The Outsiders (1983)

C. Thomas Howell: Ponyboy Curtis

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Ponyboy : Nature's first green is gold / Her hardest hue to hold / Her early leaf's a flower / But only so an hour / Then leaf subsides to leaf / So Eden sank to grief / So dawn goes down to day / Nothing gold can stay.

  Johnny : Where did you learn that? That's what I meant.

  Ponyboy : Robert Frost wrote it. I always remembered it because I never quite knew what he meant by it.

• [last lines] 

  Ponyboy : When I stepped out,into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house,I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman,and a ride home.

• [first lines] 

  Ponyboy : [voicecover]  When I stepped out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman, and a ride home.

• Sodapop Curtis : [In the "Complete Novel" version; after Sodapop runs out from Ponyboy and Darry's fight, Ponyboy tackles him]  Goddamn it, Ponyboy, you should have gone out for football instead of track.

  Ponyboy : [On the ground]  Where the hell do you think you're going?

  Sodapop Curtis : I don't know, man. It's just like sometimes I have to get out. It's like I'm the middle man in a tug-of-war or something between you guys. I don't know, I can't take sides.

  [Sits down. To Ponyboy] 

  Sodapop Curtis : Ponyboy, Darry could've put you in a boys' home, worked his way through college. I'm telling you the truth, Pony. I'm happy working at a gas station. Working with cars. I'm dumb. It's alright, I don't mind. You're not Pony. You'd never be happy doing something like that.

  [to Darry] 

  Sodapop Curtis : Darry, you gotta stop yelling at him for every little thing he does, man. I mean, he, he feels things differently than you. Bad enough to have to...

  [sniffling] 

  Sodapop Curtis : ...to listen to you. But when you start trying to get me to take sides. We're all we got left now. If we don't have each other, then we ain't got nothing. And when you ain't got nothin, you end up like Dally... I don't mean dead either, I mean, I mean how he was before. So please...

  [Starts crying] 

  Sodapop Curtis : Don't fight anymore... please...

  Darrel Curtis : Sure... sure little buddy, we ain't goin' to fight anymore.

  [Hugs Sodapop] 

  Sodapop Curtis : [Sees Ponyboy looking left out and crying]  Ponyboy... Pony.

  [Ponyboy goes over to hug Sodapop] 

  Sodapop Curtis : Now, don't you start bawlin' too, Pony. One bawl-baby in this family's enough.

  Ponyboy : [Crying]  I ain't cryin'.

  Sodapop Curtis : Let's go home. I'm cold.

  [They get up and race each other home] 

• Johnny : [Early morning sunrise]  Golly, that was sure pretty, huh?

  Ponyboy : Yeah.

  Johnny : It's like the mist is what's pretty, ya know? All gold and silver.

  Ponyboy : Ah-huh.

  Johnny : Too bad it can't stay like that all the time.

  Ponyboy : Nothing gold can stay.

• Johnny : I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you kept remindin' me about 'em. It's kinda like they were never there before.

  Ponyboy : Yeah. I don't think I could ever tell Steve or Two Bit or even Darry about the clouds and sunset. Just you and Sodapop. Maybe Cherry Valance.

  Johnny : Guess we're different, huh?

  Ponyboy : Shoot, yeah. Maybe they are.

  Johnny : Maybe you're right.

• Ponyboy : [hugging Darrel]  Darry!

  Darrel Curtis : [crying]  I thought we lost you like we did Mom and Dad.

• Johnny : What's goin' on, Dal?

  Dallas : [Smoking a cigarette]  We're early.

  Ponyboy : What do you want to do?

  Dallas : [Smiles]  Nothin' legal, man. Let's get outta here.

• Ponyboy : Darry hit me! I swear, we used to get along just fine until Mom and Dad died. Now he can't stand me.

  Johnny : I think I like it better when the old man's hittin' me. At least he knows I'm there.

• Bob Shelton : You guys know what Greasers are? White trash with long, greasy hair.

  Ponyboy : You know what a Soc is?

  Bob Shelton : What?

  Ponyboy : White trash with mustangs and madras.

  [spits at Bob] 

  Bob Shelton : Get him!

• Dallas : What do you guys want?

  Ponyboy : Johnny killed a Soc.

  Dallas : What? Alright. Good for you. Let's go.

  Johnny : Well I figured you could get us out if anyone could, Dal. I- I'm sorry I got you away from this party and all but I just don't know what to do, man.

  Dallas : Nah. I was just uh... I was just trying to get some sleep. I got in a fight with Sheppard tonight. Wait a minute. Let me think about this mess. Get in.

  [pulls Ponyboy and Johnny inside] 

  Dallas : Ponyboy, are you wet?

• Ponyboy : [after climbing through the church windows, of Jerry]  Is the guy coming?

  Johnny : No.

  Ponyboy : Why? Too scared?

  Johnny : Naw, too fat, man.

• Ponyboy : [Two-Bit is wrestling him]  I gotta cut smoking or I'll never make track next year.

• Darrel Curtis : You smoke more than a pack today and I'll skin you. Understood?

  Ponyboy : Yeah. You carry more than one bundle of roofing at a time and me an' Soda'll skin you. Understood?

• Dallas : Here, I thought this might cool you off.

  [hands Cherry a coke and sits right next to her] 

  Cherry : [takes the straw out of her coke and throws it in Dally's face]  Maybe that'll cool YOU off, Greaser... when you learn to talk and act decent, then maybe I'll cool off too.

  Dallas : [wipes some of the coke off his face and goes in for Cherry]  Firey, huh? Just the way I like them!

  Cherry : [tries to push Dallas off]  GET OFF OF ME!

  Dallas : Come on...

  Johnny : Look, leave her alone, Dal!

  Dallas : What'd you say?

  Johnny : [a little bit frightened]  Come on Dal, you heard me.

  Dallas : What'd you say? What'd you say you little shit? What'd you say to me?

  Johnny : Come on...

  Dallas : Wiseass!

  [seconds later he gets up and leaves] 

  Ponyboy : Now you blew it.

  Cherry : [Turns to Johnny]  Thank you... he had me scared to death!

  Johnny : You sure didn't show it. Ain't nobody ever talk to Dal like that!

  Cherry : From what I saw, you do.

• [Ponyboy comes home] 

  Darrel Curtis : Where the hell have you been? Do you know what time it is? It's 2:00 in the morning, kiddo!

  Sodapop Curtis : [sleepily]  Hey, Pony. Where you been?

  Ponyboy : Fell asleep in the lot.

  Darrel Curtis : You WHAT?

  Ponyboy : I was talking to Johnny and I fell asleep in the lot. Didn't mean to.

  Darrel Curtis : Yeah, hey!

  [tries to close the bedroom door after him but Darry flings it open and follows] 

  Darrel Curtis : And I can't even call the cops because you two would be put in a boys' home so fast it would make your heads spin.

  Sodapop Curtis : Come on, Pony. Let's go to bed now.

  Ponyboy : Look, I said I didn't mean to!

  Darrel Curtis : "I didn't mean to", "I forgot". That's all I ever hear from you!

  Sodapop Curtis : Come on, Darry...

  Darrel Curtis : YOU SHUT UP! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING YOU STICK UP FOR HIM! YOU HEAR ME?

  Ponyboy : Don't you yell at him!

  Darrel Curtis : [Darrel hits him]  Ponyboy, I didn't mean to.

• Johnny : I killed him. I killed that boy.

  [Quiet, scared voice] 

  Johnny : I killed him.

  Ponyboy : I think I'm gonna be sick

  Johnny : Go ahead, man. I won't look at you.

• Darrel Curtis : Listen, with your brains and grades, you could get a scholarship, and we could put you through college, ain't that right, Soda? But you're livin' in a vacuum, Pony, and you're gonna have to cut it out. You just don't stop living because you lose somebody. I thought you knew that. And anytime you don't like the way I'm running things around here, you can just get out, ALRIGHT?

  Ponyboy : YOU'D LIKE THAT, WOULDN'T YOU? YOU'D LIKE ME TO JUST GET THE HELL OUT! Well it's not that easy. Is it, Soda?

  Sodapop Curtis : GODDAMN, YOU GUYS! LEAVE ME OUT OF IT!

• Cherry : How old are ya'll anyway?

  Ponyboy : Fourteen.

  Johnny : Sixteen.

  Marcia : By the looks of it I thought you were both four...

  Cherry : Sixteen.

• Jerry Wood : You guys are three of the bravest kids I've seen in a long time. What are you guys? Professional heroes or somethin'?

  Ponyboy : We're Greasers.

  Jerry Wood : Are-are you kiddin' me?

• Two Bit : Shoot, this house ain't dirty. You ought to see my house.

  Ponyboy : I have and if you had the sense of a billy goat, you'd clean your house up 'stead of bummin' 'round ours.

  Two Bit : Shoot, kid, if I did that, my mom would die of shock.

• [Ponyboy has fainted and is delirious following the death of Johnny and Dally] 

  Ponyboy : Soda, is somebody sick?

  Sodapop Curtis : Yeah, somebody's sick...

• Sodapop Curtis : [runs over to an injured Ponyboy]  Hey Pony... did they pull a blade on you?

  Ponyboy : Yeah...

  Sodapop Curtis : Hey, they ain't gonna hurt you no more.

• Ponyboy : Soda, Soda, are you in love with Sandy?

  Sodapop Curtis : Mhmm...

  Ponyboy : What's it like?

  Sodapop Curtis : Most of the time... it's real nice.

• Ponyboy : I'm freezing, man.

  Dallas : Why didn't you bring a coat, stupid?

  Ponyboy : I forgot.

• Darrel Curtis : Pony, what's wrong?

  Ponyboy : Johnny's dead. Told him about beating the Socs, I don't know. He just died. Told me to stay gold. Dally's gone. He couldn't take it, he's going to blow!

• Two Bit : What are you thinking about me becoming your personal bodyguard huh Ponyboy?

  Ponyboy : I don't think it's too hot of an idea.

• Ponyboy : [sounding weak]  Soda?

  Sodapop Curtis : [quietly]  Yeah?

  Ponyboy : Is somebody sick?

  Sodapop Curtis : Yeah somebody's sick...

  [pause] 

  Sodapop Curtis : Be quiet. Get to sleep.

• [the church is on fire] 

  Johnny : What's going on?

  Ponyboy : Wonder how that started.

  Dallas : Jesus Christ!

• [in the hospital after the church fire] 

  Jerry Wood : You're young. You shouldn't be smoking. It's a hard habit to break.

  Ponyboy : Well, you're smoking.

  Jerry Wood : I'm smoking but, I'm older than you are.

• Two Bit : [offscreen]  Anybody home?

  Ponyboy : In here. Don't slam the door.

  [Two Bit and Steve slam the door as Ponyboy rolls his eyes] 

• Dallas : [after Ponyboy gets jumped]  How's the kid?

  Ponyboy : I'm fine. What are you doin' outta the cooler, Dal?

  Steve : Yeah? And what are you doin' walkin' by your lonesome on the street?

  Ponyboy : It's none of your business, smarty.

  Steve : What do you mean, none of my business? It is my business. Look at my nose!

  Ponyboy : It's huge.

  Steve : Smartass. He is a smartass kid.

• [Ponyboy decides to run away with Johnny] 

  Johnny : What happened?

  Ponyboy : [crying]  Darry hit me.

• Ponyboy : [in the court room]  They pushed me in the fountain and they tried to drown me, and they were gonna beat up Johnny Cade.

• Ponyboy : Great. My first trip to the zoo!

• Ponyboy : [reading the paper]  They're thinking about putting me and Soda in a boys' home. No way! They ain't putting me in no boys' home.

  Steve : Don't worry, Ponyboy, they don't do that to heroes. Hey, where is Soda and Super-dope, anyhow?

• Ponyboy : It was your bright idea, smarty.

• Cherry : What's a nice boy like you doing hanging around with that trash?

  Ponyboy : Dal is my buddy. I'm a Greaser, too. We're all friends.

  Cherry : I'm sorry, I didn't know.

• Two Bit : What did "Mr. Super-Soc" have to say?

  Ponyboy : He ain't a Soc. Just a guy that wanted to talk, that's all.

• Ponyboy : [Complete Novel]  Soda, how come you dropped outta school.

  Sodapop Curtis : I'm dumb. I think alls I was passin' was Auto Mechanics and Gym.

  Ponyboy : You're not dumb.

  Sodapop Curtis : Yeah, I am.

• Cherry : What's your name?

  Ponyboy : Ponyboy Curtis.

  Cherry : That's an original name.

  Ponyboy : Yeah, my dad was an original person. I got a brother named Sodapop. It even says so on his birth certificate.

  Cherry : My name's - Sherry, but my friends call me Cherry because of my hair.

  Ponyboy : Yeah, I know. We go to the same school.

• Johnny : How come y'all ain't scared of us like you was Dally?

  Cherry : You two are too sweet-looking to scare anyone. Besides, I know about Dallas Winston. You two don't look mean.

  Ponyboy : Yeah, right. We're "young and innocent".

  Cherry : No. You're just not dirty.

• Cherry : You think the Socs have it made. The rich kids. The Southside Soc. Well, I'll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it might come as a surprise, but, things are rough all over.

  Ponyboy : Come on. Let's get out of here. Or, Two-Bit will think we eloped to Mexico.

• Two Bit : [to Marcia]  You dig okay, baby. Want a chew?

  Ponyboy : Come on, Two Bit.

  Two Bit : Go on. Help yourself. Put hair on your chest.

  [Marcia giggles] 

• Cherry : What's he like? I feel like I know Soda, for as much as you talk about him. Tell me about Darry. Is he wild and reckless like Soda or - dreamy like you?

  Ponyboy : He ain't like Soda and he sure ain't like me.

• Cherry : If I see you in school and I don't say hi, please don't take it personal. Okay?

  Ponyboy : Yeah, I know.

  Cherry : Really, you're a nice boy and everything.

  Ponyboy : It's okay.

• Ponyboy : Big time Socs, all right. It's always the same.

  Johnny : I can't take much more of this, Ponyboy. I'll kill myself or something. I don't know.

  Ponyboy : Now, Johnny. You can't kill yourself.

  Johnny : I've got to do something. It seems like there's gotta be some place without Greasers, Socs. There must be some place with just plain ordinary people. People.

• Cherry : I only wanted to help. I liked you from the start. The way we talked. Wouldn't you try to help me if you could?

  Ponyboy : Can you see the sunset from the Southside very good?

  Cherry : Yeah. Real good.

  Ponyboy : You can see it from the Northside, too.