Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00♪♪
00:26Now, let's hold all my calls for about half an hour, please.
00:36Dear Winfred, this is the story I promised to tell you.
00:40It's a true story. The case history of Billy Brandon.
00:45The boy nobody wanted.
00:47The most sinned-against child I've ever known.
00:50Billy lived with his widowed father, a professional gambler, in a boarding house.
00:56Dad, you're home!
00:57Hiya, son! One, two, three!
01:03Come on, let's do that knockout stuff you showed me!
01:05Come on, there. Take it easy, Bill, huh?
01:09I've been practicing, and I can do it pretty good now.
01:12Now, look. The guy's coming at me with a knife, see?
01:15Now, I grab his arm like this, and then...
01:18How's that?
01:19Not bad.
01:21Now, come on. Let me try on you.
01:22Oh, not now, son. I'm all dressed.
01:24You going away?
01:26Yeah, I'm sorry, kid, but I've got some important business.
01:29But it's Sunday, and you promised we'd go to the zoo.
01:32Oh, that. Well, why don't you ask Miss Nelly? Maybe she'll take you.
01:36Oh, she's gone. Everybody's gone at Sunday.
01:39Well, you'll think of something to do. You're a big boy now.
01:42Play with your electric train, or try that knockout trick again.
01:46Aw, it's no good with that old pillow. It ain't like a real person.
01:50Well, never try it on some other kid. It's rough.
01:53It's only used for your self-defense, remember, like I told you?
01:56Yeah, I remember.
02:00That's for me.
02:03Yeah.
02:06I'm sorry about the zoo, kid, but we'll make it next time, huh?
02:12That's the boy.
02:14Here we go, and I want it a little shorter. That's fine.
02:17A good butt now. There you go.
02:19Good boy! That's the way to do it.
02:21After your life. Come on, buddy.
02:25There's the phone sign. I'll be back.
02:27Okay.
02:44Hi.
02:47Can I come over and play?
02:48No.
02:49Why?
02:50Because your daddy's a gambler. My dad says so.
02:53What's a gambler?
02:55I don't know, but my dad does. He knows everything.
02:59We own a newspaper. We go to the baseball game free.
03:02Gee.
03:03And sit in a box.
03:04Golly.
03:07I don't know, but my dad's a gambler.
03:09He knows everything.
03:10And sit in a box.
03:11Golly.
03:14My dad was an athlete.
03:16I bet.
03:17He was, and he knows how to box and wrestle.
03:20And he's teaching me how to do knockout trips.
03:22What's that?
03:24That's a way to fight. A way that nobody can beat you.
03:27I bet.
03:28It is.
03:29I can do it pretty good now.
03:31Show me.
03:32I can't.
03:33Why not?
03:35Because I might hurt you.
03:37It's only for defending yourself, my dad says.
03:39I bet you can't even do it.
03:41I bet I can.
03:42Then show me.
03:43No.
03:44I bet you're scared.
03:45I am not.
03:47I bet.
03:56Oh, finally. Not that way.
03:58I told you, you can't come in here.
04:00Try and put me out.
04:01Right now.
04:10I told you I could do it.
04:15I had to.
04:19Get up.
04:22Get up.
04:30The news of this terrible tragedy reached me while I was interviewing a couple.
04:34And I had no idea what to do.
04:36The terrible tragedy reached me while I was interviewing a couple
04:40seeking a baby for adoption.
04:43What is your name, please?
04:44Wheelock.
04:45Herbert Wheelock.
04:47And I'm Martha.
04:49Where do you live, Mrs. Wheelock?
04:51Little Rock.
04:52That's about 30 miles from here. Rural Route 10.
04:56It's a farm.
04:57It's a nice one.
04:59We have horses and a couple of cows.
05:01Jerry Lees.
05:03And we raise corn and wheat.
05:05And there's a pasture with a little brook in it.
05:07And the house, when we built it, we wanted enough rooms for...
05:12Well, we thought surely there'd be a big family.
05:15That's what we both wanted.
05:18But we know better now.
05:21We can never have a child of our own.
05:23No, no, Martha.
05:25How old are you, Mrs. Wheelock?
05:28I'm strong.
05:29I get up every morning at four and milk the cows.
05:33And I help Mr. Wheelock with the hay.
05:35She's 46, Mrs. Sherman.
05:38I wish I could help you, but I can't.
05:40No court would award you a baby for adoption.
05:43Our laws draw the line at 40.
05:46But what about the mothers who have their own babies after they're 40?
05:50It's only the law that draws the line, not God.
05:56Excuse me.
05:58Yes.
06:00Put him on.
06:02Hello, Judge.
06:05The son of the editor?
06:08Oh, no.
06:14Come in.
06:19I haven't had a chance to express my sympathy.
06:23Do you know Nick Brandon?
06:24I know who he is, yes.
06:25What do you know about him?
06:27Well, he reputedly operates a gambling house somewhere.
06:30Where?
06:31I don't know, Mr. Reynolds.
06:33You're a reporter.
06:35Find out.
06:36Well, don't the police know?
06:37Never mind the police.
06:39They're always late.
06:41Go after Brandon.
06:42That's your assignment.
06:44Pick up his past.
06:46Find out where he operates.
06:48Go over his whole miserable life.
06:51Bradley, I want that man's hide, you understand?
06:53Yes, Mr. Reynolds.
06:55It's not only me, Bradley.
06:57There's nothing he can do to me anymore.
07:00But there are others.
07:03It was Nick Brandon who was responsible for this.
07:06You understand that, don't you?
07:08Nick can find no law that would make him pay for it.
07:12You, Bradley.
07:13You're going to dig up a couple of paragraphs for them.
07:17Yes, Mr. Reynolds.
07:19Mr. Bradley was a good reporter.
07:21He started digging.
07:23He questioned the people at the boarding house where Nick Brandon lived.
07:28He looked into police files.
07:30He consulted the back issues of newspapers.
07:34And he found something.
07:36It's about the little boy.
07:39Five years ago, he was playing with matches
07:41and ignited the dress of a little girl.
07:43She was horribly burned and died.
07:51And the real source of that threat,
07:54the evil-minded, motivating force behind it, Nick Brandon,
07:56is still at liberty, openly challenging our laws.
08:00Are the authorities helpless in the face of this provocation?
08:10Billy Brandon, did you say?
08:14I'm sorry, Mrs. Sherman, but...
08:16After all, a boy who killed...
08:18Those were accidents, Mrs. Harris.
08:20According to our psychiatrist, Billy's a normal boy
08:22with a higher-than-average intelligence.
08:24I'm awfully sorry, but I have a small child of my own and...
08:28I just couldn't let...
08:30You can understand.
08:32Yes, of course, Mrs. Harris.
08:34I understand.
08:36Judge, about Billy Brandon,
08:38I simply can't place that boy in a foster home.
08:41Nobody wants him.
08:43I'm afraid we'll have to keep him here indefinitely.
08:47I'll make up my report.
08:49Goodbye.
08:54Get me the boy's dormitory, please.
08:58Mrs. Sheldon? This is Mrs. Sherman.
09:01Would you bring Billy Brandon over to me, please?
09:04Make him put on his best suit.
09:07Yes, I think...
09:09I hope to goodness I've found a home for him.
09:16I'm sorry, Mrs. Sheldon, but I can't do it right now.
09:19I'm afraid I can't do it right now.
09:20I'm afraid I can't do it right now.
09:23HELLO MRS. SHELDON
09:27Hello, Mrs. Wheelock.
09:29Hello.
09:30Why, it's Mrs. Sherman!
09:33Herbert! Herbert! Look who's here.
09:38Who's the little boy?
09:39That's Billy, he's one of our chargers.
09:42Hello, Billy.
09:44He's a little bit shy.
09:46Well, howdy, Mrs. Sherman.
09:48Hello, Mr. Wheelock.
09:49Good to see you. Thank you.
09:50Well, come on in. It's hot out here. I'll make some iced tea.
09:59Mmm, that smells.
10:01I've got some bread baking in the oven.
10:03Would you like some real fresh bread, son?
10:06Oh, no, Herbert. You sick people and children. You don't offer food. You just feed them.
10:11I'll do that in a minute.
10:14Oh, thank you, Mrs. Wheelock, but I'm afraid I can't stay for dinner.
10:18I'm really on my way to Greenville. I have an appointment with the minister there.
10:22It was such a nice day, I thought I'd bring Billy along for the ride, and then we saw your name on the mailbox.
10:27I thought maybe he'd enjoy staying with you while I kept my appointment.
10:30We'd love to have him.
10:32Herbert, why don't you show Billy what we have in the barn?
10:35All right.
10:38Billy, how'd you like to see what we've got down in the barn?
10:43It's a little colt, born less than a week ago.
10:46He's hardly as big as you are.
10:48Wouldn't you like to see?
10:50Well, come on.
10:54Well, I guess I'd better be going.
10:57Greenville's about a half an hour drive from here, isn't it?
11:00Yes.
11:02Boy, Greenville's about a half an hour drive from here, isn't it?
11:06Yes.
11:08You've never been there?
11:10No.
11:11Then you don't need to go there, Mrs. Sherman.
11:13Not if your business is with the minister, because Greenville doesn't have a minister.
11:18Just a gas pump and a couple of stores.
11:21Oh.
11:26The boy, he's Billy Brandon, isn't he?
11:30Yes, Mrs. Wheelock.
11:32I recognized him right away from those pictures in the paper.
11:35That was a terrible thing.
11:37He's a good boy.
11:39I didn't want to trick you.
11:40I just thought if I could leave him with you for a couple of hours,
11:42you'd see what a nice child he is,
11:44and then it wouldn't matter that his name was Billy Brandon.
11:51I'm sorry for trying to, well, to smuggle him into your hearts.
11:56I understand, Mrs. Sherman.
11:58But it's the only thing I could think of to do.
12:02He's the boy nobody wants, but nobody, and I'm sure he knows it.
12:06We have to keep him with other children, older boys with criminal records.
12:10I'm afraid they've talked. You've seen how frightened he is.
12:13Yes, Mrs. Sherman.
12:15I didn't want him to go on thinking that the whole world is his enemy.
12:19Wasn't that fun?
12:22It was all black and with him, and his mother was licking him all over.
12:26Billy thought she was trying to bite him.
12:28Yeah, I thought she was trying to bite him.
12:30But she was only licking him, wasn't she?
12:32Oh, sure enough.
12:34You were kissing him like this.
12:43Billy, you've seen our place.
12:45It's pretty big, isn't it?
12:47And there are only the two of us.
12:49We get lonesome.
12:50How would you like to stay here?
12:53Mrs. Wheelock, haven't you better speak with your husband?
12:57He knows.
12:59Billy, we'd like to have a nice little boy like you around.
13:03I'm bad.
13:05They took away my daddy just because I was bad.
13:08Good or bad, Billy, I like you, and so does Mr. Wheelock.
13:12And so will all the horses and the cows and the little ducks on the pond.
13:18Look at me, Billy.
13:21If Mrs. Sherman gives her permission,
13:24how would you like to visit us until your daddy comes back?
13:29We'll have a party,
13:31and ask the other children around here to come and meet you
13:34so that they can be your friends.
13:36Will you stay?
13:39Can I?
13:51I don't understand it.
13:53Sit down, Martha.
13:54They're not going to come a minute sooner with you watching.
13:57But I told everybody 3 o'clock.
13:59It's almost 4.
14:01Did you tell all the folks about Billy and...
14:03No.
14:04Like Mrs. Sherman said, if they see him first,
14:06they won't believe all that.
14:09Aren't they here yet?
14:10No, Billy.
14:11You just go on playing.
14:12I'll let you know when they get here.
14:14Okay.
14:15Here's paper.
14:16Thank you, boy.
14:20If I had a phone, I could call them.
14:24We ought to have a phone now that Billy's with us.
14:27Kids get sick and...
14:31What's the matter, Herbert?
14:33There ain't going to be any party today, Martha.
14:36What?
14:37Read this.
14:39Billy Brandon, two-time killer,
14:42son of a convicted criminal, is at large again.
14:45Juvenile authorities have dumped him on a Mr. and Mrs. Wheelock in Little Rock
14:50from where he can threaten the lives of neighboring children.
14:54Is it too much to demand that this menace be removed from our community?
15:04Herbert, get the car.
15:06I'm going in the town.
15:12Mr. Reynolds?
15:14I'm sorry to barge in like this, but there's nobody outside.
15:17That's all right.
15:18But it's really after my office hours.
15:20It won't take long.
15:22I'm a subscriber to your newspaper.
15:24Please, sit down.
15:33What can I do for you?
15:34I need your help, Mr. Reynolds.
15:37I have a child, a little boy.
15:40He's eight.
15:43And I'm about to lose him.
15:45I'm terribly sorry.
15:47But what can I...
15:49What's wrong with a child?
15:50Nothing.
15:52The doctors say he's a normal boy.
15:54And he's a nice boy.
15:56Since we've had him...
15:58Well, you see, we weren't very young when he came to us.
16:02It's been like the sun shining night and day.
16:07But when I think how it'll be without him,
16:10this big, empty house...
16:13You understand that, Mr. Reynolds.
16:15Please.
16:16I'm sorry.
16:17I know it's painful to be reminded, but it's my only chance.
16:22You know how we must feel.
16:24Yes, I do, but I don't understand.
16:28You say he's not ill.
16:30Then why would you lose him?
16:31They're trying to take him away from me.
16:33Who, for heaven's sake?
16:35You, Mr. Reynolds.
16:38I'm Martha Wheelock,
16:40Billy Brandon's foster mother.
16:50I've only come to ask you this.
16:53Suppose it had turned out the other way around,
16:56as it might have,
16:58and the papers were calling Tommy Reynolds
17:01a murderer.
17:09All right, Mrs. Wheelock.
17:22This is the first birthday party he's ever had.
17:25He seems to be having a wonderful time.
17:27Oh, he is.
17:28And all the children like him.
17:31So he's been accepted.
17:33How did you do it, Martha?
17:35Well, my friends wouldn't bring their children to see him,
17:38so I took Billy to see them.
17:41I figured they wouldn't shut their doors in my face,
17:43and they didn't.
17:45So I forced them to watch Billy and me together.
17:48I loved him in front of them.
17:50That's what I did with Mr. Reynolds,
17:52and he promised never to print Billy's name again.
17:55I hope he doesn't start picking on Nick Brandon again.
17:59He's going to be released soon.
18:01Mrs. Sherman, can he...
18:04Will he get the child back?
18:06Yes, Martha, if he's able to prove
18:09that he can provide a decent home for the boy.
18:12But I wouldn't worry about that yet.
18:15Our court's requirements are very strict.
18:18There'll be a lot of birthday parties
18:20before Nick Brandon can prove himself.
18:22Well, it doesn't matter.
18:24Even if he stays with us only a little while,
18:27he'll always be our son.
18:31As it turned out, he stayed with the Wheelocks
18:33through high school, and it was a happy family.
18:37But there was still a decision to be made.
18:40He just went to get the mail.
18:42He'll be back in a minute.
18:43Is he well?
18:44Just fine.
18:45Graduated near the top of his class.
18:47Got a scholarship to go to an agriculture college too.
18:51I know what you've done for Billy.
18:54I don't know how to say what I've come to say.
18:58Mr. Brandon has petitioned the court
19:00for the return of his boy.
19:01The court ruled that Billy was old enough
19:03to make his own decision.
19:05It's up to him, huh?
19:07Yes.
19:08It's going to be tough for him,
19:09because he loves his father too,
19:11and this little woman never let him forget
19:13that he had a father.
19:15It's going to hurt.
19:19Hello, Mrs. Sherman.
19:21Hello, Billy.
19:22My, you've grown again.
19:24Billy, I have some news for you from your father.
19:27Please, Mrs. Sherman, let me.
19:29You don't have to say anything, Mother.
19:30I can guess.
19:31Dad wrote to me that he had petitioned the court.
19:33Yes, and the decision is, well, it's up to you.
19:36You'll have to make the choice.
19:38The choice has already been made.
19:46From the President of the United States, greetings.
19:52So the decision was postponed
19:54while Billy went off to fight a war.
19:57It was not long after that Mr. Reynolds
19:59broke his promise about not printing Billy Brandon's name.
20:04When he returned from the war, Billy came to see me.
20:07He was with his father.
20:09One look at the beaming men,
20:11I had the sinking feeling that Martha Wheelock
20:13was about to lose her son.
20:16Why, Billy Brandon, what a pleasant surprise.
20:19I just flew in.
20:20Dad picked me up at the airport.
20:21You remember Dad.
20:22Yes, of course.
20:23How are you?
20:24Couldn't be better, Mrs. Sherman.
20:26Billy's back, honorably discharged.
20:27Did you know he was shot down twice?
20:29Look at all those medals.
20:30Oh, come on, Dad.
20:31Lots of guys got them.
20:32Sure, but they're not my son.
20:34He won't let me be proud of them.
20:35Everybody's proud of you, Billy.
20:37I saw your foster parents a couple of days ago.
20:39How are they?
20:40Oh, they're fine, just fine.
20:41When are you going to see them?
20:42Oh, right away.
20:43I just stopped by to say hello
20:44and, well, to thank you for everything.
20:46Don't thank me.
20:47Go to Little Rock.
20:48Come on, Dad.
20:49Let's go.
20:50Wait, I have something to say
20:51and I want Mrs. Sherman to hear it too.
20:52I'm a settled man now.
20:53I have a good wife.
20:54I own two restaurants in town.
20:56The only thing that goes on in the back rooms,
20:58Mrs. Sherman, is dishwashing.
21:00Yes, I know.
21:01The first time in my life since your mother passed away,
21:04I can offer you a home.
21:05I want you to become my partner,
21:07if it's all right with the law.
21:09Well, that's up to Billy.
21:10He's a full-fledged citizen now.
21:11What do you say, Billy?
21:13Well, I think I'd be a fool not to jump at your offer, Dad.
21:17But if it's all right with you,
21:18I'd like to spend a couple of days around the farm
21:20and talk it over with Mother.
21:22Well, it's not going to be easy.
21:31Billy!
21:34Oh, Billy!
21:36Oh, good to see you, son.
21:38You turned into a man.
21:40Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet my father, Mr. Brandon.
21:43Hello.
21:44How do you do?
21:45Won't you come in and join us, Mr. Brandon?
21:51So the family's all together again.
21:53Haven't you got any luggage, son?
21:55Oh, sure.
21:56I left my duffel bag in the car.
21:57I'll get it.
21:58No, Herbert.
21:59Billy's not staying.
22:01Mrs. Sherman just called me.
22:03She wanted to make it easier on you, Billy.
22:06She told me everything.
22:07I don't see what the fuss is all about.
22:10Of course you're going.
22:11Mother, it's not going away.
22:13You know that.
22:14I live in town, not far from here.
22:16I'll visit you every week.
22:18Oh, sure, Billy.
22:19Sure.
22:20But why don't we all sit down?
22:22I'll make you some iced tea.
22:24Remember, Billy, like the first day you came here?
22:28Only I hope you don't want any fresh bread and jam,
22:30because I'm all out of jam.
22:32No, Mother.
22:33As a matter of fact, what I'd really like
22:34is a glass of fresh, foamy, sweet milk.
22:37I'm sorry, but I don't have any milk just now.
22:41I'll fix you the tea.
22:43It'll just take a minute to get the water boiling.
22:45OK, Mother.
22:46I'll be right back.
22:50Well, Mr. Wheelock, you think I deserve them?
22:55You don't deserve people, Mr. Brandon.
22:58You love them.
23:01Why?
23:02There's no stock in it.
23:04All the equipment's gone.
23:05Oh, I forgot to tell you.
23:07We sold the stock and rented the farm out on shares this year.
23:10You didn't mention that in your letter.
23:12Why'd you have to do that?
23:13Got to be too much for us to handle.
23:16Why'd you have to do that?
23:17Got to be too much for us, Billy, and we had a bad year.
23:21But don't you worry about a thing.
23:23We've got a buyer now.
23:24And then?
23:25What are you going to do then?
23:26Well, the Daggetts.
23:27You remember the Daggetts.
23:28They've got a nice little apartment we can rent.
23:31But you belong here.
23:32You wouldn't be happy anywhere else.
23:34This is your house.
23:35This is your land.
23:36Your profession.
23:37What would you do in a rented house?
23:39Well, if it gets too lonesome here,
23:41we can always move to the city.
23:43You don't belong in the city.
23:44Not after living here all of your lives.
23:47I know how you love this land because I love it too.
23:52I didn't know it before.
23:54I took for granted that this house and this land
23:56would be here forever waiting for me to come home to
23:59any time I wanted to.
24:02Now I know.
24:04I'm sorry, Dad.
24:05It didn't work.
24:10I'd like to settle down here if it's all right with you.
24:13I can get a GI loan.
24:14Get some new stock, new equipment.
24:16No, Billy.
24:18You don't have to make a loan.
24:19I'll give you the money.
24:21For 15 years I've been wanting to make him happy.
24:23If he's happy here, that's fine with me.
24:26I don't know what to say, Dad.
24:27Don't say anything.
24:28I'm not doing this for you.
24:29Well, partly for you too, but mainly on account of
24:32Mrs. Wheelock.
24:34Because she took a boy who nobody else wanted,
24:36turned him into a man everybody wants now.
24:42This was a true story.