Quotes

Dialogue

Jennifer/Mary Sue: What's outside of Pleasantville? Miss Peters: What? ...I don't understand... Jennifer/Mary Sue: Outside of Pleasantville... What's at the end of Main Street? Miss Peters: Oh, Mary Sue. You should know the answer to that. The end of Main Street is just the beginning again.

Dialogue

David/Bud: You can't do this Jennifer. I warned you! Jennifer/Mary Sue: So what's the big deal? Oh. Okay — they're like not good at basketball anymore. Ohmigawd, what a tragedy. David/Bud: You don't understand. You're messing with their whole goddamn universe! Jennifer/Mary Sue: Well maybe it needs to be messed with, David. Did that ever occur to you?

Dialogue

David/Bud: "Cool"? "Cool" ? What are you doing to these people? You can't do this to them! Jennifer/Mary Sue: If I don't do it, who will? David/Bud: No — but they're happy like this! Jennifer/Mary Sue: No. David, nobody's happy in a poodle skirt and a sweater set. [pause] You really like this don't you? No, its not like you think it's just like funny or dorky or anything … you like — really like it. David/Bud: No, you have it all wrong. Jennifer/Mary Sue: God! I am so personally mortified to be your sister right now. David/Bud: You have no right to do this to them. Jennifer/Mary Sue: David, listen to me for just a minute. These people don't want to be geeks. They want to be attractive. They've a lot of potential — they just don't know any better.

Dialogue

David/Bud: What's going on? Jennifer/Mary Sue: I'm not sure. Um… They wanna ask you a question... I didn't know how to handle it. So.... David/Bud: Sure. [to the others] How you doin'? You wanted to ask me something? Tommy: How'd you know about the fire? David/Bud: What? Tommy: How'd you know how to put it out and all? David/Bud: Oh. Well — where I used to live, that's just what firemen did. Tommy: And where's that? David/Bud: Um... Outside of Pleasantville. Tommy: Well, what's outside of Pleasantville? David/Bud: Look it doesn't matter. It's not important. Tommy: What's outside of Pleasantville? David/Bud: It's really not important. Margaret: What's outside of Pleasantville? David/Bud: There are some places … that the road doesn't go in a circle. There are some places where the road keeps going. Margaret: Keeps going? David/Bud: Yeah, yeah — it just keeps going — it all keeps going. Roads and rivers and … Will: Like the "Mighty Mississippi." David: What? David/Bud: [to Jennifer/Mary S

Dialogue

Big Bob: [in the bowling alley] What happened? Are you alright? What is it? George: Rain. Big Bob: Real rain? Big Bob: Oh my God.... Are you alright? George: I came home like I always do. And I came in the front door. And I took off my coat. And I put down my briefcase and I said "Honey. I'm home." George: ...Only no one was there. So I went into the kitchen and I yelled it again. "Honey — I'm home." But there was no one there either. No wife. No lights. No dinner. George: So I went to the oven you know — because I thought maybe she had made me one of those "TV dinners..." But she hadn't. She was gone. And I looked and looked and looked — but she was gone. Big Bob: It's gonna be fine George. You're with 'us' now. Gus: What are we gonna do Bob? Big Bob: Well — we'll be safe for now — thank goodness we're in a bowling alley — but if George here doesn't get his dinner, any one of us could be next. It could be you Gus, or you Roy, or even you Ralph.... That's real rain out there, gentlemen

Dialogue

George: Let's just forget about it, we'll just go to the meeting. Betty: No. I told you, George. I am not going to that meeting. George: Sure you are. Betty: No, I'm NOT. — Look at me, George. Look at my face. That meetings not for me. George: You'll put on some make-up. Betty: I don't want to put on make-up. George: It'll go away. It goes away. Betty: [firmly] I don't want it to "go away".

Dialogue

[as the townspeople are burning books] Mary Sue, it's better this way!

Dialogue

Big Bob: This is not the answer, people. No matter how upset we may get, or how frustrated we may be, we're not gonna solve our problems out in the street. It's just the wrong way to do it. We have to have a "Code of Conduct" we can all agree to live by. Now, I asked George and Burt here to sketch out some ideas — and I think they've done a terrific job. If we all agree on these then we can take a vote and I think we'll start to move in the right direction. "ONE: All public disruption and acts of vandalism are to cease immediately. TWO: All citizens of Pleasantville are to treat one another in a courteous and pleasant manner... Lisa Anne: "Courteous and Pleasant manner." That doesn't sound too bad. Kids: Oh my gosh.... No.... David/Bud: "FIVE: There shall be no public sale of umbrellas or preparation for inclement weather of any kind. SIX: No bedframe or mattress may be sold measuring more than 38 inches wide. SEVEN: The only permissible paint colors shall be BLACK, WHITE or GRAY, desp

Dialogue

George: You know, your mom went out. David/Bud: Went out? George: Yeah. She went out for a little while. David/Bud: When? George: Three days ago.

Dialogue

George: What happened? One minute everything's fine — the next... What went wrong? David/Bud: Nothing went wrong. People change. George: People change? David/Bud: Yeah. People change.

Dialogue

George: Can they change back? David/Bud: I don't know — I think that's harder.

Dialogue

David/Bud: I've got something to say! Big Bob: Very well. David/Bud: You don't have a right to do this. I mean, I know you want it to stay pleasant around here, but — there are so many things … that are so much better. Like silly, or sexy, or dangerous … or brief. And every one of those things is in you all the time, if you just have the guts to look for them. Big Bob: That's enough. David/Bud: I thought I was allowed to defend myself. Big Bob: You're not allowed to lie. David/Bud: I'm not lying. You see those faces up there? They're no different than you are, they just happen to see something inside themselves… Big Bob: [bangs gavel] I said that's enough. David/Bud: Here, I'll show you. Dad? George: Yeah, Bud? David/Bud: It's okay Dad, just listen a sec. I know you miss her, I mean, you told me you did. But maybe it's not just the cooking, or the cleaning, that you miss. Maybe it's something else. Maybe you can't even describe it. Maybe you only know it when it's gone. Maybe it's like

Dialogue

David's Mom: When your father was here, I used to think, "This was it." This is the way it was always going to be. I had the right house. I had the right car. I had the right life. David: There is no right house. There is no right car. David's Mom: God, my face must be a mess. David: It looks great. David's Mom: Honey, it's really sweet of you, but I'm sure it does not look "great." David: Sure it does. Come here. David's Mom: I'm 40 years old. I mean, it's not supposed to be like this. David: It's not supposed to be anything. Hold still. David's Mom: How'd you get so smart all of a sudden? David: [pause] I had a good day.