Original subtitles

(whistling sprightly tune)

Starring Andy Griffith...

with Ronny Howard.

Also sfam‘ng Don Knotrs.

Bang!

Bang!

Hey‘ it's the Sheriff,

He ain‘t 1aking us in.

I'm a-drawing on you, Sheriff. Draw.

Aw, why don‘t you turn yourself in

peaceful-like, son?

You'll get a fair trial,

No. I'm the fastest gun in the West,

Well, you're the shorlest. I‘ll say that

Bang! Bang!

I got him.

Dang if you didn't.

Why did you want to go and shoot your own Paw for?

I told you to draw.

Besides, you're the sheriff

and I‘m Billy the kid.

And you're dead.

Go on, Paw.

You got to fall down and die.

Well, I‘ll tell you the truth, son.

| just got other things to do.

I'm just too blame busy to die right now.

Aw, shucks.

l'|| die a little later on ill get the chance.

What do you think, fellas?

Should we wait?

Nah, Let's go down to the creek and hunt Indians.

Hey, I've got an idea how we can have some fun.

Yeah? How?

Let's push the sheriff's car in front of the fireplug.

I don‘t know about that.

It's just for a joke.

Then it'll look like the sheriff himself

don‘t know no better

than to park in front of the fireplug.

Come on, Tommy, get behind and push.

You, too, Opie, and I'll let out the brake.

Okay, but I ain't sheriff

so I ain‘t gonna push very hard.

Brake's off.

Push.

Come on, Tommy, push.

Come on, Opie.

(whistling)

Andy?

Hmm?

I got something to say.

Well, say it.

Remember when you deputized me?

Yeah.

Well, do you remember what you said?

No, not exactly.

Well, you said

"Barney, an officer of the law

"is bound to uphold the law

"even if the person breaking it

is friend or kinfolk."

Yeah?

You said that "here in Mayberry

"there ain't hardly nobody that ain't friend or kin.

"And we let talks off on that basis

why, we ain‘t never gonna be arresting nobody."

Yeah, it appears to me I might have said that.

Well, cousin Andy, operating on that basis

now, here‘s the citation

for parking your vehicle in front of a fireplug.

Sign right there where the "x" is.

See, it's right there.

I know where the "x" is.

I didn't park my car in front of no fireplug.

You didn't?

No.

Well, just take a look,

Well, I'm going to.

Well, I‘ll be dogged.

I know I didn't park in front of that fireplug.

Are you signing this citation or ain't you?

Well, no, Iain‘t.

In that case, I'm just gonna have to run you in.

Well, lam in.

Well, then I‘m gonna have to haul you up

in front of the Justice of the Peace.

Oh, darn it, Andy.

You are the Justice of the Peace.

How can I haul you up in front of yourself?

You got a point there, Barney.

I'll tell you what I'll do with you.

What?

I'll make you the Justice of the Peace

and you try me,

Oh, I can't be the justice. ,.

All righty.

All right, raise your right hand.

You promise to give me a fair trial?

I do.

All rig ht, take your place,

We'll just see

it you can beat this rap now.

(clearing throat)

Uh, what do I do now?

Call the court to order.

(gavel pounds)

Court's in order.

Now, ask me, ask me how I plead.

How do you plead. your honor?

No it's "Your Honor."

Oh, yeah.

How do you plead?

Not guilty.

Not guilty?

Ask me what I got to say for myself.

Uh, what do you got to say for yourself?

Well, Your Honor...

sit down.

Well, Your Honor,

I'm, uh, I'm an honest man, an honest sheriff.

Right, Your Honor?

Yeah, that's right.

Ask me to speak up.

What?

-Ask me to speak up. -Oh. Speak up!

How long have we known one another, Your Honor?

Well, lguess...

We've always gotten along pretty good all that time,

-right, Your Honor? -Yeah. ..

We've served together as law officers

and fished and hunted together as friends,

right, Your Honor?

Yeah, and I've enjoyed it.

Do you thinkl run an honest sheriffs office here?

-Yes. —Do you think I'm an honest man?

-Yeah, -You ever known me

to do anything outside the law?

-Well, no. —| always live inside the law.

Is that right, Your Honor?

-That's right. —How long have I been

-parking in front of this jail, Your Honor? -Well, I...

Did you ever know me to park in front of a fireplug?

Well, no, not until...

I say again, Your Honor, I'm an honest man

and an honest sheriff,

and I‘ve been parking my car in front of this jail

for more than five years now, rig ht?

That's right.

I couldn‘t possibly have parked

in front of that fireplug, knowing the law as I do.

Well, you'd think not.

Could I have willtully and deliberately

have committed such a violation?

Well, no...

I say there is mischief going on here.

Mischief.

I say somebody deliberately pushed my car

-in front of that fireplug... -That's possible.

“making me, me the innocent victim

of circumstantial evidence.

That's awtul.

Oh, there is foul play afoot here, Your Honor.

That's terrible.

I say this whole thing

-is a travesty on justice. -Terrible.

I throw myself at the mercy of the court.

Not guilty!

Hi, Paw.

Hi, son.

What's the matter with Barney.)

Oh, he tried to give me a ticket

for parking my car in front of a fireplug,

I reckon I better move it.

Paw?

In a second.

I still can't figure out

how my car got in front of that fireplug.

I know how, Paw.

You do?

Yeah. Steve and Tommy and me pushed it there.

You gonna arrest them?

I think you could get a confession out of 'em.

Well, uh, why shouldn't I arrest you, too?

I didn‘t push very hard.

Oh, I see. Yeah, that does make a difference.

Well, uh, how come they pushed my car

in front of the fireplug?

Oh, just for a joke, Paw,

We got tired of playing cowboys and we just had to do something.

Oh, Isee.

Well, seeing as how they meant no harm, and no harm's done,

why, we can just forget it. You want to?

That's good, Paw, ‘cause they‘re my best friends

and I promised I wouldn't tell on 'em.

Well, so long, Paw.

So long, Opie.

Hey, uh, wait a minute.

What, uh, what was that you said about your friends

and you promised you wouldn‘t tell on 'em?

I said that they/re my best friends

and I promised I wouldn't tell on 'em.

Well, uh, it they‘re your best friends

and you promised you wouldn't tell on 'em,

well, uh, how come you did?

Well, I guess

I just figured you ought to know, Paw.

Well, so long, Paw.

Well, now, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Now, I'm going to tell you something,

I appreciate you being loyal to your Paw

and telling on your friends.

And most of all, I appreciate

that you couldn‘t let something look like it was my fault

when you and your friends done it.

Oh, that shows mighty fine character.

Mighty fine.

-It does, Paw? -It sure does.

And if I had a mighty fine character medal laying around,

I'd sure pin it on you.

I'd sure like to wear one, Paw.

Yeah, but now, on the, on the other hand, Opie,

when you make a solemn promise to a friend,

it ain't right to go back on it.

No. Never let your friend down,

Never break a trust.

And»and when you give your word,

never go back on it.

You-you understand that, do you?

Okay, Paw.

You can trust me.

Okay.

“ll; 023;

I'm moving it, Barney.

I'm moving it right now.

(playing gentle melody)

Hi, Ope.

Hi, Paw.

Paw, remember what you said

about never letting a friend down?

Sure.

Never breaking a promise or going back on yourword?

Right.

You ain‘t changed your mind. have ya?

Well, 'course not.

Okay, George, come on up,

Well!

See, George, I told you my Paw was on our side.

This, here, is George, Paw.

Oh, well, how do, George?

Would you mind calling me Tex?

I'd be happy to oblige.

How do, Tex?

Where you from?

I know everybody in Mayberry.

He's from another town down the line.

He wants to stay with us a few days.

Oh, well, happy to have him.

Of course I'll have to call his ma and pa

and make sure if it's all right with them.

Paw, you can‘t.

George is running away from home to be a cowboy.

He only wants to stay here

until he figures out

whether he wants to go to Texas or Wyoming.

You mean, his folks don't know?

Aw, Paw, how can you run away from home if your folks know?

Of course, it kind of takes

the starch out of the whole thing.

Now, uh, Opie, I'd like to have Tex stay here with us,

but I can‘t unless his folks know.

Now, uh. what‘s your pa's name

and-and where are you from?

I won‘t tell you.

Do you know?

Sure.

Well, then, you tell me.

Paw, I promised I would n't tell on him.

Well, now, Opie, his ma and pa are gonna be worried sick.

Now, now, come on.

First you say don’t break a solemn promise.

Now you say fi‘s okay to break a solemn promise.

You're sure mixing me up, Paw.

Oh, well, I'm a mite confused myself.

Well, all right, Iwon't try to find out,

and you don‘t have to tell me.

You mean it, Paw?

Yeah.

At least till I can figure it out.

I don't know why I am always getting my britches

caught on my own pitchfork

I sure would like to catch this fella.

$500 is a lot of money.

Yeah, and what would you do with it though, if you had it?

Well, Iwouldn't spend it on nothing foolish,

| warrant you that.

Not after risking my life capturing a dangerous criminal.

Put it in the bank, that's what I'd do.

'Course, with a bank robber

like this fella running around loose,

I ain‘t so sure the bank‘s a safe place neither.

I could put it under my mattress,

No, a mattress ain‘t gonna count,

You have a fire, it'll all burn up.

I can't put it there.

I could bury it.

Worms and slugs might get at it.

That's true.

Well, what should I do with it, then?

It's your money, I ain't gonna take responsibility.

| tell you one thing, though.

What's that?

You was a much happier man when you was poor.

Yeah.

(phone ringing)

Mayberry Sherrifl‘s Office.

Town headquarters.

Andy Taylor, Sheriff,

Deputy Barney Fife speaking. Hello?

Oh, howdy, Sheriff.

It's the Sheriff from over in Eastmont

Yeah... no.

No, not that I know of.

Well, sure, we'll keep our eyes open.

Yeah.

Give me a piece of paper.

Uh, yeah?

George Foley...

eight years old...

Blond hair...

blue eyes...

blue jeans...

Yeah... yeah, right.

It‘s a runaway boy.

Sheriff figures he might have come this far.

I ain‘t seen no strange young'uns. Have you?

George Foley from Eastmont.

Yeah. Sheriff says

the boy‘s pa‘s making an awful fuss.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I know how I‘d be it little Opie was missing.

Dadburnit, I'm a sheriff and I got my duty to do.

Yeah, uh, oh, where are you going?

Home to get permission from my son to do it.

Hi, Paw.

Oh, hi, Ope.

Hi, George.

Tex.

Oh, that's right.

Howdy, Tex.

That’s where he‘s going— Texas.

Yeah.

You really sure you want to go that far?

It‘s a pretty long trip, Tex,

Being all by yourself that way,

what if you get a tummyache?

Why, who's going to take care of you?

My horse. They‘re man‘s best friend, you know.

Yeah, but you-you-you might not get the horse you want,

You might not be lucky and get a horse

that don't know how to take care of a tummyache.

I once knew a horse that didn't even know

how to fix a sore finger,

Played a great guitar but was nothing with first aid.

Uh... Opie, why, uh...

Why don‘t you, uh, go on in the house

and maybe feed your frog?

Okay, Paw.

(clearing throat)

(door shuts)

Uh... Tex, uh...

what do you want to run away from home for?

'Cause I'm tired of taking orders.

Yeah, well, Tex,

everybody has to take orders of some kind, even cowboys.

Cowboys?

Well, sure.

Well, nobody would ever tell a cowboy to pick up his toys,

And if I sleep with my horse,

then I'll never have to take a bath.

I don‘t know now.

If the wind shifts, somebody/s going to get after both of you.

Sheriff!

Sheriff... |...

lgot to... lgot to talk to you a minute.

Well, uh, Barney, this-this is George Foley,

Oh, how do you do, George?

Would you excuse us a second?

We got some police work to do.

Sure.

Cute boy.

Yeah. What's up?

Guess what that is.

Well, it looks like a drawing of some kind,

Yeah. That is the missing boy from Eastmont.

I drew it from his description

just like they do in the big cities.

Oh, Barney...

Now, remember what the sheriff said?

Eight years old, blond hair, blue eyes, blue jeans.

That‘s the boy. That's him.

I'd know him anywhere.

I could pick him out of a Sunday school picnic,

Can you pick him out on a porch?

Anyway, now, now, according to this book I got, you know,

eight-year-old boys, most of them

have similar physical characteristics,

but from the description I got of this George Foley...

What did you say that boy‘s name was I just met?

That cute little fella that just went in the house there?

Yeah, that's the one.

George Foley,

George Foley...

What's the matter?

Can't you find him?

Well, now, the sheriff never mentioned nothing

about the boy needing a haircut!

Besides, we're supposed to go out and track down runaways!

We ain't supposed to be introduced to them

right on the sheriffs front porch!

For heaven‘s sakes!

What‘s he doing here, anyways?!

Now, Barney, just simmer down and don't get excited.

The boy's all right.

He's just going to stay here for a little while.

-Here, with you? -That's right.

Well, ain't you gonna take him home to his folks?

Well, I don't think I‘ll have to.

You mean you're gonna just let him stay here with you

even though you know he's run away from home?

-That‘s rig ht. —You know what you’re doing?!

You‘re harboring a ninaway and that’s illegal!

Now, Barney...

That's twice in one day you‘ve gone afoul of the law.

You keep this up and I‘m gonna have to draw yourface next!

Here‘s the picture of a little boy.

Here‘s your sandwich, George,

and the sweet pickles and marshmallows

and olives and bubble gum.

Thanks, Opie.

(door shuts)

George is going to Texas now, Paw.

I packed him a lunch.

Yeah, what‘d you fix?

A peanut butter and sardine sandwich.

Oh... well, I, uh...

I don't believe that‘ll be near enough.

Better fix a few more.

Okay, Paw.

Okay.

(uneasy chuckle)

Uh, Tex...

How, uh...

How many sandwiches can you eat in a day?

Maybe four or nine.

Yeah.

Well, I reckon a big fella like you

could hike, what, five miles a day.

Sure.

Yeah. Well, you ought to be in Texas, then,

in, ch, six months easy.

Let's see, four sandwiches a day for six months...

Well, that‘s more than 600 sandwiches.

How in the world are you going to carry 'em?

I got a wagon at home.

Well, I've never seen a cowboy pulling a wagon

full of sandwiches.

Th-That just ain't western, Tex.

It ain't?

Naw.

I don't believe Wells Fargo

ever delivered a single peanut butter sandwich.

How big is this wagon of yours anyhow?

'Cause you're going to need to carry

some other stuff, you know—

blankets, pillows and pajamas and stuff like that

and then some snowshoes for the mountains.

It gets pretty cold up there.

I haven't got any.

No snowshoes?

(whistles)

I'm worried about you, Tex.

A good cowboy never starts out on a trip

unless he‘s prepared.

If I wa'fi till August...

till after my birthday,

maybe I'll get snowshoes for a present.

Well, maybe.

I'd be older, too.

Do you think maybe I ought to go home

and wait till August?

Well, that, that's up to you.

Well, If you're going to Texas, you better get started.

It‘s getting on close to 5:00.

Five o'clock?

Ma is getting supper going.

And if she's making pork chops and fried apple rings,

she makes the house smell good.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

A meal like that is as much fun sniffing as 't is eating.

Too bad that ain't cowboy rations.

It ain't?

No, no.

Reckon what your pa‘s up to.

He's home from work now,

and if he ain't too tired, we have a game of catch.

Except I ain't there.

Yeah, that's right,

and it's a pretty good long throw

from Eastmont over here.

Well, if he wants to play, why don‘t he come get me?

Well, son, he don't know

where you are to come and get you.

Well, then, why didn't he call?

Well, he don't know to.

Far as your Pa knows,

why, you‘re on the runawaytrail.

You reckon I better call him?

Well, you could.

You reckon you could call him for me?

I reckon.

Tell you what I‘ll do. I‘ll call your pa

and tell him I'm bringing you home.

And your ma can throw in another pork chop

and your pa can start warming up in the bullpen, all right?

Now, you go on upstairs and get freshened up

-and me and Opie will drive you home. -Okay.

Okay.

Sarah?

Cou-Cou—Could you get me a Mr. Foley in Eastmont, please?

Yeah.

Opie!

I ain't finished making the extra sandwiches, Paw.

I'm making him a peanut butter and baloney,

peanut butter and livenivurst

and one with just peanut butter and peanut butter.

Well, George won't be needing them now.

He decided not to run away after all.

He did?

How come?

Now, well, you see, son...

Hello?

Mr. Foley.

Mr. Foley, this is Sheriff Taylor over in Mayberry.

| just wanted to tell you that your boy‘s been with me.

Oh, he‘s fine as a daisy.

Yes, sir.

Yeah, well, we'll be, we'll be

bringing him home here in a little bit.

Ah, you're welcome.

Yes.

You see, son...

You told.

You broke your word.

-Well, I... —You promised you wouldn't tell,

-but you did. -Well, |...

You said, "Never let a tn'end down,"

but that‘s just what you did.

You let me down.

Well, now, whoa, wait a minute.

I didn't let you down.

Oh... oh.

You think that I gave you a set of rules

and told you to follow them and then I went and broke 'em.

You did break ‘em.

Well, uh...

Uh...

Well, now, let me see.

Uh...

Suppose, uh...

Suppose, suppose there was a little lake

and there was a sign on it saying, "No swimming allowed."

Now, that‘s a law.

And a law is pretty much

the same thing as a rule. Ain’t that right?

Well, now, suppose...

suppose it was a little boy and he broke that law

and went swimming anyway and started to drown.

Now, suppose there was a fella

standing there watching.

Now, should he obey the law and let that little boy drown

or should he break the law and save the little boy?

Well... he couldn't let him drown.

Well, of course not.

And I couldn't let George's pa and ma worry themselves sick

of wondering whatever happened to him.

Besides that, there was an awful lot of busy folks

out spending a lot of time looking for him.

So, well, that's, uh,

that's kind of the same thing, ain't it?

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess so, Paw.

You see, son...

rules are very important things,

but sometimes they seem to get in the way

when we're trying to help somebody.

So, what we do in a case like that,

we don't exactly break ‘em, we just bend them a little bit.

You understand that, do you?

Yeah, Paw.

Okay.

George, you about ready?

GEORGE: Coming!

You know something?

I don‘t believe old Tex

is going to have a hankering to run out on his ma and pa

anymore right soon.

(both chuckling)

Paw?

Huh?

Can I run off sometime?

Huh?

I wouldn’t go too far, Paw.

Just overnight someplace.

And I'd let you know where I was.

And, say...

maybe you‘d like to come along.

Hey, Opie, I got an idea.

Let's push Barney's car in front of the fireplug there

and I‘ll write him out a citation like he done me.

That’ll get his dander up.

No, Bamey‘ll have a fit.

(laughing)

BARN EY: Well, tampering unlawfully with a vehicle, huh?

That‘s a mighty serious offense.

(whistling sprightly tune)