# The Karate Kid

The Karate Kid is a 1984 film about a troubled boy who, after being beaten by local bullies using karate, becomes a student of a mild-mannered handyman who also happens to be a karate master.
    Directed by John G. Avildsen. Written by Robert Mark Kamen.

## Mr. Hideo Miyagi

* Daniel-san, you much humor!
* Daniel-san, you look revenge that way you start by digging two grave!
* [repeated line to Daniel] Look eye! Always look eye!
* To make honey, young bee need young flower, not old prune.
* First learn balance. Balance good, karate good, everything good. Balance bad, might as well pack up, go home.
* [about Kreese's methods] That is not karate. That bad man teach bad things.

## Dialogue

    Lucille: California, here we come! California...oh, what is the matter, Daniel? You don't like my singing?
    Daniel: I don't like the song, Ma.
    [Lucille halts her station wagon in front of the South Seas apartment complex]
    Lucille: This is it, Daniel, end of the line!
    Daniel: You're telling me.
    Lucille: Will you look at those palm trees? Damn Daniel! You know what this means?
    Daniel: Yeah. Watch out for falling coconuts.
    [Lucille unpacks the car while Daniel looks around new apartment complex]
    Freddy: Hey, are you new here?
    Daniel: Yeah, I came from Newark, New Jersey. My name's Daniel LaRusso.
    Freddy: I'm Freddy Fernandez. Welcome to California. [offers a handshake to Daniel] Hey, we were having an end-of-summer clambake on the beach tomorrow night, want to come?
    Daniel: Sure!
    [Daniel looks for an apartment, while passing a woman holding a small dog]
    Woman: This place is a dump. You should return to Newark!
    Daniel: How did you know I was from Newark?
    Woman: I overheard your conversation with Freddy. I'm a Jersey girl myself, from Parsippany. I never should have left.
    Daniel: Parsippany? I got an Uncle Louie from Parsippany!
    Woman: Louis Fontini?
    Daniel: No, Louie LaRusso.
    Woman: Don't know him.
    [The Cobra Kai gang, all in skeleton costumes, are viciously beating Daniel up, after he soaked Johnny in a toilet, for rolling what looked like cannabis]
    Bobby Brown: (to Dutch) Leave him (Daniel) alone man, he's had enough!
    Dutch: Shut up, Bobby!
    Bobby Brown: Look at him, Dutch. He can't even stand up!
    Tommy: SO WHAT?!
    Dutch: THAT DON'T MEAN SQUAT!
    Bobby Brown: Johnny! (still to Johnny and pointing at Johnny) Leave him (Daniel) alone, man, he's had enough!
    Johnny Lawrence: I'll decide when he's had enough, man!
    Bobby Brown: What is wrong with you, Johnny!
    Johnny Lawrence: AN ENEMY DESERVES NO MERCY!
    Dutch: (to Johnny) RIGHT!
    Johnny Lawrence: RIGHT?!
    Dutch: RIGHT!
    Bobby Brown: (to Johnny, Tommy and Dutch) You're crazy, men!
    [The Cobra Kai gang do not see Mr. Miyagi climbing over the fence.Johnny launches an attack on Daniel, only for Mr. Miyagi to drop down from the fence, knocking Daniel down to safety. Johnny flies through the air, towards where Daniel was standing, and breaks a sign on the fence]
    Bobby Brown: Tommy! [slaps him with his hand]
    Tommy: Bobby! [also slaps him with his hand] Get him!
    [Tommy and Bobby grab Mr Miyagi by his shoulders, but he frees himself and knocks them both down, before making short work of all the Cobra Kai gang]
    [Daniel checks out Cobra Kai, where Kreese is in the midst of teaching a class]
    John Kreese: Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?
    Cobra Kai students: NO, SENSEI!
    John Kreese: Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it?
    Cobra Kai students: NO, SENSEI!
    John Kreese: Defeat does not exist in this dojo, does it?
    Cobra Kai students: NO, SENSEI!
    John Kreese: Prepare! What do we study here?
    Cobra Kai students: THE WAY OF THE FIST, SIR!
    John Kreese: And what is that Way?
    Cobra Kai students: STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY, SIR!
    John Kreese: I CAN'T HEAR YOU!
    Cobra Kai: STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY, SIR!
    [Daniel is bicycling home when Johnny's gang ambush him]
    Dutch: Looking for a shortcut back to Newark, Daniel?
    Johnny: No, he wants to learn karate! Well, here's your first lesson: how to take a fall!
    Dutch: Don't think about the pain.
    [Cobras shove Daniel into a ravine then ride away laughing uproariously. Daniel trudges home then throws the bike in a dumpster. At the same time, Lucille returns to the apartment complex to witness Daniel's breakdown]
    Daniel: This damn bike. I hate this bike. I hate this frigging bike. This stupid bike! I hate it! Stupid bike.
    Lucille: Daniel! What's the matter?
    Daniel: NOTHING!
    Lucille: Why did you throw your bike away?
    Daniel: Because I felt like it, Mum.
    Lucille: Please look at me when I'm talking to you (sees Daniel's bruises) Oh my god! Can you tell me what's going on? And don't tell me about another bike accident!
    Daniel: What do you want to hear, ma?
    Lucille: The truth is-
    Daniel: No you don't want to hear the truth. All you want to hear is how great it is. Well, it may be great to you but it SUCKS for me! I hate this place! I HATE IT!! I just want to go home! Why can't we just go back home?
    Lucille: Listen to me, I cannot help you unless you tell me what's wrong!
    Daniel: I gotta take karate lessons.
    Lucille: You took karate!
    Daniel: No, not at the Y at a good school.
    Lucille: But, fighting doesn't solve anything Daniel.
    Daniel: Well, neither does palm trees, ma.
    Lucille: That's not fair!
    Daniel: Like it was fair coming over here without asking me how I felt about it. Right, that was really fair.
    Lucille: You're right. I should've asked.
    Daniel: Yeah, well, I just wanna go home. That's it. I don't understand the rules here and I want to go home.
    Lucille: Let's clean you up and maybe we can figure out the rules here together. What about your bike?
    Daniel: It's safer taking a bus. Why can't we just go home? Why can't we just go home and forget this place?
    [He and his mother go upstairs. Their argument was overheard by Mr. Miyagi, who emerges from his office, troubled over Daniel's problem]
    Daniel: How come you didn't tell me?
    Mr. Miyagi: Tell you what?
    Daniel: That you knew karate?
    Mr. Miyagi: You never ask?
    Daniel: Well, where did you learn it?
    Mr. Miyagi: Father.
    Daniel: But I thought he was a fisherman.
    Mr. Miyagi: In Okinawa, all Miyagi know two things: fish and karate. Karate come from China, sixteenth century, called te, "hand". Hundred year later, Miyagi ancestor bring to Okinawa, call karate. "empty hand".
    Daniel: I always thought it came from Buddhist temples and stuff like that.
    Mr. Miyagi: You watch too much TV.
    Daniel: That what my mother tells me.
    [Daniel and Mr. Miyagi visit Cobra Kai to talk to Kreese, who is teaching a class]
    John Kreese: We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, in the streets, in competition. A man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy-[notices Johnny staring at Daniel and Mr. Miyagi] what is the problem, Mr. Lawrence?
    Johnny Lawrence: [whispering] The guys at the door? They're the ones who jumped us last night.
    Daniel LaRusso: [nervously, to Mr. Miyagi] Hey come on, let's forget this.
    Mr. Miyagi: Wait. Not yet.
    John Kreese: [to his students] Class, we have visitors. Fall in behind me.
    [The students fall in. Kreese and Johnny approach Daniel and Mr. Miyagi]
    John Kreese: I hear you jumped some of my students last night.
    Mr. Miyagi: Afraid the facts mixed up.
    John Kreese: Are you calling Mr. Lawrence a liar?
    Mr. Miyagi: No call no one nothing.
    John Kreese: What are you here for, old man?
    Mr. Miyagi: Come ask leave boy alone.
    John Kreese: What's the matter? The boy can't take care of his own problems?
    Mr. Miyagi: One to one problem, yes. Five to one problem, too much ask anyone.
    John Kreese: Is that what's bothering you? The odds? Well, we can fix that. [to Johnny] You like matching, Mr. Lawrence?
    Johnny Lawrence: [eagerly] Yes, Sensei!
    Mr. Miyagi: [groans] No more fighting.
    John Kreese: [getting angry] This is a karate dojo, not a knitting class! You don't come into my dojo and drop a challenge and leave, old man. Now, you get your boy on the mat or you and I will have a major problem.
    Mr. Miyagi: Too much advantage, your dojo.
    John Kreese: Name a place.
    Mr. Miyagi: [gestures with his head to the poster behind him for the All-Valley Under-18 Karate Tournament] Tournament.
    John Kreese: [chuckles] You've got real nerve, old man. Real nerve. But I think we can accommodate you. Can't we, Mr. Lawrence?
    Johnny Lawrence: Yes, Sensei.
    John Kreese: Fall in. [Johnny gets back in line]
    Mr. Miyagi: Ask one more small request.
    John Kreese: [stops, annoyed] Make it fast.
    Mr. Miyagi: Ask leave boy alone, to train.
    John Kreese: [chuckles] You're a pushy little bastard, ain't ya? But I like that. I like that! [to his students] All right, no one touches the prima donna until the tournament. Is that understood?
    Cobra Kai students: YES, SENSEI!
    John Kreese: [menacingly approaches Miyagi and Daniel again] But you don't show, and it's open season, on him [points at Daniel]... and you [points at Miyagi].
    Mr. Miyagi: Fighting always last answer to problem.
    Daniel: No offense, Mr Miyajee, but I don't think you understand my problem...
    Mr. Miyagi: [interrupting] Mi... ya... gi... understand problem perfect. Your friend, all karate student, eh?
    Daniel: Friend? Oh, yeah, those guys.
    Mr. Miyagi: Problem: attitude.
    Daniel: No the problem is, I'm getting my ass kicked every other day, that's the problem.
    Mr. Miyagi: Because boys have bad attitude. Karate for defense only.
    Daniel: That's not what these guys are taught.
    Mr. Miyagi: Hai - can see. No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do.
    Daniel: Oh, great, that solves everything for me. I'll just go down to the school and straighten it out with the teacher, no problem.
    Mr. Miyagi: Now use head for something other than target, Daniel-san.
    Daniel: I was only kidding.
    Mr. Miyagi: Why?
    Daniel: Because I'd get killed if I showed up there.
    Mr. Miyagi: Get killed anyway.
    Daniel: Would you go with me?
    Mr. Miyagi: No can do.
    Daniel: Why? You said it was a good idea.
    Mr. Miyagi: For you, good idea. For me, good idea no get involved.
    Daniel: But you're already involved.
    Mr. Miyagi: Very sorry.
    Daniel: Well thanks for nothing then! Thanks for nothing. Like I didn't have enough problems already. Now I gotta carry your weight too. Thanks. Don't do me any more favors pal alright?
    Mr. Miyagi: Daniel-san.
    Daniel: What?
    Mr. Miyagi: OK, I go.
    Daniel: Oh thanks! Thanks Mr. Miyajee.
    Mr. Miyagi: Miyagi.
    Daniel: Miyagi. Hey, what kind of belt do you have?
    Mr. Miyagi: Canvas. J.C. Penney. $3.98. You like? [laughs]
    Daniel: No, I meant...
    Mr. Miyagi: In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants. [laughs; then, seriously] Daniel-san, karate here. [taps his head] Karate here. [taps his heart] Karate never here. [points to his belt] Understand?
    Daniel: I think so.
    Mr. Miyagi: Good night, Daniel-san.
    Daniel: Good night, Mr. Miyajee. Miyagi! Miyagi. Tomorrow morning?
    Mr. Miyagi: Ten o'clock.
    Mr. Miyagi: Now, ready?
    Daniel: Yeah, I guess so.
    Mr. Miyagi: [sighs] Daniel-san, must talk. [they both kneel] Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later, [makes squish gesture] get squished, just like grape. Here, karate, same thing. Either you karate do "yes", or karate do "no". You karate do "guess so", [makes squish gesture] just like grape. Understand?
    Daniel: Yeah, I understand.
    Mr. Miyagi: Now, ready?
    Daniel: Yeah, I'm ready. [he and Mr Miyagi stand up again]
    Mr. Miyagi: First make sacred pact. [Daniel scratches his nose, whilst Miyagi puts the bandana on Daniel's forehead] I promise teach karate. That my part. [turns Daniel around] You promise learn. [ties one knot in the bandana] I say, you do, [ties another knot in the bandana] no questions. That your part. [Daniel turns around again] Deal?
    Daniel: It's a deal. [he holds his right hand out, as though expecting Miyagi to shake it. Instead, Miyagi bends down, takes the sponge out of the bucket, straightens up and thrusts the sponge into Daniel's outstretched hand]
    Mr. Miyagi: First, wash all the car. Then wax. Wax on...
    Daniel: Hey, why do I have to...?
    Mr. Miyagi: Ah ah! Remember deal! No questions!
    Daniel: Yeah, but...
    Mr. Miyagi: Hai! [makes circular gestures with each hand] Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out of mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important. [walks away, still making circular motions with hands] Wax on... wax off. Wax on... wax off.
    Daniel: Hey, where did these cars come from?
    Mr. Miyagi: [stops walking, turns around] Detroit! [turns around, resumes walking away, still muttering "Wax on, wax off" to himself and making circular gestures with his hands as he walks]
    Daniel: Wouldn't a fly swatter be easier?
    Mr. Miyagi: Man who catch fly with chopsticks accomplish anything.
    Daniel: Ever catch one?
    Mr. Miyagi: Not yet.
    [Mr. Miyagi comes home from fishing and finds Daniel close to finishing painting his house.]
    Mr. Miyagi: Oop. Miss spot.
    Daniel: What spot? Hey, how come you didn't tell me you were going fishing?
    Mr. Miyagi: You not here when I go.
    Daniel: Maybe I would've like to have gone. You ever think about that?
    Mr. Miyagi: You karate training.
    Daniel: I'm WHAT?! I'm being your goddamn slave man is what I'm being! Now we made a deal here.
    Mr. Miyagi: So?
    Daniel: So? So you're supposed to teach and I'm supposed to learn remember? For four days, I've been busting my ass and I haven't learned a goddamn thing!
    Mr. Miyagi: Hah, learn plenty!
    Daniel: I've learned plenty! I've learned how to sand your decks maybe! How about wash your cars, paint your house, paint your fence. I've learned plenty!
    Mr. Miyagi: Oh, Daniel-san not everything is as seems.
    Daniel: Oh bullshit! I'm going home man!
    Mr. Miyagi: Daniel-san! DANIEL-SAN!!
    Daniel: What?
    Mr. Miyagi: Show me sand-the-floor.
    Daniel: I can't move my arm, alright? [Mr. Miyagi claps then rubs his hands quickly] What are you doing? What? [Mr. Miyagi starts massaging Daniel's arm] Ow! Ow, what are you doing?
    Mr. Miyagi: Now show me sand-the-floor.
    [Daniel's pain has been suppressed]
    Daniel: How did you do that?
    Mr. Miyagi: SHOW!
    [Daniel and Mr. Miyagi are leaving a beach, after Daniel had been told to train in the sea, to learn balance]
    Daniel: What were you doing on those stumps over there?
    Mr. Miyagi: Called crane technique.
    Daniel: Does it work?
    Mr. Miyagi: If do right, no can defense.
    Daniel: Could you teach me?
    Mr. Miyagi: First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule, Daniel-san, not mine.
    Daniel: Where did you learn it from?
    Mr. Miyagi: Father teach.
    Daniel: You must have had some father, man
    Mr. Miyagi: Oh, yes.
    [They return to Mr. Miyagi's truck, only to find two drunkards there, leaving their beer bottles on the hood.]
    Mr. Miyagi: Excuse me, please. Boy cold. Must leave. Kindly remove bottles.
    Drunk: Kindly do it yourself, Mr. Moto!
    [Mr. Miyagi karate-chops the tops of the beer bottles, making the drunks leave in fear]
    Daniel: How did you do that? How did you do that?
    Mr. Miyagi: Don't know. First time.
    Mr. Miyagi: [on Daniel's birthday, after having already given him his present, the karate gi he will wear at the tournament] Go outside. Something show you.
    Daniel: What?
    Mr. Miyagi: Number two present. [leads Daniel outside]
    Daniel: [walking and talking] Number two present? You don't have to give me anything. You've given me enough already. [Miyagi keeps walking, silently] No really, I'm serious.
    Mr. Miyagi: [stops and points to his fleet of antique cars] Choose.
    Daniel: [surprised and hesitant] Oh, no...
    Mr. Miyagi: Hai! Hurt old man feeling. [points again] Choose.
    Daniel: I'm just scared. You know, the tournament and everything...
    Mr. Miyagi: You remember lesson about balance?
    Daniel: Yeah.
    Mr. Miyagi: Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better.
    Daniel: You're the best friend I've ever had!
    Mr. Miyagi: You... pretty OK, too. Go, find balance. [chuckles]
    [Daniel starts to drive away]
    Mr. Miyagi: Banzai, Daniel-san!
    Daniel: Hey, banzai!
    Mr. Miyagi: [beat; then; louder] Banzai!
    Daniel: [louder] Banzai!
    Mr. Miyagi: [shouts] Banzai!
    Daniel: [shouts back] Banzai!
    [Daniel, Mr. Miyagi and Ali go out onto the tournament quadrangle, where they are stopped by an official.]
    Official: Hold it. Only teachers and students on the competition floor. I'm sorry.
    Daniel: Oh, but he doesn't speak English and I can't understand his instructions without her. She's his translator.
    [Mr. Miyagi says something unintelligible.]
    Official: What did he say?
    Ali: He said you reminded him of an uncle of his in Tokyo.
    Official: [flattered] Well, I guess it is all right.
    [Mr. Miyagi says something unintelligible.]
    Official: What's that?
    Ali: He says you're very kind.
    Official: Thank you.
    Mr. Miyagi: Welcome.
    [For the semifinal, Daniel is to face off against Bobby Brown]
    John Kreese: Bobby, I want him out of commission.
    Bobby Brown: But, Sensei, I can beat this guy!
    John Kreese: I don't want him beaten.
    Bobby Brown: But I'll be disqualified!
    John Kreese: Out of commission.
    [A timeout is called so Kreese can clean up Johnny's nosebleed]
    John Kreese: [about Daniel's injured leg] Sweep the leg.
    [Johnny stares at him in shock]
    John Kreese: Do you have a problem with that?
    Johnny Lawrence: No, Sensei.
    John Kreese: No mercy.
    Score is tied 2-2. The next point will mean the end of the tournament. Daniel assumes the crane kick position. As Johnny advances, Daniel does the crane kick to his head.
    Referee: Winner!
    Ring Announcer: The new champion! Daniel LaRusso!
    Audience cheers. Both Mrs. LaRusso and Ali rush out to the mat hug Daniel
    Lucille: Oh, Daniel!
    Ali: All right!
    [everyone hoists up Daniel; Johnny hands Daniel the trophy]
    Johnny: You're all right, Larusso, Good match!
    Daniel: Thanks a lot! [whoops] Hey! Hey, Mr. Miyagi! We did it, We did it! All right! [whoops victoriously]
    [Mr. Miyagi nods and smiles]

## Taglines

* He taught him the secret to karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands.
* Only the "Old One" could teach him the secrets of masters.

## Cast

* Ralph Macchio - Daniel LaRusso
* Pat Morita - Mr. Hideo Miyagi
* Elisabeth Shue - Ali Mills
* William Zabka - Johnny Lawrence
* Martin Kove - John Kreese
* Randee Heller - Lucille LaRusso
* Chad McQueen - Dutch
* Ron Thomas - Bobby Brown
* Tony O'Dell - Jimmy
* Rob Garrison - Tommy

## See also

* The Karate Kid, Part II
* The Karate Kid, Part III
* The Next Karate Kid

## External links

* The Karate Kid quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* The Karate Kid at Rotten Tomatoes
* Script
* Lane's The Karate Kid Page