Original subtitles

Look, my job is to type these medical reports. I did that.

Your job is to see that I get paid. You did not do that.

Hey, it's not my problem your son broke his arm. I want my money.

Fine. Fine. You're late with the check. I'm late with the medical reports.

I'm not on him for anything.

Humans, they're just no darn good, are they, sweetheart?

Not like you, princess.

Get away from my door.

What are you doing?

I know what you're doing.

You're setting me up to rob me.

Can't you read?

Sorry, lady. That's why you run!

You run, you son of a...

It's okay.

You're not an orphan anymore.

Shh. Okay.

Help me. Get a job.

Low life.

That can't be good for her karma.

Mercifully, she's not on my list.

Hello.

I'm Mr. Smith.

I'm here to escort you.

Where's that I brought you?

Congratulations, Harold. You learned that food is not the cure for

Now instead of dying young and alone on a park bench, you're going to live to be

an old man with children, grandchildren, great -grandchildren, and hair.

Now go on.

Love your life's work before you.

Yep. You got the problem, Queen.

That's four in a row out of the park, home run.

So now do I finally go back to my life?

Come on, I'm batting a thousand.

You tell me something.

Like, why do I keep using baseball metaphors?

Oh good,

the angry bitter cat lady with the bad karma.

So much for my streak.

Nancy?

Nancy?

Hello, Nancy.

I'm here to escort you.

I'm dead?

How can I be dead from a little bump on my head?

They're not going to take my babies away.

Why can't I? Because of your spirit now, you can go through the door. You just

can't open it.

But what about my cat? I have to save my cat.

Well, relax.

I'm not here for your cats. I'm here for you.

Explain it to us, man.

Come on.

Come on.

May I present the Honorable Judge Othniel, revered member of God's high

He's here to determine your eternal fate.

Court is now in session.

Wait a minute.

I should automatically get into heaven for the rotten life I've had.

Rotten life?

You had a healthy body and a sound mind, better than most on both counts.

But how did you use your gifts?

To lock yourself away from the world and despise your fellow man.

For what?

Get away from my cat! You have no right!

Doesn't it bother you that you laid helpless on the floor for three days

there was not one single person in your life to miss you and come looking?

I died the way I was stuck living, alone.

But you chose to be alone.

Oh, no, no. Loneliness chose me.

Yeah, see? There it is. Spooky old orphanage. My home for the first 18

my life.

Run by Her Majesty Miss Hannah. A woman with about as much warmth and humor as a

Nazi stormtrooper.

It's a good thing I learned at an early age not to trust anyone.

What a sad way to live a life.

Nancy.

How would you like a chance to go back and do things differently?

And then I go to heaven?

No. You get a second chance at your life. To live it all over again. Forget

I lived it once.

I don't have to do it again.

Okay.

Sir?

She obviously doesn't want a second chance, so it seems pointless to take

back. Why don't you just make a final judgment, determine her fate now, that

I only lose a day before I'm back in the game to get a second chance at my life.

Are you thinking of Nancy or of yourself?

Both.

Why is that so terrible?

She doesn't care.

Look, you take her back and show her the light.

I don't care how hot it is, that's your job.

Keep your eye on the ball.

Baseball.

People.

That's right, Nancy. People.

Something that you need to learn more about.

You will have three days. Three days only.

At a time in your life most critical to the future of your soul.

How you use that time, how you take advantage of it is up to you.

Your memory will be intact, but no one will recognize you. You are a free agent

in the universe with the blessing of God Almighty and his court.

Wow, you clean up great.

What is this?

Who am I supposed to be?

Hello.

You must be Peggy McIntyre.

Welcome, and thank you for coming so quickly.

When Miss Cole broke her hip, I thought it would take us weeks before we found

another matron.

My matron?

At the orphanage.

And a fine one, according to your references.

Impressive. A Mr. Oatmeal. Othniel.

Othniel. He said you were very good with people. Come on.

Okay, I'm a matron. Who are you? Oh, I'm Hannah Steele. I didn't introduce

myself. I'm the director of this orphanage. And I'm invisible.

Ah, this is the living room and dining room. We're a little cramped, but we

to manage.

Nancy Waldron.

She has to write, I will not bring stray cats into the house 100 times. You can

figure out why.

Hey, Nancy.

How's it going?

Don't bother being friendly.

You won't be here that long.

No one ever is except me.

And me?

Come on.

This is the storeroom slash reception area to my office slash staff room

slash kitchen.

It is so much smaller than I remember.

pictured it. And cozier.

But it's cozy.

Now, you can unpack while I find a set of keys for you. Then you can see some

the other children. And don't be discouraged by Nancy.

She's kind of a problem child.

Did you hear that?

I'm the problem child. All the other children are sweet and well -behaved. I

never had a chance.

That's what we're here to change.

How does this work exactly? You skulk around here, invisible, giving me

pearls of wisdom. Actually, I take on human form once the committee upstairs

decides on an identity.

I'm hoping for a GTO with a rag top and some California girls inside.

I'm the big colonel type.

Marvin?

Marvin, bring your mop and pail. Timmy's just thrown up his blueberry pancakes.

And I have a stutter.

Very funny.

This is Illinois.

Nothing's funny here.

Kahuna.

Kahuna.

How can anyone get around like this?

Marvin, let's play catch the kitty cat.

I had to ask.

Hey, can I help?

You're an adult.

You can do whatever you want.

Yeah, that's what I used to think when I was your age, but not always quite like

that.

Can Kitty sleep here tonight?

Maybe just this once.

Thank you, Mommy.

Now I've closed.

I love you now.

Always.

I used to dream about having a mom like that.

Then you're pretty dumb.

That never happens in real life.

Talk, talk, talk, Cookie.

Yeah, well, it's this place.

Spirit killing.

Soul numbing gray.

Change it.

Hey, Miss McIntyre.

I'm Billy Jenkins.

Or, you know, some of the kids call me Billy Birthmark. Or B .B. for short.

B .B., nice to meet you.

Miss Hannah says you come from the big city and you might have some exciting

ideas for us at Pentwater.

Well, I don't know about that.

I don't remember an orphan named Billy.

Heck, I'm not one of the orphans.

My dad's the handyman. We live above the garage.

Ah, the handyman's son, right.

And for some reason you're trying to waylay me. It's not going to work.

What? Wasp! Wasp! Come on, run!

Run! Billy!

Billy! Billy!

I saw the cat.

What cat?

You know, Nancy barely speaks to you. Why are you trying to cover for her?

Because that cat, it's the only thing that makes her smile.

I don't remember him being so sweet.

He must come from a wonderful family.

He and his mom ran off and his dad drinks.

Really?

I wonder why he's not bitter.

Well, maybe he doesn't want to be.

I don't think it's stupid that we can't have a cat.

Well, what Miss Hannah doesn't know can't hurt us.

There is a cat in this house and it must be found.

Oh, are you sure? I haven't seen one.

Well, my allergies haven't been this bad since Miss Cole bought that dreadful

fur coat.

Yeah, we're not allowed to have pets because of health regulations. One flea

the dorm, one hair in the kitchen, and we could lose our license.

Now, I love animals, but I've never been able to find a loophole to have them

here legally.

I didn't know that. Now, I'm excited about some of the new methods Mr.

Othniel wrote me about.

So, besides pets, what else do you think we should do?

Ah.

Well.

Right. Paint.

Paint? Yeah, paint.

You know, children, it's been found, respond to color, bright color, and

colors on the walls.

Perhaps we could have them actually paint a mural, self -starting, good for

children.

Paint.

Oh, yeah, this is coming along.

Children, this is wonderful.

Oh, Peggy, I'm delighted.

Oh, did you get the green stamp?

On your desk.

Excellent.

Keep up the good work.

I'm proud of you.

Okay, so maybe she's not always the monster I thought she was.

Tell yourself that.

Nancy.

What? Put this on.

I have saved a cat on the Ferris wheel for you to paint.

Oh, and, um, later on when you're under the tree, I want you to give your little

friend these kitty treats.

Nancy? We need you to take a hearing test.

What happened to the angel?

Did you see her?

I see her all the time.

The tear ran down my cheek.

I want her to come back.

Miss McIntyre. Children, this is Mrs. Myers.

Call me Vicki.

Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.

Let me introduce you to some of our children.

This is Amanda.

Here is Darlene.

This little darling is Phyllis.

Here's our little man, Chris.

Hi, Chris.

Oh, watch the paint.

And here is Taitlin.

Taitlin's 12, and she's an excellent student.

Oh, great.

Now, may I fix you a cup of tea? Oh, I'd love a cup of tea.

Who is she?

Someone who wants to adopt.

Really?

She's perfect.

But I'm downstairs getting a hearing test. I gotta go get me. No, no, no.

That's where they send kids who they don't think would be a match.

What?

Hannah wants her to adopt Darlene.

Darlene? She just doesn't think that you would be happy.

Oh, no, no, no, no. She just always had it in for me.

Do you know how many hearing tests I took?

How many chances I was cheated out of? How my future was ruined by that witch,

that woman you want me to trust? But you... No, this time she's not going to

away with it. This time I am here to make sure that Vicki adopts me.

But we weren't done with our hearing test. There's nothing wrong with your

hearing.

You brought the cat.

Uh -huh.

If we get caught, it's a thousand demerits. Well, you won't get any

you're adopted.

That's never going to happen.

It will if you want it to.

There's a woman here who wants to adopt, and she's just like the mommy in the

movie.

She is? Uh -huh.

Everything you ever dreamed of.

Your own house, your own cat.

The perfect mother.

I think you'll find Darlene very sweet and adaptable.

Very independent. No trouble at all.

Bless you.

I'm sorry. I need a hanky. I'll be right back.

Have you met Nancy?

Why, no.

How do you two?

Fine.

Who's this?

I thought I might call her lonesome.

This is one of the strays that Nancy saved.

She's got such a big heart.

You really are pretty.

Oh, well, so are you.

Actually, you two look a lot alike.

You could be mother and daughter.

Miss McIntyre.

What are you doing?

Oh, the cat must have come in through the window and got into the harness.

Hannah, why didn't I meet Nancy earlier?

Nancy, why don't you take the cat out to Billy?

What a dog.

To think I almost didn't meet her. That was by design.

But why?

She's perfect.

And no overbite like Darlene.

Mrs. Myers, Nancy is a bright, lovely, but difficult child. She has special

needs.

We recently had an adoption with Nancy that was a heartbreaking failure.

Oh, well, that was a mistake.

She really wants to be adopted.

It's not a good idea.

I don't care. I want her.

It will work.

You'll see.

By the way, have you ever seen that movie, Now, Always and Forever?

Yes, where the mother kisses each other and then the forehead?

Well, you do that to her when she goes to bed at night. She has dreamed about

that her whole life.

You can't fix everything with a scene from a movie.

I can't condone this adoption.

But please, you have to.

As far as I'm concerned, it's Nancy or no one.

Okay,

you two.

Say cheese.

Cheese!

Here you go.

Thanks. Gotta have a picture of the day I became a mom.

Nancy, we wish you the greatest happiness in your new life.

But I also want you to know that no matter what happens or where you go, you

will always have a home here.

All you have to do is call.

Okay.

Oh, that'll be necessary.

It's going to work this time.

Vicki,

you don't have seatbelts. You've got to have seatbelts.

It's not an airplane, silly.

The car.

Right.

You might want to look into that, though, you know? Start a trend.

Oh.

Don't forget the kissing at night thing. Yeah, like the movie I, I, Forehead.

On our way home, we are going to stop and buy matching outfits. Won't that

be the frosting on the cake?

I'm terminating your employment.

Why?

Because I did the impossible and got your problem child adopted?

Vicki Myers is a beautiful, sweet, and rather stupid woman.

She doesn't have what it takes to handle a sensitive child like Nancy.

Every time an adoption doesn't work, it kills a bit of Nancy's soul.

It won't this time.

I know it.

I would give anything if you were right.

Well, I'm all packed, ready to go. What now?

I want to give these baseball cards to Gabe. I think he can tell me who I am.

Who you are? You're an angel.

No, I'm not. I'm a human. That much I do know.

Sheesh, and you stand not knowing who you are.

I can't.

But I think Gabe has the answers. Even his name, Gabriel,

the divine messenger.

Well, I hope you find what you're looking for.

Thanks. You too.

Well, I have. I was adopted. I still can hardly believe it.

I'm packed. I'm ready to go.

Oh, it's not that.

Have you seen her?

Who? Nancy.

She's run away.

She

had

no reason to run away.

Did you kiss her like in the movie?

I didn't have a chance.

Once we took the cat away from her, she wouldn't let me come near her. She was

completely rude.

You took the cat away? I didn't know there was a cat in the basket. We never

agreed on a cat.

But you saw her with the cat.

You knew how she felt about it. If you take Nancy's cat away, you're driving a

stake through the heart of this adoption.

I feel so bad.

We can't have a cat.

I have got carpeting.

We are the first on our block to have wall to wall.

You know, she should probably go back. I mean, Miss Hannah's getting really

worried. No.

They want to take her away.

No, they don't. They're trying to find a way to keep her.

In the meantime, she can live here and you can visit her.

No.

She's going to miss me too much.

Hey, don't worry.

I'll treat her like a princess, and you can visit her every day.

Hey, that's a good name.

What, princess?

Yeah.

Princess.

Princess.

Sorry, it's just me.

Still no news?

Don't worry.

I'll bet she's fine, and I'll bet she's with that cat.

He was such a great kid, despite the rotten childhood he's had.

That's because instead of spending his time wanting and needing, he's

decided to use it to give.

Unlike me, I bought these cards for Gabe, not because he

likes them, but because I was hoping he could tell me about me.

What's wrong?

Did you find her?

It's not Nancy.

It's Gabe.

What about Gabe?

What about Gabe?

I'm sorry. I thought you knew.

little guy.

I hear you're not feeling too well.

I'm sure a really nice family's here.

Forget about it.

Nobody's going to adopt you.

But you're going to go to a beautiful place.

You're never going to feel any pain ever again.

Will I be able to walk without crutches?

Guess what?

You'll run if you want to.

Will I be able to run to the end of the road?

You're going to like it there.

I promise.

I know.

Will I see you there?

I don't know.

But I do know this.

You won't ever be alone.

Or lonely ever again.

I was never lonely.

Right here.

The best part, Gabe.

The very best part.

You take care of him.

You better take care of him.

Don't cry.

Here, hold Princess.

It'll make you feel better.

Thanks.

I'm fine.

Then why are you crying?

Because the sun is warm.

The lilac smells so, so, so sweet.

And there's nothing softer

than the top of a kitten's head.

Nancy. Oh, thank goodness.

Wait, stop, stop. I won't turn you in.

I never should have pushed you to be adopted by Vicki. I was wrong about her.

Hannah tried to tell me that, but I didn't believe her.

The lady wouldn't let me keep Princess.

Princess?

Is that you?

May I?

Oh, it is.

Little Princess the First.

Can you imagine Vicki thinking her wall -to -wall carpet is more important than

Princess? And the happiness of her child?

What kind of mother is that?

I thought you said she was the perfect wife.

She just looked like the perfect mother.

A good mother would have understood how important Princess is.

Even Hannah understood that.

A good mother picks you up when you fall.

Yeah.

And a good mom makes sure you...

You have to have clean clothes.

And make sure you eat a balanced diet.

She lets you have fun, but make sure you do all your homework.

A real mom, make sure you say your prayers.

All that time, you were wanting that mommy in the movies, and you never

saw the mommy you actually had.

How could I miss it?

She loved us.

It just wasn't always that obvious.

Nancy!

Nancy!

Next time, instead of running away from your problems, come to me.

We'll sit down and solve them together.

Yes, ma 'am.

All right.

You have just about enough time for a bath before dinner.

And, Billy, would you take Princess and give her a flea bath?

What's going to happen to her?

Nothing.

You and Princess are going to be together for a long, long time.

Thank you.

You're just a big softie.

I never knew that.

I'm usually better at hiding it.

Why hide it? Why don't you show it? Why don't you hold them, hug them like a

parent does? It's not appropriate.

I'm not their mother.

I'm their administrator. I'm... Look at me.

What do you see?

I see a woman full of love in a house... full of children who desperately need

it. I am a Negro woman, Miss McIntyre. Most of these children are white.

I'm a social experiment, so I'm very careful of every move I make.

I obey every rule, dot every I, cross every T, because I do love these

children, and I'm aware that I may be the only thing between them and the

despair of the streets. So I am careful, Miss McIntyre.

Real careful.

There are a lot of people who would like to see this experiment of mixing the

races fail.

1963.

Miss Hannah, the world will change.

I promise you.

And it will be built on the hearts of people like you.

What do you mean, people like me?

Colorblind people, Miss Hannah.

We are a kind of a family.

So maybe we should start acting more like a family. Do we have a

deal? Yes, Miss Hannah.

I love you now.

Just like in the movies.

Better.

I was home.

What's going on?

Why is this happening again?

I thought everything was supposed to be different.

It's okay, Mom. Take it easy.

What happened?

Dad, come quick. Mom's hurt.

Mom? What happened?

Oh.

Okay. Oh, we got quite a bump there. I'll get some ice.

Billy.

I married Billy.

I think she's delirious.

You grew up at the home.

You married Billy.

And instead of just stray cats, you adopted children, too.

except the two you had biologically.

What happened?

Billy Jr. and little Hannah.

She really was my mother.

She still is.

All the kids call her Grandma.

Oh, no.

All right, here you are. I'll put it on lightly, okay?

Mm -hmm.

Thank you, Marvin.

You are my first human strength.

It's Marvin.

He was the janitor at the orphanage some 30 years ago.

No, sweets, I think you should see a doctor. No, no, no, I'm fine. I'm fine.

I hope you find your answers.

I'll keep you in my prayers.

I wish you could. I could use them.

Once I leave, so will all your memory of these last three days.

Oh, no, I don't want to forget.

Please don't leave.

Honey, I'm here.

I'm here.

And I love you now, always, and forever.

Hey, princess.

Did you wash your gym clothes, honey? Yeah.

Sweetie, come here, come here.

Have a seat.

How's your homework coming?

It's better to give than to receive.

Okay.

Five in a row.

On to number six.

Way to go, Gabe.

Way to go.

You could change a world.

Change.

Rearrange your world.

Change. Take one divide by two.

Change. If it was only up to you to change.

To a world of wonder from the world.