Pleasantville (1998)
Tobey Maguire: David
Photos
Quotes
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David's Mom : When your father was here, I used to think, "This was it. This is the way it was always going to be. I had the right house. I had the right car. I had the right life."
David : There is no right house. There is no right car.
David's Mom : God, my face must be a mess.
David : It looks great.
David's Mom : Honey, it's really sweet of you, but I'm sure it does not look "great."
David : Sure it does. Come here.
David's Mom : I'm 40 years old. I mean, it's not supposed to be like this.
David : It's not supposed to be anything. Hold still.
David's Mom : How'd you get so smart all of a sudden?
David : [long slow smile] I had a good day.
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Big Bob : [bangs the gavel] You're out of order!
David : Why am I out of order?
[approaches Big Bob]
Big Bob : Because I'm not gonna let you turn this courtroom into a circus!
David : Well, I don't think it's a circus, and I don't think they do, either.
[David turns to look at the crowd, where many of the black-and-white people are changing into color. There are gasps and murmurs. Jennifer grins]
Big Bob : [bangs the gavel] This behavior must stop at once.
David : But see? That's just the point! It can't stop at once, because it's in you, and you can't stop something that's inside you.
Big Bob : It is not inside *me*!
David : [amused] Oh, sure it is.
Big Bob : No, it is not!
David : [Leans forward and speaks confidentially with a mischievous grin] What do you want to do to me right now? Come on. Everyone is turning colors. Kids are making out in the street. No one is getting their dinner.
[Raises his voice for all to hear]
David : Hell, you could have a flood any minute! Pretty soon, the women could be going off to work, while the men stayed at home and cooked!
Big Bob : That is not going to happen!
David : [with defiant delight] But it *could* happen!
Big Bob : [enraged] *No, it could not!*
[Big Bob suddenly turns pink, and David grins victoriously]
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Jennifer : Hey, can I ask you a question?
David : Sure.
Jennifer : How come I'm still in black and white?
David : What?
Jennifer : I've had, like, ten times as much sex as the rest of these girls, and I still look like this. I mean, they spend, like, an hour in the back seat of some car and all of a sudden they're in Technicolor?
David : I don't know. Maybe it's not just the sex.
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TV Repairman : Hey - who did Muffin take to the Masquerade Ball when her date came down with the measles?
David : Her father.
TV Repairman : That's right! And how'd she dress him?
David : As Prince Charming.
TV Repairman : Nice! Remember the one where Bud lost his cousin when he was supposed to be watching him?
David : Yep.
TV Repairman : What department store did they go to?
David : MacIntyre's.
TV Repairman : McGinty's.
David : No! MacIntyre's! Remember?
[sings a jingle]
David : "For the very best in men's attire, head right down to MacIntyre's."
[smiles proudly]
TV Repairman : That's right.
[Looks consideringly at David]
TV Repairman : Listen, uh, why don't you take this remote instead? It's got a little more oomph in it.
David : Oomph?
TV Repairman : Sure! Big beautiful set like that? You want something'll put you right in the show.
[as David takes the remote control, the room fills with supernatural flashes of lightning and a rumble of thunder]
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George Parker : What happened? One minute, everything's fine... What went wrong?
David : Nothing went wrong. People change.
George Parker : People change?
David : Yeah, people change.
George Parker : Can they change back?
David : [grins] I don't know. I think it's harder.
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David : I know you miss her, I mean, you told me you did. But maybe it's not just the cooking or the cleaning that you miss. Maybe it's something else. Maybe you can't even describe it. Maybe you only know it when it's gone. Maybe it's like there's a whole piece of you that's missing, too. Look at her, Dad. Doesn't she look pretty like that? Doesn't she look just as beautiful as the first time you met her? Do you really want her back the way she was? Doesn't she look wonderful? Now, don't you wish you could tell her that?
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Maltshop Guy : What's outside of Pleasantville?
David : Oh, it doesn't matter.
Margaret Henderson : What's outside of Pleasantville?
[pause]
David : There are some places that the road doesn't go in a circle. There are some places where the road keeps going.
Margaret Henderson : Keeps going?
David : Yeah, yeah. It just keeps going. It all keeps going.
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George Parker : You know, your mom went out.
David : Went out?
George Parker : Yeah. She went out for a little while.
David : When?
George Parker : Three days ago.
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[first lines]
[David is gazing admiringly at a pretty blonde girl]
David : *Hi*
[chuckles]
David : I mean, Hi. Uh, look, you probably don't think I should be asking you this. I mean, not knowing you well and all? I mean, you know, I, I, I know you, 'cause everybody knows you. I just don't know you technically. Uh, anyhow. Uh, I don't know what you're doing this weekend, but my mom's leaving town, and she's letting me borrow the car.
[the camera pulls back to show that the girl is standing several dozen feet away and, in fact, is smiling and looking at another boy]
David : [Looks down at the ground, disappointed with himself, but still keeping his tone cheerful] Okey-dokey, so, just give me a call; let me know. Bye!
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[David looks up from his job at the soda counter to see Jennifer determinedly leading Skip out of the place and down the sidewalk]
David : Oh, shit!
[He takes a flying jump-leap over the counter]
David : *Jennifer*!
David : Jennifer, stop!
[He chases Jennifer and Skip outside, to where Skip's car is already pulling away from the curb]
David : You can't do this, Jennifer! He doesn't exist! You can't do this to someone who doesn't exist!
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[David and Howard are eating lunch at school and studying for the "Pleasantville" Trivia Competition]
Howard : Okay, in the very first "Pleasantville" episode, whose window did Bud break when he was playing with his father's golf clubs?
David : Easy: Mister Jenkins. What job did Mister Jenkins have?
[Howard doesn't know]
David : Salesman. What did Bud and Mary Sue name the cat they found in the gutter?
Howard : Scout?
David : Marmalade! All right, all right, here's one. Why did their parents come home early from their weekend at the lake?
[Howard doesn't know]
David : 'Cause Bud didn't answer the phone and they were worried about him.
Howard : Man. You're unbelievable. You'll win this thing for sure. When is it on?
David : Uh, marathon starts at 6:30, contest is tomorrow at noon.
Howard : A thousand bucks, huh? And it's on all night?
David : Well, of course it is, Howard. That's why they call it a marathon.
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David : [on the phone] Well, he's not homeless, Howard, they just don't say where he lives. - Well, it's a silly question! - Because nobody's homeless in Pleasantville. 'Cause that's just not what it's like.
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David : Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!... Cat?
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David : You know, we didn't call for any TV repair.
TV Repairman : Well, that just makes it a lucky day for both of us!
[smiles, followed by silence]
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Bill Johnson : ...Don't you think?
David : I think you should try not to think about that anymore.
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Big Bob : No matter how upset we may get or how frustrated we may be, we're not going to solve our problems out in the street. It's just the wrong way to do it. We have to find a code of conduct that we can all agree to live by. Now, I asked George and Ralph here to sketch out a few ideas, and I think they've done a terrific job. Now, if we can all agree to these, we can take a vote, and I think we can start off in the right direction.
[Reads the Code of Conduct]
Big Bob : One: All public disruption and acts of vandalism are to cease immediately. Two: All citizens of Pleasantville are to treat each other in a courteous and pleasant manner
Peggy Jane : Courteous and pleasant manner. Well, that's not too bad.
David : [Reads the Code of Conduct] Three: The area commonly known as Lover's Lane, as well as the Pleasantville Public Library, shall be closed until further notice. Four: The only permissible recorded music shall be the following: Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, Jack Jones, the marches of John Philip Sousa, or The Star-Spangled Banner. In no event shall any music be tolerated that is not of a temperate or pleasant nature. Five: There shall be no public sale of umbrellas or preparation of inclement weather of any kind. Six: No bedframe or mattress may be sold measuring more than 38 inches wide. Seven: The only permissible paint colors shall be black, white, or gray despite the recent availability of certain alternatives. Eight: All elementary and high school curriculum shall teach the non-changeist view of history, emphasizing continuity over alteration.
[Finishes reading the Code of Conduct]
David : Wow.
