Original subtitles

Now the world don't move to the beat of just one drum. What might be right for

you may not be right for some.

A man is born, he's a man of means.

Then along come two, they got nothing but the genes. But they got different

strokes to take, different strokes to take, different strokes to move the

Everybody's got a special kind of story.

Everybody finds a way to shine.

It don't matter that you got not a lot. So what? Don't have theirs. You'll have

yours and I'll have mine.

And together we'll be fine.

Different strokes to move the world. Different strokes to move the world.

Rise and shine.

Better not let women see you say the word shine.

Back in Harlem, that's fighting talk.

After he beats me up, I'll get you to explain it to me.

Why are you still in bed, Arnold?

I'm studying.

Superman is studying?

I'm too young for Wonder Woman.

You're also too young to skip breakfast.

Hey, is there something the matter with the food around here? Yeah. There's too

much of it and not enough of me.

Mrs. Garrett feeds me too much.

Well, you want to grow up, don't you, Arnold?

Yeah. Up, not out.

Uh, have you discussed this with Mrs. Garrett?

I can't. Every time I open my mouth, she shoves food in it.

I guess she must think you're an awful lot bigger on the inside than you look

be on the outside.

said anything to her, she wouldn't like me no more.

Oh, not true.

She'd respect your honesty.

Besides, it's not a good idea to keep problems bottled up inside of you.

If something's bothering you, speak up.

You mean let it all hang out.

Right.

Except this.

Pudgy.

Not an Eskimo, Willis. Stop. harpooning your pancakes.

You got it if you want any food when she's at the table.

What was my pancake?

What do I have to do around here? Monogram my food?

Just leave some, that's all.

All right, Willis. It's not polite to talk with somebody else's food in your

mouth.

Here we are. Good morning, Mrs. Garrett.

Oh, good morning, my dear.

You mean sleepy and ugly.

I owe you an insult.

Mrs. Garrett, Arnold has something that he wants to get off his chest.

What chest?

This is a pimple on the front of his backbone.

What do you mean pimple? This is a chest.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, could we please have a permanent five -minute truce?

Thank you.

and was solved.

See, with discussion comes understanding.

Now, in this household, I want everybody to say what's on their mind.

Well, Daddy, in that case, well, let's, oh, we should do something about that

bathroom. Like what?

Like not leaving the seat up. Oh, Daddy.

of the 73 -year -old jet -setters is in town.

Grandpa's here. Oh, Daddy, that's terrific. Yeah, terrific.

And she's only staying one night.

Oh, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. She actually, she's a wonderful

mother. You guys are just gonna love my grandma. She brings the neatest

presents.

I don't know her, but I'm beginning to like her.

I don't like taking presents from strangers.

Of course I'm easy to get to know.

I'm afraid she's rather fussy.

You know, she brings her own dust, just so she'll have something to complain

about. Well, she won't find anything to complain about in this house. I have

vacuumed those poor rugs so many times they roll up when they see me coming.

Kimberly, why don't you go upstairs and straighten up your room for Grandma?

Okay, Daddy. You too, boys.

And listen, when you're finished, don't forget to wash up. Okay.

You know something, Arnold? I think Mr. Drummond's a clean freak.

There are two things that I've neglected to tell her about the boys.

What two things?

One, that they're here, and two, that they're black.

Do you think that'll upset her?

Well, on a scale of one to ten, I would think her reaction would be about 14.

I better send for the limousine.

Mother gets very impatient if she's kept waiting.

I was born three days late. She didn't speak to me for a year.

Give it to me, Grandma.

Oh, yes.

Last year.

How can you let her go around looking like last year's teenager?

Here are some new things for you in that brown bag, Kimberly.

Oh, well, thanks, Grandma. You're a doll.

Mother, the way you spoil her, I'm going to have to keep her in the

refrigerator.

I do hope you got me the right size.

I've grown where nobody's expected me to.

Horrible child. She takes after my side of the family.

It's so good to see you, Mother.

Let's both sit down. All right.

There's something I want to tell you.

Oh? Yes.

There has been quite a big change in my life.

I have two sons now.

Little devil you.

You mean it's one of those modern arrangements?

No, no, not that either. Oh?

You see, my two boys are... Yes?

Well, they're... Maybe you better just see them for yourself and make up your

own mind.

Arnold! Willis!

You're just going to love them, Mother.

They're bright, delightful, full of fun. They're a wonderful... addition to our

family.

Mother, these are my two boys, Willis and Arnold.

bringing some coffee. Sure, Daddy. Oh, dear.

I think it must have been the reaction delayed from the trip.

I feel a little dizzy.

Maybe your girdle's too tight.

affluent ethnic.

Oh, we're not ethnics. We're Baptists.

My daddy was with the United Nations.

Oh, that's marvelous.

A member of the diplomatic corps?

No, a member of the janitor corps.

Mother, their mother was my late housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson. You remember

Yeah, I think I'm going to faint again.

Oh. Oh, no, excuse me. I think it must be the jet lag.

Yeah, the jet lag.

Come on, Arnold.

Hang in there, Grandma.

Here's some coffee.

Your servants enter without being summoned. Where's the bell?

It fell off her neck.

You're very informal here, Mother.

This is my housekeeper, Mrs. Garrett.

Once a week, I look in it and give it the reflection test.

The reflection test?

Yes. If I start to look too good, I know it's tarnished.

Well, I don't drink coffee, Mrs. Garrett.

I'll make you some tea.

She's a wonderful human being.

B -R -A.

Well, we'll talk about your spelling later, dear.

Right now, I have something very important to discuss with your father.

Okay, Grandma. And thanks again.

The stress is the end. It's going to make all my girlfriends just hate me.

Junior.

Now, about the boys. Yes, aren't they terrific? Mother, I want to take you to

the Chez Antoine tonight. Oh, well, that's just fine.

It'll be the five of us. One big happy family. I'll go and tell them.

One big happy family.

I don't know.

How could you laugh after that lady feigning?

It's easy.

I just opened my mouth and out it comes.

What's the matter with you?

Don't you know that lady fainted when she looked at us?

No, she didn't. She fainted when she looked at you.

She fainted because we're black.

Oh, she did?

Well, it's nice to be noticed.

I guess you just don't understand that some people are prejudiced.

Listen, boy, I've got a special treat for you tonight. Your mother's leaving

town.

No, we're all going to have dinner in one of the best restaurants in New York.

We're going to have caviar.

Oh, boy!

What's caviar?

Well, it's, uh, fish eggs. It's delicious. It costs $150 a pound.

Why so much? Chicken eggs only cost 79 cents a dozen.

And Grandma's going to come along, too.

She ain't my grandmother.

You know, that lady didn't fall on her face because she got jet lag.

She got black lag.

Now, hold it, Willis.

My mother is very fair about prejudice.

She looks down on people of every color.

She's not really a bigot, you know. She's just a snob.

And it's bothered me all of my life. Then why don't you tell her?

Well, it's not that easy with my mother.

You afraid of your mother?

Well, no, not really. But you see, she's getting old, and I don't see her that

much, and why upset her?

You know what I mean. Yeah, you're afraid of your mother.

You told us something was bothering us to speak up.

Now, how come that don't go for you, too?

Well, it really isn't the same thing, Willis.

Look, your grandmother's a very nice lady.

Now, why don't you go downstairs and be nice to her? Give her a chance.

Look, if you'll do that for me, I'll do something nice for you.

Oh, we'll do it anyway, because you do a lot of nice things for us.

Yeah, in the past and in the future.

Okay, thanks, boys.

Let's go.

be identical twins now you just relax grandma we'll take care of you now we

know all

and some little butter cookies.

Listen, Karen, where'd those come from?

You got a new hiding place for the cookies?

Yes, I found a good place beside your mouth.

Will you join me in a cup of tea, children?

Yeah, I'll have a shot.

You can shoot me, too.

Is this imported tea?

Oh, yes, ma 'am. It came all the way from the Bronx.

she's going to have another attack at that old black lag.

Doesn't he, Mr. Drummond?

I think you're right, Willis. Mother, wait.

What is it, Junior?

I don't quite know how to say this, but it's long overdue.

Mother, you're behaving like a spoiled, unreasonable snob.

How dare you, Junior?

This is a family affair.

Mother, for your sake, I'm sorry that Arnold and Wills' father wasn't Dr.

Bunch or Martin Luther King Jr.

But they don't have to apologize to anybody because he was a janitor or

they are black.

I didn't mean to imply... Ever since you walked in that door, you put everybody

down, including me.

You still call me Jr. It's 40 years since I stopped sucking my thumb.

Are you quite finished? No, I'm not.

The only reason I'm telling you this, Mother, is that I love you.

And it's a hurt to know that my own mother's a snob.

I'm ashamed that I waited all these years to tell you this.

I never knew you felt that way or that I'm that bad.

I'm shocked.

Well, you should be.

Your values are a thing of the past.

It's time you learned to accept people for what they are, not for what you

like them to be.

Perhaps I'm a little set in my ways.

A little set?

You're anchored in concrete.

How could my own son speak to me like that?

Because your own son wants you to be a part of his new family.

Now, the choice is yours, Mother.

Oh, well, I... I didn't mean to be a snob.

I... I'll try to change.

But it isn't easy to break old habits.

You can do it.

It shouldn't be difficult for someone as loving and kind as you are.

And we'll help you.

Won't we, children?

Sure, Grandma. We all need to and love you very much.

Don't we, guys?

Yeah.

I guess I can try.

Yeah, me too.

I never had a white grandma before.

You're just adorable, Sam.

Now we are, and we're going to celebrate by going out to dinner, including Mrs.

Garrett. Mrs. Garrett? But she's... Yes,

Mrs. Garrett is quite welcome.

It is so touching to see a family come together with love and affection after

such a rotten beginning.

You're invited to have dinner with us at a marvelous new restaurant.

Oh, I couldn't.

Just give me a minute to change.

Well, I'd better change, too.

I'll only be a moment, Philip.

I'll be right down.

Wait!

What might be right for you may not be right for some. A man is born. He's

a man of means.

Then along come two.

They got nothing but the genes.

They got different strokes.

They different strokes. They different strokes to move the world.

Different strokes. They different strokes.