Heaven Help Us (1985)

Andrew McCarthy: Michael Dunn

Photos 

Quotes 

• Brother Thadeus : [Dunn, Rooney, Caesar, Williams and Corbet are in Brother Thadeus' office after the melee in the auditorium]  Can you gentlemen give me one good reason why you shouldn't be expelled?

  Michael Dunn : It's my fault, brother. I'm the one who should be expelled.

  Brother Thadeus : You all acted as one, Mr. Dunn. And as one, you shall bear the consequences.

  Michael Dunn : Yes, brother, but I started it.

  Brother Thadeus : Did you? As I understand it, Brother Constance started it.

  Brother Constance : [in disbelief]  What?

  Brother Thadeus : I'm suspending you for two weeks. Good day, gentlemen.

  Brother Constance : [boys leave... Brother Dominic comes in and hands Thadeus a sheet of paper, which he signs... Constance is angry]  What do you mean I started it? They've assaulted the faculty, the've disgraced this institution, and they destroyed a statue of St. Basil.

  Brother Thadeus : I always hated that statue.

  [signs paper and hands it to Constance] 

  Brother Constance : What's this?

  Brother Thadeus : Well, you're transferred out of this institution. I don't want you working with children anymore.

  Brother Constance : [angry]  You can't do this! I will demand an investigation. I will take this all the way to the bishop if I have to.

  Brother Thadeus : Take it whereever you want, brother...

  [opens door] 

  Brother Thadeus : just take it out of my office!

  [Constance glares at Timothy and then storms out the door] 

  Brother Thadeus : It appears we have a vacancy, brother. Think you can fit in?

  Brother Timothy : [smiles]  I think so, brother.

• Danni : You're not like those other jerks, are you?

  Michael Dunn : I just got here.

• [Dunn leaves the school dance, and comes into Danni's bar, she's not there so he goes into her house, and Danni sees him] 

  Danni : What the hell are you doing here?

  Michael Dunn : The door was open, I was looking for you. I guess I shouldn't have just come in, huh?

  Danni : Damn straight you shouldn't have just come in.

  Michael Dunn : I'm sorry I just wanted to talk.

  Danni : Get out of here, ok!

  Michael Dunn : [while leaving]  Sorry, I just wanted to dance with you.

• Rooney : If I don't make you my friend it means I gotta kick your ass everytime I see you. Nobody wants that, do they?

  Michael Dunn : Drop dead!

• Social Worker : [the police and social welfare people have arrived to close the store, arrest Danni's father and put her in foster care... a crowd outside has gathered]  We'll make arrangements with your mother to have the inventory accounted for.

  Michael Dunn : [rushing in]  They made this happen, didn't they?

  Danni : [crying]  Nobody made this happen.

  [Dunn embraces her] 

  Danni : I just don't want you to be sad... 'cause I'm not. Promise?

  Michael Dunn : [fighting tears]  No.

  Social Worker : We have to go.

  Michael Dunn : [running up to car Danni has just been loaded in]  Well, hey listen, I'm glad I got to dance with you

  [car speeds off, leaving a dazed Dunn in the street] 

  Rooney : Don't worry, Dunn... we'll find her.

• Michael Dunn : If Gram sees you smoking she'll have a heart attack.

  Boo : If she's hears you talking about not being a priest she have a stroke.

• Brother Timothy : [seeing Dunn not dancing at the school dance]  What's your excuse?

  Michael Dunn : I don't know. Waiting for inspiration.

  Brother Timothy : Inspiration? Who from? The Holy Ghost? Come on, it's a cinch. You walk up to some girl, you look her in the eye, you say 'Excuse me, but do you want to dance?' It works every time.

  Michael Dunn : [laughs]  Yeah, what if it doesn't?

  Brother Timothy : If it doesn't work, then you gotta start thinking about joining a relgious order.

  Michael Dunn : [getting up]  Maybe I'll see you later.

  Brother Timothy : Maybe you better start dancin'!

• Brother Constance : Are you familiar with the term "miserable"? Because miserable is what I'm going to make your miserable lives, every miserable minute of every miserable day!

  Rooney , Caesar , Michael Dunn , Corbet , Williams : Yes, Brother.

  Brother Constance : Yes Brother what?

  Rooney , Caesar , Michael Dunn , Corbet , Williams : Yes Brother, miserable, Brother.

• Michael Dunn : Can't decide?

  Caesar : Oh, I've decided all right, Dunn. I've decided I'd rather die than eat this crap!

• [Brother William brings the five into the gymnasium, where Brother Constance is standing in front of the exercise horse] 

  Brother Constance : That's far enough. Thank you, brother.

  [Brother William leaves] 

  Brother Constance : Gentlemen, we will dispense with the traditional accusation denial ritual. It is such a bore, and not likely to convince me that I don't have before me right now at least one, if not all of the vandals. But since I'm a just man with no taste for punishing the innocent, I will afford the guilty the opportunity to speak now and to save the innocent from an impending state of wretchedness. Well?

  Rooney : Could you repeat that, brother?

  Brother Constance : [walks toward Rooney]  Shut up. All right, who did it? Speak now or you will all suffer for it.

  Michael Dunn : I did.

  Brother Constance : [walks to Michael]  Mr. Dunn.

  Rooney : He didn't do it. Uh, Williams did it.

  Williams : What do you mean "I did it"? Corbet did it.

  Corbet : No, it was Caesar's idea to take the head off.

  [the five protests and argue about the incident] 

  Brother Constance : [impatient and angry]  All right. All right! That's enough!

  [the boys fall silent] 

  Brother Constance : Have it your own way, gentlemen.

• Brother Timothy : [Dunn and Timothy are in the schoolyard... Tim is bouncing a baseball off the steps]  There's the pitch.

  Michael Dunn : You know, I never figured out how a guy like you became a brother.

  Brother Timothy : What's that supposed to mean? There's different types of guys, what's wrong with me?

  Michael Dunn : I just can't figure it out, is all.

  Brother Timothy : Well, most people can't figure it out. My brother was the one who was supposed to have the vocation. Me, they had me written off as the bum. But here I am, wearing a robe, bouncing a ball off the steps of the rectory.

  Michael Dunn : Was your brother a bum?

  Brother Timothy : Sort of. Sells life insurance down in Maryland.