Patrick Swayze: Johnny Castle

Dirty Dancing

Johnny Castle

Johnny: Sorry for the interruption, folks, but I always do the last dance of the season. This year somebody told me not to. So I'm gonna do my kind of dancin' with a great partner, who's not only a terrific dancer, but somebody... who's taught me... that there are people willing to stand up for other people no matter what it costs them. Somebody who's taught me about the kind of person I wanna be. Miss Frances Houseman.

Johnny: Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours, you don't go into mine. You gotta hold the frame.

Baby: [finding out the Schumacher's were guilty of stealing the wallets] So then - so then it's all right! I knew it would work out. I knew they'd have to apologize...
Johnny: [shrugs her off] I'm out, Baby.
Baby: [pause] They fired you anyway because of me.
Johnny: [sarcastically] And if I leave quietly, I'll get my summer bonus.
Baby: So I did it for nothing. I hurt my family, you lost your job anyway, I did it for *nothing*!
Johnny: No, no, not for nothin', Baby! Nobody has ever done anything like that for me before.
Baby: You were right, Johnny. You can't win no matter what you do!
Johnny: You listen to me. I don't wanna hear that from you. *You* can!
Baby: [pause] I used to think so.

Johnny: You just put your pickle on everybody's plate, college boy, and leave the hard stuff to me.

Baby: Have you had many women?
Johnny: What?
Baby: Have you *had* many women?
Johnny: Baby, come on.
Baby: Tell me. I wanna know.
Johnny: No, no. Look, you've gotta understand what it's like, Baby. You come from the streets and suddenly you're up here, and these women, they are throwing themselves at ya, and they smell so good, and they really take care of themselves. I mean, I never knew women could be like that, you know? And they're so rich, they're so goddam rich, you think they must know about everything. And they're slipping their room keys in my hands, two and three times day, different women. So, here I think I'm scoring big, right? And for a while, you think, hey, they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't care about me, right?
Baby: That-that's alright, I understand. You were just using them, that's all.
Johnny: No, no that's not it. That's the thing, Baby, see it wasn't like that. They were using me.

Baby: [talking about Penny] So what's wrong? What's the matter with her?
Billy Kostecki: She's knocked up, Baby.
Johnny: Billy!
Baby: [eyeing Johnny] What's he gonna do about it?
Johnny: [angrily] What's he gonna to do about it? Oh, it's *mine*, right? Right away you think it's *mine*.

Johnny: You wanna hear something crazy? Last night I... I dreamed we were walking along and we met your father. He said, "Come on," and he put his arm around me. Just like he did with Robbie.

Johnny: You don't understand the way it is, I mean for somebody like me. Last month, I'm-I-I'm eating Jujubes to keep alive, this month women are stuffing diamonds in my pockets. I'm bouncing on shit and quick as that I could be down there again.

Jake Houseman: Don't you tell me what to see! I see someone in front of me who got his partner in trouble and sent her off to some butcher, while he moved on to an innocent young girl like my daughter!
[silence]
Johnny: [angry] Yeah, I guess that's what you *would* see.

Johnny: [talking about Neil] That little wimp. He wouldn't know a new idea if it hit him in the Pachenga. He wanted some new ideas? I could've *told* him some new ideas!
Baby: Well, why did you let him talk to you that way?
Johnny: What do you mean, and fight the bossman?
Baby: Yeah, tell him your ideas! He's a person like everyone else. I'm sure he'll think they're great.
Johnny: Look, I know these people, Baby. They're all rich and they're mean. They won't listen to me.
Baby: Well, then why not fight harder? *Make* them listen?
Johnny: Because, I need this goddamn job lined up for next summer!
[chuckles scornfully]
Johnny: My dad calls me today, he says - with good news - you know, he says, "Uncle Paul can finally get you in the union."
Baby: Oh, what-what union?
Johnny: The House Painters and Plasterers, local number 179, at your service.
[Baby's father, sister, and Robbie come out of the house next to the trail; Baby pulls Johnny down so they won't see them together]
Lisa Houseman: I've been thinking a lot about the Domino Theory. Now, when Vietnam falls, is China next?
[the trio passes]
Baby: I don't think they saw us.
Johnny: [getting up] Fight harder, huh? I don't see you fighting so hard, Baby. I don't see you running up to daddy telling him I'm your guy.
Baby: I will. With my father, it's complicated. I *will* tell him, I...
Johnny: I don't believe you, Baby! I don't think that you ever had any intention of telling him. Ever.
[stalks off]

Penny: Johnny, what are you doing?
Johnny: Don't worry about Max; I'll tell him your grandmother died, or somethin'.
Penny: How many times have you told me never to get mixed up with them?
Johnny: [pause] I know what I'm doing, Penny.
Penny: You listen to me; you've gotta stop it, now.