The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)

Bonnie Bedelia: Charlene

Photos 

Quotes 

• Milly : I found out about the boy next door. His name's Eric Gibb. They think he's autistic.

  Louis Michaelson : He's got some marbles loose, or what?

  Milly : Well, they don't exactly know, but he's never spoken a word in his life and he doesn't like being around people. There's some institute that wants to come and take him away, but Mrs. Sherman says he's better off with his uncle. He's in my class at school. Mrs. Sherman, she used to teach those kinds of kids. She thinks that maybe being around normal people will help him, or something.

  Charlene : Where are his parents?

  Milly : That's the weird part. When Eric was five years old, his parents went on a trip to Spain or France or someplace like that. The plane crashed and they died.

  Charlene : Oh, dear.

  Milly : Now, what I heard is that the moment the plane went down, Eric was alone in his room and without anybody even telling him anything, he started to pretend to fly. It's like, somehow, he knew his parents were about to crash. The way he figured he could save them was by being an airplane. He's been one ever since.

  [long pause, then Milly starts humming the theme to "The Twilight Zone"] 

• Charlene : What happened to your face.

  Milly : Someone threw a ball at me.

  Charlene : Who threw a ball at you?

  Milly : No-one threw a ball at me, it was an accident.

• Charlene : I thought you were supposed to be helping me.

  Milly : I *am* helping you.

  Charlene : You call this helping?

  Milly : Yes, I call this helping. I do everything for that little creep! I walk him home, I help him with his homework. I cook! I clean up! I do the dishes! What do you do?

  Charlene : I *work*! Go to your room!