Original subtitles

- I finished raking the garden, Mr. Wilson.

Can I have my quarter now?

- No. Not now, Dennis.

I have to take a picture of a very rare bird

never before photographed.

- Can I watch?

I gotta make a report to my science club,

and this would be great.

- Well, all right.

But you have to be very quiet.

See. There he is right up there.

Isn't he a beauty?

- Yeah.

- Keep very quiet.

We'll get closer. - Achoo!

- Oh no.

Oh, Dennis.

Now I'll never find that bird.

Oh, good grief.

[theme music]

- Oh, Martha, the living room looks

just fine for the reception.

- I'm sure lots of people will come.

- Well, I'm not worried about that.

It's Hester Hutton.

You know, Mr. Pindyck is coming to hear her bird calls.

I just hope she doesn't throw a fit of temperament.

- I'm sure she won't, dear.

What's that?

- Oh.

These are the leftover signs.

I put about a dozen of them around town.

- Remember the bird, that's good, George.

- Oh, you like that?

- Yes.

- That was my little contribution.

- Look what I'm making.

It's a stuffed surprise.

A pineapple stuffed with cottage cheese and pineapple chunks.

- Oh.

Well, that looks very tasty, Martha, my dear.

Very ta-- oh, it is tasty, too.

- And look.

Look what I found.

Won't this be the perfect centerpiece

for the buffet table?

- Oh, Martha.

What are you thinking of, my dear?

That's a stuffed owl.

- Well, Mr. Pindyck is head of the State Bird Lovers Society,

isn't he? - Yes.

Of course, he is, my dear.

But he was-- he was elected on a no stuffing of birds platform.

- It's so lifelike.

- Well, believe me.

Mr. Pindyck would know.

If he ever saw that thing, why, he'd

never appoint me as state delegate

to the National Bird Lovers Convention.

Never.

Ah.

Well, I'll just go put these things away and-- oh.

Oh, Martha.

Come here quick.

Look. Look.

Look Look quick. Look.

Look out there. Look.

- Isn't that sweet, Dennis feeding a bird?

- Oh, Martha.

That's not just a bird.

That's the pumice billed thrush.

I'm going to get a picture of it.

Got it.

- You scared it away, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, that's all right, Dennis.

I got an excellent picture of it thanks to you.

I want to thank you very much, Dennis.

- You're welcome, Mr. Wilson.

If that roll's finished, my dad will develop it for ya.

- Oh yes.

The new darkroom.

Dennis, do you suppose your father could

have a print of this for the reception this afternoon?

- Sure.

My dad's really good.

- You're wanted on the telephone, dear.

It's about the bird music for this afternoon.

- Oh, that's right.

The old hen is going to perform, isn't she?

- George, she's not that old.

- No.

She's 60 if she's a day, but I don't care about that.

I just hope she does those bird calls without laying an egg.

- Well, you better see what she wants.

- All right. Hold the phone, Martha.

Now, Dennis, you tell your father

that I'd love a print of that last picture for the reception.

- OK, Mr. Wilson.

I'll tell him it's a rare bird.

- Hey, Dennis!

Wanna hear the Indian Ocean?

- I'm in a hurry, Tommy.

- It's a seashell for my science club report,

and it's not just any old sea.

It's the Indian Ocean.

- Sounds just like any plain old ocean to me.

Wait till you see what I got for my report,

a picture of a bird nobody's ever seen.

- Wowee.

I wish I had something as good as that.

- I know something almost as good,

if we could only get to hear her.

- What is it?

- A 60 year old hen that does bird calls.

- Wow.

- But we'd have to ask Mr. Wilson.

- Let's go ask him.

- OK.

But first I gotta take this in to dad.

- Oh, Martha, I should never have written Mr. Pindyck

that she was going to perform.

- Hester Hutton hasn't backed out, dear.

It's just that she gets nervous.

She called and said she's on her way over.

She wants to see if the atmosphere of our living room

is right.

- Atmosphere.

Ha.

She's a temperamental prima donna.

- Now, dear, she's famous for her bird calls.

Mr. Pindyck's coming just to hear her.

- Well, I hope we can depend upon her.

She's always changing her mind.

- Maybe if she knew she was really wanted.

You know, a little flattery goes a long way, dear.

[doorbell]

- There she is now.

Miss Hutton, come in.

- Mrs. Hutton, if you please.

There is a Mr. Hester Hutton.

- Of course.

- Mrs. Hutton, may I say I have never seen you look so well,

so radiant before.

Why, if I were a bird, I'd-- well, I'd call.

- If you were a bird, Mr. Wilson, and managed a call,

a stony silence would follow.

[laughs]

- Well, fortunately I'm not a bird, eh, Martha?

- Yes, dear.

It's much better this way.

- I'm afraid this room just won't do.

Something isn't quite right.

- I suppose it was just too much to hope for,

to hear again the voice that made George a bird lover.

- Huh?

- My voice made you a bird lover, Mr. Wilson?

- It was a few years ago when you were

doing your bird calls in the stadium.

We were in the last row.

Weren't we, George?

- Oh, of course.

The-- the-- oh.

Yes.

You see, before then, Mrs. Hutton,

I'd strictly been a cat man.

But hearing you that night changed my entire life.

- I had that effect on you, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh.

Mrs. Hutton, when I went home that night and put out the cat,

believe me, I meant it.

- I think I can do my bird music in this room after all.

- Oh, Mrs. Hutton.

You made me the happiest man in the world.

- I feel the same way. - Yes.

It will do.

Now I must fly.

- Ah.

- This is my morning to visit patients at the bird hospital.

- Oh.

Going to see our little fine-feathered friends, eh?

Then I'll see you to your car, Mrs. Hutton.

- You think Mr. Wilson will let us come to his bird meeting

today?

There he is now.

Let's ask him.

- Mrs. Hutton, I can't tell you how thrilled I am.

- I gave dad your film to develop, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, that's fine, Dennis.

Thank you.

- Mr. Wilson, can me and Tommy come over

and hear that old hen do bird calls this afternoon?

- Shh. Dennis.

- Old hen?

- One that's 60 and may even lay an egg at the same time.

- Tommy.

- Mr. Wilson.

- You said you had an old hen that

was going to do bird calls, Mr. Wilson.

- Dennis, where are your manners?

You don't call anybody an old hen, especially to her face.

Mrs. Hutton.

But Mrs. Hutton, they're just kids, just crazy kids.

- I hope your memory is good, Mr. Wilson, because that

is the only place you'll hear any of my bird music

from now on.

- Ah, Mrs. Hutton.

Oh.

Now you've done it.

You've offended Mrs. Hutton and ruined my reception.

- Jeepers, Mr. Wilson.

Was that that--

- The old hen.

Yes. Oh, Dennis.

- Tommy and me thought you meant a real hen.

- A chicken hen, one that cackles.

[cackling]

- Well, I didn't.

When you called her an old hen, you really cooked my goose.

[clears throat]

- Mr. Wilson.

Mr. Wilson?

- Oh!

Oh, Mitchell.

Oh, yes, the picture of the rare bird.

I forgot all about it.

That'll take Pindyck's mind off Hester Hutton.

Do you have it developed?

- Ah, Mr. Wilson, I have a confession to make.

- Oh, Mitchell.

Nothing's happened?

- Well, you see, it was very fast film.

And I had to work completely in the dark.

And, well, there was this pan on one side

and a pan on the other side-- - All right.

Spare me the details.

Well, this is just not a day for birds, I guess.

- I want to make it up to you, Mr. Wilson.

So I'm going down to see Miss Hutton

and see if I can't change her mind.

- Do you know her, Mitchell?

- Well, she's a client of our firm's.

And I thought maybe I could persuade her.

- Oh, my boy.

If you can swing this, I'll forget all about the photo.

- I'll do my best.

- Well, I certainly hope so.

Say, maybe I can still be state delegate to the National Bird

Lovers Convention after all.

[doorbell]

- Hi, Mrs. Wilson.

Is Mr. Wilson home?

We came to apologize.

- Well, he-- he's not feeling very well, Dennis.

- We want to make it right, if we can.

- I think you better come back later to apologize.

Oh!

Do you boys want to do something real nice for Mr. Wilson?

- Uh-huh! - Sure we do!

- Then why don't you take one of his signs

down to the record shop on Main Street.

They can put it in the window.

- OK, Mrs. Wilson.

Anything for Mr. Wilson.

Where is it?

- In the hall closet.

- I'll get it.

- Thank you, boys.

- Well, what do we do now, Dennis?

- I guess we better go back and talk to Mrs. Wilson

and see if there's anything else we

can do to help uncook Mr. Wilson's goose.

- Hey, man. Dig that.

New records of The Bird.

- Say, we gotta hear this, Nelson.

Nobody's ever blown a horn like Horace Bird Wilton, not even

me.

And, man, I tried.

- Hey, look at that.

Special Bird Society meeting.

How about that?

The Bird is gone but not forgotten.

- Remember the bird, I like that.

- This is one jam session we are not gonna miss.

Maybe this two-week stay in this one-horse town

won't be so bad after all, eh?

- Excuse me. Hey.

Oh.

Here's your tea, Mr. Pindyck.

- Thank you.

- Oh.

This is really a pleasure, Mr. Pindyck.

- Well, there's always fair weather

when bird lovers get together, eh, Wilson?

- Very well put, Mr. Pindyck.

Not only a bird lover.

A phrase maker, too.

- Thank you, Wilson.

- Would you like some lemon in your tea?

- Yes. Thank you.

I would.

- Oh, allow me.

- Thank you.

- Ah!

- Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Pindyck.

I-- [doorbell]

- Oh, excuse me a moment, Mr. Pindyck.

- Oh, Miss Creeper come in.

Mr. Pindyck?

You remember Miss Creeper, of course.

- Of course I do.

- May I take your wrap?

- Oh, thank you.

My dear, Mr. Pindyck.

You must tell me your most recent bird adventure.

- Wilson.

Here are Miss Creeper's gloves.

- Oh.

Thank you, Mr. Pindyck.

- What is this thing doing here anyway?

I told you Pindyck's motto-- better

stuffed shirts than stuffed birds.

- Oh dear.

Dennis must have left it there when

he was getting the signs out of the closet.

- Well, Martha, my dear.

In the future you just be more careful.

Heavens.

There.

- Well, this is the street, and that's the number.

- This must be the pad.

- Shall we amble in?

- I'm with you, Nelson.

- Bird sure would be happy they got a society for him.

- I'm not so sure, though, that he'd

like a meeting this early in the day.

[doorbell]

- This the Bird Lovers session, dad?

- Well, I guess it is.

You're a bird lover?

- Anybody who says one word against Bird answers to us.

- There's nothing like dedicated bird lovers.

Just go right in.

- Thanks, chick.

- Hey, I don't see Max or Ernie.

They said they'd here.

- It's early, man. Give them time.

- These are Bird lovers?

- Hmm.

Say, daddy, nobody looks like much just

standing around talking.

- Excuse me.

- Yes.

Welcome, bird lovers.

- Lady, we're so glad there's finally a Bird Lovers Society.

- Say, lady, we've loved the Bird for years,

only we didn't know there were so many of us.

[laughs]

- Pickle?

- Thank you.

[doorbell] - Oh.

Excuse me.

- Henry just phoned, and he thinks he's done it.

- You mean Hester Hutton's coming?

- As soon as she finishes feeding all her birds.

- Oh, thank you so much, Alice.

Oh, that's wonderful.

[doorbell]

- Here you are, Mrs. Wilson.

- Oh, thank you, boys.

- Is there anything else we can do to help?

- Oh, I don't know.

I'm just so busy.

Um.

I know.

You can get that stuffed surprise out

of the refrigerator for me and put it

in the center of this tray, and then

put some of these little crackers

all around the edge like good boys.

- OK, Mrs. Wilson.

- This is the only stuffed thing I see.

- What about that?

- That's only an old pineapple.

Not in your mouth.

On the tray.

- Now, tell us, Mr. Pindyck.

After all, you do get around the country

so much more than any of the rest of us.

Now, tell us.

What bird music have you heard recently

that was really exciting?

- Yes.

Well, of course, I do travel rather extensively,

and I hear melody after melody.

Bird music, I mean.

- Say, what else is worth listening to, huh, daddy-o?

- Exactly right.

However, it may interest you to know

that the most exciting thing that's happened to me in years

occurred just the other day right outside my own house.

- How about that, everybody?

Right outside his own house.

- It was old king thrush himself on the top branch of the tree

right outside my window.

- Oh no.

I don't believe it.

- On the top branch?

- Of a tree?

- Grabbing the limb firmly with both feet and singing away.

- Both feet?

- Man, I don't know what that cat was taking.

But I'd sure like to have some.

- We don't joke about old king thrush.

- Most certainly not.

- Well, of course not.

I mean, everybody's got his problems.

Right?

And if Old King Thrush has got the problems I think he has,

then he needs our help.

Right, Winthrop?

- Right, Nelson.

I know a very good rest home for that sort of thing.

- Rest home?

Old king thrush is healthier than you or I, young man.

- Man, I may not be healthy.

But I'm not up in any treetop grabbing a branch

with both feet.

- Sir, are you deliberately trying to bait me?

- Don't raise your voice to me, Clyde.

- What kind of a reception is this, Wilson?

What are you trying to do here?

- Now, Mr. Pindyck, I can assure you that I don't--

[gasp]

- Where should we put this, Mr. Wilson?

We're helping.

- This is too much, Wilson.

A stuffed owl.

Of all the insults.

I-- this is outrageous.

- Get that thing out of here at once.

Shame on you.

- I'm getting out of this place, Wilson.

And let me tell you this.

You will never be a delegate to any convention

if I have anything to say about it.

- Mr. Pindyck, there's been a mistake.

Those boys were just trying to honor you.

- No. I--

- Oh, Miss Hutton.

- Mrs. Hutton, if you please.

- Mrs. Hutton.

- Mr. Pindyck.

- You're here, the voice I've been waiting for.

- I paid a price, Mr. Wilson.

I had to promise I'd take portraits of all her birds,

all 19 of them.

- Oh good heavens.

- I'm going to run along and join Alice.

Now I hope it all goes well.

- Yes.

Thanks again, Mitchell.

- It's a real pleasure.

- Glad to be here.

- All right.

Now, attention, everybody.

Sit down, please.

In just a moment we will hear Hester Hutton,

one of the foremost renderers of bird music in the country.

And now, dear lady, if the mood is right.

- Oh, yes.

I'm quite ready.

I'll stand here. - That's right.

- The merry first number I should like

to recreate, that moment when the first robin appears.

- That's a song?

- Sure.

When the red, red robbin goes bob, bob, bobbing along.

[tweeting]

- How far out can you get?

- Something new, all right, man.

That's the craziest new jazz development in 20 years.

- Yeah?

How come?

- She's eliminated the melody completely.

[tweeting]

- How we gonna tell the science club all about this?

- I'm sure glad I didn't throw away the Indian Ocean.

- Hey, look.

It's that rare bird Mr. Wilson was

trying to take a picture of.

Here, birdie.

[tweeting]

- Lady, you are definitely off the path.

What you need is a little help to get into orbit, like this.

- Man, now we're really gonna remember The Bird.

[tweeting]

[horn playing]

- You dig it?

[horn playing]

[music]

- What are you running here, Wilson?

You want to be a delegate.

You can't even bring off a reception.

- Mr. Pindyck, this is all a surprise.

- You can just forget about being a delegate.

- Oh, Mr. Pindyck!

- I have been insulted in my lifetime, Mr. Wilson.

But nobody before ever went to such lengths.

- Oh, Mrs. Hutton!

Mr. Pindyck!

Ah. Hey.

Ohh, good grief.

- You wait here.

I'll run home and get my camera.

Don't move. [door slams]

- Hey, that-- that-- that's a pumice billed thrush.

Don't-- don't move that.

Don't move that.

That's a very rare bird.

Wait. One more.

This is an important day for science, my boy.

Tell me, did Wilson know about that bird being around here?

- Sure.

He was trying to take a picture of it for you this morning.

- He was going to take the picture for me?

- Mr. Pindyck, I never saw those people before in my life.

- Wilson, do you know what I have in here?

The very first photograph of a pumice billed thrush.

- Really?

Wonderful.

- And I took it with the help of this splendid young man.

Wilson, in all my years as a bird lover,

this is my first first.

- Well, I'm just glad I was able to help you

with your first first.

And on my lawn.

- Wilson, I think I've misjudged you.

I want you to be state delegate at the convention after all.

- Why, Mr. Pindyck.

- On one condition.

- Why, of course.

Anything you say, sir.

- That this amazing young man comes along with you

as alternate delegate.

- What?

- You know, Wilson, a lot of people like birds.

But not very many birds like people back.

He has a way with them.

- You mean Dennis comes, too?

- I'll book a double room for you at the hotel.

- Boy, what a science club report this will make.

- Seven days and seven nights with Dennis.

Great Scott.

[music]

- This has been a Screen Gems film production

from the Hollywood Studios of Columbia Pictures.