Original subtitles

Well, we're moving on up. Moving on up. You need to move on up.

If you want to get something nice for your wife, this is the place.

Everybody knows that Benswick's is real classy.

Look, Florence, you better let me do the talking. I think you're in over your

head.

Excuse me. I'm George Jefferson. Florence, good to see you again.

Hi, Ben.

You know her? Oh, yes, very well. Did you know that for a whole year she used

peek inside with her nose pressed against the glass?

And then one day, she got so excited over Tiara, she fogged up my whole

It was killing my business, so I invited her in.

Oh, Ben, you know that key ring you've been holding for me for the past two

months? Yeah.

Well, you can let it go. I finally got the last payment. Florence, that's

Yep. Two bucks, cash money.

Wow, Ben, you want me to look after the store while you run down to the bank?

Now, Florence, I hope this doesn't mean you're not coming around here anymore.

Oh, no. You still got two things left under $20.

Hey, look, do I have to pick a number around here or something?

Oh, I'm sorry. This is Mr. Jefferson. He's here to get a present for his wife.

Thank you.

Could you suggest something?

Well, it would help me if I knew what the occasion was.

Well, it's not an anniversary or birthday or nothing like that. I just

get her something. Something that says love.

Love. Oh, I have something perfect that says love. Here it is, and it's only $20

,000.

Will you have anything that says like?

Now, how about this diamond brooch?

Only $10 ,000.

Oh. Well, how about something that says, uh, how you doing?

I got a beer in the back.

Look, why don't you just get her a simple gold bracelet and have something

inscribed on it? Oh, yeah, that's a good idea.

What should I have inscribed?

Anything you like.

Oh, okay. How about, uh...

To my dearest darling wife. Fine.

From your sweet, loving, adorable husband.

Who thinks you're the greatest and who hasn't done anything wrong.

Sir.

Sir, you don't need a bracelet. You need a hula hoop.

Why don't you come into the back with me to the engravers. We'll work something

out. And I'll be right back with your key ring. Okay. This way.

I'll just browse.

You can tell what I like by my breath on the glass.

long -end jewels.

Oh, just as I thought. Not a hair out of place. I can't believe it.

Florence Johnston.

You know me? Yes, and you know me.

Close your eyes.

That don't help. I still don't recognize you.

Think back.

Mrs. Calloway's ninth grade history class.

Who sits behind you?

Does this jog your memory?

Colleen Jones.

That's your response?

Girl, you have changed.

When I used to do that in school, you'd stomp on my lunch.

Well, some of us have matured, and some of us are you.

Well, good to see you again.

You haven't changed a bit. Bye. Now, Lauren, I know you're just dying to know

what happened to me, aren't you?

No.

As you recall, I was always cute.

So naturally,

I married money.

So, do you have any little loose change running around?

I have two children in private schools, of course.

I'm so lucky because they're absolutely adorable.

Well, when I say lucky, it's really more like Jean.

And I've been fortunate enough to have lived in London for the past seven

We also have a summer home in Gstaad.

Tell me, where did you go after the ninth grade?

To the 10th grade.

Girl, you are funny.

You know, Florence, you're probably going to hate me for saying

this. Oh, don't be silly. I mean, what could you say that could possibly make

hate you?

You're right.

My being successful is no surprise, but I always thought you'd end up well.

How do I put this nicely?

An old maid.

Well, I didn't. I happen to be married. You are?

Yes. And to a wonderful man.

He's tall.

He's handsome.

He's... Hey, Flora.

How do you like this inscription?

Here, dear.

That says it all. Let's go. Now, Florence, you forgot to introduce us.

sir, forgot to pay me.

Oh, sorry.

Thank you.

Florence, how rude of me.

I'd like for you to meet a friend of mine. An old, old, old friend.

Pauline Jones.

Smythe.

Smythe.

And this is him.

But people will call me George Jefferson.

Nice to meet you.

Ah, so you two are old, old, old friends. Yes, we were schoolmates.

You should have seen your Florence then. She was the teacher's pet, always

clapping the erasers, cleaning the blackboard, doing all the chores.

Oh, that's funny. She hasn't done a lick of work since I've been knowing her.

It's a shame you can't meet my husband.

It's just that he's so busy, even I don't get to see him very much.

Oscar's a very big producer in London.

He's bringing a play to Broadway. An absolutely fabulous costume drama.

Isn't that fascinating?

Yes. Wow.

Excuse me. Did you say costume drama? That's right up my alley. Oh, you're an

actor. No, no. I'm a dry cleaner.

But I love cleaning filthy, dramatic...

Costumes.

Mr. Jefferson, your receipt, and Florence, here's your key ring.

Really splurging, eh, Florence?

Oh, this isn't for me. It's for the maid.

Say, look, why don't you and your husband come by tonight for dinner?

You know we never eat.

That's because you never cook.

I think it'll be a lot of fun. I could tell you all about me. You could tell me

all about you.

I can pretend that I'm interested.

And then I can tell you why I should be doing your husband's dry cleaning. What

a charming invitation.

But I would enjoy seeing your place.

And we'd love for you to see it. But it wouldn't be polite to have you without

your husband. Oh, I go everywhere without him.

Oh, well, then why don't you come by yourself?

I don't think it would be a good idea.

Who cares?

Dinner date?

I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Not tonight.

I'm really beat.

I had a crazy day at the help center.

All afternoon, I tried to convince two runaways to go back home.

Why'd you just call their parents?

They were the parents.

Anyway, Wheeze, I brought you something.

I think it'll cheer you up.

Oh, George.

tonight for our guest.

Who is it?

Well, it's a potential client.

You're going to like her, though, because she's got clan.

That's what you said last week when you brought the hotel manager home.

You remember? The one who stole our ashtrays and our guest towels?

Come on, Weezy. People steal from him.

Besides, he gave us a nice present, didn't he? Oh, yes. That paper strip to

sanitize our toilet.

Please, you could at least be nice to this client. She's an old friend of

Florence's.

What's wrong with you, Florence? You ain't said one word all the way home.

Not that I'm complaining.

Yes, Florence, you don't seem very enthusiastic.

What's wrong?

Well... Oh, I know what it is. How could I be so insensitive?

Florence just feels bad because Pauline, a friend of hers, is a huge success,

and Florence ain't nothing.

She's not letting it bother her any.

I know.

You think you'll feel awkward serving tonight, right?

Well, yes.

Especially since you don't think I'm a maid.

Oh, well, who does she think you are?

You.

You don't mean you told her that you... Uh -huh.

And that you were married to... Uh -huh.

Oh, God.

Tell me about it.

I hope you didn't tell nobody else that.

I do have some pride.

Look, you gotta understand about Pauline and me. When we were coming up, she

always had it better than me.

She always got all the parts in the play.

She always got all the dates. And even when I found a great guy that I really

liked, she got him, too.

So when I found out she'd gone off and become a huge success, well, you see why

I couldn't tell her the truth?

Yeah. Look, we're going to need some snacks.

Get a lot of those barbecue wieners. I love those.

George!

I tried to be vague. I tried to say I was married to a wonderful, tall,

man. But you kept coming over.

Well, what are we going to do, George?

Florence's pride is at stake.

Well, there's only one thing we can do. Call the dinner off.

I mean, I thought it was only money.

Oh, that's okay, Mr. Jefferson.

I mean, you shouldn't have to lose money just because I told a lie.

I'll just call Pauline and tell her the truth.

Hey, wait a minute. Let me call her. I can make up an excuse. I'll just tell

I'm sick, which ain't far from the truth.

No, this is something I got to do myself.

Hello?

Pauline? This is Florence.

Listen, there's something I want to tell you. Give me the phone.

Hello, Pauline? Hi, George Jefferson.

Look, what she wants to tell you is that I got something to tell you. Oh, let me

handle this.

I've got a way to make everybody happy.

Hello? Oh, I'm so sorry for the confusion, but I'm just calling to

dinner plans for this evening.

Oh, 8 o 'clock would be just fine.

Who am I?

Oh, I'm Louise, the Jefferson's maid.

Oh, look, Mr. Jefferson. I know this evening is going to be very

for you. So I just want to tell you, I really appreciate you doing this favor

for me. Oh, thank you. Now, you do me a favor?

Anything. Just don't touch me.

No problem.

Oh, I'll get it.

Oops. Sorry.

Force of habit.

Who are you kidding?

Oh, Miss Jefferson, you look lovely.

Listen, are you sure you want to go through with this?

No, but what the heck?

With the open door, you look like a maid.

Hello,

I'm Mrs.

Pauline Joan Smythe.

Mrs. Pauline Joan Smythe.

May I take your coat? Yes, but I would like it back.

I know you.

I don't think so.

Oh, what am I thinking? How could I?

Florence, darling.

Your place is so comfortable.

Well, we like it, don't we, dear? Yes, we do. You're touching me.

You two make such a lovely couple.

By the way, are there any...

Little Jeffersons running around here?

No, just this one.

Good one, dear.

Shall we sit?

Oh, thank you.

Excuse me.

Would anyone like to have a drink?

A vodka martini on the rock and make it dry.

Coming right up.

Oh, done for me, thanks.

No, thank you, Louise.

Well, then that's what I call a maid.

Doesn't look familiar, does it?

Oh, George, I would like to know more about the man who married Florence.

Tell me about yourself.

Oh, well, there's not much to say. I'm just a regular guy. I mean, I love

baseball, I love football, and I love cleaning Shakespearean costumes.

Much lighter on the vermouth, dear.

The most important thing in any play is clean costumes.

Interesting.

No,

Olive, it positively corrupts a martini.

Oh, so, Pauline, as you can see, our little George has made life quite

comfortable for us.

Yes, I suppose he has.

But nobody can compare to my Oscar.

You see, the beautiful thing about being married to him is he travels so much.

What I mean is he's so seldom home that I have the freedom

to do whatever I like. Six months in Switzerland, a few months in London, two

weeks with the children.

Two weeks?

Well, they are my children.

My martini's shaken, not stirred, dear.

To your good health.

But did you find her?

She found us.

Oh, that'll be all, Louise. Thank you.

Oh, no.

Let me.

Perhaps you should explain to Louise just who's the servant and who's the

employer around here.

Who was it?

Peddlers.

Persistent peddlers.

I got a part of my nose.

I came to return the pearl necklace I borrowed from her.

Your maid has a pearl necklace?

George is so generous, and Louise has been with us for a long time.

Aren't you going to introduce it?

No.

I mean, why bother? You're never going to see them again.

Lawrence, don't be ridiculous.

Hello, I'm Helen Willis, and this is my husband, Tom.

I'm Mrs. Pauline Joan Smythe.

Well, you certainly have a lot of names.

So, how long have you known George and Louise?

George and Louise?

George, where is Louise?

Excuse me.

Excuse me. Excuse me.

we've come down here at an inopportune moment.

Well, I know Louise can clear this up. By the way, where is she?

There she is.

You mean me?

Well, so long, Tom. Wish me luck.

What is George doing in there?

Search me.

Well, get in here!

Oh, well, you see, now this works out perfectly.

Now I can ask him.

Oh!

Well, we just came over to say we've got to be going.

Oh, yes, Lawrence, it's all...

It's so nice coming to see your lovely home.

Oh, and by the way, you were right.

Your bathroom does fit four comfortably.

Well, Pauline, did you have a good time?

Good. Glad to see it.

While we're still on a high note, we at Jefferson Cleaners feel that there's no

such thing as dirty costumes, only sloppy actors.

And we can clean up your act.

We clean anything.

Capes, no problem.

Suits of armor, no problem.

This drink is terrible.

No problem. Louise, make another drink.

Wait a minute, Louise.

What is your last name?

Mine? Uh, uh, Mills.

Louise Mills.

I thought so. I do know you. Uh -oh. You were a counselor in our day camp. You

were only a couple of years older than us, but all the girls looked up to you.

I remember how you always told us that if we really... tried, we could make

something of ourselves.

Well, how ironic.

Pauline, there's nothing wrong with being a maid.

Oh, I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, dear.

Actually, it just proves the old saying, those who can do, those who cannot,

clean up after those who can.

Now, wait a minute, Pauline. What? No.

Mr. Jefferson, after all, Pauline is your guest.

Oh, thank you, dear.

Now, would you mind making me another martini? That first one was abominable.

Yes, ma 'am. Shaken, not stirred.

Yes, ma 'am. No olive.

Yes, ma 'am. In other words, do it right.

Now, wait a minute.

I've had about all I can take of this. You mean you're going to fire her?

No, I can't. I work for her. What?

You work for her?

Now, wait a minute.

Let me get something straight, Pauline.

These are the Jefferson, and I'm their maid.

Now, this afternoon, I was ashamed of that because you always beat me at

everything. So when I found out you'd gone off and gotten rich, I thought

beaten me again.

But you know something?

You haven't. I haven't? No, you haven't.

It seems to me you've got two kids you don't care nothing about.

And a husband who don't care nothing about you.

Well,

I, on the other hand, have two wonderful people who would put themselves through

all of this just to save my feelings.

Now, that's worth more than all the money in the world.

Are you quite through?

Not quite.

Get out of my house.

But it's not your house.

Then get out of my house.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. Hold it. Look, we got a deal here.

Not a chance.

Then get out of my house.

I suppose it would be asking too much for you to get my coat.

Get it yourself.

Look, I'm sorry I put you two through this. Oh, it's all right, Florence. At

least I learned how to make a decent martini.

Yeah, I learned something myself.

What, George?

That to have someone who loves you is more important than material

No, I never thought of that.

I was just amazed how much better made you are than Florence.