Original subtitles

Oh, in there.

Ah, enough news, sir. Email?

Buffy and Jody have it, sir. They're playing post office with it.

I've heard of playing post office with real mail.

No, sir.

I'll have two airmail stamps, three regulars, and an American one with the

on it.

Sorry, madam, we're all out of airmail stamps.

Okay, I'll have two train ones.

Hey.

Hi, Uncle Bill.

You can be the mailman and say, sorry, Mr. Davis, only bills today.

Only bills today.

We can't tell. We just read the postcards.

Oh, this must be Sissy's application to Ferncliff.

Does she really want to go to a live -away college?

Sure. You can go away to school when you grow up, too.

I don't think so.

Then Mr.

French won't be able to help me with my homework.

Is Sissy home?

Uh -uh. She had a meeting.

On where to go graduation night. You see, Uncle Bill, when kids graduate from

high school, they think they're grown up.

And they have to figure something out so they can prove it to themselves.

Hmm. Well, I guess it's going to be a big night.

How are we going to play post office?

He took the letter.

We have a shoe box.

We can play shoe store.

We have shoes.

Okay, you sell to me first.

got home before I left.

We trust the committee's deliberations were concluded satisfactorily. They sure

were. We decided on a program of several parties all over town on graduation

night. That's Friday.

How many parties can you manage in one night?

Well, Friday is going to be a very long night.

How long?

All night.

All night?

Is your intention to stay out all nights?

It's traditional.

Every high school graduating class all over the country does it.

Your tie's crooked.

Some kids still think their parents are going to get uptight about it. But I

knew you'd understand.

After all, we're not children. We're graduates.

Oh, sure.

Yeah, I guess if parents haven't given their kids a sense of values by the time

they're 18, they never will. I knew you'd understand.

Sure. Have a good time tonight. Yeah. Stay out all night. Sure. Hey, your

application from Ferncliff came and I put it in your desk here.

Oh, great.

Now you see, I'm practically a college girl.

Well,

we tried to give Sissy a set of values, huh?

Oh, we did.

She's got good judgment and common sense and everything.

Graduation or no graduation.

Yes, we can cut to that.

It is. It is traditional, you know.

Yes. All night.

Mixed company.

You know.

Siblings. Buffy Davis.

Jody Davis.

Are we siblings?

Mm -hmm.

It means sisters and brothers.

I like that better. Because you can't tell the difference between a boy Sybil

and a girl Sybil.

Write an essay of not more than 300 words expressing your reasons for

go to Ferncliff.

Oh, what for you?

I'll never get in Ferncliff anyway.

Because you have siblings?

No. On account of you have to be somebody to go to Ferncliff.

You're somebody, sissy.

Well, I'm nobody that matters.

Nowadays, there's so many kids trying to enroll that you really need pull to get

into a good college.

That's good. We don't want you to go to any old Ferncliff or anywhere else.

I heard that. That's a very defeatist attitude you got.

Uncle Bill, I'm just being practical.

Do you know what the percentage of acceptance is there?

Very low.

That's right.

And that's how I feel. Very low.

Well, maybe I can help a little bit. I know somebody that went to that school.

Jan Franklin. She went to Ferncliff.

You do? You know a real Cliffy?

A what?

Well, that's what they call the girls that go to Ferncliff.

Yeah, well, she did go to Ferncliff. Now she's an account executive for an ad

agency.

Uncle Bill, would you talk to her?

Sure, I'll talk to her. At least she'll know what to put on the application.

Yeah.

Thank you.

You know, I'm really looking forward to grad night. We're making banquet room

reservations at five different hotels.

One in each borough of the city. And then every two hours, we're going to

like musical hotels.

It's going to take a lot of driving around late at night. Who's going to

you? Well, I haven't asked anybody, but I have all week. I'll get around to it.

Better be somebody responsible, that's all.

Uncle Bill, you're not worried about me.

No, of course I'm not worried about you.

Well, you said yourself it's all in the bringing up.

Look who brought me up.

That's right.

I'm glad you could make it today. I have got a little problem.

Oh, dear.

Why am I always attracted to men with problems?

No, not that kind of problem. All right.

Let's have it.

My niece, Sissy.

Oh, don't tell me.

Sissy wants to go into advertising.

And you want me to talk her out of it because advertising is a man's racket

she really ought to stay home and raise a family, right?

Wrong. She wants to go to Ferncliff and you went there, right?

Right. Not a problem, huh?

Well, she's got the idea that it's real hard to get into the place and she

thinks they're not going to accept her unless she's got some real powerful

influence.

Well, it's rough to get in any good college.

Look, I'm not promising anything, but I might be able to do her some good.

Yeah?

You want to come over to the house, have dinner, and talk to her?

All right.

Then we can talk about my problem, which is how to convince you that a career

woman is still a woman.

Hey. Smells real good.

Chicken and lobster moringos, sir.

Gee, Mr. French, that smells delicious.

Chicken and lobster moringo, Buffy.

I hope the moringo part is hamburger.

You and Mr. French don't have to worry about my date for grad night.

Yeah? I asked Greg.

Well, we know him anyway.

That's right.

Since we're going to be staying out all night, I didn't want to have to break in

somebody new.

I'm used to Greg.

Oh, Mr. French.

Chicken and lobster morango.

Say, how come she knew what it was?

She seems to be acquiring a certain sophistication, sir. Sure is.

Yes, with which she approaches staying out all night.

Yeah, well, I'm not going to worry about that, staying out all night or not

staying out all night. It's just a matter of trust, and either we trust her

we don't.

Oh, we definitely trust her, sir. Right.

Unequivocally. Right.

And however, sir, it is, well, not unreasonable to be a little nervous

all, sir, the natural exuberance and adventurousness of youth.

Yeah, and the influence of a lot of excitable kids.

And the rising tides of social change.

Still, I can't very well forbid her to go now, you know.

Well, perhaps one of us could accompany her, sir.

Well, as a chaperone.

Well, they already got chaperones. They got a whole lot of them. Young ones,

hand -picked.

Well, perhaps, sir, as it were, sir, we could, um...

Well, keep an eye on her, sir, from a proper distance.

Some roses, you know, well, undercover, as it were.

You spy on her? I couldn't do that.

Oh, no, sir, I wouldn't expect you to do that, sir, but I thought perhaps if,

well, if you could keep an eye on the children, I would find myself at the

proper time, well, perhaps in the vicinity of sister, you know, sir.

A little bit conspicuous, wouldn't you? The beard and...

Could keep out of sight, sir, rather in the manner of Scotland Yard.

Oh, think about that.

I just hope if she spots you, she realizes that it's for her own good.

And that was the first and the last.

Ferncliff annual camel race.

I always thought that Ferncliff was so proper.

Oh, it was.

I rode the camel side saddle.

I sure hope that I'm at Ferncliff next year, living in the dorms, coming home

for vacation.

You're not even in college yet, and you're talking about coming home for

vacation.

If you let me pave the way, I might be able to arrange for your application to

get very special attention.

You mean put the pressure on them to accept me?

Providing you have the grades.

Oh, she got the grades.

And if I just send in my application on my own?

Well, you'll be taking your chances along with hundreds of other girls.

I know.

And I appreciate the offer, Miss Franklin, but... Well, I can't accept

I don't understand.

Well, I'm not sure that I understand either.

But... If I'm going to get into Ferncliff, I want to do it by myself or

in at all.

Do you mind, Uncle Bill?

I don't mind. I'm proud of you.

I'm sorry, Miss Franklin.

Oh, don't be sissy.

You'll be a credit to any college.

Now, may I still help you fill out your application?

Oh, you sure can.

Excuse us, Phil.

Will there be anything else, sir?

No.

Friends, we're going to forget about that undercover stuff you were going to

on Sissy's graduation night.

Oh, but I'm quite prepared, sir.

I know. We're just going to forget it anyway.

She just turned down a chance to go to Ferncliff College with Paul.

She says she wants to do it her own way or not at all, sink or swim, see?

Lord of all, sir.

Right, so you've got to show the same faith in her as she's got in herself.

Pretty good, sir.

Well, to tell the truth, I was a very reluctant gentleman's gentleman who came

out from the cold, sir.

Yeah, I think I'm prouder of Sissy's diploma than I ever was of my own.

It's a milestone, sir.

Well, if a high school graduate wants to stay out all night, there's no problem.

None at all, sir.

Good evening, sir.

Tell Greg I'll be right there.

Yes, as you may have heard, sir, she'll be right there.

Oh, thank you.

Good evening, Mr. Davis.

Hello, Greg.

Well, assistant, I graduated today. We didn't even have to bribe the teachers.

That's a joke, sir.

I know.

How's the job at the gas station?

Great. It's a gas.

That's a joke, too.

Yes, sir.

Well, you must be pretty tired, aren't you, from pumping gas all day?

Yeah, it takes a lot out of a man.

Well, you ought to have her own Marley then, huh?

Well, no.

You see, I didn't get to work today with graduation and all.

How late do you think you'll be about... Well, the last hotel is serving

breakfast.

Breakfast.

Sir, I'm 18 now, and I'm a very responsible person.

I'm going to hold you responsible, too.

Hi, Vince. Hi, Sissy.

You look real nice.

Thank you. Now I get to see what you look like in the morning.

Good night, Echo Girl.

Good night, Mr. French. Good night. Have a marvelous time, Sissy. Thank you.

Good night, kids.

Goodbye, Sissy.

See you tomorrow.

Gosh, that's a long time.

Now, don't wait up for us. And don't worry.

No.

Good night. Night.

Uncle Bill, Sissy let me play in her graduation outfit.

Yes, well, I suggest you put on your pajamas, Buffy. Uncle Bill, can I sleep

Sissy's bed? She said it was all right. Anyway, she won't be here.

I'll keep it warm for her.

Oh, good.

You know, would you care for some more coffee, sir?

Yeah, thanks.

You should have some yourself.

Oh, thank you, sir. I've already had two cups of tea.

Well, sit down.

It's going to be a long night.

Well, sir.

Well, she said not to wait up.

Oh, that's quite right. We should just retire normally, rise in the morning at

the usual time, and there we'll be sissy home, safe and sound, sir.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Watch pot never boils.

And neither a watch to watch, sir.

I'm only winding it up.

Oh, I understand, sir.

It's 10 .30. What are you doing up? I woke up. Is she home yet?

She is not.

How come?

Go back to bed.

Yes, sir.

Some nights it isn't as easy to sleep as others, like when somebody's missing.

This is one of those nights.

Oh, may I suggest a game of chess, sir, just to pass the time?

Yeah.

Suckered me into that one.

That was my intention, sir.

Very clever.

Let's see.

What's that?

An ambulance?

Police car.

No, sir, no. That's more of a fire engine sound to me, sir.

Oh, it's a...

Scary sound in the middle of the night. That's chilling.

Especially when all those you love are not under your roof, sir.

Well, go on. It's your turn.

Oh, no, sir. I believe it's your turn.

Well, it's one o 'clock in the morning. Why don't we just go to bed?

Splendid idea, sir.

We'll get a good night's sleep, and when we wake up, she'll be home.

It's ridiculous worrying about a grown girl just because she's staying out a

little bit late. I don't know about you, I'm... Oh, it's fire.

Precisely, sir. It's all mine.

Oh, yes.

Now, don't turn that on. Just, no, leave that on.

But, uh, Sissy's, uh, scheduled return by daylight, sir. Well, just in case,

better leave it on.

Good night, sir. Yeah, good night.

No, we don't deliver pizzas at 3 o 'clock.

Did I hear the phone, sir? I thought perhaps it might be Sissy.

No.

Don't we ever get any wrong numbers in the daytime?

Yes, we do, sir, indeed.

People ought to be more careful on that dial.

Especially this night, sir.

Were you asleep?

Are you kidding?

Neither was I, sir. Well, let's try again.

Unless you want to deliver pizza.

Where

have

you

been?

Checking the elevator, sir.

Checking the elevator.

Okay, look.

I can't sleep. You can't sleep. We're both worried about her, right? So let's

just sit up and wait for her, okay?

I did that. Come on.

It's 8 o 'clock and she's not home yet.

I just looked in her bed and she's not in it.

Good morning, Uncle Bill. Good morning, Mr. Fred.

Good morning.

We saw you sleeping in the chair, so we just started breakfast.

Buffy knows how to cook breakfast real good.

You stay with the children. I'm going to start calling up some of the other

parents now. If the other kids have come home, then I'm going to call the police

right now. Don't talk too loud, Uncle Bill. You'll wake Sissy.

Sissy?

Where is she?

She's sleeping in Jody's bed. Jody was in hers.

Yeah, I forgot.

Well, we were both rather fuzzy this morning, sir.

Want some breakfast, Uncle Bill?

Later. Later.

Hey, see, I told you you didn't have anything to worry about.

Of course not, sir. A high school graduate is a responsible adult, sir.

We had shrimp cocktail in one hotel, and then chef's salad in the next, and then

prime rib.

And we were going to have scrambled eggs and bacon in the last one.

And then they had a different musical group at each stop.

There were the Socket Rockets and the Blue Beards.

Boy, I wish I was graduating.

It'll be years.

When did you wake us up when you got home?

Well, you were both sleeping so peacefully that I didn't want to disturb

Well, may I ask, just what time did you come in, Sissy?

Around 3 .30.

You thought you were going to stay up all night.

Well, those were the plans.

But you know something?

You can get awful tired being up so late.

Anyway, it wasn't all that much fun.

Well, the important thing was that you let me do it. You trusted me.

Uncle Bill, are you going to let me stay out all night when I graduate from

grammar school?

No.

He says that because he loves us, too.

Oh.

I don't think I'm ever going to understand women.

Well, someone once said, the only way to understand a woman is to love her.

Then there's no need to understand that.

Okay, and you'll buy that.

Well, what's the matter? Is something wrong?

I got a letter from Burncliffe.

Oh, my goodness.

I'm afraid to open.

Here goes.

accepted for the fall term.

Well, yeah. You did it yourself, too.

I'll call Miss Franklin.

Well, there goes Sissy.

When she leaves, I'll be all alone in my room.

Don't get used to being alone in your own bedroom. I did.

As a matter of fact, I really prefer it.

Let's go take a look at Sissy.

Real good, while she's still here.

Well, we're happy for Sissy, sir.

Yeah, but you know what's going to happen when she gets away in that

We're not going to know where she goes at night. We're not even going to know

she's in or out.

No, know who she's with, sir.

And we won't know when she comes in, either.

Well, I guess that's all part of the aging process.

Well, Sissy is maturing, sir.

Not Sissy.

Laughter.