American Flyers (1985) Movie Script
1
Eh! Hey!
You've got to be quick.
What?
No!
Oh...
Oh...
Nice move, Bill.
Thanks, Dane.
Wait. Hold-- hold the door.
Could you hit five please?
Thanks.
She told...
She told me she was majoring
in political science.
You've reached the Sommers' residence.
If you leave your name
and the time you called.
We'll get back to you
as soon as possible.
- Hi, mom. It's Marcus.
- Marcus!
I figured it was time
we saw each other again.
I'm on the road right now.
I should be in St. Louis
by dinnertime.
Bye.
Hello, Marcus? Hello?
Shit!
Doreen Shwartz? You're next.
Good afternoon.
Speck and Sommers Talent Agency.
Oh, hi, David.
Yeah, just a second.
Mrs. Sommers,
it's David for you.
- Hi, Davie.
- Mom...
Guess who's coming home
for dinner.
Marcus.
Of course I'm happy, darling.
Mom, think peace. Okay?
Okay. Talk to you later.
Bye.
I think I'm beginning
to like Brussels sprouts.
I'll get it.
Yes, can I help you?
- You bastard.
- Son of a bitch.
- Jesus. Hi.
- Hi.
- You've lost weight.
- No. You've lost touch.
I got taller.
Who poured ugly
all over the walls?
Mom just wallpapered
half the apartment.
Will you tell her
you like it, please.
- No.
- Uh. Mom.
- He's here!
- Hi.
- Sorry I'm late. I got held up.
- It's alright.
Welcome home.
New wallpaper.
It's really nice.
I'm glad you like it.
I think the fish is still warm.
Come on, sit down.
Oh, gee.
I already ate on the road.
In that case, I might as well...
Oh, um, I'll take those, mom.
I got 'em.
Why don't you two uh...
Oh!
I got it. Sorry.
I came home because I'm worried
about Davie.
He should go away to college,
mom.
Look, I'm willing to help pay
if that's a problem.
Come on, Marcus.
Let's not start this again--
I know you don't want to talk
about this. I know that.
But, he-- he is really old
enough to be out on his own.
Yeah.
He's doing just fine
where he is.
He's not doing fine.
He's-- he's almost flunking out.
I have friends on the faculty.
He is not doing well at all.
- Well, he could've if...
- Could've.
He's had a very rough year.
That's our motto.
That's our family motto:
"The Sommers Could've."
I could've.
You could've.
Daddy could've.
Now it's Davie's turn.
We're always looking
for excuses.
- I'll get it.
- I'll tell you about "could."
I could be crazy about you mom,
but I'm not.
And, you could've made dad's
last few weeks a lot easier.
But, you didn't.
I know that.
Yeah, lots.
I got your pictures, Vera.
No, they're nice.
Yeah.
Well, but I am a little
disappointed.
Well, uh...
I never thought that it was
about true love,
you and me,
but I did think it was true sex.
And, now you're telling me that
it was true, but it wasn't free.
I'm not in the modeling
business, Vera. My mother is.
If you want an interview,
you really uh,
you really should call her.
I don't want to fight with you,
Marcus.
I'm too worried about Davie.
He's a smart kid, mom.
He just...
he just needs to get out
of here.
Didn't you look at him when you
walked through that door?
- What?
- You're a doctor.
- Couldn't you tell?
- Tell what?
What's the matter with him?
Kids lose weight for all
kinds of reasons, mom.
You can get dizzy spells from an
ear infection
or even a bad diet.
Have you taken him to a hospital
to have him checked out?
Have you forgotten
he's terrified of hospitals?
Well, I'm a doctor.
Why didn't you call me?
Because I couldn't.
My God, Marcus. The way things
have been between us...
you're the last person
in the world I could turn to.
I just kept hoping the symptoms
would go away.
Well, they're not gonna
go away if it's what Dad had.
Why don't I take him
back with me to Wisconsin?
We'll do a CAT scan.
I'll have him checked out
and I'll call you.
Yeah.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Your rear wheel's not true.
Well, it's better than
the front one.
Yeah?
You got a spoke wrench?
Yes.
Got to take care
of your equipment, Davie.
Yo.
I uh, heard you dropped out
of pre-med.
I've dropped out
of pre-law, too.
That's good, Davie.
So, what are you studying now?
I have a double major.
Eastern philosophy
and cowboy movies.
The Yin, the Yang
and the bang-bang.
Think we can get serious
for a while?
Marcus, what're you trying
to do, be a one-minute brother?
After a year and a half
of phony phone calls,
you finally show up here.
You're...
you're late for dinner
and now...
Now you want to hassle me.
If you're still
concerned,
you can hassle me
in the morning.
I have to get back
to Madison tomorrow.
Why the hell did you bother
coming here then?
There.
Why don't you come with me?
Bring your bike.
We'll ride around.
Just the two of us.
How about it?
Well, I would love to. I just...
I just don't think
I should leave mom here alone.
Hmm, well, mom thinks
it's a pretty good idea.
- What? With you?
- Yeah.
- Ask her yourself.
- I'm gonna.
'Cause either you just
drugged her senseless
or you're gonna be up
for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mom?
Mom says you've been riding
the bike a lot.
Yeah, a little bit.
30, 40 miles a day.
- Ever done any racing?
- Yeah.
- Really?
- Well, not really.
See, I go on these long rides
by myself
and I-- I sort of pretend that
I'm in a race, you know?
I'm trying to get away
and the pack's chasing me...
and then I-- when they get me...
- We sprint, you know.
- Yeah.
It makes the miles go faster.
Keeps my mind off of things.
Do you ever race against me?
Yeah. We had a pretty good one
last week.
- We did?
- Uh-huh.
How did I-- how did I do?
I nipped you at the finish line.
- Bullshit! That's bullshit.
- Ha-ha-ha. Yeah.
You're gonna try out
for the Olympics again?
No. I'm getting a little
too old for that stuff.
Well, at least
you made the team once.
Really? That's funny.
I thought I was an alternate.
- Well, it's the same thing.
- It's not the same thing.
- You could've gone--
- No more "could've." I didn't.
Alright?
Okay.
Look, there are these decisive
moments in bike racing, alright?
When the moment came...
I gave up.
Just set it anywhere.
- Want somethin' to eat?
- No, I'm just sleepy.
If you do, the fridge is full.
- You like this sofa?
- Yeah.
Good.
It's all yours.
This really doesn't look like
a doctor's house.
Well, whenever the newspapers
wrote about "bombed-out Beirut",
this is what I imagined it
looked like.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Oh, shit.
Oh, Sarah, this is David.
- Davie, Sarah.
- Hi.
Nice to meet you.
"Bombed-out Beirut," eh?
If you hear strange noises
coming from the bedroom...
don't worry.
It's just Sarah and I in the
grips of a wild sexual frenzy.
Yeah, sure.
You think he's joking?
No, ma'am.
You sleep tight.
Goodnight, Dave.
Oh...
So, where are you guys
going to ride?
Oh, I thought we'd go
do a few sprints with Eddy.
Be careful, David.
Eddy's a real son of a bitch.
- See you guys later.
- See you.
Bye-bye.
Who's Eddy?
Sarah's right.
He's a real son of a bitch.
Then why are we going to ride
with him?
'Cause he's a good sprinter
and I need to work on my sprint.
I got a big race coming up.
- Good morning, Sarah.
- Good morning.
I'm not in yet.
Good morning, Dennis.
Oh, good morning, Sarah.
How are you doing?
- Fine. And, you?
- Fine.
Want some juice?
Marcus came back last night.
I thought he was gonna be gone
a few days. What happened?
It's his brother, David.
You know the family history.
Yeah?
Well, there's a chance his
brother might have it now.
Oh, Christ.
Well, that family's got a curse
on it, hasn't it?
Sarah's Apache?
She's really Apache?
Yeah, among other things.
She's also Black,
Scotch-Irish, Chinese.
Yeah, I've met all of those
before,
but I've never met an Apache.
Where does this guy Eddy live
anyway? Minnesota?
No, right up there
in this house.
Hey, Eddy!
You coming?
Eddie!
- Aren't we going to wait?
- He'll catch us.
Here he comes.
- That's Eddy?
- Ha-ha-ha. That's him.
You son of a bitch!
You better pump.
How you like Eddy, Dave?
He likes you.
Whoo!
He hasn't eaten, Dave.
- You son of a bitch!
- Look out! Shift down.
Get away.
Get away. Go. Go.
Get out of here, dog.
He took the shoe.
- Ha-ha-ha.
- Marcus, he ate my shoe.
I got-- I got to go back.
He took...
On second thought,
do you want to go back?
Why don't you wait for me out
here, alright?
- Alright.
- I'll be back.
Run to Greece, Billy.
Okay, watch me place...
Davie, come here.
I got somebody I want you to
meet.
I took him for a ride with Eddy today.
- Huh?
- He got his ass chewed off.
Davie, this is
Dr. Dennis Conrad,
the founder of this place.
- David, how're you doing? Fine.
- Good. Yourself?
Let me give you the ten-cent
tour.
Alright.
What we do here in
sports medicine Dave is to,
we try and determine what the
potential of an athlete is
and then do all we can
to help him or her achieve it.
We analyze, we theorize,
proselytize...
sometimes we even sympathize...
but we never, never rationalize.
Never.
What do you think about
of all this?
There's our motto:
"Res firma mitescere nescit."
Which roughly translated means:
"Once you've got it up,
keep it up."
- Oh-okay.
- Right?
- Right.
- Right?
- Right!
- Right.
Hey, are you ready
for the torture test?
I love to torture guys your age.
We just finished a hard ride,
Dennis.
I think maybe he needs time
to rest. Right, Dave?
- Yeah. Maybe tomorrow.
- Yeah.
- You free tomorrow?
- No.
- Excuse me.
- Uh, well, maybe...
Tomorrow it is. Take it easy,
David. Nice meeting you.
Come on, Denise, come on.
I told you about
those damn donuts, didn't I?
You didn't die yet,
so die or do something!
Can I-- can I ask you something?
Does anyone ever say
no to that question?
Go ahead.
Can you speak Apache?
No. Your mother's half French.
Can you speak French?
Uh, no.
I can.
- We're here. Hi.
- Hi.
- Dinner ready?
- Just about.
Good. Davie.
This is Leslie.
Leslie, David.
Hi, uh, I saw her.
I-- I saw you today, didn't I?
Yeah, at the institute.
I saw you, too.
Yeah, well,
nice to see you again.
Yeah, you too.
Butter.
You know, I never expected
Dr. Sommers' place to
look like this.
You've never been here before?
Hmm. No, it's my first time.
Oh.
I wonder who the occasion is?
- Big mistake.
- Why don't we all sit down?
Leslie, why don't you
take the spot right here?
- Davie.
- Yeah. Oh.
- Excuse me.
- Yeah-ah-ha.
Davie's taking our famous
torture test tomorrow.
- Oh, really?
- Yeah.
And, I have a feeling you're
taking yours tonight, Leslie.
Oh, salad. I love salad.
Uh, tomatoes.
Great.
So, Dr. Sommers tells me
you're into Eastern philosophy.
Yeah, I'm sure
Dr. Sommers told you that.
When Dr. Sommers tells you
to come to his house,
to meet his brother
who's into Eastern philosophy...
you really don't have much
choice, do you?
I think you're being very
inconsiderate, Davie.
Uh, my name is David... okay?
And, I'm not being
inconsiderate.
- I think I'd better--
- It's alright, Leslie.
Sit down. Eat your dinner.
Don't mind him.
You don't have to take orders
from him.
You can tell him to go to hell.
You can tell me to go to hell.
- I didn't come here to tell--
- I know how you feel.
Leslie...
You seem like a really nice
girl. And, it's just that I...
For once I'd like to meet a girl
who doesn't know my mother
or my brother--
The world's full of them, Davie.
You have to leave home first.
Well, that's great.
"Dr. Considerate" speaks.
Father dies
and you take off the same day.
Huh?
What was I supposed to do?
I don't think this is the time
to bringing up
family problems, Davie.
- I think I'd better--
- That is alright, Leslie.
I'm not ashamed of my family.
You probably have a mother
yourself, right?
You wouldn't turn your back on
her in a crisis, would you?
She created the goddamn crisis--
Yeah, well, I don't care who
created it! It's...
She was crazy about you, Marcus.
Bragging about her brilliant
son. Everything you did.
I know.
Everything I did was great.
Every time I lost, she convinced
me that I could've won.
But there was no difference
between the two.
Well, I don't think that's so
terrible. Do you, Leslie?
- I think it's terrible.
Well, a lot of people
would call that support.
When dad needed support when he
was dying, where was she?
Huh? Where the hell was she?
David?
You know goddamn well
where she was, Marcus.
She was right there
in that apartment.
Hiding out in the guest room.
She fell apart, okay? People do!
Goddamn it, David,
you were there!
You didn't fall apart.
You heard him calling to her
at night.
I had to plead with her
to go to him.
Alright, tell me, Dr. Sommers,
when people aren't
as strong as you would
like them to be, okay,
and they let you down, have you
ever considered forgiving them?
Oh...
- I'm-- I'm sorry, Leslie.
- Perfect. Just perfect.
It's okay, Leslie.
- Come on, I'll take you home.
- I brought her, I'll take her.
No, this whole thing
was my idea. I'll take her home.
No, thank you.
I'll take mysel...
myself home.
I've got to call my mother.
You never answered my question.
I don't have to answer
your damn question.
Yes, I've considered forgiving
mother many times.
- I almost did many times.
- "Almost" isn't good enough.
Well, why the hell not?
"Almost" is good enough for
everything else in this family,
isn't it, Davie?
Oh, excuse me, David.
It's all computerized, Dave.
The speed will increase.
The grade will increase.
You'll go into oxygen debt.
If you last long enough, you'll
go into oxygen bankruptcy.
Don't worry about it.
I just want to go one second
longer than Marcus.
Oh, you do?
Well, Marcus holds the institute
record with 25 minutes...
and 14 seconds.
- Are you ready?
- Yeah.
There's your clock.
Have a good trip.
This is the torture test?
He's going for 25.
Come on, David!
- Yeah.
- Yeah!
Come on, David.
Keep it up, Dave!
Keep it up! Come on, David!
Come on!
Come on, David, keep it up!
Keep it up!
Come on, David!
Come on! Push harder!
Come on, David!
Come on David, keep it up!
Turn it off.
Turn it off.
It's like "Star Wars" down here.
Warp speed.
Marcus?
I cannot believe you're still planning
to go to Colorado.
Look, I'm going if David
wants to go with me.
He's always wanted to
see the West.
- You've got to tell him.
- I can't, Dennis.
Not now.
Not after what he did today.
I don't want to ruin it for him.
I love him too much for that.
I understand.
Well, I got to run, buddy.
Wait up, Dennis.
I'll walk out with you.
Okay.
Okay.
No big deal.
- Hi.
- Hi.
What are you doing out here?
I just needed some fresh air.
Well, I've been looking all over
the place for you.
Yeah.
You wanna hear the results
of your CAT scan?
- I know the results.
- You do? Who told you?
No one has to tell me.
I'm fine, right?
Physically, you're fine.
You have the cardiovascular
system of King Kong's
first cousin.
Just emotionally, you're a mess.
And, frankly brother, anybody
who wastes the potential
you've got pisses me off.
Yeah, well,
it pisses me off, too.
And, what are you
going to do about it?
I don't know.
Shinto philosophy teaches you to
accept life
as a seasonal occupation.
Sounds like bull Shinto to me.
I really burned your ass
on that treadmill.
Sure, you also beat my
SAT scores.
So, you're great at taking tests
every few years. I mean BFD.
Look, here's the thing...
Shinto.
There's this bike race
in Colorado...
- The Hell of the West.
- Right.
It's the last time I'm gonna
race and I'd really like--
I'd love to.
- What?
- Race.
Give me a break, would you?
I'm trying to talk you into it.
I mean I had a whole speech
prepared
about how we've never raced
together and this might be our
last chance, the Sommers team--
Marcus, there's just one thing.
- What?
- I'm not shaving my legs.
We'll talk about it.
I think maybe we should give mom
a call. What do you think?
- Okay.
- Okay.
Marcus? How is he?
- He's just fine.
- He is?
Yeah, he's clean as a whistle.
Oh, God!
Oh, darling.
Enough already, mom.
You're supposed to be
celebrating.
Oh, darling, I am celebrating.
It's just that I have lived with
this for so long
and Davie's all I've got
any idea.
I was under the impression
that you had two sons.
Marcus, of course I do.
Why, that's not, you know,
that's not what I was going
to say, Marcus, come on.
That's alright.
This whole conversation's
probably not
what I meant to say.
What does that mean?
- It means--
- Davie's alright, isn't he?
Davie's just fine.
He sends his love.
I've got to go, mom.
Marcus, I want you to know,
please understand that I love--
I know, I've got to go.
'Bye.
- How's mom?
- She's fine.
You told her I was okay
and everything right?
- Is this a fish burger in here?
- Yeah.
No. I told her
you got hit by a bus.
What do you think I told her?
Come on, I want to
show you guys something.
- Where are we going?
- Come on.
Remember this?
This is the first of three
stages in this race, David.
The field gets cut in half here.
If you don't finish
in the top half...
- Yeah.
- You're out.
- Pretty fast, huh?
- Yeah.
Well, it gets faster.
Coming in the back,
some of these guys are gonna be
hitting about 60 miles an hour.
- Geez.
- It can get real dangerous.
There's me and Muzzin going at it.
Hey, that's the guy
on the poster in the kitchen.
Mm-hmm. That's Barry Muzzin.
He was my teammate.
My best friend.
He's affectionately known
as "the Cannibal."
- You-- you know him?
- Yes. I was married to him.
- Did you see that?
- See what?
Right there.
Did you see that?
The race is over.
- I quit.
- You qui-- no you didn't.
Shows you how good I am at it.
Nobody can even tell anymore.
That's what it looks like
when you win.
Wow.
This is what it sounds like.
Two points.
Good shot.
- Ah.
- Ah!
I'm starved.
What've you got?
Oh, hey, give her one of these.
- They're great.
- Here, Beck.
I'm tired of granola
and sesame seeds.
Sesame seeds are great, though.
'Cause they're pure protein
and energy.
It might be just what you need.
I need a chocolate shake
and French fries.
And, a Quarter Pounder
with cheese.
Becky, that's flesh.
Have you ever looked in a cow's
eyes when it's killed?
- Yeah.
- You're eating fear, Becky.
You're becoming one with fear.
Besides, I thought we were gonna
live off the land.
I don't see how eating
generic nuts
from the supermarket is living
off the land, you guys.
We made a vow.
Look into the crystal light
and release meat.
I can't believe this.
Hey, what the hell's that?
The Pony Express?
Hey!
Hey, fellas, how about a lift?
I was wondering...
- If dad were alive today--
- Yeah?
Well, they didn't have any cure
for a berry aneurysm
two years ago...
- I was wondering--
- They still don't, David.
If there's a weak blood vessel
and it's located
deep inside the brain,
there's no way to get at it
without destroying
the patient's
vital brain functions.
Meaning the patient
could become a chef's salad.
Yeah, it's-- it's like a heart
attack of the head.
Even if you're in the best shape
in the world,
it can still hit you right out
of the blue.
Yeah, well... the thing is,
you know, you read those stories
you know that,
some bald guy grows hair again,
and now he needs a haircut once
a week, you know...
People doing things through
willpower.
What do you think of that stuff?
Well...
Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight, David.
I always wanted to do that.
'Night.
Hey. Hey!
Don't forget the napkins.
- Can I take your order, please?
- Uh, yeah.
I'd like a Quarter Pounder,
large fries
and a chocolate shake, please.
Okay, it's gonna be just a
minute for your Quarter Pounder.
Would you like a Big Mac
instead?
Okay.
Um, wait, no.
I think...
I'll wait.
Where-- where are you headed?
- California maybe.
- Oh.
- You?
- Colorado.
Where are your friends?
Oh, it didn't work out.
I split.
- It isn't right, Marcus.
- What?
You should tell him the truth,
that's what.
We wouldn't be making this trip
if he knew the truth.
- I think you underestimate him.
- Do you mind? He's my brother!
Maybe I know, maybe I know some
things about him you don't.
Maybe so, but don't use
that tone of voice with me.
You really never
heard of bike racing?
No. Is that what you
were doing today? Racing?
No, that? No, no, no,
we were just
training for this
big race in Colorado.
We gonna ride up to the top
of the Rockies and back again.
It's very dangerous stuff.
One wrong move and you're just
another statistic in
the Hell of the West.
Well, I hope you come
out of it alive.
Yeah.
- Good luck.
- You, too.
Bye.
Bye.
Would you like a ride?
Where, on your handlebars?
- Sounds incredible.
- Marcus, look.
How fast did you say you
guys go on this bikes?
Well, Sixty. Sometimes faster.
No, no...
Hope she's the quiet type.
Not a chance.
She even walks loudly.
Seriously. 300 miles a day.
What? What did she do to her
hair? What is that?
This is Becky Chandler.
Becky, this is my brother,
Marcus.
- This is Sarah.
- Hi. Nice to meet you.
- How's your finger?
- Oh...
Sorry about that.
Thanks for the ride.
Hell of the West, huh?
It sounds great.
So, uh... How far are you
planning to go with us, Becky?
Tell you what, Doc. I'll go
pretty far if it feels good.
Alright.
Ready? I'll get you on a machine
get you warmed up
and have you buffed
up in no time.
I don't like this place.
It smells bad.
That's sweat, Randolph.
And it does not smell bad.
Mama said I didn't
have to do this.
Yeah, you're in Daddy's
sinister clutches now.
And Daddy wants to see his
beloved son
Randolph sweat his ass off.
Dr. Conrad, Line 3.
Come on, I'll put you
on this bike.
Use this one, Randolph.
Hello?
Yes... Who is this, please?
Oh, how do you do?
Well, It's just that
I called his house last night
and I called this morning again
and no one answered, so...
being a hysterical split person
I am, I started to worry.
Oh, no, there's nothing to worry
about, Mrs. Sommers.
The three of them went
on a camping trip.
Right, Marcus, David and Sarah.
Who is Sarah?
The girl he lives with.
Well, I... I just wanted to say
him something to him...
But it can wait.
Come on, Randolph. Move it.
Right, well, I'll have him call
you when he gets back.
You can go faster than that,
damn it.
Yes, ma'am. It was nice "meeting
you," Mrs. Sommers. Bye-bye.
Hey, you're supposed to be
picking out a sport.
So, go ahead pick out a sport.
- I like bowling.
- Bowling?
Bowling is not a sport,
Randolph.
Bowling is just
a big video game.
- Don't get all defrosted, dad.
- Don't do what?
Well, You heard me.
Don't get all defrosted.
How the hell does your mother
put up with you?
Now, look, dad. The way I see
it, there's no black bowlers.
Basketball, yes. Football, yes.
Golf, we got one guy.
But bowling, we got zip.
Think about it.
Boy, bring your ass over here.
We stayed in this same
place two years ago. Remember?
- What do you think?
- I think you better remember.
I think you ought to use a
different tone of voice with me.
It's just the way my parents
are. They're too nice.
I mean, I bring a guy home
and they fall in love with him.
So there were three guys I broke
up with, hanging around my house
you know, watching TV with my
dad, eating my mom's cookies...
I freaked out.
That's what I do.
When in doubt, I freak out.
You must fall in love pretty
easily, huh. Three guys?
Oh, that wasn't love.
- Not love, love.
- Oh.
I knew it was going
to be like that.
I think she's kind of nice.
What does it say on that
T-shirt?
Oh, that's... that's just
that's, Latin.
Latin? What does it say?
Yeah...
"Once you've got
it up, keep it up."
Alright! Where can I get one?
Oh...
Hey, let's do it like they do it
in the Olympics.
How do they do it in Olympics?
- You know, exchange T-shirts.
- Oh.
Yeah.
What are you doing?
If it's the Olympics, you have
to play the national anthem.
Only if you win.
Excuse me. You're not going
to see that.
Okay.
So, about that tone of voice...
What's going on?
- Shake and break.
- What's that?
It's when you're making
a solo breakaway
And you've got a wheel
sucker hangin' on...
so you shake and
break, to shake him off.
Wheel sucker? What's a wheel sucker?
It's when someone who
drafts all the time...
and he won't take his
turn up front.
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah.
Hey, you wheel sucker!
Get up there!
Come on, David.
You want to get them?
Yahoo!
Come on, David. Yeah...
Yeah, yeah.
We got them! We got them!
Hiya, hiya...
Whoo, whoo...
Watch this, Dave.
Give it a race, guys.
You boys ought to
get yourselves a horse.
- Dave.
- Got 'em.
Yeah, Marcus.
Oldest trick in the book, Dave.
That was great.
Second oldest trick in the book.
Hey, Marcus, Look at those buns.
Sarah!
- Whoa.
- What is that?
Looks like we've got a flat.
Oh... man!
We've got to stop.
It's okay.
- Sarah!
- Jerome!
- Look at you.
- How are you doing?
I'm fine.
- It's good to see you.
- It's good seeing you.
You know, I said to Jerome,
"Jerome, that sure looks like
Marcus's van."
Our old team van.
- Hello, Geronimo.
- Hello, Muzzin.
- Where is he?
- Riding.
Yeah, he's great when
it comes to training,
but what's he like
in the clutch?
Come on, Muzzin, you said you
wouldn't gonna start nothing.
You know, Jerome,
women are a real mystery.
In bike racing, the best man
always wins.
But what that hell
is it about some women
that makes them fall
for quitters like Marcus?
You know the bigger
mystery, Jerome...
is what makes "some"
women ever fall
for a rabid dog
like you, Muzzin.
Hey, come on, you two.
Cut it out.
You tell him, Sarah.
He knows I'll win.
But you tell him that I'm gonna
make him
bleed before I beat him.
I don't deliver messages.
You know, sometimes I don't even
hear them.
He'll quit.
I'll make sure of that.
I'll make him die
in the mountains.
Jerome, I consider you a friend.
Would you take this damn
Cannibal
out of my face before
I kill him?
I'm Jerome. You're a damn
Cannibal. That's a big rock.
Let's get out of here.
We got a race to win.
Come on. Bye, Sarah.
Well, I'll be a Fig Newton!
I'm standing here next
to a lady with a past.
And then Jerome says...
"Hey, listen, I'm Jerome.
You're the goddamn Cannibal...
and this is a big rock."
So they left.
Sarah was so tough. So cool.
You guys missed it all.
I am keeping this rock.
I am taking this rock
to college.
Male announcer.' Ladies and
gentlemen we're seven minutes
to the start of the famous
Morgul Bismarck
stage of the Hell of the West.
We're getting the race caravan
organized and ready to begin.
Here come some of
the press people through.
More vehicles coming through.
Team cars,
let's keep the roadway clear.
Mexico, Great Britain, Italy,
Norway team cars
coming through.
Press people, please report
to your vehicles immediately.
We'd like to introduce to you
some of the riders
who are going to be
participating in today's event,
beginning with
the US National Team.
And ladies and gentlemen,
the Soviet National Team...
led by the defending Olympic
champion, Sergei Belov.
And finally, ladies and
gentlemen, the 7-Eleven team
led by our own 1980 Olympian
and winner of the
Hell of the West last year...
Barry "the Cannibal" Muzzin.
Muzzin, Muzzin.
Muzzin, Muzzin.
Over here, Muzzin.
Hey, Muzzin.
Shake that, Belov.
And now, our honorary starter
for today's Hell of the West,
Stage number one...
ladies and gentlemen,
the greatest racing cyclist
in the history of the sport...
Mr. Eddie Merckx.
We will be starting
on the sound of the pistol.
Riders, ready?
Timers, ready?
Male announcer.' We're under
way, the Hell of the West,
Stage number one.
Let's hear it for a big
sendoff.
The Hell of the West,
Stage number one.
We are under way.
This first circuit of the Hell
of the West
is the dreaded Morgul Bismarck.
It's a world championship court
which offers little shade...
steep hills, fast descents...
and the gut-wrenching climb to
the finish line that sits here,
atop the devastating Wall.
Riders who have
raced here before
seldom look forward
to coming back.
And newcomers to a
race of this stature,
unused to riding
in a large pack...
will soon find out why.
This is a race of seven laps,
totaling 91 miles.
A grueling test for any rider.
Sommers, look out!
Watch your line!
Move over, Sommers! Move over!
Here we go, Dave.
Enough of this Sunday stroll.
Let's hurt a little bit.
Go.
10-4. We are rolling in
an ambulance right now.
Three laps down and four to go.
Four to go, four laps yet to go.
Male announcer.' Barry Muzzin
in the 7-Eleven team
followed closely by
the Soviet team...
and Marcus Sommers
of ShaverSport.
Each lap yet to come
on this grueling course
will take its toll
on the riders.
Only the toughest will be
among the first 48...
who will go on to contest
Stages two and three
of the Hell of the West.
Shit!
Tough break, Marcus!
Marcus has got a flat.
Okay, pull up. Quick.
Okay, pull up. Slow up. Come on.
Come on, Sarah.
Come on, baby,
they're leaving us behind.
Come on, honey.
You got it. Good. Good girl.
Now, push.
Push.
Look.
Move it! Move it!
Come on! Pick it up!
You want back in this race!
Pick it up! Come on!
Male announcer.' One lap to go!
Bell lap coming up.
One lap to go! One lap to go!
Here we are!
- Here you go!
- Marcus.
Marcus, water! You need this.
- David.
- Water! Water!
You're 52, David. You've got to
move up. You've got to move up!
Okay.
Male announcer.' The caravan is
in sight, ladies and gentlemen.
They are around the corner,
at the bottom of the Wall.
Here they come.
And in a remarkable recovery,
Marcus Sommers has
regained position
near the front
of the lead group
after a flat tire way
out on the course.
Muzzin, Sommers
and the Soviet, Belov,
fighting it out as
they come up the Wall.
A real neck-and-neck battle
as they come through.
It's going to be a three-way
sprint for the first.
The Americans, Sommers and
Muzzin,
and the Soviet, Belov.
Right now it's Muzzin in front,
Sommers, second.
Sergei Belov of the Soviet team
charging up in third.
And it's Marcus Sommers,
the winner!
Muzzin, second. Sergei Belov,
third place.
Male announcer.' Ladies and
gentlemen, a tremendous finish!
Sommers, Muzzin
and the Soviet, Belov.
- You did it, baby.
- You were great.
Fourteen, 15, 16
riders across the line.
The winners are already in.
And we're counting the
last riders to qualify.
Only the first
48 finishers today
will be able to race tomorrow.
- Where's David? How far back?
- I don't know.
43, 44, 45. Only three more
riders will stay in the race.
46... The rest will have
to wait until next year.
- Is that him?
- It is.
- David.
- Oh!
Come on, David.
Male announcer.' With the field
closing in fast behind them...
two riders, the final two
that will qualify...
and the field is eating them up
coming up the Wall.
Struggling up the Wall
for the final time
in this grueling
Hell of the West.
- And they're down!
- Jesus.
One rider is back up.
He's on his bike and he's going
to finish.
Run with it!
Come on, get going!
Pick it up!
Come on, David.
- Can he do that?
- I don't know.
That's it. Run!
Good Dave. Come on.
Come on, David! A little more!
Good. Good.
Come on, David.
Yes.
Male announcer.' And in a
remarkable finish,
David Sommers
crosses the line 48th,
but carrying his bicycle.
- Can he do that?
- Is that legal?
I think I screwed up.
- Yeah.
- It's okay.
And It's official,
ladies and gentlemen...
David Sommers becomes the 48th
and final qualifier...
to ride Stages two and three
of the Hell of the West.
You got two more stages.
It was a real close
race, wasn't it?
No, shit!
Tell us what it was like
to have ridden 90 miles.
No.
It's a big day
for American cycling
to have two Americans
beat an Olympic champ.
You must feel some pride?
- Come on, walk it off.
- No, no, I'm alright.
I'm okay.
I'm not riding
for America, lady.
I tried riding for America.
I spent four years of my life
working at shitty jobs
So I could train...
and make the Olympic team
and ride for America
and look at me.
Then some fat-asses
in Washington started
having opinions.
The Olympic Committee started
having opinions.
You, you bitch, I know you.
You started writing
your opinions.
So we boycott the Olympics.
I was in the best shape of my
life in the summer of 1980
and I got beat by opinions.
Is that why you're boycotting
the victory ceremony?
What victory?
There's two stages left.
Still, the fact remains...
Which you wouldn't know a fact
if it banged you all night long.
Male announcer.' In first place,
the leader of
the ShaverSport team,
Marcus Sommers.
Okay. Okay. I got one.
I got one. No, it's about David.
Alright, okay.
- What?
- Great.
David was only-- only
ten at the time.
And he comes into my bedroom
and he's looking real serious.
Remember this? He wants
to know what's oral sex.
- Nobody wants to hear this.
- Yes, come on.
- Yes, I want to hear it. Go on.
- Come on, Dave.
You say things about me,
I can say things about you.
So he says, "What's oral sex?"
I tell him, I tell him
"Oral sex is the opposite
of written sex.
"If you read about it,
it's written sex.
If you talk about it, it's..."
- Oral!
- Oral sex!
So, three weeks later,
he goes to a birthday party
up on the third floor
for Sheila Fletcher's.
Who's Sheila Fletcher?
He's comes back in 15 minutes.
Mom and dad want to know
why he came back so quickly.
"Because", he said,
"it was boring."
"Everybody was just standing
around having oral sex."
Well, you got to know my mom.
She flew out of the apartment.
Flew.
- Is your name there?
- Yeah, somewhere.
- David!
- What?
You're only two minutes
and 11 seconds
behind in the standings.
- Is that all?
- That's pretty good.
Marcus, how many rooms
for the leader and the pack?
- One for us, Tom.
- Room 326.
David, how many
rooms do you need?
Two.
And one for us.
- How is your leg?
- It's fine.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Remember, we are racing
tomorrow.
See you then.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
Hey, we are going to win.
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
Mar--
Marcus.
You know, I think this whole
thing was destiny.
- What whole thing?
- You and me.
This trip. Everything.
I mean, there I was at
McDonald's right.
And I wanted a Quarter Pounder.
The girl goes, "We're out.
You'll have to wait.
Do you want a Big Mac?"
I mean Just think. If I hadn't
waited for that
Quarter Pounder, I wouldn't be
here with you.
That's destiny.
See...
There's really--
There's really something
you should know about me, Becky.
You don't have a girl back home,
do you?
No.
- You're not gay, are you?
- No. Hell, no.
- It's just the opposite.
- Then what?
I probably shouldn't be telling
you this but...
I think I'm going to die.
Thank God I'm not the only one.
I think I'm going to die too
if we don't do
something really quick.
- I'll be right back.
- Mm-hmm.
- Stay right here. Promise?
- Yeah.
Now, our national anthem.
They're playing our song.
- David, are you alright?
- It's just my knee.
Listen, we don't have to do
this if you don't want to.
Yes, we do.
Where are you going?
I just want to go over
the course with David.
Oh, no. Come back to bed.
The race isn't until noon.
Oh!
What a beautiful morning.
I love you, Marcus, so much.
- Hi, Tom.
- Good morning.
- Good morning. Yeah
- You're out early!
Look at this, they got
four of these flags
scattered around the course.
Each time you win a sprint
to one of these flags,
you could gain
30 seconds on your time.
Do you understand?
- I'm not an idiot, you know.
- Yeah.
I don't want you
to ride like an idiot.
- What do you mean?
- Look...
You're two minutes
and eleven seconds down, right.
If you win all four of these
sprints,
you'll be only 11 seconds back.
Because nobody knows you,
if you do something stupid
like take off by yourself...
they'll let you go maybe.
Marcus, what's the big deal?
You don't need me. You're winning.
The big deal is we're brothers.
- How is he?
- He won the first stage, Denny.
You should've seen him.
The son of a bitch told me
I couldn't come.
He didn't want me there.
He did it, huh?
I think it's begun, Denny.
Yeah.
I don't suppose he'd consider
not racing today.
I know he's against
it but his mother...
Somebody should call her.
Yeah.
Up...
Up, up...
Another one.
One, two, three...
Shit.
I had a bitch of a workout, Dad.
- You okay, dad?
- No.
Come on, dad. Cheer up.
It's not your fault.
Every black man can't have a son
who's Julius Erving.
Randolph.
- You're soaking wet.
- I sweat.
Funny, doesn't smell like sweat.
I use deodorant.
Go take a shower.
I have to make a phone call.
Good.
Then can we get
something to eat?
Yeah, Randolph, then we can
get something to eat.
Male announcer.' One look
at the lunarscape
of the spectacular Colorado
National Monument
and you understand
why it has come to be known
as "The Tour of the Moon."
The view and terrain are like
nothing on Earth,
with bright red rock formations
tunnels, numerous sheer cliff
drop-offs, and rapid descents.
The race totals 83 miles...
and in 1984 was won
by America's Olympic Champions
Connie Carpenter
and Alexi Grewal.
Okay, get ready.
Do it, David.
Okay, here we go.
- Oh, God!
- It's the breakaway.
David, no!
Goddamn it! No, It's too early.
No. David, you dumbbell.
Let them go, Tommy.
They're nobodies.
They'll die on the hill.
Let them go!
Male announcer.' Here comes the
breakaway group up the hill.
The first rider past the flag
will gain 30 seconds
on his time.
There goes number seven, Ulie,
of the Kelly's team,
starting the sprint
for the flag.
But here comes David Sommers
of ShaverSport.
It looks like these two are
both going for that 30 seconds.
Ulie's in the lead.
But Sommers is coming up hard
of breath.
And it's Sommers who wins that
very valuable 30-second time
advantage.
Let's reel them in.
Yeah.
Male announcer.'
The breakaway group's
coming up
to the second flag now.
David Sommers,
who took the first one,
riding very strongly
at the front again.
And David Sommers indeed takes
the second time flag.
And it looks like he's going
to keep right on going.
The way the chase group is
coming up hard behind them...
he's going to need all these
time bonuses that he can take.
We got them.
Where's Sommers?
Where's the other one?
You son of a bitch!
Marcus, I taught you that move.
Jerome:
We got us a race, Muzzin.
Tommy, Jerome,
come on, let's move it!
Hold your line!
What's the matter with you, man?
Hey, Marcus, look out!
What are you doing?
Oh, no.
Marcus, I'm right here.
Marcus, I'm right here. Okay,
here I am, Marcus. Right here.
Oh, God.
Sarah, what's wrong?
Hang on. Hang on.
Oh, God, Marcus.
- Becky, help me!
- Sure.
We're here.
Hold on!
Oh, God, Marcus!
- Becky, hold the wheel.
- God.
I got him! Slow down Becky.
Okay.
Marcus.
God, Marcus.
Oh, God.
Yeah.
Shit.
Watch your line!
Just hold it against his mouth.
Make sure he can breathe.
What is he doing?
Male announcer.' They're coming
down to the finish line,
and David Sommers
is still in the lead.
But the chase group
is breathing down his neck
and getting closer every second.
The field's in sight,
coming down to the finish.
David Sommers is
still out in front.
But the pack is coming
hard on his heels.
It's going to be a miracle
if he can hold on.
No, they've got him!
They've got him!
David Sommers has been
swallowed up
by the chase group.
Here they go.
And now they're getting ready
to begin the sprint.
Barry Muzzin makes the move on
one side, Belov on the other.
They're neck and neck.
Muzzin and Belov,
Belov and Muzzin.
It's going to be
a fantastic sprint.
And it's going to be...
It looks like Barry Muzzin.
Barry Muzzin and Sergei Belov.
And its going to be
Muzzin, Barry Muzzin.
Sergei Belov, second.
David Sommers
holds on for third.
The rest of the field
coming through...
zeezler, Jerome..
You're number one.
We're winning. We're gonna win.
All the way.
David, you uncorked
the big one today.
- Where's Marcus?
- Please, get out of my way!
David!
It's Marcus. We've got to go!
Please, come on!
So, how much time
did you make up?
Two minutes.
We did it, huh?
You did it.
Marcus, what the hell
is going on?
Remember when we were
out front, talking?
I told you that you were fine,
free of diseases, didn't I?
Yeah, but you never told me
anything about yourself.
I wanted you to come with me.
I wanted us...
You remember, the two of us,
the Sommers team...
Did it ever occur to you
that you could've told me?
That maybe, just maybe I might
pull through for you?
I mean, How many
goddamn brothers
do you think I have anyway?
Son of a bitch.
It's a good thing
you dropped out of pre-med.
Your bedside manners
are atrocious.
How can you be sick anyway?
Just, look at yourself,
what you've got...
You have a moustache
and everything..
I had this all figured out.
How to handle this, if it's me.
But not you.
I don't know what to feel,
Marcus. What am I...
Am I supposed to feel happy
that it's you and not me?
- Is that what?
- No.
Well, then what?
Be strong, now, okay?
Okay.
Thank you, Becky.
You have to finish the race.
You're crazy, you know that.
I think you've eaten
too many bananas.
- It's not over.
- Yo, it's over for me.
Don't you understand?
The race isn't important now.
It's you.
Yeah? What are you
gonna do for me?
I don't know.
We're take you to a hospital.
David, I don't know
how much time I have left.
Maybe a few days, maybe more,
but basically there's really
nothing they can do for me.
Come on.
Help me with this.
I want to sit up.
Yo, I'm not trying to be
a hero, you know that.
It's just...
It's just that
I not gonna let them
turn me into
a chef's salad, either.
Okay.
Then I'll stay here with you.
But I can't race tomorrow.
That's just great, David.
That's just great.
And then years from now,
you'll tell your kids,
"That there was
this race in Colorado
"and I could've done just great
if my brother
hadn't gotten sick."
You're no gonna
use me as an excuse.
I'm not listening
to you anymore.
Goddamn it, David!
I'm still alive,
so don't ignore me.
Sarah...
What happened to Marcus?
He had some trouble.
I hope he feels better,
Geronimo.
Thanks, Cannibal.
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine. Why?
You sound half-human.
I am half-human.
I was in your office when you
and Dr. Conrad were talking.
- Do you remember what you said?
- Oh, come on, David.
"I don't wanna ruin it
for him," you said.
"I love him too much for that."
You remember?
No.
Well, I...
I swore that one day
I was gonna say it to your face.
Come on, you have to look at me.
Are we gonna do this
the hard way?
Hmm?
I love you, too, Marcus.
So, what's our plan?
Stage three.
Male announcer.' Good morning,
ladies and gentlemen
and welcome to Golden,
Colorado...
site of the third
and final stage
of a race they call
the Hell of the West.
It looks like we're in
for a great day here today.
Ann Navarro.
Ann Navarro, please report
to the timers booth
immediately.
Mr. Greenberg. Mr. Greenberg,
meet Andy on the starting line.
Before we get started, I would
like to introduce to you
the main contenders
in this competition.
Beginning with the rider
in third place overall...
11 seconds behind the leader,
David Sommers.
In second place overall,
from the Soviet Union...
only two seconds behind
the leader,
Sergei Belov.
Male announcer:
And ladies and gentlemen,
last year's winner of
the Hell of the West...
the race leader today
going into the third
and final stage...
Barry "The Cannibal" Muzzin.
We're just minutes from
the start of the competition.
All caravan drivers, please
report to your vehicles.
All officials, please
report to your vehicles.
Male announcer.'
Oh, and here's a surprise.
The Russians are getting
things going early here
with Belov is sending
a teammate up the road,
this is gonna force the others
riders to do the chasing.
And it's gonna take
some of the sap out of them
if they're not able
to hold the pace.
The weaker ones are certainly
gonna get burned off
and not be able to make
the grueling climbs coming up.
Over 100 miles to go
and the Russians...
are really making things pop
right off the bat here.
Belov must have a lot of
confidence in his ability
to have start a breakaway
so early in a race like this.
It's no fun up front,
is it? Huh?
I must be hallucinating.
That looks like Randolph.
It is Randolph.
Who's Randolph?
What the hell...
Sarah, pull over.
Mrs. Sommers, don't!
- Mom, don't!
- No!
Do you want to go with us?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Dennis...
go around.
We'll follow you.
Come on, let's go, Randolph.
Hi.
You must be Sarah.
Yes. Mrs. Sommers.
How do you do?
- Hi, I'm Becky.
- Hi.
Okay, let's go.
Male announcer.' Golden to
Mount Evans race is the third
and final stage
of the Hell of the West.
And it's also
the most difficult.
It starts at the Coors Brewery
in Golden, Colorado
and begins a spectacular climb
over 6,000 feet
into the Rocky Mountains
finishing nearly 12,000
feet above sea level.
And that's over the highest
paved road in North America.
Not many of these cyclists have
ever raced at this altitude.
In Europe, for instance,
the courses through the Alps
are much, much lower.
It's a torturous course.
And even the fittest athletes
can't get enough air
to maintain a normal speed.
Notice anything
unusual, Randolph?
Yeah, I have jet lag.
Hardly any black
riders out there.
- Think about it.
- I don't have a bicycle, dad.
Hey, your birthday's coming up.
I want a bowling ball.
"Bowling ball."
I'm still here, Belov.
Right on your red ass.
Think about this, Belov.
I'm behind you, but I'm
really two seconds ahead.
Are you nuts?
He doesn't understand English.
He understands.
Don't you, Belov?
You know why you won
the Olympics?
Because I wasn't there.
Well, now I'm here.
Only I'm not here.
I'm two seconds ahead.
He does understand English.
Up, Dave. Up.
Up, Dave.
Atta boy.
- Get him, Belov.
- You go get him.
Male announcer.' Ten miles
to go and David Sommers
is trying to steal this race
from Muzzin and Belov.
He's been very aggressive
this last miles,
forcing them to
chase very hard.
These last few miles
we've seen many riders
dropping by the wayside
as the lack of oxygen
grows more and more severe.
He's going all out early.
Do you think I should
pull over and wait?
No, Let's go up
to the finish line.
It's his race, let him ride it.
Here we go, Sommers.
Okay, we got him.
Now...
just sit back
and you've got second locked up.
Okay?
Okay.
Shit!
I gave you a chance, Sommers.
- Now all bets are off.
- No.
No.
Male announcer.' It's looks
like David Sommers
in the lead,
coming around the corner.
But even if he crosses
the line first
Muzzin still has an 11 second
time advantage overall.
If Muzzin crosses the line
less than 11 seconds
after Sommers
Muzzin will still be the winner
of the Hell of the West.
David!
Come on, David!
Come on, kid!
Come on.
Alright!
Male announcer.' Sommers is
finished. Then he will
become the overall winner...
if Muzzin doesn't
cross the finish line
in the next 11 seconds.
Four,
five,
six,
seven,
eight,
nine,
ten,
eleven.
Male announcer.'
Muzzin didn't make it.
David Sommers wins
the final stage and clinches
the overall victory in
the Hell of the West.
A fantastic performance
by this young newcomer.
He has proved to the veterans
here this year,
and made quite
a name for himself.
Young David Sommers,
a fantastic job here!
Let's give all these riders
a nice, big round of applause
as they come in.
What a finish here today!
- Shake hands, guys.
- Get the hand shake.
- Let's get a smile.
- Come on, David.
Mrs. Sommers,
would you come up here?
Yo, give me a good pic.
How about some smiles?
- Come on.
- Come on.
Next year.
Hey, how about some smiles?
Come on.
That's it.
Hold that! Hold that!
Eh! Hey!
You've got to be quick.
What?
No!
Oh...
Oh...
Nice move, Bill.
Thanks, Dane.
Wait. Hold-- hold the door.
Could you hit five please?
Thanks.
She told...
She told me she was majoring
in political science.
You've reached the Sommers' residence.
If you leave your name
and the time you called.
We'll get back to you
as soon as possible.
- Hi, mom. It's Marcus.
- Marcus!
I figured it was time
we saw each other again.
I'm on the road right now.
I should be in St. Louis
by dinnertime.
Bye.
Hello, Marcus? Hello?
Shit!
Doreen Shwartz? You're next.
Good afternoon.
Speck and Sommers Talent Agency.
Oh, hi, David.
Yeah, just a second.
Mrs. Sommers,
it's David for you.
- Hi, Davie.
- Mom...
Guess who's coming home
for dinner.
Marcus.
Of course I'm happy, darling.
Mom, think peace. Okay?
Okay. Talk to you later.
Bye.
I think I'm beginning
to like Brussels sprouts.
I'll get it.
Yes, can I help you?
- You bastard.
- Son of a bitch.
- Jesus. Hi.
- Hi.
- You've lost weight.
- No. You've lost touch.
I got taller.
Who poured ugly
all over the walls?
Mom just wallpapered
half the apartment.
Will you tell her
you like it, please.
- No.
- Uh. Mom.
- He's here!
- Hi.
- Sorry I'm late. I got held up.
- It's alright.
Welcome home.
New wallpaper.
It's really nice.
I'm glad you like it.
I think the fish is still warm.
Come on, sit down.
Oh, gee.
I already ate on the road.
In that case, I might as well...
Oh, um, I'll take those, mom.
I got 'em.
Why don't you two uh...
Oh!
I got it. Sorry.
I came home because I'm worried
about Davie.
He should go away to college,
mom.
Look, I'm willing to help pay
if that's a problem.
Come on, Marcus.
Let's not start this again--
I know you don't want to talk
about this. I know that.
But, he-- he is really old
enough to be out on his own.
Yeah.
He's doing just fine
where he is.
He's not doing fine.
He's-- he's almost flunking out.
I have friends on the faculty.
He is not doing well at all.
- Well, he could've if...
- Could've.
He's had a very rough year.
That's our motto.
That's our family motto:
"The Sommers Could've."
I could've.
You could've.
Daddy could've.
Now it's Davie's turn.
We're always looking
for excuses.
- I'll get it.
- I'll tell you about "could."
I could be crazy about you mom,
but I'm not.
And, you could've made dad's
last few weeks a lot easier.
But, you didn't.
I know that.
Yeah, lots.
I got your pictures, Vera.
No, they're nice.
Yeah.
Well, but I am a little
disappointed.
Well, uh...
I never thought that it was
about true love,
you and me,
but I did think it was true sex.
And, now you're telling me that
it was true, but it wasn't free.
I'm not in the modeling
business, Vera. My mother is.
If you want an interview,
you really uh,
you really should call her.
I don't want to fight with you,
Marcus.
I'm too worried about Davie.
He's a smart kid, mom.
He just...
he just needs to get out
of here.
Didn't you look at him when you
walked through that door?
- What?
- You're a doctor.
- Couldn't you tell?
- Tell what?
What's the matter with him?
Kids lose weight for all
kinds of reasons, mom.
You can get dizzy spells from an
ear infection
or even a bad diet.
Have you taken him to a hospital
to have him checked out?
Have you forgotten
he's terrified of hospitals?
Well, I'm a doctor.
Why didn't you call me?
Because I couldn't.
My God, Marcus. The way things
have been between us...
you're the last person
in the world I could turn to.
I just kept hoping the symptoms
would go away.
Well, they're not gonna
go away if it's what Dad had.
Why don't I take him
back with me to Wisconsin?
We'll do a CAT scan.
I'll have him checked out
and I'll call you.
Yeah.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Your rear wheel's not true.
Well, it's better than
the front one.
Yeah?
You got a spoke wrench?
Yes.
Got to take care
of your equipment, Davie.
Yo.
I uh, heard you dropped out
of pre-med.
I've dropped out
of pre-law, too.
That's good, Davie.
So, what are you studying now?
I have a double major.
Eastern philosophy
and cowboy movies.
The Yin, the Yang
and the bang-bang.
Think we can get serious
for a while?
Marcus, what're you trying
to do, be a one-minute brother?
After a year and a half
of phony phone calls,
you finally show up here.
You're...
you're late for dinner
and now...
Now you want to hassle me.
If you're still
concerned,
you can hassle me
in the morning.
I have to get back
to Madison tomorrow.
Why the hell did you bother
coming here then?
There.
Why don't you come with me?
Bring your bike.
We'll ride around.
Just the two of us.
How about it?
Well, I would love to. I just...
I just don't think
I should leave mom here alone.
Hmm, well, mom thinks
it's a pretty good idea.
- What? With you?
- Yeah.
- Ask her yourself.
- I'm gonna.
'Cause either you just
drugged her senseless
or you're gonna be up
for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mom?
Mom says you've been riding
the bike a lot.
Yeah, a little bit.
30, 40 miles a day.
- Ever done any racing?
- Yeah.
- Really?
- Well, not really.
See, I go on these long rides
by myself
and I-- I sort of pretend that
I'm in a race, you know?
I'm trying to get away
and the pack's chasing me...
and then I-- when they get me...
- We sprint, you know.
- Yeah.
It makes the miles go faster.
Keeps my mind off of things.
Do you ever race against me?
Yeah. We had a pretty good one
last week.
- We did?
- Uh-huh.
How did I-- how did I do?
I nipped you at the finish line.
- Bullshit! That's bullshit.
- Ha-ha-ha. Yeah.
You're gonna try out
for the Olympics again?
No. I'm getting a little
too old for that stuff.
Well, at least
you made the team once.
Really? That's funny.
I thought I was an alternate.
- Well, it's the same thing.
- It's not the same thing.
- You could've gone--
- No more "could've." I didn't.
Alright?
Okay.
Look, there are these decisive
moments in bike racing, alright?
When the moment came...
I gave up.
Just set it anywhere.
- Want somethin' to eat?
- No, I'm just sleepy.
If you do, the fridge is full.
- You like this sofa?
- Yeah.
Good.
It's all yours.
This really doesn't look like
a doctor's house.
Well, whenever the newspapers
wrote about "bombed-out Beirut",
this is what I imagined it
looked like.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Oh, shit.
Oh, Sarah, this is David.
- Davie, Sarah.
- Hi.
Nice to meet you.
"Bombed-out Beirut," eh?
If you hear strange noises
coming from the bedroom...
don't worry.
It's just Sarah and I in the
grips of a wild sexual frenzy.
Yeah, sure.
You think he's joking?
No, ma'am.
You sleep tight.
Goodnight, Dave.
Oh...
So, where are you guys
going to ride?
Oh, I thought we'd go
do a few sprints with Eddy.
Be careful, David.
Eddy's a real son of a bitch.
- See you guys later.
- See you.
Bye-bye.
Who's Eddy?
Sarah's right.
He's a real son of a bitch.
Then why are we going to ride
with him?
'Cause he's a good sprinter
and I need to work on my sprint.
I got a big race coming up.
- Good morning, Sarah.
- Good morning.
I'm not in yet.
Good morning, Dennis.
Oh, good morning, Sarah.
How are you doing?
- Fine. And, you?
- Fine.
Want some juice?
Marcus came back last night.
I thought he was gonna be gone
a few days. What happened?
It's his brother, David.
You know the family history.
Yeah?
Well, there's a chance his
brother might have it now.
Oh, Christ.
Well, that family's got a curse
on it, hasn't it?
Sarah's Apache?
She's really Apache?
Yeah, among other things.
She's also Black,
Scotch-Irish, Chinese.
Yeah, I've met all of those
before,
but I've never met an Apache.
Where does this guy Eddy live
anyway? Minnesota?
No, right up there
in this house.
Hey, Eddy!
You coming?
Eddie!
- Aren't we going to wait?
- He'll catch us.
Here he comes.
- That's Eddy?
- Ha-ha-ha. That's him.
You son of a bitch!
You better pump.
How you like Eddy, Dave?
He likes you.
Whoo!
He hasn't eaten, Dave.
- You son of a bitch!
- Look out! Shift down.
Get away.
Get away. Go. Go.
Get out of here, dog.
He took the shoe.
- Ha-ha-ha.
- Marcus, he ate my shoe.
I got-- I got to go back.
He took...
On second thought,
do you want to go back?
Why don't you wait for me out
here, alright?
- Alright.
- I'll be back.
Run to Greece, Billy.
Okay, watch me place...
Davie, come here.
I got somebody I want you to
meet.
I took him for a ride with Eddy today.
- Huh?
- He got his ass chewed off.
Davie, this is
Dr. Dennis Conrad,
the founder of this place.
- David, how're you doing? Fine.
- Good. Yourself?
Let me give you the ten-cent
tour.
Alright.
What we do here in
sports medicine Dave is to,
we try and determine what the
potential of an athlete is
and then do all we can
to help him or her achieve it.
We analyze, we theorize,
proselytize...
sometimes we even sympathize...
but we never, never rationalize.
Never.
What do you think about
of all this?
There's our motto:
"Res firma mitescere nescit."
Which roughly translated means:
"Once you've got it up,
keep it up."
- Oh-okay.
- Right?
- Right.
- Right?
- Right!
- Right.
Hey, are you ready
for the torture test?
I love to torture guys your age.
We just finished a hard ride,
Dennis.
I think maybe he needs time
to rest. Right, Dave?
- Yeah. Maybe tomorrow.
- Yeah.
- You free tomorrow?
- No.
- Excuse me.
- Uh, well, maybe...
Tomorrow it is. Take it easy,
David. Nice meeting you.
Come on, Denise, come on.
I told you about
those damn donuts, didn't I?
You didn't die yet,
so die or do something!
Can I-- can I ask you something?
Does anyone ever say
no to that question?
Go ahead.
Can you speak Apache?
No. Your mother's half French.
Can you speak French?
Uh, no.
I can.
- We're here. Hi.
- Hi.
- Dinner ready?
- Just about.
Good. Davie.
This is Leslie.
Leslie, David.
Hi, uh, I saw her.
I-- I saw you today, didn't I?
Yeah, at the institute.
I saw you, too.
Yeah, well,
nice to see you again.
Yeah, you too.
Butter.
You know, I never expected
Dr. Sommers' place to
look like this.
You've never been here before?
Hmm. No, it's my first time.
Oh.
I wonder who the occasion is?
- Big mistake.
- Why don't we all sit down?
Leslie, why don't you
take the spot right here?
- Davie.
- Yeah. Oh.
- Excuse me.
- Yeah-ah-ha.
Davie's taking our famous
torture test tomorrow.
- Oh, really?
- Yeah.
And, I have a feeling you're
taking yours tonight, Leslie.
Oh, salad. I love salad.
Uh, tomatoes.
Great.
So, Dr. Sommers tells me
you're into Eastern philosophy.
Yeah, I'm sure
Dr. Sommers told you that.
When Dr. Sommers tells you
to come to his house,
to meet his brother
who's into Eastern philosophy...
you really don't have much
choice, do you?
I think you're being very
inconsiderate, Davie.
Uh, my name is David... okay?
And, I'm not being
inconsiderate.
- I think I'd better--
- It's alright, Leslie.
Sit down. Eat your dinner.
Don't mind him.
You don't have to take orders
from him.
You can tell him to go to hell.
You can tell me to go to hell.
- I didn't come here to tell--
- I know how you feel.
Leslie...
You seem like a really nice
girl. And, it's just that I...
For once I'd like to meet a girl
who doesn't know my mother
or my brother--
The world's full of them, Davie.
You have to leave home first.
Well, that's great.
"Dr. Considerate" speaks.
Father dies
and you take off the same day.
Huh?
What was I supposed to do?
I don't think this is the time
to bringing up
family problems, Davie.
- I think I'd better--
- That is alright, Leslie.
I'm not ashamed of my family.
You probably have a mother
yourself, right?
You wouldn't turn your back on
her in a crisis, would you?
She created the goddamn crisis--
Yeah, well, I don't care who
created it! It's...
She was crazy about you, Marcus.
Bragging about her brilliant
son. Everything you did.
I know.
Everything I did was great.
Every time I lost, she convinced
me that I could've won.
But there was no difference
between the two.
Well, I don't think that's so
terrible. Do you, Leslie?
- I think it's terrible.
Well, a lot of people
would call that support.
When dad needed support when he
was dying, where was she?
Huh? Where the hell was she?
David?
You know goddamn well
where she was, Marcus.
She was right there
in that apartment.
Hiding out in the guest room.
She fell apart, okay? People do!
Goddamn it, David,
you were there!
You didn't fall apart.
You heard him calling to her
at night.
I had to plead with her
to go to him.
Alright, tell me, Dr. Sommers,
when people aren't
as strong as you would
like them to be, okay,
and they let you down, have you
ever considered forgiving them?
Oh...
- I'm-- I'm sorry, Leslie.
- Perfect. Just perfect.
It's okay, Leslie.
- Come on, I'll take you home.
- I brought her, I'll take her.
No, this whole thing
was my idea. I'll take her home.
No, thank you.
I'll take mysel...
myself home.
I've got to call my mother.
You never answered my question.
I don't have to answer
your damn question.
Yes, I've considered forgiving
mother many times.
- I almost did many times.
- "Almost" isn't good enough.
Well, why the hell not?
"Almost" is good enough for
everything else in this family,
isn't it, Davie?
Oh, excuse me, David.
It's all computerized, Dave.
The speed will increase.
The grade will increase.
You'll go into oxygen debt.
If you last long enough, you'll
go into oxygen bankruptcy.
Don't worry about it.
I just want to go one second
longer than Marcus.
Oh, you do?
Well, Marcus holds the institute
record with 25 minutes...
and 14 seconds.
- Are you ready?
- Yeah.
There's your clock.
Have a good trip.
This is the torture test?
He's going for 25.
Come on, David!
- Yeah.
- Yeah!
Come on, David.
Keep it up, Dave!
Keep it up! Come on, David!
Come on!
Come on, David, keep it up!
Keep it up!
Come on, David!
Come on! Push harder!
Come on, David!
Come on David, keep it up!
Turn it off.
Turn it off.
It's like "Star Wars" down here.
Warp speed.
Marcus?
I cannot believe you're still planning
to go to Colorado.
Look, I'm going if David
wants to go with me.
He's always wanted to
see the West.
- You've got to tell him.
- I can't, Dennis.
Not now.
Not after what he did today.
I don't want to ruin it for him.
I love him too much for that.
I understand.
Well, I got to run, buddy.
Wait up, Dennis.
I'll walk out with you.
Okay.
Okay.
No big deal.
- Hi.
- Hi.
What are you doing out here?
I just needed some fresh air.
Well, I've been looking all over
the place for you.
Yeah.
You wanna hear the results
of your CAT scan?
- I know the results.
- You do? Who told you?
No one has to tell me.
I'm fine, right?
Physically, you're fine.
You have the cardiovascular
system of King Kong's
first cousin.
Just emotionally, you're a mess.
And, frankly brother, anybody
who wastes the potential
you've got pisses me off.
Yeah, well,
it pisses me off, too.
And, what are you
going to do about it?
I don't know.
Shinto philosophy teaches you to
accept life
as a seasonal occupation.
Sounds like bull Shinto to me.
I really burned your ass
on that treadmill.
Sure, you also beat my
SAT scores.
So, you're great at taking tests
every few years. I mean BFD.
Look, here's the thing...
Shinto.
There's this bike race
in Colorado...
- The Hell of the West.
- Right.
It's the last time I'm gonna
race and I'd really like--
I'd love to.
- What?
- Race.
Give me a break, would you?
I'm trying to talk you into it.
I mean I had a whole speech
prepared
about how we've never raced
together and this might be our
last chance, the Sommers team--
Marcus, there's just one thing.
- What?
- I'm not shaving my legs.
We'll talk about it.
I think maybe we should give mom
a call. What do you think?
- Okay.
- Okay.
Marcus? How is he?
- He's just fine.
- He is?
Yeah, he's clean as a whistle.
Oh, God!
Oh, darling.
Enough already, mom.
You're supposed to be
celebrating.
Oh, darling, I am celebrating.
It's just that I have lived with
this for so long
and Davie's all I've got
any idea.
I was under the impression
that you had two sons.
Marcus, of course I do.
Why, that's not, you know,
that's not what I was going
to say, Marcus, come on.
That's alright.
This whole conversation's
probably not
what I meant to say.
What does that mean?
- It means--
- Davie's alright, isn't he?
Davie's just fine.
He sends his love.
I've got to go, mom.
Marcus, I want you to know,
please understand that I love--
I know, I've got to go.
'Bye.
- How's mom?
- She's fine.
You told her I was okay
and everything right?
- Is this a fish burger in here?
- Yeah.
No. I told her
you got hit by a bus.
What do you think I told her?
Come on, I want to
show you guys something.
- Where are we going?
- Come on.
Remember this?
This is the first of three
stages in this race, David.
The field gets cut in half here.
If you don't finish
in the top half...
- Yeah.
- You're out.
- Pretty fast, huh?
- Yeah.
Well, it gets faster.
Coming in the back,
some of these guys are gonna be
hitting about 60 miles an hour.
- Geez.
- It can get real dangerous.
There's me and Muzzin going at it.
Hey, that's the guy
on the poster in the kitchen.
Mm-hmm. That's Barry Muzzin.
He was my teammate.
My best friend.
He's affectionately known
as "the Cannibal."
- You-- you know him?
- Yes. I was married to him.
- Did you see that?
- See what?
Right there.
Did you see that?
The race is over.
- I quit.
- You qui-- no you didn't.
Shows you how good I am at it.
Nobody can even tell anymore.
That's what it looks like
when you win.
Wow.
This is what it sounds like.
Two points.
Good shot.
- Ah.
- Ah!
I'm starved.
What've you got?
Oh, hey, give her one of these.
- They're great.
- Here, Beck.
I'm tired of granola
and sesame seeds.
Sesame seeds are great, though.
'Cause they're pure protein
and energy.
It might be just what you need.
I need a chocolate shake
and French fries.
And, a Quarter Pounder
with cheese.
Becky, that's flesh.
Have you ever looked in a cow's
eyes when it's killed?
- Yeah.
- You're eating fear, Becky.
You're becoming one with fear.
Besides, I thought we were gonna
live off the land.
I don't see how eating
generic nuts
from the supermarket is living
off the land, you guys.
We made a vow.
Look into the crystal light
and release meat.
I can't believe this.
Hey, what the hell's that?
The Pony Express?
Hey!
Hey, fellas, how about a lift?
I was wondering...
- If dad were alive today--
- Yeah?
Well, they didn't have any cure
for a berry aneurysm
two years ago...
- I was wondering--
- They still don't, David.
If there's a weak blood vessel
and it's located
deep inside the brain,
there's no way to get at it
without destroying
the patient's
vital brain functions.
Meaning the patient
could become a chef's salad.
Yeah, it's-- it's like a heart
attack of the head.
Even if you're in the best shape
in the world,
it can still hit you right out
of the blue.
Yeah, well... the thing is,
you know, you read those stories
you know that,
some bald guy grows hair again,
and now he needs a haircut once
a week, you know...
People doing things through
willpower.
What do you think of that stuff?
Well...
Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight, David.
I always wanted to do that.
'Night.
Hey. Hey!
Don't forget the napkins.
- Can I take your order, please?
- Uh, yeah.
I'd like a Quarter Pounder,
large fries
and a chocolate shake, please.
Okay, it's gonna be just a
minute for your Quarter Pounder.
Would you like a Big Mac
instead?
Okay.
Um, wait, no.
I think...
I'll wait.
Where-- where are you headed?
- California maybe.
- Oh.
- You?
- Colorado.
Where are your friends?
Oh, it didn't work out.
I split.
- It isn't right, Marcus.
- What?
You should tell him the truth,
that's what.
We wouldn't be making this trip
if he knew the truth.
- I think you underestimate him.
- Do you mind? He's my brother!
Maybe I know, maybe I know some
things about him you don't.
Maybe so, but don't use
that tone of voice with me.
You really never
heard of bike racing?
No. Is that what you
were doing today? Racing?
No, that? No, no, no,
we were just
training for this
big race in Colorado.
We gonna ride up to the top
of the Rockies and back again.
It's very dangerous stuff.
One wrong move and you're just
another statistic in
the Hell of the West.
Well, I hope you come
out of it alive.
Yeah.
- Good luck.
- You, too.
Bye.
Bye.
Would you like a ride?
Where, on your handlebars?
- Sounds incredible.
- Marcus, look.
How fast did you say you
guys go on this bikes?
Well, Sixty. Sometimes faster.
No, no...
Hope she's the quiet type.
Not a chance.
She even walks loudly.
Seriously. 300 miles a day.
What? What did she do to her
hair? What is that?
This is Becky Chandler.
Becky, this is my brother,
Marcus.
- This is Sarah.
- Hi. Nice to meet you.
- How's your finger?
- Oh...
Sorry about that.
Thanks for the ride.
Hell of the West, huh?
It sounds great.
So, uh... How far are you
planning to go with us, Becky?
Tell you what, Doc. I'll go
pretty far if it feels good.
Alright.
Ready? I'll get you on a machine
get you warmed up
and have you buffed
up in no time.
I don't like this place.
It smells bad.
That's sweat, Randolph.
And it does not smell bad.
Mama said I didn't
have to do this.
Yeah, you're in Daddy's
sinister clutches now.
And Daddy wants to see his
beloved son
Randolph sweat his ass off.
Dr. Conrad, Line 3.
Come on, I'll put you
on this bike.
Use this one, Randolph.
Hello?
Yes... Who is this, please?
Oh, how do you do?
Well, It's just that
I called his house last night
and I called this morning again
and no one answered, so...
being a hysterical split person
I am, I started to worry.
Oh, no, there's nothing to worry
about, Mrs. Sommers.
The three of them went
on a camping trip.
Right, Marcus, David and Sarah.
Who is Sarah?
The girl he lives with.
Well, I... I just wanted to say
him something to him...
But it can wait.
Come on, Randolph. Move it.
Right, well, I'll have him call
you when he gets back.
You can go faster than that,
damn it.
Yes, ma'am. It was nice "meeting
you," Mrs. Sommers. Bye-bye.
Hey, you're supposed to be
picking out a sport.
So, go ahead pick out a sport.
- I like bowling.
- Bowling?
Bowling is not a sport,
Randolph.
Bowling is just
a big video game.
- Don't get all defrosted, dad.
- Don't do what?
Well, You heard me.
Don't get all defrosted.
How the hell does your mother
put up with you?
Now, look, dad. The way I see
it, there's no black bowlers.
Basketball, yes. Football, yes.
Golf, we got one guy.
But bowling, we got zip.
Think about it.
Boy, bring your ass over here.
We stayed in this same
place two years ago. Remember?
- What do you think?
- I think you better remember.
I think you ought to use a
different tone of voice with me.
It's just the way my parents
are. They're too nice.
I mean, I bring a guy home
and they fall in love with him.
So there were three guys I broke
up with, hanging around my house
you know, watching TV with my
dad, eating my mom's cookies...
I freaked out.
That's what I do.
When in doubt, I freak out.
You must fall in love pretty
easily, huh. Three guys?
Oh, that wasn't love.
- Not love, love.
- Oh.
I knew it was going
to be like that.
I think she's kind of nice.
What does it say on that
T-shirt?
Oh, that's... that's just
that's, Latin.
Latin? What does it say?
Yeah...
"Once you've got
it up, keep it up."
Alright! Where can I get one?
Oh...
Hey, let's do it like they do it
in the Olympics.
How do they do it in Olympics?
- You know, exchange T-shirts.
- Oh.
Yeah.
What are you doing?
If it's the Olympics, you have
to play the national anthem.
Only if you win.
Excuse me. You're not going
to see that.
Okay.
So, about that tone of voice...
What's going on?
- Shake and break.
- What's that?
It's when you're making
a solo breakaway
And you've got a wheel
sucker hangin' on...
so you shake and
break, to shake him off.
Wheel sucker? What's a wheel sucker?
It's when someone who
drafts all the time...
and he won't take his
turn up front.
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah.
Hey, you wheel sucker!
Get up there!
Come on, David.
You want to get them?
Yahoo!
Come on, David. Yeah...
Yeah, yeah.
We got them! We got them!
Hiya, hiya...
Whoo, whoo...
Watch this, Dave.
Give it a race, guys.
You boys ought to
get yourselves a horse.
- Dave.
- Got 'em.
Yeah, Marcus.
Oldest trick in the book, Dave.
That was great.
Second oldest trick in the book.
Hey, Marcus, Look at those buns.
Sarah!
- Whoa.
- What is that?
Looks like we've got a flat.
Oh... man!
We've got to stop.
It's okay.
- Sarah!
- Jerome!
- Look at you.
- How are you doing?
I'm fine.
- It's good to see you.
- It's good seeing you.
You know, I said to Jerome,
"Jerome, that sure looks like
Marcus's van."
Our old team van.
- Hello, Geronimo.
- Hello, Muzzin.
- Where is he?
- Riding.
Yeah, he's great when
it comes to training,
but what's he like
in the clutch?
Come on, Muzzin, you said you
wouldn't gonna start nothing.
You know, Jerome,
women are a real mystery.
In bike racing, the best man
always wins.
But what that hell
is it about some women
that makes them fall
for quitters like Marcus?
You know the bigger
mystery, Jerome...
is what makes "some"
women ever fall
for a rabid dog
like you, Muzzin.
Hey, come on, you two.
Cut it out.
You tell him, Sarah.
He knows I'll win.
But you tell him that I'm gonna
make him
bleed before I beat him.
I don't deliver messages.
You know, sometimes I don't even
hear them.
He'll quit.
I'll make sure of that.
I'll make him die
in the mountains.
Jerome, I consider you a friend.
Would you take this damn
Cannibal
out of my face before
I kill him?
I'm Jerome. You're a damn
Cannibal. That's a big rock.
Let's get out of here.
We got a race to win.
Come on. Bye, Sarah.
Well, I'll be a Fig Newton!
I'm standing here next
to a lady with a past.
And then Jerome says...
"Hey, listen, I'm Jerome.
You're the goddamn Cannibal...
and this is a big rock."
So they left.
Sarah was so tough. So cool.
You guys missed it all.
I am keeping this rock.
I am taking this rock
to college.
Male announcer.' Ladies and
gentlemen we're seven minutes
to the start of the famous
Morgul Bismarck
stage of the Hell of the West.
We're getting the race caravan
organized and ready to begin.
Here come some of
the press people through.
More vehicles coming through.
Team cars,
let's keep the roadway clear.
Mexico, Great Britain, Italy,
Norway team cars
coming through.
Press people, please report
to your vehicles immediately.
We'd like to introduce to you
some of the riders
who are going to be
participating in today's event,
beginning with
the US National Team.
And ladies and gentlemen,
the Soviet National Team...
led by the defending Olympic
champion, Sergei Belov.
And finally, ladies and
gentlemen, the 7-Eleven team
led by our own 1980 Olympian
and winner of the
Hell of the West last year...
Barry "the Cannibal" Muzzin.
Muzzin, Muzzin.
Muzzin, Muzzin.
Over here, Muzzin.
Hey, Muzzin.
Shake that, Belov.
And now, our honorary starter
for today's Hell of the West,
Stage number one...
ladies and gentlemen,
the greatest racing cyclist
in the history of the sport...
Mr. Eddie Merckx.
We will be starting
on the sound of the pistol.
Riders, ready?
Timers, ready?
Male announcer.' We're under
way, the Hell of the West,
Stage number one.
Let's hear it for a big
sendoff.
The Hell of the West,
Stage number one.
We are under way.
This first circuit of the Hell
of the West
is the dreaded Morgul Bismarck.
It's a world championship court
which offers little shade...
steep hills, fast descents...
and the gut-wrenching climb to
the finish line that sits here,
atop the devastating Wall.
Riders who have
raced here before
seldom look forward
to coming back.
And newcomers to a
race of this stature,
unused to riding
in a large pack...
will soon find out why.
This is a race of seven laps,
totaling 91 miles.
A grueling test for any rider.
Sommers, look out!
Watch your line!
Move over, Sommers! Move over!
Here we go, Dave.
Enough of this Sunday stroll.
Let's hurt a little bit.
Go.
10-4. We are rolling in
an ambulance right now.
Three laps down and four to go.
Four to go, four laps yet to go.
Male announcer.' Barry Muzzin
in the 7-Eleven team
followed closely by
the Soviet team...
and Marcus Sommers
of ShaverSport.
Each lap yet to come
on this grueling course
will take its toll
on the riders.
Only the toughest will be
among the first 48...
who will go on to contest
Stages two and three
of the Hell of the West.
Shit!
Tough break, Marcus!
Marcus has got a flat.
Okay, pull up. Quick.
Okay, pull up. Slow up. Come on.
Come on, Sarah.
Come on, baby,
they're leaving us behind.
Come on, honey.
You got it. Good. Good girl.
Now, push.
Push.
Look.
Move it! Move it!
Come on! Pick it up!
You want back in this race!
Pick it up! Come on!
Male announcer.' One lap to go!
Bell lap coming up.
One lap to go! One lap to go!
Here we are!
- Here you go!
- Marcus.
Marcus, water! You need this.
- David.
- Water! Water!
You're 52, David. You've got to
move up. You've got to move up!
Okay.
Male announcer.' The caravan is
in sight, ladies and gentlemen.
They are around the corner,
at the bottom of the Wall.
Here they come.
And in a remarkable recovery,
Marcus Sommers has
regained position
near the front
of the lead group
after a flat tire way
out on the course.
Muzzin, Sommers
and the Soviet, Belov,
fighting it out as
they come up the Wall.
A real neck-and-neck battle
as they come through.
It's going to be a three-way
sprint for the first.
The Americans, Sommers and
Muzzin,
and the Soviet, Belov.
Right now it's Muzzin in front,
Sommers, second.
Sergei Belov of the Soviet team
charging up in third.
And it's Marcus Sommers,
the winner!
Muzzin, second. Sergei Belov,
third place.
Male announcer.' Ladies and
gentlemen, a tremendous finish!
Sommers, Muzzin
and the Soviet, Belov.
- You did it, baby.
- You were great.
Fourteen, 15, 16
riders across the line.
The winners are already in.
And we're counting the
last riders to qualify.
Only the first
48 finishers today
will be able to race tomorrow.
- Where's David? How far back?
- I don't know.
43, 44, 45. Only three more
riders will stay in the race.
46... The rest will have
to wait until next year.
- Is that him?
- It is.
- David.
- Oh!
Come on, David.
Male announcer.' With the field
closing in fast behind them...
two riders, the final two
that will qualify...
and the field is eating them up
coming up the Wall.
Struggling up the Wall
for the final time
in this grueling
Hell of the West.
- And they're down!
- Jesus.
One rider is back up.
He's on his bike and he's going
to finish.
Run with it!
Come on, get going!
Pick it up!
Come on, David.
- Can he do that?
- I don't know.
That's it. Run!
Good Dave. Come on.
Come on, David! A little more!
Good. Good.
Come on, David.
Yes.
Male announcer.' And in a
remarkable finish,
David Sommers
crosses the line 48th,
but carrying his bicycle.
- Can he do that?
- Is that legal?
I think I screwed up.
- Yeah.
- It's okay.
And It's official,
ladies and gentlemen...
David Sommers becomes the 48th
and final qualifier...
to ride Stages two and three
of the Hell of the West.
You got two more stages.
It was a real close
race, wasn't it?
No, shit!
Tell us what it was like
to have ridden 90 miles.
No.
It's a big day
for American cycling
to have two Americans
beat an Olympic champ.
You must feel some pride?
- Come on, walk it off.
- No, no, I'm alright.
I'm okay.
I'm not riding
for America, lady.
I tried riding for America.
I spent four years of my life
working at shitty jobs
So I could train...
and make the Olympic team
and ride for America
and look at me.
Then some fat-asses
in Washington started
having opinions.
The Olympic Committee started
having opinions.
You, you bitch, I know you.
You started writing
your opinions.
So we boycott the Olympics.
I was in the best shape of my
life in the summer of 1980
and I got beat by opinions.
Is that why you're boycotting
the victory ceremony?
What victory?
There's two stages left.
Still, the fact remains...
Which you wouldn't know a fact
if it banged you all night long.
Male announcer.' In first place,
the leader of
the ShaverSport team,
Marcus Sommers.
Okay. Okay. I got one.
I got one. No, it's about David.
Alright, okay.
- What?
- Great.
David was only-- only
ten at the time.
And he comes into my bedroom
and he's looking real serious.
Remember this? He wants
to know what's oral sex.
- Nobody wants to hear this.
- Yes, come on.
- Yes, I want to hear it. Go on.
- Come on, Dave.
You say things about me,
I can say things about you.
So he says, "What's oral sex?"
I tell him, I tell him
"Oral sex is the opposite
of written sex.
"If you read about it,
it's written sex.
If you talk about it, it's..."
- Oral!
- Oral sex!
So, three weeks later,
he goes to a birthday party
up on the third floor
for Sheila Fletcher's.
Who's Sheila Fletcher?
He's comes back in 15 minutes.
Mom and dad want to know
why he came back so quickly.
"Because", he said,
"it was boring."
"Everybody was just standing
around having oral sex."
Well, you got to know my mom.
She flew out of the apartment.
Flew.
- Is your name there?
- Yeah, somewhere.
- David!
- What?
You're only two minutes
and 11 seconds
behind in the standings.
- Is that all?
- That's pretty good.
Marcus, how many rooms
for the leader and the pack?
- One for us, Tom.
- Room 326.
David, how many
rooms do you need?
Two.
And one for us.
- How is your leg?
- It's fine.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Remember, we are racing
tomorrow.
See you then.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
Hey, we are going to win.
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
Mar--
Marcus.
You know, I think this whole
thing was destiny.
- What whole thing?
- You and me.
This trip. Everything.
I mean, there I was at
McDonald's right.
And I wanted a Quarter Pounder.
The girl goes, "We're out.
You'll have to wait.
Do you want a Big Mac?"
I mean Just think. If I hadn't
waited for that
Quarter Pounder, I wouldn't be
here with you.
That's destiny.
See...
There's really--
There's really something
you should know about me, Becky.
You don't have a girl back home,
do you?
No.
- You're not gay, are you?
- No. Hell, no.
- It's just the opposite.
- Then what?
I probably shouldn't be telling
you this but...
I think I'm going to die.
Thank God I'm not the only one.
I think I'm going to die too
if we don't do
something really quick.
- I'll be right back.
- Mm-hmm.
- Stay right here. Promise?
- Yeah.
Now, our national anthem.
They're playing our song.
- David, are you alright?
- It's just my knee.
Listen, we don't have to do
this if you don't want to.
Yes, we do.
Where are you going?
I just want to go over
the course with David.
Oh, no. Come back to bed.
The race isn't until noon.
Oh!
What a beautiful morning.
I love you, Marcus, so much.
- Hi, Tom.
- Good morning.
- Good morning. Yeah
- You're out early!
Look at this, they got
four of these flags
scattered around the course.
Each time you win a sprint
to one of these flags,
you could gain
30 seconds on your time.
Do you understand?
- I'm not an idiot, you know.
- Yeah.
I don't want you
to ride like an idiot.
- What do you mean?
- Look...
You're two minutes
and eleven seconds down, right.
If you win all four of these
sprints,
you'll be only 11 seconds back.
Because nobody knows you,
if you do something stupid
like take off by yourself...
they'll let you go maybe.
Marcus, what's the big deal?
You don't need me. You're winning.
The big deal is we're brothers.
- How is he?
- He won the first stage, Denny.
You should've seen him.
The son of a bitch told me
I couldn't come.
He didn't want me there.
He did it, huh?
I think it's begun, Denny.
Yeah.
I don't suppose he'd consider
not racing today.
I know he's against
it but his mother...
Somebody should call her.
Yeah.
Up...
Up, up...
Another one.
One, two, three...
Shit.
I had a bitch of a workout, Dad.
- You okay, dad?
- No.
Come on, dad. Cheer up.
It's not your fault.
Every black man can't have a son
who's Julius Erving.
Randolph.
- You're soaking wet.
- I sweat.
Funny, doesn't smell like sweat.
I use deodorant.
Go take a shower.
I have to make a phone call.
Good.
Then can we get
something to eat?
Yeah, Randolph, then we can
get something to eat.
Male announcer.' One look
at the lunarscape
of the spectacular Colorado
National Monument
and you understand
why it has come to be known
as "The Tour of the Moon."
The view and terrain are like
nothing on Earth,
with bright red rock formations
tunnels, numerous sheer cliff
drop-offs, and rapid descents.
The race totals 83 miles...
and in 1984 was won
by America's Olympic Champions
Connie Carpenter
and Alexi Grewal.
Okay, get ready.
Do it, David.
Okay, here we go.
- Oh, God!
- It's the breakaway.
David, no!
Goddamn it! No, It's too early.
No. David, you dumbbell.
Let them go, Tommy.
They're nobodies.
They'll die on the hill.
Let them go!
Male announcer.' Here comes the
breakaway group up the hill.
The first rider past the flag
will gain 30 seconds
on his time.
There goes number seven, Ulie,
of the Kelly's team,
starting the sprint
for the flag.
But here comes David Sommers
of ShaverSport.
It looks like these two are
both going for that 30 seconds.
Ulie's in the lead.
But Sommers is coming up hard
of breath.
And it's Sommers who wins that
very valuable 30-second time
advantage.
Let's reel them in.
Yeah.
Male announcer.'
The breakaway group's
coming up
to the second flag now.
David Sommers,
who took the first one,
riding very strongly
at the front again.
And David Sommers indeed takes
the second time flag.
And it looks like he's going
to keep right on going.
The way the chase group is
coming up hard behind them...
he's going to need all these
time bonuses that he can take.
We got them.
Where's Sommers?
Where's the other one?
You son of a bitch!
Marcus, I taught you that move.
Jerome:
We got us a race, Muzzin.
Tommy, Jerome,
come on, let's move it!
Hold your line!
What's the matter with you, man?
Hey, Marcus, look out!
What are you doing?
Oh, no.
Marcus, I'm right here.
Marcus, I'm right here. Okay,
here I am, Marcus. Right here.
Oh, God.
Sarah, what's wrong?
Hang on. Hang on.
Oh, God, Marcus.
- Becky, help me!
- Sure.
We're here.
Hold on!
Oh, God, Marcus!
- Becky, hold the wheel.
- God.
I got him! Slow down Becky.
Okay.
Marcus.
God, Marcus.
Oh, God.
Yeah.
Shit.
Watch your line!
Just hold it against his mouth.
Make sure he can breathe.
What is he doing?
Male announcer.' They're coming
down to the finish line,
and David Sommers
is still in the lead.
But the chase group
is breathing down his neck
and getting closer every second.
The field's in sight,
coming down to the finish.
David Sommers is
still out in front.
But the pack is coming
hard on his heels.
It's going to be a miracle
if he can hold on.
No, they've got him!
They've got him!
David Sommers has been
swallowed up
by the chase group.
Here they go.
And now they're getting ready
to begin the sprint.
Barry Muzzin makes the move on
one side, Belov on the other.
They're neck and neck.
Muzzin and Belov,
Belov and Muzzin.
It's going to be
a fantastic sprint.
And it's going to be...
It looks like Barry Muzzin.
Barry Muzzin and Sergei Belov.
And its going to be
Muzzin, Barry Muzzin.
Sergei Belov, second.
David Sommers
holds on for third.
The rest of the field
coming through...
zeezler, Jerome..
You're number one.
We're winning. We're gonna win.
All the way.
David, you uncorked
the big one today.
- Where's Marcus?
- Please, get out of my way!
David!
It's Marcus. We've got to go!
Please, come on!
So, how much time
did you make up?
Two minutes.
We did it, huh?
You did it.
Marcus, what the hell
is going on?
Remember when we were
out front, talking?
I told you that you were fine,
free of diseases, didn't I?
Yeah, but you never told me
anything about yourself.
I wanted you to come with me.
I wanted us...
You remember, the two of us,
the Sommers team...
Did it ever occur to you
that you could've told me?
That maybe, just maybe I might
pull through for you?
I mean, How many
goddamn brothers
do you think I have anyway?
Son of a bitch.
It's a good thing
you dropped out of pre-med.
Your bedside manners
are atrocious.
How can you be sick anyway?
Just, look at yourself,
what you've got...
You have a moustache
and everything..
I had this all figured out.
How to handle this, if it's me.
But not you.
I don't know what to feel,
Marcus. What am I...
Am I supposed to feel happy
that it's you and not me?
- Is that what?
- No.
Well, then what?
Be strong, now, okay?
Okay.
Thank you, Becky.
You have to finish the race.
You're crazy, you know that.
I think you've eaten
too many bananas.
- It's not over.
- Yo, it's over for me.
Don't you understand?
The race isn't important now.
It's you.
Yeah? What are you
gonna do for me?
I don't know.
We're take you to a hospital.
David, I don't know
how much time I have left.
Maybe a few days, maybe more,
but basically there's really
nothing they can do for me.
Come on.
Help me with this.
I want to sit up.
Yo, I'm not trying to be
a hero, you know that.
It's just...
It's just that
I not gonna let them
turn me into
a chef's salad, either.
Okay.
Then I'll stay here with you.
But I can't race tomorrow.
That's just great, David.
That's just great.
And then years from now,
you'll tell your kids,
"That there was
this race in Colorado
"and I could've done just great
if my brother
hadn't gotten sick."
You're no gonna
use me as an excuse.
I'm not listening
to you anymore.
Goddamn it, David!
I'm still alive,
so don't ignore me.
Sarah...
What happened to Marcus?
He had some trouble.
I hope he feels better,
Geronimo.
Thanks, Cannibal.
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine. Why?
You sound half-human.
I am half-human.
I was in your office when you
and Dr. Conrad were talking.
- Do you remember what you said?
- Oh, come on, David.
"I don't wanna ruin it
for him," you said.
"I love him too much for that."
You remember?
No.
Well, I...
I swore that one day
I was gonna say it to your face.
Come on, you have to look at me.
Are we gonna do this
the hard way?
Hmm?
I love you, too, Marcus.
So, what's our plan?
Stage three.
Male announcer.' Good morning,
ladies and gentlemen
and welcome to Golden,
Colorado...
site of the third
and final stage
of a race they call
the Hell of the West.
It looks like we're in
for a great day here today.
Ann Navarro.
Ann Navarro, please report
to the timers booth
immediately.
Mr. Greenberg. Mr. Greenberg,
meet Andy on the starting line.
Before we get started, I would
like to introduce to you
the main contenders
in this competition.
Beginning with the rider
in third place overall...
11 seconds behind the leader,
David Sommers.
In second place overall,
from the Soviet Union...
only two seconds behind
the leader,
Sergei Belov.
Male announcer:
And ladies and gentlemen,
last year's winner of
the Hell of the West...
the race leader today
going into the third
and final stage...
Barry "The Cannibal" Muzzin.
We're just minutes from
the start of the competition.
All caravan drivers, please
report to your vehicles.
All officials, please
report to your vehicles.
Male announcer.'
Oh, and here's a surprise.
The Russians are getting
things going early here
with Belov is sending
a teammate up the road,
this is gonna force the others
riders to do the chasing.
And it's gonna take
some of the sap out of them
if they're not able
to hold the pace.
The weaker ones are certainly
gonna get burned off
and not be able to make
the grueling climbs coming up.
Over 100 miles to go
and the Russians...
are really making things pop
right off the bat here.
Belov must have a lot of
confidence in his ability
to have start a breakaway
so early in a race like this.
It's no fun up front,
is it? Huh?
I must be hallucinating.
That looks like Randolph.
It is Randolph.
Who's Randolph?
What the hell...
Sarah, pull over.
Mrs. Sommers, don't!
- Mom, don't!
- No!
Do you want to go with us?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Dennis...
go around.
We'll follow you.
Come on, let's go, Randolph.
Hi.
You must be Sarah.
Yes. Mrs. Sommers.
How do you do?
- Hi, I'm Becky.
- Hi.
Okay, let's go.
Male announcer.' Golden to
Mount Evans race is the third
and final stage
of the Hell of the West.
And it's also
the most difficult.
It starts at the Coors Brewery
in Golden, Colorado
and begins a spectacular climb
over 6,000 feet
into the Rocky Mountains
finishing nearly 12,000
feet above sea level.
And that's over the highest
paved road in North America.
Not many of these cyclists have
ever raced at this altitude.
In Europe, for instance,
the courses through the Alps
are much, much lower.
It's a torturous course.
And even the fittest athletes
can't get enough air
to maintain a normal speed.
Notice anything
unusual, Randolph?
Yeah, I have jet lag.
Hardly any black
riders out there.
- Think about it.
- I don't have a bicycle, dad.
Hey, your birthday's coming up.
I want a bowling ball.
"Bowling ball."
I'm still here, Belov.
Right on your red ass.
Think about this, Belov.
I'm behind you, but I'm
really two seconds ahead.
Are you nuts?
He doesn't understand English.
He understands.
Don't you, Belov?
You know why you won
the Olympics?
Because I wasn't there.
Well, now I'm here.
Only I'm not here.
I'm two seconds ahead.
He does understand English.
Up, Dave. Up.
Up, Dave.
Atta boy.
- Get him, Belov.
- You go get him.
Male announcer.' Ten miles
to go and David Sommers
is trying to steal this race
from Muzzin and Belov.
He's been very aggressive
this last miles,
forcing them to
chase very hard.
These last few miles
we've seen many riders
dropping by the wayside
as the lack of oxygen
grows more and more severe.
He's going all out early.
Do you think I should
pull over and wait?
No, Let's go up
to the finish line.
It's his race, let him ride it.
Here we go, Sommers.
Okay, we got him.
Now...
just sit back
and you've got second locked up.
Okay?
Okay.
Shit!
I gave you a chance, Sommers.
- Now all bets are off.
- No.
No.
Male announcer.' It's looks
like David Sommers
in the lead,
coming around the corner.
But even if he crosses
the line first
Muzzin still has an 11 second
time advantage overall.
If Muzzin crosses the line
less than 11 seconds
after Sommers
Muzzin will still be the winner
of the Hell of the West.
David!
Come on, David!
Come on, kid!
Come on.
Alright!
Male announcer.' Sommers is
finished. Then he will
become the overall winner...
if Muzzin doesn't
cross the finish line
in the next 11 seconds.
Four,
five,
six,
seven,
eight,
nine,
ten,
eleven.
Male announcer.'
Muzzin didn't make it.
David Sommers wins
the final stage and clinches
the overall victory in
the Hell of the West.
A fantastic performance
by this young newcomer.
He has proved to the veterans
here this year,
and made quite
a name for himself.
Young David Sommers,
a fantastic job here!
Let's give all these riders
a nice, big round of applause
as they come in.
What a finish here today!
- Shake hands, guys.
- Get the hand shake.
- Let's get a smile.
- Come on, David.
Mrs. Sommers,
would you come up here?
Yo, give me a good pic.
How about some smiles?
- Come on.
- Come on.
Next year.
Hey, how about some smiles?
Come on.
That's it.
Hold that! Hold that!