Original subtitles

Taxi here, sir.

Serve and line up for goodbye, sir.

Chinese custom.

Okay. Put everything in the cab now?

Yes, sir.

Driver all paid.

If paid at airport, he charge too much.

That Chinese custom, too.

Oh, here. Here, you take that. Hong Kong money's no good in New York. No, no,

no. Go on. Porter at airport.

Carely bag.

Give nice tip. Keep face.

Okay.

You're the best number one boy in China, I hope.

Thank you, sir. You happy to go home, sir? Yeah, one month is long enough.

Okay, thank you. Now, you ever get to New York, you be sure and look me up,

understand? Understand, sir. Joy teen.

Bye -bye.

Thank you, Uncle Bill.

They're really pretty. I wish we could wear them to school.

If I wore mine to school, Henry would laugh at me. Who's Henry? Henry Yi. He's

Chinese. And he always wears jeans and a T -shirt.

We really missed you.

Well, I missed you guys, too.

And there's more of you to miss, eh?

Mr. French took good care of us.

That's good. Come on now. Go and do your homework.

We took good care of Mr. French, too.

I bet you did.

Well, sir, everything's unpacked.

Okay, thank you. Let me say so, sir. Your belongings were in excellent

condition. You must have had some very good help in Hong Kong.

Oh, yeah.

I had two armors, a houseboy and a number one boy.

All in your employ, sir?

Oh, yes, sir.

Old Chinese custom.

Mr. Davis' house?

Yes. Mr. Davis here? Oh, no, I'm afraid Mr. Davis is out. May I be of some

assistance?

I wait.

Oh, now, look here, young man.

One doesn't come barging into somebody's apartment just like that.

Not barge, Mr. French.

Invited by Mr. Davis.

Mr. French, where's the... Ah, Mr. Puffy, Mr. Jody. Do you know

us? We don't know you.

All our time in Hong Kong, Mr. Davis talk about family.

Where Miss Sissy?

She's in the den. I'll go get her.

Then you were acquainted with Mr. Davis on his recent trip to the Far East.

I beg your pardon?

I am Ho, number one boy.

Here's Sissy.

Ah, beautiful like lotus blossom.

when new in bloom.

He says he's Uncle Bill's first son.

Not first son.

Number one boy.

Head servant.

Ah, yes, and if you'll excuse me, I think I'd better telephone Mr. Davis.

Uncle Bill's at his office, Mr. Ho.

Name not Mr. Ho.

Name Mr.

Ng. Ng is family name.

Ho Ng?

No. Jody in China, the family name comes first.

So his name is Ng Ho, right? That's funny.

If I was in Hong Kong, my name would be Davis Buffy.

Davis Buffy?

I have a gift for you.

Thank you, Mr. Aang. Do you have anything for Davis Jody?

This is for you.

Thank you, Mr. Aang.

And for Miss Sissy.

That's very nice of you. Thank you.

Now you have learned lesson in family name.

Please call me Ho.

All right? All right.

What do

you

mean he's here?

Then, sir, you were not anticipating his arrival?

No. What's he doing here?

He didn't say so.

Well, I'll be home as soon as I can. Just tell him to stick around, yeah?

Yes, I believe that's his intention, sir.

Bye, sir.

Look what Hope brought us, Mr. French.

Slippers to match our robes from Uncle Bill.

Wasn't it clever to think of that?

Yeah, it's very clever indeed.

Where is he?

Oh, he's in the kitchen. He just wanted to look around.

He did?

May I ask what are you doing there?

Looking for Houyao. No fine Houyao.

What on earth is Houyao?

Oyster sauce.

Where you hide?

Good gracious, we don't use oyster sauce here.

Huh?

I come just in time. Mr. Davis' kitchen need many changes.

Pretty lady

give me state.

Eat entree in lap.

Soon plane go bump, I spill tea all over.

Pretty expensive trip, isn't it?

Save money all time.

Come charter flight. Very cheap.

You say look up you in New York. Who come, who look up. Be you number one boy

again.

Yeah, but I didn't exactly... Hold Lund Davis house.

Hire Ama. Buy food. Just like in Hong Kong.

No, no. Can't do that. See, I've already got somebody that works for me. Mr.

French. He's what we call a... We call him a gentleman's gentleman, you know.

Who cook here?

Mr. French cooks.

Who clean up house?

Mr. French does that, too. He does everything.

He number one gentleman's gentleman.

Yeah.

But don't worry about it. As long as you're here, I'll get you a job.

Man with ambition never really.

I cook one dinner for you tonight. All right?

Okay.

Oh, well, I think Mr. French probably got something prepared already.

If Miss French prepare, it will be good for leftover tomorrow. I go now by walk,

come back and cook gold coin chicken. All right?

All right.

Bye -bye. Bye -bye.

What exactly is the number one boy?

Oh, he's like a foreman. He runs the whole house.

Oh, just like Mr. French. Only Mr.

French isn't a boy.

No, not exactly like Mr. French. More than that. In Hong Kong, Ho managed a

whole staff of servants. He knew the jobs, everybody's job, better than the

armors. What are armors?

They're like the maids.

You know, he had one to cook and one that did all the washing.

Well, he had a houseboy, too. He did the cleaning.

You mean you had all those servants just for you?

Sure, I had two, or else I'd lose face. So would Ho.

Uncle Bill, how could you lose your face?

Oh, Jody, face means, uh, like, uh, reputation. You know, good name, self

-esteem. Very important in the Orient.

Faces are pretty important right here in the United States, too.

That's right.

If I send Ho back to Hong Kong or turn him away, he's gonna lose very big face,

see? Yes, well, I...

I realize that you have a responsibility towards him, sir, but... Now, French,

if you don't mind, I'm going to keep him right here with us until I can find him

a job, or else I'm going to lose face, too.

I understand, sir.

I'm sure that we can make him very comfortable right here in the den, sir.

you. Mr. French, if you lose your face, what would happen to your beard?

Oh, he's back!

Let's go see what he bought.

Okay.

I'm sure Uncle Bill will find her a job soon, Mr. French.

Well, perhaps I also shall make a few inquiries on her behalf.

Now we have walk. Best

cookbook.

Curious utensil, I must say.

Have walk, no need other utensil.

Walk. Boil, fly, sedim, do everything.

How do you ever get along without wok?

Cook without wok is like junk without sale.

Until I find a job for you, you're welcome. You stay right here and help

French, okay?

All right. Like number two, boy? Well, just temporarily like number two.

Number two, boy, temporarily.

To find Flynn in faraway country is like laying...

In dry season.

Okay, I'll make a couple of phone calls for you tomorrow.

All right. Dinner, sir, very soon. You go now.

Okay.

What's the matter?

Well, sir, it seems that all these years I've been a junk without a sale.

Mr. Davis prefers a cup of coffee when he's working late in the evening.

Oh, tea much better.

Stir up wise thoughts.

Mr. Davis always prefers coffee in the evening. It keeps him alert. I think

have them both.

Both?

Right, I'll have the coffee to keep alert, and I'll have the tea for the

thoughts.

Yes.

You like a singuango we have tonight, sir? Very good. Excellent.

Tomorrow, I shop for duck.

Ah, Camara Lange, huh?

Say you up.

Where's he? Laked up.

Fit for mandolin.

Uncle Bill!

Oh, yeah? Do you have a minute? I've got a problem. What's your problem?

Well, I have two invitations for party Saturday night.

Susie Keens and Chris Benton.

You don't know which one to take. Right. Okay.

Now, Susie's got a groovy brother from Princeton.

A freshman there.

But Prince is taking everybody to a country club dance where there's going

a whole bunch of guys down for meal.

Yeah. So?

Oh, that's too much for me. You're going to have to figure that all by yourself.

What do you think, Mr. French?

Oh, truly a soul -torturing dilemma, Sissy.

Well, I need advice. I'm desperate.

No need for desperate, Miss Sissy. I help.

Shake a box.

Look into future.

Solve everything.

What's that?

Yellow stick and I Ching book, sir.

I've seen them before, sir. It's a rather amusing Chinese toy.

No toy, Mr. French.

I Ching book many thousand years old. Very sacred book.

Well, what do I do?

Shake easy, stick fall out.

Ah, what number on stick?

Number 38.

38, number 38.

Do not hunt tiger.

Advance to the flank.

All south.

All south?

What does it mean?

Worthless person like ho only translate venerable words.

Wise man tell meaning.

Well, I guess he's not going to go tiger, huh?

Wait a minute.

The tiger could be Susie's Princeton brother. You know, the Princetons have

tigers. Yeah.

Yeah. What about the flag?

Flags, flags.

Well, they got flags in golf courses.

Golf courses.

Well, country club.

Advance to the country club.

Well, sure.

I'll call Pris.

Thank you, Ho.

Two minutes ago, everybody got problem.

Shake a box, receive venerable word from I Ching, now nobody got problem.

One can adapt words to suit any situation. Surely we're not to believe

nonsense.

Confucius believe.

I take shortcut with I Ching. One stick.

Old Chinese philosopher use many stick.

Very good, very good.

We'd have used a more civilized method, wouldn't we, sir?

I don't know. Coming from him, it sounded pretty venerable.

Yes, sir.

If you say so, sir.

Children?

We're in the kitchen, Mr. French.

secret is not move bottom chopstick.

Children, I'm waiting to take you to the park.

I was giving us a chopstick lesson, Mr. Frank.

He said chopsticks were invented before knives and forks. Really?

It was my understanding that the knife was one of the first tools invented by

the caveman.

Move with top chopstick only, like light with pencil.

After chopstick lesson, I give children lesson in abacus. That's a Chinese

adding machine, Mr. French.

Yes, I'm aware.

I add up figure, check bill, keep household account, save Mr.

Davis money.

Oh, really? Are you implying that I'm extravagant with the household accounts?

How I know. You not use abacus.

you do it, boss?

Just like Ho said, pretend the top one is a pencil.

But you write better than I do.

Haitian is little brother of Saint Jody.

Oh, Mr. French, is Ho still in the kitchen?

Yes, I'm afraid so.

Oh, good. I want to consult Yi Qing about which dress to wear to the party

Saturday night.

Good evening, sir. Hi, Ho.

Slip a log newspaper in bedroom.

Have prepare warm bath for relax.

Come soon with nice hot cup of tea.

Okay. Thank you.

Oh, good evening, sir.

Hello, French.

Oh, sir, I shall have to call the newspaper delivery service. The paper

arrived this evening.

Oh, no, no, it came.

Ho got it and put it in the bedroom, he said.

Oh, I see, sir. Well, um...

Sir, will you be taking your shower before dinner?

Yeah, well, Ho said he's got a bath already in there.

In that case, you won't be needing me, sir. No, listen, listen. Yes, sir.

I'm still trying to find a permanent job for him. I just haven't had much luck

so far.

Yes, sir. I'm going to keep trying.

Yes, thank you, sir.

That's a good report, Phil.

Thank you, Mr. Davis.

Hey, listen, maybe you can do me a little favor.

You know the guy that works for me, French?

He's been with me for years.

I remember.

Anyway, when I was in Hong Kong, I had a number one boy.

Very good.

I told him if he ever came to New York to look me up, eh?

Oh, let me guess.

He thought you were offering him a job, and he followed you here.

Yeah, that's right. So now I got two men.

There's nothing much showing, but there's a little friction going on there

already, see?

And naturally, you don't want to lose Mr. French.

No, I don't want to offend Ho either. He's an exceptional worker. He's a good

cook. He's a good manager.

He's good at everything he does.

I thought maybe you might know of a job for him, you know, something to save

face. Yeah?

What's his family name?

Ng, Ng Ho. I know some Ngs.

I'll inquire and see what I can do.

Okay, you let me know.

Thank you very much.

Oh,

good afternoon.

Hi. Is Ingo at home?

Oh, I'm afraid Mr. Eng is out shopping at the moment, but he should be back

soon. Would you care to come inside?

I'm Betty Ng.

You are in charge here?

Well, so to speak, yes.

Ng Ho has been suggested for a position as head waiter in my family's

restaurant. Do you think he's qualified?

Eminently.

Is he cheerful?

Extremely.

Polite? Oh, invariably.

Does he speak English?

Oh, more than adding.

You wouldn't be trying to get rid of him, would you?

Would you care to wait in the living room, madam?

Excuse me.

Ah, has Miss Ng to see you?

from shopping, Mr. French?

Yes, but don't disturb him. He has a young lady there, a visitor.

Is she Chinese, too?

Maybe she's the number one girl.

You were right.

I'd hire Ingo in a minute.

But he says he must be loyal to Mr. Davis.

He'll probably stay here forever.

Let's see if Poe brought some fortune cookies for dinner. Okay.

My resignation, sir. I know what it is. Why is it a resignation?

That should be perfectly obvious.

Well, what are we supposed to do without you?

Well, you have hoes, huh? A very capable man.

You're resigning to save your face.

No, sir, no, but it's perfectly obvious that my services are no longer required

with this family, sir.

Cece! Buffy! Jody!

Please, sir, I'd rather you kept them out of this.

Well, they're the family.

What is it, Uncle Bill?

The French wants to resign.

Go away.

Leave us?

You can't do that, Mr. French.

You'll be much better off with Ho.

No, we won't. We want you.

Ho is a better cook than I, a better manager, and if you will, a better

philosopher.

Well, maybe he is, but you're forgetting the most important thing.

We don't love Ho.

Love?

We liked him because he taught us things we didn't know about.

But we love you, Mr. French.

Please stay.

Please?

Please?

Very well.

Home may remain, Mr. Davis.

My worthless face has been totally saved.

Good morning, everybody.

Good morning.

Breakfast to serve.

Good morning.

Hey, where are you going?

This morning, make phone call. Take job with Miss Betty Ng.

Become head waiter.

Have to leave.

I come here, take job number two boy.

Make big scheme to get Mr.

Flint's job.

Become number one boy.

But Mr. Flinch, not number one boy.

He member of family.

Yeah, that's right.

Ho never have family.

Ho only have Ho.

We're sorry.

Yesterday is for solid.

Tomorrow is for happy.

Miss Buffy, Miss Sissy, Mr. Jody, Ho Hang.

Walk. Good.

Bye.

Mr. Davis, come soon to restaurant.

Have dinner.

Be my guest.

Okay, thank you. See you.

Good friend.

Good friend means good friend.

We good friend?

We are good friends indeed.

Uncle Bill, do you think I'll be a good head waiter?

Good head waiter?

Listen, by the time we get there to eat, he'll own the place.