Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Danny Dennis: De Lica

Quotes 

• Pete V. Morales : [talking into a recorder in front of the class]  I get up at 7:30, go wash. But my stinking sister, she's still in the bathroom, so I can't get in.

  Richard Dadier : That's fine, boy. keep on talking.

  Pete V. Morales : So then I go to the stinking bathroom. I wash my stinking face. Then I eat some stinking sausages.

  Artie West : Louder, come on!

  Emmanuel Stoker : We can't hear you in the balcony.

  Pete V. Morales : So then I go down the stinking street with my stinking books, and then I meet this stink-face who lives near me. And he says: "You go to school, Pete?" I say, "You stinking right, boy!" So we walked to the stinking El, and wait for the stinking train. What do you think? The stinking train is late. So I gotta get into the stinking crowd. And that's why I'm stinking late to school, teach. How was I? Okay?

  De Lica : You sure stunk up that record, boy!

  [whole class applauds and laughs] 

  Richard Dadier : That'll be enough for the day.

  Artie West : You gonna play it?

  Richard Dadier : No. Thanks for picking Morales. I'm sure you're his "friend".

  Gregory W. Miller : Sure enough, chief. Too bad you can't say the same.

  Richard Dadier : And just what does that mean?

  Artie West : Morales is a spic, that's what it means. Maybe you don't like spics.

  Richard Dadier : That will be enough of that, West.

  Pete V. Morales : What did I do , anyhow?

  Artie West : All right, sit down... spic.

  Belazi : You heard him, greaseball.

  Pete V. Morales : At least I'm no Irish Mick!

  [Belazi throws a magazine at Morales] 

  Richard Dadier : I said, that will be enough!

  Richard Dadier : Now, you pick up that magazine , Belazi. Pick it up! I wanna get one thing very clear in this classroom.There's not gonna be any name calling here. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Now you understand that? All of ya!

  Pete V. Morales : I was just kidding.

  Richard Dadier : Yeah, I know you're just kidding. That's how things start. Like a street fight. Somebody pushes somebody in fun. Somebody pushes back, and soon you got a street fight with no kidding. That's the same way with name-calling. All right, West, look. You're of Irish descent. So is Murphy over there. You call him a Mick. He calls you a Mick. Suppose Miller called you a Mick. Is that all right? Then you call him a nigger.

  Pete V. Morales : I was just kidding.

  Richard Dadier : Well, stop kidding!

  Artie West : Sure, sure. Come on, Morales. Tell me all about your stinking sister!

  [whole class laughs and the bell rings]