This is a stray line from a movie that keeps popping up in my head and I can’t pinpoint where it’s from. I’ve tossed it out to friends and everyone I know is stumped. I will describe the skeleton of the scene and then add more details, because there’s a chance those details are me retroactively filling in the blanks or making stuff up.

A young child is begging on the street. An old, clearly rich, seemingly out-of-touch man gives the boy a pitiful amount of money. Acting as if he’s done the child a huge favor he says something like “Here you go– you lucky, lucky boy!”

Foggy recollections of the scene: watched it in the 90s. Movie is probably a 90s movie, possibly 80s. It’s one of those kids movies that’s on the darker side, the kind you recollect as an adult and wonder, “why was a movie like that ever made for kids??”

The context of the scene I remember is this: the kid is in a dreadful, real-life predicament, facing actual homelessness, possibly an orphan, and he (I remember it being a boy, could be wrong) is a little hardened at this point. The moment is darkly humorous. The bitter irony of the scene is that the kid, being a vulnerable member of society, needs to be taken seriously in order to survive, but will not be taken seriously because he is a child. He may have performed a task for the man, like shining shoes or something.

The movie may have been a period movie. Definitely picturing old-timey wardrobe and whatnot. I picture heavy overcoats because it’s cold outside. I am unsure if the movie had fantasy elements. The movie was likely a drama. The old man absolutely thinks he did this kid, who’s street life is some kind of fun lark, a huge favor by giving him this pitiful amount of money. The kid sardonically thanks the man, and I forget what happens after this but I am pretty sure he decides to set some kind of plan in motion.