Pleasantville

Went through the crack-- Our twelfth edition of the Psychic Friends Network-- Shea Stadium-- You're watching TV Time... the only network playing lots of old stuff... in nothing but black and white. Why, it's fun for the whole family! TV Time-- remember, you're soaking in it. This Friday on TV Time... Take the phone off the hook and the plastic off the couch. That's right, it's the Pleasantville marathon! hours chocked full of pure family values. Featuring the warm greeting... Honey, I'm home. Proper nutrition... Do you want some more cookies? And, of course, safe sex. Why, it's a scrapbook... of all your favorite Pleasantville memories. There's "Trouble At The Barbershop..." "Fireman For a Day..." "The Big Game..." And who could forget "Bud Gets a Job"? So join all your favorites... Mary Sue, Bud, George, and Betty... and oh, yes, Mr. Johnson at the soda shop. But wait, there's more! If you put your thinking caps on... you could win $    in our Pleasantville trivia contest... plus a free trip to the Pleasantville of your choice. Flash-back to kinder, gentler times... on the Pleasantville marathon... this Friday only on... I mean, hi. Look, you probably don't think... I should be asking you this. I mean, not knowing you well and all. I--I mean, I know you. Everybody knows you. I just don't know you... technically. Anyhow... I don't know what you're doing this weekend... but my mom's leaving town... and she's letting me borrow the car, so, you know... Okey-dokey, so just give me a call. Let me know. Bye. For those of you going on to college next year... the chance of finding a good job... will actually decrease by the time you graduate. The available number of entry-level jobs... over the next four years. Median income for those jobs will go down as well. Obviously, my friends, it's a competitive world... and good grades are your only ticket through. In fact, by the year    ... ...chance of contracting HIV from a non-monogamous life... will climb to  in. The odds of dying in an auto accident are only  in. Now, this marks a drastic increase... ...from   years ago when ozone depletion... of its current level. By the time you are   years old... average global temperature will have risen   /  degrees... causing such catastrophic consequences... as typhoons, floods, widespread drought, and famine. OK, who can tell me what famine is? Honey, I'm home. Hello, darling. How was your day? Oh, swell. You know, Mr. Connell says... if things keep going the way they are... I might be seeing that promotion sooner than I thought. Oh, darling, that's wonderful. I always knew you could do it. Hey, pumpkin, what's that smell? ls that your meat loaf? It might be. It might be. Oh, pumpkin, you sure know the way... to this man's heart. No, that was not the deal. No, you have custody first weekend of every month. This is the first weekend. No. I'm not gonna bail you out. I'm going out of town this weekend. La Costa. Barry, if I want to have a mud bath with my new boyfriend... that's my business, isn't it? Hey, where are those kids? Right behind you, Father. Right behind you, Father. Mother, Father, Bud has a little surprise for you. What's that, Bud? First place in the science fair. There were lots of swell projects. I guess mine was just the swellest. Darling, that's wonderful... except there's no such word as "swellest." Well, gee whiz, Mom, it wasn't the English fair. [Laughter] No, that's not the point. The point is, you're supposed to see them. Fine. See them another time. What's a mother to do? What's a mother to do? OK, in the very first Pleasantville episode... whose window did Bud break... when he was playing with his father's golf clubs? Easy. Mr. Jenkins. What job did Mr. Jenkins have? Salesman. What did they name the cat they found in the gutter? Scout? Marmalade. All right, all right. Here's one. Why did their parents come home early... from their weekend at the lake? 'Cause Bud didn't answer the phone... and they were worried about him. Man...you're unbelievable. You'll win this thing for sure. When is it on? Marathon starts at  : contest is tomorrow at noon. Thousand bucks, huh? And it's on all night? Of course. That's why they call it a marathon. Oh, my God, he is so pathetic. I can't believe you're related to him. Only on my parents' side. Yeah, but you guys are twins and stuff. You must be from the cool side of the uterus. Oh, my God, here they come. Oh, my God, just don't do anything. What? Saw you at the mall yesterday. Yeah, I saw you, too. So, you gonna watch the concert on MTV tonight? Yeah. You? My mom's gonna be out of town. -Cool. -Cool. It was so amazing, Daph. I was, like, "My mom's gonna go out of town." And he was like, "Well, maybe we could..." And I was, "Yeah, sure." And he was, "Cool." I know. He's so smart. I'm thinking about that red thing I got at the mall. It's not slutty. It's fun. Well, hello, he's not coming over to study. Yeah, I know. Well, sometimes I'm jealous of you, too. He's not homeless, Howard. They 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. Look, Howard, it's almost  :. I gotta go. -What are you doing? -What are you doing? Cut it out, David. Mark Davis is gonna be here in minutes. Great. The Pleasantville marathon starts at  :. I don't believe this! He's gonna be here! You can watch it upstairs. Upstairs?! It doesn't have any stereo! Oh, my God. Oh, my God! David, stop stressing. You can turn it on normally. No, I can't. It's a new TV, Jen. It doesn't work without a remote. Oh, my God, he's here! TV repair. TV repair? Yeah. TV busted? Well, here I am. Holy cow, look at that. Had a little disaster, didn't you, fella? Well, yeah, sort of. Well, we'll get you fixed up in no time. I know how I'd feel if mine went out. Almost like losing a friend. You know, we didn't call any TV repair. That makes it a lucky day for both of us, doesn't it? Do you think you could do this soon? -It's almost  :. -What's the hurry? Pleasantville marathon starts at  :. Pleasantville? Gosh, I love that show. Watched it for years. That's not the reason. I've got a date at  :. Who did Muffin take to the masquerade ball... when her date came down with the measles? -Her father. -That's right. -And how'd she dress him? -As Prince Charming. Nice. Remember the one where Bud lost his cousin... when he was supposed to be watching him? What department store did they go to? -Mclntyre's. -McGinty's. No. Mclntyre's. Remember? For the very best in men's attire Head right down to Mclntyre's That's right. Listen... Why don't you take this remote instead? It's got a little more oomph in it. Oomph? Sure. Big beautiful set like that? You want something that'll put you right in the show. It's great. We'll take it. Thank you. Well, I better get going. Your show's almost on... and it's almost time for your date. Take care now. Whether it's on the track at lndy... or driving around the block, only new Pennzoil... For program information... Honey, I'm home. Great. Let me see that. No way. Gee whiz, Mary Sue, why can't I borrow your radio? I promised Betty Jean she could use it. Do you mind? This is only the most important moment of my life! Forget it, Jen! I've waited a year for this! Come on, David, just give it to me! -Forget it! -No way, Bud! Forget it, Mary Sue! Come on, Bud! It's mine! Give it back! Oh, my God. -What happened? -I'm not sure. Hi, Sport. Hi, Muffin. Better get a move on. You'll be late for school. -What did you do? -I don't know. Look at me! I'm pasty! Over here! Told you it was your lucky day. I bet you thought I was just a fan or something. What happened? A miracle. Every time I thought I'd found someone... they'd turn out to disappoint me. They'd know the early episodes, but not the later ones. They'd know all about Muffin, but not about Bud. What the hell is going on? Can't talk like that here. You're in...Well, you know. Bud, Mary Sue, breakfast is on the table. We're in Pleasantville? A dream come true, huh? Listen, this really isn't funny. I have a very important date in five minutes! You don't have to worry about that anymore. Bitch. You have got to get us out of here! -Why would I do that? -Because we don't belong! Sure you do. Mclntyre's department store... their father dressed as Prince Charming. That was gorgeous, Bud. -My name is David! -Oh, God! This is a strange way of showing your appreciation. Hey, we appreciate it. We really do. We just want to go home now. But you don't know how long I've looked for someone like you. I'm very disappointed. In fact, I'm starting to get a little upset. No, don't get upset. Well, wouldn't you? You look for someone for years. You pour your heart into it-- This is a privilege, you know! I don't think I'd better talk about this now. Where are you going? I don't think we should discuss this until I'm composed. Wait a minute! Maybe in a while when I'm not so emotional! Give you a week or two to change your attitude! Come back! Come back! A week or two? Oh, God. What's gonna happen? I don't know. It's not possible. Is it possible? Bud, Mary Sue, your breakfast is getting cold. It can't be possible. Well, come on, kids. You're not going to school without breakfast inside you. Forward march. I just love you in that sweater, Mary Sue. It's so flattering. Thanks. Morning, kids. Better get a move on, or you'll be late for school. I don't believe this. Neither do l. Well, come on, dig in. I put blueberries in them just the way you like. Well, come on, sweetie, it's getting late. Actually, I'm not hungry. Nonsense, young lady. You're gonna start your day off with a nice, big breakfast. Here we go. Sit down. Here's some pancakes and eggs. Sausage and some good crisp bacon. And, of course, a ham steak. You eat on up, then it's off to school. Hurry, hurry. I'm gonna hurl, David, I swear to God. Just take deep breaths. It's all that animal fat. I can feel it in my pores. I still don't see why we're doing this. Because we're supposed to be in school. We're supposed to be at home. We're supposed to be in color! Oh, God! Hello, Bud. Hello, Mr. Simpson. Hear your dad's got a new car. Oh, yeah. A Buick. It's swell. Great. Do you know that guy? Yeah. He owns the hardware store. You listen to me for just a minute! I don't know what you've done, but you better fix it! I had a date with Mark Davis, and I even bought new underwear! We have to play along until that guy shows up again. Play along? Yes! I am Bud Parker, and you are Mary Sue. No. I'm not gonna do it. If I don't dress like this for Mom... I'm sure not gonna do it for you! We have no choice, Jen. We are stuck here until that guy shows up again. Why can't we just explain it to somebody? To who? Go! Go! Go! Here, kitty. Oh, God. We are. We're stuck in Nerdville. I knew you'd pay a price for this. I knew you couldn't be so hopelessly geek-ridden... for so long without suffering some really tragic consequences. But it's just not fair. I was getting really popular. Debbie Russell transferred to another school... and my skin was really great since March. Mark Davis was finally starting to come around. Hello, Mary Sue. What's all the commotion? Where's the cat? It's... Right. I'll see you at school, Mary Sue. Who's that? Skip Martin, captain of the basketball team. Does he like me? As a matter of fact, he does. Those are my friends? Peggy Jane, Lisa Anne, Betty Jean. Can we do any better? I don't think so. Last week, class, we discussed the geography of Main Street. This week we're going to be talking about Elm Street. Now, can anyone tell me the difference... between Elm Street and Main Street? Tommy. It's not as long? That's right, Tommy. It's not as long. Also, it only has houses... so the geography of Main Street is different... than the geography of Elm Street. Yeah. What's outside of Pleasantville? I don't understand. Outside of Pleasantville. What's at the end of Main Street? Mary Sue, you should know the answer to that. The end of Main Street is just the beginning again. Come on, men, let's go! That's it, men, keep it up. Big game tomorrow. Hiya, Bud. Hiya, Skip. Hiya, Bud. Hiya, Skip. Bud, can I ask you a question? Sure. Well... If I was to go up to your sister... What I mean is, if I was to go up to Mary Sue-- Oh, my God. Are we in that episode? -What? -I don't believe this. What's the matter? You want to ask her out tonight and give her your school pin. Yeah. How'd you know? Look, Skip, I don't think... it's a real good time for that right now. What do you mean? Well, what I mean is... Mary Sue's a little different lately. She won't go out with me? No, hey, I didn't say that. I don't know what I'd do if she wouldn't go out with me. Come here, guys. Don't touch it. Stay back. I'm sure we'll work something out. -I thought you liked him. -Yeah, but I don't know. One date, Jen. That's all I'm asking. If you don't go out with this guy... we could throw their whole universe out of whack. It's too weird, David. This place gives me the creeps. Did you know the books are blank? -What? -I went in the library. They have covers and nothing inside of them. What were you doing in a library? I got lost. Oh, wait, look at this. Know why the firemen only rescue cats out of trees? -Nothing burns around here. -Jen, stop! They don't even need firemen! I could really use a cigarette! Jen, listen. I will get us out of here. I really will, but if we don't play along... we can alter their whole existence... and then we may never get home. You really think anybody's gonna notice... if I don't have a chocolate malt with this guy? You won't believe what we just heard! -Skip's gonna ask you out! -That's not all! He's gonna give you his pin! Are you sure I'm supposed to wear this? I could kill a guy with these things. It's in your closet. I've worn kinky stuff before-- -He won't notice anyway. -Why not? They just don't notice that kind of thing around here. -So what's the point? -Jen, please. Hello. I've got three pounds of underwire on here. Just go with the program. I'm late for work. Work? Yeah, sorry. I just had to help my folks... and then I couldn't find my hat. I didn't know what to do. What's wrong? Well, I always wipe down the counter... and then you set out the napkins and glasses... and then I make the French fries. But you didn't come so I just kept on wiping. I'm sorry. You know, if this ever happens again... You can make the fries... even if I haven't put out the napkins yet. Thank you. There aren't any cheeseburgers. What? Usually, I put out the burger and you finish with the lettuce. OK, listen. Do you have the lettuce? Have you cooked the burgers? Put on the lettuce, finish the burger... and pretend it was me doing it the whole time. You can do it, really. I sure am glad you said you'd come out with me tonight. Well, gee whiz, Skip. I sure am glad you asked me. I don't know if I ever said this to you before... but I think you're just about the keenest girl... in the whole school. Really, Skip? The keenest? Oh, yeah. What can I get you two? I don't know, Bud. I guess I'll have my usual cheeseburger and a cherry Coke. I don't know, Bud. I'll have a salad and an Evian. Cheeseburger it is. You see? The whole time we were in Civics together... I really wanted to come over and sit next to you... but you were always sat between Lisa Anne and Peggy Jane. And you always seemed so smart and everything. Like that report you did on our town hall. Gosh. I didn't know what I'd talk to you about. Yeah. Well, sometimes talking's overrated. Don't you think? Oh, right. So I know I haven't been steady with anybody or anything... but I just don't want to rush it. There's kids that are even holding hands already... but I figure there's plenty of time for that later on. Can you excuse me for just a second? Oh, God. Oh, God. -Did he give it to you? -I bet he did. I don't think he knows how. I bet he's gonna take her to Lovers Lane. I bet he is. I bet he's even gonna hold her hand. So, anyhow, I really wanted to sit next to you in Civics-- -You want to get out of here? -What? Do you want to go somewhere? But where could we go? Lovers Lane. Lovers Lane? Yeah, Lover's Lane. You up for it? Come on. Come on. Oh, shit. Jennifer! Jennifer, stop! Stop! You can't do this, Jennifer! He doesn't exist! You can't do this to someone who doesn't exist! It sure is pretty. Oh, yeah. Gorgeous. To be honest, Mary Sue, I didn't think you'd want... to come here until we'd been pinned for a little while. Oh, Skip, you can pin me anytime you want to. Or maybe I should just pin you. That's silly, Mary Sue. How could you possibly pin me? Son, what's wrong? Have you seen Mary Sue? No. She's still out with Skip. Is something the matter? No. I was just worried about her. Bud, your sister's getting older now. She'll naturally be going out with boys. But she's a fine young woman. She would never do anything for us to be concerned about. Honest. I think I better go home now, Mary Sue. Why? I think I might be ill. Something's happening to me. That's supposed to happen. It is? Yeah. Trust me. Do you want some more cookies? No, thanks. I'm fine. How about some marshmallow rice squares? Those are swell. No, I'm fine, thank you. -Who could that be? -I've got it. Hi. You took off so quick I wasn't sure you were OK. No, I'm fine. I just had to get home early. You know how when we close up... I close the register, then you lower the blinds... and I turn out the lights, and we both lock the doors? Well, you weren't around this time... so I did the whole thing by myself. Wow. And I didn't even do it in the same order. First I lowered the blinds, then I closed the register. Hello, Betty. Hello, Bill. OK, well, that's great. Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate it. I'll see you tomorrow. Well, gee, thanks, Skip. I sure had a wonderful time. Me, too. Night. Hello, Mr. Johnson. Oh, hello, Mary Sue. -What did you do to him? -Nothing. What do you mean, "nothing"? That's not nothing. Why don't you relax, Bud? We had a nice time. I am really sleepy, and I have to wake up... early in the morning to go to school. Night. Hi. Looks like it's gonna be another beautiful sunny day. High   low not a cloud in the sky. It's   :  in the morning. Are you watching television? Oh, no. Come on, men. Let's get in positions. We got a big game next week. Let's go. Come on. Oh, my God. You can't do this, Jennifer. I warned you. So what's the big deal? OK. They're not good at basketball anymore. Oh, my God. What a tragedy. You don't understand. You're messing with their whole goddamn universe. Maybe it needs to be messed with, David. Did that ever occur to you? Hey, M.S., how you doing? Cool, P.J., how you doing? Cool. Cool. Cool. "Cool"? What are you doing to these people? -If I don't, who will? -But they're happy. Nobody is happy in a poodle skirt and a sweater set. You really like this, don't you? No, it's not like you think it's funny or dorky. You really like it. No. You have it all wrong. I am personally mortified to be your sister. You have no right to do this to them. David, listen to me for just a minute. They don't want to be geeks. They want to be attractive. They have a lot of potential. They just don't know any better. They don't have that kind of potential. Oh, yeah? Look at that. Wow. What happened to your gum? I gotta go. I'm gonna meet Skip at the flagpole. Well, I don't think it's anything to worry about. You cut down on greasy foods and chocolate. You know, things like that. It'll probably just clear up on its own. Jesus Christ. Do you think we could have two cheeseburgers... and some cherry Cokes? I'll be right with you. Thanks. Two cheeseburgers, two cherry Cokes. There aren't any cheeseburgers. I thought we talked about this. What's the point, Bud? You make hamburgers. That is the point. No. I know I do. It's always the same, you know? Grill the bun, flip the meat, melt the cheese. It never changes. It never gets better or worse. OK, just listen for a second. The other night when I closed by myself, that was different. Forget about that! I really liked it, though. Come here. Look. You can't always like what you do. Sometimes you just gotta do it because it's your job. And even if you don't like it, you just gotta do it anyway. Why? So they can have their hamburgers! I'm sorry. You know what I really like? -What's that? -Christmas time. See, every year on December ... I get to paint the Christmas decorations in the window... and every year I get to paint a different thing. Here, I'll show you. Wow. That's pretty good. Thanks, but this morning I was thinking... and I realized that I look forward to it all year. And then I thought, "Gee, that seems awfully silly. "It seems like a long time to wait for just one moment." Don't you think? Well, don't you? I think that you should try not to think about that anymore. I'll try that, then. -Morning, Jim. -How are you, Bill? Have they ever lost before? Basketball? No, they sure haven't. It just feels wrong, that's all. Maybe that's where they get that saying... "You can't win 'em all." That's a good point, Ralph. They do have that saying. But they do win 'em all. They've always won 'em all. Mr. Mayor, here. Go ahead. Don't be silly, Roy. I couldn't possibly take your spot. What I want to know is, if they've never lost before... and they've never tied before, isn't that winning 'em all? He's right. That's what you call it. Yeah, that's true. He said it would clear up on its own... if she just stayed away from fried foods and sweets. Except it's spread to her lips now, too. Oh, I don't know. And you say it was just red? Well, you know, like real red. I know what you mean. That's like this car that was in front... of Bill Johnson's soda shop. I was going by it and it looked green. Real green. Have you seen him lately? I was getting my sewing machine fixed across the street... and he was sitting in the window of his shop just staring. That is strange. It's your bid, Betty. What goes on up at Lovers Lane? What do you mean? Well, you hear these things lately-- kids spending so much time up there. Is it holding hands? That kind of thing? That and... What? It doesn't matter. No. I want to know. Well...sex. What's sex? You sure you want to know this? Well... You see, Mom... when two people really love each other very, very much... and they want to share that... Are you OK? It's just that... your father would never do anything like that. Well, you know, Mom... there are other ways to enjoy yourself... without Dad. Sweetie, you coming to bed? Yeah. I'm just going to take a bath first. Oh, my goodness. Oh, shit. Oh, God. Fire! Cat? OK, right here. All right, stop. Stop! Where is it? Whoa! Here, grab the nozzle. -But where's the cat? -Just hold on tight. Whoa! So that's what these things do. In honor and in recognition of your heroism... and with great appreciation from the citizens of Pleasantville... I am pleased to present you with this special commendation... from the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce. -That sure was swell. -Thank you, Margaret. I baked you some of my oatmeal cookies. Oh, no. You baked those for Whitey. No. I baked them for you. No. You baked them for Whitey. -I baked them for you. -No-- No. I baked them for you. Thank you. Sure. What's going on? I'm not sure. They want to ask you a question. I didn't really know how to handle it. How you doing? You wanted to ask me something? How'd you know about the fire? What? How'd you know how to put it out? Well, where I used to live, that's just what firemen did. And where's that? Outside of Pleasantville. What's outside of Pleasantville? It doesn't matter. It's not important. What's outside of Pleasantville? There are some places... that the road doesn't go in a circle. There are some places where the road keeps going. Keeps going? Keeps going? Yeah, it just keeps going. It all keeps going. Roads and rivers. Like the mighty Mississippi? What? I thought the books were blank. They were. This was not my fault. When they asked me what it was about... I didn't remember because I read it back in tenth grade. When I told them what I did remember... that's when the pages filled in. The pages filled in? But only up until the part with the raft... 'cause that's as far as I read. Do you know how it ends? -Yeah, I do. -So how does it end? Well, OK. Let's see, they were running away-- Huck and the slave. They were going up the river, trying to get free. And, in trying to get free... they see that they're sort of free already. Oh, my God. What about this one? Oh, yeah. This is great. This kid Holden Caulfield. He's a really lonely kid. He gets kicked out of boarding school. Look at 'em. It's spreadin' all over the place. Look at her books. Look at her sweater. Going up to that lake all the time is one thing... but now they're going to a library? What's next? You're right. Somebody ought to do something about that. Soon. You're probably wondering... why I asked to stop by and see you today. I'm sure you've noticed the same things we all have. Certain changes in the town. You know what I mean by changes? Changes. Changes. And I'm not just talking about big stuff like the fire. It's the little things. Did you hear about Bill Miller? No. What? Wife wants him to get one of those new beds. One of those big beds? Oh, my gosh. What's he gonna do? I don't know. It's everywhere. Bill Anderson's boy just quit his job at the market. Quit? Just took his apron off right in the middle of an order... said, "I don't feel like it anymore." Groceries all over the counter. Took 'em three hours just to sort it out. Everybody really likes you, George. -Well... -No, they do. Not just 'cause you're a good bowler. People respect you. Well, thank you. It's important for them to see someone they respect... stand up for what's right. If you love a place, you can't just sit back... and watch this kind of thing happen, can you? No, of course not. That is why I want you to be a member... of the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce. Oh, my gosh. I hardly know what to say. It's just like yours. It is exactly like mine, George. You can start by saying yes. And by getting me one of those swell pineapple kabobs. Well, sure. You bet! Betty, Bob wants to try... some of your great hors d'oeuvres. I'll get her. Are you OK? You all right? What am I going to do? I can't go out there this way. How can I go out there this way? Look at me. It's OK. It's all right. Have you got any makeup? In my handbag. Honey, where are you? Here. Give me your cheek. Here. Give me the other. There. That's good. Now lift your chin up. -Is it working? -Yes. Here, look at me. What? Does it look OK? Yeah. It looks just like it did. And they won't be able to tell? No, they won't be able to tell. Betty, are you in there? Boy... Coming, sweetie. Aren't you a little bit early? I brought you something from the library. It's an art book. Oh, my gosh, Bud. Since you liked to paint, it might help to... Gee whiz. Who is...Titian? I'm not sure. It's beautiful, Bud. What's wrong? No, it's just... I'll never be able to do that. Well, you just started. I mean, you can't do it now. That's not it. Just where am I gonna see colors like that? Must be awful lucky to see colors like that. I'll bet they don't know how lucky they are. -How you doing? -Swell. Look, you probably don't think I should be asking you this. Will you go out with me tonight? Hey, Mr. Simpson, your lawn looks great. Well, come here, young fella. You know, I've been thinking. I might have been a little hasty the other day... when you asked to come home. It just took me by such surprise, you know? So even though I can't make any promises... I figured if you asked me real nice... I might just be willing to talk about it again. -I can't. -What? Talk about it right now. I'll be honest with you, Bud. I'm getting concerned... about what I'm seeing on some of these reruns. Reruns? Like when Margaret Henderson makes her cookies for Whitey. Those are not your cookies, Bud. I know they're not my cookies-- Those are Whitey's cookies, Bud. They belong to him. Then he eats them and asks her to go to Lovers Lane-- I would love to talk about all this right now... but I am really in a hurry. I can't hear you! It's really cruddy reception! We'll talk later! What's wrong? Listen... You're reading. I can't believe you started such a dorky fad. It's D.H... Lawrence. You ever heard of him? Yeah, I read a couple of pages. Seemed kind of sexy. It is. Can I ask you a question? Sure. How come I'm still in black and white? What? I've had 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? I don't know. Maybe it's not just the sex. Where is it? A little bit farther, I think. WKPV, the sounds of Pleasantville. Here's a new one for all you kids out at Lovers Lane. Wow. It's amazing, huh? We're closed right now. Oh, I'm sorry. I... Hi. I just thought that-- No. Come on in. It's beautiful. Thanks. I was just trying to do one of these still lifes. Kind of having a tough time. I think it looks nice. Well, here's what it's supposed to look like. Oh, my. Here. Look at this. -Where did you get this? -Bud brought it to me. -My Bud? -Yeah. Here's my favorite. What do you think? Isn't it great how she's resting like that? She's crying. No, she's not. Yes, she is. -Wait. -No. I've got to go. It's all right. Let me see. It's beautiful. It's beautiful. You shouldn't cover that up. Here. Let me just... So what's it like? -What? -Out there. Well, it's... It's louder, and... scarier, I guess. And it's a lot more dangerous. Sounds fantastic. The other night, some kids came up to go swimming... and they took off all their clothes. Do you want some berries? Some berries. I picked them myself. Really? Yeah, there's lots of stuff. Like what? Here, I'll show you. Here. Go ahead. Try it. What are you doing? It's  :. So? We were gonna... You know. Oh, I can't. -Why not? -I'm busy. -With what? -I'm studying. Good evening. Good evening. Evening. -George. -Good evening, Norm. Honey, I'm home. Honey, I'm home. -What was that? -I don't know. What is that? What's going on? It's rain. Real rain? You don't have rain either? Well, of course you don't. It's OK. Here, come on. What's going on? It's rain. It's OK. It's fine. There's nothing to be scared of. Here, I'll show you. It's just rain. It's OK. It's fine. Come on out. You see? Look! You see? Come on! Come on! It's cold. Cool. Honey, I'm home. Where's my dinner? Where's my dinner? Where's my dinner? What happened? Are you all right? What is it? Rain. Real rain? Oh, my God. Are you all right? I came home like I always do... and I went in the front door... and I took off my coat... and I put down my briefcase... and I said, "Honey, I'm home." Only there was no one there. No wife. No lights. -No dinner. -No dinner? I went to the oven. I thought maybe she had made me one of those TV dinners. Yeah, sure. She hadn't. She was gone. I looked and looked and looked. She was gone. It's gonna be fine, George. You're with us now. What are we gonna do, Bob? Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley. But if George here doesn't get his dinner... any one of us could be next. It could be you, Gus. Or you, Roy. Or even you, Ralph. That is real rain out there, gentlemen. This isn't some little virus that'll clear up on its own. Something is happening to our town. And I think we can all see where it's coming from. Why don't you show them what you showed me before? It's OK, Roy. Come on up here. I know, Roy. Thanks. He asked her what she was doing. She said nothing. She was just thinking. My friends, this isn't about George's dinner. It's not about Roy's shirt. It's a question of values. It's a question of whether... we want to hold on to those values... that made this place great. So a time has come to make a decision. Are we in this thing alone... or are we in it together? Together. -I told you where I was. -All night? I got caught in the storm. You were gone all night, too. Look... Let's just forget about it. We'll just go to the meeting. No. I told you, George, I'm not going to that meeting. -Sure you are. -No, I'm not. Look at me, George. Look at my face. That meeting's not for me. You'll put on some makeup. I don't want to put on some makeup. It goes away. It'll go away. I don't want it to go away. Now, you listen to me. You're coming to this meeting. You're going to put on some makeup. You're going to be home at   :  every night... and you're going to have dinner ready on this table. No, I'm not, sweetie. I made you a meat loaf. Put it in the oven and turn this little knob up to. If you put the pie in  minutes later... it'll be hot in time for dessert. I made a couple of lunches for you for tomorrow... and put them in brown paper bags. I'm going to go now. Where are you gonna go? I'm going to go now. Don't go out there like that. They'll see you. They'll see you. Betty, come back here! It's beautiful. Can I open it? Sure. Where'd you get it? It was a prop from the school play. Thank you. Whitey. Hey, Bud, why aren't you at the town meeting right now? No reason. How come you're not? We're supposed to go around and let everyone know about it. I thought maybe it was because you were too busy... entertaining your colored girlfriend. Why don't you guys get the hell out of here? All right. We'll do that. Margaret, you can come over and make those oatmeal cookies... for me anytime you want to. People. People! Roy Campbell's got a blue front door. -It's always been blue. -People. People, please. Please. I think we all know what's been going on here. Up until now... everything around here has always been, well, pleasant. Recently, certain things have become unpleasant. Now, it seems to me... that the first thing we have to do... is to separate out the things that are pleasant... from the things that are unpleasant. That's Betty Parker, isn't it? That is an outrage. What the hell do you think you're doing? Get in here. Now! You think this is a toy? You think it's your own little goddamn coloring book? It just sort of happened. A deluge doesn't just happen. Bolts of lightning don't just happen. I didn't do anything wrong. Oh, no? Let me show you something. Go on, try it. Boom ! Right there! What do you call that? You don't deserve this place. You don't deserve to live in this paradise. Where's the remote control I gave you? Why? Because you're coming home, you little twerp... and I'm gonna put this place back the way it was. I can't let you do that. I'm sorry. I'm not gonna let you do that. Just give me the damn remote! I'm gonna go now. You're not going anywhere. You're gonna get that remote and come home... and we're gonna make everybody happy again. Where you going in such a hurry? That's not real friendly. Let's see if she looks like her picture. You want to be friendly, don't you? Why don't you show us what's under that nice blue dress? Yeah, come on! Where you going? There's nowhere to go. That is a lovely shade of blue. Don't you think that's a lovely shade of blue? Get out of here! Go on! Get out of here! Are you OK? What? It's OK. He's not in there. It's OK. All right? I'm gonna get you out of here, all right? Are you OK? Keep 'em coming! No, Mary Sue, it's better this way. This is the only book I've ever read in my whole life... and you're not gonna put it on that fire! Just give me the book! It's me. Let's go inside. Just thought I'd try to tidy it up a bit. It's OK. It's OK. Once we sweep it up, it'll be all right again. He's right. Let's... Help me with this, will you? Sure. Good. Put this up in here. People! People! This is not the answer, people. No matter how upset we may get... or how frustrated we may be... we're not gonna 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. I asked George and Ralph here to sketch out a few ideas... and I think they've done a terrific job. If we can all agree to these, we can take a vote... and I think we can start off in the right direction. "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." "Courteous and pleasant manner." That's not too bad. "Three--the area commonly known as Lovers 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 for inclement weather of any kind." "Six--no bed frame or mattress may be sold... "measuring more than   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." Wow. Hey... this thing still works. Turn that off! You're not allowed to do that now! Sure you are. Wow, this is good. You just do it? Don't worry. We'll get you a new one. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't paint anymore. Maybe I have an idea. Shameless. When are they gonna let them out? Hey, what are you kids doing out there? There's someone to see you, Bud. Is this a bad time? No, it's fine. Come on in. I brought you something. Thank you. -Cocktail olives. -Everything else was frozen. I didn't know how to-- I appreciate it. -Your mom went out. -Went out? Yeah. She went out for a little while. When? Three days ago. Jeez, everything is so cockeyed. I didn't even know it was Tuesday. Tuesday we play bridge with the Jenkins. There was no bridge. It's-- Can I have one of those? Sure. Yeah. You hungry? Mrs. Benson was making meat loaf next door. I almost climbed in her kitchen window. What happened? One minute, everything's fine. The next... What went wrong? Nothing went wrong. People change. People change? Yeah, people change. Can they change back? I don't know. I think it's harder. You OK? Yeah. Not fair, you know? You get used to one thing and-- I know. It's not. Bud Parker, William Johnson... you are charged with desecration of a public building... and with the intentional use of prohibited paint colors... in violation of the Pleasantville code of conduct... and laws of common decency. Do you admit that on the night of May st... you did willfully and consciously apply... the following forbidden paint colors... to the north wall of the Pleasantville police station... red, pink, vermilion, puce, chartreuse... umber, blue, aqua, oxblood, green, peach, crimson... yellow, olive, and magenta? Yeah, I do. Where's our lawyer? I think we want to keep these proceedings... as pleasant as possible. I don't think a lawyer will be necessary. Do you further admit that this unnatural depiction... occurred in full public view where it was accessible to... and in plain sight of minor children? It was accessible to everyone. Let the record show that the defendants have answered... in the affirmative to all charges. Do you have anything to say in your defense? Yeah, I do-- I didn't mean to hurt anybody. Maybe if I painted something different. Or maybe I could use less colors or something. Or, you know, certain colors. Or maybe I could-- You could pick out the colors beforehand... and then they wouldn't bother anybody. -I've got something to say. -Very well. You don't have a right to do this. I mean... I know you want it to stay pleasant around here... but there are so many things... that are so much better. Like silly or sexy... or dangerous or brief. And every one of those things is in you all the time... if you just have the guts to look for them. That's enough. I thought I was allowed to defend myself. -You're not allowed to lie. -I'm not lying. You see those faces up there? They're no different than you. They just see something inside themselves-- I said that's enough. I'll show you. Dad? Yeah, Bud? It's OK, Dad. Just listen for a sec. 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? You really want her back the way she was? Doesn't she look wonderful? Now, don't you wish you could tell her that? You're out of order. Why am I out of order? I'm not gonna let you turn this courtroom into a circus. I don't think it's a circus. I don't think they do, either. This behavior must stop at once. That's just the point. It can't stop at once because it's in you... and you can't stop something inside you. It is not inside me. -Sure it is. -No, it is not. 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. Hell, you could have a flood. Pretty soon, the women could be going off to work... while the men stayed at home and cooked. -That is not going to happen. -But it could! No, it could not! Hey, look at this! What an image. Shut up. You sure you don't want to come home? Yeah. I gotta do this for a little while. Besides, you think I even have a chance... of getting into college back there? Honestly? -Got your admissions letter? -Right here. I did the slut thing, David. Got kinda old. I'll come back and check on you soon. You turned into a pretty cool guy. How'd that happen? I don't know. I'll see you. Just don't forget about me. Even if you never come back. I just don't want you to forget about me. I couldn't do that. -Here. -What's this? Lots of stuff. A meat loaf sandwich... And a hard-boiled egg... and some marshmallow rice squares. There's some fried chicken in there, too. Don't skip dinner just 'cause you're not here anymore. I won't. I thought you weren't-- I had to come say good-bye. Just wear this on the trip... in case it gets cold. It's a pretty short trip. Still... I am just so proud of you. Thanks. I know. I love you, too. Well... Well... I guess you better stand back. That concludes the first hour of the Pleasantville marathon. Don't forget... we'll be going all night long until noon tomorrow-- I thought you went out of town. Came back. What's wrong? I don't know. Everything's so fucked up. I got halfway down there and thought, "What am I doing?" He's nine years younger than I am. Doesn't make me feel younger. Makes me feel older. When your father was here, I used to think this was it. This was the way it was always going to be. I had the right house, the right car... the right life-- There is no right house, there is no right car. God, my face must be a mess. It looks great. That's really sweet, but I'm sure it does not look great. Sure, it does. Come here. I'm. It's not supposed to be like this. It's not supposed to be anything. Hold still. How'd you get so smart all of a sudden? I had a good day. So what's gonna happen now? I don't know. Do you know what's going to happen now? No. I don't. I guess I don't, either.