Original subtitles

- Hi, Mom, I'm home!

- I never would have known it if you hadn't told me.

You're early, what happened at school?

- Miss Perkins let us skip geography so we could come home

and get jobs to make money for the picture fund.

- But, what's the picture fund?

- For pictures, we're going to buy pictures

of George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln,

and hang them in the wall in our room.

- Oh, good, fine.

- Hey, I know what I can do to make some money.

I'll wash all this stuff for you.

- No use for my mom to get dishpan hands when I can get

l them for you, for about $.50?

- Oh, no, it's much to breakable, Dennis.

But I tell you what, I have some change over there

on the counter.

You can take a quarter of it for the picture fund.

It's a gift.

- Well, jeepers, Mom, that wouldn't count.

We're not supposed to have people give us money.

We have to work for it.

I've got to go find a job someplace.

- Oh, I see.

- It's to develop our characters, Miss Perkins says.

- Well, Miss Perkins is absolutely right.

I'm sorry I offered you the quarter.

- That's OK, Mom.

I'll take it anyhow.

I can use it for ice cream, thanks.

[music playing]

[honking]

[honking]

- Oh my goodness!

Henry!

- George, that is you, isn't it George?

- It certainly is!

How do you like my new car?

- A 1912 Winton, you can't hardly come by those no more.

- But how did you-- well, I mean, where?

- You are now looking at the car that's

going to win the big road race Sunday

with George Wilson driving.

- And Henry Mitchell riding as mechanic.

- My goodness, a race!

- It says the senator himself is going

to be there to present the trophy.

- in person.

- He's quite a horseless carriage buff, isn't he?

I read about his old car collection.

- Senator Washburn is head of the whole state

group of horses carriage clubs.

We're just one chapter.

- And I don't mind telling you I expect

to be named president of our chapter Sunday afternoon.

- Oh, everybody there will vote for you, dear.

I know I will.

- Well, it isn't a matter of voting, dear.

- The senator makes the appointment.

He usually picks the winner of the race

to head up the chapter for this year.

- And by the time we get through feeding dust

to all those other cars from here to Blairville

and back, I don't think Senator Washburn will

have any trouble picking a precedent.

- Well, if we're going to feed dust to anybody,

we better get back to work on this motor.

- Oh, yes Mitchell.

[honking]

[backfire]

[honking]

- Does it run, Mr. Wilson?

- Does it run?

Oh, here Mitchell, try this wrench.

Why, we've had this car up to 37 miles an hour.

- Wow, I didn't know because I've never seen a car like this

before.

- Well, you were born a little late

for the 1912 models, Dennis.

- Don't feel too badly, son.

So was I.

- Hey Dad, I know how I could make

some money for the picture fund at school.

- Yeah?

- I'll help you do whatever you're doing there.

And you could pay me whatever you think I'm worth.

- You wouldn't make much money that way, son.

- I've just got to make some money, Dad.

Hey, how about running some errands for you?

Do you have any errands I could run?

- Not right now, son, besides, I remember an errands

I sent you on yesterday afternoon that

didn't turn out too well.

You were two hours late getting back from the drugstore.

And without my shaving lotion.

- Well, gee, dad, I just forgot.

- Son, you're getting old enough now not to forget.

If you promise to do something, just do it.

- OK, what do you want me to do?

And how much will you pay me?

- Dennis, your father is absolutely right.

Never make a promise unless you intend to keep it.

Remember that.

Never break a promise.

- OK, Mr. Wilson.

Say, do you have any errands I could promise to do?

- Well, no Dennis, I'm sorry.

Right now all I'm interested in is

getting this car in good condition.

- Mr. Wilson, when it's in good condition,

may I have a ride in it?

- Oh, Dennis, I think that might be arranged.

- Hey, guess what Tommy?

Mr. Wilson's going to take me for a ride in this some time.

- He is?

Boy, I wish he'd take me, too.

I'd even pay for a ride in a swell old car like this.

- Pay for it?

You would?

- Sure, because a pony ride in the park costs a quarter.

And this is a heck of a lot better than that old pony.

- How much would you pay for a ride in this car?

- How long a ride?

- Well, around the block?

- That's not very long.

- Well, how much would you pay for a ride out to the lake?

Yeah, tomorrow maybe?

- Clear to the lake?

- And we could have a weenie roast.

And I'll get mom to furnish the weenies.

And you could even ride in the front seat going out.

How much?

- Boy, that'd sure be worth a lot.

I bet you my mom would give me a whole dollar even.

- OK, I'll fix it!

- Hey, Mr. Wilson!

I've got a keen idea!

How about taking us kids out to the lake tomorrow

for a weenie roast in this swell old car?

- Now, hold on, young man.

You're pressing pretty hard.

- Yes, we're trying to get ready for the race.

And we-- wait a minute, Mitchell.

That might be a good idea at that.

- Hmm?

- A drive up to the lake and back tomorrow

would be a good tune up, a sort of trial run for the car.

At the same time, we can give Dennis and his friends

a nice little outing.

- Well, I'm for that.

- Oh, boy!

Thanks, Mr. Wilson!

Come on, Tommy.

So far, I've got you signed up, and Kevin

and Chris Combs, and Froggy Watson, and--

FEMALE VOICE (OFFSCREEN): Dennis!

- Uh oh, here comes that dumb old Margaret.

- Let's cross the street before she gets here.

- No, wait, Tommy, I got to talk to her!

You know, her money's just as good as anybody's.

Come on!

Hey, Margaret!

- Hi!

- Listen, Margaret, what are you going to be doing tomorrow?

- Tomorrow?

- Yeah, Saturday, Dennis wants you to go on a weenie roast

up to the lake in Mr. Wilson's swell old car.

- With you, Dennis?

- With me, and Tommy, and lots of other boys.

You want to go?

- Oh, dear, mother always said the boys would flock around me.

But I didn't expect it so soon.

I hardly know what to say.

- All you have to say, Margaret, is do you want to go or not?

- All right, Dennis, I accept.

- OK, sign right here.

And go get $1 from your mother.

That's what it costs.

- $1!

You mean I have to pay to go with you?

Well!

- You don't have to go if you don't want to, Margaret.

I've just about got the car filled up already.

Here! So

- I'll go.

Where do I sign?

- Right here, now go get $1 for your mother

because girls have to pay right away.

- Oh, dear, it's the woman who always pays.

- Yeah, and in advance.

Now go get $1 from your mother!

Come on, Tommy!

Let's go get some more kids.

[music playing]

- Look out!

Stand back, everybody!

Jump, Wilson!

Jump!

- Oh, it's you, Brady.

I thought I recognized your gentle voice.

- Say, when does this misguided missile go into orbit, Wilson?

- Kill it, Mr. Wilson.

- If I had a stick I would.

Oh, you mean the motor.

- Hi, Mitchell boy, so this is the clunker you guys are going

to break down in at the starting line, huh?

- No, this is the classic 1912 Winton

that we're going to win the road race in.

- Win it?

Against my little Kissel Car Oh, stop.

- Don't you worry about us, Jack.

We'll do all right.

- You'll find out when the race starts.

- Well, you guys better bring along plenty of muscle.

Like Edgar A. Guest used to say, it'll

take a lot of shoving for this heap to make it home.

- Oh, my goodness, Brady, you ought

to be on television so we could turn you off.

- Ah, don't talk silly.

You'll be eating dust when Senator Washburn hands me

that trophy tomorrow. - Tomorrow?

You're a little mixed up, aren't you?

The race is day after tomorrow, Sunday.

- Haven't you guys heard from Krinkie at the newspaper?

- Alice and Mrs. Wilson have been downtown all afternoon.

We've been out here working on the car.

- Yes, haven't we heard what?

- The senator sent Krinkie a wire.

He'll be busy Sunday on state business

so he'll be here tomorrow instead.

The race has been moved up a day.

- Oh, no.

- Well, what difference does it make?

You guys will get your lumps a day earlier, that's all.

So long, losers.

- Oh, this is a mess, Mr. Wilson.

You've already promised to take Dennis and the kids

to the lake tomorrow.

- I'm just afraid that Dennis is going to be disappointed.

- You mean, the weenie roast is off?

- I'm sorry.

But it just has to be.

You know how important this race is to me.

- OK, Mr. Wilson.

It's your car and your decision.

I just hate to face Dennis and break the news.

[music playing]

- Sorry.

- But Mr. Wilson promised!

- I know it, but things just didn't

work out right, that's all.

You understand, don't you?

- Sure, I understand.

- Good boy.

- If a kid breaks a promise, it's terrible.

But if a grown-up up breaks one, it's

just because things didn't work out right.

- I wouldn't put it that way.

- How would you put it, Dad?

- Well, I'd-- I don't know.

- Dad, I've already sold tickets to all my friends.

What am I going to tell them?

- I'm afraid you'll just have to refund the money to them.

That's all.

Wait a minute!

Supposing I took you in the boys out in my car tomorrow?

- That wouldn't work out.

They want to go in Mr. Wilson's car

because it's so old and funny-looking.

Yours is just a plain old new one.

- Well, we all have our disappointments, son.

You're just going to have to learn to handle them.

- Handle them?

Gee, I'm having enough trouble learning

how to handle arithmetic.

Mr. Wilson just came outside.

Now, do you all know what to say to get

him to change his mind about the weenie roast?

- Yeah, I do, Dennis.

- Me, too.

- Naturally, I do.

I'm going to be a great actress when I grow up.

- Do you really think we can make him change his mind, Dennis?

Your Dad said he was awful stubborn about it.

- Mr. Wilson's not stubborn, Tommy.

Sometimes he just gets the wrong idea in his head

and it gets stuck up there.

- In my opinion, he just doesn't like children.

- Of course he does, Margaret.

Anyhow, the good side of him does.

- Are you sure he's got a good side?

- Sure, I'm sure, Tommy.

He yells, and hollers, and makes a lot of noise.

That's just because he doesn't want

people to know how good his good side really is.

- Why don't you come along and help us?

- Because he's already turned me down.

I'll listen behind the fence.

- OK, we'll try real hard, Dennis.

- We will be very sad and pitiful.

- We'll clap him.

[music playing]

- Oh, well, hello.

- Hello, Mr. Wilson.

My goodness, this is quite a delegation.

I suppose you've come to persuade

me to change my mind about tomorrow.

- No, Mr. Wilson.

We came to tell it's OK.

And I hope you win your race tomorrow.

- Really?

Well, that's very nice of you, Tommy.

- I would be there to root for you.

But I don't want all the people at the race to see me cry.

- Cry?

- Yeah, I'll be crying all day tomorrow.

I sure did want to go on that weenie roast.

- So did I, but-- well, you do understand

the race is more important?

- We understand, Mr. Wilson.

Although our little hearts are heavy,

we wouldn't stand in the way of your pleasure.

- Well, thank you, Margaret.

- The trip to the lake would have meant a lot to me.

I have weak lungs.

And I cough all the time. [coughing]

A day in the open air would've done me good.

- I'm sorry we can't go.

- Oh, don't think of me, Mr. Wilson.

Go in the race and win.

I'll just stay home and cough. [coughing]

- I had no idea you had your heart so set on this.

Well, perhaps I could-- oh, no, no it's too late!

- Seymour has something to say too, don't you Seymour?

- Yes, I have something to say too.

- Well, go ahead.

Say it.

- I forget what it was?

Dennis, what did you say to say?

- Oh, so that's it.

Dennis is behind this maneuver.

- No, he's behind the fence!

- I should've known.

All right, now, go on.

Get out of here.

Shoo!

Scat!

- Boy, his bad side is sure sticking out today.

- Dennis, come over here.

Let's have this out.

- So, you tried to get those children

to play on my sympathies, huh?

- Sort of.

- Dennis, when you have a point to make,

make it face to face, man to man.

- All right, Mr. Wilson, I think you should take us

on that weenie roast tomorrow.

You promised.

- At that time, I didn't know the race would be on the same day.

- But you said nobody should ever break a promise, remember?

- There are exceptions to everything, Dennis.

- Then you won't take us?

- I'm sorry.

It's quite impossible.

I suppose that means we're no longer friends.

- Oh no, Mr. Wilson.

I still like you, When I grow up, in want to be good,

and kind, and honest, just like you used to be.

- What is it, George?

Can't you sleep?

- I just can't seem to get myself comfortable.

Oh, I know.

It's this confounded blanket.

- More likely it's your confounded conscience.

- I suppose you think I'm a fiend, inhuman form.

- No, George, you're still the same man

I promised to love, honor, and obey 25 years ago.

- Of course I am.

- I love you.

And I'll obey you.

But after what you've done to the children,

I'll find it very difficult to honor you.

- Oh, fiddle sticks, and good night!

- Happy dreams, dear.

- The bailiffs will bring in the prisoner!

- What is the meaning of this?

Why am I--

- You will address the court as your honor.

- Your honor, what am I doing here?

- You are charged with a very serious crime, more serious

than robbing a bank.

You are charged with breaking a promise.

- Oh, so that's it.

Now, see here, if--

- The lawyer for the defense will please step forward.

- I am here to see that justice will prevail.

Take the witness chair you nasty old promise-breaker.

- I will not.

I know my--

- Proceed, counselor.

Is it true that on the day before this, known

as yesterday, you promised to take

10 sweet, innocent children to the lake

in an old car known as a Winton?

- Well, yes, but--

- And then the next day, known is today,

did you break that promise in order

to take part in a silly old road race?

- Well, only because Senator Washburn--

- Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the prisoners

own words prove that he's incompetent, immaterial,

and just plain mean.

I rest my case.

- Yeah! Hooray!

- Your honor!

This isn't a fair trial!

The jury cheered!

- That's OK!

So did I. And now I'll pronounce sentence!

- Sentence, but somebody should defend me.

I demand a lawyer!

All right, if you have to be technical.

The lawyer for the defense will please step forward.

- Hear I am, your honor.

What do you have to sya in defense of your client?

- Nothing, he's an old stinker.

- Tommy!

You're my lawyer!

- You're his lawyer.

You're supposed to say something good about him.

- If I have to say something good about a sneaky old man who

breaks promises I quit.

I won't be a lawyer anymore.

I'll be a cowboy.

- Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

it's time for your verdict.

- Guilty!

- Swell!

The executioner will please step forward.

- The executioner!

- George Wilson, I sentence your promise-breaking head

to the executioner!

- No!

No! No!

No! - George!

George, what is it?

- Oh, never mind what it is, Martha.

I'll be back later.

My robe.

- Look, Mr. Wilson, what are you doing here?

- Mitchell, I came over here to tell you

that I've been a selfish old windbag.

We're forgetting about that race and taking those children

on that weenie roast tomorrow.

- Gee, that's swell.

But you don't have to come dashing over

here in the middle of the night to tell me.

- Oh, yes I did, otherwise I'd never get any sleep.

Goodnight Mitchell.

[music playing]

[cheering]

- All right, last stop.

Everybody out.

- Well, the old car got us out to the lake and back, Mr. Wilson.

You know something?

I be we would have won that race.

- Oh, Mitchell, why did you have to bring that up?

I'd almost forgotten about that race.

- Sorry.

- And I just thought I'd give you a chance to turn green, Wilson.

To the winner belongs the spoils.

- Congratulations.

- Too bad you guys couldn't have been there

to see me win the race.

It was a breeze all the way.

- yes, the wind hasn't died down yet.

I suppose you got the presidency of the club.

- Not yet, but it's in the bag.

Charlie and Krinkie we're talking after the race.

Probably planning to break the big news in tomorrow's paper.

- Well, hooray for you.

- Well, you'll never receive a trophy of your own Wilson.

So feel free to have another look at mine.

- You're a generous man, Mr. Brady.

- Hey, Mr. Wilson!

Mr. Wilson!

This man was outside looking for your house.

He says he's a senator!

- Why, Senator Washburn, this is an unexpected pleasure.

- The pleasure is entirely mine, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, senator, I'd like you to meet my wife Martha, my friends

Alice and Henry Mitchell, their your young son, Dennis.

And, of course, Mr.--

- You don't have to introduce Charlie to me, right Chuck?

Well, I'm afraid, I don't quite, uh--

- You know.

You gave me this.

- Oh, yes, of course, the trophy winner, yes, uh, Mr. Bagley.

- Brady.

- Yes, of course.

Now, Mr. Wilson, in case you're wondering why I'm here,

it's about the presidency of the new horseless carriage chapter.

- Say, how'd you know where I was?

- Now, after the race, I asked Mr. Krinkie

why your car failed to appear.

And he told me how you had carried out

a previous commitment to take a group of youngsters

on an outing.

- We had a swell time.

- I'm sure you did, son.

And it was a swell thing for your friend to do.

Now, you know, Mr. Wilson, I've always loved the old cars.

But I have a great deal more interest

in the children of this community who will someday

grow up to be responsible citizens.

And I hope vote for me.

Now, because of your unselfish attitude

towards these children, I here appoint you

this year's president of the horseless carriage

of this district.

- Me?

President?

- Are you sure you picked the right man?

- I'm positive.

- Well, show some more of that sportsmanship.

Congratulate me.

- Congratulations, Wilson, see you around.

So long, senator.

- Goodbye, Mr. Bailey.

- Well!

- Mr. Wilson!

Mr. Wilson!

I've got a keen idea.

Why don't I get a picture of you to hang in our school room

with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln's, and then

we'll have three presidents?

[music playing]

This has been a Screen Gems Film Production from the Hollywood

Studios of Columbia Pictures.