John Travolta: Tony Manero

Staying Alive

Tony Manero

Tony Manero: You hear the way she talks? It's so intelligent, like I love it.
Jackie: An accent doesn't make someone intelligent, Tony. If it did, you'd be Einstein.

Tony Manero: I don't believe it! Did you see the way you said goodnight to him?
Jackie: [laughing] Oh god, how did I say it?
Tony Manero: It was sweet, it was like syrup. I-I-I had a cavity just listening to it.

Mrs. Manero: Tony, why did you come here today?
Tony Manero: I don't know, I got a lotta things on my mind.
Mrs. Manero: Like what?
Tony Manero: Like the way I acted around here, the way I treated everybody. I was very hard on you.
[he pauses, not sure what to say]
Tony Manero: I just - I just want you to know that's not me, alright? That wasn't me.
Mrs. Manero: [she doesn't understand] What, are you kiddin' me?
Tony Manero: No I'm apologizing to you.
Mrs. Manero: Apologizing for what? What, that wasn't the real you back then?
Tony Manero: Yeah... Look I just had a lotta attitude and I didn't like it.
Mrs. Manero: [exhales] I don't believe this.
Tony Manero: [getting mad] Well believe it!
Mrs. Manero: Well I don't believe it, now don't get fresh with me! This - this attitude you're talkin' about: that's what got you outta this damn neighbourhood. So don't apologize, you don't have to apologize to anybody, because you must've been doing something right.

Tony Manero: I didn't think you was the musician type, I-I-I never thought that.
Jackie: Oh come on Tony, you know he plays rhythm guitar at the club...
Tony Manero: [cutting her off] That guy plays rhythm guitar? Oh, that's the worst! That's the absolute worst. Everybody in the world you knows you can't trust a guy who plays rhythm guitar.
Jackie: [laughing] Oh god...
Tony Manero: Look, underneath them curls is a pervert, I can feel it.

Tony Manero: So what you're sayin' is, I've always been this bastard, but it's all right, 'cause, like, it comes natural to me?
Mrs. Manero: Yeah, somethin' like that, yeah.
Tony Manero: Yeah?
Mrs. Manero: Yeah. Yeah. Double yeah.

Tony Manero: Last time I came over, I almost got brain damaged. You guys party too hard; you ought to be a tag team.

Jackie: Look, if it happens, good. If it doesn't, it's not gonna bother me.
Tony Manero: How could you think that way?
Jackie: You know a woman's career as a dancer is half as long as a man's. So that means I have half as many chances as you do of making it. Right? I've gotta be real with myself.

Laura: What did you do that for? You nearly broke my face with this door. I didn't even give you my best come-ons, and you try to mangle my face.
Tony Manero: Well Jimmy, you see...
Laura: Tony.
Tony Manero: [huffy] Uh, whatever. You seem to take pleasure in treating women as if they were incredibly stupid.
Laura: Hey look if you're mad at me, I apologize for that alright, I thought I was being sort of charming. I mean you did try to damage my head. But, look the thing is that I amazingly respect your dancing talent, alright, and I respect your womanhood. I didn't always respect womanhood, but since I moved into Manhattan I got this mature outlook on life. I don't smoke. I don't drink. I don't curse. Anyway, look if you're still interested, I would like to take you out and maybe we could go someplace, relax, have a drink, maybe have some dinner and uh...
[he notes the change in her demeanour. He smiles trying to lighten the mood]
Laura: We got to go someplace informal because my suits are all being pressed.

Tony Manero: [peering through her door] I just wanted to tell you, I think you're an incredible dancer.
Laura: [smiling, then turning away] Thank you very much.
Tony Manero: I'm a friend of Jackie Cole's, I'm Tony Manero.
Laura: [smiling, disinterested] It's important to have friends.
Tony Manero: [opening the door, trying to be suave] Yeah I was just saying that this morning over breakfast.

Tony Manero: [motioning to Jackie, who leans back onto stage] I just wanted to tell you, if I don't see you again you got beautiful legs.
Jesse: [to the dancers] You gotta improvise...
Jackie: [giggling, to Tony] So do you.
Jesse: [to Jackie] Listen up! If you're finished dancing, move off stage!
Tony Manero: [whispering to Jackie] You're always causin' trouble, now get outta here.

Fatima: Tony, come on you're late!
Tony Manero: Oh, Fatima...
Fatima: Why are you late?
Tony Manero: [smart-alecky] Well my Rolls got towed away.
Fatima: [annoyed] Don't play, we've got people here.
Tony Manero: [charming] Fatima, if I gave a million dollars would you still be mad at me?
Fatima: Sure.
Tony Manero: [smirking incredulously] You would? Still? That's a lovely dress you got on, I can see the
[motioning to her cleavage]
Tony Manero: mmm, sexy.
[She's unimpressed. Tony gives up]
Tony Manero: . Fatima, nothing's workin' today, here, here's a quater
[hands her the coin]
Tony Manero: There's the down payment on that million dollars.
Fatima: Think I won't keep it? I will keep it.
[She walks away]
Tony Manero: [smirking] I know you will take it.

Tony Manero: I got a job on Broadway.
Mrs. Manero: You got a job on Broadway? Doing what?
Tony Manero: Dancing! Don't you remember? I dance.
Mrs. Manero: Hey, no nudity, I hope. Tony, keep your clothes on. You hear me! You hear me?