Original subtitles

[dog barking]

[glass shattering]

[Jacqueline] It was spring in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The sun was shining,

the trade winds were blowing,

the weather was ideal for flying.

For some.

It was a perfect day.

At any rate, it started out that way.

How this day ended is something else.

[waves crashing]

[squawking]

Oh, it's got to be here someplace.

Now, if it fell directly down,

allowing for wind, air speed, drift--

[pelican squawking]

Uh, hi!

[squawking]

What's a nice bird like you doing here all by himself?

Why aren't you out playing with the other pelicans on a day like this, huh?

[squawks] You Ok?

You look a little peaked around the gills.

Ah, you bruised your leg, didn't you?

Well, I'll fix it up for you.

[squawks] Just hold still now.

This is gonna hurt me a lot more than it is you.

Ah. Hold still.

[squawks]

Ok.

There you are. As good as new.

[squawks]

Ah, you don't have to thank me.

I only did what anyone would do.

[bell tolling]

Oh, gosh. I gotta hurry.

See you later. So long, Irving.

Don't take any wooden fish.

[squawking]

[Jacqueline] And thus it was

that on this beautiful day in spring,

Irving fell in love.

[Jacqueline] Sister Bertrille's brief encounter with Irving

delayed take off

and less than Gale-force winds

brought her back behind schedule.

Meanwhile, we were assembled to meet a very important guest

arriving for very important reasons.

[birds chirping]

Welcome to the convent San Tanco, Father Sweeney.

Thank you, reverend mother.

Well, I hope my visit

will not inconvenience anybody too much.

No, not at all.

I would like you to meet, uh, uh, Sister Jacqueline.

It's my pleasure, father.

Pleased to meet you, Sister Jacqueline.

Sister sixto.

How do you do, sister. Father.

Now, I would like to present

some of my young novices to you.

Sister Ana, my secretary.

Sister Ana.

Uh, Sister Marguerita.

How do you do, Sister Marguerita?

[leaves rustling] And...

[Bertrille] Sorry I'm late, reverend mother,

but I took a shortcut and got caught in a downdraft.

Whoops. Excuse me.

This is Sister Bertrille.

How do you do, father?

Downdraft?

Are you a pilot, Sister Bertrille?

Who me?

[Reverend Mother] Sister Bertrille is interested in flying

and, uh, she uses the terminology from time to time.

You may find her use of English

a little more colorful than most novices.

So I see.

Uh, shall we go in, father?

Our, uh, accommodations here are not luxurious

but, uh, you will find them, I trust, adequate.

I'm sure I will, reverend mother.

It appears to me you have a beautiful and...

Very peaceful place here.

Yes, it is very beautiful.

And, I hope, peaceful.

You pulled a bone that time, Sister Bertrille.

Boner, sister.

I don't get it. What's the big excitement?

Who's the father? He's a big whale.

Wheel. Father Sweeney is the administrator from

the newly merged colleges of Saints Bernard and Boniface.

They're going co-educational

and the reverend mother will be in charge of hundreds of girls.

She's to head the den of women.

There's a rumor to the effect

that she's a candidate for the Dean of Women.

[Ana] It's such a big honor.

I still don't get it.

Well, apparently Father Sweeney is here

to interview and observe the reverend mother,

to see if she qualifies for the position.

You mean she might leave San Tanco?

Well, that all depends on

how Father Sweeney evaluates her in the next few days.

And us.

[Jacqueline] So I might suggest, sister,

you curtail your extracurricular activities temporarily.

It's our responsibility to see that

the reverend mother looks as good as possible.

Oh, don't worry, Sister Jacqueline.

I'll do everything I can.

That's what worries me.

Come on.

[Jacqueline] Well, Sister Bertrille was certainly aware

of the gravity of the situation.

Unfortunately, no one told Irving.

[squawking]

Sister Bertrille,

I believe it is your turn to say grace.

Of course, reverend mother.

We ask, oh, lord, that you bless this food

and that our humble plates be filled with--

[dishes clattering]

[Irving squawking]

Irving!

Sister Bertrille's prayers are always answered, Father Sweeney.

And this is our chapel, father.

Right now our novices are concluding

a silent hour of prayer.

Tell me, reverend mother,

did you ever have any problem of discipline with the novices?

Well, our rules are very strict, father.

Generally speaking, I have very few problems.

[Bertrille] Irving!

Irving, will you please stop following me around?

People are beginning to talk.

Look, Irving, if you want religion,

why don't you try the synagogue?

[Irving squawks]

You were saying, reverend mother?

Of course, human nature being what it is,

we can have an exception now and then.

So I see.

Ok, now, it's very important

that you be on your best behavior

and that you sing your very best.

Because I wanna try to impress

the reverend mother and Father Sweeney with your fine manners.

In other words,

[speaking Spanish]

Uh, English translation, shape up or ship out.

Ok, ready?

[blows keypipe]

[all] ♪ hello, captain pumperdinkle, how are you today? ♪

♪ Thank you, sir, I'm very well ♪

♪ I must be on my way ♪

♪ I'm on my way, I'm on my way ♪

♪ I'm on my way, I'm on my way, I'm on my way ♪

♪ hello, Freddy Spotted Puppy ♪ ♪ I'm on my way ♪

♪ how are you today? ♪ ♪ I'm on my way ♪

♪ hello, Freddy Spotted Puppy, how are you today? ♪

♪ I'm on my way ♪

♪ sorry, I must leave you but I haven't time to play ♪

♪ I'm on my way, I'm on my way ♪

[Bertrille] Well, that wasn't bad, ninos. Shall we try it again?

And, um, Pedro, this time try and sing on key, Ok?

[children laughing]

Ok. Ready?

[blows keypipe]

[squawks]

[all] ♪ hello, captain pumperdinkle, how are you today? ♪

♪ Thank you, sir, I'm very well ♪

[Irving squawking] ♪ I must be on my way ♪

♪ I'm on my way ♪ hold it.

[Bertrille] Hold it, that's enough.

Uh, Pedro,

we're singing in the key of "g" not "a" flat.

[speaking Spanish]

Ok.

[blows keypipe]

[Irving squawks]

[children laughing]

[blows keypipe]

[all] ♪ hello, captain pumperdinkle, how are you today? ♪

♪ Thank you, sir, I'm very well ♪

[children laughing]

[children clamoring]

♪ Thank you, sir, I'm very well ♪

♪ I must be on my way, I'm on my way ♪

You seem to have acquired a pelican

as a permanent guest, reverend mother.

I assure you, Father Sweeney,

his visit is about to terminate.

Excuse me, please.

Reverend mother, I'm so sorry.

I wanted so much for my class to be on their best behavior.

Sister Bertrille,

I will appreciate it very much

if you will get rid of that bird.

Oh, I will. Right away. Right...

[Reverend Mother clears throat]

Ok, kids, back to work.

[squawks]

Ok, Irving, now look what you've done.

At least you could have sung on key.

Shoo, shoo. Get out of here. Shoo.

Irving, go away. Shoo. Shoo.

[Jacqueline] Never let it be said that Irving couldn't take a hint.

He left, or so it seemed.

You're aware, of course, reverend mother,

that being Dean of Women at a large co-educational college

has its own set of unique problems.

I'm afraid you won't find university students

as self-controlled,

as easy to handle,

as the novices in your charge.

Oh? Indeed.

Yes, the troubles you have here

may seem simple by comparison.

[Irving squawking]

Did you say something, reverend mother?

No. No, father I did not.

You see,

in a large co-educational institution of learning...

[Irving squawking]

[crickets chirping]

[Bertrille] Sea shells.

Don't you think you've got me into enough trouble?

[Irving squawking]

Shh!

Irving, will you please be quiet?

You'll wake up the whole convent.

And Father Sweeney will think we're a bunch of crazy, mixed up goons

and the reverend mother will never get her appointment.

Shouldn't you tell Irving,

uh, visiting hours are over at 7:00?

Oh, Irving's a non-conformist.

He doesn't believe in rules.

And after he practically promised me this morning he'd stay away.

[chuckles]

Show me one pelican who'll keep his word

and I'll show you 10 who won't.

[sighing]

Seems to me no self-respecting pelican

would stick around where he isn't wanted.

Where did you meet this bird anyway?

Well, it wasn't my idea. I can tell you that.

I was just flying around the beach,

minding my own business.

I--I lost my crucifix,

so I flew down to look for it and I found him instead.

He had a bruised leg, so I bandaged it.

You mean that's the same pelican?

He followed you all the way from the beach here?

Well, unless there's another pelican flying around

with his right leg bandaged with my handkerchief.

Do a good deed and see what happens?

I--I haven't had a peaceful moment since.

He--he follows me everywhere.

He brings me fish and sea shells.

[Irving squawking]

Now he's serenading me.

That's a serenade? Yeah.

It seems to be part of a program of harassment.

I don't think harassment is the right word.

No? What?

Try courting.

Courting?

He serenades you. He brings you gifts.

Gifts?

Fish. Fish?

Sea shells.

Sea shells. What are you getting at?

Irving is in love with you.

Irving is a bird.

Well, what do you think Irving thinks you are?

[Irving squawking]

Ok, Romeo. Fun's fun.

But I've put up with your nonsense

about as long as I'm going to.

Don't try and argue with me, Irving.

I'm not gonna play a Juliet to any pelican,

I can tell you that.

I am going to personally escort you back to the beach

where you belong.

Move over. Move over.

Don't get angry with me, just move over.

[grunts] Ok.

Are you ready, Irving?

[squawks] Let's go.

Ok, come on, Irving.

I said, "come on."

[screams]

Oh, good grief. Now what am I gonna do?

Sister Bertrille.

Oh, reverend mother,

I know you're not gonna believe this, but, uh--

another downdraft, Sister Bertrille?

Oh, that--

[Jacqueline] Irving was no slouch when it came to courting.

He never let Sister Bertrille out of his sight.

[squawking]

[Jacqueline] What he didn't know, however, was that

he was about to get the gate.

Irving.

[squawks]

This isn't gonna be easy for either of us,

but the time has come

to clear the air once and for all.

Now, please, try to understand.

What I mean is,

you see, we just weren't meant for each other.

[Irving squawking]

What am I doing talking to a bird?

[sighs]

Irving,

[squawks]

What I'm trying to say is, it's all over.

W-We're through.

But, not that I don't appreciate your affection.

Matter of fact,

I--I'm quite touched.

But I'm already spoken for, you know.

Besides, we'd never get along.

I mean, the only thing we have in common is that we both fly.

And any way you slice it, that isn't enough.

I don't even like fish.

So what you should do

is--is find yourself a nice pelican girl and settle down.

Oh, I'm-- I'm sorry, Irving,

but t-that's just the way it is.

It's been nice but it's over.

Tell you what I'll do.

I'll turn my back and--and count to 5.

And then I'll walk off this way

and--and you fly off that way,

and--and we'll try very hard not to even look back.

Just like in the movies, Ok?

[squawks]

Ok.

1,

2,

3,

4,

5.

Irving, I said, "go!"

Oh.

Good morning, father.

[Bertrille clears throat] Good morning, sister.

Irving, this is it.

One of us has got to go.

[Jacqueline] Perhaps,

but quite obviously it wasn't going to be Irving.

He planted 2 webbed feet firmly on the convent grounds

and nothing could budge him.

He played the role of the rejected lover to the hilt.

He wouldn't eat.

He wouldn't drink.

Irving was in trouble.

Did you find anything wrong with him, Dr. Leonard?

Nothing that medicine can cure.

His leg is completely healed. It isn't that.

Doctor, the bird is either sick or he is not sick.

It depends on what you mean by sick, reverend mother.

Physiologically, there's nothing wrong with the bird.

Mentally-- mentally?

It's not an unusual case. I've seen it before.

Pets who become attached to their owners,

their owners leave town or reject them.

They literally pine away.

I see.

Well, uh, couldn't you arrange to have him

pine away someplace else?

[Reverend Mother] I mean, I cannot have

the morale of the entire convent disrupted

for, uh, an emotionally disturbed bird.

Oh, I could take him with me easily enough.

Fine.

But he would probably die.

Oh, reverend mother, we can't let him die.

Really, sister. This is utterly ridiculous.

What on earth could he be pining for,

here at San Tanco?

Uh, reverend mother,

may I speak to you a moment, please?

[birds chirping]

What?

In my 20 years at the convent,

I've seen and heard many things.

I've had to handle many difficult situations.

I've even learned to accept the fact

that we have a novice who flies.

Never have I had to cope with a lovesick bird.

It's never happened to me before either, reverend mother.

[sighs]

Well, of course, the logical answer is to send the pelican away.

Sister Jacqueline, I do not intend to have the demise

of even one bird on my conscience.

No, we have a problem here

and we have to find a solution for it.

Now, looking at the situation pragmatically,

what do we have?

We have a pelican

who believes Sister Bertrille is another pelican

and as a result falls, uh...

Has a romantic attachment for her.

There must be something we can do.

I tried to reason with him.

Did you tell him how difficult he's making...

Oh, goodness, I do keep forgetting he is a bird.

Oh, I tried everything, reverend mother,

but Irving just will not be discouraged.

Sister Jacqueline,

you must have a suggestion.

How about a marriage counselor?

Sister Jacqueline, this is no time for levity.

Sorry.

We have an acute emergency

and it must be handled as such.

Now,

what we have to do is find something to divert Irving's,

uh, this pelican's attention.

But, of course.

We have to find a substitute for you,

Sister Bertrille.

Oh, well, that's fine with me.

[Reverend Mother] In other words, another pelican.

A mate for Irving. Isn't that plausible?

[Sweeney] Reverend mother,

I think you've come up with an ingenuous solution.

And I must commend you for your approach

to a most delicate situation.

Not at all, Father Sweeney.

Merely routine.

[pelicans squawking]

I did the best I could with the short notice I had.

Oh, there ought to be one here that Irving will like. I hope.

I gave them each names so I could identify them.

And this one is Josephine.

This one is gertrude.

[Bertrille] Uh-huh. That's Angeline.

And that one is Emma-Lou.

Oh, well, shall we start with Josephine?

All right.

Irving, meet Josephine.

[Josephine squawking]

[both squawking]

Gertrude, meet Irving.

[both squawking]

Angeline?

[Irving squawking]

One to go.

Emma-Lou.

Irving, old boy, it's Emma-Lou or nothing.

Uh, wait a second, Dr. Leonard.

Mind if I try a little psychology?

By all means. Please.

Irving will never go for this one.

Look at those scraggly bunch of feathers.

And she calls herself a pelican, hmm?

And can you imagine having to listen

to that squawking the rest of your life?

[imitating pelicans squawking]

[both squawking]

I think that was meant for you.

Not only that, but, uh, she's vain.

Spoiled rotten.

I'll bet she's the type that wouldn't even lift a beak

to get fish for dinner.

Well, poor Irving would be waiting on that bird's dropout

for the rest of his life.

[both squawking]

I guess Emma-Lou had what it takes.

With a little help from Sister Bertrille.

How do you like that?

Irving never even said goodbye.

Oh, that's a pelican for you.

Young bird comes along, flicks a feather,

and away he goes.

Oh, what a snappy-looking group.

What happened, somebody drop a bomb?

In a manner of speaking.

Father Sweeney just left.

And?

I'm afraid the reverend mother didn't cut it.

He's not recommending her for the appointment.

She looks so very sad.

I think we blew it.

I couldn't say it any better, sister sixto.

But why?

Don't answer that question. I know why.

Reverend mother?

Yes, Sister Bertrille. What is it?

I--I heard you didn't get the appointment.

Yes. That is correct.

It's my fault. It's all my fault.

Well, one could say you had something to do

with Father Sweeney's decision.

We didn't want you to go, reverend mother,

we would have missed you terribly.

But we also know how much it meant to you.

You would have made a wonderful Dean of Women.

There didn't seem to be any question

as to my qualifications.

The roses did exceptionally well this year.

I don't understand.

Father Sweeney felt that

under the circumstances, I should remain here.

Of course, I have no choice in the matter.

I go where I am directed to go.

But when he told me what his recommendation was,

it was the happiest news I could hear.

I love it here at San Tanco.

Even with me here?

Most specifically with you here.

Sister Bertrille, do you not agree

that the most gratifying reward in life

is to feel one is needed?

[bell tolling]

[end credits]

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0