The Amusement Park

Hello, there.

My name is Lincoln Maazel.

On my next birthday, I'll be 71 years of age.

I am an actor. I'm working.

I have a family.

Despite the many problems and frustrations

of the world as it is today,

no one will deny that there is still a basic fulfillment

which is drawn from living, being active, and contributing.

There is a joy to life available to those

who can interact with nature, with their fellow man.

Unfortunately, this interaction is denied to many groups,

for many reasons...

Levels of income,

environmental deprivation, geographical accident.

Perhaps the saddest cause of denial and rejection

is, very simply, old age.

Man lives his mature life with hope.

He looks forward to the day

when he can reap the benefits of his experience,

his earnings, and his wisdom.

And yet, he often finds he is not regarded

as a productive member of his society.

And if he doesn't have a reputation

and doesn't have financial substance,

the situation is a hundred times worse.

Some of the many problems of aging are loneliness,

failing health, inadequate transportation,

inadequate medical care, inadequate housing,

lack of money, improper nutrition,

and perhaps most acute,

the lack of compassion and supportive services

from the younger members of our society.

The oldest citizens of the world

represent a much misused natural resource.

The wasting of this great resource is a worldwide tragedy,

but this can be corrected by people.

People who can be made aware.

People who can care and who can respond to the need.

Oh, you've heard the statistics,

and you've been preached to about the problem.

You've seen news reports and documentary material

dealing with the plight of the elderly.

We will not repeat what you have heard.

The amusement park which you are about to visit

illustrates some of the many problems

people of my age face on a daily basis.

We intend for you to feel the problem, to experience it,

and we ask for your sympathy as you watch.

And when the film ends, we hope you will have

the concerned interest to take action.

The supporting players of this film are not actors.

They are volunteers, many of whom are actively involved

in services to the elderly.

The older people in the film are also volunteers,

who are either concerned enough to give us of their time

or who, in real life, are living in institutions,

in lower-income housing areas, or in city slums.

The time spent in shooting at West View Park,

which facility was donated to the production,

was, for some of the elderly players,

the only enjoyable time they have had in recent years.

Remember, as you watch the film, one day you will be old.

Hello?

I say, hello, there.

Don't you care to talk?

No.

Uh, tell me, um...

would you like to do something?

No.

Do you, um...

Do you ever go outside?

Uh.. No.

Don't you want to ever go outside?

There... There...

There's nothing.

Nothing out... outside.

Well, I'm going outside anyway.

You... You won't...

You won't like...

You won't like it.

Well, I'll see for myself, if you don't mind.

- Goodbye. - There... There...

There's nothing outside.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Hey! What do you say? Tickets for her?

Cash! That's what I like to see.

Cash. Here you are.

I can't give you more than $5 for it.

Oh, no. They're worth more than that.

No, I'm afraid not, ma'am.

They may have sentimental value to me,

but they're worth $5 to me, and that's it.

- Take it or leave it. - All right, then.

- I'll take it. - Here you go.

- Who's next? - The next one is here.

This is silver.

All right, let me take a look at it.

That's pure silver.

I can't give you more than $5.

Oh, man! What you talking about? Listen.

$5. Take it or leave it.

You ain't looked at the thing right.

I've examined it very thoroughly.

Well, come on, come on. I'll take it,

- but you're beating me now. - There you are.

Look at this clock. It's a nice clock.

- How much you give me for it? - It's broke.

I'll give you a buck.

No, you can't. $15.

A buck. Take a buck. That's it.

I'm sorry. It's broke.

Who's next? Yes, sir?

- I'd like to get some tickets. - Okay, fine.

Cash. That's what I like to see.

How much do you have to spend?

Well, um, I...

Time is money. Let's come on, now.

I'm on a budget, you see,

and I have to be very careful.

- How much do you want to spend? - Well, I...

Just a minute, folks. I'll be with you in a second.

- I can afford about half. - Half? All right.

And this is going to be for an emergency.

Sure, okay. That's okay with me.

- Sure, okay. Here you go. - Thank you very much, sir.

He gave a lot of tickets to that old man.

Who's next? Step right up.

Okay, it's fine.

Why don't you watch where you're going?

I'm terribly sorry.

I'm terribly sorry. [-I...

I...

Okay, step right across.

Here, that's fine. Go ahead. Here.

One more. Watch your step there. Watch your step.

Two. I'll take two more here.

Hurry up. You're gonna miss the car.

Okay, good.

Sorry, ma'am. You're not allowed.

Read the sign there.

Let's go. Come on. Next, next.

You'll pass, I guess. Easy, easy, easy.

- Here. - Here's mine.

Fine, fine.

I'm sorry, ma'am. You can't get on.

- Please, please. - Read the sign.

Just read the sign.

How come we can't get on?

- Maybe next year. - How come we can't get on?

Go right through there.

How come we can't get on?

We're going down! We're going down!

- What do you mean? - We keep going downhill.

No, we're going up! We're going up!

All aboard!

All aboard!

Read the chart. Start at the top, work your way down.

E, F...

C.

Z.

D

It's all right. You be calm, Harry. Take it easy.

T.

Okay, ma'am, you're okay, but, sir,

you're gonna have to be a passenger from now on.

Cannot renew your license with those eyes.

Beautiful young lady...

but has the body of a spider.

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

All right.

Did you see where you're going? For crying out loud!

If there's anything stupider than a woman driver,

- it's an old woman driver. - What do you mean?

You made left-hand turn with a right-hand signal.

How old are you?

Well, if it's any of your business, I'm 67.

If that's true, you shouldn't even be allowed

- on the road. - Wrecked my car.

Anybody over 65 should be made to ride the bus.

What do you mean? Don't you know your left hand

from your right hand?

Wait. One minute. What happened?

- She hit me from behind. - For goodness' sake.

He doesn't know his left hand from his right.

Your driver's license, please.

She hit me from behind. Now, isn't it true

that when somebody hits you from behind, it's their fault?

Okay, listen. That's why I'm here.

Since I'm so old, you better have

a little more respect for me. That's what I say.

There's no sense arguing about it.

I'll make the report of what I see.

- Oh! Here's our insurance man. - You can see the damage.

You know how much something like this costs.

We're here to represent our client.

A kid in kindergarten knows left and right hand.

Officer, excuse me, please, but I was driving coming this way,

and I saw the accident.