[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
YOUNG MAN: In 1899, the streets of New York City...
echoed with the voices of newsies...
peddling the newspapers of Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst...
and other giants of the newspaper world.
On every corner, you saw 'em carryin' the banner,
bringin' you the news for a penny a pape.
Poor orphans and runaways,
the newsies were a ragged army without a leader.
Until one day, all that changed.
[CLICKING]
Boots!
- Oh, gee. - Skittery. Skittery. Skittery!
- I didn't do it. - What do you mean?
Get up. When you get up, you have to get up!
Snitch. Get up. C'mon, everybody's sleepin'.
They sleep, sleep. They sleep their life away, these kids.
The ink is wet. The presses are rollin'!
Sell the pape! Sell the pape!
Hey!
Hey, Cowboy. Hey, Cowboy, you dreamin' about sellin' papers?
- Hey, hey, hey. - [MUMBLING]
- Don't wanna. What's the matter with you? - With me?
- What's the matter with you? - What's the matter with you?
- Get off my back. Hey, go away from me. - Come on!
- You're mad! - Hey, kid. [LAUGHING]
Get up, boy. Come on, come on.
Carry your banner. Sell the papers!
Sell the papers. What are you doin'? Sell the papers.
Everybody, what are ya doin'?
- ♫ That's my cigar ♪ - ♫ You'll steal anudder ♪
♫ Hey, bummers we got work to do ♪
♫ Since when did you become me mudder ♪
♫ Ah, stop your bawlin' ♪
♫ Who asked you ♪
- So, how'd you sleep, Jack? - On me back, Mush.
[CHUCKLING] Did you hear that, fellas. Hear what Jack said?
I asked Jack how he slept and he said, "On me back, Mush."
Hey, Jack, when I walk, does it look like I'm fakin' it?
- No. Who says you're fakin' it? - I don't know.
It's just, there's so many fake crips on the street today,
a real crip ain't got a chance.
I gotta find a new sellin' spot where they ain't used to seeing me.
♫ Try Bottle Alley or the harbor ♪
♫ Try Central Park it's guaranteed ♪
♫ Try any banker, bum or barber ♪
♫ They almost all knows how to read ♪
- ♫ I smell money ♪ - ♫ You smell foul ♪
♫ Met this girl last night ♪
♫ Ahh, move your elbow ♪
♫ Pass the towel ♪
♫ For a buck I might ♪
♫ Ain't it a fine life ♪
♫ Carrying the banner through it all ♪
♫ A mighty fine life ♪
♫ Carrying the banner tough and tall ♪
♫ Every mornin' we goes where we wishes ♪
♫ We's as free as fishes sure beats washin' dishes ♪
♫ What a fine life ♪
♫ Carrying the banner home-free all ♪
- Whoo! - Yeah!
Whoo!
BOY: Move it! Go! Go!
C'mon, c'mon. Hurry up! C'mon, c'mon.
Hurry up! Get the lead outta your pants.
C'mon, move it. Go, go, go!
Hurry! Go, go, go!
♫ Summer stinks and winter's waiting ♪
♫ Welcome to New York ♪
♫ Boy, ain't nature fascinatin' ♪
♫ When youse gotta walk ♪
♫ Oh, it's a fine life ♪
♫ Carrying the banner with me chums ♪
- ♫ Carrying the banner with me chums ♪ - ♫ A mighty fine life ♪
♫ Blowin' every nickel as it comes ♪
- ♫ Blowin' every nickel as it comes ♪ - ♫ I'm no snoozer ♪
♫ Sittin' makes me antsy I likes livin' chancy ♪
♫ Harlem to Delancey what a fine life ♪
♫ Carrying the banner through the slums ♪
♫ Blessed children ♪
♫ Though you wander lost and depraved ♪
♫Jesus ♪
♫ Loves you ♪
♫ You shall be saved ♪
- ♫ Patrick ♪ - ♫Just give me half a cup ♪
- ♫ Darling ♪ - ♫ Something to wake me up ♪
- ♫ Since you left me ♪ - ♫ I gotta find an angle ♪
- ♫ I am undone ♪ - ♫ I gotta sell more papes ♪
- ♫ Mother ♪ - ♫ Wish I could catch a break ♪
- ♫ Loves you ♪ - ♫ Sure hope the headline's hot ♪
- ♫ God save ♪ - ♫ God help me if it's not ♪
- ♫ My son ♪ - ♫ If I hate the headline I'll make up a headline ♪
♫ And I'll say anything I hafta ♪
♫ 'Cause it's two for a penny if I take too many ♪
♫ Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta ♪
♫ Look, they're putting up the headline You call that a headline ♪
♫ I get better stories from the copper on the beat ♪
♫ I was gonna start with 20 but a dozen'll be plenty ♪
♫ Tell me, how I'm gonna make ends meet ♪
♫ We need a good assassination ♪
♫ We need an earthquake or a war ♪
♫ How 'bout a crooked politician ♪
♫ Hey, stupid that ain't news no more ♪
♫ Uptown to Grand Central Station ♪
♫ Down to City Hall ♪
♫ We improves our circulation ♪
♫ Walkin' 'til we fall ♪
♫ So, we'll be out there carrying the banner man to man ♪
♫ Oh, we'll be out there soakin' every sucker that we can ♪
♫ See the headlines Newsies on a mission ♪
♫ Kill the competition Sell the next edition ♪
♫ While we're out there carrying the banner is the... ♪♪
[SNIFFING] Dear me.
What is that unpleasant aroma?
I fear the sewer may have backed up during the night.
- Too rotten to be the sewer. - Yeah, yeah.
It must be the Delancey brudders.
Hiya, boys.
In the back, you lousy shrimp.
That's not good to do that, not healthy.
You shouldn't be callin' people lousy shrimps, Oscar,
unless you're referring to the family resemblance in your brudder here.
Five-to-one the cowboy skunks 'em. Who's bettin'?
SEVERAL BOYS: Nah! Bum odds.
That's right, it's an insult. So's this.
[CHEERING AND SHOUTING]
- Cowboy, look out! - Where'd Cowboy go?
There he goes!
Where is he?
Atta boy!
[LAUGHING AND CHEERING]
What do you think you're doing?
Runnin'!
♫ It's a fine life ♪
♫ Carrying the banner through it all ♪
Thank you.
♫ A mighty fine life ♪
- ♫ Carrying the banner tough and tall ♪ - Thank you.
♫ See the headlines Newsies on a mission ♪
♫ Kill the competition Sell the next edition ♪
♫ What a fine life carrying the banner ♪
- ♫It's a fine life carrying the banner ♪ - ♫ Go get 'em, Cowboy ♪
- ♫ It's a fine life carrying the banner ♪ - ♫ Go get 'em, Cowboy ♪
- ♫ It's a fine life carrying the banner ♪ - ♫ You've got 'em, Cowboy ♪
♫ Is a go ♪♪
"Dese" is for the newsies.
[Shouting And Cheering]
Brilliant performance, Jackie, brilliant!
- Better than yesterday's. - You're too kind to me.
- We'll play again tomorrow, Cowboy. - That'd be nice.
You're late, boys.
You're as good as dead, Cowboy.
Mr. Weasel.
- [RINGING] - WEASEL: All right, all right! Hold your horses.
I'm comin'.
So, did ya miss me, Weasel? Did ya? Did ya miss me?
I told ya a million times, the name is Weisel,
Mr. Weisel to you.
- How many? - Don't rush me.
I'm perusin' the merchandise, Mr. Weasel.
[LAUGHING]
- The usual. - One hundred papes to the wise guy.
- Next. - Morning, Your Honor.
Listen, do me a favor, spot me 50 papes, huh?
- I got a hot tip on the fourth. You won't waste your money. - It's a sure thing?
Oh, yeah. Not like last time.
50 papes. Next!
Heya, Mr. Weisel.
[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
- Anything good this mornin'? - You wanna sit down?
- Next! - 20 papes, please.
- 20 papes. - Thanks.
Look at this: "Baby Born With Two Heads." Must be from Brooklyn.
Hey, hey, you got your papes. Now beat it.
I paid for 20 and I only got 19.
WEASEL: Are you accusing me of lying, kid?
No, I just want my paper.
He said beat it.
No, it's 19, Weasel. But don't worry about it.
It's an honest mistake.
Morris, he can't count to 20 with his shoes on.
WEASEL: All right, get outta here.
- Race, will you spot me two bits? - Here.
Thanks. Another 50 for my friend here.
- I don't want another 50. - Sure you do.
- Every newsie wants more papes. - I don't.
I don't want your papes.
I don't take charity from anybody, I don't even know you, I don't care to.
So, here are your papes.
- Cowboy, they call him Cowboy. - Yeah.
That and a lot of other things, including Jack Kelly, which is what my mudder called me.
- What do they call you, kid? - Les.
And this is my brother, David. He's older.
- Oh, no kiddin'. How old are you, Les? - Near ten.
Near ten, that's no good. If anyone asks, say you're seven.
Younger sells more papes, Les.
- If we're gonna be partners, we want to be the best... - Wait, wait!
Who said anything about partners?
Well, you owe me two bits, right?
So, I'll consider that an investment. We sell together, we split...
70/30, plus you get the benefit...
- of observing me, no charge. - Ah-ha!
Ah-ha!
You're gettin' the chance of a lifetime here, Davey.
- You learn from Jack, you learn from the best. - The best.
- If he's the best, then how come he needs me? - Oooh!
Listen, I don't need you, pal.
But I ain't got a cute, little brother like Les to front for me.
With this kid's puss and my God-given talent,
we could move a thousand papes a week.
- So, what do you say, Les? You wanna sell papes for me? - Yeah!
- So it's a deal? - Wait, hold it!
It's gotta be at least 50/50.
- 60/40 or I forget the whole thing. - That's fair.
- A golden opportunity. - That's fair, David.
What do you say?
It's very fair.
- What's the matter? - That's disgusting.
The name of the game is volume, Dave.
You only took 20 papes. Why?
- Bad headline. - That's the first thing you gotta learn.
- Headlines don't sell papes. Newsies sell papes. - Newsies, right!
We hold this town together. Without newsies, nobody knows nuttin'.
- That's right. Hey, fellas. - Look at that angel.
- What a heaven! - Whoa!
"Baby Born With Three Heads!"
- [CHATTERING] - Get your papes here!
"Trolley Strike Drags On...
For Third Week."
And this so-called headline drags on for infinity.
MAN: The news is slow, Mr. Pulitzer.
The trolley strike's all we got.
That's all Mr. William Randolph Hearst has too.
But look how he covers the strike. Look, look, look!
We'll get a new headline writer, sir.
We'll steal Hearst's man. Offer him double.
That's how he stole him from us. It's not the headlines, Chief.
These circulation wars are cutting into our profits...
because you spend as much as you make trying to beat Hearst.
Then we need to make more profits.
You do not penny pinch when you're in a war, Seitz.
Victory means everything. When I created "The World"...
[SHOUTING]
What is that deafening noise?
Just the newsies, sir. I'll go have them quieted.
Never mind the newsies. [Chuckling]
Where was I?
- Creating "The World," Chief. - Mmm.
There's lots of money down there in those streets, gentlemen.
I wanna know how I can get more of it...
by tonight.
[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
[CHEERING]
Extra! Extra! "Trolley strike drags on!"
Extra, extra! "Ellis Island in flames!"
- Big conflagration! - Hey, what?
- Where's that story? - Thank you, sir. Page nine.
Thousands flee in panic!
Thank you. Much obliged to you.
"Trash Fire Next To Immigration Building Terrifies Sea Gulls"?
Terrified flight from inferno!
Thousands of lives at stake! Thank you.
- Up here! Up here! - At the top!
Extra! Extra! Thank you, sir.
Extra! Extra!
You start in the back like I told ya? Okay, show me again.
[COUGHING] Buy me last pape, mister?
- It's heartbreakin', go get 'em. - My father taught us not to lie.
Mine told me not to starve, so we both got an education.
You're just makin' up things, all these headlines.
I don't do nuttin' the guys who write it don't do.
It ain't lyin'. It's improvin' the truth a little.
[RINGING]
[CROWD BOOING]
[BELL RINGS]
Right hook. Hey, come on.
- Look at that! - Let's go. Strike him.
Come on!
The guy gave me a quarter!
- Quick, give me some more of those papes. - Wait, hold it.
[SNIFFING] You smell like beer.
That's how I made the quarter. The guy bet me I wouldn't drink some.
Hey, no drinkin'on the job. It's bad for business.
What if somebody called a cop on you?
Is he a friend of yours?
Beat it! It's the Bulls!
[POLICE WHISTLE]
LES: All this for one sip of beer?
- [WHISTLE] - Come on, Les. Come on!
MAN: Stop, you! Stop, I say!
JACK: Hurry up, c'mon. C'mon, hurry up.
[WHISTLE]
- Up this way! - I got you. C'mon, let's go.
Sleeper!
Okay, jump.
Hurry up.
- JACK: He's right behind us. - Move!
Whoa!
- Where's he at? - Over here.
Get down.
Sullivan!
Wait 'til I get you back to The Refuge!
I'm not running any further.
- I want some answers. - Shh.
Who is he, why was he chasing you and what is this "refuge"?
The Refuge is this jail for kids.
The guy chasing me is Snyder. He's the warden.
- You were in jail? Why? - Yeah.
I was starvin' so I stole some food.
- Right, food. - Yeah, food.
- He called you Sullivan. - Yeah, my name's Jack Kelly. You think I'm lyin'?
- You have a way of improving the truth. - Yeah?
- Why was he chasin' ya? - 'Cause I escaped.
Oh boy, how?
This big shot gave me a ride out in his carriage.
I bet it was the mayor, right?
No, Teddy Roosevelt. You ever heard of him?
LADY: What is going on there?
Out, out, out, out!
You wouldn't kick me out without a kiss good-bye, would you, Medda?
Oh, Kelly!
Where you been, kid?
Oh, I miss seeing you up in the balcony.
Hangin' on your every word.
- So, Medda, this is David and Les. - Hello.
- And this is the greatest star of the vaudeville stage today, - No.
Miss Medda Larkson, the Swedish meadowlark.
- "Velcome," gentlemen. - Medda also owns the joint.
Well, what have we here?
Oh, aren't you the cutest fellow that ever was.
- Oh yes, you are. - [COUGHING]
Oh, are you all right?
Buy me last pape, lady?
Oh, you are good.
Oh, yeah, this kid is really good.
Speaking as one professional to another, I'd say you've got a great future.
Is it all right if we stay here for a while?
Just 'til the problem outside goes away.
Oh, sure, stay as long as you like.
Toby, give my guests whatever they want.
Lads, whatever you'd like.
Gumdrops, gumdrops. Licorice whips.
MAN: Miss Medda Larkson.
♫ My lovey-dovey baby ♪
♫ I boo-hoo-hoo for you ♪
♫ I used to be your tootsie-wootsie ♪
♫ Then you said toodle-ee-doo ♪
♫ I miss the hanky-panky ♪
♫ Each nighty-night 'til three ♪
♫ Come back my lovey-dovey baby ♪
♫ And coochie-coo with me ♪♪
[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]
- So you liked that? - Oh, I loved that.
It was great. She is beautiful.
- How do you know her? - She's a friend of my father's.
Come on, Les. You wanna shine my shoes?
It's gettin' late. My parents are gonna be worried.
- What about yours? - They're out west looking for a place to live.
Like this.
That's Santa Fe, New Mexico.
As soon as they find the right ranch, they're gonna send for me.
- Then you'll be a real cowboy. - Yep.
[INDISTINCT NOISE]
[SHOUTING]
Come on, fellas! Wait up!
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
Jack, why don't we go back to my place and divvy up?
You can meet my folks.
It's the trolley strike, Dave, these dumbasses must not have joined.
Jack, let's get outta here.
[BELL CLANGING]
So, maybe we get a good headline tomorrow.
Look at this. He slept through it.
[SHOUTING]
- My God, what happened? - Nothin',Mama. He's just sleepin'.
We've been waiting dinner for you. Where have you been?
You made all of this selling newspapers?
Well, half of it's Jack's.
This is our selling partner and our friend,
Jack Kelly, my parents.
- Hello. - That's my sister, Sarah.
Esther, maybe David's partner would like to join us for dinner?
Why don't you add a little more water to the soup?
Mayer.
[THUNDER]
JACK: I gotta say from what I saw today,
your boys are a couple of born newsies.
- Can I have a little more? - Yes.
So with my experience and their hard work,
I figure we can peddle a thousand a week,
- not even break a sweat. - That many?
More when the headlines are good.
- What makes a headline good? - Well, you know, um,
catchy words like "maniac" or "corpse"...
or um, let's see, "love nest" or "nude."
Excuse me. Maybe I'm talkin' too much.
Sarah.
Go get the cake your mother's hiding in the cabinet.
That's for your birthday tomorrow.
I've had enough birthdays. This is a celebration.
DAVID: I'll get the knife.
SARAH: I got the plates.
It's only the beginning. The longer I work, the more money I'll make.
You only work until I go back to the factory.
Then you are going back to school like you promised.
Happy birthday, Papa.
- Thank you. - Here's your knife.
This is going to heal. They'll give me back my job.
MAYER: I'll make them.
Our visitor.
ESTHER: A piece for David.
Thanks.
LES: ♫ Come back my lovey dovey baby ♪
♫ And coochie coo with me ♪♪
ESTHER: And what is this, David?
So how did your pop get hurt?
The factory. It was an accident.
He's no good to them anymore so they fired him.
He's got no union to protect him.
David, it's time to come in now.
- All right. - All right.
Jack, why don't you stay here tonight?
No, thanks.
I got my own place.
But your family's real nice, Dave, like mine.
See you tomorrow.
All right.
- Carryin' the banner. - Carryin' the banner.
♪ [ESTHER HUMMING]
♫ So that's what they call a family ♪
♫ Mother, daughter father, son ♪
♫ Guess that everything you heard about ♪
♫ Is true ♪
♫ So you ain't got any family ♪
♫ Well who said you needed one ♪
♫ Ain't you glad nobody's waitin' up ♪
♫ For you ♪
♫ When I dream on my own ♪
♫ I'm alone but I ain't lonely ♪
♫ For a dreamer night's the only time of day ♪
♫ When the city's finally sleepin' ♪
♫ When my thoughts begin to stray ♪
♫ And I'm on the train that's bound for Santa Fe ♪
♫ And I'm free like the wind ♪
♫ Like I'm gonna live forever ♪
♫ It's a feeling time can never ♪
♫ Take away ♪
♫ All I need's a few more dollars ♪
♫ And I'm outta here to stay ♪
♫ Dreams come true yes, they do ♪
♫ In Santa Fe ♪
♫ Where does it say you gotta live and die here ♪
♫ Where does it say a guy can't catch a break ♪
♫ Why should you only take what you're given ♪
♫ Why should you spend your whole life livin' ♪
♫ Trapped where there ain't no future even at 17 ♪
♫ Breakin' your back for someone else's sake ♪
♫ If the light don't seem to suit ya ♪
♫ How 'bout a change of scene ♪
♫ Far from the lousy headlines and the deadlines in between ♪
♫ Ha ha, ha ♪
♫ Ha ♪
♫ Ha, ha ♪
[Voices] Yee-haw!
- Move! - Hey, boy, come back!
[Man] Hey, that's my horse!
♫ Santa Fe ♪
♫ Are you there ♪
♫ Do you swear you won't forget me ♪
♫ If I found you would you let me come and stay ♪
♫ I ain't gettin' any younger ♪
♫ And before my dyin' day I want space ♪
♫ Not just air ♪
♫ Let 'em laugh in my face I don't care ♪
♫ Save a place I'll be there ♪
♫ So that's what they call a family ♪
♫ Ain't you glad you ain't that way ♪
♫ Ain't you glad you got a dream called ♪
♫ Santa Fe ♪♪
- Hey, Race. - Hey, Jack.
- How was your day at the track? - Remember that hot tip?
Nobody told the horse.
I know we need to make more money. That's why we're here.
I have several proposals. First,
to increase the paper's price.
Oh, then Hearst undersells me and I'm in the poorhouse.
Brilliant, Jonathan, brilliant.
Not customer price, the price to the distribution apparatus.
Charge the newsies more for their papers?
Bad idea, Chief.
Very well, my next proposal.
Salary cuts, particularly those at the top.
- Very bad idea. - Wait, wait, wait.
What do the newsies pay now, 50 cents per 100 papers?
If you raised it to, what?
- Sixty cents? - A mere tenth of a cent per paper.
That multiplied by 40,000 papers a day. [Making Adding Machine Sounds]
Seven days a week. [Adding Machine Sounds]
It definitely adds up, sir.
If you do this, every newsie we've got will head for Hearst.
You don't know Hearst like I do.
As newspapermen, he and I would cut each other's throats to get an advantage.
But as gentlemen and as businessmen,
we often see eye to eye on certain things.
Now if we do it, Hearst and I, if we do it,
then the other papers will do it.
It's going to be awfully rough on those children.
Nonsense, nonsense. It'll be good for them.
Incentive, make them work harder, sell more papers.
They'll look on it... as a challenge.
Challenge.
They jacked up the price.
Did ya hear that, Jack? Ten cents a 100.
It's bad enough we gotta eat what we don't sell.
Now they jacked up the price! Can you believe that?
This'll bust me. I'm barely makin' a living right now.
I'll be back sleepin' on the streets.
It don't make no sense, all the money Pulitzer's makin'. Why would he gouge us?
He's a tightwad, that's why.
Pipe down, it's just a gag.
- So why the jack up, Weasel? - Why not?
It's a nice day.
Why don't you ask Mr. Pulitzer?
They can't do this to me, Jack.
RACETRACK: They can do whatever they want, it's their stinkin'paper.
It ain't fair. We got no rights at all.
It's a rigged deck. They got all the marbles.
We got no choice. Let's get our lousy papes while they still got some.
- No! Nobody's goin' anywhere! - We gotta eat, Jack!
They can't get away with this.
Clear out, give him room. Give him some room!
Let him think!
Done thinkin' yet?
WEASEL: Hey! "World" employees only on this side of the gate!
[SHOUTING]
Listen, one thing for sure,
if we don't sell papes, then nobody sells papes.
Nobody comes through those gates 'til they put the price back where it was.
- You mean, like a strike? - Yeah, like a strike.
[GROUP MURMURING]
- You outta your mind? - It's a good idea!
Jack, I was joking. We can't strike, we don't have a union.
Yeah, but if we go on strike, then we are a union, right?
No, we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money.
Maybe if we got every newsie in New York, but...
- Yeah, well, we organize. Crutchy, you take a collection. - Swell!
- We'll get all the newsies in New York together. - This isn't a joke.
You saw what happened to those trolley workers.
That's a good idea. Any newsie don't join,
we bust their heads like the trolley workers.
Stop and think about this, Jack!
You can't rush everybody into this.
All right, let me think about it.
Listen, Dave's right.
Pulitzer and Hearst and all them rich fellas,
they own this city.
Do we think street rats like us can make any difference?
The choice has gotta be yours.
Are we gonna take what they give us or are we gonna strike?
- Strike! - Yeah, let's do it!
Keep talkin', Jack. Tell us what to do.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
You tell us what to do, Dave.
Yeah, come on, Dave, tell us what to do.
We gotta stick together.
- Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect our rights. - All right.
Hey, listen, Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect...
the rights of the workin' boys of New York.
- [CHEERING] - That's right!
That worked good. What else?
Tell 'em that they can't treat us like we don't exist.
- Pulitzer and Hearst think we're nothin'. Are we nothin'? - No!
If we stick together like the trolley workers, they can't break us up.
♫ Pulitzer and Hearst think they got us ♪
- ♫ Do they got us ♪ - TOGETHER: No!
We're union now, the newsboys union. Start acting like a union.
♫ Even though we ain't got hats or badges ♪
♫ We're a union just by sayin' so ♪
♫ And "The World" will know ♪
What's to stop someone else from sellin' our papes?
- We'll talk with 'em. - Some don't hear so good.
- Then we'll soak 'em. - No, we can't beat people up in the street! it'll give us a bad name!
- Can't get any worse! - What's it gonna take to stop the wagons? Are we ready?
- Yeah! - No!
[GROUP SHOUTING]
♫ What's it gonna take to stop the scabbers ♪
- ♫ Can we do it ♪ - Yeah!
♫ We'll do what we gotta do until we break the will of ♪
♫ Mighty Bill and Joe ♪
♫ And "The World" will know ♪
♫ And "The Journal" too ♪
♫ Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer have we got news for you ♪
♫ Now "The World" will hear ♪
♫ What we've got to say ♪
♫ We've been hawkin' headlines but we're makin' 'em today ♪
♫ And our ranks will grow ♪
♫ And we'll kick their rear ♪
♫ And "The World" will know that we've been here ♪
Who does he think he is, anyway?
♫ When the circulation bell starts ringin' ♪
- ♫ Will we hear it ♪ - TOGETHER: No!
♫ What if the Delanceys come out swingin' ♪
- ♫ Will we hear it ♪ - No!
♫ When you've got 100 voices singin' ♪
♫ Who can hear a lousy whistle blow ♪
♫ And "The World" will know ♪
♫ That this ain't no game ♪
♫ That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim ♪
♫ So they gave their word ♪
♫ But it ain't worth beans ♪
♫ Now they're gonna see what stop the presses really means ♪
♫ And the day has come ♪
♫ And the time is now and the fear is gone ♪
- ♫ And their name is mud ♪ - ♫ And the strike is on ♪
- ♫ And I can't stand blood ♪ - ♫ And "The World" will know ♪
♫ Pulitzer may own "The World" but he don't own us ♪
♫ Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won't whip us ♪
♫ And "The World" will know and "The World" will learn ♪
♫ And "The World" will wonder how we made the tables turn ♪
♫ And "The World" will see that we had to choose ♪
♫ That the things we do today will be tomorrow's news ♪
♫ And the old will fall ♪
♫ And the young stand tall and the time is now ♪
♫ And our ranks will grow and our ranks will grow ♪
♫ And so "The World" will feel the fire ♪
♫ And finally know ♪♪
[CHEERING]
[CHANTING] Strike! Strike!
Strike! Strike!
Strike! Strike! Strike!
[CHEERING]
We gotta get word out to all the newsies in New York.
I need some of those, uh, what do you call 'em?
- Ambassadors? - Yeah.
You guys, you gotta be "am-bastards" and go tell the others we're on strike.
- Jack, I'll take Harlem. - I got midtown.
- I got the bowery. - I'll take the Bronx. Come on.
Bumlets, Specs, Skittery, take Queens.
- All right. - JACK: Pie Eater, Snotty, East Side.
Snipeshooter, go with 'em.
What about Brooklyn? Who wants Brooklyn?
Come on, Spot Conlon's territory.
- What's the matter, scared of Brooklyn? - We ain't scared of Brooklyn!
Spot Conlon makes us a little nervous.
- He don't make me nervous. You and me, Boots, we'll go. - All right.
And Dave can keep us company.
- Right, Dave? - Sure, as soon as you take our demands to Pulitzer.
- Me to Pulitzer? - You're the leader, Jack.
Go tell him, Jack!
Maybe the kid'll soften him up a bit.
[CHEERING]
[CHANTING] Strike! Strike!
Strike!
DENTON: What is this strike? What's going on?
We're bringing our demands to Pulitzer.
- What demands? - The newsies' demands. We're on strike.
I'm with "The New York Sun." I'm Bryan Denton.
You seem like the kid in charge. What's your name?
- David. - David, as in David and Goliath?
- You really think Pulitzer's gonna listen to your demands? - He has to.
- MAN: Out! - So's your old lady!
- Tell Pulitzer he needs an appointment with me! - Yeah!
So this real snooty mug says, "You can't see Mr. Pulitzer.
No one sees Mr. Pulitzer." Real hoity-toity, you know.
- Real hoity-toity. - I said, "I ain't transactin' business with office boys.
Just tell him Jack Kelly's here to see him now."
- That's when he threw us out. - Ha-ha!
Does it scare ya? You're goin'up against the most powerful man in New York City.
Look at me, I'm tremblin'.
All right, keep me informed.
I wanna know everything that's going on.
- Are we really an important story? - Well, what's important?
Last year I covered the war in Cuba.
Charged up San Juan Hill with Colonel Teddy Roosevelt.
That was a very important story.
So, is the newsies' strike important? It depends on you.
So my name's really gonna be in the papers?
- Any objections? - Not as long as you get it right.
Kelly, Jack Kelly.
And Denton?
- No pictures. - Sure.
DAVID: I've never been to Brooklyn, have you?
I spent a month there one night.
- Watch this. - [Shouting]
DAVID: So is Spot Conlon really dangerous?
[JACK LAUGHING]
Goin' somewhere, Kelly?
Well, if it ain't Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick.
You moved up in the world, Spot, got a river view and everything.
Hey, Boots, how's it rollin'?
Hey, I got a couple of real good shooters here.
Yeah.
- So, Jackie Boy, I've been hearin' things from little birds. - Yeah?
Things from Harlem, Queens.
All over.
They're chirpin' in my ear.
Jackie Boy's newsies is playin' like they're goin' on strike.
- Yeah, we are. - Well, we're not playin'. We are goin' on strike.
Oh, yeah, yeah?
What is this, some kind of walkin' mouth?
Yeah, it's a mouth, a mouth with a brain.
If you got half of one, you'll listen.
Go on, tell him.
Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone.
So we've been talkin' to other newsies all around the city.
Yeah, so they told me. But what did they tell you?
They're waitin' to see what Spot Conlon does. You're the key.
That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York.
And probably everywhere else.
And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they'll join.
We'll be unstoppable. You gotta join us because... Well, you gotta.
Well, you're right, Jack. Brains.
But I got brains too.
And more than just half of one.
How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes at you?
How do I know you got what it takes to win?
'Cause I'm tellin' you, Spot.
That ain't good enough, Jackie Boy.
You gotta show me.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Double down, boys, double down.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
How you doin', Jack?
Jack, so where's Spot?
He was concerned about us bein' serious.
Maybe we ought to ease off a little.
Without Spot and the others, there's not enough of us.
Maybe we're movin' too soon, maybe we ain't ready.
I definitely think we should forget about it for a little while.
- Oh, do you? - Yeah, without Brooklyn...
Who we kiddin' here? Spot was right. Is it just a game to you?
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- Hey, Crutchy. - Hiya, Jack.
♫ Open the gates and seize the day ♪
♫ Don't be afraid and don't delay ♪
♫ Nothing can break us no one can make us ♪
♫ Give our rights away ♪
♫ Arise and seize the day ♪
Yeah!
TOGETHER: Yeah!
♫ Now is the time to seize the day ♪
♫ Send out the call and join the fray ♪
♫ Wrongs will be righted if we're united ♪
♫ Let us seize the day ♪
[CHEERING]
♫ Friends of the friendless seize the day ♪
♫ Raise up the torch and light the way ♪
♫ Proud and defiant we'll slay the giant ♪
♫ Let us seize the day ♪
♫ Neighbor to neighbor ♪
♫ Father to son ♪
♫ One for all and all for one ♪
♫ Open the gates and seize the day ♪
♫ Don't be afraid and don't delay ♪
♫ Nothing can break us no one can make us ♪
♫ Give our rights away ♪
♫ Neighbor to neighbor ♪
♫ Father to son ♪
♫ One for all and all for one ♪♪
- Yeah! - Yeah!
- [BELL RINGING] - Anybody hear that?
- No! - What are we gonna do about it?
Soak 'em!
[CHEERING]
WEASEL: Come on, it's a beautiful day!
Let's go! Let's go!
WEASEL: Come on, buy your papes! What's goin'on here?
Move it, move it! Move it!
- All right! - Atta boy!
You did good.
It's about time, South, where you been?
We got a big one, fellas.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Is he a newsie or what? Hey, hey, hey.
Fellas, fellas. Blink.
Now, Jack, just don't...
[SNICKERING]
[SHOUTING]
- Hey-hey-hey-hey! - I'm gonna crack your dome!
WEASEL: What's he doin'? What are you starin'at!
What are you lookin'at?
Look out!
[WAR CRIES]
- Jack! Jack! - [WHISTLES]
Hey! It's the Bulls!
Hey, cheese it! Cheese it, it's the Bulls!
Les!
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Whoa! Crutchy! Scram! Scram!
Oh!
[WHISTLES]
- Hey! - Heya, fellas, how ya doin'?
Huh, huh?
Hey, guys, don't. Hey, what ya doin'?
[INDISTINCT]
So, here it is, The Refuge.
My home, sweet home.
How can you be sure they sent Crutchy here?
How can I be sure the Delanceys stink?
It's just the way things work.
An orphan gets arrested,
Snyder makes sure he gets sent here so he can rehabilitate him.
The more kids in The Refuge, the more money the city sends to take care of'em,
the more Snyder sticks in his pocket.
He's here.
So how come you brought the rope?
[GRUNTING]
Gently, Dave, gently.
That's good. That's good.
Cowboy, you miss the joint?
What do you say, Ten-Pin? You got a new guy, Crutchy?
- The gimp? I'll get him for ya. - Yeah, the gimp.
Crutchy, Jack.
Hey, Crutchy.
I don't believe it.
- Hey, thanks. - Hey, Crutchy.
What are ya hangin' around here for?
- What do you mean? Know who's on the roof? - Who?
- Dave. - Is that Dave? Dave, how ya doin'?
- Shh! - Listen, go get your stuff.
- We're gonna get you out. - Well, um...
Actually, I ain't walkin' so good.
Oscar and Morris kinda worked me over a little.
They hurt ya?
Don't worry about it, me and Dave can carry you out.
I don't want nobody carryin' me.
Never, d'ya hear?
Hey, Davey, they still talk about how Jack rode outta here on that coach.
- Teddy Roosevelt's, right? - You already heard the story.
- You mean, it's true? - Of course.
Hey, cheese it!
[CLEARING THROAT]
Uh, Mr. Warden Snyder, sir, I was thinking.
I'd like you to know that when you were taking a nap this afternoon...
[CRUTCHY CONTINUES INDISTINCT]
[INDISTINCT]
I don't think they're just going to go away, Chief.
Mr. Pulitzer, sir.
Just give me the means and I'll take care of them for ya.
Give him whatever means he requires. I want this nonsense done with.
- Chief... - Shut your mouth, Seitz!
♫ Open the gates and seize the day ♪
♫ Don't be afraid and don't delay ♪
♫ Nothing can break us no one can make us ♪
♫ Give our rights away ♪
♫ Arise and seize the day ♪
♪♪♪
Yeah!
[WHINNYING]
[SHOUTING]
RACETRACK: Come on, you grafters, cross the line.
All right, everyone remain calm!
Let's soak 'em for Crutchy.
Oh, Jack! Jack, it's a trick!
Wait!
Hiya, Jackie Boy.
DAVID: Les, get outta here, go!
Hey!
- Aren't you going to stop them, sir? - Move along, mister.
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
Never fear, Brooklyn is here.
- Brooklyn! - Brooklyn!
[CHEERING]
Aaah!
Owww!
MAN: Come here, ya... Come on!
Owww!
Aaah! [GROANING]
Hey, I give up. All right, I give up.
Oooh!
Hey, Spot!
Hiya, Weasel.
Are you all right?
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
[CHEERING]
Hey, David.
Jack! Boys! Freeze!
- Freeze! - All right, guys.
BOY: Extra! Extra!
"Children's Crusade, Newsies Stop 'The World'."
[BELL RINGING]
- Hey, fellas! This is it! - Hey, Denton.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hey, hey, big time.
What you got there, Jack?
Where's me picture? Where's me picture?
Them words there, they all about us?
- Look at you, Jack, you look like a general. - Get your fingers off.
- Where does it say my name? - Quit thinkin' about yourself.
- You got us on the front page. - You got yourselves on the front page.
I just gotta make sure you stay there.
So what, you get your picture in the papes? What's that get ya?
What are you talkin' about, huh?
You've been in a bad mood all day.
- I'm not in a bad mood! - Glum and dumb! What's the matter?
You're in the papes! You're famous.
You're famous, you get anything you want.
- That's what's so great about New York! - Yeah!
♫ A pair of new shoes with matchin' laces ♪
♫ A permanent box at sheepshead races ♪
♫ A porcelain tub with boilin' water ♪
♫ A Saturday night with the mayor's daughter ♪
♫ Look at me I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Suddenly I'm respectable starin' right at ya lousy with stature ♪
♫ Nobbin' with all the muckety mucks ♪
♫ I'm blowin' my dough and goin' deluxe ♪
♫ There I be ain't I pretty ♪
♫ It's my city I'm the king of New York ♪
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
I said don't rip it.
♫ A corduroy suit with fitted knickers ♪
♫ A mezzanine seat to see the flickers ♪
♫ Havana cigars that cost a quarter ♪
♫ An editor's desk for the star reporter ♪
♫ Tip your hat he's the king of New York ♪
♫ How about that I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ In nothin' flat he'll be coverin' Brooklyn to Trenton ♪
- ♫ Our man Denton ♪ - ♫ Makin' the headline out of a hunch ♪
- ♫ Protectin' the weak ♪ - ♫ And payin' for lunch ♪
- ♫ When I'm at bat strong men crumble ♪ - ♫ Proud yet humble ♪
- ♫ I'm the king of New York ♪ - ♫ He's the king of New York ♪
♫ I gotta be either dead or dreamin' ♪
♫ 'Cause look at that pape with my face beamin' ♪
♫ Tomorrow they may wrap fishes in it ♪
♫ But I was a star for one whole minute ♪
[CHEERING]
♫ Startin' now I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Ain't ya heard I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Holy cow it's a miracle ♪
♫ Pulitzer's cryin' Weasel, he's dyin' ♪
♫ Flashpots are shootin' bright as the sun ♪
♫ I'm one highfalutin son-of-a-gun ♪
♫ Don't ask me how fortune found me ♪
♫ Fate just crowned me now I'm king of New York ♪
♫ Look and see once a piker ♪
♫ Now a striker I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Victory front page story ♪
♫ Guts and glory I'm the king of New York ♪♪
[CHEERING]
- Let's have some ideas. - We gotta show people where we stand.
So we gotta stay in the papes.
My paper's the only one printin' any strike news so far.
So we should do somethin' that's so big...
the other papers are gonna feel stupid if they ignore us.
- Yeah. - Like a rally.
A newsie rally with all the kids from all over New York.
We'll make it the biggest, loudest, noisiest blowout this town's ever seen.
We'll send a message to the big boys.
- I'll give 'em a message. - Yeah.
There's a lot of us and we ain't goin' away.
We'll fight until doomsday if it means we get a fair shake.
I'll fight to that.
Hey, you guys, to our man Denton.
- Oh! - TOGETHER: To our man Denton!
Heya, Mr. Snyder, how was your supper?
Hey, that's Jack.
He looks just like his self.
- You know this boy? - No, naw!
You have a famous friend, this Jack. Do you know where he lives?
I never heard of him, honest.
It's this brain. It's always makin' mistakes.
It's got a mind of its own.
Can I get you anything else, Mr. Snyder?
Good-bye, Mr. Snyder.
So'd I spell it right, Kloppman?
Very good. That's very good.
I like it. Yeah.
Excuse me. Can I help you?
You have a boy who calls himself Jack Kelly?
- I wish to see him. - Jack Kelly? Jack... Never heard of him.
Never heard of him.
Any of you boys ever heard of Jack Kelly?
That's unusual name for these parts.
RACETRACK: Oh, you mean Jack Kelly!
Yeah, he was here.
But he put an egg in his shoe and beat it.
[LAUGHTER]
I have reason to believe that he is an escaped prisoner, possibly dangerous.
Oh! Dangerous?
KLOPPMAN: I better look in my files.
Oh, this way, please.
Give to the newsie strike fund, mister?
Huh?
Did you sleep out there all night?
Yeah.
Why didn't you wake us up?
Well, I didn't want to disturb nobody.
Anyway, it's like the Waldorf out here,
great view and cool air.
Go up on the roof.
- Are you hungry? - Yeah.
Good, 'cause I made you breakfast.
Papa's so proud of you and David.
You should hear him talking about Jack Kelly,
the strike leader who occasionally takes his meals with us.
This is one strike leader who's gonna be very happy when it's all over.
I can get outta here and go to Santa Fe.
I mean, there's nothin' for me to stay for, is there?
You should see Santa Fe. Everything's different there.
It's all bigger.
You know, the desert and the sky and the sun.
It's the same sun as here.
Yeah, just looks different.
I should...
get ready for work!
Sarah, I'm just not used to havin'...
whether I stay or go matter to anybody.
I'm not sayin' it should matter to you.
I'm just sayin', um...
But does it... matter?
MAYOR: Of course, the city is very concerned...
that this event doesn't get out of hand, but...
Chief?
We can't just charge in and break it up, Mr. Pulitzer.
- We've got no legal cause. - Legal cause!
Would the fact that this rally is organized by an escaped criminal...
be cause enough, Mayor?
Escaped criminal?
Fugitive from one of your prisons.
Convicted thief.
He's been living at large under the alias of Jack Kelly.
- What's his real name? - Sullivan.
Francis Sullivan,
Your Honor, I would've caught him before now, but...
You know Warden Snyder, don't you, Mayor?
I believe you know him because you... appointed him.
Yes.
If this boy is a fugitive,
- then the chief can quietly arrest him. - No, no, no.
Not quietly. Not quietly!
I want an example made.
I want this rabble he's roused to see what happens...
to those who would dare to... [Growl]
They should see justice in action.
- Arrest him at the rally. - By the way, Mayor,
I'm having a few friends for cards tonight,
newspaper friends, Willie Hearst, Gordon Bennett.
Perhaps you'll join us.
Talk about the...coming election.
I'd be honored.
Carryin' the banner!
[CHEERING] Carryin' the banner!
You know the boys, Mayor. This is Mr. Bennett of “The Tribune."
- Mr. Taylor of “The Times." - Nice to see you.
- Of course, you know Mr. Hearst. - Of course.
This is a new member of our little group, Mr. Gammon.
- He just came back from Europe. - Welcome home.
Mr. Gammon owns, what? "The New York Sun."
Cigar, sir?
We've come a long way, but we ain't there yet.
Maybe it's only gonna get tougher from now on.
But that's fine. We'll just get tougher with it.
But also, also we gotta get smart...
- and start listenin' to my pal, David, - Yeah!
Who says, "Stop soaking the scabs."
What are we supposed to do to the bums, kiss 'em?
Any scab I see, I soak 'em, period.
- Yeah! - Yeah!
No! That's what they want us to do.
If we get violent, it's playin' into their hands.
They're gonna be playing with my hands.
This ain't what they say, it's what we say.
Nobody ain't gonna listen to us, unless we make 'em.
[SHOUTING]
You got no brains! We're starting to fight each other,
it's just what the big shots wanna see.
That we're street trash, street rats with no brains,
no respect for nothin' including ourselves.
So here's how it is. If we don't act together, we're nothin'.
If we don't stick together, can't trust each other, then we're nothin'.
- Tell 'em, Jack! - So, what's it gonna be?
We're with you, Jack.
So what do you say, Spot?
I say that what you say...
is what I say.
[CHEERING]
- Yeah! Yeah! - All right!
♫ ♪
♫ High times, hard times ♪
♫ Sometimes the livin' is sweet ♪
♫ And sometimes there's nothin' to eat ♪
♫ But I always lands on my feet ♪
♫ So when there's dry times ♪
♫ I wait for high times and then ♪
♫ I put on my best and I stick out my chest ♪
♫ And I'm off to the races again ♪
- [CHEERING] - Oh, Medda!
Hello, newsies! What's new?
[Medda] ♫ So your old lady don't love you no more ♪
♫ So you're afraid there's a wolf at your door ♪
♫ So you got street rats that scream in your ear ♪
♫ You win some you lose some, my dear ♪
♫ Oh, high times hard times ♪
♫ Sometimes the livin' is sweet ♪
♫ And sometimes there's nothin' to eat ♪
♫ But I always lands on my feet ♪
♫ So when there's dry times ♪
♫ I wait for high times and then ♪
♫ I put on my best and I stick out my chest ♪
♫ And I'm off to the races again ♪
- ♫ I put on my best ♪ - ♫ I put on my best ♪
- ♫ Yes, I stick out my chest ♪ - ♫ I stick out my chest ♪
- ♫ And I'm off ♪ - ♫ And I'm off ♪
♫ And I'm off to the races again ♪♪
Excuse me, aren't you Warden Snyder?
Bryan Denton of “The Sun." How do you do, sir?
I heard about your wonderful work with the children.
I wondered if I might get an interview.
- Jack! - Hi, David.
- It's Snyder. - What?
It's Snyder... right there.
Let me get that correct. "Snider" as in snide?
Smile, sir.
Medda, thanks. I gotta run.
[WHISTLE]
Hurry.
No!
No! For God's sake!
He's just a child. Why don't you pick on someone your own size?
MEDDA: Racetrack!
DAVID: Get outta here now!
Hey, come here! Sullivan, I gotcha!
Go up there. All right, no, go here.
Push me.
Get outta here! Go!
- Stop where you are. - Hey, come back!
Show's over, Cowboy.
You all right? Come on.
Stay back!
MAN: All rise. All rise. Court is now in session.
Judge E.A. Monahan presiding.
Are any of you represented by counsel?
No. Good, good.
- That'll move things along considerably. - Your Honor, I object.
On what grounds?
On the grounds of Brooklyn, Your Honor.
[GAVEL BANGING]
I fine each of you $5.00,
or two weeks'confinement in The House of Refuge.
- He said five bucks. - Whoa. Hey, we ain't got five bucks.
We don't even got five cents.
Your Honor, how 'bout I roll you for it? Double or nothing.
- Move along, move along. - DENTON: Your Honor,
I'll pay the fines,
all of them.
- Fellas, you all right? - It's David.
- Where's Jack? - Look, we got to meet at the restaurant.
Everybody. We have to talk.
Pay the clerk. Move it along.
Hey, fellas!
Hey, Cowboy, nice shiner.
Pay the clerk. Move it along.
Hey, Denton, I guess we made all the papes this time.
- How'd my picture look? - None of the papers covered the rally,
not even "The Sun."
Case of Jack Kelly. Inciting to riot,
assault, resisting arrest.
Judge Monahan, I'll speak for this young man.
You two know each other. Ain't that nice!
Just move it along, Warden Snyder.
This boy's real name is Francis Sullivan.
His mother's deceased, his father's a convict.
He's an escapee from The House of Refuge...
where his sentence for three months was extended to six months...
- for disruptive behavior. - Like demanding we eat the food you steal from us.
Followed by an additional six months for attempted escape.
Attempted? Last time wasn't an attempted escape.
Remember me and Teddy Roosevelt and the carriage?
- You remember Roosevelt and the carriage! - I ask he be returned...
- to The House of Refuge. - Away for my own good, right, move along?
For my own good and what he kicks back to you.
And that the court order his incarceration until the age of 21...
in the hope that we may yet guide him to a useful and productive life.
So ordered!
No!
Next.
Hey, Mr. Denton!
- Thanks for bailing us out. - My pleasure.
- Why didn't "The Sun" print the story? - Because it never happened.
What do you mean? It never happened? You were there!
If it's not in the papers, it never happened.
The owners decreed that it not be in the papers, therefore...
Anyway, I came to tell you fellas good-bye.
- What happened? You get fired? - No, I got reassigned...
back to my old job as "The Sun's" ace war correspondent.
They want me to leave right away.
The owner thinks I should only cover the really important stories.
Yep, well, wish me luck, fellas,
at least half of what I wish for you.
They don't always fire you, David.
I would be blackballed from every paper in the country.
Hey,
I'm a newspaperman.
I have to have a paper to write for.
This is the, uh,
story I wrote about the rally.
And...
I want you to read it, at least.
Bill?
- No, no. - This should cover it. Thanks.
We get Jack out of the Refuge tonight.
- From now on, we trust no one but the newsies. - Yeah!
RACETRACK: Come on, get the lead out of your pants.
Move along, boy.
That's where we saw Crutchy.
[WHISTLE]
It's Jack.
- It's Jack! - Shh, shh.
Whoa, boy.
Where they takin' him, Dave?
There's one way to find out.
I'll meet you guys at the square.
Racetrack, watch him.
Whoa, whoa, boy.
Get him inside.
MAN: Oh, well, about ready to wrap up for the night.
- Gonna be another late one. - Yes, I know.
Sit!
Know what I was doing when I was your age, boy?
I was in a war!
- The Civil War. - Yeah, I heard of it. So... did you win?
People think that wars are about right or wrong.
They're not. They're about power.
I heard of that too. I don't just sell your papers, Joe, sometimes I read 'em.
Power of the press is the greatest power of them all.
I tell this city how to think.
I tell this city how to vote.
I... shape its future.
Yeah? Well, right now...
I'm just thinking about one future and that's mine.
So am I, boy.
I have the power to see that you stay locked in the Refuge.
- And I have the power to break out again. - Or...
I could see you released tomorrow free and clear...
with more money in your pockets than you could earn in... three lifetimes.
Are you bribin' me, Joe?
Mmm. Well, no-no-no-no-no.
It's been nice chattin' with you, Joe, but I gotta be going now.
You listen to me, boy.
Just shut your mouth and listen to me.
You shut up and listen to me for once!
It's no game I'm playing.
You work for me until the strike is over.
It will end, boy, make no mistake, without you.
Then you go wherever you want to buy a ticket for.
Away from the Refuge, these foul streets.
Free!
With money to spend and nobody chasing you.
I must have you scared pretty bad, old man.
I offer you freedom and money just to work for me again.
To your friends, I won't be so kind!
Now your partner, what's his name, David? I understand he has a family.
What do you think the Refuge will do to him?
And it would be you who put him there.
And all the others. After all, you're their leader.
Go back to the Refuge tonight. Think about it.
Give me your answer in the morning.
Jack, come on!
Come on! Run!
After him!
Don't worry. He's got no place to go.
- Come on, keep running! - You shouldn't have done this, Dave.
- They could put you in jail. - I don't care.
Come here!
What about your family? What happens to them if you go in jail?
You don't know nothin' about jail.
Thanks for what you've done, but you get outta here.
- I don't understand. - I don't understand either, but just get outta here!
- No! - Go!
♫ Santa Fe ♪
♫ My old friend ♪
♫ I can't spend my whole life hiding ♪
♫ You're the only light that's guidin' me today ♪
Psst, Jack.
Look. I snitched it off of Snyder's plate when I was serving him.
It's the biggest one. Oh, Mr. Snyder was eating good tonight.
You know, the stuff that we don't never get.
Potatoes, olives, even bacon, sauerkraut.
Guess what I done to his sauerkraut, huh?
- So what's it get ya? - Another three months.
But you can't let him beat ya, right, Jack?
That's what you always say.
We was beat when we was born.
♫ Will you keep a candle burnin' ♪
♫ Will you help me find my way ♪
♫ You're my chance to break free ♪
♫ And who knows when my next one will be ♪
♫Santa Fe ♪
♫ Wait for me ♪♪
[CHANTING] Stop "The World." No more papes.
Stop "The World." No more papes.
Cheese it! Cheese it!
- Cheese it! Race, please help me. - All right, I ain't deaf.
Hey, hey, hey. Break it up.
Hold it right there.
- Hey, Race, come here. - What?
Tell me I'm just seein' things. Just tell me I'm seein' things.
RACETRACK: You ain't seein'things. That's Jack.
- What's he doin'? - He's dressed like a scabber.
Jack, look at me, will ya? Come on, it's me, Mush.
Look at me! What're you doing?
This ain't happening! What are you doin', Jack?
Hey, what is this?
- Where'd you get them clothes? - Mr. Pulitzer picked them.
- A special gift to a special new employee. - He sold us out.
Look at him in his little suit. Ya bum! I'll soak ya!
- Ya fink! - Let me get my hands dirty.
Come here, you dirty, rotten scabber!
[SHOUTIN]
I'll murder ya!
Oh, you want to talk to him. Come on, sure.
Go right ahead.
So this is why you didn't escape last night.
- Yeah. - You're a liar.
You lied about everything.
You lied about your father being out west.
- You didn't even tell me your real name. - So? What you want to do about it?
I don't understand you.
So let me spell it out for ya.
You see, I ain't got nobody tucking me in at night like you.
It's just me. I gotta look out for myself.
- You had the newsies! - What'd being a newsie give me...
but a dime a day and a few black eyes?
I can't afford to be a kid no more, Dave.
For the first time in my life I got money in my pockets. Real money!
Money. You understand?
I got more on the way and as soon as I collect, I'm gone, all right?
That's good 'cause we don't need you.
We don't need you!
All those words you said, those were mine.
But you never had the guts to put 'em across yourself.
I do now.
What's the matter?
Got a problem?
Maybe, maybe you'd like a new suit of your own, huh?
- Never! - Get outta here! Off with him.
You make me sick!
- Look at yourself, huh? - I trusted you.
Seize the day, huh, Jack?
He's foolin' 'em so he can spy on 'em or something.
Yeah, that's it. He's foolin' 'em.
Yeah, he's spyin' on 'em, kid.
Les,
what is this?
I'm savin' it.
David,
it's Denton's article.
"The Dark Truth: Why Our City Really Fears The Newsies' Strike...
"by Bryan Denton.
"Last night, I saw naked force exercised against mere boys,
the newsies, who were the..."
One trick, Cowboy, and it's right back to the Refuge.
Please.
Ah, you gonna be requiring anything else this evening?
No? Ah, tsk, tsk.
Well then, I oughta be saying good night.
Remember... one trick and I go straight to Mr. Pulitzer.
WEASEL: Move along, gentlemen, move along.
20 papes. Next.
- 20 papes, please. - Next.
- 30 papes, please. - Yes, sir.
30 papes. Next.
- I'll take, uh, 50. - 50 papes!
50 papes. Next.
Sleep well, Cowboy?
Come with us, Cowboy. We're gonna go fix your pal Davey.
- Fix him so he can't walk. - Shut up!
Uh-uh. Lift one finger, it's back to the Refuge.
Next!
50.
- Good mornin'. - Good mornin' to ya.
'Scuse me, sweet face.
- How's your little brother, tootsie? - [LAUGHING]
Where's little Davey?
Leave my sister alone!
SARAH: Stop it! Leave him alone!
You stupid ape.
No!
- What happened? Are you hurt? - No, I'm all right.
- Help Sarah. - SARAH: Run, Davey!
Oh, yeah, run, Davey.
We got the best part of your family right here.
Let go of me! Stop it!
- Get up! - SARAH: Les!
Stop, you're hurting him. No! Leave him alone!
SARAH: Stop it!
Leave him alone!
Get over here!
Remember Crutchy?
- You all right? - Yeah.
David?
You better run, Cowboy. We're gonna tell Uncle Weas.
- You'll be back in the Refuge by supper time. - Run, ya lousy coward.
LES: Run, get outta here! Don't come back.
What? You couldn't stay away?
Well, I guess I can't be something I ain't.
A scab?
No, smart.
Did you mean what you wrote here?
About all these sweatshop kids listening to me?
I don't write anything I don't mean.
Well, come on in. I was just packing a few things.
So, yes, I meant it.
The city thrives on child labor.
A lot of people make money that way.
They're terrified that the newsies strike will spread.
There's not much chance of that...
as long as they got the power.
Sometimes all it takes is a voice.
One voice that becomes a hundred,
and then a thousand...
unless it's silenced.
Why can't we spread the strike?
Have another big rally and get the word out to all the sweatshop kids?
- Why not? - What are we gonna do? Put an ad in the paper?
We'll do better than that. We'll make our own paper.
We tell 'em they gotta join us. Isn't that a good idea?
Yeah, it is. But what do we know about printing a newspaper?
- Nothing, but our man, Denton... - But I think our man, Denton,
has something more important to do.
I mean, he's gonna be an ace war correspondent.
Right, Denton?
All right.
DENTON: Where do we start?
We gotta move fast.
We're gonna need the newsies to circulate.
DENTON: We need a printing press.
So happens I know a guy with a printing press.
- You've been living here? - Shh! They're above us.
If Weasel catches us, we're all in the slam.
All right! A platen press!
Looks like old man Pulitzer never threw anything away.
- Will this thing work? - It better. We have a deadline.
♫ This is the story you wanted to write ♪
♫ Well tonight is a night that you can ♪
♫ Just get this done and by dawn's early light ♪
♫ You can finish the fight you began ♪
♫ This time we're in it to stay ♪
♫ Think about seizing the day ♪
♫ Think of that train as she rolls into old Santa Fe ♪
♫ Tell 'em I'm on my way ♪
♫ See ol'man Pulitzer snug in his bed He don't care if we're dead or alive ♪
♫ Three satin pillows are under his head ♪
♫ While we're begging for bread to survive ♪
♫ Joe, if you're still countin'sheep ♪
♫ Wake up and read 'em and weep ♪
♫ You got your thugs with their sticks and the slugs ♪
♫ Yeah, but we got a promise to keep ♪
♫ Once and for all something tells me the tide'll be turnin'♪
♫ Once and for all there's a fire inside me ♪
♫ That won't stop burning ♪
♫ Now that the choices are clear ♪
♫ Now that tomorrow is here ♪
♫ Watch how the mighty can fall for once and for all ♪
It's nice of Mr. Pulitzer to let us use his press.
I just hope I get to thank him for it some day.
♫ This is for kids shining shoes in the streets ♪
♫ With no shoes on their feet every day ♪
Hey, kid, can you read? Read that.
Take this. Read these.
Know how to read?
Read that, all right?
Carryin' the banner!
♫ Once and for all we'll be there to defend one another ♪
♫ Once and for all every kid is our friend ♪
♫ Every friend a brother ♪
- Hey, meeting in the square. - Support the newsies.
♫ Five thousand reasons to try we're going over the wall ♪
♫ Better to die than to crawl ♪
♫ Either we stand or we fall ♪
♫ For once once and for all ♪♪
Disgraceful, Denty! Those poor boys!
I thought you'd feel this way, Governor.
And I did nothing...
until now.
Good, very good, sir.
So when's the others comin', kid?
They ain't comin'. Ain't gonna be nobody but us.
- Come on, Jack. - Have hope, Jack.
♫ When the circulation bell starts ringin' ♪
- ♫ Will we hear it ♪ - Naw.
♫ What if the Delanceys come out swingin' ♪
- ♫ Will we hear it ♪ - No!
Atta boy!
[CHEERING]
♫ When you got a million voices singin'♪
- ♫ Who can hear a lousy ♪ - Look!
♫ Whistle blow ♪
♫ And "The World" will know ♪
[CHEERING]
Brooklyn! Brooklyn!
♫ "The World" will feel the fire ♪
♫ And finally know ♪
[CHEERING]
We're gonna strike! We're gonna strike!
Get back!
[CHANTING] Strike! Strike! Strike! Strike!
- Yeah! - Yes!
Dear me, what have we here?
[CHANTING] Strike! Strike!
It's awful, everyone's calling. Mr. Hearst, Mr. Benton...
and the mayor, and such awful language.
The city's at a standstill and they all blame the chief.
It's like the end of the world. Oh, dear, I didn't say that.
Extry! Extry! Joe!
Read all about it.
I promised that if you defied me, I would break you.
I'll keep that promise, boy.
I gave you the chance to be free. I don't understand.
Anyone who doesn't act in his own self-interest...
is a fool.
- What does that make you? - What?
This is my pal, David,
the walking mouth.
You talk about self-interest, but since the strike...
your circulation has been down 70%.
Every day you're losing thousands of dollars...
just to beat us out of one lousy tenth of a cent.
Why?
JACK: It ain't about the money, Dave.
If Joe gives in to nobodies like us,
that means we got the power.
He can't do that no matter what it costs. Am I right, Joe?
I sent for the police. They must be here by now.
Send 'em in, Seitz. Send 'em in.
I'm not goin' back to jail, Joe.
Look out here. Right out here is right where your power ends!
PULITZER: Shut the windows! Close the windows!
Stop that infernal noise! Go home!
- Go home! Go home! - I don't hear you, Joe!
PULITZER: Go home to your mothers and fathers!
- Go home! You listen to me! - I can't hear ya!
- Maybe you should listen to me for a change. - No, you listen to me!
- No, you should listen! - Shut the window and shut up!
There's a lot of people out there! They ain't gonna go away!
They got voices now and they're gonna be listened to.
Putting me in jail is not gonna stop them.
That's the power of the press, Joe.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Thanks for teachin' me about it.
Those kids put out a pretty good paper there, Chief.
PULITZER: I ordered a printing ban on all strike matters.
Now who defied it?
Whose press did you use to print this? Whose?
Well, we only used the best, Joe.
So I just wanna say,
thanks again.
Hey, fellas, they're over here.
They're over here.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
What'd they say, huh? What'd they say?
JACK: We beat 'em!
All right!
WEASEL: Excuse me, excuse me.
Jack, Jack! It's the Bulls! It's the Bulls, let me down!
[Indistinct]
No, Jack, it's over.
- Let's go! - No, no, no! You don't have to run.
Not anymore. Not from the likes of him.
Come on, come on.
BOY: Hey, Crutchy, come on outta there.
Uh, remember what I told ya, Mr. Snyder.
The first thing you do in jail, make friends with the rats.
Share what you got in common.
- Uh, Officer, may I, please? - Sure, kid.
[CHEERING]
- Hey, Crutchy! - Hey, guys!
You won't be seein' much of him anymore.
- Say good-bye, Warden. - Bye!
[SHOUTING]
Jack, you ought to have seen it.
He come stormin' into the Refuge wavin' his walkin' stick like a sword.
And he's leadin' this army of lawyers and cops...
- Who comes walkin' in? - You know, your friend, him!
CRUTCHY: Teddy Roosevelt.
The governor's very grateful you brought this problem to his attention.
I said you might need a lift somewhere. He's glad to oblige.
Anywhere you want, and this time you ride inside.
Could he drop me at the train yards?
Yeah, if that's what you want.
[CHEERING]
[BELL RINGING]
♫ Try Bottle Alley or the harbor ♪
♫ Try Central Park it's guaranteed ♪
♫ Try any banker bum or barber ♪
♫ They almost all knows how to read ♪
♫ Summer stinks and winter's waitin' ♪
♫ Welcome to New York ♪
♫ Boy ain't nature fascinatin' ♪
♫ When youse gotta walk ♪
- One hundred papes. - All right, Davey.
Thanks.
[CHEERING]
Jack!
- There's Jack! - He's back!
Thanks for the advice, Governor.
Like you said, I still got things to do.
Besides, I got family here.
CRUTCHY: This is wonderful! Hey, Jack, how you doin'?
I told ya, I told ya!
[INDISTINCT]
So how's the headline today?
Headlines don't sell papes. Newsies sell papes.
Come here, David.
Thanks, Davey.
All right, yeah!
Whoo! Check it!
Whoo!
- Look at Spot! - Good-bye, Spot!
♫ It's a fine life carryin'the banner ♪
Extry! Extry!
♫ Look at me I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Suddenly I'm respectable starin' right at ya lousy with stature ♪
♫ Nobbin' with all the muckety mucks ♪
♫ I'm blowin'my dough and goin'deluxe ♪
♫ There I be ain't I pretty ♪
♫ It's my city I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Startin'now I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Ain't ya heard I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Holy cow it's a miracle ♪
♫ Pulitzer's cryin' Weasel he's dyin'♪
♫ Flashpots are shootin' bright as the sun ♪
♫ I'm one highfalutin son-of-a-gun ♪
♫ Don't ask me how fortune found me ♪
♫ Fate just crowned me I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ Victory front page story guts and glory ♪
♫ I'm the king of New York ♪
♫ And "The World" will know ♪
♫ And "The World" will learn ♪
♫ And "The World" will wonder how we made the tables turn ♪
♫ And "The World" will see that we had to choose ♪
♫ That the things we do today will be tomorrow's news ♪
♫ And the old will fall and the young stand tall ♪
♫ And the time is now and the winds will blow ♪
♫And our ranks will grow and grow and grow and so ♪
♫ "The World" will feel the fire ♪
♫ And finally know ♪