Original subtitles

Thank you.

I'll send him back.

Goodbye, Lieutenant.

Well, Bob, that was the police lieutenant from your precinct in New

Now, won't you tell me why you ran away from home?

My old man makes me go to school.

Look at me.

I'm only in the eighth grade with a lot of midgets.

What's a six -foot lug like me doing with spelling and geography?

I know of a man that was six feet tall at your age that split rails to earn a

meager education.

His name was Lincoln.

I was taught Lincoln never had no education.

That's why he was a right guy, getting to be president the hard way.

Well, he worked days and studied nights.

That's all different now.

Our public school system is unique.

We ask our children today to accept something free that money can't buy in

other country in the world.

Lincoln, huh?

More than six feet, huh?

I bet you he wasn't as skinny as me.

He was skinnier.

Bob, you could spit a few rails, too.

Suppose I get you into a New York vocational school.

Learn to be a carpenter. With a little geography and spelling on the side.

I bet you they didn't give Lincoln no raspberries on account of being skinny.

I promise you they gave him plenty of raspberries.

Bobby, sir.

Take this young man to a restaurant and fill him with a good hot lunch.

Mr. George Benedict of the Carville National Bank is in your chambers. Would

like to see him.

Caught a recess for lunch.

I'll talk to you later, Bob.

I've got a boy of my own.

He's going to graduate from high school next week.

So they're razzed Lincoln for being skinny, too, huh?

That's right.

Hello, George.

What's the trouble?

This check.

It's a bad check for $280.

Swear out a warrant for the culprit's arrest and we'll all take care of him.

Yes, but this check is signed by your son, Andrew.

Dad.

Yes, Dad.

I'm the culprit.

Andrew.

A bad check?

Well, Dad, there must have been a little confusion in my bookkeeping. I hope.

Well, $280 worth is a lot of confusion.

Where on earth do you ever get $280?

But, Dad, I haven't got $280. If I did, the check would be good.

Wouldn't it?

Well, what were you trying to do with the $280 that you haven't got? The $280

that I haven't got belongs to somebody else.

Somebody somewhere is supposed to have $280.

Now, who's that somebody?

The high school graduating class.

Oh, I see.

You're the treasurer.

Oh, no, no, no, Dad.

I'm the class president.

My daughter Polly is the class treasurer.

Dad, there's some things I can't discuss here.

We'll go into that later.

George, how much is this check short?

$14. Charge it to my account.

I don't want my son to go to the penitentiary till after he's graduated

high school.

Let me see this so -called bookkeeping of yours.

No, no, it's not here. It's over at the editorial office in school.

I'll see you later, George.

Come on.

We raised the money by assessing ourselves. The senior class executive

voted for each student to pay $7 apiece to cover the special expenses of

graduation.

$7 from each student? Uh -huh.

But, Andrew, what was it you didn't want to discuss in front of Mr. Benedict?

Well, Polly Benedict is the class treasurer. And could I tell the head of

Carville National Bank that his own daughter has no conception of finance?

But you have.

Well, maybe I got the...

Class finances mixed up with the finances for the graduation yearbook.

chairman of that committee.

I see, I see.

Andy Hardy, if I give up my lunch hour, the least you can do is be on the job to

okay the Greek gods and goddesses. I don't care what kind of clothes the

Greeks used to wear. I ain't gonna appear in public without any pants on.

McMahon, I'll have you know that the ancient Greeks didn't even know what

were. Yeah, well, maybe the ancient Greeks were at knock need.

All right, I'll be there in five minutes and fix everything.

Okay. Oh, how are you, Judge Hardy? Very well, thank you, Busy. Come on, come

on.

Just how are the ancient Greeks involved in the high school graduation?

Well, most graduations just have ordinary class day exercises, but I'm

ours in the form of a Greek tragedy.

Oh, you're also chairman of the class day exercises committee?

Well, I'm only a member, but the chairman has no initiative.

Are you doing anything else?

Yeah, I'm kind of helping the advertising committee get a few ads for

program. He pandered.

Isn't anyone else graduating this year except you?

Look, Dad, I didn't ask for all these jobs. I was drafted.

Well, I can believe that.

You've got so much energy, they know you'll get things done.

I want this just to be a magnificent graduation.

Don't you realize that graduating from high school is more important than

graduating from college?

Like, it's the first sign of approaching manhood. Didn't you feel that way when

you were a boy, Dad? Yes.

Yes, it's the most significant milestone in life.

And everybody will be there to watch us, and they'll remember how important they

felt when they were 18.

Well, we want to do ourselves proud.

You're wearing yourself out.

You certainly can't be doing much studying.

Studying? Oh, Dad, you know I don't have any trouble with exams.

Oh, excuse me, Judge Hardy. Andy, the girls have decided to wear white dresses

for graduation.

Now, they're not to cost more than $15. Must have sleeves, no gloves, and no

jewelry, and lipstick allowed within reason. Oh, that's swell, Polly.

Conservative, but with individuality. Oh, I knew you'd like it. I'll see you

later. Bye, Judge Hardy.

Isn't it just thrilling to graduate?

See here, Andy.

Don't tell me you're also chairman of the girls' dresses.

No, sir.

But... Well, the committee for what the boys are going to wear have got to know

what the girls decide, so we'll make a harmonious picture.

Well, let's get over to the bank.

Your books indicate that this $280 check should have been good.

That's easy to explain. The bank made a mistake like they always do.

Well, the bank didn't make a mistake.

So in the future, before you draw any money out, just make sure that the

you deposited are good.

Yeah, if a girl of my own class gives me her father's check for her and her

brother, I've got to believe it's good, don't I? Unless you want me to have a

suspicious nature.

Girl and her brother, eh?

What did you say their name is?

Catherine and Harry Land.

Land? Yeah.

Land, eh?

I don't believe I've ever heard you speak of them.

Well, they don't go around with our crowd very much. What do you mean? They

don't belong to your social set? That's right.

What are you, Andrew, a snob?

I know I sound pretty awful, don't I, Dad?

Well, Catherine and Harry, they're all right, but they don't go around with our

class very much. They don't go to any of our parties, for instance.

Well, perhaps because they've never been invited.

Have you ever invited one of the little shindigs at our house? No, I guess not.

You know, they're poor.

What's... I didn't invite them just because they're poor.

I mean, but, well, they don't act like they want to be invited anyplace.

Oh, I begin to understand.

Who is this father of this Steven Land?

What does he do?

I found out when my car broke down. I took it into Peter Dugan's. I found out

that he was sort of a night watchman and a car washer at Dugan's garage.

Where do they live, you know?

Mm -hmm.

Drive us there.

Why don't you let me handle this thing with the two kids, huh? Well, possibly

the expenses of all this graduation is something the Land family can't afford.

We wouldn't like to have anything like that in our country.

Oh, Dad.

Not today, not in this car. Because it's not in too good a shape. The gas is

down and, well, one of my tires is down. I have been listening to that pot

-rending story about this car. for years.

But it seems to me that you always manage to get where you want to go.

You drive us the land home.

Just a

minute,

Andy.

Have these land children been given any prominence in your graduation plans?

Well, Dad, I don't see Catherine and Harry very much at school. She's taking

commercial course, you know, typing, shorthand, bookkeeping.

Well, that's fine.

She's just the person to help you with your bookkeeping.

And as for Harry Land, you see that he gets a nice part in your graduation

activities. Oh, Dad, I've got a swell job for Harry. You leave it to me. I'm

going to fix Harry up good.

All right, Andrew, I'll leave it to you because I'm going to check up on you.

Who's that singing?

That's Catherine. She's always singing.

That's a lovely voice.

Her voice is all right, but does she have to sing grand opera instead of

Well, maybe she prefers grand opera instead of music.

Oh. Oh, hello, Andrew.

Hello.

Well, Catherine, this is my dad, Miss Land.

My dad. How do you do?

How do you do?

May we come in? Oh, please do, Judge Hardy.

It's Judge Hardy, Harry.

My brother, Harry.

How do you do, Judge Hardy?

You know Andrew Hardy, of course.

Yeah, I know Andrew Hardy.

I'm helping Catherine with the lunch dishes, and no cracks, please.

Oh, I help my mom with our dishes, too.

Very frequently.

As a punishment.

Is your father about?

I think so. I think he's outside.

He's in the backyard. Shall I call him? No, no, no. I'll go outside to him.

Son will do me good. Dad, I'll go with you.

Andrew, I thought you had something to say to Catherine and Harry about some

work they had to do for the graduation, didn't you?

Oh, yes. I forgot.

Well,

Andrew, this is a great honor.

Catherine, I want to... What did you come here for, Hardy?

Oh, me? Oh, I just came with my father. Snooping on the Lamb family home?

Yes, Andrew. Are you snooping?

Look, I'd appreciate it if you'd consider me as president of the

class instead of a human being. Ha, ha.

Harry's a little envious of you, Andrew.

But if there's anything we can do for commencement, well, graduating is just

big a thing to us as it is to you, and even more so.

I guess you know what I mean. Oh, Catherine, I've got an awful lot of work

do, and I'm pretty bad at bookkeeping. Well, you've studied up to be a

stenographer in bookkeeping and everything like that. Sure, Kath. Help

and he'll give you a swell title.

Chairman of the committee that does all of Andrew Hardy's work, and he gets all

the credit.

Oh, Harry's only teasing you, Andrew.

Suppose I acted as your secretary.

Hmm? Oh, I'd be grateful for the chance.

My secretary?

My own private secretary. Oh, boy, that'd be great. Sure, it'd be great.

In the meantime, what am I supposed to do for dear old Carmel High?

Oh, Harry, I've got one of the most important jobs of graduation for you. In

fact, it's spectacular.

I'm going to appoint you chairman of the committee for decorating the

auditorium. I might have known.

You can't get anybody else to take that on because it's the meanest job in the

whole setup.

There'll be an appropriation of about $4, and the chairman is responsible for

decorating that big, ugly barn.

I'm going to fool you.

I'm going to do it.

You know, Andrew, if it weren't for you, I'd be a lot more important around

Carvel High. I'm not going to kid myself.

This graduation will be the last high spot I'll have before I go to work.

I want my name on it somewhere.

I'm awfully sorry you feel that way toward me, Harry.

I'm sorry I feel that way, too.

But sometimes you folks on the other side of town give me a pain in the neck.

You know, Harry's very conservative today, Andrew.

Consider it a tribute to your charm.

Oh, thanks.

And I've been afraid that if you two ever got together, he'd beat you over

head with a blunt instrument.

Well, I'm going to have another cup of coffee. Want one?

Yes, sure.

It'll be all right. Oh, sure it'll be all right. I wouldn't poison you in my

house. My father might not like it.

Yes, Judge.

If you'd come to Paris a couple of years ago, that folder would have been an

open sesame to an intelligent travel service.

Even to a place in Constantinople where they had real American waffles and maple

syrup. American tourist agency.

Stephen Land, proprietor, all languages spoken.

Then the Americans stopped wanting waffles in Constantinople?

Americans stopped.

I could see what was going to happen, so I fled with Catherine and Harry.

I saved a little money, and this place belongs to my foster uncle.

But from what happened to that check of mine...

A man with your qualifications willing to wash cars in a... My qualifications?

On parle toutes les langues.

I speak nine languages, including the Portuguese.

Portuguese?

You make Portuguese sounds, though it's very important.

Why, you try getting along without it in Portugal or Brazil.

I'll be all right, Judge.

The children graduate in a week.

I was determined to give them that. It means a lot to children.

They're a fine pair. The best. They can't wait to get out on their own and

things easier.

I've taken care of that check of yours.

That is letting such times things get a little easier for you.

Thank you for adding that.

You mind if I use your telephone?

Sorry, we haven't one.

Hi, Dad.

It's time for school. We're leaving.

And then I'll drop you off.

Now, you come along with me, will you, Mr. Land? I'm anxious to get to a

telephone because I've got an idea that I think might interest you.

Well, Johnny Hardy, when I watched those three youngsters of ours walk into that

fine, big, free high school together, I realized what was wrong with the United

States of America.

What?

Absolutely nothing.

Well, I guess we better stop and put up the top.

Listen to me, Tom.

I wonder what Andrew does in the rain.

Something like this, I guess.

Seemed to have blown out a tire.

Sure.

Tires always blow when it rains.

Bet that tire's been okay for 50 ,000 miles, just waiting for me in a

Well, I'm the garage man around here.

So guess I'll have a go at fixing it.

Well, let's try it once more.

One, two, three.

Now we're pulled a clear off for that.

Believe it or not, my son takes those wheels off 20 times a day.

Well, we can't get wetter than we are.

Let's go in on the rim.

have to bother about that tire anymore.

Well, I couldn't get any wetter.

I'll hike for help.

Thank you, Mr. Dugan, for the costume.

I'd like to use your phone, if you don't mind.

Sure, Judge.

I'll get you a report on Andrew's car.

Now, I guess I look pretty silly.

You do, but we don't want you to catch cold.

Maybe I can do something more than just appreciate your kindness.

Hello, operator.

This is Judge Hardy talking.

I want to speak to Mr. J .O. Harper in the State Department at Washington, D

I'll just charge you to my phone. Thank you.

What other qualifications have you that might be saleable?

Well, I paint a little and know something about music. My daughter

know, and that's about all. Nothing very practical.

Hello, Mr. Harper.

This is Judge Hardy.

How are you?

Now, in connection with our activities in South America, could you use a man

spent the last ten years in Europe, speaks nine languages, including

I see.

Very well. You write me a letter with all information about Mr. Land, and I'll

do my best.

Goodbye, sir. Yeah.

Well, he says your Portuguese will be valuable because of Brazil. Well, I'm

overwhelmed.

Nothing's happened yet.

And we'll send a letter to Washington and convince the government that they

cannot get along without you. I'll do it right away.

I've got to get back to my courtroom.

But dressed like that?

Well, maybe I had better stop at the house and change.

Hello, high school?

I want to speak to Andrew Harder. You'll find him in the editorial room.

Hello? Andrew?

It stopped raining. I want you to go home, get the sedan, and pick me up at

Peter Dugan's place.

Well, I had a little trouble with that automobile of yours.

Well, Dad, if you did any damage to that car, you're going to have to pay for

it. The car was in absolute perfect condition when I turned it over to you.

Oh, that's better.

Bye.

I've got to pick up my dad. Where was I there?

Young Orestes is talking to Cleo.

Orestes with feeling.

Cleo, it's not that I... Young Orestes with feeling.

Cleo, it's not that I... No, no, don't take this down now because I want to see

how it sounds first.

It's not that I have suddenly become aware of your charms.

No, my dear girl.

I'll always remember that first stolen kiss.

That one... Wonderful moment as we walked through the woods.

Ah, another kiss, my love.

Catherine Land!

Andrew Hardy, if you're going to make love to girls in the school building,

kindly lower your voice so as not to set a bad example to the younger students.

I wasn't making love to Catherine. Why, that's the last thing in the world I

think of doing is making love to Catherine. Oh, thank you.

Oh, I didn't mean that that way. Oh, you didn't, didn't you?

Catherine is my private secretary.

Private secretary?

Oh, well, that's a new one, isn't it? Don't worry about Andrew and me, Polly.

He's not my type.

Oh, that's a fine thing to say about the president of the senior class.

Say, what is this?

Have you been taking Catherine for walks through the woods?

Well, that was only dialogue for our Greek tragedy. I was dictating it to

Catherine. She was taking it down in shorthand. Well, she wasn't taking

in shorthand when I came in. I told her not to take it down until I heard how it

sounded. Well, it sounded pretty funny to me.

Mr. President, my committee is having a fight.

Evelyn Thompson says that all the girls should wear the same shade of silk

stockings with their graduation dresses, but I think that's just silly.

However, somebody has to decide.

All shades of silk stockings look pretty good to me.

Andrew Hardy!

I didn't mean that.

What do you think about the stocking situation, Catherine?

Well, for my part, I'm not wearing any stockings.

But you're right, Polly, it is silly.

Well, that's what I meant to say, Polly.

Well, I'll tell the committee you decided.

Private secretary, huh?

Next thing you'll be telling me you have to work nights.

Where was I?

You were about to pick up your father.

Oh, gosh, I gotta run. I got so many things to do yet.

Well, I'll straighten out the bank accounts and type what you dictated and

the yearbook proofs. Oh, with you around, Catherine, I feel 20 years

I'll see you tomorrow.

Take a letter.

Senior class.

The committee for the graduation costumes, masculine, has decided that

shall wear blue coats with white flannel pants.

Signed, Andrew Hardy, chairman.

Oh, goodbye.

Perhaps some of the boys might not have white flannels. Well, let them buy them.

It won't cost them more than about five or six bucks.

I don't think my brother would want to ask his father for five or six bucks.

I'm sorry, Catherine.

I guess I forgot that some people are kind of having it tough.

Tough? Us?

Certainly not.

We think we're lucky.

My father's kept us going so Harry and I could graduate from high school.

And we're terribly grateful.

Gee, you talk as if graduating was the end of everything.

Yes, the end of one world and the beginning of a new one.

Especially now that we're back in America.

Different than Europe, huh?

Different. You don't know how lucky you are living here all your life.

You know, Harry and I feel that now we're going to be somebody.

Do you know what I'm going to do after graduation?

Work your way through college?

College.

Harry and I never dared dream of college.

Now, I'm going to the city and get a job.

You mean that you're going to take the burden of supporting you off of your

father? More than that, we're going to start paying him back.

Paying your own father back?

Naturally, we want to repay him for what he spent, as well as the care and

inspiration he's always given us.

You know, you're kind of a new kind of girl to me.

Maybe I could... Maybe I could fix it so Harry could get his new white flannel

pants, huh?

That's very sweet of you, Andrew, but I don't think Harry would accept things

from you of all people.

Well, maybe you could figure a way out so he wouldn't know.

Gee, I... I think you could figure out almost anything.

That's a bet.

I'm not too proud to want my brother happy.

Thanks.

You're swell, Andrew.

Your father's waiting.

Yeah.

You! You bigamist, you!

Here I am, Dad.

That is you, isn't it, Dad?

Well, of course it's me.

Aren't you a little early for Halloween?

My clothes got drenched.

You look awfully foolish, Slim.

Well, you better take a look at yourself.

Making jokes, huh?

No wonder Polly Benedict called me a bigamist.

Bigamist?

Isn't that Polly's lipstick?

I'd rather not explain. I'm as innocent as a newborn babe, but I don't expect

anybody to believe me.

Judge, about this car.

Would you step this way, please?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Oh.

Judge, this jalopy isn't safe.

Isn't safe.

Dad, what did you do to my perfectly good car?

Well, nothing much. It just wouldn't steer.

Wouldn't steer.

Oh, it can be made to run, but it'll be a public menace. That isn't true.

Dad, you just don't know how to handle that car.

It has to be nursed along.

Well, I wouldn't let my son risk his life in it. Mr. Dugan, please.

Well, I've always had my suspicions of this car.

No, son, you better let it go.

I can't.

Going without a car is like going without knives and forks. It's like

meat with your fingers.

Mr. Dugan, how much is this car worth in the second -hand market?

About two dollars to the junk man.

To the junk man?

Why, that motor's hardly broken in yet.

Well, Judge, it's your problem.

Dad, you wouldn't want your son to graduate from high school on foot, would

I'm sorry, Emmett.

You're rather precious to your mother and me.

No, Son, you'll have to get rid of this.

For years I've been hearing about the advantages of being 18.

Now I might as well be living in the dark ages.

I remember one thing I did promise you, Andrew.

I said when you graduated from high school, I'd buy you an automobile.

Oh, boy, oh, boy.

So let's see what Mr. Dugan can recommend.

My dad, if all the people you ever sent to jail only knew what a sympathetic

soul you really have.

Well, what do you say to this one? Dad, now I know why Mom married you.

Open the big doors, Mr. Dugan. I'm going to drive it out right away.

Not this one. This is promised. But I'll have your car here for you, say,

Saturday of next week. Will it be exactly like this one? Unless you'd

have red leather seats.

Red leather seats.

Oh, my gosh. All my life I've been waking up in the middle of the night

about a car with red leather seats. I'll send a wire to the factory.

Dad, suppose the factory burns down before they get my car finished.

I wouldn't worry about that.

Oh, I'm not worried about it. My father buying me a new car, my private

secretary doing all my work for me. Oh, I'm sitting pretty.

As we begin this final ordeal of your high school careers, I'm privileged to

make an important announcement.

The governor of this state, John F. Spalding, who once attended this high

school, last night authorized me to announce an annual award to that

student who represents the highest standards of scholarship and

A prize of $25 in cash.

and the winner's name to be inscribed on a perpetual trophy which will hang in

the high school auditorium.

Good luck, all of you.

Miss Forrest, you may proceed with the bad news.

Harry, come here a minute.

A message came in a while ago. You're to go to Judge Hardy's courtroom as soon

as you finish.

Your father's there.

Is anything wrong?

I don't think so, but I'd hurry.

Yes, ma 'am.

Oh, where's Harry?

Still nothing done about fixing up this dump. If your brother's going to be

chairman for the decorating of the auditorium committee, you ought to start

decorate the auditorium.

What memorandums have I got for today, huh?

You were going to write a yearbook ad for the Eagle Hand Laundry. Oh, yes, I

dashed something out during English exam.

Here it is.

It's the Eagle Hand Laundry, 156 Park Street.

Why kill your wife? Let us do your dirty work.

Why, is it that funny, Catherine?

It's a better ad than a serious one. It'll be talked about.

What else?

The plastic committee reports they can't make a statue of the goddess of grief

out of chicken wire and plaster of Paris.

Joe Costello's got some real marble statues over at his place right across

street from the cemetery.

But wouldn't it cost a lot to move one here?

Cost? Tell Joe Costello to deliver it free and we'll give him a free ad in the

program. A lot of folks that'll be reading the program will be dead next

and they'll need monuments.

Well, that's all the memos I have.

Thanks, Catherine.

Thanks a lot.

Let me thank you.

Graduation meant a lot to me before, but now you've let me have a real part in

it.

Well, uh... Did you think that the English exam was tough?

No more than we had a right to expect.

It's fine time for a chairman to show up. I resign.

Resign? What?

Oh, no, Harry. Catherine, things are happening. Dad's going to South America

work for the government.

South America? Judge Hardy just got a letter. He arranged it. Dad's got to

for Washington Thursday, then to South America, and we go with him. Well, of

course we go with him. It's marvelous.

It's marvelous, isn't it, Andrew?

Yeah, sure, sure.

Just think, we owe it all to your father.

Oh, but you can't leave Thursday.

Well, why not?

Well...

Yes, I see. Yeah, and we were supposed to graduate Friday night.

Well, I guess we don't graduate.

You don't graduate?

That'd be simply awful.

State Department orders leave Thursday.

I'll admit it's quite a shock not being here for commencement.

But what's a silly graduation compared to Dad's getting a wonderful opportunity

like this?

So there's nothing more to be said.

We leave Thursday and love it. That's absolutely true, Andrew. While we're due

at the courthouse, Dad's there. Come on.

Harry, I'll send you your diplomas in South America if you pass.

If we pass?

Listen, you can also send me that $25 prize money and a photograph of the

Governor's Trophy with my name on it. Sure, if you win it. I'm going to win

Harry, I honestly hope you do win it because I know how much it means to you

being here for graduation.

You know, you two are putting on a swell act and you might be able to fool an

adult, but I'm only as old as you are and I can see right through you.

Well, I have to put on a better act and fool everybody.

And thanks for what you said about me winning the governor's prize, Andy.

all right. It was darn nice of you to say so, even though you really don't

me to win it. Oh, there's nobody else I'd rather see win the prize than you

to me.

Oh, the prize doesn't matter.

The important thing is to make Dad realize how proud and happy we are for

So give us a big grin, mister.

And a big grin yourself.

Beat this one down.

South America, here we come.

Can I kiss you?

Tell me all about it. Can't we leave for South America right this very minute?

Well, well.

Got that Washington telegram ready? It is. Read it out. I'll make a clean copy.

All right. Here we go.

J .O. Harper.

State Department.

Washington, D .C.

Mailing passport applications tonight.

For self, daughter Catherine, son Harry.

Thursday. Please confirm.

Stephen V. Land.

Here we are.

What kind of language is that to use to a man of my age?

Dad said his Portuguese clenched the deal and so I said you in Portuguese.

God bless you for the rest of your life, Judge Hardy.

Thank you, my dear.

Where are those passport applications?

Yeah.

Each of you, fill out one of these.

Here, Harry, you hurry over to the telegraph office for this wire.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I'll take it. I've got a lot of things to do with you

two going away.

Andy, I'll work like a dog in that auditorium. Right up the last minute.

you'll have your private secretary on the job until train time Thursday.

Yeah, sure, you'll help until I really get busy. I know sooner get an efficient

organization built up and the United States foreign policy knocks it for a

Send the wire.

That looks like the total of your new job, Barnes.

You find Mr. Dugan a good boss.

Well, with me, a bad boss is a good boss as long as every Saturday's payday.

And remember, there's a funny thing about jobs. Once you actually get a job,

seems easier to get a better one. Look at me.

I'm looking at you, and you're terrific.

I'll be ready to leave in a minute. Hello, Andrew. How are you, sir? Andy

got a mess of work cleaned up since dinner. Come on, Daddy, let's go home

start packing.

Will that graduation dress go good on a boat you wait? Sure, we can't hold up

the Monroe Doctrine if you haven't got an evening dress.

And did you send up that telegram all right? Oh, yeah, sure.

You got an answer all right, didn't you? I mean, it said please confirm as to

when you were leaving Carville, didn't it? We can't expect an answer till

tomorrow. Oh, here are the keys, Vaughn. You lock up the showroom at nine o

'clock. Right.

Well, I gotta run.

Thanks a lot. Goodbye.

Wait a minute. We'll all go together.

I can't.

I've got a date with my mother. She wants me to have a special graduation

picture taken.

Goodbye.

It's the same cap and gown your father wore, but you don't look the same.

Mom, we're not going to graduate in caps and gowns, you know. Well, I don't see

why not. Your father did. Look what a fine man he turned out to be.

Maybe I ought to wear a black mustache, too, huh?

Well, you can when you go to college.

Mom, they don't wear black mustaches anymore.

Well, I don't blame them. I made your father cut his off.

Go ahead, Mr. Pizzini.

Go and hold still and watch for the little birdie.

This is 1941.

You don't have to hold still.

And there isn't any little birdie. There never was when I was a girl, either.

Now, Andrew.

Andy, couldn't you have more of a twinkle in your eye like your father?

More of a twinkle, huh?

Is that what you want, Mrs. Hardy?

Not exactly.

But these things always turn out different from what you think, don't

Just relax and be natural.

That's it.

Well, let's go, Mom. I've got something I want to say to you. I'll go over the

proof tomorrow. Goodbye, Mr. Bissini. Goodbye.

Oh, Mom, look, you run ahead. I want to leave this here with Mr. Bissini.

Mr. Bassini, look, don't show anybody those proofs, will you please? I mean,

make up the final proof, the picture for my mother, but then take the negative

and tear it up into little pieces, huh? I will.

My mother once had my picture taken in long blonde curls and velvet pants.

Oh, my gosh.

Well, thanks a lot. Bye -bye. That's all. Goodbye.

What was it you wanted to ask me?

Well, it's something I can't talk to Dad about.

Well, I'm very flattered, dear, and proud.

Yeah, well, Mom, I want to buy somebody a present.

Oh, a graduation present for Polly Benedict?

No, no, this is for Catherine Land.

Catherine Land?

Yeah.

Oh, yes, Land.

Those nice people your dad was talking about at dinner.

Yeah.

Catherine's been my private secretary. She's been helping me with a little

and the other day the girls were discussing what kind of silk stockings

were going to wear for commencement, and Catherine said she wasn't going to wear

any.

Oh, I think I understand.

Yeah, well, it's because they're kind of poor.

But I wanted to get Catherine some silk stockings, you know.

Let me tell you something, Mom. Silk stockings are very important to females.

Oh, is that so?

But I thought the Landshul room were going to leave town before commencement.

Well, don't you think she ought to have a pair of silk stockings anyway, you

know, for an emergency?

Well, I don't think anything would make her happier.

And you're short of a little ready money.

No, no, no, no, no, no. I got the cash.

Just that I feel sort of funny about going into a store and asking for

silk stockings.

Andrew Hardy, you're blushing.

Oh, I'm ashamed of you. My goodness, this is 1941 with short skirts and

And you were always saying that your father and I are behind the times.

You're just an old -fashioned little boy, after all.

Me, old -fashioned? Why, you never saw a more modern person in your life.

I don't even live in the present.

I belong to the future.

My goodness, I'm late meeting your father.

I'll see you later. Oh, to your swell, Mom.

And this is 1941.

A fellow can just walk right into a store and say, let me see some ladies'

stockings and no monkey business.

Something in ladies' lingerie?

Uh, uh, this is 1941.

I beg your pardon?

Something in ladies' hoes.

Don't you got any men clerks? Men clerks?

Yeah, you know, men's sales girls.

Oh, I'm afraid not.

But what can I show you?

A pair of suspenders.

Suspenders? Oh, in the men's department over there.

Thanks, madam.

Something I can show you, sir? Oh, uh, yes. I'd like to buy some girls'

stockings for a girl.

I understand perfectly.

Lots of gentlemen prefer me to wait on them, especially in these private little

purchases. This is for my private secretary.

Yes, yes, of course.

What size, quality, and shade of hosiery?

Well, about a medium size, I guess, and a nice shade so she could wear them for

commencement. And of the best quality, but not more than a dollar and a half,

please. Right, sir. In a jiffy, sir.

Andrew Hardy, what are you trying to do? Oh, hello, Polly.

Uh,

no thanks. I don't think I'll buy the tennis racket just now.

Come on, let's go.

But I have to buy some things from Mother. That can wait. It's too nice a

to waste indoors, Polly. Oh, it is a lovely moonlight night out, but first

me do my shopping. No, no, no, we've got to hurry. Pretty soon the moon will go

down in back of the factory chimney and, well, it's...

You know, I haven't seen very much of you lately, and I'm just dying for one

those long walks home through the woods.

Oh, you're so sweet, Andy, but I just... I love you very much, and there isn't a

minute to lose.

Oh, you darling.

Oh,

just a minute, sir.

Your package, sir.

That'll be a dollar and a half.

If I had a private secretary as pretty as you, young lady, I'd buy her silk

stockings, too. There you are. Private secretary?

Silk stockings?

Andrew Hardy. Well, it was only in common gratitude. Catherine was very

reasonable about working nights.

Working nights?

You... You... You murderer, you!

You know, that graduation might have made me famous.

500 people would have looked up on that platform and said, who's that good

-looking guy without any white pants?

Stop reminding me of it, please.

I haven't exactly been deceived, you know.

Too bad you brats had to do years of work and then miss the one great moment

glory. Oh, we don't mind.

It would have been a very big moment, but only a moment.

Besides, now I can be a lady of leisure instead of a working girl.

Someday I'm going to make it up to you.

It's time to administer Dad's special treatment.

Forte di primavera.

Come in. The door's open.

Windows were made before the doors.

Good evening, everybody.

Oh, uh, Catherine.

Speaking in purely a business way, of course. You don't mind, Hardy. I'm not

any mood to listen to the big class president tonight.

Harry likes to growl, Andrew. Yeah.

Catherine, I, uh... I, uh... Catherine, I brought you a

present. A present?

Open it up.

See what it is. It's what all the girls are going to wear on Friday night.

Clark. Hmm?

Because of what I said to you and Polly?

Mm -hmm.

Well, uh, my mom said it'd be all right.

Why, of course it'll be all right.

You know, you're a funny boy, Andrew.

I didn't particularly like you once, but now... No, no, no.

Don't kiss me.

Please don't kiss me.

No matter how much you like silk stockings, please don't kiss me.

You'd no sooner kiss me like a sister than I'll bet you Polly Benedict would

looking in through the window.

I guess it's a little bit too late to start being careful.

But every time Polly gets jealous of me, she always likes me better than ever

after she gets over it.

Of course, I will admit this is the furthest I've ever gone.

I won't misunderstand.

These are just a present from the boss to his secretary.

And even if I won't be here for commencement... Oh, there's the bell.

answer it.

Telegram, Miss Lambert.

Dad, Harry, it's here.

The telegram's here.

Oh, boy, open it up. Open it up and get the good news.

Under

circumstances,

we must withdraw offer.

Cancel all arrangements.

J .O. Harper.

Dad. Mm -hmm?

I believe the first time we ever had a man -to -man talk was in Catalina,

it, when I needed five bucks?

Yes, for that very unpleasant little girl.

Hard to believe that there was ever a time when five bucks would solve all the

troubles I was ever in.

You'll find out that $5 worth of last year's troubles are never as serious as

cents worth of today's.

At that rate, I'm 90 years old this minute.

is it this time?

Oh, well, Mr. Land got a telegram from Washington.

Catherine's outside this minute.

Huh? I mean, well, she doesn't know any more about this yet than you do.

Well, if bringing Catherine in here will make this mystery any more intelligent.

That's what I mean. Maybe she won't get so mad in front of you, and maybe you

won't get so mad in front of her.

I don't know. Wait a minute, will you?

Good evening, Judge Hardy.

Has Andrew told you about that horrible telegram?

Horrible telegram?

Well, that was the telegram that Mr. Land got telling him to call the whole

South American trip off. Well, that's impossible.

Of course.

There's been some wretched mistake.

No mistake. I jimmed the whole thing up. And all I did was change one little

word in the telegram to Mr. Harper. You changed... Dad's wire?

Yeah, sure. Mr. Harper didn't know the graduation was on Friday, and so I

changed the leaving date from Thursday to Saturday.

Oh, Andrew, you didn't. How dare you? Well, I thought that Catherine and Harry

wanted to be home for commencement.

Gee, I didn't think that two days was going to make any difference.

After all, the State Department is still going to be open, and South America is

still going to be there on Saturday, isn't it? But this is a trade commission

sailing to South America in a group.

Get me Mr. J .O. Harper of the State Department in Washington, D .C., or his

home, and hurry.

I can't understand your sense of values, jeopardizing anything as serious as

this.

Please, Judge Harney, it's a little my fault.

Perhaps I gave Andrew the impression that our graduating was too important.

Yes, that's it, Catherine, that's it. That's it, Dad. I didn't know that two

days was going to make such a difference that it would... Yes?

Well, the instant you get in touch with Mr. Harper, ask him to telephone Judge

Hardy in Carville.

Mr. Harper's out of town. They don't expect to hear from him until Thursday.

But we're supposed to leave on Thursday.

Gently, my dear, gently.

I have a double responsibility because it was my own son's mistake.

I'd better go home. Dad's waiting.

Oh, Catherine, wait, wait, wait.

Catherine, you don't have to tell your dad and Harry that it was me that did

do you?

Because they'll only hate me.

And everything's going to be all right.

Absolutely everything's going to be all right, isn't it, Dad?

Catherine, explain to your father there's been a misunderstanding. But if

humanly possible, I'll clarify things.

Thank you. Thank you, Judge Hardy. Good night.

Wait a minute, will you? Good night, Andrew.

No, no, no, don't say it like that.

I was only trying to help, and if it had worked out, everybody would have said I

was a hero.

Sure they would.

Well, you know, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you or Harry or your father.

Honest, you're the swellest girl I ever met in my life.

You're so swell that I never even once thought about trying to kiss you, and

that's the first time it ever happened to me in my life.

That's why it was all right for me to take the stockings.

Good night. We'll hope for the best.

There's no sense in scolding you now.

But no matter how this works out, when it's over, I'll have a great deal to say

to you.

Come on, we're going to be late for class day rehearsal. Wait a minute, wait

minute. How's your father feeling?

Well, he's holding on tight with both hands, hoping your father will be able

locate Mr. Harper by tomorrow.

Hmm. Uh, Harry doesn't know that I was...

remotely connected with a telegram, does he? He has no suspicion.

Yeah, that's good, because I'd look awful funny playing Apollo, the god of

and manly beauty with a couple of black eyes.

Come on, let's go to work on the Greeks.

All ready, everybody?

All ready!

Act two, scene seven. Let's go.

Light!

Curtain!

Alas, there is no loveliness in life.

Ah, woe is me.

Ah, Cassandra.

If thou were free, wouldst thou spurn my love?

I am but thy mother's slave.

Tis death we are found together.

Death? I would defend thee to my last gasp.

Mother!

Olympus in time to stop them from stabbing Polly.

Bebe, take it again, and this time you'll stop your caves and then bring

Apollo as fast as you can.

Go ahead and try it again. Claribel, your last line.

There is the wanton.

Slaves, you all do your duty.

Stop your caddis!

Apollo! Apollo, the god of youth and manly beauty!

Who art thou, and what wouldst thou do to this fair maiden of Athens?

And this fair maid... Oh, wait a minute, Basie.

Clarabelle, when Apollo comes down on a cloud, why, you've got to be scared. I'm

the Greek God.

But, Annie, honey, I can't be scared. You look so cute.

Annie, honey, cute.

Don't you realize when a Greek got his characters into such trouble he couldn't

get them out, down from the heavens, a Greek God Apollo would come on a machine

and fix everything up.

I'm the Greek God Apollo. You've got to be scared of me.

Well, maybe so. But that curly beard is just too adorable.

I know I'm going to laugh.

Oh, fellas, quiet down. Quiet, please.

Hey, Beezy.

Here's your sign.

Beezy, are you crazy?

Mr. Costello said no sign, no statue, and I gave him my word of honor.

Susan!

Susan Wiley!

Here I am, Andy. Susan, I'm going to give you a big part in the play.

In fact, I'm creating this part especially for you. There, now you stand

and you hold your hand out like that through the entire performance. What

do I speak?

Oh, Andrew.

Your Aunt Miss Forrest is here.

She wants to see you right away. She's out in the outer office.

She says it's confidential.

Oh.

Oh, okay, keep on going. Pretend that Apollo is still on the cloud and

being scared till I get back.

Hello, Aunt Mellie.

What's so important and confidential?

Oh, now, look, don't laugh at me. I may be risking my standing with the girls in

this town, but Apollo still had the best part.

Sit down, Andrew.

Well, I don't think I have time, Aunt Millie. I... I just finished marking the

English examination papers.

Say, I guess I wasn't so good in that English exam, huh? Must have got at

a C.

D, it'd be pretty bad.

It's worse than that.

You failed in English.

Failed in English?

I couldn't mark you any better than an F.

But if I fail in English, that means I... That means I can't graduate.

No.

You can't.

But I've got to graduate. I'm the president of the senior class.

Oh, I tried desperately to give you a higher mark.

You know I tried, Andy.

I strained every point to give you a D that would pass you.

But I just couldn't.

I thought you should know now.

So you can tell your father today.

Me tell Dad?

Yes.

Tomorrow morning, Mr. Davis will read the final standings to the class.

And your father, without any warning at all, might have everybody in town

bringing him the news.

Yeah.

That'd just about kill him, too.

It's going to kill him anyway.

You're right. I'd better tell him myself.

I wish I could say something to make it easier.

You know I'd do anything to help.

Yeah, I know.

I know.

You'd do anything that was... that wasn't cheating to pull me through.

I don't deserve to have a good family.

I'm not going back in the auditorium there and let them see me like this.

I'm going to sneak outside, go back to the dressing rooms and get dressed.

Will you tell my private secretary, tell Catherine that I've got some important

family matters to attend to and that she's to go on ahead.

She knows what to do.

You know, sometimes I...

Think that girl's smarter than I am.

Dad?

Well, Andrew, you better begin making up your mind about going to college in

September.

Why do I have to go to college? I know all I'll ever need to know.

I'm too small to play football.

That's one way of looking at it.

What's the matter?

Cheer up, cheer up.

We may hear from Mr. Hopper yet.

That isn't it.

I've done something awful.

It's all my fault, too.

What's the matter? For the first time in my life, I've... Murdered somebody?

No, I got an F in English.

F.

Well, that's pretty low, isn't it?

It's terribly, terribly low.

Isn't English a required subject?

Gotta have at least a D to pass.

Well, then you won't.

You mean to tell me that you've failed to pass your final examinations?

Well, I've been trying to tell you gently.

What on earth happened to you?

I was feeling all right when I went into the classroom, and then I started to

think about the yearbook and blue coats and white pants.

And when I started to do the questions instead of knowing the answers, I got

mixed up with the graduation dresses and the god of youth and manly beauty.

I just couldn't concentrate.

And why?

Because you've been so impressed with all the incidental pomp and splendor of

graduation that you neglected entirely the fundamental realities beneath.

You've been so fascinated with all the glitter, you didn't bother about the

gold. I guess you're right.

I know you're right.

If you could only appreciate that no matter how much you're disappointed with

me, the bottom's dropped out of my whole life.

And man to man, if you could only realize how terribly I feel.

I'll take any kind of punishment you want to give me and think it's not good

enough. Man to man, you say?

No, no.

No, this isn't a man to man matter.

This is father to son.

Last week, you blithely couldn't decide about going to college, and I was

willing to be reasonable.

But not any longer.

From now on, you're going to do as I say.

You're going back to high school in September, you're going to do your

year all over again, and you're going to graduate next June with flying colors,

or I'll know the reason why.

Yes, sir.

A whole year of your life wasted, lost forever.

James, Andrew, in the tree.

Yes, sir, coming, Emily. Dad, Dad, I don't have to go down, do I? Your

got to know about this sooner or later.

And I'm particularly anxious that you see how this is going to hurt her, too.

So, come on.

I declare all day long I've had the funniest feeling that Marion wasn't

Now I remember she's been in New York since Sunday.

Andrew.

James, Andrew's ill.

Yes, Emily, he's very ill.

But it's an illness of his soul.

Sit down, please.

Well, it seems we have some bad news.

If you please, can I tell it? I would prefer that.

Come over here and tell Mother.

If you don't mind, I'd prefer to sit right here where I am.

It would be much easier on you and on me, too.

You sit right where you are and take your time.

I'm not going to graduate.

I failed in English.

You failed in...

Oh,

is that all?

When I was in school, I guess that would have been pretty serious, but nowadays

I... I'm sure it's not nearly so.

Boy, it's just as important, more important.

Dad, tell her how bad it is. Tell her how mad you are with me, and then you

holler at me.

James. Oh, I'm not going to holler. There isn't anything more I can say.

You see the tears in your mother's eyes.

Andrew, mothers shed a great many tears over their sons, mostly in private.

I'm not worth it.

I'm all right.

I was just thinking about your disappointment.

Well, everybody, dinner's getting cold.

Well, son, I imagine that you're not very hungry, so if you want to go to

room, I think we can excuse you.

Yes, I'd like to do that. Excuse me, Mom.

Excuse me, Aunt Millie.

Excuse me, Dad.

Who is it?

It's Mother. I brought you something to eat.

I don't want anything to eat, Mom. No, you must eat, even if you're not hungry.

Though I don't know why. Your stomach certainly ought to know what it wants.

Oh, Mom. If it's for me, whoever it is, tell them I'm in bed asleep. No, don't

worry.

Andrew, about your father, you ought to try and look at his side of this. It

isn't really that he's angry with you, but he himself is hurt.

I don't blame him. If he's half as hurt as I am, he's in pretty bad shape.

It's Catherine Land on the telephone.

She says if you're still tied up... You didn't tell her anything, did you, Dad?

No. She says she'll carry on with everything and see you at 9 o 'clock in

morning. 9 o 'clock in the morning.

Dad, couldn't I get away from here for a few days, out of town? Get as far away

from civilization as possible without it costing too much?

Why?

Well, tomorrow morning the senior class is going to meet to hear the standings,

and then everybody will know about me, and then there'll be class day,

commencement. Well, you'll have to come back sooner or later.

And I've learned the longer you put off something that's unpleasant, the harder

it is when you finally have to face the music.

have here your standings on the final examinations.

In the light of these, the faculty will today decide the winner of the

governor's prize for scholarship and citizenship.

I shall post these results immediately on the bulletin board.

This class has made a fine record.

Only one of you has failed to meet our final scholastic requirements.

That is all.

Mr. Davies.

May I say something to the class, please?

Why, certainly, Andrew.

Thank you.

Members of the senior class, I want to say something.

I was the only one that didn't pass.

Oh, no.

And now I want to tender my resignation as president

of the senior class.

Now that I'm not going to have anything more to do with anything, I guess I'll

run along.

Andrew, wait a minute.

Gee, this is a rotten deal.

There's nothing much we can do about it.

The best thing for you to do would be to get your job done.

You haven't even started the decorations yet.

I worked all night on those designs.

Andrew!

It isn't fair.

The teacher who flunked me out was my own Aunt Millie.

So you can imagine how bad I was.

Andrew, can't we do something about this? You're one of the brightest boys

the class.

There must be something wrong with me.

You kids are so swell.

But I kind of want to be by myself now.

One to the city, please. Round trip?

No, just one way. I may stay a little while with some friends.

The next train is the express, isn't it?

Happy looking, Buggy, eh?

Yeah. First one I've seen with these hot red leather seats.

Yeah. The top goes up and down when you push a button, don't it?

Easier than falling out of bed.

Could I try it once, please? I wouldn't hurt it.

Sure.

Right -hand knob on the dashboard.

Thanks.

Pretty convenient.

If you're driving along on a beautiful night with your best girl and decide to

park for a while, maybe the moonlight's too bright for your eyes. So, presto,

snug as a bug in a rug.

Yeah.

Snappy looking little buggy.

Thanks.

No, Andrew must not have any special consideration. But it isn't special

consideration, is it, Harry? Here, read this again, Miss Forrest, please.

Oh, gee, that's great. We still got to sell the idea to Mr. Davis. But we

couldn't do it without you as our expert witness.

Miss Catherine Lamb?

Yes. A package and this letter for you. Thank you.

It's Andy's handwriting.

Harry, look.

Well, I'll be darned.

Let me see that letter.

Don't you realize what this means?

He's running away?

Yes. But where could he go?

How could he go?

He has no car now.

Hitchhike, maybe. No, anybody he could hitch a ride from would know him.

The railroad. Yes, I'll get him, Miss Forrest.

Hey, wait for me.

But he's on that train. The ticket agent said so.

Stay here.

You're a sucker to run away when there's still a chance. What are you doing

here? Sitting here saying you're a sucker to run away when there's still a

chance. Stop your kidding.

Tickets, please.

One ticket to Lyndhurst, please.

Lyndhurst? You're traveling in the wrong direction.

This train doesn't go anywhere near Lyndhurst. It doesn't? No.

But when we slow down at the junction, I'll stop her, and it'll do you good to

walk back.

Are you nuts?

No, I'm not. And when this train does stop at the junction, we'll both get off

if I have to take it by the back of your fool neck.

Here's my authority, Mr. Davis.

When the result of any pupil's examination does not fairly reflect the

intelligence factor of that student's past record, it is certainly within the

discretion of the institution's head to authorize another examination.

What more do you want?

Miss Forrest?

Andrew's been an honor student in English all year.

Mr. Davis, they do it all the time in colleges for football players.

Well, the whole principle of present -day education is to help the student

progress to the highest stages, rather than the old -fashioned idea of daring

him to succeed.

Andrew, were you planning to go to college?

Oh, Mr. Davis, I'd rather go to college than be six feet tall.

Miss Forrest, can you have a new examination ready by tomorrow morning?

Good stiff one.

Oh, thanks, Mr. Davis. Thanks a lot.

Gee, I'd better start studying.

Don't worry, Hardy.

You're going to study.

We'll see to that.

Oh, come on, Andy. You won't get all day to answer one question tomorrow.

Is it lays or lies?

Dixon, a little town of a hundred families lies in the east. Right.

Who or whom do you think I am? Who? Oh, whom? Who? Who do you think I am? Got

that? Who do I think I am? No, who do you think I am?

Sentence structure.

My sister wears funny little sandals on her feet which have holes cut in the

toes. Right or wrong? Polly, that's silly.

Right or wrong?

It's structurally incorrect.

Good. How nice or nicely all your flowers look? Which? Nice or nicely?

nice. Why?

Because if it was nicely, it'd sound like the flowers were looking at you.

Right, but no jokes, please.

Grammar. You helped win the game quite as much as we or us. Which is right.

We. We.

Us. We.

It's us.

It's we. The word did is implied.

You helped win the game quite as much as we did.

Are you sure?

I'm sure. Get together, will you please?

I'm taking this English exam and you're driving me crazy.

I'm sorry. I'll be quiet.

Here are five sentences.

Indicate which sentences contain one, a predicate adjective, two, an infinitive

phrase used as an appositive, three, a subordinate conjunction, and four, a

compound personal pronoun used reflexively.

Mark one alongside the sentence containing a predicate adjective.

A predicate adjective. A predicate adjective.

B.

Right. Mark two alongside the sentence containing the infinitive phrase used as

an appositive.

Infinitive phrase uses an appositive.

Oh, you can't fool me. That's one of those trick questions.

There's no infinitive phrase in any one of these sentences. There certainly is.

Well, if there is, I can't find it.

What is an infinitive phrase?

I wouldn't know.

But you've got to know.

I give up. Don't give up, you're running. If you pick out the other

the one that's left has to be the infinitive phrase.

That's right, that's right, Harry. Give me another one, will you, Catherine?

All right, mark three beside the sentence containing a subordinate

Well, that's simple. D.

Right. All right, mark four. Compound personal pronouns used reflexively.

I don't know that one either. Give him another glass of water. But he's had six

glasses already. He'll burst.

No, no, no. Thank you, Polly. I don't care for any water. I'm not going to be

able to pass. You guys are just wasting your time.

But you've got to. You've got to. I'll never speak to you again.

Don't yell at me.

I'm ashamed of you. I'm sorry I had anything to do with getting you

Give me another one. Let's go on.

I have a surprise for you.

We are my friend.

A little surprise.

What's this all about?

Well, the exam. Aunt Millie, she couldn't tell me what my mark was until

she saw the principal.

But if I'd failed, she wouldn't have run out of the room singing Happy Days Are

Here Again out loud.

I strongly suspect that Aunt Millie did that on purpose.

I'm very grateful to you, to the others. Funny thing about that exam. I studied

all right, and I actually knew all the answers. Can you beat that?

Well, we're seldom called upon in this world to do things beyond human effort.

Strangely enough, if you prepare for any contingency, you usually conquer it in

a surprisingly easy fashion.

Yes, that's the funny thing about life, isn't it?

Yeah.

Oh.

There's one very bad thing about all this.

What? What's the matter now?

Well, your mother insists that on graduation night I wear that high hat

bought me.

Why not?

Hello?

Yes, yes, Mr. Harper, this is Judge Hardy.

But the trouble is, the minute I got that telegram, I had to recommend

man.

It was confirmed that night, and he's ready to sail tomorrow.

Of course, I understand.

Thank you very much.

Huh? Catherine, Harry, and Mr. Land, they all wanted so little out of life,

didn't they?

Yes, they did.

They are the modern version of America's old pioneer spirit. Take things as they

come and work out your own destiny, but proudly.

I'm not foolish enough to think that I'm going to get my new car now.

Do you think you could help him with that money?

Yes, I think I could.

Mr. Land is not modern enough to have the wrong kind of pride.

But, Andrew, what makes you so anxious?

Conscience?

Maybe.

Catherine's kind of a terrific girl.

Oh, another little detour along the highway of love?

Dad. Catherine means nothing more to me than a faithful employee.

I did make her a present of some silk stockings, but in all innocence.

Not even one little pass at kissing the lady?

I mean in all innocence.

Dad, one little pass? Where did you learn such language?

You never use it yourself.

Yeah, but the way we kids use it, we make it sound like it's all good, clean

fun. Well, what are you complaining about now?

Well, I was afraid that you were afraid that it wasn't all respectable.

I don't know of any better time to make a joke than when we're worried.

Well, I'm plenty worried about that South American fiasco. Well, suppose we

don't mention to the Lans that there's positively no job.

Let them get some happiness out of this graduation.

Yeah, that's swell.

Because this graduation is serious.

It's so serious, it's almost fatal.

Like getting married.

Oh, uh... Please take a letter, Miss Land. The Keystone Printing Company. I

herewith returning to you the final proof of the commencement day program.

Very truly yours.

Oh, Miss Land, have you seen the final proof of the program here? I think not.

Andrew, it's all for my benefit, isn't it?

This big businessman attitude.

Well, I... The South American job is off for good, and you're trying to break it

to me gently.

No, no, that's not what I had in mind at all. Here, I want you to glance over

the final proof of the program and see if the first item on page three here

meets with your personal approval.

Solo, Catherine Land?

Uh -huh. But we have to have another graduate do something on the program on

account of, naturally, I'm not going to read my graduation essay.

But why not?

You wrote your essay, and you are going to graduate even if you... Even if

you...

Yeah, I'm the guy that made it in two jumps.

No, I asked my dad about this, and he said it was right.

He also said he was proud of me, too.

Of course, he did say he got proud of me putting here too late.

You didn't write the essay, so you've got to sing.

You did this.

You did it for me, didn't you?

Well, what's that got to do with your singing?

And please, please, this time, just this time, sing a song with some music in

it, huh? I mean, you don't have to give out with a regular boogie -woogie, but,

you know, a tune.

I'd like to sing a number by request.

So don't stray too far from home.

Incidentally, I let my eyes on you. I'm checking on all you

do from A to Z.

Now my privilege to introduce our governor, the Honorable John F.

Mr. Davis, graduates of Carvel High School, ladies and gentlemen.

The winner of the prize for scholarship and citizenship is...

Harry Land.

Citizenship? Well, that's why Andrew didn't win. He won't be a citizen till

21.

That land boy looks young for 21 to me.

Patty, here's your well -earned prize.

And if you'll look over there, you'll see your name engraved as the first to

this distinction among your fellows.

Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Judge, it's strange how time mellows things.

I remember this place when it was a dingy old barn.

The youngsters dolled it up. Harry Land did it. If I bring him over, would you

tell him what a swell job he did, sir? I hereby appoint you chairman of the

committee to bring him over. Thank you.

That's the Land family, the one I told you about.

Here he is, Governor.

Harry. What you've done with this auditorium is little short of genius.

On a total appropriation of $9 .60.

It's all out of cardboard. I promoted the Carvel Laundry out of 500 cardboard

shirt buttons.

Harry, my brother owns a department store in the city.

How would you like to design background for merchandise and window displays?

Well, I think you should know, sir, that my father helped me design the

decorations.

But I can't give the job to your father because I'm going to appoint him

interpreter to the appellate court.

What? If you'll accept.

Oh, say yes before I drop dead, Clay.

Andy. Andy, will you please talk to the country club? You're present in the

class. You've got to be at the dance on time.

Oh, excuse me, everybody. I've got to rush out to the country club. You know

it is, Mr. Governor, when you accept a position of public responsibility.

just a slave of the people.

May I still have use of the sedan, please? Yes, yes. It's in the parking

About fourth car from the right.

Goodbye, Dad. Here comes Andrew now.

You sure everything's all set?

Will this be a surprise for young Mr. Andrew Hardy?

Polly, I believe you're going to the dance with me, aren't you?

Wouldn't you prefer to take your secretary?

Look, young woman, I've stood about all the misery one human can stand. I'm

going to fix this wife and secretary situation once and for all, so that no

woman would dare bring it up for the next hundred years.

I guess I'm not the first man that was ever faced with this problem, but at my

time of life, I prefer to...

Dad said fourth car to the

left. One, two, three, four.

Oh, my gosh.

Of course, this is the most beautiful car in the world.

You're telling me.

Surprised? Why, I'm speechless.

A father that would give a graduation present like that is a privilege to

humanity.

Slide over, my dear girl. I'm going to drive. A woman's place is in the home.

Yes, Andy.

Don't say anything for five minutes till I find out that I'm not dreaming.

But, Andy... Remember what happened to Henry VIII's wives for talking at the

wrong time.

Yes, Andy.

Now, for instance, the moonlight is too bright for your eyes.

Yes, Andy.

So, do I get out to put up the top and soil my white pants in the process? No,

no, no, no, no. I sit back, relax.

Pushed a little button.

Presto.

Snug as a bug in a rug.

Oh, I'm so thrilled I won't even be jealous of Catherine.

You're thrilled. I'm happier than any woman in the Benedict family as far back

as Noah's Ark. And as for you being jealous of Catherine, it's an insult to

intelligence.

Well, there wasn't anything wrong with your intelligence when you picked out

silk stockings.

She did look nice in them tonight, didn't she?

You monster, you.

Polly, this is 1941. I'm just trying to humanize myself as an employer.

Well, you... You didn't buy her anything else, did you? No, nothing. Nothing

else. Except a pair of pants.

Pants?

Flannel pants.

Flannel? White flannel pants, so her brother Harry could graduate in.

Why, my dad gave me the money.

I'm sorry, Andy. I thought you meant... Yeah, I know what you thought. But I

don't care to discuss anything on such a low level of conversation.

Why don't you relax?

I just love this brown leather upholstery.

My dear girl, it's red leather upholstery. Brown?

It's brown leather.

It's red leather, if you don't mind. I happen to know what kind of upholstery I

picked out for my own car.

Your car?

Sure, my dad was nice enough to give it to me after all.

This is my car.

My father gave it to me for graduating.

It's brown leather upholstery. There's my name on the license.

Polly, I've been living in a fool's paradise.

Hey, hi.

Whose car is that?

You took the wrong one from the parking lot.

Mine? And, son, the radio antenna.

Look, it's automatic.

I'm looking for the girl.