Original subtitles

Put your foot up.

Higher.

What's that?

Oh, we got a regular assembly line going.

Thank you.

Oh, thank you, Buffy.

You're a real beauty.

I got it free.

I know the gardener.

What's that, Jody?

Bubble gum. Enough for both of you.

Thank you, sir.

Now, a guy never knows when he's going to need some bubble gum.

That's all.

You guys get ready for bed now.

Good night, Uncle Bill. Good night, Uncle Bill. Good night, kids.

Best part of the service.

I think we have a good chance to get the bid.

Bill, I hate to admit it, but you're a genius.

Yeah.

Louise Marshall.

We'll send her right in. Yeah.

I'm going.

I haven't seen her for three years. I know, I know. You don't need a spectator

at the reunion.

Hey. Bill.

How are you?

I was yesterday.

Well, how long are you going to be in town?

I don't know. But look, I'm staying at the Parkside Hotel.

So why don't you call me whenever it's convenient?

How about lunch right now? Wonderful. If you're not too busy. I'm never too busy

for that. While we're having lunch, we can talk about what we're going to do

dinner, okay?

Hi.

Hi.

I'm sorry, sir. We tried to tell him that one should wait until one has been

announced. Then we wouldn't have been a surprise.

That's right.

See, he's got a point there. Now, the element of surprise is very important to

children and commandos. Hello, French. How are you?

Why, Miss Marshall, how nice to see you again. And nice to see you.

Is she an engineer, too?

No. She's a good friend of mine.

Louise, this is my niece, Buffy. How do you do, Buffy?

And that's Jody, my nephew, Miss Marshall. How do you do, Jody?

I thought you were too pretty to be an engineer.

Oh, thank you, Bobby, and you're very pretty, too.

Are you visiting your Uncle Bill?

No, we live with him.

So does Sissy.

Who's Sissy?

Our big sister.

She's a girl, too.

I'll explain at lunch.

Um, I'm sorry, sir, for the interruption, but we required some

We're going shopping.

Yes, sir, we're on our way to the bootmaker's. How many pairs of shoes

have made for the children?

French, you don't have shoes made for children.

You don't, sir?

No, you buy them ready -made. By the time a bootmaker finishes shoes for

they've outgrown them.

Yes, sir, I see what you mean.

Very well, children, go.

Wait a minute. Whoa.

Here, we're going, too. I'll give you a lift to the elevator.

Charge!

Is this father image good old Bill Davis?

Side of me you didn't know about, huh?

Son!

Sounds as though the

twins more or less adopted you.

Well, they did.

Sort of, one at a time.

First thing I know, they had me surrounded.

You know, a lot of men would have found some way to get out of this.

Well, I wasn't any too crazy about the idea at first, I'll tell you that.

The French was appalled.

But, well, you met the twins.

Now, they must have been hard to resist.

Oh, Sissy's a sweetheart, too. Letting me hurt.

I'm counting on it. Bill, while I'm in New York, maybe there's some way that I

can help with the children.

Oh, you sure could.

Having a woman around for a little while would be real good for those kids.

Especially Sissy.

Not so bad for the little ones.

I think Sissy really needs that mother image stuff, you know.

Let's just call it a female friend image.

Okay. To save some time for me.

here from out of town?

How did you know?

Well, no one from New York ever says hi.

Unless, of course, you've been introduced.

Oh.

Sorry. No law against it.

Hi.

Hi. Sissy Davis.

Sharon James.

Apartment 12B.

27A. With my Uncle Bill. Bill Davis.

He's a bachelor.

I live with my father. I'm between mothers.

Between mothers?

Number three moved out last month.

Three mothers?

Really?

Uh -huh. The same bit. Three in a row.

Are you taking chemistry 2B?

Uh -huh. So am I.

Don't tell me you understand it.

I practically speak it.

Well, sissy, you and I are going to be good friends.

You can teach me chemistry, and I can teach you about...

Good evening, French.

Good evening, Miss Marshall.

I was going to wait for Mr. Davis to come by for me, and I started thinking

about his new family. I thought of some presents they might like, so here I am.

Oh, excuse me. I was expecting a friend of mine.

Sissy?

Oh, yes.

This is for you. Did somebody say present?

Jody! And this is for you.

Hi, Miss Marshall. Hi, Buffy, and that's for you.

Thank you, Miss Marshall.

Excuse me, Miss. I'll tell Mr. Davis you're here.

You know, your Uncle Bill and I are very old friends.

Well, I'm happy to meet you.

Thanks. You're welcome.

Hi, I was just coming to get you. I just had to come by and meet Sissy.

Hi, Mr. Davis?

Yeah. I'm Sharon, Sissy's friend.

Well, hi, Sharon.

Oh, this is Miss Marshall.

Sissy's waiting for you in her room right around the corner. Have fun.

With chemistry?

You're kidding.

Is that what you intended?

Not exactly.

I must have had the boxes mixed.

I was hoping you would say that.

Miss Marshall!

Want to put Mrs. Beasley to bed?

Mrs. Beasley?

Mrs. Beasley is her best friend and most intimate doll.

I'd love to.

Marshal. I can put Buffy to bed.

No, thanks, Sissy. Miss Marshal's going to tuck me and Mrs. Beasley in.

Okay.

Sharon, we can study in the living room.

Good night, Buffy. See you later, Miss Marshal.

Good night, Sissy.

Sissy, call me Louise.

easily always go to sleep with their glasses on?

She has to.

So she can see what she's dreaming about.

Good night, Bucky. Good night, Miss Marshall.

All set?

Buffy and Mrs. Beadsley are all tucked in.

Night, Sharon.

Night, Sissy.

Night, Louise.

Night, kids. Night, Uncle Bill.

She's nice.

Please, Sissy, call me Louise.

Sissy, I've been through this I love children bit three times with three

different mothers.

I can tell you the next move.

Don't bother. I'm not interested. She'll stop by very soon and find some excuse

to take the twins out. You watch.

Call me Aunt Louise.

Oh.

Boy, am I drained.

A solid hour quiz on Shakespeare.

Hamlet.

The Barn of Haven at Lexie High.

And last, poor Yorick.

I knew him, Horatio.

A fellow of infinite jest.

Most excellent fancy.

You should have taken the test instead of me.

I guess it's time to take over the twins, Mr. Finch. I thought today that

exchange Jody's shoes.

Oh, that won't be necessary. We've been relieved of their custody.

Uncle Bill? Miss Marshall.

Miss Marshall?

I mentioned Master Jody's oversized footwear.

She just moved in?

Moved in?

She's the most thoughtful and accommodating person.

Lady of quality.

I'll bet.

How long has Uncle Bill known her?

Oh, several years.

But we had no idea she was so fond of children.

Maybe it's an acquired taste.

Well, if you don't need me, Mr. French, I'll go find Sharon.

Bye. Goodbye.

Kate said I'd find you here. Hi.

Sharon, you were right.

Absolutely right.

She's out with Buffy and Jody.

Sissy, I told you. I'm a veteran.

The way I figure.

You're next.

Me? She will invite Sissy Davis to go shopping.

Maybe lunch.

You know, just one of the girls.

Sharon, if you're right, I'm still not admitting you are.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad for Uncle Bill.

He's been a bachelor for a long time.

Maybe so.

And he figures that you three kids would be better off with a mother.

But as soon as that ceremony's over, wham, out you go.

Uncle Bill wouldn't let her do that.

Sissy, he won't intend to.

But she'll keep pecking away at him until she wears down his resistance.

I've been sent away to Europe and off to school, off to relatives.

As soon as my father introduces me to his new girlfriend.

I start packing.

I couldn't let that happen to Buffy and Jody.

Well, don't look at me.

If I knew how to stop it, I wouldn't have had three mothers.

Oh, that's my boyfriend. I gotta go.

Bye -bye.

Well, that's one advantage of being boss.

And it's awful quiet around here. Where's Jody and Buffy?

They're out with Miss Marshall.

They took Jody's shoes back.

Oh, that's good.

Say, I hope you can spend some time with her once you get to know each other.

Well, I'm sure we will.

It was a nice balloon while it lasted.

And then we went rowing in Central Park.

Well, say thank you to Miss Marshall, children.

And now off to bathe.

Do we have to wash our legs, too?

We hung them off the boat.

Bathe in entirety.

Goodbye, Emily. Goodbye, Beauty. Goodbye, Buffy. Have a good bath.

Hello, Miss Marshall.

Louise.

Louise.

I was wondering, Thissy, if we couldn't have lunch and go shopping tomorrow.

It's not a bad idea.

Well, I'm sorry, Uncle Bill.

Louise, I'm busy all day tomorrow.

All right, we'll do it some other time.

Of course.

Excuse me.

That's all it.

We're going to help you, Uncle Dale.

That's very nice of you.

You take care of us. We're going to take care of you.

Now,

is there any special reason why you're taking such good care of me tonight?

Mr. French is busy.

It seemed like a good idea to start.

I see.

Any special favors you had in mind?

Report cards do?

No, we're just being nice.

Okay, then I can relax and enjoy it.

Then there it is, Uncle Bill. Put your foot up.

Higher.

How's that?

Well, we got a regular assembly line going.

Oh, thank you, Buffy.

A real beauty.

I got it free.

I know the gardener.

What's that, Jody?

Bubble gum.

Enough for both of you.

Oh, thank you, sir.

Now, a guy never knows when he's going to need some bubble gum.

That's all.

You guys get ready for bed now.

Good night, Uncle Bill. Good night, Uncle Bill. Good night, kids.

Best part of the service.

Straightened up your desk. Don't worry, I didn't throw anything away.

If I can answer any of those notes and letters for you... Sissy, what's going

on?

Going on?

Well, Uncle Bill, you said that everyone in the family has certain

responsibilities. Well, I'm just beginning to take mine seriously.

You sure are.

The way I figure, if everyone does his part, it can be perfect.

You look after us, and we'll look after you.

We don't need to change anything.

Well, honey, I'm not thinking of changing anything.

Now, at most, sometime, we might add on, that's all.

Add on?

Yeah, you know, a wife for me, a mother for you kids, so we'd have a real family

life.

Oh, I see.

Well, excuse me, Uncle, but I'd better see if Buffy and Jody are in bed.

Did we do good, Sissy?

Uncle Bill looked real good when we polished him up.

We did very good, Buffy. I wonder how Uncle Bill ever...

He managed. He had Mr. French.

Mr. French is fine, but it's good to have kids running around and yelling,

Buffy, we're... Yes?

If... If something happens, and if it doesn't work out for us to stay here...

It's working out fine.

Uncle Bill needs us.

Yes, I know.

Buffy, I just don't know how to tell you this.

I just don't want it to happen all of a sudden.

Not again.

Kit?

You mean like the other time?

I don't want to go back to Terra Hut.

I want to stay here.

What are you girls talking about?

Oh, nothing, Jody.

Go back to bed.

Buffy looks like you were talking about something.

It was something, Jody.

Sissy's afraid we'll get too happy.

And if we have to go away, it'll be as bad as...

What's the matter?

Buffy?

Good heavens, you two!

Miss Sissy!

Miss Sissy!

I'm sorry, sir, but the situation appeared desperate.

Where are they? Well, the twins are now in Buffy's room, weeping uncontrollably,

and Sissy's in the den crying.

Excuse me.

Did he?

French called while we were at dinner. Something is going on around here.

What is it?

I'm sorry.

Why don't we talk it over?

Woman to woman.

Come on, man to man, huh?

Are you going to tell me about it?

Huh?

Buffy?

Don't worry.

I'm old enough to get along no matter what.

Miss Marshall, please.

It's so important for the twins to feel that they belong somewhere to somebody.

Please, let them stay here with Uncle Bill.

Oh, I see.

How can I fix things up if I don't know what to fix?

Phil? Is Sissy in there? Yes, she is.

Somebody's going to tell me what's going on around here. I can.

Sissy is afraid that I'm trying to trap you into some kind of marriage. What?

What? And then I'm going to turn into some sort of monster and send her and

twins away someplace, back to Terre Haute.

Where'd you get an idea like that? Her friend Sharon. Sharon's been through it.

You see, every time her father gets married, he ships Sharon off someplace.

She's been one of the things.

No, for... Wait a minute. Let's get the twins calmed down first.

All right, you two. Now cut it out.

Come on. Knock it off, I said. Now you're crying over nothing.

Nobody's sending you back to Terre Haute.

and you're going to stay right here with me. Understand?

I don't care what Sissy said, honey.

Now, nobody's going anywhere.

You're stuck with me.

And you're stuck with us?

Yeah, we're stuck with each other.

Now, you go to sleep.

Come on. Off to bed.

Here we go. Buzz your nose.

We like you, Aunt Louise.

We just didn't like leaving Uncle Bill.

Oh, Sissy.

Well, I understand you and your friend Sharon have got Louise and me married.

Is that right?

Well, you're wrong.

I happen to like Louise, and I like her a lot.

But we're friends, see?

She was married to a friend of mine, and he got killed in Korea about three feet

from where I was standing, and she took it the way he would have liked it.

I mean, with courage. It's something I admire, you see? So we're friends,

all. Nothing more.

Now, maybe I will get married someday.

I don't know.

I might even marry Louise.

Not now, later.

If I do get married, I'll make certain promises to her, see?

And I'll keep them.

But that doesn't mean that I'm going to forget about the promises that I made to

you and to the little kids. You understand?

Now, it just happens I love you so much that I'm not ever going to let you down.

You got that through your head?

I don't know what to say.

I won't say anything.

Now, quit crying. You're going to get me all waterlogged. Besides, I'm hungry.

I'm sorry. I spoiled your dinner.

You sure did.

Come on.

Get French to improvise something for the three of us. You and me and Louise.