The Spirit of Notre Dame (1931) - full transcript
Story of two friends who play football, one of whom is a self-centered quarterback who thinks he's the only man on the team.
(orchestral music)
- And I think if we get
ourselves keyed up to a point,
and when we're confident of that,
why, the results will
take care of themselves.
All right now, on the kickoff.
If we receive,
the zone men will drop back to
the receiver and block long.
That old Notre Dame style.
If we kickoff, which the
rest of the teams want,
let's run down fast, just
as fast as you can run.
And then we go on defense.
And on defense, I want the
center in and out of that line,
according to the situation.
Use your old head!
And I want you guards charging
through as far as you can go
on every play.
Expect the play right over you every time.
And the tackles, I want you
to go in a yard and a half,
and then check yourselves.
Spread your feet, squat down low,
and be ready with your hands and elbows,
so you won't be sideswiped.
But I want the ends in
there fast every play.
Every play, but under control.
And you men in the backfield there,
I want you to analyze it before you move.
If they throw a forward pass, a zone pass,
wait till you see the ball in the air,
and then go and get it!
And when we get it, boys,
that's when we go on offense.
That's when we go to 'em.
And, don't forget, we're gonna pick on
that one last one tackle that is weak.
We're going inside of 'em,
we're going outside of 'em.
Inside of 'em, outside of 'em,
and when we get them on the run once,
we're going to keep 'em on the run.
And we're not going to pass
unless their secondary comes up too close.
But don't forget, men, we're
gonna get 'em on the run,
we're gonna go, go, go, go!
And we aren't going to stop
until we go over that goal line!
And don't forget, men, today
is the day we're gonna win.
They can't lick us, and
that's how this goes.
The first men go in there
and fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!
What do you say, men!
(players cheering)
- 25, 14, 38, hip!
- One, two, three!
- No, no, Miller.
Come here.
The reason that play didn't work
is 'cause you didn't take the end out.
It went after the wrong man.
What's the matter, you been
dancing all summer or something?
Layden, keep your eyes open, your head up,
and your feet spread to
give you lots of leg drive.
- Crowley, we didn't give
you much support that time,
we will next time.
Stuhldreher, put the boys
through that play again,
see if they can get it right this time.
Now come on, everybody!
(players talking)
- 25, 14, 58, hip!
- 1, 2.
- Hip, hip!
- That's the way to do it,
that's the way to do it,
it was better that
time, wasn't he O'Brien?
- I'll say he was.
- All right, bring it out.
Walsh, come here.
- Yes, sir.
- Adam, put the boys through 53 and 54.
We're gonna use them Saturday.
- Right.
- There's a couple of newspaper
men out here want to see me.
Someone must have told them
they got a football team.
(players laughing)
- The old man's feeling
pretty good today, boys.
- Here's that water.
- Center, play 134 and 77, hike!
- Say, where do you think you're going,
don't you know you'll get hurt?
- I want to see the coach.
- Well, I'm the coach.
- Well I want to see the head coach.
- Well you can't see him, he's busy.
Now run along off the field, all of you.
- Oh, head coach!
- Well well well, young
man, what can I do for you?
You look too small to be a linesman.
- Would you sign your name on this?
- Sure thing, sure thing.
- That fellow from the Times is outside...
- Never mind the fellow from
the Time, have you got a pen?
- Yeah, you bet.
- Is the other fellow with him?
- Yeah, there're two fellows out there.
- All right, I'll be
out there in a minute.
- Suppose I could get the
Four Horsemen to sign it?
- I guess so, they can
write, they're seniors now.
- Oh Stuhldreher?
- Yes, sir!
- Crowley?
- Yep.
- Miller?
Layden? - Yes sir.
- Stuhldreher, this young fellow
wants your names on the ball.
- Be glad to.
- Come on Charlie, you'll get
your pen back if you're lucky.
(players laughing)
- Do you play football, son?
- No, I ain't got time,
but I know all about it.
- Oh, another smart alumni coach, eh?
- What a smart fellow you must be.
- You're Crowley, ain't you?
- You see Don, he knows me.
- Fame, my boy, fame.
- I know him, too, that's Don Miller.
(players laughing)
- Smart kid, he's on to you, Jim.
- Know me too, do you?
- Sure, you're the
fullback, Skinny Layden.
You're pretty good, too.
- Thanks.
There you are.
- Remember, my boy,
when you get out into the battle of life,
why it's just like football.
It isn't the beef and
the muscle that counts,
but it's teamwork.
And the headwork.
Specially the headwork.
- Crowley, you're killing me.
(players laughing)
- I know, specially headwork.
- What are you going to
do with that ball, sonny?
Hang it up in your room?
- No, there's a guy in South Bend's
gonna give me 10 bucks for it.
- We must be in the wrong racket.
- Yeah, let's get back to work.
- Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres.
Gallia est omnis divisa...
(door knocking) Stay out!
Gallia est omnis divisa in partes...
(door knocking)
Is there a rule against
doing a little studying
in this school?
Oh, sorry Father.
- Certainly, my boy.
Come on in, young man.
- This is Edward O'Brien,
your new roommate.
Jim Stewart.
- How are you?
- Glad to meet you.
- O'Brien came all the
way from North Dakota.
He was unavoidably detained,
so he's a few days late.
- Yeah, I hitch-hiked all the way.
More hiking than hitching, though.
- Oh, I see.
- Stewart will help you
catch up with your class,
and I'll give you all the
assistance that I can.
- Thanks, Father.
- Good evening.
- Good evening.
- Good evening, Father.
- I'm sorry.
- Huh?
- I guess you'll have to take this upper.
It's sort of first-come,
first-served here,
and I happen to draw the lower.
- Oh, sure, sure.
Excuse me. - That's all right.
- Here's your lid.
- Huh?
Oh, thanks.
- Pardon me, but what
are the goalposts for?
- Goalposts?
Oh, that's my high school letter.
- Track man?
- No, no.
Football.
And you?
Football man?
- No, I'm track.
- Oh, excuse me, I didn't mean to...
- It's all right.
- No kidding, though
somehow I can't get any kick
out of chasing a bunch
of guys around a circle.
- I always try to keep them chasing me.
- Yeah, but take it from me,
football's the only game.
- Where did you play?
- Hockerville.
- Where?
- Hockerville High.
We were champions.
- State champions?
- No, no, county.
We would have been state champions though,
if the rest of the guys has pitched in
to go over and play the other team.
Least, that's what our coach said.
- Well you must have had a good coach.
- Oh, the best in the state.
- Hi!
- Low!
- Hi lee...
- Hi low...
- Hi lee...
- Hi low...
- Hi...
Well who is this, Daniel Boone?
- Meet our new bunkie, O'Brien.
- O'Brien, meet Mr. William
Appleton Shellingdon Pelt.
W-A-S-P, otherwise known as the Wasp.
- How are you?
Delighted.
- Pleased to meet you.
- And this big lug with the
open face and the closed mind,
is Truck McCall.
- Glad to know you.
- You two guys ought to get a long great.
Truck's out for football, too.
- Football?
- Sure.
- Is he in football?
He was just telling me all about it.
- Hey, what size you wear?
- 15-1/2.
- Oh, too small.
- Hold your breath, you
guys, and learn something.
He's from Dakota.
He was telling me all about their coach.
- What system did you use?
- System?
Well, I guess we kind
of had our own system.
Sort of a pivot, you see the
coach built all the plays
around one man.
- Oh.
You mean around you?
- Well, it sounds kind of
conceited to say and everything,
but well they did call
me the Hockerville Flash.
- You fellows like some cake?
My mother baked it.
Course it looks kind of
squashed, because I slept out
several nights and used
my bag for a pillow,
but it's good cake.
Ma is the best cook in the county.
- Oh, a family of champions.
- Yeah, guess so.
- Hey what position did you play, O'Brien?
- Left half, usually, although
the coach has fooled them
and played me at quarterback.
Then sometimes I'd play end.
- You must,
you must be pretty good.
- Oh, I guess it just
comes kind of natural.
Least, that's what our coach said.
- How did you ever happen
to come to Notre Dame?
- Well, I could have
gone to a lot of places,
but the coach said to me, "Bucky."
You see he always calls
me Bucky on account of
I hit the line so hard.
"Bucky," he says, "Don't
you pay no attention
"to them second rate places," he said.
"You go to Notre Dame,
"where they know real football playing."
"Of course you can't play
while you're a freshman,
"but then you can afford to waste a year,
"and hang around, find
out what it's all about."
That's what our coach said.
Oh.
Here's a picture of the team.
- Hey, hey.
Whose the big, tall, skinny guy?
The one with the straight legs.
- Oh, he's just one of the subs.
- Oh, I see, you have to be
bow-legged to play on that team.
- That's you, on the end.
- Yeah, that's me.
- Well who's the fellow
with his arm around you?
- Oh, that's our coach.
- He certainly seems fond of you.
- Sure, he's my brother.
- Oh!
(bell ringing)
- Hurray, supper.
- Let's go, I'm hungry.
- Oh, you're always hungry.
- I'm hungry, too.
- Wait a minute, you
better change that sweater,
they don't like prep-school letters here.
- Oh they don't?
- No.
- Ah, Hockerville, come here.
Take a look.
Observe yon crystal lake?
- Yeah.
- Well five freshman were
thrown in there last week
for just hinting that they
had prep-school letters.
- Oh, I see.
- Here they say it isn't what you were,
it's what you are today.
- Oh, well I understand all right,
but I guess you fellows
better go on without me.
See it'll take me a little
time to rip this letter off,
it's the only sweater I got.
- Well I got a lot of them.
Now wait a minute, wait minute, here.
Wear one of mine.
- Oh, thanks Stewart.
- Jim to my pals, Bucky.
- Thanks.
Say, I really ought to let
the head coach know I'm here.
- I'll take you over to practice tomorrow.
- Hey, don't you think
we should relieve the
coach's anxiety tonight?
- No, tomorrow will be soon enough.
- Yeah, but we'll have to let the poor man
suffer one more night.
(players talking)
- You got to hit harder
than that, freshman.
Put more leg drive into it.
Come on, snap into it.
- Well?
- You ready for us?
- I don't if it's safe for my varsity
to scrimmage with your boys.
Pretty husky lot here.
- Yeah, it's a good
average lot of freshmen.
- Well, pick your team
and let's get at it.
- Well men,
we're gonna scrimmage with
the varsity this afternoon.
(players talking)
Let's see how we'll line this thing up.
Right end, O'Brien.
- Oh, don't you remember
Coach, I'm a halfback,
not an end.
- Yeah, but Johnny O'Brien here is.
- Oh.
- Right tackle, McManmon.
Right guard, Loste.
Center, Law.
Left guard, Massey.
Left tackle, McCall.
- Me?
- Is your name McCall?
- Earnest.
- Well get along, Earnest,
let's see what you can do.
- Thank you.
- Left end, Johnson.
Fullback, Mullins.
Right half, O'Connor.
Quarterback, Caridio.
- Pardon me Coach, but
not Caridio, Carideo.
- All right, Caridio.
Left half...
Let's see, did you say that could...
- Yes, sir.
- Whoever told you you were a halfback?
- My brother, you see he's the coach...
- Your brother?
- Well he's really only my half brother.
(laughing)
- Well, run along kid.
Out on the field, let's
see what you can do.
- Thanks.
- Now the rest of you fellows look sharp.
Keep your eyes open.
Come along with me and remember
you'll all get a chance
before the day is over.
- Hey Jim, now watch the Four Horsemen
make their famous shift.
- 25, 14, 78, hip.
- One, two, three.
- Come on, come on, let's
have it, let's have it.
- I don't see anything to that,
they just kind of hop around.
- What do you mean,
you don't know much
about football, do you?
- No, I just out to see
how Bucky got along.
I suppose you know all about football.
- Who me, hah.
Say I have a great
instinct for football, boy.
If it wasn't for my size,
why I'd be just as good as
George Jip, George Gipp.
(laughing)
- Next Saturday, Notre
Dame plays Northwestern.
You've been drilled in Northwestern plays
so you can give the varsity good practice
against the Northwestern system.
I want you to get out there
and give the boys a good workout.
Go on, now.
- O'Brien, what's the
matter with you, come here.
Yes you, come here.
You know why that fellow
was nailed back at the line?
- I guess because he couldn't
keep up with the rest of us.
- No, it's because you failed
to protect the ball carrier.
You didn't take out that end.
Now go back and try it over again.
McCall, stay down on that line.
Don't keep bobbing up, they'll
walk right through you.
Now do as I tell you.
- Hey did you see that?
I thought he was saying his prayers.
- All right kid, you can get
up now, it's all over with.
- Why don't you try falling forward
instead of backward for change, huh?
- I would, but he always gets in my way.
- Well, try and get him out of your way.
See if you can't get him out this time.
- Yes, sir.
- And Carideo, listen.
- Yes, sir.
- You'll have to call those signals
in a sharp, staccato
tone if you ever expect
to play quarter in a Notre Dame team.
- Yes, sir.
- I don't see why they've got
that guy Carideo playing anyway.
The guy hasn't got the
looks of a football player.
And take it from me, he'll
never amount to anything,
now I know.
- Shut up!
- I'm shut.
- Think you're playing tag?
You don't block hard enough to
knock over a glass of water.
Head up, tail down, and drive!
You can't run interference
with ruffles on your pants.
- Well of course you know Coach,
I'm not used to running
interference, I'm a ball carrier.
- You're what?
- I'm used to running with the ball.
- Oh, you are?
- Yes, of course this isn't
a game, I understand that,
but in a real game it's bad practice
to let your ball carrier
waste his strength
running interference.
Supposed to be saved for
running with the ball.
- Oh.
You'll graduate in about
four years, won't you?
- Yes, sir.
- That'll be fine.
By that time I'll be ready to retire
and then you can take over my job, eh?
(laughing)
- Gee the old man's going great today.
- Pretty fresh kid, shall I jerk him out?
- Certainly not, give him the ball.
- Line up, freshmen, fall out!
- Should we knock his ears down a little?
- If you think you're able.
- You carry the apple this time, kid.
- Just tell him to slip it to me fast.
- Why, isn't that the Hockerville Flash?
- Yeah, that's the high school terror.
- Well well well.
(laughing)
- Hey.
Just keep right on giving
me that ball, will you?
(players talking)
- Hey!
What's the matter,
can't you make him quit?
- He not only takes it, he likes it.
- All right, kid?
- Made three yards on you
that time, you're slipping.
(laughing)
- How do you feel?
- Huh?
- How do you feel?
- Oh yes...
- You're a ball carrier, all right.
- That's what I told you, Coach.
- Trouble with you is, you
don't carry it far enough.
You better hit the showers.
Line up!
- That was some workout they gave you.
- Did they hurt you much?
- I haven't made up my mind yet.
- Well anyway, they
didn't make you say uncle.
- I can't understand it.
You know, back home I was always good
for at least one 50-yard run
to a touchdown during the game.
- Well what happened today?
- Couldn't get to the 50 yard line.
- I certainly enjoyed watching it.
I got a great kick out of it.
- Must have been one I missed.
- You know Bucky, I've got a
notion to go out for the team.
- No.
- Yes.
- Do you mean it?
- Sure.
I'll most likely be a
little dumb at first.
- Naturally, but...
Well I'll teach you all I know.
Course that won't take very
long, but I'll teach you.
- Then I'm out for the team.
- Oh!
Well, that's great,
we'll have a lot of fun.
- 5:30, all hatches in.
- That's me, I'll see you later at dinner.
- So long, Bucky.
- Bless us, O
Lord, and these Thy gifts,
which we are about to
receive from Thy bounty,
through Christ, our Lord.
- Amen.
- What do you know about it?
- I know a lot about it,
I've watched a lot of games.
And your a nice little fellow Caridio.
- Not Caridio, Carideo.
- All right, Cara-whatever it is,
but you'll never make a footballer.
- Well how do you know?
- Well in the first
place, you're too small.
You haven't got the spirit of the game.
And no feel for the ball,
you've no feel for the ball.
What did you do before you came here?
- I worked at the Siwanoy Country Club.
- Doing what?
- I was a caddy.
- A caddy?
Huh, no wonder, you've been
handling the wrong kind of ball.
- Hey Frank, maybe you should
have been in the egg business.
- Yeah, maybe I should.
- Hello cripple, how do you feel?
- Quite the shiner on the truck horse,
and he wants to know how I feel.
(laughing)
- I guess that'll hold you for a while.
- Hey, that's mine.
- Sorry cripple, I'll fill it up for you.
- How you feeling?
- If you want to know the
truth, I'm sore all over.
- Sit down here and let
you try that play again.
- Oh, nothing doing.
- That was a pretty heavy
load you were carrying.
- Talk about heavy.
After I've been carrying the Four Horsemen
on my back all afternoon?
- What do you think of the freshmen
out for the team today, boys?
- Not so good, to me.
- You know these freshmen
are funny animals.
You can never tell anything about them
until they get their full growth.
- That O'Brien kid
looked pretty good to me.
- He reminded me of you, Crowley,
when we first started.
- What do you mean?
- You were just as bad.
- Hey fellows, there he is now.
Hey, Flash!
Psst psst.
Come here.
How'd you bear up under
that little workout
we gave you today?
- Workout you gave me?
We all got a little exercise, didn't we?
- That's the old spirit.
- You're OK O'Brien, keep at it.
Hang onto that never-say-die spirit.
You'll make the grade.
- Do you mean it?
- Sure he means it.
We wouldn't kid a fellow like you.
- We've got a tough system here.
But you just keep your
nose to the grindstone,
and by the time you're a junior,
why you'll be a regular football player.
- Boy, that's great.
- Will you be out for practice tomorrow?
- If they have to carry me,
after what you fellow just said.
- You know I kind of envy that kid.
- These freshmen make
me feel like an old man.
- It's all ahead of him.
- It sure is.
- All the fun and the heartaches
that go to make up life here.
You know fellows, we're
just about through.
Gee, sometimes I wish
we were just starting.
You know, instead of passing on.
- Here's your program, Peggy dear.
Gee, I think you look beautiful tonight.
- You think?
- No no, I'm sure, I'm positive.
Say, let little Waspy take
a look at the program,
see that it's properly filled.
- But my program is filled.
- Filled, it's overloaded.
I see that you know Jim and Bucky.
- So it seems.
- Nice boys.
- Oh, I think they're wonderful.
- Yeah.
Now listen Peggy, I
brought you to this club.
And it cost me eight bucks.
And I want a dance.
- Don't fan me, I'm not warm.
- Well I am.
Now listen, I've got two good
feet, and I want to dance.
- Listen Waspy, I have
on new slippers tonight.
- Well didn't I tell you
to wear the old ones?
Didn't I tell you to wear the old ones?
- Yes.
You're doggone right I told
you to wear the old ones.
And just for that,
I hope you have to walk
home in the new ones.
- Why...
- Nice party.
- Uh-huh.
Too bad I have to get
back by seven o'clock.
- That's awfully early.
- English thesis to type
before eight in the morning.
- On a night like this,
you're gonna worry
about an English thesis?
- I'm not worrying about
it, Father Clary is.
Why hello, Truck.
- Hello.
- Oh, it's Bucky O'Brien.
Come on, you said you'd
introduce me to him.
Come on, you said you'd introduce
me to the football team.
- Well, I'm on the football team.
- Oh yeah, when?
I've seen every game
for the last two years,
I've never seen you play yet.
- Well you will, because I'm a substitute,
and there's only three
other men ahead of me
for the same position
and one's got a bad leg.
- Oh, I see.
I guess if you stayed in
school till you were 50
you might get a chance to get in a game.
Oh, come one, you big sissy.
Now come on.
- Well, one more dance with Peggy,
and then home for the thesis.
- Hey fellas.
Are you doin' anything?
- No.
- Well, I want to give you the opportunity
of meeting Miss Trixie Hayes.
Miss Hayes, Mr. Stewart,
and Mr. O'Brien.
- Oh, Mr. O'Brien, I'm
so thrilled to meet you.
I think you're the most
wonderful football player
in the whole world.
I saw you play against Purdue last fall.
And it was just gorgeous
the way you ran up and down
the field with the football.
You know I couldn't do it.
Anyway, you couldn't expect me to run away
from a lot of nice boys
like that, could you?
And even if I did run,
I'd probably fall down
with these high heels on.
I bet you couldn't run
in high heels either,
could you Mr. O'Brien?
Or you Mr. Stewart for that matter.
You know with a long dress and everything
it's almost impossible
for a girl to run around...
- Trixie!
Time.
I think we'd better be going.
- Oh, but I only just met Mr. O'Brien.
- That's all I promised.
And I may only be a substitute
but I've been around,
so come on.
- Well, good bye for now.
- Is that on the level?
- Well if it isn't he ought
to be ashamed of himself.
- Well, I'll see you later,
this is my dance with Peggy.
- Hey wait a minute, wait
a minute, this is my dance.
- Oh no, not at all, it's mine.
- Wrong again.
Bet you two bits it's mine.
- It's a bet, come on, we'll find out.
- Peggy dear, I may not
be a football player,
but I'm sincere.
- Pardon me, Peggy.
- Where have you boys been?
- Isn't this my dance?
- Pardon me, I think it's my dance.
- It's Mr. O'Brien's dance.
- You lose, Jim.
Pay me the two bits.
- I owe it to you.
- Hey, hey hey hey, now listen, fellows.
I've known you boys for three years,
and we've shared and shared alike,
but I brought Peggy to this prom,
and I don't want any trouble about it.
- There'll be no trouble.
We'll take her home.
- What?
Hey, now now listen.
- Jim, remove the worm.
- Did he say worm?
- I don't know, it
sounded like he said worm.
- Oh, that's all right then,
I thought that he said jerk.
- Mr. O'Brien, I was so
happy to meet you tonight.
I think you're the most
wonderful halfback in the world.
I saw that Purdue game
you were in last fall,
and I had the thrill of my life.
- You don't happen to know a girl
called Trixie Hayes, do you?
- Oh yes, she went with
me to the Purdue game.
- Oh, that's what I thought.
- I'm cutting in, does anybody mind?
- No, I...
- Isn't Mr. O'Brien wonderful?
- He sure is.
- Have you known him long?
- We've been roommates for three years.
- How grand.
Do you play on the team too, Mr. Stewart?
- Well, no not regularly,
but I have been lucky enough
to play a couple of times this year.
- Don't you just love it?
- What?
- Everything.
- Hi, boy.
- Uh, Miss Murdoch, I'd like
to have you meet Bucky O'Brien.
- Oh, how do you do.
- How do you do?
- Look at this, look at
this, marvelous, put it down.
Now this young lady is one of the world's
most wonderful dancers, Bucky.
- Oh is that so?
- Yes, and it's only because
of our lifelong friendship
that I am letting you cut in.
Ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha...
- May I?
- You not only may, you can.
- My, isn't it warm in here?
- Phew, certainly is.
- Let's go into the Palm Room.
- You sure I won't miss anything?
- Positive.
- All right.
It is warm in here.
(whistle blowing)
- What's that?
What is that?
- A whiskle.
- A what?
- A police whiskle.
My father told me always
to carry it with me
when I go out with football players.
- It's cooler in here now.
- You can hold this for me.
- Isn't it warm in here?
- Oh, Frank.
Miss Murdoch, allow me
to present Mr. Carideo.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
- Frank, Miss Murdoch
is a marvelous dancer.
Excuse me.
- Do you dance, Mr. Caridio?
- Carideo.
- Excuse me?
- Well, in a way I do.
- If you're gonna dance with
the young lady, stand up.
- Well I am standing up.
- Yeah, I suppose, you
look like a fireplug.
- I'm waiting.
- Pardon me.
- Pardon me, I'm cutting in.
- Oh, no you're not.
- Yes, I am, cutting in.
- No no no, you see I don't play myself.
I'm sort of the brains
of the team, you see.
I do all of the plays and
then teach them to the coach.
(whistle blowing)
Pardon me, it sounds like a first down.
(whistle blowing)
Hey hey hey, what are you whistling for?
- Help!
- Move over, move over.
- Oh, I don't want to play with you,
you nasty little thing.
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
- I'm cutting in.
- Oh, Jim, don't ever
ever ever do that again.
Why Peggy and I were just
dancing on a moonbeam.
- Yeah, well slide down and go on home
to your English thesis.
- We'll let Father Clary worry about that.
- You just be a good little
thesiser and go on away.
- Yes, but I have to take Peggy home.
- I couldn't let you do
that, I'll take her home.
- Oh, I wouldn't think of it.
I'm going to take her home.
- Now you listen to me,
you great big selfish...
- Oh no, you big lug, I'm
going to take her home.
- I'm going to take her home.
- I'm telling you, I'm
going to take her home.
- Oh no you're not, no you're
not, believe me, you're not.
- I don't believe you.
(Peggy laughing)
- Thanks for taking me home.
- The pleasure was all mine, Peggy.
Good night.
- Good night.
Don't forget you're coming
for dinner tomorrow.
- No, I won't.
But good night.
- Sleep tight.
- Do you mind if I bring
Jim to dinner with me?
- Do you think you need a chaperone?
- Well, when I'm with
you, I think maybe I do.
- After that remark, young
man, you go that way,
and I go this way.
Good night.
- Good night.
You old baboon, you.
- Now, Army leads, 13 to 7,
late in the fourth quarter.
Our goal, our own 15 yard line.
First down, what would you do, Carideo?
- I'd try a long forward pass.
- Hm, might work.
Interceptors go to the front.
It did work.
Army got the ball in mid-field.
Now we give them everything we got.
Short passes, running plays,
we've got the ball
inside the 10 yard line.
Second down.
Third down.
Fourth down.
And four yards to go.
What would you do, McCall?
- Who, me?
- Yes, you.
- Well...
I'd slide down the bench
a little closer to the goal
so I could see the play better, I guess.
(laughing)
- All right, that's enough for tonight.
- O'Brien, Stewart.
Come here, I want to talk to you.
- What's on your mind, Coach?
- Plenty.
There's a bad hole in the team this year.
Right halfback.
If we want a successful season,
that hole must be filled.
You're not going to like this, O'Brien,
but it can't be helped.
Stewart here is a good enough ball carrier
for anybody's team, but he
can't block for sour apples.
I'm gonna move you,
O'Brien, over to right half
where you can do the blocking.
And Stewart to the left half
where we can let him run.
It's gonna be a sacrifice for you, Bucky,
'cause you won't get any of
the glory you got last year.
But the switch has to be made.
- It's all jake with me, Coach.
- Wait a minute, wait a
minute, no, that isn't fair.
- Oh, shut up.
- No, Bucky's earned the
right to play running half.
Why he's in line for the
All-American this year,
and this would ruin all his chances.
- We're not playing football here
to satisfy the personal desires
of any one, including me.
We play for the team, the
team plays for Notre Dame.
- Well I understand all that, Coach,
but this switch just doesn't go with me.
- Can you imagine a guy like that?
Don't you worry, Coach, he'll play.
Or I'll knock his block off.
- It isn't fair to O'Brien.
- But I figured this all out,
and the old man must know what he's doing.
- Now listen, Jim...
- I'm not gonna do it.
- Oh, you're gonna act like a kid, huh?
- I won't do it, I tell you.
- What's the matter,
throwing down the team?
- What's eating you anyway, Stewart?
- You're not gonna do it, huh?
- No.
- All right, in the lake!
(students shouting)
- In the lake!
- In the lake!
- In the lake!
(students shouting)
- One!
Two!
Three!
(students cheering)
- You gonna play?
- No!
(students cheering)
(Bucky whistling)
- Hi.
- Hello.
- Not so nice, squatting up
here on a day like this, huh?
- No, I had a lot of work to do.
- Have you seen my math anyplace?
- Here it is.
- Oh, yes.
What are you doing, saving
these for your grandchildren?
- Ah, a lot of baloney, that press stuff.
- Yeah.
You seem to be eating
it up all right, though.
- I suppose you never saved your notices?
- Yeah, I did, but you now a funny thing,
I tried to pay a bill with them one time,
and what do you think?
The guy wouldn't take them.
- Now never mind the kidding.
- "Stewart runs 90 yards."
"Stewart is sensational."
Say, you know you'll have to be that good
against Georgia Tech next week,
they tell me they got a pretty swell team
down there this year.
- I'll be all right if
I'm backed up properly.
- Oh, yeah?
(Bucky whistling)
(crowd roaring)
- Referee?
- Want any help?
- Yeah, plenty.
- McCall.
McCall!
- Who, me?
- Come here.
- Hold this till I get back.
Yes, sir.
- Get out there for McManmon.
- In the game?
- Hurry up, as fast as you can.
- This is the tackle.
- Go on.
- The tackle?
- Go on.
- Referee!
Oh, referee!
Referee, oh Mr. Referee,
it's me, Truck McCall.
I'm going into tackle for McManmon.
- No, you're not.
- He just ripped his.
- Oh, you mean these?
- Yeah, those.
- Oh...
- I wonder what old Truck's looking for?
- I don't know, but I hope he finds it.
- You all right now, Mac?
- All right, let's get going.
- Nice going Truck, look
out you don't catch cold.
- Say, that Georgia Tech
fullback today had the,
hi Truck, you finally
got in the game, huh?
- Well, I didn't but my pants did.
(laughing)
- Anybody seen Truck?
- Hey, where's Truck?
- Hey, wait a minute fellas, here he is,
introducing the
All-American pants changer.
- You may not get a monogram,
but your pants surely will.
- Thank, fellas, I
really don't appreciate,
I mean, deserve all this.
But I guess it was just my lucky day.
- Nice work, Bucky.
You're all right, you old slob.
- Thanks, Johnny.
- Yeah, that was nice blocking too, Bucky.
- You didn't do so bad
yourself, you know that Frank.
- What a game, what a game,
Frank you were marvelous.
You were great, I'm telling you
I never saw such a football game.
Frank, I always said you were
a natural player, didn't I?
You know you've got that right build,
and you have that spirit.
Perfect timing.
Didn't I always say he
was good Bucky, huh?
- Oh, yes Wasp, you did
say something like that.
- You know you played a
good game too, you know.
- Wow.
I better be going before they start
throwing buckets at me around here.
I have a surprise for you later.
I just got mine, whoo.
- You know I'd have made three touchdowns
instead of two if you'd taken out the end
on that last 84 play.
- I took out the end,
but you cut in too soon,
the left half got you.
- Boy, you were marvelous today.
- Great work, boy, great work.
- It's the best open-field
running I ever saw in my life.
- Well, thank you, I
was lucky to break away.
- You certainly looked as though
you had the whole field to yourself.
- Well don't forget, I had a good line
playing in front of me
- You were wonderful,
we're all proud of you.
- You're slated for
the All-American right now.
- You're practically there.
- Listen here son, we're
all from Cleveland.
If you ever get out that way drop in
and we'll try and show you a good time.
- Thank you, sir.
- And don't forget to call us.
- Thank you.
Don't mind them, they don't
know what it's all about.
- Don't worry, I don't mind them.
- You just do as we say next game.
Give that ball to Stewart every play.
- Now don't forget, when you're
in Cleveland, look us up.
- Thank you, I certainly will.
- Charlie.
Take the advice of an old man.
If ever you go after a job coaching,
try and get it at Sing Sing.
You'll never be bothered with the alumni.
You get me.
- Hey Bucky, Jim.
There's a car waiting
outside and I want you
to go to a little party
out at a girl's house.
- Got a girl for yourself?
- Have I, I'm fully protected,
I've got six Georgia peaches
and they're all honey.
(Wasp singing a jingle)
- Where's that sponge?
- Oh, here they are now.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, that's the little
one, then it must be them.
- Hello, sorry to have kept you waiting.
- Oh, that's all right.
You get in here with us, Mr. Stewart.
- All right.
- And you boys can follow in a taxi.
- So long, Bucky.
- Am I a sap, or am I a sap?
Jim didn't need you to run
interference for him that time.
He's turning out to be
an awful old Sullivan.
You'd think nobody could
ever carry a ball before.
- Hey, now wait a minute,
he really is a great running halfback.
- I suppose you're not.
- Me?
- Yeah.
- Oh, I'm just a football
player, that's all.
- Uh, ruffle your hair up.
That's it.
Now raise your chin.
Up.
I want you to look perfectly natural.
That's it.
Hold it now, hold it.
That's fine.
That's good, that'll be fine.
- What do you see?
- Whoo!
You frightened me.
Would you mind closing the door?
You're interfering with my light.
- Come on, get in the picture with me.
This is Bucky O'Brien.
- Well I don't know if i
can hold my chin that high.
- No no, I don't want
anybody but you, Mr. Stewart.
This is part of a series, you know.
Would you mind letting up the shade.
I have no light.
- Oh, you mean...
- Yes, thank you.
- All right Mr. Stewart,
now hold it just like that.
That's fine, Mr. Stewart.
Now when these are developed,
I'll send you a few copies.
- Why don't you take one of Bucky here?
- Oh, are you a football player?
- No, just a right halfback.
- Well, I'd like to take your picture,
but you see we're limiting this issue
to probable All-Americans.
Good day, Mr. Stewart.
- Good bye.
- Good day, Mr., uh,
I didn't get the name.
- Smith.
- Oh yes, Mr. Smith.
Good day, Mr. Smith.
- Darned nuisance, all these
reporters and photographers.
- Yeah.
You seem to be standing
it pretty well, though.
- What's eating you, anyway?
Are you sore on account of my success?
- No, but you used to be such a great guy.
You're going to have the
whole gang down on you
if your head swells any bigger.
- Say, you're getting kind of
tough to get along with lately
with your jealousy...
- What have I got to be jealous about?
Doesn't everybody know that
the reason you look so good
is because the rest of us are in there
pulling our hearts out,
trying to make holes for you?
So you're beginning to believe
what the papers say about you, huh?
- Maybe it'd relieve
your feelings a little
if you didn't have to room with me.
All right, I'll move.
- No, I'll move.
- Call it.
- Heads.
- Tails.
- All right, I move.
- Wait a minute.
Two of those ties are mine.
- All right, if you want
to start talking about
what belongs to who, take off those socks.
- What socks?
- The socks you're wearing
on your big, flat feet,
that's what socks.
- Oh yeah?
- Anything that's yours, you get,
and I want what belongs to me.
- I don't want anything belonging to you.
Here, take your socks.
- Now don't start yanking me around.
- I thought that was my shirt.
You don't walk out of here with that.
- There's your shirt.
- Somebody must be
sending out their laundry.
- All right, while you're at,
take off my striped silk undershirt.
- Is that yours?
- Just because you've been wearing it
for the last six months
doesn't make it yours.
- All right, you can have it.
You can have it.
Even if it weren't yours, you can have it.
- Well hurry up, hurry up,
don't stand there and argue.
I want to get out of here.
- Now.
Give me my running pants.
- Your what?
- You heard me.
Give me my running pants.
- Just try and get 'em.
- What are you doing,
holding a rummage sale?
- No.
- Well don't stand there
like a half-baked statue,
explain yourself.
How come you wander around the campus
with a shirt in one hand and
a pair of socks in the other?
- I'm not.
- Hey, did they ever trace
any feeble-mindedness
in your family?
- Why, I... (metallic crashing)
I think somebody's having a fight.
- You think?
(crowd chanting)
- Hey, move over.
Don't you know that's my seat?
Look how smooth it's worn.
Hello Mac old boy, how's the knee?
- Swell.
- Swollen?
- No, it's OK.
- Got another X-Ray of
Sullivan's shoulder this morning.
That chipped bone doesn't
seem to be healing right.
- We can't play him.
That leaves only McManmon at tackle.
He's all right, isn't he?
- Except for his trick knee.
- Maybe I better start Truck McCall.
McCall.
- Me?
- Hey, get going, the
coach is calling you.
- Can't want me, the game hasn't started,
nobody's had a chance
to tear their pants yet.
(laughing)
- I want you to start
the game at right tackle.
- Huh?
- Right tackle, I said, now go on.
- Yes sir, yes sir, hold this, hold this.
- Great kid.
- You're gonna start
your regular back field?
- I suppose so.
I don't like the split
between O'Brien and Stewart.
- I don't think it will affect
their work on the field.
- Can't tell.
Tough cut of cards I gave O'Brien.
And I'm afraid Stewart's rubbing it in.
- Ready Northwestern?
Ready Notre Dame?
- Ready.
(whistle blowing)
- Northwestern's
four, first down, 10 to go.
10 to go.
McCall made the tackle.
Fumble, fumble, they're after it.
- Are you hurt, Truck?
- No, just taking a little nap.
- All right, nice getting in there, Truck.
All right, All-American, let's see you go.
- You just take care of O'Brien.
- Don't you worry about
Mrs. O'Brien's little boy.
(crowd cheering)
- Looks like McCall's
getting a little tired.
- Well no wonder, look
how he's been working.
- McManmon?
- Yes, sir.
- Get in there at tackle.
Protect all you can.
(whistle blowing)
- McManmon in for McCall.
- McManmon replaces McCall.
- Gee Truck, you played
like a million dollars, kid,
you were in that old game every minute.
What's the matter, you hurt?
You are too, hey doc! - Shut up!
- But you got to be fixed up.
- Pipe down, if the
old man thinks I'm hurt
he won't put me back in the game again.
- Who can we play at right tackle.
A man whose name is McCall.
McCall?
Get in there!
- Listen, you can't go in
there, you know you can't.
- Pipe down.
- McCall is going in.
- McCall for McManmon.
- McManmon out.
- So Track old boy, let's get going.
- Well I got you a lead, now
see if you can't help hold it.
- You got it?
- Yeah, I got it.
- Time's up boys.
- Don't let him get your goat, Bucky.
- I'll fix him.
- What's the matter with O'Brien?
He took out the wrong man.
- What's the matter, why
didn't you take out that end?
- Oh I didn't think he
could run fast enough
to catch a guy like you.
- O'Brien missed that man again.
Charlie, get in there at
right half for O'Brien.
- Hey, doctor.
- Feels like a broken rib to me.
- I wonder what else can happen.
Looks like McCall's through.
You, Stanley, get in
there at right tackle.
Let that end through
twice, what's the idea?
- I've been holding up
Stewart for long enough,
I decided to let him take the
rap himself for a play or two.
- So let the team down
just to take a crack
at Stewart, would you?
Turn in your suit.
- But Coach, we have a safe lead.
- You've played your
last game for Notre Dame.
There goes our chance of
beating the Army next week.
- Getting late.
Must be about time for the team
to catch the train to the Army game.
- Hello Truck, you old faker, how are you?
- Truck.
- Hello, fellas, gee.
Great of you to come down here and see me.
What have you got.
- Flowers.
- For what?
- For you.
- Yeah, well where'd you get 'em?
- Oh, we picked them off
the end of a black wagon
on the way down.
(laughing)
- How's the bed, comfortable?
- Yeah.
- Gee that's too bad.
He'll never get up now, Coach.
- Why should I?
It's a lot softer here
than it is on that bench.
(laughing)
- How do you fell, son?
- Great.
But I don't see why I can't go with you
instead of staying here in bed.
- We'll miss you, boy.
- Look, he's got a nightshirt on.
Where'd you get it?
- Oh they gave it to me here.
- Isn't it kind of uncomfortable?
- Well it fools you, it's like a big bib,
there's no back in it.
(laughing)
I can walk that far.
- Well it's tough you
can't go with us, Truck,
but we brought you a small radio
so that you can listen
to the game Saturday.
- Oh gee, that's swell, thanks.
- Get toward train time,
gang, better get rolling.
- Well, so long, take care.
- So long, fellas.
Knock their ears down for me.
- We'll bring you back an Army mule.
- Atta boy, take of that knee, Mac.
- Just want to say to you Truck.
I'm as proud of you as I am of any man
I've got in the squad.
- Thanks, Coach.
- How is he?
- A certain amount of infection has set in
where the broken rib punctured his lung.
- You're afraid of pneumonia?
- We'll know by Saturday.
- Gee, this time next Saturday
the game will just be starting.
I hope the fella that announces
speaks so we can understand him.
(Truck sniffling)
- Gee, I bet it feels funny
for you, sitting up here.
- Feels strange, but not a bit funny.
- All right, men.
This is our big day.
We've played the Army 14 years in a row.
It's an honor to play them.
They're a good gang.
Win or lose, they fight to the last gun.
Some of you fellows,
according to the press,
know that we're in bad shape.
What with our cripples and other losses.
You've been reading the papers, ha!
I want you to get out there and show them
that the Notre Dame team
is not a one-man team
and never was.
Watch every move.
Especially keep your eye on Ketel.
Keep him from scoring in the first half,
we got 'em licked.
They may out-guess you,
they may out-play you.
But I know they can't out-fight you!
Come on now, let's go!
(players talking)
- There's the old pep in
there, let's get going.
Let's get going.
It's our ball.
Our ball.
- Turn it on, it might quiet him.
- They held, they held him!
- Stewart has the ball.
Stewart has it again, wait a minute folks,
he's off, he's off, he's
off, look at the boy running,
he's away.
Ah, wait wait wait, he's tackled.
Stewart made three yards.
That old Army line is sure holding today.
They're lining up.
There they go, they shift.
It's Stewart's ball again.
Ah, fumble, fumble.
Was that boy hit hard.
Now the referee's right in among them,
wait a minute and I'll give you the news,
just a minute folks.
Army's ball.
- He's coming off tackle again, Lanegan.
Watch it, Lanegan.
- Boy if Notre Dame ever needed an O'Brien
they need it today.
- Oh, why can't we hold them?
- Telegram.
- Read it.
- Pneumonia has developed,
temperature 104, pulse 120.
Expect crisis later today.
Doc Enright.
(crowd cheering)
- Well, they certainly kept
Jim bottled up that half.
- I suppose you like that.
- I do not.
- If you were in there where you belong
instead of sitting up
here nursing a sore head
we might get somewhere.
- Don't talk like that to me.
- I'll say anything I want.
Just because you got sore at Jim
you didn't have to let
the whole school down.
And I'll tell you one thing you can't do
and that's feel right about it
even if you ever live to be a million.
What a rotten game, I wish I'd never come.
Where you going?
- Never mind, don't wait for me.
- Huh?
(players talking)
- Hey Coach, South Bend
Hospital on the telephone.
- Oh.
South Bend Hospital?
Doctor Enright?
How's my boy?
Oh, that's too bad.
Speak with him?
You bet I would.
Put him on.
Hello.
Hello, Truck.
Hello, old boy.
That's the stuff, Truck.
We're all thinking about you.
Yes.
You bet we will.
Hello?
Hello hello?
Oh, yes, doctor.
He what?
Yes, thanks Doctor.
Goodbye.
On your feet.
It looks like a losing fight
for Truck McCall.
But he's fighting every inch of the way.
He gave me a message for you fellows.
He said, "When the team's
in a tough spot today,
"pull one out of the bag for old Truck."
Now get out there.
And fight.
- Oh, Coach.
(crowd cheering)
- Received and was
dropped on the 20 yard line.
The Army team certainly
means to give Notre Dame
a first defeat of the season.
- Are you watching what plays are going,
plays are not going?
- Yes sir, yes sir.
- Who's making tackles
and not making them?
- Yes, sir.
- What down is it?
- I don't know.
- You don't want to play
here, get down to the showers.
You got too much on your mind.
- Down it goes for three yards.
Stewart was badly shaken up on that play.
- We're in the fourth quarter.
Still six to nothing,
only 10 minutes to play.
Looks like a great day for the Army.
- Oh, why doesn't Bucky go in?
- How you feeling now, Jim?
- I guess I can make it.
- Well I'll bet they won't score again.
- 22, O'Brien
is warming up on the bench.
- 'Scuse me, is that your foot?
- O'Brien.
- Yes?
- Think you're man enough to
play on Truck McCall's team?
- Yes, sir.
- All right, get out there.
- Come on gang, let's go.
- It looks like a tough day for the Army.
- Too bad, soldier, you
nearly won the game.
- After this, you can go West, young man.
- Oh, yeah, what are you gonna tell 'em
when it gets back to South Bend?
- Tell 'em nothing, they'll
read it in the newspaper.
- I'm gonna make you
plenty of holes today,
and boy you'd better find them.
- 25.
37.
- Give Jim the ball, let me do the block.
- Now we're playing, kid.
- Like a set of false teeth.
- What a game, taking the ball
on their own five yard line,
Notre Dame in one magnificent
march has carried it
clear to the Army 45 yard line.
This is still anybody's game.
Whoa, listen to that crowd.
- Didn't I say we'd get
'em when Bucky went in?
- The fever has broken.
- You must lie down now.
- Oh, not on your life.
- And you should
see Jim Stewart run.
- Jim Stewart, that's my pal.
I know them all.
- There's nothing else
to do but pass again.
- Watch.
(crowd cheering)
- You hurt?
- No, I'm all right,
you're pretty lucky there.
- Much obliged.
- Nice blocking, Bucky.
- And that's one for old Truck.
If I miss this I'll let
you sock me on the nose.
- Oh, if you miss this,
you won't have to let me.
I'll do it anyway.
(crowd cheering)
- Yes.
Yes yes.
Fine.
Good news, boys.
Yes.
Yes yes, fine.
Truck's passed the crisis,
he's gonna win his fight, too.
Quiet, quiet!
What about your fight?
You fellows gonna shake hands?
- Sure, I'll shake hands with him.
- So will I.
- Your shirt's out.
- So's yours.
- You don't mean it.
- Yes, I mean it.
(players shouting)
(orchestral music)
- And I think if we get
ourselves keyed up to a point,
and when we're confident of that,
why, the results will
take care of themselves.
All right now, on the kickoff.
If we receive,
the zone men will drop back to
the receiver and block long.
That old Notre Dame style.
If we kickoff, which the
rest of the teams want,
let's run down fast, just
as fast as you can run.
And then we go on defense.
And on defense, I want the
center in and out of that line,
according to the situation.
Use your old head!
And I want you guards charging
through as far as you can go
on every play.
Expect the play right over you every time.
And the tackles, I want you
to go in a yard and a half,
and then check yourselves.
Spread your feet, squat down low,
and be ready with your hands and elbows,
so you won't be sideswiped.
But I want the ends in
there fast every play.
Every play, but under control.
And you men in the backfield there,
I want you to analyze it before you move.
If they throw a forward pass, a zone pass,
wait till you see the ball in the air,
and then go and get it!
And when we get it, boys,
that's when we go on offense.
That's when we go to 'em.
And, don't forget, we're gonna pick on
that one last one tackle that is weak.
We're going inside of 'em,
we're going outside of 'em.
Inside of 'em, outside of 'em,
and when we get them on the run once,
we're going to keep 'em on the run.
And we're not going to pass
unless their secondary comes up too close.
But don't forget, men, we're
gonna get 'em on the run,
we're gonna go, go, go, go!
And we aren't going to stop
until we go over that goal line!
And don't forget, men, today
is the day we're gonna win.
They can't lick us, and
that's how this goes.
The first men go in there
and fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!
What do you say, men!
(players cheering)
- 25, 14, 38, hip!
- One, two, three!
- No, no, Miller.
Come here.
The reason that play didn't work
is 'cause you didn't take the end out.
It went after the wrong man.
What's the matter, you been
dancing all summer or something?
Layden, keep your eyes open, your head up,
and your feet spread to
give you lots of leg drive.
- Crowley, we didn't give
you much support that time,
we will next time.
Stuhldreher, put the boys
through that play again,
see if they can get it right this time.
Now come on, everybody!
(players talking)
- 25, 14, 58, hip!
- 1, 2.
- Hip, hip!
- That's the way to do it,
that's the way to do it,
it was better that
time, wasn't he O'Brien?
- I'll say he was.
- All right, bring it out.
Walsh, come here.
- Yes, sir.
- Adam, put the boys through 53 and 54.
We're gonna use them Saturday.
- Right.
- There's a couple of newspaper
men out here want to see me.
Someone must have told them
they got a football team.
(players laughing)
- The old man's feeling
pretty good today, boys.
- Here's that water.
- Center, play 134 and 77, hike!
- Say, where do you think you're going,
don't you know you'll get hurt?
- I want to see the coach.
- Well, I'm the coach.
- Well I want to see the head coach.
- Well you can't see him, he's busy.
Now run along off the field, all of you.
- Oh, head coach!
- Well well well, young
man, what can I do for you?
You look too small to be a linesman.
- Would you sign your name on this?
- Sure thing, sure thing.
- That fellow from the Times is outside...
- Never mind the fellow from
the Time, have you got a pen?
- Yeah, you bet.
- Is the other fellow with him?
- Yeah, there're two fellows out there.
- All right, I'll be
out there in a minute.
- Suppose I could get the
Four Horsemen to sign it?
- I guess so, they can
write, they're seniors now.
- Oh Stuhldreher?
- Yes, sir!
- Crowley?
- Yep.
- Miller?
Layden? - Yes sir.
- Stuhldreher, this young fellow
wants your names on the ball.
- Be glad to.
- Come on Charlie, you'll get
your pen back if you're lucky.
(players laughing)
- Do you play football, son?
- No, I ain't got time,
but I know all about it.
- Oh, another smart alumni coach, eh?
- What a smart fellow you must be.
- You're Crowley, ain't you?
- You see Don, he knows me.
- Fame, my boy, fame.
- I know him, too, that's Don Miller.
(players laughing)
- Smart kid, he's on to you, Jim.
- Know me too, do you?
- Sure, you're the
fullback, Skinny Layden.
You're pretty good, too.
- Thanks.
There you are.
- Remember, my boy,
when you get out into the battle of life,
why it's just like football.
It isn't the beef and
the muscle that counts,
but it's teamwork.
And the headwork.
Specially the headwork.
- Crowley, you're killing me.
(players laughing)
- I know, specially headwork.
- What are you going to
do with that ball, sonny?
Hang it up in your room?
- No, there's a guy in South Bend's
gonna give me 10 bucks for it.
- We must be in the wrong racket.
- Yeah, let's get back to work.
- Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres.
Gallia est omnis divisa...
(door knocking) Stay out!
Gallia est omnis divisa in partes...
(door knocking)
Is there a rule against
doing a little studying
in this school?
Oh, sorry Father.
- Certainly, my boy.
Come on in, young man.
- This is Edward O'Brien,
your new roommate.
Jim Stewart.
- How are you?
- Glad to meet you.
- O'Brien came all the
way from North Dakota.
He was unavoidably detained,
so he's a few days late.
- Yeah, I hitch-hiked all the way.
More hiking than hitching, though.
- Oh, I see.
- Stewart will help you
catch up with your class,
and I'll give you all the
assistance that I can.
- Thanks, Father.
- Good evening.
- Good evening.
- Good evening, Father.
- I'm sorry.
- Huh?
- I guess you'll have to take this upper.
It's sort of first-come,
first-served here,
and I happen to draw the lower.
- Oh, sure, sure.
Excuse me. - That's all right.
- Here's your lid.
- Huh?
Oh, thanks.
- Pardon me, but what
are the goalposts for?
- Goalposts?
Oh, that's my high school letter.
- Track man?
- No, no.
Football.
And you?
Football man?
- No, I'm track.
- Oh, excuse me, I didn't mean to...
- It's all right.
- No kidding, though
somehow I can't get any kick
out of chasing a bunch
of guys around a circle.
- I always try to keep them chasing me.
- Yeah, but take it from me,
football's the only game.
- Where did you play?
- Hockerville.
- Where?
- Hockerville High.
We were champions.
- State champions?
- No, no, county.
We would have been state champions though,
if the rest of the guys has pitched in
to go over and play the other team.
Least, that's what our coach said.
- Well you must have had a good coach.
- Oh, the best in the state.
- Hi!
- Low!
- Hi lee...
- Hi low...
- Hi lee...
- Hi low...
- Hi...
Well who is this, Daniel Boone?
- Meet our new bunkie, O'Brien.
- O'Brien, meet Mr. William
Appleton Shellingdon Pelt.
W-A-S-P, otherwise known as the Wasp.
- How are you?
Delighted.
- Pleased to meet you.
- And this big lug with the
open face and the closed mind,
is Truck McCall.
- Glad to know you.
- You two guys ought to get a long great.
Truck's out for football, too.
- Football?
- Sure.
- Is he in football?
He was just telling me all about it.
- Hey, what size you wear?
- 15-1/2.
- Oh, too small.
- Hold your breath, you
guys, and learn something.
He's from Dakota.
He was telling me all about their coach.
- What system did you use?
- System?
Well, I guess we kind
of had our own system.
Sort of a pivot, you see the
coach built all the plays
around one man.
- Oh.
You mean around you?
- Well, it sounds kind of
conceited to say and everything,
but well they did call
me the Hockerville Flash.
- You fellows like some cake?
My mother baked it.
Course it looks kind of
squashed, because I slept out
several nights and used
my bag for a pillow,
but it's good cake.
Ma is the best cook in the county.
- Oh, a family of champions.
- Yeah, guess so.
- Hey what position did you play, O'Brien?
- Left half, usually, although
the coach has fooled them
and played me at quarterback.
Then sometimes I'd play end.
- You must,
you must be pretty good.
- Oh, I guess it just
comes kind of natural.
Least, that's what our coach said.
- How did you ever happen
to come to Notre Dame?
- Well, I could have
gone to a lot of places,
but the coach said to me, "Bucky."
You see he always calls
me Bucky on account of
I hit the line so hard.
"Bucky," he says, "Don't
you pay no attention
"to them second rate places," he said.
"You go to Notre Dame,
"where they know real football playing."
"Of course you can't play
while you're a freshman,
"but then you can afford to waste a year,
"and hang around, find
out what it's all about."
That's what our coach said.
Oh.
Here's a picture of the team.
- Hey, hey.
Whose the big, tall, skinny guy?
The one with the straight legs.
- Oh, he's just one of the subs.
- Oh, I see, you have to be
bow-legged to play on that team.
- That's you, on the end.
- Yeah, that's me.
- Well who's the fellow
with his arm around you?
- Oh, that's our coach.
- He certainly seems fond of you.
- Sure, he's my brother.
- Oh!
(bell ringing)
- Hurray, supper.
- Let's go, I'm hungry.
- Oh, you're always hungry.
- I'm hungry, too.
- Wait a minute, you
better change that sweater,
they don't like prep-school letters here.
- Oh they don't?
- No.
- Ah, Hockerville, come here.
Take a look.
Observe yon crystal lake?
- Yeah.
- Well five freshman were
thrown in there last week
for just hinting that they
had prep-school letters.
- Oh, I see.
- Here they say it isn't what you were,
it's what you are today.
- Oh, well I understand all right,
but I guess you fellows
better go on without me.
See it'll take me a little
time to rip this letter off,
it's the only sweater I got.
- Well I got a lot of them.
Now wait a minute, wait minute, here.
Wear one of mine.
- Oh, thanks Stewart.
- Jim to my pals, Bucky.
- Thanks.
Say, I really ought to let
the head coach know I'm here.
- I'll take you over to practice tomorrow.
- Hey, don't you think
we should relieve the
coach's anxiety tonight?
- No, tomorrow will be soon enough.
- Yeah, but we'll have to let the poor man
suffer one more night.
(players talking)
- You got to hit harder
than that, freshman.
Put more leg drive into it.
Come on, snap into it.
- Well?
- You ready for us?
- I don't if it's safe for my varsity
to scrimmage with your boys.
Pretty husky lot here.
- Yeah, it's a good
average lot of freshmen.
- Well, pick your team
and let's get at it.
- Well men,
we're gonna scrimmage with
the varsity this afternoon.
(players talking)
Let's see how we'll line this thing up.
Right end, O'Brien.
- Oh, don't you remember
Coach, I'm a halfback,
not an end.
- Yeah, but Johnny O'Brien here is.
- Oh.
- Right tackle, McManmon.
Right guard, Loste.
Center, Law.
Left guard, Massey.
Left tackle, McCall.
- Me?
- Is your name McCall?
- Earnest.
- Well get along, Earnest,
let's see what you can do.
- Thank you.
- Left end, Johnson.
Fullback, Mullins.
Right half, O'Connor.
Quarterback, Caridio.
- Pardon me Coach, but
not Caridio, Carideo.
- All right, Caridio.
Left half...
Let's see, did you say that could...
- Yes, sir.
- Whoever told you you were a halfback?
- My brother, you see he's the coach...
- Your brother?
- Well he's really only my half brother.
(laughing)
- Well, run along kid.
Out on the field, let's
see what you can do.
- Thanks.
- Now the rest of you fellows look sharp.
Keep your eyes open.
Come along with me and remember
you'll all get a chance
before the day is over.
- Hey Jim, now watch the Four Horsemen
make their famous shift.
- 25, 14, 78, hip.
- One, two, three.
- Come on, come on, let's
have it, let's have it.
- I don't see anything to that,
they just kind of hop around.
- What do you mean,
you don't know much
about football, do you?
- No, I just out to see
how Bucky got along.
I suppose you know all about football.
- Who me, hah.
Say I have a great
instinct for football, boy.
If it wasn't for my size,
why I'd be just as good as
George Jip, George Gipp.
(laughing)
- Next Saturday, Notre
Dame plays Northwestern.
You've been drilled in Northwestern plays
so you can give the varsity good practice
against the Northwestern system.
I want you to get out there
and give the boys a good workout.
Go on, now.
- O'Brien, what's the
matter with you, come here.
Yes you, come here.
You know why that fellow
was nailed back at the line?
- I guess because he couldn't
keep up with the rest of us.
- No, it's because you failed
to protect the ball carrier.
You didn't take out that end.
Now go back and try it over again.
McCall, stay down on that line.
Don't keep bobbing up, they'll
walk right through you.
Now do as I tell you.
- Hey did you see that?
I thought he was saying his prayers.
- All right kid, you can get
up now, it's all over with.
- Why don't you try falling forward
instead of backward for change, huh?
- I would, but he always gets in my way.
- Well, try and get him out of your way.
See if you can't get him out this time.
- Yes, sir.
- And Carideo, listen.
- Yes, sir.
- You'll have to call those signals
in a sharp, staccato
tone if you ever expect
to play quarter in a Notre Dame team.
- Yes, sir.
- I don't see why they've got
that guy Carideo playing anyway.
The guy hasn't got the
looks of a football player.
And take it from me, he'll
never amount to anything,
now I know.
- Shut up!
- I'm shut.
- Think you're playing tag?
You don't block hard enough to
knock over a glass of water.
Head up, tail down, and drive!
You can't run interference
with ruffles on your pants.
- Well of course you know Coach,
I'm not used to running
interference, I'm a ball carrier.
- You're what?
- I'm used to running with the ball.
- Oh, you are?
- Yes, of course this isn't
a game, I understand that,
but in a real game it's bad practice
to let your ball carrier
waste his strength
running interference.
Supposed to be saved for
running with the ball.
- Oh.
You'll graduate in about
four years, won't you?
- Yes, sir.
- That'll be fine.
By that time I'll be ready to retire
and then you can take over my job, eh?
(laughing)
- Gee the old man's going great today.
- Pretty fresh kid, shall I jerk him out?
- Certainly not, give him the ball.
- Line up, freshmen, fall out!
- Should we knock his ears down a little?
- If you think you're able.
- You carry the apple this time, kid.
- Just tell him to slip it to me fast.
- Why, isn't that the Hockerville Flash?
- Yeah, that's the high school terror.
- Well well well.
(laughing)
- Hey.
Just keep right on giving
me that ball, will you?
(players talking)
- Hey!
What's the matter,
can't you make him quit?
- He not only takes it, he likes it.
- All right, kid?
- Made three yards on you
that time, you're slipping.
(laughing)
- How do you feel?
- Huh?
- How do you feel?
- Oh yes...
- You're a ball carrier, all right.
- That's what I told you, Coach.
- Trouble with you is, you
don't carry it far enough.
You better hit the showers.
Line up!
- That was some workout they gave you.
- Did they hurt you much?
- I haven't made up my mind yet.
- Well anyway, they
didn't make you say uncle.
- I can't understand it.
You know, back home I was always good
for at least one 50-yard run
to a touchdown during the game.
- Well what happened today?
- Couldn't get to the 50 yard line.
- I certainly enjoyed watching it.
I got a great kick out of it.
- Must have been one I missed.
- You know Bucky, I've got a
notion to go out for the team.
- No.
- Yes.
- Do you mean it?
- Sure.
I'll most likely be a
little dumb at first.
- Naturally, but...
Well I'll teach you all I know.
Course that won't take very
long, but I'll teach you.
- Then I'm out for the team.
- Oh!
Well, that's great,
we'll have a lot of fun.
- 5:30, all hatches in.
- That's me, I'll see you later at dinner.
- So long, Bucky.
- Bless us, O
Lord, and these Thy gifts,
which we are about to
receive from Thy bounty,
through Christ, our Lord.
- Amen.
- What do you know about it?
- I know a lot about it,
I've watched a lot of games.
And your a nice little fellow Caridio.
- Not Caridio, Carideo.
- All right, Cara-whatever it is,
but you'll never make a footballer.
- Well how do you know?
- Well in the first
place, you're too small.
You haven't got the spirit of the game.
And no feel for the ball,
you've no feel for the ball.
What did you do before you came here?
- I worked at the Siwanoy Country Club.
- Doing what?
- I was a caddy.
- A caddy?
Huh, no wonder, you've been
handling the wrong kind of ball.
- Hey Frank, maybe you should
have been in the egg business.
- Yeah, maybe I should.
- Hello cripple, how do you feel?
- Quite the shiner on the truck horse,
and he wants to know how I feel.
(laughing)
- I guess that'll hold you for a while.
- Hey, that's mine.
- Sorry cripple, I'll fill it up for you.
- How you feeling?
- If you want to know the
truth, I'm sore all over.
- Sit down here and let
you try that play again.
- Oh, nothing doing.
- That was a pretty heavy
load you were carrying.
- Talk about heavy.
After I've been carrying the Four Horsemen
on my back all afternoon?
- What do you think of the freshmen
out for the team today, boys?
- Not so good, to me.
- You know these freshmen
are funny animals.
You can never tell anything about them
until they get their full growth.
- That O'Brien kid
looked pretty good to me.
- He reminded me of you, Crowley,
when we first started.
- What do you mean?
- You were just as bad.
- Hey fellows, there he is now.
Hey, Flash!
Psst psst.
Come here.
How'd you bear up under
that little workout
we gave you today?
- Workout you gave me?
We all got a little exercise, didn't we?
- That's the old spirit.
- You're OK O'Brien, keep at it.
Hang onto that never-say-die spirit.
You'll make the grade.
- Do you mean it?
- Sure he means it.
We wouldn't kid a fellow like you.
- We've got a tough system here.
But you just keep your
nose to the grindstone,
and by the time you're a junior,
why you'll be a regular football player.
- Boy, that's great.
- Will you be out for practice tomorrow?
- If they have to carry me,
after what you fellow just said.
- You know I kind of envy that kid.
- These freshmen make
me feel like an old man.
- It's all ahead of him.
- It sure is.
- All the fun and the heartaches
that go to make up life here.
You know fellows, we're
just about through.
Gee, sometimes I wish
we were just starting.
You know, instead of passing on.
- Here's your program, Peggy dear.
Gee, I think you look beautiful tonight.
- You think?
- No no, I'm sure, I'm positive.
Say, let little Waspy take
a look at the program,
see that it's properly filled.
- But my program is filled.
- Filled, it's overloaded.
I see that you know Jim and Bucky.
- So it seems.
- Nice boys.
- Oh, I think they're wonderful.
- Yeah.
Now listen Peggy, I
brought you to this club.
And it cost me eight bucks.
And I want a dance.
- Don't fan me, I'm not warm.
- Well I am.
Now listen, I've got two good
feet, and I want to dance.
- Listen Waspy, I have
on new slippers tonight.
- Well didn't I tell you
to wear the old ones?
Didn't I tell you to wear the old ones?
- Yes.
You're doggone right I told
you to wear the old ones.
And just for that,
I hope you have to walk
home in the new ones.
- Why...
- Nice party.
- Uh-huh.
Too bad I have to get
back by seven o'clock.
- That's awfully early.
- English thesis to type
before eight in the morning.
- On a night like this,
you're gonna worry
about an English thesis?
- I'm not worrying about
it, Father Clary is.
Why hello, Truck.
- Hello.
- Oh, it's Bucky O'Brien.
Come on, you said you'd
introduce me to him.
Come on, you said you'd introduce
me to the football team.
- Well, I'm on the football team.
- Oh yeah, when?
I've seen every game
for the last two years,
I've never seen you play yet.
- Well you will, because I'm a substitute,
and there's only three
other men ahead of me
for the same position
and one's got a bad leg.
- Oh, I see.
I guess if you stayed in
school till you were 50
you might get a chance to get in a game.
Oh, come one, you big sissy.
Now come on.
- Well, one more dance with Peggy,
and then home for the thesis.
- Hey fellas.
Are you doin' anything?
- No.
- Well, I want to give you the opportunity
of meeting Miss Trixie Hayes.
Miss Hayes, Mr. Stewart,
and Mr. O'Brien.
- Oh, Mr. O'Brien, I'm
so thrilled to meet you.
I think you're the most
wonderful football player
in the whole world.
I saw you play against Purdue last fall.
And it was just gorgeous
the way you ran up and down
the field with the football.
You know I couldn't do it.
Anyway, you couldn't expect me to run away
from a lot of nice boys
like that, could you?
And even if I did run,
I'd probably fall down
with these high heels on.
I bet you couldn't run
in high heels either,
could you Mr. O'Brien?
Or you Mr. Stewart for that matter.
You know with a long dress and everything
it's almost impossible
for a girl to run around...
- Trixie!
Time.
I think we'd better be going.
- Oh, but I only just met Mr. O'Brien.
- That's all I promised.
And I may only be a substitute
but I've been around,
so come on.
- Well, good bye for now.
- Is that on the level?
- Well if it isn't he ought
to be ashamed of himself.
- Well, I'll see you later,
this is my dance with Peggy.
- Hey wait a minute, wait
a minute, this is my dance.
- Oh no, not at all, it's mine.
- Wrong again.
Bet you two bits it's mine.
- It's a bet, come on, we'll find out.
- Peggy dear, I may not
be a football player,
but I'm sincere.
- Pardon me, Peggy.
- Where have you boys been?
- Isn't this my dance?
- Pardon me, I think it's my dance.
- It's Mr. O'Brien's dance.
- You lose, Jim.
Pay me the two bits.
- I owe it to you.
- Hey, hey hey hey, now listen, fellows.
I've known you boys for three years,
and we've shared and shared alike,
but I brought Peggy to this prom,
and I don't want any trouble about it.
- There'll be no trouble.
We'll take her home.
- What?
Hey, now now listen.
- Jim, remove the worm.
- Did he say worm?
- I don't know, it
sounded like he said worm.
- Oh, that's all right then,
I thought that he said jerk.
- Mr. O'Brien, I was so
happy to meet you tonight.
I think you're the most
wonderful halfback in the world.
I saw that Purdue game
you were in last fall,
and I had the thrill of my life.
- You don't happen to know a girl
called Trixie Hayes, do you?
- Oh yes, she went with
me to the Purdue game.
- Oh, that's what I thought.
- I'm cutting in, does anybody mind?
- No, I...
- Isn't Mr. O'Brien wonderful?
- He sure is.
- Have you known him long?
- We've been roommates for three years.
- How grand.
Do you play on the team too, Mr. Stewart?
- Well, no not regularly,
but I have been lucky enough
to play a couple of times this year.
- Don't you just love it?
- What?
- Everything.
- Hi, boy.
- Uh, Miss Murdoch, I'd like
to have you meet Bucky O'Brien.
- Oh, how do you do.
- How do you do?
- Look at this, look at
this, marvelous, put it down.
Now this young lady is one of the world's
most wonderful dancers, Bucky.
- Oh is that so?
- Yes, and it's only because
of our lifelong friendship
that I am letting you cut in.
Ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha...
- May I?
- You not only may, you can.
- My, isn't it warm in here?
- Phew, certainly is.
- Let's go into the Palm Room.
- You sure I won't miss anything?
- Positive.
- All right.
It is warm in here.
(whistle blowing)
- What's that?
What is that?
- A whiskle.
- A what?
- A police whiskle.
My father told me always
to carry it with me
when I go out with football players.
- It's cooler in here now.
- You can hold this for me.
- Isn't it warm in here?
- Oh, Frank.
Miss Murdoch, allow me
to present Mr. Carideo.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
- Frank, Miss Murdoch
is a marvelous dancer.
Excuse me.
- Do you dance, Mr. Caridio?
- Carideo.
- Excuse me?
- Well, in a way I do.
- If you're gonna dance with
the young lady, stand up.
- Well I am standing up.
- Yeah, I suppose, you
look like a fireplug.
- I'm waiting.
- Pardon me.
- Pardon me, I'm cutting in.
- Oh, no you're not.
- Yes, I am, cutting in.
- No no no, you see I don't play myself.
I'm sort of the brains
of the team, you see.
I do all of the plays and
then teach them to the coach.
(whistle blowing)
Pardon me, it sounds like a first down.
(whistle blowing)
Hey hey hey, what are you whistling for?
- Help!
- Move over, move over.
- Oh, I don't want to play with you,
you nasty little thing.
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
- I'm cutting in.
- Oh, Jim, don't ever
ever ever do that again.
Why Peggy and I were just
dancing on a moonbeam.
- Yeah, well slide down and go on home
to your English thesis.
- We'll let Father Clary worry about that.
- You just be a good little
thesiser and go on away.
- Yes, but I have to take Peggy home.
- I couldn't let you do
that, I'll take her home.
- Oh, I wouldn't think of it.
I'm going to take her home.
- Now you listen to me,
you great big selfish...
- Oh no, you big lug, I'm
going to take her home.
- I'm going to take her home.
- I'm telling you, I'm
going to take her home.
- Oh no you're not, no you're
not, believe me, you're not.
- I don't believe you.
(Peggy laughing)
- Thanks for taking me home.
- The pleasure was all mine, Peggy.
Good night.
- Good night.
Don't forget you're coming
for dinner tomorrow.
- No, I won't.
But good night.
- Sleep tight.
- Do you mind if I bring
Jim to dinner with me?
- Do you think you need a chaperone?
- Well, when I'm with
you, I think maybe I do.
- After that remark, young
man, you go that way,
and I go this way.
Good night.
- Good night.
You old baboon, you.
- Now, Army leads, 13 to 7,
late in the fourth quarter.
Our goal, our own 15 yard line.
First down, what would you do, Carideo?
- I'd try a long forward pass.
- Hm, might work.
Interceptors go to the front.
It did work.
Army got the ball in mid-field.
Now we give them everything we got.
Short passes, running plays,
we've got the ball
inside the 10 yard line.
Second down.
Third down.
Fourth down.
And four yards to go.
What would you do, McCall?
- Who, me?
- Yes, you.
- Well...
I'd slide down the bench
a little closer to the goal
so I could see the play better, I guess.
(laughing)
- All right, that's enough for tonight.
- O'Brien, Stewart.
Come here, I want to talk to you.
- What's on your mind, Coach?
- Plenty.
There's a bad hole in the team this year.
Right halfback.
If we want a successful season,
that hole must be filled.
You're not going to like this, O'Brien,
but it can't be helped.
Stewart here is a good enough ball carrier
for anybody's team, but he
can't block for sour apples.
I'm gonna move you,
O'Brien, over to right half
where you can do the blocking.
And Stewart to the left half
where we can let him run.
It's gonna be a sacrifice for you, Bucky,
'cause you won't get any of
the glory you got last year.
But the switch has to be made.
- It's all jake with me, Coach.
- Wait a minute, wait a
minute, no, that isn't fair.
- Oh, shut up.
- No, Bucky's earned the
right to play running half.
Why he's in line for the
All-American this year,
and this would ruin all his chances.
- We're not playing football here
to satisfy the personal desires
of any one, including me.
We play for the team, the
team plays for Notre Dame.
- Well I understand all that, Coach,
but this switch just doesn't go with me.
- Can you imagine a guy like that?
Don't you worry, Coach, he'll play.
Or I'll knock his block off.
- It isn't fair to O'Brien.
- But I figured this all out,
and the old man must know what he's doing.
- Now listen, Jim...
- I'm not gonna do it.
- Oh, you're gonna act like a kid, huh?
- I won't do it, I tell you.
- What's the matter,
throwing down the team?
- What's eating you anyway, Stewart?
- You're not gonna do it, huh?
- No.
- All right, in the lake!
(students shouting)
- In the lake!
- In the lake!
- In the lake!
(students shouting)
- One!
Two!
Three!
(students cheering)
- You gonna play?
- No!
(students cheering)
(Bucky whistling)
- Hi.
- Hello.
- Not so nice, squatting up
here on a day like this, huh?
- No, I had a lot of work to do.
- Have you seen my math anyplace?
- Here it is.
- Oh, yes.
What are you doing, saving
these for your grandchildren?
- Ah, a lot of baloney, that press stuff.
- Yeah.
You seem to be eating
it up all right, though.
- I suppose you never saved your notices?
- Yeah, I did, but you now a funny thing,
I tried to pay a bill with them one time,
and what do you think?
The guy wouldn't take them.
- Now never mind the kidding.
- "Stewart runs 90 yards."
"Stewart is sensational."
Say, you know you'll have to be that good
against Georgia Tech next week,
they tell me they got a pretty swell team
down there this year.
- I'll be all right if
I'm backed up properly.
- Oh, yeah?
(Bucky whistling)
(crowd roaring)
- Referee?
- Want any help?
- Yeah, plenty.
- McCall.
McCall!
- Who, me?
- Come here.
- Hold this till I get back.
Yes, sir.
- Get out there for McManmon.
- In the game?
- Hurry up, as fast as you can.
- This is the tackle.
- Go on.
- The tackle?
- Go on.
- Referee!
Oh, referee!
Referee, oh Mr. Referee,
it's me, Truck McCall.
I'm going into tackle for McManmon.
- No, you're not.
- He just ripped his.
- Oh, you mean these?
- Yeah, those.
- Oh...
- I wonder what old Truck's looking for?
- I don't know, but I hope he finds it.
- You all right now, Mac?
- All right, let's get going.
- Nice going Truck, look
out you don't catch cold.
- Say, that Georgia Tech
fullback today had the,
hi Truck, you finally
got in the game, huh?
- Well, I didn't but my pants did.
(laughing)
- Anybody seen Truck?
- Hey, where's Truck?
- Hey, wait a minute fellas, here he is,
introducing the
All-American pants changer.
- You may not get a monogram,
but your pants surely will.
- Thank, fellas, I
really don't appreciate,
I mean, deserve all this.
But I guess it was just my lucky day.
- Nice work, Bucky.
You're all right, you old slob.
- Thanks, Johnny.
- Yeah, that was nice blocking too, Bucky.
- You didn't do so bad
yourself, you know that Frank.
- What a game, what a game,
Frank you were marvelous.
You were great, I'm telling you
I never saw such a football game.
Frank, I always said you were
a natural player, didn't I?
You know you've got that right build,
and you have that spirit.
Perfect timing.
Didn't I always say he
was good Bucky, huh?
- Oh, yes Wasp, you did
say something like that.
- You know you played a
good game too, you know.
- Wow.
I better be going before they start
throwing buckets at me around here.
I have a surprise for you later.
I just got mine, whoo.
- You know I'd have made three touchdowns
instead of two if you'd taken out the end
on that last 84 play.
- I took out the end,
but you cut in too soon,
the left half got you.
- Boy, you were marvelous today.
- Great work, boy, great work.
- It's the best open-field
running I ever saw in my life.
- Well, thank you, I
was lucky to break away.
- You certainly looked as though
you had the whole field to yourself.
- Well don't forget, I had a good line
playing in front of me
- You were wonderful,
we're all proud of you.
- You're slated for
the All-American right now.
- You're practically there.
- Listen here son, we're
all from Cleveland.
If you ever get out that way drop in
and we'll try and show you a good time.
- Thank you, sir.
- And don't forget to call us.
- Thank you.
Don't mind them, they don't
know what it's all about.
- Don't worry, I don't mind them.
- You just do as we say next game.
Give that ball to Stewart every play.
- Now don't forget, when you're
in Cleveland, look us up.
- Thank you, I certainly will.
- Charlie.
Take the advice of an old man.
If ever you go after a job coaching,
try and get it at Sing Sing.
You'll never be bothered with the alumni.
You get me.
- Hey Bucky, Jim.
There's a car waiting
outside and I want you
to go to a little party
out at a girl's house.
- Got a girl for yourself?
- Have I, I'm fully protected,
I've got six Georgia peaches
and they're all honey.
(Wasp singing a jingle)
- Where's that sponge?
- Oh, here they are now.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, that's the little
one, then it must be them.
- Hello, sorry to have kept you waiting.
- Oh, that's all right.
You get in here with us, Mr. Stewart.
- All right.
- And you boys can follow in a taxi.
- So long, Bucky.
- Am I a sap, or am I a sap?
Jim didn't need you to run
interference for him that time.
He's turning out to be
an awful old Sullivan.
You'd think nobody could
ever carry a ball before.
- Hey, now wait a minute,
he really is a great running halfback.
- I suppose you're not.
- Me?
- Yeah.
- Oh, I'm just a football
player, that's all.
- Uh, ruffle your hair up.
That's it.
Now raise your chin.
Up.
I want you to look perfectly natural.
That's it.
Hold it now, hold it.
That's fine.
That's good, that'll be fine.
- What do you see?
- Whoo!
You frightened me.
Would you mind closing the door?
You're interfering with my light.
- Come on, get in the picture with me.
This is Bucky O'Brien.
- Well I don't know if i
can hold my chin that high.
- No no, I don't want
anybody but you, Mr. Stewart.
This is part of a series, you know.
Would you mind letting up the shade.
I have no light.
- Oh, you mean...
- Yes, thank you.
- All right Mr. Stewart,
now hold it just like that.
That's fine, Mr. Stewart.
Now when these are developed,
I'll send you a few copies.
- Why don't you take one of Bucky here?
- Oh, are you a football player?
- No, just a right halfback.
- Well, I'd like to take your picture,
but you see we're limiting this issue
to probable All-Americans.
Good day, Mr. Stewart.
- Good bye.
- Good day, Mr., uh,
I didn't get the name.
- Smith.
- Oh yes, Mr. Smith.
Good day, Mr. Smith.
- Darned nuisance, all these
reporters and photographers.
- Yeah.
You seem to be standing
it pretty well, though.
- What's eating you, anyway?
Are you sore on account of my success?
- No, but you used to be such a great guy.
You're going to have the
whole gang down on you
if your head swells any bigger.
- Say, you're getting kind of
tough to get along with lately
with your jealousy...
- What have I got to be jealous about?
Doesn't everybody know that
the reason you look so good
is because the rest of us are in there
pulling our hearts out,
trying to make holes for you?
So you're beginning to believe
what the papers say about you, huh?
- Maybe it'd relieve
your feelings a little
if you didn't have to room with me.
All right, I'll move.
- No, I'll move.
- Call it.
- Heads.
- Tails.
- All right, I move.
- Wait a minute.
Two of those ties are mine.
- All right, if you want
to start talking about
what belongs to who, take off those socks.
- What socks?
- The socks you're wearing
on your big, flat feet,
that's what socks.
- Oh yeah?
- Anything that's yours, you get,
and I want what belongs to me.
- I don't want anything belonging to you.
Here, take your socks.
- Now don't start yanking me around.
- I thought that was my shirt.
You don't walk out of here with that.
- There's your shirt.
- Somebody must be
sending out their laundry.
- All right, while you're at,
take off my striped silk undershirt.
- Is that yours?
- Just because you've been wearing it
for the last six months
doesn't make it yours.
- All right, you can have it.
You can have it.
Even if it weren't yours, you can have it.
- Well hurry up, hurry up,
don't stand there and argue.
I want to get out of here.
- Now.
Give me my running pants.
- Your what?
- You heard me.
Give me my running pants.
- Just try and get 'em.
- What are you doing,
holding a rummage sale?
- No.
- Well don't stand there
like a half-baked statue,
explain yourself.
How come you wander around the campus
with a shirt in one hand and
a pair of socks in the other?
- I'm not.
- Hey, did they ever trace
any feeble-mindedness
in your family?
- Why, I... (metallic crashing)
I think somebody's having a fight.
- You think?
(crowd chanting)
- Hey, move over.
Don't you know that's my seat?
Look how smooth it's worn.
Hello Mac old boy, how's the knee?
- Swell.
- Swollen?
- No, it's OK.
- Got another X-Ray of
Sullivan's shoulder this morning.
That chipped bone doesn't
seem to be healing right.
- We can't play him.
That leaves only McManmon at tackle.
He's all right, isn't he?
- Except for his trick knee.
- Maybe I better start Truck McCall.
McCall.
- Me?
- Hey, get going, the
coach is calling you.
- Can't want me, the game hasn't started,
nobody's had a chance
to tear their pants yet.
(laughing)
- I want you to start
the game at right tackle.
- Huh?
- Right tackle, I said, now go on.
- Yes sir, yes sir, hold this, hold this.
- Great kid.
- You're gonna start
your regular back field?
- I suppose so.
I don't like the split
between O'Brien and Stewart.
- I don't think it will affect
their work on the field.
- Can't tell.
Tough cut of cards I gave O'Brien.
And I'm afraid Stewart's rubbing it in.
- Ready Northwestern?
Ready Notre Dame?
- Ready.
(whistle blowing)
- Northwestern's
four, first down, 10 to go.
10 to go.
McCall made the tackle.
Fumble, fumble, they're after it.
- Are you hurt, Truck?
- No, just taking a little nap.
- All right, nice getting in there, Truck.
All right, All-American, let's see you go.
- You just take care of O'Brien.
- Don't you worry about
Mrs. O'Brien's little boy.
(crowd cheering)
- Looks like McCall's
getting a little tired.
- Well no wonder, look
how he's been working.
- McManmon?
- Yes, sir.
- Get in there at tackle.
Protect all you can.
(whistle blowing)
- McManmon in for McCall.
- McManmon replaces McCall.
- Gee Truck, you played
like a million dollars, kid,
you were in that old game every minute.
What's the matter, you hurt?
You are too, hey doc! - Shut up!
- But you got to be fixed up.
- Pipe down, if the
old man thinks I'm hurt
he won't put me back in the game again.
- Who can we play at right tackle.
A man whose name is McCall.
McCall?
Get in there!
- Listen, you can't go in
there, you know you can't.
- Pipe down.
- McCall is going in.
- McCall for McManmon.
- McManmon out.
- So Track old boy, let's get going.
- Well I got you a lead, now
see if you can't help hold it.
- You got it?
- Yeah, I got it.
- Time's up boys.
- Don't let him get your goat, Bucky.
- I'll fix him.
- What's the matter with O'Brien?
He took out the wrong man.
- What's the matter, why
didn't you take out that end?
- Oh I didn't think he
could run fast enough
to catch a guy like you.
- O'Brien missed that man again.
Charlie, get in there at
right half for O'Brien.
- Hey, doctor.
- Feels like a broken rib to me.
- I wonder what else can happen.
Looks like McCall's through.
You, Stanley, get in
there at right tackle.
Let that end through
twice, what's the idea?
- I've been holding up
Stewart for long enough,
I decided to let him take the
rap himself for a play or two.
- So let the team down
just to take a crack
at Stewart, would you?
Turn in your suit.
- But Coach, we have a safe lead.
- You've played your
last game for Notre Dame.
There goes our chance of
beating the Army next week.
- Getting late.
Must be about time for the team
to catch the train to the Army game.
- Hello Truck, you old faker, how are you?
- Truck.
- Hello, fellas, gee.
Great of you to come down here and see me.
What have you got.
- Flowers.
- For what?
- For you.
- Yeah, well where'd you get 'em?
- Oh, we picked them off
the end of a black wagon
on the way down.
(laughing)
- How's the bed, comfortable?
- Yeah.
- Gee that's too bad.
He'll never get up now, Coach.
- Why should I?
It's a lot softer here
than it is on that bench.
(laughing)
- How do you fell, son?
- Great.
But I don't see why I can't go with you
instead of staying here in bed.
- We'll miss you, boy.
- Look, he's got a nightshirt on.
Where'd you get it?
- Oh they gave it to me here.
- Isn't it kind of uncomfortable?
- Well it fools you, it's like a big bib,
there's no back in it.
(laughing)
I can walk that far.
- Well it's tough you
can't go with us, Truck,
but we brought you a small radio
so that you can listen
to the game Saturday.
- Oh gee, that's swell, thanks.
- Get toward train time,
gang, better get rolling.
- Well, so long, take care.
- So long, fellas.
Knock their ears down for me.
- We'll bring you back an Army mule.
- Atta boy, take of that knee, Mac.
- Just want to say to you Truck.
I'm as proud of you as I am of any man
I've got in the squad.
- Thanks, Coach.
- How is he?
- A certain amount of infection has set in
where the broken rib punctured his lung.
- You're afraid of pneumonia?
- We'll know by Saturday.
- Gee, this time next Saturday
the game will just be starting.
I hope the fella that announces
speaks so we can understand him.
(Truck sniffling)
- Gee, I bet it feels funny
for you, sitting up here.
- Feels strange, but not a bit funny.
- All right, men.
This is our big day.
We've played the Army 14 years in a row.
It's an honor to play them.
They're a good gang.
Win or lose, they fight to the last gun.
Some of you fellows,
according to the press,
know that we're in bad shape.
What with our cripples and other losses.
You've been reading the papers, ha!
I want you to get out there and show them
that the Notre Dame team
is not a one-man team
and never was.
Watch every move.
Especially keep your eye on Ketel.
Keep him from scoring in the first half,
we got 'em licked.
They may out-guess you,
they may out-play you.
But I know they can't out-fight you!
Come on now, let's go!
(players talking)
- There's the old pep in
there, let's get going.
Let's get going.
It's our ball.
Our ball.
- Turn it on, it might quiet him.
- They held, they held him!
- Stewart has the ball.
Stewart has it again, wait a minute folks,
he's off, he's off, he's
off, look at the boy running,
he's away.
Ah, wait wait wait, he's tackled.
Stewart made three yards.
That old Army line is sure holding today.
They're lining up.
There they go, they shift.
It's Stewart's ball again.
Ah, fumble, fumble.
Was that boy hit hard.
Now the referee's right in among them,
wait a minute and I'll give you the news,
just a minute folks.
Army's ball.
- He's coming off tackle again, Lanegan.
Watch it, Lanegan.
- Boy if Notre Dame ever needed an O'Brien
they need it today.
- Oh, why can't we hold them?
- Telegram.
- Read it.
- Pneumonia has developed,
temperature 104, pulse 120.
Expect crisis later today.
Doc Enright.
(crowd cheering)
- Well, they certainly kept
Jim bottled up that half.
- I suppose you like that.
- I do not.
- If you were in there where you belong
instead of sitting up
here nursing a sore head
we might get somewhere.
- Don't talk like that to me.
- I'll say anything I want.
Just because you got sore at Jim
you didn't have to let
the whole school down.
And I'll tell you one thing you can't do
and that's feel right about it
even if you ever live to be a million.
What a rotten game, I wish I'd never come.
Where you going?
- Never mind, don't wait for me.
- Huh?
(players talking)
- Hey Coach, South Bend
Hospital on the telephone.
- Oh.
South Bend Hospital?
Doctor Enright?
How's my boy?
Oh, that's too bad.
Speak with him?
You bet I would.
Put him on.
Hello.
Hello, Truck.
Hello, old boy.
That's the stuff, Truck.
We're all thinking about you.
Yes.
You bet we will.
Hello?
Hello hello?
Oh, yes, doctor.
He what?
Yes, thanks Doctor.
Goodbye.
On your feet.
It looks like a losing fight
for Truck McCall.
But he's fighting every inch of the way.
He gave me a message for you fellows.
He said, "When the team's
in a tough spot today,
"pull one out of the bag for old Truck."
Now get out there.
And fight.
- Oh, Coach.
(crowd cheering)
- Received and was
dropped on the 20 yard line.
The Army team certainly
means to give Notre Dame
a first defeat of the season.
- Are you watching what plays are going,
plays are not going?
- Yes sir, yes sir.
- Who's making tackles
and not making them?
- Yes, sir.
- What down is it?
- I don't know.
- You don't want to play
here, get down to the showers.
You got too much on your mind.
- Down it goes for three yards.
Stewart was badly shaken up on that play.
- We're in the fourth quarter.
Still six to nothing,
only 10 minutes to play.
Looks like a great day for the Army.
- Oh, why doesn't Bucky go in?
- How you feeling now, Jim?
- I guess I can make it.
- Well I'll bet they won't score again.
- 22, O'Brien
is warming up on the bench.
- 'Scuse me, is that your foot?
- O'Brien.
- Yes?
- Think you're man enough to
play on Truck McCall's team?
- Yes, sir.
- All right, get out there.
- Come on gang, let's go.
- It looks like a tough day for the Army.
- Too bad, soldier, you
nearly won the game.
- After this, you can go West, young man.
- Oh, yeah, what are you gonna tell 'em
when it gets back to South Bend?
- Tell 'em nothing, they'll
read it in the newspaper.
- I'm gonna make you
plenty of holes today,
and boy you'd better find them.
- 25.
37.
- Give Jim the ball, let me do the block.
- Now we're playing, kid.
- Like a set of false teeth.
- What a game, taking the ball
on their own five yard line,
Notre Dame in one magnificent
march has carried it
clear to the Army 45 yard line.
This is still anybody's game.
Whoa, listen to that crowd.
- Didn't I say we'd get
'em when Bucky went in?
- The fever has broken.
- You must lie down now.
- Oh, not on your life.
- And you should
see Jim Stewart run.
- Jim Stewart, that's my pal.
I know them all.
- There's nothing else
to do but pass again.
- Watch.
(crowd cheering)
- You hurt?
- No, I'm all right,
you're pretty lucky there.
- Much obliged.
- Nice blocking, Bucky.
- And that's one for old Truck.
If I miss this I'll let
you sock me on the nose.
- Oh, if you miss this,
you won't have to let me.
I'll do it anyway.
(crowd cheering)
- Yes.
Yes yes.
Fine.
Good news, boys.
Yes.
Yes yes, fine.
Truck's passed the crisis,
he's gonna win his fight, too.
Quiet, quiet!
What about your fight?
You fellows gonna shake hands?
- Sure, I'll shake hands with him.
- So will I.
- Your shirt's out.
- So's yours.
- You don't mean it.
- Yes, I mean it.
(players shouting)
(orchestral music)