Original subtitles

- Hi, Mom.

- Hello, dear.

- Mom? - Hmm?

- Is it OK if I have this little piece of beefsteak?

- Well, what do you want it for?

- Well, me and Tommy have been teaching Mr. Wilson's dog

to bring back a stick when we throw it for him.

- Little Fremont? - Yeah.

He learned real fast, too.

- I see, and you want to give them a piece of meat

as a reward.

All right, Dennis, you may have it.

- Thanks, Mom.

But it's not for Fremont, it's for good ol' Mr. Wilson.

- Mr. Wilson?

- He was lying in the hammock when I threw the stick.

Boy, you never saw such a black eye!

[theme music]

- Yeah, missed me again.

- You'll be it the rest of the day.

- Oh, no I--

- Hey, boys, hold it.

Sorry, but you can't play here.

- Why not?

We been playing here for a long time.

- Yeah, for years.

- Ever since we were little kids.

- Well, I'm sorry, but you'll just

have to find another place.

There's a new regulation that says

you have to stay off the grass in the park.

- Gee, nobody told us.

- There's no sign or anything.

- Don't blame me, I just follow orders.

Nobody's allowed on the grass because, well, there's

a campaign on to keep the park beautiful.

- Sure won't look beautiful to us if we can't play in it.

- Those are the rules.

Come on, fellas, move along.

- And this policeman chased you off the grass?

- That's right, Mom.

- That's funny, I've never seen a "keep off the grass"

sign in the park.

- There wasn't any sign, Dad.

- Are you sure about that, Dennis?

- Oh sure, we'd have seen that right away.

- Well, it's too bad you got chased, son,

but we all have to obey the law.

- I think I'll go over and see good ol' Mr. Wilson now.

- Supposing he'd chases you home?

- That's different.

I don't mind being chased away by a friend.

- Henry, I don't think we should stand for it.

- Stand for what?

- That silly policeman chasing the boys out of the park.

It's the most high-handed thing I ever heard of.

- Honey, he was just doing his job.

- Well, I'd say he was overdoing it.

I think you ought to go right over to that park

and tell that policeman he can't treat our son that way.

- Well now, hold on, honey.

I don't want to get on the wrong side of the law.

- Then you won't go?

- Well, I'd rather not.

- All right then, I'll go.

If my husband is too meek and mild to defend his own family,

then I guess it's up to me!

- B-but-- wait a minute, wait a minute!

Simmer down.

I'll, I'll go have a word with the policeman.

- I want more than a word with him.

I want you to really tell him off.

- All right, I'll tell them off.

And on my way home, I'll stop a hardware store

and see if I can buy a gun.

- A gun?

- Yeah.

When a fellow lives in the same house with a tigress,

he can't be too careful.

- Oh, go on.

- Officer!

Oh, officer, can I see you for a minute, please?

- Oh, something I can for you?

- Yes, I'm, uh, Henry Mitchell.

I live in one of those houses across from the park.

- Glad to meet you.

I'm Officer Grant.

- Oh, glad to know you.

You're new on this beat, aren't you?

- Well, I'm new on any beat.

Just got my badge a couple of days ago.

- Naturally, you're eager to make good.

- Well, I do my best.

- Well, that's the spirit.

However, my son tells me that you

chased him and some of his friends

out of the park a while ago.

Now, don't you think that's being a little too eager?

- Well, I had to do it, sir.

The department's putting in new grass seed here.

- Well, the boys had no way of knowing that.

After all, they've been playing in this park all their lives

and all of a sudden they're chased out with no warning

at all.

- Well, I started to explain to them that--

- I could understand if there was a sign here or something like

this, but, uh--- there is a sign.

- Yes, there is.

- My boy said there was no sign.

He's usually truthful.

- Well, he wasn't lying, sir.

The fact is that I put the sign up after they had gone.

What did you say your full name was, sir?

- Henry Mitchell.

Am I getting a ticket?

- Afraid so.

The law spells it out for you.

- What?

- Now, you can mail in the $5 if you want.

- $5?

- Right.

Now, you can mail in the $5 or, if you want to argue,

you can appear in Judge Strickland's court tomorrow.

- I--

- You sure are smart to plant those big bulbs instead

of flower seeds, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh, I am?

Why?

- Because birds eat your seeds all the time,

but they could never swallow those big bulbs.

- You have the makings of a great naturalist.

[frog croaking]

- What have you got there?

- That's my frog, Sam.

[frog croak]

- You keep him in your pocket?

- Sure, he likes it there.

Sometimes, he stays there all day.

- Get him out of here.

I don't want him eating up my bulbs.

- Frogs don't eat bulbs, Mr. Wilson.

Frogs eat flies.

- Uh-huh.

Well, you fly him out of here.

- Sam hasn't had lunch.

I gotta find him some.

- Oh, hi, Mitchell.

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Where ya been, Dad?

- Oh, I've been over at the park.

I should've stayed home.

Let me warn you about that new park policeman, Mr. Wilson.

He just give me a ticket for walking across the grass.

Gonna cost me $5.

- The grass in the park?

But we've always walked across it before.

Why everybody cuts through there to--

- Not anymore we don't.

There's a new ordinance against it.

- The policeman chased me off too, Dad.

- Yes, and Alice and I didn't think

it was fair-- especially Alice.

So I went to reason with him and, well,

he caught me standing practically on top of the sign,

"Keep off the Grass."

- But there wasn't any sign there, Dad.

- Well, he put up after you left.

That'll teach me to mind my own business.

- Now just a minute, Mitchell.

How long has that sign been up?

- Oh, about 15 minutes.

- Why, this is an outrage!

When there's a new ordinance like this,

we should be warned about it.

Why, this thing wasn't even mentioned in the newspaper.

- Well, it doesn't seem quite fair.

I guess the policeman has a job to do.

- Now Mitchell, don't you brush this aside.

If you're not willing to fight for your own sake,

at least do it for Dennis.

- What's Dennis got to do with it?

- Well, he's reached the age where

he should be set a good example.

He's not a baby any longer.

He's growing up, aren't you, Dennis?

- That's right, Mr. Wilson.

When I lose a tooth now, I don't put it

under my pillow for the good fairy to take.

I go right to Dad and get my dime.

- But I am setting him a good example.

I, I, I broke a law and I'm paying for it.

- This time, the law was administered unfairly,

and when that happens, it, it's our--

it's our duty to fight back.

Yes, that's the American way.

Why, that's what we fought for in the Army at Valley Forge.

- Dad was in the Navy, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh?

Now hear this-- you have a golden opportunity

to teach Dennis that he should never take injustice lying

down, and I won't allow you to throw it away.

Well, what are you waiting for, Mitchell?

You know very well you were made a victim

of tyrannized legality.

- It was kind of unfair.

He could have given me a warning first.

- Ah ha!

Now you're talking.

Let's go.

Oh, officer.

We'd like a word with you.

- Mr. Wilson, do you think we're doing the right thing?

- Of course I am.

Justice will prevail.

- Oh, hello, Mr. Mitchell.

Hi, sonny. What's up?

- Mr. Wilson says I'm old enough to be a citizen.

- Huh?

- Uh, never mind the boy.

You just pay attention to me.

Now first, I'd like to point out that we

are standing on the sidewalk.

- Well, yes, I can see that.

- So don't try to claim there's grass under our feet.

- Mr. Mitchell, what is this?

- This is Mr. George Wilson.

He has something to say to you.

- Oh no, you're the one who has something to say.

I'm merely a bystander.

Now go ahead, tell him.

- Well, officer, it's about this ticket you gave me.

- By which means this totally unwarranted ticket

which you had the colossal nerve to force upon him.

- Is that what you mean, sir? - Well--

- It certainly is.

He thinks you're completely out of line

and he resents it as any red-blooded citizen would.

Keep talking, Mitchell.

- Are you saying I didn't treat you fair?

- Well, officer, it just seemed to me

that, that you could have given me

a warning instead of a ticket.

After all, that sign's only been there a few minutes.

- Well, if it was up to me, I would have.

But the law is the law.

I don't make it, I only enforce it.

- Well, he's not accepting your ticket.

He's giving it right back to you.

Aren't you, Mitchell?

- Gosh, I--

- Oh, here-- I'll give it back.

Let me.

- Jeepers, Dad.

You're not supposed to tear up a ticket.

I'll pick it up.

- Never mind, Dennis.

Just leave it there.

All right, officer, what are you going to do about that?

- Well first, I'm going to give Mr. Mitchell

another ticket for walking on the grass.

Then I'm going to give him a second ticket

for destroying the first one.

That's interfering with an officer

in the performance of his duty, you know.

- Look Dad, he's writing you another one.

He sure can write awful fast.

- Throwing waste paper on the sidewalk

is against the anti-litter law, Mr. Mitchell.

Does that answer your question, sir?

- Oh all right, you've won this round.

But you'll be hearing from us again.

Come along, Mitchell.

- I appreciate what you're trying to do, Mr. Wilson,

but I think you've done enough.

I'd just like to pay these things

and drop the whole thing.

- Oh no, sir.

Not on your life.

Oh-ho, you got me into this.

I'm in to stay.

- I got you into it?

- Now, don't apologize, Mitchell.

I'm glad you did.

I always welcome a chance to strike

a blow for better government.

- Good ol' Mr. Wilson.

Nothing scares him.

- Now, let us consider our strategy.

- Boy, this is exciting.

What's "strategy," Mr. Wilson?

- Oh, our plans, Dennis.

The enemy has withstood our frontal attack

so we must strike him on an undefended flank.

- You have to use those war terms, George?

I feel I should put up some blackout curtain.

- Martha, this is a serious business.

Remember, we're doing this primarily

to teach Dennis a lesson in civil rights.

- I agree with you, Mr. Wilson.

Have you figured out a way to handle it yet?

- Yes, Alice, I have come to a decision.

Tomorrow in court, I shall appear

as your husband's legal advisor.

- What?

- I'm not sure that's a good idea, George.

After all, you're not a lawyer.

- Well, who needs a lawyer?

I can plead a case.

Heh heh, I'm quite an eloquent speaker.

I've done a lot of speaking.

- I know, dear.

- Mr. Wilson, I appreciate what you're

trying to do but I don't want to go to court.

- Aw, come on, Dad.

Let's go to court.

I've never seen a court.

- Mitchell, it's the only thing to do.

- Mr. Wilson, I could go to jail on a thing like this.

- Boy, I've never seen a jail either.

- Good, then it's settled.

Now, first thing tomorrow, I'll go to the library

and search the law books for material

to support our position.

- Do we have a position?

- Why, we most certainly do.

A strong moral position.

And I shall make that quite clear to the judge.

"Your Honor," I will say, "for years we had a right to walk

anywhere we chose in that park.

Then, with no previous warning whatsoever,

that cherished right was rescinded.

Oh, we shall keep off the grass in the future, but in this case

we feel that justice should be tempered with mercy.

I rest my case."

- Here, here!

- I heard you, too.

Did you hear him, Dad?

- Loud and clear.

And you had a couple of good points there, Mr. Wilson.

Maybe we do have a case.

- Why, we most certainly do.

And when we appear in court tomorrow,

I'll be ready for battle.

- (WHISPERING) Don't worry, Miss Maud, I'll remember.

Oh, there he is.

Guess who this is, Mr. Wilson.

- (WHISPERING) Dennis, for Heaven's sakes.

- (WHISPERING) Whatcha doing, Mr. Wilson?

Reading a book?

- (WHISPERING) Well, what does it look like I'm doing,

for goodness sakes?

Flying a kite?

- (WHISPERING) No, it looks like you're reading a book.

You are reading a book, aren't you?

- (WHISPERING) Yes, I am reading a book.

Now, will you stop!

- Shh.

- (WHISPERING) For Heaven's sakes.

- (WHISPERING) Mr. Wilson, the library lady's waving at you.

She wants you to be quiet.

- (WHISPERING) I know, I know.

Now Dennis, I am trying to find something in here that

will help me win your dad's case for him this afternoon.

You do want him to win, don't you?

- (WHISPERING) I sure do, Mr. Wilson.

- (WHISPERING) Good, then you go on home and--

- (WHISPERING) So, I'll help you look.

What are we looking for?

- (WHISPERING) There is nothing you can help me with.

I'm looking for a similar case of some kind.

Yes, a precedent.

I have to find a precedent to tell the judge about.

- (WHISPERING) I know a president-- Abraham Lincoln.

He was a swell president.

You can tell the judge about him.

- (WHISPERING) No, no, no, Dennis.

That's not the kind of precedent I need.

- It was a swell one.

Everybody said Lincoln was the greatest--

- Oh, I don't care if he was.

I, I, I-- I'm not interested in Abraham Lincoln!

That's not what I'm trying to find!

- And what's wrong with Abraham Lincoln, mac?

He was the greatest--

- Oh, you keep out of it.

None of your business.

- Here comes the librarian.

She's waving at you.

- Shh!

- Oh, shush yourself!

I'm trying to read something here.

How anybody can concentrate--

- (WHISPERING) I must ask you to leave immediately.

- What?

- (WHISPERING) This is a public library,

not a, a hog calling contest.

- Oh--

- (WHISPERING) Please go immediately.

- all right, I will go.

I can't hear myself think in this place anyhow.

- Shh!

- Check these out to me, please.

- (WHISPERING) You're a nice, quiet boy, Dennis.

You know how to behave in a public library, don't you?

- (WHISPERING) Yes, ma'am. I always just whisper.

Don't I, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh.

- (WHISPERING) You're allowed to work here anytime, Dennis.

- (WHISPERING) Mom says to always be quiet in the public library,

so I-- hey, Mr. Wilson, wait for me!

- Dennis!

- Oh Martha, I've finished my speech.

Ah, how does this sound?

"Your Honor," I will say, "we come before this bar

today in the sacred name of justice."

- Oh, that's a good start, dear.

- Well, it gets better as it goes along.

"Your Honor, we do not believe that the law was intended

as a trap for the unwary, but rather, Your Honor,

that the law was meant to be administered fairly

and justly."

[applause]

- Boy, that sure was a swell speech, Mr. Wilson.

But what does it mean?

- It means I'm going to try to talk the judge into dismissing

the charges against your dad, Dennis.

Ahem.

"The most precious thing we have, Your Honor,

is our freedom.

I'm sure we all feel exactly as Patrick Henry felt--"

- Patrick Henry?

Gee, our teacher was talking about him.

And-- - Ahem.

- Oh, excuse me, Mr. Wilson.

You go ahead.

- Thank you.

"I'm sure we all feel exactly as Patrick Henry

felt when he said--"

[sneeze]

Gesundheit

- Is that what he said?

What kind of English is that?

German? - Oh, no, Dennis.

Patrick Henry didn't say "gesundheit."

Mrs. Wilson sneezed and I-- oh, for goodness sakes!

- Now, now, don't get upset, dear.

You'll have to keep calm in court, you know.

- Oh, yes, I suppose you're right, Martha.

Where was I?

Oh yes-- "I'm sure we all feel as Patrick Henry felt,

when he said-- [doorbell]

- Oh, great Scott!

- Oh, is that what he said?

Boy, wait till I tell our teacher.

She thinks he said something about giving him

liberty or giving-- oh, hi, Dad.

- Son, Mom wants you to come home and wash

up and get your jacket on.

It's almost time to leave.

- OK.

- I'd better change my dress.

Excuse me.

- Boy, this sure is gonna be exciting, huh, Dad?

- Well, yes sir, this is our day in court.

How do you feel, defendant?

- Well, I ate a hearty breakfast, if that answers your question.

- And wait till you hear the swell

speech Mr. Wilson made up, Dad.

It's terrific.

Hey, Mr. Wilson, can I bring my friends to hear you?

Can I bring Tommy and Chuck and Sam?

- Uh, no, Dennis.

I don't think the boys had better come, no.

- OK.

When we get ready to go, Mr. Wilson,

I'll carry your briefcase for ya.

- All right, Dennis, fine.

Well, Mitchell, before this day is over, that boy of yours

will have learned a valuable lesson.

- Yes, he will.

If we win, he'll learn that a man should always

fight for his rights.

If we lose, he'll learn that it's

safer to keep his big mouth shut.

- Eh, George Wilson, Your Honor.

Uh, I wish to represent the defendant.

- Very well.

Are you an attorney, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh, well, uh, no.

No, your honor.

I-- well, that is, uh-- well, I, I'm

here as a friend of the court.

- Good. The court can use a few friends.

Proceed.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

Ahem.

We come before this bar today in the sacred name of justice.

We do not believe that the law was intended

as a trap for the unwary, but rather

that the law was meant to be--

- Just a minute, Mr. Wilson, please.

We, uh, run this court in a very informal way.

There's no need for any long speeches.

- Well, uh, yes, Your Honor.

But you see, I, uh-- oh, just as you wish.

- Don't you want to hear Mr. Wilson's speech, Your Honor?

He's been working on it all day and it's a dandy speech.

- Who, who is this young citizen?

- Oh, uh, this is Dennis Mitchell, Your Honor.

Uh, he's our witness, but--

- Oh, well, take the stand, Dennis.

Climb right up here.

Now Dennis, you understand that a witness in court

must always tell the truth?

- Oh, I know all about court, Your Honor.

I watch Perry Mason all the time.

- Oh, you do. - Yes sir.

So, I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

State your name.

- Andrew Strickland, municipal-- well,

let's get on with the case, Mr. Wilson.

- Oh.

Uh, yes, Your Honor.

Now, we feel that the defendant should

have been given a warning in this case, Your Honor,

instead of a citation.

- Oh?

- I have a copy here of the city code

and some notes I made on similar cases.

[frog croak]

- A little indigestion, Mr. Wilson?

- Oh no, Your Honor.

That wasn't I.

[frog croak]

- What is going on here?

- Great Scott!

Dennis!

- It's Sam, judge.

I forgot all about him.

- Well, get him out of here.

What's he doing here anyhow?

- I asked you, Mr. Wilson.

I asked you if I could bring Tommy and Chuck and Sam,

but you said the boys couldn't come.

But Sam's a girl, so I--

- I'm sorry, Your Honor.

Dennis!

- Here, I'll put him in Mr. Wilson's briefcase.

- Oh no you don't, Dennis!

- Get out of that thing.

- Bailiff, take care of the, uh, lady, will you?

[frog croak]

- Careful, Sam doesn't like to be held too tight.

- Dennis, come along now.

- Oh!

- Here, hold that down, lady, so he don't get away, will you?

[gavel pounding]

- Now let's get on with the case.

- Yes, Your Honor.

Uh, now, Dennis, I want you to tell

the judge just what happened yesterday morning.

Now, you were playing the park, is that right?

- We were playing tag on the grass where we always play

and this Mr. Officer said, "You kids can't play here anymore."

And he chased us off, so we all went home.

- Didn't you know you weren't supposed to play there anymore?

Weren't there any signs on the lawn?

- No sir.

- Oh, there were no signs of any kind

on the grass at that time, Your Honor.

Therefore, we feel the negligence

on the part of the city officials

should nullify the case against my client and gain for us--

- Let the boy talk, Mr., uh, Mason.

- The name is Wilson, Your Honor.

- Oh, my mistake.

Were there no signs posted, son?

- No sir, The officer put the sign up later

and he didn't tell Dad it was there.

- Your Honor, I intend to show mitigating circumstances here.

Oh true, Mr. Mitchell did walk on the grass, but, well,

we've done that for years and--

[frog croaking]

- I'll take care of it, Your Honor.

[frog croaking]

- I gather you don't think your dad ought

to have to pay a fine, eh?

- No sir, because it wasn't his fault.

But I guess you do need the money awful bad though,

don't you, judge?

- What?

- I've got $4 in my piggy bank, and you can have that.

- What makes you think I need the money, Dennis?

- Well, Mr. Wilson said you were the poorest

judge this town ever had.

So if you're poor--

- Oh, is that so?

- Oh, well, that isn't what I meant, Your Honor.

I-- oh, good Heavens.

Oh, great Scott.

[frog croaking]

BAILIFF (OFFSCREEN): Hey, hey, come back here.

Here, froggy. - I'll get him!

Here, Sam! Here, Sam!

- Here, Froggy! Come back here!

Frog! - I got him, I got him!

[frog croak]

- And I'd like to say further that we apologize

most humbly for the confusion, Your Honor.

- Oh, never mind about that.

Now, there was a violation here, Mr. Mitchell.

We're agreed on that?

Yes, Your Honor.

- I realize that you people have been

accustomed to crossing the park area here for years.

- Oh, yes, yes, indeed.

We won't do it anymore, but we always have.

- Furthermore, your claim that you were given no prior warning

seems quite valid.

I see from the arresting officer's report

that the sign was posted just a few minutes

before your violation.

- Yes, sir.

- I think that even a poor judge would concede the point here.

Don't let it happen again.

Case dismissed.

- Congratulations, Mitchell.

- This sure was fun, judge.

I hope Dad gets to come back here a lot.

[theme music]

ANNOUNCER: This has been a Screen Gems film production

from the Hollywood studios of Columbia Pictures.