Original subtitles

Mickey's team played the best they ever have.

So what? We did it.

You should have seen it. It was a close game.

What was the score?

19 to 1.

isn't this your flower?

Maybe if we follow Mickey's team some more, then we'll have some real close

games.

What's the matter, Buff?

Next time I think I'll walk up.

It's a long way. I like the elevator.

I like the elevators, too.

But it's the people.

People didn't do anything.

That's the trouble.

Let's see.

I've got a question.

I've got a hundred of them.

But mine's an important one.

Why don't the people in this building like each other?

Well, I don't think they dislike each other. Most of them don't even know each

other. That's it. They don't want to.

You should see in the elevator.

Nobody says anything to anybody.

Nobody even looks at anyone.

Nobody even gets close to anyone.

That's the way it is in New York.

People live their own lives. They don't want to get involved.

I don't see why.

Mr. French, how do you feel about the people who live in this building?

Feel about them?

When you see them in the lobby or on the elevator, don't they act funny?

No, I can't say I've ever noticed anything untoward in their behavior.

Why, have you?

They make me feel like I'm not really there.

Well, in my experience, they've always observed the proprietors. I mean,

never been forward or attempted to intrude.

If you smile, nobody smiles back, and nobody ever says hi.

Ah, but one doesn't speak until one is spoken to.

But if somebody doesn't speak first, then nobody's going to speak.

Uncle Bill, may I use the big dictionary?

Uh -huh.

No schoolwork?

Nope.

What word do you want?

Neighbor. You know what neighbor means, don't you?

I thought I did, but there seems to be more than one kind.

The neighbors we call in Indiana are friendly.

The neighbors here aren't. Oh, New York and Indiana, you got it.

Two widely different species there.

But why do they have to be so different, Uncle Bill?

Why can't the people here act friendly like they do in Indiana?

Well, I don't know, honey. The city does something to people and makes them

behave.

Just makes them behave differently, that's all. Whether they're at work or

in the street or back home in their apartments, you know.

Here it is.

Neighbors. Those who live near or next to each other.

Neighborly.

Having the characteristics of a neighbor.

Friendly, kindly.

Yeah. Well, it should be nice if the neighbors in New York were friendlier.

I guess nobody wants to break the ice.

You know, make the first step.

Thanks, Uncle Bill.

Why, is she this is the way to break the icebox?

Sure, but we've got to make the first move.

Just be neighborly. How?

Smile and be friendly.

I guess no way's home.

Come on. What do you want?

I see you. What are you up to?

We're neighbors.

We thought it'd be nice if we could get acquainted with you.

I'm Buffy Davis.

I'm Jody.

It would be a lot easier to talk if we could see the rest of you.

In Indiana, all the neighbors know each other.

And everybody just visits for no special reason. Just to talk and be friendly. I

think the eye is gone.

I guess so.

It's hard to be friendly with just an eye.

Let's try another one.

Yes? Hi, we're neighbors.

What are you selling? We're not selling anything.

We just thought it'd be nice to talk.

The management really ought to protect us from this sort of nuisance, but 25

cents isn't too much of a price to pay for a little piece of privacy. Split it.

Maybe another floor.

Maybe.

I'm Buffy Davis.

I'm Jody.

Who are your neighbors downstairs?

Are you lost?

No. We just came up to say hello.

What for?

Because that's what neighbors are supposed to do.

May we come in?

Well, I guess so.

Down, secret, down.

Are you sure you want to go, Bob?

Now, wipe your feet.

I do seem to recall seeing you on the elevator.

We've seen you lot.

Oh, please, child, don't touch that.

Mr. Eldridge is very particular about not having his newspaper disarranged.

I'm sorry.

Oh, please, not in that chair.

That's a genuine Louis Couture. I'll just stand.

Are your hands clean?

I think so.

You have a very pretty apartment.

Now tell me, why have you really come here?

We're your neighbors.

Oh, I know, I know. I've heard that story.

But what is it you really want?

I wouldn't mind having a glass of water.

Oh.

Well, stay where you are. I'll get it.

Watch them, Siegfried.

I don't think Siegfried is very neighborly.

But we are visiting, and it's a start.

Here you are.

Careful of the glass.

And please don't spill any water on my carpets.

It's very nice of you to ask us in for a visit. Oh, foolish, foolish is the word

for it. That's what my husband would say.

Just asking to be robbed.

Robbed?

A friend of mine had her apartment burglarized.

Just can't trust anybody anymore.

A man pretended to be a minister.

He made wax impressions of the lock.

When the gang came, they took everything, including her Bible.

Oh, not on that table. I'll take it.

I think you'd better go now.

Thank you for a very nice visit.

Don't you trust me? That's me.

Always been my weakness.

Breaking the ice sure is hard work.

Mostly nobody listened.

And even when somebody did listen, she didn't believe a word we said.

Mrs. Eldridge thinks we're part of a burglar gang.

Even the dog wasn't friendly.

You could tell Siegfried wasn't from Indiana.

Probably we tried to do it the wrong way. We went visiting people instead of

inviting people to visit us.

That's a good idea.

Maybe we could have a party.

Yeah, and let's be nice. for everyone in the building.

Do you know how many people live in this building?

Mostly nobody would come, I guess.

Yes, but even a 50 % turnout would be rather critical.

Maybe we could use the lobby.

We've got to check that out with the superintendent.

It'd still be the question of refreshment, sir.

Uncle Bill, it wouldn't be a fancy party, just a party to get everybody

so they could find out how much fun it is to be just friendly neighbors.

Please?

Okay, we'll check the lobby first and then we take it from there.

Thanks, Uncle Bill.

Okay.

Well, we anticipate disappointment for Buffy, though.

Well, I can't very well turn her down. Besides, she might be right and we might

be wrong.

Yes, sir, but 200 residents in one room. Who's going to introduce them all?

Well, I don't know.

We've never had a party in the lobby before.

Mostly people just walk through. It's big enough.

Well, it's so centrally located.

We could put the refreshment table right here, and a record player here, and

some folding chairs over there.

And if we move the furniture and pull back the rug, there's room for dancing

playing games. It'll be just perfect. It's even high enough for you to play

basketball.

Oh, no, please.

No basketball.

Uh, you sure you couldn't have the party in your apartment?

Oh, no, we're expecting too many people.

This way it'll be like a real open house.

Uh, Mr. French, may I inquire what sort of affair is being planned?

A party.

Birthday party?

No, uh, let's be neighbors party.

I beg your pardon?

Well, Buffy feels there's insufficient communication between neighbors in New

York City, so she plans to bring them all together.

This is a wonderful place to have a party, Mr. French.

When's it to be, Buffy?

Well, it'll take time to make the invitations.

And fix the refreshments.

Yes, indeed it will.

And we'll want to decorate.

Can we have the party next Saturday, 7 .30?

Next Saturday at 7 .30?

Very well.

Then I'll move things around in here.

Got a large table, some folding chairs.

How many guests are you expecting?

We're inviting everyone in the building.

Everybody.

Everybody.

Oh, nice to meet you. Trust you had a pleasant game?

Aye, indeed.

How's your foursome doing?

Oh, Mike wasn't very busy, sir.

No, Buffy's a born organizer.

Ah,

this the good neighbor committee?

Oh, hi, Uncle Bill. Grab a pen if you can be a charter member.

I'm making the invitation.

Oh, very nice. Very professional.

What's all that?

This is the guest list.

Boy, more the merrier, huh?

You know, when I look at all these names, I know what Buffy means.

Here we are, living in the same building with these people.

They're just names, and we don't know each other at all.

Excuse me, sir, but I've been drafted as menu consultant for the soiree, and I'm

a little concerned.

Oh, you don't know what to serve.

Oh, indeed I do, sir, but have you seen the guest list?

I have.

Well, sir, to prepare simply hors d 'oeuvres and canapés for such a

would be a monumental undertaking.

I've got it all figured out. We serve punch and cookies, and we bake the

ourselves. And Mr. French has a real good recipe for punch.

Yes, one may have water indefinitely, sir.

Well, as long as you guys are going to do all the work, at least I can foot the

bill.

That would only be fair, Bob.

Okay. Thanks, Uncle Bill.

In that case, we may splurge and have raisins in our cookies.

Sorry, Siegfried. Pets are invited.

Just like a cookie factory, Mr. French.

Well, you did a beautiful job, kids.

Thanks, Uncle Bill.

I'm still out of breath from blowing up the balloons.

Sure, that looks very appetizing.

Oh, thank you, sir. I may never bake another cookie.

Listen, you want us to get in the receiving end by the elevator, or should

just mingle?

I think mingling would be better.

More neighborly, huh?

Welcome to the party, Mr. Maxwell.

Hey, this almost looks like New Year's Eve.

Have some punching cookies.

Thank you. Maybe later.

I just wanted to be sure you had everything you needed.

We got everything, thanks. Everything but guests.

What time is it, Uncle Bill?

It's a quarter to just a little after 7 .30.

Nobody ever comes to a party on time.

No, they just wait around and they all come in a bunch.

I guess nobody likes to be the first to a party, either.

What time is it now, Uncle Bill?

It's still a little after 7 .30.

Excuse me, Mr. Butch. Can I go for some more ice?

No.

I guess it's not too good a night for a party.

Wait, somebody's coming!

Jody!

Hi, Lisa.

Join the party.

I'm Bill Davis. I'm Buffy's uncle.

How do you do?

I do.

Now are you satisfied, Alicia? I told you there'd be nobody here.

Come along, please.

I'm sorry.

Can we walk upstairs now?

Yeah. Go on, George.

I'll help Mr. French with the leftovers.

The whole party's leftovers.

Good night, Uncle Bill. Good night, kids.

Good night.

Real disappointed, aren't you?

I wish I'd listened to you.

Maybe everybody thought our Let's Be Neighbors party was a trick to get them

of their apartments so that gang of burglars could move in.

Yeah, I don't doubt that did occur to some of them.

Why couldn't they just believe we were trying to be friendly because we wanted

to be friends?

Oh, that's a real far -out idea today. Gets people all nervous.

Oh, besides, you can't... You can't force people to be neighborly on your

terms. They're gonna make up their own rules anyway, see?

Do I have to act that way, Uncle Bill?

No, you don't. You just stay the way you are.

You be nice and honest, even if it gets your feelings hurt like tonight.

But you can take it, can't you?

Right.

What's happening?

I don't know. Let's find out. Come on.

Do we get the door?

Do we get the door?

Oh,

the elevator is stuck between the floors.

My husband's on it. And my husband. And Alicia.

Mr. Eldridge hasn't been well.

I've heard elevators can drop all the way down. Oh, no.

He'll be all right.

Everything will be okay. Yeah, everything will be okay.

Try it again. Come on. Can you hear me?

Are you all right?

Yes. Well, now just relax. We'll have you out of here in no time.

Okay.

Anybody call Mr. Maxwell?

The line is busy, but we'll keep trying.

Buffy, it's him.

The eye.

Oh, he's still... Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.

Here, put this around your shoulders.

Oh, that's very kind of you, I'm sure.

Listen, is that moving at all?

Hey, wait a minute. Listen, maybe the relay switch is jammed. Now, if we try

push the button on the floor above and the floor below together, just keep

pushing them simultaneously, it might release the car. Hey, you know, it's

a try. I'll tell you what, I'll take the upper floor. I'll go downstairs.

Now, you folks just stand by there. We're going to try a little experiment.

Henry, Alicia, just a little while longer.

Alicia and I sometimes play together in the park.

I know. That's why she wanted to come to your party.

Something's happening.

What

do

you want?

We can have the party now while the neighbors are out there together.

Good.

I'll get the pot. We can start off with one plate of cookies.

Hey, where's all the neighbors?

Well, the emergency's over, honey, so they all went home. I guess they just

there till the next emergency comes along.

I'll have some pension cookies.

You know, I think that I'd like to indulge also.

Yeah, why not? We'll drink us a toast to the neighbors. Now, they might not be

the friendliest, but they're always there when you need them, right?

Oh,

thank you.

I wonder if you'd mind punching seven for me.

Sure. Oh, thank you. You're welcome.

Anyway, Pop, you broke the ice.

A little piece of it, anyhow.