The reason for calling this conference
at this particular moment is that we are convinced
that we have overcome a major financial crisis,
a crisis in severity
unparalleled in the history of the world,
and that with its relaxation,
confidence and hope have reappeared in the world.
# Happy days are here again
# The skies above are clear again
All anybody talked about back then
was the Great Depression, how bad things were,
and how the good times had to be just around the corner.
Well, I must have worn out every corner in Waycross, Georgia,
looking for those good times before realising
my destiny lay somewhere else,
anywhere else.
# Happy days are here again
# Your cares and troubles are gone
# There'll be no more from now on
# Happy days are here again
# The skies above are clear again
# Let us sing a song of cheer again...
Ready, Sonora? You don't want to be late for school.
Be right there.
- Arnette, where's your sister? - She's comin', Aunt Helen.
Sonora, you better quit lollygaggin'.
Sonora, what are ya doin'?
What have you done?
My God, girl! What am I gonna do with you?
- I'll teach you. - No, Aunt Helen, don't, please!
You're gonna wear it, and that's final.
No more back talk, or I'll smack your face.
Go on get out of here. I don't even want to look at you.
Come here, Lightning. What's wrong?
Whoa. Easy.
Hold still. Let me get...
There.
There you go. That's better, huh, boy?
Isn't that sweet? Nice haircut, Sonora.
Who cut it? A blind man with a butcher knife?
That's the ugliest haircut I've ever seen.
Ugly? She should look in the mirror. Come on, Lightning.
Where you taking him? To the glue factory?
He's the best horse in the county. - Oh, yeah, sure. - Oh yeah.
He is. Lightning can outrun or outjump any horse around.
Can he jump that fence over there?
- He can jump twice that high. - Prove it.
I would, but I don't want to be late for school.
You're just a 'fraidy cat.
You're just scared.
Go on. Do it. I dare you.
I double dare you.
Okay, you just watch.
I think my big mouth just got us into trouble.
Come on, Lightning. Come on.
- Will she make it? - She's gonna do it.
Come on, Lightning.
Let's get out of here!
Wait. Get back.
Help!
The noun of the sentence is "boy. "
The verb of the sentence is...
You're late, Sonora.
I'm very sorry, Miss Simpson.
You're getting detention for this.
But it's not my fault. The cows got out, and I...
I don't want to hear any excuses. Take your seat.
Yes, ma'am.
Moo!
Class!
Class! Quiet! Quiet!
Clarabelle, oh, my...
Sonora,
leave this room immediately.
Young lady, remove yourself. You must leave.
Sonora Webster is officially suspended from school,
for one week.
I'm informing your aunt.
No one talks to her.
She's not here!
Two red ones and a green one.
No, ma'am, please, right here.
Oh, Sonora, tell your aunt that blue thread she wanted
will be here in a couple of days.
Okay, I will.
- Here you go, Arnette. - Thank you.
Oh, Sonora. I'm goin' over to see Sarah. I'll see you at home.
"Young girl... ... diving horses...
willing to travel."
Thank you, ma'am.
- You ready? - Let's get.
What's going on? What are you doing with Lightning?
- I sold him. - No, you can't!
Why? Why are you doing this? I didn't do anything wrong.
- You let the cows out this morning. - But that was an accident.
You got suspended from school.
Ever since your mama and daddy died, you've been nothing but trouble.
Lightning, wait! Let me go!
Sonora?
- What are you doing? - Nothing.
Sonora, I took you and Arnette in
because you're my sister's children.
But ever since you came here, you've been nothing but a burden.
There's a depression going on, there's extra mouths to feed...
So I've decided I'm going to turn you over to the state.
The state?
They'll feed you and take care of you until you come of age.
You're just gonna kick me and Arnette out?
No, Arnette's gonna stay here with me. It's just gonna be you.
You're goin' tomorrow, you hear?
Yes, ma'am.
Come on, now, and help me with supper.
Everything you got. Ohh!
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Come on. I thought this was going to be a friendly game.
You're hiding an ace in your hat, and we're gonna find it.
You better say your prayers.
Looks like I was wrong. Let him go.
I apologise.
You crumpled my hat.
That's okay. I like it like this.
I'll see you, fellas.
Get your balloons. Balloon on a stick right here.
A nickel apiece. Any colour of the rainbow...
Ah! Son of a monkey. Dern fire.
- Dang! - Here. Let me help.
Never had a girl spit on me before.
This'll take the sting right out. Mud'll keep it from blistering.
I guess selling hot dogs can be a dangerous job.
This? This isn't my job. This is...
temporary until I get my act going.
- What kind of act? - I'm not sure exactly.
I'm still experimenting, but it will be death-defying.
It will definitely defy death.
- There you go. Feel better? - Uh-huh.
Sure is a funny way of cooking hot dogs.
It's my own invention. Do you want one?
- Oh, I don't have any money. - Well, that's okay.
It's on the house, for fixing my finger.
I'm Clifford Henderson.
Sonora. Sonora Webster.
It's good to meet ya.
Would you know where I can find a Dr. W.F. Carver?
Right through there, across the fairgrounds.
Thank you.
Thanks for the hot dog. Take care of that finger.
Thanks for spitting on me.
- That's the last thing I want to do. - I got a show to run, Al.
- So I missed a couple. - Couple? You missed three.
You think chasing women and gambling are more important than doing your job?
No, but it's a lot more fun.
Here, Dad, add that to your profits.
Get out of here, son. Load the truck.
Dr. Carver?
This is your lucky day. You don't need this anymore.
I'm here to answer your ad. What do you think of that?
Who are you?
Your new diving girl.
No, you're not.
- Why not? - For one thing, I don't like you.
That's because you don't know me.
Secondly, you're interrupting my business.
And third and most important,
you're too young and too puny to be a diving girl.
Well, sir, I don't know what a diving girl does exactly,
but I can do it, 'cause I can do anything.
Good. You can get out of here.
I am a very busy man.
I do not have time to play with children.
Now, will you get off that chair?
Not until you please give me a chance. I only want a chance.
Let me explain something to you.
A diving girl has to be strong.
A diving girl has to be brave, fearless,
a showman.
Now, there...
is a diving girl.
You gotta have more...
You gotta have more than what you got.
Well, I'll get it.
What's your name?
Sonora. Sonora Webster.
Let me tell you something, Sonora. Tell you what you do.
You go out that door, cross the fairgrounds,
turn left at the gate, keep walking until you get to the bus station.
I'm not gonna leave until you give me a job.
Have a good trip.
Al?
Dr. Carver sent me to see you.
Oh, he did?
Yeah, I just had a really nice talk with him and
he thinks I'd make a perfect diving girl.
- That's what he said, huh? - Uh-huh.
And he said you're supposed to explain the show to me.
Sure. Come on.
The show's real exciting.
And that's the tower.
Okay. Fine.
Thank you very much. Oh.
You dropped this.
So, now I'm a baby-sitter.
- You're not afraid of heights, are ya? - Who, me? No.
- How do you get the horses to jump? - We train 'em.
- Don't they get scared? - Nope.
If they show any fear at all, we don't let them get near the tower.
- What do you do, push them off? - No, they jump on their own.
And we don't use any kind of devices, either.
- Do the horses ever get hurt? - Nope, just the riders.
It's rough. You travel from town to town, barely getting by.
The old man, he's tough. He'll push you till you break.
You go back to wherever you came from. You don't want to be a diving girl.
I have a glorious idea for a new poster.
Full-length shot of me, standing next to the horse
and in the corner, inside an oval frame,
a picture of my face.
- Smiling. - Well, I'll think about it, Marie.
I know it'd sell lots of tickets.
Maybe the Movietone people will come by,
take a moving picture of me diving.
I'll think about it, Marie.
Hi!
We're not buying any pencils today, thank you.
Oh you're back, where'd you miss your bus?
I told you I wasn't going to leave until you gave me a job.
This young lady wants to be a diving girl, Marie.
That's a wonderful idea. She could bring some glamour to the act.
- What you doin'? - This way he gets used to my smell.
That's right.
Indians used to do that on the plains.
- Really? - Hmm.
I thought I just made that up.
Can you handle a wheelbarrow?
Are you kidding? I was born handling a wheelbarrow.
- Can you shovel manure? - Manure just happens to be my 'speciality'.
I believe that. What about your family?
- They lookin' for you? - Nope.
Well, I'll tell you what. I'm not gonna give you a job as a diving girl.
But we're leaving tomorrow for Virginia.
I could use a good stable hand. You interested?
- Yeah! Let's go to Virginia. - All right.
Virginia. I couldn't believe my luck.
I'd never been to another state before.
I was really seeing the world now,
even if my view was more where we'd been than where we were goin'.
But I wasn't gonna complain.
I finally had a real job,
helping Dr. Carver with the horses during the off-season
at the farm he rented.
I was gonna be staying in the most beautiful house I'd ever seen.
Things were definitely looking up.
From here on, my life was gonna be just swell.
You wouldn't mind giving me a hand, would you?
Come on. We gotta get them horses ready, too.
Hurry up. Everybody's always a cow's tail around here.
We got a lot of work to do. Lord knows, we'll take the bunch.
It's okay. I got everything under control.
Sonora!
Come get this horse, please.
Wash him down. Make sure he's dry.
Think you can manage that?
Yoo-hoo! Hi, Al.
How ya doing?
Whoa, Red Lips.
- Easy, whoa! - Hold him! Hold him!
Hold the horse. Marie, come get this horse.
Get him in his stable. Get him in there.
If you can't handle the animal, don't go near him, you hear me?
Nice horse, huh?
That horse is spooked. Where'd ya get him?
I won him in a poker game. Full house, queens over threes.
- Looks loco to me. - All he needs is a little training.
Do what you want, I don't care. Just keep him away from people.
I don't want anybody hurt, you hear?
Come on.
Just one little bite. Come on.
Come on.
You know I figure I better get to know these horses if I'm gonna be a diving girl.
You really think you can do it, huh?
Sure, if Dr. Carver ever gives me a chance.
He's not going to give you a chance, unless...
If you rode up on this horse, he might.
- We could train him. - Well, what are we waiting for?
No, not now. We'll go out first thing in the morning.
- All right. - The old man can't know.
- It'll be our secret. - Okay.
Psst. Al, get up.
Come on Al, wake up, we're supposed to start training!
What?
Oh, right.
Give him some room.
Easy, boy. Easy.
Easy, boy. Whoa.
Whoa, whoa. Whoa!
Good boy. Whoa.
What's this horse's name, anyway?
- I don't know. - You don't know?
- He's gotta have a name. - Alright, how about Clarence?
Clarence? That's no name for a horse.
Well, you're so smart, you pick it.
Lightning.
Stay behind. Get your whip on the ground.
Stay behind him. Come on. Go, go, go, go.
Come on. Let him see the whip.
Come on.
Easy, boy.
Here, you take him.
Take that line.
What's your secret wish?
My secret wish.
Yeah, what did you always want to be?
Well, when I was a boy I wanted to be a showman, just like my dad.
But not anymore.
What do you want to be now?
Anything but like him.
What's your secret wish?
To get to Atlantic City,
where all your dreams come true.
You believe that?
With all my heart. It says so right here.
See?
It's the greatest showplace in America.
And someday I'm gonna be there.
What happened to your parents?
Died. They got the fever.
What about you? Where's your mum?
- She's gone. - Where?
I don't know. She left a long time ago.
It was my dad. She left because of him.
Now, just sit there.
- Don't rush it. - You worry too much.
- Are you hurt? - No, I'm fine.
He's got ticklish flanks. You should never use your heels on him.
I kind of figured that out as I was flying through the air.
He's doing good, though.
So are you.
Come on. We got a lot of work to do before the old man wakes up.
Nice and easy, see.
Good boy.
Do you like the movies?
Like them? I'm gonna be in them someday.
How are you gonna do that?
Be discovered, of course.
Diving horses is great exposure.
You're pretty enough to be in the movies.
You sure look nice tonight.
Thank you. Al's taking me dancing at the Silver Palm.
- Dancing? - Oh yes, Al's a terrific dancer.
Smooth as hot honey.
That's nice.
You poor thing.
Who does your hair?
Well, I do.
You should take extreme care with your appearance.
Having no natural beauty of your own, you really need to...
help yourself.
Have a good night.
Don't tell me how to run my business.
All I'm saying is you should think about selling the show.
You're running all over the country for what? Ten cents a ticket?
- Gravy, Al? - Yeah, sure.
It's old and it's tired. Times have changed.
It's 1932. We got the Empire State Building,
airplanes crossing the ocean, women are voting.
Is that too much gravy, Al?
This cowboy stuff is old-fashioned, like that fringe jacket you wear.
That jacket is a gift from Buffalo Bill Cody.
That's what I mean. It's from another century.
Would you pass the peas, please?
Sonora, I see you got your hair... done.
Did you do it yourself?
I walked down the road to the Clip 'n' Curl.
Would you pass the peas?
Good pork chop, Marie.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
- I like your dress. - Oh, you scared me.
Sorry.
It's a hot night, huh?
Good night to go swimming.
Who? You and Marie?
No, you and me.
No, thank you.
Aw, come on. I know the perfect place.
I'm not going swimming.
Hey.
Come here.
I gotta go. I'm sorry.
- Sonora, wait. - Sorry.
- Sonora. - Good night.
Tonight, Roosevelt received one of the largest demonstrations
ever accorded a presidential candidate.
And now, let's return to the Skylark Ballroom
with Walter Clegg and his orchestra.
Don't drink out of the bottle.
You better watch yourself.
What's that supposed to mean?
She's young.
She don't know any better.
I don't want you messing up her life.
I haven't done anything.
Keep it that way.
Hey!
What?
Put the milk away.
Nice day, huh?
Yeah, I suppose so.
Oh, my goodness. Would you look at that?
What do you think you're doing?
Riding.
I don't suppose you know anything about this.
I'm as surprised as you are.
All right. So you can ride.
I can dive, too, if you just give me a chance.
Don't be ridiculous.
She trained that horse. I think she deserves a chance.
- Oh, you do, do you? - Yeah.
- I tell you what. Can you make a moving mount? - I've never tried.
If you can mount that horse while he's moving,
I'll let you train to be a diving girl.
Well, it beats shovelling manure. Come on.
Reach out, touch the harness. Get used to the rhythm.
When he passes, I want you to grab ahold and pull yourself on.
Concentrate. Here he comes.
Get ready.
Whoa. Stay there. Don't move. Just stay there.
Your nose may be broke. Does it feel broken?
No. But I don't know what a broken nose feels like.
That's enough. Let's get you in the house.
Is that it?
You gonna quit?
Let me look at the nose.
Nose ain't broke. Do it right.
- What? She's not getting... - Do it again.
- She's hurt. She needs to rest. - Shut your gate.
Sonora, you don't have to do this.
It's all right. I can do it.
You don't get anything handed to you in this world, Sonora. You gotta earn it.
You gonna cry?
I never cry.
Good. Let's go.
Don't be in too big a hurry. Just sense the horse's rhythm.
- Thattagirl. - We did it, boy.
- We did it! - All right. All right.
Okay. Good. Now you can train to be a diving girl.
Come on down. Go get cleaned up.
What the hell are you trying to prove?
Well, she did it, didn't she?
You push too hard.
Well, she didn't quit.
What? Like me? Or like my mother?
No matter how hard anyone tries, it's just not good enough for you, is it?
Stupid old man.
- No Al! - Come on!
- Come on. Come on! - Al!
Al? Al, wait. Where are you going?
I should have left a long time ago.
I can't keep fighting him.
He doesn't care about me. He doesn't care about anybody.
The only thing he cares about is his stupid show.
Please don't go.
I'm sorry.
Write me.
I promise.
Dear Sonora,
I hope you understand why I had to leave.
I keep thinking about you.
I miss you.
Please write me.
- Is that the mail? - Yeah.
Did I get anything? Any letters?
Nope.
Get down. I'll show you how it's done.
He's used to me. I don't think you should ride him.
- Don't tell me my business. - Wait a minute, she may have a point.
On the top of her head. Get down.
Now, watch. You'll learn something.
Don't use your heels.
- Owww! - She used her heels.
I hate that horse!
Is it as bad as it sounds?
Marie always did want to be an actress.
Is she gonna be okay?
She's dislocated her shoulder. Doctor's putting it in a sling now.
I can't take any more of this.
Oh, Lord.
He says she's gonna be stove-up for six weeks.
- Six weeks? - Yeah.
We got a bookin' in three days in North Carolina.
Gee, I wonder where you're gonna find a diving girl.
Don't worry. The tower's not as high as it looks.
Honest. I've been there.
- Hi, remember me? - Yeah, hot dogs.
Not anymore. My hot dog stand burned down.
- I'm sorry. - It's okay.
Dr. Carver gave me a job. I'm gonna be your new groom.
- Oh, that's great. - Hey!
- I heard you're diving today. - Yeah, my first time off the tower.
- Nervous? - Who, me?
Nervous? Heck no!
Sonora?
- Sonora! - Come in.
- You all right? - I'm ready. I feel great.
Good. Good.
The bathing suit doesn't fit. I look like a boy.
- You'll grow into it. - What if it falls off?
We'll give refunds.
Now, remember, let's do it just like we practised, right?
- Keep your eye on the harness. - Harness.
And don't forget to...
- Grip! - grip!
And don't forget to put your head to the side. Right?
All right. You'll do fine.
- There is one thing. - Yeah?
Do I have to bow?
I've never bowed before. I'll feel stupid.
I don't care if you fall on your head.
You will smile in front of those people, and you will bow.
- But I just don't... - Bow.
What if I can't do it?
I mean what if I lose my nerve, and I can't go through with it?
- You'll do it. - But what if I can't?
- Will you hate me? - Mm-hmm.
Oh.
If you feel nervous, look for me.
I'll be in front of the crowd. Okay?
Still don't want to bow.
Sonora...
and her brave horse, Lightning!
Sonora, ladies and gentlemen,
and her brave horse, Lightning!
Sonora, ladies and gentlemen.
Sonora!
We got a new diving girl.
And a new diving horse.
- Do we get to be on a poster? - We'll get some new posters.
It'll be Marie and Sonora, the diving girls.
I refuse to share billing with a stable hand.
Marie, she made the dive.
She is not the star of the show. I am.
All right, you're the star. But we got two diving girls.
Well, since I'm the star, I would like more money
and a bigger dressing room.
There's a depression going on, Marie...
More money, my own dressing room, and a better poster.
- Or I quit. - I can't do that, Marie.
Well, then, I quit.
Marie, don't be stubborn. You can't quit.
I am an actress, not a circus performer!
I am going to New York City.
The next time you see me, I'm going to be a big star.
And you will still be shovelling manure.
# I used to dream
# Of highways that seemed
# To lead to silver and gold
# But those old passions...
All that spring we travelled from one fair to the next,
doing two or three shows a day.
Lightning got better and better with each dive.
And I got to tell you, I wasn't bad, either.
Everything was going great.
Except for one thing.
# Now and then it seems to me
# It weren't so bad what you used to be
# Here and now it seems so true
# This feeling blue
# Wishing
# Wishing it just weren't true
# My dreams are gone
# Yet I linger on
# As hope drifts into despair
# All around us
# The blues surround us
# Why, Lord, is life so unfair?
# Now and then
# It seems to me
# It weren't so bad
# What used to be
# Here and now
# Through and through
# This sinking down
# This feeling blue
# And I'm wishing
# Wishing it just weren't true #
What ya doing now?
Finishing that letter to Franklin County.
He promised he'd write me. Why doesn't he?
- Thanks for your time. - It's nothing.
We'll see what we can do.
What if we can't book another show? What are we gonna do?
That's why I'm driving over to Franklin County, see if I can find some work over there.
- What if there isn't? - Well, I'm keeping this show open.
- I promise you that. - And if he doesn't, I will.
All right, now, listen.
You keep them horses fed and you keep them watered, you hear? Very important.
Looks like we won't be back before tomorrow morning.
- You don't have to worry about a thing. - I know that.
Hey, Red Lips.
Lightning!
Oh, Lightning. What's the matter?
Come on. Get up.
What's wrong?
Al.
What happened?
I don't know. He's awful sick.
Easy. Easy, boy.
What is it, Al? What's wrong with him?
- Did Red Lips eat any of this hay? - No, I don't think so.
- It's mouldy. It's given him colic. - What should we do?
We gotta get water and oil into him and get him to his feet.
- Where's the tack trunk? - In the barn.
It's gonna be okay, boy.
All right, now hold this here while I pump.
That's it. Hold it there. Good.
All right. Come here.
You take this. When I tell you to, pull.
All right, pull. Come on.
Pull! Come on, Lightning.
- Come on, boy. - Come on!
- Whoa! - That's it. That's it, boy.
Good boy, Lightning. Good boy.
Come on. We gotta get him moving, come on.
Come on, Lightning.
- He's gonna be okay, isn't he? - Yeah, he's gonna be just fine.
Would somebody please say something?
I thought you could use a hand with the show.
Ain't no show.
So, why didn't you answer my letters?
I didn't get any letters.
I wrote you just about every day.
What did you say?
Stuff.
What kind of stuff?
You know, stuff.
Uh-oh.
I got here a telegram
telegram from a John Slater from Atlantic City.
- Atlantic City? - The Steel Pier.
He wants to negotiate a contract with us for six months.
You did this, didn't you?
Someone once told me it's where all your dreams come true.
You got us a contract and you didn't say anything?
Well, Slater didn't promise me anything. He just said he'd think about it.
What'd you tell him?
Told him the diving horse show was a very exciting act, one of a kind,
and that my father was mean and stubborn.
That he was the greatest showman on Earth.
# On the boardwalk in Atlantic City
# Life can be peaches and cream
# Cinderella, you will find your fella
# Someone that you waited for
# In romantic, enchantic Atlantic City
# Down by the old New Jersey shore #
Yep.
You know, Sonora,
sometimes people make mistakes.
And it's hard to admit when you have.
Dr. Carver, are you okay? You look kind of pale.
I'm fine.
You know, when Al left and was gone all those months
and you didn't hear from him,
I did something that...
- Are you sure you're okay? - I'm fine.
I think I'll pull over here just to take a breather.
Why did we stop?
I thought I'd just take a little breather.
Good, I'm hungry.
Why don't you rest, and we'll set up a picnic.
Hey, Dad, when we get to Atlantic City,
the first thing we gotta do is buy you a new suit.
- Double-breasted? - Yep.
With pinstripes.
Yeah.
And now, as we've all read,
the book of God's word:
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
We now return the spirit of our departed brother... "
I wasn't gonna give you top billing,
but your dad wouldn't have it any other way.
- We get top billing? - See for yourself.
- Al, that's me. - It sure is.
That's me, and that's Lightning.
You know the guy that runs the speedboats? Frenchy?
He was gonna throw this thing away. Can you believe it?
Yeah, I can believe it, that thing's a piece of junk.
No, I'm gonna fix it all up.
What are you gonna do with it?
I don't know. I'll think of something.
Ladies and gentlemen, presenting...
Ladies and gentlemen, we now present
Carver's high-diving horse and girl rider.
I was rehearsing.
- Ladies and gentlemen... - Clifford...
I'm gonna bust your head.
I never introduced a show before.
Do you think I should wear this suit tomorrow?
- I don't think it'll help. - Come here, Clifford, come here.
Ow! Ladies and gentlemen...
Stay here.
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing...
"Sonora, there was a time when I couldn't imagine
spending my life with just one person.
And now I can't imagine spending it without you.
I love you, Sonora."
I thought I lost you.
What?
What is it?
This is what you should wear.
Turn around. Let's see how it looks.
Shoulders back.
Raise your arms a bit.
Higher.
Higher!
- Whoa. - Easy.
- Whoa. - He's awful jittery.
He's not used to all the noise.
Maybe we should jump Lightning.
No, he's not well enough yet.
Whoa! Easy, boy, easy.
Sonora? Sonora Webster?
I want you for my wife.
Will you marry me?
Take my hand in marriage and make me a happy man.
What do you think you're doing? You crazy?
Mm-hmm. About you.
I've never been so embarrassed in my whole life, like a fool.
All you have to do is say yes.
Yes, yes, yes!
It's just tin and glass.
When things get better, I'll get you a real one.
Are you gonna marry me? Yes or no?
Yes, yes, yes.
Yes!
Go on. We got a show to do. Go on.
Oh, no!
Here, take him.
- Are you all right? - Fine. Fine.
- Is Red Lips hurt? - I don't think so.
Come on.
- Are you sure you're all right? - It just stung, that's all.
When I hit the water, I had my eyes open.
Clifford, is he okay?
He seems to be all right. What about you?
Let's get you to the doctor, come on.
I'm not bleeding.
No broken bones. I'm fine. Don't worry about me.
Let's get him to the stables and dry him off.
Excuse me, but you will have to be still.
Sorry.
Al, what about Slater?
He was pretty concerned.
Tell him not to worry. I just need a couple of days' rest and I'll be fine.
Why didn't you see a doctor right after your accident?
I got some water in them. They stung a little. That's all.
When you hit the water, your eyes were open?
Yes.
It caused a slight haemorrhage.
Unattended, this haemorrhage has continued for days.
The blood has clotted and detached the retina in both eyes.
What does that mean?
Her condition is permanent.
No, it's not.
I'm sorry.
Why are you sorry?
I'm gonna rest, and then I'm gonna get back to work.
It's only temporary.
I'm not blind.
It's a real tough break. Now, about the show.
This may not be the best time to talk about this but business is business.
I got a lot of money tied up in this show.
That diving tower wasn't cheap. The publicity, I could...
Publicity! Come here! I don't care about your publicity!
What, are you crazy?
Look, I'm gonna give you a break.
I'm gonna let you close the show for one week, but that's all.
There's no way I can find and train a new girl in a week. No way.
You better come up with something, kid,
or I'm gonna take you to court for breach of contract.
One, two, three,
four, five, six...
Ow!
One, two, three...
The blues are here, right next to the greens. All right?
- Blues, greens. - Right.
Al, you know I've been looking for you.
- I want to show you something. - What? - Come on, come on.
Do you know what that is? Death.
And do you know what I just did? I defied it.
It's amazing, Clifford.
Swell, isn't it? My very own death-defying act.
I'm very proud of you, Clifford.
Right. I guess if you want something bad enough, anything's possible.
Seen my shoes?
Yeah, you kicked them off over by the sofa.
- I'll get 'em. - I'll do it.
- They're right here. - I'll do it.
Your lipstick's a little smeared.
Thank you.
What?
You got a little problem with your socks.
- What's wrong with them? - Well, one's red and one's green.
- I like it, though. - It's the latest fashion.
It's all right. It's all right.
It's gonna be rough for a while, but I'm gonna be right here to help you.
It's gonna take time to adjust.
If you want, we can move the wedding back until you feel ready.
- There's not gonna be a wedding. - What?
I don't want you marrying me 'cause you feel sorry for me.
I'm marrying you because I love you.
I don't want that kind of love.
I don't want you cutting my food,
getting my socks, cleaning up my messes.
As soon as my eyes clear up...
Your eyes are not gonna clear up.
Yes, they will. It's only temporary.
- It's not temporary. - It is. It is!
- Sonora... - Let me go!
Sonora, you've gotta accept this.
You're a human being, and there are limitations.
You can't run away from it.
You can't hide from it, and you can't change it. It simply is.
It's permanent.
I know.
Sonora, I'm real sorry about what happened.
And when Al called and told me you were hurt,
- I figured the movies had to wait. - Marie!
- We're ready for you. - Excuse me, honey.
- Here I am. - How 'bout puttin' her on the horse?
No, just have me stand next to it.
- That's great. Great! - Marie, you used to be a diving girl.
- Why did you decide to come back? - I love the audiences.
When Al called my mother, she called the Astoria Studios,
where I was auditioning for a role in a movie.
How long you gonna be in Atlantic City?
That's M-A-R-I-E.
Excuse me, sis. You're in the shot. Could you move?
Sonora, what are you doin'?
- Al, I've been thinking. - About what?
I'm going to dive again.
Honey, you can't. It's impossible.
I can do it. I know I can.
Sonora, you've gotta be realistic.
With Lightning...
Al, he knows what I'm thinking.
And I know what he's thinking.
Absolutely not. It's too dangerous.
I have to do this.
Please, I need your help.
Here he comes.
Here he comes again.
You okay?
Again.
Watch your step.
Again.
Are you nuts? You can't let her do this. Besides, you have Marie to do the show.
This has nothing to do with your show.
Do you think she can do this?
Huh? Look me in the eye and tell me she can do this.
- It's just what I thought. - Come on.
Close out all other sounds and listen to his hooves.
Don't go to the horse. Let the horse come to you.
Let your hands slide along his chest and up his shoulder to the harness.
When you feel the harness, grip.
Let the horse's momentum pull you up.
- That's it! - Ah!
You all right?
This isn't working.
I just need a little more time.
No, it's gotta stop. I don't want you hurt.
- But, Al! - Look, we tried. It didn't work.
This can't be done, and it's gonna end right here.
You understand?
Yes.
Hi. Are you gonna be okay? I gotta introduce the show.
I'm okay.
Ladies and gentlemen, we now present
Carver's high-diving horse and girl rider
in a daring 40-foot plunge on horseback.
Marie, can I talk to you for just a second?
- What's going on? - Thank you.
- Clifford! - In a few moments,
you will witness the courageous Marie
attempting this feat on the bare back of her trusted steed.
Open this door!
It is the only act of its kind anywhere in the world today,
an act in which the safety of the rider
depends entirely on the intelligence and skill of the horse.
It is an act in which no electrical devices,
no mechanical apparatus, no force of any kind,
and no cue of any sort is used to persuade...
Hyah!
Ladies and gentlemen, please, for the safety of our performers,
hold your applause...
I am proud to present the most popular act
in the history of the Steel Pier.
Carver! What is going on here?
I don't know. I'm gonna find out.
Look Mummy, there's a girl climbing the tower!
Oh, no. Sonora!
These people didn't pay good money to see a blind girl kill herself.
Sonora, don't!
Sonora, no!
- Carver! - No, Sonora! No!
Did you see that?
She was wonderful! Did you see that?
That last dive began 11 years of diving blind, and the audience never knew.
I had found my destiny,
not in faraway places, but within myself.
I also found happiness with Al.
We were married that fall and had a wonderful life together.