The Careless Years (1957)
Dean Stockwell: Jerry Vernon
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Quotes
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Sam Vernon : [talking to Jerry about Jerry wanting to marry Emily] Uhh, I remember how I felt when I was your age, I have respect for it. It was 1929... I was 18 and graduated from high school back in Kentucky. I remember saying goodbye to your mother when I went away looking for work. I went clear to Alaska trying to find a job... I knew she was waiting for me... so she waited 8 years. That's how times were then.
Jerry Vernon : [looks puzzled] Well, what's that got to do with it?
Sam Vernon : Now at least it's better, your girl won't have to wait so long.
Jerry Vernon : No, Emily and I don't want to wait at all.
Sam Vernon : We better never have anything like 1929 again. Just the same, you *learn* from it... money's a whip. Sometimes it gets to be like a whip on your bare back.
Jerry Vernon : [looks puzzled] Well, why do you keep going back over that? Things are different now, it's easy to get a job.
Sam Vernon : Yeah, but what kind of a job...
Jerry Vernon : Any kind.
Sam Vernon : Oh, no! No, not any kind. Kind where you make something of yourself. That's why I done what I could to have something in the bank for you... when you go to Tech.
[Jerry turns away]
Sam Vernon : Er, you're not thinkin' of givin' it up?
Jerry Vernon : It depends on whether my grades are good enough.
Sam Vernon : Well, you're not studying as much as you were.
Jerry Vernon : So what?
Sam Vernon : So what! Well, what are yuh gonna do, get some two-bit job and stick to it your whole life?
Jerry Vernon : No, I'm not gonna do that.
Sam Vernon : Well, that's what you'll end up doin' if you don't get some *sense* in your head!
Jerry Vernon : Look, Pa, there's no sense in getting sore.
Sam Vernon : You *think* you know all the answers, don't you, Jerry, just bec...
Jerry Vernon : [with attitude] I'm sorry, Dad. You say you know how I feel but you don't. I *love* her, that's what's important.
[Sam looks at him glaringly and walks away]
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Jerry Vernon : [at Emily's house with Emily and her parents] Um... I got a job at the machine shop where my father works.
Helen Meredith : That's fine.
Jerry Vernon : It's a summer replacement, but I'll see later about something better. This pays $1.38 an hour, and since we're planning to get married, I thought I should tell you about it. It's a 40-hour week but there's time and a half for overtime...
Charles Meredith : All right... all right, Jerry. But I just want you to understand one thing - if you get into any trouble, I'm simply not in a position to help support you.
Jerry Vernon : Well, I'm not asking you for any help.
Charles Meredith : Well, that's what it'll come to.
Jerry Vernon : You make it all a question of money!
Helen Meredith : If you care about Emily as much as you say you do, you ought to think about her. Do you want to tie her down to that kind of a life? Do you think she's ready for it?
Emily Meredith : I've said I am!
Helen Meredith : Has it ever occurred to you that you could have a baby by the time you're 18? Are you ready for that too?
[Emily looks down]
Helen Meredith : You're letting your feelings run away with you - that's why you get so upset every time we try to bring in anything practical!
Charles Meredith : To be blunt with you, I think that's the whole reason you're getting married... both of you.
[pours himself a drink]
Jerry Vernon : Supposing we'd stayed here in your house the weekend you were away... you never would've known the difference. And we could've gone on like that, sneaking around. I mean, really being together anytime we wanted. But now, when, when we want it on the level, you treat us like a couple of delinquents.
Charles Meredith : [pauses] You've just shown how right we are.
[Jerry rolls his eyes and head back in frustration]
Helen Meredith : Look, I know how you two feel about each other, but you can't build a marriage on that alone.
Jerry Vernon : So what are we supposed to do? Tell us!
Charles Meredith : Wait! That's simple.
Jerry Vernon : That's no answer at all!
Charles Meredith : Well, that's the only answer you're gonna get.
Jerry Vernon : Then we'll go ahead and get married.
Charles Meredith : You'll do nothing of the sort.
Jerry Vernon : You can't stop us.
Charles Meredith : She's not 18 yet!
Jerry Vernon : She knows what she's doing.
Charles Meredith : I didn't bring her up for this...
Jerry Vernon : She's got a say in this...
Charles Meredith : You get out and stay out!
Jerry Vernon : All right, I'm goin'!
[stalks out]
Emily Meredith : Jerry!
[gets up and runs after Jerry, Charles follows]
Helen Meredith : Charles.
[Charles stops]
Helen Meredith : Charles, let her go. You've done enough.
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Sam Vernon : [appears unexpectedly at the motel room where Jerry and Emily are unpacking, enters, looks around] So... this is your place.
Jerry Vernon : Nobody asked you.
Sam Vernon : That's right... nobody asked me. What rent do you pay?
Jerry Vernon : Seventy a month.
Sam Vernon : Money's nothing to you, huh?
Jerry Vernon : Is that what you came about?
Sam Vernon : How'd you get my signature?
Jerry Vernon : I traced it.
Sam Vernon : Do you know what that is? You know what it is to forge somebody's name!
Jerry Vernon : The money belonged to me, you put it in there for me!
Sam Vernon : I still have to sign the checks!
Jerry Vernon : I'm gonna give it back to you, I don't want *anything* from you, not anymore!
[Sam slaps Jerry hard; Jerry, shocked, whimpers and breathes hard]
Sam Vernon : Give me back the money.
Jerry Vernon : [hesitates] I spent some of it, I bought a ring and paid the rent here.
Sam Vernon : That's all right, we'll chalk it up to experience, give me the rest.
Jerry Vernon : No!
Sam Vernon : That was the first time I ever hit you, but so help me, if you don't give me that money I'll pay-, I'll beat you to a pulp!
Jerry Vernon : [sniveling and shouting] I'm not a sniveling kid anymore and nobody's gonna talk to me that way, you or nobody!
Sam Vernon : [shouting] I said give me back the money! I'm not gonna let you throw your life away because you can't keep out of bed with a girl!
Jerry Vernon : [screaming] SHUT UP! SHUT UP AND GET OUT OF HERE!
[Jerry pushes Sam towards the door, but Sam shoves Jerry down to the floor. Jerry, whimpering, gets up and punches Sam twice. Sam punches Jerry back and knocks him to the floor]
Sam Vernon : [sobbing] Go on, keep it. If you want it so bad, keep it. I don't care anymore what happens.
[leaves]
