All language subtitles for family_ties_s03e16_philadelphia_story

I bet we've been together for a million
years.

And I bet we'll be together for a
million more.

Oh, it's like I started breathing on the
night we did.

And I can't remember what I ever did
before.

What would we do, baby, without us?

What would we do, baby, without her?

And there ain't no nothing we can't love
each other through.

What would we do, baby, without her?

Sha -la -la -la.

That's gross.

I'm sorry, Jennifer. Next time I'll go
in the garage, okay?

Mom, what's for dinner?

Soy meal and hearts of palm casserole.

Again?

I'm glad we only have three meals a day.

Alex,

you promised to go in the garage.

You've got a fever. You should take some
aspirin and go right to bed after

dinner. No, no, it's just a cold, Mom.

Anyway, I can't go to bed early.

Got to hand in my term paper on the
Declaration of Independence tomorrow.

going to be up all night working on
this.

Alex, you're sick.

I'm sure your professor will understand
if you turn it in late.

Yeah, Mom can write your teacher a note
like she does for me.

A note.

Jennifer, this is a term paper on Thomas
Jefferson.

This is not a book report on our friend
the policeman.

It was our friend the fireman, and I got
an A on it.

Steve Skippy just called me up and asked
me if I wanted to go to the Van Halen

concert with him on Sunday. What'd you
say?

I asked him if he'd sell me the tickets
so I could go with a normal guy.

Perfect.

Alex, what's all that stuff?

This stuff, Mallory, as you so
eloquently refer to these items, are two

treasures of American history.

This is the famous John Trumbull
painting of the signing of the

Independence. And this, Mallory, this is
the Declaration of Independence.

How'd you get it?

This is not the original, Mallory.

Elise, Alex, you remember Ed Nelson, PBS
in Washington?

Right. Hi.

Alex,

talk to your dad. Maybe you'll have more
luck than I did in convincing him to

come to Washington tomorrow morning. Ed,
come on. We've been over this.

What's going on? There's some important
congressional hearings tomorrow

involving funding for public
broadcasting, and we need your husband

In front of Congress? Dad, the Congress?

Ed, I am flattered by the offer, but I
told you there are a lot of important

things going on here tomorrow, and I
just can't get away. Right, Elise?

What's going on tomorrow that's so
important?

That haircut appointment.

Look, Dad, you can't pass this off. I
mean, this is big.

Destiny is calling you.

See?

Oh, hi, Dad.

I just came to get some juice for your
mother. She couldn't sleep.

How come? Baby kicking?

No, I wasn't.

I've been tossing and turning this
Washington thing. It's really been on my

mind. Well, Dad, come on. It'll be
great. Okay, picture it. You're in the

conference room. It's jammed with
reporters, okay? Hanging on your every

Flashbulbs popping all over. The
chairman bangs his gavel. Ha, ha, you

finally refusing to be silenced.

Alex, there are other station managers
who are experienced at this sort of

thing. I'm just not in their league.

Dad, look, at the Continental Congress
in 1776, Thomas Jefferson was a young

guy, an unknown, facing the crowd,
complete nobody, just like you.

And when John Adams asked him to write
the Declaration of Independence, he must

have been a little overwhelmed, just
like you are, but he said yes.

Thomas Jefferson was a great man, Alex.
I'm not a great man. I'm Stephen Keaton.

Dad, Thomas Jefferson wasn't Thomas
Jefferson until he was Thomas Jefferson.

You know, he didn't know he was going to
be Thomas Jefferson. I mean, one day he

was Thomas Jefferson, and the next day
he was... I know. Thomas Jefferson.

Look, great event made.

Great men.

Thomas Jefferson say that?

Uh, no.

I did.

See, Dad, if Thomas Jefferson had given
in to his fears, if he hadn't written

the Declaration of Independence, they
would have got somebody else.

Somebody less brilliant. Somebody less
eloquent.

And without this masterpiece, Dad, the
revolution might never have succeeded.

He did do a nice job on it.

Yeah, thank you. See?

It was Jefferson's destiny to write the
Declaration of Independence, just like

it's your destiny to go to Washington
and testify.

How do you know so much about people's
destinies?

That's my destiny.

Alex, I appreciate what you're saying. I
really do, but I'm just going to have

to go with my instincts on this one.

I'm not going to testify. Dad.

I'll see you in the morning, son.

Yeah. Try to get to sleep.

Come on, Alex, wake up. We got a lot of
work to do. Why? We got to clean up in

here, and then we got to go clean the
stable.

Stable? Ah, stable. What are you talking
about?

Skippy.

Skippy, what's going on?

Why am I wearing these clothes?

If you weren't, you'd be naked.

Skippy, what date is it?

It's July 3rd.

July 3rd what?

It's July 3rd, sir.

No, Skippy, what year is it? Oh, it's
1776.

Whoa.

I'm not used to it either. You know, I'm
still writing 1775 on my checks.

Good day, Mr. Jefferson.

Sir?

Hello, Skipford.

Oh, young boy.

Stable boy.

Me? I just saw my horse tied to the post
outside.

Now, I've asked you numerous times to
please put him inside the stable when it

rains. The rain can damage his coat.

Oh, Thomas.

I'm glad you're still here. Oh, hello,
John. Good evening, Mr. Adams.

Sir.

Thomas, I just did some informal polling
of the other delegates, and I think the

vote tomorrow is going to go our way.

Independence from England. It'll be
quite a day, John. Yes, it will.

And the delegates also agree that you're
the man to write the document which

officially declares our independence
from the king.

Will you do it?

Skippy, pay attention. You are about to
witness one of the greatest moments in

the history of mankind.

Never mind that.

Betsy Ross's window shade is up.

I am very honored to be asked to write
this declaration, John, but my answer is

no. Oh, come now, Thomas.

You're the finest writer amongst us. And
the most eloquent of thought, I dare

say. Why, just the other day, you
impressed us all so much with your talk

the natural rights of man, about liberty
and self -government. That...

That was nothing, John. I had a few
glasses of ale, that's all.

Come now, Thomas, it is no time for
false modesty.

I'm not being modest. I just have a lot
to do tonight.

I'm having my wig fluffed.

What about John Hancock? He's very good.

He writes in those nice, big letters.

Very easy to read.

If you don't change your mind by
morning, I'll ask him. Well, I think

man. Come on, John, I'll walk you to
your horse.

Skippy, Thomas Jefferson isn't going to
write the Declaration of Independence.

Let's get busy here. Skippy, look it.
You don't understand. Without

brilliance in that document, the
revolution against England will fail.

So what? I like England.

Look, Skippy, I got to do something.

Do you know where Jefferson lives?

I live next door to the Jeffers.

Take me there. No.

Uh -uh, Alex. Don't get me involved in
this.

I'm in enough trouble already for
cracking that stupid bell.

Look, Skippy.

The history of the nation, perhaps of
mankind, depends on what we do in the

couple of hours. Oh, great.

He works with me down at the statehouse.

He'd like to talk to Mr. Jefferson.

Alex, what a nice name. Well, my
husband's upstairs. Won't you come in

Yeah.

Young man, you're not well.

You should have yourself leeched.

Say there, Mallory.

I happen to have a couple of tickets to
the turkey shoot this Sunday.

Are you interested?

This very cute minute man asked me
today.

Well, this guy may be a minute man,
Mallory, but someday, you'll see, I'm

to be an indentured servant.

Mother, what's for dinner?

Turtle and flummery pie.

Again? Good thing we only eat thrice a
day.

Let's eat.

Tom, dinner's ready, and you have
company.

Honey, I can't find my dressy britches.

pudding stain all over the front.

What are you doing here? I really must
speak to you, sir. It's very important.

Can't it wait until tomorrow? Dinner's
ready, and I hate cold turtle and

flummery pie.

No, no, sir, it can't.

Listen,

you have to write the Declaration of
Independence.

I mean, only you can make it bold enough
and thought -provoking enough to

convince the nation that the revolution
is a just cause.

Oh, and how does a stable boy such as
yourself come to know so much of these

matters?

I'm a history buff.

Sir, look, I know what you're thinking.

It's only natural that you'd be
overwhelmed by this.

I am not overwhelmed. I just have a lot
to do. A good wig fluffing takes time.

Destiny is calling you.

Answer the call. You are a great man.

I am not a great man. I'm just a farmer
from Virginia.

I'm just Thomas Jefferson.

What have I ever done that was great?

Well, for one thing, you got your
picture on the $2 bill.

Ah, you see, this will be the first
thing.

Well, don't you get it? Great events
make great men.

Who said that?

I did.

Well, I haven't yet, but I will.

Ah, Mr. Jefferson, take my word for it.

This is a big career move for you.

Bob, your dinner is on the table. I'm
going to be skipping dinner, Martha.

But you love turtle and plumbery pie.

Not every night, dear.

That's not the reason. I have some work
to do. I'm going to take a crack at this

independence thing.

Declaration. Declaration of
independence.

I guess you just have to get these silly
things out of your system.

All right.

All right, young man, you've convinced
me. Now be on your way so I can get to

work. Oh, sir, please. Can I just watch
you? I mean...

It'll mean a lot for me to see this. I
mean, more than you can even imagine.

You want to watch me write? Yes, sir.
And I'll be real quiet.

I won't say a word. Very well. Very
well.

Thank you.

Whoa. Wait a minute. One minute.

I just think you should use this yellow
crinkly kind.

It is neat looking.

Ah,

sorry.

Just seeing how it's going.

Coming along fine, thank you.

We hold these truths to be...

these truths to be...

Damn! Come on, what's the matter? I

am stuck on this one phrase.

We have the right to govern ourselves in
order to protect our most fundamental

human right.

The existence of these rights is so
obvious as to not require any further

justification. How do I say that?

Ah, may I make a suggestion?

No!

We hold these to be pretty darn clear.

Now, that's no good. We hold these
truths to be

obvious even to a big dope.

these truths are self -evident. How do I
say that?

Just like that.

Just, uh, just, uh, like that. Like, we
hold these truths to be self -evident.

Well, I'll put that down for now.

Otherwise, we'll be here all night.

That they are endowed by their creator
with certain unalienable rights.

I should probably list a few.

And among these are life, liberty...

Life, liberty...

Maybe just life and liberty.

No, no.

Oh, sir, it can't be just life and
liberty.

It's got to be life, liberty, and the...
of...

What of what?

It'll come, dear.

And for the support of this declaration,
with a firm reliance on the protection

of divine providence,

We mutually pledge to each other our
lives, our fortune, and our sacred

honor.

Well, gentlemen, what do you think?

Splendid, Thomas. A brilliant piece of
work.

And I like the crinkly yellow paper.

Okay, let's sign this baby and ship it
off to England.

Now, gentlemen, settle down.

Settle down.

Let's do this in an orderly fashion.

I'll sign first.

John Hancock.

Okay, who's next?

Hey, come on, John.

you took up practically the whole page.

Well, they seem to like it.

Why shouldn't they?

It's one of the finest things ever
written.

You know, young man, when I think that
the future of this nation we're creating

today will be in the hands of young
people like yourself, it makes me very

proud.

Well, I'm proud to have someone like you
to set the standard.

Ah, Mr. Jefferson.

Thank you, lad.

For everything.

Hey, come on. Quit shoving.

Thomas Jefferson wrote this thing. He
should be signing it.

Tom, will you get over here and put your
John Hancock on this?

You did, Mom, I remember. Now, listen,
both of you.

Alec, you've been down here all night?

No.

No, I was at the... I had to go to

Philadelphia.

You were there.

You were all there.

But, Jennifer, you didn't want to eat
the turtle and flummery pie.

What?

Mallory, you had a date with a
Minuteman.

What? And Mom, Mom, you wanted to leech
me.

Good morning, everybody.

Skippy. Skippy. Skippy, you cracked the
Liberty Bell.

I'm sorry.

I swear I'm sorry. I hardly touched it.
I just, I just... Wait a minute.

I did not.

Are you all right? I'm fine.

I'm fine, but...

It happened.

I was there.

Morning, Ed. Morning.

Stephen will be right down.

That's John Adams.

What? It happened, Mom.

I changed his mind.

Change of heart?

Yes, Ed, I've decided to come with you
to Washington.

Ray!

That's wonderful, Stephen, but last
night you were so set in your decision.

Well, let's just say I changed my mind.

Thank you, lad.

For everything.

You're welcome.

Boy, this is weird.

Ed, if you can wait for a few minutes,
I'll go finish my packing. Sure thing.

Oh, Alex.

Yeah, Dad? If it rains again tonight,
don't forget to put my car in the

Right.

Dad, wait a minute. What did you just
say?

I said don't forget to put my car in the
garage.

Garage.

Right.

Sit, Ubu, sit.

Good dog.