what we hear immediately before we see the The End caption
The younger son confronted his father for his inheritance. His father reminded him ‘But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man that suddenly got everything he always wanted.’
‘What happened?’
‘He lived happily ever after.’ [1]
‘That’s what I intend to do. Is that the money?’
‘That is all.’ [2] They stared at each other, sadly. ‘God help us in the future.’ [3]
Then he said ‘You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry: you will someday.’ [4]
And finally the old man tried to lighten the atmosphere. ‘Where ya headed, cowboy?’
‘Nowhere special.’
‘Nowhere special. I always wanted to go there.’
‘Come on!’ [5]
‘No. I’m too old for this. [6] So, I’ll be right here. Bye.’ [7]
‘I’m going there,’ said the son, pointing. ‘Out there. That-a-way.’ [8]
Not long afterwards, Charlie found himself in Dissipation City, surrounded by so-called friends and a theatrical agent called Marsh.
‘I love you, yeah?’ [9] said Delores, one of dancers, to Charlie. ‘I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.’ [10]
‘How did you get this job?’ asked Charlie.
Kelvin joked: ‘Marsh will probably say he discovered her. Some guys get all the breaks.’ [11]
‘Look, I’ve got enough cash for us all,’ Charlie boasted. Norman decided to leave.
‘You’re not gonna stick around for your share?’
‘Naah. I’d only blow it.’ [12]
‘Me too,’ said Charlie, closer to the truth than he realised.
Delores interrupted. ‘What did he just say?’
‘He said there's a storm coming in.’
‘I know.’ [13] And they were right.
Famine!
‘I haven’t eaten for weeks,’ said Delores, pouting.
‘And I’ve run out of money,’ admitted Charlie. ‘A man’s got to know his limitations.’ [14]
‘Good. For a moment there, I thought we were in trouble,’ [15] she joked. ‘Bye!’ [16]
Kelvin & Norman agreed ‘I think we oughta leave now.’
‘That's probably a good idea.’ [17]
‘Merry Christmas, and may God bless us, every one,’ [18] Charlie said, his tummy rumbling; his mind racing.
A little while later, Charlie looked at one of the pigs he was employed to tend and said ‘You’re a swine.’ [19]
The pigs were eating rotting food covered in maggots, leeches and mould.
‘Never give a sucker an even break.’ [20] Charlie advised them. He longed to eat their food, but refrained. ‘I'm not even gonna swat that fly. I hope they are watching. They'll see. They'll see and they'll know and they'll say, Why, she wouldn't even harm a fly. [21] She? Argh! Argh! [22] I mean he. But this is madness. Madness. [23] Even my father’s hired men eat well. I shall go home and work for Dad again.’
He turned to the pigs and said ‘Where are you guys going? Wait a minute? I'll remember this! I'll remember everyone of ya! I'll be back; don't you forget that. I'll be back. [24] Especially if my dad doesn’t welcome me home.’ How could he be sure? ‘I'm an average nobody. I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook.’ [25]
‘Work for Dad?’ he asked himself. ‘Do you think you'd be happy doing that? Well, I don't know. What are the hours? [26] Dad will have to come back onto my side, even though I was mean to him… Anyway, cheerio pigs; ...Tara!...Home. I'll go home, and I'll think of some way to get him back! After all, tomorrow is another day!’ [27]
The pig farmer asked Charlie ‘And where do you think you are going?’
‘Well, sir. Goin’ ’ome...’Ome, sir. [28] Looks like I’m walkin’…’ [29]
Meanwhile Dad was sitting on his roof, looking out at his hired men. ‘I'm the boss, I'm the boss, I'm the boss, I'm the boss, I'm the boss...(I'm the) boss, boss, boss, boss, boss, boss.’ [30] But then he saw Charlie on the road, and he ran to greet him.
‘I love you, [31] son! You’re alive, thank heaven.’ [32]
The son began his plea for a job. ‘Oh, but anyway, Toto, we're home! Home! And this is my room - and you're all here! And I'm not gonna leave here ever, ever again because I love you all! – And oh, Auntie Em, there's no place like home. [33] And can I work for you, please?’
His father kissed him, gave him a ring, shoes and a coat, and declared the gift-giving done. ‘It is accomplished! It is accomplished!’ [34]
A servant approached the fatted calf with a knife. The calf was thinking ‘But I am alive. And I am not afraid. [35] I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner. Bye.’ [36]
Later that afternoon, Charlie was explaining how it felt to be starving. ‘And I felt my body dwindling, melting, becoming nothing. My fears locked away and in their place came acceptance. All this vast majesty of creation, it had to mean something. And then I meant something, too. Yes, smaller than the smallest, I meant something, too. To God there is no zero. I still exist. [37] But now I have eaten fatted calf butties, and thought I was cured all right.’ [38]
‘This my son was lost,’ announced his father, ‘but now is found; he was dead but is alive! Well, nobody’s perfect!’ [39] He had invited the whole village, telling his servants ‘Go – proclaim liberty throughout all the lands, and to all the inhabitants thereof.’ [40] Now where was I?’ [41] He saw some guests were not eating. ‘Can I interest you in some dessert?
‘Don't you always?’
‘What would you like?’
‘Surprise me!’ [42]
Charlie spoke again to his dad. ‘I knew you’d be watching.’
‘I thought we’d meet again only in death.’
‘This is our destiny.’
‘Kiss me.’ [43]
character name in bold; conversations: final speaker listed last
[1] Willa Wonka Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 1971; [2] Radar O’Reilly as PA Announcer M*A*S*H 1970; [3] Criswell Plan 9 From Outer Space 1959; [4] Lester Burnham American Beauty 1999; [5] Jim & Bart Blazing Saddles 1974;
[6] Roger Murtaugh Lethal Weapon 1987; [7] E.T. & Elliot E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 1982; [8] Admiral James T Kirk Star Trek: The Motion Picture 1979; [9] Adrian & Rocky Rocky 1976; [10] Rick Blaine Casablanca 1942;
[11] a patron 42nd Street 1933; [12] Henry Gondorff & Johnny Hooker The Sting 1973; [13] Gas Station Attendant & Sarah Connor The Terminator 1984; [14] Harry Callaghan Magnum Force 1973; [15] Butch Cassidy Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 1969;
[16] Barry Guiler Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977; [17] Vincent Vega & Jules Winfield Pulp Fiction 1994; [18] Tiny Tim A Christmas Carol 1938; [19] Norm to John Lennon A Hard Day's Night 1964; [20] Professor Eustace McGargle Poppy 1936;
[21] Norma Bates Psycho 1960; [22] Chewbacca the Wookie Star Wars 1977; [23] Major Clipton The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957; [24] Johnny Friendly On the Waterfront 1954; [25] Henry Hill GoodFellas 1990;
[26] Marti DiBergi & Nigel Tufnel This Is Spinal Tap 1984; [27] Scarlett O’Hara Gone with the Wind 1939; [28] driver Lawrence of Arabia 1962; [29] Jack Walsh Midnight Run 1988; [30] Jake La Motta Raging Bull 1980;
[31] Winston Smith Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984; [32] Madame Alvarez Gigi 1958; [33] Dorothy Gale The Wizard of Oz 1939; [34] Jesus Christ The Last Temptation of Christ 1988; [35] Private Joker Full Metal Jacket 1987;
[36] Hannibal Lecter The Silence of the Lambs 1991; [37] Scott Carey The Incredible Shrinking Man 1957; [38] Alex A Clockwork Orange 1971; [39] Osgood Fielding III Some Like it Hot 1959; [40] Moses The Ten Commandments 1956;
[41] Leonard Shelby Memento 2000; [42] Django Ratatouille 2007; [43] Jamal K Malik & Latika Slumdog Millionaire 2008
