Ice Castles (1978)

Jennifer Warren: Deborah Mackland

Quotes 

• [Jennifer Warren leads Alexis into a busy restaurant in the building where all of the skaters are living temporarily. Warren guides Lexie to a table] 

  Deborah Machland : There are five girls that the judges have been looking at since - sit down - since the last Olympics. So they're the ones that everyone expects to win. Now, even if you're as good as they are, they're gonna win, because the judges are gonna think you're a flash in the pan.

  Alexis Winston : So, if I can't win...

  Deborah Machland : I didn't say that. I just want you to know what we're up against.

  Alexis Winston : I dunno...

  Deborah Machland : If you're not tough enough, you're never gonna make it. The pressure, the pace... even the other girls are gonna kill you.

• [Lexie has achieved a triple which has all of her skate-competitors jealous. But not her trainer, Deborah. After the practice, Deborah stops the car on a highway above a cliff down to a deep gulch; the metaphor cannot be any clearer] 

  Deborah Machland : The next time you pull a stunt like that, it's over, you hear me? You could get hurt very easily, and then where are we? A stupid show-off thing with the triple.

  Alexis Winston : [beginning to cry]  But I did it. I've been working on it, I wanted to surprise you.

  Deborah Machland : It was a lousy triple.

  Alexis Winston : [crying]  You didn't even see it.

  Deborah Machland : You're not good enough for a triple! You're not good enough. Let me tell you something. Triples may be big crowd-pleasers, but to world-class judges, it's just a piece of show-off acrobatics. You can't win at this game with that kind of crap. You know what the judges want, and you do it better than anybody else, and that's what wins. Annette knows that; every goddamn coach here does.

  [softly] 

  Deborah Machland : I'm a goddamn laughing-stock. You could make a fool out of yourself, but not me. Now, which is it? My way, or do I drive you to the airport right now?