Original subtitles

Are you all agreed?

Yes. Are you all together?

Yes. Are you all determined?

Yes. Are you all crazy?

Yes. What are you doing here? We got a banquet to put on. Where are the parking

attendants? Come on, on the double. Let's get this stuff out there. Let's

moving. No, you got to move faster than that.

Put the hors d 'oeuvres on this tray. Roll on.

I'm sorry, Miss Cross.

Get the picture?

Okay, what's going on?

You want to tell him? No, Garth. He is management and cannot be trusted.

We should keep him in the dark.

Then we should keep you in the attic.

The household staff has elected us as the strike committee, and we are pulling

them out. That's right.

Now, you're going to strike now? We got 80 people coming here tonight.

There will never be a better time to strike.

The governor has time to meet our demands before the guests arrive. Now,

and tell him. I'll tell him as soon as he's got a minute. You know he's been

working around the clock to try to avoid a state police strike. Benson, we got a

strike. This inflation is killing us, and we ain't had a raise in three years.

Did you ask for one?

Not me.

We Cubans have too much pride to beg for money.

So I asked Gus to do it.

Raul, why don't you take your pride and go down to the market and pick up the

oysters? Raul?

Raul, you better go down there and get them oysters before you're diving in the

river for them.

One more step and you will be floating in the river.

All right, all of you.

Okay.

Now, before all of you do something that you're going to regret, why don't you

let me talk to the governor? The last governor talked about a raise, too. And

got nothing. That's true. But Governor Gatling's a fair man. He's a decent man.

Now, you'll get your raise. I give you my word on that.

Your word.

Now, wait a minute. Benson ain't lied to us yet.

This is true. Why don't we settle it tomorrow morning?

All right, mister, fix it.

We will soon see if you are a man of your word. We give you until noon

It's a deal. We got a banquet to put on. You get the laid out and you get the

oysters. You surprise me, Benson. You are management, and yet you agree with

position. Of course.

Hardship makes strange bedfellows. Nobody's that strange.

You crying because you made a typo?

I'm not crying.

You got a very sad laugh.

Nothing serious, I hope.

No.

Well, listen, I'd love to stay and have a cry with you, but I got to see the

governor.

He yelled at me.

Who?

Governor Gatling.

Governor Gatling yelled at you?

Marcy, I owe you an apology for raising my voice at you.

Oh, who did you raise your voice?

It's all right.

No, it isn't. Liz, it's fine.

No, it really isn't. Honestly, it's okay. No, it is not.

I'm sorry, Marcy.

See, I've been so busy with these police negotiations, I haven't had any sleep

since Tuesday.

I know, I understand.

I just got to the point where I didn't want to hear one more word about money

razors.

You want to see me?

Uh, yes, sir.

All right, come on in.

Benson.

Well,

what do you want to talk to me about? Well, sir, it's about the... Benson,

was a wonderful banquet last night. My compliments to the staff.

Right, that's exactly what I want to talk about the staff.

Uh, sir, let me put it this way.

As you may be aware, Governor Gatling, the... Benson, will you get to the

I'm sorry.

I'm tired. I'm angry with the Finance Committee. I'm taking it out on

Those jerks keep insisting that the state police get their races out of the

existing police budget. To do that, I'd have to lay off 25 % of the force.

It's hard enough to find a cop now when you need one. Where would the public

look then?

I'd just like to find five minutes where I don't have to think about strikes or

raises.

What's on your mind, Benson?

I'll see you in five minutes.

Oh, okay.

Governor.

Oh, you're back. I didn't hear you come in.

I'll get right to the point.

Governor, you've got working for you a loyal, dedicated, and hardworking staff.

These people care, Governor, and the last thing in the world they would want

do is hurt you.

But they've also got to look out for themselves. They haven't had a raise in

three years, and this inflation is killing them.

Now, I know how busy you are, sir, but these people deserve your help, and I

told them they'd get it.

I know you won't let them down, sir.

Sir?

Sir?

Benson, a raise for the staff is out of the question right now.

I wasn't talking to you, Taylor.

I wish you were. I could use the sleep.

Governor! Don't disturb him, Bentham. He has been single -handedly keeping these

negotiations going. The man has been brilliant. He's been an absolute

powerhouse.

Looks to me like the powerhouse blew a fuse.

Governor! Just resting my eyes.

You fell asleep, sir.

Oh, was I telling a story?

No, I was talking.

What were you saying? He was saying that the staff is demanding a raise.

They deserve one, sir. I gave them my word.

I gave the police my word that they would get their raises without any

Now, that has to take top priority right now.

So just tell the staff to hold on until I get this matter settled, and then I'll

get them theirs.

It shouldn't be difficult.

Sir, they're going to go out on strike.

Then we will have no choice but to fire them and get a whole new staff.

The governor wouldn't let you do that, would you, sir?

Well, the governor you deserve to raise, and he agreed with me. Oh, thank you,

Benson. But... He can't do anything about it right now.

Hold it, Benson.

We know it's the same old story.

Ah, you heard it all before, huh?

Does the moon shine over Miami?

Not the night I rode ashore.

Benson, you gave us your word.

You could fertilize the garden with his word.

any longer. We strike.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. The police thing will be settled in a couple of

days and you get your raise. It's too late, Benson. Without us, the whole

mansion will collapse.

And with any luck, you'll be in it at the time.

Well, Benson, how did the help take it? They took it on the lam.

I beg your pardon?

They're on strike, Taylor.

How could they run out on the governor at a time like this?

Gerald?

Everybody's going to get fired.

Vincent, if the mansion doesn't run properly, the governor doesn't function.

Look, Taylor, this police thing will be over in a few days, and I'll keep things

going in the meantime.

Sure. You're going to do the work of 20 people?

If I have to. You're going to cook, clean, garden, and show firms?

If I have to. You mean you're going to do it all? If I have to. Then you can

start by getting me a cup of coffee. Get it, Joseph.

rugs finished?

Nope. The vacuum cleaner is.

You've rubbed the vacuum cleaner too, huh? It's not broken.

It just stopped.

Well, what could I have done?

Same thing you did to the washing machine and the blender.

It's not my fault. Machines hate me.

Is this good enough? I can see my face now.

Let me see that.

That's not your face. That's my face.

Here's your face.

Where?

Oh, thanks.

Oh, you know, you can see them picketing the back gate from here. Yeah, I saw

them before.

Hey!

Oh, Marcy, you shouldn't have.

Oh, that's okay, Benson. It's just one last thing for you to do.

There's no roast beef in the oven?

Yeah, I put it in the other oven.

There is no other oven.

Yes, there is. The one on the bottom.

That's the broiler.

Oven broiler. What's the difference?

Nothing ever looks as good as it does in the picture.

Too bad we can't eat the picture.

What do we do now?

Bury it.

Well, it's not my fault I can't cook. My mother never let me near the kitchen.

Mother knows best.

We forgot to feed the dogs.

Eh, I'll do it.

The kitchen don't look that bad.

Well, it could be worse.

Right, a lot worse. And that's what we were counting on.

Oh, well, it won't be long now, Gus. Tell me about it. We've been out there

a week.

We're hurting, Vincent. What are you doing to us?

Well, I thought I was saving jobs.

By doing all of them?

Vincent doesn't want the house to all get fired.

Well, maybe so, Katie.

But then at least we'd know we should start looking for another job.

We had a chance to win, Vincent, on the night of the banquet. But you talked us

out of it.

Now you're doing all our work. We got no leverage at all.

Well, that's not what I set out to do, Gus. Well, we figure we might still have

a chance if you come out there with us.

Right now.

Some of us have kids to feed, Benson.

Think about it.

I guess not, Katie.

I'm not doing any more.

You're sore, Benson.

Get out, Katie.

Thank you, Marcy.

Now what?

If you quit, they'll be fired.

If you stay on, they'll be forced to give in.

Well, it's a no -win proposition.

So what are you going to do?

Lose.

Well, Marcy, keep trying. I have to talk to him. It's urgent.

Governor? Yeah, who am I speaking to?

I'll be with you in just a second, Dutchess.

Hello?

Oh, I guess they'll call back later.

Governor, I don't know quite how to say this.

But under the circumstances, I think it would be best for all concerned if I

resigned. Whatever you think is best, Benson.

Well, there's no use arguing about it. My mind's made up.

I'm resigning.

Resign? Oh, no, you can't. I just did.

But why?

Well, I thought I was saving jobs.

But I'm just hurting the staff.

But your management, it's your responsibility to fill in during a

The thing is, telling myself I'm management...

It doesn't change how I feel.

I've been a worker all my life.

I still am.

Well, everybody works for somebody, Benson, even me.

Uh, Governor, I'm sorry to interrupt you. Did you reach them yet?

Uh, well, sir, what happened was that I... Oh, darn it. I told Keller and

Barnett that we had to get the negotiations going again before the

tomorrow night. Yes, sir, I understand that. So what did you... Oh, no, they

said, yes, we'll talk later. Now you can't reach them. Well, there's a reason

for that. You see what I... Oh, and Benson, you and I have got to have a

just as soon as I can think straight.

That could take forever.

You definitely said we would talk later. It is absolutely irresponsible for

public officials to forget their commitments.

Sir, they're here with their wives.

They said you invited them for dinner.

Oh, that's right. I forgot.

You invited them for dinner and we have no staff?

I forgot that, too.

Well, what are we going to do? We can't just insult the two senior members of

the finance committee.

Who? The finance committee.

I don't suppose we have anything to serve them.

Well, we had roast beef.

I wouldn't eat it.

I'd bowl with it, but I wouldn't eat it.

Maybe you could make reservations somewhere.

It's too late for that, Governor. I mean, after all, these are the two men

hold the purse strings to the state. They have the power to grant or deny

raises. They're expecting dinner at the Governor's mansion. And I'm going to

stick around to make sure they get it. You will?

Yeah. But you said there was nothing to eat.

I'll come up with something. Go stall them.

How? Well, tell them a story about your first pair of galoshes.

Oh, that's a good one.

Come on, you can make the appetizer. I can't cook. I know, that's what I'm

counting on.

Governor, we've been over all this so many times before.

Randy, how can I convince you that this strike situation is an emergency?

Show him the kitchen.

Thank you, Benson.

The appetizer was unique.

Wasn't it, though?

I've never seen anything like it.

Didn't you make it?

No, ma 'am. And even if I did, I wouldn't admit it.

I made it, Mrs. Keller.

What was the appetizer, Marcy?

It's called seafood fantasy.

We're going to rename it as soon as we can identify it.

It's mussels, clams, and shrimp pulverized in a blender. I found the

magazine. Popular mechanics.

Can I have some more wine, please?

Certainly.

Give the ladies a refill while you're at it.

If we can get this thing settled by midnight tomorrow, why bring in the

Guard? Because they can help me do the windows.

Could I have some bread, please?

Certainly.

sense about needing more money to feed their kids, as if it's our problem their

kids are hungry.

That can share mine.

Oh, you are the cutest little thing. I'd like to wrap you up and take you home

with me.

That's kidnapping.

Oh, I'm so sorry. I dropped my fork.

eats their demand simply by cutting back on police personnel.

Yes, but at the risk of the public's safety. There's such a thing as cutting

back too far, you know.

We have a point there.

Of course he does. What you see here is what happens when one man is forced to

do more than he can handle.

Excuse me, but I believe there's a piece of cork in my wine.

Two pieces.

When one man tries to serve too many people, some of the people get bad

If a cop tries to do too much, it's like me trying to serve this dinner. So, if

you get bad service, it serves you right.

That's what the governor's been trying to tell you for the past two weeks, so

brought you here for a practical demonstration.

Now, dessert and coffee are out in the kitchen.

You'll find your hats and coats on the governor's bed.

You'll find your automobiles parked out back. Try not to step on the flowers.

I hate to run off like this, but I gotta get back to the laundromat.

If you want after dinner, Brandy, it's at the bar. I'll give you the cigars

Here you go, Taylor, just like Brunette.

This has been wonderful.

Goodbye, good luck, and come back and see me when you can.

What did you do, Blitz? My kitchen?

Your kitchen?

Yeah.

Well, the strike is over. We took a vote and I laughed.

The ones with families caved in.

Weaklings. But you counted on this, yeah, Benson?

I hope you're proud of yourself.

Not very.

For what it's worth, Kraus, I'm resigning.

Good. Now I will not have to kill you.

I know you won't believe this, Gretchen, but I am sorry.

Oh, the traitor is sorry.

The scab is sorry.

That's enough, Miss Krause. How can you say such awful things about Benson?

With a smile on my lips and a song in my heart.

Miss Krause, thanks to Benson, you've won.

Won? What won?

What are you talking about?

At dinner tonight, Benson, I didn't know what you were up to at first.

Well... Anyway, at one point, Mr. Barnett got some cork in his wine.

And Benson said, no, you have two pieces of cork in your wine.

And then he picked up his spoon, he dipped it in the wine, he went...

Did I

tell it wrong?

You had to be there, sir.

I was.

Benson found a wonderful way to point out just how essential your services

And so the finance committee is going to grant you a raise effective

immediately.

Wonderful. I will go and tell the others the good news.

But you will still resign, yeah, Benson?

Miss Krause, Benson got you the raise.

Yeah, I am being greedy.

Quite an evening, huh, Benson?

We did all right. How about the police?

Well, Keller and Barnett have reopened negotiations, and as long as they're

talking, there's hope.

Yes, sir.

Benson, I hope you know there were enormous risks in what you did tonight.

Yes, sir.

Did you ever stop to consider that the consequences would have been disastrous

if your plan had backfired?

Yes, sir.

I mean, what you did out there tonight was outlandish, even irresponsible.

Not to mention rude and downright foolish.

Yes, sir.

That's why I told him it was your idea.

He's asleep.

How can you tell?

He deserves some sleep. After all, he went through to get that police strike

settled.

Marcy? Marcy?

Did I finish dictating that letter?

No, sir.

How far did I get?

Dear sir.

That's enough for one day.

Oh, did I tell you the police got their raise?

Yes, sir, and you'll be happy to know they're earning every penny of it. What

does that mean?

I got a speeding ticket, 38 and a 35.

You got a ticket for doing 38 and a 35?

I almost had him talked out of it.

Oh, you should have told him you worked for me.

I did. That's when he gave me the ticket.

Ransom is videotaped before a studio audience.