Knute Rockne All American (1940) - full transcript
Lars Rockne and his family, including his four year old son Knute, emigrate to Chicago in 1892 from their native Norway. By his mid-twenties Knute saves enough to attend obscure Notre Dame University, where he excels in football and chemistry. He and a teammate develop the forward pass as an offensive weapon while working as life guards on summer break and use it to upset heavily favored Army in a historic game. After graduation Rockne becomes a teacher while coaching part-time but ultimately abandons academics to devote all his energies to football. During his tenure as head coach at the school, he develops such outstanding players as George Gipp, who dies prematurely from a strep infection, and the Four Horseman while introducing many innovative tactics including the backfield shift. Rockne, known for his staccato motivational speeches, devotes his life to maintaining the integrity of the sport he loves and promoting it as an integral component in the development of the American character.
* NOTRE DAME, OUR MOTHER
* TENDER, STRONG, AND TRUE
* PROUDLY IN THE HEAVENS
* GLEAMS THE GOLD AND BLUE
* GLORY'S MANTLE CLOAKS THEE
* GOLDEN IS THY FAME
* AND OUR HEARTS FOREVER
* LOVE THEE, NOTRE DAME
WELL, THERE IT IS,
GENTLEMEN--
A CARRIAGE THAT'S FIT
FOR THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR.
AND THAT'S WHERE
I'M GONNA TAKE IT.
IT'S FIT FOR A KING.
HEH.
IT'S MUCH EASIER
TO COME HOME
FROM CHRISTIANIA
THAN IT IS
FROM CHICAGO.
BUT I DON'T PLAN TO COME HOME
AT ALL, MR. BJORSEN.
IF I LIKE AMERICA,
I AM GOING TO STAY THERE.
YOU DON'T MEAN
TO LEAVE, LARS?
NOT FOR GOOD?
JA, FOR GOOD.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE
WHAT I HEAR ABOUT AMERICA.
IT'S A NEW COUNTRY
FILLED WITH NEW LIFE
AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR A WORKING MAN LIKE ME,
AND I WANT ALL THAT
FOR MY CHILDREN.
I WANT KNUTE THERE
AND HIS SISTERS
TO START THEIR LIVES
ON AN EQUAL BASIS
WITH ALL OTHER CHILDREN,
AND THEY CAN DO THAT
ONLY IN AMERICA.
YOU WANT TO GO
TO AMERICA, KNUTE?
IS IT BIG ENOUGH
TO PLAY IN?
JA, SURE.
IT'S BIG ENOUGH
FOR ANYTHING, SON,
OR FOR ANYBODY.
THAT'S WHY
WE'RE GOING THERE.
JA, AND ALSO
MY NEW JOB HAS A TITLE.
A TITLE, LARS?
WHAT IS IT?
MECHANICAL ENGINEER
IN CHARGE OF ALL MACHINERY
IN THE WHOLE PLACE.
I AM IT.
OH,
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
WHEN DO YOU BEGIN?
TONIGHT, JUST AS SOON
AS WE FINISH DINNER.
WONDERFUL, LARS.
HELLO, MARTHA.
HELLO, PAPA.
HELLO, ANNA.
HELLO, PAPA.
WHERE'S KNUTE?
WELL, I SENT HIM
TO THE STORE,
AND I TOLD HIM
TO HURRY BACK RIGHT AWAY.
Boy: IT'S YOUR FAULT.
YOU SHOULD'VE TACKLED HIM.
Second boy: I DID SO,
BUT NOBODY HELPED ME.
HE WAS OFFSIDES, ANYWAY.
I SEEN HIM.
SAY, CAN I PLAY?
Boy: I AIN'T MAD...
HEY, CAN I PLAY?!
NAH, YOU'RE TOO LITTLE.
AW, YOU'LL GET HURT AND
GET YOUR CLOTHES TORE.
SKIDDY-SKAT.
PLEASE LET ME PLAY.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE 30 POINTS
BEHIND NOW,
SO YOU
CAN'T HURT US NONE.
COME ON. GET IN HERE
AT LEFT END.
Boy: GET THAT GUY.
19! 49! 41!
18! 27! 92!
21! 10! 9!
18! 27!
TOMMY, HE GOT YA.
NICE PLAYIN', KID.
SAY, HE'S ALL RIGHT
FOR BEIN' SO LITTLE.
YOU SEE? I TOLD YOU
NOT TO LET HIM PLAY.
HE SAID
HE WAS STRONG.
HE'S PROBABLY DEAD.
WE BETTER CHEESE IT
BEFORE THE COPS COME.
WHAT ARE WE WAITIN' FOR?
LET'S HAVE THE SIGNALS.
I'M READY.
SAY, WHAT'S
YOUR NAME?
KNUTE ROCKNE.
MARTHA, THAT BOY
IS NEVER HERE
FOR A MEAL
ON TIME YET.
WE COMMENCE
WITHOUT WAITING.
LARS, YOU
FORGOT SOMETHING.
OH, YES.
[LARS PRAYING
IN NORWEGIAN]
Lars: AMEN.
[SCOLDING KNUTE
IN NORWEGIAN]
[SHOUTING
IN NORWEGIAN]
WHERE HAVE YOU
BEEN SO LONG?
OUTSIDE, PLAYING THE MOST
WONDERFUL GAME IN THE WORLD.
IT'S CALLED FOOTBALL.
YOUR NOSE IS BLEEDING.
SOMEBODY STEPPED ON IT.
GUESS THAT'S
PART OF THE GAME.
[LARS SHOUTING
IN NORWEGIAN]
PAPA, DON'T
TALK NORWEGIAN.
TALK AMERICAN.
WE'RE ALL AMERICANS NOW,
ESPECIALLY ME.
I'M LEFT END.
HERE YOU ARE, HIBBS.
THANK YOU, SIR.
HERE'S YOURS, CLARK.
THANK YOU, SIR.
JOHNS.
THANK YOU, SIR.
HELLO, YOU HOMELY SWEDE.
THAT MUGGY NOSE
HAS BEEN SCARING ME
EVERY SATURDAY.
MM-HMM. IS THAT WHY
THEY GOT YOU IN THIS CAGE?
I HEAR YOU'RE LEAVING US
TODAY, ROCK.
YEP, THAT'S RIGHT.
FROM NOW ON, THE MAIL
WILL BE UP TO YOU
AND UNCLE SAM, DANNY.
THE BOYS TELL ME YOU'RE
GOING OFF SOMEWHERE
TO COLLEGE THIS FALL.
IS THAT
JUST ANOTHER JOKE?
WELL, MAYBE IT IS.
MAYBE IT IS.
I'LL KNOW
IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AIN'T YOU JUST
A LITTLE TOO OLD
TO START COLLEGE,
ROCK?
AH, THAT
DOESN'T WORRY ME.
I AM A LITTLE WORRIED
ABOUT BEING TOO DUMB TO FINISH.
HA HA. I WOULDN'T
TAKE A BET ON THAT.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU, KID.
WE'LL BE MISSING THAT FUNNY
FACE OF YOURS AROUND HERE.
THANKS, DANNY,
AND THE SAME TO YOU.
THANKS.
ERIC.
COME IN!
HELLO.
HOW ARE YOU?
MY NAME'S ROCKNE--
KNUTE ROCKNE.
MY NAMES DORAIS--
GUS DORAIS.
LOOKS LIKE YOU AND I
ARE GONNA ROOM TOGETHER.
WELL, THAT'S
ALL RIGHT WITH ME.
WHERE DO YOU WANT
TO PUT THE TRUNK?
I HAVEN'T GOT ANY TRUNK.
NEITHER HAVE I.
WELL, I GUESS
THAT MAKES US EVEN.
YOU'RE NOT
A FRESHMAN, ARE YOU?
SURE, I AM. WHY?
OH, IT'S NOTHING.
ONLY I--
SURE, I KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
I DON'T LOOK AS YOUNG
AS THE REST OF
THESE FELLOWS AROUND HERE.
WELL, I'M NOT,
BUT IT TOOK ME
6 YEARS OF HARD WORK
TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY
TO GET HERE.
HOPE IT'S GONNA
BE WORTH IT TO YOU.
THANKS. IT'S GONNA BE.
EVER DO ANY ATHLETICS?
OH, A LITTLE TRACK,
SOME FOOTBALL.
I PLAYED
A LITTLE FOOTBALL MYSELF.
MAYBE WE'LL BE TRYING OUT
FOR THE TEAM TOGETHER.
I DIDN'T COME HERE
TO PLAY FOOTBALL, DORAIS.
BUT I MIGHT FIND
A LITTLE TIME FOR IT.
WHAT ARE YOU
UP FOR, ROCK?
I DON'T KNOW.
ALL RIGHT, ROCKNE.
FATHER CALLAHAN'LL
SEE YOU NOW.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, ROCK.
GOOD MORNING, FATHER.
FATHER NIEUWLAND.
HELLO, KNUTE.
NOW, JUST RELAX.
I'VE GOT NOTHING
ON YOU THIS TIME.
KNUTE, YOU HAVE ONLY
ONE MORE YEAR TO GO
FOR YOUR DEGREE.
I HOPE SO.
YOU'VE MADE A FINE RECORD
IN THE PAST 3 YEARS--
HONOR MAN IN YOUR CLASS,
AND NEXT FALL, YOU'LL
BE CAPTAIN OF FOOTBALL.
THAT'S A VERY RARE
COMBINATION.
THANK YOU, FATHER.
DO SIT DOWN.
FATHER NIEUWLAND HERE
TELLS ME
YOU'VE GOT THE FINEST BRAIN
FOR CHEMISTRY
OF ANY MAN IN HIS CLASS.
WELL, I GUESS
IT'S A PRETTY DUMB CLASS.
OH, NO. YOU HAVE A DEFINITE
TALENT FOR SCIENCE, KNUTE.
OH, THERE'S GOING
TO BE A GREAT FUTURE
FOR MEN LIKE YOU
IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
THAT'S A GREAT COMPLIMENT,
COMING FROM YOU, FATHER.
WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR
THE REST OF IT.
I WANT YOU TO HELP ME
THIS SUMMER, KNUTE--
STAY HERE AS
MY ASSISTANT, WITH PAY.
AS YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING
TO PERFECT A NEW FORMULA
FOR SYNTHETIC RUBBER,
AND I NEED A GOOD MAN
TO CHECK MY EXPERIMENTS.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW
QUITE WHAT TO SAY.
THERE MUST BE 100 MEN
WHO WOULD FIGHT FOR THE CHANCE
TO WORK FOR YOU, FATHER.
OH, THEN YOU WILL STAY?
WELL, I'D LIKE TO.
I APPRECIATE IT,
YOU UNDERSTAND, BUT...
YOU SEE,
GUS DORAIS AND I
HAVE SIGNED UP
AS LIFEGUARDS
FOR THE SUMMER
AT CEDAR POINT.
AS A LIFEGUARD?
OH, NO.
THAT'S NO WORK
FOR A MAN WITH
YOUR INTELLIGENCE.
YOU'RE PASSING UP
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, KNUTE.
OH, I REALIZE THAT,
FATHER.
WELL, MAYBE NEXT YEAR--
I'M NOT INTERESTED
IN NEXT YEAR.
MY WORK WON'T WAIT.
I PICKED YOU OUT
BECAUSE I THOUGHT
YOU HAD SOME BRAINS.
OH, BUT
I PROMISED GUS--
HE SAYS
HE PROMISED GUS.
I COULD MAKE A FIRST-CLASS
SCIENTIST OF YOU
INSIDE OF 10 YEARS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE
BORN TO BE, ANYWAY,
YOU--YOU BIG SWEDE.
WHO CAN SAY
FOR CERTAIN, FATHER,
WHAT A MAN
WAS REALLY BORN TO BE?
THAT'S GOD'S WILL,
NOT OURS.
SOMEDAY KNUTE WILL FIND
HIS RIGHT PLACE IN THE WORLD.
AND WHEN HE DOES, WHETHER
IT BE SCIENCE OR NOT,
I HAVE A FEELING
IT WILL BE THE ONE THING
HE WAS MEANT TO DO.
OF COURSE, YOU AND DORAIS
COULDN'T BE TAKING
A FOOTBALL ALONG
TO CEDAR POINT
BY ANY CHANCE, WOULD YOU?
WHATEVER GAVE YOU
THAT IDEA, FATHER?
GOOD WORKOUT, HUH?
YEAH.
SEE THE TRIBUNE
THIS MORNING, ROCK?
I HAVEN'T SEEN A NEWSPAPER
IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IF YOU'D STOP MOONING
AROUND BONNIE SKILES
LIKE A LOVESICK CALF,
MAYBE YOU'D LEARN SOME NEWS.
OH, STOP,
WILL YOU, GUS?
WHAT?
NOTRE DAME'S PLAYING
ARMY THIS FALL.
PLAYING THE ARMY
NOVEMBER, AT WEST POINT.
PAPER SAYS THEY GOT
THE GREATEST TEAM IN HISTORY.
3 ALL-AMERICANS.
WE'LL HAVE A NICE TRIP
BACK EAST,
AND THEY'LL PROBABLY
TEAR US APART.
WHO SAID SO?
DON'T BE A SAP, ROCK.
THE ARMY OUTWEIGHS US
20 POUNDS TO THE MAN.
WE COULDN'T LICK THEM
IF WE TOOK A SHOTGUN ALONG.
ALL RIGHT,
WE'LL TAKE A SHOTGUN.
YOU OUGHT
TO TAKE IT EASY, ROCK.
THE SUN'S
BEGINNING TO GET YOU.
GUS, DO YOU REALIZE
WHAT THIS MEANS?
THIS GAME
IS THE GREATEST CHANCE
NOTRE DAME HAS EVER HAD.
YEAH, IT'S GREAT,
ALL RIGHT,
AND SO'S THE ARMY.
WE'RE GONNA
BEAT THE ARMY, GUS.
AW, ROCK.
NO, WE'RE
GONNA BEAT 'EM.
I GOT AN IDEA.
YOU SEE, ALL
THESE EASTERN TEAMS,
LIKE THE ARMY,
ARE ALL POWER--
KNOCK YOU DOWN, RUN OVER
YOU LIKE A STEAMROLLER.
ALL RIGHT, IF YOU CAN'T
GO AROUND THE STEAMROLLER,
YOU CAN GO OVER IT.
NO TEAM HAS EVER
USED A FORWARD PASS
AS THE MAJOR THREAT
OF ITS OFFENSE.
CONSEQUENTLY, NO TEAM
HAS EVER HAD A GOOD
DEFENSE AGAINST IT.
GUS, WE'RE
GONNA PASS THE ARMY.
WE'RE GONNA PASS 'EM DIZZY.
GIVE ME THAT BALL.
ROCK, IF THAT WORKS,
IT'LL MAKE HISTORY!
CERTAINLY! LET'S
START MAKING HISTORY!
TAKE IT!
HIKE!
SUMMER'S
NEARLY OVER, KNUTE.
YEP.
YOU'LL BE GOING BACK
TO NOTRE DAME NEXT WEEK,
AND I'M GOING HOME.
THAT'S RIGHT, BONNIE.
WE WON'T BE
SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN
FOR A LONG TIME.
NO, NOT TILL
CHRISTMAS VACATION.
TELL YOU WHAT, BONNIE.
I'LL SPEND A WEEK WITH
THE FAMILY IN CHICAGO,
AND THE REST OF THE TIME
WITH YOUR FOLKS. HOW'S THAT?
AW, THAT'LL HELP
TILL JUNE.
BONNIE, I DON'T KNOW
WE'RE GONNA LIVE ON
AFTER WE'RE MARRIED.
YOU'RE
TAKING AN AWFUL CHANCE.
WE'LL GET ALONG.
I CAN COOK AND SEW,
AND YOU'LL GET A JOB.
FATHER NIEUWLAND
SEEMS TO THINK
HE CAN MAKE
A CHEMIST OUT OF ME.
THINK I'D BE
ANY GOOD AT IT?
YOU'D BE A SUCCESS AT
ANYTHING YOU TRIED, KNUTE.
BONNIE, UH...
I'M NOT EXACTLY...
WHAT YOU'D CALL
THE ROMANTIC TYPE, BUT...
BUT I'LL DO EVERYTHING
ON EARTH TO MAKE YOU HAPPY.
YOU KNOW THAT, DON'T YOU?
I KNOW THAT.
SOMETHING ELSE
I WANT TO TELL YOU TONIGHT.
BONNIE--
YES, KNUTE?
GUS AND I HAVE
GOT A GREAT SURPRISE
COOKED UP FOR THE ARMY.
WE WORKED IT OUT
ALL SUMMER AT THE BEACH.
OH, BONNIE,
IT'LL MAKE HISTORY.
YOU SEE, NOBODY HAS
EVER USED THE FORWARD PASS,
THAT IS, THE WAY
NOTRE DAME IS GONNA USE IT.
IT WORKS OUT LIKE THIS.
GUS FADES BACK,
TAKES THE BALL
FROM CENTER.
I RUN DOWN THE FIELD,
AND NOW...
WHAT'S THE MATTER?
GO ON. "AND NOW..."
YEAH.
NOW SOMEBODY OUGHT TO...
KICK ME RIGHT IN
THE SEAT OF THE PANTS.
OH, KNUTE.
MOVE IN THERE, JIMMY.
HOLD THAT LINE.
WATCH 'EM NOW, ROCK.
WATCH OVER CENTER, JOE.
Dorais: 22, 45, 18! HIKE!
NICE GAME, RED.
NEVER MIND THE SCORE.
JUST KEEP
PLUGGING THAT TACKLE.
YOU BETTER
GET SOME WATER, BUD.
YOU LOOK
A LITTLE GROGGY.
SAY, COACH?
YEAH?
I CAN OUTRUN THAT HALFBACK
THAT'S BEEN COVERING ME.
HE DOESN'T KNOW IT
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LIMPING
PURPOSELY TO FOOL HIM.
YEAH, I BEEN
WATCHING HIM, TOO.
HE MOVES UP
IN EVERY PLAY.
COACH, LET US
USE THE FORWARD PASS.
I KNOW IT'LL WORK.
I'M NOT SO SURE.
WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT
IN THE GAME.
NEITHER HAS THE ARMY.
WHAT CAN WE LOSE?
ALL RIGHT.
IT'S YOUR IDEA, ROCK.
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN
PUT IT OVER, GO AHEAD.
THANKS, COACH.
WHAT'S THE MATTER, HOOSIERS?
CAN'T YOU GET STARTED?
Rockne: SIGNALS!
27, 34, 56!
HIP!
COME ON, LET'S GO.
ALL RIGHT,
CLEAR IT OUT!
ALL RIGHT, ROCK.
LET'S OPEN UP.
LET 'ER GO.
I'LL BE WAITING.
Dorais: SIGNALS!
27! 32!
45! HIP!
THEY CAN'T DO THAT!
THEY JUST DID
FOR 45 YARDS.
COME ON, BOYS.
WE'RE STILL BEHIND.
LOOK AT
THAT SCOREBOARD.
THAT'LL
REVOLUTIONIZE FOOTBALL.
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE DAME *
* WAKE UP THE ECHOES
CHEERING HER NAME *
* SEND A VOLLEY CHEER ON HIGH
* SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER
FROM THE SKY *
* WHAT THOUGH THE ODDS
BE GREAT OR SMALL *
* OLD NOTRE DAME
WILL WIN OVER ALL *
* WHILE HER LOYAL SONS
ARE MARCHING *
* ONWARD TO VICTORY
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE DAME *
COME ON, BOYS, LET ME DOWN.
I FEEL LIKE A FOOL UP HERE.
BETTER TAKE IT
WHILE YOU CAN, ROCK.
YOU'LL NEVER
HEAR THIS AGAIN.
GOOD MORNING, KNUTE.
MORNING, FATHER.
NOW THAT YOU'VE GRADUATED
WITH A MAGNA CUM LAUDE,
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE?
WELL, I HAVEN'T
DECIDED YET.
I'VE HAD
A FEW OFFERS.
FATHER NIEUWLAND.
PERHAPS FATHER NIEUWLAND
HERE CAN HELP YOU.
WHAT? WHAT KIND
OF OFFERS?
WELL, THERE'S NOTHING
VERY DEFINITE.
TO COACH FOOTBALL--
IS THAT IT?
YES, IN A...
SORT OF A WAY.
I DON'T KNOW
WHY I'M DUMB ENOUGH
TO OFFER YOU
ANOTHER JOB
OR WHY I BOTHERED TO LOOK
FOR A SYNTHETIC RUBBER
WHEN YOU HAVE GOT
A SOLID HEAD OF IT.
DID YOU SAY A JOB,
FATHER?
MMM. MAYBE
I'VE CHANGED MY MIND.
FATHER NIEUWLAND WANTS YOU
TO STAY HERE AT NOTRE DAME
TO HELP HIM TEACH CHEMISTRY.
THE JOB DOESN'T PAY
VERY MUCH AT THE START,
BUT NIEUWLAND HAS GREAT
HOPES FOR YOU LATER ON.
I'LL TAKE THE JOB.
THANK YOU, FATHER.
YOU'LL START NEXT TERM.
WELL, THERE'S, UH,
JUST ONE MORE THING.
DO YOU HAVE
ANY OBJECTIONS
IF I STAY ON
AND HELP HARPER
WITH THE FOOTBALL
TEAM THIS FALL?
YES! YOU ARE THROUGH
WITH FOOTBALL.
GET THAT
INTO YOUR HEAD,
ONCE AND FOR ALL.
WELL, IT WOULDN'T TAKE
THAT MUCH OF MY TIME,
AND THE EXTRA MONEY
I'D MAKE
COULD HELP ME
A GREAT DEAL.
YOU SEE...
I'M PLANNING
ON GETTING MARRIED.
HMM.
I KNEW I SHOULD
HAVE PICKED A PRIEST.
I'LL ONLY COACH
FOR A YEAR,
AND THAT'LL PUT ME
ON MY FEET.
FATHER, YOU DON'T THINK
I'D BE CRAZY ENOUGH
TO TAKE UP COACHING
AS A LIFEWORK, DO YOU?
YOU, O'REILLY.
DID YOU GET IT?
NO, OF COURSE
YOU DIDN'T.
BOUNCED RIGHT OFF
YOUR BEAN, DIDN'T IT?
WELL, DID
ANY OF YOU GET IT?
THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S FINE.
KEEPS THE RECORD PERFECT.
WELL, MAYBE YOU
DON'T LIKE CHEMISTRY.
I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT.
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO TAKE UP
KNITTING OR FOLK DANCING.
NOTHING DUMBER
THAN A DUMB IRISHMAN.
EXCEPT A SMART SWEDE.
THE BOYS TELL ME
YOU ARE
A GOOD TEACHER, KNUTE.
THEY ALL WANT
TO BE IN YOUR CLASS.
YES. THAT'S
WHAT WORRIES ME.
I DON'T GET
ANY RESPECT.
NONE AT ALL.
YOU'LL HAVE RESPECT
SOMEDAY--
ALL YOU
CAN EVER USE--
IF OUR WORK HERE
IS SUCCESSFUL.
AND, WELL, IF WE
CAN FIND THE ANSWER,
IF WE CAN MAKE
GOOD RUBBER CHEAPLY
AND WITHOUT USING GUM,
A GREAT PART OF THE CREDIT
WILL BE YOURS, KNUTE.
NO, FATHER.
YOU'RE THE QUARTERBACK
ON THIS TEAM.
I'M JUST THE WATER BOY.
ALWAYS WILL BE.
AND YOU--YOU CAN
BE ANYTHING YOU WANT.
I HAVE WATCHED YOU
EVER SINCE
YOU CAME TO NOTRE DAME
FROM THE FIRST DAY
YOU ASKED A QUESTION
IN MY CLASS.
I GUESS I WAS PRETTY
MUCH OF A NUISANCE
WITH ALL MY QUESTIONS,
WASN'T I, FATHER?
THAT'S HOW I KNEW
YOU MIGHT MAKE A SCIENTIST,
AND YOU WILL, KNUTE,
BELIEVE ME, I KNOW.
YOU HAVE THE BRAINS
AND THE STRENGTH.
LOOK,
THESE FIRST FEW YEARS
ARE THE HARDEST.
JUST LIVE SIMPLY.
I GIVE YOU A CHIN-UP.
WE ARE GOING TO DO
GREAT THINGS, YOU AND I.
YES?
FATHER NIEUWLAND'S
LABORATORY.
THIS IS
MR. ROCKNE SPEAKING.
WHEN?
WHERE?
WHAT--
I-I'LL BE THERE
RIGHT AWAY.
KNUTE, WHAT IS IT?
WHAT'S HAPPENED?
IT'S BONNIE.
IT'S THE BABY.
IT'S HERE!
GO IN PEACE AND
THE LORD BE WITH THEE.
AMEN.
HE'S A FINE-LOOKING
BABY, BONNIE.
THANK YOU,
FATHER.
YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD
OF HIM, KNUTE.
PROUD OF HIM?
LOOK
AT THOSE MUSCLES.
HE'S A BORN FULLBACK
AND HE'S CALLING SIGNALS
LIKE A QUARTERBACK.
WELL, SCIENTISTS
ALSO HAVE MUSCLES, YOU KNOW.
PERHAPS HE'D PREFER
TO WEAR A RUBBER APRON
INSTEAD OF
A RUBBER NOSE GUARD.
HE SHOULD HAVE A RUBBER
SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, I THINK.
KNUTE,
GIVE HIM TO ME.
OHHH.
FATHER, I'M AT WHAT YOU
MIGHT CALL THE CROSSROADS.
FOR 3 YEARS NOW,
I'VE BEEN TEACHING CHEMISTRY
AND TRYING TO COACH FOOTBALL
AT THE SAME TIME.
I'VE GOT TO DECIDE
BETWEEN THEM.
YES,
I'VE SEEN THAT COMING.
AND WHICH WORK IS
CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART?
WHAT I'M GOING
TO SAY, FATHER,
IS GOING TO DISAPPOINT
YOU, I'M SURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT
WORRIES ME THE MOST.
FATHER, I'VE DECIDED
TO TAKE UP COACHING
AS MY LIFEWORK.
HMM.
YOU THINK I'M MAKING
A MISTAKE, DON'T YOU?
ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS
THE TRUTH IN HIS HEART
NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE.
I'VE WATCHED YOUR WORK
WITH THESE BOYS
THESE PAST FEW YEARS,
AND I'VE SEEN
THE SPLENDID RESULTS.
YOU'RE HELPING MANKIND,
KNUTE.
AND ANYONE WHO HELPS
MANKIND HELPS GOD.
THANK YOU, FATHER.
I'LL DO MY BEST.
I'M SURE YOU WILL.
BILLY, I TOLD YOU
TO STAY AWAY FROM
THAT BUCKET. NOW SHOO.
FIRST OF ALL
IT WAS BEAR GREASE,
THEN SOMETHING CALLED
"OLD DOC SIMPSON'S
SURE-GROW SNAKE OIL,"
AND NOW IT'S CREOSOTE.
I DECLARE,
YOU'VE TRIED EVERYTHING
ON YOUR HAIR EXCEPT GRASS SEED.
JOE BYRNE SAYS
CREOSOTE'S BEST OF ALL.
FOR TELEPHONE POLES,
MAYBE.
THE TRUTH IS, YOU'VE JUST
WORRIED YOURSELF HALF BALD.
BONNIE, I CAN FEEL
A LITTLE FUZZ
GROWING RIGHT THERE.
SEE? RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S THE FRINGE
ON THE TOWEL.
OH.
3 YEARS OF COACHING
FOOTBALL AND TRACK
WITHOUT A SINGLE DAY'S
VACATION.
AND WHEN THIS THING BEGINS
TO LOOK LIKE A WATERMELON,
YOU NEEDN'T COME TO ME
FOR SYMPATHY.
MAYBE I CAN GET SOME
SYMPATHY OUT OF THOSE.
WHAT ARE THEY?
TRAVEL BOOKLETS.
PLACES TO GO.
PICK OUT
ONE YOU LIKE.
KNUTE,
YOU MEAN FOR US?
SURE. WE'LL GO
WHEREVER YOU WANT.
I LIKE THIS ONE
ABOUT FLORIDA.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
I'LL GO INTO CHICAGO TOMORROW
AND DO SOME SHOPPING.
WHEN DO WE LEAVE?
WELL, LET ME SEE.
THIS IS AUGUST.
NEXT MONTH
IS FOOTBALL SEASON.
WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO GO RIGHT AWAY.
WHAT ABOUT
AFTER THANKSGIVING?
NO, NO.
I'VE GOT TO ATTEND
A COACHES' CONFERENCE
IN PITTSBURGH.
WELL, AFTER CHRISTMAS,
THEN. JANUARY.
THAT'S THE NICEST TIME
IN FLORIDA, ANYWAY.
NO, NOT FOR ME, BONNIE.
I GOTTA TALK TO THOSE
BOYS AT MOOSEHEART,
ARRANGE OUR SCHEDULE
FOR NEXT YEAR,
THE TRACK TEAM STARTS
TO WORK IN MARCH--
THAT BRINGS US
INTO JULY.
AND THEN FOOTBALL SEASON
BEGINS AGAIN.
I SEE.
YOU KEEP THOSE.
NEXT YEAR, TURN THEM IN
FOR A NEW SET.
OH, NOW, BONNIE,
DON'T BE UNREASONABLE.
AAH...
OH, BILLY, NOW LOOK
WHAT YOU'VE DONE!
YOU--
IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT.
YOU AND JOE BYRNE'S
CREOSOTE.
ALL RIGHT,
IF IT'S SO FUNNY,
GO UPSTAIRS AND
WASH HIM YOURSELF.
GO ON, UPSTAIRS.
AND DON'T USE
MY GUEST TOWELS.
I DON'T KNOW
WHICH ONE OF YOU
IS THE BIGGEST BABY.
HI, BONNIE!
WELL, HELLO, BOYS!
HELLO, BONNIE.
WHERE'S ROCK?
HE'S UPSTAIRS GETTING BILLY
READY FOR HIS NAP.
DID YOU HAVE
A NICE VACATION, BOYS?
SWELL!
GREAT!
JIM, HOW'S YOUR MOTHER?
OH, GOOD.
FINE, THANKS.
Moore: I SEE YOU
STILL KEEP THE ICEBOX
IN THE SAME OLD PLACE.
YES, AND THAT ICEBOX
IS NOT GOING
TO BE RAIDED THIS YEAR.
I'LL TELL KNUTE
YOU'RE HERE.
Michael: NOW, BONNIE,
IS THAT REGULAR?
HOW DO YOU EXPECT US TO EAT
THAT APPLE PIE YOU MADE?
Jim: YEAH,
AND THAT CHICKEN.
BONNIE COOKS THE BEST
FRIED CHICKEN IN TOWN.
YOU SAID IT!
BONNIE, YOU WOULDN'T LET
US STARVE, WOULD YOU?
I BET THAT ICEBOX
IS CHOCK-FULL
OF GOOD STUFF RIGHT NOW.
COME ON.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
NOW, BOYS, I WANT YOU
TO STAY OUT OF THAT ICEBOX.
I AM NOT RUNNING ANOTHER
TRAINING TABLE FOR NOTRE DAME.
TELL ROCK WE'RE HERE,
WILL YOU?
WE WON'T GO NEAR IT,
SO HURRY UP.
* THERE IS A BOARDINGHOUSE
FAR, FAR AWAY *
* WHERE THEY SERVE
HAM AND EGGS 3 TIMES A DAY *
* WHOA, WHOA,
THE BOARDERS YELL *
* WHEN THEY HEAR
THE DINNER BELL *
* OH, HOW THE EGGS
DO SMELL *
* FAR, FAR AWAY
* THERE IS A BOARDINGHOUSE
FAR, FAR AWAY *
* WHERE THEY SERVE
HAM AND EGGS 3 TIMES... *
KNUTE, YOU'VE GOT
TO GET DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT AWAY.
THAT FOOTBALL TEAM OF YOURS
IS ABOUT TO GET INTO MY ICEBOX.
THEY'RE BACK?
AND TELL THEM TO STAY AWAY
FROM MY CHICKEN.
THAT'S OUR SUPPER.
IT WAS OUR SUPPER.
THANKS, BOYS. THANKS.
WELL, DIDN'T YOU
OVERLOOK THIS?
FEET APART, MACK!
COME ON, DIG IN.
NO, JOE,
SHIFT OUTSIDE
THE TACKLE!
THAT'S MORE LIKE IT.
ALL RIGHT, HIKE!
ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S ENOUGH.
RELAX.
WHAT HAVE YOU BOYS
BEEN DOING ALL SUMMER--
FOXTROTTING?
YOU LOOK TERRIBLE.
YOU BETTER GO ON HOME.
ALL WE NEED IS A LITTLE
MORE PRACTICE, COACH.
WE'RE TOO FULL OF FOOD
RIGHT NOW, ROCK.
WAIT TILL OCTOBER.
WELL, WE'LL HAVE
A PRETTY FAIR BALL CLUB
THIS YEAR, I GUESS.
YOU GOT A TOUGH SCHEDULE.
NEBRASKA, PURDUE,
INDIANA, AND THE ARMY,
AND THEY'RE ALL TOUGH.
WHAT I'D GIVE
MY RIGHT ARM FOR
IS A HALFBACK
WHO COULD CARRY THE MAIL,
A FAST BOY WHO COULD
RUN, PASS, AND KICK.
SOMEBODY ON THE ORDER OF--
THE ORDER OF JIM THORPE.
A GUY LIKE THAT
WOULD NEVER COME
TO A LITTLE SCHOOL
LIKE NOTRE DAME.
I KNOW.
I KNOW. THAT SORT OF FELLA
COMES ALONG
MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE
IN A COACH'S LIFETIME.
BUT I'M STILL HOPING.
AND IF I EVER DO
FIND A BOY LIKE THAT...
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO PUNT
AND PRAY THIS SEASON.
THAT'S THE ONLY OFFENSE
NOTRE DAME'S GONNA HAVE.
IF WE ONLY HAD
ONE GOOD HALFBACK, ROCK.
JUST HAVE TO KEEP
PRAYING, THAT'S ALL.
NO, NO, MURPHY.
KEEP THAT TOE POINTED
AND KICK WITH
THE ARCH OF YOUR FOOT.
WAIT A MINUTE. HOLD IT.
NOW, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
YOU'RE HOLDING, A HOT POTATO?
Player: LOOK AT THAT.
WOW, LOOK AT THAT BALL
TRAVEL.
MUST HAVE GAS IN IT.
HEY, YOU!
HEY, YOU!
WHERE YOU FROM,
BUD?
CALUMET.
YOU EVER
PLAY FOOTBALL?
SOME, IN HIGH SCHOOL.
BASEBALL'S MY DISH.
DON'T YOU LIKE
TO PLAY FOOTBALL?
NOT MUCH.
I JUST SAW YOU
MAKE THAT KICK.
YOU THINK YOU
COULD DO IT AGAIN?
YEAH.
Player: RIGHT IN THERE.
GO IN AND GET A UNIFORM,
REPORT TO THE SCRUBS.
WHY?
'CAUSE I THINK YOU'D
MAKE A FOOTBALL PLAYER.
TRY IT ANYWAY.
I DOUBT IT.
ALL RIGHT,
IF YOU INSIST.
NO, WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
GIPP. GEORGE GIPP.
WHAT'S YOURS?
IS HE KIDDIN' ME?
ALL RIGHT, COMEDIANS,
COME ON. SNAP INTO IT.
LET'S GO.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.
26-72-23.
HIKE!
YOU MISSED HIM, CASSIDY!
USE YOUR HANDS!
THEY NAIL YOU EVERY TIME!
IT'S ALL RIGHT.
FRESHMEN'S BALL.
I DON'T WANT TO
DISTURB YOU, GIPP.
DO WE BORE YOU?
AH, I GOT
NOTHIN' ELSE TO DO.
MAYBE I CAN FIX THAT FOR YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY?
WELL, I HAVE
BEEN SORT OF WONDERING
WHY YOU GAVE ME
THIS UNIFORM.
GET IN THERE AT FULLBACK
WITH THE SCRUBS.
I DON'T KNOW
YOUR SIGNALS YET.
THEY'LL GIVE YOU THE BALL.
YOU JUST RUN WITH IT.
HOW FAR?
YOU DON'T HAVE
TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
HOLD IT!
ALL RIGHT, BOYS,
EVERYBODY UP.
HEADS UP, FELLAS.
BOYS, THIS IS
MR. GEORGE GIPP.
FRESHMAN FROM
CALUMET HIGH SCHOOL.
MR. GIPP
HAS KINDLY CONSENTED
TO CARRY THE BALL
FOR THE SCRUBS.
JUST CALL ANY PLAY
YOU LIKE,
ANY AT ALL.
THEY'RE ALL THE SAME
TO HIM.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO!
LET'S GO, BOYS,
LET'S GO.
WATCH THIS.
OUGHT TO BE GOOD.
48-15-72, HIKE!
HERE WE GO!
I GUESS THE BOYS
ARE JUST TIRED.
NICE GOING, ROCK!
CONGRATULATIONS!
THANK YOU.
[REPORTERS
ALL SHOUTING AT ONCE]
HOW ABOUT A STORY,
ROCK?
YOU'RE BIG NEWS
THESE DAYS.
THE PUBLIC WOULD
RATHER READ ABOUT YOU
THAN THE WORLD WAR.
THAT'S RIGHT. COME ON,
ROCK, SPILL OUT.
TELL THE PUBLIC
ABOUT THE BOYS, NOT ME.
THEY DO THE WORK.
THEY SHOULD GET THE CREDIT.
WHERE'S THE GIPPER,
ROCK?
WE WANT A PICTURE
OF YOU TWO TOGETHER.
WELL, COACH!
I JUST WANTED
TO DROP IN AND TELL YOU
THAT I CERTAINLY CLEANED UP
ON NOTRE DAME TODAY.
YES, SIR, $3,000.
AND I'M BETTIN' 500
ON YOU AND GIPP
FOR NEXT SATURDAY,
LAYING 2-TO-1
THAT YOU WIN BY 14 POINTS.
YOU WON'T LET ME DOWN,
WILL YOU?
NOPE.
I WON'T LET YOU DOWN.
BUT I CERTAINLY
WILL LET YOU OUT.
WE HAVEN'T GOT ANY USE
FOR GAMBLERS AROUND HERE.
YOU'VE DONE YOUR BEST TO RUIN
BASEBALL AND HORSE RACING.
THIS IS ONE GAME THAT'S CLEAN
AND IS GONNA STAY CLEAN.
YOU PLAYED A GREAT GAME
TODAY, GEORGE.
KNUTE'S BEEN PHONING
EVERY 5 MINUTES.
HIS OFFICE IS FULL
OF NEWSPAPER REPORTERS
WAITING TO SEE YOU.
OH, ROCK
CAN TAKE CARE OF THEM.
HELLO, BILLY. COME HERE.
LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT YOU.
GEORGE,
YOU'RE WONDERFUL.
WELL, THANKS, BILL.
YOU LIKED THAT BALL GAME,
THEN, HUH?
YEAH.
DID YOU HEAR ME YELL
WHEN YOU RAN BACK
THAT KICKOFF?
SURE, I DID, BILL.
THAT'S WHY I KEPT RUNNING.
GEE, WAIT'LL I TELL
THE KIDS THAT!
THAT-A-BOY!
YOU'RE A STRANGE PERSON,
GEORGE.
HERE YOU ARE
AT THIS VERY MINUTE
THE BIGGEST NEWS
OF ANY BOY IN AMERICA,
AND YET YOU
DELIBERATELY RUN AWAY
FROM ALL THAT FAME
AND PUBLICITY. WHY?
OH, I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE
TO GET TOO CLOSE TO ME.
NOBODY GOT CLOSE TO YOU
TODAY, GEORGE.
GEORGE, KNUTE AND I
OFTEN TALK ABOUT YOU.
WE'D LIKE FOR OUR 2 BOYS
TO GROW UP AND BE
JUST LIKE YOU SOME DAY.
YOU MEAN TO PLAY FOOTBALL?
NO, NOT JUST THAT.
TO...
TO HAVE YOUR POISE
AND THOUGHTFULNESS.
AND YOUR INTELLIGENCE.
DID, UH...ROCK SAY THAT?
YES.
HE SAID THOSE QUALITIES
ARE RARE IN A BOY YOUR AGE.
NO, BONNIE.
ROCK'S THE RARE ONE,
NOT ME.
THERE'LL BE NEW FELLAS
COMING ALONG
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
A LOT OF THEM
MUCH BETTER FOOTBALL PLAYERS
THAN I EVER WAS.
THERE'LL NEVER
BE BUT ONE ROCKNE,
HERE AT NOTRE DAME
OR ANYWHERE ELSE.
HE'S GIVEN US SOMETHING
THEY DON'T TEACH IN SCHOOLS,
SOMETHING CLEAN
AND STRONG INSIDE.
NOT JUST COURAGE,
BUT A RIGHT WAY OF LIVING
THAT NONE OF US
WILL EVER FORGET.
UM...
DON'T TELL ROCK
I SAID THAT, BONNIE.
HE'D THINK
I WAS AN AWFUL SAP.
OH, THAT'S FUNNY, GEORGE.
HE SAID THE SAME THING
ABOUT YOU.
"THERE'LL NEVER
BE BUT ONE GIPPER,
NOT HERE OR ANYWHERE ELSE."
I'M GOING TO GET SOMETHING
FOR THAT COUGH OF YOURS.
I'M ALL RIGHT. IT'S JUST
A LITTLE SORE THROAT.
DON'T ARGUE WITH ME,
GEORGE GIPP.
I'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF BABIES
AND FOOTBALL PLAYERS FOR YEARS.
COME ON, BILL,
SAY GOOD NIGHT TO GEORGE.
GOOD NIGHT, GEORGE.
GOOD NIGHT, BILL.
NOW, SCOOT. HURRY UP.
SO THIS IS WHERE
YOU'RE HIDING, HUH?
WHAT'S THE MATTER,
YOU TOO BASHFUL TO COME BY
AND HAVE YOUR PICTURE TAKEN?
I DIDN'T WANT TO HORN IN
ON YOUR PARTY, ROCK.
THEY GET ONE
OF YOUR PROFILE?
MUST BE PRETTY NICE
TO READ WHAT
A GREAT FELLA YOU ARE.
ON SATURDAYS, ANYWAY.
HAVEN'T GOTTEN
THAT FAR.
THIS PAPER SAYS
YOU'RE A GENIUS.
THAT SO? LET ME SEE.
THERE IT IS.
"ANY COACH
CAN LOOK LIKE A GENIUS
WHEN HE HAS A HALFBACK
LIKE THE GIPPER."
WHY, YOU...
WELL, THEY'RE RIGHT,
GEORGE.
THEY'RE RIGHT.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE IN THERE,
I LOOK PRETTY GOOD.
YOU'VE MADE A REPUTATION
FOR ME.
THE TEAM IS GONNA MISS YOU
LIKE A RIGHT ARM NEXT YEAR.
I'M GONNA
MISS YOU, TOO, GEORGE.
WON'T SEEM
LIKE THE SAME PLACE
WITHOUT HIM HANGING AROUND,
WILL IT, BONNIE?
HE'LL BE BACK. HERE,
GEORGE, DRINK THIS
BEFORE IT GETS COOL.
THANKS, BONNIE.
WHAT'S THE MATTER?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
GEORGE HAS A SORE THROAT
AND A VERY BAD COUGH.
THAT SO? SIT DOWN
IN THE LIGHT. LET ME SEE.
IT'S NOTHING
SERIOUS, ROCK.
THE SEASON'S OVER,
ANYWAY.
WHO SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT THE SEASON?
LET ME TAKE A LOOK
AT THAT.
GET OVER THERE
IN THE LIGHT.
OPEN YOUR MOUTH.
WIDE.
I'M ALL RIGHT.
YES, YOU'RE ALL RIGHT.
YOU'RE FINE.
YOU'RE COMING WITH ME.
ANYBODY'D THINK YOU WERE
STILL IN THE ARMY.
I SAW ENOUGH IN THE ARMY
TO KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU.
BONNIE, WE'RE
GOING TO THE HOSPITAL,
HAVE HIM LOOKED OVER.
THIS IS A SICK BOY.
GET YOUR THINGS,
GEORGE.
AMEN.
GEORGE.
YES, ROCK?
GEORGE, THIS TELEGRAM
JUST ARRIVED
FROM WALTER CAMP.
YOU'VE BEEN NAMED FULLBACK
ON HIS ALL-AMERICAN TEAM.
ME?
YOU WOULDN'T KID ME, ROCK?
NO. IT'S ON THE LEVEL.
YOU'RE GONNA
BE ALL RIGHT, KID.
I HAVEN'T GOT A COMPLAINT
IN THE WORLD, ROCK.
I'M NOT AFRAID.
WHAT'S TOUGH ABOUT THIS?
ROCK...
SOMEDAY WHEN THE TEAM'S
UP AGAINST IT...
AND THE BREAKS
ARE BEATING THE BOYS,
ASK 'EM TO GO IN THERE
WITH ALL THEY'VE GOT
AND WIN JUST ONE
FOR THE GIPPER.
I DON'T KNOW
WHERE I'LL BE THEN,
BUT I'LL KNOW ABOUT IT.
I'LL BE HAPPY.
YOU BETTER
GO ON HOME, BONNIE.
I'LL ATTEND
TO EVERYTHING.
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3...
Boy: WHAT KIND OF TEAM
WE GONNA HAVE
THIS YEAR, ROCK?
HEY, COACH,
REMEMBER ME?
SURE, I DO.
SAME OLD GANG, HUH?
SURE. YOU COULDN'T
DO WITHOUT US.
WHO'S GONNA TAKE
THE GIPPER'S PLACE, COACH?
HOW ABOUT GIVIN' US
A FOOTBALL, ROCK?
YEAH!
YEAH!
YOU ALWAYS DO.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT,
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
I WANT TO SEE
WHAT YOU REMEMBER
FROM LAST YEAR.
SEE WHO CAN ANSWER
THIS QUESTION.
NOTRE DAME'S BALL,
OUR OWN 20-YARD LINE,
ARMY'S LEADING 13-7,
THIRD DOWN,
ONE MINUTE TO GO.
TOMMY, WHAT PLAY
WOULD YOU MAKE?
END RUN.
NO, THAT'S WRONG.
ELMER,
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
UH, FLAT PASS
TO KILEY?
WRONG AGAIN.
PETE?
OFF TACKLE!
YOU'RE WRONG, TOO.
ISABELLE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WELL, IF I WAS
RUNNING THE TEAM,
I'D CALL 83 OR 84,
A LONG FORWARD PASS.
SURE, YOU WOULD, AND
YOU'RE A BORN QUARTERBACK,
AND YOU'VE GOT A FOOTBALL.
ALL RIGHT!
EVERYBODY UP!
ALL RIGHT, MEN...
STARTING A NEW SEASON TODAY.
GOT A TOUGH SCHEDULE
AHEAD OF US.
WE'RE USED TO THAT
AT NOTRE DAME.
NOW, LET'S
GET THIS STRAIGHT
BEFORE WE START.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY HERE
TO THINK HE'S ANY BETTER
THAN ANYONE ELSE.
AND THAT GOES
FOR YOU LETTER MEN.
FOOTBALL CONSISTS PRIMARILY
OF TACKLING AND BLOCKING.
NOBODY CAN MAKE THE TEAM
IF ALL HE CAN DO
IS CARRY THE BALL,
PASS, OR PUNT.
IF THERE'S ANY OF YOU
SPOILED HIGH SCHOOL STARS
WHO DON'T WANT TO LEARN
TO TACKLE AND BLOCK,
TURN IN YOUR SUITS TONIGHT.
TURN 'EM IN TONIGHT.
THE NOTRE DAME SYSTEM
IS BASED ON TEAMWORK,
WHICH IS A COMBINATION
OF SELF-SACRIFICE,
BRAINS, AND SWEAT.
AND THE BRAINS COME FIRST.
I ONLY WANT MEN
WHO CAN THINK
AND THINK FAST.
ANYONE HERE
WHO'S ABSENT-MINDED
OR SLOW ON THE UPTAKE,
CURE IT OR GET OUT!
FOOTBALL IS A PLACE
FOR CLEAR MINDS.
NOW, I'LL EXPECT YOU
TO WORK HARD.
I'LL ALSO EXPECT YOU
TO MAINTAIN A HIGH AVERAGE
IN YOUR CLASSES.
WE WANT TO WIN
IF WE CAN,
BUT YOU DIDN'T COME
TO NOTRE DAME
ONLY TO PLAY FOOTBALL.
5 YEARS FROM NOW,
THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE
FORGOTTEN THE BEST OF YOU.
REMEMBER THAT.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT
YOU LOOK LIKE ON A DUMMY!
LET'S GO!
ALL RIGHT!
HIT 'EM HARDER
AND LOWER!
ALL RIGHT, KELLY,
DRIVE ON THROUGH NOW.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.
HIT 'EM AT THE KNEES.
AT THE KNEES!
ON 1, 2--
ALL RIGHT,
LET'S GO, O'FLAHERTY.
DRIVE ON THROUGH.
HIKE!
WHAT IS THIS, SQUAT TAG?
COME ON. DIG IN.
SPREAD THOSE.
SPREAD 'EM. COME ON!
CHARGE! DIG IN.
DIG IN, ANDERSON!
WHAT ARE YOU DOIN',
PICKIN' 4
COME ON! CHARGE! CHARGE!
ALL RIGHT, MEN!
EVERYBODY UP!
EVERYBODY UP!
WELL, I GUESS I WAS WRONG.
YOU BOYS ARE EITHER BETTER
THAN I THOUGHT YOU WERE,
OR YOU'RE THE LUCKIEST BUNCH
OF IRISHMEN THAT EVER LIVED!
PLAYED A GREAT GAME
ALL YEAR.
SMART.
SMART, HEADS-UP FOOTBALL.
GONNA GIVE YA
A LITTLE TREAT TONIGHT,
SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T SEEN
SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER,
THAT IS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
[CAROLINA IN THE MORNING
PLAYING]
IT WAS NICE
OF YOU TO COME
AND SIT UP WITH ME,
BUT I'M SURE KNUTE
WILL BE BACK SOON.
THE LAST TRAIN
FROM CHICAGO
WAS DUE
10 MINUTES AGO.
AS MEMBERS OF THE NOTRE DAME
FACULTY, MRS. ROCKNE,
THIS IS OUR HUMBLE WAY
OF HELPING
TO CELEBRATE THE TEAM'S
ILLUSTRIOUS VICTORY,
AND WHEN I CELEBRATE,
I NEVER GO TO BED BEFORE 1:30.
Bonnie: KNUTE!
CONGRATULATIONS!
IT WAS
A WONDERFUL GAME.
THANK YOU, BONNIE.
IT WAS A GREAT GAME.
THE BOYS PLAYED
OVER THEIR HEADS, I GUESS.
CONGRATULATIONS, ROCK.
IT MUST HAVE
BEEN A GREAT GAME.
THANK YOU, PROFESSOR.
I'D LIKE TO
HAVE BEEN THERE.
WISH YOU HAD BEEN.
A CUP OF COFFEE,
KNUTE?
NO, THANK YOU, BONNIE.
I SAW SOMETHING TONIGHT.
GOT THE IDEA OF A LIFETIME--
OF A LIFETIME.
PROFESSOR, DOC.
I SAW A SHOW TONIGHT
IN CHICAGO,
CHORUS GIRLS,
A WHOLE ROW OF THEM.
WHAT RHYTHM.
IT WAS LIKE POETRY
JUST WATCHIN' 'EM MOVE,
BEAUTIFUL, EFFORTLESS.
EFFORTLESS--
YOU GET THE IDEA?
CHORUS GIRLS?
AT YOUR AGE, ROCK?
NO, NO, NO.
BUT THEY GAVE ME THE IDEA
FOR A NEW KIND
OF A BACKFIELD SHIFT.
AND, GENTLEMEN, IT'LL
REVOLUTIONIZE THE GAME.
REVOLUTIONIZE IT!
NO LOST MOTION.
NO WASTED MOMENTUM.
SPLIT-SECOND TIMING.
I CAN SEE IT NOW.
AND THE PUBLIC,
THE PUBLIC'LL LOVE IT.
IT'S NEW. IT'S COLORFUL.
GREAT SHOWMANSHIP,
AND IT'S NEW! IT'S NEW!
LET ME SHOW YOU
WHAT I MEAN.
PROFESSOR, DOC.
WE'LL GO INTO
THE REGULAR FORMATION.
YOU'RE AT RIGHT HALFBACK.
YOU'RE AT QUARTERBACK.
YOU GO IN
AT FULLBACK, BONNIE.
I'LL BE LEFT HALFBACK.
NOW WE FORM A "T" FORMATION.
FROM THE "T" FORMATION,
WE SHIFT
INTO A BOX FORMATION.
THAT MEANS YOU SHIFT TO
THERE, YOU SHIFT TO THERE,
BONNIE, YOU'RE BEHIND HIM,
I'M AT THE TAILBACK.
YOU SHIFT ON THIS SIGNAL.
I'LL GIVE YOU 3 SIGNALS.
WHEN I YELL "HIP,"
YOU DO THIS. NOW WATCH.
47, 29, 82.
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
YOU GOT IT? LET'S TRY IT.
ALL RIGHT.
27, 81, 92,
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
LITTLE MORE ZIP.
WATCH IT, PROFESSOR.
WATCH IT, DOC.
WATCH IT, BONNIE.
ALL RIGHT, READY?
HERE WE GO.
COUNT WITH ME THIS TIME.
29, 85, 41.
HIP.
All: 1, 2, 3.
THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT.
ALL RIGHT, ONCE MORE.
27, 85, 49.
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
[PLAYING CAROLINA
IN THE MORNING]
1, 2, 3.
HIP.
1, 2, 3.
1, 2...
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
HIP. 1, 2.
ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT!
YOU'RE ALL
OUT OF STEP.
COME ON, NOW.
GET THE RHYTHM.
THE RHYTHM,
THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
YOU LOOK
LIKE A BRAKEMAN
FLAGGIN' A TRAIN.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE
ONLY GOT 2 FEET.
DO THEY HAVE TO STEP
ON EACH OTHER?
YOU'RE CALLIN' THAT HIP
ALTOGETHER TOO SLOW.
THE OBJECT OF THE SHIFT
IS TO CATCH THE OPPONENTS
OFF-BALANCE,
GET 'EM BY SURPRISE.
YOU COULD KNIT A SWEATER
BETWEEN YOUR SIGNALS.
OH, AND BY THE WAY...
I DON'T WANNA BE PERSONAL,
BUT, UH...
DID YOU EVER LEARN TO DANCE?
WELL, I CAN
WALTZ A LITTLE.
KINDA THOUGHT THAT'S
WHAT YOU WERE DOING.
WELL, YOU'RE NOT
CARRYIN' A BLONDE.
YOU'RE
CARRYIN' A FOOTBALL.
ALL RIGHT, NOW, BOYS,
COME ON. LET'S GET SMART.
YOU CAN GET THIS SHIFT.
I KNOW YOU CAN.
THAT'S WHY I SELECTED
YOU FOUR TO DO IT.
OF COURSE IT'S TRICKY,
BUT THAT'S
THE BEAUTY OF IT.
IF YOU GET IT, IT'LL
REVOLUTIONIZE FOOTBALL.
ALL RIGHT, PUT ANOTHER
NICKEL IN THE SLOT.
LET'S GO.
[CAROLINA IN THE MORNING
PLAYING]
SIGNALS--
18, 21, 33.
HIP, 1, 2, 3.
Knute: FASTER! HIP!
Boys: 1, 2, 3.
Knute: FASTER!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
Announcer:
WHAT IS THIS NEW MIRACLE
THAT ROCKNE HAS WROUGHT?
THIS BOLT OF IRISH LIGHTNING
THAT STRIKES FROM ALL SIDES
WITH SUCH BLINDING SPEED
AND FURY.
A SHIFT, THEY CALL IT.
YES, BUT HEISMAN OF
GEORGIA TECH ALSO HAS A SHIFT,
SO HAS TED JONES OF YALE,
BUT THEIRS ARE SIMPLE TUNES
COMPARED TO ROCKNE'S SYMPHONY,
FOR THIS SHIFT IS MUSIC,
THE MUSIC OF A MASTER'S HAND.
KNUTE ROCKNE,
WHOSE INGENIOUS BRAIN
PERFECTED THE FORWARD PASS,
HAS BROUGHT A GREAT NEW THRILL
TO FOOTBALL
AND TO ITS MILLIONS
OF FOLLOWERS.
IN THE BRILLIANT HANDS AND FEET
OF THE 4 HORSEMEN--
DON MILLER, HARRY STUHLDREHER,
ELMER LAYDEN, AND JIM CROWLEY--
THE NOTRE DAME SHIFT
HAS BECOME A PRAIRIE FIRE,
BURNING NORTH, EAST,
SOUTH, AND WEST,
RELENTLESS AND UNCHECKED
FOR 3 STRAIGHT YEARS.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY UP!
EVERYBODY UP!
LET'S HAVE THE BALL,
ELMER.
WELL, THERE IT IS, BOYS,
THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
THEY CALL YOU THE 4 HORSEMAN
AND THE 7 MULES.
WELL, I'M BEHIND YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS
THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
SAY, COACH. COACH,
THIS IS THE LAST TIME
A LOT OF US WILL EVER
WEAR A NOTRE DAME UNIFORM.
SOME OF THE BOYS THAT
WON'T BE BACK NEXT YEAR--
THERE'S HARRY AND JIM
AND DON AND MYSELF--
WE SORTA WONDERED
IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US
IN A LITTLE PARTY.
SURE, I WOULD,
BUT THE PARTY'S ON ME.
OK!
YEAH!
YEAH!
Billy: COME ON.
THROW IT TO ME!
WELL, THAT SETTLES IT.
AFTER THE GAME TOMORROW,
WE'RE GOIN' DOWN TO FLORIDA
FOR A NICE, LONG VACATION.
YES, DEAR.
AND, BONNIE, WE'LL
SIT ON A BEACH IN MIAMI
AND DO NOTHING,
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
YES, DEAR. ALL DAY.
BY THE WAY, DID YOU
PACK MY WHITE FLANNELS?
I'VE BEEN PACKING THEM
FOR YEARS.
EVEN THE MOTHS ARE
BEGINNING TO LOSE HOPE.
OH, NOW, BONNIE,
THAT'S NOT FAIR.
ALL RIGHT, COME IN.
HELLO, MR. ROCKNE.
HELLO, JEFF,
SIT DOWN, WILL YA?
YOU KNOW MRS. ROCKNE.
HELLO, ROCK,
HOW ARE YOU?
NICE TO SEE YOU.
WHAT'S THE DOPE ON
THE ARMY GAME TOMORROW?
THOSE CADETS
ARE GONNA BE PLENTY
TOUGH THIS YEAR, ROCK.
THEY THINK
THEY'RE GONNA BREAK
THAT 16-GAME WINNING
STREAK OF NOTRE DAME'S.
BOYS,
THIS IS OFF THE RECORD.
NOBODY CAN STOP OUR TEAM.
NOBODY.
THEY ALL THOUGHT
WE WERE THROUGH
WHEN WE LOST
THE 4 HORSEMEN,
SAID WE'D FOLD UP
LIKE A BRIDGE TABLE.
WE'VE BEEN UNDEFEATED
IN 16 GAMES.
WE'LL TAKE THE ARMY
INTO CAMP TOMORROW
JUST AS WE'VE DONE
EVERYONE ELSE, BELIEVE ME.
[BAND PLAYING
SCHOOL FIGHTING SONG]
[BAND PLAYING
SCHOOL FIGHTING SONG]
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
[BAND PLAYING
SCHOOL FIGHTING SONG]
HOW WAS I TO KNOW?
YOU CAN'T EXPECT ME
TO DO EVERYTHING.
I'M ONLY ONE MAN.
I CAN'T PLAY
ALL THE POSITIONS.
I MADE A MISTAKE,
COACH.
I DIDN'T KNOW
BELSON WAS SO FAST.
I--I SHOULDA CUT BACK.
NO, THAT WASN'T
THE MISTAKE YOU MADE.
THAT WASN'T IT.
YES, IT WAS. I ADMIT IT.
IT WAS A MISTAKE.
NO. BELSON DIDN'T
KNOW WHO YOU WERE.
IF YOU'D HAVE SHOWN HIM
THOSE
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
YOU'VE BEEN SAVING,
TELLING HIM
HOW GOOD YOU ARE,
HE WOULDN'T HAVE DARED
COME NEAR YA.
ALL RIGHT, BOYS.
THE ARMY'S
GOT US 13-NOTHING,
AND THEY'VE EARNED IT,
PLAYED US OFF OUR FEET,
RIGHT OFF OUR FEET.
WE'RE NOT GONNA WIN
THIS SECOND HALF
UNLESS WE HAVE TEAMWORK.
THAT'S WHAT THIS GAME NEEDS
IS TEAMWORK.
GOT TO SET OURSELVES UP
AS A UNIT.
IF WE DO THAT, WE'VE GOT
NOTHIN' TO WORRY ABOUT.
WHEN WE GO BACK
IN THAT SECOND HALF,
WHEN YOU
RECEIVE THE KICKOFF,
I WANT YOU TO USE
THOSE OL' HEADS ALL THE TIME.
I WANT YOU TO BE SMART!
I WANT THE MEN
IN THAT BACKFIELD
TO HIT THAT LINE
RIGHT SIDE/LEFT SIDE,
RIGHT SIDE/LEFT SIDE,
RIGHT/LEFT, RIGHT/LEFT
ALL THE TIME.
GET 'EM ON THE RUN,
BUT YOU'LL KEEP 'EM
ON THE RUN.
GO ON DOWN THAT FIELD,
RIGHT DOWN THAT FIELD
OVER THAT OL' GOAL LINE--
THE OL' NOTRE DAME SPIRIT!
2 MINUTES, ROCK.
SAME TEAM...
START THE SECOND HALF.
ALL RIGHT, MEN.
THEY CAN'T STOP US.
NOBODY CAN STOP US.
GO BACK IN THERE.
RIGHT FROM THE OPENING KICKOFF,
DRIVE ON DOWN THAT FIELD.
DRIVE! DRIVE! DRIVE!
GET 'EM! GET 'EM! GET 'EM!
4:30.
I STILL
CAN'T FIGURE OUT
WHY YOU WAITED
IN NEW YORK
FOR A LATER TRAIN,
ROCK.
I WANTED TO SLIP INTO TOWN
BEFORE DAYLIGHT.
THE STUDENTS
USUALLY LIKE
TO COME DOWN
TO THE STATION
AND WELCOME THE TEAM
HOME, DON'T THEY?
IF THEY WIN.
FOR 3 YEARS NOW,
THEY'VE MET EVERY TRAIN.
BUT WE LOST THIS ONE.
I LOST IT.
WELL, THE NEWSPAPERS
ARE RIGHT: I WAS TOO COCKY,
THOUGHT I COULD
OUTSMART EVERYBODY.
I DON'T BLAME THE FOLKS
IN SOUTH BEND
FOR WHATEVER
THEY THINK OF ME...
BECAUSE I LET THEM DOWN.
DON'T TAKE IT TO HEART,
LIKE THIS, ROCK.
THERE'S
ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.
BONNIE, MAYBE WE
SHOULDN'T GET OFF THE TRAIN.
MAYBE WE SHOULD GO
STRAIGHT THROUGH TO CHICAGO
AND ON DOWN TO FLORIDA
AS WE PLANNED.
THEN AFTER 2 OR 3 MONTHS,
WELL...
MAYBE THEY WON'T
FEEL SO BADLY ABOUT IT
AND WE CAN COME HOME.
I CAN'T FACE 'EM TOMORROW.
COMIN' INTO SOUTH BEND,
MR. ROCK.
CAN I BRUSH YOU OFF, SIR?
[PLAYING NOTRE DAME
VICTORY MARCH]
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE *
* WAKE UP THE ECHOES
CHEERING HER NAME *
* SEND A VOLLEY CHEER ON HIGH
* SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER
FROM THE SKY *
* WHAT THOUGH THE ODDS
BE GREAT OR SMALL *
* OLD NOTRE DAME
WILL WIN OVER ALL *
* WHILE HER LOYAL SONS ARE
MARCHING ONWARD TO VICTORY *
SPEECH!
SPEECH!
WELL, MAYBE...
MAYBE YOU FOLKS DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND THE NEWSPAPERS.
WE DIDN'T WIN THIS GAME.
WE LOST IT.
THAT DOESN'T MATTER!
WHO CARES? WE'LL
BEAT 'EM NEXT YEAR!
WE STILL GOT YOU, ROCK!
YAY!
YAY!
THANKS.
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE *
* WAKE UP THE ECHOES
CHEERING HER NAME *
* SEND A VOLLEY CHEER ON HIGH
* SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER
FROM THE SKY *
* WHAT THOUGH THE ODDS
BE GREAT OR SMALL *
* OLD NOTRE DAME
WILL WIN OVER ALL *
5:30.
YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE STAYED UP
FOR US, FATHER.
IF THE REST
OF NOTRE DAME CAN,
I GUESS I CAN.
YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER
HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS
HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE--
ALL THOSE BOYS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE
HEARD WHAT THEY SAID
AT THE TRAIN, FATHER--
"WHO CARES
IF WE DID LOSE?
WE'VE STILL
GOT YOU, ROCK."
AND HAVE WE
STILL GOT YOU, ROCK?
THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL
OF TALK THESE PAST FEW MONTHS
ABOUT BIG OFFERS COMING
FROM DIFFERENT COLLEGES.
NONE OF US WOULD BLAME YOU
IF YOU DID LEAVE.
ANY MAN SHOULD
BETTER HIMSELF IF HE CAN.
WE JUST WONDERED
WHAT YOU'D DO. THAT'S ALL.
HOW COULD ANY MAN
BETTER HIMSELF
WITH FRIENDS LIKE MINE?
NO, I'LL NEVER LEAVE
NOTRE DAME, FATHER.
I'LL NEVER
LEAVE NOTRE DAME.
THANK YOU, KNUTE.
I'LL TELL THEM
YOUR DECISION.
GOOD NIGHT.
GOOD NIGHT, BONNIE.
GOOD NIGHT, FATHER.
THANK YOU.
I STILL DON'T SEE HOW
YOU GOT LICKED BY THE ARMY.
OW!
IT'S NOT
INDIA RUBBER.
YOU'D BE BETTER OFF
IT WAS MADE OF RUBBER.
I BEEN TELLIN' YA
FOR YEARS, ROCK.
SOMEDAY
THIS LEG'S GONNA--
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
NOW GET OUT.
IT'S ONLY
A CHARLEY HORSE.
I NEVER SAW A CHARLEY HORSE
WITH VARICOSE VEINS.
HUNK, LISTEN TO THIS LETTER
FROM PITTSBURGH.
"DEAR ROCK,
"NEXT SATURDAY,
"I'M GOING TO ATTEND
THE NOTRE DAME/NAVY GAME
"IN BALTIMORE.
"NOW, ROCK,
I'VE WAITED 3 YEARS
"TO SEE MY SON PLAY
FOR NOTRE DAME.
"YOU'VE NEVER
GIVEN HIM A CHANCE.
"UNLESS YOU DISLIKE
THE BOY PERSONALLY,
"WHY DON'T YOU GIVE HIM
A SQUARE DEAL?
"I PROMISE YOU, HE'LL TEAR
THAT NAVY LINE TO PIECES.
JOHN O'FLAHERTY,
CLASS 1906."
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO TAKE
A JOB AT SING SING, ROCK.
THEN THE ALUMNI
WOULDN'T BOTHER YA.
YEAH. I THINK I SAW THAT
O'FLAHERTY BOY OUT IN THE HALL.
HAVE HIM COME IN, GLEN.
YES, SIR.
"DEAR MR. ROCKNE,
I HAVE A PROPOSITION
"THAT CAN BE WORTH AT LEAST
$10,000 A YEAR TO YOU.
"ALL WE WANT IS FOR YOU
TO LET US USE YOUR NAME
ON A NEW LINIMENT OF OURS
TO BE CALLED THE ROCKNE RUB."
HA HA! HERE'S ONE
FROM MY BOYS.
MOOSEHEART.
"DEAR ROCK,
"ME AND THE OTHER BOYS
UP HERE AT MOOSEHEART
"HAVE BEEN READING ALL ABOUT
YOU AND THE NOTRE DAME TEAM.
"WE HAVE GOT
A FOOTBALL TEAM, TOO.
"AND WILL YOU LET US CALL
OURSELVES THE ROCKNE COLTS?
"WE DON'T
HAVE REAL UNIFORMS,
"AND WE DON'T
HAVE MANY GOOD PLAYS,
"BUT WE HAVE
GOT LOTS OF SPIRIT.
YOUR ROOTING FRIEND,
JIMMY WILSON."
AND HE'S
GOT A POSTSCRIPT HERE.
IT SAYS,
"WIN THAT GAME SATURDAY."
DID YOU WANNA
SEE ME, COACH?
YES. SIT DOWN,
O'FLAHERTY.
I'VE GOT A LETTER HERE
FROM YOUR FATHER.
FROM DAD?
WHAT'S HE WANT,
TO SIT NEXT TO YOU
ON THE BENCH SATURDAY?
NO. HE WANTS ME
TO PUT YOU IN THE GAME.
BUT I'M NOT
EVEN GOIN', AM I?
NO.
YOUR FATHER HAS A LOT
OF PRIDE IN YA, HASN'T HE?
YEAH, I GUESS HE HAS.
THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S GREAT FOR BOTH OF YA.
DON'T EVER LET ANYTHING
HAPPEN TO CHANGE IT.
DO YOU KNOW WHY I'M NOT
TAKING YOU TO BALTIMORE?
WELL, I GUESS
I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
NO, THAT'S NOT IT.
YOU'RE GOOD, O'FLAHERTY.
YOU'RE ALL RIGHT.
YOU'RE
JUST NOT BIG ENOUGH.
I HAVEN'T PLAYED YOU
BECAUSE I DIDN'T
WANT YOU TO GET HURT.
I'VE KEPT YOU ON THE SQUAD
ALL THESE YEARS
BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT SPIRIT,
GREAT SPIRIT.
BETTER THAN YOUR DAD'S
IF YOU ASK ME.
OH, HE'LL GET OVER IT.
YOU KNOW
HOW FATHERS ARE.
I OUGHT TO.
I'M ONE MYSELF.
SON, I'D LIKE TO PUT YOU
IN THAT GAME SATURDAY,
BUT AGAINST THAT BIG NAVY LINE,
YOU'D TAKE AN AWFUL BEATING.
YOU MIGHT FUMBLE,
LOSE THE GAME FOR US.
THAT'D BREAK YOUR DAD'S
HEART, WOULDN'T IT?
WELL...YEAH.
IF WE WIN,
MAYBE HE'LL FORGET IT.
IF WE LOSE, HE CAN BLAME ME
FOR NOT PLAYING YOU.
IN ANY CASE,
IT'LL MAKE HIM HAPPY.
WHAT DO YOU SAY,
O'FLAHERTY?
JUST...
THANKS.
ALL RIGHT, SON.
HUNK.
ADD O'FLAHERTY'S NAME
TO THE LIST FOR BALTIMORE.
BUT, ROCK, HE NEVER
GOES WITH THE TEAM.
HE'S GOIN' THIS TRIP.
AND WE'LL LET HIM KICK OFF.
NO. WE AREN'T READY TO MAKE
ANY STATEMENTS ABOUT THAT.
YES, IT IS SERIOUS.
OH, NO, THE DOCTORS
REFUSE TO ALLOW ANY
PHOTOGRAPHS OR INTERVIEWS.
YES.
YES, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
WHAT DO THE DOCTORS
SAY, BONNIE?
CAN'T WE SEE HIM
JUST FOR A MINUTE?
I'VE COME ALL THE WAY
FROM NEW YORK, MRS. ROCKNE.
I'M SORRY. HE
CAN'T SEE ANYONE.
HE'S MUCH TOO WEAK
TO EVEN TALK.
Knute: YOU'RE CRAZY!
IT'S MY LEG, ISN'T IT?
Doctor: YEAH, SURE,
IT'S YOUR LEG,
BUT YOU'RE MY PATIENT,
YOU STUBBORN NORWEGIAN.
EXCUSE ME.
YOU'RE A VERY SICK MAN.
THE VEINS OF YOUR LEG
ARE SWOLLEN UP
LIKE MANILA ROPES.
YOU'VE GOT PHLEBITIS,
AND YOU'VE GOT IT BAD.
AW, I CAN GET UP
AND WALK RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S PHLEBITIS, DOC?
IT'S AN INFLAMMATION
OF THE VEINS.
IF YOU MOVE AROUND,
THERE'S A STRONG POSSIBILITY
OF A BLOOD CLOT FORMING
THAT WOULD TRAVEL
UP TO YOUR HEART.
WHAT WOULD THAT DO?
WELL, YOUR
INSURANCE COMPANY
WOULDN'T LIKE IT.
I'VE WARNED YOU
ABOUT THIS FOR 10 YEARS,
BUT YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN.
YOU'VE LET THOSE BOYS
SMASH INTO YOU
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
KNOCK YOU DOWN,
RUN OVER YOU,
AND NOW
YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT.
YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE NOT 20 YEARS OLD.
YOU'RE 42.
AND IF YOU
DON'T OBEY MY ORDERS,
YOU'LL
NEVER BE ANY OLDER.
BUT, DOC, WE PLAY THE ARMY
SATURDAY. THE BOYS--
I DON'T CARE IF YOU PLAY
THE WHOLE SCHEDULE
ON SATURDAY.
YOU DON'T
MOVE OUT OF THAT BED,
AND THOSE ARE ORDERS.
HEADS UP, BRILL!
THEY WON'T GIVE YOU TIME TO TIE
YOUR SHOES IN THE ARMY GAME.
84, 46, 48.
2, 3...
REVERSE!
ATTA-BOY! THAT'S IT!
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY UP.
HIYA, ROCK.
HOW YOU FEELIN',
COACH?
HOW'S THE LEG?
I'M ALL RIGHT.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME.
WE HAVEN'T GOT TIME.
WHAT'S THE MATTER
OUT THERE, BOYS?
YOU LOOK TERRIBLE--
NO FIGHT,
NO ZIP, NO CHARGE!
THE ARMY'S GOT YOU
LICKED ALREADY.
AND YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING
MY ORDERS ON THAT NEW PLAY,
NONE OF YA.
I HAVEN'T GOT ANY USE
FOR ANYBODY
WHO WON'T TAKE INSTRUCTIONS.
HEY, ROCK, HERE
COMES THE DOCTOR.
THE DOC? GET ME OUTTA HERE
BEFORE HE SKINS ME ALIVE!
HOW'S IT FEEL TO TAKE
ORDERS FOR A CHANGE, ROCK?
BYE!
ALL RIGHT, GO!
[NOTRE DAME
VICTORY MARCH PLAYING]
WELL, BOYS...
I HAVEN'T A THING TO SAY.
YOU PLAYED A GREAT GAME.
ALL OF YOU.
A GREAT GAME.
I GUESS WE JUST CAN'T
EXPECT TO WIN 'EM ALL.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU
SOMETHING
I'VE KEPT
TO MYSELF FOR YEARS.
NONE OF YOU
EVER KNEW GEORGE GIPP.
HE WAS LONG
BEFORE YOUR TIME...
BUT YOU ALL KNOW
WHAT A TRADITION HE IS
AT NOTRE DAME.
AND THE LAST THING
HE SAID TO ME,
"ROCK," HE SAID...
"SOMETIME WHEN THE TEAM
IS UP AGAINST IT,
"AND THE BREAKS
ARE BEATING THE BOYS,
"TELL 'EM TO GO OUT THERE
WITH ALL THEY'VE GOT
AND WIN JUST ONE
FOR THE GIPPER."
"I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'LL
BE THEN, ROCK," HE SAID,
"BUT I'LL KNOW ABOUT IT,
AND I'LL BE HAPPY."
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WHAT ARE
WE WAITIN' FOR?!
THAT'S ONE
FOR THE GIPPER.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO ANSWER
THEM SOMEHOW, ROCK.
YOU, SPAULDING, STAGG,
JONES, AND MYSELF.
WE'VE GIVEN THE BEST YEARS
OF OUR LIFE TO THIS GAME.
WE CAN'T STAND BY NOW
AND DO NOTHING.
WE'VE COME HERE FROM
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ROCK,
HOPING YOU'D
GO TO NEW YORK WITH US
AND FACE THIS COMMITTEE.
IT'S FOR THE BOYS,
MILLIONS OF THEM
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
IT'S THEIR GAME
WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.
POP WARNER IS RIGHT.
WE CAN'T IGNORE
THEIR CHARGES.
HAVE YOU READ ALL
THEY'VE SAID ABOUT US?
SURE.
I'VE READ
EVERY WORD OF IT.
PUBLIC EDUCATORS, HUH?
I NEVER READ SUCH A LOT
OF LIES IN MY LIFE.
YES, ROCK,
WE KNOW THAT,
BUT THEY
DON'T KNOW IT.
THEY'RE NOT
REALLY VICIOUS MEN.
THEY'RE
SIMPLY MISLED.
THE PUBLIC
IS NEVER MISLED
BY THIS
KIND OF STUFF.
THE PUBLIC BELIEVES
ANYTHING IT READS
IN THE NEWSPAPERS,
KNUTE,
UNLESS IT'S DENIED
IN TYPE JUST AS LARGE
AND PREFERABLY LARGER.
THESE MEN
HAVE COME TO YOU
BECAUSE YOU'VE
ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER,
AND THEY NEED YOUR NAME
AND YOUR VOICE
TO SPEAK FOR THEM.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GO.
BUT YOU ALL KNOW
I WON'T MINCE ANY WORDS.
Committee member:
NOW, MR. ROCKNE,
THE ORIGINAL IDEA UPON WHICH
ALL COLLEGE SPORT IS FOUNDED
IS THAT A NORMAL
AMOUNT OF EXERCISE
IS HELPFUL TO YOUNG MEN
AT THEIR STUDIES.
DO YOU AGREE
WITH THIS DEFINITION?
YES...
AS FAR AS IT GOES, YES.
AND HOW WOULD YOU
AMEND THAT DEFINITION?
WELL,
GAMES SUCH AS FOOTBALL
ARE MORE THAN
MERELY HELPFUL TO BOYS.
THEY'RE
AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
TO THE NATION'S
BEST INTERESTS.
JUST WHY
IS FOOTBALL SO VITAL
TO THE PUBLIC WELFARE?
BECAUSE EVERY
RED-BLOODED YOUNG MAN
IN ANY COUNTRY IS FILLED
WITH WHAT WE MIGHT CALL
THE NATURAL SPIRIT OF COMBAT.
IN MANY PARTS OF EUROPE
AND ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD,
THIS SPIRIT MANIFESTS ITSELF
IN CONTINUOUS WARS
AND REVOLUTIONS.
WE HAVE TRIED
TO MAKE COMPETITIVE SPORT
SERVE AS A SAFER OUTLET
FOR THIS SPIRIT OF COMBAT.
I BELIEVE WE'VE SUCCEEDED.
DO YOU MEAN TO SAY
THAT YOU'VE NEVER INTERCEDED
FOR A FOOTBALL PLAYER
WHO FELL BEHIND
IN HIS CLASSES
AND HAD TO BE SUSPENDED
FROM YOUR TEAM?
I MEAN JUST THAT.
ANY PLAYER
WHO FLUNKS IN HIS CLASS
IS NO GOOD TO HIS COACH
NOR TO THE SCHOOL
HE ATTENDS.
AND ANY COACH WHO GOES
AROUND TRYING TO FIX IT
FOR HIS ATHLETES TO BECOME
ELIGIBLE SCHOLASTICALLY
WHEN MENTALLY THEY'RE NOT
IS JUST...
WELL, A PLAIN,
EVERYDAY FOOL.
MR. ROCKNE,
COULDN'T FOOTBALL
BE REPLACED
BY SOME OTHER GAME,
SOMETHING LESS VIOLENT?
WELL, WHAT GAME
WOULD YOU SUGGEST?
WELL, UH...
HOCKEY, FOR INSTANCE.
WELL, NOW,
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
I SUGGESTED
THAT VERY IDEA
TO FATHER CALLAHAN,
OUR PRESIDENT.
HE WAS
DOWNRIGHT INTERESTED
UNTIL WE CAME
TO THE USE OF STICKS.
AND THEN HE THREW UP
HIS HANDS.
HE SAID, "NO,
"THAT GAME IS NOT
FOR OUR UNIVERSITY.
"NOTRE DAME WILL
NEVER ENDORSE ANY GAME
"THAT PUTS A CLUB
IN THE HANDS
OF AN IRISHMAN."
IN YOUR OPINION,
MR. ROCKNE,
WHAT IS A COLLEGE FOR?
WHERE DO THESE ELABORATE
SPECTACLES OF SPORT
FIT INTO THE SCHEME
OF EDUCATION?
HOW WOULD YOU GRADE
AN AVERAGE ATHLETE'S
CONTRIBUTION TO
THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE?
GENTLEMEN...
WE ARE LIVING
IN THE 20th CENTURY.
TO LIMIT A COLLEGE EDUCATION
TO BOOKS,
CLASSROOMS, AND LABORATORIES
IS TO GIVE TO EDUCATION
TOO NARROW A MEANING
FOR MODERN TIMES.
NOW, IF I HAVE LEARNED
ANY ONE THING
IN MY 20 YEARS' WORK
WITH MY BOYS,
IT'S THIS ONE FACT:
THE MOST DANGEROUS THING
IN AMERICAN LIFE TODAY
IS THAT WE'RE GETTING SOFT,
INSIDE AND OUT.
WE'RE LOSING
THAT FORCEFUL HERITAGE
OF MIND AND BODY
THAT WAS ONCE OUR MOST
PRECIOUS POSSESSION.
NOW, WE,
THESE MEN AND I,
HAVE SPENT OUR LIVES
TRYING TO WORK OUT
THAT FLACCID PHILOSOPHY,
WORK IT OUT OF OUR BOYS'
MINDS AND BODIES.
WE BELIEVE THAT
THE FINEST WORK OF MAN
IS BUILDING
THE CHARACTER OF MAN.
WE'VE TRIED
TO BUILD COURAGE
AND INITIATIVE AND TOLERANCE
AND PERSISTENCE...
WITHOUT WHICH THE MOST
EDUCATED BRAIN OF MAN
IS NOT WORTH VERY MUCH.
NOW, OUR BOYS
AT NOTRE DAME
HAVE PLAYED ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY,
AND THEY'VE
GOTTEN TO LEARN
THAT SOUTHERNERS
AREN'T LAZY,
NORTHERNERS
AREN'T COLD,
AND MIDDLE-WESTERNERS
AREN'T HICKS
AND CALIFORNIANS
AREN'T BIG AND DUMB.
THEY'VE LEARNED
FROM ALL SORTS OF AMERICANS
WHAT AMERICA IS,
AND IN THAT PROCESS,
THEY'VE FOUND
THEMSELVES.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW...
I DON'T KNOW
HOW YOU'D GRADE A BOY
FOR LEARNING THESE THINGS,
PROFESSOR.
50, 75, 90, PERHAPS.
BUT WOULDN'T IT
BE A GOOD IDEA
NOT TO GRADE
ANYBODY'S CONTRIBUTION
TO THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
UNTIL ALL THE RESULTS
ARE IN?
MAYBE 5 OR 10 YEARS
AFTER GRADUATION,
WHEN HIS RECORD
AND CHARACTER
ARE NOT HUNG ON THE WALL
LIKE A DIPLOMA
BUT INSIDE THE MAN HIMSELF?
Boy: 1, 2, 3. GO!
LET'S GO, YOU GUYS.
COME ON.
24, 33, HIKE.
Second boy:
COME ON. GET HIM.
JACKIE! HEADS UP!
YOU MISSED HIM
A MILE.
[KIDS CHATTERING
AND SHOUTING]
THIS SUN
IS WONDERFUL.
SO GOOD
FOR THE CHILDREN.
OH, IT SURELY IS.
WELL, I PROMISED YOU
WE'D COME TO FLORIDA.
YES, DEAR,
17 YEARS AGO.
NO, NOW IT COULDN'T
BE THAT LONG. 17 YEARS?
WELL, NOW,
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT NOW.
YOU JUST RELAX.
WELL, BONNIE,
I PROMISE YOU
IT WON'T BE 17 YEARS
BEFORE WE'RE HERE AGAIN.
EVERY WINTER
FROM NOW ON,
WE'LL TAKE THE KIDS
AND WE'LL GO SOUTH,
REALLY GET SOME FUN
OUT OF LIFE.
THAT'S NEVER
BEEN VERY HARD FOR YOU.
Messenger:
MR. ROCKNE?
OH, YES.
SOMETHING FOR ME, SON?
YES, SIR.
THANK YOU.
WILL YOU SIGN
HERE, PLEASE?
ALL RIGHT.
OH, THANK YOU,
SIR.
THERE YOU ARE.
THANK YOU.
WHAT IS IT, KNUTE?
WELL...
I'VE GOT TO GO
TO CALIFORNIA.
BUT NOT RIGHT AWAY.
YES. YOU SEE,
I PROMISED THOSE MEN
I'D BE THERE JUST AS
SOON AS THEY NEEDED ME.
HA. YOU KNOW, BONNIE,
THERE OUGHT TO BE
A UNION FOR PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T SAY NO.
YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO FLY, ARE YOU?
YES. YOU SEE,
ON A TRAIN,
IT'D TAKE 3 DAYS.
THIS WAY, I'LL BE THERE
IN PRACTICALLY NO TIME.
PLEASE DON'T FLY, KNUTE.
YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
BONNIE, I'LL WIRE YOU
FROM KANSAS CITY.
I WISH YOU WOULDN'T
LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT.
WELL, UH, DO YOU
WANT TO HELP ME PACK?
I'LL BE BACK MONDAY
AT THE LATEST.
WHEN WILL THIS TELEGRAM
GET TO FLORIDA?
WITHIN HALF AN HOUR,
MR. ROCKNE.
I'LL SEND IT
RIGHT AWAY.
THEY SAY THERE MAY BE
A STORM AHEAD OF YOU, ROCK.
WHY DON'T YOU WAIT OVER
TILL THE NEXT PLANE?
NO, I CAN'T
WASTE ANY TIME.
I'VE GOT TO BE BACK
IN FLORIDA BY MONDAY.
BESIDES,
THIS IS MY VACATION.
Attendant: PASSENGERS
FOR LOS ANGELES PLANE
ON FIELD,
READY FOR LOADING.
SOFT LANDING, ROCK.
YOU MEAN HAPPY LANDING,
DON'T YOU?
GOOD-BYE, DOC.
IT'S FROM DADDY.
HE SAYS, "YOU SEE?
I'M PRACTICALLY THERE.
"WILL WIRE AGAIN
FROM LOS ANGELES.
LOVE TO ALL."
WELL, IF HE'S
PRACTICALLY THERE,
WHY DIDN'T
HE WAIT, MOMMY?
BECAUSE HE KNEW
WE'D BE WORRIED, DARLING.
IT SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN
COLD ALL OF A SUDDEN.
YES, IT'S TRUE.
ROCKNE IS DEAD.
YES, ROCKNE WAS KILLED
IN AN AIRPLANE CRASH
THIS MORNING.
Second operator:
YES, ROCKNE'S DEAD.
Third operator:
YES, ROCKNE'S DEAD.
YES, ROCKNE WAS KILLED
IN A AIRPLANE CRASH.
YES, ROCKNE DIED...
EXTRA! EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!
GET YOUR...
Choir:
* SALVATORITUS *
* AGIOS O THEOS *
* SANCTUS DEUS *
* AGIO ISCHYROS *
* SANCTUS FORTIS *
* AGIO ATHANATOS *
* ELISON IMAS *
* SANCTUS IMMORTALIS *
* MISERERE NOBIS *
WE WHO ARE HERE
ARE BUT A HANDFUL
OF HIS FRIENDS
TO COME TO PAY
OUR LAST TRIBUTE OF DEVOTION
TO HIS MORTAL REMAINS.
OF NECESSITY,
WE ARE FEW IN NUMBER
IN THIS HALLOWED PLACE,
THOUGH THOUSANDS
ARE WITHOUT THE DOORS.
BUT WE REPRESENT
MILLIONS LIKE OURSELVES
WHO ARE HERE IN SPIRIT,
LISTENING IN
ALL OVER AMERICA.
KNUTE ROCKNE
MIGHT HAVE GONE
TO ANY UNIVERSITY
IN THE LAND
AND BEEN GLADLY RECEIVED
AND FOREVER
CHERISHED THERE,
BUT HE CHOSE
OUR LADY'S SCHOOL.
HE HONORED HER
IN THE MONOGRAM
HE EARNED AND WORE.
HE HONORED HER
IN THE PRINCIPLES
AND IN THE IDEALS
HE SET UP IN THE LIVES
OF YOUNG MEN
UNDER HIS CARE.
HE WAS, INDEED,
HER TRUE SON.
YES...
KNUTE ROCKNE HAS GONE.
AND WHO WAS HE?
ASK THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES
WHO DISPATCHED
A PERSONAL MESSAGE
OF TRIBUTE
TO HIS MEMORY.
ASK THE KING OF NORWAY
WHO SENDS
A SPECIAL DELEGATION
HERE TO REPRESENT HIM.
ASK THE THOUSANDS
OF NEWSPAPERMEN
WHOSE LABOR OF LOVE
IN HIS MEMORY
HAS STIRRED
EVERY HEART IN AMERICA.
BUT ABOVE ALL,
ASK THE MEN AND WOMEN
IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE.
ASK THE CHILDREN,
THE BOYS OF AMERICA.
WHO WAS THIS MAN
WHOSE DEATH HAS STRUCK
A NATION WITH DISMAY
AND HAS EVERYWHERE
BOWED HEADS IN GRIEF?
Announcer: AND FROM
THAT FIELD OF NOTRE DAME,
THE SPIRIT OF
KNUTE ROCKNE IS REBORN
IN THOSE WHO HAVE
KEPT THEIR PLEDGE
TO CARRY ON FOR HIM.
TODAY, IN EVERY CORNER
OF THIS COUNTRY,
THEY ARE TEACHING
HIS STANDARDS
OF CLEAN SPORTSMANSHIP
AND RIGHT LIVING
TO HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS
OF AMERICAN YOUTHS,
FOR THESE
ARE ROCKNE'S BOYS.
RIP MILLER, NAVY,
MARTY BRILL, LOYOLA,
JACK MEAGHER, AUBURN,
CHARLIE BACHMAN,
MICHIGAN STATE,
FRANK THOMAS, ALABAMA,
ADAM WALSH, BOWDOIN,
CLIPPER SMITH,
VILLANOVA,
JIM PHELAN, WASHINGTON,
BUCK SHAW, SANTA CLARA,
EDDIE ANDERSON
AND FRANK CARIDEO, IOWA,
JAMES CROWLEY, FORDHAM,
HARRY STUHLDREHER,
WISCONSIN,
GUS DORAIS, DETROIT,
ELMER LAYDEN, NOTRE DAME.
* AND OUR HEARTS FOREVER
* LOVE THEE, NOTRE DAME
* TENDER, STRONG, AND TRUE
* PROUDLY IN THE HEAVENS
* GLEAMS THE GOLD AND BLUE
* GLORY'S MANTLE CLOAKS THEE
* GOLDEN IS THY FAME
* AND OUR HEARTS FOREVER
* LOVE THEE, NOTRE DAME
WELL, THERE IT IS,
GENTLEMEN--
A CARRIAGE THAT'S FIT
FOR THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR.
AND THAT'S WHERE
I'M GONNA TAKE IT.
IT'S FIT FOR A KING.
HEH.
IT'S MUCH EASIER
TO COME HOME
FROM CHRISTIANIA
THAN IT IS
FROM CHICAGO.
BUT I DON'T PLAN TO COME HOME
AT ALL, MR. BJORSEN.
IF I LIKE AMERICA,
I AM GOING TO STAY THERE.
YOU DON'T MEAN
TO LEAVE, LARS?
NOT FOR GOOD?
JA, FOR GOOD.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE
WHAT I HEAR ABOUT AMERICA.
IT'S A NEW COUNTRY
FILLED WITH NEW LIFE
AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR A WORKING MAN LIKE ME,
AND I WANT ALL THAT
FOR MY CHILDREN.
I WANT KNUTE THERE
AND HIS SISTERS
TO START THEIR LIVES
ON AN EQUAL BASIS
WITH ALL OTHER CHILDREN,
AND THEY CAN DO THAT
ONLY IN AMERICA.
YOU WANT TO GO
TO AMERICA, KNUTE?
IS IT BIG ENOUGH
TO PLAY IN?
JA, SURE.
IT'S BIG ENOUGH
FOR ANYTHING, SON,
OR FOR ANYBODY.
THAT'S WHY
WE'RE GOING THERE.
JA, AND ALSO
MY NEW JOB HAS A TITLE.
A TITLE, LARS?
WHAT IS IT?
MECHANICAL ENGINEER
IN CHARGE OF ALL MACHINERY
IN THE WHOLE PLACE.
I AM IT.
OH,
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
WHEN DO YOU BEGIN?
TONIGHT, JUST AS SOON
AS WE FINISH DINNER.
WONDERFUL, LARS.
HELLO, MARTHA.
HELLO, PAPA.
HELLO, ANNA.
HELLO, PAPA.
WHERE'S KNUTE?
WELL, I SENT HIM
TO THE STORE,
AND I TOLD HIM
TO HURRY BACK RIGHT AWAY.
Boy: IT'S YOUR FAULT.
YOU SHOULD'VE TACKLED HIM.
Second boy: I DID SO,
BUT NOBODY HELPED ME.
HE WAS OFFSIDES, ANYWAY.
I SEEN HIM.
SAY, CAN I PLAY?
Boy: I AIN'T MAD...
HEY, CAN I PLAY?!
NAH, YOU'RE TOO LITTLE.
AW, YOU'LL GET HURT AND
GET YOUR CLOTHES TORE.
SKIDDY-SKAT.
PLEASE LET ME PLAY.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE 30 POINTS
BEHIND NOW,
SO YOU
CAN'T HURT US NONE.
COME ON. GET IN HERE
AT LEFT END.
Boy: GET THAT GUY.
19! 49! 41!
18! 27! 92!
21! 10! 9!
18! 27!
TOMMY, HE GOT YA.
NICE PLAYIN', KID.
SAY, HE'S ALL RIGHT
FOR BEIN' SO LITTLE.
YOU SEE? I TOLD YOU
NOT TO LET HIM PLAY.
HE SAID
HE WAS STRONG.
HE'S PROBABLY DEAD.
WE BETTER CHEESE IT
BEFORE THE COPS COME.
WHAT ARE WE WAITIN' FOR?
LET'S HAVE THE SIGNALS.
I'M READY.
SAY, WHAT'S
YOUR NAME?
KNUTE ROCKNE.
MARTHA, THAT BOY
IS NEVER HERE
FOR A MEAL
ON TIME YET.
WE COMMENCE
WITHOUT WAITING.
LARS, YOU
FORGOT SOMETHING.
OH, YES.
[LARS PRAYING
IN NORWEGIAN]
Lars: AMEN.
[SCOLDING KNUTE
IN NORWEGIAN]
[SHOUTING
IN NORWEGIAN]
WHERE HAVE YOU
BEEN SO LONG?
OUTSIDE, PLAYING THE MOST
WONDERFUL GAME IN THE WORLD.
IT'S CALLED FOOTBALL.
YOUR NOSE IS BLEEDING.
SOMEBODY STEPPED ON IT.
GUESS THAT'S
PART OF THE GAME.
[LARS SHOUTING
IN NORWEGIAN]
PAPA, DON'T
TALK NORWEGIAN.
TALK AMERICAN.
WE'RE ALL AMERICANS NOW,
ESPECIALLY ME.
I'M LEFT END.
HERE YOU ARE, HIBBS.
THANK YOU, SIR.
HERE'S YOURS, CLARK.
THANK YOU, SIR.
JOHNS.
THANK YOU, SIR.
HELLO, YOU HOMELY SWEDE.
THAT MUGGY NOSE
HAS BEEN SCARING ME
EVERY SATURDAY.
MM-HMM. IS THAT WHY
THEY GOT YOU IN THIS CAGE?
I HEAR YOU'RE LEAVING US
TODAY, ROCK.
YEP, THAT'S RIGHT.
FROM NOW ON, THE MAIL
WILL BE UP TO YOU
AND UNCLE SAM, DANNY.
THE BOYS TELL ME YOU'RE
GOING OFF SOMEWHERE
TO COLLEGE THIS FALL.
IS THAT
JUST ANOTHER JOKE?
WELL, MAYBE IT IS.
MAYBE IT IS.
I'LL KNOW
IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AIN'T YOU JUST
A LITTLE TOO OLD
TO START COLLEGE,
ROCK?
AH, THAT
DOESN'T WORRY ME.
I AM A LITTLE WORRIED
ABOUT BEING TOO DUMB TO FINISH.
HA HA. I WOULDN'T
TAKE A BET ON THAT.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU, KID.
WE'LL BE MISSING THAT FUNNY
FACE OF YOURS AROUND HERE.
THANKS, DANNY,
AND THE SAME TO YOU.
THANKS.
ERIC.
COME IN!
HELLO.
HOW ARE YOU?
MY NAME'S ROCKNE--
KNUTE ROCKNE.
MY NAMES DORAIS--
GUS DORAIS.
LOOKS LIKE YOU AND I
ARE GONNA ROOM TOGETHER.
WELL, THAT'S
ALL RIGHT WITH ME.
WHERE DO YOU WANT
TO PUT THE TRUNK?
I HAVEN'T GOT ANY TRUNK.
NEITHER HAVE I.
WELL, I GUESS
THAT MAKES US EVEN.
YOU'RE NOT
A FRESHMAN, ARE YOU?
SURE, I AM. WHY?
OH, IT'S NOTHING.
ONLY I--
SURE, I KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
I DON'T LOOK AS YOUNG
AS THE REST OF
THESE FELLOWS AROUND HERE.
WELL, I'M NOT,
BUT IT TOOK ME
6 YEARS OF HARD WORK
TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY
TO GET HERE.
HOPE IT'S GONNA
BE WORTH IT TO YOU.
THANKS. IT'S GONNA BE.
EVER DO ANY ATHLETICS?
OH, A LITTLE TRACK,
SOME FOOTBALL.
I PLAYED
A LITTLE FOOTBALL MYSELF.
MAYBE WE'LL BE TRYING OUT
FOR THE TEAM TOGETHER.
I DIDN'T COME HERE
TO PLAY FOOTBALL, DORAIS.
BUT I MIGHT FIND
A LITTLE TIME FOR IT.
WHAT ARE YOU
UP FOR, ROCK?
I DON'T KNOW.
ALL RIGHT, ROCKNE.
FATHER CALLAHAN'LL
SEE YOU NOW.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, ROCK.
GOOD MORNING, FATHER.
FATHER NIEUWLAND.
HELLO, KNUTE.
NOW, JUST RELAX.
I'VE GOT NOTHING
ON YOU THIS TIME.
KNUTE, YOU HAVE ONLY
ONE MORE YEAR TO GO
FOR YOUR DEGREE.
I HOPE SO.
YOU'VE MADE A FINE RECORD
IN THE PAST 3 YEARS--
HONOR MAN IN YOUR CLASS,
AND NEXT FALL, YOU'LL
BE CAPTAIN OF FOOTBALL.
THAT'S A VERY RARE
COMBINATION.
THANK YOU, FATHER.
DO SIT DOWN.
FATHER NIEUWLAND HERE
TELLS ME
YOU'VE GOT THE FINEST BRAIN
FOR CHEMISTRY
OF ANY MAN IN HIS CLASS.
WELL, I GUESS
IT'S A PRETTY DUMB CLASS.
OH, NO. YOU HAVE A DEFINITE
TALENT FOR SCIENCE, KNUTE.
OH, THERE'S GOING
TO BE A GREAT FUTURE
FOR MEN LIKE YOU
IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
THAT'S A GREAT COMPLIMENT,
COMING FROM YOU, FATHER.
WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR
THE REST OF IT.
I WANT YOU TO HELP ME
THIS SUMMER, KNUTE--
STAY HERE AS
MY ASSISTANT, WITH PAY.
AS YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING
TO PERFECT A NEW FORMULA
FOR SYNTHETIC RUBBER,
AND I NEED A GOOD MAN
TO CHECK MY EXPERIMENTS.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW
QUITE WHAT TO SAY.
THERE MUST BE 100 MEN
WHO WOULD FIGHT FOR THE CHANCE
TO WORK FOR YOU, FATHER.
OH, THEN YOU WILL STAY?
WELL, I'D LIKE TO.
I APPRECIATE IT,
YOU UNDERSTAND, BUT...
YOU SEE,
GUS DORAIS AND I
HAVE SIGNED UP
AS LIFEGUARDS
FOR THE SUMMER
AT CEDAR POINT.
AS A LIFEGUARD?
OH, NO.
THAT'S NO WORK
FOR A MAN WITH
YOUR INTELLIGENCE.
YOU'RE PASSING UP
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, KNUTE.
OH, I REALIZE THAT,
FATHER.
WELL, MAYBE NEXT YEAR--
I'M NOT INTERESTED
IN NEXT YEAR.
MY WORK WON'T WAIT.
I PICKED YOU OUT
BECAUSE I THOUGHT
YOU HAD SOME BRAINS.
OH, BUT
I PROMISED GUS--
HE SAYS
HE PROMISED GUS.
I COULD MAKE A FIRST-CLASS
SCIENTIST OF YOU
INSIDE OF 10 YEARS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE
BORN TO BE, ANYWAY,
YOU--YOU BIG SWEDE.
WHO CAN SAY
FOR CERTAIN, FATHER,
WHAT A MAN
WAS REALLY BORN TO BE?
THAT'S GOD'S WILL,
NOT OURS.
SOMEDAY KNUTE WILL FIND
HIS RIGHT PLACE IN THE WORLD.
AND WHEN HE DOES, WHETHER
IT BE SCIENCE OR NOT,
I HAVE A FEELING
IT WILL BE THE ONE THING
HE WAS MEANT TO DO.
OF COURSE, YOU AND DORAIS
COULDN'T BE TAKING
A FOOTBALL ALONG
TO CEDAR POINT
BY ANY CHANCE, WOULD YOU?
WHATEVER GAVE YOU
THAT IDEA, FATHER?
GOOD WORKOUT, HUH?
YEAH.
SEE THE TRIBUNE
THIS MORNING, ROCK?
I HAVEN'T SEEN A NEWSPAPER
IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IF YOU'D STOP MOONING
AROUND BONNIE SKILES
LIKE A LOVESICK CALF,
MAYBE YOU'D LEARN SOME NEWS.
OH, STOP,
WILL YOU, GUS?
WHAT?
NOTRE DAME'S PLAYING
ARMY THIS FALL.
PLAYING THE ARMY
NOVEMBER, AT WEST POINT.
PAPER SAYS THEY GOT
THE GREATEST TEAM IN HISTORY.
3 ALL-AMERICANS.
WE'LL HAVE A NICE TRIP
BACK EAST,
AND THEY'LL PROBABLY
TEAR US APART.
WHO SAID SO?
DON'T BE A SAP, ROCK.
THE ARMY OUTWEIGHS US
20 POUNDS TO THE MAN.
WE COULDN'T LICK THEM
IF WE TOOK A SHOTGUN ALONG.
ALL RIGHT,
WE'LL TAKE A SHOTGUN.
YOU OUGHT
TO TAKE IT EASY, ROCK.
THE SUN'S
BEGINNING TO GET YOU.
GUS, DO YOU REALIZE
WHAT THIS MEANS?
THIS GAME
IS THE GREATEST CHANCE
NOTRE DAME HAS EVER HAD.
YEAH, IT'S GREAT,
ALL RIGHT,
AND SO'S THE ARMY.
WE'RE GONNA
BEAT THE ARMY, GUS.
AW, ROCK.
NO, WE'RE
GONNA BEAT 'EM.
I GOT AN IDEA.
YOU SEE, ALL
THESE EASTERN TEAMS,
LIKE THE ARMY,
ARE ALL POWER--
KNOCK YOU DOWN, RUN OVER
YOU LIKE A STEAMROLLER.
ALL RIGHT, IF YOU CAN'T
GO AROUND THE STEAMROLLER,
YOU CAN GO OVER IT.
NO TEAM HAS EVER
USED A FORWARD PASS
AS THE MAJOR THREAT
OF ITS OFFENSE.
CONSEQUENTLY, NO TEAM
HAS EVER HAD A GOOD
DEFENSE AGAINST IT.
GUS, WE'RE
GONNA PASS THE ARMY.
WE'RE GONNA PASS 'EM DIZZY.
GIVE ME THAT BALL.
ROCK, IF THAT WORKS,
IT'LL MAKE HISTORY!
CERTAINLY! LET'S
START MAKING HISTORY!
TAKE IT!
HIKE!
SUMMER'S
NEARLY OVER, KNUTE.
YEP.
YOU'LL BE GOING BACK
TO NOTRE DAME NEXT WEEK,
AND I'M GOING HOME.
THAT'S RIGHT, BONNIE.
WE WON'T BE
SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN
FOR A LONG TIME.
NO, NOT TILL
CHRISTMAS VACATION.
TELL YOU WHAT, BONNIE.
I'LL SPEND A WEEK WITH
THE FAMILY IN CHICAGO,
AND THE REST OF THE TIME
WITH YOUR FOLKS. HOW'S THAT?
AW, THAT'LL HELP
TILL JUNE.
BONNIE, I DON'T KNOW
WE'RE GONNA LIVE ON
AFTER WE'RE MARRIED.
YOU'RE
TAKING AN AWFUL CHANCE.
WE'LL GET ALONG.
I CAN COOK AND SEW,
AND YOU'LL GET A JOB.
FATHER NIEUWLAND
SEEMS TO THINK
HE CAN MAKE
A CHEMIST OUT OF ME.
THINK I'D BE
ANY GOOD AT IT?
YOU'D BE A SUCCESS AT
ANYTHING YOU TRIED, KNUTE.
BONNIE, UH...
I'M NOT EXACTLY...
WHAT YOU'D CALL
THE ROMANTIC TYPE, BUT...
BUT I'LL DO EVERYTHING
ON EARTH TO MAKE YOU HAPPY.
YOU KNOW THAT, DON'T YOU?
I KNOW THAT.
SOMETHING ELSE
I WANT TO TELL YOU TONIGHT.
BONNIE--
YES, KNUTE?
GUS AND I HAVE
GOT A GREAT SURPRISE
COOKED UP FOR THE ARMY.
WE WORKED IT OUT
ALL SUMMER AT THE BEACH.
OH, BONNIE,
IT'LL MAKE HISTORY.
YOU SEE, NOBODY HAS
EVER USED THE FORWARD PASS,
THAT IS, THE WAY
NOTRE DAME IS GONNA USE IT.
IT WORKS OUT LIKE THIS.
GUS FADES BACK,
TAKES THE BALL
FROM CENTER.
I RUN DOWN THE FIELD,
AND NOW...
WHAT'S THE MATTER?
GO ON. "AND NOW..."
YEAH.
NOW SOMEBODY OUGHT TO...
KICK ME RIGHT IN
THE SEAT OF THE PANTS.
OH, KNUTE.
MOVE IN THERE, JIMMY.
HOLD THAT LINE.
WATCH 'EM NOW, ROCK.
WATCH OVER CENTER, JOE.
Dorais: 22, 45, 18! HIKE!
NICE GAME, RED.
NEVER MIND THE SCORE.
JUST KEEP
PLUGGING THAT TACKLE.
YOU BETTER
GET SOME WATER, BUD.
YOU LOOK
A LITTLE GROGGY.
SAY, COACH?
YEAH?
I CAN OUTRUN THAT HALFBACK
THAT'S BEEN COVERING ME.
HE DOESN'T KNOW IT
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LIMPING
PURPOSELY TO FOOL HIM.
YEAH, I BEEN
WATCHING HIM, TOO.
HE MOVES UP
IN EVERY PLAY.
COACH, LET US
USE THE FORWARD PASS.
I KNOW IT'LL WORK.
I'M NOT SO SURE.
WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT
IN THE GAME.
NEITHER HAS THE ARMY.
WHAT CAN WE LOSE?
ALL RIGHT.
IT'S YOUR IDEA, ROCK.
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN
PUT IT OVER, GO AHEAD.
THANKS, COACH.
WHAT'S THE MATTER, HOOSIERS?
CAN'T YOU GET STARTED?
Rockne: SIGNALS!
27, 34, 56!
HIP!
COME ON, LET'S GO.
ALL RIGHT,
CLEAR IT OUT!
ALL RIGHT, ROCK.
LET'S OPEN UP.
LET 'ER GO.
I'LL BE WAITING.
Dorais: SIGNALS!
27! 32!
45! HIP!
THEY CAN'T DO THAT!
THEY JUST DID
FOR 45 YARDS.
COME ON, BOYS.
WE'RE STILL BEHIND.
LOOK AT
THAT SCOREBOARD.
THAT'LL
REVOLUTIONIZE FOOTBALL.
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE DAME *
* WAKE UP THE ECHOES
CHEERING HER NAME *
* SEND A VOLLEY CHEER ON HIGH
* SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER
FROM THE SKY *
* WHAT THOUGH THE ODDS
BE GREAT OR SMALL *
* OLD NOTRE DAME
WILL WIN OVER ALL *
* WHILE HER LOYAL SONS
ARE MARCHING *
* ONWARD TO VICTORY
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE DAME *
COME ON, BOYS, LET ME DOWN.
I FEEL LIKE A FOOL UP HERE.
BETTER TAKE IT
WHILE YOU CAN, ROCK.
YOU'LL NEVER
HEAR THIS AGAIN.
GOOD MORNING, KNUTE.
MORNING, FATHER.
NOW THAT YOU'VE GRADUATED
WITH A MAGNA CUM LAUDE,
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE?
WELL, I HAVEN'T
DECIDED YET.
I'VE HAD
A FEW OFFERS.
FATHER NIEUWLAND.
PERHAPS FATHER NIEUWLAND
HERE CAN HELP YOU.
WHAT? WHAT KIND
OF OFFERS?
WELL, THERE'S NOTHING
VERY DEFINITE.
TO COACH FOOTBALL--
IS THAT IT?
YES, IN A...
SORT OF A WAY.
I DON'T KNOW
WHY I'M DUMB ENOUGH
TO OFFER YOU
ANOTHER JOB
OR WHY I BOTHERED TO LOOK
FOR A SYNTHETIC RUBBER
WHEN YOU HAVE GOT
A SOLID HEAD OF IT.
DID YOU SAY A JOB,
FATHER?
MMM. MAYBE
I'VE CHANGED MY MIND.
FATHER NIEUWLAND WANTS YOU
TO STAY HERE AT NOTRE DAME
TO HELP HIM TEACH CHEMISTRY.
THE JOB DOESN'T PAY
VERY MUCH AT THE START,
BUT NIEUWLAND HAS GREAT
HOPES FOR YOU LATER ON.
I'LL TAKE THE JOB.
THANK YOU, FATHER.
YOU'LL START NEXT TERM.
WELL, THERE'S, UH,
JUST ONE MORE THING.
DO YOU HAVE
ANY OBJECTIONS
IF I STAY ON
AND HELP HARPER
WITH THE FOOTBALL
TEAM THIS FALL?
YES! YOU ARE THROUGH
WITH FOOTBALL.
GET THAT
INTO YOUR HEAD,
ONCE AND FOR ALL.
WELL, IT WOULDN'T TAKE
THAT MUCH OF MY TIME,
AND THE EXTRA MONEY
I'D MAKE
COULD HELP ME
A GREAT DEAL.
YOU SEE...
I'M PLANNING
ON GETTING MARRIED.
HMM.
I KNEW I SHOULD
HAVE PICKED A PRIEST.
I'LL ONLY COACH
FOR A YEAR,
AND THAT'LL PUT ME
ON MY FEET.
FATHER, YOU DON'T THINK
I'D BE CRAZY ENOUGH
TO TAKE UP COACHING
AS A LIFEWORK, DO YOU?
YOU, O'REILLY.
DID YOU GET IT?
NO, OF COURSE
YOU DIDN'T.
BOUNCED RIGHT OFF
YOUR BEAN, DIDN'T IT?
WELL, DID
ANY OF YOU GET IT?
THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S FINE.
KEEPS THE RECORD PERFECT.
WELL, MAYBE YOU
DON'T LIKE CHEMISTRY.
I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT.
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO TAKE UP
KNITTING OR FOLK DANCING.
NOTHING DUMBER
THAN A DUMB IRISHMAN.
EXCEPT A SMART SWEDE.
THE BOYS TELL ME
YOU ARE
A GOOD TEACHER, KNUTE.
THEY ALL WANT
TO BE IN YOUR CLASS.
YES. THAT'S
WHAT WORRIES ME.
I DON'T GET
ANY RESPECT.
NONE AT ALL.
YOU'LL HAVE RESPECT
SOMEDAY--
ALL YOU
CAN EVER USE--
IF OUR WORK HERE
IS SUCCESSFUL.
AND, WELL, IF WE
CAN FIND THE ANSWER,
IF WE CAN MAKE
GOOD RUBBER CHEAPLY
AND WITHOUT USING GUM,
A GREAT PART OF THE CREDIT
WILL BE YOURS, KNUTE.
NO, FATHER.
YOU'RE THE QUARTERBACK
ON THIS TEAM.
I'M JUST THE WATER BOY.
ALWAYS WILL BE.
AND YOU--YOU CAN
BE ANYTHING YOU WANT.
I HAVE WATCHED YOU
EVER SINCE
YOU CAME TO NOTRE DAME
FROM THE FIRST DAY
YOU ASKED A QUESTION
IN MY CLASS.
I GUESS I WAS PRETTY
MUCH OF A NUISANCE
WITH ALL MY QUESTIONS,
WASN'T I, FATHER?
THAT'S HOW I KNEW
YOU MIGHT MAKE A SCIENTIST,
AND YOU WILL, KNUTE,
BELIEVE ME, I KNOW.
YOU HAVE THE BRAINS
AND THE STRENGTH.
LOOK,
THESE FIRST FEW YEARS
ARE THE HARDEST.
JUST LIVE SIMPLY.
I GIVE YOU A CHIN-UP.
WE ARE GOING TO DO
GREAT THINGS, YOU AND I.
YES?
FATHER NIEUWLAND'S
LABORATORY.
THIS IS
MR. ROCKNE SPEAKING.
WHEN?
WHERE?
WHAT--
I-I'LL BE THERE
RIGHT AWAY.
KNUTE, WHAT IS IT?
WHAT'S HAPPENED?
IT'S BONNIE.
IT'S THE BABY.
IT'S HERE!
GO IN PEACE AND
THE LORD BE WITH THEE.
AMEN.
HE'S A FINE-LOOKING
BABY, BONNIE.
THANK YOU,
FATHER.
YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD
OF HIM, KNUTE.
PROUD OF HIM?
LOOK
AT THOSE MUSCLES.
HE'S A BORN FULLBACK
AND HE'S CALLING SIGNALS
LIKE A QUARTERBACK.
WELL, SCIENTISTS
ALSO HAVE MUSCLES, YOU KNOW.
PERHAPS HE'D PREFER
TO WEAR A RUBBER APRON
INSTEAD OF
A RUBBER NOSE GUARD.
HE SHOULD HAVE A RUBBER
SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, I THINK.
KNUTE,
GIVE HIM TO ME.
OHHH.
FATHER, I'M AT WHAT YOU
MIGHT CALL THE CROSSROADS.
FOR 3 YEARS NOW,
I'VE BEEN TEACHING CHEMISTRY
AND TRYING TO COACH FOOTBALL
AT THE SAME TIME.
I'VE GOT TO DECIDE
BETWEEN THEM.
YES,
I'VE SEEN THAT COMING.
AND WHICH WORK IS
CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART?
WHAT I'M GOING
TO SAY, FATHER,
IS GOING TO DISAPPOINT
YOU, I'M SURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT
WORRIES ME THE MOST.
FATHER, I'VE DECIDED
TO TAKE UP COACHING
AS MY LIFEWORK.
HMM.
YOU THINK I'M MAKING
A MISTAKE, DON'T YOU?
ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS
THE TRUTH IN HIS HEART
NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE.
I'VE WATCHED YOUR WORK
WITH THESE BOYS
THESE PAST FEW YEARS,
AND I'VE SEEN
THE SPLENDID RESULTS.
YOU'RE HELPING MANKIND,
KNUTE.
AND ANYONE WHO HELPS
MANKIND HELPS GOD.
THANK YOU, FATHER.
I'LL DO MY BEST.
I'M SURE YOU WILL.
BILLY, I TOLD YOU
TO STAY AWAY FROM
THAT BUCKET. NOW SHOO.
FIRST OF ALL
IT WAS BEAR GREASE,
THEN SOMETHING CALLED
"OLD DOC SIMPSON'S
SURE-GROW SNAKE OIL,"
AND NOW IT'S CREOSOTE.
I DECLARE,
YOU'VE TRIED EVERYTHING
ON YOUR HAIR EXCEPT GRASS SEED.
JOE BYRNE SAYS
CREOSOTE'S BEST OF ALL.
FOR TELEPHONE POLES,
MAYBE.
THE TRUTH IS, YOU'VE JUST
WORRIED YOURSELF HALF BALD.
BONNIE, I CAN FEEL
A LITTLE FUZZ
GROWING RIGHT THERE.
SEE? RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S THE FRINGE
ON THE TOWEL.
OH.
3 YEARS OF COACHING
FOOTBALL AND TRACK
WITHOUT A SINGLE DAY'S
VACATION.
AND WHEN THIS THING BEGINS
TO LOOK LIKE A WATERMELON,
YOU NEEDN'T COME TO ME
FOR SYMPATHY.
MAYBE I CAN GET SOME
SYMPATHY OUT OF THOSE.
WHAT ARE THEY?
TRAVEL BOOKLETS.
PLACES TO GO.
PICK OUT
ONE YOU LIKE.
KNUTE,
YOU MEAN FOR US?
SURE. WE'LL GO
WHEREVER YOU WANT.
I LIKE THIS ONE
ABOUT FLORIDA.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
I'LL GO INTO CHICAGO TOMORROW
AND DO SOME SHOPPING.
WHEN DO WE LEAVE?
WELL, LET ME SEE.
THIS IS AUGUST.
NEXT MONTH
IS FOOTBALL SEASON.
WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO GO RIGHT AWAY.
WHAT ABOUT
AFTER THANKSGIVING?
NO, NO.
I'VE GOT TO ATTEND
A COACHES' CONFERENCE
IN PITTSBURGH.
WELL, AFTER CHRISTMAS,
THEN. JANUARY.
THAT'S THE NICEST TIME
IN FLORIDA, ANYWAY.
NO, NOT FOR ME, BONNIE.
I GOTTA TALK TO THOSE
BOYS AT MOOSEHEART,
ARRANGE OUR SCHEDULE
FOR NEXT YEAR,
THE TRACK TEAM STARTS
TO WORK IN MARCH--
THAT BRINGS US
INTO JULY.
AND THEN FOOTBALL SEASON
BEGINS AGAIN.
I SEE.
YOU KEEP THOSE.
NEXT YEAR, TURN THEM IN
FOR A NEW SET.
OH, NOW, BONNIE,
DON'T BE UNREASONABLE.
AAH...
OH, BILLY, NOW LOOK
WHAT YOU'VE DONE!
YOU--
IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT.
YOU AND JOE BYRNE'S
CREOSOTE.
ALL RIGHT,
IF IT'S SO FUNNY,
GO UPSTAIRS AND
WASH HIM YOURSELF.
GO ON, UPSTAIRS.
AND DON'T USE
MY GUEST TOWELS.
I DON'T KNOW
WHICH ONE OF YOU
IS THE BIGGEST BABY.
HI, BONNIE!
WELL, HELLO, BOYS!
HELLO, BONNIE.
WHERE'S ROCK?
HE'S UPSTAIRS GETTING BILLY
READY FOR HIS NAP.
DID YOU HAVE
A NICE VACATION, BOYS?
SWELL!
GREAT!
JIM, HOW'S YOUR MOTHER?
OH, GOOD.
FINE, THANKS.
Moore: I SEE YOU
STILL KEEP THE ICEBOX
IN THE SAME OLD PLACE.
YES, AND THAT ICEBOX
IS NOT GOING
TO BE RAIDED THIS YEAR.
I'LL TELL KNUTE
YOU'RE HERE.
Michael: NOW, BONNIE,
IS THAT REGULAR?
HOW DO YOU EXPECT US TO EAT
THAT APPLE PIE YOU MADE?
Jim: YEAH,
AND THAT CHICKEN.
BONNIE COOKS THE BEST
FRIED CHICKEN IN TOWN.
YOU SAID IT!
BONNIE, YOU WOULDN'T LET
US STARVE, WOULD YOU?
I BET THAT ICEBOX
IS CHOCK-FULL
OF GOOD STUFF RIGHT NOW.
COME ON.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
NOW, BOYS, I WANT YOU
TO STAY OUT OF THAT ICEBOX.
I AM NOT RUNNING ANOTHER
TRAINING TABLE FOR NOTRE DAME.
TELL ROCK WE'RE HERE,
WILL YOU?
WE WON'T GO NEAR IT,
SO HURRY UP.
* THERE IS A BOARDINGHOUSE
FAR, FAR AWAY *
* WHERE THEY SERVE
HAM AND EGGS 3 TIMES A DAY *
* WHOA, WHOA,
THE BOARDERS YELL *
* WHEN THEY HEAR
THE DINNER BELL *
* OH, HOW THE EGGS
DO SMELL *
* FAR, FAR AWAY
* THERE IS A BOARDINGHOUSE
FAR, FAR AWAY *
* WHERE THEY SERVE
HAM AND EGGS 3 TIMES... *
KNUTE, YOU'VE GOT
TO GET DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT AWAY.
THAT FOOTBALL TEAM OF YOURS
IS ABOUT TO GET INTO MY ICEBOX.
THEY'RE BACK?
AND TELL THEM TO STAY AWAY
FROM MY CHICKEN.
THAT'S OUR SUPPER.
IT WAS OUR SUPPER.
THANKS, BOYS. THANKS.
WELL, DIDN'T YOU
OVERLOOK THIS?
FEET APART, MACK!
COME ON, DIG IN.
NO, JOE,
SHIFT OUTSIDE
THE TACKLE!
THAT'S MORE LIKE IT.
ALL RIGHT, HIKE!
ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S ENOUGH.
RELAX.
WHAT HAVE YOU BOYS
BEEN DOING ALL SUMMER--
FOXTROTTING?
YOU LOOK TERRIBLE.
YOU BETTER GO ON HOME.
ALL WE NEED IS A LITTLE
MORE PRACTICE, COACH.
WE'RE TOO FULL OF FOOD
RIGHT NOW, ROCK.
WAIT TILL OCTOBER.
WELL, WE'LL HAVE
A PRETTY FAIR BALL CLUB
THIS YEAR, I GUESS.
YOU GOT A TOUGH SCHEDULE.
NEBRASKA, PURDUE,
INDIANA, AND THE ARMY,
AND THEY'RE ALL TOUGH.
WHAT I'D GIVE
MY RIGHT ARM FOR
IS A HALFBACK
WHO COULD CARRY THE MAIL,
A FAST BOY WHO COULD
RUN, PASS, AND KICK.
SOMEBODY ON THE ORDER OF--
THE ORDER OF JIM THORPE.
A GUY LIKE THAT
WOULD NEVER COME
TO A LITTLE SCHOOL
LIKE NOTRE DAME.
I KNOW.
I KNOW. THAT SORT OF FELLA
COMES ALONG
MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE
IN A COACH'S LIFETIME.
BUT I'M STILL HOPING.
AND IF I EVER DO
FIND A BOY LIKE THAT...
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO PUNT
AND PRAY THIS SEASON.
THAT'S THE ONLY OFFENSE
NOTRE DAME'S GONNA HAVE.
IF WE ONLY HAD
ONE GOOD HALFBACK, ROCK.
JUST HAVE TO KEEP
PRAYING, THAT'S ALL.
NO, NO, MURPHY.
KEEP THAT TOE POINTED
AND KICK WITH
THE ARCH OF YOUR FOOT.
WAIT A MINUTE. HOLD IT.
NOW, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
YOU'RE HOLDING, A HOT POTATO?
Player: LOOK AT THAT.
WOW, LOOK AT THAT BALL
TRAVEL.
MUST HAVE GAS IN IT.
HEY, YOU!
HEY, YOU!
WHERE YOU FROM,
BUD?
CALUMET.
YOU EVER
PLAY FOOTBALL?
SOME, IN HIGH SCHOOL.
BASEBALL'S MY DISH.
DON'T YOU LIKE
TO PLAY FOOTBALL?
NOT MUCH.
I JUST SAW YOU
MAKE THAT KICK.
YOU THINK YOU
COULD DO IT AGAIN?
YEAH.
Player: RIGHT IN THERE.
GO IN AND GET A UNIFORM,
REPORT TO THE SCRUBS.
WHY?
'CAUSE I THINK YOU'D
MAKE A FOOTBALL PLAYER.
TRY IT ANYWAY.
I DOUBT IT.
ALL RIGHT,
IF YOU INSIST.
NO, WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
GIPP. GEORGE GIPP.
WHAT'S YOURS?
IS HE KIDDIN' ME?
ALL RIGHT, COMEDIANS,
COME ON. SNAP INTO IT.
LET'S GO.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.
26-72-23.
HIKE!
YOU MISSED HIM, CASSIDY!
USE YOUR HANDS!
THEY NAIL YOU EVERY TIME!
IT'S ALL RIGHT.
FRESHMEN'S BALL.
I DON'T WANT TO
DISTURB YOU, GIPP.
DO WE BORE YOU?
AH, I GOT
NOTHIN' ELSE TO DO.
MAYBE I CAN FIX THAT FOR YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY?
WELL, I HAVE
BEEN SORT OF WONDERING
WHY YOU GAVE ME
THIS UNIFORM.
GET IN THERE AT FULLBACK
WITH THE SCRUBS.
I DON'T KNOW
YOUR SIGNALS YET.
THEY'LL GIVE YOU THE BALL.
YOU JUST RUN WITH IT.
HOW FAR?
YOU DON'T HAVE
TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
HOLD IT!
ALL RIGHT, BOYS,
EVERYBODY UP.
HEADS UP, FELLAS.
BOYS, THIS IS
MR. GEORGE GIPP.
FRESHMAN FROM
CALUMET HIGH SCHOOL.
MR. GIPP
HAS KINDLY CONSENTED
TO CARRY THE BALL
FOR THE SCRUBS.
JUST CALL ANY PLAY
YOU LIKE,
ANY AT ALL.
THEY'RE ALL THE SAME
TO HIM.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO!
LET'S GO, BOYS,
LET'S GO.
WATCH THIS.
OUGHT TO BE GOOD.
48-15-72, HIKE!
HERE WE GO!
I GUESS THE BOYS
ARE JUST TIRED.
NICE GOING, ROCK!
CONGRATULATIONS!
THANK YOU.
[REPORTERS
ALL SHOUTING AT ONCE]
HOW ABOUT A STORY,
ROCK?
YOU'RE BIG NEWS
THESE DAYS.
THE PUBLIC WOULD
RATHER READ ABOUT YOU
THAN THE WORLD WAR.
THAT'S RIGHT. COME ON,
ROCK, SPILL OUT.
TELL THE PUBLIC
ABOUT THE BOYS, NOT ME.
THEY DO THE WORK.
THEY SHOULD GET THE CREDIT.
WHERE'S THE GIPPER,
ROCK?
WE WANT A PICTURE
OF YOU TWO TOGETHER.
WELL, COACH!
I JUST WANTED
TO DROP IN AND TELL YOU
THAT I CERTAINLY CLEANED UP
ON NOTRE DAME TODAY.
YES, SIR, $3,000.
AND I'M BETTIN' 500
ON YOU AND GIPP
FOR NEXT SATURDAY,
LAYING 2-TO-1
THAT YOU WIN BY 14 POINTS.
YOU WON'T LET ME DOWN,
WILL YOU?
NOPE.
I WON'T LET YOU DOWN.
BUT I CERTAINLY
WILL LET YOU OUT.
WE HAVEN'T GOT ANY USE
FOR GAMBLERS AROUND HERE.
YOU'VE DONE YOUR BEST TO RUIN
BASEBALL AND HORSE RACING.
THIS IS ONE GAME THAT'S CLEAN
AND IS GONNA STAY CLEAN.
YOU PLAYED A GREAT GAME
TODAY, GEORGE.
KNUTE'S BEEN PHONING
EVERY 5 MINUTES.
HIS OFFICE IS FULL
OF NEWSPAPER REPORTERS
WAITING TO SEE YOU.
OH, ROCK
CAN TAKE CARE OF THEM.
HELLO, BILLY. COME HERE.
LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT YOU.
GEORGE,
YOU'RE WONDERFUL.
WELL, THANKS, BILL.
YOU LIKED THAT BALL GAME,
THEN, HUH?
YEAH.
DID YOU HEAR ME YELL
WHEN YOU RAN BACK
THAT KICKOFF?
SURE, I DID, BILL.
THAT'S WHY I KEPT RUNNING.
GEE, WAIT'LL I TELL
THE KIDS THAT!
THAT-A-BOY!
YOU'RE A STRANGE PERSON,
GEORGE.
HERE YOU ARE
AT THIS VERY MINUTE
THE BIGGEST NEWS
OF ANY BOY IN AMERICA,
AND YET YOU
DELIBERATELY RUN AWAY
FROM ALL THAT FAME
AND PUBLICITY. WHY?
OH, I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE
TO GET TOO CLOSE TO ME.
NOBODY GOT CLOSE TO YOU
TODAY, GEORGE.
GEORGE, KNUTE AND I
OFTEN TALK ABOUT YOU.
WE'D LIKE FOR OUR 2 BOYS
TO GROW UP AND BE
JUST LIKE YOU SOME DAY.
YOU MEAN TO PLAY FOOTBALL?
NO, NOT JUST THAT.
TO...
TO HAVE YOUR POISE
AND THOUGHTFULNESS.
AND YOUR INTELLIGENCE.
DID, UH...ROCK SAY THAT?
YES.
HE SAID THOSE QUALITIES
ARE RARE IN A BOY YOUR AGE.
NO, BONNIE.
ROCK'S THE RARE ONE,
NOT ME.
THERE'LL BE NEW FELLAS
COMING ALONG
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
A LOT OF THEM
MUCH BETTER FOOTBALL PLAYERS
THAN I EVER WAS.
THERE'LL NEVER
BE BUT ONE ROCKNE,
HERE AT NOTRE DAME
OR ANYWHERE ELSE.
HE'S GIVEN US SOMETHING
THEY DON'T TEACH IN SCHOOLS,
SOMETHING CLEAN
AND STRONG INSIDE.
NOT JUST COURAGE,
BUT A RIGHT WAY OF LIVING
THAT NONE OF US
WILL EVER FORGET.
UM...
DON'T TELL ROCK
I SAID THAT, BONNIE.
HE'D THINK
I WAS AN AWFUL SAP.
OH, THAT'S FUNNY, GEORGE.
HE SAID THE SAME THING
ABOUT YOU.
"THERE'LL NEVER
BE BUT ONE GIPPER,
NOT HERE OR ANYWHERE ELSE."
I'M GOING TO GET SOMETHING
FOR THAT COUGH OF YOURS.
I'M ALL RIGHT. IT'S JUST
A LITTLE SORE THROAT.
DON'T ARGUE WITH ME,
GEORGE GIPP.
I'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF BABIES
AND FOOTBALL PLAYERS FOR YEARS.
COME ON, BILL,
SAY GOOD NIGHT TO GEORGE.
GOOD NIGHT, GEORGE.
GOOD NIGHT, BILL.
NOW, SCOOT. HURRY UP.
SO THIS IS WHERE
YOU'RE HIDING, HUH?
WHAT'S THE MATTER,
YOU TOO BASHFUL TO COME BY
AND HAVE YOUR PICTURE TAKEN?
I DIDN'T WANT TO HORN IN
ON YOUR PARTY, ROCK.
THEY GET ONE
OF YOUR PROFILE?
MUST BE PRETTY NICE
TO READ WHAT
A GREAT FELLA YOU ARE.
ON SATURDAYS, ANYWAY.
HAVEN'T GOTTEN
THAT FAR.
THIS PAPER SAYS
YOU'RE A GENIUS.
THAT SO? LET ME SEE.
THERE IT IS.
"ANY COACH
CAN LOOK LIKE A GENIUS
WHEN HE HAS A HALFBACK
LIKE THE GIPPER."
WHY, YOU...
WELL, THEY'RE RIGHT,
GEORGE.
THEY'RE RIGHT.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE IN THERE,
I LOOK PRETTY GOOD.
YOU'VE MADE A REPUTATION
FOR ME.
THE TEAM IS GONNA MISS YOU
LIKE A RIGHT ARM NEXT YEAR.
I'M GONNA
MISS YOU, TOO, GEORGE.
WON'T SEEM
LIKE THE SAME PLACE
WITHOUT HIM HANGING AROUND,
WILL IT, BONNIE?
HE'LL BE BACK. HERE,
GEORGE, DRINK THIS
BEFORE IT GETS COOL.
THANKS, BONNIE.
WHAT'S THE MATTER?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
GEORGE HAS A SORE THROAT
AND A VERY BAD COUGH.
THAT SO? SIT DOWN
IN THE LIGHT. LET ME SEE.
IT'S NOTHING
SERIOUS, ROCK.
THE SEASON'S OVER,
ANYWAY.
WHO SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT THE SEASON?
LET ME TAKE A LOOK
AT THAT.
GET OVER THERE
IN THE LIGHT.
OPEN YOUR MOUTH.
WIDE.
I'M ALL RIGHT.
YES, YOU'RE ALL RIGHT.
YOU'RE FINE.
YOU'RE COMING WITH ME.
ANYBODY'D THINK YOU WERE
STILL IN THE ARMY.
I SAW ENOUGH IN THE ARMY
TO KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU.
BONNIE, WE'RE
GOING TO THE HOSPITAL,
HAVE HIM LOOKED OVER.
THIS IS A SICK BOY.
GET YOUR THINGS,
GEORGE.
AMEN.
GEORGE.
YES, ROCK?
GEORGE, THIS TELEGRAM
JUST ARRIVED
FROM WALTER CAMP.
YOU'VE BEEN NAMED FULLBACK
ON HIS ALL-AMERICAN TEAM.
ME?
YOU WOULDN'T KID ME, ROCK?
NO. IT'S ON THE LEVEL.
YOU'RE GONNA
BE ALL RIGHT, KID.
I HAVEN'T GOT A COMPLAINT
IN THE WORLD, ROCK.
I'M NOT AFRAID.
WHAT'S TOUGH ABOUT THIS?
ROCK...
SOMEDAY WHEN THE TEAM'S
UP AGAINST IT...
AND THE BREAKS
ARE BEATING THE BOYS,
ASK 'EM TO GO IN THERE
WITH ALL THEY'VE GOT
AND WIN JUST ONE
FOR THE GIPPER.
I DON'T KNOW
WHERE I'LL BE THEN,
BUT I'LL KNOW ABOUT IT.
I'LL BE HAPPY.
YOU BETTER
GO ON HOME, BONNIE.
I'LL ATTEND
TO EVERYTHING.
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3, 4!
1, 2, 3...
Boy: WHAT KIND OF TEAM
WE GONNA HAVE
THIS YEAR, ROCK?
HEY, COACH,
REMEMBER ME?
SURE, I DO.
SAME OLD GANG, HUH?
SURE. YOU COULDN'T
DO WITHOUT US.
WHO'S GONNA TAKE
THE GIPPER'S PLACE, COACH?
HOW ABOUT GIVIN' US
A FOOTBALL, ROCK?
YEAH!
YEAH!
YOU ALWAYS DO.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT,
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
I WANT TO SEE
WHAT YOU REMEMBER
FROM LAST YEAR.
SEE WHO CAN ANSWER
THIS QUESTION.
NOTRE DAME'S BALL,
OUR OWN 20-YARD LINE,
ARMY'S LEADING 13-7,
THIRD DOWN,
ONE MINUTE TO GO.
TOMMY, WHAT PLAY
WOULD YOU MAKE?
END RUN.
NO, THAT'S WRONG.
ELMER,
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
UH, FLAT PASS
TO KILEY?
WRONG AGAIN.
PETE?
OFF TACKLE!
YOU'RE WRONG, TOO.
ISABELLE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WELL, IF I WAS
RUNNING THE TEAM,
I'D CALL 83 OR 84,
A LONG FORWARD PASS.
SURE, YOU WOULD, AND
YOU'RE A BORN QUARTERBACK,
AND YOU'VE GOT A FOOTBALL.
ALL RIGHT!
EVERYBODY UP!
ALL RIGHT, MEN...
STARTING A NEW SEASON TODAY.
GOT A TOUGH SCHEDULE
AHEAD OF US.
WE'RE USED TO THAT
AT NOTRE DAME.
NOW, LET'S
GET THIS STRAIGHT
BEFORE WE START.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY HERE
TO THINK HE'S ANY BETTER
THAN ANYONE ELSE.
AND THAT GOES
FOR YOU LETTER MEN.
FOOTBALL CONSISTS PRIMARILY
OF TACKLING AND BLOCKING.
NOBODY CAN MAKE THE TEAM
IF ALL HE CAN DO
IS CARRY THE BALL,
PASS, OR PUNT.
IF THERE'S ANY OF YOU
SPOILED HIGH SCHOOL STARS
WHO DON'T WANT TO LEARN
TO TACKLE AND BLOCK,
TURN IN YOUR SUITS TONIGHT.
TURN 'EM IN TONIGHT.
THE NOTRE DAME SYSTEM
IS BASED ON TEAMWORK,
WHICH IS A COMBINATION
OF SELF-SACRIFICE,
BRAINS, AND SWEAT.
AND THE BRAINS COME FIRST.
I ONLY WANT MEN
WHO CAN THINK
AND THINK FAST.
ANYONE HERE
WHO'S ABSENT-MINDED
OR SLOW ON THE UPTAKE,
CURE IT OR GET OUT!
FOOTBALL IS A PLACE
FOR CLEAR MINDS.
NOW, I'LL EXPECT YOU
TO WORK HARD.
I'LL ALSO EXPECT YOU
TO MAINTAIN A HIGH AVERAGE
IN YOUR CLASSES.
WE WANT TO WIN
IF WE CAN,
BUT YOU DIDN'T COME
TO NOTRE DAME
ONLY TO PLAY FOOTBALL.
5 YEARS FROM NOW,
THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE
FORGOTTEN THE BEST OF YOU.
REMEMBER THAT.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT
YOU LOOK LIKE ON A DUMMY!
LET'S GO!
ALL RIGHT!
HIT 'EM HARDER
AND LOWER!
ALL RIGHT, KELLY,
DRIVE ON THROUGH NOW.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.
HIT 'EM AT THE KNEES.
AT THE KNEES!
ON 1, 2--
ALL RIGHT,
LET'S GO, O'FLAHERTY.
DRIVE ON THROUGH.
HIKE!
WHAT IS THIS, SQUAT TAG?
COME ON. DIG IN.
SPREAD THOSE.
SPREAD 'EM. COME ON!
CHARGE! DIG IN.
DIG IN, ANDERSON!
WHAT ARE YOU DOIN',
PICKIN' 4
COME ON! CHARGE! CHARGE!
ALL RIGHT, MEN!
EVERYBODY UP!
EVERYBODY UP!
WELL, I GUESS I WAS WRONG.
YOU BOYS ARE EITHER BETTER
THAN I THOUGHT YOU WERE,
OR YOU'RE THE LUCKIEST BUNCH
OF IRISHMEN THAT EVER LIVED!
PLAYED A GREAT GAME
ALL YEAR.
SMART.
SMART, HEADS-UP FOOTBALL.
GONNA GIVE YA
A LITTLE TREAT TONIGHT,
SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T SEEN
SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER,
THAT IS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
[CAROLINA IN THE MORNING
PLAYING]
IT WAS NICE
OF YOU TO COME
AND SIT UP WITH ME,
BUT I'M SURE KNUTE
WILL BE BACK SOON.
THE LAST TRAIN
FROM CHICAGO
WAS DUE
10 MINUTES AGO.
AS MEMBERS OF THE NOTRE DAME
FACULTY, MRS. ROCKNE,
THIS IS OUR HUMBLE WAY
OF HELPING
TO CELEBRATE THE TEAM'S
ILLUSTRIOUS VICTORY,
AND WHEN I CELEBRATE,
I NEVER GO TO BED BEFORE 1:30.
Bonnie: KNUTE!
CONGRATULATIONS!
IT WAS
A WONDERFUL GAME.
THANK YOU, BONNIE.
IT WAS A GREAT GAME.
THE BOYS PLAYED
OVER THEIR HEADS, I GUESS.
CONGRATULATIONS, ROCK.
IT MUST HAVE
BEEN A GREAT GAME.
THANK YOU, PROFESSOR.
I'D LIKE TO
HAVE BEEN THERE.
WISH YOU HAD BEEN.
A CUP OF COFFEE,
KNUTE?
NO, THANK YOU, BONNIE.
I SAW SOMETHING TONIGHT.
GOT THE IDEA OF A LIFETIME--
OF A LIFETIME.
PROFESSOR, DOC.
I SAW A SHOW TONIGHT
IN CHICAGO,
CHORUS GIRLS,
A WHOLE ROW OF THEM.
WHAT RHYTHM.
IT WAS LIKE POETRY
JUST WATCHIN' 'EM MOVE,
BEAUTIFUL, EFFORTLESS.
EFFORTLESS--
YOU GET THE IDEA?
CHORUS GIRLS?
AT YOUR AGE, ROCK?
NO, NO, NO.
BUT THEY GAVE ME THE IDEA
FOR A NEW KIND
OF A BACKFIELD SHIFT.
AND, GENTLEMEN, IT'LL
REVOLUTIONIZE THE GAME.
REVOLUTIONIZE IT!
NO LOST MOTION.
NO WASTED MOMENTUM.
SPLIT-SECOND TIMING.
I CAN SEE IT NOW.
AND THE PUBLIC,
THE PUBLIC'LL LOVE IT.
IT'S NEW. IT'S COLORFUL.
GREAT SHOWMANSHIP,
AND IT'S NEW! IT'S NEW!
LET ME SHOW YOU
WHAT I MEAN.
PROFESSOR, DOC.
WE'LL GO INTO
THE REGULAR FORMATION.
YOU'RE AT RIGHT HALFBACK.
YOU'RE AT QUARTERBACK.
YOU GO IN
AT FULLBACK, BONNIE.
I'LL BE LEFT HALFBACK.
NOW WE FORM A "T" FORMATION.
FROM THE "T" FORMATION,
WE SHIFT
INTO A BOX FORMATION.
THAT MEANS YOU SHIFT TO
THERE, YOU SHIFT TO THERE,
BONNIE, YOU'RE BEHIND HIM,
I'M AT THE TAILBACK.
YOU SHIFT ON THIS SIGNAL.
I'LL GIVE YOU 3 SIGNALS.
WHEN I YELL "HIP,"
YOU DO THIS. NOW WATCH.
47, 29, 82.
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
YOU GOT IT? LET'S TRY IT.
ALL RIGHT.
27, 81, 92,
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
LITTLE MORE ZIP.
WATCH IT, PROFESSOR.
WATCH IT, DOC.
WATCH IT, BONNIE.
ALL RIGHT, READY?
HERE WE GO.
COUNT WITH ME THIS TIME.
29, 85, 41.
HIP.
All: 1, 2, 3.
THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT.
ALL RIGHT, ONCE MORE.
27, 85, 49.
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
[PLAYING CAROLINA
IN THE MORNING]
1, 2, 3.
HIP.
1, 2, 3.
1, 2...
HIP. 1, 2, 3.
HIP. 1, 2.
ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT!
YOU'RE ALL
OUT OF STEP.
COME ON, NOW.
GET THE RHYTHM.
THE RHYTHM,
THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
YOU LOOK
LIKE A BRAKEMAN
FLAGGIN' A TRAIN.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE
ONLY GOT 2 FEET.
DO THEY HAVE TO STEP
ON EACH OTHER?
YOU'RE CALLIN' THAT HIP
ALTOGETHER TOO SLOW.
THE OBJECT OF THE SHIFT
IS TO CATCH THE OPPONENTS
OFF-BALANCE,
GET 'EM BY SURPRISE.
YOU COULD KNIT A SWEATER
BETWEEN YOUR SIGNALS.
OH, AND BY THE WAY...
I DON'T WANNA BE PERSONAL,
BUT, UH...
DID YOU EVER LEARN TO DANCE?
WELL, I CAN
WALTZ A LITTLE.
KINDA THOUGHT THAT'S
WHAT YOU WERE DOING.
WELL, YOU'RE NOT
CARRYIN' A BLONDE.
YOU'RE
CARRYIN' A FOOTBALL.
ALL RIGHT, NOW, BOYS,
COME ON. LET'S GET SMART.
YOU CAN GET THIS SHIFT.
I KNOW YOU CAN.
THAT'S WHY I SELECTED
YOU FOUR TO DO IT.
OF COURSE IT'S TRICKY,
BUT THAT'S
THE BEAUTY OF IT.
IF YOU GET IT, IT'LL
REVOLUTIONIZE FOOTBALL.
ALL RIGHT, PUT ANOTHER
NICKEL IN THE SLOT.
LET'S GO.
[CAROLINA IN THE MORNING
PLAYING]
SIGNALS--
18, 21, 33.
HIP, 1, 2, 3.
Knute: FASTER! HIP!
Boys: 1, 2, 3.
Knute: FASTER!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
Announcer:
WHAT IS THIS NEW MIRACLE
THAT ROCKNE HAS WROUGHT?
THIS BOLT OF IRISH LIGHTNING
THAT STRIKES FROM ALL SIDES
WITH SUCH BLINDING SPEED
AND FURY.
A SHIFT, THEY CALL IT.
YES, BUT HEISMAN OF
GEORGIA TECH ALSO HAS A SHIFT,
SO HAS TED JONES OF YALE,
BUT THEIRS ARE SIMPLE TUNES
COMPARED TO ROCKNE'S SYMPHONY,
FOR THIS SHIFT IS MUSIC,
THE MUSIC OF A MASTER'S HAND.
KNUTE ROCKNE,
WHOSE INGENIOUS BRAIN
PERFECTED THE FORWARD PASS,
HAS BROUGHT A GREAT NEW THRILL
TO FOOTBALL
AND TO ITS MILLIONS
OF FOLLOWERS.
IN THE BRILLIANT HANDS AND FEET
OF THE 4 HORSEMEN--
DON MILLER, HARRY STUHLDREHER,
ELMER LAYDEN, AND JIM CROWLEY--
THE NOTRE DAME SHIFT
HAS BECOME A PRAIRIE FIRE,
BURNING NORTH, EAST,
SOUTH, AND WEST,
RELENTLESS AND UNCHECKED
FOR 3 STRAIGHT YEARS.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY UP!
EVERYBODY UP!
LET'S HAVE THE BALL,
ELMER.
WELL, THERE IT IS, BOYS,
THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
THEY CALL YOU THE 4 HORSEMAN
AND THE 7 MULES.
WELL, I'M BEHIND YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS
THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
SAY, COACH. COACH,
THIS IS THE LAST TIME
A LOT OF US WILL EVER
WEAR A NOTRE DAME UNIFORM.
SOME OF THE BOYS THAT
WON'T BE BACK NEXT YEAR--
THERE'S HARRY AND JIM
AND DON AND MYSELF--
WE SORTA WONDERED
IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US
IN A LITTLE PARTY.
SURE, I WOULD,
BUT THE PARTY'S ON ME.
OK!
YEAH!
YEAH!
Billy: COME ON.
THROW IT TO ME!
WELL, THAT SETTLES IT.
AFTER THE GAME TOMORROW,
WE'RE GOIN' DOWN TO FLORIDA
FOR A NICE, LONG VACATION.
YES, DEAR.
AND, BONNIE, WE'LL
SIT ON A BEACH IN MIAMI
AND DO NOTHING,
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
YES, DEAR. ALL DAY.
BY THE WAY, DID YOU
PACK MY WHITE FLANNELS?
I'VE BEEN PACKING THEM
FOR YEARS.
EVEN THE MOTHS ARE
BEGINNING TO LOSE HOPE.
OH, NOW, BONNIE,
THAT'S NOT FAIR.
ALL RIGHT, COME IN.
HELLO, MR. ROCKNE.
HELLO, JEFF,
SIT DOWN, WILL YA?
YOU KNOW MRS. ROCKNE.
HELLO, ROCK,
HOW ARE YOU?
NICE TO SEE YOU.
WHAT'S THE DOPE ON
THE ARMY GAME TOMORROW?
THOSE CADETS
ARE GONNA BE PLENTY
TOUGH THIS YEAR, ROCK.
THEY THINK
THEY'RE GONNA BREAK
THAT 16-GAME WINNING
STREAK OF NOTRE DAME'S.
BOYS,
THIS IS OFF THE RECORD.
NOBODY CAN STOP OUR TEAM.
NOBODY.
THEY ALL THOUGHT
WE WERE THROUGH
WHEN WE LOST
THE 4 HORSEMEN,
SAID WE'D FOLD UP
LIKE A BRIDGE TABLE.
WE'VE BEEN UNDEFEATED
IN 16 GAMES.
WE'LL TAKE THE ARMY
INTO CAMP TOMORROW
JUST AS WE'VE DONE
EVERYONE ELSE, BELIEVE ME.
[BAND PLAYING
SCHOOL FIGHTING SONG]
[BAND PLAYING
SCHOOL FIGHTING SONG]
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
HIKE!
[BAND PLAYING
SCHOOL FIGHTING SONG]
HOW WAS I TO KNOW?
YOU CAN'T EXPECT ME
TO DO EVERYTHING.
I'M ONLY ONE MAN.
I CAN'T PLAY
ALL THE POSITIONS.
I MADE A MISTAKE,
COACH.
I DIDN'T KNOW
BELSON WAS SO FAST.
I--I SHOULDA CUT BACK.
NO, THAT WASN'T
THE MISTAKE YOU MADE.
THAT WASN'T IT.
YES, IT WAS. I ADMIT IT.
IT WAS A MISTAKE.
NO. BELSON DIDN'T
KNOW WHO YOU WERE.
IF YOU'D HAVE SHOWN HIM
THOSE
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
YOU'VE BEEN SAVING,
TELLING HIM
HOW GOOD YOU ARE,
HE WOULDN'T HAVE DARED
COME NEAR YA.
ALL RIGHT, BOYS.
THE ARMY'S
GOT US 13-NOTHING,
AND THEY'VE EARNED IT,
PLAYED US OFF OUR FEET,
RIGHT OFF OUR FEET.
WE'RE NOT GONNA WIN
THIS SECOND HALF
UNLESS WE HAVE TEAMWORK.
THAT'S WHAT THIS GAME NEEDS
IS TEAMWORK.
GOT TO SET OURSELVES UP
AS A UNIT.
IF WE DO THAT, WE'VE GOT
NOTHIN' TO WORRY ABOUT.
WHEN WE GO BACK
IN THAT SECOND HALF,
WHEN YOU
RECEIVE THE KICKOFF,
I WANT YOU TO USE
THOSE OL' HEADS ALL THE TIME.
I WANT YOU TO BE SMART!
I WANT THE MEN
IN THAT BACKFIELD
TO HIT THAT LINE
RIGHT SIDE/LEFT SIDE,
RIGHT SIDE/LEFT SIDE,
RIGHT/LEFT, RIGHT/LEFT
ALL THE TIME.
GET 'EM ON THE RUN,
BUT YOU'LL KEEP 'EM
ON THE RUN.
GO ON DOWN THAT FIELD,
RIGHT DOWN THAT FIELD
OVER THAT OL' GOAL LINE--
THE OL' NOTRE DAME SPIRIT!
2 MINUTES, ROCK.
SAME TEAM...
START THE SECOND HALF.
ALL RIGHT, MEN.
THEY CAN'T STOP US.
NOBODY CAN STOP US.
GO BACK IN THERE.
RIGHT FROM THE OPENING KICKOFF,
DRIVE ON DOWN THAT FIELD.
DRIVE! DRIVE! DRIVE!
GET 'EM! GET 'EM! GET 'EM!
4:30.
I STILL
CAN'T FIGURE OUT
WHY YOU WAITED
IN NEW YORK
FOR A LATER TRAIN,
ROCK.
I WANTED TO SLIP INTO TOWN
BEFORE DAYLIGHT.
THE STUDENTS
USUALLY LIKE
TO COME DOWN
TO THE STATION
AND WELCOME THE TEAM
HOME, DON'T THEY?
IF THEY WIN.
FOR 3 YEARS NOW,
THEY'VE MET EVERY TRAIN.
BUT WE LOST THIS ONE.
I LOST IT.
WELL, THE NEWSPAPERS
ARE RIGHT: I WAS TOO COCKY,
THOUGHT I COULD
OUTSMART EVERYBODY.
I DON'T BLAME THE FOLKS
IN SOUTH BEND
FOR WHATEVER
THEY THINK OF ME...
BECAUSE I LET THEM DOWN.
DON'T TAKE IT TO HEART,
LIKE THIS, ROCK.
THERE'S
ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.
BONNIE, MAYBE WE
SHOULDN'T GET OFF THE TRAIN.
MAYBE WE SHOULD GO
STRAIGHT THROUGH TO CHICAGO
AND ON DOWN TO FLORIDA
AS WE PLANNED.
THEN AFTER 2 OR 3 MONTHS,
WELL...
MAYBE THEY WON'T
FEEL SO BADLY ABOUT IT
AND WE CAN COME HOME.
I CAN'T FACE 'EM TOMORROW.
COMIN' INTO SOUTH BEND,
MR. ROCK.
CAN I BRUSH YOU OFF, SIR?
[PLAYING NOTRE DAME
VICTORY MARCH]
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE *
* WAKE UP THE ECHOES
CHEERING HER NAME *
* SEND A VOLLEY CHEER ON HIGH
* SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER
FROM THE SKY *
* WHAT THOUGH THE ODDS
BE GREAT OR SMALL *
* OLD NOTRE DAME
WILL WIN OVER ALL *
* WHILE HER LOYAL SONS ARE
MARCHING ONWARD TO VICTORY *
SPEECH!
SPEECH!
WELL, MAYBE...
MAYBE YOU FOLKS DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND THE NEWSPAPERS.
WE DIDN'T WIN THIS GAME.
WE LOST IT.
THAT DOESN'T MATTER!
WHO CARES? WE'LL
BEAT 'EM NEXT YEAR!
WE STILL GOT YOU, ROCK!
YAY!
YAY!
THANKS.
* CHEER, CHEER
FOR OLD NOTRE *
* WAKE UP THE ECHOES
CHEERING HER NAME *
* SEND A VOLLEY CHEER ON HIGH
* SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER
FROM THE SKY *
* WHAT THOUGH THE ODDS
BE GREAT OR SMALL *
* OLD NOTRE DAME
WILL WIN OVER ALL *
5:30.
YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE STAYED UP
FOR US, FATHER.
IF THE REST
OF NOTRE DAME CAN,
I GUESS I CAN.
YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER
HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS
HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE--
ALL THOSE BOYS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE
HEARD WHAT THEY SAID
AT THE TRAIN, FATHER--
"WHO CARES
IF WE DID LOSE?
WE'VE STILL
GOT YOU, ROCK."
AND HAVE WE
STILL GOT YOU, ROCK?
THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL
OF TALK THESE PAST FEW MONTHS
ABOUT BIG OFFERS COMING
FROM DIFFERENT COLLEGES.
NONE OF US WOULD BLAME YOU
IF YOU DID LEAVE.
ANY MAN SHOULD
BETTER HIMSELF IF HE CAN.
WE JUST WONDERED
WHAT YOU'D DO. THAT'S ALL.
HOW COULD ANY MAN
BETTER HIMSELF
WITH FRIENDS LIKE MINE?
NO, I'LL NEVER LEAVE
NOTRE DAME, FATHER.
I'LL NEVER
LEAVE NOTRE DAME.
THANK YOU, KNUTE.
I'LL TELL THEM
YOUR DECISION.
GOOD NIGHT.
GOOD NIGHT, BONNIE.
GOOD NIGHT, FATHER.
THANK YOU.
I STILL DON'T SEE HOW
YOU GOT LICKED BY THE ARMY.
OW!
IT'S NOT
INDIA RUBBER.
YOU'D BE BETTER OFF
IT WAS MADE OF RUBBER.
I BEEN TELLIN' YA
FOR YEARS, ROCK.
SOMEDAY
THIS LEG'S GONNA--
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
NOW GET OUT.
IT'S ONLY
A CHARLEY HORSE.
I NEVER SAW A CHARLEY HORSE
WITH VARICOSE VEINS.
HUNK, LISTEN TO THIS LETTER
FROM PITTSBURGH.
"DEAR ROCK,
"NEXT SATURDAY,
"I'M GOING TO ATTEND
THE NOTRE DAME/NAVY GAME
"IN BALTIMORE.
"NOW, ROCK,
I'VE WAITED 3 YEARS
"TO SEE MY SON PLAY
FOR NOTRE DAME.
"YOU'VE NEVER
GIVEN HIM A CHANCE.
"UNLESS YOU DISLIKE
THE BOY PERSONALLY,
"WHY DON'T YOU GIVE HIM
A SQUARE DEAL?
"I PROMISE YOU, HE'LL TEAR
THAT NAVY LINE TO PIECES.
JOHN O'FLAHERTY,
CLASS 1906."
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO TAKE
A JOB AT SING SING, ROCK.
THEN THE ALUMNI
WOULDN'T BOTHER YA.
YEAH. I THINK I SAW THAT
O'FLAHERTY BOY OUT IN THE HALL.
HAVE HIM COME IN, GLEN.
YES, SIR.
"DEAR MR. ROCKNE,
I HAVE A PROPOSITION
"THAT CAN BE WORTH AT LEAST
$10,000 A YEAR TO YOU.
"ALL WE WANT IS FOR YOU
TO LET US USE YOUR NAME
ON A NEW LINIMENT OF OURS
TO BE CALLED THE ROCKNE RUB."
HA HA! HERE'S ONE
FROM MY BOYS.
MOOSEHEART.
"DEAR ROCK,
"ME AND THE OTHER BOYS
UP HERE AT MOOSEHEART
"HAVE BEEN READING ALL ABOUT
YOU AND THE NOTRE DAME TEAM.
"WE HAVE GOT
A FOOTBALL TEAM, TOO.
"AND WILL YOU LET US CALL
OURSELVES THE ROCKNE COLTS?
"WE DON'T
HAVE REAL UNIFORMS,
"AND WE DON'T
HAVE MANY GOOD PLAYS,
"BUT WE HAVE
GOT LOTS OF SPIRIT.
YOUR ROOTING FRIEND,
JIMMY WILSON."
AND HE'S
GOT A POSTSCRIPT HERE.
IT SAYS,
"WIN THAT GAME SATURDAY."
DID YOU WANNA
SEE ME, COACH?
YES. SIT DOWN,
O'FLAHERTY.
I'VE GOT A LETTER HERE
FROM YOUR FATHER.
FROM DAD?
WHAT'S HE WANT,
TO SIT NEXT TO YOU
ON THE BENCH SATURDAY?
NO. HE WANTS ME
TO PUT YOU IN THE GAME.
BUT I'M NOT
EVEN GOIN', AM I?
NO.
YOUR FATHER HAS A LOT
OF PRIDE IN YA, HASN'T HE?
YEAH, I GUESS HE HAS.
THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S GREAT FOR BOTH OF YA.
DON'T EVER LET ANYTHING
HAPPEN TO CHANGE IT.
DO YOU KNOW WHY I'M NOT
TAKING YOU TO BALTIMORE?
WELL, I GUESS
I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
NO, THAT'S NOT IT.
YOU'RE GOOD, O'FLAHERTY.
YOU'RE ALL RIGHT.
YOU'RE
JUST NOT BIG ENOUGH.
I HAVEN'T PLAYED YOU
BECAUSE I DIDN'T
WANT YOU TO GET HURT.
I'VE KEPT YOU ON THE SQUAD
ALL THESE YEARS
BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT SPIRIT,
GREAT SPIRIT.
BETTER THAN YOUR DAD'S
IF YOU ASK ME.
OH, HE'LL GET OVER IT.
YOU KNOW
HOW FATHERS ARE.
I OUGHT TO.
I'M ONE MYSELF.
SON, I'D LIKE TO PUT YOU
IN THAT GAME SATURDAY,
BUT AGAINST THAT BIG NAVY LINE,
YOU'D TAKE AN AWFUL BEATING.
YOU MIGHT FUMBLE,
LOSE THE GAME FOR US.
THAT'D BREAK YOUR DAD'S
HEART, WOULDN'T IT?
WELL...YEAH.
IF WE WIN,
MAYBE HE'LL FORGET IT.
IF WE LOSE, HE CAN BLAME ME
FOR NOT PLAYING YOU.
IN ANY CASE,
IT'LL MAKE HIM HAPPY.
WHAT DO YOU SAY,
O'FLAHERTY?
JUST...
THANKS.
ALL RIGHT, SON.
HUNK.
ADD O'FLAHERTY'S NAME
TO THE LIST FOR BALTIMORE.
BUT, ROCK, HE NEVER
GOES WITH THE TEAM.
HE'S GOIN' THIS TRIP.
AND WE'LL LET HIM KICK OFF.
NO. WE AREN'T READY TO MAKE
ANY STATEMENTS ABOUT THAT.
YES, IT IS SERIOUS.
OH, NO, THE DOCTORS
REFUSE TO ALLOW ANY
PHOTOGRAPHS OR INTERVIEWS.
YES.
YES, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
WHAT DO THE DOCTORS
SAY, BONNIE?
CAN'T WE SEE HIM
JUST FOR A MINUTE?
I'VE COME ALL THE WAY
FROM NEW YORK, MRS. ROCKNE.
I'M SORRY. HE
CAN'T SEE ANYONE.
HE'S MUCH TOO WEAK
TO EVEN TALK.
Knute: YOU'RE CRAZY!
IT'S MY LEG, ISN'T IT?
Doctor: YEAH, SURE,
IT'S YOUR LEG,
BUT YOU'RE MY PATIENT,
YOU STUBBORN NORWEGIAN.
EXCUSE ME.
YOU'RE A VERY SICK MAN.
THE VEINS OF YOUR LEG
ARE SWOLLEN UP
LIKE MANILA ROPES.
YOU'VE GOT PHLEBITIS,
AND YOU'VE GOT IT BAD.
AW, I CAN GET UP
AND WALK RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S PHLEBITIS, DOC?
IT'S AN INFLAMMATION
OF THE VEINS.
IF YOU MOVE AROUND,
THERE'S A STRONG POSSIBILITY
OF A BLOOD CLOT FORMING
THAT WOULD TRAVEL
UP TO YOUR HEART.
WHAT WOULD THAT DO?
WELL, YOUR
INSURANCE COMPANY
WOULDN'T LIKE IT.
I'VE WARNED YOU
ABOUT THIS FOR 10 YEARS,
BUT YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN.
YOU'VE LET THOSE BOYS
SMASH INTO YOU
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
KNOCK YOU DOWN,
RUN OVER YOU,
AND NOW
YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT.
YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE NOT 20 YEARS OLD.
YOU'RE 42.
AND IF YOU
DON'T OBEY MY ORDERS,
YOU'LL
NEVER BE ANY OLDER.
BUT, DOC, WE PLAY THE ARMY
SATURDAY. THE BOYS--
I DON'T CARE IF YOU PLAY
THE WHOLE SCHEDULE
ON SATURDAY.
YOU DON'T
MOVE OUT OF THAT BED,
AND THOSE ARE ORDERS.
HEADS UP, BRILL!
THEY WON'T GIVE YOU TIME TO TIE
YOUR SHOES IN THE ARMY GAME.
84, 46, 48.
2, 3...
REVERSE!
ATTA-BOY! THAT'S IT!
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY UP.
HIYA, ROCK.
HOW YOU FEELIN',
COACH?
HOW'S THE LEG?
I'M ALL RIGHT.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME.
WE HAVEN'T GOT TIME.
WHAT'S THE MATTER
OUT THERE, BOYS?
YOU LOOK TERRIBLE--
NO FIGHT,
NO ZIP, NO CHARGE!
THE ARMY'S GOT YOU
LICKED ALREADY.
AND YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING
MY ORDERS ON THAT NEW PLAY,
NONE OF YA.
I HAVEN'T GOT ANY USE
FOR ANYBODY
WHO WON'T TAKE INSTRUCTIONS.
HEY, ROCK, HERE
COMES THE DOCTOR.
THE DOC? GET ME OUTTA HERE
BEFORE HE SKINS ME ALIVE!
HOW'S IT FEEL TO TAKE
ORDERS FOR A CHANGE, ROCK?
BYE!
ALL RIGHT, GO!
[NOTRE DAME
VICTORY MARCH PLAYING]
WELL, BOYS...
I HAVEN'T A THING TO SAY.
YOU PLAYED A GREAT GAME.
ALL OF YOU.
A GREAT GAME.
I GUESS WE JUST CAN'T
EXPECT TO WIN 'EM ALL.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU
SOMETHING
I'VE KEPT
TO MYSELF FOR YEARS.
NONE OF YOU
EVER KNEW GEORGE GIPP.
HE WAS LONG
BEFORE YOUR TIME...
BUT YOU ALL KNOW
WHAT A TRADITION HE IS
AT NOTRE DAME.
AND THE LAST THING
HE SAID TO ME,
"ROCK," HE SAID...
"SOMETIME WHEN THE TEAM
IS UP AGAINST IT,
"AND THE BREAKS
ARE BEATING THE BOYS,
"TELL 'EM TO GO OUT THERE
WITH ALL THEY'VE GOT
AND WIN JUST ONE
FOR THE GIPPER."
"I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'LL
BE THEN, ROCK," HE SAID,
"BUT I'LL KNOW ABOUT IT,
AND I'LL BE HAPPY."
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WHAT ARE
WE WAITIN' FOR?!
THAT'S ONE
FOR THE GIPPER.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO ANSWER
THEM SOMEHOW, ROCK.
YOU, SPAULDING, STAGG,
JONES, AND MYSELF.
WE'VE GIVEN THE BEST YEARS
OF OUR LIFE TO THIS GAME.
WE CAN'T STAND BY NOW
AND DO NOTHING.
WE'VE COME HERE FROM
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ROCK,
HOPING YOU'D
GO TO NEW YORK WITH US
AND FACE THIS COMMITTEE.
IT'S FOR THE BOYS,
MILLIONS OF THEM
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
IT'S THEIR GAME
WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.
POP WARNER IS RIGHT.
WE CAN'T IGNORE
THEIR CHARGES.
HAVE YOU READ ALL
THEY'VE SAID ABOUT US?
SURE.
I'VE READ
EVERY WORD OF IT.
PUBLIC EDUCATORS, HUH?
I NEVER READ SUCH A LOT
OF LIES IN MY LIFE.
YES, ROCK,
WE KNOW THAT,
BUT THEY
DON'T KNOW IT.
THEY'RE NOT
REALLY VICIOUS MEN.
THEY'RE
SIMPLY MISLED.
THE PUBLIC
IS NEVER MISLED
BY THIS
KIND OF STUFF.
THE PUBLIC BELIEVES
ANYTHING IT READS
IN THE NEWSPAPERS,
KNUTE,
UNLESS IT'S DENIED
IN TYPE JUST AS LARGE
AND PREFERABLY LARGER.
THESE MEN
HAVE COME TO YOU
BECAUSE YOU'VE
ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER,
AND THEY NEED YOUR NAME
AND YOUR VOICE
TO SPEAK FOR THEM.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GO.
BUT YOU ALL KNOW
I WON'T MINCE ANY WORDS.
Committee member:
NOW, MR. ROCKNE,
THE ORIGINAL IDEA UPON WHICH
ALL COLLEGE SPORT IS FOUNDED
IS THAT A NORMAL
AMOUNT OF EXERCISE
IS HELPFUL TO YOUNG MEN
AT THEIR STUDIES.
DO YOU AGREE
WITH THIS DEFINITION?
YES...
AS FAR AS IT GOES, YES.
AND HOW WOULD YOU
AMEND THAT DEFINITION?
WELL,
GAMES SUCH AS FOOTBALL
ARE MORE THAN
MERELY HELPFUL TO BOYS.
THEY'RE
AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
TO THE NATION'S
BEST INTERESTS.
JUST WHY
IS FOOTBALL SO VITAL
TO THE PUBLIC WELFARE?
BECAUSE EVERY
RED-BLOODED YOUNG MAN
IN ANY COUNTRY IS FILLED
WITH WHAT WE MIGHT CALL
THE NATURAL SPIRIT OF COMBAT.
IN MANY PARTS OF EUROPE
AND ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD,
THIS SPIRIT MANIFESTS ITSELF
IN CONTINUOUS WARS
AND REVOLUTIONS.
WE HAVE TRIED
TO MAKE COMPETITIVE SPORT
SERVE AS A SAFER OUTLET
FOR THIS SPIRIT OF COMBAT.
I BELIEVE WE'VE SUCCEEDED.
DO YOU MEAN TO SAY
THAT YOU'VE NEVER INTERCEDED
FOR A FOOTBALL PLAYER
WHO FELL BEHIND
IN HIS CLASSES
AND HAD TO BE SUSPENDED
FROM YOUR TEAM?
I MEAN JUST THAT.
ANY PLAYER
WHO FLUNKS IN HIS CLASS
IS NO GOOD TO HIS COACH
NOR TO THE SCHOOL
HE ATTENDS.
AND ANY COACH WHO GOES
AROUND TRYING TO FIX IT
FOR HIS ATHLETES TO BECOME
ELIGIBLE SCHOLASTICALLY
WHEN MENTALLY THEY'RE NOT
IS JUST...
WELL, A PLAIN,
EVERYDAY FOOL.
MR. ROCKNE,
COULDN'T FOOTBALL
BE REPLACED
BY SOME OTHER GAME,
SOMETHING LESS VIOLENT?
WELL, WHAT GAME
WOULD YOU SUGGEST?
WELL, UH...
HOCKEY, FOR INSTANCE.
WELL, NOW,
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
I SUGGESTED
THAT VERY IDEA
TO FATHER CALLAHAN,
OUR PRESIDENT.
HE WAS
DOWNRIGHT INTERESTED
UNTIL WE CAME
TO THE USE OF STICKS.
AND THEN HE THREW UP
HIS HANDS.
HE SAID, "NO,
"THAT GAME IS NOT
FOR OUR UNIVERSITY.
"NOTRE DAME WILL
NEVER ENDORSE ANY GAME
"THAT PUTS A CLUB
IN THE HANDS
OF AN IRISHMAN."
IN YOUR OPINION,
MR. ROCKNE,
WHAT IS A COLLEGE FOR?
WHERE DO THESE ELABORATE
SPECTACLES OF SPORT
FIT INTO THE SCHEME
OF EDUCATION?
HOW WOULD YOU GRADE
AN AVERAGE ATHLETE'S
CONTRIBUTION TO
THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE?
GENTLEMEN...
WE ARE LIVING
IN THE 20th CENTURY.
TO LIMIT A COLLEGE EDUCATION
TO BOOKS,
CLASSROOMS, AND LABORATORIES
IS TO GIVE TO EDUCATION
TOO NARROW A MEANING
FOR MODERN TIMES.
NOW, IF I HAVE LEARNED
ANY ONE THING
IN MY 20 YEARS' WORK
WITH MY BOYS,
IT'S THIS ONE FACT:
THE MOST DANGEROUS THING
IN AMERICAN LIFE TODAY
IS THAT WE'RE GETTING SOFT,
INSIDE AND OUT.
WE'RE LOSING
THAT FORCEFUL HERITAGE
OF MIND AND BODY
THAT WAS ONCE OUR MOST
PRECIOUS POSSESSION.
NOW, WE,
THESE MEN AND I,
HAVE SPENT OUR LIVES
TRYING TO WORK OUT
THAT FLACCID PHILOSOPHY,
WORK IT OUT OF OUR BOYS'
MINDS AND BODIES.
WE BELIEVE THAT
THE FINEST WORK OF MAN
IS BUILDING
THE CHARACTER OF MAN.
WE'VE TRIED
TO BUILD COURAGE
AND INITIATIVE AND TOLERANCE
AND PERSISTENCE...
WITHOUT WHICH THE MOST
EDUCATED BRAIN OF MAN
IS NOT WORTH VERY MUCH.
NOW, OUR BOYS
AT NOTRE DAME
HAVE PLAYED ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY,
AND THEY'VE
GOTTEN TO LEARN
THAT SOUTHERNERS
AREN'T LAZY,
NORTHERNERS
AREN'T COLD,
AND MIDDLE-WESTERNERS
AREN'T HICKS
AND CALIFORNIANS
AREN'T BIG AND DUMB.
THEY'VE LEARNED
FROM ALL SORTS OF AMERICANS
WHAT AMERICA IS,
AND IN THAT PROCESS,
THEY'VE FOUND
THEMSELVES.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW...
I DON'T KNOW
HOW YOU'D GRADE A BOY
FOR LEARNING THESE THINGS,
PROFESSOR.
50, 75, 90, PERHAPS.
BUT WOULDN'T IT
BE A GOOD IDEA
NOT TO GRADE
ANYBODY'S CONTRIBUTION
TO THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
UNTIL ALL THE RESULTS
ARE IN?
MAYBE 5 OR 10 YEARS
AFTER GRADUATION,
WHEN HIS RECORD
AND CHARACTER
ARE NOT HUNG ON THE WALL
LIKE A DIPLOMA
BUT INSIDE THE MAN HIMSELF?
Boy: 1, 2, 3. GO!
LET'S GO, YOU GUYS.
COME ON.
24, 33, HIKE.
Second boy:
COME ON. GET HIM.
JACKIE! HEADS UP!
YOU MISSED HIM
A MILE.
[KIDS CHATTERING
AND SHOUTING]
THIS SUN
IS WONDERFUL.
SO GOOD
FOR THE CHILDREN.
OH, IT SURELY IS.
WELL, I PROMISED YOU
WE'D COME TO FLORIDA.
YES, DEAR,
17 YEARS AGO.
NO, NOW IT COULDN'T
BE THAT LONG. 17 YEARS?
WELL, NOW,
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT NOW.
YOU JUST RELAX.
WELL, BONNIE,
I PROMISE YOU
IT WON'T BE 17 YEARS
BEFORE WE'RE HERE AGAIN.
EVERY WINTER
FROM NOW ON,
WE'LL TAKE THE KIDS
AND WE'LL GO SOUTH,
REALLY GET SOME FUN
OUT OF LIFE.
THAT'S NEVER
BEEN VERY HARD FOR YOU.
Messenger:
MR. ROCKNE?
OH, YES.
SOMETHING FOR ME, SON?
YES, SIR.
THANK YOU.
WILL YOU SIGN
HERE, PLEASE?
ALL RIGHT.
OH, THANK YOU,
SIR.
THERE YOU ARE.
THANK YOU.
WHAT IS IT, KNUTE?
WELL...
I'VE GOT TO GO
TO CALIFORNIA.
BUT NOT RIGHT AWAY.
YES. YOU SEE,
I PROMISED THOSE MEN
I'D BE THERE JUST AS
SOON AS THEY NEEDED ME.
HA. YOU KNOW, BONNIE,
THERE OUGHT TO BE
A UNION FOR PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T SAY NO.
YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO FLY, ARE YOU?
YES. YOU SEE,
ON A TRAIN,
IT'D TAKE 3 DAYS.
THIS WAY, I'LL BE THERE
IN PRACTICALLY NO TIME.
PLEASE DON'T FLY, KNUTE.
YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
BONNIE, I'LL WIRE YOU
FROM KANSAS CITY.
I WISH YOU WOULDN'T
LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT.
WELL, UH, DO YOU
WANT TO HELP ME PACK?
I'LL BE BACK MONDAY
AT THE LATEST.
WHEN WILL THIS TELEGRAM
GET TO FLORIDA?
WITHIN HALF AN HOUR,
MR. ROCKNE.
I'LL SEND IT
RIGHT AWAY.
THEY SAY THERE MAY BE
A STORM AHEAD OF YOU, ROCK.
WHY DON'T YOU WAIT OVER
TILL THE NEXT PLANE?
NO, I CAN'T
WASTE ANY TIME.
I'VE GOT TO BE BACK
IN FLORIDA BY MONDAY.
BESIDES,
THIS IS MY VACATION.
Attendant: PASSENGERS
FOR LOS ANGELES PLANE
ON FIELD,
READY FOR LOADING.
SOFT LANDING, ROCK.
YOU MEAN HAPPY LANDING,
DON'T YOU?
GOOD-BYE, DOC.
IT'S FROM DADDY.
HE SAYS, "YOU SEE?
I'M PRACTICALLY THERE.
"WILL WIRE AGAIN
FROM LOS ANGELES.
LOVE TO ALL."
WELL, IF HE'S
PRACTICALLY THERE,
WHY DIDN'T
HE WAIT, MOMMY?
BECAUSE HE KNEW
WE'D BE WORRIED, DARLING.
IT SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN
COLD ALL OF A SUDDEN.
YES, IT'S TRUE.
ROCKNE IS DEAD.
YES, ROCKNE WAS KILLED
IN AN AIRPLANE CRASH
THIS MORNING.
Second operator:
YES, ROCKNE'S DEAD.
Third operator:
YES, ROCKNE'S DEAD.
YES, ROCKNE WAS KILLED
IN A AIRPLANE CRASH.
YES, ROCKNE DIED...
EXTRA! EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!
GET YOUR...
Choir:
* SALVATORITUS *
* AGIOS O THEOS *
* SANCTUS DEUS *
* AGIO ISCHYROS *
* SANCTUS FORTIS *
* AGIO ATHANATOS *
* ELISON IMAS *
* SANCTUS IMMORTALIS *
* MISERERE NOBIS *
WE WHO ARE HERE
ARE BUT A HANDFUL
OF HIS FRIENDS
TO COME TO PAY
OUR LAST TRIBUTE OF DEVOTION
TO HIS MORTAL REMAINS.
OF NECESSITY,
WE ARE FEW IN NUMBER
IN THIS HALLOWED PLACE,
THOUGH THOUSANDS
ARE WITHOUT THE DOORS.
BUT WE REPRESENT
MILLIONS LIKE OURSELVES
WHO ARE HERE IN SPIRIT,
LISTENING IN
ALL OVER AMERICA.
KNUTE ROCKNE
MIGHT HAVE GONE
TO ANY UNIVERSITY
IN THE LAND
AND BEEN GLADLY RECEIVED
AND FOREVER
CHERISHED THERE,
BUT HE CHOSE
OUR LADY'S SCHOOL.
HE HONORED HER
IN THE MONOGRAM
HE EARNED AND WORE.
HE HONORED HER
IN THE PRINCIPLES
AND IN THE IDEALS
HE SET UP IN THE LIVES
OF YOUNG MEN
UNDER HIS CARE.
HE WAS, INDEED,
HER TRUE SON.
YES...
KNUTE ROCKNE HAS GONE.
AND WHO WAS HE?
ASK THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES
WHO DISPATCHED
A PERSONAL MESSAGE
OF TRIBUTE
TO HIS MEMORY.
ASK THE KING OF NORWAY
WHO SENDS
A SPECIAL DELEGATION
HERE TO REPRESENT HIM.
ASK THE THOUSANDS
OF NEWSPAPERMEN
WHOSE LABOR OF LOVE
IN HIS MEMORY
HAS STIRRED
EVERY HEART IN AMERICA.
BUT ABOVE ALL,
ASK THE MEN AND WOMEN
IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE.
ASK THE CHILDREN,
THE BOYS OF AMERICA.
WHO WAS THIS MAN
WHOSE DEATH HAS STRUCK
A NATION WITH DISMAY
AND HAS EVERYWHERE
BOWED HEADS IN GRIEF?
Announcer: AND FROM
THAT FIELD OF NOTRE DAME,
THE SPIRIT OF
KNUTE ROCKNE IS REBORN
IN THOSE WHO HAVE
KEPT THEIR PLEDGE
TO CARRY ON FOR HIM.
TODAY, IN EVERY CORNER
OF THIS COUNTRY,
THEY ARE TEACHING
HIS STANDARDS
OF CLEAN SPORTSMANSHIP
AND RIGHT LIVING
TO HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS
OF AMERICAN YOUTHS,
FOR THESE
ARE ROCKNE'S BOYS.
RIP MILLER, NAVY,
MARTY BRILL, LOYOLA,
JACK MEAGHER, AUBURN,
CHARLIE BACHMAN,
MICHIGAN STATE,
FRANK THOMAS, ALABAMA,
ADAM WALSH, BOWDOIN,
CLIPPER SMITH,
VILLANOVA,
JIM PHELAN, WASHINGTON,
BUCK SHAW, SANTA CLARA,
EDDIE ANDERSON
AND FRANK CARIDEO, IOWA,
JAMES CROWLEY, FORDHAM,
HARRY STUHLDREHER,
WISCONSIN,
GUS DORAIS, DETROIT,
ELMER LAYDEN, NOTRE DAME.
* AND OUR HEARTS FOREVER
* LOVE THEE, NOTRE DAME