The Well Groomed Bride (1946) - full transcript
A man and a woman fight over the last bottle of champagne left in San Francisco--she wants it for a wedding, and he wants to use it to christen a ship.
- Subtitles -
Lu?s Filipe Bernardes
Oh, note the chief engineer.
Make sure sea valves are checked
in place and tight.
Aye-aye, sir.
What is all this waiting on the ship's side,
why isn't it cleared away?
I believe that's the new arresting gear, sir.
On account of the narrow launching base.
Oh. Well, make sure.
No, no, better keep my nose out of it.
After all, she won't be mine until
she's launched and commissioned.
I don't think they'd mind if I checked, sir,
even though she isn't officially ours yet.
Ours, Mr. Briggs?
Uh, sorry, sir.
You may get a new assignment,
you know.
I hope not, sir.
- You're a good man at sea, Briggs.
- Thank you, sir.
Wouldn't surprise me if you were
airport officer.
Wouldn't surprise me if you were...
lieutenant commander soon.
- Really, sir?
- Another year, maybe.
No need to rush things.
A year. Yes, sir, thank you, sir.
But in the immediate future it wouldn't
surprise me if you got that leave to go to, uh...
- San Diego, sir.
- Oh, yes, San Diego.
- Blonde or brunette?
- Redhead, sir.
- Hm. Name of?
- Burnside, Cynthia Burnside.
- Burnside, must be Army.
- No, sir, Navy.
Hm-hmm. Intentions honorable?
Well, it all depends on the nature
of the opposition, sir.
Well, take a tip from a man who's been
through many a manoeuvre.
Hold your fire till you get in close.
Yes, sir.
Fine ship.
Yes, the finest you've ever
commanded, sir.
She'll be named for French brig,
the Vengeance.
Saver of John Paul Jones.
I hope they have the decency tomorrow
to launch her with French champagne.
- We have no control over that, sir.
- Well, we can provide the champagne.
But I was under the impression that
the Bureau of Yards and Docks would...
Mr. Briggs, they build us a fine ship.
This ship is a lady.
You don't ask a lady to bring champagne
to her own launching, do you?
Well, technically speaking, sir...
Briggs, you've never spoken technically
to a lady in your whole life.
As a gesture of appreciation,
we're supplying French champagne
for the launching.
Aye-aye, sir. One quart of
French champagne.
One quart my eye. This carrier
displaces 40,000 tons.
You don't launch a vessel that size
with a quart, do you?
Very well, sir, a two-quart size,
a magnum.
Mr. Briggs, if a little French crew
in a dingy, with twelve popguns,
if a little outfit like that can make
sail for John Paul Jones,
we can certainly salute them with
a magnum of their own champagne.
- Get it.
- Now, sir?
Now!
Aye-aye, sir, one magnum coming up.
Lady, you're going to sea
with a hangover.
- Oh, I'm sorry!
- It's all right.
Good afternoon. M. Fernandez
at your service.
- Well, this gentleman...
- No, you first.
- But you were really here before me.
- It's quite all right.
You win, lady, what do you want?
- A large bottle of champagne.
- That's funny, me too.
- Really?
- A quart?
That's fine.
May I make a suggestion?
Magnum is twice as big.
- As a quart?
- Sure.
Wait! Make that a magnum if you will.
- Two magnums.
- Two?
- Yes, that's what I came for.
- Well, thanks for the thought.
It's all right.
How about each of you take a pair of quarts?
Same quantity, twice as much bottles.
- Oh, no, that's not the idea.
- No, it wouldn't be the same at all.
Magnum size, haven't you got any?
No... Look! You take quarts and carry
one under each arm, balanced.
- Well, thanks anyway.
- Some other store.
Magnum.
Not since 1939, 38.
- Allow me.
- Thank you.
Oh taxi!
Oh, just a minute. As long as we're
after the same thing.
Well... if you let me pay
half the fair.
- Oh, no, no.
- Oh, then I couldn't.
Sure you could, lady, get in!
- Where to?
- Wine shop. Biggest in town.
This is so nice of you. I'd have gone
and got one of those little quart bottles.
Might as well do things big.
You can see how important it is.
"Marjorie Dawson, Mark Hopkins Hotel,
San Francisco..."
Oh, I'm Briggs, Dudley Briggs.
- How do you do?
- Happy to meet you... Margie.
"Meet me 9 o'clock train with biggest bottle
champagne in San Francisco and I will...
...marry you. Torchy."
Isn't that wonderful?
You mean you'd marry a guy
who'd send you a telegram like that?
What's the matter with it?
"Meet me with biggest bottle
champagne and I will marry you."
Sounds like he's doing you a favor.
Well, he is. In just about three hours
and twenty minutes.
- Torchy.
- Torchy MacNeil.
Should I know him?
You mean to say you've never heard
of the Oregon Earthquake?
Torchy MacNeil, the greatest back
since Ernie Pinckert.
University of Oregon, the Rose Bowl.
See?
- Who's Ernie Pinckert?
- The greatest back since Ernie Nevers.
Say, where do you come from?
Massachusetts.
Congratulations, lady.
You're getting the best passing and blocking
back ever developed on the Pacific Coast.
Don't I know it.
Tossing a football around with a war on,
why isn't Torchy in uniform?
He is.
Well, folks, what's it gonna be?
The young lady would like a magnum
of French champagne.
- Chilled?
- Not necessarily.
- And I'd like one, please.
- Oh, another magnum.
- Please.
- Chilled?
Not necessarily.
Tell me, folks, does this place
look like a museum?
Yes.
Well, I haven't had a magnum in this
place in two years.
And if you find one in San Francisco,
I'm a pickled owl.
- You mean there aren't any?
- Oh, but there must be.
Are you trying to insinuate
that I am a pickled owl?
My gosh! I am!
- There is.
- A magnum?
- French?
- Yes.
Wortle's place, on Nathan Lane.
It's in his window.
One?
Augustin.
- Pardon me.
- Pardon me.
- Excuse me!
- There's no hurry.
Hey, hey, come here!
Hurry, that sailor's drunk!
Hey!
You're lucky. I was just
about to close.
I bet there isn't another French magnum
west of Denver.
Well, thirteen, fourteen.
Fourteen ninety-eight.
I'll give you a check for the rest.
Cash on the barrel here.
Here you are, I'll take it.
- Fourteen ninety-eight.
- No, wait, I'm first!
I'll give you fifty bucks for it.
Sorry, colonel, Wortle's ceiling price
is fourteen ninety-eight.
Ninety-eight, there.
That's yours, miss.
- There you are.
- Thank you.
- Allow me.
- Thank you.
Nice afternoon.
Carry your bottle for you?
Give you a hundred dollars for it.
- You talk like a rich civilian.
- I'll give you $200 for it.
Honeymoon in del Monte,
all expenses paid.
Torchy's only going to be here
tonight and tomorrow.
- Why are you so anxious to get this?
- To launch a ship.
You mean waste this good
champagne on a boat?
A forty-ton carrier is not a boat,
it's a ship.
- Are you an American?
- Well, I guess so.
Unless Oregon has seceded.
Well, this is an American ship,
built to carry American planes and men,
now would you let them down?
Go get some American champagne.
But she's being named for a French warship
that sailed with John Paul Jones.
- Jones was American.
- Look.
You don't get the sentiment behind this.
Do you know that in the Civil War
the USS Shamrock...
...was launched with a bottle
of Irish whiskey?
Well, there's your cue. Launch yours
with a bottle of French dressing.
Oh, my hat!
Won't it ever stop rolling?
I'll get it.
Oh, thanks a lot!
I bought this hat especially
for Torchy.
For Torchy.
- May I hold your bottle?
- No, thanks.
It would be bad luck if I lost it.
Same with the ship.
Launching is when you give it luck.
Stop waving the flag.
This champagne is going to my wedding.
My first and only.
Oh, look at that hill.
It keeps getting higher.
My ears just popped.
Why don't we walk down
the hill, it's easier.
- Get some dinner and take a cab up.
- Dinner?
Yes, it's six or a little after.
- There's chop suey down there.
- Yes, but you're a stranger and...
I'm getting married.
Well, what's wrong with that?
You're not marrying the stranger.
Well, it just doesn't seem right.
Does it?
Look, I'm inviting you for chop suey,
not the tunnel of love.
Well...
It wouldn't be right to become a bride
on an empty stomach.
Would it?
What was I saying before?
- Torchy.
- I mean where?
Against Wyoming. Torchy 62,
Wyoming nothing.
Oh, yes!
Then, in the Montana game,
that was the next Saturday,
Torchy threw a forward pass,
it bounced on the goalpost, so...
he caught his own forward pass
and beat the Grizzlies 54 to nothing.
- One forward pass.
- And another thing.
Against State Teacher's College
he kicked twelve straight field goals.
- Who won?
- Torchy.
I mean, we, Oregon.
Tell me, what did he do to win you?
Nothing. I won him.
Lucky.
Let's dance to good old Torchy, hm?
- There's no harm in dancing, is there?
- Oh, no, no.
Waiter.
Would you check the champagne
for me, please?
Psst!
I know you'd rather dance
with the magnum, lieutenant.
- You dance well, lieutenant.
- Thank you, Margie.
- Torchy doesn't, the loveable ox.
- Well, you can't have everything.
He almost did.
For two years he was engaged to Beverly
Billings, Senator Billings' daughter.
And that was nice because Torchy's
in highway construction.
Old solid-rock Torchy.
But Senator Billings wasn't reelected,
so then Torchy went with Winona Krantz.
- Senator Krantz's daughter?
- The president's daughter.
I mean, the president of Northern
Cement company.
Oh, that president, huh?
Looked like I was going to lose
Torchy for sure.
But Mr. Krantz sold out and went
in the lumber business.
Poor Torchy, always playing
the wrong hunches.
Then...
I know, then along came you,
the real thing.
No. Sloane, Curb and Highway Corporation.
Torchy never leaves the road,
does he?
- That... that Rita Sloane!
- Rita Sloane?
You don't like her at all.
So underhanded. She knew I'd been
waiting for Torchy to find himself.
Or you.
The minute I left town to visit my town
in Clackamas County...
- I beg your pardon?
- My aunt, my father's sister.
She raises apples same as my father,
Clackamas County has very good apple crops.
Oh.
Well, the minute I left town,
this Rita Sloane took over.
Sounds like quite a dish.
Why do you say that?
- Well, why do you hate her?
- Because she's quite a dish.
But I got my chance.
Torchy was drafted.
Oh, he'd love the way you say that.
Oh, wait a minute.
But I have to meet Torchy
at the station in twenty minutes.
I want to show you something.
Lieutenant Briggs, the dinner was lovely,
you dance divinely,
and now if you'll excuse me,
I'll never see you again.
Dudley Briggs, if you're going to destroy
my faith in the American Navy...
They call this Portsmouth Plaza,
you know why?
To remember Robert Louis Stevenson.
- See that flagpole over there?
- Yes.
That's where they raised the first
American flag over San Francisco.
You know who raised it?
- Robert Louis Stevenson?
- Sailors of the USS Portsmouth.
Oh, Portsmouth Plaza.
Yes, in 1840 something, fighting men
of the United States Navy.
And tomorrow at dawn we're going
to launch the ship...
...that's going to raise the American
flag over Tokyo.
I hope so.
You really do?
In the name of the United States Navy...
I'm asking you to remember your
wedding champagne...
...is the bottle that launched the ship that
raised the stars and stripes over Tokyo.
Well...
If it's all right with Torchy.
- We thank you, Margie.
- You shouldn't have done that.
That was for a hundred and thirty million
Americans. Let's go meet Torchy.
Just think, it's been two whole years.
In his last letter he said
he'd raised a moustache.
That's better than just sitting around.
- Are you scared?
- Of Torchy?
No, of marrying a guy in two hours
you haven't seen for two years.
What if he discovers you don't love him?
Don't say that!
I don't see her anywhere.
She's probably running around with
one of them home-grown Romeos.
Fine talk, after all the time Torchy
sweated it out.
Oh, boy, San Francisco!
Women!
Hey.
Hey, Margie!
Torchy!
Torchy!
- Oh, Torchy!
- Margie!
My name's Cutler.
Mine's Briggs.
Margie!
Margie!
Torchy, at last!
- Good ol' USA.
- That moustache!
After sixteen months
in the Aleutions! Wow!
Oh, Torchy, my dear!
Five minutes and he's already
found him a native woman.
Margie, this is Buck, and Goose,
and Mitch.
Hello, men. Torchy's written me so much
about all of you it's like old friends.
Yeah, we were glad
when he steadied up with you.
That Rita Sloane sent Torchy
nothing but regards.
Oh, this is Lt. Briggs.
Uh... he's in the Navy.
Really?
- A friend of Margie's sir?
- A friend of the bridegroom's too, I hope.
Oh, glad to know you.
Hey, our champagne!
Be careful, now, that's the last one!
Please, it's absolutely
the only one in town.
- I need it for tomorrow morning.
- Say, whose bottle is this?
Ours, only I thought maybe you'd
lend it to him to launch a ship with.
You mean smack this against some hull?
How do you like that?
The Navy wants to christen
a crate with this.
Look, I got orders from my skipper,
one magnum of French champagne
for the launching by dawn tomorrow.
Look, Mr. MacNeil how about a deal?
The big bottle for the ship,
two quarts for the wedding.
Lieutenant, you and the boys and myself...
...are going to drink a little toast
to Margie with this bottle.
Your skipper can go, um... bust a pint.
Come on, fellows.
But listen, I...
- You see.
- You'd thing I was in enemy territory.
Come on, Margie.
# After all is said and done #
Come in.
# Oh, Margie, Margie #
# It's you #
- Here.
- Oh, Magnum, that's French.
- I haven't seen one of these in ages.
- Great help.
I wish there was something I could do.
You could give me the room for
about five seconds.
- Torchy would never forgive me.
- Ah, there you are ma'am.
All iced and ready for nature
to take its course.
- Thanks, I, uh...
- All right, I, uh...
Thank you sir. Leave it to the Navy
to do things right, sir.
I only hope the rest of the Navy
is doing better than I am.
Would you try Torchy just once more?
No use.
But there must be a soft spot
somewhere in that hulk.
I beg your pardon!
Hey, honey, what time will
that fella be here to marry us?
- Any minute.
- Look, naked as a jaybird.
Well, I guess it's no use
hanging around any longer.
Sorry I can't wait to see you
get married.
You're leaving?
Have to report back to the skipper
on failure of mission.
Well, it's not your fault there's a war on
and French Magnums are hard to get.
Try and tell that to your superior officer.
- Well, best of luck.
- Thanks.
It was swell meeting the navy.
I'll drink a special little toast
to you from this bottle.
- I'm afraid you won't.
- Why not?
Because in the name of the navy
I hereby shanghai the bottle!
Oh, Torchy!
He got the bottle!
Hey, catch!
Hey, stop, stop!
Hey!
Get going, follow that elevator.
Hey, throw it, throw it, here!
Sailor, by all rights I should bust
this bottle right over your head.
At least, I've been a very bad boy.
And what ever made you think you could
get a forward pass by Torchy MacNeil?
Oh, ignorance, lack of reading
the papers, I suppose.
Well from now on will you please be kind
enough to stay out of my wedding?
Welcome, MacNeil.
And stay out of my hair!
Wilma Wickley speaking.
I'll see you in the morning, Captain.
Right, and thanks for the use
of the office.
Mr. Briggs, sir.
He's managed to locate the only magnum
of French champagne in San Francisco.
Will you kindly remind Mr. Briggs
that the launching is to be at dawn?
But he says the champagne
is about to be used at a wedding.
Our magnum?
Give me that phone!
Aye-aye, sir.
Briggs!
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir, I'll try, sir.
I mean, I'll get it somehow, sir.
Aye-aye, sir.
I have a reservation, Rita Sloane.
Oh, yes, Miss Sloane. Your room
number is... Just a moment.
Sloane, Sloane, Sloane...
Now here you are, Miss Sloane.
Sign here, please.
Sloane? Rita Sloane?
- Show Miss Sloane the 1242.
- Yes, sir.
Rita Sloane from Oregon,
well, well.
- Why, yes. But, um, I can't quite...
- Briggs, Dudley Briggs.
Oh... Lieutenant, isn't it?
Yes. Oh, the hours I've spent listening
to Torchy raving about Rita Sloane.
Do you know Torchy MacNeil?
Know him? Why, we're practically
amphibious.
Oh, boy, take Miss Sloane's bags up
to her room, she'll be up in a minute.
- Do you know where Torchy is?
- Right to the very minute.
- Then he is in town.
- Uh-huh.
Oh, I heard indirectly that he
was coming to San Francisco.
- Oh, lady, how that man goes for you.
- Really?
He's so... so sort of backward about some
things that you can't really tell.
Yes, I know, old silent Torchy.
You know, I wrote to him in the
Aleutions several times...
...but sometimes he answered
and sometimes he didn't.
That's why I decided I'd better
come and see him.
Rita... may I call you Rita?
Of course. Uh, who did you
say you are?
- Briggs, Dudley.
- Of course, Dudley.
Rita, from the time Torchy
left Oregon,
every moment of his living life
has been dedicated to you.
What a faithful hunk of stone.
Oh, it's hard to believe.
Um, didn't he ever mention Margie?
Margie?
Margie, Margie, Margie...
Margie who?
Oh, it's a girl from back home
you wouldn't know.
But where is he, where can I find him?
Ah-ha! You just leave everything to me.
We're going to arrange this reunion in style.
Top of the Mark.
Wonderful!
Dudley, you're quite a man.
Top of the Mark, please.
Thank you, we'll order in a moment.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I'll go dig up your pride and joy.
You know, I'm naturally frightened?
It's been two whole years.
Torchy'll fix that. See you in a minute.
- May I use your house phone?
- Yes, sir.
Oh, the Justice of the Peace.
- I'll take your things.
- I've been a mighty busy man tonight.
This war's speeded up weddings
faster than Liberty Ship.
Hello? Who?
Uh, Barton, photographer
of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sports editor heard you were in town
asked me to come up and get a picture.
Oh, you want a picture of me
and the bride?
Oh, not for the bride, this is
for the sports section.
We'll probably run it all over the country.
You know, football hero now real lie hero.
Oh, I don't know what you call a hero,
just digging those air strips.
I'm all set up for the picture on the
Top of the Mark right in your hotel.
Good background of San Francisco.
Can you come up right away?
Oh, that can wait for a minute,
I have to make an early edition.
Why, sure, no time at all.
Right.
Honey, there's a photographer upstairs,
wants to get a picture right away.
Oh, good, how do I look?
Fine, but he just wants a picture of me.
You mean a wedding picture
of the groom alone?
- Not wedding, sports.
- Oh.
So if you'll excuse me...
Young man, I have four more
weddings before midnight.
Go ahead, Torchy,
we'll keep him fenced in.
Be right back, fellas.
Well... my relatives know
how I look anyway.
The name is Lt. MacNeil,
I'll point him out to you.
When he comes, simply lead him
to that lady's table right there.
- That lady with that thing in the hat.
- You sure it's alright, sir?
Most patriotic thing you could do.
Here he comes, hurry up.
- Pardon me, Lt. MacNeil, sir?
- Right.
This way, please.
- Well!
- For Pete's...
- Well?
- Gosh, Rita!
Torchy!
- Shouldn't have done that.
- Oh, I loved it.
- This war has moved a lot of conventions.
- Yeah.
There's a man I'm supposed to see
up here, a photographer.
Oh, so that's how he got you here.
Got me here?
Still the same old bewildered Torchy.
Honestly, you don't realize how you
miss a man like you until after he's gone.
- Did you really miss me?
- Till it hurt.
I didn't know that.
You never did anything but write.
- Madam?
- A manhattan.
- You?
- Uh...
Same.
I'm quite aware, Miss Dawson,
that this is probably the most
important night in your life
But there are several other young ladies
waiting for me to make them legal.
Well, I'm just as anxious as you are
to get this thing finished, but...
you know as well as I that it takes two.
Oh, excuse me.
Hello? Margie Dawson speaking.
This the waiter form the Top of the Mark.
Lt. MacNeil says he will be
slightly delayed...
...on account of having a drink
with Miss Rita Sloane.
Rita Sloane?
- You mean to tell me that...
- Thank you, please, I'm very busy.
Hello! Hello, hello!
- If I'm not too inquisitive...
- Wait for me here.
Now what?
We don't know, we ain't seen
a woman in months.
May I...
- Never mind, please, I'm looking for someone.
- Lovely view, isn't it?
- Perfect.
Well, Margie Dawson.
Hello, Rita, haven't seen you since
the Clackamas County apple fair.
Margie, you won't believe
what I'm going to tell you...
- That's a great start.
- Am I in the middle of something?
Hasn't he told you?
- I just barely had time to kiss Rita.
I see. Well, then I'd better tell Rita.
By all means.
Well, it's a very ordinary story, Rita,
it happens every day.
Torchy and I were downstairs
waiting to be married.
Married?
But the phone rang and Torchy left,
so finally I came up here to see why.
Now I see.
Well, honey, you're making
it sound terrible.
Why don't you say something
about the picture?
- Tell me, what about the picture?
- Well, a fellow just...
That's right, the picture.
Well, his editor told him to tell me...
The least you could have done, Torchy,
was to tell me about Margie.
I hate to make a fool of myself.
It seems the lieutenant feels
he's quite a man with the ladies.
Good thing to know.
Makes a woman decide to be
a little bit more sure next time.
- What do you mean next time?
- I mean this time is off.
And next time there won't be a man
named Torchy MacNeil.
Nice to have met both of you.
Wait a minute, Torchy.
Don't you know anything about women,
you'll only make things worse.
Give her a few minutes to cool off.
Gosh, Rita, one minute I'm on top
of the world,
the next minute my whole
life is ruined.
Drink your drink, that's what men do.
Maidens cry over their knitting.
Don't get impatient, doc.
It's not me that gets impatient,
it's my customers.
Calm down, white father.
Hello.
Oh, our big bottle baby back
again, eh?
- What do you want?
- Oh, I just dropped back for the wedding.
In the minute there isn't
going to be any wedding.
Gentlemen, you may have forgotten
but there's a war on.
We would know, we've been
in the Aleutians.
- I'm about to bid you farewell.
- Oh, no, you don't!
I'll fight my way out of here.
Please, men, let the Justice go.
There's been a slight change in plans.
What I mean to say is... no wedding.
- No wedding?
- Not tonight, thank you.
I've just seen how the other half lives.
There'll be a five-dollar delivery charge.
- What did you deliver?
- Myself.
Oh... well, uh...
- You always seem to be paying.
- With pleasure.
Bless you.
- But Margie, what happened?
- Where's Torchy?
The last time I saw him,
he was fumbling a pass.
And now if you'll excuse me.
But Margie, isn't there anything
we can do?
You and Torchy are such nice guys.
Thank you, but right now Torchy's
busy with another nice guy.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Hello...
Put that bottle back!
Hello? Yes?
Sacramento?
Isn't anything sacred to you?
Hello?
Papa, what are you doing in Sacramento?
No, I wasn't talking to Torchy,
it's a navy lieutenant.
A sailor. What are you doing
in Sacramento?
No, we aren't married, there's
been a little trouble.
Oh, Papa, of course not!
No, you can't talk to Torchy
because he isn't here.
No, there's no reason to come
to San Francisco.
Oh, he's just a sailor,
I met him in a store.
Are the apples all picked, Papa?
A liquor store.
Oh, for Pete's sake, Papa,
of course not.
Please, Papa, everything's
going to be all right.
I was talking about a bottle.
A bottle.
Yes, Papa, I'll get him out right away.
You'd better leave, Briggs,
without the bottle.
- Apples all picked?
- This is no time to be funny.
Besides from all the other trouble,
my father thinks I've discarded Torchy...
...for a strange sailor on my
wedding night.
Gee, I'm sorry, Margie, I'm sorry
for what's happened to a swell gal.
Well, I'm not sorry, it's better to find out
these things on time.
- What things.
- Never mind, please go, Briggs.
Look, Margie, you must be sick and tired
of the navy and of me too.
The things I do to get
that bottle of champagne.
But since you're not going
to need it for the wedding, I...
Who's not going to need it?
But the wedding's called off, isn't it?
For tonight.
You mean you're going to marry
that lug after what he...
- Well, what ever he did do.
- Well, of course.
But first I'm goin to teach him
to keep his mind on me.
What about me with a launching
at dawn and no bottle?
I have my own problems now,
good night.
May I ask why you didn't knock,
Lt. MacNeil?
Do you think all women are
without principle?
May I ask what he's doing in here?
This is for the USO, and I'm the hostess.
Oh, gee, Margie, I'm sorry,
but what could I do?
All of a sudden she saw me and before I knew
what was happening she kissed me and...
She kissed you right on her lips
with your helpless mouth.
Then she said something about
some drinks and then, uh...
Why don't you get out of here, navy?
This good man happens to be
my guest, lieutenant.
Thank you, Margie.
Do you think I'm gonna stand here and make
a goon of myself in front of a stranger.
You did it upstairs in front of
a roomful of strangers.
For the last time, navy,
will you get out of my room?
Your room?
Uh... isn't this my room?
Well, it is if I sleep in the street.
Must I remind you, lieutenant,
that we still aren't married...
...and this room is registered
in my name only?
Gosh, I'm so mixed up I don't know
whether I'm coming or go...
Hey, where's all the fellas and where's
that guy was going to marry us?
Gone, while you were making hay
with Rita Sloane.
Hay, she says. And will you lay off
that Rita Sloane business?
Certainly, Lt. MacNeil, I didn't mean to
belittle your Rita Sloane business.
And now if you'll excuse me, I have
a date with Lt. Briggs of the navy.
That I won't stand for!
- Where are you taking me, lieutenant?
- Well, I should think to Richmond...
...to launch a carrier, I still hope.
Oh, the navy never gives up, does it?
Well, I'll take it along just in case.
My champagne, after sixteen
months in the Aleutians.
Your champagne?
That I found the only magnum of.
And paid for with my own money.
Torchy, sometimes you sound
like the wrong man.
Rita, Margie just walked out on me.
Well, let me be the first to congratulate
you. Sit down and finish your drink.
But this is a crisis, come on,
you gotta square me.
Will you explain one thing to me.
Why did Briggs tell me that you...
Don't mention Briggs to me,
that guy's nothing but trouble!
You see, I don't understand.
You want me to square you with her.
- If you won't she'll never marry me.
- She won't?
Well, in that case, Torchy, I can only
repeat sit down and finish your drink.
You keep looking around like
somebody was after you.
Somebody'd better be if he knows
what's good for him.
I'd walk out of this stooge job
if I didn't like you so much.
You mean if you didn't like
my champagne.
Here you are, sir.
Don't tell anybody that a naval officer...
...and an angry-looking girl have gone
to the Richmond ferry,
unless he offers you a dollar.
Hello, Wickley? Is your man
still around?
Briggs calling again, sir.
He should have been here hours
ago with that champagne.
Hours ago!
- Hello, Briggs?
- I'm still trying, Capt. Hornby.
I'm with the bottle but the bottle
is still with this girl Margie Dawson.
You mean to tell me that a grown
man with your reputation...
can't get a bottle of champagne
away from a woman...
...with a simple American name
like Margie Dawson?
I've tried everything, sir,
everything short of murder.
Well, what are you waiting for?!
Maybe if I had a little assistance, sir,
someone who would try and help
talk her out of it.
We're just about to catch
the ferry for Richmond.
Mr. Briggs, you have a mission.
I'm relying on you to have that magnum
of champagne here for the launching at dawn.
Aye-aye, sir.
And you will recall, Mr. Briggs, that you
are relying on me to approve a leave.
- Need I say more?
- No, sir.
Not another word.
I don't know what's come over that boy.
Used to be able to wrap three women
around his fingers at once.
- He could, sir.
- Get me shore patrol.
Aye-aye, sir.
I see it isn't only the navy
that never gives up.
Well, I guess he just hasn't
been able to find a taxi.
Or he just hasn't been able
to tear himself away from Rita Sloane.
- Excuse me, do you mind?
- You got a nerve!
This is a matter of life or death. I gotta catch
a girl before she gets to the navy yard.
If she's that kind of a girl,
I don't think she's worth catching.
One to Richmond.
Good to be back at sea again.
Look!
There he is.
Do you mind if a take advantage
of a suspicious nature?
Even stooges get a break.
Does he see us?
Uh-oh, he's blowing flames through
his nose and coming right at us.
Put your head close to mine.
Now listen while I whisper
in your ear.
If you want to get results, you'd better
let me do the whispering.
If there were a door in front
of you, I'd knock.
Oh, it's the lieutenant.
- What happened to your girlfriend?
- She isn't my girlfriend.
Well, drop around again soon, huh?
Margie, I've got to talk to you.
But I'm rather busy with another
lieutenant, lieutenant.
- Please don't call me lieutenant.
- You ashamed of being in the army, son?
Why don't you go rent a rowboat, navy?
Margie, can I talk to you alone, please?
Well...
Will you excuse us for a moment... Dudley
- Dudley!
- Certainly, dear, I trust you.
Like me to hold that heavy
old bottle for you?
Well? You said you had
something to tell me.
Yeah.
What's the idea of chasing off with
that guy and making me look like a clown?
Was it the way he looked
that bothered you, Torchy?
You know what I mean.
Goose and the guys think a lot of me,
it's sort of embarrassing.
Well, I didn't mean to embarrass
you, Torchy.
I just wanted to make you fell the way
I did when you chased off with Rita.
Margie, you had that all wrong.
The sports editor of the Chronicle...
...wanted to take a picture and he
just didn't show up, that's all.
- But Rita did.
- Yeah.
If a guy can't say hello to an old
friend he hasn't seen in two years.
Well, it isn't Rita that
bothers me, Torchy.
- No?
- I almost wish it were.
The fact that you can run off
to be photographed...
five minutes after we meet and now...
You mean I should have said
no to the Chronicle?
Is that awfully unreasonable?
But, Margie, the Chronicle
is my biggest booster.
The first year I made the All American,
they gave me a great big silver cup.
Well, maybe I'm being petty, Torchy,
I don't mean to be.
It's just that I didn't think our
first day would be...
- Well, like this.
- Well, the day isn't over, honey.
- Hey, that's him all right.
- Yeah.
I was in the Rose Bowl
when he made that long pass.
Well, Torchy, let's pretend that you're
just getting off the train...
- I remember.
- And I'm...
...just two yards against Kansas,
the greatest play I ever saw.
- Must have big hands to pass like that.
- Excuse me.
You know, Harvey of California
had very big hands.
I, uh... it's not the size of the hands,
it's the way you snap the ball, see?
Like this. Then, of course, accuracy
is just as important as distance.
Now, if I'd thrown it say, uh...
say 90 yards...
we would have scored if the ball
didn't drop right into Chanek's hand.
You know, people don't think
about that...
Well, if it isn't Mr. Dawson's
little girl Margie.
Hello.
Say, what ever happened to that fellow
we used to know, what's his name, the...
...the man you were engaged to?
Oh... he just met a few old friends.
- Hell be back in a minute.
- Oh.
Well, I guess you know what
my next question's gonna be.
Yes, I know.
The bottle.
Look, Margie, I don't want
to be a bore, but...
It isn't for me, it's for the navy.
You see, our captain looks upon this
magnum as good luck for the carrier...
and if it does nothing more for him and the
crew but give them a little more confidence...
Now, like, Gonowitz wanted me to kick,
but I said, uh...
Hold this.
All right, navy, sail away.
- Please, Dudley.
- Aye-aye, sir.
You sort of like that guy, don't you?
Yes, I do like him.
The guy has no business hanging
around with a girl who's engaged.
Well, the guy who's engaged
to her has, Torchy.
Well, I don't like him.
You shouldn't either,
all he cares about is that champagne.
Well, let's give it to him
and not see him anymore.
Oh, no, not in a million years.
Well, it won't be giving it to Briggs,
it'll be giving it to the navy.
The magnum is ours, it's not my fault
that there isn't any more.
- Is that your argument?
- It's my decision.
Gee, honey, you can't have
two quarterbacks.
If you know me at all,
you'd know that I...
I don't know you, Torchy,
I thought I did.
Anyway, the kind of marriage I believe in
has two quarterbacks.
So you can take the bottle
and keep it.
It is completely and officially yours.
Now you can celebrate all by yourself.
Well, I see the army has left
with further reversions.
Please go away, Briggs. You don't have
to follow me around anymore.
Torchy has the champagne.
You know, it's a curious thing.
When my father met my mother, she didn't
have a magnum of champagne to her name.
But he married her anyway.
I'm a lot like my father.
You know, Margie, when I first
met you in that wine shop,
you know what I thought?
I thought, there's the most
beautiful girl I've ever seen.
But she's probably not very bright.
I didn't think anyone that lovely
could have a brain too.
Then, when we were talking
in the cab, it...
It hit me like that.
I thought it was a kind of a miracle.
That out of a world of two billion people,
that's two thousand million,
I should meet the one girl
I've been looking for.
What brought this on, Briggs, I told you
I didn't have the champagne.
But, Margie, please believe me.
I never felt like this before.
I'm on the level, really.
You see, you can't chase a girl
around all day and half the night...
...without learning something about her.
Either you dislike her,
or think a lot about her.
And you know, there isn't one thing
about you that doesn't enchant me.
Your voice, the gleam in your eyes,
the way you comb your hair,
your perfume.
The smile on your lips.
Your lips.
Margie, I'm gonna tell you something.
You've got to believe me.
I'm in love with you.
I believe you.
Hey, what's the idea of kissing him?
Don't be a cad, MacNeil,
I was kissing her.
Oh.
Well, you see how a thing like that
can happen, Margie?
Now you understand about Rita Sloane.
It isn't quite the same, Torchy.
Well, end of the line,
we've reached Richmond.
Hey, wait, what about me?
Hey, Margie!
Hey, Margie!
Hey, Margie!
Margie!
You know what just happened?
All of a sudden I realized that
this bottle belongs to navy.
There speaks a man with
a heart of gold.
Lt. Briggs, much as you have
given me a personal pain in the neck,
I hereby present you with this magnum.
Take it and get out of our lives.
Wait a minute, Torchy, you said our lives.
- Yes, yours and mine.
- But, Margie...
Torchy, an awful lot of things have
happened in the last few minutes.
There's no use getting into
this long discussion,
you want to give the bottle
to the navy, Lt. MacNeil,
and the navy is happy to accept it.
Not so fast, Popeye.
You mean to tell me that kiss
was in the up and up?
You really like this guy?
Yes, I really like this guy.
We all like each other,
we're all friends, aren't we?
Oh, no, you don't.
You don't get my girl and the bottle.
Why, I'd rather see my mother take in
washing than give up this bottle now.
Oh, if you'd only kept quiet
one minute longer.
I had my fingers on it.
It is the champagne that's important.
- Oh, no, no, Margie...
- Lt. Briggs, sir?
Right.
Is this Miss Dawson?
Yes, why?
We have orders, sir, to pick up
Lt. Briggs and also Miss Dawson.
Why, this is ridiculous.
- What did I do?
- What did I do?
- You can't arrest me, I'm a civilian.
- That's what I'm here for.
Let's go, sir.
Clear away, please, clear away.
- They must be spies.
- Yeah.
Could be.
How're you doing?
My name's Dawson, what's yours?
- Peakley, sir.
- Peakley, how are you?
I managed to get down from Sacramento
when I found out there was trouble.
- Trouble?
- My daughter, did she get married alright?
Well, I really don't know, sir.
Is she a guest?
Don't you know your own people here?
Well, there are so many of them,
sir, in and out.
Dawson, Dawson...
Oh, yes, sir, 1004.
I'd better call first.
Wedding night.
Room 1004, please.
Hello!
Hello, is this Miss Dawson's room?
- Yeah!
- Is Margie there?
No!
She isn't? Where is she?
How would I know?
Something wrong, sir?
My daughter, what's happened to her?
You take this uniform off
and what do you got?
Successful businessman.
And before that what?
A celebrity.
The Oregon Earthquake.
A woman that betrays a man like me
is washed up for good.
One guy you can't kick around,
that's old Torchy MacNeil.
So it's ended, it's ended.
No use pouring ashes in cold water.
Now, before you say a word...
- Mr. Dawson!
- Who were you talking to?
Uh... me. Me.
- Where is my daughter?
- Nothing to worry, Mr. Dawson.
- She, um...
- What are you doing in Margie's robe?
I put it on to answer the door.
- Are you married?
- Uh.. no, sir.
Then why are you in Margie's room?
Well, I was tired and there's
no place else to go.
MacNeil, what has the army done to you,
and what have you done to my daughter?
It's all very simple, Mr. Dawson,
we were going to get married...
and then we didn't, on account
of a bottle, and...
the navy took over on the Richmond ferry,
so I came back to go to bed...
...with the magnum.
Wish I could talk better.
Been away quite a while,
haven't you, Torchy.
Yeah, about sixteen months.
Tough for a man out there all lonely.
Yeah, sometimes I thought
I was going nuts.
That's... what I figured.
I guess I'll get a glass of water.
Help! There's a crazy lieutenant in here.
Hurry!
Mr. Dawson, I can't understand
what's gotten into Margie.
All I was trying to do was show
a couple of fellows on the ferryboat...
...how to throw a forward pass.
Throw a forward pass on a ferryboat?
Torchy, I'll bet Margie's got lots of
other nice things, let's try on a nightie.
Mr. Dawson, what are you talking about?
What's going on with everybody?
What has happened since I've
been away?
There he is!
He's a raving maniac.
- Why, Mr. Dawson!
- That's the way I found him.
Raving in my daughter's room
with her robe on.
She's disappeared.
've already told you where
your daughter is.
- Where is she, lieutenant?
- With the navy.
Se what I mean?
Now look, I haven't done anything wrong.
I don't have to take this from anybody.
Is this what I was up there digging up
all those air strips for?
No!
Gangway!
Stop or I'll fire!
Come back.
What's this all about, do you know?
Well, no, sir, not exactly,
except the captain's waiting.
- Did your captain have me picked up?
- What do you mean not exactly?
- I'll tell the captain you're here, sir.
- Wickley!
Oh, Briggs, come on in.
Bring the young lady.
Delightful.
Excellent taste, Briggs.
- Well, here we are.
- Why?
Sit down!
- I inconvenienced you tonight, sorry.
- That's all right, skipper.
Name's Hornby, Capt. Hornby.
- Yes, sir.
- You?
Margie Dawson's the name.
And may I ask why I was brought
here against my will?
- Briggs, what's come over you?
- Sir?
Haven't you told this charming young lady
she was not being picked up,
but was actually being given an escort?
- And I thought you knew nothing about this.
- But I... I...
I appreciate your position, Briggs.
Wanted me to see for myself that you haven't
made a mistake in your recommendation.
Actually, though, I took you
at your word.
Made arrangements with Washington
by phone.
Had to get som gold braid
out of bed to do it, but it's all set.
Well, that's fine, sir, fine.
Well, everything's fine and all set.
And now if you'll excuse me, I have a date
with a hotel room in Dan Francisco.
Correction, my beautiful young lady.
You have a date to christen
our carrier at dawn.
- I christen a carrier?
- All fourty thousand tons of it.
Quite an honor if I do say so.
Of course there are a few customs
to be observed such as, uh...
The lady of honor supplying
the champagne.
Oh, I see.
And Mr. Briggs recommended
me for this honor.
Me and my champagne.
Just by coincidence you don't happen to...
have the bottle?
Just by coincidence, I gave away
the only magnum in the West.
You gave it away?
To a thirsty soldier.
And where were you when
this happened?
- Standing by, sir.
- Congratulations.
That's using your head for a hatrack.
We were picked up before
I could do anything about it, sir.
You mean you were caught
in your won wolf trap.
Where did you buy the magnum?
Maybe there's another.
I'm afraid not, sir, I was with her
when she bought it.
You were with her?
And why did she decide to buy our magnum?
Go ahead, tell him.
Because I... I suggested it, sir.
Naturally I thought there'd be
other magnums, sir.
Mr. Briggs, any man capable of thinking...
...would provide first for the navy
and secondly for his own campaign.
- Yes, sir.
- You're gonna find that magnum...
and have it here in time for
the launching...
...or there'll be no leave with any
redhead in San Diego.
I'm well aware what that leave
with the redhead means.
Why, you...
You blooby.
- But, Margie...
- Well, gentlemen.
Now we all know each other
for what we're worth.
You, Capt. Hornby, are a man
in search of a bottle.
And your Mr. Briggs was to get
that bottle by hook or by crook.
He messed up my life a little, for which
I must thank him... up to a point.
But so far the lieutenant has
completely failed in his mission.
Mr. Briggs, it seems you've handled this
delicate matter like a badly-trained elephant.
- Yes, sir.
- Lieutenant,
From this point, you carry on alone.
Goodbye... and good luck to you.
Let the lady go.
But if we don't stop her, sir,
we'll never see her again.
Tough luck, eh? Any idea where that
champagne is?
- Torchy MacNeil has it.
- Well, that's where she's headed for.
So make sure you don't get
your fumbling hands on her.
But she doesn't want
any part of it, sir.
Mr. Briggs, that girl is certain
that you double-crossed her
When a woman decides that about you,
get ready for total war.
No holds barred.
But if you don't get that bottle,
you'll fight the entire war with those
same two striped on your sleeve.
Yes, sir.
And when I say the bottle,
I mean get the girl and the bottle.
But you talk to her, sir. No one on earth is
going to get her to launch that ship now.
Do you think I'm going to stick my neck out
pleading Washington again for a change of plans?
You have your orders, Mr. Briggs.
Aye-aye, sir.
Capt. Hornby, in case you can't do better,
one of the WAVES located this.
No, Wickley, no, thanks.
Not for 40 thousand tons.
- Is Lt. MacNeil upstairs?
- Well, he was in your room, but...
Up, hurry!
Matter of life or death!
Papa, what are...?
Where's Torchy?
You're alright, Margie?
Yes, of course I'm alright,
but what's happened to Torchy?
He's crazy as a loon, I had him taken
away before he could harm anybody.
- But where is he?
- Who's he, why don't he knock?
Look, Margie, it will be dawn
in no time,
and as soon as it is and the ship
is launched...
...we can relax and straighten
things out in our minds.
Now, you'll give me that chance,
won't you, Margie?
Mr. Briggs, I believe I've wished you luck
and said goodbye once.
But, Margie, you wouldn't stop him from
getting that bottle now, would you?
The bottle has gone completely
out of my mind.
- Papa, where is he?
- The Provost Marshall's office.
You stay here and entertain this sailor.
He'll be gone soon.
She sounds as crazy as Torchy.
- Who are you?
- Briggs!
Look, Mr. Dawson, you know
your own daughter,
you heard her say she wasn't
after the bottle.
- Now what do you think?
- I'd say she's after the bottle.
What does she want it for,
what's this all about?
We've got to get it, now come on,
I'll explain everything later.
- But listen...
- You want to help the old navy, don't you?
I'll help the navy, but Margie's
a different war.
You the sailor Margie met
in the saloon?
- Liquor store.
- Hm.
You the reason for the wedding
busting up?
My apologies, sir, but I'm afraid I am.
Confidentially, if you never did
anything more in your life,
you deserve the finest medal
the navy has to offer.
- Thank you, sir.
- Only one way to describe that Torchy.
A conceited muscle.
Oh, he's not such a bad fellow,
actually,
it's just that I don't think he's
the right man for Margie.
Shake.
- Why don't you?
- Because I want her.
- You?
- Yes, sir.
- Ever play football?
- No, do you have to play football?
No.
Ever been in the cement business?
No.
Ever think you will be?
Why, no!
My boy, I've dreamed about
a man like you. Shake again.
You know, it's funny, though.
It took all this trouble to realize that...
...you're probably the only one
that ever really did understand me.
I was glad when you phoned me, Torchy.
I guess I've always loved you...
without knowing it.
- I mean... you know.
- Sure.
I'll make up for it when I get out,
though, you just watch.
Do I have to watch,
can't I be part of it?
You know what I mean.
You always know what I mean.
You're right.
You know what we ought to do? We oughta
get married the minute I get out.
before either of have a chance
to make any more mistakes.
Well, if I passed up that offer,
it would be the biggest mistake of all.
Proposal accepted.
We'll seal our marriage by drinking
this magnum of champagne.
A great big toast to the future.
Uh... sort of a symbol.
Why, Torchy, what a romantic thought.
Oh, I'm full of romantic thoughts.
After all that time up north.
Sir. You are to report to Major Smith.
- Now what?
- Now, Torchy, just take it easy.
Sir. Lt. MacNeil reporting
to Major Smith.
I've been looking over this report,
MacNeil.
Why did you try to escape
from the military police?
Well, frankly, sir, I thought I was being
framed, I knew I'd done nothing wrong.
- You seem quite rational.
- And very normal too, sir.
- I'm very anxious to marry this young lady.
- Is that correct, miss?
We're both anxious.
Well, I see no serious reason why
the army should stand in your way, sir.
You're released with my good wishes.
Thank you, sir.
- Uh-oh!
- Hello, Torchy, old pal!
Torchy, may I speak to you
a moment, please?
Sorry, we're on our way to get married.
- Married?
- Why not?
Well, no reason, actually.
Congratulations.
Rita, you wouldn't mind if I talked
to Torchy alone, would you?
- I think I would.
- Come on, honey.
Just a minute, MacNeil.
Major, you're not releasing
this man, are you?
- Any reason why I shouldn't?
- I believe there is, sir.
But, sir, I didn't do anything, it's purely
a personal issue with this man.
Well, we'll soon find out.
Stand by, Mr. MacNeil.
Yes, sir.
If you check with Capt. Hornby
in Richmond, sir,
I think you'll find the Navy's concern
as to the whereabouts of this officer.
- Capt. Hornby, do you know his number?
- May I get him for you, sir?
Torchy, you know what he's after,
the bottle.
It means so much to him,
a promotion and a leave.
He won't get this bottle even if
I have to take it to Court-martial.
A soldier has rights
just like a civilian.
I think.
Here you are, sir, Capt. Hornby.
Major Smith, sir, Provost Marshall.
Being launched in an hour?
Well, I can well understand, sir.
Well, it's a bit out of channels,
but if you wish, sir.
Oh, thank you.
Well, good sailing, sir.
Sargeant.
I'm releasing Capt. MacNeil into
custody of Lieutenant, uh...
- Briggs, sir.
- Oh, no!
Accompany them to the shipyard,
see that they get to Capt. Hornby.
- Yes, sir.
- Okay.
The army's going to let the navy
frame me, my hands are tied.
But nobody's going to get
this bottle.
Nobody over my dead body... sir.
Please come along, sir.
Come on, darling.
Nice work, Mr. Briggs.
Always a man for good, clean
frame-ups, aren't you?
Come on, Papa.
Mr. Dawson, she's got to launch
that carrier with the magnum, she's got to.
Well, I could spank her,
but at her age I think
she'd like it better from you.
Margie, sure you won't
change your mind?
Papa, I'm not going to the launching.
Well, I am.
Margie, look, they're counting on you,
you can't let them down.
Oh, can't I, just watch me!
Margie, I don't want to do this,
I'll probably end up in the brig,
but there's no other way.
Nothing to be alarmed about, sir,
just bumped her chin into something.
Upsy-daisy, attagirl.
Margie. Margie, dear!
I'm sorry, honey, I had to do it.
- Oh, guess I must have fallen asleep.
- Yes.
- Come along, darling.
- Yes, Dudley.
Oh...
Sweetheart, you're going
to launch a carrier.
A carrier...
Carrier?
You hit me!
- You hit me on the chin!
- But, darling, I, I...
Hitting a woman! If there's anything
meaner or more contemptible!
But I had to get you here.
Well, I'm glad you did, there's something
I have to say to your commanding officer.
Hitting a woman!
Oh!
Margie...
- I'd like to see Capt. Hornby.
- I've got to see him first, official business.
Well?
I've done it, sir.
In the outer office are Lt. MacNeil, the magnum
of champagne and Miss Dawson...
...to, um... launch the ship.
You've never failed me, Briggs.
And that promotion and the leave
are in the bag, my boy.
Thank you, sir. Of course there are
a few minor details to be ironed out.
Such as persuading Lt. MacNeil to give up
the bottle and, um... Miss Dawson to...
...launch the ship. But I'm sure you
can accomplish that quite easily, sir.
In other words, Mr. Briggs,
the whole mess is right in my lap.
Twenty minutes to launching.
I have some information that
might help, sir.
You see, Lt. MacNeil is very proud
of his college football career.
And if you'll remember these things:
Torchy MacNeil, Oregon Earthquake,
great fullback, Rose Bowl, Pittsburgh.
And might I suggest that
you pour it on, sir?
Well called! Bring MacNeil in.
Lt. MacNeil, please.
Come on, honey.
I insist on seeing Capt. Hornby.
- Presently, Miss Dawson.
- I...
Well, may I present
Miss Rita Sloane from Oregon?
- How do you do?
- Delighted. Great state, Oregon.
- Won't you sit down, Miss Sloane?
- And Lt. MacNeil, sir.
MacNeil? MacNeil...
Not Porky MacNeil?
Um, Torchy MacNeil, sir.
Uh, yes, yes, of course,
Torchy MacNeil.
Oregon Volcano!
Oregon Earthquake, sir.
Oh, yes, yes.
Young volcano himself.
- You mean you've heard of me, sir?
- Heard of Torchy MacNeil?
Best quarterback Oregon ever had.
Best fullback, sir.
- I mean, I played fullback.
- You've seen him play, Captain?
Never forget it. Rose Bowl.
Time you beat Pittsburgh.
Yes, sir.
Only they beat us.
Oh, yes, slipped my mind.
It was a wonderful game, though.
Torchy just lost by two points.
I didn't lose, the team lost.
Oh, yes, yes, heartbreaking.
Fifteen minutes to launching.
Mr. MacNeil.
- We want that bottle.
- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir?
- He means yes, sir, he knows you want it.
- Do we get it?
- No, sir.
But you were ready to give it
to me before.
Yeah, that's before I knew
who was on whose side.
Now I understand things.
I'd like to understand things
myself, fire away.
Well, you see, sir, while I was
out in the Aleutians...
...thinking about coming home and all
the good things that were going to happen,
all that's got tied up in my mind
was a big bottle of champagne.
You know, celebrate, champagne.
Quite understandable.
You see what I mean? It's a symbol
of everything I dreamed of up there.
Now people want to take
it away and destroy it.
- Smash it against a ship.
- That's right, they want to smash it.
- Ask Miss Dawson to come in.
- But, sir, I...
- Would you come in, please?
- We've got a problem, Torchy.
- We?
- I need that bottle...
...and you know it's for a good cause.
- Such as a redhead in San Diego.
- Quiet!
Oh, I beg your pardon, Miss Dawson.
I thought you might help me make
things clear to Torchy.
There's nothing I'd like better,
and incidentally, Captain,
there's something I'd like
to make clear to you.
Yes, later!
Now, Torchy,
It's for your country and mine,
that's how simple it is.
Your country and mine,
what do you say, son?
Well, I'm an American alright, sir.
Well, what do you say, Torchy,
do we get the bottle?
- Well.
- I'm afraid he says no.
That's right, I say no.
Why don't you hit him over
the head and take it?
They don't hit men.
Ten minutes to launching.
Well, Lieutenant, you have your rights,
it's my duty to honor them.
Mr. Briggs will take you back
immediately after the launching.
- Thank you, sir, we can manage all right.
- Then I won't detain you.
- Goodbye, MacNeil.
- Goodbye, sir.
Goodbye, Miss Sloane, sorry
to have bothered you.
Goodbye, Captain.
Well, Margie, it looks like you're going
to have to launch our carrier...
...with a quart of champagne.
Oh, no, Capt. Hornby, a quart of barrel,
you'll have to find another girl.
I'm here because I have
something to tell you.
- But, Margie, there isn't time.
- Well, then I'll make it fast.
This man hit me, he punched me on the chin,
I hope he gets into a lot of trouble.
Come on, Papa.
Officers and men on hand for launching.
Sir, but what she said...
Mr. Briggs, I'm not interested
in your sordid private life.
Here it is, dawn.
And I have you to thank for the greatest
job of bungling I've seen in twenty years.
Come along, Ensign Briggs.
Seven minutes for launching.
All right, but that's no way
to treat a man who loves you.
Please, Papa, let's not talk about it.
Just as you say.
I don't care what he told you,
he doesn't love me and he never did.
Of course, if you'd rather not discuss him.
I'd rather not.
All he wanted was that bottle
so he could have his leave.
You're not sure of that, Margie.
And now you never will be.
But you could have found out
for certain and so easily...
...whether it was just the bottle
he was after.
Please, papa, I am certain. Why, there isn't
the slightest doubt in my mind.
How could I have found out?
You're sure not very bright, Margie.
You could have found out by giving him
the bottle and launching the ship.
It's that simple.
If Briggs had gotten the bottle,
and you had launched the carrier,
he'd have no further reason
to pretend he loves you.
If he was pretending.
Five minutes to launching.
I'll be right back.
Torchy, she's coming over here.
You've got nothing to worry
about honey.
I'm not the kind of a fellow
that changes his mind.
In case I don't see you
before you leave,
I want to wish you all the happiness
in the world.
That's very sweet of you, Margie.
Thank you.
Good to see we all realize that this is
the way it should have been.
Yeah.
When I think that just
a few hours ago...
...Torchy and I were going to celebrate our
marriage with that magnum of champagne.
Well, I guess we were a little hasty.
Funny how much that bottle
meant to us, Torchy.
Well, now it can mean the same
to you and Rita.
I guess I'd better hurry, goodbye.
And Torchy, I appreciate so much
your not giving the bottle to Briggs.
Swell girl Margie. She's just
not my type, that's all.
Torchy, get rid of that bottle.
- You mean you shouldn't drink it?
- I'd rather drink iodine.
Would you ask me to take custody
of Margie's child?
What child?
Torchy, that bottle is part of your past
not our future.
Now it can only bring trouble,
get rid of it.
- Rita, honey, you're not gonna start too.
- Get rid of that bottle, Torchy.
Three minutes to launching.
Alright, Rita, I guess it has been
nothing but trouble.
- I'll smash the damn thing...
- No, wait.
Now what's the matter?
Why shouldn't we give
that bottle to Briggs?
- Give it to Briggs?
- I mean to the navy.
Like the captain said,
it's patriotic, Torchy.
After all we don't want the carrier
known as a jinxed ship.
But it's about to be launched,
it's too late!
Maybe it isn't, go ahead, Torchy, hurry!
Well, okay.
Guess maybe I was wrong.
- Maybe you do need two quarterbacks.
- Yes, Torchy, go ahead, hurry.
Two minutes to launching.
Thank you, Wickley.
- Any luck yet?
- No, sir.
Well, maybe a man shouldn't
believe in luck.
Get anybody to launch it, get...
Margie.
- I knew you wouldn't let me down.
- This has nothing to do with you.
I was hoping you'd be in the brig.
- Good girl you've come to launch the ship.
- Wth the magnum, Captain.
Well, I wish we had it, but we haven't.
- I'll wait.
- But Margie...
One minute to launching.
Hear that? Here's the ship, here's
a drink of wine, name is Vengeance.
- We'll launch it with the magnum, captain.
- But we haven't got the magnum.
All we got is a quart and 40 seconds.
- Well?
- Oh, no, captain, not with this bottle.
Well, we'll have to get someone else.
All, right, Capt. Hornby, I'll do it.
Capt. Hornby.
Ten seconds to launching.
Ready, Margie, don't miss.
God bless this ship, the men who sail her,
and the flag she flies.
Briggs! Briggs!
Don't miss, Margie.
Hey, Margie!
Hey, Briggs!
Catch!
I christen thee Vengeance!
Gee, honey, look.
Mission accomplished, Mr. Briggs.
Better start packing for San Diego.
Thank you, sir!
Two-weeks leave. Boy!
Telegram for you, Miss Dawson.
- For me?
- Yes, ma'am.
Thank you.
"Meet me with biggest bottle of champagne
in San Francisco and I will marry you.
Dudley Briggs."
- Well?
- Dudley.
Here we go again.
- Subtitles -
Lu?s Filipe Bernardes
Lu?s Filipe Bernardes
Oh, note the chief engineer.
Make sure sea valves are checked
in place and tight.
Aye-aye, sir.
What is all this waiting on the ship's side,
why isn't it cleared away?
I believe that's the new arresting gear, sir.
On account of the narrow launching base.
Oh. Well, make sure.
No, no, better keep my nose out of it.
After all, she won't be mine until
she's launched and commissioned.
I don't think they'd mind if I checked, sir,
even though she isn't officially ours yet.
Ours, Mr. Briggs?
Uh, sorry, sir.
You may get a new assignment,
you know.
I hope not, sir.
- You're a good man at sea, Briggs.
- Thank you, sir.
Wouldn't surprise me if you were
airport officer.
Wouldn't surprise me if you were...
lieutenant commander soon.
- Really, sir?
- Another year, maybe.
No need to rush things.
A year. Yes, sir, thank you, sir.
But in the immediate future it wouldn't
surprise me if you got that leave to go to, uh...
- San Diego, sir.
- Oh, yes, San Diego.
- Blonde or brunette?
- Redhead, sir.
- Hm. Name of?
- Burnside, Cynthia Burnside.
- Burnside, must be Army.
- No, sir, Navy.
Hm-hmm. Intentions honorable?
Well, it all depends on the nature
of the opposition, sir.
Well, take a tip from a man who's been
through many a manoeuvre.
Hold your fire till you get in close.
Yes, sir.
Fine ship.
Yes, the finest you've ever
commanded, sir.
She'll be named for French brig,
the Vengeance.
Saver of John Paul Jones.
I hope they have the decency tomorrow
to launch her with French champagne.
- We have no control over that, sir.
- Well, we can provide the champagne.
But I was under the impression that
the Bureau of Yards and Docks would...
Mr. Briggs, they build us a fine ship.
This ship is a lady.
You don't ask a lady to bring champagne
to her own launching, do you?
Well, technically speaking, sir...
Briggs, you've never spoken technically
to a lady in your whole life.
As a gesture of appreciation,
we're supplying French champagne
for the launching.
Aye-aye, sir. One quart of
French champagne.
One quart my eye. This carrier
displaces 40,000 tons.
You don't launch a vessel that size
with a quart, do you?
Very well, sir, a two-quart size,
a magnum.
Mr. Briggs, if a little French crew
in a dingy, with twelve popguns,
if a little outfit like that can make
sail for John Paul Jones,
we can certainly salute them with
a magnum of their own champagne.
- Get it.
- Now, sir?
Now!
Aye-aye, sir, one magnum coming up.
Lady, you're going to sea
with a hangover.
- Oh, I'm sorry!
- It's all right.
Good afternoon. M. Fernandez
at your service.
- Well, this gentleman...
- No, you first.
- But you were really here before me.
- It's quite all right.
You win, lady, what do you want?
- A large bottle of champagne.
- That's funny, me too.
- Really?
- A quart?
That's fine.
May I make a suggestion?
Magnum is twice as big.
- As a quart?
- Sure.
Wait! Make that a magnum if you will.
- Two magnums.
- Two?
- Yes, that's what I came for.
- Well, thanks for the thought.
It's all right.
How about each of you take a pair of quarts?
Same quantity, twice as much bottles.
- Oh, no, that's not the idea.
- No, it wouldn't be the same at all.
Magnum size, haven't you got any?
No... Look! You take quarts and carry
one under each arm, balanced.
- Well, thanks anyway.
- Some other store.
Magnum.
Not since 1939, 38.
- Allow me.
- Thank you.
Oh taxi!
Oh, just a minute. As long as we're
after the same thing.
Well... if you let me pay
half the fair.
- Oh, no, no.
- Oh, then I couldn't.
Sure you could, lady, get in!
- Where to?
- Wine shop. Biggest in town.
This is so nice of you. I'd have gone
and got one of those little quart bottles.
Might as well do things big.
You can see how important it is.
"Marjorie Dawson, Mark Hopkins Hotel,
San Francisco..."
Oh, I'm Briggs, Dudley Briggs.
- How do you do?
- Happy to meet you... Margie.
"Meet me 9 o'clock train with biggest bottle
champagne in San Francisco and I will...
...marry you. Torchy."
Isn't that wonderful?
You mean you'd marry a guy
who'd send you a telegram like that?
What's the matter with it?
"Meet me with biggest bottle
champagne and I will marry you."
Sounds like he's doing you a favor.
Well, he is. In just about three hours
and twenty minutes.
- Torchy.
- Torchy MacNeil.
Should I know him?
You mean to say you've never heard
of the Oregon Earthquake?
Torchy MacNeil, the greatest back
since Ernie Pinckert.
University of Oregon, the Rose Bowl.
See?
- Who's Ernie Pinckert?
- The greatest back since Ernie Nevers.
Say, where do you come from?
Massachusetts.
Congratulations, lady.
You're getting the best passing and blocking
back ever developed on the Pacific Coast.
Don't I know it.
Tossing a football around with a war on,
why isn't Torchy in uniform?
He is.
Well, folks, what's it gonna be?
The young lady would like a magnum
of French champagne.
- Chilled?
- Not necessarily.
- And I'd like one, please.
- Oh, another magnum.
- Please.
- Chilled?
Not necessarily.
Tell me, folks, does this place
look like a museum?
Yes.
Well, I haven't had a magnum in this
place in two years.
And if you find one in San Francisco,
I'm a pickled owl.
- You mean there aren't any?
- Oh, but there must be.
Are you trying to insinuate
that I am a pickled owl?
My gosh! I am!
- There is.
- A magnum?
- French?
- Yes.
Wortle's place, on Nathan Lane.
It's in his window.
One?
Augustin.
- Pardon me.
- Pardon me.
- Excuse me!
- There's no hurry.
Hey, hey, come here!
Hurry, that sailor's drunk!
Hey!
You're lucky. I was just
about to close.
I bet there isn't another French magnum
west of Denver.
Well, thirteen, fourteen.
Fourteen ninety-eight.
I'll give you a check for the rest.
Cash on the barrel here.
Here you are, I'll take it.
- Fourteen ninety-eight.
- No, wait, I'm first!
I'll give you fifty bucks for it.
Sorry, colonel, Wortle's ceiling price
is fourteen ninety-eight.
Ninety-eight, there.
That's yours, miss.
- There you are.
- Thank you.
- Allow me.
- Thank you.
Nice afternoon.
Carry your bottle for you?
Give you a hundred dollars for it.
- You talk like a rich civilian.
- I'll give you $200 for it.
Honeymoon in del Monte,
all expenses paid.
Torchy's only going to be here
tonight and tomorrow.
- Why are you so anxious to get this?
- To launch a ship.
You mean waste this good
champagne on a boat?
A forty-ton carrier is not a boat,
it's a ship.
- Are you an American?
- Well, I guess so.
Unless Oregon has seceded.
Well, this is an American ship,
built to carry American planes and men,
now would you let them down?
Go get some American champagne.
But she's being named for a French warship
that sailed with John Paul Jones.
- Jones was American.
- Look.
You don't get the sentiment behind this.
Do you know that in the Civil War
the USS Shamrock...
...was launched with a bottle
of Irish whiskey?
Well, there's your cue. Launch yours
with a bottle of French dressing.
Oh, my hat!
Won't it ever stop rolling?
I'll get it.
Oh, thanks a lot!
I bought this hat especially
for Torchy.
For Torchy.
- May I hold your bottle?
- No, thanks.
It would be bad luck if I lost it.
Same with the ship.
Launching is when you give it luck.
Stop waving the flag.
This champagne is going to my wedding.
My first and only.
Oh, look at that hill.
It keeps getting higher.
My ears just popped.
Why don't we walk down
the hill, it's easier.
- Get some dinner and take a cab up.
- Dinner?
Yes, it's six or a little after.
- There's chop suey down there.
- Yes, but you're a stranger and...
I'm getting married.
Well, what's wrong with that?
You're not marrying the stranger.
Well, it just doesn't seem right.
Does it?
Look, I'm inviting you for chop suey,
not the tunnel of love.
Well...
It wouldn't be right to become a bride
on an empty stomach.
Would it?
What was I saying before?
- Torchy.
- I mean where?
Against Wyoming. Torchy 62,
Wyoming nothing.
Oh, yes!
Then, in the Montana game,
that was the next Saturday,
Torchy threw a forward pass,
it bounced on the goalpost, so...
he caught his own forward pass
and beat the Grizzlies 54 to nothing.
- One forward pass.
- And another thing.
Against State Teacher's College
he kicked twelve straight field goals.
- Who won?
- Torchy.
I mean, we, Oregon.
Tell me, what did he do to win you?
Nothing. I won him.
Lucky.
Let's dance to good old Torchy, hm?
- There's no harm in dancing, is there?
- Oh, no, no.
Waiter.
Would you check the champagne
for me, please?
Psst!
I know you'd rather dance
with the magnum, lieutenant.
- You dance well, lieutenant.
- Thank you, Margie.
- Torchy doesn't, the loveable ox.
- Well, you can't have everything.
He almost did.
For two years he was engaged to Beverly
Billings, Senator Billings' daughter.
And that was nice because Torchy's
in highway construction.
Old solid-rock Torchy.
But Senator Billings wasn't reelected,
so then Torchy went with Winona Krantz.
- Senator Krantz's daughter?
- The president's daughter.
I mean, the president of Northern
Cement company.
Oh, that president, huh?
Looked like I was going to lose
Torchy for sure.
But Mr. Krantz sold out and went
in the lumber business.
Poor Torchy, always playing
the wrong hunches.
Then...
I know, then along came you,
the real thing.
No. Sloane, Curb and Highway Corporation.
Torchy never leaves the road,
does he?
- That... that Rita Sloane!
- Rita Sloane?
You don't like her at all.
So underhanded. She knew I'd been
waiting for Torchy to find himself.
Or you.
The minute I left town to visit my town
in Clackamas County...
- I beg your pardon?
- My aunt, my father's sister.
She raises apples same as my father,
Clackamas County has very good apple crops.
Oh.
Well, the minute I left town,
this Rita Sloane took over.
Sounds like quite a dish.
Why do you say that?
- Well, why do you hate her?
- Because she's quite a dish.
But I got my chance.
Torchy was drafted.
Oh, he'd love the way you say that.
Oh, wait a minute.
But I have to meet Torchy
at the station in twenty minutes.
I want to show you something.
Lieutenant Briggs, the dinner was lovely,
you dance divinely,
and now if you'll excuse me,
I'll never see you again.
Dudley Briggs, if you're going to destroy
my faith in the American Navy...
They call this Portsmouth Plaza,
you know why?
To remember Robert Louis Stevenson.
- See that flagpole over there?
- Yes.
That's where they raised the first
American flag over San Francisco.
You know who raised it?
- Robert Louis Stevenson?
- Sailors of the USS Portsmouth.
Oh, Portsmouth Plaza.
Yes, in 1840 something, fighting men
of the United States Navy.
And tomorrow at dawn we're going
to launch the ship...
...that's going to raise the American
flag over Tokyo.
I hope so.
You really do?
In the name of the United States Navy...
I'm asking you to remember your
wedding champagne...
...is the bottle that launched the ship that
raised the stars and stripes over Tokyo.
Well...
If it's all right with Torchy.
- We thank you, Margie.
- You shouldn't have done that.
That was for a hundred and thirty million
Americans. Let's go meet Torchy.
Just think, it's been two whole years.
In his last letter he said
he'd raised a moustache.
That's better than just sitting around.
- Are you scared?
- Of Torchy?
No, of marrying a guy in two hours
you haven't seen for two years.
What if he discovers you don't love him?
Don't say that!
I don't see her anywhere.
She's probably running around with
one of them home-grown Romeos.
Fine talk, after all the time Torchy
sweated it out.
Oh, boy, San Francisco!
Women!
Hey.
Hey, Margie!
Torchy!
Torchy!
- Oh, Torchy!
- Margie!
My name's Cutler.
Mine's Briggs.
Margie!
Margie!
Torchy, at last!
- Good ol' USA.
- That moustache!
After sixteen months
in the Aleutions! Wow!
Oh, Torchy, my dear!
Five minutes and he's already
found him a native woman.
Margie, this is Buck, and Goose,
and Mitch.
Hello, men. Torchy's written me so much
about all of you it's like old friends.
Yeah, we were glad
when he steadied up with you.
That Rita Sloane sent Torchy
nothing but regards.
Oh, this is Lt. Briggs.
Uh... he's in the Navy.
Really?
- A friend of Margie's sir?
- A friend of the bridegroom's too, I hope.
Oh, glad to know you.
Hey, our champagne!
Be careful, now, that's the last one!
Please, it's absolutely
the only one in town.
- I need it for tomorrow morning.
- Say, whose bottle is this?
Ours, only I thought maybe you'd
lend it to him to launch a ship with.
You mean smack this against some hull?
How do you like that?
The Navy wants to christen
a crate with this.
Look, I got orders from my skipper,
one magnum of French champagne
for the launching by dawn tomorrow.
Look, Mr. MacNeil how about a deal?
The big bottle for the ship,
two quarts for the wedding.
Lieutenant, you and the boys and myself...
...are going to drink a little toast
to Margie with this bottle.
Your skipper can go, um... bust a pint.
Come on, fellows.
But listen, I...
- You see.
- You'd thing I was in enemy territory.
Come on, Margie.
# After all is said and done #
Come in.
# Oh, Margie, Margie #
# It's you #
- Here.
- Oh, Magnum, that's French.
- I haven't seen one of these in ages.
- Great help.
I wish there was something I could do.
You could give me the room for
about five seconds.
- Torchy would never forgive me.
- Ah, there you are ma'am.
All iced and ready for nature
to take its course.
- Thanks, I, uh...
- All right, I, uh...
Thank you sir. Leave it to the Navy
to do things right, sir.
I only hope the rest of the Navy
is doing better than I am.
Would you try Torchy just once more?
No use.
But there must be a soft spot
somewhere in that hulk.
I beg your pardon!
Hey, honey, what time will
that fella be here to marry us?
- Any minute.
- Look, naked as a jaybird.
Well, I guess it's no use
hanging around any longer.
Sorry I can't wait to see you
get married.
You're leaving?
Have to report back to the skipper
on failure of mission.
Well, it's not your fault there's a war on
and French Magnums are hard to get.
Try and tell that to your superior officer.
- Well, best of luck.
- Thanks.
It was swell meeting the navy.
I'll drink a special little toast
to you from this bottle.
- I'm afraid you won't.
- Why not?
Because in the name of the navy
I hereby shanghai the bottle!
Oh, Torchy!
He got the bottle!
Hey, catch!
Hey, stop, stop!
Hey!
Get going, follow that elevator.
Hey, throw it, throw it, here!
Sailor, by all rights I should bust
this bottle right over your head.
At least, I've been a very bad boy.
And what ever made you think you could
get a forward pass by Torchy MacNeil?
Oh, ignorance, lack of reading
the papers, I suppose.
Well from now on will you please be kind
enough to stay out of my wedding?
Welcome, MacNeil.
And stay out of my hair!
Wilma Wickley speaking.
I'll see you in the morning, Captain.
Right, and thanks for the use
of the office.
Mr. Briggs, sir.
He's managed to locate the only magnum
of French champagne in San Francisco.
Will you kindly remind Mr. Briggs
that the launching is to be at dawn?
But he says the champagne
is about to be used at a wedding.
Our magnum?
Give me that phone!
Aye-aye, sir.
Briggs!
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir, I'll try, sir.
I mean, I'll get it somehow, sir.
Aye-aye, sir.
I have a reservation, Rita Sloane.
Oh, yes, Miss Sloane. Your room
number is... Just a moment.
Sloane, Sloane, Sloane...
Now here you are, Miss Sloane.
Sign here, please.
Sloane? Rita Sloane?
- Show Miss Sloane the 1242.
- Yes, sir.
Rita Sloane from Oregon,
well, well.
- Why, yes. But, um, I can't quite...
- Briggs, Dudley Briggs.
Oh... Lieutenant, isn't it?
Yes. Oh, the hours I've spent listening
to Torchy raving about Rita Sloane.
Do you know Torchy MacNeil?
Know him? Why, we're practically
amphibious.
Oh, boy, take Miss Sloane's bags up
to her room, she'll be up in a minute.
- Do you know where Torchy is?
- Right to the very minute.
- Then he is in town.
- Uh-huh.
Oh, I heard indirectly that he
was coming to San Francisco.
- Oh, lady, how that man goes for you.
- Really?
He's so... so sort of backward about some
things that you can't really tell.
Yes, I know, old silent Torchy.
You know, I wrote to him in the
Aleutions several times...
...but sometimes he answered
and sometimes he didn't.
That's why I decided I'd better
come and see him.
Rita... may I call you Rita?
Of course. Uh, who did you
say you are?
- Briggs, Dudley.
- Of course, Dudley.
Rita, from the time Torchy
left Oregon,
every moment of his living life
has been dedicated to you.
What a faithful hunk of stone.
Oh, it's hard to believe.
Um, didn't he ever mention Margie?
Margie?
Margie, Margie, Margie...
Margie who?
Oh, it's a girl from back home
you wouldn't know.
But where is he, where can I find him?
Ah-ha! You just leave everything to me.
We're going to arrange this reunion in style.
Top of the Mark.
Wonderful!
Dudley, you're quite a man.
Top of the Mark, please.
Thank you, we'll order in a moment.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I'll go dig up your pride and joy.
You know, I'm naturally frightened?
It's been two whole years.
Torchy'll fix that. See you in a minute.
- May I use your house phone?
- Yes, sir.
Oh, the Justice of the Peace.
- I'll take your things.
- I've been a mighty busy man tonight.
This war's speeded up weddings
faster than Liberty Ship.
Hello? Who?
Uh, Barton, photographer
of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sports editor heard you were in town
asked me to come up and get a picture.
Oh, you want a picture of me
and the bride?
Oh, not for the bride, this is
for the sports section.
We'll probably run it all over the country.
You know, football hero now real lie hero.
Oh, I don't know what you call a hero,
just digging those air strips.
I'm all set up for the picture on the
Top of the Mark right in your hotel.
Good background of San Francisco.
Can you come up right away?
Oh, that can wait for a minute,
I have to make an early edition.
Why, sure, no time at all.
Right.
Honey, there's a photographer upstairs,
wants to get a picture right away.
Oh, good, how do I look?
Fine, but he just wants a picture of me.
You mean a wedding picture
of the groom alone?
- Not wedding, sports.
- Oh.
So if you'll excuse me...
Young man, I have four more
weddings before midnight.
Go ahead, Torchy,
we'll keep him fenced in.
Be right back, fellas.
Well... my relatives know
how I look anyway.
The name is Lt. MacNeil,
I'll point him out to you.
When he comes, simply lead him
to that lady's table right there.
- That lady with that thing in the hat.
- You sure it's alright, sir?
Most patriotic thing you could do.
Here he comes, hurry up.
- Pardon me, Lt. MacNeil, sir?
- Right.
This way, please.
- Well!
- For Pete's...
- Well?
- Gosh, Rita!
Torchy!
- Shouldn't have done that.
- Oh, I loved it.
- This war has moved a lot of conventions.
- Yeah.
There's a man I'm supposed to see
up here, a photographer.
Oh, so that's how he got you here.
Got me here?
Still the same old bewildered Torchy.
Honestly, you don't realize how you
miss a man like you until after he's gone.
- Did you really miss me?
- Till it hurt.
I didn't know that.
You never did anything but write.
- Madam?
- A manhattan.
- You?
- Uh...
Same.
I'm quite aware, Miss Dawson,
that this is probably the most
important night in your life
But there are several other young ladies
waiting for me to make them legal.
Well, I'm just as anxious as you are
to get this thing finished, but...
you know as well as I that it takes two.
Oh, excuse me.
Hello? Margie Dawson speaking.
This the waiter form the Top of the Mark.
Lt. MacNeil says he will be
slightly delayed...
...on account of having a drink
with Miss Rita Sloane.
Rita Sloane?
- You mean to tell me that...
- Thank you, please, I'm very busy.
Hello! Hello, hello!
- If I'm not too inquisitive...
- Wait for me here.
Now what?
We don't know, we ain't seen
a woman in months.
May I...
- Never mind, please, I'm looking for someone.
- Lovely view, isn't it?
- Perfect.
Well, Margie Dawson.
Hello, Rita, haven't seen you since
the Clackamas County apple fair.
Margie, you won't believe
what I'm going to tell you...
- That's a great start.
- Am I in the middle of something?
Hasn't he told you?
- I just barely had time to kiss Rita.
I see. Well, then I'd better tell Rita.
By all means.
Well, it's a very ordinary story, Rita,
it happens every day.
Torchy and I were downstairs
waiting to be married.
Married?
But the phone rang and Torchy left,
so finally I came up here to see why.
Now I see.
Well, honey, you're making
it sound terrible.
Why don't you say something
about the picture?
- Tell me, what about the picture?
- Well, a fellow just...
That's right, the picture.
Well, his editor told him to tell me...
The least you could have done, Torchy,
was to tell me about Margie.
I hate to make a fool of myself.
It seems the lieutenant feels
he's quite a man with the ladies.
Good thing to know.
Makes a woman decide to be
a little bit more sure next time.
- What do you mean next time?
- I mean this time is off.
And next time there won't be a man
named Torchy MacNeil.
Nice to have met both of you.
Wait a minute, Torchy.
Don't you know anything about women,
you'll only make things worse.
Give her a few minutes to cool off.
Gosh, Rita, one minute I'm on top
of the world,
the next minute my whole
life is ruined.
Drink your drink, that's what men do.
Maidens cry over their knitting.
Don't get impatient, doc.
It's not me that gets impatient,
it's my customers.
Calm down, white father.
Hello.
Oh, our big bottle baby back
again, eh?
- What do you want?
- Oh, I just dropped back for the wedding.
In the minute there isn't
going to be any wedding.
Gentlemen, you may have forgotten
but there's a war on.
We would know, we've been
in the Aleutians.
- I'm about to bid you farewell.
- Oh, no, you don't!
I'll fight my way out of here.
Please, men, let the Justice go.
There's been a slight change in plans.
What I mean to say is... no wedding.
- No wedding?
- Not tonight, thank you.
I've just seen how the other half lives.
There'll be a five-dollar delivery charge.
- What did you deliver?
- Myself.
Oh... well, uh...
- You always seem to be paying.
- With pleasure.
Bless you.
- But Margie, what happened?
- Where's Torchy?
The last time I saw him,
he was fumbling a pass.
And now if you'll excuse me.
But Margie, isn't there anything
we can do?
You and Torchy are such nice guys.
Thank you, but right now Torchy's
busy with another nice guy.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Hello...
Put that bottle back!
Hello? Yes?
Sacramento?
Isn't anything sacred to you?
Hello?
Papa, what are you doing in Sacramento?
No, I wasn't talking to Torchy,
it's a navy lieutenant.
A sailor. What are you doing
in Sacramento?
No, we aren't married, there's
been a little trouble.
Oh, Papa, of course not!
No, you can't talk to Torchy
because he isn't here.
No, there's no reason to come
to San Francisco.
Oh, he's just a sailor,
I met him in a store.
Are the apples all picked, Papa?
A liquor store.
Oh, for Pete's sake, Papa,
of course not.
Please, Papa, everything's
going to be all right.
I was talking about a bottle.
A bottle.
Yes, Papa, I'll get him out right away.
You'd better leave, Briggs,
without the bottle.
- Apples all picked?
- This is no time to be funny.
Besides from all the other trouble,
my father thinks I've discarded Torchy...
...for a strange sailor on my
wedding night.
Gee, I'm sorry, Margie, I'm sorry
for what's happened to a swell gal.
Well, I'm not sorry, it's better to find out
these things on time.
- What things.
- Never mind, please go, Briggs.
Look, Margie, you must be sick and tired
of the navy and of me too.
The things I do to get
that bottle of champagne.
But since you're not going
to need it for the wedding, I...
Who's not going to need it?
But the wedding's called off, isn't it?
For tonight.
You mean you're going to marry
that lug after what he...
- Well, what ever he did do.
- Well, of course.
But first I'm goin to teach him
to keep his mind on me.
What about me with a launching
at dawn and no bottle?
I have my own problems now,
good night.
May I ask why you didn't knock,
Lt. MacNeil?
Do you think all women are
without principle?
May I ask what he's doing in here?
This is for the USO, and I'm the hostess.
Oh, gee, Margie, I'm sorry,
but what could I do?
All of a sudden she saw me and before I knew
what was happening she kissed me and...
She kissed you right on her lips
with your helpless mouth.
Then she said something about
some drinks and then, uh...
Why don't you get out of here, navy?
This good man happens to be
my guest, lieutenant.
Thank you, Margie.
Do you think I'm gonna stand here and make
a goon of myself in front of a stranger.
You did it upstairs in front of
a roomful of strangers.
For the last time, navy,
will you get out of my room?
Your room?
Uh... isn't this my room?
Well, it is if I sleep in the street.
Must I remind you, lieutenant,
that we still aren't married...
...and this room is registered
in my name only?
Gosh, I'm so mixed up I don't know
whether I'm coming or go...
Hey, where's all the fellas and where's
that guy was going to marry us?
Gone, while you were making hay
with Rita Sloane.
Hay, she says. And will you lay off
that Rita Sloane business?
Certainly, Lt. MacNeil, I didn't mean to
belittle your Rita Sloane business.
And now if you'll excuse me, I have
a date with Lt. Briggs of the navy.
That I won't stand for!
- Where are you taking me, lieutenant?
- Well, I should think to Richmond...
...to launch a carrier, I still hope.
Oh, the navy never gives up, does it?
Well, I'll take it along just in case.
My champagne, after sixteen
months in the Aleutians.
Your champagne?
That I found the only magnum of.
And paid for with my own money.
Torchy, sometimes you sound
like the wrong man.
Rita, Margie just walked out on me.
Well, let me be the first to congratulate
you. Sit down and finish your drink.
But this is a crisis, come on,
you gotta square me.
Will you explain one thing to me.
Why did Briggs tell me that you...
Don't mention Briggs to me,
that guy's nothing but trouble!
You see, I don't understand.
You want me to square you with her.
- If you won't she'll never marry me.
- She won't?
Well, in that case, Torchy, I can only
repeat sit down and finish your drink.
You keep looking around like
somebody was after you.
Somebody'd better be if he knows
what's good for him.
I'd walk out of this stooge job
if I didn't like you so much.
You mean if you didn't like
my champagne.
Here you are, sir.
Don't tell anybody that a naval officer...
...and an angry-looking girl have gone
to the Richmond ferry,
unless he offers you a dollar.
Hello, Wickley? Is your man
still around?
Briggs calling again, sir.
He should have been here hours
ago with that champagne.
Hours ago!
- Hello, Briggs?
- I'm still trying, Capt. Hornby.
I'm with the bottle but the bottle
is still with this girl Margie Dawson.
You mean to tell me that a grown
man with your reputation...
can't get a bottle of champagne
away from a woman...
...with a simple American name
like Margie Dawson?
I've tried everything, sir,
everything short of murder.
Well, what are you waiting for?!
Maybe if I had a little assistance, sir,
someone who would try and help
talk her out of it.
We're just about to catch
the ferry for Richmond.
Mr. Briggs, you have a mission.
I'm relying on you to have that magnum
of champagne here for the launching at dawn.
Aye-aye, sir.
And you will recall, Mr. Briggs, that you
are relying on me to approve a leave.
- Need I say more?
- No, sir.
Not another word.
I don't know what's come over that boy.
Used to be able to wrap three women
around his fingers at once.
- He could, sir.
- Get me shore patrol.
Aye-aye, sir.
I see it isn't only the navy
that never gives up.
Well, I guess he just hasn't
been able to find a taxi.
Or he just hasn't been able
to tear himself away from Rita Sloane.
- Excuse me, do you mind?
- You got a nerve!
This is a matter of life or death. I gotta catch
a girl before she gets to the navy yard.
If she's that kind of a girl,
I don't think she's worth catching.
One to Richmond.
Good to be back at sea again.
Look!
There he is.
Do you mind if a take advantage
of a suspicious nature?
Even stooges get a break.
Does he see us?
Uh-oh, he's blowing flames through
his nose and coming right at us.
Put your head close to mine.
Now listen while I whisper
in your ear.
If you want to get results, you'd better
let me do the whispering.
If there were a door in front
of you, I'd knock.
Oh, it's the lieutenant.
- What happened to your girlfriend?
- She isn't my girlfriend.
Well, drop around again soon, huh?
Margie, I've got to talk to you.
But I'm rather busy with another
lieutenant, lieutenant.
- Please don't call me lieutenant.
- You ashamed of being in the army, son?
Why don't you go rent a rowboat, navy?
Margie, can I talk to you alone, please?
Well...
Will you excuse us for a moment... Dudley
- Dudley!
- Certainly, dear, I trust you.
Like me to hold that heavy
old bottle for you?
Well? You said you had
something to tell me.
Yeah.
What's the idea of chasing off with
that guy and making me look like a clown?
Was it the way he looked
that bothered you, Torchy?
You know what I mean.
Goose and the guys think a lot of me,
it's sort of embarrassing.
Well, I didn't mean to embarrass
you, Torchy.
I just wanted to make you fell the way
I did when you chased off with Rita.
Margie, you had that all wrong.
The sports editor of the Chronicle...
...wanted to take a picture and he
just didn't show up, that's all.
- But Rita did.
- Yeah.
If a guy can't say hello to an old
friend he hasn't seen in two years.
Well, it isn't Rita that
bothers me, Torchy.
- No?
- I almost wish it were.
The fact that you can run off
to be photographed...
five minutes after we meet and now...
You mean I should have said
no to the Chronicle?
Is that awfully unreasonable?
But, Margie, the Chronicle
is my biggest booster.
The first year I made the All American,
they gave me a great big silver cup.
Well, maybe I'm being petty, Torchy,
I don't mean to be.
It's just that I didn't think our
first day would be...
- Well, like this.
- Well, the day isn't over, honey.
- Hey, that's him all right.
- Yeah.
I was in the Rose Bowl
when he made that long pass.
Well, Torchy, let's pretend that you're
just getting off the train...
- I remember.
- And I'm...
...just two yards against Kansas,
the greatest play I ever saw.
- Must have big hands to pass like that.
- Excuse me.
You know, Harvey of California
had very big hands.
I, uh... it's not the size of the hands,
it's the way you snap the ball, see?
Like this. Then, of course, accuracy
is just as important as distance.
Now, if I'd thrown it say, uh...
say 90 yards...
we would have scored if the ball
didn't drop right into Chanek's hand.
You know, people don't think
about that...
Well, if it isn't Mr. Dawson's
little girl Margie.
Hello.
Say, what ever happened to that fellow
we used to know, what's his name, the...
...the man you were engaged to?
Oh... he just met a few old friends.
- Hell be back in a minute.
- Oh.
Well, I guess you know what
my next question's gonna be.
Yes, I know.
The bottle.
Look, Margie, I don't want
to be a bore, but...
It isn't for me, it's for the navy.
You see, our captain looks upon this
magnum as good luck for the carrier...
and if it does nothing more for him and the
crew but give them a little more confidence...
Now, like, Gonowitz wanted me to kick,
but I said, uh...
Hold this.
All right, navy, sail away.
- Please, Dudley.
- Aye-aye, sir.
You sort of like that guy, don't you?
Yes, I do like him.
The guy has no business hanging
around with a girl who's engaged.
Well, the guy who's engaged
to her has, Torchy.
Well, I don't like him.
You shouldn't either,
all he cares about is that champagne.
Well, let's give it to him
and not see him anymore.
Oh, no, not in a million years.
Well, it won't be giving it to Briggs,
it'll be giving it to the navy.
The magnum is ours, it's not my fault
that there isn't any more.
- Is that your argument?
- It's my decision.
Gee, honey, you can't have
two quarterbacks.
If you know me at all,
you'd know that I...
I don't know you, Torchy,
I thought I did.
Anyway, the kind of marriage I believe in
has two quarterbacks.
So you can take the bottle
and keep it.
It is completely and officially yours.
Now you can celebrate all by yourself.
Well, I see the army has left
with further reversions.
Please go away, Briggs. You don't have
to follow me around anymore.
Torchy has the champagne.
You know, it's a curious thing.
When my father met my mother, she didn't
have a magnum of champagne to her name.
But he married her anyway.
I'm a lot like my father.
You know, Margie, when I first
met you in that wine shop,
you know what I thought?
I thought, there's the most
beautiful girl I've ever seen.
But she's probably not very bright.
I didn't think anyone that lovely
could have a brain too.
Then, when we were talking
in the cab, it...
It hit me like that.
I thought it was a kind of a miracle.
That out of a world of two billion people,
that's two thousand million,
I should meet the one girl
I've been looking for.
What brought this on, Briggs, I told you
I didn't have the champagne.
But, Margie, please believe me.
I never felt like this before.
I'm on the level, really.
You see, you can't chase a girl
around all day and half the night...
...without learning something about her.
Either you dislike her,
or think a lot about her.
And you know, there isn't one thing
about you that doesn't enchant me.
Your voice, the gleam in your eyes,
the way you comb your hair,
your perfume.
The smile on your lips.
Your lips.
Margie, I'm gonna tell you something.
You've got to believe me.
I'm in love with you.
I believe you.
Hey, what's the idea of kissing him?
Don't be a cad, MacNeil,
I was kissing her.
Oh.
Well, you see how a thing like that
can happen, Margie?
Now you understand about Rita Sloane.
It isn't quite the same, Torchy.
Well, end of the line,
we've reached Richmond.
Hey, wait, what about me?
Hey, Margie!
Hey, Margie!
Hey, Margie!
Margie!
You know what just happened?
All of a sudden I realized that
this bottle belongs to navy.
There speaks a man with
a heart of gold.
Lt. Briggs, much as you have
given me a personal pain in the neck,
I hereby present you with this magnum.
Take it and get out of our lives.
Wait a minute, Torchy, you said our lives.
- Yes, yours and mine.
- But, Margie...
Torchy, an awful lot of things have
happened in the last few minutes.
There's no use getting into
this long discussion,
you want to give the bottle
to the navy, Lt. MacNeil,
and the navy is happy to accept it.
Not so fast, Popeye.
You mean to tell me that kiss
was in the up and up?
You really like this guy?
Yes, I really like this guy.
We all like each other,
we're all friends, aren't we?
Oh, no, you don't.
You don't get my girl and the bottle.
Why, I'd rather see my mother take in
washing than give up this bottle now.
Oh, if you'd only kept quiet
one minute longer.
I had my fingers on it.
It is the champagne that's important.
- Oh, no, no, Margie...
- Lt. Briggs, sir?
Right.
Is this Miss Dawson?
Yes, why?
We have orders, sir, to pick up
Lt. Briggs and also Miss Dawson.
Why, this is ridiculous.
- What did I do?
- What did I do?
- You can't arrest me, I'm a civilian.
- That's what I'm here for.
Let's go, sir.
Clear away, please, clear away.
- They must be spies.
- Yeah.
Could be.
How're you doing?
My name's Dawson, what's yours?
- Peakley, sir.
- Peakley, how are you?
I managed to get down from Sacramento
when I found out there was trouble.
- Trouble?
- My daughter, did she get married alright?
Well, I really don't know, sir.
Is she a guest?
Don't you know your own people here?
Well, there are so many of them,
sir, in and out.
Dawson, Dawson...
Oh, yes, sir, 1004.
I'd better call first.
Wedding night.
Room 1004, please.
Hello!
Hello, is this Miss Dawson's room?
- Yeah!
- Is Margie there?
No!
She isn't? Where is she?
How would I know?
Something wrong, sir?
My daughter, what's happened to her?
You take this uniform off
and what do you got?
Successful businessman.
And before that what?
A celebrity.
The Oregon Earthquake.
A woman that betrays a man like me
is washed up for good.
One guy you can't kick around,
that's old Torchy MacNeil.
So it's ended, it's ended.
No use pouring ashes in cold water.
Now, before you say a word...
- Mr. Dawson!
- Who were you talking to?
Uh... me. Me.
- Where is my daughter?
- Nothing to worry, Mr. Dawson.
- She, um...
- What are you doing in Margie's robe?
I put it on to answer the door.
- Are you married?
- Uh.. no, sir.
Then why are you in Margie's room?
Well, I was tired and there's
no place else to go.
MacNeil, what has the army done to you,
and what have you done to my daughter?
It's all very simple, Mr. Dawson,
we were going to get married...
and then we didn't, on account
of a bottle, and...
the navy took over on the Richmond ferry,
so I came back to go to bed...
...with the magnum.
Wish I could talk better.
Been away quite a while,
haven't you, Torchy.
Yeah, about sixteen months.
Tough for a man out there all lonely.
Yeah, sometimes I thought
I was going nuts.
That's... what I figured.
I guess I'll get a glass of water.
Help! There's a crazy lieutenant in here.
Hurry!
Mr. Dawson, I can't understand
what's gotten into Margie.
All I was trying to do was show
a couple of fellows on the ferryboat...
...how to throw a forward pass.
Throw a forward pass on a ferryboat?
Torchy, I'll bet Margie's got lots of
other nice things, let's try on a nightie.
Mr. Dawson, what are you talking about?
What's going on with everybody?
What has happened since I've
been away?
There he is!
He's a raving maniac.
- Why, Mr. Dawson!
- That's the way I found him.
Raving in my daughter's room
with her robe on.
She's disappeared.
've already told you where
your daughter is.
- Where is she, lieutenant?
- With the navy.
Se what I mean?
Now look, I haven't done anything wrong.
I don't have to take this from anybody.
Is this what I was up there digging up
all those air strips for?
No!
Gangway!
Stop or I'll fire!
Come back.
What's this all about, do you know?
Well, no, sir, not exactly,
except the captain's waiting.
- Did your captain have me picked up?
- What do you mean not exactly?
- I'll tell the captain you're here, sir.
- Wickley!
Oh, Briggs, come on in.
Bring the young lady.
Delightful.
Excellent taste, Briggs.
- Well, here we are.
- Why?
Sit down!
- I inconvenienced you tonight, sorry.
- That's all right, skipper.
Name's Hornby, Capt. Hornby.
- Yes, sir.
- You?
Margie Dawson's the name.
And may I ask why I was brought
here against my will?
- Briggs, what's come over you?
- Sir?
Haven't you told this charming young lady
she was not being picked up,
but was actually being given an escort?
- And I thought you knew nothing about this.
- But I... I...
I appreciate your position, Briggs.
Wanted me to see for myself that you haven't
made a mistake in your recommendation.
Actually, though, I took you
at your word.
Made arrangements with Washington
by phone.
Had to get som gold braid
out of bed to do it, but it's all set.
Well, that's fine, sir, fine.
Well, everything's fine and all set.
And now if you'll excuse me, I have a date
with a hotel room in Dan Francisco.
Correction, my beautiful young lady.
You have a date to christen
our carrier at dawn.
- I christen a carrier?
- All fourty thousand tons of it.
Quite an honor if I do say so.
Of course there are a few customs
to be observed such as, uh...
The lady of honor supplying
the champagne.
Oh, I see.
And Mr. Briggs recommended
me for this honor.
Me and my champagne.
Just by coincidence you don't happen to...
have the bottle?
Just by coincidence, I gave away
the only magnum in the West.
You gave it away?
To a thirsty soldier.
And where were you when
this happened?
- Standing by, sir.
- Congratulations.
That's using your head for a hatrack.
We were picked up before
I could do anything about it, sir.
You mean you were caught
in your won wolf trap.
Where did you buy the magnum?
Maybe there's another.
I'm afraid not, sir, I was with her
when she bought it.
You were with her?
And why did she decide to buy our magnum?
Go ahead, tell him.
Because I... I suggested it, sir.
Naturally I thought there'd be
other magnums, sir.
Mr. Briggs, any man capable of thinking...
...would provide first for the navy
and secondly for his own campaign.
- Yes, sir.
- You're gonna find that magnum...
and have it here in time for
the launching...
...or there'll be no leave with any
redhead in San Diego.
I'm well aware what that leave
with the redhead means.
Why, you...
You blooby.
- But, Margie...
- Well, gentlemen.
Now we all know each other
for what we're worth.
You, Capt. Hornby, are a man
in search of a bottle.
And your Mr. Briggs was to get
that bottle by hook or by crook.
He messed up my life a little, for which
I must thank him... up to a point.
But so far the lieutenant has
completely failed in his mission.
Mr. Briggs, it seems you've handled this
delicate matter like a badly-trained elephant.
- Yes, sir.
- Lieutenant,
From this point, you carry on alone.
Goodbye... and good luck to you.
Let the lady go.
But if we don't stop her, sir,
we'll never see her again.
Tough luck, eh? Any idea where that
champagne is?
- Torchy MacNeil has it.
- Well, that's where she's headed for.
So make sure you don't get
your fumbling hands on her.
But she doesn't want
any part of it, sir.
Mr. Briggs, that girl is certain
that you double-crossed her
When a woman decides that about you,
get ready for total war.
No holds barred.
But if you don't get that bottle,
you'll fight the entire war with those
same two striped on your sleeve.
Yes, sir.
And when I say the bottle,
I mean get the girl and the bottle.
But you talk to her, sir. No one on earth is
going to get her to launch that ship now.
Do you think I'm going to stick my neck out
pleading Washington again for a change of plans?
You have your orders, Mr. Briggs.
Aye-aye, sir.
Capt. Hornby, in case you can't do better,
one of the WAVES located this.
No, Wickley, no, thanks.
Not for 40 thousand tons.
- Is Lt. MacNeil upstairs?
- Well, he was in your room, but...
Up, hurry!
Matter of life or death!
Papa, what are...?
Where's Torchy?
You're alright, Margie?
Yes, of course I'm alright,
but what's happened to Torchy?
He's crazy as a loon, I had him taken
away before he could harm anybody.
- But where is he?
- Who's he, why don't he knock?
Look, Margie, it will be dawn
in no time,
and as soon as it is and the ship
is launched...
...we can relax and straighten
things out in our minds.
Now, you'll give me that chance,
won't you, Margie?
Mr. Briggs, I believe I've wished you luck
and said goodbye once.
But, Margie, you wouldn't stop him from
getting that bottle now, would you?
The bottle has gone completely
out of my mind.
- Papa, where is he?
- The Provost Marshall's office.
You stay here and entertain this sailor.
He'll be gone soon.
She sounds as crazy as Torchy.
- Who are you?
- Briggs!
Look, Mr. Dawson, you know
your own daughter,
you heard her say she wasn't
after the bottle.
- Now what do you think?
- I'd say she's after the bottle.
What does she want it for,
what's this all about?
We've got to get it, now come on,
I'll explain everything later.
- But listen...
- You want to help the old navy, don't you?
I'll help the navy, but Margie's
a different war.
You the sailor Margie met
in the saloon?
- Liquor store.
- Hm.
You the reason for the wedding
busting up?
My apologies, sir, but I'm afraid I am.
Confidentially, if you never did
anything more in your life,
you deserve the finest medal
the navy has to offer.
- Thank you, sir.
- Only one way to describe that Torchy.
A conceited muscle.
Oh, he's not such a bad fellow,
actually,
it's just that I don't think he's
the right man for Margie.
Shake.
- Why don't you?
- Because I want her.
- You?
- Yes, sir.
- Ever play football?
- No, do you have to play football?
No.
Ever been in the cement business?
No.
Ever think you will be?
Why, no!
My boy, I've dreamed about
a man like you. Shake again.
You know, it's funny, though.
It took all this trouble to realize that...
...you're probably the only one
that ever really did understand me.
I was glad when you phoned me, Torchy.
I guess I've always loved you...
without knowing it.
- I mean... you know.
- Sure.
I'll make up for it when I get out,
though, you just watch.
Do I have to watch,
can't I be part of it?
You know what I mean.
You always know what I mean.
You're right.
You know what we ought to do? We oughta
get married the minute I get out.
before either of have a chance
to make any more mistakes.
Well, if I passed up that offer,
it would be the biggest mistake of all.
Proposal accepted.
We'll seal our marriage by drinking
this magnum of champagne.
A great big toast to the future.
Uh... sort of a symbol.
Why, Torchy, what a romantic thought.
Oh, I'm full of romantic thoughts.
After all that time up north.
Sir. You are to report to Major Smith.
- Now what?
- Now, Torchy, just take it easy.
Sir. Lt. MacNeil reporting
to Major Smith.
I've been looking over this report,
MacNeil.
Why did you try to escape
from the military police?
Well, frankly, sir, I thought I was being
framed, I knew I'd done nothing wrong.
- You seem quite rational.
- And very normal too, sir.
- I'm very anxious to marry this young lady.
- Is that correct, miss?
We're both anxious.
Well, I see no serious reason why
the army should stand in your way, sir.
You're released with my good wishes.
Thank you, sir.
- Uh-oh!
- Hello, Torchy, old pal!
Torchy, may I speak to you
a moment, please?
Sorry, we're on our way to get married.
- Married?
- Why not?
Well, no reason, actually.
Congratulations.
Rita, you wouldn't mind if I talked
to Torchy alone, would you?
- I think I would.
- Come on, honey.
Just a minute, MacNeil.
Major, you're not releasing
this man, are you?
- Any reason why I shouldn't?
- I believe there is, sir.
But, sir, I didn't do anything, it's purely
a personal issue with this man.
Well, we'll soon find out.
Stand by, Mr. MacNeil.
Yes, sir.
If you check with Capt. Hornby
in Richmond, sir,
I think you'll find the Navy's concern
as to the whereabouts of this officer.
- Capt. Hornby, do you know his number?
- May I get him for you, sir?
Torchy, you know what he's after,
the bottle.
It means so much to him,
a promotion and a leave.
He won't get this bottle even if
I have to take it to Court-martial.
A soldier has rights
just like a civilian.
I think.
Here you are, sir, Capt. Hornby.
Major Smith, sir, Provost Marshall.
Being launched in an hour?
Well, I can well understand, sir.
Well, it's a bit out of channels,
but if you wish, sir.
Oh, thank you.
Well, good sailing, sir.
Sargeant.
I'm releasing Capt. MacNeil into
custody of Lieutenant, uh...
- Briggs, sir.
- Oh, no!
Accompany them to the shipyard,
see that they get to Capt. Hornby.
- Yes, sir.
- Okay.
The army's going to let the navy
frame me, my hands are tied.
But nobody's going to get
this bottle.
Nobody over my dead body... sir.
Please come along, sir.
Come on, darling.
Nice work, Mr. Briggs.
Always a man for good, clean
frame-ups, aren't you?
Come on, Papa.
Mr. Dawson, she's got to launch
that carrier with the magnum, she's got to.
Well, I could spank her,
but at her age I think
she'd like it better from you.
Margie, sure you won't
change your mind?
Papa, I'm not going to the launching.
Well, I am.
Margie, look, they're counting on you,
you can't let them down.
Oh, can't I, just watch me!
Margie, I don't want to do this,
I'll probably end up in the brig,
but there's no other way.
Nothing to be alarmed about, sir,
just bumped her chin into something.
Upsy-daisy, attagirl.
Margie. Margie, dear!
I'm sorry, honey, I had to do it.
- Oh, guess I must have fallen asleep.
- Yes.
- Come along, darling.
- Yes, Dudley.
Oh...
Sweetheart, you're going
to launch a carrier.
A carrier...
Carrier?
You hit me!
- You hit me on the chin!
- But, darling, I, I...
Hitting a woman! If there's anything
meaner or more contemptible!
But I had to get you here.
Well, I'm glad you did, there's something
I have to say to your commanding officer.
Hitting a woman!
Oh!
Margie...
- I'd like to see Capt. Hornby.
- I've got to see him first, official business.
Well?
I've done it, sir.
In the outer office are Lt. MacNeil, the magnum
of champagne and Miss Dawson...
...to, um... launch the ship.
You've never failed me, Briggs.
And that promotion and the leave
are in the bag, my boy.
Thank you, sir. Of course there are
a few minor details to be ironed out.
Such as persuading Lt. MacNeil to give up
the bottle and, um... Miss Dawson to...
...launch the ship. But I'm sure you
can accomplish that quite easily, sir.
In other words, Mr. Briggs,
the whole mess is right in my lap.
Twenty minutes to launching.
I have some information that
might help, sir.
You see, Lt. MacNeil is very proud
of his college football career.
And if you'll remember these things:
Torchy MacNeil, Oregon Earthquake,
great fullback, Rose Bowl, Pittsburgh.
And might I suggest that
you pour it on, sir?
Well called! Bring MacNeil in.
Lt. MacNeil, please.
Come on, honey.
I insist on seeing Capt. Hornby.
- Presently, Miss Dawson.
- I...
Well, may I present
Miss Rita Sloane from Oregon?
- How do you do?
- Delighted. Great state, Oregon.
- Won't you sit down, Miss Sloane?
- And Lt. MacNeil, sir.
MacNeil? MacNeil...
Not Porky MacNeil?
Um, Torchy MacNeil, sir.
Uh, yes, yes, of course,
Torchy MacNeil.
Oregon Volcano!
Oregon Earthquake, sir.
Oh, yes, yes.
Young volcano himself.
- You mean you've heard of me, sir?
- Heard of Torchy MacNeil?
Best quarterback Oregon ever had.
Best fullback, sir.
- I mean, I played fullback.
- You've seen him play, Captain?
Never forget it. Rose Bowl.
Time you beat Pittsburgh.
Yes, sir.
Only they beat us.
Oh, yes, slipped my mind.
It was a wonderful game, though.
Torchy just lost by two points.
I didn't lose, the team lost.
Oh, yes, yes, heartbreaking.
Fifteen minutes to launching.
Mr. MacNeil.
- We want that bottle.
- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir?
- He means yes, sir, he knows you want it.
- Do we get it?
- No, sir.
But you were ready to give it
to me before.
Yeah, that's before I knew
who was on whose side.
Now I understand things.
I'd like to understand things
myself, fire away.
Well, you see, sir, while I was
out in the Aleutians...
...thinking about coming home and all
the good things that were going to happen,
all that's got tied up in my mind
was a big bottle of champagne.
You know, celebrate, champagne.
Quite understandable.
You see what I mean? It's a symbol
of everything I dreamed of up there.
Now people want to take
it away and destroy it.
- Smash it against a ship.
- That's right, they want to smash it.
- Ask Miss Dawson to come in.
- But, sir, I...
- Would you come in, please?
- We've got a problem, Torchy.
- We?
- I need that bottle...
...and you know it's for a good cause.
- Such as a redhead in San Diego.
- Quiet!
Oh, I beg your pardon, Miss Dawson.
I thought you might help me make
things clear to Torchy.
There's nothing I'd like better,
and incidentally, Captain,
there's something I'd like
to make clear to you.
Yes, later!
Now, Torchy,
It's for your country and mine,
that's how simple it is.
Your country and mine,
what do you say, son?
Well, I'm an American alright, sir.
Well, what do you say, Torchy,
do we get the bottle?
- Well.
- I'm afraid he says no.
That's right, I say no.
Why don't you hit him over
the head and take it?
They don't hit men.
Ten minutes to launching.
Well, Lieutenant, you have your rights,
it's my duty to honor them.
Mr. Briggs will take you back
immediately after the launching.
- Thank you, sir, we can manage all right.
- Then I won't detain you.
- Goodbye, MacNeil.
- Goodbye, sir.
Goodbye, Miss Sloane, sorry
to have bothered you.
Goodbye, Captain.
Well, Margie, it looks like you're going
to have to launch our carrier...
...with a quart of champagne.
Oh, no, Capt. Hornby, a quart of barrel,
you'll have to find another girl.
I'm here because I have
something to tell you.
- But, Margie, there isn't time.
- Well, then I'll make it fast.
This man hit me, he punched me on the chin,
I hope he gets into a lot of trouble.
Come on, Papa.
Officers and men on hand for launching.
Sir, but what she said...
Mr. Briggs, I'm not interested
in your sordid private life.
Here it is, dawn.
And I have you to thank for the greatest
job of bungling I've seen in twenty years.
Come along, Ensign Briggs.
Seven minutes for launching.
All right, but that's no way
to treat a man who loves you.
Please, Papa, let's not talk about it.
Just as you say.
I don't care what he told you,
he doesn't love me and he never did.
Of course, if you'd rather not discuss him.
I'd rather not.
All he wanted was that bottle
so he could have his leave.
You're not sure of that, Margie.
And now you never will be.
But you could have found out
for certain and so easily...
...whether it was just the bottle
he was after.
Please, papa, I am certain. Why, there isn't
the slightest doubt in my mind.
How could I have found out?
You're sure not very bright, Margie.
You could have found out by giving him
the bottle and launching the ship.
It's that simple.
If Briggs had gotten the bottle,
and you had launched the carrier,
he'd have no further reason
to pretend he loves you.
If he was pretending.
Five minutes to launching.
I'll be right back.
Torchy, she's coming over here.
You've got nothing to worry
about honey.
I'm not the kind of a fellow
that changes his mind.
In case I don't see you
before you leave,
I want to wish you all the happiness
in the world.
That's very sweet of you, Margie.
Thank you.
Good to see we all realize that this is
the way it should have been.
Yeah.
When I think that just
a few hours ago...
...Torchy and I were going to celebrate our
marriage with that magnum of champagne.
Well, I guess we were a little hasty.
Funny how much that bottle
meant to us, Torchy.
Well, now it can mean the same
to you and Rita.
I guess I'd better hurry, goodbye.
And Torchy, I appreciate so much
your not giving the bottle to Briggs.
Swell girl Margie. She's just
not my type, that's all.
Torchy, get rid of that bottle.
- You mean you shouldn't drink it?
- I'd rather drink iodine.
Would you ask me to take custody
of Margie's child?
What child?
Torchy, that bottle is part of your past
not our future.
Now it can only bring trouble,
get rid of it.
- Rita, honey, you're not gonna start too.
- Get rid of that bottle, Torchy.
Three minutes to launching.
Alright, Rita, I guess it has been
nothing but trouble.
- I'll smash the damn thing...
- No, wait.
Now what's the matter?
Why shouldn't we give
that bottle to Briggs?
- Give it to Briggs?
- I mean to the navy.
Like the captain said,
it's patriotic, Torchy.
After all we don't want the carrier
known as a jinxed ship.
But it's about to be launched,
it's too late!
Maybe it isn't, go ahead, Torchy, hurry!
Well, okay.
Guess maybe I was wrong.
- Maybe you do need two quarterbacks.
- Yes, Torchy, go ahead, hurry.
Two minutes to launching.
Thank you, Wickley.
- Any luck yet?
- No, sir.
Well, maybe a man shouldn't
believe in luck.
Get anybody to launch it, get...
Margie.
- I knew you wouldn't let me down.
- This has nothing to do with you.
I was hoping you'd be in the brig.
- Good girl you've come to launch the ship.
- Wth the magnum, Captain.
Well, I wish we had it, but we haven't.
- I'll wait.
- But Margie...
One minute to launching.
Hear that? Here's the ship, here's
a drink of wine, name is Vengeance.
- We'll launch it with the magnum, captain.
- But we haven't got the magnum.
All we got is a quart and 40 seconds.
- Well?
- Oh, no, captain, not with this bottle.
Well, we'll have to get someone else.
All, right, Capt. Hornby, I'll do it.
Capt. Hornby.
Ten seconds to launching.
Ready, Margie, don't miss.
God bless this ship, the men who sail her,
and the flag she flies.
Briggs! Briggs!
Don't miss, Margie.
Hey, Margie!
Hey, Briggs!
Catch!
I christen thee Vengeance!
Gee, honey, look.
Mission accomplished, Mr. Briggs.
Better start packing for San Diego.
Thank you, sir!
Two-weeks leave. Boy!
Telegram for you, Miss Dawson.
- For me?
- Yes, ma'am.
Thank you.
"Meet me with biggest bottle of champagne
in San Francisco and I will marry you.
Dudley Briggs."
- Well?
- Dudley.
Here we go again.
- Subtitles -
Lu?s Filipe Bernardes