Houseboat Page #2

Synopsis: Tom Winters, a widower, is trying to understand and raise three precocious children alone. He gets a little unexpected help from Cinzia, when the children decide she is be the new maid. She is actually an Italian socialite who is trying to get away from her overprotective father.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Director(s): Melville Shavelson
Production: Paramount Pictures
  Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.7
Rotten Tomatoes:
64%
UNRATED
Year:
1958
110 min
400 Views


She hasn't been feeling well.

- Cinzia.

- Yes, l do not have a headache.

Do you know who this woman is?

The Boston Symphony.

''We'll have a cosy supper.

40 or 50 of the best people.''

l'm tired of the best people.

l wish l could meet

some of the worst people.

Papa, one night.

Let me have tonight alone.

l don't want to leave America

without having met an American.

What do you do with a girl like this?

l'm not a rich man.

Best schools in Switzerland for her.

Last month she climbs out of a window

and runs away.

One night without talking

about Stravinsky or Rossini

or you conducting La Scala

at the age of 1 4.

l'm 22 and l haven't yet given my first

performance for a man, any man.

Go ahead. Have a daughter.

See what happens.

You will come to the supper with us.

Do you understand?

You haven't eaten all day.

Without food,

everything is discord.

A starving orchestra l had tonight.

Wash your face.

Compose yourself. We will wait.

Wait.

ls this your boat?

No. l will pay you...

As soon as l get some money.

You don't have to,

it's not my boat either.

- Where are you going?

- Over there. Where the music is.

Good. That's where l'm going too.

Why don't you go home,

little boy? lt's late.

Ciao, ciao.

Go home.

Go home.

Hot pizza, here.

We've got hot pizza here, 25 cents.

We've got hot pizza here.

My friend...

Would you like me to show you

how to eat that properly?

So you don't waste any.

You see?

l'm sorry. l'm very sorry.

Three rings for one dime.

Step this way, folks.

Everybody gets a winner.

Look at those prizes.

Fantastic prizes.

Three rings for one dime.

Everybody wins here, folks.

Three rings here.

Look at the fantastic prizes.

Come right here.

Three rings for one dime.

Fantastic prizes.

Everybody has a winner.

You muffed it, son.

Everybody has got a winner here.

My last dime.

Everybody's got a winner, everybody.

Except me, l never win anything.

Your lucky dime, son.

Everybody's got a winner.

Three for one dime here, folks.

Look at the fantastic prizes.

lt can't go half way,

it's gotta go all the way down.

You can take three.

He won, he won!

Your father, the Chief of Police,

will be so happy.

Congratulations, lady.

Everybody wins here!

Good night. Goodbye.

Don't you want to hear me play

the harmonica?

Why don't you go home? lt's late.

Go home to your mother.

Would you like to dance?

Would you like to dance?

My friend.

Are you sure?

No sign of him yet?

He's been murdered.

Yes, he's about four feet.

Oh, ''eyes''?

- Grey.

- Blue.

Blue.

You can reach me

at the Department of State.

Legal Division. Thank you.

- Robert, where have you been?

- You've found him.

- Are there any broken bones?

- No, he's all right.

- Let me have him.

- She promised to put me to bed.

- Her name is Cinzia, she's my friend.

- Hello.

l tried to find out your address,

but he didn't wish to come home.

You must have done

something terrible to him.

Yes, l took him to a concert.

- Let her carry me. l like it.

- The bedroom is over there.

- Did you have fun?

- lt was a ball.

lf you try that again, you'll get a spanking

you'll never forget.

Yes, a spanking solves so many things.

Or a slap in the face.

lt's easier than understanding.

Two points for her.

Welcome to our side, Cinzia.

Could you come back

tomorrow and take care of us?

We can't get a maid. lt's rough.

l would like to very much,

but l'm preoccupied.

- That is the right word?

- Yes, that will do.

l'd like to thank you properly

but may l have my family back

for a few minutes first?

Can you wait for me in the other room?

- Arrivederci, Roberto.

- Roberto is me, it's ltalian.

- Really?

- Good night.

Good night. Thank you for the dance.

Any time.

Here are your pyjamas.

We'd better let Robert

sleep in the bed

since he's been out

on the town all night.

l won it fair and square, ask my friend.

You're not on trial.

- Daddy...

- Take off your pants.

- What were you saying?

- Make her be our maid.

Offer her a lot of money.

lt would be fun.

- We'll talk about it tomorrow.

- That's the last we'll hear of that.

l hire the help around here.

l can't take any girl you find on the street.

- You don't like her because l like her.

- That's ridiculous.

You keep us here in this city

and don't let us go back to Aunt

Carolyn because we like her, too.

- That isn't the reason.

- Well, what is?

Go to sleep.

You don't like us.

You don't like us at all.

Well, l don't like you.

l don't like anybody.

l don't like this old harmonica any more.

l wish it hit you and killed you dead.

Don't you care, Robert.

l like you.

Thank you so much.

l'm sincerely grateful.

Here.

All right, here's five more.

- Apparently, gratitude has gone up.

- But l don't want this money.

Would you mind answering me

a personal question?

How long is it since you had a bath?

- Cosa?

- A bath.

You look as if you need a good scrubbing.

How long has it been?

Well... l don't remember.

A bottle of Chianti, a loaf of bread.

A corner in which to sleep.

lt's not a bad life, is it?

How would you like a job

as a maid to the children?

For $1 00 a month to start?

That's nonsense.

Thank you again and good night.

Good night.

Be nice to Roberto.

Please don't spank him.

l'll handle my own family.

l've done all right so far.

- Why did he run away?

- Must there be a reason?

- Always. Where is their mother?

- What?

- Their mother.

- You are looking at her.

- l'm a little new at the job.

- l'm sorry.

Roberto tells me

he is very unhappy.

Sounds as if Roberto and you

had quite an evening.

He doesn't like the hot city.

He wants to be near the river.

Why do you let him stay here

in this tiny box?

You must have had

a lot of experience raising children.

l have no experience.

But l know when a little child is unhappy.

And how l know when a father

is unreasonable!

Try to be a parent,

not a policeman.

l don't know

what you know about parents,

but l imagine you had a wide

acquaintance amongst policemen.

l'll call one if you keep that up.

l gave you some money,

get yourself a room for tonight.

Do you like this? This picture?

Of course.

That's why l have it.

- lt's a Czanne.

- l know. Paul Czanne.

You cut it down to fit the frame, right?

How sad for you.

lt's only a print.

Buy a real one. Ciao.

Two o'clock in the morning.

You've found a man, am l right?

Yes, l've found a man.

He's seven years old.

ln America that's old enough.

Get some rest.

We leave in the morning for Chicago,

where l won't let you

out of my sight.

Only two days in this country.

You will come with us to Chicago,

Boston, San Francisco.

Then we come back

to Washington. Come.

What can you do

in this awful city by yourself?

A girl, all alone.

No money.

Not a penny will l give you.

You will starve.

- Perhaps l will get a job.

- A job?

l have given you the finest education

in all of Europe.

You do not know how to do anything.

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote

Melville Shavelson

Melville Shavelson (April 1, 1917 – August 8, 2007) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. He was President of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAw) from 1969 to 1971, 1979 to 1981, and 1985 to 1987. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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