“I must see a hundred cases like you every day.”
Why it's great
A kid turns sympathy into swagger, claiming she has already seen a hundred lost girls.
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Informal
Use it yourself
I must see a hundred questions like that every day.
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00:00 / 04:40
CC Meets Hillary on the Boardwalk, Explained
Beaches · 1988
Chapter 1 of 30 · 4'40"
On the Atlantic City boardwalk, eleven-year-old CC finds a lost rich girl, Hillary. CC talks like a seasoned performer — offering a drag on her cigarette and guessing Hillary's hotel. "Bet your ass it's ritzy," she says, before the two introduce themselves.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:02–1:03
CC Meets Hillary on the Boardwalk
61s - 1:14–2:23
Leona Comes Looking for CC
69s
CC Meets Hillary on the Boardwalk, explained
What happens
On the boardwalk in Atlantic City, eleven-year-old CC spots a lost girl and sizes her up at once. She offers Hillary a drag on her cigarette, asks whether her hotel is big or small, ritzy or cheap, and names it: the Marlboro Blenheim. Hillary introduces herself, while CC announces she is a world-famous child wonder. Then her mother Leona calls her away.
What's really going on
The scene is a meeting between two kinds of childhood, and CC is the one who runs it. She is a kid with a cigarette and an adult's patter — 'I must see a hundred cases like you every day' — and she uses it to take charge of a rich girl who has everything except a sense of direction. The guessing game about the hotel is really a test: big or small, ritzy or cheap. When she lands on the Marlboro Blenheim, she seals it with 'Bet your ass it's ritzy.' Hillary, by contrast, is polite and unsure, and her simple 'Hi, I'm Hillary Whitney' sets up the friendship the film will follow for decades. Leona's arrival adds the second half of CC's world: a stage mother who worries, scolds, and pushes her daughter toward a Hollywood scout.
Key lines & what they mean
- “I must see a hundred cases like you every day.”
- CC's line to the lost girl: a mock-professional boast that shows a child who has learned to talk like an adult.
- “Bet your ass it's ritzy. It's the Marlboro Blenheim.”
- Her confident guess, sealed with a slangy oath: the hotel is expensive, and she names it correctly.
- “Don't blow a gasket, Leona. I'm down here.”
- CC calming her mother, who is panicking about her missing daughter — the child reassuring the adult.
- “What planet do you live on?”
- A joking put-down for how sheltered Hillary is: she doesn't even know the most popular show in town.
Theme
- Friendship — The chance meeting on the boardwalk starts the lifelong friendship between CC and Hillary.
- Coming of age — Two eleven-year-olds from very different worlds meet, and each one's character is already fully on display.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level3/6
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“Bet your ass it's ritzy. It's the Marlboro Blenheim.”
Why it's great
A blunt bet confirms the guess, then a fancy hotel name lands the punchline.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
Bet your ass it's expensive; look at the line outside.
“Don't blow a gasket, Leona. I'm down here.”
Why it's great
Instead of calming her mother, she teases her for nearly exploding with anger.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
Don't blow a gasket; the file is already on its way.
“What planet do you live on?”
Why it's great
A mock-serious question mocks someone for being hopelessly out of touch.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
What planet do you live on? Everyone is talking about it.
Beaches: your progress
Chapter 1 of 30 · about 98 min to go
Up next · 02pack it inThe scene: CC Melts Down After Losing the PartTakeaways
What you walk away with- Bet your ass is a blunt way to say definitely
- Blow a gasket means explode with anger
- Ritzy describes a place that feels luxurious
- Skedaddle is an old, playful hurry-up
People also search
Questions, then the linesHow do CC and Hillary meet?
Hillary is lost on the Atlantic City boardwalk, and CC, an eleven-year-old performer, spots her and offers to walk her back to her hotel.
Where is Hillary staying?
The Marlboro Blenheim, a ritzy hotel. CC guesses it from her description of a fountain, a pool and violinists in the lobby.
Who is Leona?
CC's mother. She comes looking for her daughter, panicking that something has happened, and pushes her toward an audition with a Hollywood scout.
What does 'blow a gasket' mean?
It means to lose your temper or panic. CC uses it to tell her mother, 'Don't blow a gasket, Leona,' when she is frantic about her.
What is CC's act?
She performs routines on the Sammy Pinkers Kiddie Show, which she calls the most popular show in Atlantic City, alongside Iris Myandowski.