Cheaper by the Dozen Page #5

Huh! Just like rollir off a log.

All right, who's next?

- I am.

- Okay, make it snappy.

A man can stand just so much.

Frank, I hope you're not making a mistake.

After all, at your age...

Age has nothing

to do with it, Lillie.

It's simply a matter

of resolution.

Let's go.

Yes, indeed.

To Dad, a tonsil operation was nothing,

just like... how did he put it?

"Just like rolling off a log."

- Frank!

- Oh, Lillie.

- My throat. This is awful.

- Yes. I know, dear.

- I... I can't talk.

- Nurse, I'll take him.

You're all right, old pioneer.

- You just had to have it

the hard way, that's all.

- Lillie, I...

- I'm dying.

- Now, come on, old-timer.

I'll give you something

to make you sleep.

How am I gonna sleep

with my throat cut?

- You'll be all right in a couple of weeks.

- Mr. Gilbreth! Mr. Gilbreth!

Go away. Go away. Can't you see I'm dying?

I hate to tell you this, but it looks like

none of them motion pictures'll be any good.

- No good?

- Uh, I forgot to put any film in the camera.

- You what?

- Please. Oh, now, please, please

don't get excited.

- Anyhow, it's too much for me. I quit!

- Let me at him.

- Frank!

- Let me at him!

- Children, children.

Now, we are not doing our best.

Suppose we start over, and this time,

let's be sure everybody's in the same key.

Oh, it's no use,

Miss Ethel.

We might as well face it.

We just haven't any musical talent.

We mustrt let our father

hear us say that.

- Why? Doesrt he know yet?

- He takes it for granted

that all of his children are gifted.

Well, far be it for me to disillusion him.

- Let's go.

- All right, children? Ready?

One, two, three...

Softly, now. Softly as a little brook

tinkling through a still forest.

Excuse me, but do you by any chance

hear a little brook...

tinkling through a still forest?

Poor Miss Ethel. What fortitude.

You're home early, dear.

Yes, I know.

Well, I had a letter today...

from Dr. Bleneim

of Czechoslovakia.

- Thought you might like to see it.

- Oh, do they want you to come?

Well, there's nothing really definite yet,

but Bleneim thinks there's a good chance...

they'll ask me to speak at the International

Management Conference in Prague.

Oh, Frank, I knew they would.

May I see it?

Let's not count our chickens

too soon.

This is gonna be

a pretty high-powered meeting.

It'll attract

the best scientific minds in the world.

That's why it's such a wonderful opportunity

to show other countries...

what motion study really is

and have your methods accepted universally.

I admit it's what

I've always hoped for.

It might mean a great deal

financially too, Lillie.

But the important thing is that it will

establish you as a leader in the whole field.

- I'm so happy, Frank.

- I knew you'd be pleased. And why not?

After all, if it hadn't been

for you and your help...

- Will you tell the children tonight?

- You can tell them if you want...

but warn them...

not a word about it yet.

- But I won't be here tonight.

- You won't be here? Where are you going?

- Have you forgotten?

I have a date at the hospital.

- So soon?

Yes, dear, I'm afraid so.

But I thought you were only joking

about going to the hospital.

After all, you never went to one before

just to have a baby.

Maybe I never thought

about it before.

Going to be awfully lonely around here

without you, Lillie.

I'll hurry back

as quickly as I can.

By the way,

do you mind what it is?

Why, I thought we'd already agreed

it would be a boy. After all, we have six girls.

But of course, anything you decide

will be all right with me.

Thank you, dear.

Have you thought of a name?

- Why, no, I haven't.

- What do you think of Robert?

Robert? Why Robert?

Who's named Robert?

Oh, no one in particular.

It's just a nice name, that's all.

I always knew you had a strange collection

of beaus during your college years...

but, uh, which one was Robert?

The one with the long hair and the violin,

or the one that lisped... like "thith"?

When you're quite through,

we'll decide on a name.

In the meantime, if you want

to go into the subject of old flames...

remember... two can play

at that game.

- I seem to recall a certain lady poetess...

- Never mind. Never mind.

I wouldn't think of blighting

an old schoolgirl romance.

Male or female,

Robert it is.

For the 12th time,

Dad's verdict was exactly the same.

Well, I'll say this for him.

He's every inch a Gilbreth.

- I'm glad you approve.

- Yes. I expect we'd better keep him too.

Well, Lillie, it's over. Twelve of'em.

And hardly an idiot

in the bunch.

And you were afraid you'd be

the last of the Gilbreths.

I admit, you had me worried

there for a while.

Four girls in a row.

That can be pretty nerve-racking.

Of course, you know

I did it deliberately.

Come here, young fella.

Let's you and me

get acquainted.

Be careful with him, Frank.

I don't think hospitals approve of fathers.

Hospitals. Heh.

Young man, did I ever tell you about the night

your mother and I were married...

and we decided to have

an even dozen like you, hmm?

You set the actual target, dear...

six boys and six girls.

I believe you even made

a memorandum of it.

That's right, son.

Sounds kind of silly now, doesn't it?

Not half as silly

as it sounded then.

Honestly, dear, did you really think

we'd be able to go through with it?

Why, certainly.

I always knew that anything you and I

teamed up on, Lillie, would be a success.

It'll seem kind of funny, won't it?

For the first time in 17 years...

we'll be able to go to bed

without setting the alarm for a 2:00 feeding.

It's certainly gonna be a luxury,

isn't it?

A wonderful luxury...

and I'll hate it.

- Well, Bob, you better get back

to your mother.

Looking after her is gonna be

one of your jobs from now on.

And incidentally, young man,

she's a pretty wonderful woman.

Anyway, that's one mars opinion.

That's good. Smile, now.

Smile so I can see

the whites of your teeth.

And stop fidgeting. How can I focus this thing

if you keep on fidgeting?

Children, please be quiet.

This won't last much longer.

Anne, you're the oldest.

Help your mother keep them quiet.

I'm afraid that would require

an act of God.

Now, stop moving for all our sakes

and smile.

That's right. Now, listen to your sister.

Come on, now. Let's have a great big smile.

Come on. Smile for Daddy.

That's better.

Are we all ready?

Jane, take your hands down from your ears.

That's a good girl.

Now, then, here we go.

Hold it. Hold it.

Ho-o-old it!

I think that was a good one, Lillie.

Ha-ha, this new flash certainly works fine.

Yes, it certainly does.

- Now that we're all together, whadaya say?

- Yeah, it's a swell time.

You get the chair and the gavel,

and I'll get the table.

- Okay.

- Thank you, dear.

- Come, children. It's past your bedtime.

- Before you go upstairs, Lillie...

don't you think we ought to take one more,

just to be on the safe side?

- I think not, dear.

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