Original subtitles

Chet, I wanna talk to you.

Chet.

Chet!

Chet, I wanna talk to you!

Okay, pop. But why are you yelling?

I'm trying to clear my sinuses.

Would you mind stepping outside?

Sure.

Take ten, guys.

We'll try it next time with the volume up.

♪ I love my mom and dad and my brothers too ♪

♪ And the groovy way we get along ♪

♪ Every time the slightest little thing goes wrong ♪

♪ Mom starts to sing this familiar song ♪

♪ Wait till your father gets until your father gets ♪

♪ Wait till your father gets home ♪

♪ Dad's not so bad and he seldom gets mad ♪

♪ And we aren't about to desert him ♪

♪ Kids today like to have their own way ♪

♪ And what daddy doesn't know won't hurt him ♪

♪ I think my mom's just swell ♪

♪ But she starts to yell ♪

♪ Every time we have a fuss ♪

♪ Just wait till your father gets ♪

♪ Until your father gets ♪

♪ Wait till your father gets home ♪

♪ See what I mean? ♪

♪ Wait till you father gets home ♪

♪ We know ♪♪

See ya. I'm goin' out.

Naturally. You had a hard day avoiding work.

Now you gotta unwind.

I'm just going to see some of my friends.

Harry, if he wants to go out, let him go.

Ah, that's okay, mom. It's no big deal.

I'll call Jack Learner and tell him I can't make it.

Jack Learner?

Isn't he the boy going to medical school?

Yep, And Mike Winslow is gonna be there too.

He's in Law school.

And Dave Robbins and Barry Ferguson

from the engineering school.

How nice. A little college get-together.

Yeah, mom, but I can cancel easy.

We were just gonna sit around and rap about our careers.

I guess I should stay home more, like pop says.

I'll use the kitchen phone.

Jack, in medical school?

Mike, the lawyer?

What have I done?

Those boys are just the influence Chet needs

to get him into something worthwhile.

I'm sorry, Mike, I won't be able to meet you guys tonight.

Sure he will. He's on the way.

But you said I should stay home more.

That's for us futty-dutties.

You're a young man. Go. Enjoy.

- But, pa-- - Here's five bucks for gas.

And do your father a favor, stay out with them all night.

Ah, Harry Boyle, you are brilliant.

A genius! It's double victory.

The nation has gained a worker, and we have lost a dependent.

He's home.

I can't wait to hear what he's decided.

Just don't let him realize it was clever Harry

who maneuvered the whole thing, huh?

Ah. Hey, Chet. How did it go?

Groovy. Those guys are really going places.

And I've decided on a career for myself too.

Wonderful.

Will it be medicine?

My hunch says law, right?

If you specialize, I suggest ears and nose.

There's an awful lot of that going around.

What did you decide, son?

I'm gonna be...

...a rock band manager.

Would you repeat that?

I'm gonna manage a rock band.

But what kind of job is that for a doctor?

Wait a minute. What rock band?

The guys I was with tonight.

Jack, Mike, Dave and Barry. They've got a lot of talent.

But they've been wasting it just playing on weekends.

But now, they're going into it full-time.

Well, how can they do it full-time?

- They all go to college. - Not anymore.

I talked them into dropping out.

Irma, you know how we've always worried about Chet's future?

Well, we don't have to worry anymore.

He doesn't have any.

So Chet's gonna manage a rock band, huh?

Too bad, Harry, just when he was doing so good.

Doing so good?

I was real proud of him when he came out strong

for the flag in America by droppin' out of school.

You know, to get away from the bad influence

of all them college kids.

- Oh, yeah, beautiful, Ralph. - Yeah, but a rock band.

That means he's an all-out pinko.

Hey, come on.

[Ralph] They're all protest songs.

The lefties use them to put down everything

that made this country great.

Like liberty, the freedom to buy guns

and keepin' minorities in their place.

I'll tell you, if it wasn't for Lawrence Welk

we wouldn't have any decent music left in the USA.

Screech

Holy smoke! What's going on?

I have a feeling the dropouts have dropped in.

Don't they have a wonderful sound?

Look what Chet did?

He must be hitting 9.2 on the Richter scale.

What are they doing here?

This is where they're gonna be rehearsing, dear.

Not while I still have my ear drums left.

Chet, I wanna talk to you.

Chet.

Chet!

Chet, I wanna talk to you!

Okay, pa. But why are you yelling?

I'm trying to clear my sinuses.

Would you mind stepping outside?

Sure.

Take ten, guys.

We'll try it next time with the volume up.

Did you ever hear a sound like that?

Just once. In Germany during the war.

There was a direct hit on a cuckoo clock factory.

What's with the ugly rumor

you're gonna do your rehearsals here?

Well, I suppose it's a little inconvenient, pop.

But we could make it big.

Look at the Beatles, the Rolling Stones.

Come on, Chet.

The odds are all against you.

For every group that does make it big

there's a million others that end up

with nothing but on-the-job deafness.

Pop, you wanted me to get a job

and now, I've got one.

Kids today aren't looking for work.

They're only looking for a place to plug in.

I think he's on the right track.

After all, he is musically endowed.

He gets it from my side of the family.

I'm glad you're taking some of the blame.

When I was young, if someone had encouraged me with my music

who knows how far I would've gone?

Do you remember the high school operetta?

I had the lead.

It was thrilling!

♪ And I wait here ♪

♪ For you ♪♪

Do you remember that, Harry?

I sure do.

♪ And I wait here ♪

♪ For you ♪♪

I was compared to Janet McDonald.

Not quiet, honey.

Sure I was. Don't you remember?

The music teacher said I should have a career

just like McDonald.

Forgive me, Irma.

But what he suggested was a career at McDonalds.

But I love you just the same.

Singing or cooking hamburgers.

And I guess I should be just as understanding toward our son.

You won't regret it, dear.

But for the neighbors' sake

tell him I don't want the rehearsals at night.

Harry, I don't remember the music teacher saying--

Hang on, Irma.

All we can pray for now, is a short circuit.

It's an earthquake! Over here, Irma.

You're supposed to stand in doorways.

It's only the boys starting rehearsal.

At 7:00 in the morning?

You told them you didn't want them to play at night.

Mom, we're on a five minute break.

Could you fix us a little breakfast?

I'll make you a deal.

Breakfast for a ten minute break.

What are you doing in the closet?

I'm trying to fit moth balls in my ears.

Now how much longer will these rehearsals be going on?

Until we're ready to make a demonstration record.

It could be three days, or three months.

Tell me he didn't say "three months."

If it really bugs you, we can go to a rehearsal hall.

Now you're jiving.

But since we're broke, you'd have to loan us the rental.

Fifty bucks an hour.

Fifty dollars? An hour?

Unfurnished?

Can you hold the music till I get out of here?

I figure I'm entitled to at least a ten minutes start

under the Geneva convention.

Vigilantes. He-hut!

Sergeant Whittaker, sound the colors.

Sorry, Ralph.

Not good enough, Harry.

We can't raise our sacred vigilante flag

with that subversive razzmatazz.

Whittaker, get in there and stop them.

How?

Just ask them, real lady like

if they would kindly mind not interrupting our ceremony.

But no violence.

No Strong arm stuff for us, Harry.

We like to reason these things out.

Suppose they won't stop?

Then consider it a free-fire zone and bust a few heads.

I'm afraid the boys won't--

They stopped.

How did she do it?

Oldest weapon in the books, Harry.

S-E-X appeal.

Mata Hari had it, Dietrich had it

and Whittaker's got it.

Knock it off, Sergeant.

I can't, commander.

When you're hot, you're hot.

Thud

How'd it go today?

What did you say, dear? I can't hear you.

Figures. After five days of a 120 volts shock treatment.

Hey, guess what? Our sound is just right.

We're ready to make our demo record.

What did he say?

No more rehearsals, Irma.

But just one thing.

It'll cost $300 for studio facility.

You know, the engineer--

Hold it! The answer is no.

I'm your father, yes. But Daddy Warbucks, no.

Okay. I guess we'll have to just keep on rehearsing.

He did say more rehearsing.

I'm afraid so.

Either that, or $300.

What if I put in the $50 I've been saving

to steam clean the carpets?

And I'll sell my Ada pearl necklace.

I'm sure we did the right thing, dear.

It was worth the 300.

The record'll fall flat on its face.

We'll get the group out of the house

and all this craziness out of Chet's system.

- Hey. It happened! - What happened?

Dischord Record Company bought our demo.

They're printing 50,000 of them to start.

They say it's gonna be a smash hit.

Thud

[Irma] More coffee, dear?

No thanks. Save some for Chet.

He's already had breakfast.

He was out of the house at 7:00 this morning.

7:00 this morning? Our Chet?

The Pajama case?

Oh, something must have happened

to the fail safe system on his alarm clock.

Chet told us to be sure to listen

to the radio this morning.

Thirty nine from the charts yesterday, and number one today

and promising to zoom right through the zodiac

they're headed to number "Wam-bam I'm In Love With Sam"

played by those infant sensations, The Dropouts.

Managed by that boy wonder of the music world, Chet Boyle.

Get ready, cats, 'cause here it comes.

You mind if I turn it off? We've heard it a hundred times.

I heard Chet on the phone last night.

So far, he's cleared a cool 60,000.

Isn't that wonderful?

Sixty thou.

Mom, can you call Mrs. Simpson?

I think I wanna start taking piano lessons.

Aren't you thrilled, Harry?

I guess so. I'm also confused.

To the whole world, he's Chet Boyle, the boy wonder of music.

Yet, when he took piano from Mrs. Simpson

he failed Chopsticks.

What's that?

Well, how do you like it? Class, huh?

It's a custom built 12 cylinder 720 RTZ Lightning.

It only cost 20 grand.

- You bought it? - No, not yet.

They're letting me try it out.

Hey, it's got a phone.

Yeah, but I don't know if I'll keep it.

This baby goes so fast

by the time you call someone you're already there.

But you still got your motorcycle.

Why do you need a car like this?

It's not for me, pop. It's for my fans.

I'm on my way to a gold record.

They expect it of me.

Hey, how about lunch today, pop?

I'll pick you up at noon.

- Got a surprise to show you. - Okay.

Oh, speaking of surprises

if you run into your old piano teacher, be a nice guy

and tell her you got the car in a raffle.

A raffle?

[Harry] If she though you did it

with your musical ability

I don't think her heart could take it.

[Ralph] It's impossible, Harry.

You mean, your kid really has a hit record?

I know it's tough to believe.

Especially, if you've ever heard it.

Well, I haven't heard it.

I don't listen them disc-jockeys.

A lot of them are from minority groups, you know.

Well, what difference does that make?

[Ralph] Ah, that's why I only watch television.

There, you can see who's who.

You don't take the chance of accidentally enjoying

the performance of somebody you shouldn't.

screech

Well, here we are.

- Let's go in. - Not yet.

I make it a rule never to go to lunch without a stomach.

Mine is still ten blocks back at the last stop light.

Yeah, this baby really accelerates.

From a standing start in five seconds, it'll hit 60.

Pedestrians, or other cars?

- Now, where's the restaurant? - First, my surprise, pop.

Look up there, you'll see something

that's the direct result of our hit record.

[Harry] What am I supposed to see?

Leonard Bernstein jumping?

[Chet] The penthouse suite.

The future offices of Chet Boyle Enterprises.

You're gonna rent an office here?

Why, this is the most expensive building in town.

Well, I've got an image now.

- I've to travel first class. - What for?

You're still young enough to get a student discount.

And this would be my personal office.

- How do you like it? - Very nice.

Put in astro turf, and you can hold the superball here.

Who had this office before?

Some guy who was also in the music game.

He made his twenty million and retired.

He was getting too old for the business anyway.

- How old was he? - Twenty eight.

[Chet] He figured he might as well take it easy

and enjoy his twilight years.

Hmm. The new America.

Make it fast, make it big, and make it young.

Because from 28 till the day you go

it's just a coffee break.

Come on, I wanna see the rental agent and discuss terms.

Look son, I-I-I don't wanna meddle, but...

Well, that big car and this, this 160 acre office.

Shouldn't you go at it a little slower?

I say, when you've got the ball, run with it.

Did you ever hear of the word "fumble?"

[Alice] 7 o'clock will be just' fine.

Oh, no, I won't forget.

I'll mark it right down on my calendar, Bill.

I mean, Joe. Right. Bye-bye.

Wow! Being Chet Boyle's sister is sure paying off.

All the boys are calling for dates.

It's nice to have qualities that others appreciate.

And best of all, I can go off my diet and eat all I want

since I'm booked up solid for six weeks anyhow.

Oh hello, dear.

This is Ms. Carey Robin.

A reporter from the Music Scene Magazine.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

[Carey] How does it feel to be Chet Boyle's father?

I tingle all over.

Of course.

I was just asking when did you first realize

he was a musical genius?

I think it was when both her ear drums went out.

You might put down, I'm musically inclined too.

I sang lead roles in operettas.

Just like Janette.

Excuse me, dear.

Are we eating home, or would you like to go out

somewhere for hamburgers?

[Irma] Did you see the free sample records

Chet sent over of his big hit?

Mm-hmm.

They're not like the old records.

These are unbreakable.

I know. I tried.

Harry, you do feel pleased

by what's happening to Chet, don't you?

Of course, I do.

No, Irma. To be honest, I don't know how I feel.

Look at me 25 years I've been struggling to build a business.

Then Chet comes out with a "Wam-bam I'm In Love With Sam"

and he passes me in the first week.

That still doesn't make you wrong, dear.

Well, then even worse. Maybe I'm envious.

What you are, is human.

And believe me, that boy can still learn a lot from you.

Now come to bed.

Okay.

[Harry] But tomorrow, I'm gonna see Mrs. Simpson

for some piano lessons.

Well, pop, what do you think?

The worst thing I ever heard.

It's gotta be another hit.

Beautiful, guys. That's a final take.

Smashville all the way, pop.

Our first printing is gonna be a 100,000 copies.

Dischord Records is going for that much?

I'm putting up my own money.

All my profits from, "Wham-Bam, I'm in love with Sam."

Oh, it sounds awful risky.

There you go, pop. That old fashioned philosophy.

Look, if you're gonna make it big, you have to parley

from one hit to another.

Come on, let's go out and celebrate the birth

of my new gold record.

Yeah, cats and kittens, Solfish Schneider here.

Thirty-ninth on the charts yesterday was

"Go, go, I'm in love with Mo."

And guess where it's at today.

Two-hundred-and-thirty-fifth.

Yeah, right at the bottom of the pile.

And dropping so fast, you can buy it at your local drugstore

for 19 cents, along with a free pair of pantyhose.

I don't understand. It can't be that big a flop.

It sure is, all my friends want their money back

for my autographs.

He put every penny he had into that record.

Hi, gang.

Hi. I didn't hear your car.

Yeah, well, I took it back.

I came home on the bus.

I kept some dinner for you in the oven, dear.

Never mind, mom. I'm not hungry.

Golly, Chet, on a bus?

The get-rich schemes just don't work.

You were right, Harry.

I almost wish I wasn't.

Go speak to him, Harry.

Poor Chet.

He won't be back to normal for years.

Look, son, I-I know this has been a terrible shock--

Gloria? Chet.

Hey, what say, we make it up to Malibu

in the AM on my sickle and takin' a little surfing?

Hey pop, could you let me have a couple of bucks for gas?

Or if you go for ten, that'll handle the whole day.

No, I know, Gloria. Bread's no problem.

You can relax, Irma. He's already back to normal.

[Alice] Hi, papa.

Mother making dinner?

Dinner's gonna be a little late tonight, papa.

Mom is busy.

♪ Do re mi fa so-o-o ♪♪

What the heck is that?

What's going on?

Mrs. Simpson is giving me singing lessons.

[Harry] Singing lessons?

We'll make a bundle, Harry.

I was a star once, and I can be one again.

♪ I wait here for you-u-u ♪♪