Original subtitles

- When is the party?

- Tomorrow afternoon.

Henry and I both bought new bathing suits for it.

- Oh.

- Oh, just think.

They have their own swimming pool.

- Oh, well it sounds like quite an affair.

- Oh, it will be.

Henry's out on the patio now trying to get a tan for it.

I started gussying up this morning.

Gave myself a manicure.

- Oh, it's a lovely shade. - Isn't it pretty?

It's called Scarlet Lady.

I even did my toes.

- Hey, mom.

I've just been helping dad gussy up for the party, too.

- Now, Dennis, I hope you haven't been disturbing your father.

- Heck no.

He's still sound asleep in the hammock.

But I did his toes for him. Here's your nail polish.

[theme music]

- That's one of the reasons I came home for lunch today.

I thought we ought to talk this over while Dennis was still

in school.

- Oh, yes.

We have to get the whole thing set

before we tell him anything about it.

- I think the best thing to do will

be to drive up there tomorrow and look it over.

I'll call him this afternoon-- - Hi, mom.

- Hi, mom. Hi, dad.

I'm home! [door slamming]

- That's for sure.

Hi, son.

- What in the world are you doing home so early?

It's only 12:30.

- The whole class got out at noon today,

because Mr. Morrison got sick.

- Oh, that's too bad.

- Did you get the afternoon off, too, dad?

Because if you want to take mom to a movie, I'll go with ya!

- Thanks for the offer but--

- There's a swell show up at Capital,

nine cartoons and a double Western.

- I'd just love to see nine cartoons and a double Western,

but I just came home for lunch.

- Yes, your dad has to get back to work.

Now, you take your jacket and hang it up before you go out

and play, OK?

- OK, mom.

Say, you know who'll be surprised to see me home

so early?

Good ol' Mr. Wilson.

[humming]

- You're doing a beautiful job of that vase, dear.

It's going to look almost as good as new.

- Yes, Martha.

I must admit, it's going to look pretty good.

- Last week when I swept up those pieces,

I thought it was hopeless.

- Oh, no, my dear.

Nothing is hopeless.

All this job takes is a little patience, steady hand, and-

- Hi, Mr. Wilson!

- Oh, Dennis.

What are you doing out of school?

- Our teacher's sick.

- Let's not bother Mr. Wilson now, dear.

He's very busy.

- Oh, I won't bother him.

Whatchya doin', Mr. Wilson, gluing

that busted vase back together?

- No, Dennis.

I'm brushing my teeth.

- With glue?

Gee, it must taste awful sticky.

If you get your teeth glued together,

you won't be able to talk.

- (NERVOUSLY) Eh!

Martha.

- Come over here, dear, out of the way.

Mr. Wilson's too busy to talk to us.

- OK.

I won't talk to him.

I'll just watch him.

[ping]

- Dennis, will you please put down that bat?

It makes me nervous.

That does it.

I'm going to take this stuff in the house and work on it alone.

Martha, open the door for me, will you dear?

- Stay here, dear.

- Yes.

Oh!

[crash]

- Boy, he sure ruined your vase that time, Mrs. Wilson.

- Dennis, go home. Home!

- And if this is my life during the school year, what

am I going to do this summer when

Dennis will be over here all day?

- Oh, it won't be too bad, dear.

We're going on a vacation in July, you know.

That'll be fun.

- Well, two weeks without Dennis will help.

Yes, and maybe when we get back, the Mitchell's

will take their vacation.

- Oh, they aren't going away this year.

Alice said so.

- What?

Why, Martha, they've got to go away

for a couple of weeks at least or send Dennis somewhere.

That's it.

Send Dennis away.

- Not, George, you don't mean--

- Right, summer camp. - Now, look.

We've been all over this before.

You have no right to tell the Mitchell's what

to do with Dennis, and you know it.

- Martha, I'm going to convince the Mitchell's

they have got to send that boy to camp.

- How are you going to do it, by hypnotism?

- No.

No, my dear, by the gentle art of conversation.

I've got it all worked out in my mind.

For instance, I'll start out by mentioning

that summer is just around the corner.

- Uh-huh.

- And then I'll say, in the summertime,

a boy needs to be outdoors.

He needs lakes to fish in and mountains to climb.

- That's certainly subtle.

- And from then on, I'll just very

casually lead the conversation til Mitchell gets

the big idea all by himself.

Alice, he'll say, this summer, let's send Dennis to camp.

That's it!

[doorbell]

- I'll say summer is just around the corner.

He'll say, yes.

I'll say, boy needs to be outdoors.

Boy needs-- Mitchell, you've got to send that boy to camp!

- I beg your pardon?

- Uh, I mean, eh, hello.

Summer's just around the corner.

- Uh, why don't you come inside, Mr. Wilson?

I

- Oh, thanks.

I will.

I just dropped in to chat a minute.

- Hey, Mr. Wilson, guess what?

- Huh?

- Mom and dad are going to let me go

to summer camp as soon as school's out.

Boy, wait til I tell the kids!

And I'm going Saturday, too.

Dad's taking me.

Goodbye!

[door slamming]

- To camp?

To summer camp?

- Yes, we've been thinking about it for some time.

- We've decided Dennis is old enough this year.

- Oh, by all means.

We deserve-- uh, he deserves it.

Be wonderful for him.

When's he going?

- Well, we thought right after school

is out, around the 15th of June.

- Oh, wonderful.

That's a lovely time of year for a boy

to be going right to camp, right from school.

Yes, indeed.

- It's camp Tall Pine up in the mountains.

We've been getting circulars from it every year.

And they're having open house tomorrow.

- Yes, I'm driving Dennis up for the day.

We're going to look the camp over and see if we like it.

- Well, by golly.

I'm just delighted about this.

Oh, uh, for Dennis' sake of course.

Got to tell Martha.

I tell ya, Martha, this whole thing

is working out so perfectly, it scares me.

- I still don't know how you talked the Mitchell's into it.

- Well, just like I told, my dear,

the gentle art of conversation.

Just think of it, Martha.

Starting June the 15, no more Dennis for two whole weeks.

Do you realize the things I can get done around here?

- You can paint the screens, for one thing.

- Yes.

And I can do something I haven't been able to do for years.

I can lay that concrete floor on the barbecue pit.

- That will be good.

- Just think of it, Martha.

80 square feet of fresh concrete without a single footprint

in it.

- Come to think of it, I've never seen fresh concrete

without a footprint in it since we've lived here.

[doorbell]

- There's the door.

Well, you will this summer, my dear.

I guarantee it.

- Hello, Henry, Dennis.

Come on in.

- Well, thank you, Ms. Wilson.

We can only stay a moment.

Alice wanted me to return this beater to you.

And thank you very much.

- Hello, Mitchell.

Well, Dennis, we were just talking about you.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, we were saying what a lucky boy

you are to be visiting that camp tomorrow.

- I'm afraid it's off, Mr. Wilson.

- What?

- Yes, we're all pretty unhappy about it.

But I've got to drive down to Greenfield

on business in the morning.

- Oh, that's too bad.

- Geez, whiz.

- Oh, that is a shame.

But don't worry about tomorrow, Dennis.

Think of the summer.

When the minute school is out, off you

go for two glorious weeks.

- Well, we aren't sure what to do now.

Alice and I don't want to make a reservation before we've

had a chance to look the place over.

- What?

Oh, well, yes.

- I suppose you--

- We want Dennis to look it over, too,

before we do anything definite.

- Well, you're right.

He should have a chance to give it a try first.

- Well, by golly.

He is going to have a chance to give it a try.

I'll drive him there myself tomorrow,

look the place over for you.

- You will? Oh, boy!

That'll be swell, Mr. Wilson.

- Wonderful of you, Mr. Wilson.

But it'll take all day.

It's a hundred mile drive.

- Oh, I don't mind at all.

I'm glad to do it.

- He really means that, Henry.

- Sure he does, dad.

Isn't he swell?

- It's awfully nice of you, Mr. Wilson.

I certainly hope Alice and I will

be able to return the favor someday.

- Oh.

- Come on, Dennis.

- Boy, wait'll I tell Tommy.

He'll sure be glad.

So will the other kids. - Tommy?

The other kids?

But I thought--

- Sure, Tommy's going with me.

And we're going to take John, Chris, and Kevin, and Rikki.

- Six of you?

- But don't you worry about picking them up.

I told all the kids to meet at my house.

So we'll be waiting in your car at 6:00 AM tomorrow.

- Yeah, but I can't get up--

- If you're not up yet, we'll blow the horn for ya.

- They blow the horn for--

- Yay!

- Oh, for goodness sakes!

You have to climb all over me like that?

- Why are stopping, Mr. Wilson?

- Yeah, this isn't it.

- I know this isn't it.

- Gee, we'll never get there if you keep stopping, Mr. Wilson.

You've stopped about eight times already.

- Nine times.

Eight filling stations for you boys and just one

stop for me to read that sign, if you don't mind.

Thank heaven, one more mile and we're there.

All right, come on. Get in the car.

- Yay!

FRED HARMON (OFFSCREEN):

- Hi!

- Welcome to Camp Tall Pine.

Open house today.

Morning, name's Fred Harmon.

- Oh, Wilson, George Wilson.

I, uh, brought the boys up to spend the day

and look things over.

Huh?

Oh, not again.

This little boy can't seem to keep his shoelace tied.

Huh.

Well, at least one of the lads will

be spending some time with you this summer.

FRED HARMON (OFFSCREEN): Oh, good.

Kids all like it up here.

- Yeah.

Well, I'll probably make his reservation before I leave.

Uh, oh, uh, Dennis Mitchell here and probably Tom-- well,

where did they go?

- Come on.

They all love the lake.

[kids shouting and playing]

- Dennis!

Boys!

Come back here!

- Don't worry, the deepest spot in the whole lake

is only 18 inches, and that's out in the middle.

- Oh, well good.

- Come up to the lodge and sign the guest book.

We want the boys' names and addresses, of course.

- Dennis!

Tommy!

Come on, now, all of you!

[kids shouting and playing]

[whistle]

- All right, men!

We're going to sign in now.

On the double!

We want you and the boys to have all the fun

in the world today, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, we will.

I'm sure.

- Boy, I'll say!

- Yeah, this is a swell place!

- Uh, you and your group are assigned at cottage four.

It's all yours for the day. - Cottage four.

Oh, good.

- Uh, boys?

Mr. Wilson's the boss.

He's in charge today.

That's how we do it on open house day.

We, uh, don't have our counselors yet.

- Oh, naturally.

That make sense.

Well, I'll do my best to keep them in line.

- Ah, the boys will be fine.

Uh, here's your equipment for the day.

I, uh, think it'll come in handy.

- Equipment?

- Uh, whistle, a cap, sweatshirt.

Boys seem to respond better if you look official.

- Yes. That sounds like a good idea.

- Hey, look at Kevie.

- Heavens, what happened to you?

- He pushed me in the lake!

[yelling]

- Quiet!

Been up here five minutes and fell in the lake already.

What am I going to do with you?

Did you bring any dry clothes?

- It's all right.

I'll take him out in the kitchen and dry him out.

We keep plenty of dry clothes.

This happens all the time.

- Oh. - Come on, honey.

- Thank you, you're very kind.

All right, now look boys.

I don't want anything like that to happen again.

Is that understood?

- Yes, Mr. Wilson.

- And I don't want any more pushing or shoving

or any more of that loud arguing.

- No, sir. No more hollering, you guys.

- That goes for you, too, Dennis.

Now, the first one of you who makes any trouble of any kind

can just sit in the cottage and miss out on all the fun.

Is that clear?

- Yes, Mr. Wilson.

- All right, fine.

Now, let's go see our cottage number four.

FRED HARMON (OFFSCREEN): Mr. Wilson.

- Oh. Oh, yes.

Thank you. - Oh!

- Oh! - Oh, I'm so sorry madam.

- Oh, I'm so sorry madam. I beg your pardon--

- Ugh.

[whistle]

- Hey, get your feet off my bed!

- You don't own a bed!

- My stuff's on it, so it's my bed!

- Get 'em off.

- OK, I will!

- Boys!

Boys!

Stop that fighting right now. Now, stop it.

Stop it, do you hear?

Shame on you.

All right.

Now, that does it.

I told you the first one who caused any trouble would just

have to stay here in the cottage.

All right.

Now, you sit right here for one hour.

And you, you sit over here.

And I don't want to hear a sound out of either one of you.

- I don't have to sit here.

If my mom was here, she'd tell you.

- Are you wonder going to obey me?

- Charles, what you're doing in here?

I told you to stay with mother.

I've been so worried, dear.

Well, now, come with mother.

- I can't come with you.

He's making me sit here for an hour.

He won't even let me talk!

- What?

Well, of all the nerve.

Who do you think you are telling my child he has to sit there?

What's going on here?

- I thought he was one of us.

Didn't he come with us, boys?

- Well, of course not, you ruffian.

I ought to call the police.

You, you-- come Charles.

This man is sick.

- Oh, madam.

It's just an innocent mistake.

I-- ow!

- Are you sick, Mr. Wilson?

Gee, you look sick.

- Wha--?

Oh.

All right.

Shoe.

[whistle]

FRED HARMON (OFFSCREEN): Come on, Mr. Wilson.

Get your gang out here.

Everybody out, fellas, on the double.

Game time. - Yay!

[kids shouting and playing]

[whistle] - All right.

Right here, right here, right here.

This is where Dennis tagged you.

All right, boys.

Wouldn't you boys like to play something else

for a while, something you could play sitting down?

- Gee, we can't quit now, Mr. Wilson.

- No, the score's tied.

- Yeah, 84 to 84.

We need another touchdown.

Come on, gang.

Fight! Let's fight!

[whistle]

[kids shouting and playing]

[whistle]

- Gee, Mr. Wilson.

You should be more careful.

You almost swallowed your whistle.

- Oh.

And I tell you, Martha.

Believe me, it's been pure murder.

Eh, oh, no, no, no, no.

I'll live.

We just, uh, finished a fine lunch.

I got a little strength back.

Hm?

Oh, yes.

I most certainly will.

I'll book Dennis in here before I

leave if I have to pay it myself.

- Wilson, Mr. Wilson! Come on, hurry!

We're going to hike all the way around the lake!

- Oh, I have to go now, Martha.

We're going to take a little hike-- around the lake?

Dennis, are you out of your mind?

Oh, Martha.

I've got to go now. I'll see you later.

I'll be home at 6 o'clock.

Goodbye, dear.

Dennis, do you realize how far it is around the lake?

- Oh, it's a fine hike.

Just a mile each way, that's all.

Better take your jackets, though, boys.

It's warm now, but the weather changes pretty fast

in these mountains sometimes.

- OK.

We'll run and get our jackets.

- Now, just a minute.

Never mind your jackets.

You won't need them.

We are not going on any hike.

And that is final!

Dennis!

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): We're up here, Mr. Wilson.

- Well, I told you to keep in sight.

I don't want anybody getting lost.

Let's stick together now.

- OK, Mr. Wilson.

We could stick together a lot better

if you could walk faster.

- Well, we're not supposed to walk fast in high altitudes.

Oh, let's sit down a minute.

We can all use some rest now.

- Hey, I know what let's do while we're resting.

Let's play leap frog!

- Leap frog?

- Mr. Wilson.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, Dennis.

I wish you boys would quit running ahead.

I don't want anybody to get lost.

- Oh, we aren't lost, Mr. Wilson.

But we sure thought you were.

Didn't we, Tommy?

- Yeah.

It's not very far to the end of the lake now, Mr. Wilson.

Me and Dennis have already been there twice.

- You what? - Yeah.

All the other kids are waiting there now.

There's a picnic table and a swell bench to rest on.

And--

- That's what I need, something to rest on.

Come on, boys.

Ah.

Well, we finally made it!

Well, I guess we're pretty good hikers.

Huh, boys?

- We sure are, Mr. Wilson.

Boy, Tommy, we'll do this every day

when we come up here this summer.

- Oh, that warm sunshine feels marvelous.

Well, boys.

You can play for a while if you want

before we start back to camp. - Come on!

Let's play run sheep, run! - All right.

But stay close together, though.

We'll start back in a few minutes.

Ah.

[snoring]

- Boy, listen to him snore.

- Yeah.

He sure does like sleeping.

Hey, looks like it's going to rain over that way.

You think we ought to wake him up?

- I don't think so, Tommy.

It'll probably just rain over that way.

If it rains here, that'll wake him up all right.

[snoring]

- Yeah, Clint.

According to the radio, the storm

kind of went around us over here.

How are things up your way?

Oh, it is, huh?

I'll be getting back to you, Clint.

Ranger says there was cloud bursts over there.

It rain down hard on the other side of the mountain.

- Well, I'm glad it's not raining here anyway.

Everybody gone home?

- Yeah, except Wilson and his bunch.

Still out on the trail.

Wish they'd get back here.

[snoring]

- Oh.

Eh, well, boys.

I guess I sort of most have dosed off there

for a minute, huh?

- You sure did dose off, Mr. Wilson.

I'm glad you woke up, because what time is it?

- Oh. Great Scott!

Oh, it's almost 5 o'clock.

Oh, heavens.

Now, we won't get home until-- oh, my goodness.

Why didn't you wake me up?

- We started to, Mr. Wilson.

But you were sleeping so happy we just couldn't do it.

Come on, everybody!

I'll race you back to camp!

- Ah.

[kids shouting and playing]

- Come on, come on. I'll get ya.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson!

- Hi!

- We've been waiting for you a long time, Mr. Wilson.

We ran all the way!

- Oh, my running days are a thing of the past, I'm afraid.

- I never thought you'd get here, Mr. Wilson.

Elsie, uh, call the ranger station, will ya?

- Well, I, uh, I got, uh, delayed a little back there.

But now it's time to go, thank heaven.

Oh, before I go, I want to make a reservation for Dennis

here for two weeks, for two glorious weeks.

- We're having some pretty bad weather right now, Mr. Wilson.

It's storming hard down towards the highway.

- Oh.

Well, a little storm isn't going to bother me.

No, sir.

Why, in two hours from now, I'll be home.

And in 2 and 1/2 hours from now, I'll be sound asleep.

When I wake up, day after tomorrow.

- Fred?

I've got the ranger station for you.

- Oh, let me give you a check right

now for his reservation, so there won't be any mix up.

- Hello, Clint.

What's the news?

Oh, I was afraid of that.

Bridge went out, just like last year.

- Oh, fine.

- A bridge went out?

- Went down the creak bobbing like a cork, huh?

Half hour ago, he said.

- What bridge is this?

I mean, is it nearby?

I mean-- - Just off the main highway.

You remember the bridge you crossed

over coming up here, over Gopher Creak?

- You mean, the-- the road coming in here?

The bridge washed out?

Well, what do we do?

I mean, how do we-- - Oh, good.

What do they say?

Highway says it'll be about a week

before they can get a new bridge in.

Oh, we're OK.

- But-- I mean-- we're all stuck here?

I mean, all of us are stranded?

- You hear that, Tommy?

We can't get out.

We have to stay here.

- For a whole week maybe!

Wow! - Yay!

- Yeah, we have a few guests left, Clint.

But, uh, we got plenty of food and stuff.

Yeah, I'll give you the names and addresses

so you can call their folks.

- Oh, a whole week.

Great Scott!

[theme music]

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): This has been a Screen Gems film

production from the Hollywood studios of Columbia Pictures.