Daily Dialogue — September 17, 2017

KIMBLE: What’s that supposed to mean?
DOMINIC: Mrs. Hagley is a lot better than you.
KIMBLE: Is she? Is she really?
DOMINIC: My mom’s a teacher in this school and she’s a lot better than you, too.
KIMBLE: Great.
DOMINIC: On Monday nights, my mom tutors and Mrs. Quinn takes care of me. She’s better than you, too.
KIMBLE: Great.
DOMINIC: And Frankie, my swimming teacher, and Gus, my T-ball coach, are better than you, too.
KIMBLE: I really appreciate your honesty. You happen to know someone that’s not better than me?
DOMINIC: I don’t know that many people.

— Kindergarten Cop (1990), written by Murray Salem and Herschel Weinrot & Timothy Harris, story by Murray Salem

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Babysitting, suggested by Gisela Wehrl who also recommended today’s movie.

Trivia: Arnold Schwarzenegger had a few conditions before accepting the role of John Kimble; he wanted Ivan Reitman to direct the film, he wanted a physical fitness theme, and he and Reitman wanted broken homes, child abuse and family life written into the script.

Bonus Trivia: In reality, the kids loved Arnold Schwarzenegger. They were constantly climbing all over him like a jungle gym.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Gisela: “A real child could talk like that. If children have something in mind, they think it through and connect the idea with different situations or persons, if their ideas would be still valid in that context. And they don’t stop talking about such thoughts, because that’s the way they explain themselves the world. Every argument, that Dominic finds, makes his conclusion about Kimble’s abilities in babysitting even more devastating.”

Commentary by Scott: This movie is perhaps the height of 80s and 90s high concept. Kindergarten. Cop. Boom. You see the movie.