Strike Up the Band Page #7

Benny, my child. Benny.

You brute. You brute.

- No, Nelly, wait a minute.

- To strike the baby.

- Where's he going?

- Benny, my child.

You killed our baby.

Unkind fate, this is too unfortunate.

Look. Go on. Get out of here, Nelly.

Go on, Nelly! Get out of here.

What have I done? My wife gone.

My little baby gone. My home gone.

Oh, shame, shame.

How about a slug

of white lightning, partner?

Well, I don't mind if I do, Miss...

No. Take that vile stuff

out of my sight forever.

I must redeem myself

in the light of heaven...

...and save my Nelly

from a fate worse than death.

You fiend incarnate.

You snake in the snow.

Now, Miss Nelly,

I have come to help you.

If you will marry me,

I can give you the niceties of life...

...that you so richly deserve.

Perhaps it would be better than suicide.

- But I do not love you.

- My riches will make you love me.

Now, just sit down here,

my pretty pigeon...

...and sign this paper.

- Sign.

- Hark. Methinks I hear dog barks.

Hold those dogs.

Just in the nick of time.

Stop, Nelly. Do not sign those papers.

The old fox is up to his old tricks.

- My husband.

- My wife.

Curses. Curses.

Foiled again. But no. Not yet.

Quasimodo!

Tie them up and make sure

the pretty doves can't get away.

Mr. Goodpenny has an engagement

at the sawmill.

Mercy, Squire.

- Will you marry me?

- No. I'd rather die.

Then die you will, my pretty pet,

on the railroad tracks.

The railroad tracks? This is the end.

Father, dear Father

Come home with me now

The clock in the steeple strikes

Two

Mother is tied to the railroad tracks

And the sawmill is going to get you

Save me. Oh, save me. Save me.

My boy, you saved my life.

Where is your mother?

- Tied to the railroad tracks.

- Oh, then we must be off!

There they go. After them.

I gotta be going, Dad.

I got a date with a dream. So long.

So long, son.

Help. Help. Save me!

Help. Help me!

- I'll save you, my dear.

- Save me.

Here comes the train.

- My hero.

- Love triumphs over all.

Hey, let me down.

- Hey, we forgot Willie.

- Let me down.

It's Willie up there!

Pull him down.

Weren't they splendid?

Wonderful.

I don't know how they've done it.

Come and help me with the refreshments.

Why, I wouldn't miss it for the world.

- Hurry up, will you, Phil?

- I'm hurrying. Hold still.

Hold still.

What's the matter?

I socked my arm

when they pulled me up the last time.

They yanked the line too hard and I felt like

I was going through with wall.

- Here, let me take a look at it.

- No. No. Leave it alone. It's okay.

- Just a little sore, that's all.

- You were great, Mary.

- Thanks. You were swell too, Jimmy.

- Thanks.

You're coming over to the house?

- I'd like to. That is, if you're not too tired?

- Oh, no.

- You've got to take good care of yourself.

- I will.

Hey, Jimmy.

Have you seen Mr. Mollison yet?

No. But don't worry about it.

I won't leave until I get the $ 150.

Thattaboy.

Oh, great, Barbara Frances. Terrific.

- Yeah, you were very good, Barbara.

- Thank you. You're so very kind.

I have my car, Jimmy.

Could I drive you home?

We were all going over to Mary's and...

- Well, fine. Then I'll drop you off.

- But you don't have to...

- Hey, Jimmy. Jimmy Connors.

- Why, here I am, sir.

Here's your check for $ 150.

And you certainly deserve it.

This was the finest show

we've had in Riverwood.

Thanks, Mr. Mollison. We appreciate it.

Looks like we're on our way to Chicago.

- You bet we are.

- Lf we can dig up $50 more.

Here we come!

Well, goodnight.

I'm sorry you can't come in.

We won't be late.

We're only having a few refreshments.

Thank you, but I'm expecting

my mother and father back from New York.

- I really must run.

- I'm sorry. Goodnight.

- Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Barbara.

Jimmy, could I see you a minute?

Dad's giving me a party

at the country club next Saturday.

Will you come?

Why, I'd love to.

That's if I'm gonna be in town.

Oh, I'm so glad.

The only trouble is, I haven't been able

to make up my mind about the music.

- You mean, you haven't hired a band yet?

- No.

- But I must decide before I see my father.

- Sure, you do.

Well, maybe I could help you decide.

You might drive home with me

and talk to Dad. He'll be there.

- I hate to spoil your evening, but...

- oh, no, no. Not at all.

See you later. I've got

some important business to attend to.

Hey, Willie, take care of Mary, will you?

Slide over.

But, Jimmy.

Some birds just gotta be shot twice

before they stop flying.

I knew that blonde was a Jonah

the moment I saw her.

Would you and Annie go on inside?

I got something to say to Mary.

- What's the big secret?

- Come on, Squire, let's have a demitasse.

Mary?

What is it, Willie?

There's something I've wanted to ask you

for an awful long time.

Yes?

Whenever I had the opportunity,

I never had the courage.

Whenever I had the courage,

I never had the opportunity.

Now I got both.

Willie, what is it?

Will you marry me?

I don't expect you

to give me an answer right away.

- Well, but, Willie...

- It isn't as if I just met you.

I remember the first day I saw you.

You were wearing gym bloomers.

I was just getting out of Julius Caesar

and you were laughing.

Oh, Willie, you're the cutest...

I know I'm not

the best-looking guy in town...

...but I'll always love you

and I'll be true to you...

...and I won't go out with other girls.

Oh, Willie.

That's the nicest thing

anyone's ever said to me in my whole life.

And I'm very grateful.

But I'm much too young

to think of getting married.

Of course I'm not in any particular hurry.

- Willie, how old are you?

- Thirteen going on 14.

- Willie.

- Yes, ma'am?

Your mother phoned and wants you home.

She says it's time for you to go to bed.

Goodnight, Willie.

Goodnight.

- This is my favorite room in the house.

- It is?

Someday, I'm gonna have

an enormous yacht.

- Wouldn't you love to go to the South Seas?

- Yeah, it might be nice in the wintertime.

There aren't very many good-looking boys

in this town, are there?

Here, Jimmy, drink this.

- All right now?

- Yeah.

Just got my pipes tangled up.

You know, Jimmy,

when I look back and remember...

...the thousands of dates I've had

with so many different boys...

When I think of the time I've wasted,

the empty hours...

- I wouldn't say that.

- James.

Do you really want to kiss me?

- Barbara?

- Who's that?

It's Mother and Dad. They're back.

- Hello, darling.

- Hello, Mother.

- My dear.

- Hello, Dad.

Hello. Well, what's this?

Another young man?

I want you to meet

a very talented musician...

...and one of my dearest friends,

James Connors.

- How are you?

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

- Mrs. Morgan.

What do you play, young man?

I kind of mess around

with the drums a little bit.

James has the most wonderful orchestra

in the whole world.

And he's volunteered to play

for my birthday party for only $50.

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