Original subtitles

- Dennis, come here.

Dennis, you have no business using the air

from my tire to fill your balloons.

- I just borrowed it, Dad.

When I'm through with the balloons, I'll put it back.

[theme music]

- You know what Mr. Melton's got on his hi-fi, Tommy?

He's got a record with a lion on it.

- I got a book with a lion on it.

- This is a sound of a lion.

The roar.

Just like you hear in the circus.

- I'd rather hear it at the circus.

Is your dad going to take you?

- I don't know.

He's still mad on account of I had to blow my balloon up

while he was going.

- Boy.

- Hey, look at that! - Wow!

What is it?

- It's a reindeer.

I've wanted one of those all my life.

- Careful. It may be alive.

- Don't you know anything, Tommy?

What we've got here is the front half of a reindeer.

You're supposed to use him indoors.

- What for?

- To hang things on.

Help me put it in my wagon.

I'm gonna take it home to good old Mom.

- Hey, we got a postcard from the Wilsons.

- Oh.

What do they have to say?

- Having the greatest trip of our lives.

We'll tell you all about when we return on Saturday.

- That's today.

- Our best to both of you.

And little Dennis?

- Well, he really must be in good spirits.

- I'm afraid things will cool down

when he finds finds out what Dennis did while he was away.

- I'm home!

- Don't slam it!

[slam]

- There's the fastest slam in the west.

- Guess what I've got, Mom?

- Well, you've got a dirty face, for one thing.

What else?

- A surprise for you.

Close your eyes!

You to, Dad.

I'll be right back.

- I wonder what it can be?

- Oh, it's probably a flower he picked up from someplace.

- I hope he didn't get it out of the Wilsons' garden.

One thing I can count on.

It'll have a broken stem.

- Well, you can always throw it away.

- Not on your life.

- Close your eyes, and don't open 'em 'til I tell ya!

- All right.

- Bye, Dennis.

- Bye, Tommy.

It's right in front of you, Mom.

- Can I smell it?

- Do you want to?

- Of course I do.

- OK, bend over.

Now smell.

- This doesn't smell like a flower.

- Of course not!

Open your eyes.

[gasp]

- Don't be scared, Mom.

It's not alive.

- Where did you get that?

- In somebody's trash box.

I figured we could put it up in the dining room.

- Oh, Dennis!

- I bet you never thought you'd have one of these, did you?

- No.

- Would you rather put it up in your bedroom?

- What say, Mom?

- Dennis, you shouldn't bring things like this home.

- It was a tough job, but I wanted to.

You know why?

'Cause you're the best mom in the whole world.

- Thank you, Dennis.

- Where are we gonna put it, Mom?

- Well--

- Hey, Dennis!

The Wilsons just drove up out front!

- Uh-oh. - What's he?

Your lookout?

- I think I'll go straighten up my room.

- Just a minute, young man.

- It's for Mom, Dad.

She's been trying to get me to do it all day.

- Dennis, you have to tell Mr. Wilson sooner or later,

and you might as well do it right now.

- Can't we cal him on the phone?

- You're trying to carry too much, George.

You'll strain yourself.

- Oh, nonsense, Martha.

These two weeks have rejuvenated me.

Why, I feel like a new man.

- Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson!

Welcome home!

- Oh, Mitchell, Dennis.

Come on over.

I'll tell you all about our trip.

- OK.

Come on, Dennis.

- Now George, you be nice to little Dennis.

- Why, of course I will.

I told you, Martha.

I'm a new man.

Well, here we are.

Home at last.

- Now, you know how easily Mr. Wilson gets upset.

I don't want you to say or do anything that'll bother him.

- And I don't have to tell him what I did?

- Yes, you do.

Only don't upset him with anything new.

- Hello, Henry.

How are you?

- Fine, thank you, Mrs. Wilson.

How are you?

- I'm fine, too.

Hey, Mr. Wilson!

You're wearing a Smokey the Bear hat, aren't ya?

- Smokey the Bear!

Aw, Dennis, it's good to see you.

- It's good to see you too, Mr. Wilson.

I've missed you.

- Ahem.

Dennis has something to tell you, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh?

- Go ahead, Dennis.

- Well, the day after you left on your trip,

there was this swell little kid that was playing baseball.

- A swell little kid named Dennis.

- Uh-huh.

- I hit a home run.

- Wonderful.

- Right through your kitchen window.

- Oh?

Oh, well, well, uh, boys will be boys.

After all, what's a broken window?

- Well, that isn't all, Mr. Wilson.

Go ahead, Dennis.

- Well, the ball sort of bounced across the kitchen

and turned on the water faucet.

- Oh, so we lost a little water down the drain.

I mean, boys will be boys.

- We didn't lose it down the drain, Mr. Wilson.

- The baseball ended up in the sink, acting as a drain plug.

- So you lost all your water on the floor.

- Goodness.

- I looked in through the window and saw what was happening,

so I call mom and dad.

- How could you look in the window?

- I climbed up on your trellis.

Dad's already fixed it.

- Oh?

Then what happened?

Well, Alice and I came over and cleaned up the mess.

It didn't hurt anything.

- Oh, thank you, Henry.

- Of course, I had to jimmy the back door open to get in.

- Oh, you did?

- Boy, was that door a mess.

- Of course, I fixed it later.

And the window, too.

- Well, then, everything's all right.

I guess boys will be boys.

- Well, that's not quite all, Mr. Wilson.

- Ah?

- Yesterday Dennis played baseball again.

- A home run?

- I'm a regular Willie May

- The same window.

- Oh, my lands.

- But it didn't hit the water faucet!

- I'll pay for the window, of course.

- What are we laughing about, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh, that's a very funny story.

- I'm happy you can see it that way, Mr. Wilson.

- Ah, Michell, you know, I've been an old grouch in the past,

but that's all over.

From now on, Dennis and I are going to be good friends.

- Really, Mr. Wilson? - Sure.

- Do you want to take me to the circus?

It's gonna be right over in the park.

- Dennis--

- Well, by golly, I just might do that.

- Wow, that would be swell!

- Mr. Wilson, I hope you don't mind my commenting,

but you're a changed man!

- I really think he is, Henry.

- I know I am.

How could I be otherwise?

I've been communing with nature.

I've slept beside a babbling brook under the stars.

I've listened to nature's creatures

calling to me in the night.

- Did Mrs. Wilson want a drink of water?

- Mrs. Wilson?

No-- Dennis, I was referring to the animals and the birds.

One night, I heard an owl hooting.

[imitating owl sounds]

- Boy, you sure sound like one.

Do it again!

- All righty.

[imitating owl sounds]

- And at that moment, all the primitive instincts

of my ancestors came back to me.

- What did you do?

- Well, I slipped quietly out of my sleeping bag,

picked up by flashlight, and went looking for him.

- Boy, you're just like Daniel Boone, Mr. Wilson.

Did you find him?

- Well, no.

Martha, now that wasn't funny.

- Oh, yes it was.

- He was walking along, shining his light up into the trees,

and he walked right into the brook.

- That's 'cause you didn't want to leave

a trail, huh, Mr. Wilson?

- Dennis, you're a good friend.

You know, you ought to go camping sometime.

- Boy, that would be swell!

- Can I help you bring in the rest of your gear?

- Well, sure.

Come on.

- Dad, can I sleep out in the backyard tonight?

- Dennis, I don't have a tent.

- Oh, don't be a killjoy, Mitchell.

He could borrow our camping equipment.

- Wow!

- Well, that's very generous of you.

- Say, can I get Tommy to sleep out with me?

- Well, you can go ask his mother.

- I'll envy you, Dennis, being out there under the stars.

You know, Mitchell, that's the only trouble being home.

I'll miss the sound of the wild creatures calling in the night.

- Can I wear your Smokey the Bear hat, Mr. Wilson?

- Why, of course you can, Dennis!

- Now I'm gonna go see if Tommy can come!

- Ah, he's a wonderful kid.

You see this, Mitchell?

My nerve medicine.

I didn't use a drop of it during our trip.

- And you've been home five minutes, and you need some?

- No, not at all.

As a matter of fact, I never expect to need it again.

- Gee, Mr. Wilson.

I hope you won't be sorry you did that.

- Naw.

- Mr. Wilson's letting Dennis use the whole business.

Sleeping bags, air mattresses.

The tent.

- I can't get over it.

Two weeks of camping have changed that man completely.

[phone ringing]

- Hello?

Oh, hi, Ted.

- Uh, Henry, I was wondering if you and Alice

would like to come over tonight?

We'll, um, play a little Bridge.

- You sure you want to play Bridge,

or you got another one of those crazy sound effect

records you want to show off?

- Well, we might play a little Bridge.

Henry, wait 'til you hear this one.

It's the greatest.

It's a train wreck from the actual soundtrack

of a motion picture.

Boy, you've never heard anything so realistic.

Well, how about it?

Can you come over?

- I don't think we'd better tonight, Ted.

Dennis is sleeping out in the backyard,

and we've got to keep an eye on him.

- Well, look, you could watch him just as easily from over here

as you can from there.

Look right over the fence.

- Well, I suppose we could keep an eye

on him just as easily over there.

Any objections, honey?

- No, I guess not.

- OK.

Fine, Ted.

About 8:00?

And Ted, I do want to play some Bridge tonight.

OK.

Bye.

- So do I. Last Saturday evening, we

did nothing but listen to that crazy wild animal

record of his. - Don't blame him, honey.

He's only had that hi-fi a couple of weeks.

- I'm home!

- In here, Dennis.

- Tommy can camp out with me!

He'll be here in a few minutes.

- Good.

- Hey, you'd better take that hat off so

you can see where you're going, young man.

It's too big for you.

- No, it isn't.

It's perfect.

Tommy wishes he had one.

- Let me put a little paper in it, and try it.

- I don't need it.

- Well, just try it, huh?

There.

Isn't that better?

- Yeah!

Hey Mom, how come you haven't put up the reindeer?

- Well, that isn't a reindeer, Dennis.

It's a moose.

And I have a wonderful idea of where to put it.

- Where?

- Why don't we put it out in the backyard, and then

you can pretend you're right out in the wilderness tonight.

- Wow!

- And the tent can be your tepee.

- You mean like we're Indians?

- Like real Indian Braves.

- You know what she is, Dad?

She's the best squaw in the whole world.

- She is on my totem pole, too.

- Well, here I am.

- What do you got blankets for?

We got sleeping bags.

- I know it, buy my mom's afraid I'll catch cold.

I even gotta wear my underwear under my pajamas.

- Boy, I'm glad my mom isn't like that.

What are those for? - For you.

I don't want you to catch cold.

- Aw, Mom!

- Hon, do you know where the hot water bottle is?

- Holy bologna!

- Pure ambrosia.

- Hey, Mr. Wilson!

You did shave and a haircut, six bits.

- I most certainly did, Dennis.

- Do it again, Mr. Wilson. - All right.

- Dennis, that'll be enough knocking.

- Oh, Mr. Wilson, how are you?

- I'm sorry, Mitchell.

Sheer animal spirit.

- That's quite all right. Come in.

- Oh, no thanks.

I just dropped by to tell Dennis the good news.

- Is it good news, Mr. Wilson?

- Dennis, what would be the best possible news

you could hear in the whole world?

- That I'm getting a two-wheeler.

Are you getting me one?

- Oh, dang!

Well, no, no, it's not that.

Maybe this wish is second best.

You see these two circus tickets?

Well, we're going to the circus.

- Oh, boy!

- I think you boys will be pretty comfortable out here.

- Sure we will.

- Oh! - Honey!

- That moose head looks so real it startled me.

- Thank you.

- Oh, you did a wonderful job of hanging him out here

for the boys.

Come on, Dennis!

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): I'm filling the hot water bottle!

- Honey, do you really think he needs it?

It's pretty warm out tonight.

- Oh, wants it.

- Are you sure?

- He said so.

- Well, here I am!

- Oh, hold on.

I want to see if it's hot enough.

- It's hot enough.

- I don't now.

I'd have made it hotter than that,

but, uh, I guess it's all right.

- Come on, Tommy! - All right!

- Now, if you fellas want anything, you just sing out.

We'll be right behind the fence at the Meltons'.

- We won't want anything, will we, Tommy?

- Naw.

- Well, good night, boys.

- Good night, mom. - Good night.

- Good night, men.

- Night.

- They're gonna have a wonderful time.

- Hey, Dennis, what are we gonna do if we get thirsty?

- Hot root beer.

- Wow.

- The kids are fine.

They're talking up a storm.

- I hope they get some sleep tonight.

- Oh, relax, honey.

It's only quarter to 9:00.

- You know, Tommy, a kid's gotta think for himself.

I just don't believe a cow could jump over it.

- You know, Martha, those old, sleepless nights

are gone forever.

Not even 9:00.

I'm going to sleep like at schoolboy.

- Now what are you going to do?

- I think I'll give Dennis and Tommy a thrill

and do my owl imitation.

[imitating owl sounds]

- Oh, come to bed, George.

- Wait a minute, Martha.

You know, I bet they think that's a real owl.

[imitating owl sounds]

- You know what that was, Tommy?

That was Mr. Wilson doing his own imitation.

- He's pretty good at it.

- Yeah.

That's because he heard owls and things all the time

he was out camping.

- Animals, too? - Sure.

All kinds of them.

- I bet he was scared.

- Mr. Wilson?

Heck no.

he said they calmed his nerves.

Now that he's back, he's gonna miss 'em.

[horn blowing]

- What was that?

- Hey!

It's Mr. Melton's hi-fi.

He was going to play a train record for Mom and Dad.

[horn blowing]

- George?

- Yeah?

- Do you hear that train?

- Yes.

It's unusually loud tonight.

Or else they're using that old spur track over in the park.

- They must be.

It sounds as if it was right next door.

Must be some rare atmospheric condition.

Martha, I know why they're using the spur.

That must be the circus train arriving in the park.

[horn blowing]

[crash]

- Good heavens!

- That sounded like a head on collision!

- Boy, did you ever hear anything more realistic?

- I should say not.

- It was wonderful.

Now can we play another rubber?

- Boy, that train wreck sure sounded swell!

- Well, how did you hear it?

- You've got the speaker in the patio turned on.

- For heaven's sakes, Ted!

I hope you didn't wake anybody up.

- Oh, don't be silly.

Who'd be sleeping at this time?

It's barely 9:00.

- How about playing your wild animal

record so it'll be like we're camping out in the jungle?

- All right, Dennis.

And I'll bet your folks would enjoy

hearing that one again, too.

- Oh, we'd love it.

We can play bridge later.

- Come on, Tommy.

Let's get back to camp.

[wild animal sounds]

- Martha!

- That was a lion.

[growling]

- Good Scott, that was the circus train, and the lions are loose!

[roaring]

- And the elephants are loose, too!

- Dennis and Tommy are out in the yard!

- I've got to get out there!

- You can't go out there!

- I've got to, Martha!

Those boys are in danger.

I'll do what I can with my longsword.

You call the police.

- Oh, good heavens.

He forgot his glasses!

[wild animal sounds]

- Sure is swell being out here in the wilderness.

- Yeah.

- Dennis?

- What are you doing, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh, I'm going to save you from the lions!

Boys, get back in your tent!

- Mr. Wilson must be playing he's out in the wilderness, too.

- And please hurry.

The lions and tigers are loose in the backyard.

[wild animal sounds]

- Hey, Mr. Wilson, here comes a fierce tiger!

- I hope Martha phoned for help.

- George!

I brought you your glasses. - Steady, Martha.

- Are you all right?

- Yes, so far.

I haven't met any of the lions yet,

but I've just cut the head off a moose.

- Oh!

- You boys all right?

- We're pretty scared!

- Aha!

Well, you stay where you are.

There might be a lion behind any bush, Martha,

so you stay right close to me Here are your glasses, George.

- You come out to play too, Mrs. Wilson?

- Dennis!

Go back inside.

Don't to understand the danger?

Didn't you hear animal roars?

- Sure, I heard 'em.

That's because Mr. Melton had his speaker

in his patio turned on.

- What?

- Sure.

They were on a record he was playing on his new hi-fi.

- Nonsense.

What about that moose I decapitated?

He wasn't playing that on his hi-fi.

- George, would you please put on your glasses?

- Well, I-- oh, no.

Martha, not a word of this to anybody.

[sirens]

- I feel so humiliated!

- Now, George, you were only doing what you thought

was right.

- It was a very brave thing to do, Mr. Wilson.

- Aw.

- Sure it was.

You thought there were lions out there.

- Have the police left?

- Yes, dear.

- The reporters?

- Yes, dear.

- And that police psychiatrist?

- Yes, dear.

You know what I heard him say, Mr. Wilson?

He said you're as nutty as a fruitcake.

- Dennis!

- When did he say that?

- Right after I told him you do swell owl imitations out

of your bedroom window.

- And to think I dumped out all my nerve medicine.

Oh, Martha, take me home.

Put me to bed!

- Of course.

- Hey, Mr. Wilson.

What time are we going to the circus tomorrow?

- Oh, that, that, that-- just take me home, Martha!

[theme music]