Original subtitles

- George. George.

George. - Huh?

- Do you realize how long you've been sleeping?

- Oh.

Well, I just dropped off a moment ago.

- You've been asleep since lunch.

It's almost 3:30.

- Oh.

Really?

Well, I feel like a million dollars.

Ha, with Dennis in school this year,

I can at least get my nap in the afternoon.

- I thought I better wake you or you won't sleep tonight.

[horn sound]

- Oh, Great Scott.

It's 3:30, all right.

And Tommy's home from school and started his practicing.

- It's only for half an hour.

- Only?

Martha, a half hour of Tommy's practicing on

that saxophone is the equivalent of 24

hours of that Chinese water torture.

- George, it is not.

- Well, Martha, you don't realize how that sounds bothers me.

- Oh, it could be worse.

- Yes, you're right.

Tommy could live next door.

- Boy, Tommy.

You're sure lucky to have that swell saxophone.

- I'm sick of it.

Every day I have to practice for half an hour.

- If I had it, I'd practice on it for a whole hour.

I love saxophones.

How about letting me do your practicing for you?

- Sure.

That'd be swell.

[SAXOPHONE SQUEAKING IN THE DISTANCE]

- Oh, Great Scott.

- Tommy's playing louder, isn't he?

- Louder and worse.

Oh, this is unendurable.

- Now, George.

You've had peace and quiet all day.

- Then school lets out.

In five minutes, my nerves are shattered.

- You'd better enjoy the school term while it lasts.

In June, the boys will be out for the summer.

- Then Dennis will be hanging around all day.

Martha, we haven't picked out our vacation spot yet.

Let's go in and look at all those brochures.

- But summer's months off.

- With Dennis out of school this summer,

I don't want to be stuck here just

because we didn't make a reservation.

Now, come on, dear.

- So I told him I'd do it for him, Mrs. Anderson.

- Momma, I told you and told you.

I hate this saxophone.

- And two months ago, you couldn't

wait until you got one.

- Sure.

But I didn't know I'd have to do all this practicing.

- Well, what did you expect?

- I figured they'd show me how to play it

and then I could go on TV.

- Boy, I'd practice.

I'd practice all the time.

I'd practice before breakfast.

I'd practice during recess. I'd--

- And you'd get sick of it.

- No, I wouldn't.

Saxophones run in my family.

My dad played one in college.

- Well, I'm sick of it.

So can I please stop taking lessons, Mom?

- Well, Tommy I have talked it over with your father.

And we've decided that if you're sure you're not interested,

there's no point in wasting the money.

- Oh, boy.

Thanks, Mom.

Come on, Dennis.

Let's go play football.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): Wait a minute, Tommy.

Mrs. Anderson?

- Mm-hm?

- What're you gonna do with this swell saxophone?

- I don't know, Dennis.

I suppose we'll sell it.

- How much you gonna sell it for?

- We paid 25 for it secondhand.

I'd like to get at least 20.

- You mean dollars or cents?

- Dollars. - Jeepers.

If it's dollars I'll have to have a talk with good old Dad.

- How about Mt.

Pinewood?

- Oh, Mt.

Pinewood's always so crowded in July.

[horn] Great Scott.

He's started again.

- That was an automobile horn.

Can't you forget about Tommy's saxophone?

- No, I can't.

I hate saxophones.

You know that.

- George, you're being silly.

- I am not.

And I hate saxophone players.

- George.

That was 35 years ago.

- Yes, but I haven't forgotten.

That smart aleck with his saxophone, his raccoon coat,

and his Hupmobile.

- Well, he meant nothing to me.

- Well, you went out with him!

- I did not.

- Well, you did, too.

I followed you on my bicycle.

- He gave me a lift to the drugstore.

- And bought you a soda.

- Well, that was no excuse for you

to let the air out of his tires.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): (SHOUTING) Hello, Mr. Wilson!

- Oh, Great Scott.

I think I'd rather hear the saxophone.

- I'm waiting for my dad, but he isn't home yet.

Can I come in?

- You better wait outside, Dennis.

You'll miss your father when he drives up.

- No, I won't.

I'll hear his car.

So is it OK if I come in for a minute?

- No, it isn't.

Dennis, what you want?

- George.

- Did you know Tommy was taking saxophone lessons?

- Did we know Tommy was taking saxophone lessons?

- Yes, Dennis.

We know.

- When is he going to finish his practicing?

- Oh, he's all through.

He isn't gonna take lessons anymore.

- Oh, well!

Come in, Dennis.

This is good news.

- And you know something else?

He's gonna sell his saxophone.

- Hallelujah!

This gets better and better.

- That's not all.

- Martha, can't we offer this dear boy a cookie?

- The best part of all-- Guess who's gonna buy his saxophone?

- Who? - Me!

- Oh, no, no.

It can't happen.

It just can't happen.

- Sure it can!

Are you gonna get me a cookie, Mr. Wilson?

- Of course, dear--

- You will not!

- But you just said--

- It'll spoil his supper.

Now, let me get this straight, Dennis.

Have you asked your parents about this saxophone yet?

- Not yet.

Tommy wanted me to stay at his house and play football.

But I said, Nope.

I'm going home and ask Dad about the saxophone

soon as he gets there.

That's why I'm waiting for him.

- Oh.

Well, Martha, bring this dear boy a cookie.

- But George, you just said--

- Martha, the boy is starving.

Dennis, I'm going to do you a great favor.

- Are you, Mr. Wilson?

What are you gonna do?

- I'm going to make it possible for you to go back over

to Tommy's house and play football.

- Jeepers, I can't.

I'm waiting for my dad to come home.

- If I acted as your lookout, you could.

And called you when I saw him.

- Would you do that, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh, believe me, Dennis.

I won't take my eyes off your driveway.

- Boy, that's swell, Mr. Wilson.

- What's swell, Dennis?

Here's your cookie, dear.

- Thank you.

Mr. Wilson's gonna phone me when my dad gets home.

Now I can go back to Tommy's and play football.

Bye.

- Bye, dear boy.

- Bye, Dennis.

That was nice of you, dear.

- Oh, I'll-- I'll watch for his father, all right.

And I'll phone Dennis when I see him.

But by the time Dennis gets home,

I will have talked Mitchell out of buying that saxophone.

- Well, if Henry decides to buy it, there's nothing you can do.

- Martha, you don't give me enough credit.

I'll talk came out of it, all right.

And never mention the word saxophone.

- Hi, honey.

- Oh, hello, dear.

Hello, Mr. Wilson.

- Hello, Alice.

I happened to see Mitchell drive up

and I thought I'd ask you both for some advice.

- Some advice?

- Well, a friend of his is having a problem with his little boy.

- You two have done such a fine job of raising Dennis

that I know your advice would be most helpful.

- Just what seems to be the problem, Mr. Wilson?

- Well, I guess it all started when

the little boy wanted a radio for his room.

- Well, that sounds perfectly normal.

- Oh, of course.

So they gave him one for his birthday.

- Well, I'll bet that made him happy.

- No.

After that first day, he never listened to it.

Said what he wanted was his own private television set.

- That boy's asking for too much.

I don't blame his parents for turning him down.

- Oh, they didn't turn him down.

- They didn't?

- Well, what could they do?

How could they?

They want the boy to love them.

- Oh, fine, so they try to buy his love?

- Oh, now, Alice. Wait a minute.

That isn't quite fair.

These are very nice people.

Just an average couple, like you and Mitchell.

- Well, what's the matter now?

He has his own private TV.

Isn't he happy?

- He wants a color set.

- Oh, that's ridiculous.

- Well, what are parents to do?

They love their little boy just as much as you love Dennis.

And they want the boy to know it.

- Mr. Wilson, spoiling a child is not showing him love.

It's showing him weakness.

Why, he'll grow up thinking the world owe him a living.

- Yes, and he'll be in for quite a shock when he finds out

that he has to earn his own way.

- You know, I think you may be right.

- It's just common sense.

- Then you think they ought to take a firm stand, huh?

- Oh, absolutely. - Hm.

Well, by golly, I'm going to tell

my friends just what you said.

You're both intelligent parents.

And you're raising a fine boy.

- Well, Dennis may have some falls, but--

- What falls?

- But he's not spoiled.

- No, and he's not going to be.

- Boy, Dad.

Am I glad you're home!

Thanks for calling me, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, you're very welcome, Dennis.

- Dad--

- I guess I'll just call my friends.

Well, thank you again for your advice.

- Boy, Dad.

Do I want to ask you something--

- Dennis.

Anytime, Mr. Wilson.

And now, Dennis, what did you want?

- A saxophone.

- Well, you can't have one.

- Jeepers.

Tommy has one.

- Certainly not.

You only think you want one because Tommy has one.

- Dennis, I don't want to hear another word about it.

- Besides, you have to pick up your room.

You forgot again.

- Well, jeepers.

- Dennis.

- All I was going to say is that was about the fastest turn down

I ever had in my whole life.

- Martha, that was a fine Saturday morning breakfast.

- Thank you.

- Mm, and this is excellent coffee.

- Thanks.

- Tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle.

- Oh, you're not still angry this morning, are you, Martha?

- Yes, I am.

I'm furious.

- But the Mitchells made their own decision, my dear.

Why, Alice expressed it beautifully.

She said if a boy gets a saxophone,

he'll grow up to think the world owes him a living.

- I don't believe it.

You made that up.

- Well, what if I did?

It's the truth.

You don't want to see Dennis running

around the neighborhood in a raccoon coat, do you?

That's what follows a saxophone.

- Oh, for Heaven's sake, George.

Dennis isn't getting a saxophone.

By now he's probably forgotten about it.

Why can't we?

- Aren't you coming out at all?

- Oh, sure.

In a little while.

I'm gonna have another talk with good old Dad

about the saxophone.

- I thought he turned you down.

- That was yesterday.

You know what Mr. Wilson always says.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

- OK.

I'll be over in the vacant lot.

- Hi, Dad.

You're reading the morning paper?

- That's right.

- I'll bet you're reading the sports page, huh?

- Mm-hm.

- All kinds of college sports, huh Dad?

- That's right.

- Did you turn out for sports when you were in college?

- Well, I turned out for track.

You know that.

- I bet skinny legs are a big help in track, huh, Dad?

- Dennis!

- Jeepers, don't get mad.

Your skinny legs are plenty strong.

Did you turn out for football, too?

- No, I didn't.

I played in the band.

- What did you play, Dad?

- Oh, I played the-- you know what I played.

- I kinda forget.

Was it the drum?

- No, it wasn't.

- Was it the tr--

- It was the saxophone, and you know it.

- Oh, yeah.

Boy, you were sure lucky to have that good old saxophone.

I guess Grandpa thought you were a pretty swell kid when

he got it for you.

- I saved the money and bought the saxophone myself.

- Oh.

Then I guess you had a pretty big allowance--

- I earned the money.

- Oh.

Hey, whatever happened to that good old saxophone?

- Oh, I gave it away when I went into the navy.

- Oh.

Say, instead of buying me a saxophone,

why don't you buy you a saxophone?

I'd like to hear you play something.

- Dennis.

- And I could take care of it for you

while you were at the office.

- Come up here, son.

Dennis, I'm not refusing to buy the saxophone for you

just to be mean.

I'm actually refusing for your own good.

- Oh, are you afraid I'll pop something by blowing too hard?

- No, not at all.

I just don't want you to get spoiled.

- I wouldn't get spoiled.

- Well, maybe not.

But Mr. Wilson gave your mother and me

a very good example of what can happen

to a little boy who gets everything he wants.

- Mr. Wilson talked you out of getting me a saxophone?

- Of course not.

The subject didn't even come up.

- Ah, how about Lake Wananin-- Lake Waninoo-- Oh,

well that's out.

I'm not going anywhere I can't pronounce.

- Camp Tomahawk.

Oh, well we're not going there.

Lake Serenity.

Oh, this looks lovely.

Look, dear.

A swimming pool, hot springs, game room.

- Yes, but look at their rates.

They're too expensive, Martha.

Of course, no matter where we go on our vacation

I always spend a fortune.

- I know, George.

- Maybe I'm too big a tipper.

- I don't think so.

- And the beds are always terrible no matter where we go.

No hotel bed in the world is as comfortable as that old hammock

in our backyard.

- Well, if you'd be more comfortable,

why don't we just stay home?

- Martha.

Dennis is going to be out of school all summer.

And if I'm to survive, I must first build up my strength

by getting away from it for a while.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): (SHOUTING) Hello Mr. Wilson!

- And speak of the-- Well, I'm just

going to lock the front door.

- Hello, Mr. Wilson!

Hello, Mr. Wilson!

Are you taking your nap?

- Well.

For once I got rid of him.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Did you hear me calling?

- Great Scott.

- Now George.

- Maybe you were having some more of that trouble

like when you had wax in your ears.

- Oh, good gravy.

Dennis, what do you want?

- I want a job.

- Oh, Martha.

Do something.

- Dennis, dear.

Why do you want a job?

- So I won't be spoiled like that little kid Mr. Wilson knows.

I'm gonna save my money and buy my own saxophone.

- Good grief.

Haven't you forgotten about that yet?

- Nope.

You know what I am?

- Yes, I know what you are. You're--

- George!

- I'm single minded.

So do you have a job for me?

- No, I don't.

Now Dennis, run along.

Mrs. Wilson and I are very busy.

And we haven't time to talk to you.

- But I-- - Out, out, out!

Now.

We are going to settle this vacation once and for all.

The first brochure we pick up.

That's it.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

That's it.

- Lake Serenity.

- Oh, I told you, Martha.

That's too expensive.

Now.

We are spending our vacation at Camp Tomahawk.

"The helpful and exciting summer camp for boys."

Oh, for Pete's sake.

- That's why I put it aside.

Pick up another.

- Hey, wait a minute.

Camp Tomahawk.

Dennis Mitchell.

- What do you mean?

- Martha, if I can talk Dennis into spending

two weeks in summer camp, we can say home.

- Now George.

You know how I feel about your meddling.

- Meddling? Oh, Martha.

This is going to be one of the nicest things I've ever

done for that boy.

Where are you, little friend?

Dennis?

- Don't worry, Mr. Wilson.

I'm going!

- Oh, now wait.

Don't be in such a hurry.

Let's have some fun together.

- You wanna play with me, Mr. Wilson?

- Well of course I do.

That and have a little talk with you.

- Let's go over to my yard.

We can teeter-totter.

- Teeter-totter?

- Sure, come on.

- Let's go through the gate.

- Heck, no.

Cause you're one of my best friends,

I'm gonna show you the shortcut.

Isn't this swell?

Come on!

- Great Scott.

- How come you stopped?

- Because I'm stuck, that's why.

- Give me your arm.

Whoops.

- Oh, for Pete's sake Dennis Mitchell.

Can't you ever do anything right?

- Excuse me, Mr. Wilson.

I-- I guess I better go in the house.

Here's your sleeve.

- Oh no, no, wait a minute, Dennis.

Don't go.

When I stop to think it over, it was really very funny.

- Was it, Mr. Wilson?

- Of course it was.

You see I'm laughing.

- I guess it was pretty funny.

- Ah, certainly.

- Can we pull off the other sleeve?

- No, no, no.

I Just take ahold of my hand and pull me through here now.

Pull hard. That's it.

Martha!

Turn off those sprinklers!

I said, Turn off those-- Oh, never mind.

Never mind.

- Do you know the back of your pants is all wet?

- Of course I know they're all wet.

- Do you wanna teeter-totter?

- No!

- What do you wanna do?

- I wanna talk.

I want to talk to you, Dennis.

I want to talk to you about something

you're going to like very much.

- Are you gonna do me another favor like when

you watched for my dad for me?

- Uh, well, it's not quite the same thing, Dennis.

- But just as nice?

- Oh, yes.

Of course.

I want to tell you about a summer camp.

Camp Tomahawk for boys.

- Is that where you finally decided

to go for your vacation?

- Well, no, of course not.

It's for boys, Dennis.

Not for grown-ups.

But it's where I think you'd enjoy

spending a two week vacation this summer.

- You mean without Mom and Dad?

- Well, certainly.

- Who'd make me change my socks?

- Well, never mind about your socks.

- Even if they got holes in them?

- Well, just forget them.

Look, this brochure.

Now, you see? Oh.

They got a swimming pool and a volleyball court--

- And horses!

Wow, they got horses.

- Yeah.

And you see this picture here?

At night you sit around a campfire?

- Do you get to ride those horses?

- Well, of course you do.

And here's a baseball field here.

- How many horses do you think they have?

- Well, how should I know?

And here are ping pong tables here--

- I wonder if you get to ride those horses bareback.

Do you think they do that?

- Of course, of course, Dennis.

Don't you think you'd like to spend

two weeks at Camp Tomahawk?

- Boy, would I.

- Good.

Good.

Then let's go in and ask your parents.

- I don't think I'd better.

- Well why not?

- Cause they won't let me go.

They're afraid I might get spoiled after what you told

them about that other little kid.

- Great Scott.

TOMMY (OFFSCREEN): Dennis?

- Back here, Tommy.

- Uh-- Dennis.

Come here.

I'm going to do you another favor.

- Boy, you're doing them all the time, aren't you?

- Well, I-- I try to, Dennis.

You see, in my opinion, you are not a spoiled boy.

- Really?

- You are full of life and joy and curiosity.

And sometimes you drive me right out of my m--

But you are not a spoiled child.

So I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.

I'm going in your house and have a little talk

with your parents.

I think I can make them see it my way.

You wait a few minutes.

And then you come in and ask them

if you can go to Camp Tomahawk.

- You think they'll let me?

- Dennis, I think I can practically guarantee it.

- Boy, thanks a lot, Mr. Wilson.

- Hey, Mr. Wilson.

Your pants are all--

- I know it, I know it.

- Don't get him mad, Tommy.

Mr. Wilson's doing me a big favor.

- What's he doing?

- He's gonna talk my folks into letting

me go to Camp Tomahawk next summer.

- Are you sure you won't sit down, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh, no.

Thank you, Alice.

Besides, what I have to say will only take a moment.

- You sound very serious, Mr. Wilson.

- I feel serious, Mitchell.

Now was you know, I never meddle in the affairs of others.

But, well, this is something I cannot overlook.

- Well, what is it?

- It's Dennis.

Now there's a very sad little boy.

- Sad?

Why is he sad?

- He's afraid to talk to his parents.

- Afraid to talk to us?

- He wants to ask you something but doesn't dare for fear

you'll think he's spoiled.

- That's terrible.

I-- I always want Dennis to feel free to ask me anything.

- I know you mean well.

And I also know that a certain amount of discipline

is necessary at times.

But Dennis feels so sure that you're

going to turn down his request, he

sees no point in even asking.

- Henry, have we been that strict?

- I don't think so.

I hope not.

Uh, Dennis.

Come in here a minute, please.

- Yes, Dad?

- Son, did you want to ask me something?

- Well--

- Well, go ahead, Dennis.

I'm sure you wouldn't ask for anything unreasonable.

- What is it, dear?

- Well, if I ask for something, I don't

want you to think I'm spoiled.

- Oh, no no no.

Of course they won't.

- But it costs money.

- I'll pay half.

- Boy, you've been doing favors for me all day.

- That's because I'm fond of you, Dennis.

Now go ahead.

Tell them what you want.

- Well, I want Tommy's saxophone.

- What?

- His mom's cutting the price to $15.

So, can I have it?

- Henry.

- Now wait a minute.

- Son, if you want it that bad--

- No, you don't want to spoil him.

- We'll get it for you.

- Gee, thanks Mom, thanks Dad!

NARRATOR: This has been a Screen Gems Film Production

from the Hollywood Studios of Columbia Pictures.