Kalifornia (1993)

Juliette Lewis: Adele Corners

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Quotes 

• Adele Corners : Will you tell me more about California?

  Early Grayce : Yeah, I guess so. Let's see. One thing, people think faster out there on the account of all that warm weather. Cold weather makes people stupid. That's a fact.

  Adele Corners : I guess that explains why there's so many stupid people around here.

  Early Grayce : It sure does. You know what else? You never have to buy no fruit on account it's all on the trees everywhere you turn. And they ain't got no speed limits. I hear your first month's rent is free, state law. So I'm thinking till we get settled we'll just move around from month to month. How will that be with you, momma?

  Adele Corners : What are we going to do out there, Early?

  Early Grayce : By God the first thing we're going to do is get us ! a couple of six-packs of Lucky Lager and we're going to climb up to that famous Hollywood sign. We're going to howl at the moon, goddamn it.

  [howls] 

  Early Grayce : Yeah, just like that.

  Adele Corners : I heard once that there ain't nothing on that old moon except some little golf balls the astronauts left behind.

  Early Grayce : Nah, that ain't right. That's bullshit. The government be sending people there all the time. Just don't want us to know about it.

• [last lines] 

  Adele Corners : Hi... Guess who this is... It's me, Adele. Um, I know I'm probably not supposed to be talkin' on the tape recorder, but um, I just wanted to say thank you for taking me and Early with you on your trip, cuz me and Early is havin' a really good time. And um, I just hope when we get to California, that you guys don't forget all about us. Cuz friends are important, and well, you're the only friends we got. Bye.

• Adele Corners : Early don't eat breakfast. He thinks its a conspiracy put together by the cereal people.

• [Discussing Early's job at the mirror factory] 

  Adele Corners : Know what, Brian? One night when we was stayin' up late we was talkin' 'bout how much bad luck he must have comin' from all those mirrors he broke, and I swear we came to 449 years it would take for him to work it all off, and he'd have to - after he died - he's gonna have to keep comin' back to earth over and over and over again.

  Carrie Laughlin : Karma.

  Adele Corners : What?

  Carrie Laughlin : Karma. You know, when you do something bad to someone and fate pays you back by something bad happening to you.

  Adele Corners : [blowing a bubble]  Is that French?

• [at abandoned place eating Chinese food for breakfast] 

  Early Grayce : [to Adele]  Mama... sing us a song.

  Adele Corners : Ahm...

  [singing] 

  Adele Corners : I... wish... Carrie was happy.

  [smiles and looks at Carrie] 

  Carrie Laughlin : [puts her face on her hand even more miserable than before Adele started singing] 

  Adele Corners : [still smiling continues to sing as the camera shows the outside of the place]  I... wish... she would smile.

• Carrie Laughlin : You cut your hair.

  Adele Corners : Early cut it. He said it makes me look more pretty. And I think he's right 'cause... he's right.

• Adele Corners : My God, Carrie. If Early ever saw me in a picture like that I'd be black-and-blue for a week.

  Carrie Laughlin : You shouldn't let him do that to you.

  Adele Corners : You think Early's mean to me? Well, he's not. He may punish me once in a while, but he's not mean. Um, when I was 13 there was these three boys and they raped me in the back of this truck. They hurt me sob bad that I was in the hospital for, like, four months. And I feel safe with Early cos most of the time he treats me really nice. I know that he'd never. He would never let anything like that ever happen to me again.

• [Early has just shot two cops] 

  Adele Corners : [crying]  Ohhhh nooooo, Early.

• Early Grayce : What is that?

  Adele Corners : That's Lucy. Hey, that's mine.

  Early Grayce : Adele, what kind of cuckoo-brain carries a cactus in her purse? Huh?

  Adele Corners : I don't know.

  Early Grayce : Straighten up.

  Adele Corners : Oh Jesus, Early, they look kinda weird.

  Early Grayce : Will you just smile and let me do the talking.

  Adele Corners : How many times are you going to tell me that?

  Early Grayce : As many times it takes, Adele.

• Adele Corners : You know, I used to smoke before I met Early. But he broke me of that.

  Carrie Laughlin : Broke you?

  Adele Corners : Oh. Yeah. Cos Early don't think women should smoke or drink or cuss. So you know what I do? I spell all my cuss words.

• Carrie Laughlin : He hits you?

  Adele Corners : Oh, only when I deserve it.

• Adele Corners : I like your hair 'cause it's short.

• Carrie Laughlin : Oh Brian, you've got to be kidding me. Look at them. They look like Okies.

  Adele Corners : Oh Jesus, Early, they look kinda weird.

  Carrie Laughlin : They look like they don't have five bucks between them.

• Early Grayce : Got them both on the dead run.

  Adele Corners : No! No, no, no Early!

  Early Grayce : Come on, momma.

  [Walks over to Brian who is standing over the wounded cop] 

  Early Grayce : Tell me that don't hurt. Here.

  [Hands Brian a gun while pointing another one at his head] 

  Brian Kessler : What?

  Early Grayce : Gotta put that crippled dog out of his misery. You wanna know about it, you gotta do it, son. Shoot him. Come on, lay it on in there. Come on, mean boy. Come on, mean boy. Do it! Shoot him! Shoot the dog! Time to live, boy. Shoot him. Come on. Go! Go, mean boy.

  [Brian drops the gun] 

  Early Grayce : You faggot.

  Brian Kessler : Look at his face! It's not your father. Look at him!

  Early Grayce : I know that, you idiot. That's police in a world of hurting. This here's a mercy killing.

  [He kills the cop] 

  Carrie Laughlin : Oh God!

  Early Grayce : Let's hit the road.

• Early Grayce : You haven't even said thank you.

  Adele Corners : Thank you.

  Early Grayce : Thank you for what, Adele?

  Adele Corners : I don't know, Early.

  Early Grayce : Well, Adele, it's for saving your fucking life back there! Goddamn! You were this close, momma, from spending the night in the county morgue.

  Carrie Laughlin : He wasn't going to shoot her, you murdering son of a bitch!

  Brian Kessler : Stop it, Carrie.

  Carrie Laughlin : What are you fucking insane?

  Brian Kessler : Shut up!

  Carrie Laughlin : He's a monster!

  Brian Kessler : Shut up, Carrie!

• Early Grayce : Momma? What are you crying for? I'm the one who got hit.

  Adele Corners : Cos I decided, Early, I'm not gonna climb up that Hollywood sign with you.

  Early Grayce : And why not?

  Adele Corners : Cos you're mean, Early.

  Early Grayce : No, I'm not.

  Adele Corners : You hurt those people, Early. I don't wanna do it with you. I loved you, Early. You just be quiet. You are mean.

• [looking at and admiring Mrs. Mustgraves cactus plants. Everyone else is naturally in a state of silence] 

  Adele Corners : [to Mrs. Mustgrave]  You have such beautiful cactuses ma'am. I just love them. My mama had a cactus garden, and I had this baby cactus, and I was gonna plant it...

  [scene shifts to Carrie and Brian who are tied up to the leg of a heavy piano] 

  Brian Kessler : [in low voice to Carrie]  You gotta talk to Adele. She looks up to you. She'll listen.

  Carrie Laughlin : I tried talking to her at the mine. It didn't work.

  Brian Kessler : Then try again.

  Early Grayce : [enters the room eating a sandwich and acting like he owns the place]  Hey Bri

  [burps] 

  Early Grayce : you ever stop and think

  [picks up phone box] 

  Early Grayce : that if you switched two letters in your name

  [disconnects the phone line from box] 

  Early Grayce : you'd spell "brain"?

  [Early rips the phone line out of the wall. At that Adele makes a grunt but tries to keep her composure. Brian just stares at Early] 

  Early Grayce : Boy, you got a problem.

  [throws the phone box at Brian and Carrie. It crashes right by them] 

  Early Grayce : [goes over to Mrs. Mustrgave and yanks her glass of liquor out of her hands]  What's wrong with grandma?

  Early Grayce : [sits down and puts his feet on the coffee table. He then uses them to rotate a photo frame around. The photo shows presumably Mrs. Mustgarve and Mr. Mustgrave, which Early acknowledges]  Where's your husband?

  Mrs. Musgrave : [after a moment]  I'm a widow.

  Early Grayce : [studying her, not really believing her]  Yeah?

• [in an upstairs bedroom Early curiously looks around examining things while, Mr. Mustgrave looks through his telescope thinking his wife is in the room] 

  Mr. Musgrave : [in awe looking through telescope not aware that Early is really in the room instead of his wife, keeps calling out]  That you peaches? Sweetheart, you gotta come over here. It's so clear, you won't believe it. It's just amazing. Come on over. Take a look, honey. I want you to see this.

  [Early notices some golf clubs near by and picks one up] 

  Mr. Musgrave : [now hearing this finally, looks up]  Peaches?

  [presumably a short while later, Early is now looking through the telescope] 

  Adele Corners : [enters the room]  Early? Early.

  [Early turns around to see a worried Adele] 

  Adele Corners : Ahm, ahm, ahm.

  [surges up every ounce of enthusiasm she has and her eyes light up as she says] 

  Adele Corners : Guess what, Early? Ms. Mustgrave has this guest house in the back... and it's real, real beautiful, and it's empty hon. She said that if you and me wanted to...

  [is cut off by] 

  Mrs. Musgrave : Hank!

  [shocked and crying, trying to keep her balance as she enters the room seeing Early at the telescope with a golf club] 

  Mrs. Musgrave : Hank!

  [camera reveals Mr. Mustgrave dead. Adele loses all enthusiasm as she buries her face in her hands crying] 

  Early Grayce : [puts golf club over shoulder]  Well, you're a widow now, Peaches.

  [Mrs. Mustgrave faints] 

• [Carrie has just seen a news report on a grainy TV about Early being most wanted. She's about to run out of the gas station when she runs right smack into Early who's just entered] 

  Early Grayce : [about the fact that Brian has kicked him out of the road trip]  I ain't riding no bus, bitch.

  [sees Carrie's terrified look and then the TV which has the news report of himself on there. A new wave of terror begins] 

  Early Grayce : [shoves Carrie across the floor]  Get over there, and keep quiet.

  [rummages through the cash register area and finds a sawed off shotgun] 

  Early Grayce : Knew that boy would have a hogleg around here somewhere.

  [sees Walter the gas station attendant approaching the store and says to Carrie] 

  Early Grayce : Not a word.

  [Walter enters the station] 

  Early Grayce : [to Walter with gun pointed at him]  Hello! Get over here, skinny. Sit your ass in that corner. Come on.

  [Walter does terrified as Early struggles to hold onto the gun with one hand and empty out the cash register with the other. Adele enters and sees the scene] 

  Adele Corners : Honey, whatcha doing?

  Early Grayce : They gave us the boot, mama. Go on out to the car and keep Brian busy. I don't want him coming in here.

  Adele Corners : Honey, you're scaring me.

  Early Grayce : Right now, missy! Get!

  Adele Corners : [leaves and returns to the car, searching the backseat. Brian is aware of her presence]  Hi.

  Brian Kessler : Hi.

  Adele Corners : I'm just getting my things, and then I'll leave.

  Brian Kessler : Don't forget your yo-yo. Listen, Adele. The reason you aren't coming along for the rest of the trip doesn't have anything to do with you guys. It has something to do with me and Carrie.

• [a short while after Early killed the gas station clerk, the four are on the road again in silence] 

  Adele Corners : Do you want your picture taken?

  [no one responds] 

  Adele Corners : Come on.

  [snaps one off and then sits back trying to get something going. She then whispers into Early's ear] 

  Early Grayce : He was breathing when I walked out of there.

  Adele Corners : See, Carrie it's okay. He didn't kill him.

  [Carrie doesn't respond back] 

  Early Grayce : Ain't we getting close to the next murder site?

  Brian Kessler : Forget about it! It doesn't matter anymore!

  Early Grayce : The hell it don't!

  [reaches up front and takes map] 

  Early Grayce : Where's that map?

  Early Grayce : [scene shifts out of the car as we see it drive by as Early adds]  Someday, me and Adele, will be walking along and see your book in a bookshop window. We gonna buy it and put it right on our coffee table. Ain't that right mama?

• Early Grayce : Look mama, there's a purdy little house. Maybe they got some beer.

  [scene shifts to large garden with lots of various giant cactus plants as we hear Adele admiring/describing the cactus plants and a sort of jiggling sound effect. The camera pans to the Lincoln] 

  Adele Corners : Look at all the cactuses. They sure are beautiful. You know what makes a cactus so strong? You can forget about them forever and they'd just keep on growing.

  [scene now shifts to Brian who has his hands cuffed inside the steering wheel. He's trying to get free, while Adele keeps rambling on about the cactus plants] 

  Brian Kessler : Adele listen, we got to do something before Early kills someone else.

  Adele Corners : And they breed.

  Brian Kessler : [voice raising]  Adele.

  [Adele finally stops rambling and looks over] 

  Brian Kessler : Would you listen to me?

  Adele Corners : [hopeless voice crying]  You can't do anything Brian. Just sit still.

• Brian Kessler : [at the gunshot which Early has just killed Walter]  What was that?

  Adele Corners : [nervously]  Nothing, Brian. It was just the thunder.

  [then to self] 

  Adele Corners : Oh my God.

  Brian Kessler : [to Early who's dragging Carrie along]  Hey, Early, what the fuck are you doing? We talked about this.

  Early Grayce : Oh, Brian. You gonna like this one. Get in. Big fella you riding shotgun. Adele, you drive.

  [throws Carrie into backseat with him] 

  Brian Kessler : What's going on? What are you doing?

  Early Grayce : [motions Brian to get in car]  Come on bud, let's go. Get us out of here mama.

  [Brian does and they all peel out of the gas station. Carrie is crying in hysterics and mumbling incoherently] 

  Brian Kessler : What happened back there?

  Carrie Laughlin : [crying very hard can hardly speak]  Oh my God. He shot him. He shot him in the head.

  Brian Kessler : Who shot who in the head?

  Adele Corners : No, he didn't Carrie.

  Early Grayce : [shouting]  Everybody just shut up! Goddamn, bitch, quit squawking.

  [now in normal voice] 

  Early Grayce : Nothing's changed. I'm gonna get you there, safe, to California.

  [now with chuckle] 

  Early Grayce : That is, if Adele don't kill us with her driving first.

• [after Early killed two cops back at murder site, Adele is speechless in the front seat with her hands over her ears] 

  Early Grayce : Not even a simple thank you?

  Adele Corners : Thank you, Early.

  Early Grayce : Thank you for what Adele?

  Adele Corners : [at a loss]  I don't know, Early.

  Early Grayce : [explodes]  Well, Adele it was *for saving your fucking life back there.* God dang, honey. You were about this close

  [shows with fingers] 

  Early Grayce : to spending the night in the county morgue.

  Carrie Laughlin : [shouting]  He wasn't going to shoot her, you murdering son of a bitch!

  Brian Kessler : [warning]  Stop it, Carrie!

  Carrie Laughlin : Are you fucking insane?

  Brian Kessler : Shut up!

  Carrie Laughlin : God, why are you so fucking blind, Brian? He's a murderer for crying out loud.

  Brian Kessler : Just shut up!

  Early Grayce : [Early starts swerving the wheel like maniac and also screeching/laughing like one. He stops after a moment when everyone has quieted back down and says]  Goddamn bunch of loons.