Original subtitles

Seems ridiculous to me that a man of your age should be arrested for kissing

young lady in a parked car.

Yes, sir. This is not only a legal question, it's a question of good taste.

I fine you ten dollars.

What's that nice smell?

Lilacs, Judge. It's spring.

Fine suspended.

Gee, thanks, Judge.

Court's dismissed.

Nihilists.

Spring.

Look here, Henry, what's this?

It's spring, all right, Judge.

Taxes are due again on that aqueduct land.

Ah, $286 .53 taxes on that pile of gravel.

Well, it's like buying hay for a dead horse.

Helped you out of a tough spot once, that property.

I've been paying on it ever since.

Oh, well.

Anything else?

There are two men here to see you.

All right, show them in.

Step in, please.

How do you do, gentlemen?

How do you do, Judge?

My name is Willett. Mr. Willett. And this is Mr. Hanson. Mr. Hanson, how do

do? Well, sit down, gentlemen, sit down. Oh, thank you, Judge.

I'm from the northern part of the state in business there.

Hanson here is a friend of mine.

I might add that he's a genius in his own field, a chemist. And he stumbled

something remarkable.

Really? But first, I'll have to ask you for a promise to deal with us fairly

after we tell you what we've discovered.

Well, my integrity is fairly well established here in common. We know

Judge, do you realize that one of the most important factors in life today is

the metal aluminum?

No, is it?

And aluminum comes from the mineral bauxite.

This soil contains 8 % aluminum bauxite.

Where did it come from?

A piece of property north of Carvel.

You own it.

What? You mean my aqueduct property?

That's why we're here.

Here's an analysis of it.

In other words, that land's really worth money? That's right. You can have that

sample put to any test you like.

Gentlemen, those are the pleasantest words I've heard in a long while.

you Polly -o -pallow -pallow.

Oh, gee, it's a swell day, isn't it?

I feel swell.

Hello, Andy.

This is Andrew Hardy, a friend of mine.

Lieutenant Charles Colton of the United States Navy.

How do you do, sir?

How do you do, sir? Won't you sit down, Andy?

Gosh,

it's a swell day, isn't it? I thought if you weren't busy that I'd take you down

and treat you to a soda.

Oh, that's sweet of you, Andy. But Charlie's taking me out to dinner.

Oh. Charlie's staying at our house now. Yes, Polly's dad and mine are old

friends. Oh, but it's not purely a social visit. Oh, my, no.

Charlie's here on official business for the Navy.

Oh, official business for the Navy. Indeed, yes.

Well, just guess who we're having dinner with.

The Rear Admiral.

The Rear Admiral. Oh, Rear Admiral and Carvel. We're here to supervise the

Carvel road construction.

Am I crazy or what? Since when have they been running battleships on roads?

It's a little different than that.

See, over there, the government's building a huge training school for the

Reserve. Our job is to see that the Carmel Street paving program includes a

highway of the proper width and grading.

Then, in national emergency, we can move thousands of men and supplies.

Isn't that simply terrific?

Yeah, that's plenty big job, all right.

Oh, it won't take you long, will it? Will it?

About six weeks.

It will.

About six weeks.

Oh, that's great. That's swell. Then you're going to be around for our track

meet. I run the 440 -yard dash. Pull the school record, too.

Why, Andy, isn't Charlie's name familiar?

Charles Copley. Oh, my goodness.

Haven't you read about Charles Copley?

Two firsts in the last Olympic Games.

Two firsts in the last Olympic Games?

That's right.

Well, I think I'll be going now.

I've got to...

Something important to do that my father wants me to do for him.

You mean mow the lawn?

Kids have a funny sense of humor, don't they?

Well, goodbye.

Nice to have met you.

Yeah, it's nice to have met you, too.

Yeah.

Swell.

Darling, will you pick me some flowers for the table? I think the violets to

north of the house are in bloom. Mom, can I tell you the exact truth?

Why, yes.

I'm in no mood for picking violets.

There you go.

Well, that boy now is up on another tack.

What's the matter now, Emily? Oh, he's been as good as gold for two weeks. I

might have expected a change any day.

Well, it's come, all right.

Just hold off dinner for a little while, Mother. I've decided to mow the lawn.

Didn't you think that James sounded, um... Well... I think the word's

Oh, my dear.

You don't suppose he's going to resign from the bench, do you?

Maybe it's just spring fever.

Mother! Oh, hello, Aunt Millie. Where's Dad?

Mowing the lawn.

And Harry's tall back's going to pay for that tomorrow.

I think I'll go out and talk to him. Yes, for heaven's sake, distract him.

don't distract him too much. I'm not going to hold up dinner. Spring fever, I

know, spring fever.

I've been thinking... Hmm? I know coming from me that sounds impossible, but

honest is true.

And? Well, lately my life seems so sort of pointless.

Mm -hmm.

I want to be doing something. I want to try earning my own living.

Well, I'd like to know you could earn your living in case you had to, but I'd

hate to see you take somebody else's paycheck and might need it, might or

Get it ready!

And hurry, everything's hot!

All right, all right.

Well, honey, I'll put my thinking cap on and see what we can work out.

It's going to be a beautiful night.

So warm for spring.

Yeah, looks like a long, hot summer.

Mashed potatoes?

Andrew, Mary is offering you the mashed potatoes.

Your mother's speaking to you, Andrew.

Oh, excuse me, Mom. I guess I didn't hear you.

Guess I was living in a different world.

I don't care for any things.

No mashed potatoes.

James, Andrew doesn't want any mashed potatoes.

What's the matter, son? You're not hungry?

No, I ain't.

Am not.

Am not hungry.

There aren't any mashed potatoes in that other world that Andy's living in.

Or naval officers.

Dad, may I be excused from the table, please? I'm not feeling so well.

Oh, James, he's ill.

Oh, dear, dear.

Mary, and call Dr. Jones.

I'll get a hot bath ready right away. No, no, Mom.

Ah, mother, mother, mother.

There's nothing wrong with the boy I saw this afternoon leaping around like a

mountain goat.

I can diagnose his case.

I saw Polly Benedict this afternoon in the drugstore.

The handsome young officer buying her a soda.

What's that got to do with Andrew not wanting any mashed potatoes?

How long hasn't you been to the dentist?

Oh, Mom, please.

It's only the uniform and brass buttons, Andy.

It won't last.

Don't let it get you down, Sonny. If she's fickle, you're well rid of her.

Dad, can I please be excused from the table?

Does my little man feel a toothache when he drinks cold water?

Little man. Oh, Mom, please.

There's some things that are too sacred to talk about in public.

It isn't the dinner. Gee, Mom, you're the best cook in the world, but you know

what I... I know, Andy.

Maybe it's the sudden warm weather, Dad. All right, sonny. Run along. Run along.

Thanks, Dad. You know, a man isn't altogether to blame when he finds he's

developing into a sensitive type.

It's his tonsils, maybe.

Or his liver.

Mother, if what's bothering Andrew is his liver, there's a million young men

this world taking the wrong treatment.

With spring evident in every bird and blossom, Carvel will

soon present a clean new face as a result of the annual, quote, clean

up our streets, unquote, campaign period.

The receipt of material... Wait a minute, Dad. How do you spell receipt? I

E -I?

That always fooled me, too, when I was a boy.

till I made myself remember the old rhyme about I before E except after C.

Oh, that's marvelous.

R -E -C -E -I -P -T. I before E except after C.

Hey, Dad, how about weird, W -E -I -R -D?

Huh?

It's the way of the world, honey. For 30 years I've been living in a fool's

paradise about I and E.

Now, where were we here?

If... It's a letter for you, Dad.

Oh, thank you.

in the rumba next. No, but you'll be doing some arithmetic for me. You step

my den and exercise that mind of yours for a change. Do you good?

Hop to it. Hop to it.

You sit down to that desk and get yourself a pencil and paper. You're

do a lot of figuring for me.

Now, use that pencil to write with. Don't eat it.

If a product sells for 20 cents a pound in the open market... Got it. ...and is

contained in soil that weighs approximately one ton of the cubic

There's 8 % in the soil and 160 acres of the soil.

Mm -hmm.

But how far down are you going to dig?

Well, let's see. They say the depth of the earth's crust is 100 miles deep.

Let's dig down 100 miles, Andy.

It's all right with me as long as I'm not on the end of the shovel.

Gee, Dad, I'm not going to have enough paper to figure down 100 miles.

Well, then let's just dig down 10 miles.

10 miles?

Yeah. 10 miles, all right. Let's see what that is. That's 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

That's $7 ,129 ,000 ,000 worth in that.

Or 10 miles.

Maybe it's $70 ,000 ,000 ,000.

Good.

Why, if we only dig down one foot or five feet.

Well, it looks to me there's only going to be a lot of fun in this for all of us

the next few weeks.

$70 ,000 ,000.

For me, it doesn't.

Maybe your mother was right. Maybe you do need some sulfur and

molasses.

Dad, sometimes I think families just lay awake nights trying to figure out some

way to make a guy miserable.

Class, attention, please.

I'm sorry to say your dramatics teacher is ill, so Miss Rose Meredith will take

charge of the dramatics class.

Miss Meredith comes to us from the state university where she majored in

dramatics. I hope you students will give her a good impression of our school.

Thank you, Mr. Davis.

Good luck.

I want you all to know that I'm glad to be here with you, that I want us to be

happy together and accomplish fine things.

From your regular teacher's reports, I see that your academic course of study

for the term has been completed.

Leaving us for these last few weeks of school, only the preparation of the

annual play.

Undoubtedly the most interesting part of the course.

I have, however, the permission of Mr. Davis, our principal, to try out an

innovation which has met with considerable success and complete

with... In the state university.

In the past, your annual performance has been of a selected choice out of the

classics.

Instead of presenting a published play, I think it would be a fascinating

experiment to have the whole project carried out by the students so that when

it's presented to an audience, it will be a real accomplishment.

The first thing is to write the play.

For that, I'd suggest taking a well -known drama and using it as a model.

Try to build characters in the same way.

I'll explain more fully tomorrow, but please bring with you a suggestion for

type of play you want to write and a model from which you want to work.

You might look up the plays of Shakespeare, Sheridan's comedies, and so

Thank you. Class dismissed.

Boy, swell dish, huh, Andy?

Looks like a lady to me. What you gonna do now, Andy?

I'm gonna be busy. Can I come along?

No, now listen, stick -up buster, I've got a lot of work to do and no time to

spend with children.

Say, do you suppose maybe we'll act in a play that's got a moonlight effect in

it? Because I've got a swell idea how to invent a moon.

Gee, I'm just crazy about having a moon in the play. I can't imagine anything

worse. Where are you going, B .C.? I'm not going anyplace.

Well, I think Camille's a little advanced for our class, don't you?

Well, I did it in the movies, didn't I?

Well, yes, but you'll get another idea.

Read Cyrano de Bergerac, or part of it, tonight, why don't you? Yes, ma 'am. We

sure will.

Thank you. Thank you, Miss Meredith.

Oh, did you want anything?

Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that theme you talked about.

What did you mean?

Well, for example, in Romeo and Juliet, it's the theme of love that comes to a

tragic end.

A pair of star -crossed lovers take their life.

You remember?

Yeah.

No, yeah.

What I mean is that, well, I never read it, but I will read it.

Say, if you don't mind my saying, I... I think you've got a swell voice.

Why, thank you.

I've studied very hard.

I think a pleasant voice is so important, don't you?

Yeah, I guess it is.

Yes, I guess it is.

Good. What's your name?

Andrew Hardy, but all my friends call me Andy.

I see.

Well, Andy, I hope you write a good play. We'll need one.

I'm going to write a swell one.

A word of advice, though.

Be sure you have a strong motivation for the plot.

My motivation?

My motivation's perfect.

Well, good night.

Goodbye. I mean, good day.

See you tomorrow.

I wonder if you gentlemen appreciate the magnitude of this thing.

I tell you, it's a stump.

Gentlemen? No, no, Judge.

Oh, what do you mean, no, no? I have the soil analyzed myself.

But it isn't a question of that.

Why not?

Because the people who already manufacture the metal aluminum have

source of supply.

They certainly have no intention of making anybody else rich.

Well, then, why did you bring me the proposition?

Well, we want to manufacture aluminum ourselves, put up our own plant.

It'll run into an investment of about $100 ,000.

Mark and I already... have approximately 50 % of that money. Now, all we want

from you is your word that you'll sell us the land at a sensible price.

Oh.

Well, that sounds fair.

Of course, there aren't going to be any enormous profits from this, you

understand, but very nice and very steady ones. Well, thanks for your time,

Judge. We'll work out a suitable offer for the property, and then we want to

busy building the plant.

Yes, yes, of course.

Bye, Judge, and thanks.

Well, goodbye, Judge. Goodbye.

Gentlemen, you said something about having 50 % of the money.

What about the other half? Is money all subscribed?

Approximately. Because, frankly, I've got about $3 ,000. I'd like to invest in

something. Well, we do need about $17 ,000.

What do you think?

The judge has been fair with us.

And there are two other men in town who might be interested. There's George

Benedict. He's the president of the Carvel Bank. No, no, no. This thing is

good. We won't solicit anybody.

Well, suppose I speak to him.

No harm in asking them. We probably won't need their money. Well, we'll be

seeing you, Judge. We're opening an office here.

Well, in that case, you'll need a secretary, won't you?

Yes, we may.

My daughter's been very anxious to get a job in business life.

I think you'd find her fairly efficient.

I'd appreciate it if you'd interview her.

Yes, I'd be glad to.

With the provision that I pay you her salary. But she's not knowing anything

about that.

More than fair.

Send her over to see us. I'll see you tomorrow as soon as I get in touch with

friends about the money.

Goodbye, gentlemen.

That looks good, George.

Oh, that's all right, that's all right. Don't thank me.

Always like to let my friends in on the ground floor.

I'll send that laboratory report over in the morning.

That's very interesting. I'd like to see that chemistry report.

Thanks, Judge.

Good night.

Daddy, I wanted to talk to Andy.

What's Andy got to do with this report?

Oh, nothing. I just wanted to tell him what I thought of him.

Now, listen, Beattie, because it's terrific.

A Drift in Tahiti, play in three acts by Andrew Hardy. If it's so terrific, why

don't you try it out on your own, folks? Why pick on me?

Well, my family haven't got any literary appreciation.

Well, I'll bet my dad hasn't even read Romeo and Juliet.

Listen, Rear Admiral Barrington, played by Andrew Hardy.

Native girl. I haven't got a name for the native girl yet. If the Rear Admiral

marries the native girl, I don't want to hear any more. No, the Rear Admiral

spurns her and she jumps into the erupting volcano.

Erupting volcano?

Yeah. Say, that's swell.

That is terrific.

Except that there aren't any erupting volcanoes in Tahiti.

No volcanoes in Tahiti? Certainly not. Ask anybody.

No volcanoes in Tahiti.

Are there any volcanoes on the island of Tahiti?

Why, I don't know, but the encyclopedia is down in your father's den. Thanks.

I wonder what he's up to now.

School work, I suppose.

I'm going to budget my salary. They'll stop me at $18 a week. $10 I'll give

Mother for my room and board. Now, Marion, I won't have it. Mother, that's

nonsense. From now on, I'm going to pay my way.

That leaves $8 for car fare, lunches... And silk stockings, laundry, having your

hair done, pearl beads, new lipstick.

Look it, Mom. How would it be if I start giving you the $8 and I'll keep the

$10?

Oh, excuse me. Say, what's a beautiful name for a native girl? Native girl?

what is this? What kind of native girl?

Very beautiful.

Well, there's some lovely Indian ones. Indian ones? Gosh, Mom, I can't get help

from nobody in this house. Andy, are there volcanoes in Tahiti? I don't know.

You don't know?

Well, shucks, I couldn't get into the den. Miss Meredith was using the phone.

Who?

Huh? Oh, I mean, Pop was phoning.

The rear admiral.

We never need to worry about supplies, men.

and points out to his hero -worshipping crew a banana tree.

A banana tree!

Huh?

A banana tree!

He looks surprised.

For under the banana tree is a pretty little native girl who is sleeping.

Red.

But who is... But who is this?

Gad, gentlemen, what a pretty girl!

What a pretty girl!

The sound of his voice, the girl wakes up and smiles at him, sits up and

stretches.

Author's note. I mean, she stretches her arms up, but not like an exercise, just

natural.

Rear Admiral.

He smiles at her.

What's your name?

Yeah, what's your name?

What's your name?

What is your name?

Well, my name is James Hardy.

But I suspect it wasn't me you were asking.

This is a play I'm writing, Dad. I need a name for the heroine.

Is your play romantic?

Well, it's spiritual, a play of love and renunciation.

A pair of star -crossed lovers take their lives.

That's from Romeo and Juliet.

A pair of star -crossed lovers take their life.

Whose misadventured, piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parents'

strife. Why, Dad, I've been underestimating you.

Oh, I played Romeo once when I was in college.

I was pretty good, too.

Oh, gee, I might have gone on for 50 years, you know, Dad, without even

appreciating Shakespeare.

If it wasn't for Miss Meredith.

Miss Meredith?

Yes, Miss Rose Meredith. That's our new dramatic teacher.

I think you heard me mention her name.

Yes, I believe you did.

Well, Dad, look, can I ask you something very private, you know, man to man?

That's our understanding.

Well, then, come on, sit down, Dad, sit down.

All right.

Dad? Hmm?

I've been wasting my life.

In what way?

Well, whether you believe it or not, for the past year, I've thought of nothing

seriously except kissing girls.

Well, now you're going to abandon all that frivolity permanently.

Hmm? Oh, yes, yes. I have a new outlook on life.

Something I wouldn't have had without Miss Meredith.

She's always talking about high ideals, you know.

Dad, do people still commit suicide for love?

Not civilized, intelligent people, no.

Oh, she isn't civilized. She's a primitive little savage.

Miss Meredith?

Oh, no, no. The heroine in my play.

Oh. When she's spurned for faithlessness, when she jumps into the

volcano.

Well, sounds quite plausible the way you put it, but I won't interrupt your

drama any longer.

But about our little man -to -man moment, Andy, a good dose of ideals

anybody yet.

Dad, look at me.

Before I met Miss Meredith, I used to think that kissing Polly Benedict was

important than Shakespeare.

Now remember, that's the proscenium arch and those are the tormentors.

The first border is the teaser.

All the rest are sky and wood borders.

Oh, I have one announcement to make. The English department and myself decided

last night on the student play which we're going to present.

We've chosen a play entitled Adrift in Tahiti, written by Andrew Hardy.

Andy, I'd like to see you after class.

Class dismissed.

Tell me, Andrew, how'd you happen to write it?

Well, I took Romeo and Juliet and changed it a little bit.

I moved it from Italy to the South Sea Islands.

And I took Romeo and made him a rear admiral in the United States Navy.

And naturally, I had to change Juliet to a pretty little South Sea Island native

girl. And then I wrote a whole new plot.

I think my new ending is a lot better than Shakespeare's.

It's more spiritual.

You mean where the poor little native girl jumps into the flaming volcano?

Yeah, that's it. Of course, at first she begs her admiral not to leave her, but

you don't care nothing about her, so she jumps. You know, I think it's going to

be really terrific with a volcano.

I'm sure it will.

Honest, you don't know what this play means to me, Rose.

Well, I'm sorry, Andrew.

Of course we're friends, but if you called me Rose, it might step out in

Oh, gee,

I'm sorry.

I wouldn't do anything to offend you.

Honest, I wouldn't.

Miss Meredith.

Andrew!

Andrew!

Darling, please, we'll wait you ten minutes for dinner.

Everything getting cold.

Now, James, what were you saying?

Well... The upshot of the matter is this. I've been elected president of the

Carvel Aluminum Corporation, George Benedict's vice president. I tell you,

the biggest thing that ever hit Carvel.

Isn't that nice?

Andrew!

Oh, good gracious, that boy must be sick. He's never late for dinner.

James, that's wonderful. What's the next step?

Well, now that all the money's subscribed, Willett and Hanson are going

at once to build the factory.

Of course, I could have told you all that.

I took minutes of the meeting.

Oh, dear.

going to a funeral?

I'm sorry to have been late for dinner, Mother.

When did you get the sore throat?

I'm enjoying the best of health, Miss Hardy.

Well, are you going out, Andy?

No, Mother, I can't go out tonight.

I have a lot of work to do.

What, may I ask?

Oh, I have a few problems to work out with the dramatic class play Miss

is putting on.

Miss Meredith is our new dramatic class teacher.

She's staying at the Blodgetts. Oh, the drama.

That accounts for your voice sounding like molasses dripping downstairs.

Is that so? What accounts for you not minding your own business?

That's the Andrew Hardy we know and love.

Thank goodness they've finally chosen the play and I will get someplace.

Well, whose play did they choose?

Oh, uh, they've chosen mine. Miss Meredith announced it today. But

that's...

It's really nothing, Mother. I think it's a great deal.

You must have had inspiration, Andy.

Yes, Dad, I... I sure did.

Is there a meeting tonight? Is that what you're all dressed up for?

Oh, I'm just acting my age. I simply dress for dinner.

Simply my eye.

Have you forgotten what it's taken to get you to even wash your hands for

dinner? Goodness sake, don't discourage him.

Heavens, no.

Well, the only thing is, I believe that if a person's going to sing, he should

sing. And if he's going to talk, he should talk. Not try and do both things

once. Is that so? You're very smart. Miss Meredith said... Miss Meredith said

that if I'm going to be a lawyer like my father, I must develop my voice.

She said that you can sway the emotions with the human voice.

And boy, is she right.

Why, a man with a right voice could rock the civilized world.

Well, if you don't mind, don't rock the civilized world after I've had my

dinner. I'm starved.

How dare you criticize my play when Miss Meredith said that it was a swell play?

You deliberately wrote the ending to your horrid old play to humiliate me.

then, why don't you refuse to play, Tahula?

You know perfectly well... I know why. It's because you don't want to give up

the leading role. That's why.

On the Admiral's first line, T 'hula must come out from the palm tree. Andy,

cross toward her so she won't have so far to walk.

Do it.

So you thought that... No, wait for the lines. After her first line, then you

take her in your arms and kiss her. And that's the curtain.

Oh, after. Yes, all right.

So you thought that I'd forgotten you, T 'hula.

T 'hula's so unhappy.

T 'hula's so unhappy she want to die in the blue lagoon.

Come on, Andy, walk forward.

Gee, I forgot.

Miss Meredith, do I wait until Andy gets up to me before I say my last line?

That's right.

You don't want me to die, do you?

Well, come on, kiss me.

Well, never mind.

We'll rehearse this in private until Andy's gotten over his self

Well, he certainly has changed.

Miss Meredith, it's so public.

Well, what are you going to do when you get in front of an audience of 500

people?

Oh, my gosh.

I forgot about that.

Miss Meredith.

Oh.

Oh, I thought everybody had gone.

You tired?

There's a funny thing about tiredness. Sometimes it's awful nice, and other

times it makes you feel like you've been standing in front of one of those

crooked mirrors at the carnival.

Everything's sort of out of perspective.

Yeah, that's it.

It's like living in a nightmare.

You know, I kind of had an idea the very first time I saw you that you were sort

of tragic, like Romeo and Juliet.

Oh.

Say, please, please don't do that.

Please don't cry.

Oh, I'm sorry, Andy.

I apologize.

I guess I'm just a little overtired. Oh, can I help? No, no thanks. Gee.

What? Well, I've never seen a woman cry before.

Oh, I've seen my mother cry, but that's different. But never anybody like you.

Well, it's... It's terrible.

Oh, don't take it too seriously, Andy. I shouldn't have been in front of you.

Well, why not?

Because it's my own problem.

And I have no right to impose it on anyone else.

Well, I just want to know because I like you so much. Andy!

Well, I wanted to know what made you cry.

Sit down, Andy.

Andy, you know you're skating on dangerous ground.

Why am I? You know I'm a teacher and you're my student.

I wish I weren't.

I used to hate old man Hamill, the algebra teacher, but I wish I were him

have some rights.

But you're not, Mr. Hamill.

You're a young boy, and I have a responsibility toward you, and you've

toward me.

Neither one of us must step over that line of teacher -student.

Though that doesn't mean we can't be friends.

Friends?

When you cried, I wanted to... Come on, Andy. It's time to shut up shop.

The building will be locked in a few minutes. Oh, well, Miss Meredith, I

done anything to make you mad at me, have I? No, Andy. Well, there's one

You wouldn't talk like this in front of anybody in the whole school, except me,

or maybe in the whole world.

Good night, Andy. I'll see you tomorrow.

Miss Meredith, I'll have to see you every day till school closes.

Sometime I'd like to tell you about the very special reason I had for writing my

play.

Now it turns out that I have an entirely different reason.

One a million times as important.

Some other time, Andy. Is it true that Romeo was just 18 years old? Something

like that.

I'm going to be 18 soon myself.

Well, good night. Good night, Andy.

Give me the Carvel Hotel. I don't know the number.

Hello?

Has Mr. Willard or Mr.

Hanson come in yet?

Oh, I see.

No, no, no, never mind. I've already left a message.

Come in.

Oh.

What's the matter? Did you think I was somebody else?

Well, I was expecting Marion.

She isn't home yet.

Dad? Hmm?

Do you remember me mentioning to you about that we had a new teacher, Miss

Meredith?

Yes, yes, I believe you did mention it.

Why? Well, she just...

Started me thinking about these women that look older than they are in years.

You believe that spiritually she's nearer your age?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I was upstairs thinking about it. I thought that I'd come downstairs and...

Well, it's strange, isn't it?

What's strange?

About growing up. One minute you feel and think and act like a kid.

Next minute, well, you just aren't. What makes the difference?

Well, there's...

Well, the things that happened to you.

I got to think about the future.

This business about life being a bowl of cherries, it's all right for some guy

that hasn't got anything on his mind.

What do you got on your mind, Andrew?

Oh, nothing.

Nothing at all, Dad. Honest, I was just talking.

But changing the subject. Yes?

What is there about it that just kills you to see a woman cry?

A woman, Andy?

Yeah.

Somebody grown up.

Wonderful.

Beautiful.

Gee, there'll be a full moon in a couple of days.

Well, thanks, Dad.

All right, you're welcome, Andy. Say, Dad, there's a lot of things I want to

talk over with you one of these days.

Oh, I, uh... I, uh... Huh?

Oh, nothing.

Oh, Marion, come right in, dear.

Dad's waiting for you. Well, thank you. Don't mention it.

Why, he didn't even slam the door.

Mother said you wanted to see me.

I do, decidedly.

As a matter of fact, I wanted to see you, too.

You did?

Look here.

Why didn't Willett return my telephone call this afternoon?

Because he didn't come back to the office after luncheon.

Oh.

Dad, I know you've invested money in this aluminum company.

I know you've gotten Mr. Benedict and the others in on it.

I think you ought to know that no material has been ordered for the plant.

Not one thing has been done to get the aluminum business started.

Nothing?

I'll put an end to that mystery tomorrow.

How? I'll go to the office with you in the morning.

They usually get here around 9 .30.

I've got all the time in the world to wait.

They've taken all the things.

What?

Oh, Dad.

Now, now. Steady, daughter. Steady. But what'll we do?

Well, you stay right here. Answer the phone as usual. Make any excuse you like

for Willett and Hanson not being here. But don't say anything to anybody, not

even at home.

I won't, dear.

Dad, keep that chin up.

I'm so sorry, Judge Hardy. Mr. Benedict is still upstairs in a minute.

They expect him to be through in about half an hour. Won't you come in and

Thanks. No, no. If you don't mind, I'll just sit here and wait.

This is Miss Rose Meredith. Please tell them that the makeup must be delivered

this afternoon. We're having a dress rehearsal tonight.

Thank you.

Miss Meredith, I'm Judge Hardy.

Oh, of course. How do you do, Judge Hardy? We've heard a great deal about

our house. And I've heard about you too, needless to say.

Well, I believe we should exchange views on the mutual source of our

information. Got time for a little visit?

Well, I'll take time.

I've just been depositing the proceeds from our ticket sale.

Oh, how's it going?

Nicely, thank you. The townspeople seem curious to see a home -written play, and

everyone's intrigued with the idea of seeing a live volcano in action. And

frankly, so am I.

You know, I have great faith in our boys. Yeah, we get that volcano for

breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

And he's a remarkable boy.

You must be proud of him, Judge.

Yes, I am.

Fundamentally, he's a good boy, too.

Quite impressionable, though.

I know.

I sometimes wonder what the world's going to do to him.

What do you mean?

I guess every parent dreads the day when his child will get his first real hurt.

Judge Hardy.

Hmm? What are you trying to say to me?

What I'm trying to say is, Andy worships at your shrine.

If you were a different type of girl, I wouldn't dare say anything. But I think

I judge your quality pretty well, Miss Meredith.

So I'm sort of placing myself at your mercy.

So please try and don't hurt him.

I'm going to take it as a compliment that you've talked to me this way. It

meant that way.

And I promise you, I won't hurt him.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Meredith.

Judge Hardy.

Mr. Benedict is tied up. He said he'd see you at the Aluminum Corporation

directors' meeting tomorrow.

Is there any message?

No. No, thank you. Well, I really must be going.

I'm awfully glad we had this little talk. It's been a privilege.

Goodbye. Bye.

Hey, just a moment, everybody.

Quiet, just for a minute.

I want to take this moment before we begin our dress rehearsal to thank you

for your cooperation.

Things will be hectic tomorrow night and school's over the next day. So I wanted

to say goodbye to you now.

This has been one of the most delightful experiences I've ever had.

And I feel that never again will I have such charming, delightful young people

to work with.

Thank you, all of you, for being so sweet and kind to a new teacher.

Go ahead,

do it.

Go on, go on.

Well, we kind of like you a lot, too, and in behalf of the class,

we... This is for you. Oh, thank you, all of you.

Go ahead and open it. All right.

Well,

there's just nothing to say except that it's perfect.

I suggested picking out Romeo and Juliet.

Feel it. The man said it was real leather.

Let me feel.

It is real.

All right. Come on, everybody. Now let's get...

Paradise indeed, Admiral.

We don't need to worry about supplies.

Andy, where'd you get that mustache?

Well, I kind of thought maybe it'd give me a little more dignity.

If Rear Admiral hasn't got dignity, what has he got?

I think you'd be much more dignified without it.

Personally, I prefer the clean -shaven, tight -lipped, square -jawed type of

naval officer.

Well, Miss Meredith, maybe I could wear a gray mustache, you know, grizzled with

the storms of the seven seas.

That'd make you look too old. You'd look 50.

50? Me, 50?

Oh, gee, that'd be terrible.

Well, all right, then. I'll be the kind of rear admiral that gets the top on

seamanship alone.

Oh, wow.

You ask me why I'm a bitter man, Tahula.

Ah, but what does a little unspoiled native girl like you know of such

Smoother with the moon.

But I can guess you do not like us.

No, no, you do not understand.

Stick and plaster, easy with the moon.

But how can you be so unhappy on a night like this with the moon?

Oh, yeah, the moon.

Louder, please. I can't hear you back here.

Oh, yes, the moon.

That guy's going to ruin the moon effect. Did you see it? Do I see it?

you think I am, at the public library?

Hey, stick and plaster.

Look, let me get up there and show you just a little bit of what's going on

here. You're too jerky with the moon. It's got to go a lot smoother.

Look like this.

You see what I'm doing? Look up there.

Nice and easy.

Slow. Yeah, Andy, I'll sure try. Well, trying's no good. You gotta do it. Now,

let me see you do it once.

Slower. Slow down. Nice and easy.

I came here a happy, carefree man, but now I leave with a heart of lead.

No, no.

Do not go and leave little Tuhula.

Why shouldn't I go?

Why shouldn't I leave someone as faithless as you?

No, no.

I gave you my dreams.

I walked with you in the moonlight.

I told you things about me that no one else has ever known.

Get ready with the volcano.

Remember the flowers, the white ones I gave you?

Well, I might have known what you felt by the way you tossed them aside, but I

picked them up, do you hear?

You ready with the volcano?

I was going to keep them with me for the rest of my life, but I've thrown them

away now.

I've thrown them away along with my illusions of you.

Why didn't you tell me you were in love with someone else?

Why didn't you...

Oh, there's nothing you can say.

Push in the plugs, Beezy, and stand by the switch.

Come on.

Come on, Polly, you're spoiling the scene.

I... I forgot my lines.

Give me my cue, please, once.

No, there's nothing you can say.

No, there's nothing you can say!

with everybody. We're not going to touch that volcano until after the

rehearsal's over.

Now, I know we've all worked very hard and we're all tired.

We've just simply got to pull ourselves together.

Andy, I think you'd better use your own voice, please. Oh, but... Oh, well, all

right, if you say so.

Even with your costume, I don't think your admiral's voice is quite natural

Well, it may not be natural, but it certainly does make me feel naval.

Good night. Good night.

Miss Meredith, what do we do about the volcano?

We'll fix it tomorrow. Don't worry about a thing, Beasy. All right. Good night.

Late as usual, Andy.

Yes, I guess so. Don't be discouraged about the volcano.

I thought it was splendid.

Did you really like it? Mm -hmm.

Well, that's swell, because we made it specially for you.

We wanted to show up the rest of the dramatic class teachers that we've had.

We wanted your play to be the best, you know, colossal. I think it has every

chance to be.

Well, good night.

The show was really terrible, though, wasn't it? Well, you know what they say

about bad dress rehearsals.

Yeah, I know, but there were so many things that were wrong with it.

Andy, are you trying to make conversation?

What?

Yes, I guess so.

But tonight will be the last night I'm ever going to see you, isn't it? No,

there's tomorrow.

Yeah, I know, but there'll be a million people milling around and...

The next day school closes and the next day you'll be gone. And I'll take the

memory of a good friend with me.

Can I ask a favor of you?

What?

Well, can I walk home with you?

Oh, no, Andy.

Andy.

Gee, it's a swell night out, isn't it?

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank.

Look how the floor of heaven is thick and laid with patterns of bright gold.

That's from Romeo and Juliet.

Gee, I used to think that Shakespeare stuff was all a bunch of junk, but when

you say it, it all sounds sort of different.

Isn't that peculiar?

No.

Oh, wait just a minute. Got all stuck up here.

Wait.

There we are.

Gee, they're awful pretty.

Here. Yeah, I wish they were orchids.

Boy, I think this is a lot nicer, Andy.

Orchids are little zombies, don't you think?

They cost a lot of money, yes, but there's more poetry to these.

Gosh, I never thought about that before.

Gee, will I ever again meet somebody like you?

Suppose when I'm all grown up, suppose I only meet the orchid kind.

Yes, Andy.

I... I want somebody like you.

Andy. Sit down, Andy.

You aren't going to lecture me, are you? Well, I think that would be very

unkind. Well, then can I speak before you do?

If you like.

Then can I be sure that you won't laugh at me? Of course I won't.

That's another thing I like about you.

Well, what I want to know is that... Can you believe that...

that somebody my age can be in love?

Yes, I can.

I'm going to get a job this summer and start earning my own living.

I've got a couple of swell ideas that might turn out all right.

I'm younger than you are, but you're not very much older than me.

What I want to know is, could I ever have any kind of a

chance with you?

You're a very attractive boy, Andy, but... You like me? Well, I know you do.

But, Andy, dear, there's so many barriers between you and me. Don't you

understand? I'm... I'm trying to ask you to... to marry me.

Kind of an important step to take, I know.

Gee, I never thought about marrying anybody before.

Never asked anybody before, either.

Thank you for the compliment, Andy. But I must be honest with you. Oh, don't,

don't, don't say it. I know what you're gonna say.

Oh, darn it. Why did I have to be born younger?

Andy, listen to me. I won't listen to you. I won't go through with a play.

I'm going to hop a freight and get out of town. I'm not going to stick around

here. I'm going to go anyplace, but I won't stay around here. Now, stop that.

Don't ever try and fool me that you'd be a quitter.

500 people are coming to the auditorium tomorrow to be entertained, and we're

going to give them the best show we can.

And, Andy, we won't do it if we get confused and all emotional and tied into

knots tonight.

Listen, suppose we call this an unfinished story.

What do you mean?

Tomorrow night after the play's over, I want a few minutes with you alone.

I want to tell you a story, Andy.

Then you must make your own answer to the question you asked me tonight.

Is it a deal?

Okay, it's a deal.

And now I'm going in.

Good night, Andy.

Good night.

Come in, come in, come in, come in.

Can I come in?

You not only can, Andy, you may also.

Dad. Uh -huh.

I think it's only fair to let you know that I'm making some plans for the

future. No, no, no, no, no.

Not tonight, not tonight. Let's not... I apologize, son.

I've never before declined to listen to your problems, no more now.

Come on. Come on, Ab.

If you're too tired... No, no, no.

Well,

what are the plans?

Well, Dad, I've decided to get a job this summer and stop loafing around.

I've got a couple of swell ideas that might work out, and if they click, well,

I'll go right on. I won't go back to school this fall.

You mean you're not going to finish high school?

No, I want to make some money.

Well, what about college? I thought you wanted to be a lawyer.

I've discovered there's a lot more important things beside college.

Well, maybe you're right.

What brought about these sudden changes?

I... I want to get married.

What?

Yes, Dana, I do.

Oh.

Oh, I see.

Well, of course, your mother's going to ask you the same question, so I may as

well.

Married to whom?

Rose Meredith.

Oh, very nice young lady.

But isn't there a considerable difference in your ages?

Well, I'm putting her 17.

That makes me almost 21, really.

And she's 23.

That makes her just a little beyond 21. So what's all the fuss over a year's

difference?

Well, I'd always thought that a difference in ages should always be in

favor. Dad, you're always thinking about today. I'm thinking about the future.

When we're past 30 and we can settle down and grow old gracefully together.

Andy, you listen to your dad for a minute, will you?

Are you ready to take on responsibilities that you're not even

instead of patiently growing up to them?

Well, the younger you get married, the sooner you grow up.

Thousands of young people have gone on that ferry only to be crippled for life.

Now, are you prepared to give up your basketball and your baseball, your

parties, little dances, our summer vacations together?

Are you ready to give up all the happy things that young people of your age are

entitled to?

Now, don't you be trapped into being an adult.

You grow into it.

Dad, I...

I guess this is one time that you and I can't hear each other.

That's all right. That's all right, Andy.

We know each other's there.

Dad, you're a swell guy.

When are you going to ask the young lady?

I asked her tonight.

She's going to answer me tomorrow night.

Well, Andy, I hope... You hope what, Dad?

I hope that nobody gets hurt.

Oh, gosh.

I wouldn't hurt her.

Gee, I wish it was tomorrow night.

Just what did you eat away from home today?

I haven't had anything, Emily. I haven't got indigestion. Now, don't tell me,

James Hardy. I'm going right away to get your medicine. And I'm not going to

take any more of that horrible stuff, so you go on to bed. You're not only going

to take it, but I'm going to give you two spoonfuls. Oh.

James, what's the matter?

Oh, everything.

Emily, I've been a fool.

I smelled some lilacs in bloom, and for the first time in my life, I got greedy.

Well, I don't see any harm in that.

Well, I've lost a lot of money.

And you know how hard it is and how long it takes for us to save, and half of it

belongs to you, and I've lost it.

Well, I'll get it back.

You will pay me back.

Besides, have you forgotten the time I took $152 of yours to buy that

encyclopedia set?

And we never heard another thing from the salesman.

Well, that isn't the worst of it.

There's some other men in this town dragged into the trap with me, and they

in in good faith because I endorsed the deal.

Oh, James.

There's no chance of paying them back their money.

We don't have enough.

Yet, I'm responsible.

James, you know, there's the nicest, comforting saying.

And it's comforting because it's true.

What? There's always tomorrow.

There's always another chance, another opportunity to find some way out.

Out.

It looks so black, Emily.

Does it, dear?

Suppose you look here.

Darkest before the dawn, darling.

With that kind of faith, I'll start fresh in the morning.

There's got to be some way out.

Well, what do you say to a cup of coffee, Emmy?

Oh, I love these early spring mornings. No more spring.

No, sir. I'm through with that spring for you forever.

Morning, Judge.

Oh, say, listen, Judge.

I'm a member of the Taxpayers' Protest Committee, and we need a little legal

advice. Protest Committee about what?

We're going to raise a little cane with the town council about this road

building. Raise cane? What for?

Why, that dumb bunch of councilmen is importing gravel.

Get that. Bringing gravel in from another county to use on our roads.

And at a price that'd make your hair curl.

Bringing in gravel?

Yeah, you'd think they were buying gold dust the way they're paying money.

And who pays the bill? We do. The taxpayers.

Bring it in gravel, then.

Uh -huh.

You say gravel?

Why, yes.

They're bringing in gravel?

Well, gentlemen, Mr. Willett and Mr. Hanson, having been called out of town,

it's my unpleasant duty to bring some bad news to the directors of the Carvel

and Luman Corporation.

Bad news, Jeff?

The, uh...

City of Carvel demand that we sell them the aqueduct property for its nominal

value as a source of gravel.

Gravel? This is a loutry.

The town council have been paying exorbitant prices for gravel when right

close at hand, is an unlimited supply.

Then we're not going to make aluminum.

They can't do this to us. They can and they will.

They'll condemn the property and take it over.

We'll fight. We'll carry to the Supreme Court.

Just a minute, boys.

Frankly, I'd agree to fight to protect our money by fair means or foul.

If you weren't in this with us, Judge, isn't that right?

Yes. I don't think any of us would like to see Jim Hardy fighting the taxpayers

of Carville. No.

That's a mighty fine sentiment.

Gentlemen, what I told you is true.

But it's based on a lie.

I've been trying to save my own face, but... I can't go through with it.

Willett and Hanson have disappeared.

And they've taken our $17 ,000 with them.

What about the chemistry report? The land has 8 % aluminum. I had that

yesterday by a friend of mine at the state university.

The entire surface of the earth is 8 % aluminum.

But it's commercially impractical to extract it. Well, I'll be... Well, if

town's going to buy the land for gravel, we're saved.

By the skin of her teeth?

Saved by nothing of the kind. By you.

You can't tell me that you didn't talk the city into buying this property. You

bet. Well, gentlemen, you only went into this aluminum business on my say -so.

Well, I'll tell you something, Judge. I had that aqueduct soil tested secretly

myself. So did I. Me too.

I suppose, Higginbotham, you and I were the only two that took the judge's word

for it. Me?

I sent a sample of the soil to Chicago.

You see, Judge?

What? You don't mean to say that you put out $1 ,500 without checking up?

Don't be a fool. I drove all the way into the city to have some tested.

And there it was, 8 % bauxite. You see, Jim, we were all wise guys.

Well, I feel a little better.

Fortunately, the town will give us our money back and a little more.

You mean we get a profit?

About 10%. 10 %?

Well, boys, that's better than a kick in the pants.

As my son Andy would say, it's even, Steven, and a little better. Andy, I

we adjourn. I've got to order flowers for my daughter Polly, her first high

school play tonight.

My son has charge of the volcano.

My son has charge of the moon. I caught him on top of the roof with a pair of

apple glasses at three o 'clock this morning, looking at the moon and

smoothly.

Judge, are you represented in this high school play, too?

Am I represented?

My son Andrew wrote the play and is enacting the leading male role.

And as for that volcano, my son invented it.

You sure it fits all right?

No wrinkles across the back, is it?

Don't sag, does it? Say, what are you trying to do? Be one of the ten best,

men in the world? It's okay. It's fine.

Well, everything's got to be all right.

I don't want anything to go wrong on this Meredith's account.

Say, I wonder what Rosie's all excited about.

The show.

Uh -uh. Say, Stickenplaster got here at quarter to six this morning to practice

on the moon. He said there was a telegram waiting for him. Well, it was

a telegram from her mother and father wishing her success. Pardon in five

minutes, fellas.

Am I all right? Oh, you're perfect.

Lots of luck tonight, Polly dear.

Are you coming to my garden party after the show? Oh, I'm sorry, Polly, but I

have a sudden and imperative engagement. But I hope you'll have a very happy

time.

They say happiness is contagious, and I'm hoping mine will spread. Because I'm

very happy person tonight.

Curtain in five minutes.

It's got to be smooth.

It's got to be smooth.

It's got to be smooth.

Curtain in five minutes.

Wait a minute.

Hurry up. I want to get a look at it. Wait, wait.

Just a minute with you. My family are coming in right now.

Won't she be quite sane?

I guess it's the excitement.

Oh, dear.

What's the matter?

I've never known it to fail. Look, they spelled Andy's name wrong.

at least one type of graphical error in these things.

What on earth do you suppose this is?

Huh? Moan, by Harmon Higginbottom, Jr.

Moan, me? That means moon that Andy's been talking about.

Oh, dear, I'm so nervous I can hardly bear it.

What's the matter?

I suppose if he gets his lines... He shouldn't. He wrote them.

What are you doing? Rehearsing the line? I'm praying.

Well, stop praying and start acting. That's you.

Tropic paradise indeed, Admiral.

We don't have to worry about supplies, men. Look, a banana tree.

But who is this?

Hendrickson, what a pretty girl.

What is your name?

Tahula. She speaks English.

How is it you speak the white man's tongue, Tahula?

Oh, many moons ago.

A steam canoe.

Like one that brings you.

Came here across the great sea.

But the storms came.

The canoe, she sink.

One white god like you is saved.

He marry native girl.

She my mother.

He my father.

Wait, I have button from his coat.

Off with your hat, Hendrickson. We're in the presence of our heroic dead.

At last we know the ghastly fate of our American heroes who were lost at sea in

the great wind of 17.

You're a very pretty girl, Tahula.

And to think of it, Hendrickson, this beautiful olive -skinned creature is a

daughter of the USA.

You ask me why I'm such a bitter man to her.

Ah, but what does a little unspoiled native girl like you know of such

But I can guess.

You do not like us. No, no, you do not understand.

But how can you be so unhappy on a night like this with the moon?

Ah, yes.

The moon.

In our happy country here, the moon is, how you say, the harvest time for love.

Love? Not for me, my little savage maiden.

I come from Sterner's dock.

My father once told me that love and duty do not mix, and I come here on duty

hold it.

But soon you will have finished the guns you put up on our island.

Yes, and then I must return to my native land.

my responsibilities, my duty to my country.

The hula's so unhappy she wants to die in the Blue Lagoon.

You don't want the hula to die, do you? I swear to you.

and until you can get hold of yourself.

But they all laughed.

But only at the moon, not at you or Polly or the play.

Now, you just pick yourself up for that third act and you go out there and give

them such a performance that they'll forget all about the moon and think only

about what you're saying.

But I'll be terrible.

I don't feel like acting. I don't feel like talking about love or any of that

junk. Be a good sport, Andy. Don't quit now.

The show must go on, you know.

Yeah, all right.

The show will go on.

But I'll never forgive sticking plaster as long as I live.

Imagine, the rear admiral is kissing his sweetheart and the moon is doing a

rumba. Good luck, Andy.

Whoa! It's Daddy there.

Say, can you tell me where I can find Miss Meredith? You know, Miss Rose

Meredith. Why, yes, she's over there somewhere.

Oh, thanks.

Woe is me. Oh, woe is me.

My heart is heavy with sorrow.

Go on, Andy. Go on. That's your cue.

You have come back to Tahula.

You have come back to Tahula.

No, I have not come back to you, Tahula.

No, I have not come back to you, Tahula.

No, I have not come back to you, Tahula.

Did your great white father make you go away from little Tahula?

I came here a happy, carefree man. Now I leave with a heart of lead.

No, no.

Do not go and leave little Tahula.

Why shouldn't I go?

Why shouldn't I go?

Why shouldn't I leave someone as faithless as you are?

I gave you my dreams.

I walked with you in the moonlight.

I told you things about me no one else has ever known.

Remember the flowers I gave you?

The white ones?

I might have known what you felt by the way you tossed them aside.

I was going to keep them with me for the rest of my life.

Now I've thrown them away.

Thrown them away along with my illusions about you.

Why didn't you tell me there was someone else?

Why didn't you tell me you were in love with someone else all the time? No, no.

Well, there's nothing you can say.

I trusted you and you betrayed me.

Andy. Andy, darling. Give me my cue.

Andy, what's wrong?

Give me my cue.

Oh, no.

There's nothing you can say.

Yes, yes. I love you.

Go back to your sweetheart.

Tell him he's welcome to anyone as fickle as you are.

As for me, thank heaven I have my work.

And from this moment on... No, no, have mercy.

I'm through with women.

Come back. Come back to Tahoma.

Mother, what's the matter?

I can't help it.

I've lost my little baby boy.

He's all grown up and talking about love.

Come on, you've got to take a curtain call.

Come on.

Where's Andy?

Yeah, I guess he's putting some extra pressure on that volcano for the curtain

calls.

You know, I'm mighty proud of that boy.

He's a regular Thomas A. Edison. I could swear that volcano had real flames.

But he doesn't sound like Andy at all.

Surely he could have waited for five minutes after the performance.

Now, now, Mother, I don't see how you can criticize such a demonstration of

modesty. Modesty and Andy? I've just solved the mystery.

Andy came home and took off his costume and makeup.

How do you know, Millie?

Just take a look at the bathroom.

And then he's gone to Polly Benedict's party.

Well, why did he have to go to the party in such a terrible hurry?

So he could be there to start taking bows from the first guest.

Now, now, Mother, you can stop worrying and go on up to bed.

Oh, well, I'll just clear away the rest of the dishes. No, no, don't mind. I

won't fool around with these sandwiches a while longer.

James, you're certainly acting very funny tonight.

Unless you're trying not to show how proud you are of Andy.

Yeah, that's it.

Good night, Dad. Good night, honey. Good night, dear.

Good night. Don't forget to leave the lights on for Andy.

No.

No, Judge Hardy, Andy isn't here.

And I deliberately invited him just before the play tonight.

Even though he and I haven't been friends lately.

Yes. Yes, I will, Judge Hardy.

Goodbye.

Hello?

Yes, Judge Hardy.

He isn't home yet.

Then he did go to Polly's party.

Oh, he isn't.

Judge Hardy, tonight after the play was over, there wasn't any chance to speak

to you alone.

You see, last night... Yes, Andrew told me about last night.

And when I met your young Mr. Franklin tonight, I knew that something must have

happened to make Andrew ashamed to face me.

I can imagine what Andy thinks, because he disappeared before I could explain.

Well, my hands are tied, Miss Meredith.

I wouldn't dare intrude on Andrew at a time like this, but if you could...

Where were you and Andrew last night when he asked you to marry him?

Were you in the garden?

Would you mind looking out and see if there's anybody there now?

I'll look.

There is someone in the garden.

Well, I'm sure you know what to do.

Yes, I do.

Good night, Judge Harry.

Let along now, dearest. I've got something I must attend to.

And I love you very much.

Good night, my dear.

Good night.

May I sit down?

Sure. Sit down.

Well, show's over.

Guess you're glad.

I know how you feel, Andy.

Who is he?

Bill Franklin.

He was a professor at State Teachers College when I went there.

He was part of the story I said I would tell you.

We fell in love last spring, but that night I cried.

He decided he didn't have enough money to marry me.

He came after me tonight because he just wanted an endowment to do research and

travel. I'd have earned enough.

Of course.

He let you cry by yourself at night. Yes, but he was miserable, too.

I'd have never hurt you like that.

Andy, you've no right to do this to me.

Do what?

I'm just as unhappy as you are.

Listen, Andy.

Tonight, for these few moments, let's meet just this once on an equal basis.

Yeah, and then what? And then I'll talk to you as if you were a man.

A boy couldn't understand, but a man can.

Andy, tomorrow you'll be going one way and I'll be going another.

Let's seize these few moments and hold them tightly in our hands.

And then let them go.

Perhaps they'll leave some stardust on our fingers that we can never rub off.

That's what hurts, Rose. That's what hurts when you talk to me like that.

No one will ever talk to me like you do again.

No one's voice will ever be like yours.

As long as I live, who will ever speak to me again of stardust?

It hurts.

Yes, that's like a man, too.

Oh, you're laughing at me.

Talking about me being a man and all the time inside thinking of me only as a

kid. No, Andy.

Because at this moment you're experiencing an emotion that a boy

understand.

Oh, a boy's not supposed to feel it when his heart breaks into pieces, huh?

A boy feels it just as keenly as a man, but beyond that a man is privileged to

face the storms of life that are to temper his metal and make him truly a

I can see why this has all been like sort of a dream.

I don't deserve a swell girl like you yet.

I've got a lot of things to do before I raid a woman like you.

You're seeing me through rose -colored glasses, Andy.

Why, when I look at myself and then back at you and all the glory of your 17

years, I feel old and humble before all the mysterious, wonderful things that

are going to happen to you.

You know, it's funny.

What's funny, Andy?

I know, just as sure as I'm standing here tonight that you're just telling me

these things, so as I'll be like that.

That's working.

Why, Andy, in a couple of years, I'll be that funny little country school

teacher who once gave you a few weeks of high school dramatics.

There'll be a dozen other girls who've come into your life.

Twelve different girls in two years?

It's inevitable when a man's attractive.

Do you think that I'm going to be an attractive man, Rose?

No girl could ever forget you.

Of course, I... I wouldn't deliberately set out to break a woman's heart.

Well, you know the old saying.

Love is to a man a thing apart, but a woman's whole existence.

Yeah, that's right.

But I got a lot of other things to think about beside love.

I've got to practice the law and study up to be a judge like my father. I want

to be in the United States Supreme Court someday.

And I think you'll make it. They're stealing your backbone, Andy.

There'll be plenty of women in your life, too.

Sure.

There are a lot of beautiful women in Washington.

Foreigners, you know, spies, lobbyists. And you'll be able to cope with them.

Of course, I can't say that I'm going to thoroughly approve of your Franklin

guy.

There ain't... aren't. Oh, if that isn't a fool kid trick of mine saying eight

all the time. Gotta cut that out.

Anyway, what I mean is that, Rose, you have no hard feelings toward me, huh?

Oh, no, Andy.

I always knew we could never be anything but a milestone in each other's lives.

Yeah. Yeah, that's right, a milestone.

Gee, I'm going to remember you always.

At least until I get into college. Then I think a man would be a fool to promise

anything in the face of 2 ,000 coeds. Fair enough.

And now I think I'll go in.

It's been a pretty exciting evening for me, and I'm a little tired.

Sure. You're bound to get tired easier when you approach middle age.

Well, you know, I'm going to keep this with me all my life.

When it gets old and withered, it'll remind me of you.

Well, it was really a pleasure to have met you, Rose.

It's been a privilege to know you, Andy.

Good night.

Good night.

Goodbye.

Come on, Hardy, you've got a milestone in your pocket.

Andy!

Andy!

Thank you. I hope you

children are enjoying your games. Gee, Andy, it was a swell show.

Andy, you were marvelous.

It was nothing, nothing at all.

That volcano was really terrific.

Yes, I thought Beezy handled that very effectively. I adored the moon.

Young Higginbottom was responsible for that. Very promising youngster, too.

Oh, there's Andy. Excuse me.

Andy!

Andy.

I'm glad you came, Andy.

Your father telephoned. Would you like to use the library phone?

Yes, perhaps I'd better.

It's a charming little affair, Polly.

Pardon me, please.

Oh, well, young stick and plaster.

I ruined your moon, didn't I?

Oh, forget it. You gave us the biggest laugh we got.

Say, I'm going to use that moon business again in my next play.

Here, what's the matter with your eyes?

I've been bawling.

Listen, nothing's worth crying about, my boy.

Well, you've got to take things like tonight with a piece of steel in your

backbone.

Listen, anything that bothers you, you come right to me and I'll straighten you

out. Man to man.

Oh, gee.

Think nothing of it, son.

Hello, Andrew.

Oh, I only called up to congratulate you on your play.

Well, I certainly do appreciate your thoughtfulness.

But I don't want you to be up so late.

Well, look, I'm going to be out quite late myself, Dad. So, look, you get to

and try to get some sleep because you've been looking pretty rocky these past

few days.

Me?

Well, I was... Say, Dad, maybe you need some sulfur and molasses.

Goodbye. Good night.

Well, a drift in Tahiti is now a thing of the past.

And I must say, I'm not sorry.

However, it's too bad we won't have Miss Meredith with us next year.

Did you meet Mr. Franklin, her fiancé?

I don't know what she sees in him.

You wouldn't, Polly.

What do you mean, I wouldn't?

Well, when you get a little older, you'll understand those things.

When you experience some storms of life.

When you've passed a milestone or two. Listen, Andrew Hardy, you're not talking

to poor little Tahula now. You're talking to Polly Benedict, and Polly

doesn't jump into volcanoes.

Well, Rear Admiral, now are you through with women?