Our Little Girl (1935) Movie Script

25.000 English RETAiL
Our Little Girl (1935)
- I hardly have the nerve to look at it.
- I'm sure we have it this time.
Seems too much to hope for. After all,
the experiments are only based on a hunch.
All scientific experiments
are based on a hunch.
Backed up with knowledge
and effort and patience.
This means a great deal, Boynton. If it works,
it means the Guggenheim Fellowship.
I used to dream about going abroad to study.
Heidelberg, Vienna... Magic words, Boynton.
And then I married and had to settle down
to being a small-time doctor in a little town.
I thought at first I might save enough.
Maybe I could have.
- Then the baby came.
- I know.
I'm not regretting anything.
My wife and Molly are...
Say, I'm a lucky stiff, Boynton.
You know that, don't you?
Yes, Doctor.
Molly.
- Do you want to see if the cake's done?
- All right.
Now, careful. Don't burn yourself.
I won't, Mommy.
- I think so, Mommy.
- All right, let's have a look.
Ooh, that's hot!
- Have a smell.
- Mmm!
We can't go to Heaven's Gate
without cake, can we?
- No, darling, we certainly can't.
- I wish you'd let me help you, Mrs Middleton.
This is only work that Mommy and I can do.
This is a very special day, Amy.
It only happens twice a year.
What makes this day
any different from any other?
Today's the day that Molly and I call
our May Saturday.
- The other day comes in September.
- We call that our September Saturday.
Anyway, I think I ought
to help you with the work.
Thanks just the same, Amy.
I have help.
Young lady, who do you work for?
You.
- And who does Mommy work for?
- Daddy.
And who does Daddy work for?
For the butcher and grocer, the tax
collector and the telephone company.
Oh, you!
Cotton in your ears from now on
at the dinner table, young lady.
Let's go see who that is.
How's the most beautiful woman
in the world?
Just waiting breathlessly for the world's
handsomest man to come home.
- It's Daddy.
- That's why I called.
- I won't be able to get home at all today.
- Oh, dear..
You see, I'm right in the middle
of an important experiment.
I don't think I'll even make it
for dinner.
But, darling this is May Saturday.
Uh-oh. May Saturday. Couldn't we
possibly put it off until next week?
No, dear, we couldn't put it off.
I know that sounds like
a very selfish wife, but...
twice a year I reserve
the right to be selfish
and insist upon
coming between you and your work.
- But I'm doing all this for you and Molly.
- But May Saturday is for Molly, too.
Put her on the phone.
Let me speak to her, will you?
- Daddy wants to speak to you, dear.
- Hello, Daddy.
Hello, young lady. Say, would it interest you
if I were to tell you that...
Daddy, Mother's right here,
so I have to whisper. Are you listening?
Listen closer.
Now, don't forget the candied ginger.
Now, I don't want to scold you, Daddy,
but Sniffy, Mommy and I have been
waiting and waiting for you to come home.
If you don't hury, you'll be late.
What?
What did you say, Daddy?
He says that we ought to start ahead without
him. He's leaving the office right away.
- I'm taking the day off. Important business.
- But the experiment!
I said, important business.
Here comes Daddy!
Here comes Daddy!
- Hello.
- Hello.
Well, how's my sweetheart?
Here I am, almost as good as new.
- You were almost late, Daddy.
- "Almost" never won first prize.
- Say, where do you want us to sit?
- As if you didn't know!
No, honestly, I've forgotten.
You've forgotten where we sit
when we picnic at Heaven's Gate?
Why, Daddy!
- Have you forgotten too, Mommy?
- Mm-hm.
- Do I have to tell you?
- Afraid so.
Right over there, where we always sit
every May and September.
Here we go!
- Ready, Daddy?
- All ready. Come on.
Let's get out of 'em.
I'll get your shoes.
And Mom'll take your dress off.
There we are. Give me your foot.
There we are.
Now this one.
That's a girl! Oh!
Here we go. Come on.
Are you ready?
Are you holding your breath?
- Yes.
- All right.
Whoo!
Ooh, it's like a drink of iced water!
Only, on the outside.
Whee!
Ooh, better than a bathtub,
no matter if you run it full.
Just once more, Daddy.
It's good exercise.
- Just once more.
- That's enough. It's too cold.
- Should I blow my nose, Daddy?
- If you can get the crumbs off you that way.
There's more cake outside than inside!
- Can I help you, dear?
- No, thanks. This is girls' work.
Good girl.
Our old gate.
You know, Don, we've been awfully happy.
"Been"?
I was kind of in hopes that you'd still be
in love with that county doctor.
You know I am.
And more than ever, too.
- What's on your mind?
- I was just thinking of our early struggle.
- Wasn't any picnic for you, was it?
- It was grand, though.
Our living room was your office and I had to
chase prescriptions, hand you instruments.
Emergency calls at all hours!
And my holding the patients' feet
as well as their hands.
- How I loved it!
- Molly changed all that, didn't she?
I just had to get a regular nurse.
I know Miss Boynton's been wonderful
but, now that Molly's no longer a baby,
- ..don't you think that...
- That I could get along without Boynton?
I don't know just what I'd do, Elsa.
Don, I do wish that...
That what?
Forget it. I'm just an old married woman
with not enough to do.
- All ready for the picture?
- I don't look very beautiful after all this work.
You're the best-looking woman here.
Turn the film?
Yes, it's all set.
Get closer to Daddy, Mommy.
Daddy, get closer to Mommy.
- How's that?
- Fine.
Now, look at each other and smile.
Whee!
Don, that man rides like Rolfe Brent!
Why not? It is Rolfe Brent.
He just got back from Europe
a couple of days ago.
- Hello there!
- When do we go to Heaven's Gate again?
Not for a long, long time, Molly.
- Remember me?
- Sure, Brent. I heard you got back.
My wife recognised you
by the way you sat your horse.
How one man sits a horse differently
from another, I don't see.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
- Does he have any ponies, Mommy?
- I don't know, dear.
I hope we're going to be good neighbours.
- Are you staying on at Brent wood?
- I've got half a dozen of these youngsters.
- It's a lot of work, exercising them.
- How could anyone call that work?
Say, why don't you two
come riding with me sometime?
Mrs Middleton might.
The only thing I ride's that old bus of mine.
It bounces just as much and doesn't bite!
- How about you, Mrs Middleton?
- I don't think I could.
Of course you could.
You used to be great. Go ahead.
Of course you could.
You just get on him and go.
- Don't let her take any jumps till she's all set.
- You can trust me.
May I send my car for you in the morning?
About ten o'clock?
- All right.
- She'd get a big kick out of it.
She doesn't want to get kicked, Daddy!
- That's fine. So long.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye, Molly.
- Goodbye, Mr Brent.
Come on.
Come on, Sniffy.
Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold
Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old.
- It's eight o'clock, Molly.
- Eight? Already, Daddy?
Why, it seems no more than half-past seven.
Sniff. Eight o'clock, sir.
Don't pretend you don't know it.
Sniff!
Give him a chance. Maybe he wants
to say good night to his gang.
Do you think I have nothing better to do
than wait here for you all night?
Good night, Doctor.
If any little boy or girl gets sick in
the night, I prescript milk of magnesia.
Ugh!
- Good night, Daddy.
- Good night.
Now, you lie down and go to sleep, pet.
Good night, sweetie.
You mustn't feel bad, honey.
She just forgot.
Mothers can't think of everything.
Night, honey.
Hm, finishing your dinner
off the mantelpiece?
I'm not as ancient and decrepid
as you thought. Is that what you mean?
Say, how'd your old riding outfit
work this morning?
I can just squeeze into it.
Thank you kindly.
You know, Don I wish you'd rid'e
with me or... or something.
Me riding would be something!
- Do you want the Jackson case history?
- Yes, I'll put it in my case.
The positive results from the cultures
mean you'll be able to prove your theory.
If I can, it'll mean a whole new treatment.
- Don't wory about things while you're away.
- What do you mean?
Oh... I meant about the patients.
I'm sure I'll be able to take care of them.
- I know I can always count on you.
- Thank you. Goodbye, and good luck.
Thanks. I'll need it.
- Oh, Don, must you go to New York?
- Darling, it's the chance of a lifetime.
I know, and I don't want to be a bad sport,
but must you go at this particular time?
What's the matter, Elsa?
I suppose I'm foolish,
but I get so bored and lonely
just waiting for an occasional
glimpse of you.
You poor darling.
It isn't much fun for you, is it?
Don, take me with you.
That wouldn't be any fun for you,
because I go from hospital to hospital.
- I'd wait for you.
- But you just said...
That's right, I did, didn't I?
Skip it, darling.
You're a funny girl.
I suppose I am.
Poor Don, cooped up in that laboratory
with poisonous gases and diphtheria germs.
I thought he went
for just a couple of days.
Don forgets time when he's working.
He phoned at noon and said he'd be back
about five o'clock.
That's fine!
You can bring him to dinner tonight.
Unless you've had enough of your neighbour.
Silly!
- Look, there's a fence ahead. Let's take it.
- Let's go.
Whee!
How do you like it, Sniffy?
Daddy!
Daddy! Daddy, wait!
Daddy, wait!
- Hello, Daddy.
- Are you hurt?
I... I think I might have a little fever.
- Where's Amy?
- She told me to wait here.
Oh, I see.
Did you miss me much, Daddy?
Cos I did you.
I had more to do in New York
than go around missing little girls.
You're teasing!
Mommy says you spend most of your time
missing her, and the rest missing me.
- Don't you ever miss Sniff, Daddy?
- Well...
- Not even a little?
- A penny's worth.
Did you and your mother get in any mischief
while I was gone?
I haven't thought of any good mischief.
Mommy's been too busy riding.
Oh. Well, here we go.
Oop!
- Say, where's Sniff?
- Sniffy! Here, Sniffy!
I'm not expecting a surprise, but if you had
brought me one, what would it be, Daddy?
Well, it might be a white jacket
with a hat to match, with big white buttons.
And then again, it might be a doll.
Ooh! Hury, Daddy. I can't wait.
Might it be both?
Hello, Mommy!
Hello, Mommy!
- Don!
- Hello, Mommy!
Well, Elsa!
- Darling, you've been gone ages!
- Have I?
I've missed you, too.
- Oh, Rolfe.
- Hm.
- How's the riding?
- We've done some grand riding.
We've been taking the jumps
like steeplechasers.
How are you, Don? You know this girl's
a champion horse woman?
- She's a champion, all right.
- You're bringing her to dinner tonight.
- No excuse this time.
- Sorry, I have x-ray plates to study tonight.
All right.
What time do you want us?
- That's great. Make it eight o'clock.
- Fine.
- Don...
- I'll study 'em in the morning.
- Bye, Molly!
- Goodbye, Mr Brent.
- Bye.
- Goodbye.
- Am I very mean to take you over to Rolfe's?
- I'll see how you behave and tell you later.
I wish we could do things like other people,
without always feeling guilty.
Guilty?
I don't feel guilty, I feel swell.
I don't care who gets sick tonight.
Are my clothes pressed?
I'll see.
- Ow! Mommy! Daddy!
- Wait a minute, darling.
You took a nose dive, huh?
- Here we go. There you are.
- Let me cary 'em.
- All right.
- We'll pile the packages in your arms.
If she's gonna cary 'em,
put that one up there...
We were half way to Brookfield
by that time!
- It's a long way.
- And he, the great horseman,
- ..dismounted and sat on a fence to rest!
- I don't blame him.
I ride for pleasure,
not to prove I can take it.
Could I tell she'd gallop off
and leave me there?
She's apt to do most anything.
It's no compliment
that you'll risk such a lovely girl
with someone as susceptible as I am.
Don't think I don't wory about it.
He'd think any girl was marvellous who knew
"bridle" meant a harness and not a wedding.
I beg your pardon?
You wouldn't go riding with another man
if you were my wife.
Well, I ain't, I ain't never gonna be,
and I can't ride a horse anyway.
Here, hold this and don't be such
a gossip.
You know, Don, I have too much time to play
and maybe you haven't enough.
No, I have all I want.
Elsa can represent me in the sporting world.
If I had such a charming representative,
I'd retire to the sidelines, too.
You playboys are the ones
who are on the sidelines.
- I must see the doctor.
- He's dining, Miss.
- Tell him I'm here.
- I can't disturb him.
If you don't call him,
I'm afraid I'll have to...
- It's the Stevens' case. An emergency.
- Bring a kit?
- Yes.
- Good. I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me.
Let me come. I can keep
the other Stevenses out of the room.
No, you finish your dinner.
Boynton can handle this.
- But you may be late.
- Rolfe will be kind enough to see you home.
- You mean, lucky enough.
- Good night.
- Well, I seem to be on your hands.
- Do you mind?
I can stand it. For a little while.
Poor Don. Is he always
being called away like this?
Doesn't he ever get to finish a meal?
I think he had dessert once last year.
Sweet enough.
Your technique is perfect, Rolfe.
Hurry and drink up
so I can keep in practice.
It's too hot. The coffee, I mean.
Oh.
What would your first move be
if it weren't for the coffee?
Well, I'd show you some etchings.
But I haven't any etchings.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Bad.
Leaves you helpless, doesn't it?
It's a great handicap.
How about a walk in the garden?
- Too trite.
- But always good!
- Fool!
- You're a darling.
Whoa!
I may be spoiling everything, but I can't
keep up the pretence. I want so much to...
- Go ahead. I'm not afraid.
- Elsa, you must know that I...
I know. I'm very fond of you, too, Rolfe.
We're both nice, civilised people.
Should I exclaim, "Sir, how dare you"?
You see, I'm not afraid.
- I just know I haven't been mistaken in you.
- You're pretty swell.
Now, about this husband of yours. Don't you
think we could teach him to be silly, like us?
I suppose you realise not one in a hundred
could have handled that.
- I think we saved the peritonitis.
- "We"? You saved it.
- The job needed us both, Boynton.
- I wish you wouldn't call me that.
- Why not?
- Because I've got a name, you know. It's Sara.
All right, Sara. Good night. Don't let me forget
to fill out that report in the morning.
Remind me, will you, Boynton?
- Yes, Doctor.
- Good night.
Is that you, Daddy?
- You'll did my covers, Daddy.
- I beg your pardon, young lady. Here.
By the way, young lady, what are you doing
awake at this hour of the night?
I guess Sniffy must have woken me up.
Ooh! What's in the box?
That's Mommy's surprise.
Oh-oh-oh-oh!
If I let you see it,
will you go right to sleep?
- I promise.
- All right.
Ooh! That's a nice surprise.
You bet it is. We're not gonna have our
Mommy shown up by this horsy crowd.
- Now, good night, young lady.
- Night.
- You go right to sleep.
- All right.
Daddy! I can sleep quicker
if you leave the door open.
All right, sleep quicker.
Thanks for bringing me home, Rolfe.
You're riding with me in the morning.
- But you promised.
- Very well, then. I'll ride.
You're a dear. It's been wonderful.
Thanks for a perfect evening.
- Don, you're home!
- Uh-huh.
They're simply swell!
I mean, I didn't particularly care for
that farewell speech you just made to Brent.
Now, don't say things you'll be sorry for.
- You're tired.
- Yes.
I will not be questioned like this!
- Why are you so excited, then?
- I'm not excited.
Either you trust me, darling, or you don't..
no matter who the man is!
What's the matter, sweetheart?
Can't you sleep?
I've just had a bad dream, Mommy.
Have you, dear? Well, so have I.
Let's go to sleep again and see if
we can't have a sweet one this time.
- Sing to me, Mommy.
- All right, dear.
Mister, get back there!
You may not like this, Mr Sniff, but your
children will be very proud to have it.
Take care not to spot that dress.
The Monday wash is big enough.
How long is it till my September Saturday,
Amy, when we go to Heaven's Gate?
Why don't you ask your father?
Or your mother?
I did.
But they're always talking.
Well, it's three weeks away.
Three weeks?
That's an awfully long time.
All right, then, take it!
- What's that you're hanging up, Amy?
- What does it look like? It's a tablecloth.
- Why don't we have dinner anymore, Amy?
- What do you mean?
- You have dinner every night, don't you?
- I mean with Daddy and Mommy, like before.
Oh, I don't know.
- Anyway, it's none of my business.
- Is it any of my business?
If those people would only go away
and leave 'em alone, everything'd be all right.
Now will you get out of my way, Miss?
- If who would go away, Amy?
- That nurse and that Mr Brent, that's who.
Oh!
For heaven's sake, child!
How do you expect me to get anything done
with you under my feet?
You can step over me!
- Hello, Molly.
- Hello.
Well! What's wrong?
I don't like to be picked up.
Except by my daddy.
But he's not here just now.
Won't I do?
- You don't know how a daddy does.
- I could learn.
It's very hard to learn, sir.
Let's have a try. Let's pretend that
I'm the daddy and you're the little girl.
- I am the little girl.
- All right! We're just pretending.
Now, here I come!
Now then you give me an account
of yourself.
Any cuts, pains, bumps?
That's not like a daddy.
- No? Why not?
- You were laughing.
You're supposed to laugh inside,
but if you laugh outside, that spoils it.
Oh, Molly!
Why don't you like me, Molly?
I like you.
I like you and your mother and your daddy.
I don't care. We don't like you.
We wish you'd go away and never come back.
Who is "we", Molly? Your mother?
Are you sure?
- I told him, Amy.
- Who? What?
- I told Mr Brent what you said.
- What I said?
About Mommy and Daddy and me wishing
he'd go away and never come back.
What? To his face?
Look here, you're going to
get into trouble for that.
Don't you say I told you to!
- But you said...
- I said nothing about it, understand?
- Is it the worst thing I've ever done, Amy?
- Yes, I think maybe it is.
- Will Mommy spank me?
- Yes, I think maybe she will.
- Will Daddy? He never has.
- Well, maybe he won't.
Not for anything you said to Mr Brent.
Hello?
Yes. Hello, Elsa.
Why... why, no. Something just came up,
and I... I'm going away.
What? I think you know why.
But where on earth did you get that idea?
Has Don been talking to you?
He has. I know he has.
Rolfe!
Boynton.
- Boynton!
- Miss Boynton.
- Is my husband in?
- Yes, but he's terribly busy just now.
- Is he alone?
- Yes.
Boynton!
Why aren't you here when I need you?
I don't know, Don.
I know you need me.
And I need you, too.
I came to see if something
can be done about it.
- It's entirely up to you.
- Oh, Don, let's stop this.
Let's not quarrel anymore.
When I left the house I was furious
because of your interference.
- Interference?
- There's no need to pretend.
I know you asked Rolfe
not to see me anymore.
I asked Rolfe not to...
Say, if he told you that, he's lying.
- Don, that's not true.
- Look, I'm terribly busy.
I don't want to argue with you. I'm in
the last stage of a very important experiment.
Experiment?
Boynton!
What's the matter, Mommy? Hm?
Oh...
I've been naughty today, Mommy.
Worse than I've ever been before.
Have you, dear?
Shall I go upstairs
and wait for you to come?
No, darling, of course not.
Why, what on earth have you done?
This morning I told Mr Brent
we didn't like him.
That wasn't very kind, was it?
No. And I told him we wished he'd go away
and never come back.
But that's not true, Molly.
So now I'll go upstairs.
No, darling.
Mother doesn't want to spank you.
I'm sure you're sorry about Mr Brent,
aren't you?
Well... I'm very sorry, Mommy.
What are you doing here?
I thought you might want me.
No, go on home.
- Won't you talk to me, Doctor?
- What is there to talk about?
I'm amused, Boynton.
Believe it nor not, I'm amused.
What's the joke?
This. Months ago it would have
meant everything in the world to me.
- The fellowship! Congratulations...
- Yes, that's swell, isn't it?
I'm going to talk to you
not as your nurse, but as a friend.
- It's not worthy of you to act this way.
- Don't interfere.
"Don't interfere"? You expect me to stand by
idly while you ruin your life?
Why do you stand for what's going on
between Elsa and Brent?
- What right have you to tell me...
- What right?
Because I love you.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken.
Mommy, I thought I heard Daddy's car,
but it went right by.
So you had to come downstairs
and tell Mommy all about it, didn't you?
Yes, Mommy.
I thought you might want to know.
Thank you. Here, you'd better put on
Mommy's wrap. You mustn't catch cold.
Then you can put Sniff out for a moment,
and then the two of you, hop up to bed again.
Mm! My baby.
- There we go.
- Molly.
- I want to ask you something.
- Yes?
- Would you like to call me Uncle Rolfe?
- No, thank you.
Well, I don't care for that
"uncle" stuff either, Molly.
How about just calling me Rolfe, then?
But... can't we just talk,
without my calling you anything, sir?
Afraid not, Molly. You see, you're coming
to live at my house pretty soon.
How can you live in
anybody's house but your own?
But it will be your own.
- He's teasing, Mommy.
- No, Molly, he's not teasing.
- And you shall have all new playthings.
- But I like my old playthings.
- You can bring them, too.
- Don't. There must be a better way than this.
But if Mother asks you?
Molly, you'll have your own pony.
A brown-and-white pony.
A pony?
A pony! I'm going to have a pony.
- And will you come too, Mommy?
- Of course, darling.
And Daddy?
Not Daddy?
I was only teasing, Mr Brent, sir.
Cos I really don't want a pony.
I've got a dog.
Molly.
Now, I want you to listen very carefully.
You won't understand perhaps
until you're a big girl,
but I want you to try to remember,
if you can.
Mother's going away for a while. When she
comes back she won't be married to Daddy.
- Who will you be married to, Mommy?
- Well... soon I'll be married to Mr Brent.
And then we'll go and live in his house.
And who will Daddy be married to?
I don't know, dear.
Well, maybe if I growed like a weed,
I could marry Daddy.
Let's not talk about it anymore.
Now run along.
The Denforths are expecting us on Friday.
They're giving a party before the horse show.
I don't see how I can possibly leave
before Saturday night, Rolfe.
Course not, Mommy!
You remembered, didn't you?
It's my September Saturday.
It's the day we all go to Heaven's Gate.
We take our lunch. I take cake.
It's a picnic..
just the three of us, twice a year.
But you're not telling it to him right, Mommy.
It's Heaven's Gate, and it's always
the Saturday Daddy first found Mommy there.
Mommy always takes ginger. Daddy always
takes ham and cheese. I take cake.
I'm afraid I don't understand, Molly.
Oh, if you only knew!
- If he only knew!
- Oh, but Molly.
You're getting too big for Heaven's Gate.
Don't you see?
- But you and Daddy didn't get too big.
- Oh...
Now, let Sniff out and run upstairs to bed.
I'll bring him up and tuck you in.
Oh, Daddy!
Oh, Daddy!
Yes, my baby.
Daddy...
You mustn't cry.
Now. Now, that's all over.
You tell me what it's all about. Here.
You take Daddy's handkerchief.
Tell me the whole thing.
Daddy...
it's my September Saturday
and we're not going...
No.
..cos I'm a big girl now.
Daddy, why do we have to go and get big?
It's not because you're so big, darling.
I still think you're pretty little.
But we just can't manage Heaven's Gate
anymore, because...
because things are all changed.
Because Mommy's going away?
Well, because of that
and a lot of other things.
We're all so sorry. You and Daddy,
and even your mother, I guess.
But we've just got to think of
something else to have fun with.
You know, there's gonna be
a circus in town Saturday.
Gee, I'd like to see a circus.
Wouldn't you?
Well, I'd like to see a circus
if it didn't come my September Saturday.
I'll be all packed and ready.
I couldn't bear to come back here.
We needn't come back here.
We can drive straight into town.
I'll get the dog in and go up.
I don't want Molly to stay awake.
Molly!
What's happened? Give her to me!
What was it, Don?
I don't know.
Something about missing her picnic day.
I don't suppose we could go through with it?
- Could we?
- Maybe you could. I couldn't.
Besides, you can't fool her.
I'd better take her to the circus.
So it's getting to Molly now.
Something's got to be done about it.
I'm leaving Saturday, Don.
I won't be back.
Don, I... I want to talk to you.
There's nothing to talk about.
Wait a minute.
The blame isn't all on one side.
Listen to some truths.
I didn't take Elsa from you.
You gave her to me.
What?
You were at the office, the laboratory
morning, noon and night.
I see.
I'll do whatever Elsa wants me to.
It was kind of you
to let me have the afternoon off.
I've got a tooth
that's been bothering me.
Too bad you'll miss
all the fun at the circus.
Now, remember, Doctor. No popcorn,
lemonade, or any of that stuff.
Don't let her upset her stomach.
Well, goodbye.
- Goodbye, Amy. Be home early!
- Goodbye.
Have a good time at the dentist, Amy.
Why time'd your mother go, Molly?
Mommy went when Mr Brent came.
Did she have anything to say?
Nope, just went!
She squeezed me and said,
"Now, you be a big girl."
What got into me the other night, crying just
because today is my September Saturday?
You don't mind so much now, do you?
Why, I don't mind hardly at all.
Whee!
- The horse missed him, didn't he?
- Yeah!
- Doctor, the hospital called. It's urgent.
- Oh.
Here, take these. Stay with Molly.
See that she has a good time.
- I want to go with you.
- You'll have to stay with Boynton.
Be a good girl.
- Bye.
- We'll stay and see the rest of the show.
Molly, look.
- I dropped my hat.
- Well, you'd better get down and get it.
Hey!
What are you doing in there?
Now, go on, get out of here!
Ha!
We're going, Sniff. You can't hardly wait
till I fix the lunch, can you, Sniff?
- Elsa. It was a mistake to come back here.
- I had to, Rolfe.
You'll only make things much more
difficult if you say goodbye to Molly again.
I know I had no logical reason
for coming back.
I guess it's just what Don would call a hunch.
But, darling,
I thought we'd agreed on everything.
Maybe I'm foolish, but I had to be sure.
You've got to trust my judgment.
I mean, the situation would be easy
and simple if it weren't for Molly.
- Don't say that.
- We have our own lives to live.
If it weren't for Molly,
I know we could be happy together.
Well, it's true, isn't it?
Rolfe, you must give me
a little time to think this over.
Sure I will. But don't make it
one minute longer than you can help.
You shouldn't feel bad, Sniffy.
It's just that it's diff... difficult.
I think it would be easier for them
if you weren't here either,
so you and me will run away.
Now don't make a fuss, Sniffy.
You've got to remember
that we're growed up now.
And besides, you have me...
and I have you.
You'll always have me,
won't you, Sniffy?
We'll go to Heaven's Gate first,
say goodbye to it.
Then we'll go a long ways away.
Maybe as far as... China.
I won't have room for your brush and comb,
Sniffy. I'm afraid you'll have to use mine.
This little piggy went to market!
Come on, Sniffy.
Well, why didn't you hang on to her?
Have you phoned the house?
That's right. Amy's at the dentist.
Well, you wait there at the circus
and I'll look around town.
Yes.
Hello there! Where are you bound for
with all that baggage?
Oh, just places.
Just places? They tell me it's
pretty fine county round there.
- Yes, sir.
- Some places I know are a long way away.
Would you like to rest a minute,
pass the time of day?
I can't do that. I'm too busy.
You see,
I've got to find myself a new home.
I see.
Say, does your mother know
that you're leaving home?
No, sir.
I just thought that up all by myself.
Well, I'll be a grasshopper!
Say, I'm a pretty smart fellow
when it comes to keeping secrets.
Where are you figuring going?
Well, I did kind of think
that I'd keep it all to myself.
There's no one else around here.
All right, I'll tell you.
- Hello there, Molly.
- Hello, Mr Thorpe.
Thank you.
Doctor, she'll be found.
I'm sure she'll be found.
Hello?
Yes, this is Middleton.
- What's that?
- Thorpe saw Molly.
On the road to Hammond sport.
Why didn't Thorpe bring her back?
Was she with anyone?
Yeah. Thorpe said
she was talking to some man.
What? No, we don't know who he is.
Well, sure.
We're sending the boys right out.
Well, wait. I'll be right over.
I guess you can see
I've got all the clothes I need.
Well, I'm here to say so.
But... how about money?
I've got lots of money.
Look!
Why, I guess I must have
about a thousand million dollars in there.
My, my, that is a lot of money!
I guess with that much money I could even
go all the way to China if I wanted to.
I reckon you could.
Do you think it would be a good idea
if I did go to China?
Well, now, I can't say about that.
You know, I've tramped a lot in my time,
but I always seem to just miss China.
- Are you a tramp?
- I guess you could call me that.
Oh, goody! I always wanted to be a tramp.
Have you now?
I always thought it'd be fun
to get as dirty as I could.
That's funny. I always thought it'd be fun
to get as clean as I could.
Well, I do think it'd be fun
not to have to wash behind your ears.
You know what I mean..
get all that soap suds in your eyes.
What?
Let me tell you something,
young lady,
I'd love to have
a little girl like you.
- Do you really and truly mean that?
- Cross my heart.
All right, then, you can have me.
Huh?
I'm looking for someone who wants
a little girl. We can be tramps together.
Not so fast, now. Not so fast.
How about your folks?
They won't mind.
I'm gonna say goodbye to Heaven's Gate,
pretend that Daddy and Mommy are there.
I see. After you say goodbye, don't you think
it'd be a good idea to go home for a while?
Oh, no. I can't go home anymore at all.
Why not?
Mr Brent said, if I weren't there
Mommy could be happy with Mr Brent
and Daddy wouldn't have to be bothered
taking me to circuses when he's so busy.
I see.
Mr Brent said all that, did he?
Yes. Mr Brent said I was in the way.
You poor young one.
- I heard about Molly. Is it true?
- Yes.
- Is everything being done?
- They're looking for her now.
I've tried to get in touch with Mrs Middleton,
but I don't know where she is.
- You don't know where Mrs Middleton is?
- No.
- But I thought...
- So did I, but I was wrong.
She loves him and he loves her..
I'm sure of that.
You see, we both tried to take something
that didn't belong to us, and it won't work.
And what do you intend to do about it,
Mr Brent?
I don't know.
I... I wish I could do something to make
things easier for you before I leave.
You have.
- You've shown me how to be a good loser.
- Attagirl.
Just a minute!
We want to have a talk with you.
- You came to give me the keys to the city?
- So it's that way, is it?
Wait a minute, Jim. Let me talk to him.
Have you seen my little girl?
- I saw a little girl.
- What have you done with her?
What have I...?
I haven't done anything with her. I can't say
the same about the people she spoke about.
- What do you mean?
- Let us handle this.
Wait a minute.
What did Molly...
What did my little girl say?
Mister, do you mind stepping into
my office just a moment?
- I'd like to speak to you confidentially.
- Certainly.
Mister, the other people
I just spoke to you about...
seem to have come pretty close
to giving that little girl a broken heart.
And on account of what she told me,
I have a few things to say to you that
I don't think you want other people to hear.
- Well?
- She told me that she thought..
that if she ran away, you and your wife
wouldn't have to bother about her anymore.
Molly said that?
Did she say where she was going?
I'm coming to that. I'm coming to that.
I may be speaking out of turn,
but I've got to tell you this.
I had a little girl once, and I lost her.
And I've been a wanderer ever since,
trying to forget.
- I think I understand.
- Mister, if I were you,
I wouldn't want that to happen to me.
That's what I thought
when she started for Heaven's Gate.
- Molly said she was going to Heaven's Gate?
- That's what she said, Mister.
Molly!
Molly!
- Molly!
- Daddy! Daddy!
Look, Daddy, I can swim.
Look, Daddy, I can swim.
Oh, Molly! Of course you can swim.
I didn't know it was my really daddy.
I thought it was just my pretend.
- Don't you like it?
- It's wonderful.
It's much better than pretending.
Now we only have to pretend Mommy.
Well, if this isn't a picnic fit
to set before king, I never saw one.
You know, Molly this is a wonderful lunch.
Uh-huh.
Only, "Uh-huh"?
See here, young lady. We've got to do better
than this on our September Saturday.
This is going to be a wonderful day.
Daddy, I was just thinking
that everything would be so much more
wonderful if only Mommy was here.
- Wouldn't it, Daddy?
- Yes, Molly, it would be.
Daddy, aren't I ever going
to see Mommy again?
Why, of course you are, darling.
You'll stay with her part of the time,
and then you'll stay with me.
But that's no fun!
I want us all together. Always.
Well, I... I'm afraid it's too late
for that, Molly. You see...
Daddy! It's not too late.
It's not too late!
Mommy's here!
Mommy's here! Mommy!
Oh, Molly! Oh, Molly!
Oh, Mommy, you did come!
You're really and truly here.
- Yes, darling, I'm here. Really and truly.
- Oh, goody!
Mommy's here, Daddy! Mommy's here!
Oh, Don, you had to make sure that Molly
had her September Saturday, didn't you?
I wish I could say that were true.
I came here...
I doesn't matter why we came.
We're here, all of us together again.
Isn't that all that matters?
Do you really mean that?
It's the best! It's the best ever!
Now smile, Mommy.
You're not supposed to cry.
You supposed to smile and laugh.
That's fine.
Now I can take the picture.
Whee!
Stephanie Donohue