Original subtitles

- Flowers have funny names. - Do they?

[Eddie] Yeah, you know, like Buttercup

Pansy, Sweetpea.

[Tom] Well, I never thought of that, Eddie.

[Eddie] If you were a flower, you would.

[Tom] What about trees?

[Eddie] They got terrific names.

Oak, Hickory, Redwood.

[Tom] Yeah. What about Sassafras?

[Eddie] Sassafras?

[Tom] Sassafras.

[Eddie] That's a tree?

[Tom] Yep.

[Eddie] Only God can make a tree?

[Tom] Right.

- And flowers, too? - Right.

- But people name 'em? - Right.

[Eddie] Well, we ought to be more careful

about the flowers.

We might be hurtin' their feelings.

["Best friend" by Nilsson]

♪ People let me tell you 'bout my best friend ♪

♪ He's a warm hearted person who'll love me till the end ♪

♪ People let me tell you 'bout my best friend ♪

♪ He's a one boy cuddly toy ♪

♪ My up my down my pride and joy ♪

♪ People let me tell you 'bout him he's so much fun ♪

♪ Whether we're talkin' man to man ♪

♪ Or whether we're talking son to son ♪

♪ 'Cause he's my best friend ♪

♪ Yeah he's my best friend ♪

[scatting]

[scatting continues]

[indistinct chatter]

[humming]

[humming]

[humming]

Ah, yes, sir.

Brighten up your home.

Put art into your life.

Lift the spirit

and improve the landscape.

Uh, may-may-may, may I help you?

I'm looking for a particular painting.

Oh, well, what color is your living room?

Hmm... No.

Someone saw a painting you had

that I just mightbe interested in.

A medium-sized canvas

probably a copy of a de Neuf.

Oh! That one. Lovely.

A joy to the eyes, but this is very similar.

And, besides, affording many moments of aesthetic bliss

is certain to appreciate in value.

I am interested only in the one painting.

- Do you have it? - Uh, no.

I just unloaded that one on a girl and a kid.

Mrs. Livingston, what do you think

about this painting we got for $16?

It is beautiful.

- Really? You really think so? - Yes.

I'm glad.

And it teaches that a thing of beauty

does not need to be expensive.

I have, uh, other paintings.

Uh, lots of other paintings.

I'm, uh, sure

a man of your obviously refined taste

can find something to his liking?

Thank you.

It's not easy

bringing enlightenment into the world.

I'm not a wealthy man--

I'm certain of that.

But that's the only one I'm interested in.

I hope you got a good price.

Oh, yeah.

Sixteen dollars.

You don't think I could've gotten more?

If it's the one I'm thinking of

you could've gotten severalthousandmore.

♪♪

Thanks.

You really made my day.

Hey, dad! Come here, we've got a surprise for you!

Hey, hang on a minute. Wait a minute, wait a minute. What?

- What, what, what, what? - You'll see.

- Hello, Tina. - Come on, Tina, come on.

- Show him. - Mr. Corbett...

You've done so many wonderful things for me

and, and, I just don't think that you know

how much I appreciate it.

And, so, I just wanted to get a little something

to say thank you.

Well, Tina, w-w-wow.

- Do you like it, dad? - Uh, like it?

I think-I think, it's beautiful.

Oh, I'm so glad.

But, Tina, you-you didn't

you didn't have to do this.

Oh, I know, I didn't have to.

That's why I did it, I just wanted to.

You sneaked. That's what you were doing this afternoon

when you got off early, right?

You picked him up after school. Is that it?

Yep. That's my advisor.

Uh-huh. He's your conspirator.

You going to the doctor, dad? I mean, if you're leavin' early.

No, no. I don't, I don't think I will this time.

Boy.

- You really like it, huh, dad? - Uh, yes, I do.

I think it's fantastic.

And, Tina, you shouldn't be spending your money on me.

- Oh, it wasn't expensive. - Dad, it cost $16.

And, if that's not expensive, I don't know what is.

Eddie, haven't I tried to teach you

that discussing the cost of a gift is not polite?

I just thought you'd like to have that cleared up.

Thanks, Eddie, it's cleared up.

Well, Tina, it's delightful.

And, it's terribly thoughtful, and...

It's a very unexpected gift.

- I know what that is. - What's that?

- The best kind. - Yes, it is.

♪♪

And I think I know who the painter is.

- Is it a friend of yours? - No, we're not contemporaries.

- What, older? - About a 100 years.

Norman, what are you talking about?

I think this painting

was painted by

Francois de Neuf.

- Really? - Yes.

Who's Francois de Neuf?

Francois de Neuf was a famous French painter

before the more famous French painters emerged.

I didn't know you knew that.

Tina, how could you know, I knew that

if you didn't know what this painting is?

Norman, that's-that's a very good point and all, but, ah...

But a-a-are you trying to tell me you think this...

this is an original of...

[mumbling]

- de Neuf. - Yes!

In my relatively valueless opinion, yes.

But, suppose, Norman

your relatively valueless opinion is right?

Then this painting would be worth a lot of money.

Was it expensive?

Sixteen dollars, and if that's not expensive

I don't know what is.

♪♪

Welcome, art lover.

Feast your eyes among these treasures

and find something to bring lasting joy

into your life.

I never knew there were art pushers.

I'm looking for a painting about so wide

and about so big.

It was purchased by a little boy and a young lady.

You know about that?

Mm-hmm. Yes. They're friends of mine.

To tell you the truth, uh...

I-I-I had second thoughts about that painting.

I hadn't realized how-how much I'd become, um, attached to it.

It's a very nice painting.

So, perhaps your friend might consider selling it back?

I'd be willing to give her a profit

uh, say, uh, $20.

- I don't think so. - $25 dollars?

- I don't think so. - $2,500?

- It is a de Neuf. - Possibly, maybe, perhaps.

Well, $2,500 is a lot of money, pal.

A chance of a lifetime.

Oh, I'm so miserable.

Why don't you look at it this way?

Yes?

You've got the right to be miserable.

♪♪

How's that?

- Great. - Oh. You really think so, huh?

Yeah, sure.

Well, how about the height? You think the height is right, huh?

I don't really know that much about that stuff.

Well, then, why did you say it was great?

Well, wherever it is, it looks great to me.

- Oh, it does? - Yeah.

You're a super help, pal.

Let us ask the gift-giver.

Tina, what do you think, huh?

- Perfect. - Oh!

[telephone ringing]

- Want me to get that? - Yeah, would you, please?

Hello?

Hey, dad, wouldn't it be great

if it was a real Den-woof?

- No. de Neuf. - Enough?

- It's Norman. - Oh, well, thank you.

Hello, Norman.

Yeah.

What?

You're kidding, uh... $2,500?

I'm not sure you should've done that.

Well, no, it's, it's just that...

Well, alright, what's done is done, I...

Okay, Norman. Thank you.

Yeah, yeah. Bye-bye.

That was Norman.

He said the painting may be worth $2,500 or more.

Wow. What are you gonna do with all that money?

Well, it's not really my money, sport, it would belong to Tina.

♪♪

But that was a love gift.

But you're the one that found it.

But you're the one I gave it to.

[doorbell rings]

- Tom Corbett? - Yes.

My name is Vincent Pryor.

- I'm an art dealer. - Yes?

You have a friend named Norman Tinker?

Yes.

I have an art gallery

just down the... street.

I-I beg your pardon, but, I--

It is a de Neuf.

- It is? - Is it?

I think.

Mr. Corbett, I'll be very candid with you.

I have a client, a collector of de Neuf.

I feel quite certain

he would go as high as $3,000.

Three thousand?

♪♪

What's the matter?

Ah, nothing.

Would you like to sit down? I'll get you some tea.

Thank you.

Is anything bothering you?

They're selling my painting.

Selling your painting?

Well, I-I think that's what they're-they're doing.

There's a collector looking at it, right now.

Oh, they probably just want to find out if it is real.

Well, I hope so.

Guess what, Mr. Pryor said that

he'd buy the painting for $5,000!

[Mrs. Livingston] $5,000?

Yeah. On the subject of verible-cation.

- Verification? - Hmm, yeah. That's it.

What you gonna do with all the money, Tina?

[gasps]

Well, it's not my money, Eddie.

The-the painting belongs to your father.

But you're the one who gave it to him.

But once you give a gift to someone

it doesn't belong to you anymore.

Oh.

♪♪

May I bring an expert to examine the painting

on behalf of my client?

- Well, who is your client? - Oh, I can't say.

But a great lover of art. A true devotee.

Aah.

A TV star.

Well, I don't know that I want to sell the painting.

Uh, no obligation. When would be convenient?

- Well, I-I-I don't-- - How about tomorrow evening?

Would 7:30 be alright?

Uh, ah, uh, well, I, I don't--

Perfect. I'll look forward to it.

[stuttering]

♪♪

Wait a minute. I don't have your nickel, or yours either.

Pay up.

Okay, these nickels will be good

for a one-minute look at the painting.

Wait a second. You didn't say anything about a time limit.

[all] Yeah.

Okay, two minutes.

But don't get too close, and don't touch anything.

Is it okay if we look at it?

Yeah, but not too hard.

[chuckles]

Boy, you rich kids.

[Harold] You're a different guy already.

You wanna see the painting or not?

[all] Yeah!

Okay.

♪♪

Good morning, guys.

[Tom] Good morning, guys.

- Hi, dad. - Hi.

Your friends enjoying the painting, are they?

Oh, yeah.

My dad says it's all a tax dodge.

They buy art and then they don't have to pay taxes.

Uh, boys, look, it's, ah, it's getting sorta late.

Don't you think you ought to get going to school, huh?

Anyway, it wasn't worth a nickel just to look at this dandruff.

de Neuf.

[Tina] Mr. Corbett, don't you like it?

[Tom] I love it!

[Tina] Then what are you talking about selling?

[Tom] Because, Tina, it is too valuable a gift

for me to accept.

It really does belong to you.

- I'm back. - Hmm. Ah.

Well, tell me. How were the fish?

- When do we eat? - Oh, yeah.

Well, pretty soon, sport, I, uh...

I was just talking to Tina about the painting, and how much, uh...

how much money it could be worth.

And I was trying to convince her that the money

would really belong to her.

I don't think I did a very good job, though.

'Cause I think that she thinks...

...that she's being rejected.

Tina, you know, I wouldn't want to do a thing like that.

Then why not just keep it?

Oh, because I wouldn't accept such a valuable gift.

Any more than you would for me, Tina.

There! That's it.

Now, supp-suppose I gave you a gift for $16

at least you thought it was $16

and, then, later discovered it was really worth $5,000.

Now, would you keep it?

[Tom] Would you?

Oh, come on, Tina. I'm sure we can work this whole thing out.

[Eddie] You know, dad...

it seems to me like you and Tina are having lot of trouble

over somethin' that was supposed to give you a lot of pleasure.

[Tom] Yeah.

I couldn't agree with you more.

[Norman] Tina is being stubborn and unreasonable.

Of course, you can't accept such a valuable gift.

And she should have the money.

It's so clear, I told her so myself.

Good. What happened?

- She's mad at me, too. - Oh.

Of course, there is another premise.

Well, what is it?

Perhaps, deep down inside

where it really counts

she's angry at herself.

- She is? - Mm-hmm.

She bought the painting for $16.

Her judgment was superb.

Had she kept the painting

she would've been rewarded by over $2,500.

Yeah, but, Norman, I'm willing...

I really, I reallywanther

to have that money.

It's too late.

She's trapped by her own reactions

to her initial giving impulse.

Then how are we gonna get through to her?

We don't.

If my judgment and premise is correct

she has this inner truth, tucked way inside herself

in that little place we all have

where we hide the truth, that we never want to see.

Norman, if you're so perceptive

if you really groove on people

why don't you just divinea solution?

- I have one. - Finally.

- Mm-hmm. There is none. - That's no solution.

Yes, it is. If I, as you say, groove on people

then you'll understand that I understand

that he...

...made us imperfect animals.

[intercom buzzing]

Uh-huh.

Excuse me, please, Norman.

Yes, hello?

Oh, hi, Mrs. Livingston.

What?

No, I'm-I'm glad you called.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Livingston.

Mm-hmm. Bye-bye.

- Well... - Well?

Eddie is now in the act.

It seems that he was entertaining

some friends of his this afternoon

but he was fairly upset

about all the trouble the picture had caused

allthe people

so when Mrs. Livingston looked in to see

how he was doing this afternoon

he was gone.

So?

So was the painting.

♪♪

[Samson] Now, now, here, kid, you-you just take this $16

and-and, uh, well, you can put it in the bank

or you can buy everybody, uh, lot of ice-cream cones

you know, just, ah, just take it.

Here, you know, just put it in your pocket

and, uh, well if you don't wanna buy yourself

ice-cream cones, you can buy yourself, a toy, because, to--

Eddie, I thought I'd find you here.

- Oh, hi, dad. - Hi.

You know, the painting was making

everybody so unhappy...

Yes?

Tina said she wished she could

make it disappear.

We talked it over, and she decided

that I should sell it back.

Right, a person shouldn't keep a painting

if that person is going to be made unhappy by that painting.

Then we could give Tina back her $16

and she could start all over again.

Now, you don't really think you can

buy back a painting from a little boy, do you?

I don't want anybody to have anything they don't want.

Here's your money, kid. $16.

Don't be ridiculous. You offered him $2,500.

- Take the money, kid. - Eddie, I know you're upset.

But I'm sure we can work it out.

Take the money.

You don't wanna hurt Tina's feelings, do you?

Listen, the deal's settled.

He offered a sale for the original $16

and I accepted.

That doesn't even deserve a reply.

I know.

Eddie, if I sell the painting

Tina's gonna be the one who's gonna benefit from it.

But you're not supposed to sell a gift.

Alright, sport, I know that.

Look, why don't we just go home

and I promise you that we can work it out, okay?

Would you let go of the painting, please?

- Do you think he'd take 2,500? - No.

Oh, it's another one of those days.

- Don't upset yourself. - Upset myself?

This is a moral issue.

Don't tell me about morality.

I've been rich, and I've been poor.

- Rich is better. - I know. I know.

Tom says he has an answer.

[Tina] What is it?

- I don't know. - Hmm.

Yeah, dad, you just now promised us a solution.

- Yeah. - What is it?

Well, as a matter of fact, that's why I've asked you

over here, Tina, but, first, ah, Norman, uh...

- You and I are old friends. - Oh, yeah.

Well, for an old friend, would you mind, please

just waiting outside for a second?

Sure, Tom.

- And, now... - Tom?

Why do I have to stand out here all alone?

Well, just be patient, please, Norman.

Yeah, dad. Why is he standing out there?

Hey, you're right. He shouldn't be alone.

He should have company. Would you join him, please?

Thank you. Now, just be patient.

Alright, now, Tina.

We are now all alone.

And the problem belongs to you and me.

Hey, Tom, is there something you want Eddie and me to do out here

or do you just want us to stand here?

[Tom] Just do what you're doing, Norman.

He wants us to just stand here.

That sure is a weird solution.

You gave me a gift, out of generosity

and love, and affection

and I accept it that way.

- You do? - Yes.

[Norman] Tom, it's Mr. Pryor. He has an appointment to see you.

Uh, well, could you just ask him

to-to stay out there with you, Norman?

He wants you to stand out here, and wait with us.

Why?

He has some sort of a solution.

And I have very little patience.

Unh-unh. He's a customer, Mr. Pryor.

And you know art customers.

They're all a wee bit eccentric.

And it does mean a big sale for you, doesn't it?

Well, I do have a little patience.

What does "Eccentric" mean, Uncle Norman?

Well, it's a fancy word for fancy people

who act strange.

♪♪

Okay, I see your point of view

and that doesn't mean that I accept it.

It just means that I see it.

[Norman] Tom, it's getting a little crowded out here.

Eddie's friends have shown up.

Perfect, just stay out there.

Stay where you are, gang.

Why do we have to stand out here?

Because my dad said to.

But the painting's in there.

♪♪

Now I know what he's doing.

As soon as we open that door

and let those people in

then our gift changes.

- Because of them. - Yes.

Because of them, the outside world.

Then let's not let them in.

Okay.

♪♪

- Mr. Pryor. - Hello, Miss Silo.

Miss Silo is the art appraiser

with whom Mr. Corbett has the appointment.

- Where's the painting? - In there.

Then what are we all doing standing out here?

- 'Cause my father's strange. - Is he?

Yeah, we're not fancy people

but if we were, he'd be eccentric.

We can just tell them to go away.

Yes.

Uh, one of the kids has to go to the bathroom.

Oh, really? Which one?

Oh, well, go ahead.

Well, I, uh...

I thank you all for being so patient.

I'm-I'm terribly sorry to, uh, to have troubled you

but you can all go home now.

But we paid to see the painting. Eddie promised.

Oh, yes, well, uh...

Eddie is going to return all of your nickels.

I am?

Yes, you are, okay?

Mr. Corbett, I have dealt with

many people in my career

including belligerent artists

avaricious merchants

and TV stars.

But I have never--

Now you have.

You can't bring me all the way up here and then send me away.

[Tom] Well, uh, actually, he didn't.

I did, and, I'm-I'm very sorry

for having inconvenienced you

but...

I'm-I'm afraid I can send you away.

But you'll never know the value of your painting.

I do know the value of the painting.

- You do? - Mm-hmm.

It's priceless.

It is priceless.

Hey, Ralphie, here's your nickel back.

Gee, thanks... for everything.

Do you really like it, Mr. Corbett?

Yes, I really do.

So do I.

You know, every time I look at it

I see something else in it.

It just has so much meaning to it.

Yes. Yes, it does.

♪♪

[Eddie] Water is important.

- Isn't it? - Yes, it is, Eddie.

[Eddie] People drink it, and fish have to swim in it.

Boats need it to travel on, and flowers can't live without it.

[Tom] Right.

[Eddie] It's also for taking baths in.

[Tom] Yes, it is.

[Eddie] I guess nothing good is perfect.

[Tom] Well, it's also used for making food

and mixing paints, cleaning clothes

cooling automobiles.

- And it's free. - Right.

[Eddie] That's terrific, how the world was made.

[Tom] Yes, it is, Eddie, there are certain things

that belong to the people that no one can take away and sell.

[Eddie] Yeah? So come they can do it with ice cream?

♪ People let me tell you 'bout my best friend ♪

[scatting]

♪ People let me tell you 'bout my best friend ♪

♪ He's a warm hearted person who'll love me till the end ♪

♪ People let me tell you 'bout my best friend ♪

♪ He's a one boy cuddly toy ♪

♪ My up my down my pride and joy ♪

♪ People let me tell you 'bout him he's so much fun ♪

♪ Whether we're talkin' man to man ♪

♪ Or whether we're talking son to son ♪

♪ 'Cause he's my best friend ♪♪

[scatting]