Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Well hiya George. Hi Harry. How'd the game go today? Great. I knocked 20 strokes off
00:10my score. 20 strokes? How'd you do that? I didn't play the last five holes. Well that
00:16seems the only way to do it. You know I was talking to the pro today. Oh pardon me Harry,
00:20I've got to talk to Baxter. It's important. All right you guys go ahead and talk. I've
00:24got to get dressed. Baxter, we're in deep trouble. What do you mean Mr. Griffin? Have
00:29you seen today's paper? No, why? This letter to the editor criticizing the proposal to
00:34put the new superhighway down the old Pocono Trail. What's wrong with that? Listen. Gentlemen,
00:41the Pocono Trail is one of the few stretches of natural beauty that's still available to
00:46the people of our community. And putting a superhighway down it is one of the worst things
00:51that could happen. Paragraph. Every spring a lot of folks take the overnight hike down
00:57the trail. And I'd like to invite the highway commissioners to come along this year. That
01:02way they can see for themselves why they'll have to find another place for their highway.
01:08Please RSVP. Well I still can't see how that concerns us. Editor's note. An excellent suggestion.
01:16We vote to preserve the Pocono Trail. But Mr. Griffin, how does that... Baxter, don't
01:21you know that the alternate route goes right through our golf course? Well that's outrageous.
01:26They can't do that to us. We better fight that thing. Not we, Baxter. You. Why, just me.
01:33Take a look at the big mouth who wrote this letter. Miss Hazel Burke.
02:21For heaven's sake, Hazel, you don't have to do that. It's all right. Oh it's nothing,
02:31Missy. I want to get this all done before the hike. And besides, I've got too much spring
02:36fever to spend it in the house. What spring fever? Oh it's kind of a feeling sport, you know,
02:41when you're too lazy to do all the things you've been waiting all winter to do.
02:46You know how to tell when it's spring? Sure, baseball practice starts. Oh sure,
02:50that's one of the ways. But there's lots of other ways. Like when the birds come back,
02:55and the trees start to bud, and all the animals come out of hibernation.
03:00What's hibernation? Harold, stop bothering Hazel. You're not letting her do her work.
03:05Oh that's all right, Missy. If he don't ask questions, how's he gonna learn?
03:09Hibernation. Well now, let's see. Well, uh, that's what the bears do. You know,
03:15they eat everything they can find all summer. And they store it up inside of them,
03:20and then they go in a log or a cave, and they sleep all winter. Then in the spring,
03:26they come out, and boy, uh, they're grouchy. That's a bad time with bears, you know.
03:32They go around roaring. Hazel! Yes, Mr. Bear! And me, Mr. B.
03:38Hazel, did you write this letter in the newspaper? Sure, I wrote it.
03:42You know what you've done? George, what are you getting so upset about?
03:47Have you read this thing? Yes, yes, and I must say I agree with it too.
03:51Do you realize that the alternate route would take that highway right through the country club?
03:55Oh no! Oh yes, it would knock off the last five holes of the golf course. Well, I just came from
04:00there. The whole club is up in arms about this thing. Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. B. I didn't mean to
04:04cause any trouble. What do they intend doing, George? Well, for one thing, they've asked me
04:08to represent the club in this matter. Now, I've got to take time off to get down to the highway
04:12commission and convince them that the Pocono Trail is the only logical place for the highway.
04:17Mr. B., have you ever been along the old Pocono Trail? No, I haven't and I don't want to.
04:22Oh, it's beautiful this time of year. Everything's in bloom and the birds are all building their
04:27nests. It's historic too, you know. They got the ruins of an old fort from the Revolutionary War.
04:33Hazel, I am not against nature or the Revolutionary War, but there are other
04:36factors involved here. Now, for one thing, the county already owns the land on the Pocono Trail,
04:42but they're going to have to buy the right-of-way through the club and the surrounding residential
04:46area. Now, that means everyone's taxes will go up, including our own. Oh, I never thought of that.
04:51Well, it will. Now, I suggest you sit down and write the editor another letter telling him you
04:56weren't aware of all the facts. I'll help you write it. Oh, no, Mr. B. No, I couldn't do that.
05:01That's almost the last bit of wilderness left for the people. We ought to do our best to preserve it.
05:06Now, Hazel, I am not going to... I'll get it. Hello? Yes, yes. Hazel Burke? Just a moment.
05:15It's for you, Hazel. Hello? Yeah? No kidding? Oh, oh, that's great. The day after tomorrow?
05:29Oh, well, I'll have to call you back. Yeah, thanks. Bye. Mr. B., can I have a couple of days off
05:36starting Saturday? You know I got them coming to me. Well, sure, Hazel. Any special reason? Well,
05:41I want to go on that hike along the Pocono Trail. Okay, Hazel, I can't stop you. But next year,
05:47if I have my say about it, you'll be driving down the old Pocono Trail. Oh, Mr. B. And I just want
05:52you to know while you're up there, I'll be seeing the highway commissioners to settle this matter
05:56once and for all. Oh, well, then you'll have to come along on the hike to do that. What do you
06:00mean? Because that was the newspaper editor on the phone, and he said the commissioners are coming
06:06along on the hike. They're what? Oh, not only that, but a lot of bird watchers, a lot of people.
06:12Why don't you and Missy come along, too? Boy, Hazel, these are sure small pancakes.
06:28They really are exceptionally good, Hazel. Did you do something special to them? No more than usual.
06:32If you think these are good, you ought to taste them when they're cooked over an open fire,
06:36and you've been asleep in the woods all night. Right, Mr. B.? Hazel, I think I know what you're
06:41driving at, and I don't want to hear any more about it. Oh, well, I just meant if you was to
06:44go on the hike this weekend. Hazel, I'm not going. Oh, I know you're not, Mr. B., but if you was to
06:49go, and then you saw how beautiful the Pocono Trail was, maybe you wouldn't want them to build
06:53a road through there, neither. Hazel, I'm sorry. It's not a bad idea, George. Might be fun. You
06:59used to like to go hiking before we were married, remember? Mm-hmm. That was before I went into the
07:04Navy. I had enough hiking and boot camp to last me forever. Well, you'll have to admit that you
07:09were in wonderful shape when you were in the Navy. That's when you was putting on stripes
07:14instead of pounds, right, Mr. B.? Now, that's not especially funny. Why don't you hibernate,
07:20Dad? That's the way the bears do it. Son, don't talk with your mouth full. I think we've all done
07:25too much hibernating this winter, and a hike in the fresh air would do us a lot of good.
07:30More pancakes, Mr. B.? No, thanks. And, Hazel, about that old trail, you probably haven't been
07:36down it for years. I'm sure it's changed a great deal. Oh, no, it's just as beautiful as ever.
07:41Joe Drinkwater was there last year. Who's Joe Drinkwater? Oh, he's an old friend of mine. He's
07:47a 10th part Pocono. Oh, fine. You're trying to save it for some sentimental 10th part Indian.
07:52Oh, no, Mr. B., for all the hikers. I'll get it. No, I'll get it. Never mind, I'll get it.
08:04Oh, hello, Mr. Drepper. Good morning, Baxter. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'll have to be
08:09out of town all day, and I didn't think this should wait. Oh, that's all right. We finished
08:13breakfast. Come on in. I want to talk to you privately. Do you mind coming out here? Close
08:17the door. What's the matter? Did you know that all three highway commissioners are going on the
08:24hike with Hazel? Well, yes, I knew about it. The editor of the newspaper called and told her last
08:29night. Baxter, we can't leave those defenseless highway commissioners out there in the wilderness
08:34with Hazel. Well, they're hardly defenseless, Mr. Greffin. Besides, there'll be a lot of other
08:38people along. Give her two days of talking to those men, and she'll have them believing that
08:43broken down old Pocono Trail is a national shrine. Mr. Greffin, I can hardly forbid her to go along
08:49on the hike. I know. That's why I think it's a good idea if somebody from our club went along, too.
08:55Well, maybe that is a good idea. Who do you suggest we send? Well, you'll have to admit you're closer
09:00to the situation than the rest of us. Oh, now, wait a minute, Mr. Greffin. I just finished telling
09:05them I wouldn't go along on the hike. Baxter, you don't see this situation clearly. There are many
09:10things to be considered. There's your loyalty to the club. I know. There's your duty to the community.
09:15I know. There's my account. Well, I'll have to run along now. Mull it over and do whatever you think
09:24best, Baxter, and have a nice time on the hike. Bye.
09:29Who was it, darling? Oh, uh, Mr. Greffin. Why didn't you invite him in for a cup of coffee?
09:43Well, he didn't have time. He was in a hurry. School bus, Harold. Here you go. Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. Bye, Hazel. Bye, son.
09:51Dorothy, were you really serious about wanting to go on this hike of Hazel's?
09:55I thought it'd be kind of fun. Well, all right. If you really want to go, I'll join you.
09:59Oh, Mr. B, that would be great. Oh, George, we'll have a wonderful time. I suppose so. Do you think we should
10:05take Harold? Well, Dorothy, it's an overnight hike. It might be a little too strenuous for him. We'll
10:10leave him at Mother's. Well, that's a good idea. Wait till you see, Mr. B. You'll have such a good
10:14time, you'll want to go every year. Well, I think just one year is enough. I wonder what I should
10:18wear. I'll wear my riding pants. George, why don't you wear your old Navy uniform? Well, that's a good
10:23idea. Yeah, that is if it still fits. Of course it fits. George always looks so handsome in his Navy
10:31uniform. Lieutenant Baxter George, 1-2-1-8-3-9-2-1. I know I would have made Lieutenant Commander if
10:42the war had lasted six more months. Ain't it amazing how a uniform can shrink just hanging
10:51in the trunk? All right. Five minutes, everybody. Five minutes break. Rest.
11:13This is the natural paradise you've been making such an effort to preserve. Is that right,
11:17Miss Burke? I just can't understand it. When I was here a few years ago, it was beautiful.
11:22Everything was so green. Gee, I don't know what could have happened. Well, I do. Blight,
11:32that's what's happening. It's killing all the plant life in the area. That's why everything's
11:37withered and turning brown. Yeah, we've been on the safari for six hours now, and I've only seen
11:41two green things. One of those was a broken beer bottle. Yeah, what was the other one? Well, that
11:47thing crawling on your wife's shoulder. Oh, George! Get it off! Get it off! Honey, it's only a caterpillar.
11:53Must preserve the wildlife, you know. I never saw so many tin cans in my life. The place is
11:58littered with them. I just can't understand it, Commissioner. A couple years ago, everything was
12:03so green. As far as I'm concerned, it's mostly rocks and dirt. I agree. Pocono must be the Indian
12:09word for disaster area. Hey, don't rub it in, George. Don't make it any worse. Well, what did I say?
12:14Miss Burt, my mind wasn't made up one way or the other about putting the highway through here, but
12:19now that I've seen the area, I don't see what the great loss would be. If you ask me, a nice clean
12:24paved road would improve the area. Sure. It's true. The place looks pretty unattractive. Now, I'd welcome
12:29the sight of a few billboards. Oh, you should have seen it a few years ago, Mr. B. Everything was...
12:35Yeah, I know. Everything was all green. Yeah, but we haven't been hiking very long. Wait till we get to the
12:40campsite. Then you'll see how beautiful it is, Commissioner. I hope so, for your sake, Miss Burt.
12:46Well, there's no sense sitting around here. Let's go up and see it. All right. Here we go, everybody.
12:52Come on, everybody. Break's over.
12:58Oh, no. Oh, what's the matter, Commissioner? Well, at least there's one thing the blight
13:03hasn't gotten to yet. What is that? All this poison ivy we've all been sitting in.
13:10Well, gentlemen, so far I'm only impressed by one thing. My poison ivy. Where is this stream
13:25you've been telling us about? Trucker Hall Brook. Oh, it's just around the bend here.
13:29Good. There's nothing I like better than to soak my aching feet in a nice cool stream.
13:40Well, Miss Burt? Well, it used to be around here somewhere. Let's go this first and then see if we can find it.
14:11Oh, you found it. Did you hurt yourself? This is Tucker Hall Brook?
14:40Yeah, you're lucky. It used to have water in it.
14:53Hold still, darling. Dorothy, that stings. What is that stuff? It's Hazel's special remedy for
15:00poison ivy and it really works. She made it herself. George, I used it and I've stopped itching already.
15:06What's in it? She put in some calamine lotion and some spirits of camphor,
15:11some brown soap and some cold cream. Are you sure she didn't put some of that stuff in this coffee?
15:24Hi, Commissioner. Commissioner Sedna, how's your ankle? Does it feel better?
15:30Oh, fine, fine. I'm sure that in a year or two it'll be just as good as new.
15:35You know, I was noticing you walk. You look real distinguished with a limp.
15:40Thanks. It makes me feel a great deal better. If you don't mind, I think I'll go get a little sleep.
15:47I'll need all the strength I can get for the long limp. Oh, have a good night's sleep. Pleasant dreams.
15:56Well, Commissioner Cormack, are you feeling any better? No, worse. Gee, I can't understand it.
16:02There didn't used to be any poison ivy up here at all. Well, now you can start calling this trail
16:06poison ivy gulch. Why don't you use some of my salve? Oh, thank you. I don't want any of your
16:11homemade remedies. Well, have a good night's sleep. You'll feel better in the morning.
16:16Well, Commissioner Murray, you feeling any better? Oh.
16:27Yes, Dorothy. At this moment, we may be sitting right in the middle of the new highway.
16:32What do you mean, George? Well, I can't imagine the Commissioner's deciding any of the way.
16:36There's certainly nothing up here worth saving. Well, for heaven's sakes,
16:39don't gloat in front of Hazel. Oh, and I think that they almost ruined a perfectly good golf course
16:44for this. Hi, Missy, Mr. B. You feeling all right? We're fine. Everything's just fine, Hazel.
16:54Hazel, why don't you sit down and have something to eat? Why, you spend so much time taking care
17:00of everybody else, you haven't had time to look after yourself. Well, I ain't hungry. Things is
17:03going all wrong up here. Well, I wouldn't worry about it. Looks like you won, Mr. B. Yep, certainly
17:10looks that way to me. Well, don't give up hope yet. The hike's not over yet. I kind of wish it was.
17:17Well, who knows? Tomorrow we might find ourselves in that beautiful green woods, you remember.
17:22By that time, everybody will be so disgruntled, they won't notice it. Oh, they'll feel differently
17:26in the morning. Nothing improves the disposition like a good night's sleep. That's what I thought,
17:30Missy. You know what I did? I showed the commissioners how to rig up their tents like
17:34hammocks. That's a good idea. Now they won't be lying on the cold ground. They'll get a good night's sleep.
17:57Oh, oh.
18:12George. What? I've got a sharp pain in my back.
18:20It's probably from lying out in this cold ground. Well, maybe I'll rub it for you.
18:27Uh-oh. I think I found the cause of the trouble.
18:33What is it? Looks like an old Indian arrowhead to me.
18:40Now I know how General Custer felt.
18:44Now look, we only have a few hours till morning. Let's try to get some sleep.
18:51Sorry I made you come on this hike. I know you did it just for me.
18:57Didn't you? Well, not entirely. What do you mean? Well, we felt that as a few of the club members and
19:10Mr. Griffin and myself, we felt that someone should be along to represent the club's point of view.
19:19Is that really necessary? No, not the way things have turned out.
19:24What we've seen so far isn't worth preserving. I guess you're right.
19:30Oh, good night, George. Good night.
19:43George.
19:48It's raining.
19:49Oh, no.
20:03Oh, my aching back. At least it keeps your mind off your aching ankle.
20:20I'm sure it's up to take my mind off this poison ivy. I'm six feet of solid itch.
20:25Hi. Isn't it a beautiful morning? Oh, boy, the air is so fresh and clean after the rain.
20:31It just makes everything grow. Boy, this is going to be a beautiful day on the trail.
20:38You're all going to feel better when you get a nice hot breakfast in here. You know what we're
20:42going to have? Eggs, hot cakes, coffee. Just wait a minute. Hold on there. Just wait a minute.
20:50I'm afraid you'll have to put that fire out. Oh, Sheriff, you're just in time for a cup of coffee.
20:57You can't make coffee here, lady. This is a fire area this year. You should know better.
21:02Dry timber goes up just like that. Dry timber? Why, it's just rain. Everything is soaking wet.
21:11Oh, don't take that into account. Regulations say this is a fire area.
21:15It's a twenty dollar fine for that, you know. Listen, Sheriff, I'm cold and I'm wet. I just
21:20want to get dry. You let us keep that fire going. I'll gladly pay the twenty dollar fine.
21:27Hey, mister, you're trying to bribe me. Oh, no, Sheriff, you're making a mistake.
21:33Do you know who this is? This is R.J. Stettner, the highway commissioner.
21:38Is that right? Oh, well, what's he doing way out here in the woods? Well, we were thinking of
21:43building a highway along this old trail. You mean right here in the landslide area? Landslide area?
21:50Oh, yes. Get them every spring. See that down there? Used to be up there.
21:59Floods do that, you know. Floods? Oh, that's terrible.
22:02Oh, no. Last year, it helped us to put out the forest fire. Forest fire?
22:09Took three days to put her out. Gentlemen, I think I've heard enough. How about you?
22:14I couldn't agree more. Let's get out of here. Ain't you going on?
22:18No need to. I'm certain the engineers will choose the alternate route.
22:22Well, they can't take our golf course. We'll talk about that on the way home, Baxter.
22:27What about breakfast? Well, don't worry about it, Hazel. I think we're pretty close to Route 14.
22:32There's a place up there where we can eat. Oh, you mean that roadside stand up there?
22:36Oh, I know. It's not up there anymore. It's way down there.
22:40It is? Well, I'll be darned.
22:43Must have been our last landslide. Not again.
22:49And what happened then, Baxter? Well, the commissioner says their engineers
22:52would never approve the Pocono Trail as a highway.
22:56Is that true, Baxter? Yes. They figured just from an engineering standpoint that the trail
23:02would be impractical because of the landslides, floods, slide areas.
23:06Well, we've done everything we could, haven't we, Baxter?
23:09But I guess Hazel wins after all. Nothing to say now except congratulations, Hazel.
23:16You've helped to bring about the destruction of one of the best golf courses in the state.
23:20Uh, well, now wait a minute, Mr. Griffin. I haven't finished yet.
23:23Yeah. According to the commissioners, they ain't going to go through the golf course either.
23:27Not through the country club? That's right. It seems they had another
23:31route in mind all along, and that's the one they chose.
23:33That's wonderful news, George. I know you'd be pleased, Mr. Griffin.
23:37Call me Harvey. Okay, Harvey. Call me Harvey.
23:41All right, Harv. George, you've done a splendid job.
23:44But after all, it was the only logical decision. Well, thanks, Harv.
23:48By the way, what is the alternate route? Well, Stetner referred to it as J33.
23:53He marked it out on the mat for us. Here it is, Dad.
23:56Okay, son. Here we are. Now, it's this red line that goes right through Edgerton,
24:05skirts the northern section, and comes right down through here.
24:08What? Mr. Griffin, what's the matter?
24:11Stetner is not going to get away with this. I'll take it to the Supreme Court if necessary.
24:16Why, anyone with half a brain would realize that the only logical place for that highway
24:20is through the golf course. But I thought you didn't want to go
24:24through the golf course. What changed your mind?
24:27J33 runs right through the site for my new factory.
24:37I wonder what he's going to do now. Well, if I was him,
24:40I'd write a letter to the editor.
25:24This has been a Screen Gems film production.