Prison for Children (1987 TV Movie)

Betty Thomas: Angela Brannon

Quotes 

• David Royce : [handing John's file to Angela]  Take a look at this.

  Angela Brannon : [taking file, reading]  John Parsons?

  David Royce : [nods]  Try to create a good situation for him. Let's push him to his potential, as unpopular as that might be here. They're stonewalling me up at the capital, and I have to deal with that insanity. I'm counting on you. This kid came in here intact, let's keep him intact!

• John Parsons : [Brannon walks into her darkened classroom and stares out a window, John is sitting at a desk]  Tell me about Dennison.

  Angela Brannon : [moving towards door]  I think I should go get David Royce.

  John Parsons : Why? He doesn't know who I am... or what I am. Nothing.

  Angela Brannon : John...

  John Parsons : Chaser runs this place... not Royce. He put Joey in the hole and he put Tyrone in the hospital.

  Angela Brannon : You told me you wanted to go to college. You said maybe become a veterinarian. That's what your brother wanted.

  John Parsons : My brother's dead.

  Angela Brannon : But not what he taught you!

  John Parsons : Doesn't work here! I'm nothin'! I'm a bed, and I'm bad, and I'm nothing!

  Angela Brannon : That's not true!

  John Parsons : Then why am I here?

• Angela Brannon : [to John]  You were put into this place for the wrong reason. And people started telling you that you were worthless, and you're starting to believe it! You know better than that! You know who you are! And we can work through this.

  John Parsons : What works is Chaser.

• David Royce : [on the phone in his office]  Does the governor know that I'm trying to call?

  [pause] 

  David Royce : I see.

  [pause] 

  David Royce : No, that's all. Thank you very much.

  [slams down receiver] 

  David Royce : Well, he's leaving it up to the Director of Institutions, Frank Bernard.

  Angela Brannon : You're the superintendent here. How can he send those boys out of here over your objections?

  David Royce : Bernard would have had me fired months ago, but the governor was against it. That Bernard, he's been trying to stick it to me for a long time. He thinks he's got it.

  Angela Brannon : They love all the talk of reform.

  David Royce : Yeah, but it doesn't pay the groceries. This does! We're an industry, Angela! We support this town! We buy their food, we hire the unemployed, you try and fire someone, their state senator comes in here screaming.

  Angela Brannon : All to keep the beds full.

  David Royce : You got it.

  [beat] 

  David Royce : I gave a speech... a dinner speech. I told them what was going on here, about the damage we were doing. They were shocked. Some of them even started to cry. Oh, I got a standing ovation, they thought I was wonderful. And when I told them what they could do to help, write letters, raise money for special homes for these kids, they looked at me with blank expressions. They were glad there were people like me! People who cared, they said, and they left. They don't want to change anything... they just want to feel good about themselves.

  Angela Brannon : [looks out the window]  You know, sometimes I think I can see the eastern face of the Rockies.

  [Royce looks puzzled] 

  Angela Brannon : My brother Sam and I still have a ranch on the western slopes. He's kind of a mean and stingy guy, but when his wife was alive, they really ran the ranch well. Now, cattle roam all over the country, but he needs hands, just to mend fences and bring in the cattle.

  David Royce : [interested]  How many?

  Angela Brannon : [with some hesitation]  Two... maybe three.