Original subtitles

- Dennis, where are you going with that?

- To the living room, Mom.

I want to see if Mrs. Schooner can do it.

- Do what?

- What Dad said she could do, talk the leg off a chair.

- Dennis, you come back here.

[theme music]

- Why are we doing all this work, Dad?

- Why I told you, Dennis, this is paint up, clean up week.

If we want to win the award for our block,

we have to have everything spic and span.

- Oh, Dad?

- Yeah?

- When will this clean up week be over?

- Tomorrow.

- Then can we get dirty again?

- Here, Dennis, hold that brush while I put the screen up.

- Dad?

- Yeah?

- Is Mr. Wilson your boss?

- Certainly not.

What makes you ask that?

- Well, Mom asked you to clean the screen a zillion times,

and Mr. Wilson only asked you once.

- Well, Mr. Wilson's chairman of our block for this

paint up, clean up week and it, it it's up to me

to cooperate with him.

- Oh, is that why you raked up the leaves,

cleaned out the garage, and took all the trash to the dump?

- Well, I guess you could say that's the reason.

- Boy, if it wasn't for Mr. Wilson,

we'd sure be a messy family.

- Henry, don't forget to clean the rain gutters.

- Oh, I will, dear, as soon as I get around to it.

- Oh, Henry.

You've been saying that for weeks.

- I know, Alice, but I just have--

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, hello, Dennis.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Mitchell.

- Well, I'm just checking you out.

Yard raked up, trash hauled, flower beds in order,

screens brushed.

- Oh, we were just finishing up.

- Well, it's a fine job, Mitchell.

It's good to have you on the team.

- Uh, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, hello, Alice.

- There's one more thing you could add to your list.

- Oh?

- Cleaning the rain gutters.

- Cleaning out the rain gutters?

Oh, I hadn't noticed.

Well, we'll get that taken care of right away,

won't we, Mitchell?

- Uh, yes, Mr. Wilson.

Right away.

Here, let me help you with that, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, thank you, Mitchell.

You know, it's a fine thing when a man can't

park his car in front of his own house.

- Every time something goes on over at that park,

this street gets as busy as Fifth Avenue.

- Martha says it's because the museum is having

some kind of an exhibit over there.

- Oh.

- Sergeant Mooney, what are you doing there?

- This your car, Mr. Wilson?

- But Mooney, I live here.

You know that.

- You're double parked.

And it's a good thing you are here

or I'd had a tow truck haul it away in a couple of seconds.

Your driver's license please.

- Mooney, I was only unloading my car.

And the parking problem around here isn't my fault.

- Jeepers, Mr. Wilson.

Are you getting arrested? - Huh?

Oh, of course I'm not getting arrested.

- Oh, you buying tickets to something, Mr. Wilson?

- Dennis, that's enough.

- No.

Mooney, I think this is very unfair.

I have a good mind to do something about this.

- You'd have saved yourself a lot of trouble

if you had parked in your own driveway.

- But, Sergeant Mooney, how could Mr. Wilson get in his driveway

when it's all blocked up?

- Well, so it is.

This calls for another ticket.

- Good boy, Dennis.

You're very alert.

That will teach a lesson to some inconsiderate people

around here who, oh no.

- What's the matter, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh, that's the trailer I rented to haul away my trash.

- Oh, George, the garden's beautiful, simply beautiful.

- Ah, thank you, Martha, my dear.

Well, if we're to win that award tomorrow,

the block chairman must lead by example.

- Well, if we don't win, it won't be your fault.

Everything is just perfect, the shrubs, the flowers, the patio.

- Yeah, everything but that.

- Now, dear, don't get upset over Dennis' tree house.

- I think it was designed by Mrs. Wiggs of the cabbage patch.

- I must admit, it is a little unsightly.

- Unsightly?

Martha, look, below the fence, Taj Mahal,

above the fence, tobacco row.

- I think they're talking about my tree house.

That thing's a monstrosity.

- Does that means it's good?

- I don't know.

- Why, it's a dilapidated hunk of debris.

- Well, I wish he'd just say whether he likes it or not.

- Yeah.

- Well, Martha, I have to put this stuff back in the garage

and then go down the block and check out a couple more houses.

- All right, dear.

I've got plenty to do in the house.

- All right.

- Hey, Tommy.

- Yeah?

- If this is clean up week for the big houses,

how come it can't be clean up week for the tree houses too?

- I don't know.

- Well, I think it ought to be.

Because if good old Mr. Wilson didn't win the prize

on account of my tree house that would be awful.

Come on.

- What do we do first, Dennis?

- First, we've got to get rid of the trash.

- OK.

Now, let's see.

We've got some bones, a couple of tin cans,

a busted old inner tube, and a swell license plate.

But I don't see any trash.

- I guess I don't have any.

Let's see if my rug needs cleaned.

- Looks all right to me. - Yeah.

It really didn't have time to get

dirty I shook it out just a couple of months ago.

Hey, what if we took down this old quilt?

- Golly, I thought that was the best part.

- Yeah.

But let's try it and see.

- OK.

- It's stuck on a nail.

- Something's holding it.

- We've got to pull hard together.

- OK.

You know something, Dennis?

I think it does look better without the quilt.

- Yeah.

This is going to make good old Mr. Wilson real happy.

There.

- George, it's nice to know that the neighbors have shown you

such cooperation.

- Oh yes, Martha, everybody's done a splendid job.

But you know confidentially, my dear, just between you

and me, I think we have the most-- Oh, no.

- George, what on Earth?

- Hey, Mr. Wilson.

How'd you like the way me and Tommy cleaned up my tree house?

Golly, Tommy look.

- Huh?

- That furniture, it's got fur on it.

- Yeah.

- What happened to your furniture Mr. Wilson?

- What happened to my furniture?

- I guess he doesn't know either.

- Oh, give me strength.

Oh, no, you better take my strength away.

- Tommy, I think we'd better get down from here.

Come on.

- Oh, George, it looks even better than before.

- [sigh]

- Oh, now don't act like that.

You know Dennis means well.

- Means well?

Martha, locusts mean well.

- Come now, he isn't that bad.

- I'm so far behind schedule now.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Hold it.

You hold your ground.

- Mr. Wilson, I just came over to say I'm sorry.

- Well, apology accepted.

Goodbye.

- George.

- How'd you like the way me and Tommy fixed up my tree house?

Pretty neat, huh?

- Yeah, pretty neat.

- Maybe you'd like me and Tommy to do something for you.

- No.

Absolutely not.

Dennis, can't you see?

I've just painted this?

- But we want to help you win the prize, Mr. Wilson.

- No.

- George, the boys only want to help.

You should encourage them to do something constructive.

- Constructive, they're about as constructive

as a couple of hand grenades.

- You know what they say about busy hands.

- Busy, yeah.

You know, Dennis, this is paint up week and that wagon of yours

looks pretty bad.

Uh, how would you like to paint it?

- Boy, would I.

- But we don't have any paint.

- Well, let's see now.

Dennis, if you, uh, take your wagon over to Tommy's and paint

it there, I'll give some to you.

Oh, Tommy, you do still live in the house

on the other side of the park, don't you?

- Yes, sir.

- What color should we paint it, Mr. Wilson?

- Well, it used to be red.

And it just so happens I have some red paint

right in my garage.

- Boy, thanks, Mr. Wilson.

Red's my favorite color.

- Good.

Just inside the door there.

There's some old paint brushes too.

You know, Martha, if I'm lucky, he'll

trip and spill the paint all over

himself then his papa will have to spank him good.

- George.

What a horrible thing to say.

- It's just a horrible thing to say, but hoo, hoo, hoo,

what a beautiful thought.

[crash]

- Hey, Dennis. - Golly.

What are we gonna do now?

- I'll see you tomorrow.

- Wait Tommy.

We can't leave this paint all over the curb.

- What are we gonna do about it?

- You got blotters at your house?

- No, I don't think so.

Hey, maybe we can rub it out with some dirt.

- No, wait a minute.

You know something?

It makes the curb look kind of pretty.

- Yeah.

It does look pretty.

- They call this paint up week, why don't we

paint the rest of the curb?

It will make Mr. Wilson's place look real swell.

- OK.

- Boy, will Mr. Wilson be surprised.

- I'll say.

- I'll paint this side and you paint that side.

There all done.

- We sure are good painters aren't we, Dennis?

- Yeah.

Mr. Wilson couldn't do it any better himself I bet.

- Dennis, lunch is ready.

- OK, Mom.

- I'll see you later, Dennis.

- Oh, Martha, I have to rush over to the Richardson's.

They want me to inspect their grape arbor.

And the Wilcox's have a problem with their fish pond.

- Well, you go ahead, dear, I'll finish up here.

- Oh, that's just the finishing touch we need.

My the place looks beautiful.

Bye, dear.

Darn kid painted his wagon and left the paint here.

- Hey, Wilson.

- Oh, hello, Sergeant Mooney.

Yes?

- I see you decided to take matters in your own hands.

- What?

- Oh, you know what I'm talking about, painting the curve red

so people can't park here.

- Painting the curb red so, oh no.

- You just can't leave well enough alone.

Can you?

- Oh, now wait a minute, Mooney.

I didn't do this.

- Oh, no, of course not.

What are you doing with the paint and brush in your hands?

Tinting your fingernails?

Come on, see if you can explain it down at headquarters.

- Now, listen, Mooney. If you'll only listen.

- And I'd like to add, I think you're a pretty sloppy painter.

- Oh now, wait, you must be reasonable.

Oh, for heaven's sake.

- Dad?

- Yes, Dennis?

- Is it all right for me to come downstairs now?

- Do you think you can remember what you did wrong?

- Oh, yes, Dad.

I won't ever use red paint again.

- Or bother Mr. Wilson or paint anything without permission?

- Oh, yes, Dad.

Even if it's paint up and clean up week.

I won't ever paint up or clean up again.

- All right, Dennis, you can come down.

- Poor Mr. Wilson with so much on his mind

now, this has to happen.

- We're terribly sorry about this, Mrs. Wilson.

- Of course, if we won the award all this would be forgotten.

- Oh, I do hope for his sake he wins.

He's put so much time and effort into it.

- We'll win, Dad.

- Oh? - Sure.

Because Mr. Wilson's a good guy.

And the good guys always win.

- Well, I better be going along.

Oh, there's George now.

He's coming over here.

- Boy, that's swell.

Now I can ask him for something.

- Don't you say one word to Mr. Wilson, Dennis.

- But Dad.

- Not one word.

- Yes sir.

[doorbell]

- Hold on, the roof's about to fall in.

Hello, Mr. Wilson.

- Hello, Mitchell.

Alice. Martha.

- Mr. Wilson.

- Hello, Dennis.

Well, I said hello, Dennis.

- Dennis, Mr. Wilson's speaking to you.

- But you told me not to say one word.

- Forget what I said.

- Hello, Mr. Wilson.

Did they handcuff you?

Did they feed you bread and water?

Will your picture be in the post office?

- Dennis, that's enough.

Incidentally, Mr. Wilson, I got some paint remover and Dennis

and I cleaned the curb.

We're very sorry about that.

- It's all right, Mitchell.

Everything worked out for the best.

- Oh?

- Oh, yes, indeed.

My little trip down the headquarters

gave me a chance to air my views regarding

our deplorable parking situation.

- Do you think it did any good, George?

- Oh, yes.

They promised be immediate action.

- Well.

- Of course, knowing the city, immediate action

probably means 1975.

- How true.

- I must be on my way for my final inspection tour.

Oh, and Martha, you better get home and dust off our mantle.

- Dust off the mantle?

- Yes, for that plaque we're going to win tomorrow.

See you later folks.

Oh, sorry, Dennis.

Well, now, what are you staring at?

- The ceiling.

When you got here Dad said the roof was going to fall in.

- George, we must have had a high wind

last night the back yard is filled with leaves.

- What?

Oh.

Great Scott, the front yard's filled with leaves too.

[phone ringing]

- Oh, I, I, I I'll get it.

Oh, that's hot.

Hello.

Oh, hello, Chet.

What?

Oh, thanks for tipping me off.

Martha, that was Chet Turner who lives over on Maple Street.

He says the inspecting committee is on his street right now.

- Oh, dear.

- We'll have to hurry.

- I'll tell you.

I'll rake up the leaves in the back yard

if you'll do the front.

- That's a good idea, Martha, a splendid idea.

You oh.

Yes.

Oh, dear.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Me and Tommy came over to see if we

could do something to help you.

- No, no, no, don't bother me now, boys.

I've got to rake up these leaves.

- George, the trellis in the patio has blown down.

- The trellis?

Well, of all the time for the, oh, oh.

Ah, yes, boys you can help me.

Now look, gather up these leaves.

The wind really made a mess of this yard last night.

- OK, Mr. Wilson.

- And the committee's due here any minute so do a good job.

- We sure will, Mr. Wilson.

- I don't know why, Martha, but I have

a feeling I've just made a terrible mistake.

- You're just nervous because the committee's coming.

- You're darn right I am.

- Tommy, take that piece of cardboard

and hold it down here so I can rake the leaves on it.

- OK.

Now, what do I with it?

- Um, put them in the wagon.

That way we can haul them off to the empty lot.

And Mr. Wilson won't have to bother with them anymore.

- Dennis?

- Huh?

- How much do you think Mr. Wilson

will give us for doing this?

- Oh, I don't want anything.

I'm just doing this because Mr. Wilson is such a nice man.

- Don't you think he'd be a nicer man if he gave us $0.20?

- No.

- A dime?

- Boy, I'll bet even Mr. Wilson couldn't

do a better job than this.

- I'll say.

Maybe he'll give us a nickel.

- We're not taking anything from him.

We're doing it because he's our friend.

- OK.

But next time we better work for somebody we don't like.

- Oh, Tommy.

Come on.

We've got to dump these leaves in the empty lot.

Mr. Wilson's not going to win a plaque

with that old basket in the middle of his lawn.

Put it some place where it will be out of the way, Tommy.

- Ah, I finally got that trellis back up, Martha,

I just hope nothing else goes wrong.

- Nothing is going to go wrong.

The block is beautiful and we're sure to win.

- Oh.

Oh, great Scott, Martha, it's the inspecting committee.

- Oh.

I just love these ribbons.

Your attention everyone.

This is our final block.

And I want to stress the importance of maintaining

our same high standards of inspection.

- Of course.

- Mr. Staley, you and your group will

inspect the houses that way.

And the rest of us will work this way.

- Oh, Mrs. Schooner.

- Yes, Mr. Staley?

- It is a minus ten points for tarnished house numbers?

- No, a minus five for house numbers.

Minus ten is for moths in the porch light.

- Thank you.

- The committee's in our backyard now.

- Oh?

How'd they look?

What'd they say?

- Oh, they look sort of non-committal,

and they were just whispering.

- They're eyeing Dennis' tree house.

- Oh, great Scott.

That's going to spoil everything.

- Well, if it is mutually agreed, shall

we give Mr. Wilson the good news?

- I should say so.

- Well, personally I thought it was

between this block and the one on Oak Street.

- Please, Mr. Staley, it was on Oak Street

where they had algae in the bird bath.

- I'll reconsider and vote for Elm Street.

[doorbell]

- Well, I had no idea you were in the neighborhood.

Please come in.

- Look Tommy, some people parked in front of Mr. Wilson's house

again. - Yeah.

And he sure hates that.

- Well, I'm going to do something about it.

- What can you do?

- There's a police car over by the park

and I'm going to go tell him about it.

Jeepers, Tommy, that was a dumb place to leave the basket.

Put it in wagon and take it to our garage.

- OK.

- And that brings us to this lovely block on Elm Street.

Mr. Wilson, as chairman of the committee for paint up,

clean up week in our community it

is my pleasant duty to inform you

that you have won the award for the best

block in the community.

[applause]

- Oh, I feel humble.

And we would now like to announce

the winner of the individual award for the best

host in the block.

Oh, my cup runneth over.

- George, they haven't announced it yet.

- Actually, I'm glad Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are here too.

The final decision was between your two homes.

- What finally decided us was the tree house.

- Well, I hope you realize that tree house isn't mine.

- Oh?

It hangs over your yard.

- Oh, that's true.

But it belongs to their little boy Dennis.

- Well, in that case, the Mitchell's are the winners.

- It was a masterly touch.

- That tree house complete with American flag

evoked the memory of all our childhoods.

- Charming, charming.

- Well, thank you.

Thank you all.

- Oh, we certainly do feel honored.

- George, I think you should say something.

- Thank you, my dear.

I will.

Now, in as much as that tree house hangs over my property--

- George.

- Mr. Wilson, as chairman of the winning block you, of course,

will receive the larger of the two plaques.

- Oh, the larger.

- Mr. Staley, may I have the plaques please?

- Oh, oh, I must have left them in the car.

- Would you mind getting them for me?

- Oh, I'll, I'll get them. I'll get them.

Wait!

Hold it!

Stop!

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Look what we did for you.

We had them two that old car off to the pound.

- Great Scott!

[theme music]

- This has been a Screen Gems Film Production

from the Hollywood Studios of Columbia Pictures.