[♪]
[coughing]
My, my! This week has gone so quickly, I can hardly believe
it's time to go home again.
I'm afraid, mum ... I want to go home ...
I know dear but I'll be back before you know it ...
and your father is working himself ragged
so he can leave the farm for a few days
and come with me the next time I visit you.
What if I don't get better quickly?
You just do exactly what the doctors
and nurses tell you, dear.
Mrs. Kent.
I do want to let you know just before you go,
we were so fond of your boy.
He was a dear child.
Are you warm enough, dear?
Please, Mother... I'm hot as it is...
[coughing]
Excuse me...
that poor couple over there...
what happened?
Their son.
Fifteen years old.
A terrible shame.
I believe we're ready to take you
to the train station, Mrs. King.
An orderly will be down with your bags directly.
So soon...
I was just going to help Cecily with her lunch...
Oh, I'm sure she is quite capable
of eating lunch by herself.
Those boys.
Will you make sure they all have baths
and kerosene their heads.
I'm sure they've brought all the dirt and grime
from the Lower East Side of New York with them.
Right away, Miss Marsden.
Excuse me, Mrs. King.
Mother... don't go. Please.
Mrs. King.
These prolonged good-byes are not in the best interest
of the children.
Please be brief.
Of course.
Oh... Take care my darling.
Goodbye, Cecily, I love you, dear.
-I love you too... -I miss you terribly.
Alec! It was awful.
That place.
All those people are so miserable.
They're so sick.
I just felt like gathering her up in my arms
and taking her home with me!
If I only knew she was getting better...
Now Janet...
Thornhill is the best sanitarium there is.
We were lucky they took her in.
Alec, you haven't been there!
It's a death house!
Don't say that.
Dr. Jones says it's the best place that will take children.
I know. But...
As long as she's not going downhill...
We have no choice.
We must have faith in them.
We have to believe that Cecily is going to recover.
[coughing]
That's all right now. I'll take over from here.
What are you going to do?
Why am I in here?
Now calm down, this is nothing to fret about.
We just need to fit you for a little corset
to protect your lungs from the harsh effects of coughing.
No, no... please...
I promise I won't cough any more.
Cecily, you must calm yourself.
But I don't want to wear that thing,
I won't be able to breathe!
Cecily!
This is for your own good!
Just slip your arms in this way.
All right, but when do you think I can go home!
Does that thing hurt?
Do you want me to get a nurse?
No. Don't bother.
It doesn't matter.
Sorry. I was only asking.
What's that?
It belonged to Janey McCauley.
She went home; left it here as a good luck charm.
-Emily... -Yes?
Do you think we'll ever get better?
I don't know.
I like to think so.
Cecily, you have to get up and eat breakfast.
I'm not very hungry.
Well, you must eat even if you are not hungry.
Good food and fresh air will make you better,
it's the only way.
Now we've spoken about that before.
How can I eat with this thing on, it's choking me.
Cecily, please.
I insist. You have to try.
Don't force me.
I'm afraid if you do I'll just spit it back up.
Miss Marsden.
I'm sorry to intrude, but we have a problem on our hands.
It's Cecily King.
She just can't bring herself to eat.
-Temperature? -Normal.
-New symptoms? -None.
She's been in bed since her mother left, correct?
Yes.
But the truss is bothering her.
Oh...
Now what seems to be the problem, Cecily?
I'm just not hungry.
Cecily. Please.
Don't force me to write to your parents.
Do you want me to tell them you are being difficult?
I'm sure they'll be very worried and upset.
Is that what you want?
No, Miss Marsden, don't tell them.
Don't tell them anything.
Excuse me?
Get outta my way!
You want a knuckle sandwich?
Yeah?
You an' what army?
This army.
Oh, I'm so sorry mister.
Let me clean that up for ya.
I'm terribly sorry.
Let me do it. Here, I can clean everything up.
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry mister...
Clean this up immediately...
Cecily, the whole plate, now.
Spick and span.
You need food to restore your health.
Breathe slowly.
Your appetite will return eventually.
I can't.
Of course you can.
Now come on, dear.
-I'll eat it. -Get away!
Get your dirty hands away from my plate!
Louis! Cecily! Stop that.
Nurse, I'm afraid that Cecily can not leave this table
until that plate is clean.
Yes, Miss Marsden.
Hey Miss Perfect. What's that?
It's her good luck charm.
That thing real silver?
None of your business.
I saw what you did.
You took that man's watch.
Are you crazy? What're you talkin' about?
You know very well what I'm talking about!
And if you don't return it, I'll just...
Yeah? You'll what?
Give that back!
Make me!
Don't you dare!
Children, stop this fighting at once!
-Louie! -Hey! What'd I do?
Louie, I mean business!
-Do I have to get Miss Marsden? - She started it.
-But he took my... -Enough!
You've gota lot of nerve.
Miss Marsden!
[commotion]
You started the fight -
I think you should put some elbow grease
into help cleaning up.
Aw - it's woman's work.
I'm not going to get into trouble again because of you!
What did I do?
Stop your bickering.
I am extremely frustrated by your behavior, both of you.
You have one hour.
I expect you to be completely finished
by the time I get back.
And no more of your monkey business, Louis.
The name's Louie, toots.
My mother don't even call me Louis.
And I'm sick.
I ain't supposed to work.
I'm supposed to sit here and do nothing okay?
You're wrong, Louis.
Exercise is part of the regime here at Thornhill
and you'll be doing quite a lot of it.
Willingly, nicely and pleasantly.
There are plenty of other children who would
be grateful for a place here.
Hey, Miss Perfect!
You're doin' that all wrong. Lemme show ya...
For your information, I know how to scrub a floor
and my name isn't "Miss Perfect,"
it's Cecily and I want my medallion back.
What medallion?
I ain't got no medallion.
You took it, I saw you. Remember?
Oh, yeah. Prove it.
That was my good luck charm and I want it back!
Well call the cops then.
I ain't got no medallion.
An' there ain't such thing as good luck in a dump like this.
This place is the pits.
I'm springin' out a here the first chance I get.
Good, I hope it's soon.
If my folks could see me now.
They'd stick up for me.
Here I am scrubbin' floors while them charity cases
get to sit on their butts...
My father's a tycoon.
He's into real estate.
In New York he's practically a household name...
What. You think I'm a liar?
Well frankly, Louis, Louie, whoever you are,
I think you're full of hot air and a thief and a pest
and I would appreciate it if you never spoke to me again.
Hey nurse!
Yes Louie, what is it?
I found this.
Thank you.
I'll make sure to return it to its owner.
It's not as good as the one my father gave me.
It's an old family heirloom, y'know.
[whispers] Psst... Hey, Miss Perfect.
You wanna dance?
♪ East side, west side, all around the town, ♪
♪ the tots all ring a rosie, ♪
♪ London bridge is falling down... ♪
You ain't puttin' no corset on me, lady!
Louie, they're only trying to help.
Look, the only way they can try and help
is if they leave me alone.
If I'm gonna die, I should be able to do whatever I want.
Don't talk like that.
Face it Miss P.
Ain't none of us gettin' out of here.
Why do you think they ship us in the middle of nowheres?
I don't believe that.
Look, all I gotta say is make the best of it.
We may not be around for tomorrow.
Hey, what are you lookin' at?
You.
Where'd you come from? The garbage dump?
Here charity case, you can shine my shoes!
Are you coming to exercise class, Cecily?
No.
Didja hear about Louie?
He's in big trouble.
He has to peel potatoes for the whole week.
Isn't that awful?
No. That's not awful. He probably deserves it.
Well still, I wouldn't want to be stuck peeling potatoes
and miss all the fun, would you?
Emily?
What did he do wrong?
He beat up another boy for calling him a charity case.
Well is he?
A charity case?
They all are, those boys who were just sent here.
The Newspaper Union's sponsoring them.
Those boys are really poor.
Emily, Cecily, we're waiting!
Cecily, I'm glad you've decided to join us!
I found this on the lunchroom floor.
Thank you.
Go on.
Louie... ? Louie, I'm sorry.
The Nurse found this.
My mother says that if you come from the Island,
the potato peel has to come off in one piece.
Just like this.
See?
I come from Prince Edward Island.
A small place called Avonlea.
How about you?
Brooklyn.
That's in New York.
I've never been any further than Halifax.
And here, of course.
So, you boastin' or complainin'?
Look, I'm trying to be pleasant.
You're making it very difficult.
Wanna hear a joke?
Where does the King keep his armies?
Who cares.
Up his sleevies!
That supposed to be funny?
I'll tell you sumthin' funny.
stickin' me in this joint is funny.
You know where I'm supposed to be right now?
Paris.
... France?
Yeah, where else?
My parents take me on two swell vacations every year,
sometimes we go to India,
sometimes we just sail around the world
whatever we feel like, 'cept when I'm in private school,
that's over in England.
Doesn't that cost a lot of money?
Yeah, well, easy come easy go.
What's dough when your family's loaded.
Besides.
My motto is you only live once.
An' once is enough if you do everything right.
Hey, Miss Perfect!
I did it!
So big news, Miss P.
I finished the last bushel.
Maybe I'll never look at another potato as long as I live.
[coughs]
Which ain't sayin' much, considerin'.
Louie!
Hey, the way I see it, you bellyache,
nobody listens to you anyhow.
You gotta have a sensa humor!
I thought you didn't like jokes.
Not the stupid ones you tell.
Oh I know another one.
My brother sends me jokes in his letters.
What's black and white and red all over?
A newspaper. We're all newsies, remember.
Hey, shut your yap!
You sell newspapers?
I thought your family was rich?
Why uh, I did it for fun one winter,
just to see how poor people live,
but my, my father made me quit on accounta
we had to go to Florida.
Over Christmas.
If my father knew that old hag Marsden
had me peelin' potatoes,
boy, he'd spring me outta here so fast
it'd make your head spin.
Why don't you just call him
and ask him to come get you, then?
Are you kiddin' - that old bag'll never let me do it!
She won't let me get near a telephone.
She just wants me to be miserable.
She'll get hers though, but good.
Get hers how?
Oh, you'll see.
Don't listen to him, Cecily.
He's not gonna do anything.
Hey, shut yer gob!
You're fulla baloney.
Listen, you little pipsqueak,
when I say I'm gonna do something, I do it!
You won't know when and you won't know where...
but you're sure gonna know when it happens.
[whispers] Psst!
What's wrong, Cecily?
Nothing... go to sleep.
Where you going?
I have to take my medicine.
Didn't you take it already?
I have to take it again.
What'ya tryin' to gimme a heart attack or somethin'?
No wonder you're coughing.
Sneaking out in the middle of the night like this.
You're just lucky Miss Marsden didn't catch you
cutting across the lawn.
So what are you up to anyway?
Get off my back already, I'm just takin' a walk.
What'ja think?
Are you all right, Louie?
Sure toots.
Just great.
Are you sure you're all right?
You look terrible.
What did you call me out here for in the first place?
I wanted to ask you something.
What?
You ever been to a morgue?
They're just dead.
I'm not scared, I've seen dead bodies before.
You mean they really keep them down here?
Louie, let's go.
I changed my mind.
Hey... I thought you had guts.
Well I do.
But...
So, you too scared to look?
So? Go ahead.
Have a look.
You mean... take off the sheets...
How else you gonna see?
It ain't scary.
They don't turn into skeletons overnight.
-BOO! -[scream]
[laughter]
What's going on here?!
This is absolutely the final time
that I am going to reprimand you!
But...
Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking!
You know the rules Louis
yet you deliberately flout them!
Cecily, this institute is a privilege.
One more misdemeanor and it's home you go!
But I didn't...
Not another word.
Straight to bed. All of you! Go!
Y'know, everybody's talking about last night.
And Miss Marsden's blaming you.
You really shouldn't go around with that boy, Louie.
I know,
but he's different from everybody else.
I'll say.
He's a thief and a liar and a big trouble maker.
But he's fun.
And really quite nice.
I rather like his stories.
And, I have to admit, that was a pretty good joke.
My brother Felix would have liked it.
with Louie here, I forget that I'm sick.
Well, I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Miss Marsden -
not for him or for anybody else.
My parents, they'd would be really mad if they knew
I was misbehaving.
Mine too.
Louis, contrary to what you may believe,
we are trying to help you here.
Ya don't fool me, toots.
I know why I'm here.
You're all just waitin' for us to croak.
That's hardly true.
We selected all you newsboys to give you a fighting chance
against this disease.
If you won't be more cooperative,
we'll have to send you back to the city.
Great. When do I leave?
The other children look up to you.
They follow your example.
And your actions are putting them all at risk.
Can't you see that?
They don't gotta do anything.
I don't force 'em ya know.
And just because we're sick
don't mean we can't have fun.
No, I suppose not.
I know it's very difficult for you children here.
But we have to be careful.
We want to send you home well.
Home. That's a good one, toots.
I'm sorry, Louie.
Life shouldn't be so hard for someone so young.
But we're not your enemies.
Can I go now?
Yes Louis.
You may leave.
That's all for today, Louie.
Rest here for ten minutes.
The nurse will come get you.
Louie?
Hey, Miss Perfect.
You gonna beat me up now?
I should.
I don't blame you.
That was a terrible thing to do.
I didn't mean for you to get in hot water.
Miss Nasty punish you?
She's writing to my parents.
She says if I do one more thing wrong,
she's shipping me home.
But they can't send you home!
We was havin' so much fun together.
We're not supposed to have fun here.
It's a sanitarium, remember?
Yeah, well how else are ya gonna get better
if they ship you home?
They can't do that, Cecily.
Yes they can.
Miss Marsden says it's a privilege to stay here.
Look, I better get back.
Hope you feel better.
Sure thing, don't worry about me, I'll lick this.
Hey, I'll make it up to ya. I swear.
Don't!
Don't do anything!
If I know you, you'll just make things worse.
[♪]
Hey, hey, Cecily... wake up!
Louie! You shouldn't be here!
I couldn't sleep.
I can't take no more of this dump.
Oh Louie, go away!
I don't want any more trouble!
Look, just come for a walk with me, please.
Do I look stupid or something?
I swear... I swear. No more tricks.
I just gotta show you this place I found.
What place?
Aw it's really something.
I ain't never seen nothing' like it before.
Shhhh!
Now go back to bed,
this is the last time I'm telling you,
I'm not saying it again,
Just go.
I thought you was different.
Forget it, Cecily.
I'll have all the fun by myself.
[coughing]
How much further, Louie?
Just a little bit longer, you can do it.
Do you smell smoke... ?
Fire!
[bell ringing]
Everybody up, fire!
Fire!
Up quickly, out of bed, c'mon!
Quickly, Emily!
Cecily!
I want some answers and I want them now!
Cecily, where is she?
Well here it is.
[splash]
Louie, you're crazy, get down.
♪ Who threw the overalls and... ♪
Louie, come on, this is dangerous,
Louie, please stop it...
Dangerous?
That's a laugh.
If I don't kick the bucket anyways.
Louie... please...
Come on!
♪ Who threw the overalls -- ♪
[scream]
-Help! Help! -You alright?
It's okay, Louie!
Are you all right?
Cecily!
Lanterns!
Come on, Louie!
They're going to find us here! We gotta run!
No, you better go by yourself.
I ain't goin' nowhere...
I'm not leaving you here.
Cecily! Louis!
What on earth are you doing here?
All right, which one of you was in this office
and started this fire?
We don't know anything about a fire.
We just went out for some fresh air...
At two in the morning?
If you're going to cover up for one another,
I'm going to have to punish both of you!
Good Heavens, child.
You're burning up.
Get out of those wet clothes.
Nurse, get him to to bed immediately.
Ask Dr. Sparrow to see him.
Yes, Miss Marsden.
As for you, young lady, I meant what I said.
Now start packing your bags.
I'm cabling your parents to come for you right away.
Now go.
This boy is gravely ill... why didn't you inform me?
If his condition worsens I want to know immediately.
Nurse,
may I be excused to go inside, please?
Cecily, you know what Miss Marsden said.
You are to stick strictly to the schedule today.
But I have to go to the bathroom.
Very badly.
All right, go ahead then.
But come back directly.
Yes ma'am.
Hi, Miss Perfect.
Hey, Louie.
How d'you feel?
Like a million bucks...
Listen... sumpin' I gotta tell ya about my family.
No...
My mother was a cleaning lady for the Newspaper building.
She died of T.B. a year ago.
[coughing]
I guess I caught it from her.
That's the way it goes...
Lucky for me my Union paid for me to be in here.
I'm a charity case.
I'm so sorry.
Who wants to hear some sob story
about a street rat orphan?
I mean you gotta admit,
Paris and a fancy private school
are way more excitin'
and all that other stuff about India...
Christmas in Florida...
I never even had a decent Christmas...
I lied.
Oh, Louie...
Promise me you'll get better and get out of this dump.
Yes but you've got to promise to get better too.
I thought I'd find you in here, Cecily.
I'm very disappointed in you, young lady.
She's just tryin' to cheer me up.
Well, that may be but you need your rest
more than you need visitors.
Run along, cecily, go on...
and don't let Miss Marsden find you running in the halls
or we'll both be in hot water all over again.
Cecily...
I'm afraid you've got problems of your own.
Your parents are coming on the next train.
Oooh, you're in for it now.
Extensive damage?
I don't understand.
How old is this boy?
Now Alec... I'm sure he's only a child...
Louis is fourteen years old.
He's a charity case from the Newspaper Guild.
Unfortunately we were sent quite a group of them,
but Louis has turned out to be the worst.
In every possible way.
Cecily, however, has been quite a handful herself.
We believe that one or both of them
was playing with matches and started a fire.
Now I refuse to have a child of mine accused of arson!
She's a quiet, gentle child.
I simply don't believe she's capable of being a ringleader!
Miss Marsden, I don't know what to say.
We placed such high hopes for her recovery at Thornhill...
We have other children like Cecily here
and each and everyone of them is important to us.
We simply can not have one child disrupting things
for the others.
To make matters worse, Louis is gravely ill...
Oh dear!
Louie's isn't as bad as Miss Marsden thinks
and neither am I.
We didn't behave, I know we didn't,
but you don't know what it's like to be here.
But Cecily...
Please, I want you to meet Louie and see for yourself.
You'll really like him, mother.
He's different from anybody I've ever known in Avonlea.
And he's fun.
He makes me feel better...
like I could be out of here in no time...
And he's going to get better,
he just had a setback falling in the river...
Well he hasn't got anybody, no mother no father,
so I was thinking that we could invite him
home to Avonlea for Christmas...
It's all right with you, isn't it?
Louie.
Louie, my parents are here.
Hello, Louie, we've heard so much about you.
Perhaps we better let him sleep.
Louie.
I spoke to my parents.
They want you to come to Avonlea for Christmas.
Here... you keep that for luck.
Hey...
don't cut the turkey without me.
We're so lucky compared to him.
We are.
Our family, living in Avonlea.
All our friends and relatives
and all the good times we have together.
Louie's never had any of that.
That's why I want him to come home with us for Christmas.
I want him to know what it's like.
I hope it's a white Christmas!
He'll love that, don't you think so Father?
Yes, sweetheart.
He'll love it.
Wait...I...
I have a better idea...
What?
I don't know.
Miss Marsden says we have to go outside, all of us.
She says my parents are waiting down there.
ALEC [as Santa Claus]: Merry Christmas, everybody!
Merry Christmas, Louie!
Now then my boy, you come right down here!
I have something for you.
Merry Christmas.
ALL: Merry Christmas, Louie.
Oh, mother, father,
thank you, you're so wonderful!
Thank you.
I don't know what to say.
♪ Oh Tannenbaum, oh tannenbaum, ♪
♪ your faithful leaves will teach me, ♪
♪ Oh tannenbaum, oh tannenbaum, ♪
♪ your faithful leaves will teach me. ♪
♪ That hope and love in constancy, ♪
♪ give joy and peace eternally, ♪
♪ Oh tannenbaum, Oh tannenbaum, ♪
♪ your faithful leaves will teach me... ♪
Oh Cecily, your parents are waiting outside...
In a moment. I have to speak to Louie.
Cecily... wait...
Where is he... ?
... I'm sorry, Cecily...
I know, dear.
We were both feeling so much better...
Oh, sweetheart...
They're supposed to cure us here.
Louie said he'd get out of here...
Sometimes, Cecily...
sometimes they can't do anything.
But he was so happy last night.
He made me promise that I'd get better too...
I'm going to come home, mother...
Tell the family and all of my friends
that I'm going to be home within the year.
I made a promise...