Original subtitles

- Oh, no, Mrs. Anderson.

You musn't blame Tommy.

It was all Dennis' fault.

Hurry up, Dennis.

Oh, yes, Dr. Scott can handle it.

But, well, with Henry out at the office,

there's nothing for me to do but call

Mr. Wilson to drive us to town.

Thank you.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): I'm coming, Mom.

- Oh, Dennis, how in the world did you

get your head stuck in Mrs. Anderson's

beanpot in the first place?

[theme music]

- Oh, come now.

Driving Dennis and Alice downtown

couldn't have been that embarrassing.

- Martha, you forget that he had his head

stuck in that silly beanpot.

Why, at every traffic light, it was a circus.

People laughed.

They jeered.

Little boys make catcalls.

Why, the public hasn't had as much fun since they watched

Marie Antoinette on her way to the guillotine.

- Well, you're home now, so forget about it

and get back to work on the car raffle for your lodge.

- Oh, yes, yes.

- It's really lucky that you were home

and could drive Alice downtown.

- You know, Mitchell ought to buy Alice a car of her own.

- It certainly would be nice for her.

- Well, maybe he'll win the raffle car this year.

- You're not going to make him sell tickets again.

- I certainly am.

I have his annual 25 all counted and ready for him.

- But he never sells many.

It costs the poor man $10 to $15 every year.

- Well, good gravy, Martha.

The money goes to charity.

You know, in a few minutes, he'll

come over here to thank me for taking Alice downtown.

That'll be the perfect time to load him up

with raffle tickets.

- It's certainly good Mr. Wilson was home to drive you.

- I should say so.

You are going over to thank him?

- Do I have to go over?

- Well, I think you should.

- Well, can I put it off 'til after dinner?

- I suppose so.

- It isn't that I don't want to thank him.

It's just that he's conducting that car raffle for his lodge

again this year, and you know what that means.

- Yes, he'll expect you to help him sell tickets.

- Well, I'm not going to this year.

I'm going to put my foot down.

- Oh, Henry.

You always put your foot down, and Mr. Wilson always

steps on it.

- Dad, when you get your tickets, can I buy one from you?

- Dennis, I just got through saying

I'm not going to sell tickets this year.

- Then can I buy one from Mr. Wilson?

- Well, sure, if you want to and have the money.

- Well, I've got a dollar in my piggy bank.

Mom, where did I put my Ouija board?

- What do you want that for?

- Well, jeepers, Dad.

I'm gonna ask the Ouija board which ticket's gonna win.

Then I'm gonna buy that ticket and win

the car for good old Mom.

- Oh, Dennis, that's very sweet of you.

- Yes, it is, son.

But don't count on winning it.

The odds are all against you.

- Oh, well, if you expect to be at home sick, I can,

uh, I can drop the tickets off at your house.

Oh, good.

Your office then.

[doorbell]

- Oh, I have to go now, Chet.

Somebody's ringing my doorbell.

It's probably that neighbor of mine

who's come after his tickets. I'll see you later, Chet.

Bye.

Good old Mitchell.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, it's you, Dennis.

- Boy, did I learn something today.

Never look at a beanpot from the inside.

- Yes. And where's your father?

- Oh, he'll be over to thank you later, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, good.

- He's putting it off 'til after dinner?

- Oh?

Well, what did you come over here for?

- I came over to buy a ticket.

I'm gonna win the car for Mom.

- Do you have any money?

- I got a dollar.

- Oh, well, fine, Dennis.

Come on in.

I have just the ticket for you right here.

- That's the wrong one, Mr. Wilson.

- What do you mean it's the wrong one?

- I want ticket number 637.

- Why?

- Because that's the number the Ouija board said to get.

- I might have known there'd be a catch to this.

- Mr. Wilson, is this car gonna have gas in it when I get it?

- Oh, it'll have gas in it when somebody gets it.

Well, your magical number isn't in this stack, Dennis.

Would you care to, uh, try that stack?

- Thanks, Mr. Wilson.

- Uh-huh.

- What's in that?

- Oh, more tickets.

All right, Dennis, have a look.

Have a look.

- Hey, these numbers are getting close.

- Well, hurry up and take one, will you?

My dinner's ready.

- Well, I'm just about to.

One other question, Mr. Wilson.

How are the tires?

- Dennis, the tires are new.

They're brand new.

Now, how about making up your mind and buying your ticket?

- Hey, I must've passed my number.

- Oh, for Pete's sake.

OK, Dennis, out!

Out!

- Here it is, Mr. Wilson!

My good old number, 637.

Thanks for helping me find it, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, that kid.

- Well, isn't that sweet of Dennis

to buy me a raffle ticket?

- He certainly wants you to have a car.

- Yes.

Oh, are you going over to thank Mr. Wilson?

- Uh, I think I'll phone.

It's safer.

He's waiting for me with those raffle tickets.

I know him.

[doorbell]

- Hello, Mitchell.

- Mr. Wilson, come on in.

- Oh.

- I was just about to phone you.

- You were?

What about?

- Well, I wanted to thank you for being such a Good Samaritan

this afternoon.

- Oh, Mitchell, I'm only glad that I

have a car handy every time Alice

is confronted with an emergency.

But wouldn't it be wonderful if she

could have a car of her own?

Hello, Alice.

- Hello, Mr. Wilson.

Well, have you recovered from the excitement of the day?

- Alice, I was glad to help, since you

don't have a car of your own like so

many of the other mothers.

- Is there anything we can do for you, Mr. Wilson?

- No, Mitchell, no.

Oh, I-- I found a pair of sunglasses

on the seat of my car.

I just wondered if they were yours, Alice.

- No, I had mine on when I came home.

- Oh, well.

I didn't bring them with me after all.

Just these raffle tickets.

I must have raffle tickets on the brain, I guess.

- Uh, I'm glad you brought that up, Mr. Wilson.

Because this year, I won't be able--

- I know, Mitchell.

This year, you're going to be busy,

- That's right.

- Exactly what chief of police Stewart said.

But after a little chat of an hour

or two about the advantages of our boys'

camp for this community, he changed his mind.

Yes, sir.

- Uh, Mr. Wilson, Henry really isn't

a very good salesman of raffle tickets.

He usually ends up paying for most of them himself.

- Yes, but Alice, where else might you

get a brand new car for $25?

Oh, say, Mitchell, would you like

to hear about this year's car?

- Could I hear about it another time, Mr. Wilson?

I have to get up unusually early tomorrow morning, and--

- Oh, you-- you have to get up early now.

- Yes.

- Well, Mitchell, I certainly wouldn't want to keep you up.

Oh, say, have I told you about how

we're holding this year's raffle, huh?

- No, but--

- Oh, this will only take a minute.

Now, just sit right down here.

Now, this year, it's going to be just a little bit different.

You see, we're holding it in front of the public library,

and there's gonna be-- Well, I guess I'll say good night.

- Oh, good night, Mr. Wilson.

- Good night.

Oh, by the way, I must tell you about Alderman Henry T. Jones.

Now, when I explained to him what

this money meant to these boys and handed him

his usual 25 tickets, do you know what he did?

- No, what did he do?

- Oh, well, I must tell you about him.

Now, this will only take a minute.

And now, Mitchell, I want to tell you

a couple of details about the car.

Oh, it's too bad Alice isn't here.

Where'd she go, huh?

- She went to bed an hour ago.

- Mmm. My, that's good coffee.

Don't you want another cup, huh?

- Oh, what time is it?

- $25 after midnight.

Go on back to sleep.

- You mean, you took them?

- It was either that or have breakfast with him.

I-- I really can't afford this.

But my wife needs a car so badly,

I've decided to take the plunge.

- Well, I'm delighted.

Most people in this area are waiting for the raffle.

- Oh, I'm not waiting for that.

I know the odds are all against me.

- Now, let's see.

You want us to deliver the car to your home

and put it in your garage Saturday afternoon, right?

- Uh, yes, between 3:00 and 4:00.

I'll arrange to have her away from the house.

And then, when we come home and I take her out to the garage,

she'll have the surprise of her life.

- We'll have it there for you, Mr. Mitchell.

- Uh, I hope you don't think the, uh, big bow of red ribbon

is silly.

- Of course not.

We'll deliver it just the way you want it.

- Thank you.

- See?

I told you.

- Dennis, I'm tired of working this old Ouija board.

- But don't you want to ask it if you're gonna be president?

- It already said that you were gonna to be president.

- Oh, that's right.

But don't you want to ask it if you're gonna be vice president?

That's still open.

- I don't want to ask it anything.

I want to look at television.

- OK, I'll turn it on.

Wow, look at the raffle tickets.

- For the new car Mr. Wilson's raffling.

- Yeah. Look at them.

A whole bushel.

- Dennis.

- Mom, are these Dad's raffle tickets?

- Oh, I guess he forgot them.

I'll bet he did that on purpose. - Why?

Doesn't he want to?

- Not really.

Your father just took them as a favor to Mr. Wilson.

If there's anything he hates, it's selling raffle tickets.

- Well, I think that would be fun.

- No, not for your father.

I have to go to town to get a new beanpot for Tommy's mother.

I'll be back in an hour or two.

- Oh, there's no hurry, Mrs. Mitchell.

We don't usually have beans until Saturday.

- No, Tommy, but I would like to get the whole episode over

and done with.

- Oh, Mom, if you see any of the people we saw yesterday,

tell them we got the beanpot off OK.

- I hope I never see any of those same people again.

- You know something, Tommy?

Dad hates to sell raffle tickets.

Why don't we do them?

- Do you think we could?

- Sure, we can.

If we started right now, we could sell all of them

by the time Dad gets home, I bet you.

- Sure, we could.

- Here's yours.

- Fine.

Thank you.

Bye bye.

Well, Martha, I only have 50 left,

and I'll sell those myself right here in the neighborhood.

- Do you think you can?

- Oh, of course, my dear.

You know that I always reserve the immediate neighborhood

for myself.

All my regular customers are just waiting for me.

- But you buy a ticket from me every year, Mrs. McGraw.

- Well, I'm sorry, but he said he was

selling the ticket to please you.

- Well, he shouldn't say that.

This is my territory.

Who is this fellow?

- A little boy.

Dennis Mitchell.

- Dennis!

Oh, for Pete's sake.

Dennis?

- That's right.

- I might have known.

- How did it go, dear?

- How did it go?

I didn't sell a single ticket.

Everywhere I went, Dennis had been there ahead of me.

- How many do you have left?

- $50 worth.

- What about Mrs. Bagley?

- Well, I dropped by her house, but she was out.

I know I can count on her to buy her usual 25, thank goodness.

[doorbell]

- Oh, now who in the world can that be?

I just hope it's somebody to buy a ticket.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Here are the stubs.

We sold every one of Dad's tickets, all 25 of them.

- Yes, I know, I know.

- Boy, I sure wish we had some more tickets to sell.

- Miss Cathcart would buy one from us, I bet.

- And Mrs. Elkins.

- And the cleaning man.

- And the ice cream man.

- Well, boys, you do know a lot of people

who haven't bought tickets, don't you?

- Sure, Mr. Wilson.

- And you'd really like to sell some more?

- Sure, Mr. Wilson.

- Well, good, good.

Come on in here.

Now, boys, I'll just bet you a nickel

apiece that you can't sell 25 more.

- Sure, we can.

- Sure.

- All right now.

Remember to tear off the stubs and bring them back with you.

- We'll do it, Mr. Wilson.

- Fine and dandy.

Good.

Well, how about that, Martha?

I just got rid of 25 more.

Now, as soon as I call on Mrs. Bagley, I'm all finished.

- She never fails you, does she.

- Oh, Mrs. Bagley is still mighty loyal to the lodge.

- Hey, Mr. Wilson!

Mr. Wilson!

- Oh, hello there, boys.

Oh, did you sell any?

- Here's the money, Mr. Wilson.

We sold all of them!

- Well, if you aren't the best salesmen I ever saw.

- We sure are here.

And here's the stubs.

- Well, all right.

I owe you both a nickel.

Here's one for you, Tommy.

There's one for you, Dennis.

My goodness, I can't get over how you sold them so fast.

- It was easy.

- You want to us walk home with, you Mr. Wilson?

See that you don't lose the money on the way?

- No, Dennis, I'm not going home.

I'm going to over to see Mrs. Bagley.

- Mrs. Bagley? MR. WILSON (OFFSCREEN): Yes.

- Say hello to her for us, Mr. Wilson.

She's swell She's the lady that bought all our 25 tickets.

- Great Scott.

Oh, this is the last straw.

- Where you going?

- I'm going home.

I'm sick of this.

If anybody wants a ticket, he can just come to me for it.

Otherwise, I'll buy them myself.

- Hi, lady.

- Is this the Mitchell residence?

- Yes, it is.

- I'm looking for the little boy who's

selling the raffle tickets.

- We've been selling them.

- Oh.

Well, a friend of mine bought one,

and I'd like to buy one too.

It's for such a good cause.

- But we sold all we had.

- You mean, they're aren't any left?

Oh, my.

- Mr. Wilson might have some.

Would you like me to see?

- Is he nearby?

- Right next door.

- Oh.

Well, then here's my dollar.

I do hope he has one left.

- I'll be right back.

- Mr. Wilson!

MRS. WILSON (OFFSCREEN): He's gone to the store, Dennis.

- There's a lady outside that wants a raffle ticket.

Has Mr. Wilson got any left?

MRS. WILSON (OFFSCREEN): There are

some on the table in the living room.

I'll be right down.

- I'll get it.

I got it, Mrs. Wilson.

You don't have to bother.

- I've got to hand it to you for selling

all those tickets, Dennis.

You saved your old dad a lot of money.

- He certainly did.

- It was fun, Dad.

Now, tell us once more, Mr. Ouija Board.

Is my mom honest and truly going to get a new car tomorrow?

It said yes, Dad!

- It really did, Henry.

I know it sounds silly, but it went right on up to yes.

- You know, I'm beginning to believe

that Ouija board may have something.

- All right, everybody.

Quiet now, folks.

Quiet.

Sweet little Margaret here is about to draw the winning

ticket.

But first, we must stir the stubs

so everybody will have an even chance.

Uh, all right, Margaret.

Turn it.

- You know, Martha, with all these tickets,

I have a good chance to win.

Now remember, if you hear a number, my dear,

between 850 and 874, I've got myself a new car.

- Keep turning it, Margaret.

Keep turning.

- Dumb old Margaret's just wasting her time stirring.

- I'll say.

- Yes, sir.

The Ouija board said number 637 was gonna win, and it is.

- Well, Margaret, I think the ice cream must be done.

And now, for the moment of truth.

Margaret, draw the number.

Thank you.

The winning number is-- getting anxious?

The winning number is 872!

- Oh, that's me!

I have that number!

MRS. COURTLAND (OFFSCREEN): I have the number!

- Well, I have that ticket right here.

MRS. COURTLAND (OFFSCREEN): I have the number!

- I must have it.

- Oh, dear.

- What's the matter?

- That's the ticket Dennis sold while you went to the store

for me.

I told you about it.

- You did? - Yes.

You seemed to be glad about it.

You said it would be one less ticket for you to pay for.

- But I didn't know then it was going to be the winning ticket!

Oh, great Scott!

- Well, folks, we have a winner.

Uh, what is the name, please?

- Mrs. Robert Courtland.

Well, Mrs. Courtland, here's the keys to your car.

Pleasant driving.

- Thank you very much.

Is the little boy here who sold me my ticket?

Dennis Mitchell?

- Here I am.

- You stay right there.

I want to talk to you.

Oh, Dennis, I just can't thank you

enough for selling me my ticket.

You brought me luck.

- That's all right, lady.

- His Ouija board said that his ticket was gonna win.

- Oh my goodness.

It did?

- He was gonna win it for his mom.

- And you sold me the winning ticket?

Oh, goodness.

- His mom doesn't have a car.

- Oh.

Wait a minute.

I have a wonderful idea.

I don't need two cars.

And since you sold me the lucky ticket,

I'll give you my present one to give to your mother.

- Wow!

The Ouija board was right after all.

- It's right over in my driveway.

I'll drive you home in it.

Now, come along, boys.

Let's go.

Oh, my.

Oh!

MRS. COURTLAND (OFFSCREEN): It's a Baker Electric.

Sound as a nut.

- Wow, an electric.

- Wow.

- It doesn't use any gasoline at all.

- Jeepers, will my dad be glad of that.

Does it have a horn, Mrs. Courtland?

- Hop in, boys, and I'll show you.

There we go.

[horn tooting]

- Thanks a lot, Mrs. Courtland.

I'm gonna leave the car in the garage.

And when my mom gets home, will she be surprised.

- I hope she enjoys it.

Goodbye, boys.

- Bye, Mrs. Courtland.

- So long, Dennis.

- Bye, Tommy.

- You gotta find some red ribbon.

The 5 and 10 has the red ribbon, but they

don't have it wide enough or long enough

to tie a bow around the car.

- Find some someplace.

I promised Mr. Mitchell I'd have the car

in his garage between 3:00 and 4:00.

It's almost 4:00 now.

- OK, I'll try.

But I don't think you're gonna make it.

- Here they come!

Wowee, Mom.

Wait 'till you see what's in our garage!

- D-- Dennis, don't tell me you won the raffle!

- You didn't, did you?

- Nope.

- And there's something in our garage?

- I'll say.

- Honey, I think when you see what's in the garage,

you'll be very happy.

- How do you know what's in our garage?

- Oh, fathers just know these things.

- Well, if there's something in our garage for me,

may I please see it?

- You bet!

- Honey, you're in for a big surprise.

- Now, just a minute.

Just a minute.

Now, you stand over here, Dad, and let

me show it to Mom first, OK?

- OK.

- Now, close your eyes.

Hey, Mom!

Look!

- Good heavens!

What is it?

- It's your very own car.

- I thought you'd like it.

It isn't a Rolls Royce, but--

- No, it isn't.

- I thought it'd be perfect for you and Dennis.

It doesn't use much gas.

- It doesn't use any gas.

- No, an electric seldom does.

- An electric? Dennis!

Dennis, what in the world have you-- what have you done?

- I got Mom a car.

Mrs. Courtland won the raffle with the ticket I sold her,

and she thanked me by giving this swell car for Mom.

- Oh, Dennis.

- Well!

- At least you tried.

- I didn't only try.

I got it.

- But Henry, what were you talking about?

[horn honks]

- It's a few minutes late, honey, but that's

what I was talking about.

Your new car.

- A new car?

For me?

Oh, Henry!

- Oh, you got Mom a car too?

- Yes, son.

I tell you, honey.

When your batteries run down on your electric,

you can use your new car.

- And when you're out of gas, you can use your electric.

- Oh!

Well, with two cars and two men looking out for me,

I guess I needn't worry.

[theme music]

ANNOUNCER: This has been a Screen Gems film production

from the Hollywood studios of Columbia Pictures.