, relax.

We'll have a swim.

Feel better.

Justice Douglas...

Franklin Roosevelt...

Ernest Hemingway...

Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Adlai Stevenson.

Helen Keller.

Interested in his study?

I played in this study

when I was a little girl.

I used to run

the dictaphone.

Adequacy. As long as one gets...

what he has

bargained for...

and it is

of some value...

No, turn it off.

I feel

like an intruder.

Not in his bed,

but in his study.

What?

It's funny.

This is his

special room.

Do you think he

would mind me drinking...

in his special room?

I don't know.

You can call him

in New York and ask.

I think you're behaving...

just the way

he'd want you to behave.

Picking up his little

silver mementos...

Iooking at his

Law Review picture.

I think he'd like it...

just to have you

fondle his things.

Have you ever

told him about me?

About you and me?

No.

Well...

when I'm in his class...

I feel like he knows me.

As though when

he calls upon me...

he's got it all

planned out.

Like he...

Like he's watching

my progress.

You know?

Like he cares

about how I do.

Oh, my God. He's back.

Listen, get out

through the kitchen.

Just go out

the kitchen.

My clothes are upstairs.

I'll get 'em.

You just go.

I'll take care of this.

Just go on.

- So what did he say?

- Well, he just said he hoped

it wasn't a law student.

Now, will you state

the facts...

of the case of

Vigers vs. Cook?

Mr. Pruit.

Cook's son died.

Vigers was the undertaker...

Or was Cook

the undertaker?

Mr. Sanders.

You just want the facts?

Mr. Fisher.

This undertaker agreed...

to provide the usual

funeral services.

Mr. Knight.

Vigers gave Cook

an estimate...

that the whole thing

would cost about 49.

Thank you,

thank you.

Now, the rest

of the facts, Mr...

The body was placed

in a coffin...

Ford.

The body was placed

in a lead coffin.

The coffin was soldered

without a vent hole.

The coffin then burst...

owing to decomposition

of the body...

and it was impossible

to hold the services...

in the church.

I never said anything.

I just went upstairs,

I got your things...

I put on my coat,

and I came right down.

Then why did he look at me

that way in class?

He questioned

the student on my left...

on my right,

in front of me...

behind me, and then,

glaring at me...

asked somebody else

the question.

I don't know,

but believe me...

you're just a name

on a piece of paper...

a picture on a seating chart,

and that's all.

You're only one

out of thousands...

over the past 40 years.

I don't

believe that.

He knows

who I am.

Susan!

What?

We can't

go on like this.

Like what?

Look, I've gotta

get organized.

What is it?

The middle of February...

and I've got 4 months

till exams.

I never know when or if

I'm gonna see you.

What kind of organization

did you have in mind?

When's your divorce final?

When's your divorce final?

Oh, no more contracts,

Mr. Hart.

Thank you, no.

Are you really serious?

Well, if not

the honorable thing...

why not the dishonorable?

I'd prefer to live alone.

I don't know

what you want.

I don't know

what to do with you.

Well, I don't want to live

in the married students' dorm...

and have neat friends down the hall

and walk babies with them.

I've been organized

like that before.

You law students,

you're all the same.

You can't let things alone.

You have to organize.

The endless defining

of irrational human behavior...

into tight

little patterns.

People are not rational.

People are irrational.

What do you want?

Do you want me

to be irrational?

All right.

I shall be irrational.

I'm gonna walk

on the water!

Is that irrational enough

for you?

No? Okay.

I shall walk on my hands

on the water.

Now that's

more like it.

Oh, my God!

Give me the coat.

The coat.

Keep off the ice!

Here.

Oh, God!

Oh, crap.

It's only 3 feet deep.

God.

Get out, Hart.

I gotta go back

and get warm.

I know there's a lot

of things to say...

but it really isn't

worth saying...

so please just get out.

Think about me...

and think about yourself.

Don't call me.

I know you're gonna want to...

but just don't, okay?

I Xeroxed an article

I found in the library...

called

Blessings of Consideration.

Kingsfield wrote it

Well worth the time.

What are we

gonna do...

about practice

exams?

Nothing.

Practice exams don't count.

They don't mean a thing.

Look, Kevin, just keep aiming

towards the end of the year.

You'll just have to relearn

it all then anyway.

I thought it would

give us a chance...

to see how we stand.

Whether one of us

needs special help.

You need

special help...

and you, too,

O'Connor.

You both need

a shrink.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean

to touch your outline.

I agree with Ford. I've given

this problem considerable thought...

and in terms of maximum

grade point...

the most sensible thing

is not to study.

See how much you retain...

as a result of normal

study procedure.

And then you'll be able

to measure accurately...

how much extra work

you'll need...

when it comes to take

the real test in the spring.

I thought we might all study together

for the practice exam.

It would give us

a chance to see how well...

we'll work together

at the end of the year.

But we don't have time

to get up for this test.

We just take it.

It doesn't count.

But what I really

would like to do...

is just talk about how

to take the exam.

That's not so bad an idea.

I'd like a session

on examsmanship.

Maybe you need somebody

to hold your hand.

Okay, this article has a very

interesting relationship...

to the statute of frauds...

which I thought we should

get into today.

I'm not ready yet.

Okay, the statute of frauds

was passed in 1677.

It was called An Act

for the Prevention...

of Frauds or Perjuries.

I said

I'm not ready yet.

We can't wait for you.

Who the hell

do you think you are?

King bow tie sh*t?

You don't run things around here.

You don't run me.

The statute of frauds is,

in some form or another...

the law in almost every

state in the union.

You're giving everyone

a pain in the ass.

If you don't

like things, leave.

We can get along very well

without your outline.

I don't know how well

you're gonna do without ours.

Shut up.

Just shut up.

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