Original subtitles

Well into 1939, the depression continues

to take its toll.

Bread lines and soup kitchens dot the landscape

across north America.

But here in Quintland, all is well at the home of the

Dionne quintuplets.

The quints, those five adorable little curly haired

angels we have come to know and love,

are symbols of hope in these Dark times.

And a source of prosperity.

For the lucky townsfolk of Calendar, Ontario.

The world continues to beat a path to their door.

And when they get get there, the locals put on quite a show!

Souvenirs, autographs, all this and more.

Precious mementos of the days spent visiting the

famous Dionne sisters.

Here in northern Ontario, there's fun for everyone.

Yes the crowd just keep on coming.

More than 3,000 people a day pour into this little town.

And they come from everywhere.

Here's a family that's come all the way from California.

The quints are even more popular than Niagara falls.

Cars line up for miles each day along these rural roads.

Yes! Everyone in this community benefits from the

quintuplets, Especially the local filling station.

And to celebrate the first day of summer,

the world's most loved Girls held a strawberry social for

none other than Helena Reid.

America's most listened to radio personality.

Doctor Dafoe certainly draws visitors as well.

Here he is with Hollywood motion picture star

Marlene Dietrich.

This week doctor Dafoe had a different kind of visitor

Doctor joseph Burroughs, a pioneer in the emerging

field of Child psychology, who'll study the quints.

That's very good, dear. Very good.

There they are.

I don't usually like to interrupt the girls while

they're being taught.

[laughing]

Ho!

Hey!

Girls?

Ho...

Papa Dafoe, papa Dafoe!

Papa Dafoe Papa Dafoe I made you a picture!

Oh beautiful, beautiful, girls!

Look at these, oh my goodness!

These are going up on the wall, girls.

Marie tore hers up.

Oh....

Let see what my little Marie has done.

Ha!

Oh, no, no, no, don't crumple your beautiful painting.

No, no, let doctor Dafoe see it.

Ho!

Ho, Marie!

This is excellent!

You should be very proud!

Thank you Papa Dafoe.

Yes I think yours shows the most imagination.

Now is this me?

[laughing]

But I'm hardly this handsome.

[laughing]

Is papa Dafoe that handsome?

Extraordinary.

How ever do you tell them apart, doctor?

Oh! Easy.

The girls are identical but there,

there are differences.

Yvonne. Is the biggest. Marie. Is the smallest.

And Annette looks the most like Yvonne.

And that leaves Cécile and Émilie.

And if you can tell them apart,

the last one is easy.

Right girls.

Successful child-rearing depends on discipline and routine.

Children must be occupied in healthy stimulating activities.

Now this.

Is at the heart of my method.

Now this is the schedule for the quintuplets.

Each day has been divided into twenty-one units of time.

Wake up: six twenty-five am.

Six thirty, emptying of the bladder and other ablutions.

Seven forty: prayer, seven forty-five,

breakfast and so on.

There must be no deviations whatsoever

from this schedule.

I'm sure the girls will adapt beautifully doctor.

We have our own routine here doctor.

Twice a day.

The girls play in a little park Inside

the observation gallery.

They don't even know that anyone is there.

It's no different than if the children were playing in

the school yard under the watchful eye of a teacher.

True. True.

We call it. Free play.

Doctor, what about visits from their parents?

I don't see anything on the schedule...

I wouldn't worry about the Dionne's, nurse.

They hardly ever visit.

Maman, why can't I have curly hair?

I want curls like the quints too, maman.

Don't call them that.

They have names.

Les filles. Time for bed.

Of course he doesn't have to go to bed.

Sure.

Good night.

Doctor Dafoe is the quint's favorite human,

much more than liked than papa or mama Dionne

who are still dis... disgrunted

that their children have been taken away,

and who complained that they could get rich If they

could exploit their quints properly.

Papa?

The kids at school, they say the government took away the

quints because you and mama, you aren't good parents.

You think that's true?

You think we are bad parents?

No mama.

If you think that the government's

gonna take you away too.

No one's gonna take you away, Earnest.

Your hair's not curly enough.

Hey!

She didn't mean it.

She's tired.

[gasps]

Marie, it's Elzire.

The baby.

Dafoe's gone.

Please Marie.

She won't see anyone but you.

Push madame Dionne. Push!

Ahhh!

Ahhh!

That's it.

It's a boy.

A boy, Elzire. A beautiful boy.

Ahh one?

Just one madame.

Monsieur Dionne.

He's big!

It's so good to hold a baby again.

Do we get to keep him, maman?

This one they're not gonna take from me.

Emptying the bladder, seven fifteen pm.

Don't just sit there Cécile, hmm?

Thirty seconds to go Annette.

And I mean go.

We don't feel like it!

What's going on here?

Girls!

Nurse!

Nurse MacPhail, this is not what we mean by free play.

I understand but...

Yvonne, you can't play now.

I'm not Yvonne, I'm Annette.

Oh! You're trying to fool me.

You're trying.

It's two minutes past their bed time.

I'm sorry they've always been a bit hard to control.

They're completely off the schedule.

And he's completely of his rocker.

[shrieking]

What is this?

Are my girls misbehaving?

Show some manners now, say goodnight to doctor Burroughs.

Good night doctor Burroughs!

And good night to Papa Dafoe.

'Night...

Can we have a story?

Oh! It's too late, Marie.

Please Papa Dafoe.

No no. Off to bed now.

Off to bed.

It's your music time.

Scamps.

I'm afraid I've indulged them a bit too much.

Good night girls.

Good night papa Dafoe!

[baby crying]

Ça va?

Feeling better?

If you're feeling stronger, you could go and visit the

girls tomorrow.

That's too late.

For what?

The girls don't know me.

They don't know me and they don't care.

When I go.

If they let me in the girls act like I'm just a visitor.

And that's all I am.

A visitor.

But you're not going to change things by staying away.

No. But I'm gonna survive.

I'm gonna be a mother to the children I have.

Libby, McNeil, Libby.

For quintuplets' endorsement of baby foods,

tomato juice and pineapple juice,

eight thousand five hundred. -Fine.

Harry S. Bond, manufacturer of children's boots and

rubbers, a royalty of two to eight cents per footwear

with a minimum guarantee of forty seven thousand

five hundred.

Fine.

And our crowning triumph, gentlemen,

Quintuplets dolls are now outselling Shirley Temple

dolls two to one.

Now there's an idea for a movie.

Shirley Temple versus the Dionne Quints.

Best of three falls.

Best of five falls!

[laughing]

Get your hands off me! I have right to be in there!

Never mind George.

How can we help you mister Dionne?

This is a guardianship meeting?

Well I'm one of the guardians and I'm going to attend.

You have a problem with that?

Of course you're welcome mister Dionne.

We are only surprised since you've never shown an

interest in attending before.

Take a seat.

What is it you want mister Dionne?

What do you think?

I want my kids.

I want a meeting with Hepburn.

I want the law that took them away from us,

I want it abolished.

Mister Dionne at this time we are discussing the end of

the fiscal year.

There's no excuse keeping them locked up.

Mister Dionne, this is not the appropriate

time to discuss...

Appropriate?!

Do you know what you've done to us?

To my wife?

What we lost?

You have only yourself to blame.

Why are they kept in a hospital?

Hey?! They're not sick!!

Why can't they live normal kids?!

Leslie?

Must we listen to this?

Give us back our kids.

It is simply out of question.

Now if you have nothing constructive to add,

may we please continue?

McMurtry and McCutcheon, candy bars.

That will be fine.

[blows whistle]

Quiet play time now girls, fifteen minutes.

I want that one!

No!

Let go!

She pushed me!

I didn't. She fell!

I didn't fall! She pushed me!

Those who don't follow the schedule will not be allowed

to stay with the others.

I don't wanna be there!

Let me go!

Cécile!

Let me go!

You know the rules.

Now if you can't play quietly with the others,

you're just gonna have to play by yourself in the

isolation room.

[screaming]

She's afraid!

Don't you dare!

She's afraid to be alone.

Without the others.

It's only a temper tantrum.

Cécile!!

Cécile!!

Cécile!!

Cécile!!

Cécile!!

Cécile!!

Cécile!!

[screaming]

Doctor, I don't like to criticize my colleagues,

Especially the head nurse...

Yes...

Nurse MacPhail, she has no feelings.

She isn't fit to be with children.

I gather you disapprove of doctor Burroughs'

methods as well?

I'm not an expert but,

the way the girls are being raised, it's so.

Wrong.

Really?

And how do you think they should be raised?

I wish they could live like normal children.

With brothers and sisters and friends.

It's not healthy for them always being together.

Sometimes it's like they're one child.

One child in five bodies.

How will they learn to live in the real world?

Learn to be individuals?

You think they should be sent home?

To that hovel?

Deprived of any cultural experience?

I was raised in a poor family doctor.

We never had enough of anything,

But all my memories are happy.

How fortunate for you...

Nurse, I...

I believe it would be best for you to resign.

What?

No but.

Why?

Nurse MacPhail has had reason to complain to me too

often about your insubordination.

No please doctor, please.

You'll leave today.

After.

After I say goodbye to the girls.

Such goodbyes are not in the best interest of the girls.

I've been with them since -

Since they were born...

It's not a good idea for the girls to become attached to

any one person on staff.

To anyone but you!

If you've finished, nurse.

You're a very cruel man.

Marie?

I've been let go.

He wouldn't even let me see the girls to say goodbye.

Come in.

No I can't madame, I can't miss the bus.

I just.

I had to tell you.

The girls...

What is it?

Doctor Dafoe, he doesn't believe me about nurse MacPhail.

The girls need you madame.

They need you to protect them.

Don't say that Marie.

There's nothing I can do.

[horn honks]

Don't give up madame.

Don't give up hope.

Lights out in two minutes.

Nurse Evie?

Where's Marie?

Where did she go?

Yeah! Where?

Nurse Lemoyne has gone home.

Gone?

She's gone?

Yes.

She's gone.

Girls, come to bed.

Come on now, come to bed.

[crying for Marie]

She's gone and no amount of crying

is going to bring her back.

Mrs. Dionne!

What have they done to you?

What have they done?

What right do you have you to come in here?

What right?

I am the mother.

The mother!

There...

Well you may....

Why did you do this to them?

They have been touching themselves

in an appropriate manner.

Are you crazy?

Are you crazy?!

Émilie?

Where's Émilie?

What have you done to her?

Huh?

Oh Émilie.

Come. Come...

This is the isolation room.

It is a perfectly correct form of discipline.

Don't you ever.

Ever touch my kids or hurt them again.

Cause if you do, I'll do the same to you.

Now get out!

Get out of here!

Get out!

I'm going...

To call the guard.

Maman?

Yes, maman is here.

Maman will always be here.

It's been a while since you saw me hey?

Since you saw me.

I had a baby.

A little boy.

I didn't know where you were.

Oliva, we've got to get them out!

We've got to get them out of there!

We've gotta get them out of there!

It's all in there.

A record of what they say about us in the press.

Photographs they use to make us look like fools.

Monsieur Dionne, may I ask you why it took you

this long to consult a lawyer?

You're not the first.

I've spoken to three over the years.

It cost me a lot of money to find out

that no one wanted my case.

Ha!

No lawyer likes to lose, monsieur Dionne.

The odds on winning a fight against the government

are not huh.... Favorable.

My girls are being abused.

My wife saw it with her own eyes.

The nurse who told us about it has been fired.

Now there's no one in there we can trust!

Yes, I know.

But...

The issue here, monsieur Dionne,

is the problem of your...

Reputation.

Why would the courts give custody to a man who

accepted a contract to exhibit his daughters?

You think that?

That Oliva Dionne is a monster.

A man who only wants to exploit his kids.

No. This is not what I'm saying.

Have you been to Quintland?

Twice a day my kids are put in a cage so strangers

can stare at them!

Now you tell me who's exploiting my kids!

I tought you,

being French canadian like us....

Thank you for the consultation,

Monsieur Poulin.

Oh huh. Monsieur Dionne!

Monsieur Dionne!

Bonjour.

Can you give this to your father please?

[crowd oohing and ahhing]

Those people, they breed like rats!

They're French!

And Catholic. [laughing]

Ah she's so sweet!

Monsieur Dionne!

Monsieur Dionne!

Didn't you see the sign?

No admittance!

You want to get your girls back hey?

You really want to get your girls back?

You were right!

You do need someone who's French-Canadian.

Yeah?

Well all I know is that if my name had been Smith or Brown,

they would have never been able to take away my kids.

That's it!

That's the strategy!

Monsieur Dionne I can help to get your girls back.

I'm absolutely convinced.

Messieurs, mon pere. When the quints were born,

I felt proud.

As a French-Canadian like all of us in this room,

I felt proud that the Dionne had brought honor to us.

Then I started reading things about them in the papers.

Hearing stories on the radio.

And I was no longer proud.

So when our government took those little girls and gave

them to Doctor Dafoe to raise I thought,

okay, good.

Now, they're in good hands.

But now!

Now I know better.

Now I know that those little girls were taken from Elzire

and Oliva Dionne, not because they are bad parents

but because they are French!

They are poor!

And they are Catholic!

[crown murmurs]

How else do you explain the lies about the Dionnes?

The willingness of the public to believe them?

Would the Dionne quints have been taken away if their

parents had been named Brown? Or smith?

And this terrible injustice has been initiated by a

government that is racist.

Yes. Yes racist!

And we, as French Canadians and Catholics,

know what that means.

Tell them Oliva.

Tell them what you told me.

It's not really the government that I blame.

It's Dafoe.

More than anyone, he's the one who's responsible.

A doctor who's tended to patients in the area for

over twenty years.

And he still doesn't speak French.

He's taken complete control of our girls.

He acts like if he's their father

instead of their guardian.

He makes it almost it was impossible for us to visit.

And he fired the only nurse there that we trusted.

Marie Lemoyne, a French girl.

The only one who spoke to the quints

in their mother tongue.

The girls are growing up unaware of their language,

their culture and their religion.

Mon pere, messieurs,

we are the only ones the Dionnes can turn to.

We are their family.

We must spread the word.

Denounce the government, in the press,

the stores and the businesses.

From every pulpit.

And not let the pressure until those five little

girls are home!

Home in the arms of their parents!

[applause]

Mister Hepburn, do you hate French Canadians?

Are you bigoted towards French Catholics?

Mister Hepburn. Mister Hepburn...

Listen fellows, I expected questions about my raising

the gasoline tax to eight cents.

So whatever it is you're on about,

I'm grateful it's shifted your Attention away from that.

[laughing]

Gentlemen, I want you all to know,

I have nothing but the utmost respect for our

citizens of French ancestry.

Thank you.

That's all for now, fellas.

The editorials, read them.

They're in French.

Allow me.

Le gouvernement de l'Ontario...

I don't speak French!

Sorry.

Hum....

Not only as Marie Lemoyne, a French speaking nurse

recently been fired, but the head of the hospital,

doctor Dafoe, has refused to allow the quintuplets to

be educated in French.

In approving these actions premier Hepburn insults and

offends all French Canadians.

What the hell is going on up there?

But we ha....

This is very smart.

This forces us to deal with the Dionnes.

Throw him a bone.

Whatever it takes.

Just get those editorials out of the paper and off my back.

Yes, sir.

This is blackmail.

Pure and simple.

Nothing but a -

A crude attempt to get back the girls.

But the thing is...

Doctor, the premier himself requested

you meet with Dionne.

He's counting on your diplomacy to help smooth

things over.

[knocking]

Won't you come in.

My attorney, Monsieur Poulin.

Monsieur.

Sir. -Pleasure.

Monsieur. -Please.

Mister Dionne, the premier is very concerned that this

unfortunate misunderstanding has taken place.

Now let's start with the firing of nurse Lemoyne.

There was absolutely no intention to deny your girls

access to the French Language.

Nurse Lemoyne was fired because of her

insubordination.

Poor nursing skills, nothing more.

She'd been warned not to be friendly with us.

That was insubordination?

Gentlemen, let's not get mired in details.

What we propose is to hire a French speaking teacher.

Would that be agreeable to your client Mister Poulin?

Very agreeable sir.

But we have a few other requirements.

To start with...

The nurses must be all French speaking to preserve

the French culture of the girls.

Also, parents must be guaranteed free and

unrestricted visits.

This is something the government promised,

But which the staff has never respected.

[mutters]

The parents insist that the ridiculous and inhuman

schedule of doctor Burroughs be stopped.

The parents also want and end to the public show

with the girls.

They're children, not trained monkeys.

There's also the matter of the girls' income.

How it's being managed.

We want to see the books.

Outrageous!

Jeffrey, who is this man?!

Have you ever seen mister huh...

Poulin.

Poulin's credentials?

Cause he's French-Canadian, he can't be smart enough

to be a lawyer? Is that what you mean?

I'm sure doctor Dafoe didn't mean to imply any disrespect.

Gentleman, I won't tolerate this man's ignorant...

And I won't tolerate my girls being abused!

Abused?!

How dare you suggest...

I don't suggest!

I know!

Nurse MacPhail, I want her out today!

Oliva!

If you don't throw her out, I will!

I am the head of this hospital, mister Dionne.

I make the decisions here.

You think you can contiue to run this circus 'till my

daughters are eighteen?

I have nothing more to say to this man.

When this is over, believe, me you'll be walking out

that door for good!

Gentlemen!

Shall we continue?

Elzire.

Look, nurse MacPhail...

She's leaving!

Round one Elzire! Round one for us!

This is giving in to the Dionnes.

It will set a dangerous precedent.

Let us worry about that doctor.

Besides, we haven't given in to them in any significant way.

Nothing's going to change doctor.

The Dionnes just don't know that yet.

[laughing]

Annette!

Cécile!

Yvonne!

Émilie!

And Marie!

Papa Dionne you've certainly done your part.

More than your part!

[laughing]

Every miracle needs a miracle doctor.

And here he is the stork's worst enemy,

all the way from the the wilds of Canada,

Doctor Alan Roy Dafoe!

Fertility stones!

Fertility stones!

Fertility stones!

[laughing]

Well, babies are all I know, you know.

[laughing]

I. I...

I used to be a doctor.

I am yet.

Uh... Now I'm kind of uh. A doctor.

And a general manager.

And a publicity agent. And huh...

Helena wasn't tonight a scream?

Yeah, that's one word for it.

You're quite a celebrity, aren't you Roy.

Ha! ha! Not me.

No it's my baby girls.

They are the celebrities.

They must learn to be looked at,

Talked about, written about.

And studied without loosing their...

Their sense of proportion, their ability to enjoy life.

Celebrities come and go...

Not my girls, They will always have to buy their

privacy and pay for it dearly.

We must continue to build sufficient funds to make it

possible for them to have peace and,

and freedom as the years go by..

After I'm gone.

What do you think they'll be doing when they get older?

Oh when they get older, I think people will stop

looking at them and start looking to them.

There'll be world tours and lectures and

they'll become goodwill Am..am..am..am..

Ambassadors.

Model canadian citizens...

They'll meet with kings and queens and.

And presidents...

They'll be leaders.

What happens if they just want ordinary lives.

But they're not ordinary girls.

They're the quints.

And.. And that will never change.

[singing to himself]

In New York City, more than seven hundred people

gathered for another fun filled afternoon at the

city's famous Circus Saints and Sinners club.

And the biggest laughs were provided by none other

than papa Dionne.

And yes, that's our very own miracle doctor.

Doctor Alan Roy Dafoe in the graduation gown.

Yes, our very own miracle doctor played along like the

good sport he is.

No fertility stones for me.

In Europe, German forces...

He knows what he's doing.

He knows as long as people are laughing at me

he stays in control.

Oliva that's the best thing that's ever happened.

This means we can sue him. For defamation!

And wait a couple of years to go to court?

He deserves worse, Martin.

He deserves a taste of what I've been getting.

Is there anything happening soon with Dafoe and the girls?

They're supposed to meet the king and queen.

Ha! Nothing doing with the king and queen.

You know the way people feel about them?

What else?

Well he's always giving lectures but

that's out of town.

There's, there's a big mother's day radio broadcast.

Dafoe and the girls.

And what do the girls do?

Just say a few words.

In English?

He's like my dolly.

Except he's warm And he smells good.

Hmm.

His name is Oliva.

Like his papa.

And he's not just a baby, he's your brother.

Do you know what that means?

How can he be my brother when he wasn't born

at the same time as me?

Ha. Not all of babies are born together

like you girls, Yvonne.

Usually they come one at a time.

Pauvre p'tite.

There's so much you don't know.

Outside these walls people live together in one house.

The mama, the papa and the babies.

What's it like outside?

Where all the people are?

Outside.

The people.

The people go round and round in a tunnel.

Just round and round.

And they don't wear white coats!

And they live in cars and the cars go up and down the road.

Up and down!

Up and down!

Hey! Come closer, girls.

It's papa.

Come on, come closer.

Come.

Come....

Hi girls, hi.

I like this.

Just like this.

You and me Oliva, and our girls.

Listen Elzire, I've got an idea.

It's something the girls can help me with.

Hey! Les filles!

You wanna do something for me?

Huh? For your papa?

Papa Dafoe?

No! Yvonne me, huh? Your real papa!

Doctor Dafoe is not fit to be anyone's papa.

And he's not a nice man!

It's going to be like playing a trick.

You wanna know what it is?

Oliva what are you talking about?

I want you to do something special for me.

And it's gonna be our secret.

Your papa ha a big treat for you.

Something the mean doctor Dafoe won't allow but that

all children love.

It's called chocolate.

Look.

Tuesday it's the association of senators wives,

next week, and that's in Washington DC.

Oh! Eddie Cantor called and wants you

on his radio program.

The fee's one thousand dollars.

Good.

Has my invitation arrived yet?

Huh? From the king and queen?

Yes. -No. No not yet.

And here is your draft of the column.

You're giving advice to mothers with a colicky baby.

I'm sure it'll be fine, George.

There they are!

There are my darlings.

Did you miss me? Huh? Did you?

Lowell, how are you?

I'm fine Roy, you?

Exhausted.

Too many speeches.

I don't know how you folks do it?

Have you done Carnegie hall?

That was my last one, to a packed house.

The place is huge.

I lost my voice halfway through.

Do my girls know their lines?

Huh, doctor.

Excuse me, the Dionnes are at the door.

What?

Ahhh!

Why do they have to come now?

Tell them...

Sir, they'd like to watch.

They'd like to watch the program.

And they are with their lawyer.

Alright , Lowell?

Excuse me.

Do you mind if the Dionnes sit in?

Well as long as they're quiet.

Thirty seconds to air, Mister Tomas.

Yes.

Radio: In France, president Lebrun has announced that

Hitler's occupation of Prague has once and for all ended any

illusion of appeasement.

And now stay tuned for Lowell Thomas,

who'll broadcast to you direct From the nursery of

the Dionne quintuplets.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Yes, tonight I speak to you live from the nursery of the

Dionne Quintuplets.

And a very nice room it is too.

In one corner I see five comfy beds each with its own color.

Cécile's bed is green and decorated with a drawing

of a turkey.

Yvonne's bed is pink and adorned with a bluebird.

Émilie's is yellow with a tulip.

Annette 's is mauve and marked with a maple leaf

and last but not Least little Marie's is blue

with a teddy bear.

And here they are right next to me,

the Dionne quintuplets, Yvonne, Annette,

Cécile, Émilie and Marie.

Good evening girls.

And who better to wish the mothers of America a very

happy day but The Dionne quintuplets.

Am I right girls?

Well I can assure you ladies and gentlemen the uh.

The girls are in full agreement with me

on that subject.

And as soon as we get their microphone adjusted we will

hear a few words from them.

Girls...

Well here they are to send their best greetings to you

ladies on Mother's Day,

Yvonne, Annette, Cécile, Émilie, and Marie.

Well ladies and gentlemen.

It seems that the quints are...

Well they're playing a, a little trick on me.

Now girls wouldn't you like to say a few words to the

mothers of America?

Non.

No? You wouldn't?

And why not?

It's not nice to speak in english.

Yvonne!

Girls!

No, no. Lowell don't...

We have been experiencing technical difficulties...

It's a joke or what, now come on girls?

Girls!

...as we attempt to restore service from the

nursery of the Dionne quintuplets.

Girls!

It's alright Marie.

That's my girls!

Don't you understand what this "French mess" can do to me?

Chief.

You're much too important man to be bothered by a

bunch of Frenchies.

Good lord man, where is your sense of judgement.

Publicly ridiculing Oliva Dionne in the newsreels?

And this doctor of litters spectacle in New York?

Why not?

Don't why not me.

I'm not one of your fancy New York friends in the

press who can lap up that kind of crap all day long.

It was harmless fun.

It was an honor to be invited to the Saints and

Sinners luncheon.

It would have be disrespectful if i. I...

Leslie here had a quiet talk with Dionne lawyer about

your little New York show.

They're toying with the idea of suing you for defamation.

However they've agreed to drop the suit in exchange

for a look at all financial records, including yours.

What?

It's none of their business.

I don't know how you managed it Roy,

but you got this reputation as a saint.

A selfless man who's never profited from his

association with his adorable little girls.

However that picture would change if they got a look

into your books, now wouldn't it?

The advertisers always demanded I be in the picture!

They say the quints are nothing without me.

Roy, you received thirty thousand dollars as a

technical adviser on the quints' movie.

Plus thousands of dollars for lectures,

for endorsements.

Everything from Karo syrup to Chevrolets.

But you've always known this...

You don't talk, Roy.

You just sit there and listen.

Now. This what you're going to do.

You're gonna resign as guardian.

No.

Ho no!

You have no choice in the matter.

But you gave those girls to me.

To keep them safe 'till they were eighteen.

They're.

They're the only things in the world that mean

anything to me.

They're not things Roy, they're people.

You're the one.

That made the decision to build the hospital.

To, to, to set up the board...

Quintland!

It, it, it was you, your government.

You're no longer a guardian.

That's my decision.

However you're still in charge of the hospital.

You should be grateful for that.

Deliver the books to the Dionnes.

Everything except Roy's.

See if they'll accept that.

Supplies for hospital and staff house,

Two thousand four hundred and eighty four dollars.

Salary, construction foreman,

three hundred and ninety five dollars.

Wages, policeman, one thousand six hundred and

ninety eight dollars.

Why are those expenses in the girls' books?

Because they're paying them.

They're paying for everything!

All the expenses, they're coming out of the

quintuplet's own money.

Maintenance, nurses salaries,

fire insurance, medical supplies,

legal services, food!

Not only for the quints, for everyone.

Phone bills, hardware, sign painting,

lightning rods, you believe this,

Even the lightning rods.

But I thought.

I thought the government was supposed to pay

for all this.

Ha! You thought that, eh?

Well while the government's making millions in revenue

from the tourists, it's the girl who are paying

for everything.

They're even paying for their own birthday presents.

And what's this?

Dafoe's phone bills.

Huh!

They're paying for his, his phone bills?!

Yes, sir!

And look what all this is costing them.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars!

I just don't get it.

All these people still wanting to see the quints.

It's a cult: cult of the child.

It's not hard to understand.

We're living at a time when people can barely

hold on to their hope.

Believing in dreams.

Children.

Children represent endless hope,

endless possibility.

Very nice.

That's why I get the big money.

Thanks.

You're gonna ask Doc Dafoe about

that Lowell Thomas Embarrassment?

Ho! Nobody would have been more embarrassed

than Roy by that.

That pleading tone, live, on air...

For the whole country to hear.

I'm telling you, Nelson, there's something going on here.

And it's something big.

Just wish I knew what it was.

Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Wait here.

But. Wait.

Wait a minute, what are you doing?

You just wait there, I'll be back.

The king and queen!

I am invited to meet their Royal Majesties

and introduce them to the girls.

[giggles]

You know George, I've met so many celebrities.

But this takes the cake.

Doctor, I was wondering if, for any reason,

I should be looking For another job.

Hmm?

Dafoe losing grip on quints.

All is not well in Quintland where doctor Alan Roy

Dafoe's hold on his cute quints is said to be slipping.

Nonsense George.

Pure utter nonsense.

I'm still the boss.

Mrs. Dionne, hear me out.

There's two sides to every story,

I just want to hear yours.

As easy as that?

You think it's as easy as that after all the things

you said about us?

I would say go to hell to you Madame,

but I'm a religious woman, So I won't.

People say that you're not a good mother!

People say that's why you lost the girls.

They don't know me.

They don't know anything about me.

Then tell me.

Tell me and I'll tell the world.

If my husband sees you here...

Ho! I know, he'll shoot me.

This must be yours.

This kitchen, look at it.

You there baking pies, it's like.

It's like an illustration out of a magazine.

Maybe for you.

Good let's just act like this is any other day.

Perfect for my purpose.

Fine!

Then why don't you shell the peas.

Why don't I what?

Shell the peas.

Shell the peas?

This is the shell.

And those are the peas.

Ho! Would you look at that!

You have children?

No!

No... Not a one.

No kids, that explains a lot.

Ho! Who has time?

Ho! Maybe if I could find some poor dame to have one for me...

Ho! No offense!

Now listen, I came here to interview you.

[baby crying]

Tell me. Tell me who you are.

Tell me what your story is.

When I was little, I had ten dolls and I told people that

one day I was going to marry and have ten kids.

That's all I ever wanted. Have ten kids.

You must have married awfully young.

[crying]

Qu'est-ce c'est ça? C'pas grave, c'pas grave ça.

Hold him please.

Hold him?

Hoo! My goodness.

Viens.

When I was sixteen, all the girls from all over,

the only one they wanted was Oliva Dionne.

He was a bon parti.

A good catch.

That surprises you, hey?

Ho! Maybe just a little.

He had one of the best farms.

And he was a hard worker.

And there where only two people in the village with a

car, the doctor and Oliva Dionne.

And you're the one who, who caught him? Huh?

He caught me!

From the minute he saw me there was no one else for him.

Tiens, vas jouer.

So my, my dream came true:

Ten kids and a good man at my side.

A good man, Madame!

If you knew him before.

All this.

I hear you made fresh attempts to get the quints back.

Is that true?

I never wanted them gone.

But how can you possibly...

You see my house?

Is it clean?

And my kids, do they look unhappy?

So why are my girls living across the street?

But how could you cope with all your children and

the quints in this house?

It's not hard!

Not when you love kids!

Ask Madame Lebelle, she has eighteen!

What?

Eighteen! -Children?

Children, in a house like this and...

And she cooks and cleans for all of them and and....

She even runs a store.

And she's a best-selling author.

And spends all her time hunting for fertility stones.

[laughing]

Oh! Sorry.

Elzire why don't you come and sit down?

Why don't we have a good talk? Hmm?

You know what they're worth?

The girls?

Do you know?

You couldn't even guess!

A million bucks!

That's their net worth!

A million bucks!

I have children that are worth more than a million

dollars, and I can't afford to buy new shoes

or cod liver oil for my kids!

And we have to live like this?

[crying]

When was the last time you had a new dress?

Hey? When?

I don't need a new dress.

Well you're gonna get one.

And a fancy one!

And the kids are gonna get new shoes and bikes and

toys, just like they get across the street!

It's our money, I want it!

And I want everyone to know who's been stealing it!

It's not important Oliva.

Nothing's more important than getting the girls!

Why don't you visit them?

They never let me in just before a show!

Full visitation right at any time.

You heard the government man?

Go and find out if he meant it.

Maman, did you see my new dress?

Mine is yellow like a buttercup.

Yes, you all look so pretty!

So pretty I have to kiss you.

We're not allowed to have kisses, maman.

Papa Dafoe says it gives us germs.

Madame Dionne, I'm sorry.

We have to get the girls ready for the show.

Nurse, she feels warm.

I'll get the doctor.

Pauvre p'tite, is your throat sore?

It is?

And do you feel tired?

I can't wait to have you home.

Mrs. Dionne?

Is something wrong?

She's sick.

I examined the girls this morning!

She's hot!

Ha!

Let me see.

Alright! Émilie.

Hardly warm, probably just a cold.

Children get them all the time.

Take them all out.

The girls enjoy their free play time.

Look, kids get colds all the time?

Yes. -You!

You've been keeping me away for my girls for years!

Mrs. Dionne... -Years!

Telling I'd give them fevers and,

and sickness and germs!

Don't touch them, don't kiss them!

Not in front of the children...

And now you tell me she can run around

outside with a cold because you don't wanna stop the show!

Mrs. Dionne.

Come on.

Come.

Mrs. Dionne..

Now...

Mrs. Dionne!

Hey! Come on.

Come.

Come with me.

Viens avec maman.

Émilie...

Viens avec maman, Émilie, viens.

Come on.

Émilie, come.

Come to papa Dafoe.

Come on Émilie, viens. Viens avec maman, viens.

Come on Émilie, viens!

Come to papa Dafoe.

Come on, that's it come on.

That's it.

Yes. That's it. Okay.

There was nothing I could do.

She came right to me, no. no hesitation.

Get Helena on the phone, she should know about this.

Thank you.

Poor little Émilie.

She was devastated.

Doctor Dafoe for Miss Reid.

[sigh]

These incidents with the parents.

Yes, thank you.

She's just about to go on the air.

Hmm.

I told you to stop it.

Why don't you read a book.

Radio: ...This Life We Live, with miss Helena Reid.

I don't want to listen to that.

My friends.

Tonight I bring you a new chapter in the saga of the

Dionne Quintuplets.

And I warn you, It will shock you.

It will anger you, and it will irrevocably shatter

your illusions.

Tonight, I have invited a world renowned psychologist

to join me.

This is a man whom one speaks of in the same breath

as Sigmund Freud.

Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Doctor Alfred Adler.

Doctor, I have asked you to study the case of the

Dionne quintuplets.

Please tell us your findings.

Thank you, Miss Reid.

The quintuplets live like inmates of a modern

orphanage, they are suffering from emotional starvation.

Living in a glass house with the constant staring of

crowds is not conducive to normal human development.

More serious than this, psychologically speaking,

is the separation From their parents.

If this continues, I anticipate serious

emotional disturbances at some future time.

Thank you doctor.

[applause]

My friends, as much as it pains me to admit this.

I must tell you that I have been wrong.

Tragically wrong.

Like so many others, I have been deceived into thinking

that doctor Alan Roy Dafoe was a selfless,

humble man, whose entire life has devoted

to the quintuplets.

But, as we have seen from the recent and deplorable

Circus Saints and Sinners spectacle,

Doctor Dafoe is a man obsessed with his own notoriety.

Today, he clings tenaciously to the quintuplets,

For they are his guarantee of continued fame and fortune.

And his grasp now threatens to strangle the dear little

ones he was once sworn to protect.

But what?

What, you ask, of the parents?

My friends.

I have sat in Elzire Dionne's kitchen,

and I have bathed in the warmth and love of her home.

And I have seen the other Dionne children,

fine, healthy boys and girls.

Their very normalcy a contrast to the pathetic

little trained monkeys across the road.

My friends, Oliva and Elzire Dionne have not now nor have

they ever been greedy imbeciles that the

irresponsible and ignorant press

have portrayed them to be.

And if, at one time, there were sound medical reasons

to isolate the girls from their family,

those reasons no longer exist.

And this very night, my friends,

at this very hour,

five lonely little girls lie in

their cots in a sterile hospital ward.

And weep bitter tears for the life they have never known.

Their little, girlish voices whisper in the dark,

a plea we can not continue to ignore.

Mama.

Papa.

Mama.

Papa...

[applause]

That was This Life We Live with your host Miss Helena Reid.

Until next time, good night and goodbye.

Leslie, It's doctor Dafoe.

I must speak to the premier.

I'm sorry doctor, but mister Hepburn is tied-up

at the moment.

So let's hear your latest report from Quintland.

Well, the latest report shows a noticeable drop in tourism.

And it's not just war jitters either.

There's a marked decline in Interest in the quints.

Dionne quintuplet doll sales are slipping;

revenues and royalties are down.

The advertisers are less keen.

They say the girls are over-exposed.

Washed up at age six.

And here they are, the royal couple,

Queen Elizabeth has long expressed a desire to meet

the Dionne quintuplets and her wish is a royal command.

Is everything satisfactory monsieur Dionne?

Extremely.

Tres bien.

Ah!

Now here is our list.

Monsieur Dionne of course is here,

and the children are sitting over there.

Thank you.

Let's go girls.

Ah! Doctor!

Now the Dionnes will meet king and queen first.

Your audience will occur just after.

But I'm...

Whose request was this?

Doctor, I'm asking you to accept this as a way of

dealing with a difficult situation.

For sake of the girls.

Mister and misses Dionne and their children.

I am sorry.

It gives me great pleasure to announce the long-awaited

reunion of the quintuplets with their parents,

brothers and sisters.

The guardianship bill which made the Dionne quintuplets

wards of the crown has been terminated,

effective immediately.

The guardianship bill which proved so effective in the

early years of the Quintuplets

has now been deemed no longer necessary.

The Dionnes, Mister and Mrs Dionne,

are excellent parents.

Oliva Dionne is a successful farmer and businessman.

Mrs Elzire Dionne is respected throughout the

community as a devoted wife and mother.

The quintuplets will retire from public life to lead a

normal life with their family.

I wish of course to publicly thank

Doctor Allan Roy Dafoe.

His great contribution cannot be overlooked.

Doctor Dafoe has had to resign as guardian and

physician to the quintuplets due to ill health.

We wish him a very speedy recovery.

Don't be afraid.

Go on, be firm...

Congratulations Oliva, Elzire.

I, I always said what an injustice it was,

you being, being deprived of your kids.

Finally our prayers been answered.

And you Clovis?

You were praying for us all this time too?

I, huh.

I always said you were good parents.

Even whe all the reporters were saying different.

I stuck up for you.

It's terrible what gets written in the papers.

Those people should be held responsible.

There should be a law.

Oliva, now that you're in charge.

I just want you to know you have our full cooperation.

Huh? What do you mean?

We were thinking.

Peoples still want to see the girls.

Even if Dafoe's gone, that doesn't have to change.

We're willing, that's all!

We're willing to help you run the place.

If you like.

Madame Legros here, had a wonderful idea.

Vas-y, vas-y, vas-y! Vas-y! Vas-y!

Well the weather has been so bad and so much rain.

They had to cancel the shows.

Why can't the girls play outside when it rains?

You could dress 'em up in raincoats...

They'd still look cute.

[laughing]

Oliva, you're not going to listen them.

Elzire, what do you think ?

I'm grateful, Martin.

So is Elzire!

I hope you know it.

Yeah. And I hope you're expecting my bill.

Now that you're a rich man.

[laughing]

But this isn't the end, Oliva?

Think of what the girl could do for French-language rights.

They can make public appearances to lobby

for French school.

I don't know?

Sounds good but, hum.

Can you afford them?

The Dionne quintuplets don't come cheap.

Ha! Ha! Yeah!

Marie.

I love you.

Why are you sad?

Because I

I have to leave you, my dear ones.

You have to leave?

For a while.

Where?

A kiss for papa Dafoe?

You.

You were so.

So tiny.

I could hold you in the palm of my hand.

Take good care of them.

Are we going to have to move?

As soon as the new house is built.

Why?

Why do we have to move?

Because of the quints!

Ernest, they have names.

There's too many to remember.

Will my friends still be able to come or will the

guards chase them away?

Will people stare at us?

I don't want to be stared at!

I don't want to be stared at either.

Hey! That's enough!

I don't want to hear any more complaints!

Let's go.

[laughing]

Mama!

Hi girls!

Hello!

There's people outside but they're not

going in the tunnel.

Because there won't be a viewing today, Yvonne.

There won't be any viewings.

Not ever again.

You gonna have enough room in that house for

eleven kids, Mr. Dionne?

The new house will be built in that field.

There'll be ten bedrooms, five bathrooms,

maid rooms, a music room.

One of the reception rooms will be done entirely in leather.

And I'll have an office with a marble fireplace

and a chandelier.

A crystal chandelier.

That's where I'll conduct my business affairs.

And all around the perimeter we'll have a fence

with a security gate.

You think that'll be necessary Mr. Dionne?

The Dionne quintuplets will always be

of interest to people.

They'll have to be protected, like always.

There's no show today?

Today is a very special day.

Today you're coming home.

But we're already home.

Girls, this is the nursery, the hospital.

Where I'm taking you is your real home.

Where you'll be living with maman and papa.

Papa Dafoe?

Yvonne, papa Dafoe wasn't your real papa.

He was your doctor.

Your real papa and me, we want you to come home with us.

We're gonna be a family, all of us together.

Where is papa Dafoe?

Yeah where?

You're coming home.

[crying]

You're coming home.

We love you.

You're gonna be happy, okay?

We'll all be together.

Come, shhh.

Did you know that Dafoe had been hospitalized?

Mrs. Dionne and I wish him a speedy recovery.

You know, there was never any animosity between us.

It's just something that was made up by the press.

Stand back, stand back please.

And so ends the saga of the Dionne quintuplets.

Reunited in the bosom of their family.

Like all good fairy tales, this one ends happily ever after.

And so we say.

Good night quints.

Happy, happy quints.

[applause]

[whispering] I don't like them -I know.

It does me good to see you all together.

Hey?

Mes enfants.

All the sacrifice.

It was worth it.

Hey?

Well it's been a long day.

Time for bed.

It's upstairs girls, where I showed you.

Come, come with me.

Hey! Not so fast.

Come and kiss your papa good night.

Oliva. -Come.

Come and give me a good night kiss.

It's not too much to ask.

Oliva it's too soon.

Come. Come...

Say good night.

Good night papa.

Good night papa. -Good night.

Good night.

They wanna go home.

Give them time.

What if it's too late?

What if they've been away from us too long?

I told you it was going to take time.

They need to get to know us.

Going to Toronto with us will do them good.

Toronto?

There's a big war bond rally tomorrow.

We'll do well there.

The advertising agencies will be begging to sign us

to new contracts.

Who knows?

There could even be more Hollywood movies.

You're serious?

Sure, why not?

And make sure they have curls.

The public likes them with curls.

Movies, commercials, tours?

Is that really what you want for them?

Why not?

People want to see them.

People will always wanna see them.

They might as well pay for the privilege.

When, when did you decide it was alright to treat them

the way everyone else has?

I'm the father Elzire.

I know what's good for them!

I would now like introduce to you, my daughters!

♪ [bagpipes playing] ♪

Yvonne!

Annette!

Émilie.

Cécile.

Émilie.

Et Marie...

Marie.

Smile girls.

Smile!

♪ [children singing Frere Jacques] ♪

I can, I can!

You can't catch me!

Your legs are too short.

Got you!

No you didn't! Didn't.

Maman, I got him, tell him!

[breathing heavily]

What I can't figure out is this.

Me I'm broke, that's okay.

I'm used to it.

But North Bay?

A whole city going bankrupt?

It's called depression.

You heard of it?

Ah!

Makes sense.

Everyone's depressed.

It doesn't make sense.

No jobs.

People starving.

Not just here, all over the world.

Yeah!

Hey!

You don't get paid to watch!

I was leaving you the honour.

It's our last pothole.

After this one We're out of a job.

I want the pink candies with the sprinkles.

I want the licorice candies, huh maman?

We're gonna stop at the store after church?

Maman?

Maman?

Oh! Oh!

Les enfants!

[laughing]

Bonjour papa!

Bonjour les enfants!

[crying]

Shhhh!

Elzire?

Elzire?

Madame Lebel?

Elzire, where did she go?

Well she.

I tought she was inside!

Ah!

Elzire?!

It's okay! -The baby.

Go and get madame LeGros.

Hurry! Run!

She's much too big for seven months.

And her legs are so swollen.

Ahh!

Her labour has started, that's for sure.

But the contractions.

They're like nothing I've ever seen before.

I'm gonna go get the doctor.

Ah no! Oliva.

I'll be alright.

We don't - We don't have money to pay the doctor.

You're gonna have a beautiful baby

That's all you need to think about.

Ahh! -Go boil the water.

Ah!

Aahh!

[phone rings]

Is the doctor in?

It's my wife.

Just a minute.

I have to have the baby before.

Before the doctor comes.

Don't talk, ma p'tite.

Don't talk.

Just concentrate.

C'est ça C'est ça.

She's two months early.

I know, I marked it in my calendar.

Why these ladies don't stick to their schedules.

I suppose you didn't keep her in bed,

like I told you.

Did you get her a nurse?

We couldn't afford a nurse.

But our neighbour, madame Lebel, she -

Ah! You people.

You refuse to follow advise when it's given you.

And then in a crisis, you come running to me at all hours.

My bag?

What did you do with my bag?

Please hurry, it's very bad.

The dinner'll spoil.

And I'm not starting another one.

Never mind.

I'm a housekeeper. Not a short order cook.

Never mind, Mrs. Henderson, another evening without

supper won't be the death of me.

It's not your health I was worried about.

Don't forget to look in on Mrs. Lavoie.

She's due today.

If she follows the schedules.

Push!

Uhhh!

Push now!

Huh!

One more. One more.

Yes!

Ahh!

Push.

One more.

Vas-y, vas-y, push!

Push!

That's it push, yes!

Push!

Mon doux seigneur!

The scissors.

It's so tiny!

It's alive.

It's so tiny!

Oh!

Look at her!

[breathing heavily]

Another one!

Another one is coming, go get more cloths!

Je vous salue marie pleine de grace

le seigneur est avec vous.

Hurry!

One more!

Ahhh!

Okay. One more push!

Take a deep breath.

Yes.

C'est ça, that's it!

Push! Push!

Push!

Yes push!

Yes one more!

Yes, yes Madame Lebel!

Excuse me.

Push! Push!

[baby crying]

Madame Lebel, hurry!

Scissors!

Misses Dionne?

It's Dr. Dafoe.

Mrs Dionne.

Mrs Dionne?

Ahh!

She's going to have a third one!

Three?!

Boil water, heat the oven.

Doctor, it's already done.

Mister Dionne, out of the room.

Alright, that's it.

Come on now!

[baby crying] [heavy breathing]

Another one!

Courage, ma petite!

That's it!

Coming!

Doctor, she's not breathing.

Nurse, cut!

Come on little one.

Okay.

Yes.

[baby crying]

Okay.

Ahh! Ah!

Another one?!

Seigneur, another one!

Push, Mrs. Dionne!

Push!

Push Mrs. Dionne!

Mrs. Dionne? Can you hear me!?

Ahhh! -Pauvre petite. Courage.

Ah!

Push!!!! Harder now!!!

Yes, c'est ça, that's it.

C'est ça, c'est ça!!!!

Alright!!!!

Come on!!!!

That's it.

Docteur!

Her fingers are turning blue!

Wrap her in a blanket.

Bring me the vial.

What is it?

She's cold as ice!

She gonna die?

Not if I can help it.

Get the priest, Oliva.

Get the priest!

Oh! Please god!

Per istam sanctam unctionem, et suam pissimam misericordiam...

Pater noster.

Doctor?

Elzire?

There's nothing more I can do for her.

But I believe she will live.

Thank you doctor.

They're five in all, all girls.

Five.

I'm sorry Mr. Dionne, but don't hold out any hope.

Even if there were a hospital nearby

they'd never make it.

They only weigh about two pounds each.

I, I have never seen an infant so small.

Extraordinary.

But this.

It's a miracle?

It will be a miracle, if they live.

I thought I'd lost you.

I wanna see them.

The doctor said -

What?

He said they're not strong enough.

I wanna see my babies, Oliva.

I wanna see them.

Ha!

They're so small.

My little girls.

One, two, three. -What comes after three?

Hey! Les enfants, don't get too close.

They're alive!

All of them!

They're all alive!

I'll go get Dr. Dafoe.

Be nice to your mother.

Elzire, she gave birth last night!

Ah! That's nice!

Five babies, Clovis.

Five all in one night.

Yeah sure, and I am the king of England.

Hey! You don't believe me, well go and see for yourself.

Dafoe gave up on them.

Said they were gonna die.

But they're pink and breathing and alive!!

[phone rings]

North Bay Journal, Mel Kates here.

Uh? What?

So Oliva Dionne's wife had five babies.

Well so what, my landlady's got nine.

All five in one night?

That's right!

Five in one night!!

Now, now would the birth notice for five babies cost

the same as for one?

Or five times as much?

And, and are you still giving out free baby gifts?

Free gifts!?

There's a depression going on here pal.

You on planet earth?

Clovis Dionne, don't tell me you're so broke you have to

try and get free baby gifts.

And with a crazy story like that!

[laughing]

It's the truth!

I saw them.

With my own eyes!

Five little baby girls.

In a basket in, in the oven.

Five babies.

That must be some big gun Oliva has if he can shoot

five rounds with it!

[laughing]

They fooled you, hey doctor?

They're fighters, my little girls.

We'll have to make plans.

Plans for their survival.

They might just have a chance.

A slim one.

But still.

We're going to need supplies.

Breast milk to start with.

Mrs Dionne will never have enough for five.

And flannel for diapers, oil,

rubbing alcohol.

Incubators.

The old-fashioned kind.

And a nurse.

A team of nurses.

Nurses?

Oh don't worry, I know, I know you.

Can we see them?

Get away, get away!

Mister Dionne, get the children out of here,

come on now!

They musn't be allowed near the babies.

Oliva, I'll get someone to take care of the little ones.

Keep the babies warm, oh, and don't let anyone touch them!

Anyone!

Oh! Oh!

Gotta be desperate.

We are.

Five babies.

Sure he wasn't talking about his pig?

[laughing]

Imagine, raising kids on a dump like this?

For your average Frenchie, this dump is a palace.

Hello?

Hello?

Hey! Come here!

No one will ever believe this.

Not without pictures.

Hold it!

The mother.

Ahhh! I can't see them.

[babies crying]

North Bay Journal, ma'am. Sorry to bother you.

This'll just take a minute.

Oliva! This will make the front page for sure.

Sir, you must be the father!

How'd you like to come and sit beside your wife for a picture?

Get out!

Get out!

You could have killed them!

Is it true Oliva?

Really true?

Five babies!

I saw them with my own eyes.

It's gonna make the front page everywhere.

The whole world's gonna wanna to know about this.

The whole world!

Mama.

The faint cry, no louder than a whisper is heard by no one.

Not by the six police officers,

nor the ten firemen, nor the dozens of anxious searchers.

The boy is lost, given up for dead.

The men turn to the distraught mother and tell

her it is time to morn her son.

Ahh!

Faye Willis has a mother's heart,

she has a mother's instinct.

And Faye Willis knows her son is alive!

Ahhh!

In the well she cries!

My boy is in the well!

Her cry has barely ended when big Jim steps forward,

ties a rope around his waist and begins the long climb down.

Inch by inch into the murky treacherous depths.

Until twenty feet below, he sees little Bobby,

terrified, sobbing, clinging precariously

to a ledge of wet rock.

Little Bobby looks up, he sees big Jim,

reaches out to him.

And slips!

Ahhhhhhhh!

Big Jim risking his own life,

reaches out, grabs for the boy,

but misses!

Ahhh!

Then, at the last possible instant,

he catches the tiny hand.

Ahhh!

Little Bobby is safe, restored to his mother's arms.

Saved not only by big Jim's bravery but by a mother's

instinct and and a mother's heart.

Helena Reid, ladies and gentlemen,

with another true life story for This Life We Live.

Tune in next week when Helena Reid once again

discovers the stories that melt the heart of America.

A woman with a rare skin disease overcomes town

prejudice to become librarian.

No. No more diseases!

A farm mother gives birth to five baby girls up in Canada.

Nobody cares what happens in Canada.

A man loses both his arms with a threshing machine and

learns to paint by holding a brush in his mouth.

I don't care where he holds his brush.

What's the angle?

The Helena Reid angle.

Give me innocence, give me laughter,

give me tears!

Shirley temple!

Give me a break!

How many times do I have to tell you two.

What this country is going through isn't just an

economic depression, it's an emotional depression.

People haven't just lost their jobs,

they've lost their hope.

What they need is something to restore their faith!

Their sense that there's something out there that's

bigger than they are!

A miracle!

No problem.

Anyone have god's phone number?

Not me, I'm an atheist.

Yeah yeah sure, go ahead and sneer.

But let me tell you two kids something.

Cynicism is the death of hope!

And it's gonna be the death of our little radio show if

we don't give the people what they wanna hear!!!

And what they wanna hear is that miracles are still

possible in this world.

That the - Hey wait a minute!

That woman.

That woman in Canada!!!

What do you want?

It's a present for the babies.

Come. Come and get them.

Hurry up! Hurry up!

Here he comes.

For the babies, Mr. Dionne.

My wife was up all night making them.

God bless you Mr. Dionne, you and your wife.

I want them.

I want them.

Dionne. Your wife made the front page.

Farm mother has quintuplets.

I had to look it up. Quintuplets. in the dictionary.

Nobody's ever had five babies at once before.

Not in all recorded history.

You're the doctor delivered the babies? Right?

I am.

They're still okay?

They were the last time I saw them.

Hey! Mister Dionne, how about an interview?

And the doc too.

Mister Dionne can't you get these people away from here?

Everybody, please go home.

No one can see the babies.

Hey, Dionne, an interview, come on!!!

Hey!

Hey!

How about me?

I'm the uncle.

Their temperature keeps going up and down.

And last night one of them stopped breathing.

Maman, I want to see maman.

No! No no no no Mr. Dionne, Mr. Dionne,

Didn't I tell you?

The children can't be allowed in here.

They let in the flies and flies carry germs.

Daniel, Therese, outside.

We'll eat outside.

Thank heavens nurse De Keyzer is coming.

She'll have this house under control in no time.

Another nurse?

Would someone close that door?

Mister Dionne, this can't continue.

And this door must be kept shut permanently!

Don't let any strangers in, okay?

You're in charge.

These are for your mother, kid, enjoy them.

So I look in the basket.

I rub my eyes.

I can't believe what I'm seeing.

So I say to Elzire, uh, she's my sister-in-law, thanks.

I say, "Elzire, you had five babies".

And she says: "yes, I know".

That's Clovis, with a "c".

Helena Reid?!

Miss Reid, Melvin Kates, North Bay journal.

Please, can I have a shot ma'am.

I'm the one that broke the story.

Really.

Are they in there?

Yeah. But they're not talking to anybody.

Aren't they?

Miss Reid, an interview, please?

Dixie, where's that candy.

No strangers, I'm in charge.

But I'm not a stranger darling,

I'm your aunty Helena from New York.

And just look at what I've brought for you.

Americans.

Breast milk, I can, I can't tell you what a relief

this is miss.. Uh, miss Mead.

Reid, Doctor, Helena Reid.

Star of the weekly pan-national network

broadcast This Life We Live.

Heard everywhere across North America.

Not in this house.

No electricity.

And an incubator!

Gentlemen, right this way please.

If the babies could thank you they would.

Of course I'll need to see them and the parents.

I must have full access to their life story.

How they met, how they feel.

From you, I need a full account.

Moment-by-moment of the births.

Detail, I'm looking for detail.

Anecdotes, impressions, Anything that's gonna make

my listener feel that they're in.

For once, I am speechless.

And she's just a baby herself.

She's twenty-five.

With ten children.

Ten!

They're French and Catholic.

Hey there's one of the other kids.

How 'bout having your picture taken?

Hey! You wanna smile for me?

Non.

Smile for me.

Non.

Hey! Leave him alone!

Get out of here!

We weren't doing any harm, sir.

Sir, we're just taking a picture.

Mister Dionne, Mr. Dionne, who's that?

I told you people to stay back!!!

Darlings, this is it!

It's the story of the century,

I can feel it in my bones.

A modern-day nativity for our troubled times.

How's that for a Helena Reid's angle?

I'll put a call in for some photographer.

This must be Oliver.

Oliver, I can't tell you how excited I am.

This story will capture the imagination of the world.

Now, we mustn't have any secrets you and I.

Lá j'en ai assez lá.

Can't you people leave us alone?

Oliver, you're overwhelmed, I can see that.

But you're in my hands now.

Okay. Out! All of you!

Hold on, Mr. Dionne -

I said out! Now!

But she brought an incubator.

But this is Helena Reid!

I don't give a damn of who she is.

Out!

But she -

He's going to regret that.

That was very foolish.

Miss Reid brought us breast milk and an incubator.

Oh! The breast milk!

[baby crying]

I said no more running in the house!

Mister Dionne, this can't go on.

You... You...

What do you want me to do? Huh!

They're my kids.

They live here.

Get rid of them! Board them!

I warn you, I cannot guarantee the survival of

the babies unless you move the,

the, the, the children from this house.

You want the children to leave.

If I cannot keep this room sterile,

the babies will die.

I have no doubt.

[crying]

No I don't want!

[crying]

I don't want to go!

Mister Premier, Mr. Premier,

what do you have to say about the Dionne

quintuplets!

What's your reaction to the quints?

Five girls born last week to French Canadians.

It's a miracle, gentlemen.

But that's Ontario for you, it's the land of the miracles.

Sir, how do you respond to charges that your government

has done nothing to aid the Dionnes,

and the Americans being first on the scene with

American breast milk?

Gentlemen, no government could care more for those

little babies.

That's why we were elected in a landslide.

People know our hearts are in the right place.

And right now our hearts are in Northern Ontario.

Northern Ontario with the Dionnes.

Thanks, thanks. Nice seeing you again.

Hepburn's newly-elected government slow to respond

to Dionne quints!

American breast milk first nourishment for five

hungry babies!

One of the biggest events in the world,

it happened less than two Hundred miles from here,

and we didn't even know about it.

Toronto star printed the story on the last page,

no one noticed.

Not until the American press took an interest.

Well, they sure as hell noticed now!

And what they've noticed is that we've

done sweet nothing.

Who's ever gonna forget?

That the quint's first bottle was full of American

breast milk.

Damn Americans, beating us to it.

This is gonna be very damaging unless we get off

our fat behinds and do something!

Now!

So do it!

Whatever it takes.

And make us look like heroes.

Nurse Marie'll be hanging diapers in a minute.

That'll be exciting!

Patience, children, patience.

The angle will come to me.

This takes time to gestate.

Not more than nine months, I hope.

Here he comes!

Doctor Dafoe, over here, sir?

Doctor?

Please turn this way?

Get a shot of the doctor.

Is it true they're in the oven in there?

Over here doc!

Is true their lives are hanging by a thread?

You people aren't going to go away,

are you?

Doc, are you getting any advice from other doctors?

I got some letters.

Well what's in them?

Oh some, some veterinarian from Chicago suggested the

babies could get their milk by suckling a Yorkshire sow.

Another man offered me a solution of sheep's dung tea.

Doc, why don't you just tell us what's going on in there?

Diapers and more diapers.

I have never seen so many.

Fifty a day.

Doc, are you an expert of peadiatrics?

Oh if I wasn't before, I am now.

Doc, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Just a simple country doctor.

That's all I am.

What about Mrs. Dionne, doctor?

Is she gonna have any more babies after this?

If I know my French patients,

they've just begun.

[laughing]

That simple country doctor may not be quite so simple.

Miss Reid's getting something.

Hmm hmm.

These diapers are so small.

I had to make them by hand.

Mrs. Dionne, why are you not at bed?

And you are not to come near the babies.

Weren't you told?

I sometimes give them an aperitif before their

feeding time.

An aperitif?

From the inhalator.

Ninety five percent oxygen, five percent carbon dioxide,

An oxygen cocktail.

Does them a world of good.

Doctor, if I'm very careful, could I help with the babies?

Feed them, or just hold them?

No, above all you must not touch them.

Not... not touch my babies?

I am the boss.

Now, Mrs. Dionne, have you no understanding of germs?

I understands kids.

This room will have to be disinfected.

Floor to ceiling.

Every filthy inch.

There are other bedrooms, surely?

Upstairs.

But I always stay here when I give birth.

Good.

You're pleased to move up there.

And from now on, gowns and masks for those authorized

to come into the nursery.

Who is he?

Oliva, they won't let me touch the babies.

What's going on around here.

What gives you the right to tell my wife she can't touch

her own babies?

And who's that woman?

Mister Dionne, Lena De Keyzer was with me during

the smallpox epidemic.

She is the best nurse I know and I begged her to come

here because if anyone can ensure the survival of the

babies, she can.

I'll go upstairs.

The true story of Elzire and Oliva Dionne as told by

Clovis Dionne, brother to the father of the Dionne

quintuplets.

All the intimate, never-before-written

about details.

I can even throw in some -

Oliva!

They're from Chicago.

Mister Dionne, I'll speak my piece and then I'll go.

It's a circus out there, and I certainly don't wanna add

to your troubles.

You're with the newsreels?

The press?

Far from it, sir.

A pack of wild dogs, is what they remind me of.

Now they make their money of you,

And as soon as the story goes stale,

they're gone.

Meanwhile who's paying your bills?

You must be asking yourself that, sir.

Five new mouths to feed.

I can take care of my own.

This is a well-run farm.

No one ever starves on a farm,

isn't that right?

Now what my associate was thinking was of all the

medical bills you'll probably face.

This is just to show you, sir.

A hundred dollars!

That we have a solid financial background.

And all I'm asking is to discuss a business

proposition with you.

One that will resolve all your financial difficulties

now and in the future.

One hundred dollars.

And that's just the beginning, father.

Everything will be paid for.

Medical supplies, nurses, doctors.

And all we have to do is move to Chicago with the babies.

What did Dr. Dafoe say?

Dafoe?

He's got nothing to say about it?

He's treating Elzire like she's going to kill the

babies if she even looks at them.

But this, this, father, is going to buy us

the best doctors.

Specialists.

But Elzire, she wanted me to ask you,

what you think about going to Chicago with the babies.

Mister Spear said that when we'll be there,

people will wanna see them.

Scientists, and other people too.

Oliva, why do you think those babies were born?

To do good.

You see Oliva these babies, they are miracle from god.

So in a way, they owe something back to god.

Now, as you know, we have no money to build our church.

But if I were to be your business manager for a

modest seven percent fee, the money could go to

completing the church.

Hey?

Then now, over there!

That's right.

This is the first shipment of breast milk,

doctor, donated by Canadian mothers.

As well we have another incubator coming.

And we have instructed the local government to bring in

electricity, entirely at the government's expense.

This is welcome news, I can tell you.

Yes. We can hardly wait to communicate the news to

Mr. Dionne and members of the press.

Now.

Is there anything you need, doctor?

Anything, anything at all.

Well now, if I, if I were a dreamer I'd wish for a

clean, hygienic environment for the babies.

The situation here is very primitive as you can see.

I will mention this to the premier.

He loves children.

Especially babies.

Perhaps, doctor, since the press is already at our

doorstep, so to speak, you wouldn't mind joining us to

tell them about the government's plans?

Why not!

I would like to announce that I've just signed an

agreement with Mister Dionne,

the father of the Dionne quintuplets.

As soon as the quintuplets can travel they will appear

exclusively and in person at the world famous

Chicago world's fair.

The quints will become part of an exhibit that will

promote an appreciation of the family.

It will all be done in the best of taste with utmost

concern for the babies.

Are you saying that the babies are going to be put

on display like animals in a zoo?

Don't be a fool, man, the government just offered to

pay for everything!

I don't need charity.

Me, I pay my own way.

Then go.

Get all the money you can.

You didn't bring them into the world.

God did.

If anyone wants to see the quints,

all you have to do is to come to Chicago world's fair.

Miss Reid's smiling.

Stay tuned children.

Stay tuned.

A miracle took place a few short days ago.

But if I thought that I would find a story

reminiscent of the miracle of Bethlehem,

one that would inspire us to ponder the true meaning of

family, of childhood, of love I was naively mistaken.

Imagine, if you can, Joseph signing a contract with

Herod to exhibit the Baby Jesus at the Roman coliseum.

Now, do you understand the outrage I feel that Oliver

Dionne, father of the Dionne quintuplets,

selling his precious infants,

to a Chicago promoter!

Oliver Dionne is an avaricious,

grasping peasant whose lust enslaved his child-bride

into bearing ten children in eight years.

And this, this is the man who now wants to exhibit his

babies next to the bearded lady and the alligator boy!

But who?

Who you ask will protect these precious babies from

this man?

My friends, as fate would have it,

there is such a man.

Doctor Alan Roy Dafoe, as he is fond of telling us,

is a simple country doctor.

A widower who lost his beloved wife to a brain

tumor some eight years ago, Dr. Dafoe lives a lonely and

very private existence, save for his housekeeper,

a woman as devoted to him as he is to his patients.

If anyone can save these five little girls,

so innocent, so vulnerable, so fragile, it is he.

But, because of Oliva Dionne's greed,

this man has now been cast aside.

Wrenched from the babies he so dearly loves.

And now I, and you, should fear for their safety.

I sent you up there to do one simple thing.

And this is how you handle it!

Cables, newspaper editorials,

phone calls jamming the switchboards,

everyone demanding the same thing.

Put an end to this spectacle.

Dionne's contract with the Chicago world's fair is

perfectly legal.

That doesn't make it acceptable.

Now I don't care how you manage it,

but those babies are going nowhere.

But, how can we stop them?

I mean you can' t just take the babies away from them.

Can't we?

It is legal to make children wards of the crown.

If it's clear that they're at risk.

The risk is clear.

The parents are unfit.

But sir, the Dionnes are said to be thoroughly

respectable people.

This will look like blatant government interference.

And it damn well is.

And we're gonna do nothing but interfere.

But I guarantee you one thing,

when this is over, all we'll hear is applause.

How we approach the matter will determine that.

Then let's make sure that we cover our tails.

You get the parents' consent.

And if they don't.

Then we take the kids anyway.

We understand the terrible strain you've been under.

We only regret we didn't get here sooner.

We want to reassure you the that government intends to

help with all your needs.

Like you say, you're a bit late.

Ah ah Mister Dionne don't worry about the Americans.

Now, under our plan, the government will take full

financial responsibility for the babies through the form

of a guardianship.

Oliva, de quoi ils parlent?

A guardianship?

You mean you want to take away the babies?

Non!

Only until their health stabilises.

Why?

Why do you have to take away the babies to do that?

Oh! It's purely a formality ma'am.

Until Dr. Dafoe judges that they are out of danger.

There are a lot better doctors than him in Chicago.

Mister Dionne, the Americans aren't your only friends.

At present the Red Cross is supplying you with breast milk.

The Canadian Red Cross.

It's against your best interest to jeopardize

that relationship.

You're saying you're gonna stop supplying breast milk?

Mister Dionne, you need friends.

I don't know if you realize how much your reputation

has suffered.

Oliva!

Excuse me.

Something's wrong!

There's something wrong with her.

Impossible, I just examined them.

She's warm.

She's burning up.

They all are.

A hundred and five.

They won't last the night.

Syringe.

Doctor they'll never be able to survive an enema.

This is the last chance I can give them.

She opened her eyes and looked right at me.

She's the tiniest.

The last born.

A little angel.

Fever's broken.

They're going to be alright.

Check the temperature of the incubators.

They must be kept at ninety one degrees.

And watch the little one.

I thank you doctor.

Thank you.

Babies are alive.

The babies are all alive!!!

They're all alive and well.

How do you feel about them being sent to Chicago now, doctor?

Doc? Do you think it's right them going to Chicago,

after what just happened?

They're not going anywhere.

Not as long as I'm their doctor.

An honour to meet you sir.

The honour is mine doctor.

It seems that the hyperbole about you being a miracle

doctor happens to be true.

Uh. Thank you sir.

I only did what any other man in my position would

have done.

We're going to have to do something about the

excessive modesty, doc.

Now listen doc.

The government feels that the Dionnes are not fit parents.

I think you'll agree there?

Oh, well.

Now we're going to take control of the quints,

But what we need to know is that you're willing to take

on the supervision of them?

I can't think of a better person.

Public just loves you.

I, I would be honoured.

Then they're yours.

The government has viewed with great

concern the attempt on the part of Oiva Dionne to

exploit his children.

We have informed him as far as this government is

concerned his contract with the Chicago world's fair is

null and void.

And let me tell you, when exploiters come up here from

American cities to pull this sort of racket,

they'd better not think that this government is going to

stand idly by!

The lives of children are a bigger concern in Canada

than profits!

Consequently the legislature has enacted a guardianship bill.

No!!!

Mes bébés!

Don't touch her!

Stand back, don't interfere!

Dafoe don't do this.

This isn't right, you know it!

Yvonne!

[applause]

Annette!

Emilie!

Cécile!

And my little Marie!

[cries]

This is a very happy day indeed.

And mindful of the fact that a political speech can often

put an adult to sleep,

never mind five baby girls, I will refrain from making one.

[laughter]

Mind you, if it's past your bedtime Mr. premier.

[laughing]

In recognition of his outstanding work with the

quints, who as we all see, are as five healthy nippers

as any mother could wish for it.

[laugh]

I now hereby officially open,

the Dafoe hospital.

[cheering] [trumpet fanfare]

Mister Hepburn!

Mister Hepburn!

I'm sure he'll want a meet with you Mr. Dionne,

but not right now, okay?

He won't answer our letters!

He won't meet with us!

If he'd meet us, he'd see that the guardianship

isn't necessary.

This is not the time.

Now the government's given you its assurance.

You have twenty-four-hour-a-day

access to the babies.

And the guardianship is for a limited time only.

I've been talking to lawyers.

I wouldn't waste the money, sir.

No one successfully sues the government.

The government guy, he said we can see the babies any time.

Any time we want.

It's just across the road.

Yes, it's so convenient.

That's just how I like to raise my kids.

By having them across the road.

Elzire.

Don't. Don't ask me to accept this.

To accept that my babies, when they have a bad dream

and they cry, I won't be there!

I won't be there when they have their first tooth.

When, when they learn their first word.

I, I won't be there,

I won't be there because I'll,

I'll be just across the road.

Hey! Look at me.

Very good!

Thank you.

Now isn't my Marie the most beautiful little child.

Come on, smile for Dr. Dafoe.

Give a smile.

Ouh ouh too too too too!

She has a mind of her own.

[laughing]

Yes well, here, here you are.

Nurse?

Yes Yes I think she's just a little tired.

That was nice.

And that little remark you made to the mayor,

or the governor, whoever he is.

The premier.

Whatever. That was pretty cute too, you know.

Sometimes you astonish me Roy.

Ho, sometimes I astonish myself, miss Reid.

Now listen to me.

Your girls are doing pretty well now,

you don't have any more excuses.

The entire world desperate to meet you, Roy.

How about you start with my home town. Huh?

New York?

Why sure!

I think that hard-bitten New Yorkers could use a visit

from a simple country doctor like yourself.

What do you say?

Sure, why not?

That's the spirit. cheers.

Don't you worry Roy, New York is gonna love you.

And the celebrated miracle Dr. Dafoe left the wilds of

Canada to be honoured by the citizens of New York City,

which took the little doctor to its hard-boiled heart.

He is an affirmation of life at a time when all over the

world human life has become so cheap and incidental.

...out of the danger period?

Well quintuplets have never lived this long, you know.

You just have to take it one day at a time.

Doctor Dafoe, what did the quinties look like when

they were born.

Like rats. [laughing]

Little rats. [laughs]

Doctor, doctor, were you surprised to hear you'd been

nominated For the Nobel prize?

I felt honoured.

How about when the king of England gave you the order

of the British Empire?

Yeah.

Of course I haven't really done anything.

Just delivered a few babies.

[laughing]

Oh doctor, doctor!

Do you think New York mothers spend

too much time in night clubs?

Wouldn't know.

They don't up north.

Just make a lot of babies up there.

[laughing]

Oh doc, are you gonna do Helena's show doc?

He'd better do my show!

[laughing]

Sure why not?

[laughing]

Doctor what about birth control?

What about it?

That'll be all for today.

That'll be all for today. Thank you.

Doctor Dafoe is a guest this afternoon of Mr. William

Randolph Hearst.

Thank you doctor.

♪ [singing Anything Goes] ♪

Mister Hearst, excuse me Mr. Hearst.

May I introduce doctor Roy Dafoe.

Roy, Mr. William Randolph Hearst.

So you're the genuine article, Dafoe.

A real hero, hmm?

All I claim to do is deliver babies.

You are an uncommon man, doc.

You work for the betterment of others

with no regard for your own gain.

Champagne, sir?

I hope you have the good sense to profit

from all of this.

You're not a young man.

You gotta look after for your old age.

Say doc, why don't we cook up some kind of book?

Your experiences with the quints.

You could write it and I could print.

[laughs]

Oh no, Mr. Hearst I'm not a writer.

Oh they're a dime a dozen.

Deal?

[laughs]

Al?

Mister Hearst, I don't rate an introduction?

My dear!

Doc, this is Sally Rand.

I'm honoured to meet you.

Aren't you cute?

We still have a lot of ground to cover,

come on doc.

Come on doc!

Hey!

Why don't you come and see my show?

Sure, why not?

That's good doc.

That's very good.

[applause]

What is it?

It's a Manhattan, what else?

There's mud in your eye, Roy.

Huh!

Ouh!

Extraordinary.

My, my being here with you.

It's like a, a fairy tale.

It's a fairy tale that doesn't ever need end, Roy.

You just keep those quints alive.

Ah madame Dionne!

Come in.

What is this smell?

Antiseptic, to prevent germs.

Yes of course, germs.

It's a hospital madame.

Not a home.

You're right Marie.

This is not a home.

See madame, we painted the beds.

Green for Cecile, Mauve for Annette,

Pink for Yvonne, Yellow for Emilie,

And blue for Marie.

So we can identify the babies.

Sometimes we're not too sure.

They're so thin.

The doctor says it's better to keep their weight low.

He won't let them eat candy.

Madame Dionne, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you

to leave.

Some of the local children have whooping cough and no

one from the village is allowed into the nursery.

None of my children at home are sick.

They may be infected and the symptoms haven't yet appeared.

[crying]

Don't. Do not touch her!

We cannot risk infection.

[babies crying]

For you, direct from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Ohhh!

Ha! Ha!

And won't my babies love these? Look.

Mister Dionne.

Hmm.

Mister Dionne, come in.

Free access!

That's what the government promised us.

Free access to the babies anytime,

day or night.

But when my wife goes for her first visit,

she's thrown out as if she had the plague!

Mister Dionne, if, if your wife was asked to leave.

I'm sure it was for a sound medical reason.

And that's perfectly within the rules.

Thank you for educating me.

My own personal miracle doctor.

The toast of New York!

Let me tell you something, when the mother of the

Dionne quintuplets wants to see her babies no one's

gonna stop her.

No one!

Here I am with the president.

Oh here here here I'm with that, uh, that a movie

producer, from Twentieth Century Fox.

They plan to make a movie about me.

Oh oh oh.

Ah ah extraordinary.

It was me who told to misses Dionne to leave.

You've done well Lena.

This I think is quite special.

It's, uh called a Manhattan.

To old friends.

Hmm.

I have a favor to ask of you, "old friend".

My book.

About my experiences with the quints.

I was hoping that you'd write the foreword.

You wrote a book?

Without telling me?

How can I endorse your book, when it would be in direct

competition with my own autobiography which is being

written as we speak!

I see.

Thank you.

[babies crying]

My medical philosophy, as it relates to the care of infants,

is very simple.

Sunlight, clean water, a balanced diet and plenty of

fresh air.

And look at the results.

I can't take this anymore.

Take the quints!

Make up for Mr. Dietrich!

Sir, sir, you must comply with my regulations and wear

your hospital gown. -Sure thing doc.

There can't be no exceptions.

Bring me one of those damn gowns.

We can get it an extra gown.

Sorry sir, not that I know anything about acting sir,

but when you say that bit about my medical philosophy,

you might, uh, emphasise the word "fresh air".

Fresh air!

Uh tha, tha, tha, that's how I do it.

Certainly doc. Thanks for the tip.

Sir excuse me, sir.

Sir, sir, if, if you would allow me one small

observation, Mr. Dietrich's accent is sounding very

German. -We'll take care of it, doc!

Get going! We're dyin' here!

Hey doc!

Where is nurse de Keyzer?

Lena?

Uh I had to let her go.

Her work had become unsatisfactory.

Action.

My philosophy as it relates to the care of infants,

is very simple.

Cut!

What's going on?

Somebody do something about that damn crowd.

Nurse LeMoyne, take the girls out on the balcony.

Doctor, I think they're tired.

Ah. A little airing won't hurt them.

[crowd chanting:] We want the quints!

[cheering]

That's a girl.

What are you doing?

I'd rather take Yvonne out five times than tire

each of the girls.

Anyway who's going to know the difference?

[cheering]

Chez Alphonse snack bar.

If you really want to hear about the true story of

Elzire and Oliva Dionne,

I'm, I'm the brother of the father of the Dionne quints.

Yes, Yes. I'm the uncle.

So I say to Elzire: "Elzire, you had five babies"

And she said: "Yes I know."

It's after visiting hours.

Enjoy your visit madame, monsieur.

Thank you.

C'est maman, Yvonne.

You're sure it's Yvonne.

The nurses have given them each a colour.

But I don't need colours to tell them apart.

[crying]

Cécile, it's maman.

Maman and papa.

They don't recognize us.

[baby crying]

Sir, ma'am, you'll have to go.

We have a right to be here.

This is an unauthorized visit, Mr. Dionne.

You can only enter with the doctor's permission.

I advise you to leave peacefully or I'll have to evict you.

Go ahead!

Go ahead and try!

Very well!

Let him go! Let him go!

[crying]

Hey look!

So distressing for my girls.

[applause]

Oliva, this isn't going to work.

Dafoe goes to Carnegie Hall and everyone listens to him.

And all they know is his side of the story.

We got a full house.

The Dionne name is magic.

The tour's already sold out.

Mister Halperin, this place.

It's not what we discussed.

We talked about a lecture tour.

Look, you said you wanted to tell your story to the people.

Well, that's who's out there.

Do me a favour: glam her up for the next show okay?

[applause]

And now ladies and gentlemen,

It's not often that we stop to ponder the true meaning

of life in all its wonderment.

You've heard about the Dionne quintuplets and now

for the first time on any stage in America!

Right here tonight, the parents of the Dionne quintuplets!

[applause]

I am Oliva Dionne and this is my wife Elzire.

Where are the quints?

They're back home.

But they aren't really at home.

And this is why my wife and I came here to speak to you.

To tell you the truth.

We want the quints!

Audience: We want the quints!

Listen. We're good people.

Don't get too close!

I don't want to get pregnant with five babies!

[laughing]

Audience: We want the quints!

Any of you out there have kids?

Anyone of you out there who love their kids?

You want to try and imagine what it's like to have

someone take your kids away from you!

You know how that feels?

How she feels!

She's a good mother, she loves her kids.

She almost died giving birth to her little girls and,

and she's never been given a chance

to hold them in her arms.

They don't even know who she is.

[applause]

Oliva and Elzire Dionne, parents of the world famous

quintuplets are back in the news again.

Yes, forever in search of new and novels ways to

exploit their quints, poppa and momma Dionne have taken

their show on the road.

Trouble is, without the quinties,

momma and poppa Dionne aren't exactly welcome.

I don't want to get pregnant with five babies!

Boy! What some people won't do for a buck.

This is an embarrassment.

Dionne may be an embarrassment,

but the quints are an entirely different matter.

Their movie "The Country Doctor" is a box office smash.

The contract with twentieth century fox amounts to three

hundred thousand dollars for the quints.

Three hundred thousand dollars?

And that's just the beginning.

Quints continue to draw tourists.

There seems to be no end to the fascination for them.

And the economic impact is transforming the area.

Welfare is down.

Businesses are flourishing.

And what was once our poorest area,

is fast becoming our richest.

If this keeps up, our projections show more income

coming out of the quints than we're getting from

Niagara Falls.

The tax dollars will be huge.

Moneymaker.

In the middle of a depression.

It's very interesting.

In the short term. When the guardianship bill runs out,

Dionne gets the quints back.

Taking all that revenue with him.

Okay, what are the options?

The government of premier Hepburn taking into

consideration recent actions from the parents of the

Dionne quintuplets, such actions being considered

disgraceful and further proof of the parents'

continued attempts to exploit the quintuplets,

will introduce a bill extending the guardianship

of the girls in order to insure their health and safety.

The quints will remain under the protection of the

government until they reach the age of eighteen.

Five minutes folks.

This is an offer from Stork Cleaning Powder.

Twenty thousand dollars for the quints to pose and

endorse the product.

We've never used that product.

Come on Roy, this is advertising.

Well I don't know about these things.

What about that film you just made.

Well it's different.

It is educational.

And very profitable.

Let us not forget, doctor, that costs here at the

hospital are rising.

And as the quints official guardian's would it be fair

to them not to take advantage of these

opportunities to build them up a nice little nest egg?

Sure, but only if my girls endorse products

they actually use.

It would be dishonest otherwise.

Quaker Oats wants you in the picture too!

Couldn't.

Come on Roy, you deserve something

for all your hard work.

Doc, I don't know what you think about this but,

huh, the premier has been thinking about of improving

things around here.

There should be regular scheduled viewings of the

quints, for the tourists.

Now we don't propose to charge admission.

It should all be tastefully done and with the girls'

best interest in mind.

Hmm.

We wouldn't want to exploit them in any way.

[crying]

Colgate Palmolive, for quints endorsement of

Ribbon Dental Cream, twenty seven thousand,

five hundred dollars.

Lever brothers, for quints endorsement of Lux soap,

twenty five thousand dollars.

Brown and Bigelow for use of quint's photos in calendars

and greeting cards, fifty eight thousand dollars.

Tiny Town Tots.

Children's dresses promoted by the quints,

ten thousand four hundred and sixteen dollars.

NEA Service Inc., to make and distribute photos of the

quints, sixty three thousand eight hundred eighty dollars!

General motors, me and the girls driving in a GM-make car.

Fifty thousand dollars!

[inaudible]

I'm sure they'll love it.

Misses Dionne, you know they're not allowed to have sugar.

Please.

Thank you.

Quint dolls now outsell Shirley Temple dolls!

Quintuplets now rank as the most important tourist

attraction in the world.

And they're bigger even than Niagara Falls!

Gentlemen, our quintuplet balance sheet shows total

royalties received in the amount of one million,

six hundred thousand dollars!

They represent to the province an asset worth some

five hundred million dollars.

Are you excited? We're gonna see the quints.

♪ [circus music] ♪

Cold drinks! Sandwiches! Ice cream!

Snack bar Alphonse!

Purveyor to the Dionne family.

Come in, come in, come in.

Snack bar Alphonse purveyor of the Dionne family.

Et oui! Mesdames et messieurs, this is the original,

one and only basket where I put the quints after they

were born.

And buy our book.

A true life account of the moment-by-moment drama of

the birth of the quints.

Only thirty-five cents.

Sixty cents if you want it autographed!

This is the original.

Hold on okay.

Hi lady, hi!

Over here we got the original authentic,

magic fertility stones that helped produce the world

famous Dionne quintuplets.

Guaranteed by myself, Clovis Dionne,

brother of the father of the Dionne quints.

Twenty-five cents each.

[crowd cheering]

[cheering]

[crowd oohs and ahhs]

[laughing]

So doctor if you're the miracle doc,

will that make me the miracle Pop?

Ha! Ha! I expect so, Mr. Dionne.

Those folks is always asking me saying: Papa Dionne,

these five babies how in heck did you do it?

And what is it that you tell them, Mr. Dionne?

Do it five times.

[laughing]

Okay folks move along.

Come on now, that's all. Come on.

Come on now.

That's enough.

Come on.

Émilie.

Look at me.

My baby.

Émile. My baby!

Look at me!

That's it, you too ma'am.

Move ahead. Come on.

No!

My babies!

[crying]