Original subtitles

Now the world don't move to the beat of just one drum. What might be right for

you may not be right for some. A man is born, he's a man of means.

Then along come two, they got nothing but the genes.

But they got different strokes to take, different strokes to take, different

strokes to move the world.

Everybody's got a special kind of story.

Everybody finds a way to shine.

It don't matter that you got not a lot. So what? I'll have theirs, you'll have

yours, and I'll have mine.

And together we'll be fine. It takes a different stroke to move the world. It

takes a different stroke to move the world.

Hey, what? Watch this slam dunk.

Bang!

Think a protein could use me someday?

Sure. If you're going to be sitting on Dr. J's head.

Hey.

What is this?

Wow. Look at the diamonds on that watch.

You think Sammy Davis moved into the building?

I wonder what it's doing in the ashtray. Well, Sammy's rich.

Maybe I can find out what time it was he threw it away.

Quit kidding around.

Somebody must have dropped it here by accident.

Hey, if we don't find the owner, wouldn't it belong to us?

It says who it belongs to right here on the back.

To Molly Benson for 25 years of faithful service.

Sounds like she ran a gas station.

Molly Benson is our neighbor, Arnold.

See, here's her name on the door. This has got to be her watch, or why would

name be on there?

Maybe it's just a coincidence.

Come on, get off, Arnold.

Hmm,

her door's open.

Mrs. Benson, it's Woolies Jax from down the hall.

You can't tell her you want a big reward.

Okay. We'll take any kind of reward, Mr. Hilton.

Well, she must not be home when she left her door open, too.

Well, we'll give the watch to Dad.

He can handle it.

Very well.

Now, I take it you're all in agreement on the new building assessments.

Now, what about all the burglaries in this neighborhood?

I know.

I remember the good old days when a Saturday night special was a date, not a

gun.

Well, what are we going to do about it?

Well, as you empowered me to do at the last meeting, I have gone ahead and

a full -time guard.

That's a good idea. Mr.

Hanlon. He's a retired member of the police department.

Oh, he'll be good.

I'm sure if there are any suspicious characters hanging around the building,

Hanlon will get them.

Mr. Hanlon, what do you think you're doing? He is stretching my neck.

I want to get taller, but not this way.

You're doing my job, Mr. Drummond. Yeah, I picked these little punks up right

out in the hallway here.

You want to hear a hot one, huh?

They had the nerve to claim you're their father.

I am their father.

What?

Brutality. I'm an ex -policeman. Then it's ex -police brutality.

I'm sorry, Mr. Drummond, but how was I to know that you got to... I mean, in

my years as a cop, I learned one thing.

Nobody is above suspicion.

Well, be a little more careful in the future. Yeah, you're trying to kill us,

brother. Help! Help!

Somebody help me! Where is it, Mrs. Benson? I'll handle this.

What is it, Mrs. Benson?

My apartment. It's been burglarized.

My jewels, my beautiful diamonds.

Watch. Watch?

Well,

nothing's safe around here anymore. One of these days, they'll steal the

elevators. Check my apartment.

Kimberly, get some sherry. Now, just try to calm down, Mrs. Benson. Here, sit

right here.

I thought it was a gift to me.

Can you describe it, ma 'am?

It was surrounded with diamonds, and on the back... It said to Molly Benson for

25 years of faithful service. From your employer?

No, from my husband.

And I'll never get it back.

Ah, yes, you will, ma 'am. I'll get your crook, all right. And when I do, he's

going to end up in the slammer. And no cop -outs like, I'm sorry, I was going

return everything.

Arnold.

Why don't me and you go upstairs and wash our hands like we always do after

get finished playing basketball?

Yeah, and wash the basketball, too.

And polish our shoes and make our beds.

Poor guys.

They've been scared into neatness.

I'd better check out your apartment, Mrs. Benson. Are you all right? Is there

anything I can get you?

Yes. Get my watch.

And another drink.

Why shouldn't I?

Are you crazy?

You want to wind up in the Iron Hotel?

You mean jail?

No, thanks.

The only bars I want around me are candy bars.

Well, he'll think that we stole the watch anyway.

You heard your man.

He said he ain't buying any of that I'm sorry I was going to return stuff.

That's right.

You know, I bet you if Mr. Hanlon caught you taking from a 5 and 10, he'd wind

up with 10 to 20.

But why wouldn't he believe us if we just said we found it?

Arnold, come here.

Now grab the mirror and look in and tell me what you see.

I see a handsome, athletic little dude.

Do you happen to notice that little dude is black?

How about shifting your brain out of neutral?

Why do you think that cop grabbed us in the first place?

Because we're black.

Right.

We don't fit in the color scheme in this building.

Well, why don't we give the watch to Dad and let him give it to the guard?

No, can't do that either.

That'll look bad after the way he stuck up for us. And more important, that

guard wouldn't believe him anyway.

Then what do we do with it?

We'll have to put it back when we found it. Only when that guard's not around.

That's right.

The way he caught us before, he must have wall -to -wall eyes.

We'll wait till the coast is clear.

Meanwhile, let's put it in the drawer.

No, no good.

What's wrong?

Well, if anybody suspects us, it's too easy to find there.

I'd feel safer if we just flushed it down the toilet.

They call that destroying the evidence.

I call it saving our behinds.

Hey, how about putting it up here underneath your pillow?

Why my pillow?

What's wrong with yours?

What's the difference?

The difference is if one of us is in jail, I can go visit him.

Hey, how about putting it in the medicine chest?

No, no good.

Kimberly's always in there slopping goop all over her face.

Well, how about putting it in one of the cars on my train?

Or maybe the clothes hamper. Or my extra -secret perfect hiding place.

What extra -secret hiding place? And what makes it so perfect, Arnold?

Well, I put a dollar in there two months ago, and I can't remember where it is.

We gotta put it someplace.

Listen, why don't we put it in a drawer like we started to?

Arnold, I told you it was too easy to find there.

But that's why we should put it there.

Arnold, you've been brushing your teeth too hard.

No.

Listen, Willis.

You and me know it's too easy to find in that drawer, right?

Yeah. Well, then that guard must know that we know it's too easy to find, and

he'd figure we're too smart to hide it where we should hide it, where it's too

easy to find. You get it?

in the drawer for now.

I'm a nervous wreck, Willis.

Yeah. Me too, Arnold. My hands are shaking.

That's nothing.

I got parts of me shaking I didn't even know I had.

Well, we told Kimberly we'd help her with the housework. All right. Come on.

talk to you. What about?

Poor Mrs. Benton.

Her apartment's upside down as a result of that robbery, and she's in tears.

They ought to throw the book at the thief that did that.

Yes, throw the book at the thief.

Unless, of course, he's an innocent thief.

Well, Arnold's right, Daddy.

Everybody who steals something isn't a crook.

Sure. Some people don't even know they take stuff.

Yeah, they're what you call peptomaniacs.

Well, I just happen to think we're too soft on criminals.

Do you know that in some countries, when they catch a thief, they cut his hands

off?

Um, uh, uh, Willis, why don't we go upstairs and feed our goldfish?

No, you go ahead, Arnold.

No, I want you to go upstairs and watch.

Got it?

Watch?

Oh, yeah.

Oh, we'll finish this later.

Yeah, see you later.

Bye, guys.

Bye.

I guess that security guard really shook the boys up. They're nervous.

They've got a right to be.

You seem a little nervous, too.

In fact, you're perspiring.

Uh, well, that's just because I'm helping with all the housework while

Garrett's away. Oh, my poor little scullery maid.

I'm proud of you. Here, let me mop your weary brow.

Uh -oh. Sorry.

Oh, what is this?

She looks to me like a watch.

To Molly Benson?

That's a stolen watch.

Well, Daddy, there has to be some explanation. They couldn't have just

Who couldn't have just taken it?

Whoever took it.

Kimberly, you are protecting your brothers, aren't you?

Not very well.

I found it in their drawer, and I was going to talk to them about it. I didn't

want to snitch.

Well, I agree with you. There must be some explanation for this. I mean, I

my boys.

They couldn't possibly have stolen this watch.

Well, what are you going to do?

Well, for now, nothing.

Honey, take this watch.

Put it right back where you found it. I'm going to wait till Arnold and Willis

come to me about this, and I'm sure that they will.

Arnold, it's not here.

Well, how can we put it back where we found it if we can't find it?

I put it here. Did you take it and put it somewhere else?

No, Willis. You must have flipped your afro.

Did you really take it in the bathroom and flush it?

Now, why would I put a watch in the toilet?

Time is supposed to fly, not drown.

I put it right here underneath my short.

Here, hold this.

So, if it was here before, why is it here now?

Willis.

Say what?

The watch.

Willis, that watch isn't just hot. It's haunted.

This whole thing has got me so crazy.

I guess I didn't see it last time. Come on, let's go put it back.

Wait, Willis, do me a favor.

Don't lose it between here and the door.

Everything's going to be okay, honey.

Arnold and Willis will come and tell me what it's all about.

Yeah, I'm sure they will.

Here they come now.

Hi, guys. Hi, Dad. Hi, Kimberly. Bye, Dad. Bye, Kimberly.

That's not exactly what I had in mind.

I guess I'll tell you later.

Yes, later.

Oh, I'm sure they will.

Hanlon, not again.

I'd have to tell you this, Mr. Drummond, but your boys are the thieves who stole

that watch. We didn't do it, Dad.

No way. I'm honest.

Take your hands off them. You don't have any proof that they did it.

What do you call that?

Now, look, Mr. Hanlon, I am certain that there's an explanation that will tell

us why my boys had that watch. Mr.

Drummond, I caught them red -handed.

All we're trying to do is put the watch back in the ashtray.

Well, why did you want to put it back?

Because we couldn't find a good hiding place in our room.

Arnold, get off my side.

Now, look, Hanlon, if you'll just give me a little time, I can get to the

of this. I'm certain that I can straighten it out. I'm sorry, Mr.

have got to tell Mrs. Benson, and if she wants to press charges, it becomes a

police matter.

Well, I'll keep in touch.

Daddy, this is awful.

Oh, man.

We're going to be criminals and go to the slammer.

How can I get over the wall if I can't even reach the doorknob?

Now, calm down, boys.

Now, look, I want just the facts.

Well, we found the watch, Dad, aren't we?

We were gonna tell you, but we're afraid of that guard because they're black.

Because you're black?

Didn't you notice when we moved here?

All right, now, hold everything, gang.

Now, I want to know what happened, and from the beginning.

The very beginning?

Right.

Well...

Third of this morning, and I got up to go to the bathroom. Not that far back.

Let me do the talking, Arnold.

Well, you see, Dad, like this.

That's the whole story, Mrs. Benson.

I don't know what happened to the rest of your valuables. The boys just found

your watch.

Seems a bit odd, but it's the truth.

It seems odd, all right.

Now, Mrs.

Benson, is this the face of a criminal?

I'm an innocent little kid.

have chubby cheeks, but I'm innocent, too.

What do you say, Mrs. Benson?

Would you like to consider it over another piece of cake?

Well, if you're trying to bribe me, cake is the way.

At least I got my walk back.

Oh. Excuse me.

Mr. Drummond, I'm the man I want to see. Everything is settled. My boys are

innocent. Mrs. Benson agrees.

Isn't that terrific?

Have a piece of cake. It's delicious.

Sit down.

Oh, thank you.

Mr. Drummond, I have discovered some evidence that nailed the guilty party

robbed Mrs. Benson.

Good. I knew I hired the right man.

Who is it?

Your son, Willis.

Say what?

Give me back that cake.

Hanlon, how many blunders can one man make in one day? Now, careful, Drummond.

You're talking to a man who almost made detective.

What held you back?

Incompetence?

I don't know what your proof is, but I believe in my two boys.

Well, would you believe that the fingerprints on the watch exactly match

fingerprints on Mrs. Benson's doorknob?

What?

Uh -oh.

I forgot about that.

You sure did, kid.

Forgot about what, Willis?

That when we called for Mrs. Benson to give her watch back, her door was open.

And then there was no answer, so I closed it.

Well, then that explains it.

Not to me, Mrs. Benson. But Mrs. Benson, why not? Mrs. Benson, I don't

understand. It seems very strange that Willis remembered this important piece

information only after Mr.

Hanlon found the fingerprint.

Oh, but Mrs. Benson!

Save your breath, young man. I closed the door myself, and I locked it.

can open a locked door. You just take a hairpin or a credit card and... Mr.

Hanlon, you can let the police know that I'm ready to file charges against

Willis. Okay, ma 'am.

No!

You'll be hearing from the police.

I'm not going to wait for that.

First thing tomorrow morning, we'll be down at the station with my lawyer and

two sons, and I am going to straighten this thing out.

Okay.

See you down at the police station.

But, Dad, we're innocent.

And if the police don't believe us, what can we do?

I'll give you a hint.

If you're ever around Australia, look me up.

I'm all dressed for the police station, Willard.

30 minutes from now, they'll be hanging a number underneath my chin.

Willard, do you think they have peanut butter in prison?

Look, little brother, you ain't going anywhere.

With my fingerprints on the doorknob, I'm going to tell them you had nothing

do with it.

I won't let you, Willis. I was right there, wasn't I? I want you to call an

assessment after the fact.

Well, I'm sure Dad can figure out something to do.

I sure hope so.

I had the worst dream last night.

What about?

Well, you wouldn't want to hear about it. Why not?

Because the warden made me strap you to the electric chair.

I don't want to hear about it. But that's the good part.

That is the good part?

Yeah, I talked the warden out of it.

That is good.

You want to hear the part about the firing squad?

No, I don't. But they missed you.

Good. You want to hear the part about the hanging?

Yes, Tom.

Yeah, thank you.

All right, see you there.

Daddy, what'd your lawyer say?

Well, it could be worse.

If we can't prove the Willis didn't do it, because of his age and because he

no record, he'll be released to my custody.

Oh, well, that's great.

And as long as he stays out of trouble, the whole thing will be taken off the

books when he gets to be 18.

He has to be good till he's 18?

Oh, talk about pressure.

Bye, guys.

Bye.

Morning, Mr. Drummond. You don't have to check up on us, Hanlon. I'm just

getting ready to take Willis to the police station. I wasn't checking up,

Willis isn't going to jail.

What are you talking about, Mr. Hanlon?

You'll all be happy to know that I caught the real thief.

Huh? You did? Where?

Hey, the way you and your kids hung in there that they were innocent made me

decide to stake this building out last night. Hey, do you mind if I sit down? I

was up all night. No, please do.

Is that why your eyes look like raw eggs with ketchup on them?

Yeah.

Well, anyway, I saw this gentleman entering one of the apartments, and I

suspicious. What made you suspicious?

He was wearing a ski mask and breaking the door open with a jimmy.

Good eye.

You should have been made detective.

Thank you.

Hey, no, just one thing.

Now, why didn't you boys tell me about finding that stone watch on the first

place?

Well, I hate to say this.

It's because you're a cop and they're black.

Oh. So that's it, huh?

Yeah, well, listen, guys.

I apologize for grabbing you the way I did.

I jumped to the wrong conclusion.

I guess I did, too.

Hey, guys, you know what might be a good idea?

How about going over to Mrs. Benson's and just telling her that there's no

feelings about all this? Good idea.

Where you going? To get your gloves. If we're going over to Miss Benson's, this

time you better not leave no fingerprints.

Thank you.

Thank you.