Original subtitles

- Look what Mom had put away for us, Tommy.

She says give you one of them.

- Oh boy!

- So here's yours.

- Hey, you gave me the little one.

- Gee wiz, Tommy.

You're not very grateful.

It's free!

- I'm grateful, all right.

But my mom always says when you share with somebody,

you should always give them the biggest piece.

- Yeah, your mom's right.

Because that's what my mom always says, too.

So here.

Take them both.

- Both of them?

I don't want them both.

- OK, then you can share one of them with me.

And don't forget what your mother always says!

[theme music]

- And we've got to scope around and watch this whole prairie.

And remember, if any of us Indian scouts spots a wagon

train, we'll whistle like a quail, see?

Like this.

[whistling]

- What are we playing, Buzzy?

- We're Indian scouts!

Apaches.

You guys want to be one?

- Sure!

- Now Dennis, when I whistle like this-- [whistling]

- that's a signal for a pow-wow.

And that means everybody come in right away because I need you.

- Yeah, he needs us!

- But whenever anybody whistles, we always

got to whistle back the same way.

Because that way, the enemy thinks its just birds, see?

- I don't know how to whistle.

- Don't know how to whistle?

- Well, not yet.

- Criminy, Dennis.

How do you expect to be one of us

Indians if you can't even whistle?

- Well, all Indians don't whistle.

- Well, we do.

Don't we, Apaches?

- Yeah!

- Look, Dennis.

Just go like this. [whistling]

- I don't feel like it right now.

- Well, I'll tell you what you can be.

You can be a sheep herder.

They don't have to whistle.

All they have to do is get scalped.

- I don't even want to play your silly old game.

But I tell you one thing, Buzzy Hampton.

When I get ready to whistle, I'll

whistle better than you do.

- Come on, gang.

- [blowing]

[blowing]

- Heh heh heh.

Look, pucker your mouth.

Now blow.

[whistling]

- [blowing]

- [whistling]

- [blowing] - See?

My dumb old mouth won't whistle at all.

All it does is just blow.

- Well, you're a little young, honey.

Lots of boys your age can't whistle yet.

You'll learn.

- Sure you will.

It'll just come to you all at once.

- If I don't learn any faster than this, I'll be an old man.

I'll probably be shaving, even.

- Well, I don't think you'll be that ancient.

Anyway you've got a few days before your beard

gets in your way.

- Yes, and don't forget.

Buzzy Hampton's a lot older than you are.

- I'm not going to wait until I'm as old as Buzzy.

I'm going to learn to whistle today

if it takes me the rest of my life.

Anyhow, I'm not the only kid in the world that can't whistle.

- [whistling "jingle bells"]

- Hey!

How do you do that?

You're not supposed to whistle.

You're not big enough.

How old are you? Three?

- [whistling "jingle bells"]

Jeepers.

He's not even big enough to talk yet.

But he can whistle.

- You always cut above a butt, you see.

Well, like here, for instance.

You see, never cut too far back on the bush, or you'll kill it.

- That's what I'd be afraid of.

- Oh, it could happen.

- For instance, if I cut it down here,

it'll just kill it completely.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson!

- Oh!

Oh, for-- don't holler in my ear, Dennis!

- I didn't holler, did I, Mrs. Wilson?

- No, dear.

You just startled him.

- All, right, Dennis.

What do you want?

- Well, I've got a problem.

- Oh, so have I. Lots of them.

Why don't you go over in the park with the other boys

and bother everybody instead of just bothering me?

- That's what the problem is, Mr. Wilson.

They won't let me play Indian because I

don't know how to whistle.

So if you'll teach me how--

- Whistle?

Oh, for heaven's sakes.

- I'm just got to learn.

All I can do so far is-- [blowing]

And-- [blowing]

Stuff like that.

- You'll learn, dear.

- I sure will if Mr. Wilson teaches me.

Because you can do anything, can't you?

- Well, anything I feel like doing, yes.

But, well, I don't feel like teaching you to whistle.

I'm-- I'm too busy.

- Well, George, why don't you explain to the child?

You see, dear--

- No, no, Martha!

Don't you tell him anything.

Great Scott!

- Dad says all I have to do is just pucker and blow.

But I can blow real fine.

But I don't know how to pucker right.

- Dennis, you know, when I was a boy trying to learn to whistle,

they told me to eat something sour to make my mouth pucker.

- Won't you-- What?

It's what they told me.

- Sour?

Like what?

- Oh, like, um-- oh pickles, sour grapes, or maybe sour lemons.

- Gee, that's swell, Mr. Wilson!

I'll try everything sour and puckery I can find!

- Ha ha, good!

And take your time about it.

- And when I learn to whistle real good,

I'll come over every night and whistle you to sleep.

- Well, I hope he does.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself, George,

telling him to eat something sour.

- Well, she started it!

He opened up an old wound that I've

been trying to forget for years.

In fact, I had forgotten about it until he came over.

- I think it's absolutely silly.

- Silly?

Well, how do you think I feel about it?

Here I am, a grown man who can't whistle.

- Oh, so what if you can't George?

It isn't important.

- Children whistle!

Mailmen whistle!

Even parakeets whistle!

But not George Wilson.

[whistling]

It's just humiliating.

- Oh, George.

- As a child, I couldn't whistle for my dog like the other boys.

At the movies, when everybody whistled and stamped their feet

at William S. Hart, I just sat there like a big lump.

Do you know what they called me all through the third grade?

A dumbbell.

- Well, children.

- Duh.

I can still hear them.

Georgie is a dumbbell!

- But darling, that was years ago.

So don't hide it like a guilty secret.

- Well--

- Admit it, chuckle over it, and forget it.

- What?

And be the laughingstock of the whole town?

Never.

Now, I don't want to hear any more about whistling, Martha.

Never. I've got work to do.

- [whistling]

- Dah.

I'm going in the house and lie down for a while.

[door closing]

- Mom, what have we got that's puckery?

Real puckery?

- Puckery?

Sure.

Mr. Wilson says if I eat something

sour to pucker my mouth with, it'll help me learn to whistle.

- Oh, I think Mr. Wilson was joking.

- No, honest!

That's how he learned.

- Well, I have some pickles in there.

They're pretty sour.

- Oh, I tried those things.

They're no good for whistling at all.

I wish you wouldn't buy that kind anymore.

- Oh, I won't.

If they're not good whistling pickles,

I can get my money back besides.

What are you doing?

- A lemon.

[groan]

Boy, is this sour.

[blowing]

Sure is hard to get the right kind of pucker.

- I don't think that's going to help much.

But you'll learn.

You'll be a fine whistler someday.

- Where'd you get the calender, Mom?

- From Mr. Quigley's grocery store.

That's a famous old picture by a very famous artist.

- I know.

Tommy's folks have one and Tommy told me the name of it.

"Whistler's Mother."

- That's right.

- I wonder how old her little boy was when he learned to listen.

- Dennis, that particular Whistler was a painter.

- If I can just find the right kind of something sour,

I-- Hey, I know where to go!

Sure, he'll have everything!

Bye, Mom!

- Goodbye, dear.

- You're looking splendid today, Mrs. Elkins.

Simply splendid.

- Well, thank you.

I must say, you're feeling good.

- Never felt better.

I just read this new book, and it

gave me a whole new viewpoint.

Yes, sir.

It's great to be alive.

It was, at least.

- Too sweet.

- Dennis, what are you doing?

- Oh, hi, Mr. Quigley.

I want to buy something soon as I find it.

I've got the money, all right.

- There you are, Mrs. Elkins.

Always a pleasure to serve you. Good day.

- Good day.

- Dennis, leave my fruit alone.

What are you trying to do, ruin me?

- Oh no, Mr. Quigley.

I just sampling for sour stuff.

I've got the money, all right.

- Sampling for sour stuff?

- Yeah, I'm trying to learn to whistle.

- Whistle?

I've got to find something sour to pucker my mouth up with.

But so far, I haven't found the right thing.

- It isn't because you haven't tried.

- There's little bitty green strawberries

that you to keep in the bottom of the box.

They're pretty sour, all right.

- Yes, yes, Dennis.

- But I need something even puckerier than that.

- If you want something sour, I've got just the thing.

These little cherries were picked too green.

They're never going to ripen up.

Eat them, if you want something sour.

- Gee!

Wow, Mr. Quigley!

- No, no!

Not here.

Too messy.

Take them home and eat them, OK? - Gee!

Swell, Mr. Quigley!

- I'll charge it to your father's account.

All of it.

Dennis!

Now, Quigley, it's all over.

You feel fine.

Great.

Never felt better.

[laughing]

Well.

[laughing]

[footsteps]

- Oh, hello, Quigley.

Out of tea.

- Well, well, George.

How are you?

It's nice to see you.

Say, you're looking wonderful.

- Oh?

I've got a cramp in my shoulder.

I've been hunched in a doorway for 10 minutes waiting

for Dennis to get out of here.

- Dennis Mitchell?

Oh, you shouldn't let him worry you.

- Well, what's happened to you?

The last time I was in here, you are carrying him out that door

by the seat of his pants.

- Oh, that sort of ill temper is all behind me.

You know, I have been reading a book that has just

changed my whole outlook on life.

I tell you, that book has done wonders for me.

- Huh?

Don't hide your frustrations, it says.

Drag them out, talk about them, and you get rid of them,

it says.

- Well, it sounds like a sort of do-it-yourself psychiatry.

- Exactly.

And it works.

I never felt better in my life.

- Hm., Well, I've got problems, of course.

But there's one particular thing that's

plagued me since childhood.

Oh, I haven't talked about it because, well, it's just silly.

People would laugh at me.

- George, believe me.

No one's going to laugh at your frustrations.

How can we laugh at other people's problems

when we all have problems of our own?

- Well, look at me, Quigley.

I am moderately successful.

I'm retired I'm 50-- well, I'm over 50 years old.

- Oh, at least, yes.

- And I have never learned to do one simple thing

that most children learn in the first grade-- how to whistle.

I can't whistle a note.

- Whistle?

Oh, you're kidding. - Nope.

I can't whistle at all. [blowing]

- You mean you can't-- [laughing] A man your age,

and you can't even-- [laughing] Oh, that is rich!

- Oh!

- I never heard anything so ridiculous.

Imagine that--

- I knew I shouldn't trust a secret to a jackass!

[laughter]

- It's not funny, Mr. Quigley!

Here, I don't like your old cherries!

Mr. Wilson, wait for me!

Hey, I didn't know you couldn't whistle either, Mr. Wilson.

I thought everybody in the world could

whistle when they got as old as you are.

- Well, now you know.

- I'm sure sorry for you.

Because I know how you feel.

Believe me.

Make you feel kind of stupid, doesn't it?

I know.

Because I feel silly not being able to whistle.

And I'm just a kid.

- Yes, yes.

- And if I was as big adult as you are,

I'd really feel stupid.

- All right, Dennis.

Never mind!

- I sure know how you feel.

Oh, hi, Mr. Corrigan!

- Hi there, Dennis! Good afternoon, Mr.Wilson.

- Oh.

- What?

What's the matter with him?

- He doesn't feel good.

Because he's over 50 years old and he doesn't know

how to whistle.

- [laughter]

- Dennis!

Never mind!

For Heaven's sakes!

- Did you learn yet, Dennis?

Can you whistle?

- Well, not quite, Tommy.

[blowing]

I can almost whistle.

And me and Mr. Wilson are going to--

- Ha!

Everybody can whistle but you, Dennis!

- Ha yourself, Buzzy!

Everybody can not whistle but me!

Tell them, Mr. Wilson!

- Oh, I-- I will not.

Confound this gate.

- (SINGING): Dennis is a dumbbell!

Dennis is a dumbbell!

- (SINGING): Dennis is a dumbbell!

- I am not!

- He's no more of a dumbbell then you are,

you little-- all right, you get out of here!

All of you out of my yard!

Go on! Go someplace else!

You too!

Out! Out!

Go on!

Um, let's you and I go in the house

and see if we can find some cookies.

What's so great about whistling, anyway?

If you learn, OK.

If you don't, OK.

Who cares?

- Sure.

Who cares?

- So let's just forget it, now.

Huh?

I got some things here I want to show you.

We won't even mention the word "whistle," right?

- Right.

- Look at this book I just got-- brand

new addition of "Birds of the World."

Every bird you can think of is in here.

- Boy, they sure are pretty!

- Ah, these are tropical birds, Dennis.

Talking birds, most of them.

There's a parrot.

- I know parrots.

- A cockatoo, and this one's a myna bird.

- What's this one, Mr. Wilson?

Does he talk too?

- No, no, Dennis.

That's a Peruvian Bushbird.

He has a high shrill whistle.

And when he whistle--

- He's not as big as my first, and he can whistle.

- He's not even as big as Quigley's nose,

and I'll bet he can whistle better than Quigley.

D'oh.

That's enough of birds, huh?

I tell you what, Dennis.

Let's take a look at my stamp collection.

- OK!

Boy, I'll bet this is the swellest stamp

collection in the whole world!

- Ha ha ha.

Well, it's a pretty good one, all right.

You see, these are all commemorative stamps, Dennis.

Now, here's the 100th anniversary

of the steam engine.

- I'm going to be a captain on a steamboat someday.

- Oh!

Well, I'll bet you'd be a darn good one.

Now, this Alaska stamp here--

- Hey, here's that lady in the rocking chair again!

- Oh yes, that's "Quigley's Mother"--

uh, "Whistler's Mother."

Oh, Dennis.

Great Scott, what is the matter with us?

You know, we're just being ridiculous.

I tell you what.

Let's watch a little television.

- Oh boy, the cartoons are on.

They're real funny!

- Heh heh heh. good!

Let's have ourselves a few laughs.

Sit here and laugh it up while--

TV (OFFSCREEN): And this has been

"Pop Johnson's Cartoon Party," brought to you by the makers

of Johnson's Party Pop, the pop you kids all love.

And now, let's hear our theme song that reminds us of pop.

Johnson's Party Pop, everybody!

- [whistling]

- Isn't that great?

And now remember, I want all you good

whistlers to join us here tomorrow

for another great "Johnson's Party Pop Party."

There will be free gifts and prizes for everybody.

So don't--

- I don't want to watch anymore.

I better go home, I guess.

- [sigh]

I-- I guess so.

- Think I'll go back to Mr. Quigley's and get

those sour old cherries.

I just got to learn to whistle some way.

- [blowing] Oh--

- I sure hope I know how to whistle tomorrow.

Gee wiz!

- I'm sure will, son.

- Good night, dear.

- Night, son.

- Hey, I meant to tell you what happened a while ago.

I was having a banana to kind of rest my mouth.

And look what came loose!

- A tooth!

- I've been expecting that one.

- Oh, you take it right up and put it under your pillow.

Maybe the good fairy will leave you some money for it.

- OK.

But you know what I wish the good fairy would do instead?

- Teach you to whistle.

A dime.

Boy, the good old fairy didn't forget after all.

Sure is a lucky way to start the morning.

Maybe this is going to be my day to whistle.

[whistling]

Hey, mom!

[whistling]

Dad!

Listen!

[whistling]

And you want to hear this one again? [whistling]

- Ha ha ha ha!

Can you do this one? [whistling]

- [whistling]

- [laughter] That's wonderful!

I told you you'd be a fine whistler.

It's that lost tooth that did you.

- Oh no!

Losing my tooth didn't teach me how to whistle.

It's these sour cherries that did it.

- It is? - Sure!

They puckered up my mouth just right,

just like Mr. Wilson said they would.

- Mighty smart man, Mr. Wilson.

- He sure is!

- I'm going to go over there right now

and teach him how to whistle!

- Hm.

Oh, isn't it pleasant out here in the mornings, Martha?

- Yes, George.

It's so calm and peaceful.

- Just like the country--

- [whistling]

- So that's going to start again.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson!

It's me, Dennis! [whistling]

- Oh!

You too now, huh?

- And it's all because of you, Mr Wilson!

- Me?

- It's these sour cherries that did it.

They puckered up my mouth just right,

just like you said they would.

And all at once, I can whistle!

- Martha, I-- I thought something like that just might work.

- Oh George, you just told him that.

- It sure works, all right.

- Well, you can see how it could have a scientific basis.

To whistle, you have to pucker your mouth,

and something sour aids puckering.

- Try these things, Mr. Wilson.

They're the puckeriest things you ever tasted!

- Heh heh heh.

You see, Martha?

I just happen to have an invented mind.

And it struck me-- Oh!

Oh, I bit down on a pit.

Oh dear.

There goes a filling.

I lost a filling.

- Oh dear!

- Gee, I'm sorry it hurts, Mr. Wilson.

- Well, it isn't the tooth that hurts so much, Dennis.

It's the $20 for a new filling.

- But Mr. Wilson, I--

- Now, never mind, Dennis.

- But now that you've tried the cherries,

maybe if you just try like I did.

You look pretty puckery.

- Oh, all right.

But look, all I can do is blow. [whistling]

- You did it, Mr. Wilson!

You did it!

Whistle again!

- [whistling]

- That was good, George!

- Ho ho!

- [whistling]

[laughter]

Say, this is fun, Dennis!

Let's try a tune together!

- OK!

And I know just the tune.

- That's swell, Dennis.

Buzzy said that when you learn to whistle,

you could be Apache scout, too.

So come on!

- No thanks, Tommy.

You tell Buzzy I haven't got time

for that kind of silly stuff today.

- Silly stuff?

- Me and Mr. Wilson have got some important practicing to do.

You know the song I mean?

- Oh ho ho, I certainly do!

[WHISTLING "POP GOES THE WEASEL"]

- [WHISTLING "POP GOES THE

- Hello, Martha!

[theme music]

NARRATOR: This has been a Screen Gems film production

from the Hollywood studios of Colombia Pictures.