Nadia (1984 TV Movie)

Talia Balsam: Marta Karolyi

Quotes 

• Bela Karolyi : How could that happen to her?

  Marta Karolyi : She's totally dependent on you.

  Bela Karolyi : What do you mean?

  Marta Karolyi : Bela, you didn't teach her to control her appetite; you took away her food.

  Bela Karolyi : Nadia is not dependent on me. She is irritatingly independent. She always fought with me.

  Marta Karolyi : And you always won.

  Bela Karolyi : Marta, I can't be with her forever. What will she do then?

  Marta Karolyi : That's a very good question.

• Marta Karolyi : [watching Nadia train]  Bela, Nadia gets so intensely involved when she performs that she forgets the audience. But she never thinks to smile.

  Bela Karolyi : Geza! Teach her to smile! What judge would like such a sourpuss?

• Bela Karolyi : Over here!

  [He runs and hurls himself into the jump pit. A few of the gymnasts follow. He starts throwing pieces of foam] 

  Bela Karolyi : Come on in, the water's great!

  [Giggling, the rest of the girls run and jump in] 

  Marta Karolyi : You're supposed to be one of the coaches, not one of the children.

  Bela Karolyi : They like it!

  Marta Karolyi : I didn't bring you here to be liked.

  Bela Karolyi : Sometimes people just can't help themselves.

• Older Nadia Comaneci : I understand now.

  Bela Karolyi : You do?

  Older Nadia Comaneci : I can do it on my own.

  [smiles] 

  Older Nadia Comaneci : Thank you.

  [the announcer calls her name, and Nadia goes to compete on the balance beam - by her own choice - despite a severe wrist infection] 

  Marta Karolyi : What did you do to her?

  Bela Karolyi : For the first time - nothing!

• Marta Karolyi : [notices Nadia looking unwell]  You all right? Hmm?

  [Nadia squirms] 

  Marta Karolyi : No, you're not all right. What did you eat last night?

  [Nadia looks away and keeps stretching] 

  Marta Karolyi : You went out, didn't you? How could you? Today of all days!

  Older Nadia Comaneci : It won't matter.

• Bela Karolyi : [at dinner, discussing the upcoming Olympic Games in Montreal]  If we don't go, I'll tell everyone why. Including the press.

  Mili Simonescu : That would *not* be wise.

  Bela Karolyi : A-ha! Tell me, where are all the wise coaches?

  Mili Simonescu : I don't know.

  Bela Karolyi : That's because you've never heard of them. Being wise is not what we do best.

  Marta Karolyi : [holds up the soup tureen lid to cover Bela's mouth]  Would you like more, Mili?

  Mili Simonescu : Don't tempt me, Marta, thank you. Take care, Bela. Don't push too hard.

  Bela Karolyi : [puts his hand over Marta's and pushes the lid back onto the tureen]  *That* is what we do best.

• [the eight-year-old Teodora has just performed an advanced floor exercise] 

  Bela Karolyi : How can a little girl do that?

  Marta Karolyi : That's what comes from serious work.

• Marta Karolyi : I still think you're pushing too hard. It's not the Olympics, you know.

  Bela Karolyi : It will be. Canada, Marta, we're going to Canada.

  Marta Karolyi : Bela!

  [laughs incredulously] 

  Marta Karolyi : Our girls are too young! They - they haven't even won a European event yet!

  Bela Karolyi : Yes. That's why we're going to Paris first.

• Marta Karolyi : [returns to the gym after taking a phone call]  Bela?

  Bela Karolyi : Yes?

  Marta Karolyi : The girls... they're gone.

  Bela Karolyi : What?

  Marta Karolyi : The team, they've been moved to Bucharest.

  Bela Karolyi : That's impossible.

  Marta Karolyi : It's true, Bela.

  Bela Karolyi : But we're their coaches!

  Marta Karolyi : Not anymore.

  Bela Karolyi : Nadia too?

  Marta Karolyi : All of them.

  Bela Karolyi : Family. For nine years, Marta, we were family!