Norman Normal (1968) - full transcript
After a multicolored rock group introduces the cartoon, Norman Normal is asked by a boss to wine and dine a client at a nightclub party, something Normal is uncomfortable with. He talks with his dad about it who rambles on and tells Norman, "don't make waves". At the party, Norman talks with his lampshade-clad friend Leo, disapproves of a joke told by one of the guests suspecting it's about a "minority group" and is ridiculed by the bartender for only having a ginger ale. Norman leaves the party and returns us to the multicolored rock group.
BAND [SINGING]:
Theres someone, you've got to meet him
And you see him every day
His face will look familiar
But in a most unusual way
Hes Norman Normal
I said, hes Norman Normal
You know, hes Norman Normal
He looks a lot like you
Every party that Norman goes to
You've been there before
Hes got some funny things
He might have said
That he forgets until
they close the door
Hes Norman...
Uh, hi, I'm your hero.
That music, that was the opening number
and you'll hear it again at the end.
It's what goes on right in here
that's what the cartoon's all about.
Norman, Fairchore's in town tonight.
You, uh... You know the trouble we've had
getting him to sign.
He's got a little weakness
we've discovered: Liquor. Ha, ha.
I want you to take him to the best clubs.
Get him real juiced up.
Keep a copy of the contract
in your pocket.
And just before he passes out,
slide it under his nose...
...and get him to sign.
- Oh, gee.
- I'd rather not do that.
- What's that?
Well, I can't take out this man
that I don't even know...
...to a night club that I never go to...
...and try to sell him ball bearings
by getting him drunk.
Everybody's doing it, Norm.
- Listen, you want the account?
- But it just isn't right.
- But nobody will ever know.
- But I'll know.
- Your mommy and daddy won't know.
- But it's not right.
- Listen, you wanna be in the gang?
- Well, sure.
Well, then go take Tommy's glove away
or don't come anymore.
- But l...
- What's the matter? You chicken?
- Are you afraid?
- No.
- Well, I dare you.
- Oh, yeah?
- I bet you can't do it.
- I can so!
Well, Norm, perhaps...
Perhaps I misjudged you.
- What?
- I said, perhaps I misjudged you.
Perhaps you're not the man for the job.
What do you mean?
I don't think you're mature enough
to accept executive responsibility.
- Oh, yes, I am.
- Perhaps a more aggressive man, Phillip.
- Phillip. Now there's a go-getter.
- I can do it, boss.
- Just give me a chance.
- Oh, very well, Norman.
Bring the signed contract to me
first thing in the morning. That'll be all.
Yes, sir.
NORMAN: Uh, I'm not gonna do it.
Ill go in his office and Ill say:
"Look here, B.B., either we've got
a good ball bearing or we haven't.
You don't buy favors with alcohol. "
Basically, a psychiatrist
is sort of a father-image.
Not that my father would even listen.
I mean, he was always busy. Even though
he doesn't say anything to help like:
"Go wash your hands,"
or "Ask your mother," hes still your dad.
And if he isn't there to answer stuff like:
What's right and wrong, Dad?
I mean, I know what's right and wrong...
...but everybody seems to have
their own kind.
When I was a boy, I used to walk to school.
Ten miles through the driving snows
to this one-room schoolhouse.
Something's not right or wrong
just because it's convenient today, is it?
I came out of college,
ran smack-dab into the depression...
...men selling apples on the street corner.
Everybody I know seems to live that way.
I didn't have a car.
Didn't dream of owning one.
I can remember standing with your mother,
waiting for the trolley.
What do you do when your friends say
one thing and they do the other...
...and then look down on you
if you don't live the way they do?
It's very confusing, Dad.
Now I have two cars, nice home,
nice clothes, good food.
We've... Hey, we've done well
for you, Norman.
Success, that's the main thing.
Learning to fit in.
Don't make waves, Norman.
Fit in.
Learn to fit in, Norman.
MAN:
Approval? Approval? Approval?
- I approve of you, Leo.
MAN: Approval.
Approval? Approval?
Hey, Norm? Norm!
- Hey, nice going on the Fairchore account.
- Thank you.
Listen, did you hear this one
about the traveling salesman...
...and the Eskimo?
- No.
Well, there's this traveling salesman
who stops up north at the North Pole.
- And he's standing around this igloo...
- Listen, I don't wanna interrupt your story...
...but, uh, is this joke you're gonna tell me
about a minority group...
...and then after you tell it
we're all gonna laugh and feel superior?
Ethnic origin stuff. Ha-ha-ha.
And so just before the icicle breaks,
he screams out:
"That was no walrus, that was your wife!"
[ALL LAUGHING]
- Approval? Approval?
- Yes, Leo, I approve of you.
Approval? Approval? Approval?
What it'll be, Norm?
Want a little Scotch, a little bourbon?
Thanks, Hal. I've had about enough
to drink tonight, I think.
What's the matter, Norm?
Can't you hold your liquor?
- What?
- Would you care for a drink?
No, I'll just have a little ginger ale.
It's a party, Norm. Come on, loosen up!
Have fun.
- I'm pretty loose already.
- It isn't easy.
You probably don't like yourself...
...when you've had a couple of drinks,
do you, Norm?
You can't take it when the real personality
comes on, can you, Norm?
Oh, well, skip it, Hal.
Oh, lookit, a guy like you really knows
how to spoil a party, Norm.
- Approval, approval.
- Go soak your head, Leo.
Gee, I'm sorry that things
got a little confusing in there.
I didn't mean for you
to get all tangled up.
It's just that there are
so many doors in here.
BAND [SINGING]:
- problems, but has left them well behind
The only thing he cant handle
Are the hang-ups on his mind
- Hes Normal Normal
- Well...
Hes Norman Normal
I said, hes Norman Normal
He looks a lot like you
Theres someone, you've got to meet him
And you see him every day
His face will look familiar
But in a most unusual way
Hes Norman Normal
I said, hes Norman Normal
You know, hes Norman Normal
He looks a lot like you
Every party that Norman goes to
You've been there before
Hes got some funny things
He might have said
That he forgets until
they close the door
Hes Norman...
Uh, hi, I'm your hero.
That music, that was the opening number
and you'll hear it again at the end.
It's what goes on right in here
that's what the cartoon's all about.
Norman, Fairchore's in town tonight.
You, uh... You know the trouble we've had
getting him to sign.
He's got a little weakness
we've discovered: Liquor. Ha, ha.
I want you to take him to the best clubs.
Get him real juiced up.
Keep a copy of the contract
in your pocket.
And just before he passes out,
slide it under his nose...
...and get him to sign.
- Oh, gee.
- I'd rather not do that.
- What's that?
Well, I can't take out this man
that I don't even know...
...to a night club that I never go to...
...and try to sell him ball bearings
by getting him drunk.
Everybody's doing it, Norm.
- Listen, you want the account?
- But it just isn't right.
- But nobody will ever know.
- But I'll know.
- Your mommy and daddy won't know.
- But it's not right.
- Listen, you wanna be in the gang?
- Well, sure.
Well, then go take Tommy's glove away
or don't come anymore.
- But l...
- What's the matter? You chicken?
- Are you afraid?
- No.
- Well, I dare you.
- Oh, yeah?
- I bet you can't do it.
- I can so!
Well, Norm, perhaps...
Perhaps I misjudged you.
- What?
- I said, perhaps I misjudged you.
Perhaps you're not the man for the job.
What do you mean?
I don't think you're mature enough
to accept executive responsibility.
- Oh, yes, I am.
- Perhaps a more aggressive man, Phillip.
- Phillip. Now there's a go-getter.
- I can do it, boss.
- Just give me a chance.
- Oh, very well, Norman.
Bring the signed contract to me
first thing in the morning. That'll be all.
Yes, sir.
NORMAN: Uh, I'm not gonna do it.
Ill go in his office and Ill say:
"Look here, B.B., either we've got
a good ball bearing or we haven't.
You don't buy favors with alcohol. "
Basically, a psychiatrist
is sort of a father-image.
Not that my father would even listen.
I mean, he was always busy. Even though
he doesn't say anything to help like:
"Go wash your hands,"
or "Ask your mother," hes still your dad.
And if he isn't there to answer stuff like:
What's right and wrong, Dad?
I mean, I know what's right and wrong...
...but everybody seems to have
their own kind.
When I was a boy, I used to walk to school.
Ten miles through the driving snows
to this one-room schoolhouse.
Something's not right or wrong
just because it's convenient today, is it?
I came out of college,
ran smack-dab into the depression...
...men selling apples on the street corner.
Everybody I know seems to live that way.
I didn't have a car.
Didn't dream of owning one.
I can remember standing with your mother,
waiting for the trolley.
What do you do when your friends say
one thing and they do the other...
...and then look down on you
if you don't live the way they do?
It's very confusing, Dad.
Now I have two cars, nice home,
nice clothes, good food.
We've... Hey, we've done well
for you, Norman.
Success, that's the main thing.
Learning to fit in.
Don't make waves, Norman.
Fit in.
Learn to fit in, Norman.
MAN:
Approval? Approval? Approval?
- I approve of you, Leo.
MAN: Approval.
Approval? Approval?
Hey, Norm? Norm!
- Hey, nice going on the Fairchore account.
- Thank you.
Listen, did you hear this one
about the traveling salesman...
...and the Eskimo?
- No.
Well, there's this traveling salesman
who stops up north at the North Pole.
- And he's standing around this igloo...
- Listen, I don't wanna interrupt your story...
...but, uh, is this joke you're gonna tell me
about a minority group...
...and then after you tell it
we're all gonna laugh and feel superior?
Ethnic origin stuff. Ha-ha-ha.
And so just before the icicle breaks,
he screams out:
"That was no walrus, that was your wife!"
[ALL LAUGHING]
- Approval? Approval?
- Yes, Leo, I approve of you.
Approval? Approval? Approval?
What it'll be, Norm?
Want a little Scotch, a little bourbon?
Thanks, Hal. I've had about enough
to drink tonight, I think.
What's the matter, Norm?
Can't you hold your liquor?
- What?
- Would you care for a drink?
No, I'll just have a little ginger ale.
It's a party, Norm. Come on, loosen up!
Have fun.
- I'm pretty loose already.
- It isn't easy.
You probably don't like yourself...
...when you've had a couple of drinks,
do you, Norm?
You can't take it when the real personality
comes on, can you, Norm?
Oh, well, skip it, Hal.
Oh, lookit, a guy like you really knows
how to spoil a party, Norm.
- Approval, approval.
- Go soak your head, Leo.
Gee, I'm sorry that things
got a little confusing in there.
I didn't mean for you
to get all tangled up.
It's just that there are
so many doors in here.
BAND [SINGING]:
- problems, but has left them well behind
The only thing he cant handle
Are the hang-ups on his mind
- Hes Normal Normal
- Well...
Hes Norman Normal
I said, hes Norman Normal
He looks a lot like you