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00:00♪♪
00:15The makers of Campbell's Soup present the Campbell Playhouse.
00:20Orson Welles, producer.
00:22♪♪
00:40Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is Ernest Chappell.
00:43Tonight, the Campbell Playhouse has the signal honor of presenting for its first performance on the air,
00:48one of the classics of the modern American theater.
00:51The winner of the Pulitzer Prize for the best play of 1938, Our Town, by Thornton Wilder.
00:57There was much talk when it was first produced in the theater because it was performed without scenery or props.
01:03The lovable, garrulous stage manager filling in gaps and explaining things as he went along.
01:09Tonight, Orson Welles plays that part, and young John Craven is with us as George,
01:13the role he created in the original stage production.
01:16Now before we introduce you to Our Town, a word from our sponsors.
01:21To nearly everyone, it seems to me, the words chicken for dinner have a thrilling sound.
01:26They bring thoughts of delightful eating, the kind we associate with holidays and special occasions.
01:31Think as far back as you can among your own families, favorite foods, or those of any family you've ever visited.
01:37Can you remember any dish more widely prized than chicken?
01:40But I think this widespread liking for chicken accounts to a large degree for the tremendous popularity of Campbell's Chicken Soup.
01:47And I can promise you that as sure as you like chicken, you'll like Campbell's Chicken Soup.
01:53It's chicken through and through, from its golden surface to the very bottom of your plate.
01:57Its broth glistens with chicken richness.
01:59Its fluffy rice is filled with chicken flavor.
02:02And there are tempting, tender pieces of chicken meat.
02:05During the last five years, people everywhere have discovered how downright good and homey Campbell's Chicken Soup is.
02:11If you haven't tried it, why don't you?
02:14Because I'm sure you'll pronounce it every bit as fine as the best chicken soup you've ever had.
02:19How about this weekend?
02:21And now Orson Welles in Our Town.
02:25This play is called Our Town.
02:27It was written by Thornton Wilder.
02:30In it, you will hear Miss Patricia Newton, Miss Agnes Moorhead, Miss Effie Palmer,
02:35Mr. John Craven, Mr. Ray Collins, Mr. Everett Sloan, Mr. Parker Fenley, and many others.
02:44The name of the town is Grover's Corners, New Hampshire.
02:47It's across the Massachusetts line.
02:48Longitude, 42 degrees, 40 minutes.
02:50Latitude, 70 degrees, 37 minutes.
02:53The first act shows a day in our town.
02:55The day is May 7th, 1901.
02:59Time is just before dawn.
03:01The sky is beginning to show some streaks of light over in the east there, behind our mountain.
03:07Morning star always gets wonderful bright the minute before it has to go.
03:11Only lights on town are in the cottage over by the tracks where a Polish mother's just had twins.
03:18And in the Joe Crow house where Joe Jr. is getting up so as to deliver the paper.
03:22And in the depot where Shorty Hawkins is getting ready to flag the 545 for Boston.
03:27There it is.
03:29There it comes now.
03:31And so another day begun.
03:34There's Doc Gibbs coming down Main Street.
03:36Come back from that baby case.
03:39Here's his wife coming downstairs to get breakfast.
03:42Doc Gibbs died in 1930.
03:44New hospital is named after him.
03:46Mrs. Gibbs died first, a long time ago in fact.
03:49She went out to visit her daughter Rebecca who married an insurance man in Canton, Ohio and died there, pneumonia.
03:55But her body was brought back here.
03:56She's up in the cemetery there now in with a whole mess of Gibbs's and Hershey's.
04:01She was Julia Hershey before she married Doc Gibbs in the Congregational Church over there.
04:07In our town we like to know the facts about everybody.
04:10And that's Doc Gibbs now.
04:12Here comes Joe Crow Jr. delivering the papers.
04:14Morning Doc Gibbs.
04:16Morning Joe.
04:18Yes, Bessie.
04:20And here comes Howie Newsom delivering the milk.
04:22Yes, Bessie.
04:23What's the matter with you?
04:24Come on.
04:25Morning, Doc.
04:26Morning, Howie.
04:28Hey, somebody sick?
04:29There are twins over at Miss Gorlowski's.
04:32Twins, eh?
04:33This town's getting bigger every year.
04:35Morning, Miss Gibbs.
04:36Morning, Howie.
04:37Bacon smells good.
04:38Everything all right, dear?
04:39Yes, I declare, easy as kittens.
04:43Bacon will be ready in a minute.
04:44Sit down and drink your coffee.
04:46Children! Children!
04:48Now get up, George.
04:50Rebecca?
04:51Yes, Mama.
04:53You can catch a couple hours sleep this morning, can't you?
04:55Well, Miss Winford's coming at 11.
04:58I guess I know what's about to.
05:00Her stomach ain't what ought to be.
05:02I told you you won't get more than three hours sleep.
05:05Thank goodness I don't know what's going to become of you.
05:08I do wish I could get you to go away someplace and take a rest.
05:12I think it'd do you good.
05:14George?
05:15Rebecca?
05:16You'll be late for school.
05:17Wally?
05:18Emily?
05:19You'll be late for school.
05:20And that's Mrs. Webb now next door to the Gibbses,
05:23getting her family up for the day.
05:25Wally?
05:26You wash yourself, or I'll come up and do it myself.
05:29I'll put away your books, Emily.
05:31You know the rules, as I do.
05:32No books at table.
05:33As for me, I'd rather have my children healthy than bright.
05:36I'm both, Mom.
05:37You know I am.
05:38I'm the brightest girl in school for my age.
05:40I have a wonderful memory.
05:41Well, eat your breakfast.
05:42The Webbses have two children, little Wally and Emily.
05:45Emily's 14, and there's two over the way at the Gibbses,
05:49Rebecca and George.
05:51George is 15.
05:52Mama, George is throwing soap at me.
05:54I'll come up and slap the both of you.
05:56That's what I'll do.
05:59We've got a factory in our town, too.
06:01Hear it?
06:03Makes blankets.
06:04Cartwrights own it, and it's brung him a fortune.
06:06Speak to your father about it when he's rested.
06:09Excuse me, $0.25 a week's enough for a boy your age,
06:12George Gibbs.
06:12I declare, I don't know how you spend it all.
06:14Oh, Ma, I got a lot of things to buy.
06:17Strawberry frost dates, that's what you spend it on.
06:19Well, I don't see how Rebecca comes to have so much money.
06:22She has more than a dollar.
06:23Well, I've been saving it up gradually.
06:25Well, dear, I think it's a good thing
06:27every now and then to spend some.
06:29Mama, do you know what I love most in the world?
06:33Do you?
06:35Money.
06:36Eat your breakfast.
06:36There's the first box.
06:37Oh, I'm not finished.
06:38Walk fast, but you don't have to run.
06:39George, pull up your pants beneath you.
06:41Don't floss, George.
06:42Wally, tell Miss Foster I send her my best congratulations.
06:45Mama.
06:46Do you remember this?
06:46Am I pretty?
06:47You look real nice, Rebecca, and I'll pick up your fees.
06:49Goodbye, Mama.
06:50Goodbye, Mom.
06:51Goodbye.
06:52Goodbye.
06:53Bye, George.
06:54Bye.
06:56Good morning, Julie.
06:58Good morning, Myrtle.
06:59How's it going?
07:00Well, it's better, but I told Charles
07:03I didn't know if I'd go to choir practice tonight,
07:05it wouldn't be in you.
07:06Well, just saying, you come to choir practice, Myrtle,
07:08and try it.
07:09Well, if I don't feel the worst I do now, I probably will.
07:13Well, I'm wrecked to myself.
07:14I thought I'd drink some of these beans.
07:16Let me help you.
07:18Beans have been good this year.
07:20I decided to put up 40 quarts if it kills me.
07:23My children say they hate them, but I
07:25noticed they were able to get them down all winter.
07:27Thanks, Mrs. Gibbs.
07:28Thanks, Mrs. Webb.
07:30Folks, most every morning, Mrs. Gibbs
07:32goes over to Mrs. Webb's, or Mrs. Webb visits Mrs. Gibbs.
07:36So we'll just leave him there listening,
07:39and skip a few hours in the day at Grover's Corners.
07:43Well, now it's the middle of the afternoon.
07:45All 2,642 have had their dinners,
07:48and all the dishes have been washed.
07:51There's an early afternoon calm in our town,
07:53a buzzing and a humming from the school buildings.
07:56Only a few buggies on Main Street,
07:58the horses dozing at the hitching posts.
08:01You all remember what it's like.
08:03Doc Gibbs is in his office tapping people
08:05and making them say, ah, and Mr. Webb's
08:07cutting his lawn over there.
08:09One man in 10 thinks it's a privilege
08:11to push his own lawnmower.
08:14No, sir, it's later than I thought.
08:15There the children come home from school already,
08:16and here comes Emily Webb and George Gibbs.
08:18Hello.
08:19You made a fine speech in class.
08:21Well, I was really ready to make a speech
08:23about the Monroe Doctrine, but at the last minute,
08:25Miss Corcoran made me talk about the Louisiana Purchase
08:28instead.
08:29I worked an awful long time on both of them.
08:31Gee, it's funny, Emily.
08:32From my window over there, I can just
08:34see your head nights when you're over in your room
08:36doing your homework.
08:37Why, can you?
08:39Certainly do stick to it.
08:41I don't see how you can sit still that long.
08:43I guess you like school.
08:44Well, I feel it's something you have to go through.
08:47Yeah.
08:48I don't mind it, really.
08:50It passes the time.
08:51You're just naturally bright, Emily, I guess.
08:54I figure it's just the way a person's born.
08:56Yeah.
08:57But you see, I want to be a farmer.
09:00My Uncle Luke says whenever I'm ready,
09:01I can come over and work on this farm.
09:03And if I'm any good, well, I can just gradually have it.
09:06You mean the house and everything?
09:08Yeah.
09:10Well, thanks.
09:12I better be getting out the baseball field.
09:14Thanks for the talk, Emily.
09:16Good afternoon, Mrs. Webb.
09:17Good afternoon, George.
09:18So long, Emily.
09:19So long, George.
09:20Emily, come and help me string these beans for the winter.
09:24George did let himself have a real conversation, didn't he?
09:28Why, he's growing up.
09:30How old would George be?
09:31I don't know.
09:33Gee, he must be almost 16.
09:35Mama, I made a speech in class today, and I was very good.
09:39You must recite it to your father at supper.
09:41What was it about?
09:42The Louisiana Purchase.
09:44Just like silk off a spool.
09:46I'm going to make speeches all my life.
09:48Mama, will you answer me a question serious?
09:51Seriously, not serious, dear.
09:53Seriously.
09:54Will you?
09:55Why, of course I will.
09:56Mama, am I good looking?
09:59Yes, of course you are.
10:01All my children have got good features.
10:02I'd be ashamed if I hadn't.
10:04Mama, that's not what I mean.
10:06What I mean is, well, what I mean is, am I pretty?
10:11I've already told you yes.
10:13Now that's enough of that.
10:14You have a nice, young, pretty face.
10:16I never heard of such foolishness.
10:17Oh, Mama, you never tell us the truth about anything.
10:20I am telling you the truth.
10:22Mama, were you pretty?
10:24Yes, I was, if I do say it.
10:27I was the prettiest girl in town next to Mamie Cartwright.
10:30But Mama, you've got to say something about me.
10:33Am I pretty enough to get?
10:35Well, to get people interested in you?
10:38Emily, you make me tired.
10:39Now stop it.
10:41You're pretty enough for all normal purposes.
10:44Come along now and bring that bowl with you.
10:45Oh, Mamie, you're no help at all.
10:47We'll have to interrupt again here.
10:48Thank you, Mrs. Webb.
10:49Thank you, Emily.
10:51A lot of time's gone by.
10:52It's evening now.
10:55You can hear choir practice going on
10:57in the congregational church.
11:00Hear it?
11:01All the children are at home doing their schoolwork by now.
11:06Yeah, the day's run down like a tired clock.
11:13Emily.
11:14Hello.
11:15Hello.
11:17I can't work at all.
11:18That moonlight's so terrible.
11:20Emily, did you get the third problem?
11:23Which?
11:24The third.
11:25Oh, yes, George.
11:26That's the easiest of them all.
11:28I don't see it.
11:30Can you give me a hint?
11:31I'll tell you one thing.
11:33The answer's in yards.
11:35Yards?
11:36How do you mean?
11:37In square yards.
11:39Oh, square yards.
11:41Yes, George.
11:42Don't you see?
11:43Yeah.
11:44In square yards of wallpaper.
11:46Oh, square yards of wallpaper.
11:49Thanks a lot, Emily.
11:51You're welcome.
11:53My, isn't the moonlight terrible?
11:55Choir practice going on.
11:58I think if you hold your breath, you can hear the train all the way to Kuntuka.
12:03Hear it?
12:05How do you know?
12:08Well, I guess I'd better go back and try to work.
12:11Good night, Emily.
12:12And thanks.
12:13Good night, George.
12:17Good night, Martha.
12:18Good night, Miss Wheelock.
12:21Here comes Mrs. Webb, Mrs. Gibbs.
12:23Some of their lady friends home from choir practice.
12:25I'll tell Mr. Webb I know he'll want to put it in the paper.
12:29My, it's late.
12:30Good night, Emma.
12:31It was a nice choir practice, wasn't it?
12:34Oh, Webb, put the cats home, will ya?
12:38Painter weather, for sure.
12:40My, I hate to go to bed on a night like this.
12:43I'd better hurry.
12:44Those children will be sitting up long hours.
12:46Good night, Suella.
12:47Good night, Mabel.
12:49Good night, Susan.
12:50Good night, Jiminyell.
12:52Good night.
12:56And now, folks, there's some more things we've got to explore about this town.
13:01This time we're going about it in another way.
13:04Going to look back on it from the future.
13:08You know, the Cartwright interests had just begun building a new bank in Grover's Corners
13:12and had to go to Vermont for the marble, sorry to say.
13:16They've asked a friend of mine what they should put in the cornerstone for people to dig up
13:20a thousand years from now.
13:22Of course, they put in a copy of the New York Times, a copy of Mr. Webb's Sentinel,
13:26his editor at Sentinel.
13:28We're kind of interested in this because some scientific fellows have found a way of painting
13:32all that reading matter with a kind of glue, silicate glue,
13:36make it keep a thousand, two thousand years.
13:40So we're putting in a Bible and a Constitution of the United States,
13:44a copy of William Shakespeare's plays,
13:48and what do you think?
13:52You know, Babylon once had two million people in it.
13:56All we know about them is the names of the kings and some copies of wheat contracts
14:00and sales of slaves.
14:04Yet every night all those families sat down to supper
14:08and the father came home from his work and the smoke went up the chimney.
14:12Same as here.
14:14And then even in Greece and Rome, all we know about the real life of the people
14:18is what we can piece together out of the joking poems
14:22and the comedies they wrote for the theater back then.
14:26So I'm going to have a copy of this play put in the cornerstone
14:30and the people a thousand years from now will know a few simple facts about us.
14:34More than the Treaty of Versailles and the Lindbergh flight.
14:38See what I mean?
14:42Well, you people a thousand years from now,
14:46in the provinces north of New York at the beginning of the 20th century,
14:50people had three meals a day, soon after sunrise, at noon,
14:54and at sunset. Every seventh day by law and by religion
14:58was a day of rest and all work come to a stop.
15:02Domestic setup was marriage, binding relation between a male and one female
15:06that lasted for life. Guess we don't have to tell you about the government
15:11and business forms, because I think people seem to hand down first of all.
15:15They see nonsense anything else. Oh yes, at death
15:19people were buried in the ground just as they are.
15:23So friends, this is the way we were in our growing up
15:27and in our marrying and in our doctoring
15:31and in our living and in our dying.
15:35And now we return to our day in Grover's Corners.
15:39A lot of time's gone by. There's
15:43George up there in the window, talking with Rebecca.
15:47Get out, Rebecca. There's only room for one at this window.
15:51You're always spoiling everything. Well, let me look just a minute.
15:55Well, use your own window. I did, but there's no moon there.
15:59George, do you know what I think?
16:03Do you? I think maybe the moon's getting nearer
16:07and nearer, and there'll be a big explosion. Rebecca, you don't know anything.
16:11If the moon were getting nearer, the guys that sit up all night with telescopes
16:15would see it first, and they'd tell us about it, and it'd be in all the newspapers.
16:19George, is the moon shining on South America,
16:23Canada, and half the world? Well, probably
16:27is. Well,
16:31well folks, there it is.
16:35Another night, Grover's Corners. There they are.
16:399.30. Most of the light's out. And now there's
16:43Constable Warren trying a few doors on Main Street.
16:47And here comes Editor Webb after putting his newspaper to bed. All right, Editor Webb.
16:51Evening, Bill. Evening, Mr. Webb.
16:55Quite a moon. Yeah.
16:59Who's that up there?
17:03That you, my love? No, it's me, Papa.
17:07Why aren't you in bed? I don't know. I just can't seem to sleep yet, Papa.
17:11The moonlight's so wonderful. And the smell of Mrs. Gibbs' heliotrope.
17:15Mmm, can you smell it?
17:19Yeah. Had any troubles on your mind, have you, Emily?
17:23Troubles, Papa? No. Well, enjoy yourself.
17:28We'll let your mother catch you. Night, Emily.
17:32Good night, Papa.
17:40I never told you about that letter Jane Crawford got from her minister when she was sick.
17:44The minister of her church in the town she was in before she came here.
17:48He wrote Jane a letter.
17:52And on the envelope, the address was like this.
17:56It said, Jane Crawford.
18:00The Crawford Farm. Grover's Corners.
18:04Sutton County. New Hampshire.
18:08United States of America. What's funny about that?
18:12Well, but listen, it's not finished. The United States of America.
18:16Continent of North America. Western Hemisphere.
18:20The Earth. The solar system.
18:24The universe. The mind of God.
18:28That's what it said on the envelope. Well, what do you know?
18:32And the postman brought it just the same.
18:36What do you know? That's the end of the first part of our broadcast, friends.
18:40Second part will begin in just a minute.
18:44You are listening to the Campbell Playhouse
18:48presentation of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize play,
18:52Our Town, starring Orson Welles.
18:56This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.
19:14This is Ernest Chappell, ladies and gentlemen,
19:18welcoming you back to the Campbell Playhouse. In a moment or two,
19:22we will resume our presentation of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize play, Our Town.
19:26While Orson Welles was taking us through the streets and byways of Our Town,
19:30I felt the thinking of everybody's hometown and the changes that have taken place there.
19:34Not only the physical changes and the new faces, but the changes
19:38in habits. For instance, not so many years ago,
19:42people discovered the joy and refreshment and health benefits of drinking tomato juice
19:46at breakfast. Well, that was certainly a change for the better in the eating habits
19:50in my town and yours. Then there was a time when women felt
19:54that only homemade chicken soup was good enough for their families.
19:58Well, this too has changed, for people have discovered the same good chicken eating
20:02in Campbell's chicken soup as in the best of homemade soup without
20:06the fuss and bother of preparing it. It's evident that a great many families
20:10found out how good Campbell's chicken soup really is because we're called upon to make
20:14more and more of it. Have you had it lately?
20:18Now we resume our Campbell Playhouse presentation of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize play,
20:22Our Town, starring Orson Welles with John Craven.
20:26Well, folks, three years have gone by. Yes, the sun's come up
20:30over a thousand times. Summers and winters have
20:34cracked the mountains a little bit more and the rains have brought down some of the dirt.
20:38Some babies that weren't even born before
20:42have begun talking regular sentences already. A number of people who thought
20:46they were right young and spry have noticed that they can't
20:50bound up a flight of stairs like they used to without their heart fluttering a little.
20:54Some older sons are sitting at the head of the table
20:58and some people I know are having their meat cut up for them.
21:02All that can happen in a thousand days.
21:06Nature's been pushing and contriving in other ways, too.
21:10A number of young people fell in love and got married.
21:14The mountain got bit away a few fractions of an inch.
21:18Millions of gallons of water went by the mill and here
21:22and there a new home was set up under a roof.
21:26Almost everybody in the world gets married, know what I mean?
21:30In our town there aren't hardly any exceptions.
21:34Everybody in the world climbs into their graves married.
21:38So, three years later, it's 1904, July 7th, just after
21:42high school commencement. That's the time most of our young people jump up
21:46and get married. Soon as they pass their last examinations and solid geometry and
21:50Cicero's orations, looks like they suddenly feel themselves fit to be married.
21:54It's early morning. There you can hear the 545
21:58of Boston. Here comes Howie Newsom delivering the milk.
22:02Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb come down to breakfast, just though it were an ordinary day.
22:06I don't have to point out to the women in my audience that both these ladies
22:10cook three meals a day. One of them for 20 years, the other for 40.
22:14No summer vacation. Brought up two children apiece.
22:18Washed, cleaned the house, never a nervous breakdown.
22:22Never thought themselves hard used, either. Well, Ma, days come.
22:26You're losing one of your chicks. Thank you. Don't you say another word.
22:30It's like crying every minute. Sit down, drink your coffee.
22:34Groom's up shaving himself. Whistling and singing like he's
22:38glad to leave us. Every now and then he says, I do, to the mirror.
22:42But it don't sound convincing to me.
22:46What was Julia Hersey? French toast.
22:50Ain't hard to make, and I had to do something. I remember my wedding
22:54morning, Julia. Now don't start that, Frank Gibbs. I tell you, you can't stand it.
22:58I was the scaredest young fella in the state of New Hampshire. I thought I'd made a mistake, for sure.
23:02And when I see you coming down that aisle, I thought you was the prettiest
23:06girl I'd ever seen. But the only trouble was, I'd never seen you before.
23:10There I was in the Congregational Church, marrying a total
23:14stranger. How do you think I felt? Good morning, everybody. Only four more hours
23:18to leave. Where are you going? Just across the grass to see my girl. Now, George, you take my
23:22umbrella, I'll go next to Arnie.
23:26Good morning, Mr. Webb. Well, George, how are you? I'm fine.
23:30Mr. Webb, do you believe in superstitions?
23:34Well, what superstition, George? You know,
23:38about a bride and groom not being supposed to see each other on a wedding morning?
23:42Well, you see, on a wedding morning, the girl's head's got to be full of
23:46clothes and things like that. Don't you think that's probably it?
23:50Yes. I never thought of that. Girls have to be a mite nervous
23:54on a wedding day. I wish a fella could get married
23:58without all that marching up and down. Well, the man that
24:02ever lives felt that way about George. He hasn't done much good. It's the women that have
24:06built up weddings, my boy. From now on, they have it pretty much their life.
24:10All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder, making sure that they're not
24:14starved in a mighty public way. You believe in it, don't you, Mr.
24:18Webb? Oh, yes. Oh, don't you misunderstand me, my boy. Marriage is a wonderful thing.
24:22Wonderful thing. Don't forget that, George. No, sir.
24:26Mr. Webb, how old were you when you got
24:30married? Well, you see, I'd been to college. I'd taken a little time to get settled.
24:34But Mrs. Webb, she wasn't much older than what Emily is. Oh,
24:38age has much to do with it, George. It's not compared to other things.
24:42George and I were speaking the other night of some advice my father gave me when I got married.
24:46Charles said, Charles started out early
24:50showing who's boss, he said. Best thing to do is to give an order,
24:54even if it don't make any sense. Just so she'll learn to obey.
24:58And, he said, if anything about your wife irritates you, her conversation or anything,
25:02just get up and leave the house. That'll make it clear to her, he said.
25:06And, oh yes, he said never, never let your wife
25:10know how much money you have. Never.
25:14Mr. Webb, I don't think... So I took the opposite of my father's advice and I've been happy
25:18ever since. But that'd be a lesson to you, George. Never to ask advice
25:22on personal matters. George, you gonna raise chickens on your farm?
25:26What? You gonna raise chickens on your farm? Uncle Luke hasn't gone in much to chicken raising.
25:30Brooke came into my office the other day, George, on the phylo system of raising chickens. I want you to read it.
25:34Charles, are you talking about that old incubator again? I thought you two would be
25:38talking about things worthwhile. Good morning, George. Well, murder, if you want to give
25:42the boys some good advice, I'll go upstairs and leave you alone with them.
25:46Oh, George, I'm sorry, but I've got to send you away so that
25:50Emily can come down and get some breakfast. She told me to tell you that she
25:54sends her love, that she doesn't want to lay eyes on you. So,
25:58goodbye, George. Well, I guess you don't know about that other superstition.
26:02What? What do you mean, Charles? Since the caveman.
26:06The groom should never be left alone with his father-in-law on the day of the wedding or near it.
26:10Now, don't forget that. Now, I have to interrupt again here.
26:14You see, we want to know how all this began, this
26:18wedding, this plan to spend a lifetime together. I'm
26:22awfully interested in how big things like that begin. You know how it is.
26:26You're 21 or 22, you make some decisions, then
26:30you're 70, you've been a lawyer for 50 years, and that white-haired
26:34lady at your side has eaten over 50,000 meals with you.
26:38How do such things begin? George and Emily
26:42are going to show you now the conversation they had when they first knew that
26:46the same goes, they were meant for each other.
26:50Before they do it, I want you to try and remember what it was like
26:54when you were young, when you were 15 or 16.
26:58For some reason, it's very hard to do
27:02those days when even the little things in life could be almost too exciting
27:06to bear, and particularly days when you're first in
27:10love, and you're like a person sleepwalking, and you didn't quite
27:14see the street you were in, didn't quite hear everything that was said to you.
27:18Just a little bit crazy. Will you remember that, please?
27:22Now, they'll be coming out of high school at 3 o'clock. George has just been elected
27:26president of the junior class, and it's June. That means he'll be president of the senior class all next year, and Emily
27:30has just been elected secretary treasurer. I don't have to tell you how important that is.
27:34All right, George. Can I carry your books home for you, Emily?
27:38I'm awful glad you were elected too, Emily.
27:42Thank you. Emily, why are you mad at me?
27:46I'm not mad at you. You're treating me so funny.
27:50Well, I might as well say it right out, George. I don't like
27:54the whole change that's come over you in the last year. I'm sorry if that hurts
27:58your feelings, but I've just got to tell the truth and shame the devil.
28:02I'm awfully sorry, Emily. What do you mean?
28:06Well, up to a year ago, I used to like you a lot, and I used to
28:10watch you as you did everything, because we'd been friends so long.
28:14And then you started spending all your time playing baseball, and you never
28:18even spoke to anybody anymore. Not even to your own family, you didn't.
28:22And, George, it's a fact. You got awful conceited and stuck up, and all the girls say so.
28:26They may not say so to your face, but that's what they say about you behind your back.
28:30It hurts me to hear them say it, but I've got to agree with them a little.
28:34Well, I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings, but I can't be sorry
28:38I said it. I'm glad you said it, Emily. I never
28:42thought that such a thing was happening to me. I guess it's hard for a fellow
28:46not to have some faults creep into his character.
28:50I always
28:54expect a man to be perfect, and I think he should be. Well, I don't think it's
28:58possible to be perfect, Emily. Well, my father is. As far as I can see,
29:02your father is. There's no reason on earth why you shouldn't be, too.
29:06Emily, I feel it's the other way around. That men aren't naturally good, but
29:10girls are. Like you, and your mother, and my mother.
29:14Well, you might as well know right now that I'm not perfect. It's not as easy
29:18for a girl to be perfect as a man because, well, because we girls
29:22are more nervous. Now, I'm sorry I said all that about you.
29:26I don't know what made me say it. I guess if it's the truth,
29:30you ought to say it. You stick to it, Emily. Well, I don't know if it's the truth or not.
29:34I suddenly feel it isn't important at all. Emily,
29:38would you like an ice cream soda or something before you go home?
29:42Well, thank you. I would.
29:46Hello, George. Hello, Emily.
29:50Well, what do you have? Why, Emily Webb, what have you been crying about?
29:54Oh, she got an awful scare, Mr. Morgan. She almost got run over by that hardware store wagon.
29:58She always says that Tom Huckins drives like a crazy man. Well, here, take a drink of water, Emily.
30:02Say, you look all shook up. There.
30:06Well, now, what do you have? I'll have a strawberry frosted. Thank you, Mr. Morgan.
30:10No, no, Emily. Have an ice cream soda with me. Two strawberry ice cream sodas, Mr. Morgan.
30:14Yes, sir. I tell you, you know, you've got to look both ways before you cross Main Street
30:18these days. It gets worse every year. I'm digging 25 horses and
30:22go over the corner at this minute that I'm talking to you. It was in here
30:26yesterday. And now they're bringing in these automobiles.
30:30Best thing to do is just stay home, I guess. Why, I can remember the time when a dog
30:34could lie all day in the middle of Main Street and nothing would come along to disturb him.
30:38Mr. Morgan! Oh, Mr. Morgan! Oh, yes, Miss Ellis. I'll be with you in a minute.
30:42Here are your sodas. Well, enjoy them. They're so expensive.
30:46No, no, don't think of that. We're celebrating. First,
30:50we're celebrating our election. And then, do you know what else I'm celebrating?
30:54No. I'm celebrating because
30:58I've got a friend who tells me everything that ought to be told me. George, please don't think of
31:02that. I don't know why I said it. It's not true. Well, you stick to it, Emily.
31:06I'm glad you spoke to me the way you did. But you'll see,
31:10I'm going to change so quick that I'm going
31:14to change. And Emily, I want to
31:18ask you a favor. What? Well, if I go away
31:22to State Agriculture College next year, will you write me a letter
31:26once in a while? I certainly will. I certainly will,
31:30George. It certainly seems like being away three years,
31:34you get out of touch with things. Yeah. You know,
31:38Emily, whenever I meet a farmer, I ask him if he thinks it's important to go
31:42away to agriculture school to be a good farmer. Why, George!
31:46Yeah. And some of them say that it's even a waste of time. Michael looks
31:50getting old. He's about ready for me to start him taking over his farm tomorrow
31:54if I could. My! And like you say, being gone all that
31:58time, meeting other people in other places, anything like
32:02that can happen. I don't want to go away. I guess new
32:06people aren't any better than old ones. I'll bet you they almost never are.
32:10Emily, I feel that you're as good a friend as I've got,
32:14and I don't need to go to other towns to meet other people.
32:18Emily, I'm going to make up my mind right
32:22now. I won't go. I'll tell Pa about it tonight. Why, George,
32:26I don't see why you have to decide right now. It's a whole year away.
32:30Emily, I'm glad you spoke to me about that. That
32:34fall in my character. What you said was right, but there was one thing wrong
32:38in it. That was where you said that I wasn't noticing people.
32:42And you, for instance. Listen, Emily,
32:46you say you were watching me when I did everything. Why, I was doing the same thing about you
32:50all the time. Sure, I always
32:54thought about you as one of the chief people I thought about.
32:58And I always made sure you were sitting in the bleachers and who you were with, and we've always
33:02had lots of talking and joking and everything, and they
33:06meant a lot to me. Of course, they weren't as good as the talk we're having now.
33:10Lately, I've been noticing that you've been acting kind of funny to me, and for three
33:14days I've been trying to walk home with you, but something's always gotten away.
33:18Yesterday, I was standing over by the wall waiting for you,
33:22and you walked home with Miss Coughlin. George,
33:26life's awful funny. How could I know that? Why, I thought that...
33:30Listen, Emily, I'm going to tell you why I'm not going to go away to agriculture college.
33:34I think that once you've found a person you're very fond of, well, that is, who's fond of you
33:38too, at least enough to be interested in your character. Well,
33:42I think that that's just as important as college is, even more so.
33:46That's what I think. I think it's
33:50awfully important too. Emily. Yes, George?
33:54Emily, if I do improve and
33:58make a big change,
34:02would you be, well, that is,
34:06would you be... I am now. I always have been.
34:10Oh, I guess
34:14this is an important talk we've been having. Yeah.
34:18Now, before we go on to the wedding, there are still some more things we ought to know about this marriage.
34:22I want to know some more about how the parents took it, but
34:26what I want to know most of all is, you know what I mean,
34:30what Grover's corners thought about marriage anyway.
34:34When I married you, do you know what one of my terrors
34:38was in getting married? Oh, Shaw, go on with you. I was afraid
34:42that we weren't going to have material for conversation more than would last us just a few
34:46weeks. Yeah, I was afraid we'd run out, eat our meals in silence.
34:50In fact, but you and I have been conversing
34:54for 20 years now without any noticeable barren spells.
34:58Well, good weather, bad weather, ain't very choice, but always manage
35:02to find something to say. What do you think?
35:06What do you think, Julia? Shall we tell the boy that he can go ahead and get married?
35:10Oh, there you go, putting the responsibility on me.
35:14Well, I'll go up, I'll go up and say a word to him right now
35:18before he goes to bed, huh? You sure, Julia? You got nothing more to add?
35:22Well, I don't know what to say.
35:26Seems like too much to ask for a big outdoor boy
35:30like that to go and get shut up in the classrooms for three years.
35:34Once he's on the farm, he might just well have companions,
35:38and he's found a fine girl like Emily. People are meant to live
35:42two by two in this world.
35:46Yes, Frank, go up and tell him it's all right.
35:50Yeah, yeah, I'll call him. George?
35:54Oh, George? Yes, Pop? Can you come down a minute?
35:58Your mother and me want to speak to you. Yeah, sure.
36:02Oh, God, what a fool I am. I'm trembling all over.
36:06Nothing to tremble about. Now we're ready to go on with the wedding.
36:16Folks, there are a lot of things to be said about a wedding.
36:20A lot of thoughts that go on during a wedding. You can't get them all into one wedding,
36:24actually, especially not into a wedding at Grover's Corners where they're
36:28seen in short. This wedding, I play the minister.
36:32Take that part. Gives me the right to say a few more things about it.
36:36For a while now, the play gets pretty serious.
36:40See, some churches say that marriage is a sacrament.
36:44I don't know what that means, but I can guess.
36:48You know, like Mrs. Gibbs said just now,
36:52people were made to live two by two. Now, this is a good wedding,
36:56but people are so put together that even at a good wedding,
37:00there's a lot of confusion way down deep in people's minds,
37:04and we thought that that ought to be in our play, too.
37:08Why on earth I should be crying? I suppose there's nothing to cry about.
37:12Come over and have breakfast this morning.
37:16There was Emily, eating her breakfast as she's done for 17 years.
37:20And now she's going off to eat it in someone else's house.
37:24I suppose that's it. There they come.
37:28I wish I were back at school. I don't want to get married.
37:32George, what's the matter? Oh, I don't want to grow old.
37:36Why is everybody pushing me so? Why, George, you wanted it.
37:40Why do I have to get married at all? Listen, Ma, for the last time, I ask you...
37:44George, if anyone should hear me, now stop, or I'm ashamed of you.
37:48What's the matter? I've been dreaming.
37:52Where was Emily? Gracious, she gave me such a turn.
37:55Cheer up, Ma. What are you looking so funny for?
37:58Cheer up. I'm getting married.
38:00Help me catch my breath for a minute.
38:02Now, Ma, you say Thursday nights.
38:04Emily and I are coming over to dinner every Thursday night. You'll see.
38:07Ma, what are you crying for?
38:10We've got to get ready for this.
38:12I've never felt so alone in my whole life.
38:15And George over there looking so... I hate him.
38:18I wish I were dead. Oh, stop it.
38:21Don't get upset. Papa, I don't want to get married.
38:24Emily, everything's all right.
38:26Why can't I stay for a while, just as I am? Let's go away.
38:29Oh, no, Emily, no. Stop and think.
38:31Don't you remember that you used to say...
38:34All the time you used to say that I was your girl.
38:37There must be lots of places we can go to. Let's go away.
38:40I'll look for you. I can keep house.
38:42You mustn't think of such things. You're just nervous, Emily.
38:45Now, now, you're marrying the best young fellow in the world.
38:48George is a fine fellow.
38:50Oh, but Papa... George? George?
38:52Yes, Mr. Webb.
38:54You're giving away my daughter, George.
38:57You think you can care for her?
38:59Mr. Webb, I want to... I want to try.
39:02Emily, I'm going to do my best.
39:05I love you, Emily. I need you.
39:07Well, if you love me, help me.
39:10All I want is someone to love me.
39:12I will, Emily.
39:13If I'm ever sick or in trouble, that's what I need.
39:16Emily, I'll try. I'll try.
39:18That means forever.
39:20Do you hear? Forever and ever.
39:33Do you, George, take this woman, Emily, to be your wedded wife?
39:36To live together after God's ordinance, the holiest state of matrimony,
39:39with our lover, comforter, honor and keeper,
39:41in sickness and in health and forsaking all others.
39:44Keep the only unto us, so long as we both shall live.
39:47Answer now, George.
39:48I don't know.
39:50Do you, Emily, take this man, George, in the state of matrimony,
39:53with our lover, comforter, honor and keeper,
39:55in sickness and in health and forsaking all others.
39:58Keep the only unto us, so long as we both shall live.
40:00Answer, Emily.
40:01I do.
40:03Married 200 couples in my day. You should get it wrong.
40:06Do I believe in it?
40:08I don't know.
40:11M marries N.
40:13Millions of them.
40:15Cottage, the go-cart.
40:17Sunday afternoon drives in the Ford.
40:20The first rheumatism, the grandchildren, the second rheumatism.
40:26Deathbed, reading the will.
40:29Once in a thousand times it's interesting.
40:31Well, let's have Mendelssohn's wedding march.
40:34I've never seen such a nice man.
40:37I'm sure there'll be guests.
40:39I've always been a fan of Mendelssohn's.
40:42The important thing is to be happy.
40:51This time, nine years have gone by, friends.
40:53Summer, 1913.
40:55Gradual changes in Grover's Corners.
40:58Horses are getting rarer and farmers coming into town in fords.
41:02Everybody locks their house doors now at night.
41:05Ain't been any burglars in town yet, but everybody's heard about them.
41:09You'd be surprised, though, on the whole, things don't change much at Grover's Corners.
41:15We're up at the cemetery now.
41:18I don't know how you feel about such things, but this certainly is a beautiful place.
41:22It's on a hilltop, windy hilltop.
41:25Lots of sky, lots of clouds.
41:27Clouds, often lots of sun and moon and stars.
41:32Come up here on a fine afternoon, you can see range on range of hills.
41:37Awful blue they are up there by Lake Sunapee, Lake Winnipesaukee.
41:42Way up, if you've got a glass, you can see the White Mountains.
41:45Mount Washington, where North Conway is.
41:48Conway, of course, our favorite mountain.
41:52Right here, all around it.
41:54Jaffray, now the town's East Jaffray and Peterborough.
41:58Dublin, there quite a ways down at Grover's Corners.
42:04Yes, beautiful spot up here.
42:06Mountain laurel and lilacs.
42:09I often wonder why people like to be buried in woodlawn in Brooklyn
42:12when they might pass the same time up there in New Hampshire.
42:17Over there, the old stones, 1670, 1680, strong-minded people
42:20that had come a long way to be independent.
42:24Over there, some Civil War veterans, too.
42:27Iron flags on the graves, New Hampshire boys.
42:30Had a notion that the Union ought to be kept together,
42:32though they'd never seen more than 50 miles of it themselves.
42:36All they knew was the name, friends.
42:39The United States of America.
42:43The United States of America.
42:47Went and died about it.
42:50Now, this here is the new part of the cemetery.
42:53Here's your friend Mrs. Gibbs.
42:55Remember her?
42:56Let me see, here's Mr. Stimpson, organist for the Congregational Church,
42:59and over there is Mrs. Soames, who enjoyed the wedding so much.
43:02A lot of others.
43:04Editor Webb's boy, Wallace, whose appendix birthed while he was a Boy Scout.
43:09Went on a trip to Crawford Notch.
43:11Well, there's some living people, as Joe started.
43:14The undertaker over there supervising a new-made grave.
43:17Here comes a Grover's Corners boy that left town to go out west.
43:20Afternoon, Joe Scott.
43:22Good afternoon, good afternoon.
43:24Let me see.
43:25Do I know you?
43:27I'm Sam Craig.
43:28Gracious sakes, alive of all people.
43:31Well, I should have known you'd be back for the funeral.
43:34Well, you've been away a long time, Sam.
43:36Yeah, I've been away over 12 years.
43:38I'm in business out in Buffalo now, Joe.
43:41But I was in the east when I got news of my cousin's death,
43:44so I thought I'd kind of combine things a little and come and see the old home.
43:49Well, you look well.
43:51Yes, I can't complain.
43:53Well, it's a sad journey for us today, Samuel.
43:55Yep.
43:56Yes, I always say I hate to supervise when a young person is taken.
44:00Ah, there's old Farmer McCarthy.
44:03I didn't know he was gone.
44:05Used to do chores for him after school.
44:07He had lumbago.
44:08He brought Farmer McCarthy here a number of years ago now.
44:11What?
44:12This is my Aunt Julia.
44:13Yes.
44:14Doc Gibbs lost his wife two or three years ago, just about this time.
44:18But there's another bad blow for him, too.
44:21Joe, what did she die of?
44:23Who?
44:24Why, my cousin, Emily.
44:25Oh, didn't you know?
44:27Had some trouble bringing a baby into the world.
44:30Let's see, today's Friday.
44:31It's almost a week ago now.
44:34Did the baby live?
44:35No.
44:36Not for a second, though.
44:37He's a little boy, about four years old.
44:39Now, I'm going to tell you some things you know already,
44:41and you know them as well as I do,
44:42but you don't take them out and look at them very often.
44:46I don't care what they say with their mouths.
44:48Everybody knows that something is eternal.
44:52It ain't houses, and it ain't names.
44:54It ain't Earth.
44:55It ain't even the stars.
44:57Everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal
45:01and that that something has to do with human beings.
45:05All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us
45:08that for, oh, I don't know how long they've been telling us,
45:125,000 years, and yet you'd be surprised
45:14how people are always losing hold of it.
45:17Something way down deep that's eternal
45:19about every human being.
45:23You know as well as I do that the dead don't stay interested
45:26in us living people very long.
45:29Gradually, gradually, they let hold of the Earth
45:33and the ambitions they had and the pleasures they had
45:35and the things they suffered and the people they loved.
45:39They get weaned away from Earth.
45:41That's the way I put it.
45:43Weaned away.
45:46They stay here while the Earth part of them burns away,
45:49burns out, and all that time they slowly get indifferent
45:53to what's going on in Grover's Corners.
45:57They're waiting.
45:58They're waiting for something that they feel is coming,
46:00something important and great.
46:03Aren't they waiting for the eternal part of them
46:05to come out clear?
46:08Some of the things they're going to say
46:09maybe will hurt your feelings.
46:11That's the way it is.
46:12Mother and daughter, husband and wife,
46:16enemy and enemy, money and miser,
46:19all those terribly important things
46:22kind of grow pale around here.
46:26And what's left?
46:29What's left when memory's gone?
46:32And your identity, Mrs. Smith?
46:34All that you know my name,
46:36the number of my days,
46:37I may be sure to find how long I have lived.
46:40Behold, thou hast made my days,
46:42where it stands now,
46:44that by nature you must not be mistaken,
46:47and verily every man that you meet
46:49has never been.
46:51Who is it to you?
46:53My daughter-in-law, Emily Webb,
46:55will I declare.
46:57What did she die of to you?
47:00In childbirth.
47:01Childbirth.
47:03I'd forgotten all about that.
47:05My, wasn't life awful and wonderful.
47:11Hello.
47:12Hello, Emily.
47:14Hello, Mrs. Giddens.
47:16Hello, Mother Giddens.
47:18Emily.
47:19Hello.
47:21It's raining.
47:23Yes.
47:24They'll be gone soon, dear.
47:26It seems thousands and thousands of years since I...
47:30How stupid they all look.
47:32They don't have to look like that.
47:35Don't look at them now, dear.
47:37They'll be gone soon.
47:41They're sort of sharp little boxes, aren't they?
47:44I feel as though I knew them the last thousand years ago.
47:48My little boy is spending the day at Mrs. Carter's.
47:51Oh, Mr. Carter,
47:52my little boy is spending the day at your house.
47:55Is he?
47:56Yes.
47:57Yes.
47:59Look, Father Gibbs is bringing you some of my flowers.
48:02He looks just like George, doesn't he?
48:05Mother Gibbs, I never realized before how troubled
48:09and how unadorned live persons are.
48:12That's all they are from morning till night.
48:15Just trouble.
48:18Mother Gibbs, one can go back.
48:20One can go back there again into living.
48:23I feel it.
48:24I know it.
48:25Why, just then for a moment I was thinking about the farm,
48:29and for a minute I was there,
48:31and my baby was on my lap as plain as day.
48:34Yes, of course you can.
48:36I can go back there and live all those days over again.
48:39Why not?
48:41All I can say is, Emily, don't.
48:44But it's true, isn't it?
48:45I can go and live back there again.
48:47Yes, some have tried.
48:49They soon come back here.
48:51Don't do it, Emily.
48:52Emily, don't.
48:53It's not what you think it'd be.
48:55But I won't live over a sad day.
48:57I'll choose a happy one.
48:59I'll choose the day I first knew I loved George.
49:02Why should that be painful?
49:04You not only live it, but you watch yourself living it.
49:07Yes.
49:08And as you watch it, you see the thing that they down there never know.
49:14You see the future.
49:16You know it's going to happen afterwards.
49:18I'll choose a happy day anyway.
49:21No.
49:22At least choose an unimportant day.
49:25Choose the least important day in your life.
49:28It will be important enough.
49:30It can't be since I was married or since the baby was born.
49:34I can choose a birthday at least, can't I?
49:36I choose my 12th birthday.
49:39All right.
49:41February 11th, 1899, Tuesday.
49:45Do you want any special time of day?
49:47Oh, I want the whole day.
49:48We'll begin at dawn.
49:50Remember, it'd been snowing for several days, but it stopped the night before,
49:53and they'd begun clearing the roads.
49:55Sun's coming up.
49:57There's Main Street.
49:58Why, that's Mr. Morgan's drugstore before he changed it.
50:01And there's the livery stable.
50:02Yes, it's 1899, 14 years ago.
50:06Look, there's High Newsome.
50:08There's our policeman.
50:09But he's dead.
50:10He died.
50:11Hello, Nancy.
50:12Hello.
50:13Hi, there.
50:15All right.
50:16Children.
50:17Wally, Emily, time to get up.
50:20Mommy, here I am.
50:21Oh, how young Mama looks.
50:23I didn't know Mama was ever that young.
50:26You can come down and dress for the kitchen fire if you like, but hurry.
50:29Oh, good morning, Mr. Newsome.
50:31Morning.
50:32Oh, it's cold.
50:33Can't blow over my barn, Miss Webb.
50:35Think of it.
50:36Keep yourself wrapped up.
50:39Oh, Charles, coffee's ready when you want it.
50:42Oh, and Charles, don't forget, it's Emily's birthday.
50:46You remember to get her something?
50:47Yes, I've got something here.
50:49Where's my girl?
50:50Where's my birthday girl?
50:52Well, don't interrupt her now, Charles.
50:54You can see her at breakfast.
50:55She's slow enough as it is.
50:57Hurry up, children.
50:58It's 7 o'clock.
50:59Now, I don't want to call you again.
51:01I can't bear it.
51:02They're so young and beautiful.
51:04Why did they ever have to get old?
51:06Mama, I'm here.
51:07I'm grown up.
51:08I love you all, everything.
51:10I can't look at everything hard enough.
51:12There's the butternut tree.
51:14There's Mr. Morgan's drugstore.
51:16There's the high school forever, never, never.
51:19And there's the congregational church.
51:21Oh, I love it.
51:22Oh, dear.
51:23Oh, dear.
51:24Good morning, Emily.
51:26Good morning, Mama.
51:27Well, now, dear, a very happy birthday to my little girl
51:30and many, many happy returns.
51:32There's some surprises waiting for you on the kitchen table.
51:35That and the blue papers from your Aunt Carrie.
51:37And I reckon you can guess who brought the postcard album.
51:40Found it on the doorstep when I brought in the milk.
51:42George Nibs.
51:44Must have come over the cold pretty early.
51:46Right nice of him.
51:47George, I'd forgotten that.
51:49Now, chew that bacon slow.
51:51It'll help keep you warm on a cold day.
51:53Oh, Mama, just look at me once as though you really saw me.
51:58Mama, 14 years has gone by.
52:00I'm dead.
52:01You're a grandmother, Mama.
52:03I married George's kids, Mama.
52:05And Wally's dead, too.
52:07Mama, his appendix burst on a camping trip to North Conway.
52:10We felt just terrible about it.
52:12Don't you remember?
52:13But just for a moment now, we're all together.
52:15Mama, just for a moment, we're happy.
52:18Let's look at one of those.
52:19That yellow paper is something I found in the attic
52:21among your grandmother's things.
52:23You're old enough to wear it now, and I thought you'd like it.
52:26Your father has a surprise for you, too.
52:28Don't know what it is himself.
52:29Where's my birthday cake?
52:30Here he comes.
52:31Where's my birthday cake?
52:33I can't.
52:34I can't go on.
52:35Oh, it goes so fast.
52:39We don't have time to look at one another.
52:42I didn't realize.
52:43So all that was going on, and we never noticed.
52:47Don't take me back.
52:49Off the hill to my grave.
52:51But first, first wait a minute.
52:54One more look.
52:56Goodbye.
52:57Goodbye, world.
52:59Goodbye, Grover Cornish.
53:01Mama, Papa.
53:04Goodbye to the clocks ticking, and Mama's sunflowers,
53:09and food and coffee, and the iron dresses and hot baths
53:13and sleeping and waking up.
53:15Oh, Earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.
53:24Do any human beings ever realize life?
53:27Or they live it every, every minute?
53:30No.
53:32Saints and poets, maybe.
53:34They do, some.
53:37Mother Gibbs, I should have listened to you.
53:40Now I want to be quiet for a while.
53:43Mother Gibbs, I saw it all.
53:45I saw your garden.
53:46Did you, Liz?
53:48Look, it's clearing up.
53:50The stars are coming out.
53:52Here's one of them coming back.
53:54That's funny.
53:55Ain't no time for one of them to be here.
53:58Goodness sake.
53:59Mother Gibbs, it's George.
54:01Dear, you just rest yourself.
54:03It's George.
54:04He's thrown himself down here on the ground.
54:07Couldn't.
54:08That ain't no way to behave.
54:10He ought to be home.
54:12Mother Gibbs?
54:13Yes, Emily?
54:15They don't understand much, do they?
54:18No, dear.
54:20Not very much.
54:23Well, most everybody's asleep in Grover's Cornish.
54:28There are a few lights on.
54:31Shorty Hawkins down at the depot has just watched the Albany train go by.
54:36At the livery stable, somebody's setting up late and talking.
54:40The fair's clearing up.
54:42There are the stars doing their old crisscross journeys in the sky.
54:48Scholars haven't settled the matter yet, but they seem to think there are no living beings up there.
54:53Just chalk or fire.
54:56Only this one is straining away, straining away all the time to make something out of itself.
55:02Strained so bad that every 16 hours everybody lies down and gets rest.
55:07It's 11 o'clock in Grover's Cornish.
55:10You'll get a good rest, too.
55:12Good night.
55:20This concludes the Campbell Playhouse presentation of Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
55:25Starring Orton Wells with John Craven.
55:28In just a moment, Mr. Wells will return to the microphone, but first a word on behalf of our sponsors.
55:34Earlier this evening, I promised you you'd find Campbell's Chicken Soup every bit as good as the finest chicken soup you've ever tasted.
55:41I'll go further than that.
55:43I believe you'll find it even better.
55:45And I say this for two reasons.
55:47First, because thousands and thousands have welcomed Campbell's Chicken Soup with downright enthusiasm and are now serving it regularly.
55:54Second, because I've seen how Campbell's Chicken Soup is made.
55:59Campbell's use all the good meat of plump, government-inspected chicken.
56:03Long and slowly they simmer the broth till it attains a glistening golden color, till every drop is rich with chicken flavor.
56:10Light, fluffy rice is added, and to complete your enjoyment, tender pieces of chicken meat.
56:15I'm sure you'll be delighted with Campbell's Chicken Soup.
56:19Enjoy it this weekend.
56:21And now, if you please, Mr. Wells, will you tell us about next week's story?
56:27Well, ladies and gentlemen, next week, what transpires is an entertainment called The Bad Man,
56:32for which purpose I am luring in the character of Pancho Lopez, the brigand,
56:37the beautiful Miss Ida Lupino, all the way from Hollywood into my fiendish clutches.
56:40And a good time, I think, will be had by all, anyway, until next Friday night,
56:44until The Bad Man hurriedly outsponsors the makers of Campbell's Soups and all of us in the Campbell Playhouse remain.
56:50Obediently yours.
56:58The makers of Campbell's Soups join Orson Welles in inviting you to be with us at the Campbell Playhouse again
57:03next Friday evening, when lovely Ida Lupino, at the screen, joins him in the fabulous stage hit of the 1920s,
57:10The Bad Man, a story of love and laughter in old Mexico, with Orson Welles himself as a bold and not over-successful bandit.
57:18Meanwhile, if you have enjoyed tonight's Campbell Playhouse presentation,
57:21won't you tell your grocer so tomorrow when you order Campbell's Chicken Soup?
57:25This is Ernest Chappell saying thank you and good night.
57:29This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.